Rice's trial is now scheduled to begin today following the decision on March 8 from the MD Court of Appeals. The state's highest court reversed Judge Williams's order disallowing the testimony of Officer Porter. Porter will now be compelled to testify against Rice. Edward Nero and Caesar Goodson's trials have already passed. Each waived a jury and each was acquitted by Judge Williams. Today, hearings will be conducted. Lt. Rice waives a jury today. Opening statements will be Thursday morning.

Blade runner Oscar Pistorius will learn his sentence today for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeve Steenkamp, on Feb. 14, 2013. An appellate court had thrown out the previous conviction for South Africa's version of what we call manslaughter and his 5-year sentence. The high court, instead, found him guilty of murder where he faces at least 15 years in prison. He served one year of the original five years. The judge, however, could find mitigating circumstances to justify a sentence less than 15 years.

Judge Max Wiley is expected to rule on some pretrial evidentiary matters today (or before) in this murder case. Hernandez is accused of murdering 6-year-old Etan Patz on May 25, 1979 in lower Manhattan. Jury selection should begin on Sept. 6 or 7.

Mark Sievers and his attorney will be in court this afternoon. He recently lost parental rights to his grade school daughters. Custody was awarded to the girls' maternal grandmother instead of Sievers's mother. Apparently some issues arose regarding the maternal grandmother, Mary Ann Grove. The judge is expected to speak to the girls today to hear their complaints. The hearing involves the Department of Children and Families. His next appearance regarding the murder case is July 27, 2016.