Pedro Hernandez Sentencing
Pedro Hernandez, convicted on February 14, 2017 in a retrial for the kidnapping and murder of Etan Patz, will be sentenced today. He faces 25 years to life. Patz was only 6 years old when he disappeared on his way to school on May 25, 1979.
Michelle Carter Trial Continued
Michelle Carter is charged with manslaughter for encouraging her boyfriend to commit suicide via text messages. She was not with him when he killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning in 2014 in Massachusetts. Both were teens at the time. Carter is now 20 years old. The trial was scheduled to begin today but has been rescheduled for June 5.
Jeffrey Rackover & Lawrence Dilione/Control Date
Rackover and Dilione are charged with crimes related to the death of Joseph Communale in Rackover's upper east side Manhattan apartment. Neither has yet been charged with murder. Communale's body was found in a shallow grave in New Jersey. Today is a control date, I suspect, to determine whether the DA has elevated the charges to murder.
Trial of One Defendant in 2011 Holly Bobo Murder
The trial of at least one of the 3 men accused of murdering Holly Bobo is expected to begin today. As I write this (in Nov. 2016), the judge has not ruled on a motion to sever the trials nor has he stated which defendant will go to trial first.
Angelika Graswald Kayak Drowning Case
Graswald, 37, is due back in court today after filing notice of intent to use psychiatric evidence at trial. That notice was filed a week before jury selection was to begin last month. The state was to have her evaluated by their own psychiatric witness. A new trial date could be set today.
Robert Durst Control Date
Today is the next court date in Durst's California murder case. He's charged with shooting his close friend, Susan Berman, in the back of the head in December 2000 to silence her from talking to authorities about the disappearance (and presumed murder) of Durst's first wife, Kathy, in 1982.
Michael Slager Federal Civil Rights Trial
The federal civil rights trial of former North Charleston, South Carolina police officer Michael Slager was scheduled to begin today. Slater shot and killed motorist Walter Scott in April 2015 after Scott ran away during a routine traffic stop. Slager accepted a plea deal rather than go to trial. He pled guilty to violating Scott's civil rights and will be sentenced up to 25 years later this year. The state charges were dropped as a condition of the plea agreement.