CONVICTION OVERTURNED IN MICROWAVED BABY CASE
from the article by Lou Grieco and Kelli Wynn – The Dayton (OH) Daily News

Montgomery County Prosecutor Mathias Heck Jr. said Friday afternoon he will ask an appeals court to reconsider its reversal of the murder conviction of China Arnold for the death of her infant daughter in a microwave oven.

“We are astonished that the Court of Appeals reversed the defendant’s conviction,” Heck said is a prepared statement issued shortly before 4 p.m. “The (prosecution) will file a motion asking the Court of Appeals to reconsider its decision …”

JURY REJECTS INSANITY CLAIM, SENTENCE SISOUVANH SYNHAVONG TO LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
from the article by Paul Horton – TriCity Herald

Phiengchai Sisouvanh Synhavong showed no reaction Tuesday as she stood before a jury that decided she should be sent to prison for the gruesome slaying of a pregnant Pasco mother two years ago.

Defense claims that the 25-year-old Kennewick woman was insane when she repeatedly stabbed Araceli Camacho Gomez and cut Gomez’s baby from her womb in June 2008, weren’t enough to sway Benton County Superior Court jurors.

After 11 days of testimony, it took less than seven hours of deliberating before they found Sisouvanh Synhavong guilty of aggravated first-degree murder.

It’s not often when I get to give you folks this kind of feel-good story. Well, maybe feel-good story isn’t the appropriate term to use here, but after reading about the final outcome of Laura Ashley Hall’s recent re-sentencing hearing for felony tampering with evidence in the 2005 murder of Jennifer Cave, I know I felt really, really good.

In order to experience the same feeling I did, you need to know some background information. Hall was originally sentenced to five years in 2007 for her role in Jennifer’s murder, but filed an appeal with Texas’ Third District Court Of Appeals, claiming the prosecution withheld crucial evidence. The court agreed (View The Court’s Decision Here), and Laura Ashley Hall was given a new sentencing hearing.

WILLIAMS’ TEARFUL PLEA FOR FORGIVENESS FALLS ON DEAF EARS, SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON
from the article by Chris Cobb – The Ottawa Citizen

In the end, the sight of a tearful Russell Williams asking to be forgiven moved no one.

Minutes before being driven to Kingston Penitentiary in Ontario where he will likely spend the rest of his days, Williams surprised the packed courtroom by accepting Justice Robert Scott’s invitation to speak — a pre-sentencing formality convicted criminals regularly decline.

The serial killer spent had most of his previous three days in court sitting with his head bowed. When he stood Thursday, lawyers, police, news reporters and the public fell silent and were transfixed.

COL. RUSSELL WILLIAMS PLEADS GUILTY TO ALL 88 CHARGES
excerpts of an article by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Staff

Thousands of explicit photos that Col. Russell Williams took while wearing women’s and girls’ lingerie show how his sexual obsession escalated from lesser crimes to sexual assault and murder, a Belleville, Ont., court heard Monday.

The decorated former commander of Canadian Forces Base Trenton, in eastern Ontario, pleaded guilty to all 88 charges against him — including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts each of sexual assault and forcible confinement and 82 break-ins and attempted break-ins

Williams, 47, was arraigned on the murder charges Monday before Judge Robert F. Scott in Ontario Superior Court. Wearing a dark suit and grey button-down shirt, Williams quietly pleaded: “Guilty, your honor.”

MOTHER, BOYFRIEND SENTENCED TO LONG PRISON TERMS IN DEATH OF ONTARIO INFANT
excerpts of an article from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

A mother and her boyfriend have pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the death in 2007 of the woman’s 8-month-old son.

Authorities said the mother, Elizabeth Reta, swabbed Samuel Reta’s nose with a Q-Tip tainted with methamphetamine. Her boyfriend, Juan Antonio Sanchez, then beat the child to try to get him to come down from the high.

Reta and Sanchez both accepted plea bargains from prosecutors on Friday, Sept. 24 that carry prison sentences of more than a decade.

Reta’s plea bargain carries a sentence of 11 years, said Deputy District Attorney Jason Anderson. The 31-year-old Ontario woman is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 21 in West Valley Superior Court.

FASHION DESIGNER CONVICTED IN CALIFORNIA, GETS 59 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON
excerpts of an article by Greg Risling – The Huffington Post

August 31st, 2009 – Fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander was sentenced Monday to 59 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting aspiring models he lured to Los Angeles.

Alexander, 35, showed no reaction as Superior Court Judge David Wesley said Alexander should be incarcerated as long as possible for preying upon young girls and women. Alexander was convicted in November of 14 counts including forcible rape. He was found not guilty of four felonies, and jurors could not reach a verdict on three counts.

“Mr. Alexander has showed no remorse for his actions,” the judge said.

JUSTICE FOR JADA: CASTILLO GETS LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
excerpts from the article by Susan Brown – Northwest Indiana dotCom (NWI.com)

Engelica Castillo was sentenced Friday to life without the possibility of parole for the murder of her young cousin, 2-year-old Jada Justice.

A Lake Superior Court jury deliberated for about 90 minutes before returning with the decision about 7 p.m.

Weeping, the 20-year-old Castillo sank to her knees while her sister, Amanda Valdez, cast her head into her hands to stifle her cries.

Formal sentencing was set for Sept. 9 when defense attorney Lemuel Stigler may pursue objections he raised Friday to the jury’s decision.