Verdict Watch

Cases resolved in court — sentencings, guilty pleas, convictions, and acquittals.

385 articles

Verdict Homicide

Florida Man Sentenced to Life for Shooting Wife in Heart, Burning Her Body Inside Home

Marcus Aron Sanchez pleaded guilty to murder and arson after admitting he fatally shot his wife Jenny Miguel and lived with her decomposing body before setting their apartment on fire.

Verdict Homicide

Fired Bartender at San Francisco's Legendary Condor Club Gets 5 Years in Manager Murder Plot

The former employee, accused of orchestrating a killing-for-hire scheme targeting their supervisor, was sentenced to five years in prison despite prosecutors seeking a longer term.

Verdict Homicide

Ohio Parents Plead Guilty After Toddler Found With 80-Degree Body Temperature, Severe Bedsores Requiring Surgery

Stephanie Woods and Cody Mercer each received nine-month prison sentences for endangering their 20-month-old daughter, who weighed just 13 pounds when discovered.

Verdict Homicide

South Carolina Man Gets 30 Years for Killing Wrong Driver in Case of Mistaken Identity Revenge Shooting

Franklin Radell Smoak Jr. opened fire on a car he believed carried his cousin's killer, but the vehicle was filled with friends out for an evening ride.

Verdict Homicide

Man Pleads Guilty to Killing Ex-Boyfriend's Siblings, Their Partners as They Slept in California Home

Miguel Diego Sandoval admitted to fatally shooting four people before setting the Lancaster residence on fire; survivor, a teenager, called 911 after locking herself in a bedroom.

Verdict Homicide

Pop Smoke's Killer Sentenced for Drug Trafficking While Incarcerated in LA Jail

The man convicted of killing Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke has received his sentence on drug charges filed while he awaited trial for the 2020 homicide.

Verdict Trials

Mother Accused of Killing 2-Month-Old Baby Had Previously Pleaded Guilty in Death of Another Infant, Police Say

Natricia Ann Wright, 27, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony child abuse after an infant died while co-sleeping, authorities say.

Verdict Homicide

Minnesota Man Gets 10-Year Sentence for Attempted Murder of Father's Girlfriend With .30-30 Rifle

Landon Terrance Tuomala, 24, was convicted after a bench trial in St. Louis County for the August 2024 shooting that missed its target by inches.

Verdict Homicide

Luigi Mangione Might Never Be Convicted of Murder Despite Admitting 'I Shot Mr. Thompson'

Jurisdictional questions loom over the case as federal charges proceed while state murder charges remain pending in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Verdict Trials

First NYPD Officer Convicted Under Post-George Floyd Chokehold Ban

The NYPD has permanently codified its chokehold ban following the conviction of an officer for using the banned maneuver on Staten Island.

Verdict Trials

Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan Court

The suspected shooter told the judge 'I shot Mr. Thompson' as Thompson's widow visibly wept in the courtroom gallery.

Verdict Homicide

Man Seen Buying Bottles of Long Island Iced Tea Was Drunk When He Careened Into Nail Salon, Killing 4 People Inside

Steven Schwally sentenced to 25 years to life after being convicted for the June 2024 crash that killed an off-duty NYPD officer and three others at a Deer Park, New York spa.

Verdict Trials

Alabama Man Convicted of Brutal Murder and Decapitation of Father of 4 Avoids Death Penalty

Youit Jones sentenced to life without parole after jury rejects capital punishment request; victim's widow describes 'broken' world in statement following verdict.

Verdict Homicide

Michigan Woman Who Dreamed of 'Nice Backyard' While Planning Deadly Home Invasion Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years

Amanda Hernandez, whose texts revealed she discussed buying a home with stolen money while her husband and accomplice posed as gas workers, was sentenced for her role in the murder of 72-year-old Hussein 'Sam' Murray.

Verdict Homicide

Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years After Stabbing Father 27 Times Over House Sale Dispute

Christian Rodriguez pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the death of his father, who had returned from Mexico where he had another family.

Verdict Homicide

'A Smirk on His Face': Man Attacked Mother-in-Law at Hospital While Wife Was in Labor After They Tried Kicking Him Out of Delivery Room

Dillon Field, a former Hennepin County Sheriff's detention deputy, pleaded guilty to domestic assault and was sentenced to probation after an incident that put Maple Grove Hospital on lockdown.

Verdict Homicide

Tesla Driver Pleads Guilty After Hitting UK Family Near Las Vegas Strip, Ejecting Toddler Into Light Pole

Gavin Caci admitted his blood alcohol was nearly three times the legal limit when he struck a tourist couple and their 2-year-old daughter, then fled to Topgolf.

Verdict Homicide

Minnesota Man Sentenced After Allegedly Assaulting Mother-In-Law During Wife's Hospital Delivery

Dillon Field, who allegedly told his wife he would behave himself to attend the birth, was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to domestic assault.

Verdict Homicide

North Dakota Man Who Vowed to Kill Trump and Called Himself President's 'Biggest Threat' Sentenced to Supervised Release

Andrew Walter Sandvik, who posted online threats including 'Can You Feel My Footsteps Coming?' was credited with two years of time served after pleading guilty to threatening the president.

Verdict Homicide

Wisconsin Woman Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison After Setting Boyfriend's Apartment on Fire, Killing 71-Year-Old Man Two Floors Above

Rashamba Claybrooks pleaded guilty to felony murder and arson after torching the Milwaukee apartment when her boyfriend told her to move out.

Verdict Homicide

Wisconsin Teen Sentenced to 12 Years for Killing 15-Year-Old Girlfriend, Tried Blaming Unknown Shooter

Javier Smith allegedly changed his story multiple times after Azoria Jones was found dead on a Milwaukee sidewalk, claiming someone else fired the fatal shot.

Verdict Trials

Mom Pleads Guilty in Death of 4-Year-Old Boy Found Stiff Outside Wisconsin Dairy Queen

Charlotte Kurek admitted to playing loud music to drown out her son's cries while his father allegedly beat him to death.

Verdict Trials

Georgia Father Convicted After Providing Son With Gun Used in School Shooting Seeks New Trial

The father was found guilty of lesser charges after prosecutors argued he knowingly armed his son before the attack.

Verdict Homicide

Florida Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years for Manslaughter in Fatal Shooting of High School Friend During Alleged 'Dry Firing' Incident

Saam Rajaei told a 911 dispatcher 'I didn't mean for this to happen' after shooting James Cartigiano, who was 16 years old.