PA - Leon Katz, infant, murdered, and twin, injured by babysitter, Pittsburgh- June 24, 2024

[NCWatcher]

I want to know more about this felonious history!

'The defendant has a significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence to the person. The victim was a child under 12 years of age.'

Further details of these previous convictions were not shared. A public records check for Virzi only showed up details of the charges she faces over Leon's killing.

Woman accused of murdering friends baby faces death penalty

Nicole Virzi, 29, has been accused of murdering six-and-a-half-week old Leon Katz and injuring his twin brother while she babysat that them at the family's Pittsburgh home.

www.dailymail.co.uk

That's because it's likely she has no history. But as discussed earlier on the thread, if she is convicted in this case she will then have a history of use of violence towards children under 12 and that will justify the DP. Sounds very legally iffy to me but I'm not an attorney.
MOO

 

[fred&edna]

That's because it's likely she has no history. But as discussed earlier on the thread, if she is convicted in this case she will then have a history of use of violence towards children under 12 and that will justify the DP. Sounds very legally iffy to me but I'm not an attorney.
MOO

Asking for the DP asserting as fact that she has prior convictions definitely seems "iffy". I'm not a lawyer, either, so maybe that's why it doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Gemmie]

I want to know more about this felonious history! Was she considered a juvenile when other incidents occurred? Is that why they haven't been found?

'The defendant has a significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence to the person. The victim was a child under 12 years of age.'

Further details of these previous convictions were not shared. A public records check for Virzi only showed up details of the charges she faces over Leon's killing.

Woman accused of murdering friends baby faces death penalty

Nicole Virzi, 29, has been accused of murdering six-and-a-half-week old Leon Katz and injuring his twin brother while she babysat that them at the family's Pittsburgh home.

www.dailymail.co.uk

The District Attorney’s office provided four reasons for seeking the death penalty in their notice. Those reasons were:

1. The defendant committed the killing while in the perpetration of a felony.
2. The offense was committed by means of torture.
3. The defendant has a significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence to the person.
4. The victim was a child under 12 years of age.

Prosecutors seeking death penalty in case against woman accused of killing baby in Shadyside

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against a woman who was charged in the killing of a 6-week-old baby.

www.wpxi.com

There isn't a felonious history IMO. It's my belief that some are taking what was said in the article out of context. I pointed all that out in this post:

PA - Leon Katz, infant, murdered, and twin, injured by babysitter, Pittsburgh- June 24, 2024

The DA says "and the defendant has a significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence." What is that all about? eta: Ohh, apparently this has something to do with thinking ahead towards the sentencing phase. It's all very confusing.

www.websleuths.com

The most important part of the article I quoted in my linked post above was:

Although Ms. Virzi does not have a criminal history, if a jury finds her guilty of the charges <snip>

The source to keep things together: DA seeks death penalty against San Diego woman accused in Shadyside newborn's death

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Just curious: why does the article show 2 different apartment buildings as the Katz residence? ***ETA: I see now, top is Airbnb, bottom is Katz apartment.
View attachment 527792View attachment 527793

Nicole Virzi returned to Airbnb distraught after baby killing

Video exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com shows Nicole Virzi, 29, returning to her Airbnb rental in Pittsburgh shortly after midnight June 16, appearing distraught and anxious.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It's my understanding that they live in an apartment in the house, not the entire house itself.

 

[LifeIsAMystery]

Asking for the DP asserting as fact that she has prior convictions definitely seems "iffy". I'm not a lawyer, either, so maybe that's why it doesn't make sense to me.

It was explained differently elsewhere that if convicted of charges against 1st baby would then have convictions re: sentencing for 2nd. HTH.

 

[fred&edna]

There isn't a felonious history IMO. It's my belief that some are taking what was said in the article out of context. I pointed all that out in this post:

PA - Leon Katz, infant, murdered, and twin, injured by babysitter, Pittsburgh- June 24, 2024

The DA says "and the defendant has a significant history of felony convictions involving the use or threat of violence." What is that all about? eta: Ohh, apparently this has something to do with thinking ahead towards the sentencing phase. It's all very confusing.

www.websleuths.com

The most important part of the article I quoted in my linked post above was:

Although Ms. Virzi does not have a criminal history, if a jury finds her guilty of the charges <snip>

The source to keep things together: DA seeks death penalty against San Diego woman accused in Shadyside newborn's death

Thank you! That's a thorough explanation and I understand but still tough to reconcile in my little brain... it's almost like asserting facts not in evidence yet. jmo I'll leave it alone since it's been addressed previously.

 

[Curious Me]

This details the injuries to the 1st baby, he had scratches to the head of his penis. This is all profoundly sick.

MOOO.

​

My humble advice would be to not believe any one news article to be the total confirmed truth or the complete story. MOO, the Probably Cause Affidavit (see above video) is even missing details, but that's the more official version. I also think it's wise to hold off on assigning her all kinds of evil intent until we learn more.

Sensationalized not only in the media, but I feel the Prosecution stating those four aggravating factors to seek a DP sentence is prematurely trying to influence this towards guilt before the facts have been proven.

AFAIK, she had a pristine record of no prior criminal actions and was a serious student with conscientious goals. She deserves her day in court, but has been given an evil characterization before the timeline and details have even been straighten out. What if this were you or I and this was some fluke series of events? We'd want to be given the benefit of doubt until we present our side in a courtroom. ​

Nicole Virzi returned to Airbnb distraught after baby killing

Video exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com shows Nicole Virzi, 29, returning to her Airbnb rental in Pittsburgh shortly after midnight June 16, appearing distraught and anxious.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Daily Mail article sensationalizing it. They have great photos and a video of the officer's tattooed arm, but really... does she look glamorous in her arrest? ​

 

[SMK777]

It's my understanding that they live in an apartment in the house, not the entire house itself.

Yes, correct.

 

[Curious Me]

MOO, this article and my prior post bears repeating. Imagine if the expert doctors and prosecution are wrong?

Lawyers to seek death penalty for student accused of killing friend’s baby ​

Mark Freeman, a Pennsylvania-based lawyer who has litigated 20 cases of shaken baby syndrome, said that the decision to charge Virzi did not surprise him, because health professionals and forensic experts were now so quick to see child abuse.

“The idea that an injury is likely the result of child abuse is deeply embedded — it’s been taught for so long,” he said. “And a lot of doctors are not familiar with the newer literature which shows how unlikely it is that such injuries are from deliberate acts.”

[...]

Freeman said he would immediately seek a second opinion on the verdict of a skull fracture, saying that he very often found the initial conclusion was wrong.
​

 

[NCWatcher]

I just looked back at a photo of my little person at about 8 weeks old and there is NO way the arm/body proportion is such where the infant can even reach their diaper area. There's just no way this could be "self inflicted", and clearly, doctors at the ER felt this way, too.

The arms are just flailing around since the torso takes up most of the volume. Their arms aren't long enough to do this.

You are probably correct although there are pretty striking variations in proportions across babies. And these babies were twins so one could reach the other if they slept in one crib as young twins sometimes do. I'm not arguing that's what happened but I'm not yet convinced NV harmed Ari. If nothing else, it doesn't appear she was alone with him except during the diaper change where she said discovered the injury. And IMO the doctors didn't see this as abuse until later. They let the parents leave the hospital with the baby, something that IMO wouldn't have happened had the doctors called CPS.
MOO

 

[SMK777]

AFAIK, she had a pristine record of no prior criminal actions and was a serious student with conscientious goals. She deserves her day in court, but has been given an evil characterization before the timeline and details have even been straighten out. What if this were you or I and this was some fluke series of events? We'd want to be given the benefit of doubt until we present our side in a courtroom.

SBM
Yes, presumption of innocence is an important part of the legal process.

 

[SMK777]

MOO, this article and my prior post bears repeating. Imagine if the expert doctors and prosecution are wrong?

Lawyers to seek death penalty for student accused of killing friend’s baby ​

Mark Freeman, a Pennsylvania-based lawyer who has litigated 20 cases of shaken baby syndrome, said that the decision to charge Virzi did not surprise him, because health professionals and forensic experts were now so quick to see child abuse.

“The idea that an injury is likely the result of child abuse is deeply embedded — it’s been taught for so long,” he said. “And a lot of doctors are not familiar with the newer literature which shows how unlikely it is that such injuries are from deliberate acts.”

[...]

Freeman said he would immediately seek a second opinion on the verdict of a skull fracture, saying that he very often found the initial conclusion was wrong.
​

Absolutely. There is definitely that possibility to consider. We just don’t know yet. She may be a murderer—or a victim of a set of circumstances. Presumption of innocence must be borne in mind until all the experts have spoken.