Niner
Long time Websleuther
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For the week of Monday, June 3rd thru Friday, June 7th
Monday, June 3rd:
*Trial set to begin (@ 8:30am ET) - WI - Prince McCree (5) went missing around 1pm on Oct. 25, 2023 & on 10/26/23 found dead in dumpster, the child was found with injuries from blunt force trauma a mile south on the 5500 block of West Vliet Street near Holly Road, Milwaukee. *David E. Pietura (27) arrested (10/26/23), charged (10/30/23) & arraigned (11/17/23) with 1st degree intentional homicide, felony physical abuse of a child, repeated acts causing death, hiding a corpse, as a party to a crime. Plead not guilty. Cash bond $500K.
Trial set to begin with jury selection on 6/3/24.
Judge Jean Marie Kies presiding. Prosecutors: Matthew J. Torbenson & Jessica Behling. Defense attorney Russell J.A. Jones.
Case & Court info from 10/25/23 thru 5/13/24 reference post #136 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ssing-1pm-milwaukee-25-oct-2023.694231/page-7
5/23/24 Update: Jury status hearing held with Jean Marie Kies presiding. Defendant Pietura in court, in custody. Attorney Russell J. A. Jones in court for Pietura. Attorney Matthew James Torbenson in court for State. Case calendared for Jury Status hearing this date. Attorney Jones advises he has a Speedy Trial in another court & this is his #2 trial. Court adjourns matter to allow possible update for the 6/3/24 jury trial. Jury status hearing scheduled for 5/31/24 @ 8:30am.
5/31/24 Update: Jury status hearing held with Jean Marie Kies presiding. Defendant Pietura in court, in custody. Attorney Russell J. A. Jones in court for Pietura. Attorney Matthew James Torbenson in court for State of Wisconsin. Defense advises his Speedy Trial remains calendared but may still resolve. State to tender an offer to the Defense. Court advises the parties this matter will remain on for trial 6/3/24 @ 8:30am.
*Erik J. Mendoza aka Erik J. Krause-Mendoza (15/now 16) – Hearing on 8/30/24.
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ 9:45am ET) - NY – Fahim Saleh (33) (July 15, 2020, Manhattan) – *Tyrese Devon Haspil (21/now 24) taken into custody (7/17/20), indicted (9/16/20), charged & arraigned (10/13/20) with 1st degree murder & 2nd degree murder [intention], 2nd degree grand larceny, 2nd degree burglary, concealment of a human corpse & tampering with physical evidence [conceal/destroy]. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
Trial began on 5/7/24 with jury selection (thru 5/22/24). Trial began on 5/24/24.
Judge April A. Newbauer presiding. Assistant DA Linda Ford. Defense attorney Sam Roberts.
Murder Info & court info from 7/15/20 thru 1/4/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-5 (5/7-5/22/24) & Trial Day 1-3 (5/24-29/24) reference post #733 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...-manhattan-15-july-2020-arrest.532329/page-37
5/31/24 Friday, Trial Day 3: No info available. Trial continues on Monday, 6/3/24.
*Trial continues (Day 14) (@ 8:30am MT) - ID – Daralyn Renée Johnson (9) (missing Feb. 21, 1982, found Feb. 24, 1982, Nampa. Her body, which had been sexually assaulted & beaten, was found in a shallow drainage ditch along the Snake River in Melba by a group of fishermen. Johnson sustained blunt force trauma to the head & torso, but ultimately died from drowning) - *David Allen Dalrymple (24 @ time of crime/62/now 66) charged (5/4/20) & formally charged & re-arraigned (10/27/22) with felony 1st degree murder & felony rape. Plead not guilty. No bond. DA will not seek DP.
Trial began on 5/13/24.
Canyon County District Judge Thomas Whitney presiding.
Case & court info from 5/4/20 thru 5/3/24 & Trial Days 1-12 (5/13-5/30/24) reference post #171 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ered-1982-inmate-arrest-in-2020.520075/page-9
5/31/24 Friday, Trial Day 13: No info available. Trial continues on Monday, 6/3/24.
Tuesday, June 4th:
*Trial continues (Day 22) (@ 9am PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 26) arrested (1/15/18) & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walke; Defense attorney assistant public defender Kenneth S. Morrison (from the Orange County Public Defender’s Office).
State rested their case (I think) on 5/7/24. Defense began on 5/8/24.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-17 (4/9-5/21/24) reference post #344 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
5/23/24 Thursday, Trial Day 19: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 5/28/24 @ 9:30am.
5/28/24 Tuesday, Trial Day 20: No info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 5/29/24.
5/29/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 21: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 6/4/24.
*Trial continues (Day 22) (@ 9am CET) – Germany/Portugal - Hazel Behan (20 @ time/now 40) (in her home, June 16, 2004, Praia de Rocha on the Algarve coast, 10 miles from Praia de Luz, Portimao, Portugal) - *Christian Stefan Brückner (Bruekner) (27 @ time of 1st crime (2004)/45/now 47) charged (Oct. 11, 2022) with sexual assault (suspect held a knife & brutally raped her. The accused then tied & gagged the woman to a table & raped her again. He then whipped the victim on the back with a whip he had brought with him & finally forcibly performed oral sex with the victim. The accused filmed large parts of the events with a video camera he had brought with him). Braunschweig Regional District Court
Germany/Portugal – *Charged (Oct. 11, 2022) & arrest warrant reinstated 11/18/22 - a 14 year old teenager (unknown victim) (on tape: assaulted/hit the naked girl with a whip. Said to have brutally forced the girl to have oral sex. The accused also videotaped this act). Took place between Dec. 28, 2000 to April 8, 2006 on the Praia da Luz, Algarve coast, Portugal.
Germany/Portugal - *Charged (Oct. 11, 2022) & arrest warrant reinstated 11/18/22 - an elderly woman 70-80 yrs old (unknown victim) a Tour Rep (tied up & raped the victim in her holiday apt. He then hit the victim several times with a whip. The accused is said to have recorded the entire event with a video camera). Took place around the same time (between Dec. 28, 2000 to April 8, 2006) on the Praia de Luz, Algarve coast, Portugal.
Germany/Portugal – *Charged (Oct. 11, 2022) & arrest warrant reinstated 11/18/22 - 10 year old German girl (Joana E.) (wearing only shoes & otherwise naked. He grabbed the child's wrist & began to perform masturbation movements on his naked penis). On Salema (Zalema) beach, near Praia de Luz, Portugal, April 7, 2007).
Germany/Portugal – *Charged (Oct. 11, 2022) & arrest warrant reinstated 11/18/22 – Ines VP (11 year old Portuguese girl) (pulled down his trousers & underpants & made masturbation movements on his naked penis in order to sexually arouse himself, until the frightened girl ran to her father for help. The suspect was arrested on the spot by the Portuguese police). Exposed himself in playpark, São Bartolomeu de Messines, June 11, 2017).
Trial began on February 16, 2024. (And continued on Feb. 23rd, Mar. 1st & 14th, Apr. 2nd, 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th, 24th & 26th, May 2nd, 15th, 16th, 17th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 28th).
Next Trial dates: June 5, 6, 25, 26, July 5, August 5, 15, 16, Sept. 5, 26, 27, Oct. 2, 7, 8, 21 & Oct. 22, 2024. (Expected to last up to 8 months, it was 3 months).
Presiding Judge Dr. Engemann. Lead Prosecutor Ute Lindermann. Defense attorneys Dr. Friedrich Fülscher, Philipp Marquort, Dennis Bock & Atilla Aykac.
Brueckner is currently serving a 7 year sentence for the 2005 rape on a pensioner; was sentenced in 2019. Release in 2026.
Case info & charges & Brueckner info from June 1, 2020 thru Jan. 18, 2024 & Trial Day 1-19 (Feb. 16 thru May 23) reference post #849 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...imes-praia-de-rocha-portugal-3.708597/page-43
May 29, 2024 Wednesday, Day 21: Gov’t witness: Joena E. back on stand (I believe).
Thursday, June 6th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 9:30am CT) – IL – Andrew “AJ” Freund, Jr. (5) (reported missing April 17, 2018, Crystal Lake; found buried in shallow grave on April 24, 2019, near Woodstock) – *Carlos J. Acosta (54/now 57) arrested, charged & indicted (9/10/20) & arraigned (9/24/20) with 2 felony counts of endangering the life of a child & 1 felony count of reckless conduct. $20K bond (bonded out 9/10/20). Plead not guilty. Balance due: $2K bond.
Bench Trial began on 9/11/23. Continued on 9/12, 9/13, 9/14, 9/15 & 9/18/23. Prosecutors rested their case on 9/14/23. Defense began their case on 9/15/23 & ended on 9/15/23 without calling any witnesses. Closing arguments on 10/13/23.
Lake County Judge George Strickland. Prosecutor McHenry County State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally. Defense attorneys: Acosta's attorney Jamie Wombacher & Polovin's attorney Matthew McQuaid.
Polovin found not guilty (10/13/23) & Acosta found guilty of count 1 & 2 (10/13/23).
Case & Court info from 9/10/20 thru 7/27/23 & Trial Day 1-5 (9/11-9/15/23) & thru 12/30/23 reference post #34 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...il-2019-arrests-mother-guilty-6.690367/page-2
2/14/24 Update: Notice of filing. Motion/Petition for new trial filed. Next status/sentencing hearing on 3/7/24 @ 9am. 2/20/24 Docket update: Order. 2/23/24: Certificate-mailing by clerk. 2/29/24: Response. Notice-filing.
3/13/24 Docket update: Certificate-mailing by Clerk. Order. 3/21/24: Request-News media for extended media coverage. 3/21/24: Notice-request for extended media coverage. Hearing before sentencing on 6/6/24 @ 9:30am.
*Andrew R. Polovin (48/now 51) – found not guilty (10/13/23) of 2 felony counts of endangering the life of a child & 1 felony count of reckless conduct.
*JoAnn D. Cunningham (35/38 when sentenced/now 41) – 12/5/19: Plead guilty. Sentenced on 7/17/20 to 35 years in prison. Post conviction petition hearing on 6/1/22. Post conviction petition denied/dismissed.
*Andrew T. Freund, Sr. (60/63 when sentenced/now 66) – 9/18/20: Plead guilty. Sentenced on 9/18/20 to 30 years in prison. Will help prosecutors with case against welfare workers. On Jan. 21, the ARDC announced Andrew T. Freund, licensed as an attorney since 1984, had been disbarred after being convicted last year of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated battery of a child & concealment of a homicidal death.
Friday, June 7th:
*Sentencing Hearing (Day 1 of 2) (@ 10am PT) – British Columbia, Canada – M. S. (13) (last seen alive on July 18, 2017 at a local Tim Hortons, Burney B.C. & her body was found 5 hours later on July 19, 2017 in Burnaby’s Central Park, Vancouver) - *Ibrahim Ali (27 @ time of crime/28/now 33) arrested & charged (9/7/18) & indicted (11/25/19) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. Held without bail. Vancouver Supreme Court
Police used a new & somewhat controversial “DNA dragnet” technique, after collecting DNA at the crime scene that indicated a suspect of Middle Eastern descent. (He is a Syrian refugee who entered Canada 3 months before murder).
Trial began on 3/17/23 with jury selection & ended on 3/23/23.
Trial began on 4/11/23. Crown rested their case on 11/17/23. Defense began on 11/20/23 & rested their case.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Lance Bernard presiding. Crown prosecutor Isobel Keeley & Daniel Porte & defense attorney Ben Lynskey & Kevin McCullough.
Jury deliberated for 2 days (12/7 & 12/8/23) for ~ 4 hours. Verdict: Guilty of 1st degree murder. Sentencing hearings on 6/7 & 6/10/24.
Case & court info from 1/29/19 & Trial Days (4/28 thru 12/8/23) & Verdict Watch (12/7 & 12/8/23) & thru 4/10/24 reference post #345 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...irl-13-burnaby-bc-18-july-2017.673539/page-18
4/16/24 update: Hearing held. Defense lawyer Kevin Mccollough for Ali, who was convicted of first-degree murder of a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby, B.C., says the man wants to appear at his sentencing hearing by video over fear for his safety. McCollough told a B.C. Supreme Court judge that Ali's attendance in person poses "real safety issues" & he's prepared to file additional affidavits to support the defence position. Prosecutor Isobel Keeley said the Crown is opposed to Ali attending his sentencing remotely & the Criminal Code indicates such an appearance should be in person unless the defence & Crown agree on an alternative with the court's approval. The judge told the defence lawyer to stop speaking, saying the court would deal with the matter of Ali’s sentencing appearance at a later date. Hearing set on 4/19/24 to set to confirm sentencing date.
4/19/24 Update: At a hearing in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver Friday, the court set aside two days for his sentencing: 6/7/24 & 6/10/24. But the hearing is expected to take only one day, according to Justice Lance Bernard. The Crown had intended to set dates as early as the end of April, but the sentencing had to be pushed back because of interpreter availability. Bernard said he would make a ruling on the issue of Ali attending in person or remote/video before the sentencing hearing. Ali now faces a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Monday, June 3rd:
*Trial set to begin (@ 8:30am ET) - WI - Prince McCree (5) went missing around 1pm on Oct. 25, 2023 & on 10/26/23 found dead in dumpster, the child was found with injuries from blunt force trauma a mile south on the 5500 block of West Vliet Street near Holly Road, Milwaukee. *David E. Pietura (27) arrested (10/26/23), charged (10/30/23) & arraigned (11/17/23) with 1st degree intentional homicide, felony physical abuse of a child, repeated acts causing death, hiding a corpse, as a party to a crime. Plead not guilty. Cash bond $500K.
Trial set to begin with jury selection on 6/3/24.
Judge Jean Marie Kies presiding. Prosecutors: Matthew J. Torbenson & Jessica Behling. Defense attorney Russell J.A. Jones.
Case & Court info from 10/25/23 thru 5/13/24 reference post #136 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ssing-1pm-milwaukee-25-oct-2023.694231/page-7
5/23/24 Update: Jury status hearing held with Jean Marie Kies presiding. Defendant Pietura in court, in custody. Attorney Russell J. A. Jones in court for Pietura. Attorney Matthew James Torbenson in court for State. Case calendared for Jury Status hearing this date. Attorney Jones advises he has a Speedy Trial in another court & this is his #2 trial. Court adjourns matter to allow possible update for the 6/3/24 jury trial. Jury status hearing scheduled for 5/31/24 @ 8:30am.
5/31/24 Update: Jury status hearing held with Jean Marie Kies presiding. Defendant Pietura in court, in custody. Attorney Russell J. A. Jones in court for Pietura. Attorney Matthew James Torbenson in court for State of Wisconsin. Defense advises his Speedy Trial remains calendared but may still resolve. State to tender an offer to the Defense. Court advises the parties this matter will remain on for trial 6/3/24 @ 8:30am.
*Erik J. Mendoza aka Erik J. Krause-Mendoza (15/now 16) – Hearing on 8/30/24.
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ 9:45am ET) - NY – Fahim Saleh (33) (July 15, 2020, Manhattan) – *Tyrese Devon Haspil (21/now 24) taken into custody (7/17/20), indicted (9/16/20), charged & arraigned (10/13/20) with 1st degree murder & 2nd degree murder [intention], 2nd degree grand larceny, 2nd degree burglary, concealment of a human corpse & tampering with physical evidence [conceal/destroy]. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
Trial began on 5/7/24 with jury selection (thru 5/22/24). Trial began on 5/24/24.
Judge April A. Newbauer presiding. Assistant DA Linda Ford. Defense attorney Sam Roberts.
Murder Info & court info from 7/15/20 thru 1/4/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-5 (5/7-5/22/24) & Trial Day 1-3 (5/24-29/24) reference post #733 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...-manhattan-15-july-2020-arrest.532329/page-37
5/31/24 Friday, Trial Day 3: No info available. Trial continues on Monday, 6/3/24.
*Trial continues (Day 14) (@ 8:30am MT) - ID – Daralyn Renée Johnson (9) (missing Feb. 21, 1982, found Feb. 24, 1982, Nampa. Her body, which had been sexually assaulted & beaten, was found in a shallow drainage ditch along the Snake River in Melba by a group of fishermen. Johnson sustained blunt force trauma to the head & torso, but ultimately died from drowning) - *David Allen Dalrymple (24 @ time of crime/62/now 66) charged (5/4/20) & formally charged & re-arraigned (10/27/22) with felony 1st degree murder & felony rape. Plead not guilty. No bond. DA will not seek DP.
Trial began on 5/13/24.
Canyon County District Judge Thomas Whitney presiding.
Case & court info from 5/4/20 thru 5/3/24 & Trial Days 1-12 (5/13-5/30/24) reference post #171 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ered-1982-inmate-arrest-in-2020.520075/page-9
5/31/24 Friday, Trial Day 13: No info available. Trial continues on Monday, 6/3/24.
Tuesday, June 4th:
*Trial continues (Day 22) (@ 9am PT) – CA – Blaze Bernstein (19) (Jan. 2, 2018, Lake Forest; found Jan. 9, 2018; he was stabbed 19 times in his neck; 14 times on the left, 5 on the right & 1 stab wound in his left knee) – *Samuel Lincoln Woodward (20/now 26) arrested (1/15/18) & charged (1/17/18) & arraigned (11/9/18) with 1 count of felony murder with a hate crime enhancement for killing someone because of their sexual orientation & sentencing enhancement-personal use of a knife. Plead not guilty (again on 11/9/18). $5M bail, bail revoked (11/9/18). In custody of the Theo Lacy jail.
Trial began on 4/9/24. Court DARK on Fridays.
Judge Kimberly K. Menninger presiding. Prosecutor DA Todd Spitzer & Senior Deputy DA Jennifer Walke; Defense attorney assistant public defender Kenneth S. Morrison (from the Orange County Public Defender’s Office).
State rested their case (I think) on 5/7/24. Defense began on 5/8/24.
Court hearings from 2/2/18 thru 2/29/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-14 (3/6 thru 4/4/24) & Trial Day 1-17 (4/9-5/21/24) reference post #344 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ake-forest-2-jan-2018-8-arrest.618349/page-18
5/23/24 Thursday, Trial Day 19: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 5/28/24 @ 9:30am.
5/28/24 Tuesday, Trial Day 20: No info available. Trial continues on Wednesday, 5/29/24.
5/29/24 Wednesday, Trial Day 21: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 6/4/24.
*Trial continues (Day 22) (@ 9am CET) – Germany/Portugal - Hazel Behan (20 @ time/now 40) (in her home, June 16, 2004, Praia de Rocha on the Algarve coast, 10 miles from Praia de Luz, Portimao, Portugal) - *Christian Stefan Brückner (Bruekner) (27 @ time of 1st crime (2004)/45/now 47) charged (Oct. 11, 2022) with sexual assault (suspect held a knife & brutally raped her. The accused then tied & gagged the woman to a table & raped her again. He then whipped the victim on the back with a whip he had brought with him & finally forcibly performed oral sex with the victim. The accused filmed large parts of the events with a video camera he had brought with him). Braunschweig Regional District Court
Germany/Portugal – *Charged (Oct. 11, 2022) & arrest warrant reinstated 11/18/22 - a 14 year old teenager (unknown victim) (on tape: assaulted/hit the naked girl with a whip. Said to have brutally forced the girl to have oral sex. The accused also videotaped this act). Took place between Dec. 28, 2000 to April 8, 2006 on the Praia da Luz, Algarve coast, Portugal.
Germany/Portugal - *Charged (Oct. 11, 2022) & arrest warrant reinstated 11/18/22 - an elderly woman 70-80 yrs old (unknown victim) a Tour Rep (tied up & raped the victim in her holiday apt. He then hit the victim several times with a whip. The accused is said to have recorded the entire event with a video camera). Took place around the same time (between Dec. 28, 2000 to April 8, 2006) on the Praia de Luz, Algarve coast, Portugal.
Germany/Portugal – *Charged (Oct. 11, 2022) & arrest warrant reinstated 11/18/22 - 10 year old German girl (Joana E.) (wearing only shoes & otherwise naked. He grabbed the child's wrist & began to perform masturbation movements on his naked penis). On Salema (Zalema) beach, near Praia de Luz, Portugal, April 7, 2007).
Germany/Portugal – *Charged (Oct. 11, 2022) & arrest warrant reinstated 11/18/22 – Ines VP (11 year old Portuguese girl) (pulled down his trousers & underpants & made masturbation movements on his naked penis in order to sexually arouse himself, until the frightened girl ran to her father for help. The suspect was arrested on the spot by the Portuguese police). Exposed himself in playpark, São Bartolomeu de Messines, June 11, 2017).
Trial began on February 16, 2024. (And continued on Feb. 23rd, Mar. 1st & 14th, Apr. 2nd, 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th, 24th & 26th, May 2nd, 15th, 16th, 17th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 28th).
Next Trial dates: June 5, 6, 25, 26, July 5, August 5, 15, 16, Sept. 5, 26, 27, Oct. 2, 7, 8, 21 & Oct. 22, 2024. (Expected to last up to 8 months, it was 3 months).
Presiding Judge Dr. Engemann. Lead Prosecutor Ute Lindermann. Defense attorneys Dr. Friedrich Fülscher, Philipp Marquort, Dennis Bock & Atilla Aykac.
Brueckner is currently serving a 7 year sentence for the 2005 rape on a pensioner; was sentenced in 2019. Release in 2026.
Case info & charges & Brueckner info from June 1, 2020 thru Jan. 18, 2024 & Trial Day 1-19 (Feb. 16 thru May 23) reference post #849 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...imes-praia-de-rocha-portugal-3.708597/page-43
May 29, 2024 Wednesday, Day 21: Gov’t witness: Joena E. back on stand (I believe).
Thursday, June 6th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 9:30am CT) – IL – Andrew “AJ” Freund, Jr. (5) (reported missing April 17, 2018, Crystal Lake; found buried in shallow grave on April 24, 2019, near Woodstock) – *Carlos J. Acosta (54/now 57) arrested, charged & indicted (9/10/20) & arraigned (9/24/20) with 2 felony counts of endangering the life of a child & 1 felony count of reckless conduct. $20K bond (bonded out 9/10/20). Plead not guilty. Balance due: $2K bond.
Bench Trial began on 9/11/23. Continued on 9/12, 9/13, 9/14, 9/15 & 9/18/23. Prosecutors rested their case on 9/14/23. Defense began their case on 9/15/23 & ended on 9/15/23 without calling any witnesses. Closing arguments on 10/13/23.
Lake County Judge George Strickland. Prosecutor McHenry County State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally. Defense attorneys: Acosta's attorney Jamie Wombacher & Polovin's attorney Matthew McQuaid.
Polovin found not guilty (10/13/23) & Acosta found guilty of count 1 & 2 (10/13/23).
Case & Court info from 9/10/20 thru 7/27/23 & Trial Day 1-5 (9/11-9/15/23) & thru 12/30/23 reference post #34 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...il-2019-arrests-mother-guilty-6.690367/page-2
2/14/24 Update: Notice of filing. Motion/Petition for new trial filed. Next status/sentencing hearing on 3/7/24 @ 9am. 2/20/24 Docket update: Order. 2/23/24: Certificate-mailing by clerk. 2/29/24: Response. Notice-filing.
3/13/24 Docket update: Certificate-mailing by Clerk. Order. 3/21/24: Request-News media for extended media coverage. 3/21/24: Notice-request for extended media coverage. Hearing before sentencing on 6/6/24 @ 9:30am.
*Andrew R. Polovin (48/now 51) – found not guilty (10/13/23) of 2 felony counts of endangering the life of a child & 1 felony count of reckless conduct.
*JoAnn D. Cunningham (35/38 when sentenced/now 41) – 12/5/19: Plead guilty. Sentenced on 7/17/20 to 35 years in prison. Post conviction petition hearing on 6/1/22. Post conviction petition denied/dismissed.
*Andrew T. Freund, Sr. (60/63 when sentenced/now 66) – 9/18/20: Plead guilty. Sentenced on 9/18/20 to 30 years in prison. Will help prosecutors with case against welfare workers. On Jan. 21, the ARDC announced Andrew T. Freund, licensed as an attorney since 1984, had been disbarred after being convicted last year of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated battery of a child & concealment of a homicidal death.
Friday, June 7th:
*Sentencing Hearing (Day 1 of 2) (@ 10am PT) – British Columbia, Canada – M. S. (13) (last seen alive on July 18, 2017 at a local Tim Hortons, Burney B.C. & her body was found 5 hours later on July 19, 2017 in Burnaby’s Central Park, Vancouver) - *Ibrahim Ali (27 @ time of crime/28/now 33) arrested & charged (9/7/18) & indicted (11/25/19) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. Held without bail. Vancouver Supreme Court
Police used a new & somewhat controversial “DNA dragnet” technique, after collecting DNA at the crime scene that indicated a suspect of Middle Eastern descent. (He is a Syrian refugee who entered Canada 3 months before murder).
Trial began on 3/17/23 with jury selection & ended on 3/23/23.
Trial began on 4/11/23. Crown rested their case on 11/17/23. Defense began on 11/20/23 & rested their case.
B.C. Supreme Court Justice Lance Bernard presiding. Crown prosecutor Isobel Keeley & Daniel Porte & defense attorney Ben Lynskey & Kevin McCullough.
Jury deliberated for 2 days (12/7 & 12/8/23) for ~ 4 hours. Verdict: Guilty of 1st degree murder. Sentencing hearings on 6/7 & 6/10/24.
Case & court info from 1/29/19 & Trial Days (4/28 thru 12/8/23) & Verdict Watch (12/7 & 12/8/23) & thru 4/10/24 reference post #345 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...irl-13-burnaby-bc-18-july-2017.673539/page-18
4/16/24 update: Hearing held. Defense lawyer Kevin Mccollough for Ali, who was convicted of first-degree murder of a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby, B.C., says the man wants to appear at his sentencing hearing by video over fear for his safety. McCollough told a B.C. Supreme Court judge that Ali's attendance in person poses "real safety issues" & he's prepared to file additional affidavits to support the defence position. Prosecutor Isobel Keeley said the Crown is opposed to Ali attending his sentencing remotely & the Criminal Code indicates such an appearance should be in person unless the defence & Crown agree on an alternative with the court's approval. The judge told the defence lawyer to stop speaking, saying the court would deal with the matter of Ali’s sentencing appearance at a later date. Hearing set on 4/19/24 to set to confirm sentencing date.
4/19/24 Update: At a hearing in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver Friday, the court set aside two days for his sentencing: 6/7/24 & 6/10/24. But the hearing is expected to take only one day, according to Justice Lance Bernard. The Crown had intended to set dates as early as the end of April, but the sentencing had to be pushed back because of interpreter availability. Bernard said he would make a ruling on the issue of Ali attending in person or remote/video before the sentencing hearing. Ali now faces a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.