Trials & Sentencing set to begin in February, 2022

[Niner]

Update!

Tuesday, Feb. 8th:
*Sentencing Hearing-CONTINUED! (@ 10am CT) – MO – Josie Ann Abney (10) (October 3, 2020, Salem; starved to death: Josie weighed 38 lbs. after she collapsed & died) - for *Susan A. Abney (44/now 45) (adoptive parent) arrested (10/4/20), charged (10/6/20) & arraigned (2/22/21) with abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death & charged (12/14/20) & arraigned (2/22/21) with 2nd degree felony murder. Plead not guilty. $500K cash or Surety bond. Bond denied on 11/19/20.
The Abneys adopted Josie at the age of 3 in 2013 before going on to foster 12 or 13 children over the years. Josie died the next day from severe cachexia & protein calorie malnutrition according to the autopsy. Josie weighed only 34-pounds.
Trial was set to begin on 3/7/22 has been cancelled with a guilty plea on 2/8/22.
Court info from 10/6/20 thru 12/14/21 reference post #100 here:
GUILTY - MO - Josie Ann Abney, 10, starved to death, Salem, 3 Oct 2020 *arrests*
12/14/21 Update: Plea hearing rescheduled on 1/19/22 @ 1pm. 1/19/22 Update: Hearing Continued/Rescheduled. Cause called in chambers. Due to the medical unavailability of Judge Randazzo, cause continued to 2/15/22 at 1pm for the same purpose as today's hearing. The defendant is ordered to appear. If not plea deal confirmed a pretrial hearing to commence at 8:30am on 3/7/22 for jury selection. Defendant is ordered to appear. Trial on 3/11/22.
2/8/22 Update: Susan Abney plead guilty to a charge of abuse or neglect of a child in the death of 10-year-old Josie Ann Abney in 2020. In the plea deal, the state dropped a second-degree murder charge. Sentencing hearing on 4/28/22.
*Randall Lee Abney (51/now 52) (adoptive parent) – Plea hearing on 4/22/22. Trial set to begin on 7/11/22 to 7/15/22.

 

[Niner]

For the week of Monday, February 28th - for rest of week in March thread. Will post link after I post this.

Monday, February 28th:
*Hearing (re Farretta) (@ 8:30am PT) & Sentencing/Disposition Hearing (with firearms compliance review) (@ 10am PT) - CA - Dr. Weidong ‘Henry’ Han (57), wife Huijie ‘Jennie’ Yu (29), & Emily (5) daughter (March 23, 2016, Santa Barbara) - *Pierre Freedon Haobsh (27/now 32) arrested (3/25/16) & charged (3/29/16) & arraigned (5/5/16) with 3 counts of 1st degree murder with special circumstances of committing murders for financial gain & multiple murders. Plead not guilty. DA will seek DP. Judge issued gag order. DA will not seek DP if Haobsh agrees to bench trial.
Bench Trial began on 10/25/21 & ended 11/24/21. Found guilty on all counts (11/24/21). Sentencing on 2/28/22.
Court information from 3/29/16 thru 10/18/21 & Trial day 1-13 (10/25/21-11/24/21) & 1/21/22 reference post #321 here:
CA - Dr. Han, wife & 5yo daughter brutally slain, Santa Barbara, 23 March 2016
1/24/22 Update: Haobsh appeared in Santa Barbara Superior Court Monday afternoon as the court discussed whether Haobsh would be appointed new counsel. Haobsh has requested to make a motion for a new trial on the basis of ineffective assistance of counsel & public defenders Christine Voss & Michael Hanley said that they intend to declare a conflict, stating that they “cannot fairly & objectively assess (their) own trial performance.” With this conflict, the public defenders said they believe they should be relieved from the case. Voss has represented Haobsh since he was charged in 2016 & Hanley joined the case later. Judge Brian Hill presided over a bench trial, without a jury & found Haobsh guilty of all charges in November, including three counts of murder for killing Dr. Weidong “Henry” Han, 57, founder of Santa Barbara Herb Clinic; his wife, Huijie “Jennie” Yu, 29 & their 5-year-old daughter. Haobsh’s sentencing was originally scheduled for Monday, but was postponed until it is determined if a new defense attorney needs to be appointed for the rest of the case. According to Supervising Deputy District Attorney Benjamin Ladinig, Haobsh’s reasoning for the claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is the public defenders’ “failure to call two FBI agents to witness,” although Ladinig said that the agents would not have added anything to the case. No decision was made in court on Monday & Judge Hill continued the hearing at 2:30pm on 2/3/22, during which he will hear evidence & rule on whether to dismiss Voss & Hanley. Sentencing was rescheduled for 2/28/22 however, Hill said the date may need to be postponed again.
2/3/22 Update: Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley denied Haobsh's request to replace his trial counsel prior to sentencing. 2/7/22: Ordered: Firearms assessment. Media coverage request filed by KEYT for proceedings on 2/28/22. 2/15/22: Application by defendant to exercise his right to self-representation & declaration of counsel. Hearing re Farretta related request on 2/28/22 @ 8:30am, sentencing/Disposition hearing @ 10am & firearms compliance review @ 10am.

*Re-Trial set to begin (@ am ET) – NY – Leslie Neulander (61) (Sept. 17, 2012, Dewitt) – *Dr. M. Robert Neulander (63/now 72) (husband) found guilty (4/2/15) of 2nd degree murder & tampering with evidence. Sentenced (7/30/15) to 20 years to life in prison. Wins appeal (6/29/18) for new trial re juror (#12) misconduct. $1M bail, out on bail 7/13/18.
Re-Trial was set to begin on 10/18/21 continued to 2/28/22.
Court information from 7/10/18 thru 7/9/21 reference post #92 here:
RE-TRIAL - NY - Leslie Neulander, 61, murdered, DeWitt, 17 Sept 2012 *new trial in 2022*
10/18/21 Update: The murder retrial for Neulander has been pushed back for a fourth time -- the new date is Feb. 28, 2022.

*Trial set to begin (@ 9:30am PT) – CA – William Tillett (11) (May 24, 1990, Inglewood, kidnapped & murdered) - *Edward Donell Thomas (22 @ time of crime/50/now 52) arrested (2/14/19), charged (2/20/19) & arraigned (10/7/19) with 1 count of murder during commission of a kidnapping & lying in wait & 1 count of a felon in possession of a firearm. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
DNA link.
Trial set to begin on 2/28/22.
Court info from 2/20/19 thru 1/4/22 reference post #75 here:
CA - William Tillett, 11, kidnapped and murdered, Inglewood, 24 May 1990 *Arrest in 2019*
1/31/22 Update: Trial has been continued. Next readiness hearing on 2/22/22 & trial will now begin on 2/28/22. 2/22/22 Update: Next trial to begin on 2/28/22.

*Trial continues (Day 2) (@ 8:30am MT) - CO – Sylvia Mae Quayle (35) (found murdered on Aug. 4, 1981, Cherry Hills Village, so. of Denver) - *David Dwayne Anderson (21 @ time of crime/62/now 63) arrested & charged (2/10/21) & arraigned (9/24/21) with 1 count of 1st degree murder (after deliberation) & 1 count of 1st degree murder (felony murder). Arrested in Cozad, NE & waived extradition to CO.
Trial began on 2/25/22 (thru 3/8/22).
Murder info & other crimes & court info from 3/22/21 to 2/18/22 reference post #30 here:
CO - Sylvia Quayle, 34 found murdered, Cherry Hills Village, 4 Aug 1981 *ARREST in 2021*
2/25/22 Friday, Trial Day 1: Jury selection begins. Trial continues to 2/28/22.

 

[Niner]

For the rest of the week - for March, 2022 see link:

Trials & Sentencing set to begin in March, 2022

 

[Niner]

I did not realize this was a sentencing hearing - I had a pre-sentencing hearing.

Friday, February 25th:
*Sentencing Hearing (all charges) (@ 11am ET) - VA – Larkin Carter Carr (4) (Nov. 12, 2018, Norfolk, died of blunt force trauma to the abdomen and had between 80 to 90 bruises on his body ) – *Hank Larkin Smith, Jr. aka Hank Hill Smith, Sr. (40/now 42) “father” arrested (5/19/19), charged (5/3/19), arraigned (1/2/20) & indicted (3/24/20) with 1 count of felony child abuse. Charged (12/18/19) & arraigned (1/2/20) with 1 count of felony homicide. Indicted & charged (3/4/20) & arraigned (6/16/20) with felony murder, child abuse, child neglect & child cruelty. Held without bond. Bond changed (1/15/20) to $25K. Was out on bond before homicide charges were filed. Plead not guilty. Bond granted (2/4/20). Bond revoked after guilty verdict (10/29/21).
Trial began on 10/25/21 (thru 10/29/21). Jury: 10 men & 2 women. 10/29/21: Found guilty of felony homicide along with 3 related child abuse & neglect charges.
Court info from 1/2/20 thru 10/22/21 & Trial Day 1-5 (10/25/21-10/29/21) reference post #157 here:
GUILTY - VA - Larkin Carter Carr, 4, beaten to death, Norfolk, 12 Nov 2018 *Arrests*
1/14/22 Update: Pre-sentencing hearing was rescheduled on 2/25/22.
2/25/22 Update: Smith received a 21-year active sentence on Friday, for his role in his son’s death. Smith was convicted in October of felony homicide & child abuse & neglect. The center of the Commonwealth’s argument at his sentencing was that Smith lied & didn’t do enough when he could have, to save his son’s life. Defense attorney Paulding says she will appeal the sentencing for Smith.
*Catherine Louise Seals (35/now 38) – Plead guilty to felony homicide & child abuse/neglect. Will receive 21 years in prison. Pre-Sentencing report hearing on 3/27/20 has been rescheduled on 6/2/21. And Pre-sentencing report on 3/18/22.
*Robert Bolsinger-Hartshorn (14/now 17) – Pretrial hearing on 3/2/22.

 

[Niner]

Update!

Monday, February 28th:
*Hearing (re Farretta) (@ 8:30am PT) & Sentencing/Disposition Hearing (with firearms compliance review)-CONTINUED! (@ 10am PT) - CA - Dr. Weidong ‘Henry’ Han (57), wife Huijie ‘Jennie’ Yu (29), & Emily (5) daughter (March 23, 2016, Santa Barbara) - *Pierre Freedon Haobsh (27/now 32) arrested (3/25/16) & charged (3/29/16) & arraigned (5/5/16) with 3 counts of 1st degree murder with special circumstances of committing murders for financial gain & multiple murders. Plead not guilty. DA will seek DP. Judge issued gag order. DA will not seek DP if Haobsh agrees to bench trial.
Bench Trial began on 10/25/21 & ended 11/24/21. Found guilty on all counts (11/24/21). Sentencing on 2/28/22 continued to 3/28/22.
Court information from 3/29/16 thru 10/18/21 & Trial day 1-13 (10/25/21-11/24/21) & 1/21/22 thru 2/3/22 reference post #325 here:
CA - Dr. Han, wife & 5yo daughter brutally slain, Santa Barbara, 23 March 2016
2/15/22: Application by defendant to exercise his right to self-representation & declaration of counsel. Hearing re Farretta Motion related request on 2/28/22 @ 8:30am, sentencing/Disposition hearing @ 10am & firearms compliance review @ 10am.
2/28/22 Update: Haobsh was originally scheduled to be sentenced on 1/24/22 but that was postponed after he requested his trial counsel be replaced. The request was denied & sentencing set for 2/28/22 but the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office on Monday says Haobsh is now due back in court 3/8/22 for a hearing on whether the defendant can represent himself. Sentencing is now scheduled for 3/28/22 at 1:30pm. If it does in fact take place that day, it is expected he will be sentenced to a maximum of three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. A Faretta motion is a petition that criminal defendants file with the court seeking permission to represent themselves, that is act as their own attorney, in a criminal proceeding. This is commonly referred to as going “pro per.”