Sentencings & Trials for the week of Monday, March 8th thru Friday, March 12th:
Monday, March 8th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ am PT) - CA - Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire in Oakland on Dec. 2, 2016 killing 36 people:
Cash Askew, 22,
Em B (Em Bohlka), 33,
Jonathan Bernbaum, 34,
Barrett Clark, 35,
David Cline, 24,
Micah Danemayer, 28,
Billy Dixon, 35,
Chelsea Dolan, 33,
Alex Ghassan, 35,
Nick Gomez-Hall, 25,
Michela Gregory, 20,
Sara Hoda, 30,
Travis Hough, 35,
Johnny Igaz, 34,
Ara Jo, 29,
Donna Kellogg, 32,
Amanda Kershaw, 34,
Edmond Lapine, 34,
Griffin Madden, 23,
Joseph Matlock, 36,
Jason McCarty, 36,
Draven McGill, 17,
Jennifer Mendiola, 35,
Jennifer Morris, 21,
Feral Pines, 29,
Vanessa Plotkin, 21,
Wolfgang Renner, 61,
Hanna Ruax, 32,
Benjamin Runnels, 32,
Nicole Siegrist, 29,
Michele Sylvan, 37,
Jennifer Kiyomi Tanouye, 31,
Alex Vega, 22,
Peter Wadsworth, 38,
Nick Walrath, 31, and
Brandon Chase Wittenauer, 32. –
for *Derick Ion Almena (47/now 50) charged (8/10/17) with 36 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter. Plead not guilty. Almena remains in custody at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $750,000 bond (was $1.8M reduced on 8/4/17) & reduced (4/17/20) to $150K bond and face up to 39 years in prison if convicted. Posted bond & released (5/4/20) due to COVID19.
Trial (retrial) was set to begin on 7/6/20 rescheduled to 10/5/20 or if COVID-19 pandemic causes delay scheduled for 2/22/21 & rescheduled for 4/2/21. (Almena-Hung jury & Max Harris was acquitted (9/5/19) of all charges). Trial was cancelled due to a guilty plea on 1/22/21.
Court info from 10/7/19 thru 10/1/20 reference post #974 here:
CA - Massive fire at Oakland warehouse party, 36 dead, 2 Dec 2016 #3
1/17/21 Update: Almena is expected to accept a plea deal that will keep him from prison & prevent him from undergoing a second trial, a victim’s family member said. Derick Almena, the master tenant of the Fruitvale neighborhood warehouse, is expected to plead guilty to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter on Jan. 22. In return, he will be sentenced to nine years in custody & three years of post-custody supervision. There is a disposition & setting hearing scheduled on 2/5/21 & hearings on 2/26, 3/1 & jury selection to start on 3/8/21 with trial to start on 4/2/21.
1/22/21 Update: Almena plead guilty Friday to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter, avoiding a second trial and will be back in an Alameda County courtroom March 8 for sentencing. In May, Almena posted a $150K bail & was released to his Lake County home after being jailed since his arrest in June 2017. In return for pleading guilty, Almena would be sentenced to 9 years in jail & 3 years of post-custody supervision. Based on time served & good behavior, Almena could be out in less than 2 years. He also could finish his sentence at home under house arrest because of the coronavirus pandemic.
*Trial set to begin for both (
Sanders case) (@ 1pm CT) - IN (under Javon Blackwell) –
*Maurtreyviaum “Troy” Sanders (19) (Nov. 6, 2018, Marion) –
*Lemere Joseph Jones (29/now 31) charged (1/29/19) with murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery & armed robbery in connection with a death. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
Trial set to begin on 3/8/21-Sanders
*Demetrius Jemere Jackson (25/now 27) charged (1/29/19) with murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery & armed robbery in connection with a death. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
Trial set to begin on 3/8/21-Sanders
9/28/20 Update: Jury Trial originally scheduled on 9/28/20 was rescheduled to 03/8/2021 at 1:00pm. Reason: Court's Own Motion. Pretrial Conference scheduled for 2/4/21 at 8:30am for Jones & Jackson. 2/4/21 Update: Court site shows trial next on 3/8/21.
*Brittany Diann Drake (29/now 31) – Pretrial hearing on 5/20/21. Trial begins on 6/21/21-Sanders.
*Trial set to begin (@ 9am CT) - MN –
George Perry Floyd, Jr. (46) (May 25, 2020, Minneapolis, arrested for forgery & killed in police custody) -
*Derek Michael Chauvin (44/will be 45 in 11 days) police officer who held his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes & 46 seconds (Note: on 10/14/20 this has been changed to 9 minutes & 30 seconds) (& non responsive for 2 minutes & 53 seconds before officer took his knee off his neck; from 8:19pm to 8:27pm his knee was on Floyd’s neck; has been fired (5/26/20) & arrested & charged (5/29/20) with 3rd degree murder & 2nd degree manslaughter.
Charges changed (6/3/20) to 2nd degree murder-unintentional-while committing a felony, 3rd degree murder-perpetrating eminently dangerous act (3rd degree charge was dismissed 10/22/20) & evincing depraved mind & 2nd degree manslaughter-culpable negligence creating unreasonable risk. $500K bond, reset (6/8/20) @ $1.25M & $1M w/conditions. Posted non-cash $1M bond (10/7/20) & has been released from jail.
Trial set to begin on 3/8/21 with jury selection. Jury selection could run through March 26, 2021. Opening statements & the commencement of the State’s case will begin no earlier than March 29, 2021. Experts anticipate the trial could last 2-4 weeks.
Bond conditions & court info from 12/19/20 thru 2/22/21 reference post #190 here:
MN - George Floyd, 46, killed in police custody, Minneapolis, 25 May 2020 *officers charged* #3
3/2/21 Update: Court of Appeals still mulling over whether to reinstate the 3rd degree murder charge against Chauvin. Prosecutors will argue before the Court of Appeals next Monday, outlining why they should be allowed to reinstate a count of third-degree murder against Chauvin based on a ruling the court issued earlier this month.
3/3/21: The process is scheduled to begin Monday, March 8. Each day, eight potential jurors will go to the courthouse - four in the morning & four in the afternoon & Judge Peter Cahill, prosecutors & the defense will question each person, one at a time. Once 16 potential jurors have been questioned & passed through without a challenge, then they are seated as the jury for the murder trial - 12 jurors & 4 alternates. During jury selection, each day's session will begin at 8am, with first hour reserved for motions. Jury selection begins at 9am & is expected to end by 5pm. On 3/29 trial begins with Opening statements. During the trial itself, sessions could continue until 7:30pm if the jury is sequestered.
3/5/21: MN Appeals Court rules Judge Peter Cahill made mistake in not reinstating murder-3 charge against Chauvin. Says its ruling in prior Noor conviction is the law of the state right now. Sends argument back to Cahill for reconsideration. Appeals Court ruling did NOT immediately reinstate murder-3 charge against Chauvin. Judge Cahill will have some leeway to hear further arguments. Expect him to do that when this trial is scheduled to start Monday AM with motions, before then beginning jury selection.
*Charged (7/22/20) with 6 counts of aiding & abetting taxes-false or fraudulent returns-filed with commissioner & 3 counts aiding & abetting taxes-failure to file return, report, document. Washington County, State of Minnesota
Court info from 7/22/20 thru 10/26/20 reference post #140 here:
MN - George Floyd, 46, killed in police custody, Minneapolis, 25 May 2020 *officers charged* #3
12/11/20 Update: Hearing held by remote technology. Next Omnibus hearing on 1/15/21. 1/15/21 Update: Next Omnibus hearing on 6/30/21.
*Divorce – Pretrial hearing on 3/26/21 & trial on 4/26/21.
*Trial set to begin (@ 1:30pm ET) - PA –
Nichole Pumphrey (31), her daughter,
Ameriah Emery (10) &
Lawrence Cannon (31) possibly BF (Oct. 16, 2018, New Castle) –
for *Anthony Lavon “Mook” Cooper, Jr. (19/now 21) arrested (10/29/18), charged (10/19/18) & arraigned (11/13/18) with 3 counts of criminal homicide, 3 counts of criminal conspiracy, 1 count of attempted murder & 1 count of carrying firearms without a license. Plead not guilty. Bail denied.
Trial was set to begin on 12/7/20 cancelled & reset to 1/4/21 & reset to 2/1/21 & reset for 3/8/21. Judge had to quarantine.
12/7/20 Monday, Trial Day 1: Trial was cancelled. Next Judicial Call of trial hearing on 1/4/21. 1/4/21 Update: Trial was continued to 2/1/21. 2/1/21 Update: Trial has been continued to 3/8/21.
*Steven Procopio (19/njavascript:void(null);ow 20) – Next omnibus pretrial motions hearing on 7/8/21. Trial set to begin on 8/9/21.
*Jody Lynn Hammer - 4/1/19: All charges are dismissed.
Thursday, March 11th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 2pm ET) - FL -
Savannah Page Gold (21) (missing Aug. 2, 2017, Jacksonville, found Aug. 5, 2017) - *Lee Rodarte, Jr. (28/now 32) arrested (8/6/17), indicted (8/25/17), arraigned (8/29/17) & charged (5/15/19) with 2nd degree murder with weapon, tampering with evidence & abuse of a human body; confessed, but plead not guilty. Bond was at $500K, but on 1/31/18 ordered to be held with no bond. Remains in Duval County jail without bond.
Trial was to begin on 8/26/19 with jury selection is cancelled (8/23/19). Plead guilty (2/18/21).
Court information from 7/3/18 thru 2/2/21 reference post #638 here:
GUILTY - FL - Savannah Gold, 21, Jacksonville, 2 Aug 2017
2/16/21 Update: Present: Judge Jeb Branham, Asst. State attorney Chyna-Michele Makarowski, attorney for defense Alan Chipperfield & defendant present in jail. Defendant has agreed to plead guilty in a negotiated sentence to charges of second-degree murder & evidence tampering. He’s scheduled to formally enter that plea during a Thursday, 2/18/21 @ 1pm disposition hearing. Sentencing on 3/11/21 where the terms of the finalized agreement, not yet release, will be provided to the Judge before the 3/11/21 sentencing hearing.
2/18/21 Update: Judge Jeb Branham has accepted Rodarte’s guilty plea to the 2nd degree murder of Savannah. Rodarte had also been charged with evidence tampering & abusing a body, but those charges were dropped as part of his plea agreement. The plea agreement would have Rodarte serve 40 years (with credit for time served) in state prison rather than the life sentence that he was eligible to if the case went to trial. Sentencing hearing on 3/11/21.
Friday, March 12th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 1:30pm PT) – CA –
Elizabeth Sullivan (31) (reported missing Oct. 14, 2014, San Diego; found Oct. 6, 2016 in San Diego Bay) – *Matthew Scott Sullivan (29 @ time of crime/33/now 36) “husband” arrested (1/31/18 in Wyoming, Delaware, extradited 2/9/18), charged & arraigned (3/4/19) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. $2M bond. Judge changes (3/13/20) to no bond.
Trial began on 2/18/20 with jury selection, trial started on 2/21/20 and ended on 3/11/20. Jury: 7 men/5 women & 4 alternates. Jurors’ took about 8 ½ hours (3 days) to reach a verdict of guilty of 2nd degree murder, plus allegations of using a knife in the killing. Was acquitted of 1st degree murder charge.
Jury Selection from 2/10/20 thru 2/20/20 & Trial (Day 1-14) 2/21/20 to 3/13/20 & court info from 4/13/20 thru 9/18/20 reference post #426 here:
GUILTY - CA - Elizabeth Sullivan, 31, San Diego, 13 Oct 2014 *Arrest*
11/13/20 Update: Sentencing rescheduled to 11/16/20. 11/16/20 Update: Sentencing rescheduled to 1/29/21. 1/29/21 Update: Sentencing was rescheduled to 3/12/21.
*Plea/Sentencing Hearing (@ 9:30am ET) – WI –
Ethan Hauschultz (7) (April 20, 2018, Manitowoc; burned & buried in “coffin of snow”) –
for *Tina Marie McKeever-Hauschultz (35/now 38) aka Tina Marie Meissner, Tina Marie Echlin & Tina Marie McKeever (great aunt) charged (2/4/19) & arraigned (3/22/19) & re-arraigned (5/13/20) with 2 counts of child abuse-failing to prevent bodily harm & charged (3/5/19) with 2 counts intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a child. Plead not guilty. $75K cash bond.
Court info from 2/4/19 thru 10/19/20 reference post #142 here:
WI - Ethan Hauschultz, 7, beaten and buried in "coffin of snow", Manitowoc, April 2018
10/27/20 Update: Instructions for how to appear remotely. Next status conference hearing on 11/24/20. 11/24/20 Update: Status conference hearing rescheduled to 1/8/21. 12/21/20: Motion to withdraw as counsel.
1/8/21: Petition & Order for Payment of Court-appointed Counsel fees; final statement for attorney Kakeisha Haase; the action has concluded on this case & the Court-appointed counsel is removed. Next status conference hearing on 2/12/21 & notice of hearing as remote.
2/12/21 Update: Next Plea & sentencing hearing on 3/12/21.
Hauschultzes were court appointed guardians for Ethan & his 2 siblings in 2016.
*Timothy Scott Hauschultz (48/now 50) – Status conference hearing on 4/19/21.
*Damian Hauschultz (14/now 17) – Scheduling hearing on 4/5/21. 
