Welcome to Courthouse Update, a weekly rundown of goings-on at the Maricopa County Superior Court.
This week, Cordell Jude convicted in alleged "self-defense" killing, a sexual encounter gone wrong lands a woman in prison, and more:
- Cordell Jude guilty of reckless manslaughter
A jury found Cordell Jude guilty of manslaughter, but not guilty of second-degree murder, for the 2012 shooting death of Daniel Adkins in Phoenix. The incident happened in a Taco Bell drive-through, as Adkins was walking his dog. As Jude was pulling out of the Taco Bell, he nearly hit Adkins before slamming on the brakes in time. Adkins yelled at Jude, and Jude -- whose pregnant girlfriend was in the passenger seat -- said Adkins came after him with some sort of metal pipe before he shot him. No such pipe was found. He faces a possible prison term ranging from seven to 21 years when he is sentenced on January 8, 2014.
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery issued a statement on the conviction, saying, "Despite the defendant's assertion of self-defense, his actions did not meet the narrow provisions under Arizona law which allow citizens to use deadly force when immediately necessary to protect themselves against another's use or attempted use of unlawful deadly physical force. Today's verdict also demonstrates the jury's dedication to weighing all the evidence to reach a conclusion about the specific crime to convict the defendant of."
See also: Cordell Jude Charged in April "Self Defense" Killing of Daniel Adkins
Next page: Sexual snub leads to 10 years in prison
- Tiana Turman gets 10 years in prison in man's death
Tiana Turman was sentenced to 10 years in prison after taking a plea deal in relation to a man's 2011 shooting death, which she was accused of arranging. Witnesses told police that Turman was upset that McConnell had left immediately after having sex with her, and there was a dispute over money exchanged for the encounter. Turman was 18 at the time. The shooter, then-24-year-old Shykeem Jones already was sentenced to 43 years in prison (minus about two years for time served) after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping.
See also: Phoenix Woman Has Man Fatally Shot Over Sexual Snub
Next page: A camera will be in the courtroom for the Temple massacre trial
- Camera in the courtroom for third trial in Temple massacre
In the third trial of Temple massacre suspect Johnathan Doody, there will be a pool camera allowed in the courtroom, although Judge Joseph Kreamer ruled that there must be a 30-minute delay in coverage. Doody's been accused of massacring nine people at a Buddhist temple more than 20 years ago. A third trial will take place, as Doody finally was granted a retrial after a lengthy appeal process, and the jury was deadlocked in trial number two.
See also: Temple Massacre Retrial Ends in Mistrial
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