Criminal Trials

Ame Deal's Alleged Killers Last to Face Charges as Third Family Member Pleads Guilty to Abuse

The alleged killers of 10-year-old Ame Deal are the last to face charges in the 2011 case, as three family members now have pleaded guilty to abuse charges and charges were dropped against another.First-degree murder charges are still pending against Samantha Allen, Ame's cousin, and Allen's husband ... More >>

Ame Deal Murder: Girl's Dad Is Second Family Member to Plead Guilty to Abuse

The outcomes are now known for charges against three of six family members accused of harming 10-year-old Ame Deal, who was murdered in Phoenix almost two years ago.Ame's father, David Deal, pleaded guilty this morning to attempted child abuse and possession of marijuana, while the girl's aunt previ ... More >>

The Feds Proved Themselves a Cage of Cowardly Lions in the Arpaio Investigation

Marion Patterson III Sentencing Scheduled for 2010 Killing of ASU Student Zachary Marco

Marion Patterson III will soon learn his fate for his role in the 2010 shooting death of Arizona State University student Zachary Marco.Patterson, one of two men charged in Marco's murder, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in February, and this morning, a judge scheduled his sentencing for 9 a. ... More >>

Four Hells Angels Found Not Guilty of "Rioting" Charges From 2009 DPS Operation

Four members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club were found not guilty of charges of "rioting" and assisting in a criminal street gang.The four acquitted, Rudolfo "Rudy" Martinez, Gerald Smith, Dale Hormut, and Stephen Helland, were among seven bikers arrested by an Arizona Department of Public Safe ... More >>

Father Gets a New Trial in the Death of His Little Boy

Man Who Beat Kids to Death With a Baseball Bat in 2008 Is Actually Going to Prison Now

Joe Sauceda Gallegos, who beat two young Phoenix boys to death with a baseball bat a few days before Christmas in 2008, is finally going to prison.Gallegos was found incompetent to stand trial in 2010, and was sent to a mental health facility.After some meds and time in the nuthouse, Gallegos was se ... More >>

Tyson Langley, 15-Year-Old Accused of Double Homicide, Pleads Not Guilty to Murder Charges

Peoria Police DepartmentTyson Langley​Tyson Langley, the 15-year-old accused of murdering two people at a Peoria smoke shop last month, was in Maricopa County Superior Court this morning where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.Despite his young age, Langley's being charged ... More >>

Christian Turcios, Alleged Star of "Child Erotica" Films/Church Janitor, Pleads Not Guilty to Kiddie-Porn Charges

​Christian Turcios, a 26-year-old former custodian at the Highlands Church in Scottsdale, was in Maricopa County Superior Court this morning where he pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of kiddie-porn-related crimes.Turcios, it turns out, basically beat the rap on a child molestation case in 201 ... More >>

Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau's Trial to Proceed to Penalty Phase; Killer of Nine Faces Death Penalty

Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau is one step closer to his (presumed) execution.​The jury has reached a verdict in the "aggravation phase" of Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau's trial, and the jury found that the aggravating factors in the case were proven, which means the man who terrorized the streets of ... More >>

Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau Guilty on All Murder Counts; Faces Death Penalty. Sentencing Hearing Scheduled For Wednesday

Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau faces the death penalty after getting convicted of nine counts of murder.​After a five-month trial, and seven days of jury deliberation, Baseline Killer Mark Goudeau has been convicted of all nine of the murder charges against him.Goudeau faced 72 felony counts s ... More >>

Should Hooker-Murdering Rapist Trent Benson Get the Death Penalty?

Trent Benson faces the death penalty after getting convicted of murdering two women and attacking two others.​Hooker-murdering rapist Trent Benson was found guilty Monday of two counts of first-degree murder, four counts of kidnapping, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted se ... More >>

Could Jameson Johnson Be a Real-Life Jason Bourne?

Brett Mecum, Former State GOP Director, Takes Plea in 2009 Speeding Case; Completes Defensive Driving School

Brett Mecum, former executive director for the state Republican Party, lost his speeding case last month after a two-year court battle.​The criminal speeding case of Brett Mecum, former executive director for the state Republican Party, ended last month after a two-year odyssey through the court s ... More >>

Not Guilty?: A List of Five Songs Inspired by the Casey Anthony Trial Verdict

This woman is not a murderer, according to FloridaTuesday was dominated with the news of the not guilty verdict in the Casey Anthony murder trial, the latest trial to gain such massive media attention. Anthony was acquitted by an Orange County, Florida jury fn the murder of her 2-year-old daughter C ... More >>

Town of Patagonia Sued for Ex-Police Chief Ed Dobbertin's "False Complaint" Against Alan Woods, Who had 20-Year Sentence Thrown Out

Alan Woods squeaked out of a 20-year prison sentence last year after it was found that the cop who arrested him wasn't certified at the time. Now he's suing in federal court.​An Arizona man whose 20-year prison sentence was thrown out last year wants payback from the Town of Patagonia over the all ... More >>

Final Exit Network "Assisted Suicide" Defendant Pleads Guilty Today to Endangerment

An 86-year-old Scottsdale man pleaded guilty this morning to endangerment in the assisted-suicide case of a Phoenix woman who killed herself in 2007.   Right-to-die advocate takes one for the team​  In April, a Maricopa County jury could not agree on whether Franklin Langsn ... More >>

Former Nogales Mayor Octavio Von Borstel Pleads Guilty to Corruption Charges

Former Nogales Mayor Octavio Garcia Von Borstel​Disgraced former Nogales Mayor Octavio Garcia Von Borstel, and his father, were in Pima County Superior Court yesterday where they pleaded guilty to corruption charges stemming from a scam targeting Nogales businesses.Initially facing multiple charge ... More >>

Mindy Shields Indicted by Grand Jury on One Count of Felony Theft

Mindy Shields indicted on theft charges.​A Grand Jury has indicted Mindy Shields, daughter of influential Phoenix lobbyist Billy Shields, for Class 2 felony theft. The charges against Mindy Shields stem from the embezzlement of more than $77,000 from Friends of Greg Stanton, a poli ... More >>

Prison Escapee John McCluskey's Arizona Trial Starts Tomorrow; Still Faces Murder Charges in New Mexico

John McCluskey and his fiancee/cousin, Casslyn Welch.​John McCluskey, one of three inmates who escaped from an Arizona prison last summer  -- and then went on a multi-state tour of mayhem -- goes to trial tomorrow in Arizona for escaping from prison and assaulting two men when he hijacked the ... More >>

Christopher Benitez Found Guilty of Negligent Homicide and Arson in '01 Firefighter's Death

  Christopher Benitez was found guilt of negligent homicide and arson today in the 2001 death of firefighter Bret Tarver.​Christopher Benitez's second chance at trying to prove he wasn't responsible for the 2001 death of a Phoenix firefighter didn't work out well. The  ... More >>

Wasted Driver Gets 11 Years in the Pen for Killing High School Senior

KPHO Cody Bishop (left) died at 18 thanks to Steven Landrum. ​For a typical Arizonan, ".227" may refer to the box of rifle ammo in their truck, but for Steven Landrum -- who was packing a .227 blood-alcohol level while driving his pickup truck when he crashed into and killed an 18-year-ol ... More >>

Avondale Man Gets Life for Murder of Girlfriend's 3-Year-Old Daughter

Alvaro Duarte​An Avondale man convicted of murdering his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter was in Maricopa County Superior Court this morning where Judge Janet Barton sentenced him to naturla life in prison.Alvaro Holguin Duarte pleaded guilty to the 2008 murder of Alisandra Oliviana Romero, his gi ... More >>

DNA Match From 2004 Chandler Rape Nets Orange County Transient, Santos Basilio O'Dell

​ A California man forced to give up some DNA after violating a protective order last year revealed a dark secret, prosecutors say: He's responsible for a 2004 rape and robbery in Chandler. Santos Basilio O'Dell, 32, was ordered to stop harassing his wife in 2009, and he violated that order i ... More >>

Jared Loughner Indicted for Attempted Murder of Gabrielle Giffords and Others. More Charges Expected

Jared Lee Loughner was indicted on three counts of attempted murder by a federal grand jury.​A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday against Jared Lee Loughner for the attempted murders of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and two of her aids,Ron Barber and Pamela Simon."Today, the Gr ... More >>

Justin Draper Pleads Guilty in 2006 Triple-Fatal Crash; Firefighter Mom of One Victim Busted for Shoplifting in Houston

Justin Draper, seen here in the mug shot from his 2009 arrest, pleaded guilty this month in the 2006 Surprise crash that left three teens dead.​A 22-year-old Surprise man has pleaded guilty in a 2006 crash that left three teens dead, and the firefighter mom of one victim is being treat ... More >>

Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Cancer Drugs in Arizona and Abroad

www.icanhazcheezburger.com Chuck Norris​At the federal courthouse in Phoenix this morning, a Canadian man pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit cancer medication over the Internet to victims in Arizona and as far away as Belgium.Hazim Gaber, 22, of Edmonton, Canada, pleaded guilty to f ... More >>

Peoria Suspect in 2008 Fatal Hit-and-Run of Bicyclist Pleads Not Guilty

Image: Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Aaron Chubick, 32, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of manslaughter and hit-and-run.​ A Peoria father who crashed into a bicyclist in 2008 has pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and hit-and-run. Aaron Chubick, 32, was released from ... More >>

"Spiritual Warrior" James Ray Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter; Opts to Stay in Jail

James Ray looking not so "spiritual" in his booking photo​"Spiritual warrior" James Arthur Ray, who was indicted on three manslaughter charges yesterday, pleaded not guilty to each charge this morning in Yavapai County Superior Court.Ray's attorney entered the not guilty plea on Ray's behalf ... More >>

Don Stapley's New Criminal Defense Attorney Used to Do What Andy Thomas Never Did -- Prosecute Major Crimes

Supervisor Don Stapley, one of two Maricopa County supes under criminal indictment, has hired a new defense attorney to defend him against the latest set of charges he faces from County Attorney Andrew Thomas. ​His name is Kurt Altman (pictured), and he earned his stripe ... More >>

"Scottsdale Creeper" Suspect Beats the Wrap

Ben Andrew Fuchs​Whether or not Ben Andrew Fuchs is the infamous "Scottsdale Creeper," one thing is certain -- the weirdo who was breaking into the apartments of women to watch them sleep, is still on the loose. A jury in the Maricopa County Superior Court found Fuchs not guilty yesterday on five ... More >>

Maricopa County Jury About to Determine Cop Killer Donnie Delahanty's Fate

A Maricopa County jury is expected to resume deliberations later this afternoon, this time to determine if cop-killer Donnie Delahanty should get the death penalty for murdering Phoenix officer David Uribe (in the photo). Earlier this month, the panel convicted the 22-year-old of shooting ... More >>

Can Maricopa County’s Juvenile-Justice System Fix Troubled Teens? Rarely, One Judge Laments

Slick "Dr. Gary" Karpin Finally Goes on Trial

A key witness in the Robert Ortloff murder trial recants what she's been telling authorities for 24 years

Indian Takers

A war for custody of 4-year-old Raven Laws includes a spurious Alabama tribe

Lord of the Lies

Robert Owens, A gifted con artist linked to an astonishing murder-for-hire plot, may go free because he's compromised law enforcement.

Catch Him If You Can

When a career courthouse scam artist joins forces with a top Arizona criminal defense attorney, it ain't pretty

Fornicating for God

As the case of a snatched Mormon girl from Salt Lake City unfolds, polygamists along the Arizona-Utah border face legal scrutiny

Marked Man

Felix Medina and his gang compatriots ruthlessly ruled a south central neighborhood. Now the party's over.

Suspects of Convenience

The sting targeted stores selling over-the-counter medicines that could be cooked into meth. But the cops warned major retailers to stop the sales while throwing the book at mom-and-pop shops, most of which are owned by Arab immigrants.

The Law's Man

Ex-prosecutor cleared in quirky grand jury secrecy case

The Fifester, the Wifester, the Mother and the Prosecutor

REVERSAL OF MISFORTUNE

JAMES MCPHEETERS BEAT A MOLESTATION RAP, BUT WAS SENTENCED TO 561 YEARS FOR POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY. AN APPELLATE COURT SAYS HE DESERVES A NEW TRIAL.

SINS OF COMMISSIONERSTHREE COUNTY COURT COMMISSIONERS ARE FIRED, BUT NOBODY IS SURE WHY

MEETING ON THE MIND

THE RULE 11 REVOLVING DOOR

A LOOPHOLE HAS ALLOWED THE MENTALLY INCOMPETENT TO COMMIT CRIME AFTER CRIME, WITHOUT BEING PUNISHED OR PLACED UNDER SUPERVISION

THE FAMILY TRAP

UNDER ITS "REUNIFICATION-FIRST" POSICY, THE STATE OF ARIZONA ROUTINELY FORCES CHILDREN TO LIVE WITH PARENTS WHO ARE UNFIT GUARDIANS BY ANY DEFINITION

USING SLEDGEHAMMERS TO SWAT FLIES

THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE VIGOROUSLY PROSECUTES FELONY CHILD ABUSE CHARGES. EVEN WHEN NO CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ABUSED.

JAIL TIME A LONG TIME COMINGFIVE YEARS AFTER ADMITTIG GUILT, A MOLESTER IS CONVICTED