Welcome to Courthouse Update, a weekly rundown of goings-on at the Maricopa County Superior Court.
This week, the saga of a 2008 road-rage shooting comes to an end, two former employees of Valley high schools have court dates for alleged crimes against minors, and more:
- John Stuart gets 18 years in prison
John Stuart was sentenced to 18 years in prison for fatally shooting a man during a road-rage incident in North Phoenix in 2008. This conviction was the result of a retrial. In the first trial, Stuart defended himself and alleged self-defense in the fatal shooting, but jurors couldn't agree. This time around, the jury convicted him of second-degree murder and drive-by shooting. Stuart's case was one of several cases explored in a recent New Times cover story on self-defense cases in which the shooter was in the driver's seat of a vehicle.
See also: Shooting People from a Car in Alleged Self-Defense Is No Crime in Arizona
Next page: Christmas party shooter enters a plea
- Man accused of shooting at Christmas party pleads not-guilty
Daniel Taylor, an 18-year-old Tempe man who's accused of shooting two people, killing one, at a Christmas party, has pleaded not-guilty. According to police, Taylor showed up to the party in his apartment complex, uninvited, and was asked to leave by the tenants since no one there knew him. Police say Taylor returned wearing a clown mask, and opened fire on party-goers standing on the patio.
See also: Daniel Taylor Accused in Shooting at Tempe Christmas Party
Next page: High school teacher enters plea in prostitution bust
- High school teacher pleads not-guilty in prostitution bust
Jerry Marfe, a 54-year-old now-former high school teacher from Betty H. Fairfax High School in Laveen, pleaded not guilty to charges related to a large prostitution bust carried out by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. The undercover cop alleging to be a prostitute told the would-be customers that she was 16, according to MCSO.
See also: Hear Sexy Sheriff's Deputy Woo Callers in Underage Prostitution Sting
Next page: Alleged carjacker, kidnapper of elderly man enters plea
- Suspect in strange carjacking case pleads not-guilty
Chateen Latfolla pleaded not-guilty in a strange carjacking case from last month. After Latfolla allegedly declined to stop for police after committing "numerous traffic violations" on I-10, he hit two cars and a large rock before bailing out of his truck at a freeway off-ramp. He then reached into another vehicle, ripped the elderly driver out of the car, and drove off -- with the woman's 91-year-old husband still in the car, police say. Latfolla drove to the Wild Horse Pass Casino and left the elderly man there, as Latfolla ran through the casino in an unsuccessful run from police.
See also: Man Steals Car, Drives Elderly Passenger to Casino
Next page: High school wrestling coach pleads not-guilty to charges
- Kyle Deberry pleads not-guilty in advances toward student
Now-former wrestling coach for Desert Edge High School in Goodyear isn't accused of having sex with a student. He is, however, accused of biting a 16-year-old female student on the neck, while allegedly sending sexually charged text messages to her and three other students.
See also: High School Wrestling Coach Bites One Student, Talks Dirty to Others
