Murder suspect arrested after $3 crime
The suspect in a 2012 California murder has been arrested in Utah after years of searching for him. Unlike other cold-case arrests that have been linked to advanced scientific technologies like genetic genealogy and other DNA techniques, this case involved relatively straightforward police work. The man had been on the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office “most […]
Man awarded $13.1 million after being framed for murder
A California man has been awarded $13.1 million by the San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors for being framed for murder by the two detectives who initially investigated the incident that led to his arrest. The payment settles a civil lawsuit the man filed against the city and four police officers after being cleared of the […]
Governor orders DNA testing in 35-year-old murder case
A 61-year-old man who has spent decades in prison after being sentenced to death for the murder of four people in 1983 was thrown a lifeline on Feb. 22 when California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered DNA testing of evidence that he claims will prove his innocence. The case garnered national attention in 2000 when the […]
Parole recommendation for Manson family murderer
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, former Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten has been recommended for parole. However, there is a 150-day waiting period that includes a period of review for board staff. Furthermore, her parole must still be approved by the governor. The parole board also recommended her release in […]
New law could help hundreds obtain their release
Individuals who are serving time for murder convictions in California may be eligible for release after a change to state law. The change went into effect on Jan. 1, and it says that only killers can be convicted of murder. Previously, those who were indirectly related to such a crime could be charged as if […]
Viable defenses to involuntary manslaughter depend on the facts
Unlike most crimes, involuntary manslaughter is not a crime in which the accused’s state of mind or intent is an element. The California Penal Code defines it as an accidental homicide committed either during the commission of a non-felony crime or as the result of reckless conduct during a lawful activity. Under either theory, there […]
California man faces life in prison for hate crime
A 21-year-old California man could be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole if he is convicted of killing a gay and Jewish University of Pennsylvania student. Prosecutors say that they are considering the homicide a hate crime because the man’s phone contained large amounts of anti-Semitic and homophobic material. The man […]
Man faces murder charge for allegedly killing sailor on I-5
A 21-year-old man sits in San Diego County Central Jail for the alleged shooting death of one man on Interstate 5 and shooting another man about 10 minutes earlier on Boundary Street in Mount Hope. After these incidents, the California Highway Patrol located the suspect’s vehicle on northbound I-5 and alerted the San Diego Police […]
Man linked to murder and series of burglaries
A 42-year-old man has been taken into custody in connection with a string of recent burglaries in the Malibu Canyon area of California. He is also suspected of fatally shooting a man in front of his 2 and 4-year-old daughters in Malibu Creek State Park in June. The man is being held on a number […]
Felony murder law change in California
California inmates serving time for murder could soon get a second chance. A new bill limits the state’s authority to convict defendants charged with felony murder. The bill also allows inmates incarcerated on felony murder convictions to apply for re-sentencing. Felony murder is a type of homicide charge which allows a person to be convicted […]