Disir
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- Sep 30, 2011
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The California Supreme Court on Monday upheld the murder conviction of a Los Angeles woman who killed her four daughters in a house fire, but overturned her death sentence after finding a judge acted unfairly at trial.
In a 7-0 ruling, the court concluded that Superior Court
may have biased jurors by disparaging defendant Sandi Dawn Nieves’ public defender in front of the jury during a murder trial in 2000. The judge accused the public defender of wasting “valuable court time” and called his questions “ridiculous” and “nonsensical,” among other belittling remarks.
The state’s high court also found the judge wrongly excluded testimony by a neuropsychologist about Nieves’ mental state during the penalty phase of the trial.
www.courthousenews.com
That's a horriific case.
This judge committed suicide back in 2005.
www.latimes.com
In a 7-0 ruling, the court concluded that Superior Court
may have biased jurors by disparaging defendant Sandi Dawn Nieves’ public defender in front of the jury during a murder trial in 2000. The judge accused the public defender of wasting “valuable court time” and called his questions “ridiculous” and “nonsensical,” among other belittling remarks.
The state’s high court also found the judge wrongly excluded testimony by a neuropsychologist about Nieves’ mental state during the penalty phase of the trial.
Death Penalty Verdict Overturned Due to Behavior of Judge
The unanimous court found the judge’s disparaging remarks toward a defense lawyer and hostile questioning of defense witnesses may have biased jurors during the penalty phase of a murder trial.
www.courthousenews.com
That's a horriific case.
This judge committed suicide back in 2005.
Judge Gave Indications of Suicide
Deputies defend their actions in the case of a county jurist accused of child molestation who killed himself after a visit from officers.
www.latimes.com
