Austin Ford's mother sentenced for taking photos of jurors

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (Court TV) – The mother of a man tried twice for murdering his best friend will serve time herself after she took photos of jurors in court during her son’s trial.

Austin Ford, 21, was tried in April and August on murder charges in the death of his friend, 18-year-old Tori Lang. After two mistrials because juries were unable to reach unanimous verdicts, prosecutors announced Wednesday that they would not seek another trial against Ford.

“Unfortunately, there was a lack of di

Home owned by Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom at center of lawsuit

LOS ANGELES (Court TV) —Pop star Katy Perry and actor Orlando Bloom’s attempt to buy a home in California is at the center of a lawsuit heading to trial.

The lawsuit, filed by Carl Westcott, a property owner who had agreed to sell his home to the celebrity couple, claims that the 80-year-old was not of sound mind when he agreed to the sale. Perry, whose legal name is Katheryn Hudson, and Bloom are not named in the suit, which instead was filed against their business manager, Bernie Gudvi.

West

Alexee Trevizo, charged in infant's death, suing hospital

ARTESIA, N.M. (Court TV) — A New Mexico teenager, charged with her infant son’s death, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital where the child was found in a trash can.

Alexee Trevizo is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of her newborn son, named in the lawsuit as Alex Ray Fierro.

Trevizo went to the emergency room at Artesia General Hospital just before midnight on Jan. 26, 2023, complaining of lower back and abdominal pain.

The lawsuit

Exclusive: Gary Oliva's newest letter and ongoing JonBenét Ramsey obsession

BOULDER, Colo. (Court TV) — More than 25 years after JonBenét Ramsey was found murdered in her Colorado home, a man who confessed to the crime but was never charged in connection with the case is continuing to talk about his obsession with the child.

JonBenét Ramsey was 6 years old on Dec. 26, 1996, when her parents reported her missing. Her body was later found in a room in the family’s basement, and investigators said that the child, who had competed in beauty pageants, had been bludgeoned an

Ex-Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs sentenced in fatal DUI case

LAS VEGAS (Court TV) — Former top wide receiver Henry Ruggs III has been sentenced to three to ten years in prison months after pleading guilty in a fatal DUI crash that killed a woman and her dog.

Ruggs, 24, was driving a reported 127 mph with a blood alcohol level of 0.161 on Nov. 2, 2021, when caused the crash that killed Tina Tintor, 23, and her dog. He pleaded guilty in May as part of a plea deal.

At the time of the accident, Ruggs was a wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders, having bee

Leah Remini says Scientology began attacking her after Shelly Miscavige's disappearance

LOS ANGELES (Court TV) — In a lawsuit filed in California, actress Leah Remini is accusing the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, of harassment, stalking, infliction of emotional distress and interfering with her ability to work.

The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 2 in the Superior Court of California, alleges that the Church of Scientology institutionalizes retaliatory activities against those it deems “Suppressive Persons,” who speak out against the organization.

The Church of Sc

Adam Montgomery denies killing daughter Harmony during sentencing

MANCHESTER, N.H. (Court TV) — Addressing the judge before he was sentenced on weapons charges, Adam Montgomery denied killing his daughter, Harmony, and asked the judge not to consider that pending case during the sentencing.

A jury convicted Montgomery in June on eight charges related to the thefts of two firearms in 2019.

Montgomery asked to address the court prior to hearing his fate. WMUR was in the courtroom and recorded Montgomery as he spoke about his daughter, who has not been seen sin

Woman to plead guilty in murder-for-hire scheme targeting ex

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Court TV) — A Colorado woman is scheduled to plead guilty on Thursday to charges she tried to hire a hitman to kill her ex-boyfriend days before a scheduled custody hearing.

Vanessa Rae Lavaty, 34, was charged with solicitation, conspiracy and criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder after allegedly asking her live-in boyfriend and an undercover officer to kill Timothy Hanes, her ex and child’s father.

Hanes and Lavaty shared custody of a 2-year-old girl, and the

WI v. William Zelenski: Stolen Reptile Murder Trial

WAUPACA, Wis. (Court TV) – A Wisconsin man convicted of killing his girlfriend’s son was sentenced to life in prison on Friday when he faced a judge.

After a sentencing hearing on July 28, Judge Raymond Huber ordered William Zelenski to spend the rest of his life in prison, but that he will be eligible to apply for extended supervision after 35 years. The judge noted no credit would be given for the 1,013 days Zelenski already served.

On June 23, a jury deliberated for several hours before fin

Court documents reveal Taylor Schabusiness' past

GREEN BAY (Court TV) — A Wisconsin woman convicted of murdering her lover before dismembering and scattering his body, is also a wife and mother, according to court documents.

Taylor Schabusiness pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to Shad Thyrion’s murder. Prosecutors said Schabusiness choked Thyrion during sex, then used a bread knife to dismember his body and put pieces of him into multiple receptacles, including a bucket and backpacks.

In court documents filed shortly after her arrest

Documents: Mother believes missing Madalina Cojocari given away for money

CORNELIUS, N.C. (Court TV) — Newly unsealed search warrants are offering new insight into the investigation into the disappearance of 12-year-old Madalina Cojocari.

Madalina was last seen getting off the school bus on November 21, 2022, but was not reported missing for nearly one month, until December 15. Two days later, Madalina’s mother, Dina Cojocari, and stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, were arrested on charges of failing to report her disappearance.

Investigators have now released a numb

Mother charged with attempting to hire hitman to kill 3-year-old

MIAMI (Court TV) — A Florida mother is facing charges after police say she tried to hire a hitman to kill her own toddler.

Jazmin Paez, 18, was charged with solicitation of murder and unlawful use of a communication device after allegedly attempting to use a parody website to hire someone to kill her 3-year-old son.

In an arrest affidavit obtained by Court TV, Miami-Dade police said they were contacted by the owner of a parody website, rentahitman.com. Bob Innes, who runs the site, told office

State does not oppose Chad Daybell's request for wife's trial transcripts

BOISE, Idaho (Court TV) — Attorneys representing accused cult leader Chad Daybell were expected to appear in court Thursday to argue motions ahead of their client’s scheduled murder trial in 2024.

Minutes before the hearing was scheduled to take place, a court official told Court TV it had been vacated. The hearing was expected to cover a request by Chad’s attorneys for all transcripts and exhibits from his wife’s trial, Lori Vallow Daybell.

On Wednesday, prosecutors filed a document noting th

Stalker in the Attic defendant Mauricio Guerrero sentenced

STRAFFORD COUNTY, N.H. (Court TV) — A 22-year-old man was sentenced to one year in prison for breaking into the home of an OnlyFans creator and hiding in her attic so he could take pictures of her naked body while she slept.

A New Hampshire jury deliberated for several hours over two days in May before convicting Mauricio Guerrero of six counts, including burglary, criminal trespass, and privacy invasion. Now, it’s up to a judge to decide if Guerrero – who lives in Pennsylvania and is out on bo

Double murder suspect found living in tent appears in court

CONCORD, N.H. (Court TV) — A man accused of murdering a couple on a popular New Hampshire hiking trail appeared in court on Tuesday for the first day of a motions hearing in his case.

Logan Lavar Clegg is charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of Stephen Reid and Djeswende “Wendy” Reid on April 18, 2022. The victims were found shot to death and buried beneath several inches of sticks and leaves in a wooded area off of a hiking trail in Concord.

In an arrest warrant, investigators said

TX v. Ronald Anthony Burgos-Aviles: Daily Trial Updates

LAREDO, Texas (Court TV) — A former Border Patrol agent found guilty of murdering his lover and their young son was sentenced to two life sentences without parole.

The jury’s verdict and judge’s sentence were handed down just before midnight Monday in Laredo, Texas.

On July 6, Ronald Anthony Burgos-Aviles, 33, was convicted of two counts of murder in the April 2018 deaths of Grizelda Hernandez, 28, and their toddler son, Dominic Alexander Hernandez.

In a news conference the day after the brut

AZ v. Michael Turney: Missing Sister Murder Trial

PHOENIX (Court TV) — A judge granted Michael Turney‘s motion to dismiss charges against him after prosecutors rested their case on Monday.

Michael Roy Turney, 75, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of his stepdaughter, Alissa Turney, who disappeared more than 20 years ago and whose body has never been found.

On May 17, 2001, Alissa, 17, told her boyfriend that her stepfather was going to be taking her out of school early. It was the last day of her junior year at Paradise Valley

YouTuber defends autopsy video of 11-year-old Gannon Stauch

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Court TV) — Two months after 11-year-old Gannon Stauch’s killer was sentenced, a video featuring photos of his autopsy was sold for views on social media.

Gannon was killed by his stepmother, Letecia Stauch, who was convicted of murdering the child before disposing of his body in a suitcase. A jury found Letecia guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body and guilty of tampering with evidence after she had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity

Insurance company denies responsibility for judgment in Depp v. Heard

LOS ANGELES (Court TV) — Actress Amber Heard is facing a new lawsuit from her insurance company, which claims it should not have to pay out the multi-million dollar judgment awarded to Johnny Depp after the former couple faced off in Virginia court.

A jury found in Depp’s favor on June 1, 2022, awarding him $10,000,000 in compensatory damages and $5,000,000 in punitive damages for defamatory statements Heard made about the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor. The punitive damages were later reduce

Judge issues temporary stay in Bryan Kohberger murder trial

MOSCOW, Idaho (Court TV) — An Idaho judge has issued a brief stay in the case of Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students.

Kohberger, 28, is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, who were stabbed to death in their home on Nov. 13, 2022. He is also charged with one count of burglary.

In an order issued Monday, Judge John Judge issued a partial stay of proceedings. Kohberger’s atto

Brad Pitt accuses Angelina Jolie of conspiring to sell property to Russian oligarch

LOS ANGELES (Court TV) – Actor Brad Pitt has accused his ex-wife Angelina Jolie of secretly conspiring with a Russian oligarch in a new filing in a lawsuit over the sale of their French winery.

Pitt and Jolie, who had an acrimonious divorce following an alleged incident on a 2016 flight, had purchased the property in the south of France together in 2008, according to CNN. Jolie later sold her stake in the property in 2021, prompting Pitt to file a lawsuit in 2022.

In Pitt’s latest filing on Ju

Gag order for Kouri Richins, children’s book author accused of murder

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah (Court TV) – The judge in the case against children’s book author Kouri Richins has issued a partial gag order.

Prosecutors had requested restrictions in the form of a gag order due to “unanticipated and overwhelming” interest in the case. They filed the motion in the hopes of limiting all parties from talking to the media. However, Judge Richard Mrazik denied that motion, in part. Instead he ruled that the gag order will be in effect for attorneys in the case.

Kouri Richin

Taylor Schabusiness defense argues victim not a person after death

GREEN BAY, Wis. (Court TV) – Attorneys representing Taylor Schabusiness have filed a motion in her case arguing that charges of sexual assault against her should be dismissed, which is scheduled to be discussed at a hearing on June 13.

Editor’s note: the following story contains graphic descriptions of violence and sexual assault.

Schabusiness is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and third-degree sexual assault in the death of Shad Thyrion in February 2022. Wh
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