Defendants: Elizam Escobar, Ricardo Jimenez, Adolfo Matos, Alfredo Mendez, Dylcia Noemi Pagan, Alicia Rodriguez, Ida Luz Rodriguez, Luis Rosa, Carlos Alberto Torres, and Carmen ValentinCrimes Charged: Seditious conspiracy, interference with interstate commerce by threats or violence, possession of an unregistered firearm, carrying firearms during the commission of seditious conspiracy and interfer…
Defendant: John DemjanjukCrime Charged: Illegal procurement of U.S. citizenshipChief Defense Lawyer: John MartinChief Prosecutors: Norman Moskowitz and George ParkerJudge: Frank BattistiPlace: Cleveland, OhioDates of Trial: February 10-June 23, 1981Verdict: GuiltySentence: U.S. naturalization revoked SIGNIFICANCE: The denaturalization trial of accused war criminal John Demjanjuk marked the beginni…
Defendant John S. "Johnny" VolpatoCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyer: Dick A. BlendenChief Prosecutor: Ernest CarrollJudge: Bill SadlerPlace: Carlsbad, New MexicoDates of Trials: First Trial: September-October, 1981; Second Trial: October 1986Verdict: First Trial: Guilty; Second Trial: Not guiltySentence: First Trial: life with no parole for 30 years SIGNIFICANCE: Witnesses wh…
Defendant: Gary Lee GrahamCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyers: Ronald G. Mock, Douglas M. O'Brien, and Chester Lash Thornton; on appeals: Richard Burr, Douglas M. O'Brien, Robert C. Owen, Michael E. Tygar, Mandy Welch, Jack B. ZimmermannChief Prosecutors: John H. Holmes, Jr.; on appeals: Dan MoralesJudge: James Richard TravathanPlace: Houston, TexasDate of Trial: October 30, 1…
Defendant: Wayne B. WilliamsCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyers: Alvin Binder and Mary WelcomeChief Prosecutors: Joseph Drolat, Jack Mallard, and Lewis SlatonJudge: Clarence CooperPlace: Atlanta, GeorgiaDates of Trial: December 28, 1981-February 27, 1982Verdict: GuiltySentence: Life imprisonment SIGNIFICANCE: The trial of the man suspected of being America's worst child-killer was bo…
Defendant: Jack Henry AbbottCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyer: Ivan S. FisherChief Prosecutor: James H. FogelJudge: Irving LangPlace: New York, New YorkDates of Trial: January 4-21, 1982Verdict: Guilty of first-degree manslaughterSentence: 15 years to life imprisonment SIGNIFICANCE: The outrage that surrounded Jack Abbott's trial was deep and understandable. Public opinion took the …
Defendant: Claus Von BulowCrime Charged: Attempted murderChief Defense Lawyers: First trial: John Sheenan and Herold Price Fahringer; second trial: Thomas P. Puccio and John SheehanChief Prosecutors: First trial: Stephen Famiglietti and Susan McGuirl; second trial: Marc DeSisto and Henry GemmaJudges: First trial: Thomas H. Needham; second trial: Corrine GrandePlaces: First trial: Newport, Rhode Is…
Defendant: John W. Hinckley, Jr.Crime Charged: Attempted murderChief Defense Lawyers: Lon Babby, Gregory Craig, Vincent Fuller, and Judith MillerChief Prosecutors: Roger Adelman and Robert ChapmanJudge: Barrington ParkerPlace: Washington, D.C.Dates of Trial: April 27-June 21, 1982Verdict: Not guilty by reason of insanity SIGNIFICANCE: The insanity plea has always been a gray area with lawyer and l…
Defendant: Mumia Abu-JamalCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyers: Anthony Jackson (trial); Leonard I. Weinglass (posttrial, since 1992)Chief Prosecutor: Joseph J. McGillJudge: Albert SaboPlace: Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaDates of Trial: June 15-July 2, 1982Verdict: GuiltySentence: Execution SIGNIFICANCE: The trial of Mumia Abu-Jamal raises a number of questions that jurisprudence must face: How…
Plaintiff: Herbert Pulitzer, Jr.Defendant: Roxanne D. PulitzerChief Defense Lawyers: Joseph D. Farish, Jr., and Louis L. WilliamsChief Lawyers for Plaintiff: Mark T. Luttier and Robert T. ScottJudge: Carl H. HarperPlace: Palm Beach, FloridaDates of Trial: September 20-November 9, 1982Verdict: Divorce granted, and custody of the children awarded to Herbert Pulitzer SIGNIFICANCE: While the Pulitzer …
Defendants: Charles Voyde Harrelson, Jo Ann Starr Harrelson, Elizabeth Chagra, Jamiel ChagraCrimes Charged: Charles Harrelson: conspiracy to murder; murder of a federal judge; conspiracy to obstruct justice. Jo Ann Starr Harrelson: conspiracy to obstruct justice. Elizabeth Chagra: conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to obstruct justice; separate indictment on income tax evasion. Jamiel Chagra: sep…
Defendant Alcee L. HastingCrimes Charged: Trial: Conspiracy to solicit and accept money in return for unlawful influence in the performance of lawful government functions and for corruptly impeding due administration of justice. Impeachment: Fifteen articles detailing charges of conspiracy to accept a bribe and for making false statements and falsifying evidence throughout the investigation and tr…
Defendants: First trial: Cecilio Ferguson and Edward Joseph; second trial: Kuwasi Balagoon, Judith Clark, and David GilbertCrimes Charged: First trial: Murder, robbery, racketeering, and conspiracy; second trial: Murder and robberyChief Defense Lawyers: First trial: Jesse Berman, Chowke Lumumba, and William Mogulescu; second trial: The accusedChief Prosecutors: First trial: Robert S. Litt, Stacey …
Defendants: John Cordeiro, Jose M. Medeiros, Virgilio Medeiros, Victor Raposo, Daniel Silva, and Joseph VieiraCrime Charged: Aggravated RapeChief Defense Lawyers: Edward F. Harrington, Judith Lindahl, Kenneth Sullivan, and David WaxierChief Prosecutors: Ronald A. Pina and Raymond P. VearyJudge: William G. YoungPlace: Fall River, MassachusettsDates: February 23-March 21, 1984Verdicts: Cordeiro, Rap…
Defendant: John DeLoreanCrime Charged: Drug traffickingChief Defense Lawyers: Howard Weitzman, Donald ReChief Prosecutors: James P. Walsh Jr, Robert ParryJudge: Robert TakasugiPlace: Los Angeles, CaliforniaDate of Trial: April 18-August 16, 1984Verdict: Not guilty SIGNIFICANCE: Dubious government witnesses and the ethics of "sting" operations in general were on trial as much as the d…
Plaintiff: General William C. WestmorelandDefendant: CBS, Inc.Plaintiff Claim: That a certain television documentary broadcast by CBS concerning the conduct of the Vietnam War libeled the plaintiffChief Defense Lawyers: David Boies and Stuart W. GoldChief Lawyers for Plaintiff: Dan M. Burt and David M. DorsenJudge: Pierre N. LevalPlace: New York, New YorkDates of Trial: October 9, 1984-February 18…
Plaintiff: Jerry FalwellDefendant: Larry FlyntPlaintiff Claim: That an ad parody published in Hustler magazine was libelous and intended to cause Jerry Faiwell emotional distressChief Defense Lawyers: David 0. Carson, Alan Isaacman, and Arthur P. StricklandChief Lawyers for Plaintiff: Jeffrey H. Daichman, Norman Roy Grutman, and Harold H. Rhodes, Jr.Judge: James C. TurkPlace: Roanoake, VirginiaDat…
Plaintiff: Anne Anderson et al.Defendant: W.R. Grace and Company, Beatrice Foods, Unifirst CompanyPlaintiff Claim: Contamination of public water resulting in deaths and serious illnessesChief Defense Lawyer: Michael KeatingChief Lawyer for Plaintiff: Jan SchlictmannJudge: Walter Jay SkinnerPlace: Boston, MassachusettsDate of Trial: March 10-May 26, 1986Verdict: The jury found W.R. Grace Co. guilty…
Defendants: Gerald Amirault, Violet Amirault, Cheryl Amirault LeFaveCrimes Charged: Sexual abuse (including rape and indecent assault)Chief Defense Lawyers: First Trial: Juliane Balliro, Frank Mondano; Second Trial: Joseph Balliro, Juliane BalliroChief Prosecutors: Both Trials: Patricia Bernstein, Laurence HardoonJudges: First Trial: Elizabeth Dolan; Second Trial: John Paul SullivanPlace: Cambridg…
Plaintiffs: William and Elizabeth SternDefendant: Mary Beth WhiteheadPlaintiff Claim: That Whitehead—who had entered a "Surrogate Parenting Agreement," become pregnant via artificial insemination with William Stern's sperm, and delivered his and her own biological child—ought to be forced to give up the babyChief Defense Lawyers: Harold Cassidy and Randy WolfChie…
Claimant: Beaulah Mae DonaldDefendants United Klans of America Inc., Robert M. Shelton, Henry Hayes, Bennie Jack Hays, Thaddeus Betancourt, Frank Cox, William O'Connor, Teddy Kyzar, James KnowlesClaim: That defendants were responsible for the murder of Michael DonaldClaimant's Lawyers: Morris Dees, Michael FiguresChief Defense Lawyer: John Mays (UKA only)Judge: Alex HowardPlace: Mobi…
Defendant: Bernhard Hugo GoetzCrimes Charged: Attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a gunChief Defense Lawyers: Mark Baker and Barry SlotnickChief Prosecutor: Gregory WaplesJudge: Stephen G. CranePlace: New York, New YorkDates of Trial: March 23-June 16, 1987Verdict: Guilty of criminal possession of a gun; not guilty of all other chargesSentence: 1 year impri…
Defendant: Margaret Kelly MichaelsCrimes Charged: Aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, endangering the welfare of children, and terroristic threatsChief Defense Lawyers: Harvey Meltzer and Robert ClarkChief Prosecutors: Glenn Goldberg and Sara Sencer McArdleJudge: William A. HarthChief Lawyers for Appeal: Morton Stavis and William KunstlerChief Prosecutor: Clifford MinorPlace: Newark, New Je…
Defendants: First trial: Raymond Buckey and Peggy Buckey; second trial: Raymond BuckeyCrimes Charged: Child abuse and conspiracyChief Defense Lawyers: Raymond Buckey: Daniel G. Davis; Peggy Buckey: Dean R. GitsChief Prosecutors: First trial: Roger Gunson, Ira Reiner, and Lael Rubin; second trial: Joseph MartinezJudges: First trial: William R. Pounders; second trial: Stanley M. WeisbergPlace: Los A…
Plaintiff: Estate of Rose CipolloneDefendant: Liggett GroupPlaintiff Claims: That the defendant, a cigarette company, was liable for Rose Cipollone's death from cancer because it failed to warn consumers about the dangers of smokingChief Defense Lawyer: H. Bartow Farr IllChief Lawyers for Plaintiff: Alan Darnell, Marc Z. Edell, and Cynthia WaltersJudge: H. Lee SarokinPlace: Newark, New Jers…
Defendants: Antonio Camacho Negron, Juan E. Segarra Palmer, Roberto J. Maldonado Rivera, Carlos M. Ayes Suarez, Norman Ramirez TalaveraCrimes Charged: A 17-count indictment that included charges of conspiracy in belonging to a corrupt organization, planning a robbery, transporting the stolen money across state lines, helping the robber to escape, and laundering the moneyChief Defense Lawyers: Juan…
Defendant: Joel SteinbergCrime Charged: MurderChief Defense Lawyers: Ira London and Adrian DiLuzioChief Prosecutors: Peter Casolaro and John McCuskerJudge: Harold RothwaxPlace: New York, New YorkDates of Trial: October 25, 1988-January 30, 1989Verdict: Guilty, First degree manslaughterSentence: 8½-25 years SIGNIFICANCE: New York's first-ever televised murder trial held the interest of …
