Most Conspiratorial Verdict: Conspiracy Theorist Gets 4 Years for Pizzagate Shooting
"Pizzagate" conspiracy theorist Edgar Maddison Welch, of North Carolina, was sentenced to four years in prison after firing a rifle inside a pizzeria in Washington, D.C., according to NBC News. Welch pleaded guilty in March to charges stemming from the December incident in which Welch said he was investigating an internet rumor about Hilary Clinton. He was looking, specifically, for evidence the pizzeria was "harboring a child sex-trafficking ring" connected to high-profile Democrats. Welch's attorney asked for a 1-1/2 year sentence, while prosecutors sought as much as 4-1/2 years. Prosecutors said Welch was armed with an AR-15 rifle and .38 caliber handgun during the incident.
Most Murderous Verdict: Triple-Murder Retrial Nets Guilty Verdict for Slocum
Matthew Slocum was found guilty on seven charges, including three second-degree murder counts, according to a report from WYNT, an NBC affiliate. Slocum was said to have killed his mother, stepfather and stepbrother with a shotgun. He was previously convicted for the murders. However, after his arrest in New Hampshire he confessed to the slayings, but a new trial was ordered after Slocum asked for an attorney but was not provided one. He was also found guilty of arson, petit larceny, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of a weapon. Upon conviction, he faces a maximum sentence, to be determined next month, of 88 years to life in prison.
Most Celebrity Verdict: Cosby Saga Continues Amid Mistrial
Jurors in actor/comedian Bill Cosby's sexual assault trial could not reach a verdict after 52 hours of deliberation, according to an article from Penn Live. Twice, jurors reported they were deadlocked leading Judge Steven T. O'Neil to declare a mistrial. Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said he was disappointed in the outcome but will retry the case. Cosby was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand 13 years ago. As part of the testimony in a civil case, Cosby admitted to giving Constand pills and other drugs to women he intended to have sex with in the 1970's. Cosby was said to have given Constand pills that incapacitated her, sexually assaulted her, admitted to having sexual contact with her in a phone call to her mother and finally offered to pay for Constand's graduate school, according to testimony reported in the article. Another accuser, Kelly Johnson mirrored Constand's accusations and said Cosby did the same to her decades later.
Most Racially Charged Verdict: Family of Michael Brown to Collect $1.5M After Settlement
The parents of Michael Brown were paid $1.5 million by the insurance company for the city of Ferguson, Missouri, after a wrongful death lawsuit settlement was approved, according to an article from Time. Brown, an African American, was unarmed and shot to death by white police officer Darren Wilson in 2014. When Wilson was cleared of any wrongdoing, months of protects followed. A Justice Department investigation resulted in changes to the Ferguson police department, which was asked to address "racial bias" in the department and municipal court. The settlement was not initially disclosed as the judge who approved the settlement ordered the records sealed. Settlements involving public money and entities are generally open under Missouri law, however, the judge wrote the value of opening the record is "outweighed" by its negative impact to the plaintiffs.
Most Constitutional Verdict: Sarasota, ACLU Negotiate New Homelessness Regulations
A federal judge approved a settlement between the city of Sarasota and American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, sparking changes in how the city handless homelessness, according to an article from the Herald-Tribune. The case was generated on behalf of eight homeless people and considered their Constitutional rights. The plaintiffs will each receive $1,000 and the city will pay $27,000 in court costs and attorneys’ fees. The city also agreed to provide beds to homeless individuals sleeping outdoors or it "cannot enforce the outdoor lodging prohibition." Individuals sleeping outdoors who refuse an available bed may be arrested. However, the settlement stipulates the suspension of arrests for those sleeping outdoors if all available beds are full.