Most Twisted Verdict: Defense Attorney Sent to Jail After Client Found Guilty
Defense attorney Anastasios Manettas was sentenced to prison after a jury found his client guilty of drug charges, according to a report from WBS-TV 2.
His client, Douglas Christian, was charged with the murder of a prostitute, but was instead found guilty on three drug possession charges. Manettas failed to return to court on time when he was notified the jury had reached a verdict, delaying the court for an hour. Co-counsel said the incident was planned and "done on principal."
Manettas was taken into custody for contempt of court.
Most Celeb Verdict: Judge Rebukes Cosby Request Ahead of Sentencing
The judge in Bill Cosby's sex assault denied a motion calling for him to step down ahead of the actor’s sentencing, according to a report from WHEC 10, an NBC affiliate.
Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill has presided over two trials featuring 15 defense lawyers since Cosby was arrested three years ago. Camille Cosby argued, unsuccessfully, O'Neill is biased based on a "feud" with a former prosecutor who was a witness in the case. Cosby faces a maximum 30-year prison sentence.
Most Vindicating: Three Decades Later, Man Pleads Guilty for Murder That Jailed Another Man
Lamar Scott recently pleaded guilty to a 1991 murder. However, Valentino Dixon had already spent 27 years in prison for allegedly committing that crime, according to a report from WIVB 4.
Dixon was serving the sentence for the slaying of 17-year-old Torriano Jackson. However, during a court proceeding, Scott admitted he did the shooting. Scott, who faces up to 50 years in prison for an unrelated shooting, said the gun he used to kill Jackson was Dixon's.
Most Reckless Verdict: Man Guilty of Blowing 'Powdered' Substance Near Cop
Eric Weil was found guilty for being "criminally reckless" after being accused of blowing fentanyl off one of his hands near a police officer, according to an article from the Laconia Daily Sun.
The officer, Jameson Fellows, was responding to a call at Weil's home along with two other cops. They were there to remove a guest who was said to be using drugs. Felony reckless conduct potentially carries a seven-year prison term.
Most Medical Verdict: $4.6M Asbestos Verdict Overturned, May Go To Ill. Supreme Court
Charles McKinney, who originally won a $4.6 million asbestos-related verdict against Hobart Brothers Co., saw his award overturned by an appellate court, according to an article from the Des Moines Register.
McKinney argued Hobart Brothers failed to warm about the dangers of welding rods near his work area in the 1960s, but the appellate court found the company was not responsible to warn him of the risks they were unaware of, and further, the rods were not a substantial cause of the mesothelioma he eventually developed.
A petition for review will be filed in Illinois Supreme Court.