Content Tagged As trial
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Another trial delay for prosecutor accused of felony hit and run Play Video
September 18, 2023 5:32 PM
NEW ROADS - There's yet another trial delay for the prosecutor facing felony charges tied to a 2021 hit and run on False River. Watch live newscasts here The WBRZ Investigative Unit found that since Chris Richard's arrest in August 2021, he's had six continuances in his case.... more » -
Months after LSU student's death, workers begin overhaul of shuttered Reggie's property Play Video
August 17, 2023 12:51 PM
BATON ROUGE - A small construction crew was spotted at Reggie's bar on Thursday, the now-shuttered venue that lost its liquor license after the death of LSU student Madison Brooks . Permits filed with the city-parish suggest the construction is related to renovations to the bar's patio. Video captured... more » -
Jury poised to deliberate murder-for-hire case after defense blames son for woman's death Play Video
August 14, 2023 2:50 PM
The first-degree murder trial of a Baton Rouge businessman is entering its final stages, with lawyers presenting closing arguments to jurors in the murder-for-hire case. Hamid Ghassemi, 72, is accused of hiring three men to kill his ex-wife so he wouldn't have to pay her $1 million after their... more » -
Lawyers trim jury pool for used car dealer accused in 2015 murder-for-hire plot Play Video
August 7, 2023 7:29 AM
TUESDAY UPDATE: Lawyers questioned additional potential jurors Tuesday in a courtroom at the 19th Judicial District Courthouse in downtown Baton Rouge, eliminating some from the jury pool but not putting together a panel to hear the first degree murder trial of a former used car dealer who’s accused of... more » -
Awaiting trial for 8 years, BR man charged in his ex-wife's murder plot denied another delay Play Video
July 5, 2023 3:19 PM
BATON ROUGE - A Baton Rouge businessman accused of having his ex-wife killed in a gruesome murder-for-hire plot was denied another delay in his trial, a wait that's already dragged on more than eight years. Arrested in May 2015, 72-year-old Hamid Ghassemi is charged with first-degree murder in the... more » -
Police: Gang task force uncovers jail cell scheme to scare witness in murder trial
September 28, 2022 1:25 PM
HAMMOND - A special gang taskforce said it uncovered an attempted murder suspect trying to intimidate a witness in a separate case. "Toine" Cyprian, 22, was already in jail when detectives learned of the scheme and added an obstruction of justice charge to the ones he's already facing: attempted... more » -
Judge rules against effort to create City of St. George Play Video
May 11, 2022 12:57 PM
BATON ROUGE - A judge ruled against allowing the incorporation effort of the proposed City of St. George. A legal fight is expected to drag on even after the decision through appeals. "Next step's court of appeals, First Circuit Court of Appeals. We'll write our briefs. We'll file... more » -
Elizabeth Holmes found guilty on four out of 11 federal charges
January 4, 2022 5:24 AM
SAN JUAN, California - A jury in federal court on Monday found Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of a now-defunct health technology company called Theranos, guilty of deliberately misleading investors in Theranos, the company she started to revolutionize blood testing. According to CNN , there was a time... more » -
In trial against accused killer, victim's child gives bone-chilling interview after witnessing murder
December 15, 2021 5:41 PM
PLAQUEMINE- In a rare and never-seen-before forensic interview, a 3-year-old girl told trained experts exactly who hurt her mother and what she heard. The video was played to jury in court this week during the trial against the man accused of killing the child's mother. That interview is... more » -
Thursday court appearances canceled for Dennis and Cynthia Perkins in child sex crimes case Play Video
December 9, 2021 9:39 AM
LIVINGSTON PARISH - The trial of Melanie Curtin was one of the most high-profile in recent Livingston parish history. The looming trials for Dennis and Cynthia Perkins - with their tabloid elements - are set to be as high-profile, if not more. A pre-trial hearing was set for Dennis... more » -
Jury selection finished for former sheriff's office employee tied to sex abuse case; trial to start Wednesday Play Video
November 30, 2021 5:20 AM
DENHAM SPRINGS - The jury selection for a trial involving former Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office employee Melanie Curtin ended Tuesday night and the jury trial will begin Wednesday morning. Curtin has been tied to alleged sex crimes believed to be instigated by a once-married couple, Cynthia and Dennis Perkins... more » -
Former St. Tammany Sheriff found guilty of multiple sex crimes
October 25, 2021 7:25 AM
UPDATE: Former St.Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain has been found guilty on all counts. According to WWL, Strain has been found guilty of four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated incest, one count of indecent behavior of a juvenile and one count of aggravated battery. One... more » -
Woman extradited from Germany convicted in 2014 slaying of Ethel couple
July 22, 2021 6:21 AM
BATON ROUGE - A woman convicted in the brutal 2014 slaying of a Louisiana couple and of trying to dodge arrest by fleeing the country now faces life in prison. According to The Advocate, Dulce Maria Funez worked for 51-year-old Connie Hall and 53-year-old Eddie Hall as an employee... more » -
Jury selection expected to begin in 2018 Livingston Parish murder case Play Video
May 17, 2021 8:25 AM
LIVINGSTON PARISH - Jury selection is expected to take place Monday, in regards to a 2018 murder case linked to a man named Michael Collins. Collins was accused of slaying Frank and Patricia Gurley, a middle-aged Denham Springs couple who were found beaten to death at their place of... more » -
Housing teen accused of murder is costing parish hundreds, authorities say Play Video
May 10, 2021 8:01 PM
PORT ALLEN - It's costing West Baton Rouge Parish hundreds of dollars to keep a 14-year-old accused of second-degree murder in custody. The teenager was arrested about a week ago for the murder of 15-year-old Jazzimane Woods at an apartment complex. "There's not a facility in the state... more » -
Witness in Kenneth Gleason trial says Gleason is not the killer Play Video
April 19, 2021 10:32 AM
BATON ROUGE - After months of delays, due to sanity hearings and then later, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trial of accused Baton Rouge serial killer, Kenneth Gleason is now underway. Gleason has been tied to three shootings in Baton Rouge, all involving victims who were Black men.... more » -
Woman charged with felony for Chili's attack pleads not guilty
April 5, 2021 5:49 PM
BATON ROUGE - A woman charged with a felony for aggravated assault of a Chili's hostess has pleaded not guilty on Monday. Tammy Dabney, one of seven women charged for a 2020 attack at Chili's, will have her court hearing June 23. The seven were arrested after attacking... more » -
Derek Chauvin's defense requests trial delay due to Minneapolis settlement with George Floyd's family
March 15, 2021 12:06 PM
The lawyer representing a former Minnesota police officer who is widely known for his alleged role in the 2020 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis is requesting a trial delay as of Monday, March 15. According to CNN , Derek Chauvin's defense attorney Eric Nelson asked the court to... more » -
Trial for BR man accused of orchestrating ex-wife's murder postponed to March 1
September 15, 2020 6:57 AM
BATON ROUGE - The trial for a former Baton Rouge businessman accused of having his ex-wife murdered was pushed back to March 1 after he faced a judge on Monday and said he no longer wants to represent himself, The Advocate reports. Hamid Ghassemi, a 69-year-old who used to... more » -
State Supreme Court gives go-ahead for jury trials to begin Play Video
June 30, 2020 8:22 AM
BATON ROUGE - Courthouses across the state have been closed for months due to the COVID-19 health crisis, but with Louisiana's Supreme Court guidance allowing for all jury trials to resume Tuesday, June 30 officials who oversee the 19th Judicial District court in downtown Baton Rouge are preparing the facility... more » -
Baton Rouge hospital running low on FDA-approved COVID-19 treatment Play Video
June 15, 2020 11:30 PM
BATON ROUGE -- Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center says its current supply of Remdesivir for COVID-19 patients may only last a few more weeks. Federal authorities said last week that the country's stock of the drug will likely run out at the end of this month.... more » -
Trial underway for former East Feliciana coroner accused of falsifying documents Play Video
February 11, 2020 11:13 PM
UPDATE: Laura DeJohn has been found guilty of filing or maintaining false public records and conspiracy to do the same. Under a state statute presented by prosecutors, the jury found that by instructing her deputy, Melanie Vines, to write her (DeJohn’s) signature and thereby falsely attest to personal examination of... more » -
Highly-anticipated John Paul Funes sentencing for Thursday rescheduled Play Video
October 16, 2019 6:46 PM
BATON ROUGE – Sentencing for the former head of the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation has been delayed a week, WBRZ has learned. Sentencing for John Paul Funes was scheduled for Thursday (Oct. 17) but it was rescheduled for next week because of a scheduling conflict with the... more » -
Second-degree murder conviction in 2017 Livingston Parish case
August 21, 2019 9:39 AM
LIVINGSTON PARISH - A jury found a man guilty of a lesser, second-degree murder charge as they wrapped a case in Livingston Parish Monday afternoon. Blayson Fife was on trial for first-degree murder but the jury convicted him of second-degree murder in a deadly plot to break into the... more » -
Defense can use Max Gruver's alleged substance abuse in LSU hazing case, Louisiana Supreme Court says Play Video
July 7, 2019 12:25 PM
BATON ROUGE - The Advocate reports that Matthew Naquin's attorneys have successfully appealed an earlier ruling preventing them from presenting allegations of Maxwell Gruver's substance abuse in the weeks prior to his death by alcohol poisoning during what authorities describe as a "hazing ritual." Naquin, 21-years-old of Fair Oaks... more » -
Report: Will Wade won't testify at bribery trial involving hoops scandal
April 19, 2019 12:15 PM
BATON ROUGE – It appears Will Wade won’t be testifying in the federal corruption trial targeting college basketball recruiting. Court reporters in New York posted on social media Friday, a judge there decided Wade and wiretaps that ensnared him in the scandal that led to his brief suspension will... more » -
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort guilty of 8 charges; mistrial declared on 10 others
August 21, 2018 4:43 PM
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort stared intently at the jury as the clerk read off the counts finding him guilty of eight financial crime charges. Manafort was found guilty Tuesday in the first trial victory for special counsel Robert Mueller's team. The judge declared a... more » -
Kenny Matassa wants indictment thrown out, trial date set Play Video
February 27, 2018 5:30 PM
GONZALES - A trial date for embattled Ascension Parish President Kenny Matassa will be held in July if the situation is not rectified sooner. In court today, we learned Matassa's lawyer filed a motion to quash, which essentially would toss out the indictment if it is granted. Lewis Unglesby believes... more » -
Testimony today draws tears from confessed vigilante murder suspect
December 13, 2017 12:57 PM
BATON ROUGE – Jace Crehan, the confessed murderer on trial for killing a sex offender two years ago, wiped tears from his eyes in court Wednesday morning as prosecutors played a video of his confession. Crehan is accused in the death of Robert Noce. Noce was killed in 2015... more » -
Driver found guilty in deadly, fiery crash will be re-sentenced
November 15, 2017 4:06 PM
BATON ROUGE – One of two drivers convicted in a drunken road-rage crash on the interstate four years ago that left five people dead will need to be re-sentenced, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday. David Leger was originally sentenced to eight years in prison following the 2013 crash... more » -
Prosecutor: Too early to say if suspect in random slayings will face death penalty; grand jury postponed
October 13, 2017 11:23 AM
UPDATE: A grand jury set for Tuesday in East Feliciana Parish for Ryan Sharpe was postponed until November at the request of law enforcement. BATON ROUGE – The district attorneys for East Baton Rouge and East Feliciana will likely meet next week to discuss how to move forward with... more » -
Former city marshal to serve a week in jail for trip to US Virgin Islands
September 8, 2017 1:44 PM
MARKSVILLE - A former Alexandria city marshal will spend a week in jail for not notifying authorities about his trip to the US Virgin Islands. According to KALB-TV in Alexandria , Norris Greenhouse Jr. will have to report to the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff's Office on Monday by 2 p.m.... more » -
Florida deputy crashes into driver at over 100 mph Play Video
August 19, 2017 5:13 PM
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. - The trial of a Florida deputy is about to begin after he crashed into a Smart car while going over 100 miles per hour — leaving the driver in critical condition. In the spring of 2016, Deputy Brandon Heegle was on the highway pursuing... more » -
State seeks more information tied to credit card purchases of area mayor Play Video
August 11, 2017 5:34 PM
NEW ROADS- State investigators filed a handful of subpoenas in court this week seeking financial information from multiple institutions pertaining to the credit card purchases of Mayor Robert Myer. Myer is charged with malfeasance in office and abuse of power. The state wants bank records after it couldn't account for... more » -
Six jurors selected for Marksville deputy charged in child's death Play Video
March 13, 2017 7:53 AM
MARKSVILLE - A Marksville law enforcement officer charged with murder in a 6-year-old boy's fatal shooting is heading to trial. Jury selection began Monday morning for Derrick Stafford's trial in Marksville, where he and another city marshal fired at a car after a November 2015 pursuit . The shooting killed... more » -
New Roads Mayor back in court next month
January 11, 2017 12:23 PM
NEW ROADS – A motion hearing was held Wednesday regarding New Roads Mayor Robert Myer who is accused of charging thousands of dollars for personal purchases on a city credit card. Prosecutor Tony Clayton and Myer's defense attorney, Steven Moore, went back and forth Wednesday as Judge James Best... more » -
Suspect in 6-year-old, high-profile Beauregard Town murder in court today Play Video
December 2, 2016 10:27 AM
BATON ROUGE – A status hearing scheduled Friday in the case against a high-profile murder suspect was accompanied with an unusual news release from the district attorney's office announcing the court schedule. Sources close to the case told WBRZ's Investigative Unit and Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto that there could... more » -
Former EBR Parish attorney denied new trial
October 28, 2016 1:48 PM
BATON ROUGE - Former East Baton Rouge Parish Attorney Mary Roper lost an appeal in her attempt to get a new trial in a defamation case against Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem Chandler Loupe and the city-parish. In her original suit Roper claimed Loupe made false statements about her eventually causing... more » -
Dogs participate in trial of new drug that could lengthen life span
May 16, 2016 4:56 PM
SEATTLE - Dogs in the Pacific Northwest are being inducted into trials for a new drug that has shown to significantly lengthen the lives of lab mice. The drug, rapamycin, improved heart health and seemed to delay the onset of some diseases in older mice. Scientists aren’t sure if... more » -
Gag order issued in court case over 16-year-old murder suspect Play Video
February 26, 2016 3:33 PM
GONZALES - A lengthy hearing over a change of venue in a murder trial against a 16-year-old ended with no decision and no talking after court because of a gag order. Jacob Westbrook , 16, is accused of stabbing Todd Toups, 18, to death in October. Westbrook is being... more » -
Accused Tinder rapist found not guilty Play Video
February 1, 2016 4:20 PM
BATON ROUGE - A jury has come back with a not guilty verdict after just two hours of deliberation for an East Baton Rouge man accused of raping a woman he met through the social dating app Tinder. 24-year-old Jacob Witz, of Bellaire, Texas, was accused of a forcible... more » -
Former TV star's rape trial pushed back
January 20, 2016 5:14 PM
BATON ROUGE - Attorneys asked this week that the aggravated rape trial of former "Sons of Guns" star Will Hayden be pushed back to later this summer. The court agreed to the request, which came from East Baton Rouge prosecutors and defense attorneys, to continue the trial back to... more » -
Trial date set for death at unlicensed daycare
November 17, 2015 11:45 AM
BATON ROUGE - The operator of an unlicensed Baton Rouge daycare where an infant died this summer appeared in court Tuesday morning. A judge set trial for January 20 for the case of Shelia Newman. She faces negligent homicide charges in the death of 22-month-old Angel Green this past... more » -
Murdered man's brother addresses killer at sentencing
October 7, 2015 11:32 AM
BATON ROUGE – The brother of a man murdered in 1984 was able to give an emotional address to his brother's killer Wednesday morning. Ronald Dunnagan was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for the 1984 murder of Gary Kergan. Jurors found Dunnagan guilty of second degree murder in... more » -
Both sides rest in Dunnagan murder trial Play Video
September 10, 2015 6:04 PM
BATON ROUGE - Defense attorneys rested immediately after prosecutors ended their case against Ronald Dunnagan in Baton Rouge, who is accused of killing Gary Kergan in 1984. This morning jurors heard from Leila Mulla, who prosecutors said confessed to her role in Kergan's murder and got a 30-year prison... more » -
Victim's brother says cold case murder is "cut and dry" case Play Video
September 9, 2015 12:32 PM
BATON ROUGE - Attorneys made their opening statements Wednesday in the Baton Rouge murder trial of Ronald Dunnagan, who is accused of killing Gary Kergan in 1984. Defense attorneys put pressure on the prosecution's star witness, Leila Mulla, saying there's no physical evidence linking Dunnagan to the crime. Dunnagan... more » -
Trial begins in cold case murder Play Video
September 8, 2015 5:56 PM
BATON ROUGE - A man accused in a cold case murder that's more than 30 years old will learn his fate this week. At least 48 jurors showed up in the 19th Judicial District Court today as jury selection began in a high profile murder trial. Ronald Dunnagan is... more »