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Gault Pleads Guilty; Facing 50 Years In Prison
Court and Trial |
2008/03/06 04:03
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pA former dog trainer who was accused of hiding a runaway girl in his West Harford home for nearly a year pleaded guilty Wednesday in Superior Court in Hartford to eight felony charges which are expected to net him a lengthy stay in prison./ppAdam Gault, 41, entered guilty pleas to two counts of first-degree kidnapping, four counts of second-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor and conspiracy to commit first-degree kidnapping./ppAssistant State's Attorney David Zagaja said the state is recommending a 50-year prison term for Gault, which would be suspended after 30 years incarceration. He would then spend 20 years on probation./ppSentencing was set for May 19. If he had chosen to go to trial, he would have faced a maximum of 160 years./ppJudge David Gold told the defendant he was considering imposing 50 years, suspended after 25 years, but that he would consider increasing the term at the time of sentencing after getting a pre-sentence report./ppGold gave Gault the option of accepting a higher sentence, or withdrawing his guilty plea at that time./ppGault was found competent to stand trial in February. He had faced nearly 40 charges. The bulk of the charges, including kidnapping, unlawful restraint, risk of injury to a minor, reckless endangerment and sexual assault, were in connection with the Bloomfield teenager who was found in his home. The girl, who was 14 when she disappeared is now 16./ppA second complaint brought by a second woman was lodged subsequent to his arrest./ppAt Wednesday's 90-minute hearing, Gault appeared clean-shaven, with a short-cropped hair. On several occasions, when the judge asked him how he pleaded, he responded with I'm guilty/ppHis other responses were limited to Yes sir or no sir./ppMarc Needelman, the attorney who represents the family of the 14-year-old, said he expected his clients to appear at Gault's sentencing and also make recommendations for appropriate sentences against his co-defendants, Ann Murphy and Kimberly Cray./ppGold said they would attempt to accommodate the family by having the two women appear that day./ppGault, who lived on Newington Road in West Hartford, was arrested last June when Bloomfield and West Hartford police discovered the teenager, who had been reported missing for almost a year, in a locked storage closet behind a dresser in his home./ppGault and the girl's mother and stepfather, who operate a dog day care and kennel in Bloomfield, knew each other professionally. The girl had worked for Gault in his dog training business./ppThe police were executing a search warrant for Gault's house and his DNA on June 6 when they came across the locked, hidden storage space and found the girl inside. At the time, investigators believed they were searching for evidence linking Gault to the girl's disappearance and possible demise./ppAccording to court documents, DNA testing on a fetus that the victim aborted in May showed Gault impregnated the girl.
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Judge Rejects Murtha Deposition Request
Lawyer World News |
2008/03/06 03:01
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| Attorneys for a Marine officer facing court-martial on charges he mishandled the aftermath of the deaths of 24 Iraqis may not force a Pennsylvania congressman to testify in the case, a military judge ruled.pAttorneys for Lt. Col. Jeffrey R. Chessani want to question Rep. John Murtha over his public statement that the Marines killed in cold blood during the attack in Haditha. Murtha said he had been briefed by the highest levels of the military about the case and that officers covered it up./ppChessani's attorneys, who released the ruling Wednesday, said they will appeal if the judge doesn't reconsider./ppChessani is the highest-ranking U.S. serviceman to face a combat-related court-martial since the Vietnam War./ppWhen the congressman said he was briefed by the highest levels, we need to know who they are, said Brian Rooney, Chessani's civilian defense attorney./ppRooney said Murtha's deposition would confirm what he said to the press is accurate./ppMurtha's spokesman, Matthew Mazonkey, said the congressman had no comment. A telephone call to a Marine Corps spokesman was not immediately returned./ppChessani has been charged with dereliction of duty and violation of a lawful order on allegations that he mishandled the aftermath of the Nov. 19, 2005, shooting deaths in Haditha./ppHe faces court-martial on April 28. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to three years in prison./ppFour enlisted Marines were initially charged with murder in the case and four officers were charged with failing to investigate the deaths. Charges against several of the men have been dropped, and none will face murder charges./p |
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Kimkins Diet Scandal - John E. Tiedt Interview
Legal News Interview |
2008/03/06 02:43
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pKimkins Diet Scandal. John discusses the case with co-counsel Michael Lee Cohen, a graduate of Harvard Law School and former member of the Harvard Law Review; Tom Peterson, President of the California Health Fraud Task Force; Dr. Americo A. Simonini, staff cardiologist with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; and Heidi Martinez, an alleged victim of the KimKins diet scandal and a member of the class action lawsuit in this matter. The lawsuit alleges, among other things, that (1) Heidi Diaz, Founder of the Kimkins Diet, falsely claimed to have lost 198 pounds in one year, but in fact remains morbidly obese, (2) members’ lifetime memberships were unjustly terminated, and (3) Ms. Diaz made claims of the diet’s medical safely without justification./ppJohn is a dedicated consumer advocate who has been credited with driving dangerous dietary supplements from the market, such as Ephedra. His recent verdicts and settlements have been praised as consumer victories and he continues to receive referrals directly from law firms around the country. He has also been frequently interviewed and consulted by the media regarding his cases. John is currently a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, Riverside County Bar Association, and California Health Fraud Task Force. He has additionally served as counsel for the American Cancer Society. /ppThe Law Offices of Tiedt amp; Hurd is located in Riverside, California, but handles cases all around the country by associating with some of the best law firms in the country in particular fields of law. The firm’s practice is focused on personal injury and business litigation. /ppYou can contact John at 951-343-3320, a href=http://www.tiedtlawoffice.comwww.tiedtlawoffice.com/a, /ppand Mike Cohen at 213-943-6800 or email a href=mailto:michaellcohen@cohen-law.orgmichaellcohen@cohen-law.org/anbsp;
Watch interview: a href=http://www.insiderexclusive.com/firm_cohen2.htmhttp://www.insiderexclusive.com/firm_cohen2.htm/a/p |
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Former Judge Z. Mae Jimison dies
Top Attorney News |
2008/03/05 14:20
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pZ. Mae Jimison, the first black woman to serve as a judge on the Marion Superior Court, died today. She was 64.
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Jimison was an appointed judge from 1988 to 1990. She was on the City-County Council from 1992-95 and ran as a Democratic candidate for mayor in 1995, losing to Republican Stephen Goldsmith./ppJimison was elected to the bench in 1996, but lost her bid for reelection six years later. Her office had become known for missing records and mistakes. At one point, then-Prosecutor Scott Newman said her court had run “off the rails.”/ppJimison is credited with creating the Marion County Drug Court./ppMarion Superior Judge Cynthia Ayers today paid tribute to Jimison./pp“As the first black woman appointed to the Superior Court of Marion County, she crossed a historic barrier and opened doors for other qualified women to become part of the judiciary in this state,” Ayers said in a statement./pp“Her insistence on fairness and impartiality for all litigants, her dedication to justice, and her exemplary service to the court will long be remembered by all.” /ppJimison was hopeful as she prepared to leave office in 2002./pp“I always believe I should let God order my steps,” she said in a Star interview. /pp“I also believe that when he closes a door, he always opens a window. I am looking for my windows.”
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District judge given probation in gun incident
Lawyer World News |
2008/03/05 14:19
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| pA former district judge pleaded no contest yesterday to carrying a concealed firearm without a license following an altercation with his father-in-law./ppSenior District Judge Donald H. Presutti, 60, of Kilbuck, was given nine months' probation for the misdemeanor violation. Allegheny County Judge Randal B. Todd ordered him to complete 120 hours of community service and anger management classes. The judge also prohibited him from contact with his father-in-law./ppRaymond Billotte, district court administrator for Common Pleas Court, said Mr. Presutti is not currently on call for arraignment judges' roster. He said President Judge Joseph James would be seeking counsel from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts as to how to proceed with Mr. Presutti's status since his plea./ppThe former judge admitted to police he had a 9 mm pistol tucked in his suit pocket when he was arrested Nov. 29, 2006, at West View Auto Body on Perry Highway./ppHe told officials he had the gun loaded, cocked and concealed because he was afraid of his father-in-law, Earl Quillen, whom he said had swung at him and grabbed him by the neck earlier at the auto body shop./p |
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