murder charges news stories on Newser

Lawyer: Etan Patz Suspect Is Mentally Ill

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:06:56 CDT

A lawyer for a New Jersey man accused of strangling 6-year-old Etan Patz in New York City in 1979 says his client is mentally ill and has a history of hallucinations. Pedro Hernandez was arraigned on a murder charge today, the 33rd anniversary of the boy's disappearance. The 51-year-old Hernandez...

Afghan Massacre's 17th Victim: Fetus

Matt Cantor — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 07:45:34 CDT

The US military raised the death toll in the March 11 massacre of Afghan villagers from 16 to 17 last week; now Afghan police explain why. The 17th victim was an unborn baby, an officer tells the New York Times : "The Americans are right and one of the females was...

US Soldier to Be Charged With 17 Counts of Murder

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:56:11 CDT

Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales will be charged with 17 counts of murder, assault, and a string of other offenses in the massacre of Afghan villagers as they slept, a US official said. The charges signed against Bales include six counts of attempted murder and six counts of aggravated assault...

Murder Case Jury Accepts Battered-Wife Defense

John Johnson — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:37:18 CDT

A Queens woman has been acquitted of murder in a case the New York Times describes as a key test of the battered-woman defense. Barbara Sheehan admitted that she shot her husband to death in 2008. But she testified that she suffered such relentless abuse from the retired NYPD cop...

Cop Charged With Murder in Homeless Man's Beating

John Johnson — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:20:36 CDT

The high-profile beating death of a schizophrenic homeless man by police that was caught on videotape has resulted in serious charges for two of the officers involved. Manuel Ramos faces second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges, while Jay Cicinelli is accused of involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force, reports...

London Youth, 16, Charged With Murder After Riots

John Johnson — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:15:05 CDT

A 16-year-old was charged today in the murder of a retiree who tried to put out a fire during the London riots. Richard Mannington Bowes, 68, was trying to douse flames in a bin near his house when a group of rioters surrounded him, according to video footage viewed by...

Pharmacist Gets Life Sentence for Killing Robber

Tim Karan — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:40:05 CDT

An Oklahoma pharmacist was sentenced to life in prison today for the shooting death of a teenager who tried to rob his store. Jerome Ersland, 59, was charged with first-degree murder, but will have the possibility of parole, reports MSNBC . As he left the courtroom, Ersland told a reporter the...

Old Train Ticket Leads to Arrest in 1957 Murder of Girl

John Johnson — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:40:01 CDT

Crazy twist in a high-profile murder case going back half a century: A retired cop in Seattle has been charged in the 1957 murder of a 7-year-old girl near Chicago. The arrest of 71-year-old Jack Daniels McCullough came after an ex-girlfriend found an unused train ticket from the day of...

Husband, Wife Held in Pharmacy Killings

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:00:30 CDT

Two years ago, they posed for a wedding photo: Him beaming broadly in a dark suit, she a fresh-faced bride. They soon started a promising life together in the suburban New York home where he was raised. Police mug shots of David Laffer and Melinda Brady released today portrayed an...