Enhancement to sentence upheld by COA
Finding Indiana’s criminal gang enhancement statute can be understood by individuals of ordinary intelligence, the Indiana Court of Appeals rejected a man’s challenge to his 175-year aggregate sentence.
Murder
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COA revises neglect of dependent conviction stemming from boy’s death
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a man’s murder conviction following the death of his girlfriend’s son after he seriously injured the boy while punishing him. But the court reversed his Class B felony neglect of a dependent conviction based on double jeopardy concerns.
Judge rules man on death row not competent to be executed
A special judge in Johnson County has ruled that Michael Dean Overstreet is not currently competent to be executed.
Judge rejects public funds for murder appeal
A Delaware County judge has again rejected a Muncie woman's request to have taxpayers help fund her appeal of her conviction in the torture slaying of her 5-year-old Haitian cousin.
Man charged with killing aunt due in court
Attorneys for a central Indiana man accused of murder in his aunt's death contend he has been incarcerated too long without being brought to trial.
7th Circuit will hear killer’s appeal en banc
The full 7th Circuit Court of Appeals will decide whether an Arkansas man on death row should die for killing a Texas woman nearly 20 years ago. The judges decided Wednesday to grant Bruce Carneil Webster’s petition for rehearing en banc.
Woman convicted in deadly wrong-way crash appears in court
Attorneys for an Indianapolis woman convicted of killing six children and a 40-year-old man in a head-on traffic collision asked a judge for a new trial Thursday, arguing in part she had inadequate legal counsel.
Justices: Pattern Jury Instruction 9.05 is correct statement of law
Clearing up confusion among the courts as to whether a jury instruction regarding the definition of “intentionally” can include that the defendant intended to “cause the result” of his conduct, the Indiana Supreme Court affirmed Pattern Jury Instruction 9.05 represents a correct statement of the law.
Not guilty pleas for suspect in 7 Indiana deaths
A judge recorded not guilty pleas Wednesday for a former Marine who is charged with murder in the strangulation deaths of two women found in northwestern Indiana and is suspected of killing five others.
Suspect in 7 Indiana slayings due in court again
A 43-year-old former Marine who police in Indiana say has confessed to killing seven women is scheduled to appear in court again after refusing to even acknowledge his name at an earlier hearing.
Defense counsel’s move to prosecutor’s side doesn’t require special prosecutor
The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld a man’s 60-year sentence for shooting and killing his girlfriend after an argument, rejecting his claim that a special prosecutor should have been appointed in his case after his defense counsel took a job with the prosecutor’s office.
Texas prosecutor: Indiana suspect’s history unknown
Texas prosecutors may not have offered a suspected serial killer such a lenient prison sentence in a 2009 sexual assault case had they known about his conviction on a similar charge in Indiana five years earlier, a district attorney's spokesman said Monday.
Alternate theories disallowed in trial on 4 deaths
A judge is blocking testimony about other possible suspects during the trial of a man charged with killing four people in a southern Indiana home.
Man suspected of killing 7 refuses to answer judge
A man who allegedly confessed to killing seven women in Indiana refused to speak or even acknowledge his name to a judge Wednesday, and a sheriff explained later that the suspect was upset his hearing was in open court before dozens of journalists.
Charges filed in 2nd case in Gary killings
A man who told police he killed seven women in Indiana now faces charges in a second death.
Indiana man was violent long before 7 killings
With hindsight, there were signs years ago of increasing violence against women by Darren Vann, who police say has confessed to killing seven women in northwestern Indiana and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.
Court hearing set for Gary man linked to 7 deaths
A Gary man who police say confessed to killing one woman, helped investigators find six other bodies and indicated there may be more is scheduled to make his first court appearance.
Attorneys debate impact of reality crime TV shows on the judicial process
The reality television show “Cold Justice” linked Earl Taylor to the 1975 murder of his first wife, Kathy Taylor. Dennis Majewski, Earl Taylor's attorney, said the TV program carried by the TNT cable network, and a follow-up newspaper article that told viewers the episode was available on YouTube, led him to doubt he could find an untainted jury in Vigo County.
Finding victims in Gary case a lengthy process
Investigators in two states are reviewing unsolved murders and missing person reports after the arrest of an Indiana man who police say confessed to killing seven women and hinted at more victims over a 20-year span.
Lawyer’s book retraces Indy’s infamous Sylvia Likens murder case
Almost 50 years later, Forrest Bowman Jr. is talking about the murder case involving Indianapolis teen Sylvia Likens, something he’s not done much of in the past. His just-released book, “Sylvia: The Likens Trial,” presents a thorough, inside, day-by-day recollection of a trial that captivated and horrified the state in 1966.