California high court tosses death penalty

National News

The California Supreme Court has tossed out the murder conviction and death penalty sentence of a Riverside County man because of juror misconduct.

The high court ruled Monday that Fred Lewis Weatherton didn't receive a fair trial in 2002 because one of the jurors decided and discussed the case before the start of deliberations. The court said Weatherton is entitled to a new trial.

Weatherton was convicted of shooting to death two neighbors during a 1998 robbery in Indio. A third neighbor who was seriously wounded identified Weatherton as the shooter. Investigators also matched footprints at the scene to shoes Weatherton was wearing when he was arrested shortly after the incident.

The Riverside County District Attorney's office said it hasn't decided how it will proceed.

Related listings

  • Court gives OJ lawyers a week to resubmit appeal

    Court gives OJ lawyers a week to resubmit appeal

    National News 06/03/2014

    O.J. Simpson's lawyers were given another week Friday to reformat and resubmit an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court seeking a new trial in the kidnapping and armed robbery case of the former football star. In the order, Chief Justice Mark Gibbons ag...

  • Justice Dept. to Reveal Drone Memo

    Justice Dept. to Reveal Drone Memo

    National News 05/23/2014

    On the eve of a critical Senate vote and under court order, the Obama administration signaled it will publicly reveal a secret memo describing its legal justification for using drones to kill U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism overseas. Two adminis...

  • Oklahoma court agrees to 6-month stay of execution

    Oklahoma court agrees to 6-month stay of execution

    National News 05/09/2014

    The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals agreed Thursday to a six-month stay of execution for a death row inmate while an investigation is conducted into last week's botched lethal injection. The court reset the execution date of inmate Charles Warner ...

CHICAGO BUSINESS & CORPORATE LITIGATION LAWYERS

When faced with a legal challenge, your attorneys should help you identify your goals at the beginning of the process. Thereafter, every action that follows must be undertaken with the aim of meeting those goals. Wasted effort equals wasted time and money, that’s something you cannot afford and your attorneys must respect this concept. At Roth Law Group, we counsel our clients to confront their legal challenges aggressively, but with purpose.

As a former Marine Corps Pilot, I learned that you must assess the situation, determine your mission, construct a plan to achieve the mission and execute that plan. As an attorney and small business owner, I apply the same concepts in taking on my client’s legal challenges. And while it is generally preferable to resolve cases early in the process whenever possible, if you have no choice but to fight, you need someone who is willing to aggressively advocate for you. Here at Roth Law Group, we never back down from a challenge and we fight to win. Let our experienced attorneys put you in control of your legal challenges so you can get back to running your business.

Business News

Clayton, MO Federal Criminal Defense Attorney The Law Offices of John M. Lynch, LLC, provides strong representation for clients with federal criminal defense. >> read