Nathaniel Shimmel has been waiting three years for his murder trial, Tammy Almond two, Benjamin Allen one, and all three must wait until at least November as Covid restrictions are hampering Circuit Judge Terence Perkins, to his dismay, from going forward.
trials
Flagler Courtroom Holds 1st In-Person Criminal Trial in Florida With Conviction of Car Thief, Masks and New Exclusionary Rules
A socially distanced jury found Brian Johnson, 22, guilty of car theft and fleeing police in a 2019 incident in which Sheriff Staly was involved, after a two-day trial that excluded the public and press but was entirely webcast on YouTube for the first time ever.
Richard Dunn, Found Insane in Father’s Murder in 2006, Wants Unconditional Freedom Restored
Richard Dunn was 46 when he stabbed his 89-year-old father to death at their Palm Coast home in 2006. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and conditions on his release have progressively diminished over the last 14 years.
5th District Court Affirms Convictions of Sex Offenders Shaun Whitt and Ex-Bunnell Cop Mike Stavris
In a trio of decisions today, the Fifth District Court of Appeal let stand convictions of Sean Whitt, who is serving a life term for raping an 11 year old, and Michael Stavris, who is serving 15 years on charges of felony child abuse, stalking and impersonating a child.
Eligible for Re-Trial, Dorothy Singer Pleads in 2017 Murder of Her Husband and Is Sentenced to 32.5 Years
She was eligible for a new trial. But facing daunting evidence against her, Dorothy Singer, formerly of west Flagler, pleaded to second-degree murder in the shooting death of her husband Charles in 2017.
Judge Sets Stern Ground Rules Ahead of Keith Johansen Murder Trial in Shooting Death of Brandi Celenza
The trial judge admonished the families of both Brandi Celenza and Keith Johansen after a hearing where he’d ruled on admitting or limiting variously disturbing evidence-and prohibiting prejudicial courtroom antics in the gallery.
Jury Doesn’t Buy “Outlandish” Conspiracy Theory and Convicts 54 Year Old Mondex Man of Sex With Minor
Tonda Royal was 52 when a 16-year-old Mondex girl accused him of raping her. He claimed the only way his DNA was in her is because another woman took his used condom and handed it to her to implicate him.
Charged With Statutory Rape, Man’s Defense Invokes Racial Allusions and Lies, But DNA Says Otherwise
Tonda Royal, 53, is on trial this week on an accusation of unlawful sex with a 16-year-old girl in the Mondex. Despite uncontested DNA evidence, the defense claims the girl is lying and was part of a plot to damage Royal’s reputation.
For Seven Days, Flagler Sees Florida’s Broken Death Penalty Machinery in Action
Though David Snelgrove was finally sentenced to life in prison rather than death this week, his trial shows how the 20-year ordeal in court could have been avoided with the same result two decades ago, had capital punishment not been on the table.
Death Row’s Cornelius Baker a No-Show at His Own Pre-Trial Ahead of Potential Reprieve
Lawyers and the judge in the re-sentencing case of convicted murderer Cornelius Baker focused on a lengthy questionnaire about the death penalty the defense planned to submit to potential jurors. The judge ordered the questionnaire significantly shortened.