Convicted

Dramatic Sentencing Unfolds as Convicted Joliet Man Seeks New Trial, Points to Alternative Suspect in Double Murder Case

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JOLIET, Ill. – In a Will County courtroom, Michael Clancy, the defense attorney for Anthony Maggio, fervently requested a new trial during the sentencing for the double homicide of Ashtin Eaton and her infant daughter, Hazel Bryant. The request followed Maggio’s conviction of first-degree murder by a 12-person jury on Oct. 11. Maggio, who had a romantic relationship with Eaton after meeting her at an Amazon warehouse in Joliet where they both worked, was sentenced on charges tied to their deaths. Clancy based his plea on the exclusion of crucial defense evidence that he claimed … Read more

Attorneys Request Acquittal or Retrial for Convicted Smugglers Citing Trial Errors, After Tragic Deaths at U.S.-Canada Border

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Fergus Falls, MN — Legal teams are pushing for acquittal or a retrial for two men convicted in a human smuggling case tied to the tragic deaths of an Indian family near the frosty Manitoba-U.S. border during January 2022. Defense motions filed Friday in the United States District Court in Minnesota seek to overturn November’s convictions of Harshkumar Patel, originally from India and residing in Chicago, and Steve Shand of Florida, who faced charges of bringing unauthorized individuals into the U.S., transporting them across states, and profiting from these actions. This legal move follows the … Read more

Jury Awards $34 Million to Woman Wrongfully Convicted in 2001 Murder, After Nearly 16 Years in Prison

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Las Vegas, NV – A federal jury in Nevada has granted over $34 million in damages to a woman, now 41, who unjustly served almost 16 years in prison for a murder committed back in 2001, which she did not perpetrate, marking a significant miscarriage of justice. The woman, Kirstin Lobato, who now goes by the name Blaise, was emotionally moved, shedding tears as she embraced her lawyers following the announcement of the verdict in U.S. District Court. Blaise was merely 18 when first entangled in the legal system over the gruesome slaying of Duran … Read more

Buffalo Strip Club Owner Convicted on Multiple Charges Including Drug and Sex Trafficking

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — After almost a week of intense deliberations, a federal jury has convicted Peter Gerace, the owner of the Pharaoh’s Gentlemen’s Club, on eight of the nine charges he faced. The accusations against Gerace included drug trafficking, sex trafficking, witness tampering, and bribery, culminating in a high-profile trial that lasted over seven weeks. The government’s case was bolstered by testimony from 45 witnesses, all summoned by the prosecution, alongside more than 100 pieces of evidence. Prosecutors described a grim scenario where Gerace allegedly exploited the drug dependencies of his club’s dancers. According to … Read more