Karas on Crime

Robert Durst Arraignment on Murder Charges in LA
2016-08-18 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
By agreement signed on October 15, 2015 but not filed until February 3, 2016, the Los Angeles District Attorney agreed that Durst will be arraigned on the murder charges no later than this date. Durst is accused of shooting his long-time friend Susan Berman in December 2000.

Live Chat with Beth at 9:00 p.m. ET
2016-08-11 21:00 - 22:00

Nick Hillary Trial
2016-08-01 09:00 - 17:00
Nick Hillary is charged with second degree murder in the death of 12-year-old Garrett Phillips, the son of Hillary’ former girlfriend, in 2011. Hillary denies he killed the boy. There is no forensic evidence tying him to the murder. Hillary’s case has received national attention, particularly after the New York Times published a long article about it on March 5, 2016. The trial is continued to Sept. 6, 2016.

Suge Knight Trial
2016-08-01 09:00 - 17:00
Rapper Suge Knight’s murder trial is scheduled to begin today. He’s charged with killing one man and attempting to kill another with his truck near the movie set of Straight Outta Compton on Jan. 29, 2015 in Los Angeles.

Drew Peterson Sentencing
2016-07-29 09:00 - 17:00

Decision in Angelika Graswald Hearing on Statements
2016-07-28 09:00 - 17:00
The judge is expected to issue a decision today on whether the statements made by Graswald to police on April 29-30, 2015 about the drowning death of her fiance Vincent Viafore in New York’s Hudson River can be used by the prosecution at trial. On July 27, 2016, the judge continued Grawald’s case to Sept. 1, 2016. That is her next court appearance.

Live Chat with Beth at 8:00 pm EST
2016-07-27 20:00 - 21:00

Mark Sievers Court Appearance
2016-07-27 09:00 - 17:00
Mark Sievers is charged with capital murder for the death of his wife Teresa in June 2015. He is accused of hiring a childhood friend, Curtis Wayne Wright, to kill her. Wright allegedly hired his friend Jimmy Rodgers to assist. Wright is now cooperating with prosecutors. He pled guilty to second degree murder and is expected to receive a sentence of 25 years to life. Rodgers is also facing capital murder charges. It’s unclear, as I write this, the purpose of today’s hearing. It may just be a status conference.

Garrett Miller Trial/Baltimore Cop
2016-07-27 09:00 - 17:00
Garrett Miller’s trial, on charges related to Freddie Gray’s death in April 2015, is scheduled to begin today. He is the fourth officer to be tried since Officer Porter’s mistrial last December and the subsequent appeals. Porter fought the State’s efforts to compel his testimony against the remaining five officers while charges are still pending against him. He lost in Maryland’s highest court and has been forced to testify against the others.

Hearing in James Bradley Murder Case
2016-07-21 09:00 - 17:00
Bradley is charged with murder in a case without a body or a crime scene or a confession. The state wants to use as evidence against him a previous murder he committed (for which he served 23 years) and another murder for which he has NOT been charged. This hearing will address the “prior bad acts” and should end in a decision.

Live Chat With Beth
2016-07-20 20:00 - 21:00

Bill Cosby Arraignment in Sexual Assault Case in PA
2016-07-20 09:00 - 17:00

Hearing in Charles Merritt
2016-07-19 09:00 - 17:00
The defense team for Charles Merritt says that AT&T did not comply with their requests to turn over phone records. In the most recent hearing on July 8, the defense argued that AT&T’s reasons for not providing the records were inadequate. The judge has asked a representative of AT&T to appear at today’s hearing presumably to answer more questions.

Corey Batey Sentencing
2016-07-15 09:00 - 17:00
Former Vanderbilt University student and football player, Corey Batey faces 15 to 25 years in prison for rape and other charges related to a June 2013 assault of an unconscious fellow student. Three others were also charged. The cases were severed for trial.

Jody Herring Hearing
2016-07-12 08:30 - 12:00
Herring is charged with four counts of murder in Vermont. She killed a social worker apparently over a child custody matter. She also killed three family members. Today is a status conference in Barre, VT at which the judge may set a trial date.

Mark Sievers in Court at DCF Hearing for Daughters
2016-07-11 15:00 - 17:00
Mark Sievers and his attorney will be in court this afternoon. He recently lost parental rights to his grade school daughters. Custody was awarded to the girls’ maternal grandmother instead of Sievers’s mother. Apparently some issues arose regarding the maternal grandmother, Mary Ann Grove. The judge is expected to speak to the girls today to hear their complaints. The hearing involves the Department of Children and Families. His next appearance regarding the murder case is July 27, 2016.

Pedro Hernandez Ruling Expected On or Before This Date
2016-07-11 09:00 - 17:00
Judge Max Wiley is expected to rule on some pretrial evidentiary matters today (or before) in this murder case. Hernandez is accused of murdering 6-year-old Etan Patz on May 25, 1979 in lower Manhattan. Jury selection should begin on Sept. 6 or 7.

Hearing in Charles Merritt (McStay Family) Murder Case
2016-07-08 09:00 - 17:00

Live Chat with Beth at 8 pm ET
2016-07-07 20:00 - 21:00

Hearing in Bill Cosby's Pennsylvania Case
2016-07-07 13:00 - 17:00

Lt. Brian Rice/Baltimore Cop--Opening Statements in Bench Trial
2016-07-07 09:30 - 17:00

Oscar Pistorius Sentencing
2016-07-06 08:00 - 17:00
Blade runner Oscar Pistorius will learn his sentence today for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeve Steenkamp, on Feb. 14, 2013. An appellate court had thrown out the previous conviction for South Africa’s version of what we call manslaughter and his 5-year sentence. The high court, instead, found him guilty of murder where he faces at least 15 years in prison. He served one year of the original five years. The judge, however, could find mitigating circumstances to justify a sentence less than 15 years.

Baltimore Cop/Brian Rice--Trial
2016-07-05 09:00 - 17:00
Rice’s trial is now scheduled to begin today following the decision on March 8 from the MD Court of Appeals. The state’s highest court reversed Judge Williams’s order disallowing the testimony of Officer Porter. Porter will now be compelled to testify against Rice. Edward Nero and Caesar Goodson’s trials have already passed. Each waived a jury and each was acquitted by Judge Williams. Today, hearings will be conducted. Lt. Rice waives a jury today. Opening statements will be Thursday morning.

Live Chat with Beth at 6 pm EST
2016-06-29 18:00 - 19:00

Verdict to be Delivered in Goodson (Freddie Gray) Trial
2016-06-23 09:00 - 17:00
Judge Williams is expected to render a verdict in the murder trial of Baltimore Officer Caesar Goodson, one of six officers charged in Freddie Gray’s death on April 19, 2015. Goodson faces one count of depraved heart murder, three counts of manslaughter and one count each of second degree assault, misconduct in office, and reckless endangerment.

Live Chat with Beth
2016-06-20 21:00 - 22:00
Chat live with Beth at 9:00 p.m. ET!

Oscar Pistorius Sentencing Hearing -- Day 3
2016-06-15 09:00 - 17:00

Oscar Pistorius Sentencing Hearing -- Day 2
2016-06-14 09:00 - 17:00

Oscar Pistorius Sentencing
2016-06-13 09:00 - 17:00
Oscar Pistorius lost his right to appeal a murder conviction last month. He faces sentencing this week. The court set aside the entire week for the sentencing hearing. At his trial in 2014 for the 2013 shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, the judge convicted him of a lower version of homicide called culpable homicide and sentenced him to 5 years in prison. The prosecution appealed. The higher court found the trial court’s reasoning was flawed in finding that Pistorius was merely negligent; the verdict was enhanced to murder. Pistorius could be sentenced to 15 years.

Caesar Goodson/Baltimore Cop Bench Trial Begins
2016-06-09 09:30 - 17:00
