Criminal Trials

South Florida's Dirty Dozen: Our Annual List of Our Worst

Riviera Cop Michael Dodson Pleads Guilty to Firing a Gun While Drunk, Gets Probation

PBSODodson (left) pleaded guilty, while Schneider is awaiting trial.​Of the three Riviera Beach police officers charged in a corruption scandal two years ago, Sgt. Michael Dodson's case was the most bizarre. Early one morning in October 2009, following a retirement party for a fellow cop, Dod ... More >>

Former Alcee Hastings Aide Convicted on 30 Counts in Fraud Case

​Mikel Jones, a former aide to Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, was convicted for his role in a scheme to defraud a New York venture capital fund that financed the operation of his Philadelphia law firm.Jones, a 55-year-old Boynton Beach resident, was convicted of conspiracy, money laundering, 14 c ... More >>

Fort Lauderdale Cops Face Life in Prison on a Gang of Charges; Two More Under Investigation

Broward Sheriff's OfficeBilly Koepke (left) and Brian Dodge​Two Fort Lauderdale cops were arrested around 8:30 p.m. yesterday, charged with 36 crimes between them that include a maximum possible sentence of life in prison plus more than 100 years each.Officers Brian Christopher Dodge and Billy Cha ... More >>

Tarvis Wilson Convicted of Shooting Boynton Beach Cop and Four Other Felonies

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeTarvis Wilson​Tarvis Wilson is going to prison for a while after a jury convicted him yesterday of shooting a Boynton Beach cop in the chest, as well as the crimes he committed before that, including trying to shoot other people and leading a police chase through ... More >>

Ramon Rosario, Member of the "Head Shot Committee," Gets 270 Years Up the River

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeRamon Rosario​Ramon Rosario, a 19-year-old member of a racketeering enterprise known as the "Head Shot Committee," was sentenced yesterday to 270 years in prison for what the State Attorney's Office calls a string of crimes that "terrorized the northern end of Pal ... More >>

Ronald Vinci's Murder Gets Ever Weirder With Girlfriend's Family Ties to Phil Spector

pribek.netIn case you forgot what Phil Spector looked like.​In an odd progression of events, the death of multimillionaire Ronald Vinci -- which started as a "suspicious death" when Fort Lauderdale cops were called to the scene of his duct-taped body and quickly morphed into a stabbing, shooting, ... More >>

Dalia Dippolito Lawyer Files for Retrial -- Not Going for Reality TV Defense This Time

Dalia Dippolito​The lawyer for Dalia Dippolito -- the escort who was found guilty of trying to hire an undercover cop to kill her husband -- has filed for a new trial, this time not to focus on the reality TV defense he tried last time around.Her attorney, Michael Salnick, filed a request for a ne ... More >>

Dalia Dippolito Guilty Verdict Comes After a Reality-TV Defense Not Based on Actual Reality

When Dalia Dippolito's trial began on charges that she tried to have her husband killed, her defense attorney dropped a bombshell. Attorney Michael Salnick claimed in opening statements that Dalia's husband, Michael, had planned the whole thing in an attempt to get on reality TV. It was a crazy defe ... More >>

Charged With Growing Pot, Man Claims Medicinal Marijuana Defense -- and Wins

Jeffrey Kennedy, with his wife, Sharon, says they've gone through "18 months of hell" since his arrest.​Prosecutors dropped criminal charges today against a Palm Beach County man who had claimed a medicinal marijuana defense in a case that could have sent him to prison for five years for growing p ... More >>

More School Board Investigation? Bring It On

Well, the state's Education Commissioner is sending an inspector general down to Broward County to look at the dysfunctional and corrupt embattled school board. Let's hope they find a way to clean house. Notter and JenJen bask in all their success​The state is involved thanks to the grand ... More >>

What John Toombs' Acquittal Means for the Dysfunctional Riviera Beach Cops

Schneider is accused of forging her supervisor's signature on official documents.​"We have a little dysfunction in the chain of command in Riviera Beach," defense attorney Steve Sessa told a jury in Palm Beach Circuit Court yesterday. "Because of that dysfunction, that's why we're here."Sessa was ... More >>

Did Riviera Cop's Alleged Forgeries Jeopardize Any Criminal Cases?

PBSOSchneider has pleaded not guilty to all charges.​One of the central questions in the criminal case against Riviera Beach Detective Lee Ann Schneider is whether her dozens of alleged forgeries on official documents jeopardized any of the cases she was handling. Was she acting maliciously, or ju ... More >>

Video: Debra Villegas Tells of Rothstein's Affair With Melissa Lewis

On Sunday, we brought you the news of Scott Rothstein's alleged affair with his slain employee, Melissa Britt Lewis. Here's the sworn interview where Debra Villegas, Lewis' best friend and Rothstein's right-hand woman at his now-defunct law firm, tells a Plantation police officer about the affair.N ... More >>

Defendants in Michael Brewer Burning Case Reject State's Plea Offer

Denver Colorado Jarvis and Jesus Mendez wait for the hearing to begin.​Matthew Bent, Denver Colorado Jarvis, and Jesus Mendez are three sixteen-year-olds charged with attempted murder for their alleged roles in setting their schoolmate Michael Brewer on fire more than a year ago. Today they appear ... More >>

As Fitzroy Salesman Trial Ends, Many Want to Know Who's Next

Denver Colorado Jarvis and Jesus Mendez wait for the hearing to begin.​Matthew Bent, Denver Colorado Jarvis, and Jesus Mendez are three sixteen-year-olds charged with attempted murder for their alleged roles in setting their schoolmate Michael Brewer on fire more than a year ago. Today they appear ... More >>

Orly Taitz, at the Head of the "Birther" Movement, Has Her Love Life Displayed in Court

Denver Colorado Jarvis and Jesus Mendez wait for the hearing to begin.​Matthew Bent, Denver Colorado Jarvis, and Jesus Mendez are three sixteen-year-olds charged with attempted murder for their alleged roles in setting their schoolmate Michael Brewer on fire more than a year ago. Today they appear ... More >>

Stanford Employees in Fort Lauderdale Accused of Shredding Evidence of Massive Fraud

FlickrDid Allen Stanford's local employees try to cover up his crime?​The first criminal trial in the Stanford Financial Group fraud is under way, and it ain't pretty for the local branch. In opening remarks of a trial that began Monday in Miami, prosecutors told the jury that Thomas Raffanello an ... More >>

Morning Juice: Court Battle Brewing Between South Florida's Wealthiest Disgraces

Here's what's happening in South Florida this Tuesday morning:Disgraced Palm Beach mega-millionaire Jeffrey Epstein has filed suit against disgraced Broward mega-millionaire Scott Rothstein based on reports the latter attracted investment dollars by fraudulently claiming to have reached a cash settl ... More >>

New Trial to Begin in Boynton Beach Dogfighting Case

Here's what's happening in South Florida this Tuesday morning:Disgraced Palm Beach mega-millionaire Jeffrey Epstein has filed suit against disgraced Broward mega-millionaire Scott Rothstein based on reports the latter attracted investment dollars by fraudulently claiming to have reached a cash settl ... More >>

The Cop Who Pulled a "Walt Disney" With the Facts Has Been Called a Liar Before

Here's what's happening in South Florida this Tuesday morning:Disgraced Palm Beach mega-millionaire Jeffrey Epstein has filed suit against disgraced Broward mega-millionaire Scott Rothstein based on reports the latter attracted investment dollars by fraudulently claiming to have reached a cash settl ... More >>

Lauderadale Man Guilty of Memphis Murders May Now Face Local Inquiry

Henry Lee JonesFormer Fort Lauderdale resident Henry Lee Jones was convicted this week of a double murder in Memphis. Now the question remains whether Jones will be sent back to Florida to face murder charges in Broward County.Police have said they're considering whether Jones might be responsible f ... More >>

Jurors and Prosecutors Sink a Federal Case Against Internet Pharmacies

Henry Lee JonesFormer Fort Lauderdale resident Henry Lee Jones was convicted this week of a double murder in Memphis. Now the question remains whether Jones will be sent back to Florida to face murder charges in Broward County.Police have said they're considering whether Jones might be responsible f ... More >>

The Infamous Holland Correction

Okay, I say a couple nice things about departed Sun-Sentinel reporter John Holland and the knives start flying. The Holland haters bring up an eight-year-old correction which one commenter calls "the longest and most embarrassing front-page retraction in the Sun-Sentinel's history." I remember that ... More >>

Fool Me Thrice

A South Florida company caught stealing twice surfaces under a new name and gets a lucrative government franchise.

Awfully Wedded Wife

Bigamy charges and dozens of busts for sham marriages.It must be South Florida.

Judging Ana

Broward Judge Gardiner's alleged relationships with defense lawyers and prosecutors raises troubling questions

The Muscle Men

Inside the "Rejuvenation Centers" at the heart of the nation's largest illegal steroid and HGH operation

Note From The State Attorney's Office

Inside the "Rejuvenation Centers" at the heart of the nation's largest illegal steroid and HGH operation

Hilly Moldof Gets Off

Inside the "Rejuvenation Centers" at the heart of the nation's largest illegal steroid and HGH operation

A Seminole Moment

An Air Force specialist learns he can't bet on American justice at the Seminole Hard Rock

Mayor's Boy

You know Mara and Stacey. Now, meet Michael, the Giulianti family's tough guy.

Trial by Fire

Amanda Alley died a horrible, fiery death, and the cops had her Iranian boyfriend nailed

Blood Simple

A questionable DUI prosecution has attorneys kvetching in cyberspace.

Muscles, Murder, and a Messiah, Part 2

Gil Fernandez Jr. could be responsible for as many as nine murders. If he's truly repentant, his former prosecutor says, he needs to confess his sins.

One-Way Street

Popped for DUI? Smile. You've just fallen victim to the DHSMV's kangaroo court.

I, the Jury

A look behind the curtain of one episode of judicial theater

A Children's Crusade

South Florida prosecutors are going after kids younger than 12 years old in record numbers

Captain of Deceit

It's clear the BSO's Richard Scheff lied under oath. So why isn't he charged with perjury?

A Single Hair

After a severely flawed trial, Michael Rivera was convicted of killing a little girl. New DNA evidence may help him.

A Devilish Deal

A high-profile judge long ago made a deal that freed the area's most heinous killer

Undercurrents

Our new, improved column ponders a Sun-Sentinel screwup.

A Most-Wanted Attorney

The government wants his money. The judiciary wants him disbarred. So what's F. Lee Bailey's next move? Sue the bastards!

The Sex Empire Strikes Back

Adult businesses in Broward put the heat on the heat by investigating local vice cops, but their evidence is slim

The Sex Empire Strikes Back

Adult businesses in Broward put the heat on the heat by investigating local vice cops, but their evidence is slim

A Pugilist in Pinstripes

The 4th District Court of Appeals says Broward County prosecutor Alberto Milian is a menace in the courtroom. But he's just doing his job.

Condomania

Warring septuagenarians end up in court after an ugly incident involving an umbrella and mace

Hit or Mrs.?

According to the courts, Joyce Cohen hired three men to murder her wealthy husband. Now the entire case may be unraveling.

These Are the Times That Try Victims' Souls

Take a number and wait. That, in essence, is what the Broward County courts are telling crime victims even those who get shot at.

Impeachment as Cache

If there's anyone who can feel Bill Clinton's pain, it's ousted-judge-turned-congressman Alcee Hastings