Judge spares Baer death penalty, resentences killer to life in prison
A man convicted of killing a central Indiana woman and her 4-year-old daughter has been sentenced to life in prison after a federal appeals court threw out his death sentence.
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After SCOTUS ruling, 7th Circuit reaffirms ‘crime of violence’ vague
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals will stick with its initial decision to vacate and remand two men’s sentences after the United States Supreme Court concluded that the definition of “crime of violence” in 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(3)(B) was unconstitutionally vague.
Merrillville man admits killing girlfriend’s mom, brother
A northwestern Indiana man faces up to 23 years in prison after pleading guilty in the fatal shootings of his girlfriend’s brother and mother.
Fort Wayne man guilty of killing 4 sentenced to 300 years
A Fort Wayne man who pleaded guilty to four counts of murder in the deaths of four people, including his unborn child, was sentenced to 300 years in prison.
Justice Department will execute inmates for first time since 2003
The Justice Department said Thursday that it will carry out executions of federal death row inmates for the first time since 2003.
Fort Wayne man faces at least 205 years in killings of 4
A Fort Wayne man who admitted killing four people, including his unborn child, is facing a prison sentence of at least 205 years in the slayings.
Woman who bought gun used to kill deputy sent to prison
A 13-month prison sentence was handed an Indianapolis woman who purchased the handgun used to kill a Boone County sheriff’s deputy in March 2018.
COA affirms man’s attempted child molestation conviction, sentence
The attempted child molestation conviction and six-year executed sentence for a man who victimized his live-in girlfriend’s twin daughters will stand, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, rejecting his claims that certain testimony should not have been allowed and his eight-year sentence was inappropriate.
7th Circuit upholds enhanced sentence under Armed Career Criminal Act
A convicted drug offender has lost an appeal of his enhanced sentence after failing to convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that the enhancement was improper because his former cocaine dealing conviction was not a predicate “serious drug offense” under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
Indiana woman gets 6 years for role in death of son, 2
A Fort Wayne woman has been sentenced to six years in prison on neglect charges stemming from her 2-year-old son’s beating death. Amber V. Garrett, 27, was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty in June to two felony neglect counts involving her son and daughter.
Ex-IUPUI volleyball coach gets probation for child porn
A former college volleyball coach from Indianapolis has been sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to possessing sexually explicit images and videos of young girls. A Marion County judge recently sentenced Steven Payne to four years of probation and barred him from having internet access at home or work.
2nd man sentenced in fatal southern Indiana gun shop robbery
An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his role in the robbery and fatal shooting of a southern Indiana gun shop owner. A judge ordered the sentence Thursday after 24-year-old Darion Harris pleaded guilty.
Whether armed robber ‘physically restrained’ victims splits 7th Circuit
The question of whether an armed robber can be said to have physically restrained his victims as an enhancement under federal sentencing guidelines split the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday. The ruling also deepened a wide circuit split on the issue, with judges answering the question by employing a classic legal maxim: It depends.
Ex-Pacers player, Auburn assistant Chuck Person avoids prison
Former Indiana Pacers star and Auburn University assistant basketball coach Chuck Person’s lifelong generosity may have driven him to the poorhouse, but it saved him from the jailhouse Wednesday when a judge sentenced him in a bribery scandal that touched some of the biggest college basketball programs.
Justices reject man’s appeal in death of toddler
The Indiana Supreme Court will not hear the appeal of a northern Indiana man who was sentenced to 65 years in prison for the beating death of a 2-year-old left in his care. Justices denied a transfer petition sought in the case of Trevor Wert v. State of Indiana, 19A-CR-92, in which the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed Trevor Wert’s murder conviction in the beating death of Railee Ewing.
Ex-prep diving coach gets 4 years for sex with teens
A former assistant diving coach at a northwest Indiana high school has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with two 15-year-old female students and keeping partially nude photographs of each girl on his cellphone.
Man’s 17½-year sentence upheld for dealing meth
A sentence of 17½ years for a man convicted of dealing methamphetamine has been upheld, after the Indiana Court of Appeals found he was dealing in amounts “well above the statutory requirement.”
Decades in prison for man who killed Indianapolis clerk
A man who pleaded guilty to killing an Indianapolis store clerk during a robbery in 2014 has been sentenced to 52 years in prison.
Attempted murder conviction vacated for double jeopardy violation
Though there was sufficient evidence to uphold an attempted murder conviction after a Tippecanoe County driveway shooting, the conviction was nevertheless reversed Friday on double jeopardy grounds.
COA: Evidence sufficient for church intimidation conviction
A man’s felony conviction for intimidating members of his former church will stand, but his case has been remanded to clarify he is not permitted to have a firearm during probation.