[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- Hi, everyone, I'm Dan Abrams, and this is "Court Cam."
- You should be ashamed of yourself.
- I want dude off my case. [spits]
♪ ♪
- Got a runner.
[people yelling]
- Get out!
- This is not TV court. This is for real.
- First up, we head to Portland, Oregon
for a sentencing hearing.
[suspenseful music]
62-year-old lawnmower repairman
Dayton Leroy Rogers
has been convicted of aggravated murder.
♪ ♪
28 years earlier, the bodies of seven women
were discovered in the Molalla Forest near Portland.
The victims, all sex workers, were tortured,
sexually assaulted, and stabbed to death.
[ominous music]
At the time the bodies were discovered,
Rogers had already been in custody for nine months
after being charged for a similar but unrelated murder.
After he was convicted and sentenced
to life in prison for the first case,
investigators discovered similarities
between the crimes and charged Rogers
with the murders of six of the seven Molalla victims.
And a year later, he was found guilty
of the six Molalla murders,
but this time, the jury sentenced Rogers to death.
- There's only one appropriate sentence for the defendant,
and that is a sentence of death.
[dramatic music]
- But three years later, that sentence was reversed
when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled
that juries be allowed to consider
mitigating circumstances that wouldn't ordinarily
be admissible in a trial for potential death sentences.
That did not happen at Rogers' sentencing.
Today, Rogers appears in court for resentencing.
And for the victims' family members,
the long legal journey seems to have
taken its toll emotionally.
- I don't physically have it in me
to say what I would like to say.
I just can't do it anymore. I can't.
- Before his sentence is read, the defendant
makes a statement to the victims' families.
[sobbing]
♪ ♪
- Despite this new jury's consideration
of mitigating circumstances during deliberations,
they agreed with the original jury's decision
and sentenced Rogers to death.
But then six years later,
with Rogers still living on death row,
the Oregon state legislature changed its legal standards
for capital punishment,
and Rogers' death sentence was overturned again.
A year later, he was resentenced to life in prison
with no chance of parole.
The seventh Molalla Forest victim
had been previously identified
as 18-year-old Tawnia Johnston.
But despite Rogers admitting to her murder,
prosecutors chose not to charge him for that crime.
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
Next, we're in Wyandotte, Michigan
for an arraignment.
♪ ♪
41-year-old Bradley Hill has
been charged with possession
of a controlled substance,
possession of drug
paraphernalia,
disorderly conduct,
and possession
of a dangerous weapon.
♪ ♪
Today, he appears from the county jail
before Judge Elizabeth DiSanto to hear if he'll make bond.
He's represented by attorney Cory Westmoreland.
- Counsel, as to the arraignment?
- Meanwhile Hill, who appears to be
holding a blanket around his waist,
slides over to a nearby chair.
- Before we formally enter a plea of not guilty
for purposes of the arraignment,
schedule this matter for pretrial September 19
at 10:30 a.m.
And counsel, add to that.
- Your Honor, I would like you to know that Mr. Hill
currently resides in River Rouge.
He is currently working as a caregiver for his mother.
He's not currently on probation or parole.
He does not have any other pending matters
out of any other jurisdiction at this time,
and he has no history of absconding
from any honorable court.
I would just ask that all that be
taken into account when assessing
a bond on behalf of Mr. Hill. - OK.
And so Mr. Hill, do you have an issue with standing up, sir?
- Yeah, I'm having an issue with standing up right now.
- What's that issue?
- Oh, I wish I can--
I don't know.
[quirky suspenseful music]
- Do you have a back issue?
Do you have a leg issue, a foot issue, or what?
I'm not quite sure--
- Uh, I have a leg issue right now.
- OK, and so is it broken?
Is it-- I mean, what's going on?
- I'll try and stand up. OK?
♪ ♪
- Sir, I'm just trying to figure out--
oh, do you not have pants on?
♪ ♪
- Oh, OK. You can sit back down, sir.
- Hill quickly takes a seat
as the judge returns to the matter at hand.
- Excuse me?
♪ ♪
- Sir, because the court has to determine a bond
and bond conditions... - OK.
- And so given the charges, sir,
the court finds that relevant. - OK.
OK. I was just asking.
[tense notes]
- So if you were to test,
what would be detected in your system?
- Oh, nothing.
♪ ♪
Thank you.
♪ ♪
- Hill was released on bond and has pled not guilty.
If found guilty of all charges,
he could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
His case is pending.
c]
- Next we, go to Akron, Ohio for a sentencing hearing.
31-year-old Tynicka Allen has pled guilty
to two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide
and two counts of endangering children.
♪ ♪
A year earlier, Allen was driving
as part of a funeral procession
with her 12-year-old son, Tymar
and her six-year-old nephew, Trevond.
According to police, Allen was speeding
while the boys were hanging out the window.
That's when she suddenly drove against traffic
and crashed into another car.
[glass shattering]
The driver of the other car was unhurt,
but Tymar and Trevond were ejected from the vehicle.
The funeral procession came to a halt
as police arrived at the scene.
The two young boys were taken to a hospital,
but Tymar died shortly after arrival.
Trevond died the next day.
Allen turned herself in to police
and was initially facing several charges,
including aggravated vehicular homicide.
She was released on her own recognizance
and pled not guilty.
But in exchange for a number of the lesser charges
being dropped, Allen changed her plea to guilty.
Today, she appears before Judge Alison Breaux.
Prosecutor Zach Newman is asking
for the maximum sentence of 16 years in prison.
- Before wrapping up, the prosecutor
reads a letter written by Trevond's paternal aunt.
- When he's finished, the defendant's sister,
who is also Trevond's grieving mother, Paris Jones,
comes to her defense.
- Ms. Jones, does that conclude your statement?
- Ms. Allen? - Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry.
- Do you want to make your statement now?
- Please. - Go ahead.
- Finally, an emotional Allen delivers her own statement
directly to her sister.
- The last person to speak is Judge Breaux.
- Ms. Allen, I think that your grief
and your remorse is palpable.
I don't think you intended to cause this harm,
but nevertheless, it still was foreseeable
because of that behavior.
And it was reckless and it's awful.
It's just--it's just heinous.
There's an accountability
that I have to sentence you on, right?
Because it is reckless behavior.
And I don't want anyone to think
that it's OK to act like that, even on their worst day, right?
- All right, you're remanded into custody at this time.
Thank you. Good luck.
♪ ♪
- The judge sentenced Allen to four years and nine months
in prison, but she'll be eligible for parole
in six months.
Her driver's license will also be suspended
for three years following her release.
- Next, we head to Ann Arbor, Michigan,
for a probable cause conference.
♪ ♪
42-year-old Delores Strickland
has been charged with domestic violence,
child abuse, and resisting arrest.
♪ ♪
She was released on a $5,000 bond,
ordered to report to community corrections,
and have no contact with the victims,
her boyfriend and their daughter.
But when she failed to appear at a hearing,
a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.
♪ ♪
Today, Strickland appears virtually
using the name "Rose Bud"
before Judge Cedric Simpson to discuss her case.
The judge has a full docket so Strickland must wait her turn,
but she seems to be making the most of it.
First, she and her dogs enjoy some playtime.
♪ ♪
Next, she steps outside for a smoke.
Then, she goes back inside and applies some nail polish.
After more quality time with the dogs,
Strickland prepares what looks to be
an egg sandwich for lunch...
♪ ♪
and when finished, gives her plate a final lick-down.
When the court breaks for its own lunch,
Strickland remains on the call and, while muted,
seems to be belting out a tune.
- [inaudible]
- Strickland is then joined by a male friend for some TLC.
♪ ♪
And although never disconnecting,
she eventually leaves the frame.
Later, Judge Simpson is finally ready
for Strickland's case.
- Court calls the case People versus Delores Strickland.
- Ready, judge.
- Caitlin Kirby on behalf of the people.
- Torchio Feaster, Assistant Public Defender,
on behalf of Ms. Delores Strickland.
Ms. Strickland, please state your name for the record.
[suspenseful music]
She had been here.
[chuckles] Talk?
- Yes, here, but not in the camera.
- And, Your Honor, can we briefly approach?
- Seriously, yes.
- After a brief off-camera discussion,
the parties return to the call.
- Ms. Kirby.
- Your Honor, during the break
while the court was taking an hour recess
in between cases,
it appears that the defendant and the victim
were on screen obviously violating the no-contact order.
- That's right.
The man seen snuggling on camera with Strickland
is the alleged victim in her domestic violence case,
her boyfriend and father of her child
involved in the child abuse case.
- Um, they were doing
non-appropriate courtroom things.
And the people are asking that the defendant's bond be revoked
and she report to the jail by this evening.
If not, I would ask for
an immediate bench warrant to go out.
- All right.
Ms. Strickland, can you come to the screen?
In this case, I did witness them together,
which would be a violation
or an additional violation of her bond.
So I will lead the bench warrant out.
I'm not going to set a new date.
I think we know where she is,
so we can potentially send somebody to get her.
All right, thank you.
- Thank you. - Thank you, Judge.
- The warrant for Strickland's arrest remains active.
If she's found guilty of all charges,
she could be sentenced to up to four years in prison.
Her case is pending.
- Next, we head to San Antonio, Texas
for a sentencing hearing.
♪ ♪
23-year-old Sasha Skare has been convicted of murder.
♪ ♪
2 1/2 years earlier according to police reports,
Skare got into an argument
at the home of her boyfriend of six months,
34-year-old Martell Derouen,
a hip-hop artist and cousin of pop superstar Beyonce Knowles.
Police say Skare was outside the apartment with a gun.
She fired one round through the front door,
hitting Martell in the head.
Skare fled the scene and four days later,
police say she called them
claiming to be Martell's estranged wife
and asked them to do a welfare check.
They arrived.
Officers found Martell dead inside the apartment.
And with the help of security footage,
they were able to place Skare at Martell's apartment
at the time of the shooting holding a gun.
Skare told investigators
she didn't intend to shoot Martell
and that she was just trying to get his attention.
She was arrested and charged with murder.
The state offered her a deal
that would have required she served 20 years in prison.
Skare rejected the offer and the case went to trial
where, if found guilty,
she'd be facing a maximum sentence of life in prison.
When both sides came to rest,
it took the jury just two hours
to return with a verdict.
- State of Texas versus Sasha Skare,
we the jury find the defendant Sasha Skare guilty.
[dramatic music]
- The punishment phase began later that afternoon
as the state called in three witnesses,
including Martell's mother, Melissa Ann Davis.
- [sobs and sniffles]
Well, I can't. Every day, it's very hard.
I haven't slept in a very long time.
It's just--as a mother,
to lose a son and to lose him that way, it's just--
it's unimaginable.
And I wouldn't wish that on anybody, nobody ever.
♪ ♪
- The next day, Skare returns to court for sentencing.
But first, the victim's sister,
Carrie Derouen,
has some pointed words for the now-convicted killer.
- Sasha, the pain and agony that you've brought
upon my family is unbearable.
You deserve every single consequence
that you've caused from your own actions.
[tense music]
Look at what you've done.
You've gathered everyone together
of your own selfishness.
just to get viewed as the person
you truly and exactly are.
How does it feel? You deserve this.
Your time is up, and the time has come for you
to pay for what you've done.
So fix your sheets, if you have any,
because you've made your bed and now it's time to lay in it.
♪ ♪
- Skare was sentenced to 55 years in a state prison.
She'll be eligible for parole in 2048
when she'd be 48 years old.
♪ ♪
That's it for this edition of "Court Cam."
I'm Dan Abrams. Thanks for watching.