Mich. woman pleads no contest to murdering 4 teens
Court Alerts
The woman accused of killing four Lake Shore High School teens in a car crash last year pleaded no contest this morning to four counts each of second-degree murder and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing death.
Frances Dingle, 48, of Mount Clemens, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19 in Macomb County Circuit Court. She faces a minimum of 19 to 30 years in prison and a maximum of life. A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes.
"The families are somewhat relieved that they don't have to sit in court for the next three weeks and relive that horrific night," Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith said.
Authorities say Dingle was driving drunk when she crashed into a car carrying all four teens on March 16, 2009.
Jury selection was set to take place today before Macomb County Circuit Judge Don Miller. Due to the high-profile nature of the case, Frances Dingle's attorney, Mike Dennis, said he worked with prosecutors Friday on a "rather lengthy" jury questionnaire.
Related listings
-
Calif. man pleads guilty to posing as Navy officer
Court Alerts 04/13/2010Prosecutors say a California man who posed as a military officer and sought donations that he claimed would help wounded veterans has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in the scam.Sixty-year-old James Barbee of Pacific Grove pleaded guilty to f...
-
SoCal federal court to hear Toyota lawsuits
Court Alerts 04/12/2010A federal judge in Southern California was chosen Friday to preside over more than 200 lawsuits filed against Toyota in the aftermath of the automaker’s sudden acceleration problems, which could potentially mushroom into one of the nation’s biggest p...
-
North Dakota decisions end Fighting Sioux nickname
Court Alerts 04/09/2010The Fighting Sioux nickname is gone for good at the University of North Dakota.On Thursday, decisions by North Dakota's Supreme Court and Board of Higher Education led to the retirement of the long-disputed nickname.The court ruled that the board had...
Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?
IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child.
Forte Law Group is one of only a very few law firms within the state of Connecticut that is dedicated to exclusively representing families and children with special needs.
Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer?” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.