Woman not guilty of daughters murder
Criminal Law
[##_1L|1055222369.jpg|width="180" height="122" alt=""|_##]A woman whose 12-year-old daughter was killed after she allegedly locked the doors and set their house on fire has been found not guilty of murder and other charges because of insanity. Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl delivered the ruling Friday in the case against former independent gubernatorial candidate Tonya Fuller Balletta, 39, the Providence Journal reported Sunday. Balletta was allegedly resisting an arrest warrant on Oct. 29, 2004, when she locked herself in her Providence home, barricaded herself and her two daughters in a bedroom and set a mattress on fire.
Balletta and one of her daughter, Marina, were taken out the bedroom windows by authorities, but the police could not get to the other child, Talia Balletta. The victim had second- and third-degree burns over half her body and died several weeks later.
A Providence County Grand Jury indicted Balletta on eight counts, including one count each of murder, first degree arson and assault with the intent to commit murder, three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of resisting arrest.
Prosecutors said Balletta assaulted two State Police troopers and a Providence Police officer as she resisted arrest, waving a knife at two and a broken shard of glass at the other.
Balletta showed signs of mental illness for at least a year before the fire, and "was unable to appreciate the wrongfulness of her behavior" because of her mental illness, psychiatrist Dr. Joseph V. Penn told the court during the trial.
Related listings
-
Former Wilton Mayor Pleads Guilty To Drug Charge
Criminal Law 05/18/2007The former mayor of the eastern Iowa town of Wilton has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of conspiracy to deliver marijuana.Dick Summy was charged last September with distributing and manufacturing about 100 marijuana plants. He entered his plea Tu...
-
Pittsfield man guilty of murdering wife
Criminal Law 05/18/2007[##_1L|1121405378.jpg|width="120" height="101" alt=""|_##]A Pittsfield man who stabbed his wife 58 times has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of first-degree murder. Seymour Townsend, 37, was convicted Thursday by a Berkshire...
-
Man pleads guilty to 3 N.Y. murders
Criminal Law 05/17/2007[##_1L|1139970461.jpg|width="120" height="101" alt=""|_##]A man prosecutors suspect of preying on more than a dozen women as the "Bike Path Rapist" pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering three women since 1990, including two whose bodies were found on...
Victorville CA DUI defense Attorneys
The outcome of a DUI defense will have a long-term effect on anyone’s life, making the decision to receive legal representation an easy one. The fact is, most people accused of a DUI are first offenders with no criminal background. Whether this is your first run in with the law or you have had previous convictions, you are in need of a DUI defense attorney.
The charges you are facing for a DUI range from fines, a 12-month suspension on your license and worst-case scenario, prison time. Your attorney will be able to analyze your situation to decide the best way to go about your case.
Our attorneys know the tricky ways to challenge all of the DUI tests and know how to claim improper collection of evidence. We will be able to negotiate on your behalf and free you from charges and help you keep your drivers license. The DUI process can last up to several months, we can make this process easier on you. .