Verdicts

Justice has been brought to an Ohio cop that raped an underage girl.
On Tuesday, former Lima police officer Justin Bentz was found guilty of raping a then-16-year-old girl. Bentz, 28, was also found guilty of kidnapping and sexual battery.
Hours before he raped the girl in June 2015, Bentz had taken a class warning of the dangers of underage sexual assault.
But that didn’t stop him from making sexual advances towards the 16-year-old girl after handing her a bottle of 80-proof alcohol, allowing her to get drunk to the point where she could barely stand.

In November of 2014, New York City police officer Peter Liang shot and killed Akai Gurley inside a darkened stairwell in an apartment building.
Now the officer may serve up to 15 years in prison after a conviction Thursday for manslaughter and official misconduct.
Those attending the trial inside the Brooklyn Supreme Court gasped when the verdict was read.

An Ohio man was sentenced to 240 days in jail Thursday for First Amendment-related activities, including attempting to video record police in public and warning drivers of an upcoming DUI checkpoint by holding up a sign.
Douglas “Deo” Odolecki of Cleveland Cop Block was whisked away to jail immediately after the trial.
His attorney, John Gold, plans to appeal.
“The judge far exceeded her authority today,” he said in a telephone interview with Photography is Not a Crime.

After being shot and paralyzed from the waist down by Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy Adams Lin, a 22-year-old Florida man was awarded $23 million by a federal jury Wednesday.
But that does not mean Dontrell Stephens will be able to receive the money anytime soon.
Because of a $200,000 state cap for jury awards, the issue must now go before the Florida Legislature.

A New Jersey cop who did not think twice about lying on a police report to send a man to prison was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday without the eligibility of parole.
And only because his dash cam contradicted his police report.
Otherwise, it may have been Marcus Jeter sentenced to prison on charges of eluding, resisting arrest, aggravated assault and attempting to disarm a police officer.

Another award-winning law enforcement officer was stripped of his badge Tuesday after accepting a plea deal to avoid going to trial for perjury.
Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy Stuart Sussman – the department’s 2014 Deputy of the Year – was probably shellshocked the perjury charges were brought against him in the first place considering how often it happens in law enforcement.

A 23-year-old Texas man who killed four people in a drunk driving accident was sentenced to life in prison Friday, proving that penalties are harsh for those not afflicted with “affluenza.”
Rashad Owens had a blood alcohol content level of .114 when he plowed into a crowd of people during the 2014 South by Southwest festival in Austin.
On the other hand, Ethan Couch had a blood content level of .24 when he killed four people in 2013, resulting in the 16-year-old teen to receive a ten years of probation.

As “affluenza” boy and his mother were caught south of the border Wednesday, once again the loopholes and bias of the United States legal system are making front page news throughout the world.

A Miami jail guard who threw a cup of scalding water on an inmate, leaving him with second-degree burns pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery today.
Charlise Daniels-Wadley, who agreed to resign from her position, received one year of probation and will be required to do 50 hours of community service.
The incident took place in 2012 after Daniels-Wadley got into an argument with inmate Joshua Wiggins, who was released from prison last month after serving two years for cocaine trafficking.

 
A New Orleans police officer was sentenced last week to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Michael Thomassie, 41, who in August was convicted of raping a 7-year-old girl more than 10 years ago, was sentenced by the New Orleans Parish criminal courts Judge Tracey Flemings-Davillier. He was found guilty of aggravated rape earlier this year on Aug. 20.
During jury selection of his trial, Thomassie sent a selfie and raunchy texts to his girlfriend in Florida.
Now, another inmate wants to make Thomassie his boyfriend.