Tsarnaev Friend Found Guilty Of Lying To Investigators

((HT: MyFoxBoston))

If you haven't heard the name Robel Phillipos, you probably need to file it away as someone you need to know about...

After six days of deliberating, Robel Phillipos, a friend of the Tsarnaev brothers, was found guilty on both counts of lying to investigators about being in Dzokhar Tsarnaev's dorm room while two other friends removed a backpack containing potential evidence after the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon attack.

The bombs placed near the marathon finish line killed three people and injured more than 260.

Phillipos had an interesting defense- marijuana consumption.

Here's the latest on the verdict- albeit a very mixed one...
Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

He is facing up to 16 years in prison and a verdict will be given in late January- the same month the Tsarnaev trial is set to begin.
Phillipos will be held under house arrest until then.

Capital Murder Verdict Returned In Auburn Football Player Murders

((HT: WTVM-TV/OANow.com, Taylor))

Desmonte Leonard was found guilty in the capital murders three people- two of them former Auburn University football players. DeMario Pitts, along with Lowndes High grad Ed Christian and Ladarious Phillips were shot and killed at an Auburn, Alabama apartment complex in an incident in June 2012. Three others were injured in the shootings.

Lee County (AL) jurors found Leonard guilty on all but one of the six charges stemming from the shooting:

2nd degree assault for the shooting of Eric Mack
2nd degree assault for the shooting of Xavier Moss
1st degree assault for the shooting of John Robertson
The attempted murder of DeAngelo Benton
Capital murder for "killing two or more people in the same act"- Christian and Phillips

Leonard was found not guilty for attempted murder.

For the Taylor recap of the case that brought Leonard to trial:

During the trial, witness testimony indicated that prior to the shooting, Leonard had gotten involved in an altercation with former Auburn football player DeAngelo Benton, who instigated the quarrel.

Leonard’s attorneys contended Leonard feared for his life and fired the gun in self-defense. However, prosecutors argued Leonard was never in real danger and exhibited goal-oriented behavior during the shooting.

Without giving much detail, Leonard said she and Leonard’s other attorneys had a plan for how to present evidence to the jury to not give him the death penalty.

Here's Sharonda Woods, a sister of one of those who were murdered, discussing the verdict after everyone exited the courthouse
WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather

Wednesday, a jury begins the process of deciding the death penalty or life in prison without parole for Leonard.

DEVELOPING: Josh Brent Gets 10 Years, But Probated

((HT: WFAA-TV))

Jerry Brown Jr.'s mother was among several who took the stand as the sentencing phase of former Dallas Cowboy Josh Brent began Thursday morning after Brent was convicted of intoxicated manslaughter in his teammate's death.

After the testimony, Brent was sentenced to 10 years and fined $10,000. But the sentence was probated to reflect the trial past and he will serve 180 days in jail...

Brown's mother, Stacey Jackson, said yesterday that she forgives Josh Brent and thinks of him as a son. Prosecutors tried to show Brent as a habitual offender who deserves prison time going back to his arrest in Illinois in 2009...

The Illinois arrest had Brent's BAC at .11, and the crash that killed Brown had Brent with a BAC at .18

Here's Rebecca Lopez with Jackson's testimony...

Josh Brent Convicted Of Manslaughter

((HT: WFAA-TV))

Former Dallas Cowboy Josh Brent was convicted of vehicular manslaughter in the death of then-teammate Jerry Brown, Junior. He could face a sentence of anything from probation and time served to 20 years behind bars for the actions from December, 2012.

The sentencing phase will start on Thursday.

Prosecutors maintain Brent was driving over 100-miles per hour and crashed carrying a blood alcohol content of over .18- over twice the legal limit in the state of Texas (.08)

Defense attorneys tried to question the validity of the testing procedure- to no avail...

Here's the story from the courtroom...

Bears' Hurd To Plead Guilty In Drug Case

((HT: WLS-TV))

And this is because most of his co-defendants rolled over on him...

Former Chicago Bears WR Sam Hurd was going to be heading to trial very soon on his drug charges. Remember when he went to a cop and said that he wanted to purchase marijuana and cocaine so he could distribute it...???

According to his attorney, Hurd will enter a guilty plea to one count of conspiring to sell cocaine and marijuana. He went from the Dallas Cowboys to the Bears in his NFL travels and the feds were maintaining that he wanted to set up a drug network between the two cities...

It will be interesting to see just how much of the initial 10 years and US$10-million sentence gets put in Hurd's dossier when he gets sentenced over the summer...

Here's the I-team...