Nathaniel Rowland Guilty of All Charges: Jeff Wolf Weighs in On Court TV
After less than then three hours of deliberation, a jury found Nathaniel Rowland guilty of all charges in the kidnapping and murder of 21-year-old Samantha Josephson. Quickly following the verdict, the judge passed down Rowland’s sentence: life in prison.
The judge was very vocal about his feelings toward the defendant. At one point, the judge even suggested that Rowland had “demons” inside of him that needed to be exorcised.
In a recent interview on Court TV, Denver defense lawyer and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf discussed some of the unusual behaviors taking place in the courtroom last week.
“Maybe this is the defense lawyer in me coming out,” explained Wolf, “but it really makes my blood boil…instead of comforting the family, the Josephson family, to let them know that the justice system has worked, your daughter’s murderer is going to go away for life…instead of doing that…what does he do? He tells Nathanial Rowland that he has a depraved heart, that he has demons living inside of him…The need of a judge to do that is beyond me.”
Uncharacteristically, the jury remained in the courtroom following the verdict to listen to victim impact statements, which included comments from the defendant’s family.
“He [the judge] really let Mr. Rowland have it,” continued Wolf. “But he also let Mr. Rowland’s parents have it, which I thought was a little unusual. He interrupted the mom, he yelled at the mom, he told her she was not allowed to talk about how she thought her son was innocent…”Watch the full video for extended commentary from Jeff Wolf or for more details about the case.
Lori Vallow-Daybell’s Request For Cell Phone Denied
Lori Vallow-Daybell has been incarcerated since March 2020 for felonies related to the deaths of her children: Joshua Vallow and Tylee Ryan. The children’s remains were found in Daybell’s new husband’s backyard.
Daybell’s attorney recently argued that his client should be allowed to have a cell phone, so that he can communicate with his incarcerated client without surveillance. He also requested that the video cameras in the attorney-client rooms be shut off during their private meetings.
Insisting that a cell phone would be too dangerous inside a jail, a district judge denied Daybell’s request.
In a recent interview, Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf noted that it’s been difficult for defense attorneys and clients to meet with each other during the pandemic, but inmates still have the right to privileged attorney-client meetings.
“He’s frustrated…he’s frustrated for the same reason that most defense attorneys with clients in custody right now are frustrated, he needs to see his client…and our access is very limited at a lot of these jails. Some of them will allow phone calls, but you’ll get them recorded, and if you believe the prosecutor didn’t listen to that phone call, I’ve got a beach in Idaho to sell you.”
Watch the full video for extended commentary from Jeffrey Wolf; plus, details about the case.
Kueng Defense Alleges Prosecutorial Misconduct
Attorneys for three Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death are asking a judge to dismiss the cases against their clients because of alleged misconduct by prosecutors.
Alexander Kueng’s attorney recently filed a motion accusing the state’s Attorney General of mishandling evidence and further alleges that prosecutors leaked news of a proposed plea deal by co-defendant Derek Chauvin to the media.
In a recent interview, Denver defense lawyer and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf discusses this ambitious defense strategy.
“The reason they’re shooting for the moon is so they can try to grab stars on their way down,” explained Wolf. “But to personally ask that these prosecutors be referred to the Minnesota bar? I can’t think of a time when this has happened. This is the Hail Mary of Hail Marys and in one of the most high-profile cases this country has ever seen…they’re not going to get this dismissal.”
Watch the full video for extended commentary from Jeffrey Wolf; plus, details about the case.
Lethal Bar Fight in Tennessee
Michael Mosley is accused of fatally stabbing two men outside the Dogwood Bar in Nashville, Tennessee.
Investigators allege that Mosley made an unwanted advancement toward a female friend of the victims, and an argument between the groups got physical. Mosley’s attorney says video evidence will prove his client acted in self-defense.
However, at the time of the killings, Mosley was free on a $5,000 bond after being arrested for aggravated assault—a brutal attack of a 37-year-old woman in a Walmart; the woman is allegedly connected to an ongoing murder investigation involving the death of Mosley’s sibling.
While few have seen the video evidence, this case begs the question: was it really self-defense?
“You do have a right to defend yourself,” explained Jeffrey Wolf, Denver defense lawyer and Court TV correspondent. “That doesn’t make this any less of a tragedy, but you do have a right to defend yourself, depending on the circumstances. And none of us know those circumstances until the video comes out.”
Watch the full video for extended commentary from Jeffrey Wolf; plus, more details about the case.
Husband Faces Murder Trial Over Missing Wife
Would you go to work the day your spouse went missing? That’s what investigators are asking in a case involving Victoria Prokopovitz, who has been missing since 2013. Her body has never been found and she is believed to be dead.
James Prokopovitz reported his wife missing to the Sheriff’s Office, after he returned home from work that day. According to reports, Prokopovitz made no mention of his wife’s absences at work.
Prokopovitz told police it was likely a suicide because his wife suffered from depression, but family members say his behavior after her disappearance became highly suspicious.
“At the end of the day, a jury is going to sit there and try to put themselves in his shoes. They’re going to have a tough time saying: if my wife, who was ill, and was gone without her purse and personal effects…I think most people would have a hard time saying they’d go to work, especially if your boss gets on the stand and says he didn’t have to be there that day! His defense team has their work cut out for them.”
Watch the full video for extended commentary from Jeffrey Wolf; plus, more details about the case.
Woman Claims Husband Forced Her to Decapitate Lover
A New Hampshire couple has been charged in the death of Jonathan Amerault. Armando Barron allegedly killed Amerault after he discovered he was having an affair with his wife Britany Barron.
Armando Barron has been charged with capital murder while engaged in the commission of a kidnapping, and his wife, Britany Barron, has been charged with falsifying physical evidence.
Amerault’s body was driven 200 miles from the crime scene, decapitated, and left wrapped in a tarp in the North Woods.
At Britany Barron’s arraignment, her defense lawyer argued that anything she did was out of fear of her husband. Detectives who detained and interviewed Britany Barron saw bruising around her eyes and marks on her neck. Armando Barron is accused of beating his wife and then using her cell phone to lure Amerault to a park.
In a recent interview, Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf was asked the obvious and difficult question: Is Britany Barron a criminal or a victim?
“I see her as a victim…She was acting in duress,” explained Wolf. “This is not somebody who had a choice about what was going to happen. She likely would have been a second body next to her boyfriend’s if she hadn’t at least played along…”
Watch the full video for more commentary from Jeffrey Wolf; plus, more details about the case.
Former Deputy Sheriff Faces 44 Criminal Charges
Former Hamilton County Deputy Sheriff, Daniel Wilkey, allegedly performed an illegal body cavity search of James Myron Mitchell following a traffic stop in Tennessee. Wilkey has also been the subject of multiple lawsuits while e employed by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office that accuse him of misconduct ranging from including false imprisonment to child molestation.
In December 2019, the county district attorney filed 44 criminal charges against Wilkey. Wilkey and Hamilton County also face nine civil lawsuits, including one class action.
In June 2020, the Hamilton County DA’s office accused the sheriff’s office of slowing down the investigation. Court filings also indicate that several dash-cam videos involving Wilkey were lost in a “catastrophic failure” by computer servers.
In a recent interview, Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf discussed how multiple charges and several alleged victims could impact Wilkey’s case.
“I don’t know that there’s a circumstance where it’s not going to shock the conscience of a jury to watch a police officer bend a man over on the side of the road and conduct a full body cavity search…the indignity of that, the cruelty of that…this case really shocks the conscience.”
Watch the full video for more commentary from Jeffrey Wolf; plus, more details about the case.
Gannon Stepmom Faces Murder Charges
On January 27, 2020, Letecia Stauch reported her stepson, 11-year-old Gannon Stauch, missing from his home in Colorado Springs, CO. Approximately two months later, the boy’s remains were found in Florida.
Evidence found within the residence and inside Gannon’s bedroom include blood spatter and blood stains that penetrated the concrete below the bed. Gannon’s stepmom was arrested for his murder in South Carolina on March 2. Police believe Stauch called the police to report Gannon’s absence the same day she committed the crime.
Letecia Stauch has caused several delays in court proceedings. Stauch claims her constitutional rights were violated by investigators; she also maintains that she is not component to stand trial. Earlier this month, Stauch was ruled competent to stand trial for a second time and proceedings are expected to continue in March.
In a recent interview, Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf speaks on strategy, when asked how a defense attorney might handle a client with several conflicting stories:
“You can’t ride two horses, right?” explained Wolf. “The DAs office is going to play up the inconsistent statements…but when you get in there, you’ve got to have a theme to your case, a story to tell, and you’ve got to stick with that one story…”
Watch the full video for more commentary from Jeffrey Wolf and for details about the case.
Megan Boswell Charged with Murdering ‘Baby Evelyn’
Nineteen-year-old Megan Boswell has been charged with murdering her 15-month-old daughter, Evelyn, and hiding the toddler’s body on a family member’s property in Tennessee.
Evelyn Boswell was last seen in December 2019 but wasn’t officially reported missing until mid-February 2020. Three months later, Evelyn’s body was found in a shed on property belonging to her grandmother’s ex-boyfriend.
Megan Boswell was arrested in February after giving conflicting information to detectives about her daughter’s whereabouts. Boswell now faces life in prison without parole following charges of felony murder, child abuse and neglect, and several counts of false reporting.
Boswell recently appeared in court to assert that she had “resolved issues” she was having with her representation and legal strategy. In a recent Court TV interview, Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf weighs in on the defendant’s behavior:
“She’s doing herself a very good service by being involved in her defense,” explained Wolf. “It’s something I wish more of my clients would do…because at the end of the day, this is this young women’s life…that’s what’s hanging in the balance…no one else’s.”
Watch the full video for more commentary from Jeffrey Wolf and for details about the case.
Pizza Delivery Murder
A complex and tragic case known as the “pizza delivery murder” recently came to a close after a jury found defendant Erica Stefanko guilty on one count of aggravated murder for the killing of Ashley Briggs. Stefanko was found not guilty on three other changes.
Prosecutors alleged Stefanko set the plot in motion in 2012, when she called Domino’s and ordered a pizza delivered to a closed business, knowing Biggs would be the delivery driver. Biggs was beaten and strangled to death by Chad Cobb when she reached her delivery’s destination.
Biggs was the mother of Stefanko’s stepdaughter, who was 7 at the time of the murder. Chad Cobb, the child’s father, has been in prison since 2013 after pleading guilty to the murder of Briggs.
Stefanko was tracked for several years following the initial murder investigation. A recently monitored phone call between Stefanko and Cobb’s mother helped break the case.
During the trial, Stefanko appeared undecided as to whether or not she would take the stand. It was obvious Stefanko’s defense lawyer didn’t want to make that play in court. Ultimately, Stefanko did not testify at trial.
Was it the right defense move to keep Stefanko off the stand?
“I think it probably was,” said Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf. “I’m not one of those lawyers that says ‘don’t put your client on the stand’…I don’t go by that…I think your client takes the stand if they need to take the stand.”
“If your jury needs a ‘why,’” Wolf continued, “like…‘how did we end up here, why is this person being falsely accused,’ you put them up there so they can get their story out there. The defense team did a good job of putting the ‘why’ out there without putting her on the stand.”
Stefanko is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 11 for sentencing.
Watch the complete video to get more trial insight from Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf.
Mark Redwine Starts Court Preceedings
Dylan Redwine was visiting his father for the Thanksgiving holiday in 2012 when he disappeared. On two separate occasions, Dylan’s remains were found within eight miles of his father’s home in Plata County, Colorado.
This week, after delays that were exacerbated by COVID-19, Mark Redwine, who was arrested for murdering his son in 2017, is expected to begin court proceedings.
Despite unfavorable forensic evidence, including Dylan’s blood in and around the Redwine property, Mark Redwine maintains his innocence, speaking openly to reporters and even pleading his case on Dr. Phil in 2013.
How does speaking to the press impact a criminal defense? “It’s obviously a defense attorney’s nightmare,” says Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf.
In a recent Court TV interview, Wolf discussed how press coverage can change the optics of a high-profile case and reviews strategies the defense might use to improve Redwine’s presentation in court.
Discussing the Mark Redwine Case
Nearly five years after a 13-year-old boy disappeared while on a court-ordered visit with his father in Colorado, Mark Redwine has been charged with murdering his son.
According to the indictment, Dylan Redwine was visiting his father in La Plata County for the Thanksgiving holiday in 2012 when he disappeared.
In June 2013, some of Dylan’s remains were found on a road about eight miles from his father’s home, and more than two years later, hikers found Dylan’s skull one and a half miles away from where his partial remains had been found.
In a recent interview on Court TV, Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf discusses the details of the case: “The amount of time an investigation takes is always going to be relevant. If it’s so obvious that a jury should come back guilty here, why wasn’t it so obvious to law enforcement for four and half years?”
Jeff Wolf Discusses the Chad Daybell Case
After the remains of Chad Daybell’s new wife’s two children were unearthed in his rural Idaho yard, suspicion over the death of his former wife, Tammy Daybell, may find its way into Chad Daybell’s court proceedings. Investigators are looking into the nature of Tammy Daybell’s sudden death last October due to allegedly natural causes. She was 49 years old.
According to Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf, “Instead of changing venue like they probably should, what the judge will do is ask if people can set it aside, and can you be fair even though you know about [Tammy]…that’s the big problem here, this small town is going to know everything…”
Oprah’s Involvement For Breonna Taylor
Oprah Winfrey is making her voice heard in Louisville, Kentucky, with 26 billboards demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by local police earlier this year. Taylor’s family is pursuing a civil case against the officers who, without warning, raided Taylor’s home. Can the officers be held criminally responsible?
“With the extreme political and social pressure surrounding this case, if there’s a way to file [criminal] charges, they’re going to do it,” said Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf. “Because justice is being demanded and not by just Oprah…we need to take action…”
Former Maxim Model Murder Case
Former MAXIM model, Kelsey Turner, faces murder charges for the death of Dr. Thomas Burchard, a 71-year-old psychiatrist. According to police, Burchard had an intimate relationship with Turner and paid rent on a Las Vegas home where Turner lived with her boyfriend and roommate. Domestic violence charges were filed against Turner’s boyfriend about a month before the couple allegedly killed Burchard. Was Turner under the violent control of her boyfriend when the murder took place?
“That’s exactly what they’re going to say,” said Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf. “This is the best defense for her, and it’s also very likely what happened.”
Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf weighs in following the release of new body camera footage taken during the arrest of George Floyd in Minneapolis. At what point in the arrest did it go from lawful to unlawful?
“He is begging for mercy, begging for some humanity the entire encounter, and he doesn’t get it,” said Wolf. “Essentially, he’s mugged by officers…for an alleged counterfeit twenty-dollar bill. There isn’t a time when it turns criminal…this is criminal from start to finish.”
Defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf responds to the death of 8-year-old Secoriea Turner who was shot to death on July 5 in Atlanta, Georgia.
“These riots are the voice of the unheard,” said Wolf. “We need to see local leaders step up and do something.”
Denver defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf discusses military misconduct following the tragic murder of Vanessa Guillen, a Fort Hood soldier who had alleged sexual harassment from a superior.
“One in four female service members are being sexually harassed or assaulted, and they’re doing nothing about it,” Wolf said.
Julia Leanna Tomlin, the mother of Noah Tomlin whose body was found in July near a trash incinerator, will be charged with murder in her son’s death.
Defense attorney and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf weighs in on the complexities of parenting, drug and alcohol addiction, and economic inequality.
“The resources aren’t there…the system is the problem here, said Wolf.
Mary Kay Letourneau, an infamous teacher who raped a male student and later married her victim, is dead at 58.
Denver defense lawyer and Court TV correspondent Jeffrey Wolf reiterates why the age of consent exists and settles the panel’s discussion: “It’s not a love story.”
