Man guilty in Amber Alert abduction
Court Alerts
A jury found a Chicago man guilty of abducting his ex-girlfriend and their four children and holding them hostage at an Elkhart motel.
The jury deliberated for two hours Wednesday before finding Jerry White, 31, guilty of one count of attempted murder and eight counts of criminal confinement.
White was accused of holding his former girlfriend, Kimberly Walker, and their four children hostage in Elkhart starting on Jan. 20. Police searched for them for more than three days until they found everyone unharmed at a motel on Elkhart's north side.
The case led to an Amber Alert that drew national attention.
White showed no emotion when the verdict was read. During his testimony, White said he never forced anyone to stay in the home and Walker and their four children went with him willingly to the motel where police later found them.
"They could've left if they wanted to," White said. "I never told anyone that they could not leave."
White also was charged with shooting a man after entering his former girlfriend's home. The man, Lathie Turnage, was blinded in the shooting. White said he shot Turnage out of fear.
White will be sentenced December 20. He faces up to 80 years in prison.
"I'm just glad it's over," said Pamela Walker, Kimberly's sister.
Related listings
-
Court Skeptical of Maine Tobacco Law
Court Alerts 11/28/2007Cast in the good-guy role of stopping Internet cigarette sales to children, Maine's deputy attorney general got roughed up Wednesday by several Supreme Court justices who suggested the law is not on his side.Paul Stern argued that his state, like man...
-
Delaware River Dispute at Supreme Court
Court Alerts 11/28/2007Delaware and New Jersey squared off in the Supreme Court Tuesday over which state gets to decide whether a liquefied natural gas terminal gets built on the Delaware River.The dispute centers on a proposed LNG terminal that energy giant BP wants to bu...
-
Court to Release Audio in Guantanmo Case
Court Alerts 11/28/2007[##_1L|1176335041.jpg|width="120" height="84" alt=""|_##]The Supreme Court will hear arguments next week about the rights of prisoners who have been detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and will immediately release audio tapes of the proceeding. The cou...
New York Commercial Litigation Law Firm - Woods Lonergan PLLC
Founded in 1993 by Managing Partner James F. Woods, Woods Lonergan PLLC has built a strong reputation as a resourceful and industrious firm that provides clients with clear, concise, and straightforward answers to their most challenging legal issues. Partner Lawrence R. Lonergan, who joined the firm in 2008, has been a friend and colleague to Mr. Woods for over 40 years and shares the same business philosophy. Woods Lonergan PLLC’s collective experience and expertise enables the firm to expeditiously and effectively analyze the increasing challenges clients face in an evolving business and legal world, in many instances, avoiding unnecessary time and expense to our clients. Our mission is simple: provide cutting-edge expertise and sound advice in select areas of the law for corporate and business clients. We thrive on providing each client with personalized attention, forceful representation, and a collaborative team effort that embraces collective knowledge.