Heroes and villains are made in the media and court trials have a way of dividing America. They serve as entertainment as the public roots for or against defendants.

Controversial cases always make for controversial verdicts; and we’ve seen many in the last 20 years.

Here’s a list of the top 5 most controversial court verdicts of all time.

5. Casey Anthony

Casey Anthony was accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter Kaylee in Orlando, Florida. She would be charged with murder and the prosecution would call for the death penalty. The trial would last for six weeks and attract a ton of media attention. Anthony would later be found not guilty of murdering her daughter due to reasonable doubt.

The verdict sent many Americans across the country into an uproar, and forced police to protect Anthony from threats of violence.

4. Sean Bell Trial

After Sean Bell was killed by New York City police outside a club in Queens, New York, three officers were later charged in the shooting which consisted of 50 shots shot into a vehicle full of unarmed men.

Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver were charged with manslaughter, reckless endangerment and assault. The policemen chose to have the verdict chosen by a judge and a jury and were found not guilty of all charges.

3. O.J. Simpson

O.J. Simpson was charged with killing his wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman outside his house in Brentwood, California.

O.J. would be defended by legendary lawyer Johnnie Cochran in what many call the “trial of the century.” O.J. would be found not guilty of murder and the reaction to the verdict would cause racial tension.

2. Rodney King

In 1991, a bystander recorded several police officers brutally beating Rodney King on his camera. Sergeant Stacey Koon and officers Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Theodore Briseno, and Rolando Solano were charged with using excessive force. The trial was transferred from Los Angeles to the mostly white and conservative Simi Valley, where they were found not guilty despite the video evidence.

1. Oscar Grant Verdict

On New Year’s eve 2009, Bay Area Transit Officer Johannes Mehserle, was recorded killing unarmed Oscar Grant while on the ground in handcuffs. Mehserle would be found not guilty of both second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter charges, but found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

He wound up being sentenced to two years in prison — but only served one — and was recently release to much anger from many across the country.

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The Huffington Post reports:

Banton was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and using the wires to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. He was acquitted of attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine

Much of the case hinged on meetings and phone calls that were video and audiotaped by the confidential informant, who was working with the Drug Enforcement Administration – and who made $50,000 in commission after the bust.

Read The Whole Story

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Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams, who is black, rejected a deal to allow a white defendant — Jeffery McGowan, 24, of Franklin Park — to get three months of probation for an incident in which he is accused of trying to fight with police after a traffic stop.

“(Assistant District Attorney Brian) Catanzarite for some reason comes up with I think ridiculous pleas whenever it’s a young white guy,” Williams said. “I’m just telling you what my observation is. If this had been a black kid who did the same thing, we wouldn’t be talking about three months’ probation.”

“Not because he’s white, but because it’s a ridiculous plea that only goes to white boys that come into this court for the same facts, and I’m not going for it,” the judge responded.

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Jons, 20, was a juror in a case of resisting arrest. On Aug. 11, a day off from the trial and before the prosecution finished its case, she wrote on Facebook that it was “gonna be fun to tell the defendant they’re guilty.”

The post was discovered by defense lawyer Saleema Sheikh’s son.

Circuit Judge Diane Druzinski confronted Jons the next day and replaced her with an alternate.

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“You don’t know how disturbing this is,” Druzinski said, according to The Macomb Daily.

A message seeking comment was left for Jons on Monday.

“I would like to see her get some jail time, nothing major, a few hours or overnight,” Sheikh said. “This is the jury system. People need to know how important it is.”

Sheikh’s son, Jaxon Goodman, discovered the comment while checking jurors’ names on the Internet. He works in his mother’s law office.

“I’m really proud of him,” Sheikh said.

Without Jons, the jury convicted Sheikh’s client of a felony but couldn’t agree on a separate misdemeanor charge.

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Already serving time for accidentally shooting his limo driver to death, former Nets star Jayson Williams is due in court today in Manhattan to answer to drunk driving charges.

Police say Williams had a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit after his sports utility vehicle crashed into a tree in January.

He’s pleaded not guilty, but an attorney for Williams now says a guilty plea is a possibility.

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The one-time St. John’s standout faces up to a year in jail.

He’s already serving a five-year term in New Jersey after pleading guilty earlier this year to aggravated assault in connection with the fatal shooting of driver Costas Christofi.

Read entire article at NY1.com

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MyFoxDetroit.com Staff – DETROIT (AP) – A judge ruled Tuesday that former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick violated terms of his probation by failing to report some of his assets but held off deciding whether to send him to jail.

 
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David Groner ruled that Kilpatrick violated terms of his probation by failing to report some of his assets. He said Kilpatrick could remain free on bond pending his sentencing on May 25, but strongly suggested Kilpatrick may be headed to jail and ordered state corrections officials to prepare a pre-sentence report and submit it to the court.

Prosecutors have said Kilpatrick hasn’t paid enough toward his $1 million restitution to Detroit.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY @ MYFOXDETROIT.COM

Ex-mayor could get tougher probation — or prison term

BY JOE SWICKARD – FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Kwame Kilpatrick faces the entire array of potential punishments today, from a shorter leash all the way to years behind prison walls, if Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner finds the former Detroit mayor violated his probation.

 
And, as in almost every stage of Kilpatrick’s criminal case, it could mean a trip to the appellate courts.

But even if Groner orders Kilpatrick to do hard time, that doesn’t mean he would leave the court in handcuffs. Kilpatrick might be allowed to stay out for a period of time to get his affairs in order. And the judge might order him to post a cash bond.

Under state law, circuit court judges have wide latitude in assessing punishment for probation violations.

The least severe of Groner’s options could be tightening Kilpatrick’s probation conditions — increasing reporting requirements or limiting travel, for example — without putting him back behind bars.

But Groner could revoke Kilpatrick’s probation and order him to serve a period of incarceration.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY @ FREEP.COM
 

At least seven were taken into custody in raids by an FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio

Jennifer Chambers and Doug Guthrie – The Detroit News

Federal prosecutors plan to unseal charges today against members of a self-described Christian militia arrested Saturday and Sunday in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.

At least seven people were taken into custody in raids by an FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force as part of an investigation into an Adrian-based unit of the Hutaree, a group that professes it is training in modern armed combat techniques for a prophesized coming battle with the Antichrist.

The suspects are expected to make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Detroit today, according to federal authorities, who declined to discuss the charges behind the multistate arrests.

“Jesus wanted us to be ready to defend ourselves using the sword and stay alive using equipment …,” one of the group’s purported leaders wrote on its Web site. “We, the Hutaree, are prepared to defend all those who belong to Christ and save those who aren’t. We will still spread the word, and fight to keep it, up to the time of the great coming.”

 
The group’s insignia, worn as a patch on military camouflage uniforms, is a cross-shaped sword and the letters CCR for Colonial Christian Republic. The Hutaree Web site features links to conservative Christian news outlets along with photos and videos of combat training sessions under the banner, “Preparing for the end time battles to keep the testimony of Jesus Christ alive.”

U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said in Detroit on Sunday, “There is law enforcement activity in progress, but I decline further comment because I don’t want to adversely affect its effectiveness.”

Detroit FBI Special Agent Sandra Berchtold said warrants in the case are under court seal and declined further comment.

Click Here To Read The Full Story From The Detroit News

AMY LANGE – MYFOXDETROIT.COM

DETROIT – Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is preparing for a new showdown in court on Wednesday. Judge David Groner will decide what to do about Kilpatrick’s failure to make a major restitution payment.

 
FOX 2 Legal Analyst Charlie Langton is weighing in on what to expect when Kilpatrick comes back to court on Wednesday for his probation violation hearing.

“I think the prosecutor is going to try… to put witnesses on or testimony that Kwame Kilpatrick is still hiding money,” said Langton. “If the prosecutor can succeed with that, I think then Kwame Kilpatrick’s in big, big trouble. If the prosecutor can’t do that, then it’s like what do you want from Kwame?”

 
Kilpatrick’s been making his monthly restitution payments, but failed to make a $79,000 payment in February. He’s supposed to pay another $240,000 next month. $40,000 in money orders has been donated by family and friends, but Kilpatrick claims he doesn’t have the money.

“We know, to some extent, what Kwame Kilpatrick did with his money. We’ve been through that — repayment of the house, repayment of the car, the Gucci shoes, the plastic surgery — we know all that. He blew all the money,” Langton said. “That money’s gone, so unless there’s new money now, what are you going to do?”

 
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY AT MYFOXDETROIT.COM

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE PROCEEDINGS LIVE

DETROIT – A judge summoned lawyers to his courtroom Tuesday to determine what’s next for former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who failed to fulfill a special restitution payment and possibly faces a probation violation in a criminal case that derailed his political career.

Click on the video below for the report from Fox 2 News

 
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