Nicole Linton convicted of second-degree murder in 2022 Windsor Hills crash killing six
A Los Angeles jury found Nicole Linton, 39, guilty on six counts of second-degree murder for a 2022 crash that killed six people. She faces life in prison and is due to be sentenced on 1 December.
Jury convicts nurse in fatal Windsor Hills collision after three hours of deliberation
A Los Angeles jury found Nicole Linton, 39, guilty of six counts of second-degree murder on Friday, more than two years after a high-speed crash at the intersection of Slauson and La Brea avenues killed six people, including a heavily pregnant woman and her unborn child. ABC7 Los Angeles reported the verdict, which came after jurors deliberated for just three hours.
Linton faces the possibility of life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for 1 December.
The crash
The collision occurred on 4 August 2022, when prosecutors alleged Linton was driving a Mercedes at approximately 130 mph before running the intersection, triggering a fiery pile-up that shocked the surrounding community.
Among the dead was 23-year-old Asherey Ryan, who was eight and a half months pregnant. Ryan had been travelling in a Jaguar with her 24-year-old boyfriend, Reynold Lester, and their 11-month-old son, Alonzo Quintero, en route to a prenatal appointment. Their unborn son, Armani, was also killed. A California Highway Patrol investigator testified that the force of impact split the Jaguar in half.
Also killed were 43-year-old Nathesia Lewis and her friend, 38-year-old Lynette Noble, who were travelling in a separate vehicle. Nine additional people, including Linton herself, were injured.
Prosecution and defence arguments
Prosecutors told jurors during opening statements that Linton "killed six people," presenting surveillance footage of the collision and graphic images related to the crash. They argued she had been upset at work and was driving angrily at the time, and maintained there was no evidence of a seizure or impairment by drugs or alcohol.
The defence contended Linton was suffering a mental health crisis and may have experienced a lapse of consciousness. Her attorneys said the travelling nurse had just left her job and suffered a medical emergency while driving home, claiming she had a seizure before impact. They also stated she was not on her phone, was not racing anyone, and was not involved in any dispute at the time.
Legal expert Lou Shapiro commented on the challenge facing the defence: "The prosecution is going to argue that even if she was suffering from some sort of a mental health defect, she should have known better than to even get behind the wheel of a car. So when you take that into consideration, and you have the horrific tragedies and deaths that befell the victims, combining all that, it's an uphill battle for the defence."
Linton had previously pleaded not guilty.
Emotional scenes in court
The presentation of evidence prompted audible reactions throughout the trial. Surveillance footage shown in court captured witnesses picking up 11-month-old Alonzo from the ground near a gas station after prosecutors said the force of the crash threw him through the air. Graphic images shown by the prosecution prompted some family members to leave the courtroom. Linton was seen crying at various points during proceedings, and at least one juror was visibly distressed.
Families respond to verdict
Victims' family members, who had referred to the six dead as the "Slauson Six," erupted in cheers and embraces as they left the courtroom following the verdict. They said they had waited more than four years for justice and had attended weeks of proceedings.
Jasmond Nelson, the sister of victim Nathesia Lewis, addressed reporters outside: "Today we are so thankful and grateful to get justice for our families, for all the innocent lives that were taken, including innocent children. So this has been a long journey, it's been extremely hard, so much grief — and even though we have justice, grief doesn't change, it doesn't stop, so we will still miss our loved ones. However, Nicole Linton taking accountability and responsibility and being held accountable for her actions is a good thing."
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)