A Case of Evil - But Death Penalty Reversed

Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/murderer-four-her-children-arson-avoids-death-penalty-barry and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 3700 posts. 

This is not an insurance case although the damage caused by Sandi Dawn Nieves would have resulted in a fire insurance claim. This is a case of premeditated murder by a woman who intentionally killed four of her children and attempted - but failed - to kill the fifth. The California Supreme Court, in The People v. Sandi Dawn Nieves, S092410, Supreme Court Of California (May 3, 2021) spent more than 180 pages to conclude that her conviction should stand but reversed the finding of the jury that she should be put to death.

ZALMA OPINION

In this case the fire intentionally set and accelerated by Ms. Nieves killed four of her children and seriously injured a fifth. I don't understand the reversal of the death penalty since Ms. Nieves fit all the required categories but can hope she will never leave prison. The case did not deserve a more than 180 page opinion. It could have been resolved without giving detailed analysis of each claim of error.

© 2021 – Barry Zalma