Anne Caroline Drake

After four days of deliberation, the jury found Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter (“Clark Rockefeller”) guilty of custodial kidnapping and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charge.  As I write this blog, I am listening live to the sentencing hearing at WCVB’s web page.   I am grateful to them for their coverage of this trial as well as the abundant resources they have provided during the pendancy of this trial on their web site.

Citing “Rockefeller’s” disregard for his daughter’s welfare when he kidnapped her, Judge Frank M. Gaziano sentenced him to five years for custodial kidnapping and three years for assault and battery with the sentences to be served concurrently (at the same time).

The jury’s foreman was Harvard Law professor Michael J. Gregory.  Apparently, they believed Assistant District Attorney David Deakin’s argument that “Rockefeller” should be punished for a “lifetime of lies” and “manipulation.”

Amalia Barreda, who also covered OJ Simpson’s trial, was blogging from the courtroom for WCVB throughout the trial.

You can cast your vote on whether you agree with the verdict at WCVB’s story about the verdict.  You can also watch a video of the verdict being read at that page.

Here’s a link to coverage in the Boston Herald.  Their story includes a very interesting map of the goose-chase “Rockefeller” took the FBI and Boston Police force on until a Baltimore realtor responded to the Amber alert.

You can read my thoughts on the litigation abuse in this story in my June 8 and June 3 blog entries.  Yes, defense attorney Jeffrey Denner had a duty to present a vigrous defense of his client, but I think he crossed the line.

According to CNN, prosecutors in Los Angeles have convened a grand jury to look into Rockefeller’s possible role in the disappearance of the San Marino couple.