[dramatic music]
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- Hi, everyone, I'm Dan Abrams, and this is "Court Cam."
- You should be ashamed of yourself.
- I want dude off my case. [spits]
♪ ♪
- Got a runner.
[people yelling]
- Get out!
- This is not TV court. This is for real.
♪ ♪
- First up, we head to Fort Myers, Florida,
for a pre-sentencing hearing.
61-year-old Joseph Zieler has been convicted
on two counts of first-degree murder.
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33 years earlier, according to police reports,
11-year-old Robin Cornell
and her 32-year-old babysitter, Lisa Story,
were asleep in Robin's Cape Coral home.
After entering through a sliding glass door,
Zieler beat, sexually assaulted,
and, using a pillow,
suffocated both Lisa and Robin.
Zieler, who police say did not know his victims,
fled the apartment unseen.
Robin's mother, Jan Cornell,
who spent the night with a friend,
discovered Robin and Lisa's bodies
the next morning.
Police had no leads, and the case remained cold
for 26 years until Zieler was arrested
on an unrelated gun charge and had to give a DNA sample.
When his DNA matched the evidence found
at the Cornell home,
Zieler was charged with both murders.
He pled not guilty, and the case went to trial,
where Zieler, who took the stand
and maintained his innocence, disrupted court several times.
- And later in his testimony,
Zieler flipped his middle finger
to court cameras.
When both sides came to rest,
it took a jury just three hours to return with a verdict.
- The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder
of Robin Cornell.
The defendant is guilty of first-degree murder
of Lisa Story.
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- Today, prior to being sentenced,
the now-convicted murderer appears
before Judge Robert Branning
for what's called a Spencer hearing.
Before things get underway, a shackled Zieler asks
to speak with his attorney, Kevin Shirley.
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- Oh!
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- Zieler strikes his own lawyer with an elbow
before bailiffs quickly take him to the floor.
- The judge checks on Shirley, who seems to be unhurt.
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- Later that day, Zieler was brought back
for sentencing, where the jury handed down
its recommendation of death.
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Judge Branning agreed and handed Zeiler
two death sentences, one for each victim.
Zeiler is currently on death row,
where he maintains his innocence
and says he intends to appeal.
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[dramatic music]
Next, we're in Eureka, Kansas, for a hearing.
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32-year-old Jacob Michael has been charged
with domestic battery, disorderly conduct,
and criminal damage to property.
According to police, Michael recently had
an altercation with a family member
and damaged his cell phone.
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He was arrested and released on $7,500 bond.
Today, he appears remotely without an attorney
for Judge Phyllis Webster to discuss
next steps in the case.
The state prosecutor is Jill Gillett.
- All right. We're going on the record now, sir.
Are you awake?
- You sure you understand what's going on,
where you are?
- Judge Webster has reason for concern,
since earlier that day, Michael missed a hearing
because he fell asleep.
- It is now 3:07 p.m., and he was to be here at 1:30.
He called in and then apparently fell asleep
and didn't answer, so the officers had
to go by his home to try to find him to wake him up.
And they found him and woke him up.
This was a public service the officers did.
They didn't have to, but they have saved
bench warrants for Mr. Michael.
Mr. Michael, you need to pick a location,
stay seated, and keep your camera on you, please.
- So this is your first appearance in 2023 CR80.
In this case, the State is charging you
in count one with domestic battery.
OK, keep your camera where I can see you, please.
Thank you.
Mr. Michael, do you have any questions about these charges
or their possible penalties
that I could help you with today?
♪ ♪
- Mr. Michael, are you on any drugs today or alcohol?
- You're still what?
- OK.
Well, I'm just concerned about your slurred speech
and your jerky movements there,
that maybe you're under the influence of something.
- Judge Webster doesn't seem convinced.
- Are the officers still with you?
♪ ♪
- Did you say the officers were still there?
- Excuse me just a moment.
I'm going to take just a brief recess.
♪ ♪
- When the judge returns a few minutes later,
the defendant is missing.
- All right. Where did he go?
- I don't know, Judge.
But the officers are there outside his house still.
- Well, if he were in the courthouse in this condition,
I would order him to be taken into custody
and tested because I don't know that he's going
to remember this hearing.
So he's failing to appear.
Can we just have him brought into custody and tested?
Basically, I'm issuing a bench warrant for his arrest
and if they'll bring him in and get him tested
because he's got to have
a meaningful reading of rights and charges.
I just am afraid he's, like I said,
not going to even remember this hearing.
- Police took Michael into custody.
He tested positive for methamphetamine.
He was released the next day on the same bond,
but was ordered to wear a GPS tracker
and be regularly drug tested.
He later pled no contest to all charges
and was given a suspended sentence of 18 months
plus one year of probation.
He must also attend a batterers intervention program.
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[dramatic music]
- Next, we're in Flint, Michigan, for a civil hearing.
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64-year-old Cheryl Callaway is suing
33-year-old Marian Leverette for unpaid rent.
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Leverette says she's withholding payment
because the building's manager, Greg Kelly,
has not repaired plumbing and a damaged roof.
The judge in the case is Herman Marable.
And before things get underway,
he's got a question for the defendant.
- Are you on the bus?
- No.
I have to pick my daughter up from school,
and I'm late, so--
- You're not driving, are you?
- Yes.
- Well, you know I'm not going to do
a hearing with you driving.
So maybe you should pull over.
- I'm about to.
OK.
- Once Leverette puts the car in park,
Judge Marable continues the hearing.
- Judge, can I say something?
- Yes. What do you want to tell me?
- Will she please let us in the house
to find out what is the toilet plumbing?
She turned the alarm on,
so we cannot go in there at all.
- Hang on a second. Hang on.
Wait a minute.
Did you say that you came here all the way
from Memphis, Tennessee, or Memphis, Michigan?
- Memphis, Tennessee.
- You--wait.
You came up here without having an appointment
set up with her?
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- Your Honor, I came there the first time
to find out who she is and talk to her.
- You mentioned the toilet.
- She told Mr. Kelly the reason she has not paid rent,
because the toilet is not working.
Mr. Kelly stated, he asked her to turn her alarm system off.
She has not turned it off yet.
- Ma'am, is there an alarm system on there?
- Yes, there's a doorbell cam on my door
that will verify that she never came to my house,
not one time.
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- Ma'am, Ms. Leverette,
I don't know why you guys won't email,
or text, or communicate.
- I have text messages of everything
that I ask that man to fix in that house.
When the ceiling fell in in my daughter's room,
and it broke their beds, I have everything.
I have pictures.
I have everything that this man has not done.
The only time I've seen anything out of that man
is when I'll call and I'll be like,
OK, well, I'll hold the rent until then.
And then he'll come and [bleep] it.
I'm sorry for saying that, but that's what he call it.
And he--
- Ma'am. Ma'am.
Ma'am, you know what? Stop talking.
- Judge, I'm glad she's-- - Stop talking.
- Telling me, 'cause I didn't know what was going on.
- No. No. No.
I told you to stop talking. - OK.
- Ms. Leverette, I'm not going to tolerate
your language in here.
You're about to get held in contempt of court
if you do it again. - OK.
- You read me? Do you read me?
- Yes.
- You better act like you're in court,
not out at the bar somewhere.
Driving around--you know, this is not acceptable.
- Judge Marable, who appears frustrated,
offers a possible solution.
- So you guys never really have
had a conversation with each other?
- I never met this woman a day in my life.
- No, I never met her. Nope.
I never met her. Correct.
She's correct. - Hey. Hey. Guess what?
Guess what?
We're going to put you guys in a breakout room right now.
- OK. - You need to be talking
about what repairs need to be made.
The other thing that you're going to talk about
is a timetable-- - OK.
- For when the landlord can get in there
and have somebody look at this stuff.
When you guys come out of there,
you're going to tell me what you guys agreed to
regarding that stuff. - OK.
- OK?
- When they return several minutes later,
the judge's idea seems to have worked.
- At the hearing, what she had to say to me--
she said she's moving the first part of November.
I'm coming down to board my house up
because the things she said wasn't fixed,
I know I paid to get it fixed, so therefore,
I was lied to about a whole lot of stuff.
And I believe, what--
I told her I believe what she's telling me.
I'm not even asking for no money from her.
I'm not asking nothing from her, nothing,
because I hate she went through that.
I will dismiss it now.
- You want to dismiss it today? - Yes.
Let it go. - OK.
- She said she wants to move, and that's it.
- OK.
♪ ♪
- After the women reached an agreement,
Judge Marable did dismiss the case.
And it's now officially closed.
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[dramatic music]
- Next, we go to a plea hearing in Woodhaven, Michigan.
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30-year-old Pantelis-Peter Stylianou is
pleading guilty to disorderly conduct.
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Two weeks earlier, police say the defendant left
a retail store with a case of water and, without paying,
placed it in the trunk of his car.
He then went back inside and put a small item
in his pocket, again, without paying.
Store employees took notice and called police.
When they arrived, officers say Stylianou told
them he intended to pay for the items,
but he was still arrested.
Stylianou was initially charged with retail fraud
and disorderly conduct, but he took a deal.
And in exchange for a guilty plea to disorderly conduct,
the state agreed to drop the fraud charge.
Today, he appears with his attorney, Rachel McRipley,
before Judge Michael McNally to enter his plea.
But first, the judge wants to go over a few things.
- So if you plead guilty here to disorderly,
the possible penalties are up to 500 fines,
90 days jail, costs, or all of those.
Do you understand that? - Yes, sir.
- After Stylianou enters his guilty plea,
the judge wants some details about the crime.
- Were you at the Dollar General store
in Flat Rock? - Yes.
- Yes? - Yes.
- And what happened?
What did you do?
- I go in there.
I got two cases of water and a case of pop.
It's right there at the door before you even walk in.
I put it in the trunk. I do my shopping.
- You take the-- - I use the scanner.
- Wait a minute.
You take the water and the pop out of the store
before you go and go do your shopping
and go back to the register?
- Yeah, and I pay for it.
- I've never seen anybody do that.
[dramatic music]
Do you know the people that--
- I do know the people. - Are they friends with you?
- Good friends with me.
I went to high school with the one clerk in there.
- Are you telling me that it was
your intention to pay for the items,
but you just neglected to do so?
Is that really what happened, now?
- I did my shopping.
I went in line to pay for my product.
And the officers came in, and they arrested me
right there in line.
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- Judge McNally considers his next move.
- I'm not taking his plea.
I'll enter a not guilty plea.
I just can't take his plea when he's telling me this.
- Perhaps hoping to save the plea deal,
Stylianou's attorney informs the judge
that there's more to the story than a case of water.
- He what?
- He was putting items in his pockets.
- Were you putting items inside of your pockets?
- I put one item in. - Listen to my question.
- OK.
- Did you put any item inside your pockets
with the intent to leave that store without paying for it?
- Yes, Your Honor. - Then why are you going off
on this little nonsensical gibberish
that makes me feel like you think that
I didn't get past third grade?
- I-- - How old are you?
- I just turned 30 yesterday. - All right.
Well, I've been here since you were 1 1/2,
so there's very little that I haven't heard.
You're in a courtroom.
We're not in a bar.
We don't tell fish stories in here.
And I'm not buying any of what you told me.
When I ask you questions because you tell me
you want to plead guilty,
I expect an honest answer.
Do you still wish to plead guilty?
- Yes, Your Honor. - I can't hear you.
- Yes, Your Honor.
- Plea is accepted--disorderly.
- Before wrapping up, Judge McNally has
a final question for the defendant.
- Is this the way you're going to live your life?
You're going to just ignore judges, ignore courts,
be a thief, get yourself in all kinds of trouble,
lie in court?
Is that the way you're going to go about it?
- No, Your Honor. - I'm just asking you.
It's your life. It's not mine.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- Have a good day. - You too.
- Good luck. - Thank you.
- Don't come in here and lie to me again, OK?
- Yes, Your Honor.
- Stylianou missed his next court date
and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
He was also sentenced to 20 months' probation
and has to pay a fine of $735.
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[dramatic music]
- Next, we're in Montesano, Washington, for a hearing.
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33-year-old James Edlund has been charged
with unlawful possession of a firearm.
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Today, Edlund appears from the county jail
before Judge David Mistachkin to discuss
next steps in the case.
The state has offered him a plea deal
of seven months in jail plus a $500 fine.
But he has yet to accept the offer.
If found guilty, he could be sentenced
to 20 years in prison.
He's represented by Attorney David Arcuri.
- All right.
And is that Mr. Edlund in the jail there?
- Yes, sir.
Please don't infringe on my right to bear arms.
- Just as things get started, Edlund appears
to have put his cards on the table,
but the judge wants to hear from his attorney.
- Go ahead.
- If I may, Your Honor, Mr. Edlund entered
a plea of guilty to the charge of unlawful possession
of a firearm in the second degree.
The court entered an order having
him evaluated for competency.
It finds him competent, so I would ask
the court to set trial and set pretrial next week.
- All right. Ms. Steuben, court administration,
are you online with us?
- Yes, Your Honor.
- And I was hopeful that January 10 was available.
- We can put it on for January 10.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
And that will give Mr. Edlund one more week
to decide whether or not to accept
the State's very generous offer.
- OK.
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- Excuse me, Your Honor.
- It looks like Edlund has something else on his mind.
- Excuse me, Your Honor. Can I make one--
if I do accept this-- if I do accept this--
- Mr. Edlund, the judge is not going
to make any promises to you, and he's not going
to discuss any plea agreements.
It's inappropriate for him to do so.
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- Despite his lawyer's advice,
Edlund repeats his initial request.
- OK, please don't infringe on my right
to bear arms, please, sir.
Please, please, please. Please?
- Mr. Edlund, quit begging.
That's by law, not by judge's decision.
We're done, Your Honor. Thank you.
- Thank you very much.
- Edlund is returned to lockup.
♪ ♪
He later accepted the state's offer and pled guilty.
He was sentenced to seven months in jail,
plus a $500 fine.
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That's it for this edition of "Court Cam."
I'm Dan Abrams. Thanks for watching.
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