[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- 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 go to a sentencing hearing
in Cleveland, Ohio.
♪ ♪
34-year-old Matthew Ponomarenko
has pled guilty to aggravated murder, kidnapping,
and endangering children.
♪ ♪
Two and a half years earlier, police say Ponomarenko,
who had previous convictions for child endangerment
and resisting arrest,
was home with his five-year-old son Jax
when he made a disturbing 911 call.
♪ ♪
- When police arrived at the house,
they say they found Ponomarenko on the front lawn
and placed him under arrest.
Jax's body was found in the living room.
He'd been beaten to death.
The boy's mother wasn't home at the time of the incident.
After undergoing a series of psychological evaluations
and being deemed competent to stand trial,
Ponomarenko pled not guilty to the charges.
But in the 11th hour, he accepted a deal
from prosecutors, pleading guilty
in exchange for the state not pursuing the death penalty.
♪ ♪
Today is sentencing,
and Ponomarenko enters the courtroom
spewing profanities about the terms of the deal.
- Once Ponomarenko settles down,
Judge Timothy McGinty goes over the plea deal.
- As Ponomarenko settles down,
the judge gives family members a chance to deliver
victim impact statements.
But just as the victim's aunt, Jamie Lopez,
approaches the podium, Ponomarenko loses it.
[Ponomarenko screams]
- All right, we're--
we'll take-- - I'm sitting!
- All right, we're going to take a break.
Deputies, take him into the holding cell, please.
♪ ♪
- 25 minutes later, a calmer Ponomarenko
returns to the courtroom.
♪ ♪
- I will never, ever forget the horrifying phone call
I received from my sister screaming, "Jax is dead."
A mother's scream from losing a child
is a sound like no other.
♪ ♪
As we learned about graphic details
of how Jax was murdered, it left us
with so many gut-wrenching questions.
Was he scared?
Was he in pain?
Was he so very confused on why the man
that was supposed to be his protector,
supposed to be his hero, was doing this to him?
- When she's finished, Ponomarenko
was given a chance to speak.
- I'd like to say I'm sorry.
[sobbing]
♪ ♪
- That's all, Your Honor. - All right, thank you.
- Jax's mother did not appear at sentencing.
♪ ♪
The judge sentenced Ponomarenko to life in prison
with credit for 960 days time served.
He'll be eligible for parole after 45 years.
He'd be 77 years old.
♪ ♪
Next, we go to Gaylord, Michigan,
for a probation violation hearing.
♪ ♪
43-year-old Dustin Musall has been found guilty
on three counts of assaulting
or obstructing a police officer.
♪ ♪
He was sentenced to two years' probation,
which included check-ins with the court
and regular drug testing.
But when, according to police reports,
Musall failed to meet with his probation officer
and allegedly committed a number of other violations,
a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
♪ ♪
Today, Musall appears from the county jail
before Judge Michael Cooper to hear if he'll make bond.
Also at the hearing is Luke Hamlin,
Musall's probation officer.
- Mr. Hamlin, could you just describe
the alleged probation violation?
- He has ten violations--
no-call, no-shows for drug screens,
no-shows for office visits, and one violation
for threatening or intimidating behavior.
- Mr. Hamlin, could you briefly describe that?
- Yesterday, during his office visit,
Mr. Musall advised me that part of the reason he did not want
to come in for his office visits
was because he was going through some stuff.
I asked him what he was going through in particular,
and he stated, "I wanted to come in
and kill you and stab you."
♪ ♪
- All right--
- All right, Mr. Musall, this would
not be the time to speak.
- Mr. Musall--
- Judge Cooper reminds the defendant
that this is not a trial.
- Mr. Musall, this is just a time
when I'm advising you of what the charges are
of the probation violations.
You'll get a chance to dispute them if you want to.
You also have the right to a court-appointed attorney.
Do you wish to seek a court-appointed attorney?
Or did you want to proceed without one or hire your own?
- All right, now, when you say that,
I'm assuming you're asking for a court-appointed
attorney, correct?
- All right.
One will be appointed to represent you.
At this point, given the allegations,
I'm not going to set bond.
But I will schedule this for a hearing as soon as practical.
♪ ♪
- Because the allegation is that
you made threatening comments.
And until I hear more about it--
- Mr. Musall--
- Let--Mr. Musall--
- All right, we're done.
This hearing is completed.
- Let's go.
Come on.
- Once Musall's removed, he can still be heard
from the hallway airing his frustrations.
[Musall shouting indistinctly]
♪ ♪
- Musall was later sentenced
to an in-patient drug treatment facility.
His case is pending.
- Next, we head to Akron, Ohio,
for a sentencing hearing.
♪ ♪
50-year-old Keith Partin has been convicted
of felonious assault.
♪ ♪
Five months earlier, according to police reports,
Partin approached Officer Jonathan Travis,
who was sitting in his parked police cruiser.
Without warning, Partin punched the 44-year-old
officer in the face.
Travis remained in his car and called for backup.
When a fellow officer asked why he hit Officer Travis,
Partin had a curious response.
- What'd you do that for?
- What the [bleep]? Why?
Why are you being a pain in the [bleep]??
Put your hands behind your back, will you?
Why do you want to go to jail?
- Done what?
Come on.
- I don't give a [bleep] about your stuff.
You hit my officer in the face.
- That's stupid.
- Well, that's [bleep].
Damn right, you're going to jail.
- The officer suffered a large cut
on the inside of his cheek, a cut lip, and a concussion.
Partin was officially charged,
and the case went to trial, where a jury found him guilty.
Today, he appears from the county jail
before Judge Alison Breaux to hear his sentence.
He's facing anywhere from 2 to 15 years in prison.
But first, Officer Travis has a statement for the court.
- My life has changed since being
assaulted by Keith Partin.
I still cannot remember anything from the incident.
I have a series of doctor's appointments I must attend.
I get headaches, forget the names of things,
cannot multitask, and struggle to remain focused
to complete important assignments.
These were all simple things I could do on a daily basis,
but not now because of Keith Partin's actions.
♪ ♪
Your Honor, I ask that you provide justice in this case.
Do not give Keith Partin the opportunity
to harm anyone else.
Please grant Keith Partin his wish
and send him to jail for a long period of time.
Thank you. - Thank you, Officer Travis.
- When he's finished, it's the defendant's turn to speak.
- Okay, Mr. Partin, at this time, you may make a statement.
Is there anything you would like to say
before I impose your sentence?
- Yes.
I'm on medical disability.
I had no choice but to take the medication
that the doctors gave me and, uh,
deal with the rest of the pain with the alcohol.
- All right. Thank you, Mr. Partin.
- Judge Breaux is now ready to impose her sentence.
- Mr. Partin, to this day and up until four seconds ago,
you have never once apologized or shown any remorse
with regard to this act.
To walk up to a police officer who is sitting in his vehicle,
minding his own business, and sucker punch him
is just unbelievable.
♪ ♪
I don't think anybody could have foreseen
the amount of damage that it has caused Officer Travis.
- Mr. Partin, you had a chance--
Mr. Partin, you had an opportunity to be heard.
- I am!
He's making money!
- You had an opportunity to be heard.
And you will--and you continue to make excuses...
- I ain't got no excuse.
- And divert from this act.
- But he's making money!
- I'm sentencing you to a period
in the Ohio Department of Corrections
from 9 to 13 1/2 years.
♪ ♪
This is a mandatory sentence.
You will serve all of that.
- Okay, if you're going to continue to interrupt me,
I'm going to have to mute you, Mr. Partin.
I wish you luck.
I hope that you come to realize your part in this.
Thank you.
- Partin was sentenced to 9 to 13 1/2 years in prison.
The earliest he could be released is 2032,
when he'd be 59 years old.
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
- Next, we head to a sentencing in Akron, Ohio.
♪ ♪
29-year-old Deair Wray has been convicted on three counts
of murder, firearm specifications,
improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation,
and two counts of felonious assault.
♪ ♪
A year and a half earlier, police say Wray fired
into the home of his ex-girlfriend,
22-year-old Dezah Robertson...
[gunshot]
Hitting her friend, Giovanni Stanford,
multiple times in the chest and head.
The 23-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital
but died later that night.
Robertson, who shares a young child with the defendant,
was hit in the leg but survived.
The child was home at the time of the shooting
and was uninjured.
Police say Wray, who fled the scene,
was jealous over the fact that Dezah and Giovanni
were spending time together.
Three months later, after authorities received a tip,
he was arrested by U.S. Marshals
and officially charged.
Wray pled not guilty,
but after a week-long trial,
a jury convicted him of all charges.
♪ ♪
Today, Wray appears from the county jail
before Judge Kathryn Michael to hear his sentence.
The max he could receive is 32 years to life in prison.
But first, members of Giovanni's family
are in court to deliver victim impact statements.
First up is Medira Sampson, Giovanni's grandmother.
- Giovanni was my grandson.
But he was also my son first.
- Medira's interrupted when Wray
walks away from the camera.
Judge Michael quickly addresses the situation.
- Can you please bring the defendant back into the room
so that we can go through with the sentencing?
- He's back.
Sit down, Mr. Wray.
- The victim's grandmother tries again.
- Giovanni has a mother, a father, a great-grandmother--
- And there he goes again.
- We really need for him to be restrained
and put in that chair so that we can finish this sentencing.
- Can you hear me?
- We can hear you.
- Then give me my time so I can go.
- Sir, have a seat.
We need to get through this.
By law, you have to be there.
♪ ♪
- The lady was talking.
I didn't--I didn't disrespect. I just walked off.
- You cannot walk away.
- I did, though.
- You have to be there for your sentence.
I don't know what's going on at the jail,
but they need to put him in that seat, please.
- They're gonna get sued if they put their hands on me.
I'm not--I ain't-- I'm not struggling or nothing.
- Well, I'm asking you--
I'm the judge, and I'm asking you to sit down now.
We need to hear from Giovanni's family.
- By law, you do. Please have a seat.
♪ ♪
You have to give them the opportunity to speak, sir.
That's part of what the law states.
- I understand that for a guilty person,
for somebody else.
- Sir, you were found guilty by a jury of your peers.
- Wray eventually settles down,
and Giovanni's grandmother continues with her statement.
- You killed my grandson for no reason but for a female.
If you had a problem with him, I don't see why you
didn't approach him as a man.
But you took his life.
♪ ♪
You think it's funny?
I don't think it's funny at all.
To take someone's life is wrong.
It's wrong.
And I want you to pay with the rest
of your life in that cage.
- Next to speak is Jamekia Stanford,
Giovanni's mother.
- Giovanni will never receive true justice.
He will never receive what is due to him.
He was denied that opportunity by you.
And you still smiling and laughing.
Giovanni's natural and legal rights were stripped from him
as he was hunted by-- like prey by an animal
and murdered in cold blood by an animal, swine that you are.
You took my son, my son who was becoming his wildest dreams.
You extinguished those dreams,
and I hope in your darkest hours,
his dreams become your nightmares.
♪ ♪
- When she's finished, Judge Michael sentences Wray
to 29 years to life in prison.
He'll be eligible for parole in the year 2052,
when he'd be 58 years old.
♪ ♪
- Next, we're in Wyandotte, Michigan, for a civil hearing.
♪ ♪
69-year-old Charlesetta Williams
is being sued by her landlord for $2,917 in back rent.
♪ ♪
Today, Williams appears remotely
before Judge Elizabeth DiSanto
to discuss next steps in the case.
She's represented by public defender Joe Joseph.
But before the judge begins,
she has a question for the defendant.
- Unmuted.
- But just a few minutes later,
Williams is back in hot water with the judge.
♪ ♪
- Judge DiSanto orders Williams
into the breakout room with her attorney.
But the defendant has something else on her mind.
♪ ♪
- After leaving the call for a few minutes,
Judge DiSanto returns and asks the public defender
what his client wants to do.
- When Williams is done, the judge announces
next steps in the case.
Okay?
- Yes, Your Honor. I apologize about that.
I'm sorry.
- All right. Thank you.
Have a good weekend.
- You as well. Thank you so much.
- Williams was later ordered to pay $1,000
to the landlord, which she did,
and vacate the apartment.
The case is now closed.
That's it for this edition of "Court Cam."
I'm Dan Abrams. Thanks for watching.
♪ ♪