Duke Rape Scandal
As the year came to a close, rape charges were dropped against three members of the Duke University lacrosse team and pressure was mounting for District Attorney Mike Nifong to drop all charges, as it appeared the accuser in the case had lost all hope of salvaging her credibility.
JonBenet 'Confession' Turns Out False
John Mark Karr gave a detailed confession to the 1996 murder of JonBenet Ramsey, but the details did not match up with evidence in the case. After porn charges were also dropped against him in California, the former substitute teacher is now free to get rich writing a book about his experience.
Andrea Yates Found Not Guilty
Many people were shocked when a Houston jury of six men and six women found Andrea Yates not guilty of murder by reason of insanity after deliberating more than 12 hours over a three-day period in her second murder trial for the drowning of her children.
Female Teacher Has Sex With Student
Which one? Just pick one! There were so many stories like this in 2006, 'Teacher Has Sex With Student' almost became a standing headline here, along with 'Snoop Dogg Arrested Again' or 'Celebrity Enters Rehab.'
Dru Sjodin's Killer Gets Death Sentence
After years of delays in the trial, Alfonso Rodriguez Jr. was found guilty in a federal court of the death of 22-year-old University of North Dakota student Dru Sjodin and given the death sentence by a federal jury in Fargo.
Susan Polk Guilty of Murder
Representing herself as her own attorney, Susan Polk told the jury that she was not insane and apparently they took her word for it and found her guilty of second-degree murder in the death of her therapist husband, Felix Polk.
Dyleski Found Guilty of Pamela Vitale's Murder
A California jury deliberated for four days before returning a guilty verdict on all counts against 17-year-old Scott Dyleski in connection with the bludgeoning death of Pamela Vitale, wife a famed attorney Daniel Horowitz.
Duncan Pleads Guilty, Shasta Avoids Testifying
Joseph Edward Duncan III pleaded guilty to the murders of Shasta Groene's family in a last-minute plea deal that spared him from the death penalty and avoided a trial in Idaho. In another surprise last-minute deal, Ben Fawley pleaded guilty and avoided a trial in the death of 17-year-old Virginia Commonwealth University student Taylor Behl.
O.J. Simpson's Book Cancelled
O.J. Simpson was back in the spotlight when it was announced that he was going to "confess" in an up-coming book and television special. Both the book and the TV special were cancelled, but not before Simpson collected a reported $1.1 million.Here are more crime stories that made headlines in 2006:
- Carlie Brucia's Killer Gets Death Sentence
- Pastor's Wife Charged With First-Degree Murder
- Woman Charged for Kidnapping Newborn
- Suspect Captured in Clemson Bikini Murder Case
- Fugitive Darren Mack in Custody
- Judge Halts Jessica Lunsford Jury Selection
- 50 Missing Women Linked to Serial Killer
- Phoenix Police Arrest 'Serial Shooter' Suspects
- John Hinckley Granted Overnight Visits
- Court Okays Jeffrey MacDonald's 4th Appeal
- Dr. Cyril Wecht, Celebrity Coroner, Indicted
- Sleaze TV: Amy and Buttafoucos Reunite
- Victims' Families Confront Killer Nurse
- Natalee's Father Writes Book About Ordeal
- 'Blind Faith' Killer Escapes Execution
- JonBenet's Mother Patsy Ramsey Dead at 49
- 'Son of Sam' Denied Parole
- Perry March Convicted of Wife's Murder
- Duane 'Dog' Chapman Arrested by U.S. Marshals
- Four Killed in Amish School Shooting
- Florida Executes Serial Killer Danny Rolling
- Man Charged in Gardner-Quinn Murder
- Bucky Phillips Pleads Guilty to Shootings
- Supreme Court Nixes Michael Skakel Appeal
