December 2022

Pine Hill Double Murder Suspect Arraigned, Pleads Not Guilty; Charges Could Put Him in Prison For Life With No Parole

Attempted Murder Suspect Released From Jail; Alleged Victims Not Interested in Pursuing Charges

20-Year-Old Gets Seven-Year Prison Sentence for Fourth of July Wine Bottle Attack

COURT ROUNDUP: Teen Charged With Attempted Murder; Warrant Issued for Manslaughter Suspect; Pimp Sentenced

Jury Convicts Arcata Man of Assault With a Firearm for Valley West Shooting Incident in June

Former Employee Found Guilty of Robbing $27K at Gunpoint From Cher-Ae Heights Casino in 2018

Suspect in 2019 Fatal Old Town Beating Pleads Guilty, Faces 15 to Life

Crescent City Man Convicted in Failed McKinleyville Murder-For-Hire Case Sentenced to 43 Years in Prison, Can Apply For Parole in 20 Years

Dealer From the Largest Seizure in Humboldt Drug Task Force History Pleads Guilty, Could Face 18 Years in County Jail

TODAY in COURT: Hearing for Permanent Restraining Order Against Outgoing Arcata Councilmember Brett Watson Rescheduled for Valentine’s Day

Trial of Arcata Rancher Ray Christie Delayed Yet Again, as the Accused’s Medical Problems Worsen

November 2022

Man Who Helped Bear River Triple Murderer Go on the Lam Sentenced to Three Years, Eight Months but Will Likely Only Serve a Year in Prison

Treatment, Not Trial, For Fortuna Man Accused of Sending Violent, Veiled Threats to Church Group

TODAY in COURT: Mistake Delays Fortuna Teacher’s Preliminary Hearing on Child Molestation Charges; Mental Health Questions Hang Over Fortuna Terrorism Case, Kneeland Homicide

Arcata Councilmember Brett Watson Consents to Police Search of His Home to Try to Find His Missing Firearms

SORIA TRIAL: Jurors Find Attempted Murderer Guilty After Short Deliberations

October 2022

SORIA TRIAL: In Closing Arguments, Dueling Attorneys Ask Jurors to Decide When, Exactly, the Defendant Lied

No Charges Against Willow Creek Shooter, District Attorney Says; Investigation So Far Shows Victim the Aggressor, Shooting Justified

SORIA TRIAL: Accused Gunman in Alleged McK Murder-For-Hire Case Suddenly Admits Owning Loaded Revolver Found at the Scene

Despite Confession, McK Attempted Murder Suspect Claims He Only Wanted to Rob His Victim

Case Against Greenwood Heights Murder Suspect Suspended Again While Court Seeks a Psychiatric Second Opinion

McK GANG SHOOTING: Prosecution Rests Case Against Crescent City Man Accused of Attempted Gang Murder

Mother of Bear River Triple Murderer Sentenced For Attempting to Help Son Escape

U.S. District Judge Throws Out Jury’s Order to Award Kyle Zoellner $750,000 for Alleged Malicious Prosecution; Related Claim Up for Consideration Next Month

San Francisco Jury Awards $750,000 to Kyle Zoellner in Ongoing Civil Trial; Judge to Make Final Determination in Coming Weeks

‘It’s Horrible What You Have Done to These Communities’: Two Suspects Sentenced in Brutal Roadside Murder

Juror Crisis! Humboldt County Courts Facing Shortage of Jurors ‘Like We Have Never Seen Before’

September 2022

Is There a Lawyer in the House? Humboldt County Government Issues Call for Local Defense Attorneys

Suspects in 2020 Roadslide Slaying in Hoopa Plead Guilty to First Degree Murder, Voluntary Manslaughter

Former County Correctional Officer Gets Nine Years for Shooting Man in McKinleyville Bar

August 2022

Judge Rules That Arcata Man Can Stand Trial For Pimping, but Evidence Doesn’t Support Human Trafficking Charge

Former Humboldt Correctional Officer Having Trouble Deciding Whether to Plead Guilty to Attempted Murder

Attorneys and Judge Discuss Possible Plea Deal for Hoopa Roadside Murder Suspects

Arcata Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Stabbing Homeless Man in Old Town

TODAY in COURT: Convicted Murderer Convicted of Unemployment Fraud; Trial Date Scheduled Next Month for 2019 Hikshari Trail Murder

July 2022

Fortuna Man Gets Five Years in Prison For Vandalism, Arson Charges

Drug Trafficking Trial of Michael Acosta, Former District Attorney Candidate, Scheduled for Early Next Year

Second Ray Christie Trial Postponed Due to Defendant’s Deteriorating Health

TODAY in COURT: Trial of Suspect in Murder of Homeless Eureka Man to Begin Next Week; 2020 Hoopa Murder Case Inches Forward

Local Man Given 25 Years to Life for Burglarizing Motel Room — His Third Strike — Says District Attorney’s Office

June 2022

‘We’ve Got to Wake Up’: Newsom, Huffman React to Supreme Court Decision Limiting EPA’s Ability to Tackle Climate Change

At Emotional Hearing, Eureka Resident Who Killed San Jose Mother While Driving High on Meth Sentenced to Seven Years

DA: Sotolongo Given 16-to-Life Sentence for 2016 Murder

Jury Convicts Sotolongo of Second-Degree Murder for 2016 Hoopa Stabbing

SOTOLONGO TRIAL: Jury Asks for Clarification, Re-examines Evidence in Hoopa Stabbing Case

May 2022

TODAY in COURT: Man Who Bit Off Cop’s Thumb Gets Four Years and Change; Kneeland Murder Suspect Says He’s Not Insane, but a Doctor Disagrees; Sotolongo Jury Still Deliberating

Accused Fortuna High Coach Taken Into Custody After Judge Increases Bail at Arraignment

SOTOLONGO TRIAL: Testimony Ends; Closing Arguments to Begin Tomorrow Morning

SOTOLONGO TRIAL: Defense Presents Self-Defense Case, While Prosecution Points to the Accused’s History of Jailhouse Fights

SOTOLONGO TRIAL: Defense Witnesses Say Victim Had Threatened the Accused’s Life and Beaten His Uncle Into a Coma in the Weeks Before the Stabbing