Woman Found Guilty in Death of Journalist in New Orleans
A Louisiana court has convicted a woman of negligent homicide for her role in the death of a journalist who came to the city to cover the Super Bowl.
In a trial in Louisiana, a jury convicted a woman of negligent homicide and criminal conspiracy in connection with the death of Telemundo reporter Adan Manzano, who was in New Orleans to cover the Super Bowl.
Court Decision and Charges
A jury in Louisiana has announced its verdict regarding the defendant found guilty of playing a role in the death of the Telemundo television reporter.
According to the Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office, 49-year-old Danette Colbert was convicted of negligent homicide and criminal conspiracy.
Details of Complicity
Rickey White, a 35-year-old co-defendant tried alongside Colbert, was also convicted of criminal conspiracy.
However, the court acquitted White of the homicide charge, ruling him not guilty of that offense.
Methods of the Crime Ring
According to prosecutors, the two defendants operated a crime ring for years in the French Quarter that targeted victims with the promise of sexual encounters.
It was determined that members of the ring incapacitated their victims with drugs and emptied their bank accounts using stolen cards and phones.
Development of the Incident and Autopsy Report
Adan Manzano, a 27-year-old Kansas City-based journalist, was found dead in a New Orleans suburban hotel room days before the Super Bowl.
The autopsy results determined that Manzano suffocated after lying face down on a pillow following the ingestion of a mixture of alcohol and depressants.
Prison Sentences and Expected Dates
In Louisiana, the crime of criminal conspiracy carries a sentence of up to fifty years in prison, while Colbert's negligent homicide conviction carries a maximum of ten years.
Defendants Danette Colbert and Rickey White are expected to appear before a judge in late September to have their sentences announced.