Huckaby Pleads Guilty In Cantu Slaying
POSTED: 8:37 am PDT May 10, 2010
UPDATED: 9:06 am PDT May 10, 2010
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A former Sunday school teacher pleaded guilty Monday to at least one charge in connection with the killing of 8-year-old Tracy resident Sandra Cantu. Melissa Huckaby appeared in a Stockton courtroom.
The San Joaquin County district attorney is seeking the death penalty against Huckaby, who is charged with kidnapping, raping and killing Cantu.
Article:
http://www.kcra.com/news/23506451/detail.html
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Huckaby Pleads Guilty To Cantu Kidnap, Murder
May 10, 2010 9:06 am US/Pacific
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Melissa Huckaby entered the surprise plea in a Stockton courtroom this morning. She faces life in prison. Huckaby had faced lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and poisoning charges but both have been dropped.
Article:
http://cbs13.com/breakingnews/Melissa.Huckaby.guilty.2.1685129.html
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Huckaby pleads guilty for Cantu murder
May 10, 2010 8:58 AM
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Melissa Huckaby admitted guilt today to the murder, rape and kidnapping last year of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu in a crime that shocked Tracy and captured national attention.
The surprise development spares Huckaby, 29, of the possible death sentence, which prosecutors intended to seek in trail. Under the negotiated plea deal announced in a Stockton courtroom, Huckaby will spend the rest of her natural life in state prison.
Huckaby pleaded guilty to murder with the special circumstance of kidnapping. All other charges against her were dropped.
San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus set Huckaby's formal sentencing date for June 14.
Article:
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100510/A_NEWS/100519995
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UPDATED: Huckaby avoids death penalty with guilty plea
Last updated 30 mins ago
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In a sudden reversal, Melissa Huckaby admitted kidnapping and murdering 8-year-old Sandra Cantu of Tracy in a plea deal that will spare Huckaby's life. During what was expected to be a routine procedural court hearing in San Joaquin County Superior Court, Huckaby's attorneys announced their client was prepared to enter a plea of guilty to the charge of first degree murder with special circumstances of kidnapping. Under the agreement, Huckay will go to prison for life without the possibility of parole. The death penalty is no longer an option. Under the deal, other charges against Huckaby have been dismissed, including rape with an instrument. Formal sentencing has been set for June 14.
During Monday's hearing, Deputy District Attorney Thomas Testa expressed concern that Huckaby might use her mental instability and medication as an excuse to later change her plea. Testa urged Judge Linda Lofthus to question Huckaby in detail about her current mental state in addition to asking Huckaby if she understood the consequences of her guilty plea. "Are you having any problems today?" Lofthus asked Huckaby. "No I'm not," Huckaby replied. Lofthus: "Do you feel OK?" Huckaby: "I'm currently stable on my medication."
Testa suggested Lofthus lift the gag order that has presented all parties from talking about the case. Lofthus declined to do so immediately, but suggested she might issue a written order later in the day.
Article:
http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=81150&catid=2
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Melissa Huckaby pleads guilty to killing Sandra Cantu in Tracy case
Posted: 05/10/2010 09:03:06 AM PDT
Updated: 05/10/2010 09:32:09 AM PDT
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Melissa Huckaby pleaded guilty today to killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu.
Huckaby pleaded guilty to murder with a special circumstance of kidnapping. All other charges against her in the case were dropped.
Article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15054621
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Sunday School Teacher Pleads Guilty To Killing Tracy Girl
Posted: 9:27 am PDT May 10, 2010
Updated: 9:37 am PDT May 10, 2010
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Former Sunday school teacher Melissa Huckaby pleaded guilty Monday to the first-degree murder of a neighbor’s 8-year-old daughter, authorities said.
San Joaquin County Superior Court officials said Huckaby entered the surprise plea in a hearing Monday morning.
Assistant Court Executive Officer Sharon Morris said Huckaby faces a sentence of 25 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Huckaby was scheduled for sentencing June 14.
Article:
http://www.ktvu.com/news/23507119/detail.html
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Calif Woman Guilty in Death of Daughter's Playmate
California woman pleads guilty in death of 8-year-old girl whose body was found in suitcase
May 10, 2010
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A former California Sunday school teacher accused of killing an 8-year-old playmate of her daughter, then hiding the body in a suitcase, has pleaded guilty to murder.
San Joaquin County Superior Court officials say Melissa Huckaby of Tracy entered the first-degree murder plea Monday morning.
Assistant Court Executive Officer Sharon Morris says Huckaby faces a sentence of 25 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole when she is sentenced June 14.
Article:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=10605166
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Update: Huckaby pleads guilty, avoids death penalty
May 10, 2010
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Melissa Huckaby pleaded guilty this morning to the murder and kidnapping of 8-year-old Tracy girl Sandra Cantu and will be sentenced to life in prison in June. Huckaby’s public defender, Samuel Behar, said he and prosecutor Thomas Testa negotiated for the life sentence without the possibility of parole. Previously, Testa had been pursuing the death penalty for Huckaby, 29. The other charges against her, including rape with a foreign object and poisoning, were dropped. Huckaby will be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. on June 14 in Stockton.
San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus asked Huckaby if she’s had time to talk with her attorneys and if she really planned to plead guilty, giving up the right to a jury trial, to which she answered yes. After Lofthus finished most of her questioning of Huckaby, Testa wanted the judge to make sure Huckaby was in the right state of mind to make the plea. He noted that her behavior in prison, such as trying to hurt herself at one point, was odd. “She appears extremely coherent today, but I just worry down the road,” Testa said, worrying that Huckaby might change her plea. She asked if there has been a change in her medication recently, something Huckaby declined. “No, I am currently stable on medication, thank you,” Huckaby said. After the questioning, Lofthus said she accepted Huckaby’s plea.
Her attorneys and Testa spoke with members of the Huckaby and Cantu families before coming up with the June 14 date for sentencing.
While Lofthus said she’d allow one camera at the sentencing, she said the gag order, preventing anyone related to the case from speaking to the media, is still in effect. Testa brought up the notion of lifting it and Behar and Huckaby’s attorney, Michael Burt, said they had no objection. Lofthus said she worried that things were moving too quickly and wanted some time to think about the gag order.
As they left the courtroom, a few members of Sandra's family, the Chavez's were crying. Testa hugged a family member as he walked away. The Chavez family was surrounded by cameras as they walked out of the courthouse and into the parking lot. "They'll never get over this, but at least they don't have to wait any longer," said Lisa Encarnacion, who at one time was close to the Chavez family.
Article:
http://www.tracypress.com/pages/ful...eads+guilty-+avoids+death+penalty &id=7380394
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Surprise guilty plea in Sandra Cantu murder
Monday, May 10, 2010
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Melissa Huckaby, 29, entered her plea in San Joaquin County Superior Court to murder with an enhancement for kidnapping, said Sharon Morris, assistant court executive officer. Huckaby faces 25 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole when she is sentenced June 14 by Judge Linda Lofthus.
In exchange for her plea, prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty and dropped other charges, including child endangerment and furnishing a harmful substance for allegedly drugging a 7-year-old girl and a man in the months before Sandra died.
Attorneys in the case could not immediately comment today because of gag order.
Article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/10/BAH01DC7P9.DTL
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