Nicole Linton murder trial: Jurors shown graphic video of Windsor Hills crash that killed 6
Nurse on trial for 2022 deadly Windsor Hills crash
Traveling nurse Nicole Linton, 41, is on trial for six counts of murder following a high-speed multi-vehicle crash in August 2022.
LOS ANGELES - Opening statements began Tuesday in the high-profile trial of Nicole Lorraine Linton, a traveling nurse charged with six counts of murder following a fatal high-speed collision in August 2022 at a Windsor Hills intersection.
What we know:
The charges against Linton stem from a crash at the intersection of La Brea and Slauson avenues, roughly 10 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Prosecutors filed six counts of murder. One murder charge specifically addresses Armani Lester, the unborn child of 23-year-old Asherey Ryan, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant at the time of the collision. Under California law, a separate manslaughter charge could not be filed for the fetus.
While Linton was initially charged with five counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence alongside the murder counts, prosecutors requested the dismissal of the lesser manslaughter charges at a court hearing last month.
Murder trial begins in 2022 Windsor Hills crash
Opening statements begin Tuesday in the murder trial of Houston nurse Nicole Lorraine Linton following a fatal 90 mph crash in Windsor Hills.
According to Deputy District Attorney Brittany Vannoy, Linton accelerated her Mercedes-Benz to 122 mph five seconds before the crash and reached 130 mph by the time of impact without braking or swerving.
Data from the vehicle's Airbag Control Module showed precise steering following the curvature of the road.
State attorneys revealed Linton left work at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center that afternoon frustrated and intending to quit, channeling that anger into her driving before plowing into cross traffic.
In their opening statements, prosecutors argued Linton had plenty of time to stop, brake or swerve before she allegedly plowed through a solid red light at 130 mph.
On Tuesday, prosecutors showed jurors video of the bloody scene and graphic pictures of the victims, some of which appeared severely burned.
In those moments, some of the victims' family members walked out of the courtroom in tears.
The collision involved nine vehicles and left nine people injured.
The initial impact split a Jaguar carrying Ryan, her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero, and her 24-year-old boyfriend Reynold Lester in half, killing all three as they traveled to a prenatal checkup.
Prosecutors explained to the jury that the force of the collision ripped Ryan's unborn baby from her body.
Two women in a Nissan, 43-year-old Nathesia Lewis and 38-year-old Lynette Noble, were also killed when the impact triggered a fiery wreckage.
Defense attorney Jovan Blacknell acknowledged the crash was tragic but argued that charging Linton with murder is also a tragedy.
Linton has pleaded not guilty to murder and vehicular manslaughter charges.
The defense asserted that Linton was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, was not on her cell phone, and was not racing.
Instead, her attorney stated she suffered a sudden medical emergency and experienced a seizure at the time of the impact.
Blacknell noted co-workers noticed she was not acting like herself that day, and her sister had called another family member out of concern shortly before the crash. Paramedics treating Linton at the scene found her dazed and confused.
What we don't know:
It's undisputed whether Linton experienced a physical or psychiatric event during the moments leading up to the collision.
While a defense-retained neurologist is expected to testify that Linton suffered a seizure, prosecutors argue she had no prior diagnosis of a seizure disorder and claim evidence suggests she faked a seizure during post-crash medical testing.
What they're saying:
Then-District Attorney George Gascón addressed the tragedy following the incident, emphasizing the sudden loss to the community. "A young family was destroyed in the blink of an eye," Gascón said. "While the wreckage of this fiery crash at this intersection was removed and traffic eventually resumed, there is catastrophic damage to the families and friends of those killed and injured. It is not only a tremendous loss to the families but our entire community who learned of this incredible tragedy or have watched the now viral video of the collision."
Defense attorney Jovan Blacknell told jurors that determining Linton's actual state of mind remains the core issue of the trial. "It is certainly an emotional case," Blacknell said, adding that the jury's primary challenge will be deciding her mental status.
On a support website, Linton's sister Camille wrote that the crash "did not happen on purpose, but was a tragic accident." She added, "She is someone who we love dearly and right now, so many people see her as this monster and a murderer, when she is one of the most compassionate and caring people that we know."
In court, Linton’s defense attorney, Halim Dhanidina, addressed his client’s condition prior to the crash, noting that Linton has an out-of-state history of "profound mental health issues" that might be linked to the collision.
What's next:
The trial will continue with testimony from prosecution witnesses, crash reconstruction experts, scene eyewitnesses, and medical experts.
Linton remains held without bail. If convicted on all six counts of murder, the 41-year-old faces a sentence of 90 years to life in state prison.
The Source: This report is compiled from official court statements, prosecution evidence submissions, and defense arguments presented during the opening statements of the trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Additional details were drawn directly from evidence introduced by state prosecutors and forensic investigators, while medical claims and timeline details reflect statements delivered by defense counsel and official emergency responder records as previously reported by FOX 11.