Nicole Linton trial: Verdict reached in Windsor Hills crash that killed 6
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 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 - A downtown Los Angeles jury has reached a verdict in the high-profile murder trial of 41-year-old traveling nurse Nicole Lorraine Linton.
The court has reassembled, and the verdict is scheduled to be read in open court shortly before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Eleanor Hunter.
What we know:
The jury concluded deliberations on Friday after considering weeks of emotional testimony and technical evidence regarding the August 4, 2022, crash at the intersection of La Brea and Slauson avenues.
The collision occurred when Linton's Mercedes-Benz traveled through a red light at 130 mph, striking cross traffic and triggering a fiery multi-vehicle wreck.
The crash killed 23-year-old Asherey Ryan, who was 8 ½ months pregnant, her 11-month-old son Alonzo Quintero, her 24-year-old boyfriend Reynold Lester, her unborn child Armani Lester, and two women in a Nissan, 43-year-old Nathesia Lewis and 38-year-old Lynette Noble.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Nicole Linton murder trial: Jurors shown graphic video of Windsor Hills crash that killed 6
- Prosecutors: Mercedes-Benz driver was in 13 crashes before Windsor Hills
- Lawyer for Nicole Linton says she had a medical episode prior to deadly Windsor Hills crash
- Windsor Hills crash victims remembered in makeshift memorial
Linton faces six counts of second-degree murder, with prosecutors arguing she acted consciously out of anger after leaving her job mid-shift, while defense attorneys contended she suffered a sudden medical seizure that rendered her unconscious at the wheel.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Testimony continues in trial for deadly 2022 Windsor Hills crash
During the murder trial of 41-year-old traveling nurse Nicole Linton—charged with six counts of murder for an Aug. 4, 2022, crash at La Brea and Slauson avenues that killed six people, including an unborn baby—prosecutors told jurors Tuesday that she sped through a red light at 130 mph, while her defense attorney argued she suffered a seizure and should be acquitted.
What they're saying:
During closing arguments, Deputy District Attorney Antonella Nistorescu urged the jury to hold Linton accountable for an entirely preventable act, arguing that she was conscious the entire time and steered her vehicle with precision.
Defense attorney Jovan Blacknell told jurors that the central dispute was what was going on in Nicole's mind, maintaining that a sudden medical emergency occurred and stating that while a tragic thing happened, Linton did not commit the crime of murder.
Deputy District Attorney Brittany Vannoy countered in rebuttal that Linton channeled her fury into her driving and ignored her personal triggers.
What's next:
All parties, including prosecution attorneys, defense counsel, the defendant, and victims' family members, are gathering in the courtroom for the reading of the verdict at 1:30 p.m.
If convicted on all six counts of second-degree murder, Linton faces a potential sentence of 90 years to life in state prison.
The Source: This report is based on direct court proceedings, official statements from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and trial testimony presented in court as reported by FOX 11's Rachel Aragon. Information regarding the crash dynamics and vehicle telemetry was established through California Highway Patrol investigation records and Airbag Control Module data submitted into evidence. The Associated Press and City News Service contributed.