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Thread: Erika Castro-Miles Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison in 2018 TN Murder of Sgt. Daniel Baker

  1. #11
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Will Steven Wiggins, Joseph Daniels’ trials both take place February 2020?

    The trial for Steven Wiggins, the man charged with first degree murder in the May shooting death of Dickson County Sgt. Daniel Baker, has been pushed back to February next year.

    Wiggins’ trial is now scheduled to take place the same month jury selection begins for Joseph Ray Daniels and Krystal Daniels’ trial.

    Joseph Daniels is charged with murdering his 5-year-old son, Joe Clyde. Krystal Daniels is charged with aggravated child neglect.

    Nashville attorney James Simmons, who took over representation of Wiggins in December after Public Defender Jake Lockert removed himself, asked Dickson County Circuit Court Judge David Wolfe for more time.

    Wolfe, during his ruling, indicated that Simmons wanted a witness on the stand that would not have been available in August this year. The Wiggins trial was originally scheduled for August.

    Simmons argued during the hearing that his team has encountered “problems” and that the case requires a “thorough examination.” Citing previous state and U.S Supreme Court death penalty appeals, Simmons repeated the phrase, “No one wants to try this case twice.”

    “We ask that we be given sufficient time to prepare for his trial,” Simmons said.

    District Attorney General Ray Crouch argued that the justice had already been delayed too long.

    “I understand completely the state’s position in this case. I understand the family’s position in this case,” said Wolfe, as Baker’s widow and family sat in the audience. “My obligation is not to do what necessarily I want to do. But to do what the law requires me to do.”

    “If I deny that opportunity, then I am creating an issue that could result in a reversal...a vacating of the death penalty, if there is one imposed,” Wolfe added.

    Like Wiggins, Erika Castro-Miles is also charged with first degree murder in the death of Baker on May 30. Her trial was tentatively planned for August along with Wiggins.

    Castro-Miles' case has, however, been "severed" from the Wiggins' case.

    https://www.tennessean.com/story/new...20/3436585002/
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

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  2. #12
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    U.S. seeking death penalty of accused Dickson County deputy murderer


    By Kaylin George
    WZTV News

    DICKSON, Tenn. (WZTV) — The man accused of murdering a Dickson County deputy has been indicted on federal charges and U.S. attorneys are seeking the death penalty.

    Steven Wiggins was indicted on federal charges of federal carjacking and firearms violations. Wiggins is charged in the first-degree murder of Dickson Sgt. Daniel Baker.

    U.S. Attorney Don Cochran immediately filed a notice with the Court that the government intends to seek the death penalty and authority to seek the death penalty has been granted.

    Wiggins previously pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges, including premeditated first-degree murder, arson and abuse of a corpse.

    The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Sgt. Baker was killed on May 30 after responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle.

    Wiggins is accused of shooting Baker at close range, dragging the deputy's body to the patrol car, placed Baker in the rear seat and drove away.

    Wiggins reportedly ditched the patrol car in a field a few miles away and set it on fire, with Baker inside, before fleeing the scene.

    GPS tracking technology was used to find Baker's patrol car after he had not been hear from for a period of time. Baker was found dead inside his patrol vehicle.

    Initial autopsy reports show Sgt. Baker had six gunshot wounds: two to his torso; one to his hand; and three to the left side of his head.

    An affidavit said Erika Castro-Miles, also charged in the murder, watched as Wiggins shot Baker to death. She tried to flee by hiding under a garage in Bon Aqua, but was spotted by the property owners and detained by police.

    https://fox17.com/news/local/dickson...ek-death-penal
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  3. #13
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Steven Wiggins trial now set for Nov. 30

    Dickson Post Staff Reports

    A new trial date of Nov. 30 has been set for Steven Wiggins, who is accused of killing Dickson County sheriff’s Sgt. Daniel Baker in May 2018.

    Last Wednesday, Dickson County Circuit Judge David Wolfe set the date at a status review hearing, which was held by videoconference.

    Wiggins previously had trial dates scheduled this year on Feb. 3 and Aug. 17.

    Wolfe last Wednesday set additional dates in the Wiggins case, including another status review hearing Sept. 29 and the start of jury selection Nov. 2.

    Wiggins is charged with first-degree murder, vehicle arson, abuse of a corpse, impersonation of a law officer and other charges in connection with Baker’s death.

    Prosecutors say Wiggins shot Baker multiple times, dragged his body into the patrol car, drove the vehicle away and set it on fire.

    District Attorney General Ray Crouch is seeking the death penalty.

    Separately, Wiggins faces federal charges in connection with the killing. Don Cochran, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, is also seeking the death penalty.

    https://www.dicksonpost.com/news/ste...f88f7b6df.html
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  4. #14
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    Castro-Miles enters guilty plea deal in Sgt. Baker death. Here's her sentence.

    By Chris Gadd
    Nashville Tennessean

    Erika Castro-Miles, the woman charged in the shooting death of Dickson County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Daniel Baker, entered a deal Friday to enter a guilty plea for second degree murder and serve 15 years in prison.

    Castro-Miles, 42, who was charged with first-degree murder for Baker’s murder nearly four years ago, will be given credit for the five years she’s already served.

    The agreement was reached after two days of the jury trial in Dickson County Circuit Court.

    State prosecutors asserted this week that Castro-Miles “acted as one” with convicted killer Steven Wiggins. However, the attorneys for Erika Castro-Miles contended she was abused by Wiggins and took no part in Baker’s May 30, 2018 shooting death.

    Wiggins was found guilty and sentenced to death last year for Baker’s murder.

    Baker’s body camera shows the sergeant’s final moments shortly after responding to a call about a car — later determined to have a flat tire and be Castro-Miles' vehicle — parked on the side of the road. Wiggins and Castro Miles were asleep inside the car before Baker’s arrival.

    Baker was notified by dispatch the vehicle was reported stolen and then ordered Wiggins out of the car. In Baker’s body camera footage, Wiggins complained that he couldn't open the door, stating it was broken.

    Throughout this interaction, Castro-Miles was seated in the passenger side.

    Baker asked if the passenger side door worked. Wiggins said yes, and Baker walked to the other side, telling Wiggins to keep his hands visible. As Baker approaches the passenger side, gunshots are heard. Baker was shot by a .45-caliber handgun and the body camera provides a first-person perspective as he ran for cover.

    Castro-Miles would later testify that shell casings hit her face as Wiggins fired through the passenger window.

    ‘One phone call’

    A day prior to the shooting, on May 29, 2018, Castro-Miles ran from a motel room she shared with Wiggins and asked the front desk worker to call police. She reported that Wiggins had abused her and stole her car. Law enforcement searched the hotel room and found drug paraphernalia as well Castro-Miles' purse, which contained .45 caliber ammunition, said District Attorney Ray Crouch.

    Officers took a report and obtained warrants against Wiggins. About two hours later, Wiggins drove back, picked up Castro-Miles and they both left together in her car, Crouch stated.

    “One phone call. One phone call, the evidence will show, and we wouldn’t be here today,” Crouch told jurors. “Had the defendant called right then, as instructed by law enforcement, we would not be here today.”

    Instead, Crouch said, Castro-Miles spent the next 24 hours in her vehicle, driving around Dickson. Crouch said she had “many, many” opportunities to leave Wiggins, adding that she was “away” from him in stores.

    “They acted as one in everything they did. It’s impossible to separate their actions in this case,” Crouch said.

    ‘Would he have killed her, too?’

    Castro-Miles’ defense attorney Jake Fendley told the jurors during his opening statement that state prosecutors “don’t have a case against Erika other than her being with her abuser, Steven Wiggins. We all know that Erika did not murder Sgt. Baker.”

    Also, Fendley said he would argue later that she could not have “simply made a phone call.”

    He told jurors that “You are going to hear that she was beat, her hair was ripped out, she was choked with a hotel room phone cord and she had a gun held to her head” by Wiggins.

    Wiggins stripped her down, accusing her of “wearing a wire,” said Fendley, adding that Wiggins “broke her phone.”

    Fendley emphasized that Castro-Miles “said nothing” during the interaction with Baker.

    “She doesn’t tell Sgt. Baker anything that’s going on. She doesn’t have the courage to do that,” Fendley said.

    He asks if she had spoken up, “Would he have killed her, too? Or, maybe he would have just killed her instead.”

    https://tennessean.com/story/news/lo...ce/9674711002/

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