Heading to trial
Heading to trial
Potential jurors who've experienced family violence questioned
This story originally appeared February 16, 2007
Two people whose family members were killed by other family members were questioned as potential jurors in the Vincent Brothers case Thursday.
Judge sheds light on proper use of photos
This story originally appeared February 15, 2007
The judge in the Vincent Brothers case drew a delicate line Wednesday between photos that illuminate an issue and those that show little but gore.
Judge to rule on showing video of family at church
This story originally appeared February 14, 2007
Two blond hairs found in a slain woman's bed could have belonged to someone from her church, the prosecutor in the Vincent Brothers case argued Tuesday.
Jurors' jokes spark ire of defense
This story originally appeared February 10, 2007
Jokes about police and jury service among potential jurors Friday in the Vincent Brothers case drew charges from the defense that these jurors could not be fair.
Defense objects to questions on killing family
This story originally appeared February 9, 2007
Have you ever seriously considered killing your current or former spouse?
Brothers trial still needs more jurors
This story originally appeared February 8, 2007
Opening statements in Vincent Brothers' trial are scheduled to begin in two weeks, the judge in the case said Wednesday.
New jury pool to be called in Brothers case
This story originally appeared February 7, 2007
A judge said Tuesday he won't have enough jurors to pick from for the upcoming Vincent Brothers trial and he will have to start calling new jurors next week.
Judge says Brothers jury pool nearly full
This story originally appeared February 6, 2007
Jury selection continued Monday in the Vincent Brothers murder trial.
Many correctional officers, teachers among questioned
This story originally appeared February 3, 2007
A woman whose own brother was murdered would not want his killers sentenced to death, the potential juror said Friday during jury selection for the upcoming Vincent Brothers trial.
Teacher asked about views in jury selection
This story originally appeared February 2, 2007
A teacher who briefly worked with former Vice Principal Vincent Brothers was found able Thursday to possibly sit as a juror in his upcoming trial.
BPD dispatcher considered as possible juror
This story originally appeared February 1, 2007
A defense attorney expressed grave concerns Wednesday about possibly allowing a Bakersfield police dispatcher to sit on a trial for Vincent Brothers.
Death penalty views narrow field of potential jurors
This story originally appeared January 31, 2007
Selecting jurors for the upcoming Vincent Brothers trial has been slow because many potential jurors said they would only consider the death penalty for the murder of three young children.
Potential jurors quizzed on death penalty views
This story originally appeared January 30, 2007
Jury selection in the Vincent Brothers case hit some bumps Monday because many jurors were confused about questions on the death penalty.
Trial will stay in Kern
This story originally appeared January 27, 2007
Vincent Brothers' trial will stay in Kern County because pretrial publicity has not tainted the jury pool, a judge ruled Friday.
Judge hears testimony
This story originally appeared January 26, 2007
The person who killed Vincent Brothers' family members knew them, an FBI expert testified Thursday.
Judge bars defense theory from murder trial
This story originally appeared January 25, 2007
The defense in the Vincent Brothers case can't argue in the upcoming trial that three people seen lingering around the house where Brothers family was found killed may be responsible for their deaths, a judge ruled Wednesday.
Defense theory takes stage in Brothers case
This story originally appeared January 24, 2007
In a recently filed motion, the prosecutor in the Vincent Brothers case poked holes in the defense's theory that someone else killed Brothers' family.
Judge to rule on showing photos of dead family
This story originally appeared January 20, 2007
Marques Harper sat up in bed after his mother and sister were shot to death at his side and started gnawing on his fingers as the killer shot his grandmother to death in another room, the prosecution theorized Friday in hearings building up to Vincent Brothers' trial.
Expert: Jury pool tainted
This story originally appeared January 19, 2007
Adverse publicity poisoned the Kern County jury pool against Vincent Brothers and his case must be moved out of the county to ensure he gets a fair trial, a defense expert testified Thursday.
Defense points to 3 others
This story originally appeared January 18, 2007
An unidentified trio may have killed the Harper family, not Vincent Brothers, the suspect's defense attorneys wrote in a motion filed in Kern County Superior Court on Wednesday.
Trial Blog
- Brothers' attorneys face contempt hearing
- Judge: Brothers deserves to die
- Jury recommends Brothers should receive the death penalty
- VERDICT IN DEATH PENALTY
- No Verdict This Week
- Jury begins deliberations in Brothers penalty phase
- Defense attorney finishes closing argument
- Defense continues closing argument
- Defense attorney begins his closing argument
- Prosecutor finishes closing argument
- More trial blog posts →
Featured Content
Photo gallery: Vincent Brothers
See a gallery of images of the man accused of murdering his wife, mother in law and three young children.
Photo gallery: The Harper family
See a gallery of the mother, grandmother and three children murdered in the summer of 2003.
Photo gallery: Murder and mourning
See a gallery of images from the day of the murder through the funerals and beyond.
Family of five slain
Read the first story on the killings from July 9, 2003.