Ronnie Polaneczky: A dim picture of city crime - 02/07/2012

THIS IS ONE of those columns that began as one thing but turned into something else midway through the fact-gathering.

 

Sentencing in NoLib murder case postponed - 01/20/2012

Today's scheduled sentencing of Katoya Jones - who admitted letting the killers of two people at the Piazza at Schmidts complex...

 

Phila. woman's sentencing in Piazza killings is delayed - 01/20/2012

Thursday's planned sentencing of Katoya Jones, who admitted letting the killers of two people at the Piazza at Schmidts complex...

 

Methodical police work solved Piazza case - 12/27/2011

It was just before 6 p.m. and still daylight on June 27, 2009, when police descended on the Piazza at Schmidts in Northern Liberties...

 

Sentencing postponed for woman in Piazza double murder - 12/06/2011

Monday's sentencing of Katoya Jones for her role in the 2009 Piazza at Schmidts double murder was postponed to Jan. 19 to give...

 

Piazza at Schmidts sentencing postponed until Jan. - 12/05/2011

This morning's scheduled sentencing of Katoya Jones - who pleaded guilty to participating in the 2009 Piazza at Schmidts double...

 

Three get life in Piazza at Schmidts killings - 12/02/2011

The trial in the 2009 slayings at the Piazza at Schmidts - a crime that cast a pall on the bright, new complex at an old Northern...

 

Life for 3 killers; guilty in '09 NoLibs drug slayings - 12/02/2011

AFTER a Philadelphia jury yesterday found three men guilty of murdering two drug dealers at the Piazza at Schmidts apartments...

 

Three get life in Piazza at Schmidts killings - 12/01/2011

The trial in the 2009 slayings at the Piazza at Schmidts - a crime that cast a pall on the bright, new complex at an old Northern...

 

Slay jury deliberating for 2nd day - 12/01/2011

A JURY this morning will begin its second day deliberating the fates of three men on trial for allegedly slaying two drug dealers...

 

Jury to keep deliberating in Piazza at Schmidts killings - 12/01/2011

A Philadelphia jury will begin a second day of deliberations Thursday in the trial of three men in the 2009 slayings at the Piazza...

 

Jury asks to review Piazza at Schmidts videos - 11/30/2011

A Philadelphia jury will begin a second day of deliberations Thursday in the trial of three men in the 2009 slayings at the Piazza...

 

Jurors to begin weighing two views of Piazza at Schmidts' murder case - 11/30/2011

A Philadelphia jury Wednesday will begin sorting out opposing theories of the 2009 murders at the Piazza at Schmidts complex in...

 

Lawyer: Accused mastermind of Piazza at Schmidts killings a dupe - 11/29/2011

The lawyer for Will "Pooh" Hook - the alleged mastermind of the 2009 double murder at the Piazza at Schmidts complex...

 

Defense lawyers end double-slaying cases without calling witnesses - 11/29/2011

Lawyers for three men on trial in the 2009 double slaying at the Piazza at Schmidts complex ended their cases Monday without calling...

 

Defense ends Piazza at Schmidts cases without calling witnesses - 11/28/2011

Lawyers for three men on trial in the 2009 double slaying at the Piazza at Schmidts complex ended their cases Monday without calling...

 

Prosecution rests in Piazza at Schmidts killings - 11/24/2011

Philadelphia prosecutors finished their case Wednesday in the 2009 double slaying at the Piazza at Schmidts complex with a medical...

 

Prosecution rests in Piazza killings - 11/23/2011

Philadelphia prosecutors finished their case Wednesday in the 2009 double slaying at the Piazza at Schmidts complex with a medical...

 

Two more jurors replaced in Piazza trial - 11/23/2011

There were 16 at the start of trial Nov. 14. By midday Tuesday - after a 90-minute closed-door meeting among judge and lawyers...

 

Two more jurors replaced in Piazza trial - 11/22/2011

There were 16 at the start of trial Nov. 14.

 

Piazza judge: Ignore killer's testimony - 11/22/2011

A COMMON PLEAS Court judge yesterday ordered the jury in the prosecution of three men in the 2009 double murder at the Piazza...

 

Piazza jury told phone records point to defendant - 11/22/2011

Analyzing cellphone call records, a Philadelphia homicide detective told a Common Pleas Court jury Monday, led him to conclude...

 

Piazza jury is told phone records point to defendant - 11/21/2011

Analyzing cellphone call records, a Philadelphia homicide detective told a Common Pleas Court jury Monday, led him to conclude...

 

Shooter at Piazza now refuses to testify - 11/20/2011

The trial in the 2009 double murders at the Piazza at Schmidts complex was thrown into turmoil Friday when the admitted shooter...

 

Piazza trial stops when shooter won't testify - 11/19/2011

The trial in the 2009 double murders at the Piazza at Schmidts complex was thrown into turmoil Friday when the admitted shooter...

 

Shooter: Rian Thal was in on robbery that killed her - 11/18/2011

The admitted shooter who killed two people during a 2009 botched drug robbery at the upscale Piazza at Schmidts complex told a...

 

Piazza murder trial hears from peephole witness - 11/18/2011

At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Texas truck driver Edward Emerson Jr. appears fearless for obvious reasons. But on June 27, 2009,...

 

Piazza murder trial hears from peephole witness - 11/17/2011

At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Texas truck driver Edward Emerson Jr. appears fearless for obvious reasons.

 

Former friend of Rian Thal gives Phila. court an insider's view of drug trade - 11/17/2011

Rian Thal was where Leon Woodard wanted to be: bringing together pro athletes, entertainers, and celebrities at parties that would...

 

Piazza victim’s friend gives insider’s view of drug trade - 11/16/2011

Rian Thal was where Leon Woodard wanted to be: bringing together pro athletes, entertainers, and celebrities at parties that would...

 

Piazza-slaying witnesses set the scene - 11/16/2011

TWO FORMER confidants of the man on trial for allegedly masterminding the June 2009 double murder/robbery at Piazza at Schmidts...

 

Admitted accomplice testifies in Piazza cocaine-robbery murder case - 11/16/2011

Like a locker-room postmortem, Will "Pooh" Hook, right-hand man Caesar Holloway, and Katoya Jones gathered at Champagne...

 

Admitted accomplice testifies in Piazza case - 11/15/2011

Like a locker-room postmortem, Will "Pooh" Hook, right-hand man Caesar Holloway, and Katoya Jones gathered at Champagne...

 

3 deny Piazza killings - 11/15/2011

THE THREE remaining defendants who haven't pleaded guilty in the Piazza murder case proclaimed their innocence yesterday in a...

 

Lawyer says Piazza defendant was "played" - 11/15/2011

The lawyer for the alleged mastermind of the 2009 robbery-slayings at the Piazza at Schmidts complex in Northern Liberties says...

 

Clearing the record - 11/15/2011

The "On Movies" column Sunday incorrectly listed the date for the screening of the documentary film Troubadours and...

 

Lawyer says Piazza defendant was ‘played’ - 11/14/2011

The lawyer for the alleged mastermind of the 2009 robbery-slayings at the Piazza at Schmidts complex in Northern Liberties says...

 

What's happening: New plaza on Vine Street - 11/14/2011

HERE'S WHAT will make news in Philadelphia this week: DEVELOPMENT Chinatown high-rise The Philadelphia Chinatown Development...

 

Police statement stands in drug murder - 11/10/2011

TWELVE JURORS and four alternates were selected yesterday to hear the trial of three men accused in the 2009 slayings of two drug...

 

Testimony to begin Monday in Piazza slayings case - 11/10/2011

With a jury picked, testimony will begin Monday in the trial of three North Philadelphia men charged in the 2009 slayings of two...

 

Jury chosen for 3 charged in Piazza drug killings - 11/09/2011

A jury of 12 and four alternates has been selected to hear the murder trial of three men charged in the 2009 drug-related slayings...

 

Police statement stands in drug murder - 11/09/2011

A Philadelphia judge this morning denied a motion to toss out the statement given to police by one of three men on trial for the...

 

Defendant: I saw frame-up coming - 11/09/2011

ANTONIO WRIGHT, who as late as Monday was facing the possibility of being executed for allegedly helping kill two drug dealers...

 

Piazza murder defendant wants his signed confession, video thrown out of court - 11/09/2011

Police say he's on a security video, firing four times into one of two people slain in 2009 at the Piazza at Schmidts in Northern...

 

Piazza defendant wants confession, video tossed - 11/08/2011

Police say he's on a security video, firing four times into one of two people slain in 2009 at the Piazza at Schmidts in Northern...

 

Defendants in Piazza slayings start to fall - 11/08/2011

BEFORE jury selection began yesterday in the high-profile Piazza at Schmidts murder case, the defendants started to cave in. First...

 

Death penalty off table in Piazza killings - 11/08/2011

As the number of defendants dropped from six to three, Philadelphia prosecutors Monday withdrew the threat of the death penalty...

 

Death penalty out in Piazza murder trial - 11/07/2011

Philadelphia prosecutors today withdrew the threat of the death penalty from the trial of the double slayings during a botched...

 

Jury selection begins this week for six in Piazza killings - 11/07/2011

Like many young suburbanites, Rian Thal joined the reverse migration to Philadelphia in the late '90s, drawn by the excitement...

 

Alleged Piazza killers back in court - 11/07/2011

HERE'S WHAT will make news in Philadelphia this week: COURTS Today The gang accused of rubbing out two drug dealers at an upscale...