, 40 tweets, 5 min read Read on Twitter
I am at Superior Court in Riverside for the 8:30 a.m. Pacific time sentencing of David and Louise Turpin of Perris, who have been convicted of physically and psychologically abusing 12 of their 13 children.
Follow my live tweets. Today I am joined by @rmhagen
Jack Osborn, attorney for the eight adult Turpin children, is at the courthouse, leading to the belief that some of the children will appear. “You’ll know soon enough,”’he told me.
Of course we are hoping Jordan, who escaped as a 17-year-old, will be here and speak.
Raider, the @CoronaPD comfort dog, just entered the courtroom. Raider goes to court hearings to comfort witnesses and victims. This all but confirms an appearance by some of the Turpin children.
Elizabeth Flores, Louise Turpin’s sister who wrote the book Sisters of Secrets, is in the courtroom.
Flores walked in arm-in-arm between two others. She had a stunned expression on her face.
The courtroom is not open to the media/public yet.
The Turpins talk with their attorneys before sentencing.
Louise and David have been busy chatting with their attorneys. Louise has been smiling on and off.
The judge has ordered that video and still photos of the victims are allowed but only from the neck down.
New order given just now. No photos at all of victims.
There are about 80 media/observers in the courtroom. Judge not in bench yet.
No video of victims either.
Myself and other reporters ate feeling anxiety because of the anticipation of seeing the children.
The comfort dog, or as Corona police call it, a facility dog, has his own trading card.
Ryan Hagen @rmhagen will be tweeting about how the children look and sound.
Two microphones and a box of facial tissues are set up at a lectern in anticipation of victims making statements. Louise’s sister Elizabeth told me a couple of months ago she plans to speak in support of Louise.
Jeff Moore, Louise’s attorney, is in court. He is having Louise sign something. David’s lead attorney, David J. Macher, and prosecutor Kevin Beecham are not in the courtroom yet.
No Turpin children in the courtroom yet.
This is being live streamed online. Check the websites of Los Angeles-area TV stations including KTLA and KABC.
David Turpin is signing a document as well. I don’t know what it says.
Our story will be on PE.com.
Prosecutor Kevin Beecham is in the courtroom.
The judge is on the bench.
Judge Bernard J. Schwartz said the victims requested that they not be photographed or videotaped.
There is a technical matter being sorted out on variations of the false imprisonment counts. Guilty pleas to two charges were withdrawn and then guilty pleas entered to similar charges. It will have no effect on the sentences, the judge said.
A victim will enter the courtroom shortly
Female victim: “My parents took my whole life from me and now I’m trying to take it back.”
David and Louise, both crying, apologized to their children and said they didn’t mean to hurt them.
Judge calls their treatment of children “selfish, cruel and inhumane.”
Turpins each sentenced to 25 years to life with credit for time served of 922 days.
They can have a parole hearing after about 23 years; less if they serve 85 percent of the sentence as allowed by state law.
One of the female victims said “I saw my dad change my mom. They almost changed me.”
Elizabeth Flores did not speak.
The judge allowed the Turpin parents to communicate while in custody. Hearing is over.
Jack Osborn, attorney for seven of the adult children, say they have no interest in selling their story.
Jack Osborn.
On the whole, Osborn said, the children love their parents and “are working toward forgiveness.”
So to recap, Jennifer and Joshua spoke in court. Joshua also read statements from Joy and Jessica.
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