Latest news with #SarahBaker
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Yahoo
Death sentences upheld in the murder of boys
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday rejected an appeal by a man who received two death sentences in the 2020 murders of two boys in a Putnam County home. Justices upheld two first-degree murder convictions and two death sentences for Mark H. Wilson, who killed Tayten Baker, 14, and Robert Baker, 12, who were the nephews of Wilson's girlfriend. Wilson and his girlfriend, Cindy Guinan, and their 14-month-old child had moved into a shed on the Baker family's property five days before the murders, according to the Supreme Court opinion. The boys' mother, Sarah Baker, woke on Aug. 26, 2020, to find them murdered. Their heads had been beaten with a hammer and their throats had been cut, according to the Supreme Court opinion. Wilson was arrested after his mother told police that she thought he was responsible for the murders. Wilson told authorities that he thought the boys were hurting and abusing his girlfriend and the 14-month-old child, though officers found no evidence to support those allegations, the Supreme Court opinion said. Wilson also said he had been using methamphetamine on the day of the murders. In the appeal, Wilson's attorneys raised a series of issues, including alleging that the trial judge erred by rejecting proposed 'mitigating evidence' about the methamphetamine use. But the Supreme Court rejected the arguments in a 49-page opinion. 'Here, there was no objective evidence establishing by the greater weight of the evidence that Wilson was impaired at the time of the murders,' said the opinion, fully shared by Chief Justice Carlos Muniz and Justices Charles Canady, John Couriel, Jamie Grosshans, Renatha Francis and Meredith Sasso. 'No one who observed him close in time to the murders saw any indication that he was under the influence of any substance.' Justice Jorge Labarga concurred with the result of the opinion but did not fully sign on. Wilson, now 34, is an inmate at Union Correctional Institution, according to the Florida Department of Corrections website. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Nurse and entrepreneur among Birmingham's newest citizens
When Emily Bregal first arrived in the UK seven years ago, she had no idea how long it would take to become a NHS nurse moved to Birmingham from commonwealth country Belize in 2018. She was one of 32 people who became British citizens at Birmingham Register Office on Monday, during a special ceremony marking Commonwealth Day. "I came here as a nurse, and I wasn't aware of the process. So getting this far, it's been amazing," she said. Speaking after the conclusion of her ceremony, she added: "I feel amazing, I feel like I can breathe now, because I was a bit nervous."I am currently working in the NHS and I plan to continue working there and plan to give my service there, because it is what I love doing."Commonwealth Day is an annual celebration marked by millions of people across 56 countries, according to the Birmingham ceremony, a song about strength in diversity was performed by children from Colmore Junior School Birmingham music teacher Sarah Baker wrote Come Together Everybody, which includes words spoken by Queen Elizabeth II at the opening ceremonies of recent Commonwealth Baker said: "The main message is that we are different, but that together in unity we are stronger if we are connected, not divided, and there is strength in all our diversity."The schoolchildren said they were excited to child said: "I like the song, because it brings people together, and the world would be boring if people were all the same."Another said: "It's really important that this message is expressed because it could improve people's feelings, and make them feel like they're not alone." Entrepreneur Amitoj Singh, who moved to the region from India seven years ago, also received his citizenship certificate."It's a big day for me and my family. I feel on top of the world," he said."We love it over here. All the cultures come together and there's so many different flavours and languages. I would not have had these opportunities if I had stayed in India." Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
