en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra_Diggs
4 corrections found
Attempted murder (×3)
Herron’s federal verdict sheet shows one attempted-murder finding, not three.
Full reasoning
The official June 26, 2014 verdict sheet in United States v. Herron lists only one attempted-murder finding: Racketeering Act 6(B) (Attempted Murder). The same verdict sheet separately lists the other guilty counts and racketeering acts, so this is not a matter of omitted categories in the article’s wording. Based on the court’s own verdict form, the count of attempted-murder findings is one, not three.
1 source
- Appendix to certiorari filings in Herron v. United States (includes June 26, 2014 verdict sheet)
The verdict sheet shows: “Racketeering Act 6(B)(Attempted Murder): PROVEN.” It separately lists the other counts and racketeering acts, but only this one attempted-murder item appears on the verdict form.
Conspiracy to murder (×4)
The verdict form shows three conspiracy-to-murder findings, not four.
Full reasoning
The official verdict sheet shows three conspiracy-to-murder findings:
- Racketeering Act 6(A) — conspiracy to murder Kendale Robinson (proven)
- Racketeering Act 7(A) — conspiracy to murder Victor Zapata (proven)
- Count Sixteen — conspiracy to murder Victor Zapata in aid of racketeering (guilty)
Because the court’s verdict form enumerates the racketeering acts and substantive counts, and these are the conspiracy-to-murder findings shown there, the article’s “×4” overstates the number.
1 source
- Appendix to certiorari filings in Herron v. United States (includes June 26, 2014 verdict sheet)
The verdict sheet lists: “Racketeering Act 6(A)(Conspiracy to Murder): PROVEN,” “Racketeering Act 7(A)(Conspiracy to Murder Victor Zapata): PROVEN,” and “Count Sixteen (Conspiracy to Murder Victor Zapata In-Aid-Of Racketeering) ... GUILTY.”
Distribution of narcotics (×2)
Herron was convicted of two narcotics conspiracies, not two substantive distribution counts.
Full reasoning
The official verdict sheet lists Count Three: Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base and Count Eleven: Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin. The DOJ’s sentencing release likewise summarizes the drug convictions as “narcotics trafficking conspiracies.” That means the article’s label “Distribution of narcotics (×2)” is inaccurate: the two drug convictions were for conspiracy offenses, not substantive distribution counts.
2 sources
- Appendix to certiorari filings in Herron v. United States (includes June 26, 2014 verdict sheet)
The verdict sheet lists “COUNT THREE (Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base)” and “COUNT ELEVEN (Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin),” with guilty findings.
- Leader Of Bloods Street Gang Sentenced To Life In Prison For Racketeering Murders | U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York
The DOJ release says Herron was convicted of “racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, narcotics trafficking conspiracies, robbery, and firearms offenses.”
First-degree murder (×3)
The murder predicates cited in Herron’s case were under New York Penal Law § 125.25(1), which is second-degree murder, not first-degree murder.
Full reasoning
The jury instructions in Herron’s federal case identify the relevant New York murder predicates as violations of New York Penal Law § 125.25(1) and explicitly tell jurors that this is “second degree murder.” New York’s official penal-law text likewise labels § 125.25 as “Murder in the second degree.” So the article’s statement that Herron was convicted of “First-degree murder (×3)” is incorrect.
2 sources
- Appendix to certiorari filings in Herron v. United States (includes jury instructions)
The jury instructions cite New York Penal Law § 125.25(1) for the murder predicates and state: “I have already instructed you on the law of second degree murder.”
- New York Penal Law § 125.25 | NYSenate.gov
The official New York statute is titled “Murder in the second degree.” Section 125.25 begins: “A person is guilty of murder in the second degree when …”