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Tot-beater could face death penalty

MESA — A jury will decide whether a Mesa man will spend life in prison or face the death penalty for beating his friend’s baby to death.

The case stems from a February 2005 incident in which Christohper Langin, 33, was left to babysit the daughter of his neighbor, Michael Plummer, 34. The two men were friends from high school, and Langin lived in a trailer behind Plummer’s east Mesa home at the time.

The 3-year-old girl, Angeline, was developmentally delayed and could barely speak. She was found 24 hours later inside Langin’s fetid trailer beaten and bruised head to toe, according to court records.

Plummer knew Langin had a history of substance abuse and violent tendencies, said Maricopa County prosecutor Patricia Stevens, but he still allowed Langin to care for his daughter.

Records say that the actual cause of death was due to “blunt force trauma to her head.”

In September, a jury in Maricopa County Superior Court found Langin guilty of first-degree murder, child abuse and aggravated assault, according to court documents. Now its members must decide if Langin should face the death penalty.

Joey Hamby, a defense lawyer for Langin, told jurors last week that they should spare Langin from the death penalty because his client suffered from “potential methamphetamine induced psychosis” at the time of Angeline’s death.

Hamby also stated that they planned to bring in expert witnesses to testify Langin’s history of family tragedy, significant brain impairment, and long-standing substance abuse and childhood domestic abuse.

“We will not deny the fact that Chris did abuse meth and alcohol, he has suffered through multiple relapses and has about 11 teeth left, which indicates harsh drug use,” Hamby said.

Growing up, Langin was a special education student who did not graduate from high school or receive a GED, Hamby added. He has no arrest record in Arizona, so the death penalty is too harsh, he said.

“So is life in prison the right sentence, or is death? I believe life in prison is the right decision for Chris Langin,” Hamby told the jury.

Stevens, however, said a sad “life story” should not be a mitigating factor to justify Langin’s actions.

The jury is set to decide Langin’s fate by Nov. 20.

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>>Email the editor at aklaw@zoniereport.com.

Closing arguments in fraud, theft trial of Gilbert mediator

PHOENIX — Closing arguments began Monday in a trial against a Gilbert man accused of posing as a divorce mediator and defrauding clients of almost $300,000.

Gary J. Karpin Sr., 57, is charged with 25 counts of felony theft and one count of fraudulent schemes for allegedly performing legal duties despite the fact he was not licensed to practice law in the state of Arizona.

The charges span from August of 1998 to July of 2005 and include over 45 different victims, each of whom say the defendant promised them legal action but did nothing in return for their payments.

Mr. Karpin allegedly posed as a divorce mediator, posting several ads in newspapers and magazines such as The Arizona Republic and Phoenix New Times.

He promised low prices, fast action and positive outcomes for the children.

“He wanted them to trust him,” prosecutor Annielaurie Van Wie told the jury at Maricopa County Superior Court.

Ann Hawksworth says she sought out Karpin because she wanted the very best for her children – but that was not what she got.

“He said he was an advocate for children, it was about what was best for the kids,” says Hawksworth. “He exploited my children, they went through hell.”

According to court records, Karpin was disbarred in 1993 from Vermont due to extremely unethical conduct.

He moved to Arizona in 1996 and opened his business as a divorce mediator.

Karpin received several letters of warning from the Arizona State Bar, telling him to cease and desist, but he ignored the letters, continuing to offer legal advice to his unknowing clients.
In addition to fraud, Karpin allegedly also committed identity theft.

Michael Urbano, Karpin’s former defense attorney in the case, said he was shocked to discover that Karpin was using his name on documents and in person.

“When a search was executed on his office, it was discovered he stole my identity.” said Urbano.

Karpin, who chose to represent himself, addressed the jury during his closing arguments. In his defense, he referred to the victims who continued to pay for his services despite their supposed concerns and questions.

“You don’t tip the thief!” he exclaimed.

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>>Email the editor at aklaw@zoniereport.com.

Superior couple sues ASU prof over shoddy buildings

SUPERIOR — The ongoing saga of a college professor’s burgeoning real estate empire has escalated into a lawsuit.

The 12-page complaint from Bill and Jenny Holmquist claims that their neighbor, Arizona State University business professor Glenn Wilt, is killing their own real estate dream by allowing his holdings in historic downtown Superior fall into disrepair.

Wilt has reportedly bought several historic properties in historic towns east of Maricopa County as investments because he sees Valley growth heading in that direction. The properties are in places such as Superior, Miami, Globe and Hayden, according to press reports.

The Holmquists argue that he has sat on them so long that they are now crumbling and impacting their own investment on Superior’s Main Street.

Their squabble has made it to Town Council meetings. But the recent lawsuit in Pinal County Superior Court turns up the volume.

The complaint states that in March 2007, the Holmquists bought a building on West Main Street with the hopes of fixing it up and renting it out to third parties. Wilt owned the Uptown Theater next door.

Over the next few months, the Holmquists had trouble patching up their own building because parts of Wilt’s buildings were falling down in their way. At one point, town officials ordered them to stop their work and told Wilt to fix the theater.

In June 2007, the Holmquists say they entered into a six-month lease for their property. They canceled it because of the “hazardous condition” of Wilt’s property, the complaint says.

Since then, it’s been a back-and-forth game between the Holmquists, Wilt and town officials, who have ordered Wilt to demolish the old theater. He promised to “shore it up,” the complaint states, and the building still stands.

The Holmquists are represented by Mesa lawyer Brent H. Bryson. He is seeking actual and punitive damages for the income the couple lost on their investment property.

Disabled A.J. woman sues HOA over towed van

APACHE JUNCTION — An Apache Junction Homeowners Association is facing stiff penalties and a discrimination charge from the lawsuit of a local property owner who found her handicap van towed from in front of her home.

Sharon Turley claims the Arizona Goldfield Homeowners’ Association discriminated against her by not making “reasonable accommodations” for her disabilities and violated state law by not providing proper notice and opportunity to be heard before towing the van.

HOA officials first said they would respond to the situation in a meeting scheduled to be held the following month.

When the meeting never happened, Turley took the case to Pinal County under the Federal and State Housing Act.

In towing the van, the suit claims the HOA also violated the Planned Community Act, which requires that only after associations have given notice and the opportunity to be heard can associations impose monetary penalties.

Turley wants her HOA cover all expenses of returning her van to her and providing the needed exception to their parking regulations.

As of filing the complaint in late October, the van still sat in a holding lot, amassing a several hundred dollar holding fee at a rate of $15 a day.

To make matters worse, Turley soon after began receiving threats from the owner of the lot that the van will be sold if it is not soon retrieved.