Criminal Law
A California Woman Convicted in Her Baby’s Death Will Be Resentenced
A woman convicted of murder in the death of her 3-month-old daughter will return to Kern County for resentencing, where a lesser prison term could be imposed.
A three-justice panel from the 5th District Court of Appeal found no errors were committed by the judge or attorneys, but a change in state law requires Vanessa Wolfe be returned to the trial judge’s courtroom.
Under Assembly Bill 518, judges now have discretion, when an act is punishable by different ways under different provisions of law, to sentence a defendant under either provision. Previously, they were required to impose the provision resulting in the longest term of imprisonment.
