The former NFL Saints star, Darren Sharper together with his two co-defendants are scheduled for a court trial in New Orleans this coming May 16. This is in relation to the case filed against him for drug, rape and conspiracy cases.
The re-schedule was ordered by US District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo due to the request of both attorneys from the government and Sharper's to push back the trial day. The case started right after Sharper was accused of drugging and sexually abusing nine women in four different states last August 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Many citizens of New Orleans were shocked when the news came out. Questions like how did the Orleans Parish District Attorney's office sent Orleans most beloved star in prison without even going to trial. But District attorney Leon Cannizzaro said that no one is above the law.
During the first federal court hearing, Sharper pleaded guilty of the charges although the judge has not approved the plea bargain just yet. It will allow Sharper to serve nine years in federal prison. Sharper still has a chance to withdraw his guilty plea if the federal judge decides to discard the agreed sentence. Licciardi and Nunez, Sharper's co-defendants both had a non-guilty plea.
In a different state court trial, Sharper also pleaded guilty of the accusations of drugging and raping three women including Licciardi and Nunez as accomplices. The court ruled nine years in federal prison and a lifetime probation with parole restrictions. And like the federal case, the sentence has not been finalized by Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Karen Herman. And just like the other cases, Licciardi and Nunez had pleaded not guilty of the charges against them. Both may be facing a mandatory life sentence.
The FBI Crime Lab has established the evidences linked to the accusations. Authorities used advanced detection technologies to determine drug ingestion long after it has been ingested. Stains found on another victims jeans has also been identified as a match with Sharper's DNA.
