BREAKING NEWS: [2023-CM-163] Defendants Found Not Guilty On All Charges

After nearly two months since the docket [2023-CM-163] was posted, the trial for Daniel McFall, Arthur Caine, and Bazil McFall-Bernstein was held. On Wednesday evening, starting at 6 pm EST, the trial began. The mood outside the courtroom was one of defiance, with a large crowd gathered to either support or oppose the defendants. People were seen holding signs, and Bishop’s Chicken even turned up to cater. Outside the courtroom, those who supported the defendants threw water balloons at the windows, which San Andreas Security Services (SASS) agents and law enforcement officers in SWAT gear stood behind. The court case was closed to the general public, and only law enforcement, those under subpoena, and members of the press were allowed access.

During the trial, the lawn of the Rockford Hills Courthouse was set on fire by the people outside.  Protesters exploded cars on the grass, and the windows and pillars of the courthouse were all tagged with messages of anger at the ‘system.’ Members of various gangs and groups could be seen through the courtroom windows, and Twitter was inundated with posts supporting the McFall family. From those outside, we heard of members of the police surrounding the protests, some of whom were listening to music while others were blowing up cars, pouring gasoline on the doors and causing general chaos. 

Throughout the trial, with many witnesses, police, medical staff, and more being called under subpoena, the trial felt tense. The sounds of fireworks and explosions were constant, and onlookers could be seen through the bay windows of the Rockford Hills Courthouse. At times, people could be seen holding torches, signs and throwing up their middle fingers. The proceedings took nearly three hours, with each person brought to the stand questioned to great extents by both the prosecution and the defense. A spanner was thrown in the works when Officer Amelia Drake was not present in the courtroom, with Donald O’Hagen petitioning to have the charges acquitted (via a directed verdict). People remained outside the courthouse for the entire duration, persistent in supporting and opposing all the involved parties. The docket for this case is huge, and the court case is even more massive. A full court case recording will be posted exclusively to Weazel News, with a more in-depth transcription of the events in the courtroom to follow. 

After a motion was denied by Circuit Judge Joanna McGrath, the parties moved to their closing statements. The state naturally pushed for the defendants to be found guilty, whereas Donald O’Hagen, the defendant’s lawyer, questioned the evidence’s validity, arguing that, because the evidence was not testified to in court, that it was not acceptable as evidence. The verdicts were called, with Daniel McFall found not guilty of one count of Accomplice to Aggravated First Degree Murder. Arthur Caine was found not guilty of one count of Accomplice to Aggravated First Degree Murder, and Bazil McFall-Bertstien was found not guilty of one count of Accessory to Aggravated First Degree Murder, and not guilty of one count of Attempted First Degree Murder.

The Verdicts

Defendant: Arthur Caine

Charge(s): 1 x Accomplice to Aggravated First Degree Murder

Verdict: Not Guilty

Defendant: Bazil McFall-Bertstein

Charge(s): 1 x Accessory to Aggravated First Degree Murder, 1 x Attempted First Degree Murder

Verdict: Not Guilty

Leaving the courtroom, the mood shifted, becoming one of jubilation and celebration as the defendants were released. Statements were gained from Daniel McFall and the defendant’s lawyer, Donald O’Hagen, which will be available when the trial recording is released in our follow up coverage of this chaotic and tragic case.

Stay tuned to Weazel News as we continue following up on this story.