Appeals court throws out life term in 2004 newborn’s death
WASHINGTON, Pa. (AP) — An appeals court has thrown out the life-without-parole sentence imposed on a western Pennsylvania woman in the murder of her newborn baby 17 years ago. PennLive.com reports that the Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled that now-44-year-old Jessica Rizor’s attorney erred in not advising her to take a plea deal that would have allowed her to get out of prison in as little as 5½ years. Authorities said Rizor gave birth in November 2004 in a bathroom and her husband found the baby in the garbage after Rizor told him to take out a trash bag, which she said was full of Thanksgiving leftovers.