High Court Grants New Trial in Mother's Voodoo Killing Case
WHO:
WCVB - Latarsha Sanders, convicted mother; her sons Edson Brito, 8, and La'Son Brito, 5; Judge William F. Sullivan; Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.
Boston Globe - Lindsay Clancy, accused mother in a separate case; Rosanna Cavallaro, Suffolk Law professor; Robert L. Shaw Jr., Sanders’ appellate attorney.
WHAT:
WCVB - The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court vacated Latarsha Sanders' conviction and ordered a new trial due to the exclusion of her psychiatric history from the original trial.
WCVB - The SJC stated that the trial suffered from a "prejudicial error" because relevant medical records were not presented to the jury.
WCVB - The SJC noted that Sanders was diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder during her four years awaiting trial.
WCVB - The SJC found that the jury did not see 12 medically significant entries detailing Sanders' severe mental illnesses and behaviors, including licking windows and auditory hallucinations.
WCVB - The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered a new trial for Latarsha Sanders, who was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in December 2022.
WCVB - Sanders was sentenced to mandatory life terms without the possibility of parole for the murders of her two sons.
Boston Globe - The SJC found that the exclusion of Sanders' psychiatric history from the trial constituted prejudicial error, leading to the new trial.
Boston Globe - The jury in Sanders' original trial deliberated for four hours before reaching a conviction.
WHERE:
WCVB - The trial was held in Plymouth Superior Court, Massachusetts.
Boston Globe - Sanders was treated at MCI-Framingham and the Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital.
WHEN:
WCVB - Sanders was convicted in December 2022.
Boston Globe - The SJC's ruling for a new trial was issued on a Thursday in August 2026.
WHY:
WCVB - The SJC emphasized that the exclusion of Sanders' medical records undermined her defense strategy regarding her mental state at the time of the killings.
WCVB - Sanders argued that the judge prevented her from fully presenting her mental health case, which was central to her defense.
Boston Globe - The SJC stated that the exclusion of medical records relating to Sanders' mental illness was a significant factor in their decision for a new trial.
HOW:
WCVB - The SJC criticized the prosecution's argument that Sanders' actions were influenced by the television program "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," stating there was no evidence to support this claim.
WCVB - Sanders claimed she attacked her son Edson with a kitchen knife as part of a Voodoo ritual.
Boston Globe - The SJC noted that the prosecution's argument regarding the influence of the television program "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" on Sanders' actions was unfounded and impermissible.
(UPDATED August 7, 2026 05:36 UTC)
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has vacated Latarsha Sanders' conviction and ordered a new trial, citing the exclusion of her psychiatric history as a significant issue. The court highlighted that the jury did not have access to twelve crucial medical entries detailing Sanders' severe mental illnesses, including her diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder and behaviors such as licking windows and experiencing auditory hallucinations. Additionally, the SJC criticized the prosecution's claim that her actions were influenced by the television show "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," noting there was no evidence to back that assertion.
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(UPDATED August 7, 2026 03:57 UTC)
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ordered a new trial for Latarsha Sanders, who was previously convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in December 2022 for the deaths of her sons, Edson and La'Son. The court found that the exclusion of Sanders' psychiatric history from her original trial was a prejudicial error, which significantly impacted her defense, as she argued that she was unable to fully present her mental health case. The SJC's ruling, issued on a Thursday in August 2026, also highlighted that the prosecution's claims regarding the influence of a television program on her actions were unfounded and impermissible.