NEW YORK–So the verdict came down in the Kenneth Reeves case. And the jury agreed. Mostly. They found Reeves guilty of armed burglary and possession of a destructive device. He faces life in prison.

So prosecutors convinced this jury that Reeves planted six explosives in and around 18-year-old Scotty Davis' house in Florida because Davis' stepmother rejected Reeves' romantic advances. And prosecutors were right. Scotty Davis was a victim here. But not just of Kenneth Reeves. Because before police charged Reeves, they arrested Scotty. And his life has never been the same. He lost his friends. The community turned on him. They presumed him guilty. And some still do.

And Scotty Davis is not the first or the only American subjected to this kind of un-American prosecution before the fact. The Duke defendants. Cindy Sommer. The hundreds of prisoners exonerated after spending years in prison for crimes they didn't commit. That's the power of the prosecution. And that's why it's important for us to keep them honest. That's the Last Word.

–Jami Floyd, In Session anchor

ORLANDO, Florida–The man accused of framing a teen in a bomb plot has been found guilty of armed burglary and possession of a destructive device.

Kenneth Reeves, 50, now faces life in prison. The six-member panel deliberated for three hours and 10 minutes before returning their verdict on six counts of armed burglary and five counts of possession of a destructive device.

He was also found guilty of burglary, a lesser offense of one of the armed burglary charges, and not guilty of two counts of possession of a destructive device.

The jurors’ verdict means they did not believe Reeves planted the two pipe bombs found in the bedrooms of the Davis’ house.

Davis’ and Reeves’ family members sobbed as the verdict was read. Outside the courtroom, Scott Davis Jr. said he felt vindicated. Asked what his feelings were for Reeves, the 19-year-old said “I wish he would have never walked in my life. I wish he would have never walked into my parents’ life my family.” Then he looked directly at the camera to address Reeves: “You destroy us all in the most emotional way you can possibly do to somebody. I hope you are watching this, I really do.”

Prosecutors contend Reeves deliberately misled police to believe Davis was planning to blow up his high school in May 2007. Reeves told police members of the Davis family had shown him where pipe bombs were hidden on their property.

In Session will bring you complete verdict coverage live on Friday, beginning at 9 a.m.

–In Session staff

ORLANDO, Florida - Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Thursday in Orlando, Florida, in the trial of a former reserve deputy accused of framing a teen in a bomb plot.

The fate of Kenneth Reeves will soon be in the hands of a jury

Wednesday, jurors heard conflicting testimonies from the teen, Scott Davis Jr., and the defendant, Kenneth Reeves as the prosecution and defense wrapped up their cases.

In May 2007, Orange County Sheriff’s deputies found six pipe bombs in and around Davis’ house. Davis was arrested on May 11, 2007 and charged with possession of a destructive device.

At trial, Reeves recalled the events leading up to Davis’ arrest. He testified he was at Davis’s home when Davis threatened to blow up his school and proceeded to show him two pipe bombs. He said Davis’ stepmother instructed the teen to put the bombs away in different bedrooms. Over the next couple of days, Reeves told the court Davis and his step-mother showed him where the pipe bombs were hidden.

Reeves’ testimony, which lasted almost two hours, sharply contrasted with the testimonies of Scott Davis Jr. and his father and stepmother, Scott and Heather Davis. They said Davis Jr. never threatened to blow up his high school and that he never walked into a room in their presence holding pipe bombs. Scott and Heather Davis testified they never told the 18-year-old boy to hide any explosives in his room and their bedroom so it can’t be found and that they did not know how to handle pipe bombs.

Stay tuned to In Session for live coverage.

-In Session staff

NEW YORK - Casey Anthony has been charged with murder; and the case is a little different from most.

Casey Anthony in cuffs after arrest

The defendant is a woman. The alleged victim is her child. But there is one thing that is the same as all the others. There is a presumption of guilt in that courtroom and out on the courthouse steps. And it’s a presumption that shouldn't be there.

When we launched the Best Defense, we pledged to cover every case with the presumption of innocence firmly in tact. Does that mean every defendant is innocent? Of course not. But it does mean that we should demand proof of guilt before anyone is convicted - in the courtroom or in the court of public opinion. And that's the Last Word.

-Jami Floyd, In Session anchor

NEW YORK - Defendant Casey Anthony made her first appearance Wednesday before a judge as the defendant in the murder of her three-year-old daughter, Caylee Anthony. It follows the grand jury indictment of Anthony on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse.

Casey Anthony is advised of the first-degree murder charges she is now facing

The proceeding, in which she was advised of the criminal counts, took less than a minute inside an Orlando, Florida jail house. Her attorney, Jose Baez, was by her side. Because Anthony is being charged with a capital crime, the question of bond was a moot issue and she will remain behind bars. Florida, like most jurisdictions does not allow bond for first-degree murder.

The next step in the process will be a filing by prosecutors of formal charges in the case. This should come in the next few weeks. An arraignment will follow at which time Anthony will enter a plea. After that proceeding, the State Attorney’s office will have to give notice to the court and to the defense if they are intending to seek the death penalty.

Another interesting aspect to this indictment is found in counts 2 and 3 (Aggravated Child Abuse and Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child). Departing from the general language of the statutes, prosecutors included references that someone else along with defendant Anthony may have been involved in the commission of the crimes. They are at the very least leaving that door open.

State Attorney Lawson Lamar issued a statement yesterday saying “this investigation involves intricate forensics that are on the cutting edge of science.” That particular statement is intriguing considering the fact that prosecutors may be relying on tests taken from the "Body Farm" at the University of Tennessee's Department of Anthropology. Results from air samples tested there reportedly confirmed that a decomposing body was in the trunk of the car Casey Anthony was driving at the time of Caylee's disappearance. The defense may question whether such science and technology used in this investigation is time-tested or reliable.

But there is another extremely important aspect to this case; the body of Caylee Anthony has not been found. On an emotional level, it is a part of this case that cannot be forgotten. On a legal level, it may be difficult for the state to proceed with this as a death penalty case without a body. This fact may be used as a bargaining chip for defendant Anthony or an alleged accomplice to help law enforcement finally find Caylee Anthony. Only time will tell.

-Jean Casarez, In Session correspondent

ORLANDO, Florida–Prosecutors are questioning the 18-year-old teen at the center of their case against Kenneth Reeves, the man accused of framing the high school senior after his stepmother allegedly rebuffed the 50-year-old’s romantic advances. Reeves is charged with burglary and possession of explosives. Jurors are expected to hear from Heather Davis as well.

Scott Davis, Jr. takes the witness stand

On Tuesday, Scott Davis’ father testified his son did not threaten to blow up his high school as alleged by Reeves in a tip to Orange County deputies last year, and denied his son ever possessed a pipe bomb. Scott Davis Sr. also testified he never gave Reeves permission to enter their warehouse, house, or vehicles for any reason unless they were home.

Jurors also heard from a forensic computer analyst that a search of the defendant’s computer hard drive revealed internet searches and downloads for information on explosives and how to make bombs. According to the analyst, “The Anarchist’s Cookbook,” was last accessed about 10 days before the first two pipe bombs were found in Davis’ home.

Throughout the day, jurors viewed photographs of evidence collected by crime scene investigators. The photographs showed the pipe bombs as they were found by bomb technicians and the pipe bomb’s shrapnel and components after they had been detonated.

Many photos showed items taken from the Davis family’s property, including a red toy rocket and a note that says “cause I feel like doing something stupid, really stupid” from Davis Jr.’s bedroom and black powder, bits, and a vice from the Davis family’s warehouse workshop.

Meanwhile, defense attorney Steven Laurence began to lay the ground work for his case, which is scheduled to begin today.

During cross-examination, Scott Davis Jr.’s grandfather testified that the 18-year-old was being treated for depression and had been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility in 2007. Jurors also learned Davis Jr. was expelled from his high school just weeks before Reeves first made contact with the police.

Stay tuned to In Session for live coverage of this case.

–In Session staff

ORLANDO, Florida–Testimony continues today in the trial of 50-year-old Kenneth Reeves, charged with burglary and possession of a destructive device after allegedly planting pipe bombs in a local family's home.

Kenneth Reeves is accused of framing a teenager in a bomb-making plot

Prosecutors believe Reeves planted the explosives and deliberately misled police to believe 18-year-old Scott Davis was planning to blow up his high school. Reeves told police members of the Davis family had shown him where pipe bombs were hidden on their property.

The defense, however, says the state can not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. In fact, during opening statements Monday, defense attorney Steven Laurence told jurors that it is more likely that Davis, who has a history of mental health issues and of bullying other students, built the pipe bombs and planned to use them.

Orange County Sheriff’s deputies testified on Monday that they found six pipe bombs in the Davis family home after three separate searches prompted by information Reeves provided. In addition, deputies also recovered a letter which the defense refers to as a “suicide note” and a toy red rocket which had a motor igniter similar to the igniters found on the pipe bombs.

A panel of six jurors, four women and two men, will determine Reeve’s guilt or innocence. If convicted, Reeves could be sentenced to life plus an additional 30 years in prison. Monday, Reeves rejected a plea offer by that state in which he would have received a sentence of 10 years plus an additional four years of probation.

Stay tuned to In Session for live coverage of this case.

–In Session staff

NEW YORK–So we know what Sarah Palin thinks of gay marriage. Sarah Palin is tolerant. Or at least she claims to be. Tolerant. And I guess that's better than intolerant. But is that the best we can do in this country? Because this election is three weeks away and I don't like what I'm seeing.

It’s getting ugly out there. With racism rearing it's ugly head and two Americas emerging: Those who are intolerant and the rest of us. There have always been those who are uncomfortable with change, afraid of those who are different. They opposed the abolition of slavery. They opposed civil rights. They opposed intermarriage and now they oppose gay marriage too.

But here's what they fail to understand. The greatness of this country has never been rooted in their intolerance. America is great precisely because we celebrate the differences that make the fabric of these United States stronger. And that's the Last Word.

–Jami Floyd, In Session anchor

NEW YORK–I don’t know if you have ever been to Alaska. I have. And I love it. And Alaska sure has been in the news a lot lately. The state that gave us the first female to run on a Republican presidential ticket (and gave Saturday Night Live a whole lot of new material), now gives us Senator Ted Stevens. Stevens, who was fighting for statehood for Alaska before Sarah Palin was born, is in a whole lot of trouble.

Sen. Ted Stevens enters federal court

Now, Alaska is a different sort of place. It is one of the most beautiful places in the country – the world, really; the last frontier. Alaskans sure seem to have more respect for, and connection to their natural surroundings than most other places. And then there's the politics, because that's different too. Politics in Alaska is born of that same natural endowment. And, if you think about it, that is why the Steven's scandal is not surprising. Because, when Ted Stevens went to the Senate almost 40 years ago, the federal government still owned 60 percent of the land there. And, working within that reality, Stevens has done a lot for his state. He is head of the Senate Appropriations Committee, after all, and as such has brought in unprecedented federal dollars for almost every state program, institution, and region. But with all of it, prosecutors say, came a catch as catch can political culture that inevitably led to corruption. Stevens almost singlehandedly built Alaska. And for that Alaskans can be thankful. But he built its political system too. And now, it may be that the state will also have Stevens to thank for the corruption that runs through it. And that's the Last Word.

–Jami Floyd, In Session anchor

LAS VEGAS, Nevada–It’s hard to feel sorry for O.J. Simpson. After all, most Americans seem to think he killed two people 13 years ago. And despite all the passion the murder case induced, just as many seem not to care much about O.J. at all these days. There were no throngs of supporters to greet him at his armed robbery trial. No lines to get a seat in that courtroom. And frankly, no television audience to speak of either.

But folks who care about justice were paying attention all over again. The strange journey of O.J. Simpson from Heisman Trophy winner to Hollywood celebrity to three-time defendant and now convicted felon is heartbreaking. O.J. once represented the best of what we could be. To see him fall so far, guilty or not, is an American tragedy.

After the acquittal in the murder case, O.J. never did reclaim his status. He never got his life back. He remained a pariah. And while I believe in our system and don't like to question a jury verdict, only a fool could ignore the obvious here. And that’s payback. And that's the Last Word.

–Jami Floyd, In Session anchor