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Van der Sloot sentenced to 28 years in prison for Peru murder
Joran van der Sloot on Friday was sentenced to 28 years in a Peruvian prison for the 2010 murder of 21-year-old Stephany Flores.
With credit for time served, his sentence would end on June 10, 2038.
He was also ordered to pay about $74,500 to the victim's family.
On Wednesday, the 24-year-old Dutch national confessed to the charges of "qualified murder" and simple robbery.
It was an apparent attempt to win a more lenient sentence, using a plea called an "anticipated conclusion of the process" under Peruvian law.
Friday's live events
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10:00 am ET - Van der Sloot sentencing - Joran van der Sloot will be sentenced today in Peru for the murder of Stephany Flores, just two days after pleading guilty to the charges against him.
Van der Sloot pleads guilty, says he is 'really sorry' for Peru woman's murder
Editor's note: Joran van der Sloot returned to a Peruvian courtroom on Wednesday, five days after requesting more time to "reflect" on what plea he will make in his murder trial in the death of Peruvian national Stephany Flores in 2010. Van der Sloot became well-known around the world after he was arrested twice, but never charged, in the 2005 disappearance of U.S. teenager Natalee Holloway in Aruba.
[Updated at 11:00 a.m. ET] The court is now in recess. Joran van der Sloot has pleaded guilty to the murder of Stephany Flores. The next step will be his sentencing, which will take place on Friday at 10:00 a.m.
Van der Sloot walked over to his attorney, smiled and shook his hand as court was adjourned.
[Updated at 10:59 a.m. ET] A prosecutor is now arguing about the respect of the victim and how there needs to be reparation for the victim as well. “[Stephany Flores] had her life taken from her” with so much ahead of her.
Van der Sloot is hanging his head as they talk about Flores' lost life potential.
Van der Sloot needs more time to decide plea, attorney says
[Updated, 11:27 a.m. ET] Joran van der Sloot's attorney, who earlier said his client was going to plead guilty to all charges in connection with the death of a Peruvian woman, has asked for a recess in his client's murder trial to give him more time to reflect on what plea he will put forth.
When asked for a plea by the magistrates, van der Sloot said he wanted to give a "sincere confession" - a type of guilty plea - but did not agree with all of the charges against him. When the judge asked for clarification, he said he needed more time to decide his plea.
[Initial post, 8:54 a.m. ET] In a last-minute defense strategy change, Joran van der Sloot is expected to plead guilty to all the charges against him in connection with the killing of a Peruvian woman, his lawyer told CNN Friday.
The original plan going into the trial, which was set to begin Friday, was to admit to killing 21-year-old Stephany Flores, but to fight more stringent charges that could land him more time in prison, attorney Luis Jimenez said.
Jimenez said the intention of the new strategy is to give a "sincere confession," which under Peruvian law can qualify him for a more lenient sentence.
If van der Sloot goes forward with this approach, he could be sentenced as early as next week.
FULL STORY
Van der Sloot charged with murder in Peru
Peruvian authorities have charged Joran van der Sloot with murder in the case of the death of a Peruvian woman.
CNN partner InSession reports that prosecutors are asking for a 30-year jail sentence and a restitution payment to the victim’s family of about $73,100.
Prosecutors have also charged three Peruvian drivers who allegedly took Van der Sloot across the border to Chile as he was trying to flee the country. They are asking for a five-year jail sentence and a restitution payment to the state of about $ 1,800, InSession reports.
"This is what we were expecting from the prosecutor's office given the high profile nature of this trial. We think 30 years is too much for this crime since it was an isolated incident without any further acts of violence. We have had cases in Peru under similar circumstances that have gotten less than 25 years,” said van der Sloot's attorney, Luis Jimenez Navarro.
No date has been set for trial.
Van der Sloot was once the prime suspect in the disappearance in Aruba of American teenager Natalee Holloway, who vanished at age 18 while on a graduation trip. He was arrested twice but never charged in connection with her disappearance.
FULL STORY
On the Radar: Van der Sloot charges, Google notebooks, hockey final
Three things you need to know today.
Van der Sloot case: Formal charges against Joran Van der Sloot, who is suspected of killing a woman in a Peruvian hotel, could be filed on Wednesday.
Van der Sloot and his new private defense attorney were in court on Tuesday for a preliminary hearing. The hearing was held behind closed doors at the Castro Castro prison outside of Lima. No cameras were allowed.
The hearing was postponed last week because Van der Sloot did not have legal representation.
Van der Sloot was once the prime suspect in the disappearance in Aruba of American teenager Natalee Holloway, who vanished at age 18 while on a graduation trip. He was arrested twice but never charged in connection with her disappearance.
He was arrested in May 2010 following the death of Stephany Flores in Peru.
Once charges are filed against him, a three-judge panel will set the date for an oral trial to begin.
Google notebooks: Notebook computers running Google's new operating system, called Chrome OS, come out on Wednesday.
The new operating system is based on Google's Chrome Web browser but adds some extra features for connecting digital cameras and offline usage. Google says 160 million people actively browse the Web using Chrome, up from 70 million a year ago.
Because the laptop runs on a stripped-down system, first-time setup takes three minutes, and the computers boot up in 8 seconds, Sundar Pichai, an executive for the Chrome group, said during a presentation on the system last month.
The notebooks will run Web-based apps and store files in the cloud instead of on a hard drive. "Your apps, games, photos, music, movies and documents will be accessible wherever you are and you won't need to worry about losing your computer or forgetting to back up files," Google said in a blog post announcing the computers.
Samsung Electronics will sell a version with a 12.1-inch screen and Wi-Fi for $429, and another model with Verizon Wireless 3G connectivity for $499. Acer will also make a Chromebook with prices as low as $349.
Stanley Cup final: The Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins square off for the seventh and final game to determine the winner of the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup.
The home team has won each of the previous six games. Wednesday night's Game 7 is in Vancouver, British Columbia.
SI.com's Stu Hackel looks back at the series and what to expect tonight.
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One winner for Friday's Mega Millions lottery: One lucky winner in upstate New York chose the right numbers in Friday night's Mega Millions lottery, in which last-minute ticket sales increased the jackpot from $312 million to $319 million, New York Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman said Saturday.
Van der Sloot lied about using laptop, source says: The laptop belonging to Joran Van der Sloot was turned off the night he is suspected of having killed a young Peruvian woman in Lima, suggesting he lied to investigators when he said he attacked her after she read an e-mail on his computer connecting him to missing American teenager, Natalee Holloway, a source said Friday.
Libyan woman tells her story of rape: Breakfast at a Tripoli hotel housing international journalists took a decidedly grim turn Saturday when a desperate Libyan woman burst into the building frantic to let the world know she had been raped and beaten by Moammar Gadhafi's militia.
Geraldine Ferraro was a 'gutsy pioneer,' Mondale says: Geraldine Ferraro, who trailblazed American politics for women when she became the vice presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, died Saturday, according to a family statement. She was 75.
Disabled mom wins visitation rights: A California judge ruled Friday that a woman who suffered severe brain damage during the birth of her triplets must be granted visitation rights to see them.
On the Radar: Miners in U.S., Rangel punished
Miners in America - The men who survived 69 days in a Chilean mine are in Atlanta, Georgia, on their first U.S. tour since being rescued last month. The miners are on their way to Los Angeles, California, to tape "CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute," which will air on Thanksgiving.
"I want to see the world," said 27-year-old miner Richard Villarroell, who has only been to Argentina. "I know all of Chile, but not the rest of the world."
CNN Heroes brings attention to regular people around the globe who are doing significant things that improve lives. The Chileans were invited because they symbolize the resiliency and endurance of the human spirit.
Rangel punished, Murkowski claims win - Politics is making news Thursday from New York to Alaska. New York Rep. Charles Rangel will be punished by his colleagues for violating House rules. The House ethics committee meets today and could recommend anything from a fine to expulsion. In Alaska, Sen. Lisa Murkowski has finally declared victory over fellow-Republican Joe Miller. The votes are still being counted. Murkowski would be the first write-in candidate to win a Senate race since Strom Thurmond in 1954.
Mystery bone - Investigators hope to determine Thursday whether a jawbone found on an Aruba beach belongs to an animal or a human. It's possible that the bone is from the body of Natalee Holloway, the missing American teenager. If the bone is human, authorities will attempt to find out using a DNA match whether it belongs to Holloway, who was last seen on the island in 2005. The Netherlands Forensic Institute in The Hague is examining the bone. Joran van der Sloot, the suspect in the Holloway case, is being held in Castro-Castro prison in Peru on another murder charge. Holloway's mother met with him recently.
Joran van der Sloot indicted on fraud, extortion charges
Joran van der Sloot has been indicted in connection with allegations that he tried to extort $250,000 from the mother of Natalee Holloway, U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance said.
A federal grand jury in Alabama indicted van der Sloot Wednesday on charges of wire fraud and extortion. Van der Sloot was questioned in Holloway's death but never charged. He is also being held in Peru on murder charges in the death of college student Stephany Flores.
Van der Sloot files appeal in Peru
Joran van der Sloot's attorney on Wednesday filed an appeal to a ruling that upheld his confession and detention in the death of a Peruvian woman, his attorney said.
Attorney Maximo Altez filed the appeal in the morning, he said.
Ricardo Flores, the father of murder victim Stephany Flores, was also expected to appear before a judge Wednesday to give a formal statement, family members told CNN.
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Apple on iPhone - You're holding it wrong: Hours after its iPhone 4 went on sale to excited crowds Thursday, Apple found itself responding to complaints that holding the phone by its metal edge interferes with mobile reception.
Porn sites get their own domain: The not-for-profit corporation that coordinates the internet's naming system has voted to allow the application of the controversial ".xxx" top-level domain name for sites that display adult content.
DNA found under Peru victim's nails: Peruvian police said they found skin underneath the fingernails of the woman Joran van der Sloot is accused of killing.
Cruise loses control in 'Knight and Day': Tom Cruise's latest mission improbable shows why "Cruise being Cruise" has turned into too much of a good thing for many moviegoers.
With iPhone 4 excitement come complaints: Shortly after testing out the world's new "it" phone, some iPhone 4 consumers turned to the internet to report problems with the Apple product.
Van der Sloot claims his rights were violated
Joran van der Sloot has filed a complaint with Peruvian police claiming that his constitutional rights and his right to a defense were violated after his arrest in connection with the killing of a Peruvian woman.
On the Radar: McChrystal, Gulf oil disaster, van der Sloot
[cnn-video url="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/06/23/am.ohanlon.keep.mcchrystal.cnn"]
McChrystal and Obama - A Pentagon source tells CNN that President Obama has asked for a list of possible replacements for Gen. Stanley McChrystal. The president and the general will meet today to discuss the brouhaha triggered by a magazine profile of McChrystal. In it, he and his staff appear to disparage senior administration officials.
McChrystal is unlikely to survive the fallout from remarks he made about colleagues in a Rolling Stone magazine profile to be published Friday, a Pentagon source who has ongoing contacts with the general told CNN earlier. He likely will resign Wednesday, the source said. McChrystal's fate is expected to hinge on a meeting scheduled Wednesday with the Obama, who was "angry" after reading the general's remarks, according to White House spokesman Robert Gibbs. Our columnists take a look, and give dueling viewpoints, on what Obama should do: keep him or fire him.
On the Radar: Gulf oil, van der Sloot, Mexico violence
Gulf oil disaster - A federal judge will hear arguments Monday from companies seeking an end to a temporary moratorium on deepwater drilling, while oil continues gushing into the Gulf of Mexico from a ruptured undersea well. The six-month ban, instituted by the government last month, halts all drilling in more than 500 feet of water and prevents new permits from being issued. But a company that provides boats and equipment to the offshore drilling industry said in a lawsuit the government has no evidence that existing operations pose a threat to the Gulf.
Holloway, Flores families in touch over possible case links
The family of Natalee Holloway, left, has been in touch with the family of Stefany Flores, right, whose cases may be linked by suspect Joran van der Sloot
Missing Alabama teen Natalee Holloway's mother talked to the family of a murdered Peruvian woman whose case may be linked to her daughter's, the Peruvian family told CNN sister network In Session.
Beth Holloway gave the Flores family her "sincere, sincere condolences" when they spoke for the first time Wednesday, Enrique Flores told In Session's Jean Casarez.
Flores's sister Stefany was killed May 30. Joran van der Sloot, who is being held in connection with the killing, was twice arrested but never charged in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway in 2005.
Van der Sloot update: Arubans to question him in August
CNN has just learned that Aruban investigators will likely not travel to Peru to question murder suspect Joran van der Sloot until at least the end of August, prosecutor Peter Blanken said.
Investigators from Aruba will not be able to question van der Sloot until Peruvian authorities finish their probe of the May 30 slaying of Stephany Flores, Blanken said. The formalities of Peruvian law also will determine the time frame, the prosecutor said.
Aruban and Peruvian authorities agreed to "help each other" in the Flores case. Investigators hope the cooperation will lead to new information about the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway in 2005 in Aruba for which Van der Sloot is suspected.
Following a phone meeting with Peruvian Judge Carlos Morales on Tuesday morning, Aruban government spokesman Taco Stein said Peruvian authorities have agreed to allow Aruban investigators into Peru to interview van der Sloot once a formal request has been made.
Van der Sloot is believed to be housed in Peru's Castro Castro prison which is infamous for its violence. One expert described the lock-up as "entering the gates of hell."
Van der Sloot attorney resigns
Joran van der Sloot's Peruvian attorney has resigned from defending the murder suspect, the attorney told Peru's Foreign Press Association Monday.
Earlier, Maximo Altez Navarro told CNN that he didn't want to be van der Sloot's attorney anymore.
On the Radar: Gulf disaster, Arkansas floods, van der Sloot
Gulf oil - President Obama will visit the Gulf states affected by the oil spill Monday and Tuesday. On his fourth visit to the Gulf region since the disaster began April 20, Obama will make stops in Theodore, Alabama; Gulfport, Mississippi; and Pensacola, Florida, according to senior administration officials. After returning from the two-day trip, Obama will make a televised statement from the Oval Office on the night before he is scheduled to meet with top BP officials.
In response to the government's order for BP to step up efforts to collect more oil from the runaway well, BP said it has a plan to contain more than 50,000 barrels of oil per day by the end of this month, according to a letter obtained by CNN. With estimates changing over the past few days about how much oil actually is spewing each day, BP began deploying pressure sensors on its ruptured undersea well in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday in an effort to fine-tune estimates.
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The five most popular CNN.com stories during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Teen sailor safe aboard fishing ship: The 16-year-old California girl rescued from her stricken boat in the Indian Ocean says she is "safe and sound" and argues that her age shouldn't be blamed for the problems she encountered at sea.
Man accused of having kids with daughters: Law enforcement agents in Brazil's northeastern town of Pinheiros trekked and canoed for nearly two hours through rugged terrain to arrest a 54-year-old man accused of fathering eight children with his two eldest daughters.
Amanda Knox is innocent, mobster says: A jailed Italian mobster claims he can prove American student Amanda Knox, her former boyfriend and a drifter are innocent of murdering Knox's British roommate.
Cruise line employee charged with burglaries: A former Royal Caribbean Cruise Line employee has been arrested and charged with burglarizing the homes of 24 vacationers who were spending time at sea.
Van der Sloot charged in Peru murder: Joran van der Sloot was charged with murder Friday, acting "with ferocity and great cruelty" in the slaying of a 21-year-old student in Lima, Peru.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular CNN.com stories during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Van der Sloot charged in Peru murder: Joran van der Sloot was charged with murder Friday, acting "with ferocity and great cruelty" in the slaying of a 21-year-old student in Lima, Peru, according to court documents.
Mobster says Amanda Knox is innocent: A jailed Italian mobster claims he can prove American student Amanda Knox, her former boyfriend and a drifter are innocent of murdering Knox's British roommate because he knows who the real killer is - his brother.
Crews contact missing teen sailor: Australian authorities on Friday made contact with a 16-year-old American girl who triggered a distress signal while attempting to sail solo around the world.
16 dead, 36 missing in Arkansas flooding: At least 16 people died at a federal campground in Arkansas after heavy rain and flash flooding Friday, and many more could be trapped in the area, state authorities said.
Van der Sloot says he knows location of Holloway's body, official says: Joran van der Sloot told investigators that he knows where Natalee Holloway's body is, but he would neither identify the location nor say what happened to her the night of her disappearance, Peruvian police official told CNN.
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