Murder of Imette St. Guillen: Difference between revisions

Imette Carmella St. Guillen (March 2, 1981 - February 25, 2006) was an American graduate student of Venezuelen and French Canadian descent who was murdered.^[1] She was studying criminal justice^[2] at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City at the time of her death. Her gruesome murder, which captured national attention^[3] along with the later murder of Jennifer Moore was to have a profound impact on New York City's nightlife.^[4][5]

St. Guillen was born March 2, 1981 in Boston, Massachusetts.^[6] She grew up and was educated in the Mission Hill section.^[6] In her adolescent years she lived with her mother, Maureen and her sister, Alejandra, and had attended the Farragut School.^[6][7] She later attended Boston Latin School as a National Honor Society scholar^[1] before going on to college. St. Guillen and her sister, Alejandra were recipients of the Carol DiMaiti Stuart Foundation scholarship,^[8] which was set up by DiMaiti's family after their daughter was murdered by Charles Stuart. St. Guillen was influenced by her deceased father, Seimundo, to pursue her college degree in criminal justice. She received her undergraduate degree in criminal justice^[1] and had graduated magna cum laude from George Washington University. She was well-liked by her peers^[9] and was almost finished with the process of completing her last year in graduate school for her master's degree at John Jay College of Criminal Justice when she was murdered.^[7]

Preceding her murder, St. Guillen had just returned from a trip to Florida. On the night of her arrival in New York City, February 25, 2006, St. Guillen had continued to celebrate her upcoming birthday with her best friend, first by going to the Pioneer bar. St. Guillen, however, wanted to stay out longer than her friend, so she parted ways with her and then she eventually walked a few blocks west to another bar by herself. St. Guillen's friend had later phoned her on her cell phone but St. Guillen did not reveal her whereabouts.^[3]

St. Guillen then went unaccounted for during a time-period lasting for approximately 17 hours^[5][10] before an anonymous phone call was received by Police from one of the payphones outside of the Lindenwood Diner in Lindenwood, Queens,^[3] which had already been connected to the arrest of John A. Gotti.^[11] The caller reported a body being found. St. Guillen was found in an area off the Belt Parkway,^[12] known as Fountain Avenue.

St. Guillen's body was found nude, having been raped, tortured and murdered. She was also found with tape strips wrapped around her head, her hair cut, and a sock stuffed in her mouth.^[12][13] The coroner's initial report indicated that she had either been "gang raped" or was "violated" with objects. The cause of death was found to be asphyxiation^[12] due to strangulation.^[3] Her sister had to identify St. Guillen, supposedly from forensic photographs.

It was these aspects of the crime that attracted the national attention of the news media.^[14] At least a few news sources dubbed the murderer the "mummy maniac" because St. Guillen's face was reportedly wrapped in packing tape.^[15][16]

St. Guillen's funeral was held at the Gormley Funeral Home on Saturday, March 4, 2006 in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. It was attended by her mother, sister, stepfather Frank Holbrook, stepbrother Luke Holbrook and many other people who either knew her or had heard of the case. Her body was later cremated as per her family's decision.^[17]

Within just a few days, a reward 'memorandum' was quickly created and posted on John Jay College's website.^[18] Other, more official reward posters were put up in the SoHo neighborhood around Spring and Lafayette streets, where she was last seen alive, offering a $42,000 reward.^[12][19]

St. Guillen was last seen alive with one of the two employed bouncers who had escorted her from The Falls, a bar that was owned by the Dorrian family and has as a 'sister' bar, Dorrian's Red Hand.^[20] The manager of the bar, Daniel Dorrian, gave several conflicting reports to the New York City Police Department about the presence of St. Guillen in the bar on the night of her murder.^[21] After a few days, Dorrian finally admitted that St. Guillen had been in the bar but continued to lie about who was working, how she left, and whether he had been on duty that night.^[22] Michael Dorrian, the owner, claims that his family is not to blame.^[23]

Darryl Littlejohn, one of two bouncers at The Falls where St. Guillen was seen the night she was murdered, was charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and unlawful imprisonment.^[24] DNA that was proven to be Littlejohn's, most likely caused from a nosebleed, was found on the plastic ties that were used to bind St. Guillen's hands.^[24] Littlejohn was asked to escort St. Guillen out of The Falls just before closing,^[24] and was later seen talking to St. Guillen in front of the bar before her disappearance.^[25] His basement apartment in Queens and vehicles were searched by police and crime scene investigators. Carpet fibers found in Littlejohn's home were a match to fibers discovered on the adhesive tape that St. Guillen's face was wrapped with.^[24] Additional evidence that Littlejohn was in the area at the time, date, and place where St. Guillen was killed and dumped was found using cell phone tower records^[26] which "indicated movement from his home to near the spot in Brooklyn where Ms. St. Guillen's body was found."^[27]

Due to the nature of St. Guillen's murder and other high profile cases, The Village Voice suggested that the Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) was devoting more of its time to tracing the cellular phones of detectives.^[28] The article discussed efforts to uncover leaks to the media in these cases.^[28] A source that communicated with The Village Voice said that police in St. Guillen's murder case had received "punitive 'letters of instruction' in their files and were docked days of pay."^[28]

Littlejohn, an ex-convict, had spent more than 12 years in prison for drug possession and robbery charges.^[29] He was on parole at the time of his employment at The Falls and, by working at the bar, was violating the curfew of his parole agreement.^[13] Some blame was placed on his parole officer.^[30] Since 2006 he has been held at Rikers Island prison^[24] and he was initially held by authorities because of the parole violation. He was later charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder and then held for the murder of St. Guillen.^[13][25]

During that time, Littlejohn had been tried and convicted in the abduction attempt of a Queens woman on October 19, 2005. The woman was abducted off the street and held by Littlejohn in his van but managed to escape, leaving behind DNA which was later identified. This abduction attempt was later linked to St. Guillen's case when the woman saw the suspected van on TV news reports.^[31][32]

Littlejohn's initial defense attorney was Kevin O'Donnell,^[33] but O'Donnell was later dismissed when Littlejohn complained about his work.^[34] Littlejohn's later lawyer Joyce David, known for her book What You Should Know If You're Accused of a Crime^[35] filed a 36-page legal brief alleging a "wide-ranging conspiracy" involving Littlejohn and the St. Guillen murder and claiming that Littlejohn was "being framed to protect members of a rich and powerful family who have the connections and the motive to see that he gets convicted of killing St. Guillen."^[36] Rudy Giuliani was "named in the conspiracy," supposedly because the "Dorrians are part of Giuliani's family."^{[37][38][39][40][41]}

Littlejohn started his criminal career at age 12, according to prosecutors, at first stealing a 70-year-old woman's purse with the help of a friend.^[42][43] Prosecutors in the 2005 abduction are seeking court permission to discuss Littlejohn's crimes, and prosecutor Frank DeGaetano said that the crimes "fairly reflect his character"; Littlejohn's lawyer wants discussion of his past banned from the trial.^[42]

On May 12, 2006 it was reported that St. Guillen's family was suing the Dorrians, the State of New York, and federal authorities.^[44] The St. Guillens are represented in this civil action by Joseph Tacopina.^[44][45] This legal step was in reaction to The Falls bar's hiring of a "career" felon, the lack of background checks for bouncers, and the apparent inaction of the New York State Liquor Authority in monitoring bouncers and their apparent inability or lack of willingness to quickly respond by closing the bar after initial news reports. The Dorrian family had responded by calling the claim "ridiculous" and saying that St. Guillen's mother is "doing this for the press."^[46]

Within days after the revelation of the alleged lying of Dorrian in St. Guillen's disappearance and murder, a New York City writer named Jeff Ragsdale organized a group of people through Craigslist to start a demonstration in front of The Falls bar.^[47] Their aim was to inform passers-by and others of St. Guillen's murder by conversations, using flyers and other handouts, and to bring pressure on the New York State Liquor Authority to have The Falls bar closed and its liquor license permanently revoked.^[48] The demonstrations lasted a few months, and around June 2006 The Falls bar lost its liquor license. Despite this, Dorrian still has other establishments that are doing lucrative business in New York City and New Jersey.^[49]

The Pioneer bar, which was first associated with the disappearance of St. Guillen, was and is unrelated to her murder. However, the bar suffered negative publicity, and news reports showed images of the bar's facade in their coverage of the murder. The bar had later changed its name to the R Bar in response to the negative publicity and it is still doing business.^[50]

In early 2008, St. Guillen's mother brought a civil action against the federal government for US$200 million for their failure to keep track of Littlejohn.^[51] The suit names the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Program^[52] as defendants.^[51] However, an earlier news source had quoted the amount of the civil suit as US$100 million and stated that federal authorities lost track of Littlejohn.^[53][54] One of the family's lawyers, Christopher Lang, had said that "Maureen lost Imette because the system lost track of someone who needed to be watched".^[55] It was also noted that Littlejohn was not assigned to a probation officer.^[56] Another lawyer for the St. Guillen's, Joseph Tacopina, said "they lost him in their system altogether."^[57]

A bouncer at Dorrian's Red Hand is said by police sources to have beaten a restaurant manager.^[58] The restaurant manager was curious about his competition and went into the bar as a fight was in progress.^[58] He later left and was said "hit in his head" by one of the bouncers clearing the bar of customers.^[58]

Another woman has been compared to St. Guillen in a possible new murder victim story that surfaced.^[59][60] This woman, mentioned in the print edition of the New York Daily News and the Examiner, is a young woman named Laura Garza. She was compared to Jennifer Moore and St. Guillen.^[61] She went missing on Wednesday, December 3 and it is suspected that she was killed.^[62] In comparing Garza to St. Guillen and discussing young women coming to New York City, columnist Howie Greene commented somewhat sarcastically that "A handbook or online course (should be) made available to these naive, young women before taking the trip here".^[60] Garza's brother's joined in the search late December 2008 for her.^[63] The person suspected in her abduction has refused to talk with police and shys away from Garza's family.^[64] Police resumed the search for Garza in late February, 2009.^[65]

Littlejohn went on trial for another abduction case stemming from 2005.^[66] This trial was held before the murder trial for St. Guillen, which had raised concerns that St. Guillen's murder case is not strong enough.^[67] The quality of evidence had been called into question as the reasoning for the delay of the murder trial.^[68] Prosecution, however, had stated that they are prepared to proceed with the trial.^[69] The jury selection for the York college student's abduction was held on Monday, September 29, 2008.^[70] An appeals court had agreed to consider moving the Queens kidnapping trial outside of the borough but it was indicated this trial might proceed regardless of this motion.^[71] Queens Prosecutors were given until the following Thursday by Appellate Justice John Leventhal to counter defense claims that negative media coverage biased potential jurors in the area.^[71] There was concern that there would be a mistrial if the Appeals Court rules for the defense.^[71]

At the opening remarks of the Tuesday October 14, 2008 start of the trial for the abduction of the York college freshman student named Shanai Woodard, prosecutor Frank DeGaetano described Darryl Littlejohn as "every woman's worst nightmare".^[72] He then told the jurors that this particular case was one of courage and of a "woman's determination to not give up and to fight back."^[72] Littlejohn's defense lawyer Jason Russo indicated when the subject of handcuffs came up that they became contaminated "by sloppy police handling."^[72]

Woodard was sworn in on Wednesday morning, October 16, and described her ordeal tearfully.^[73][74] Woodard described on the stand how Littlejohn was "dressed as a cop".^[73][74] Woodard indicated she was walking home from a psychology class at York College.^[73][74] She said that she complied when he "demanded her I.D. card", then she panicked when he put handcuffs on her.^[73][74] She said that she unlocked the vehicle door and screamed for 'help' and then Littlejohn "pummelled" her on the head to force her to keep quiet.^[73][74] She became determined and finally threw herself out of the vehicle.^[73][74] Woodard said that Littlejohn stopped his van, but then fled when he noticed people outside.^[73][74] The prosecutor, Frank DeGaetano, then asked her if "she saw her abductor in the courtroom", to which she pointed at Littlejohn and said "Right here, the guy in the black shirt, tie and glasses".^[73][74] It was further learned that under cross-examination, she had previously told police that her original description of her attacker was 6 feet tall, weighed around 160 pounds, which was "taller and thinner than Littlejohn."^[73][74]

Chester Pietrzak, the director of instructors U.S. Recovery Bureau gave his testimony about the school that Littlejohn had attended for a 3-day course in January, 2005.^[75][76] Pietrzak indicated that after completing this weekend class students would receive a badge and an I.D.; and they could also purchase handcuffs, batons and other official police gear.^[75][76] The shady school was closed down in July, 2008 by the N.Y.P.D. and the Federal Protective Service, and is under federal indictment for giving out authentic-looking badges^[75] Of the school's 943 graduates, 78 of these, according to authorities, were convicted felons. Pietrzak, however, indicated that he didn't remember Littlejohn.^[75][76] The News article stated the purpose of Pietrzak's testimony was to show that Littlejohn "liked to pose as a cop", which would reinforce previous testimony by the York College student, Shanai Woodard.^[75][76]

The former NYPD Detective, Robert Neves, who was responsible for handing out hundreds of phoney NYPD badges, one of which Littlejohn had used, will be paying a fine of $10,000 as per a deal with Manhattan federal prosecutors.^[77] The badges "were patterned after NYPD detective shields and were inscribed with the words 'U.S. Recovery Bureau' and 'Special Agent'", according to the article.^[77] 78 of the 943 badges ended up with convicted felons, according to prosecutors.^[77] Charges were still pending against Neves co-defendant, Ralph Rios, who also ran the schools.^[77]

Russo's closing statement said that Woodard didn't pick Littlejohn out of previous line-ups five months after her attack, and he said: “she didn’t pick him out and he was there.” ^[78] Woodard, however, was said to have told the court “‘It’s a face I’ll never forget.’”^[78]

Russo showed the court a sketch that was created after Woodard's attack and said it failed to describe Littlejohn and that the sketch missed the distinct scar on his face.^[78] Prosecutor Frank DeGaetano then responded by asking the jury: “(You have) sat with him for weeks, did you know he had a scar?” and then saying that “I have wrapped that defendant in a cocoon of evidence.”^[78] He also said: “a gun will add five inches to anybody's height.” and argued that Woodard simply recalled that "she was overpowered."^[78] He further butressed his case by showing that "the DNA match was within 99.9995 percent certainty."^[78] Defense argued that the DNA evidence found on the handcuffs was not a 100 percent match.^[78] DeGaetano asked the jury a number of times to “look at the evidence as a whole.”^[78] Attention was then focused on the handcuffs key found on Littlejohn's keychain but Russo argued that it was a universal key and then stated “it’s not corroborated evidence.”^[78] DeGaetano responding on the handcuffs issue simply said: “I will tell you why, because I’ve got them,” to which he pointed to the handcuffs that bound Woodard.^[78]

In less than 3 hours, a Queens jury found Darryl Littlejohn guilty^[79] of Kidnapping and Assault.^[80] Littlejohn sat motionless as the decision was read.^[80][81] One report said he was stunned.^[81] He was found guilty of all of the charges against him, which included kidnapping, robbery, assault and criminal impersonation of an officer.^[81] For one female juror, it was the DNA evidence that persuaded her decision.^[80] Another juror said ""The evidence spoke for itself."^[81] Littlejohn's defense lawyer said that he would appeal.^[80][81]

Queens Supreme Court Justice Gregory Lasak recounted Littlejohn's violent past before saying that he was "a typical, classic sociopath" and that it took the courage of "a little, 90-pound girl" to put him in jail ^[82] Littlejohn was then sentenced to life in prison for the kidnapping of Shanai Woodard.^[82][83]

A key detective, Brooklyn North Homicide Detective Sean McTighe, had his vehicle ticketed, then he was suspended for 30 days for allegedly using a photocopied placard on his vehicle and parking at a fire hydrant in front of the Brooklyn Supreme Court, thus having his vehicle towed.^[84][85] Union officials protested, saying he was going to court for a trial preparation.^[85] It was indicated that this crackdown on unauthorized parking placards was initiated by Mayor Bloomberg.^[85]

The Daily News had said in its article that "One law enforcement source suggested McTighe's ordeal could even affect the trial of Darryl Littlejohn, who is accused of murdering St. Guillen."^[84] The newspaper further reported that their source said "Any good defense attorney in that case could say, 'So you like to take short cuts, huh?'"^[84]

A pre-trial hearing^[86] was held on September 11, 2007.^[32] The Brooklyn judge wanted to hold the trial as early as January 2008.^[69] and another pre-trial hearing was scheduled for October 11, 2007 to expedite the process.^[69] However in January 2008, the judge assigned to St. Guillen's murder case, Cheryl Chambers, was reassigned to the state's Appellate Division.^[87] Due to this decision, another judge will be assigned to the case.

Littlejohn's defense attorney Joyce David challenged the autopsy.^[88] David had said that the forensic photographs did not indicate cuts to St. Guillen's "private parts"; contrary to the medical examiner's findings.^[88] David indicated that she would speak with the M.E. before the trial to have the report amended.^[88] David stated: "I don't want the jury to have to look at [the photos] and decide for themselves".^[88] David also said: "It's important because of the sort of mass hysteria that surrounds the case."^[88] It was further reported that the trial should occur in the Spring of 2008,^[88] however this trial has not yet occurred.

David and another attorney, Amy Rameau, then went to court on Friday, February 29, to challenge the search warrants issued to police, which had enabled the authorities to search Littlejohn's van, his apartment and to investigate his cell phone records.^[89] The attorneys alleged that the warrants were "faulty or not properly justified."^[89]

Littlejohn later appeared in Brooklyn Supreme Court Friday, March 28, 2008 for a pretrial hearing.^[90]

A Daily News article said: "The Queens conviction could aid Brooklyn prosecutors in their trial against Littlejohn in the February 2006 death of St. Guillen.^[81] Some of the various news reports had set conflicting dates for the beginning of the St. Guillen trial. It was indicated in an October 24, 2008 New York Post article that Littlejohn "will now head to Brooklyn to answer for the heinous slaying of St. Guillen, a John Jay student."^[80] The Queens Chronicle on October 30, 2008 printed that the case "is expected to be brought to trial in the next several months".^[78] More information was presented on November 11, 2008 that a pre-trial for Littlejohn in St. Guillen's murder was scheduled to be held in Kings County Court on December 5, 2008.^[91][92] Littlejohn was then reported as due in Brooklyn Supreme Court on January 8, 2009.^[82] This last date was finally verified by The Brooklyn Daily Eagle.^[93] In this article, Littlejohn's defense lawyer Jason Russo says that he still maintains his innocence and is planning an appeal.^[93] Russo said that Littlejohn received an unfair trial in the Shanai Woodard case because of the news about St. Guillen's case.^[93] Kings County Supreme Court Administrative Judge Abraham G. Gerges is said to be presiding over the trial to be held in Brooklyn.^[93]

Littlejohn has confessed his fears of prison food, fearing that some inmates and prison officials will poison him.^[94] He has been threatened with food tainted with urine and feces, and his attorney, Joyce B. David has said "He's been threatened in jail that his food's going to be poisoned," and "He's lost a lot of weight. He's afraid."^[94] David also said: "People actually told him 'watch out,' we're going to poison your food," and that "He's a target because he's been made into this monster by the media."^[95] Linda Foglia, a State prison spokeswoman, said that "If the matter is brought to our attention we will take the matter seriously and take whatever measures are necessary to ensure his safety while incarcerated for the next 25 years -- at least."^[94]

Three years to the day after St. Guillen's death, her mother, Maureen St. Guillen filed suit against the bogus bounty hunter school, the "US Recovery Bureau Inc."^[96] The suit was filed in Brooklyn Supreme Court against the proprietors, Ralph Rios and Robert Neves. The suit says that in 2006, the year St. Guillen was murdered, the proprietors gave the accused, Darryl Littlejohn, fake badges that enabled him get hired as a bouncer.^[96]

In the latest development to St. Guillen's murder case, evidence was revealed that linked pubic hair, verified from DNA testing, to Littlejohn's mother to the quilt that covered St. Guillen's body.^[97] This new development is expected to further cast him in a guilty light during the upcoming trial, which is expected to last three weeks.^[97] It was later learned during the week of 4/19/09 that semen from Littlejohn's deceased brother, Reggie Harris, who stripped and tied up his female victim as Littlejohn had done, was also found on the quilt.^[98] It is believed that this evidence may delay jury selection, which would have begun on 4/22.^[98] According to the News article, "Prosecutors are set today (4/22/09) to ask the judge to allow new DNA evidence tying Littlejohn to a Queens rape."^[98]

In the upcoming trial, the Defense lawyer for Littlejohn, Joyce David, intends to focus on Daniel Dorrian who, she said, lied twice about the night of the slaying.^[99] The News reported that "Dorrian's lawyers were well-connected and David hopes that skeptical Brooklyn jurors will buy a tangled theory of police conspiracy linked to former city officials."^[99] Further, the story said, according to David that: "The DA's office and NYPD ignored and failed to investigate substantial evidence...to protect Danny Dorrian, David wrote in a recent court filing."^[99] The upcoming trial is expected to last three weeks.^[99]

A later story by the News in the 4/20/09 print edition only reported that David had said:

"I'm going on the offensive...I'm putting the investigation on trial to show that it was biased."^[100]

David's contention is "that cops should have looked harder at Dorrian.^[100] The article mentioned a February 28, 2006 detective's memo written a few days after St. Guillen's murder where Dorrian "tried to explain away signs that he'd been in a fight."^[100] According to a second memo, there was also mention of him being "inconsistent with statements and answers".^[100] The lawyers for Littlejohn also present a memo of a police interview with the other bouncer at The Falls, who is only identified in papers as "Quan".^[100] Quan, according to the article, told police "how the Dorrians would get into fights with patrons and after hours would have sex in their bathroom facilities."^[100] No phone calls were returned by Dorrian's lawyers.^[100] The News article also mentioned that:

"Procedural rules often prevent statements recorded in documents from coming into evidence unless the speaker is called as a witness.^[100]

Prosecutors were given permission by Justice Abraham Gerges to admit evidence from Littlejohn's other crimes.^[101] They also will try to prove that Littlejohn raped some other woman in 2006 based on a DNA match.^[101][102]

More information was released on the anonymous 911 telephone caller who had reported St. Guillen's body being dumped at Fountain Avenue in 2006.^[103] Vocal samples were taken from five people who were in attendance at The Falls at closing time, including Littlejohn's but none of the voice samples matched.^[103] However, it was also reported that no voice samples were taken of the bar owner, Daniel Dorrian.^[104] The Post reporter, Alex Ginsberg, wrote that:

The failure to obtain Dorrian's voice sample appears to fit in with Littlejohn's lawyers' strategy of attacking the police investigation as biased.

Dorrian's lawyer did not return a call seeking comment.^[104]

The trial of Littlejohn in St. Guillen's murder was delayed until May 4.^[105]

Jury selection had begun in the upcoming trial.^[99][106] St. Guillen's mother, Maureen, made the following comments:

"It is important for me to see justice for my daughter. I think any parent who has suffered the loss of a child in such a way would feel the same. Nothing will ever replace Imette. The day she died, our lives changed forever and we became different people...and yet, for her, we must go forward [and] see that justice is served."^[99]

The Daily News provided brief profiles on the twelve jurors selected as of May 7.^[107] The first is a 59-year-old black woman from Flatbush; the second is a divorced mother with two children, one of whom is a 24-year-old daughter who is the same age as St. Guillen was when she was murdered; the third is a white, 33-year-old single woman who is a licensed social worker; the fourth is A 48-year-old single black man, who is employed as a ferry service operations manager; the fifth is a 45-year-old white man employed as a college administrator with a domestic partner and he has a master's degree from Williamsburg; the sixth is a 38-year-old single black woman who is employed as a 911 operator from Bedford-Stuyvesant; the seventh is a 52-year-old white set designer from Boerum Hill who lives with a girlfriend and writes plays and stories on the side; the eighth is a 50-year-old white computer technician from Bensonhurst who is a Father to three children, including two daughters who are close to St. Guillen's age; the ninth is female 40-year-old black speech therapist from Bedford-Stuyvesant. She's married to a minister and has four girls, including one just five years younger than St. Guillen; the tenth is a 39-year-old single white woman from East Flatbush who works as a school crossing guard; the eleventh juror is a black man from East Flatbush in his 20s who works as an assistant asset manager; and the twelfth juror is a retired black airline employee from Midwood with two grown sons from his first marriage and a daughter from his second marriage.^[107] The jurors, when questioned, said that they would be fair in the upcoming trial.^[108] One juror is quoted as saying:

"I have three daughters in their 20s," ... "It is difficult, but I think I would be able to look at it with an open mind."^[108]

Opening arguments were given on Monday, May 11, 2009.^[109] Prosecution headed by Kenneth Taub laid out the case that Littlejohn was a sex fiend, and according to the Daily News story, Taub said that "He did the same thing to two other women three months before" and "Until this case, he got away with it."^[109]

He used the circumstantial evidence against Littlejohn, i.e., the carpet fibers from his van, the DNA evidence linking him to the blanket used to wrap St. Guillen's body, and his cell-phone traced to Fountain Avenue.^[109]

Defense headed by Joyce David said that the case was "racially charged frame-up by police eager to close a blockbuster case" accodring to the News.^[109] David said ""He's a black man with a long criminal record." and "Who's going to care about him?"^[109] David then pointed her finger at bartender Daniel Dorrian of The Falls bar and said that "Darryl Littlejohn is being framed to protect Danny Dorrian".^[109]

The first witnesses testifying are investigators who will show the jury the forensic photos of St. Guillen's battered body.^[109] St. Guillen's sister will also testify.^[109]

Clair Higgins, St. Guillen's best friend, was among the first to take the witness stand.^[110] Higgins had described how the two women left the Pioneer Bar around 3:30 a.m. and then argued because St. Guillen was stubborn in wanting to stay out, and then the two split up with Higgins taking a cab to their respective apartment.^[110] Higgins, in a emotionally shaken manner, said "I stood there and I watched her walk away".^[110]

Defense lawyers for Darryl Littlejohn put Daniel Dorrian under intense scrutiny during the second day of the Trial.^[111] According to the Daily News "Dorrian insisted he didn't lie when he initially stonewalled cops about St. Guillen's kidnapping and murder."^[111]

However, he later admitted telling police that he didn't remember St. Guillen being in The Falls bar.^[112]

He indicated during the Trial that Littlejohn and St. Guillen had "a screaming match" and the article quoted him as saying ""It might have been a loud conversation. "By the end ... it came out she was screaming."^[111]

Dorrian said that he feared repercusions in St. Guillen's murder similar to the murder of Jennifer Levin, which involved his father's bar, "Dorrian's Red Hand" two decades ago where she was murdered by Robert Chambers.^[111] His father, Jack, who owns and runs that bar in that infamous murder case, was sitting in the courtroom listening to his son's testimony.^[112] Daniel Dorrian had said: "I could just imagine some of the repercussions - lawsuits, police, bad press," Dorrian said. "Frankly, I didn't want to get involved."^[112]

Littlejohn's Defense lawyer, Joyce David, then suggested that Dorrian might have been the real killer.^[111] She managed to extract testimony from Dorrian where he admitted that he had informed police that he was "banged up" after a quarrel with his girlfriend some days after St. Guillen's body was found, however, NYPD never investigated him as a possible suspect.^[111] He said: "I don't believe I had any bruises," the manager said. "It was just a figure of speech."^[111] David then suggested sometime during the trial that St. Guillen might have returned to The Falls bar and "hooked up with Dorrian".^[111]

New York Post Columnist Andrea Peyser painted him as "the spoiled rich kid and never-was actor who won't get his hands dirty, never takes responsibility, and treats his family's bars like personal cocaine dens"^[113] She likened him to the equivalent of Enron executives who couldn't remember what had happened, saying that he "fidgeted, mumbled and sweated his way through testimony".^[113] She mentioned that his continuing remark was "I don't remember", which even surprised Joyce David.^[113] He was "rescued" outside of the court house by his father, driving a BMW, while hearing sarcasm from various onlookers, one saying "Are you sorry she's dead?".^[113]

Littlejohn's ex-girlfriend, Sandra Smith, testified on Thursday, May 14, the fourth day of the trial.^[114] She said that he asked her to lie about his using her Chrysler Sebring to see his ailing mother in a Queens nursing home after St. Guillen's death.^[114] "He called me and said if anyone calls, [to] say he had my car," however she informed police that he didn't use the vehicle; and police suspect Littlejohn another van to abduct and sexually molest St. Guillen.^[114]

Using cell phone tower records, Detectives in the murder case determined that Littlejohn was in the area of Fountain Avenue where St. Guillen's body had been found.^[115] T-Mobile engineer Terence Li testified that he made a number of calls between 7:15 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., a day after St. Guillen went missing due to a call he made at 7:31 p.m. which was bounced off one of the cell phone towers nearby.^[115]

Shanai Woodard, whose testimony was allowed from the previous trial of her versus Littlejohn,^[116] testified again on Monday, May 18, 2009 regarding her connection to the St. Guillen murder case.^[117] She described how she recognized Littlejohn's van during TV news coverage of St. Guillen's murder and testified that Littlejohn had tied her up in his van and drove off with her during his kidnapping attempt.^[117]

The Queens district attorney had said that police found Woodard's DNA in Littlejohn's van and the handcuffs Littlejohn had used on Woodard.^[117]

During her abduction, Woodard said to Littlejohn "I said, 'What did I do? Can I call my sister?'", and on the stand she said "That's when he took my phone and said I can't call anyone."^[117] She wept as she recalled Littlejohn's viciousness and the thought that she might have shared the same fate as St. Guillen, whose naked body was found dumped off the Belt Parkway four months later.^[117]

Ms. Woodard’s testimony was allowed by Justice Gerges in order to prove " ...the identity of the perpetrator in this case” however, this with the justice’s warning that jurors should not take Woodard’s testimony as proof of Mr. Littlejohn’s “propensity” to commit such crimes.^[116] Littlejohn's lawyer Joyce B. David said that Ms. Woodard’s testimony hurt their case, saying “It’s not helpful”.^[116]

Nicholas Petraco, a retired NYPD forensics evidence expert, testified that fibers from two fur coats and a rabbit collared leather jacket gathered by Police at Littlejohn's home were found in his van, on tape binding St. Guillen, and on a quilt used to wrap her battered body.^[118] He indicated that fiber analysis is not as good as DNA evidence.^[118]

Criminologist Ewelina Bajda of the city medical examiner's office testified that DNA of Littlejohn was also found on a snow brush found alongside St. Guillen's battered body.^[119] Hairs found on a bedspread used to wrap St. Guillen's body also belonged to Littlejohn's mother; "It was consistent with Darryl Littlejohn", she said.^[119]

Medical examiners testified concerning the DNA evidence collected from the quilt and Littlejohn's van, a Ford Windstar.^[120]

Taylor Hickerson testified concerning a “rubber penis” found inside the vehicle, saying that it tested positive for Littlejohn’s DNA, but did not test positive for St. Guillen’s DNA.^[120] He also testified that Littlejohn's DNA was not found with the results of the postmortem sexual assault kit taken from St. Guillen’s body.^[120]

Another examiner, Jason Kolowski, investigated hairs and fibers that were found in the quilt and he indicated that 233 hairs were found, some of which were St. Guillen's. He elaborated that the hairs could also be from a "maternal relative"; that DNA testing could not prove concisely that the hairs belonged to Littlejohn, and that examiners found DNA samples of unknown times from eight other unidentified donors found on the quilt.^[120]

The zip-ties found in the Windstar used to bind St. Guillen were presented to the court, and Medical examiner Ewelina Bajda said that a reddish-brown stain was discovered inside the locking mechanism of one zip-tie which was later revealed to be Littlejohn’s blood.^[120] Bajda also gave testimony concerning the snow brush and hairs found on the quilt.^[121]

Defense counsel Samuel Karliner, who represented Lee Woods, a cop-killer, cross-examined the examiners about DNA testing and their work practices while Littlejohn quietly made notes.^[120]

A Japanese female student allegedly abducted and raped in a similar fashion to St. Guillen four months earlier testified on Tuesday, May 26. She testified that a bald black man wearing a police-type uniform approached her in a sedan and asked for identification.^[122][123] At first, she thought he was an immigration officer but he used physical restraint, handcuffed her, threatened her when she screamed and covered her face using a knit cap, whereby she begged for her life.^[122] To quote the newspaper article, she said that "she was taken to what seemed like a basement of a house, where she was sexually assaulted", after which her attacker put a T-shirt and pants on her and took her home, however, she was never able to identify Littlejohn as the attacker from a lineup.^[122]

According to one Daily News story, she also had her face taped "almost exactly like St. Guillen's"^[124] The tape was wrapped around her head five times, according to documents obtained by The News.^[124] The Japanese student was quoted as saying: "It felt like when the end of the tape finishes on a roll."^[124]

David, who objected to both Woodard's and the Japanese woman's testimonies, verbally attacked the Asian woman's lack of identification stating: "My client has scars on his face and a tattoo that's very noticeable under his eye and that's something that one would expect that she would have noticed and had them put either in the sketch or at least mentioned it".^[122]

David said that the rape of this woman was different in several ways.^[123] She said: "I don't think it's the same MO at all."^[123] and "I'm not going to minimize it. She was raped then driven back safe and sound to where she was picked up."^[123]

While Littlejohn had not been charged in the Japanese student's attack, prosecutors insisted there was “compelling proof” that he was her attacker based on the DNA evidence from the T-Shirt and the manner in which she was attacked, similar to Woodard and St. Guillen.^[125]

St. Guillen's mother watched during the proceedings and commented to reporters:

"She was a remarkable woman - remarkable," Maureen St. Guillen told the Daily News later. "She was very brave to go up there like that. How hard this must be."^[126]

Kyra Keblish of the Medical Examiner's office indicating that the DNA found on the T-Shirt given to the Asian woman had as the chance odds as 81 billion-to-one that the sample came from anyone else other than Littlejohn's mother; this discovery only after he was arrested, however.^[127]

The city detective who took the Japanese woman's alleged police rape report went on the witness stand on Wednesday, May 27, along with a DNA expert who also took the stand to discuss the DNA on the T-Shirt ^[128]

David indicated that the forensic evidence against Littlejohn had been planted, saying that:

"DNA is not mathematics, it's more like meteorology. There's a lot of subjective elements to it," said David. "One of the reasons that the National Academy of Science recommended that these labs be independent is that there is a bias in favor of the prosecution. They feel like they're part of the team and they want to help them."^[128]

Prosecution rested its case on Thursday, May 28.^[129][130] While Littlejohn's lawyers indicated that he won't take the stand in his own defense, both sides spent most of this day criticizing the DNA-testing of evidence that the city-hired firm, Bode Technology, employed may have been contaminated in order to frame Littlejohn and also to clear bar manager Danny Dorrian.^[129] They plan to call witnesses antagonistic to the firm, owned by ex-Police Commissioner Howar Safir.^[129] Closing statements are expected during the week of June 1, with Judge Gerges making a decision on this issue and the jury deciding the fate of Littlejohn as early as June 2.^[129]

Prosecution ripped the Defense’s argument that police framed Littlejohn to protect his former employer Dorrian.^[131] Prosecutor Kenneth Taub said to the jury: "I can't even begin to describe how ridiculous that is".^[131] Of Dorrian, he said "He's not the brightest bulb in the Dorrian marquee"^[131]

David in reply said the evidence may suggest her client dumped the body, it did not prove that Littlejohn killed her and said: "There is no proof at all, not a scintilla of proof, that Ms. St.Guillen had been to my client's home".^[131] David also said: "Darryl Littlejohn was the solution to all their problems: solving the city's biggest crime at the time, protecting Danny Dorrian and protecting Rudy Giuliani from another scandal while he was running for President," the lawyer argued.^[131]

After questioning two detectives about the 25 hour search for evidence in Littlejohn’s residence, concluding that none of the more than 50 items confiscated were linked to St. Guillen, and DNA testing had failed to yield a match, Defense rested their case.^[132] Prosecutors had “presented proof that Littlejohn's blood, tissue and DNA were found on the plastic ties that were used to bind St. Guillen's hands.”^[132]

The six men / six women jury took less than seven hours to convict Littlejohn of murdering Imette St. Guillen and found him guilty of first degree murder in her murder.^[133]

One juror, Marian Mallero, said: "The DNA said a lot about it. They gave us evidence and it was obvious"; and: "He's guilty, that's all I'm going to say."^[133] Another juror said, "All the evidence pointed to the defendant," despite the defense case that Littlejohn was railroaded.^[133]

Jury forewoman Aldith Gill, was quoted by the Daily News, commenting on the brutal nature of St. Guillen's murder, that it had ‘rattled her faith in humanity.’ "How could another human being think to do that?" Gill asked. "How could someone do that?"^[133]

St. Guillen's mother thanked the Brooklyn Supreme Court jurors for their work on the gruesome case but said that nothing can bring back the light of her life, her daughter:

"Imette was an amazing young woman, one of those rare people who brightened the lives of everyone she met," said Maureen St. Guillen. "With Imette's death, all of our lives are forever darker."^[133]

With the verdict, St. Guillen’s family and friends held hands and wept. ^[133] St. Guillen’s mother thanked Brooklyn North Homicide Detective Sean McTighe, who was the lead investigator in the case, saying, "Thank you"; and the Prosecutor said he was “surprised and grateful” because of the quick verdict.^[133]

Littlejohn could be sentenced to life imprisonment without any parole, according to the D.A.’s office.^[134] His sentencing in St. Guillen’s murder is scheduled for July 8, 2009.^[134]

Before the jurors' verdict, David said to CNN that she believed in the innocence of her client, and indicated again that Littlejohn was framed and another was a likely suspect saying: "He was a convenient scapegoat who has a long criminal record".^[134] Afterwards, David said: "We're going to appeal. We're disappointed. I'm hoping this gives the family of the victim some closure. But I think that the wrong man was convicted."^[134]

St. Guillen's family settled a confidential suit brought against The Falls bar a year after her Feb. 25, 2006, murder, which sought unspecified damages against the bar, owned by the Dorrian family.^[135] They will use some of the money to support the Spirit of Imette Foundation, their lawyer, Christopher Lang had said.^[135] Lang further commented:

"It means something, but there, of course, is no amount of money that will make up for what happened."^[135]

The results of three other suits are still pending: one against the federal probation department; one against the state parole board and one against the company where Littlejohn took bounty-hunting classes.^[135][136]

Littlejohn was sentenced to life without parole in Brooklyn State Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon, July 8.^[137][138]

Judge Abraham G. Gerges made the following statements about the case concerning Littlejohn and St. Guillen:

“I hope that the conclusion of these proceedings today will provide you with some small measure of solace” speaking to St. Guillen’s relatives.^[137]

Judge Gerges then directed comments to and about Littlejohn, calling him an unrepentant "predator" who should never taste freedom again.^[139]

The Judge also paid tribute to St. Guillen describing her as a ‘promising woman who never deserved to die’ saying:

"If there were truly justice in this world, I would have the power to bring her back to you," addressing Maureen and Alejandra, who cried in the courtroom.^[139] Continuing, he further said: "To my great sorrow, that is not possible."^[139]

"This defendant is not fit to remain in civilized society."^[140]

Gerges also had negative comments to say about those employed by The Falls bar, noting they were the last to see an intoxicated St. Guillen in the early hours of February 24, 2006, before she was lured into Littlejohn’s van, then raped, tortured, strangled and dumped in Brooklyn, saying:^[140]

"While the defendant committed this horrific crime, what is also so disturbing about this case is the indifference of the people employed at the bar that night. This court cannot speak to the legal implications of serving someone who is intoxicated, and indeed that issue may be before another judge, but this court can decry the complete indifference and inhumanity of the workers there that night. They were all focused on finishing their shift and leaving. Not one of those people spared a thought to the wisdom of sending an intoxicated young woman out into the deserted streets of Manhattan at 4 a.m. If only one of them had the common decency to call a taxi, we might not be here in this courtroom today."^[140]

Christopher Flaherty, a Falls bartender that night, responded angrily to Gerges’ comments via e-mail to The New York Post newspaper that he had no idea that St. Guillen was in danger, saying:

"My heart goes out to the St. Guillen family, and I hope that today's sentencing will in some way help them come to terms with their tremendous loss," he said. Yet, I find the comments made at the sentencing by Judge Abraham Gerges about the entire staff at The Falls not only reckless but also an insult to the Brooklyn prosecutors who presented a thorough case that resulted in the conviction of her killer. As was brought to light during the trial, the service staff at The Falls did not know about Littlejohn's criminal past and believed that he was a credible bouncer, a job for which one of the duties is hailing cabs. I have wished many times since her death that I could have somehow helped her, but the fact is I had no idea she was in danger."^[140]

Littlejohn is to serve his sentence consecutively with a separate 25-year-to-life term for kidnapping a Queens woman.^[139]

Maureen St. Guillen read aloud a letter that her daughter had written on the night of her 24th birthday which was almost a year before her murder.^[137] Imette St. Guillen, her daughter, had spent the day shopping, and dinner later on with two girlfriends at a Mexican restaurant before returning home.^[137]

“I will never share another birthday with Imette,” St. Guillen’s mother said.^[137]

Recalling the last time she saw her daughter alive in Florida, Maureen further reminisced:

“The last thing she did was turn around and wave and mouth, ‘I love you,’ ”.^[137]

St. Guillen’s sister Alejandra, speaking emotionally said:

“Imette’s loss is with me forever. I understand there’s no punishment that will bring Imette back.”^[137]

David indicated after the sentencing that she would file a notice of appeal and indicated that Littlejohn remained silent, maintaining he was framed to protect Dorrian, and that instead of making a statement and David quoted him saying “there was really nothing for him to say. It’s hard for him to say he’s sorry for something he didn’t do,” she said. Mr. Littlejohn has maintained that he was framed to protect Daniel Dorrian, who managed the Falls.^[137]

Kenneth Taub made note of her comments and said:

“Barring some successful appeal, he will die in jail.”^[137]

He also said that St. Guillen was killed when the others would have lived because she could be traced back to Littlejohn^[138] saying:

“If he let her live, she would wake up sober the next morning and say ‘The guy that raped me is the guy who threw me out of the bar,’” Taub said.^[138]

Imette’s mother provided an exclusive emotional testimony to the Daily News.^[141]

She recalled entering for the verdict, with husband Frank, daughter Alejandra and some family and friends.^[141]

She said:

"The emotions, I can't even relate what the emotions were . . . "I don't know if you're ever actually ready for a verdict. I think you're just afraid of the verdict. . . . And I can't even explain what crossed my mind. All I know is I just started breaking down." . . . "You just go in because you're hoping for the best." . . . "And I was trying to prepare myself for the worst all the way through it."^[141]

On closure, she said:

"I don't believe in the word closure. The wounds are open for life. The pain is forever there." . . ."Everyday you wait, you keep waiting for something to happen, for her to walk through a door or something," . . . "No, I don't believe in closure. It doesn't happen."^[141]

In regards to her daughter’s death, Maureen also said:

"For some reason I just wanted to say, 'Yeah, it did happen to Imette,' and just to make sure that people understand. And that's all."^[141]

The article indicated that Maureen had suffered a stroke in the first year after her daughter’s slaying and said that she “stayed out of the courtroom during the trial to avoid the grisly details of her daughter's killing.”^[141]

She said:

"I couldn't sit through anything about Imette". . . "I couldn't do it. I haven't read anything. I haven't watched anything. . . . "That's the way I have to go on to survive." ^[141]

As for the ‘Why’ of the murder, she said:

"You go crazy thinking of why" . . . "There's always 'whys' and 'whys' and 'what ifs.' But you can't think about it."^[141] So instead, she tries to remember her daughter as she was when she was alive, however, the horror of the night that St. Guillen went missing still haunts her.^[141]

She said further:

"I think anyone who has a child can understand the depth of pain;" . . . "But they can't feel that depth of pain. Anyone who has a child can realize that when you lose that child everything goes dark."^[141]

Within months after Imette St. Guillen was murdered, her family worked hard to ensure that her name would not be forgotten by focusing on the positive aspects of her life.^[142]

A scholarship in St. Guillen's name was established by the Alpha Phi Sigma chapter of John Jay College.^[143] In June, 2006, a diploma was awarded posthumously to St. Guillen on behalf of her mother and sister.^[144] St. Guillen's name is the very last name mentioned in the Graduation Class program book of John Jay.^[145] A fund was established in St. Guillen's honor at George Washington University by the Organization of Latino American Students (O.L.A.S).^[146]

On the eve of the two-year memorial, the first recipient of St. Guillen's John Jay Scholarship, Johanna Vespe, who had also reached the same age as St. Guillen when she was murdered, recalled her thoughts and feelings.^[147]

The second recipient of the Scholarship was Kevin Barnes-Ceeney, who came from the United Kingdom, and worked as a probation officer overseeing sexual offenders.^[148][149] To quote part of the John Jay College article:

"After taking a class at the College on the history of genocide, Barnes-Ceeney said he began to see a parallel between holocaust deniers and the sex offenders he had worked with in Britain. There are, perhaps, similar issues as to why people deny holocausts and deny serious offenses."

The latest recipient of St. Guillen's Scholarship is Shea Donato, who "grew up in a law-enforcement family".^[149] Ms. Donato received her undergraduate degree from Carroll College, located in Helena, Montana and then was with AmeriCorps.^[149] She then served as a project coordinator for the Helena Relationship Violence Council and wrote a manual for the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence titled “Coordinated Community Response to Intimate Partner Violence”.^[149] Also she "trained the coalition’s statewide membership in methods of setting up a coordinated community response effort in their local communities"^[149]

On September 16, 2006, a fundraiser was held in Boston, Massachusetts in honor of St. Guillen titled "A Night for Imette" to raise money for a scholarship in her name at her former high school, Boston Latin.^[150] The fundraiser featured keynote speakers such as St. Guillen's mother Maureen, her sister Alejandra, her stepfather Frank Holbrook, Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston, and the Principal of Boston Latin.^[151]

A "Garden of Hope" was being planned in St. Guillen's neighborhood of Mission Hill. The garden was supposed to honor St. Guillen and end a dispute over what to do with the land. It was to be called "Imette's Garden"^[152] and it was in the process of being designed by the Community Outreach Group for Landscape Design, a non-profit group. Nancy Schon, the sculptor of Boston Public Garden's Make Way for Ducklings, had agreed to design a butterfly in St. Guillen's honor.^[152] Two volunteer designers, Andrea Taaffe and Jennie Smith, were designing the garden.^[153] For reasons not currently known, the Garden was finished with the name "Francis Street Garden".

In Boston, the "11th Annual Mothers' Walk for Peace" was held on Sunday, May 13, 2007 in which the St. Guillen family and many others identified themselves as "Team Imette" and had participated in this walk. This event had the largest turnout of its history during that time.^[154]

St. Guillen's ex-boyfriend, Ryan Kocher, had joined the New York Police Department.^[155][156] He cited her murder as one of the solidifying reasons that he had enrolled.^[155] Along with the efforts of Kocher, St. Guillen's family had also alluded to the start of a foundation called the "Spirit of Imette Foundation"^[1] which would support organizations that help people, as St. Guillen had planned to do.^[157]

On March 14, 2007, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino had signed “Imette’s Law” - a New York legislation that would make it mandatory for nightclub and bar owners to conduct criminal background checks on bouncers and to set up security video cameras outside the establishment.^[4]

A PIX News article by Chris Glorioso discussed the impact of St. Guillen’s murder and the sweeping changes in laws governing NYC nightlife.^[158]

Key was how did a convicted felon get the job of bouncer?^[158] City Council Public Safety Chair Peter Vallone, Jr., one of several members who worked on Imette’s Law, said:

"It was just an outrage to all New Yorkers. It was a call to all of us in public safety to make changes, and in her name, in her memory, we did."^[158]

Manager of Club Cielo Benny Soto, said the law had an immediate effect on the hiring of bouncers, saying:

"What that whole case has done for nightclubs, is it has forced us to take that part of the business a little more seriously."^[158]

Imette's law also requires clubs and bars to have ID scanners to thwart underage drinking and video cameras at entrances and exits.^[158]

New York's NightLife Association says crime in and around five borough bars and clubs has dropped since Imette St. Guillen's death.^[158]

The ex-radio show host of WRKO, John DePetro, came under criticism when he had blamed St. Guillen, saying she was partly to blame for her own murder.^[159] He was later fired for making another remark.^[159] A New York band named Interpol wrote a song titled "Pioneer to the Falls", which is the first track on their third album, Our Love to Admire, and which is believed to be referencing St. Guillen's murder. The title of the song most likely refers to the journey of St. Guillen from the Pioneer bar to The Falls bar. Paul Banks, Interpol's singer and guitarist said: "It’s a very personal song, even though it’s about someone I’ve never met before. It’s pretty obvious who it is..."^[160][161] Reporter Linda Schmidt was mentioned in a Daily News article about training with Newark police, and appearing on the Tyra Banks Show to discuss crimes, with the mention of St. Guillen.^[162]

A Scottish newspaper reported a crime novel written by novelist Linda Fairstein, which is based on St. Guillen's murder. The title of the book is Killer Heat.^[163] The novel has been released and Fairstein was briefly interviewed.^[164] Still another book based on St. Guillen's murder is titled "Angel's Tip" by Alafair Burke.^[165] This book deals with "a female NYPD detective who cracks the case of a beautiful student brutally slain after she exits a club."^[165] Burke based her story's plot on the St. Guillen murder and she teaches criminal law at Hofstra University.^[165] Ivan 'Doc' Holiday a leading authority in the field of nightclub & bar security wrote his second book titled "The Cooler's Grimoire - The Comprehensive instructional guide to nightclub & bar security" in memory of Imette St.Guillen. Imette's picture and story are contained in the book on pages 3, 13 & 14.^{[citation needed]}

• Peyser, Andrea (July 29, 2006), "It's open season on young gals", New York Post {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
• Lovett, Kenneth (August 28, 2006), "Bar-probe Pol toasts The Post", New York Post, p. 23 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
• Gaskell, Stephanie (September 29, 2006), "Clubs seek Wild West Side 'Sheriff' - Summiteers talk of City Nightlife Office", New York Post, p. Page 11 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
• Gaskell, Stephanie (December 29, 2006), "Close clubs to under-18s, sez Quinn", New York Daily News, p. 36 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)

• The Spirit of Imette Foundation
• Guestbook for Imette St. Guillen by Gormley Funeral Home and sponsored by The Boston Globe
• The Imette C. Saint-Guillen Scholarship Fund
• Imette St. Guillen's Murder case map
• Darryl Littlejohn/Imette St. Guillen Case at America's Most Wanted