STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — The former lawyer and friend of the late, estranged husband of Jennifer Dulos, a Connecticut mother of five who went missing in 2019 and is now presumed dead, pleaded guilty Friday to interfering with police in the case.
Kent Mawhinney had originally been charged with the more serious crime of conspiracy to commit murder.
A court clerk in Stamford confirmed Mawhinney was sentenced to serve 11 months. That equates to the time Mawhinney has already served behind bars since his arrest.
Outside court on Friday, Mawhinney denied knowing the whereabouts of the missing woman and said he would tell authorities if he did.
Dulos, who was last seen dropping off her children at school in New Canaan on May 24, 2019, was declared legally dead in 2023.
Prosecutors allege the late Fotis Dulos killed his wife at her New Canaan home and drove away with her body. He died by suicide in 2020, soon after being charged with murder. He had denied killing his wife. The couple were going through a contentious divorce at the time of her disappearance.
Last year, his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, was convicted of helping Fotis Dulos plot and cover up the murder of Jennifer Dulos. Troconis was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison.
Mawhinney’s attorney, Jeffrey Kestenband, said in a statement his client was not part of a conspiracy to kill Jennifer Dulos, noting the state acknowledged there was not enough evidence to prove the original charge.
“The state’s acknowledgment is not surprising because Kent was not involved,” Kestenband said. "He has been through a lot since his arrest, and he can now move on with his life.”
Friends and family of Jennifer Dulos said in a statement they do not believe Mawhinney has been absolved of conspiracy to murder, saying the charge was dropped for multiple reasons and they supported the decision to do so.
FILE - Attorney Kent Mawhinney is arraigned on conspiracy to commit murder charges in the case of missing mother of five, Jennifer Dulos, in Stamford Superior Court Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in Stamford, Conn. (Erik Trautmann/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP, Pool)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Nathan Church ended the game by robbing Nick Gonzales of what would have been a walk-off, two-run homer by making a leaping catch at the left-field wall, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
Ryan O’Hearn singled with one out in the ninth off Riley O’Brien and Marcell Ozuna struck out on three straight pitches. Gonzales drove a first-pitch slider to left, and Church jumped and caught the ball above the top of the 6-foot wall, 373 feet from home plate.
Gonzales' drive would have been a home run in 27 of the 30 big league ballparks, according to MLB Statcast, all but PNC Park, Camden Yards and Globe Life Field.
O'Brien escaped with his eighth save in 10 chances as the Cardinals won their third straight in a four-game series that ends Thursday.
Pittsburgh has lost a season-high four straight. The Pirates went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners.
Andre Pallante (3-2) allowed one run and five hits in a season-high six innings.
Bubba Chandler (1-3) gave up three runs, three hits and four walks in five innings.
JJ Wetherholt hit a go-ahead RBI double in the third and Alec Burleson boosted the lead to 3-0 with a two-run homer in the fifth.
Spencer Horwitz cut the deficit when he homered in the bottom half, but Iván Herrera and Jordan Walker boosted the lead to 5-1 in the seventh with RBI singles against Chris Devenski.
Devenski's contract was selected from Triple-A Indianapolis, and the 35-year-old right-hander debuted for the Pirates, his seventh major league team. He was charged with one run in two-third of an innings.
Pinch-hitter Nick Yorke had a two-run single in the bottom half against JoJo Romero, and Oneil Cruz grounded into a run-scoring forceout in the eighth off George Soriano.
RHP Hunter Dobbins, acquired from Boston in the Willson Contreras trade in December, is slated to make his Cardinals debut Thursday when Pittsburgh starts reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes (4-2, 2.48).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Nathan Church (27) leaps to make the catch on a fly ball by Pittsburgh Pirates' Nick Gonzales to end the baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Nathan Church (27) leaps to make the catch on a fly ball by Pittsburgh Pirates' Nick Gonzales to end the baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Chris Devenski delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Chris Devenski delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals' Victor Scott II (11) steals second base as the ball gets away from Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bubba Chandler during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Pirates' Konnor Griffin (6) steals second base as the ball gets away from St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt with umpire Chris Segal (96) making the call during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O'Brien (61) celebrates with catcher Iván Herrera after getting the final out of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Nathan Church (27) leaps to make the catch on a fly ball by Pittsburgh Pirates' Nick Gonzales to end the baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
