Appeal denied in Adenhart accident trial

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SANTA ANA, Calif., Dec. 5 (UPI) -- A California appeals court has upheld the conviction of a man found guilty in the 2009 car accident that killed Los Angeles Angels' pitcher Nick Adenhart.

Andrew Thomas Gallo of San Gabriel, Calif., was sentenced in 2010 to 51 years to life in prison after he was convicted of three counts of second-degree murder, felony drunken driving and felony hit-and-run in the two-car high-speed crash in Fullerton, Calif., that killed Adenhart, 22, journalism student Cortney Frances Stewart, 20, and law student and sports management company executive Henry Nigel Pearson, 25, the Orange County, Calif., Register said Wednesday.

Adenhart was on his way with his friends to a Fullerton nightclub to celebrate his rookie debut as an Angels' pitcher, a few hours earlier, the newspaper said.

Gallo appealed his sentence, claiming Santa Ana Appellate Court Judge Richard Toohey violated his rights by "demonstrating a bias against the defense," arguing the judge gave improper instructions to the jury in the trial and claiming he received inadequate assistance from his own attorney.

Monday the three justices on the appellate court declared Gallo, who was 24 when he was sentenced, received a fair trial.