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Archive of Crime & Courts on Tuesday May 06, 2008
Fairness of death-penalty panels questioned
Death-penalty supporters are raising questions about the fairness of state commissions charged with studying how capital punishment is carried out in Maryland and Tennessee, claiming the panels will issue reports that ignore their views. Read More
With justices' OK, voter ID moves ahead
A decision Monday (April 28) by the U.S. Supreme Court to let Indiana demand photo identification from voters paves the way for other states to do the same during November’s presidential election, experts say. Read More
States mull retroactive sex-offender registries
A federal law that requires states to establish a new system for registering sex offenders by 2009 is prompting some states to mandate retroactive registration - forcing offenders to register even if their crimes were committed before registry laws went into effect. Read More
Ohio Dems talking impeachment after AG refuses to resign
Risking impeachment, Attorney General Marc Dann on Monday refused demands from the governor and other fellow Democrats that he resign over a sexual harassment scandal in his office and an extramarital affair with a subordinate. Read More
Executions might start again today
If Earl Lynd's execution goes forward tonight as scheduled, Georgia will be the first state to put anyone to death in nearly eight months. Read More
Divorce proceedings - First lady holds onto role
Dawn Gibbons will continue to perform all the functions befitting Nevada's first lady despite her pending divorce from Gov. Jim Gibbons, her lawyer said Monday. Read More
Plan to upgrade courthouses is pushed
Higher fees for parking tickets, traffic school, criminal convictions and civil court filings would pay for $5 billion in improvements to California's deteriorating courthouses under a proposal announced Monday by the chief justice of the state Supreme Court and legislative leaders. Read More
Gov to unveil $150 million anti-violence plan today
Gov. Blagojevich is proposing a $150 million anti-violence initiative that would provide new state dollars for more teen jobs, after-school programs and community grants in high-crime areas. Read More
Lawsuit seeks to stop Arctic oil exploration
ANCHORAGE - Alaska Native and environmental groups sued Monday to stop exploration by oil companies this summer in Arctic waters frequented by whales, seals and other marine species. Read More
Judge rejects Kohring request to talk to juror
Former state Rep. Vic Kohring has suffered another legal setback ahead of his sentencing Thursday. Read More
Fed ruling resurrects prospects of Orange County toll road
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. - A federal review has found a toll road proposed to run through a popular coastal state park in Orange County would not jeopardize sensitive wildlife species. Read More
Richmond DNA lab's sample processing to double
The state Department of Justice's DNA laboratory in Richmond will double the number of DNA samples it processes starting next year when its newly expanded lab begins receiving samples from everyone arrested for a felony in California, Attorney General Jerry Brown said Monday. Read More
Capital One sues to stop Calif. credit card probe
LOS ANGELES - Capital One Financial Corp has sued in an effort to keep its records out of the hands of California Attorney General Jerry Brown, who is investigating whether the bank's credit card business violated state false advertising and unfair competition laws. Read More
CA Supreme Court overturns sentence for death row inmate
LOS ANGELES -- Adam Miranda still could face execution even though the California Supreme Court threw out his death sentence. Read More
Court voids inmate's death sentence
In a unanimous decision, the California Supreme Court found Monday that a San Quentin inmate was wrongly sentenced to death in 1982 for murder because Los Angeles district attorneys -- including current Superior Court Judges Lance A. Ito and Frederick Horn -- withheld a confession to the killing by their star witness. Read More
Legislation advances, awaits Rell's signature
The following bills are among those that have passed the General Assembly. Unless otherwise noted, they are awaiting Gov. M. Jodi Rell's signature. Read More
Partial federal takeover of DCF urged
Nearly 6,000 Connecticut children live in the state child welfare system, and for many of them, life is unnecessarily bleak, lawyers representing them say. Read More
Ruling puts NCCo in money bind
New Castle County and the seven school districts within it won't be recapturing any of the millions of dollars in tax revenue lost when Verizon was able to reduce its tax payments last year. Read More
Bill Lee - Thanks, but I'm still not in it
Retired Superior Court Judge Bill Lee, who was drafted by the Republican Party Saturday to be its candidate for governor, said today he was humbled by the "unprecedented honor" and would "proceed toward running" for the governor's office. Read More
Feds investigate state investment pool
State investments downgraded during the subprime mortgage meltdown have been targeted in a federal probe. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has asked the State Board of Administration to hand over hundreds of pages of documents related to the buying and selling of at least 10 different securities, according to a letter dated Feb. 22. Read More
Six wardens among double-dippers at Florida Department of Corrections
The Department of Corrections, an agency notorious for cronyism, has a number of double-dippers at its highest levels. Read More
Must Florida pay for felled citrus trees?
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A jury is set to begin deliberations Monday in a case that could cost the Florida Department of Agriculture tens of millions of dollars for cutting down backyard citrus trees over the objections of homeowners. Read More
Executions resume
Georgia is poised to become the first state in the nation to execute an inmate since the U.S. Supreme Court decided in September to review Kentucky inmates' claims that lethal injection is unconstitutional. Read More
Executions might start again today
If Earl Lynd's execution goes forward tonight as scheduled, Georgia will be the first state to put anyone to death in nearly eight months. Read More
Harbin denies role in mix-up
State Rep. Ben Harbin and his attorney denied Monday any wrongdoing in a possible mix-up that allowed the Evans Republican to keep his driver's license after last year's arrest on suspicion of drunken driving. Read More
Ga. execution could be first since court ruling
Three states moved to schedule executions following a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that upheld the constitutionality of lethal injections, led by Georgia which planned to put a man to death Tuesday for killing his girlfriend. Read More
Georgia inmate denied clemency
Barring a last-minute intervention by the courts, a condemned killer who shot his live-in girlfriend likely is to become the first inmate put to death since a U.S. Supreme Court review halted executions last September. Read More
Ga. execution would be first since Supreme Court ruling
ATLANTA - Georgia moved forward with preparations to execute a man convicted of killing his girlfriend, who on Tuesday night could become the first inmate put to death since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of lethal injection. Read More
Perdue to sign dogfighting bill
Dogfighting penalties are about to get a little tougher in Georgia. Read More
Ceded-land deal at impasse
Just days after the end of the legislative session and a failed attempt to reach an agreement over how much ceded-land revenue is owed to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the key parties involved appear to again be at loggerheads. Read More
State pays $250,000 to settle another TouchPlay lawsuit
The Iowa Attorney General's office has announced another settlement with a former manufacturer of the TouchPlay machines. The state banned TouchPlay machines in May of 2006, after concerns that the games were too much like slot machines. A-G spokesman, Bob Brammer, talks about the details of the latest settlement. Read More
Culver wants lawyers paid to review records
Gov. Chet Culver's office has begun to encourage state agencies to charge for the cost of having government lawyers review documents requested under Iowa's open-records law. Read More
Defense rests in Rezko trial
CHICAGO - Defense attorneys rested their case in political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko's corruption trial Monday without calling a single witness. Read More
Prosecution rests; Rezko to present no defense witnesses
Antoin "Tony" Rezko's defense attorneys staked their case Monday on the prospect that jurors have found more credibility problems than compelling evidence during weeks of testimony from prosecution witnesses. Read More
Appeals court rejects Chief Illiniwek suits
A state appellate court has upheld the dismissals of a pair of lawsuits that claimed the University of Illinois broke state law when it eliminated its controversial Chief Illiniwek mascot. Read More
State Supreme Court denies media request in R. Kelly porn case
CHICAGO - The Illinois Supreme Court on Monday denied an emergency motion filed by news organizations seeking sealed court records and transcripts related to R. Kelly's pornography case. Read More
Plan would keep all of Stateville prison open, shut Pontiac facility
Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration is canceling its plan to close part of the Stateville prison near Joliet and now wants to shut down the Pontiac Correctional Center instead. Read More
Governor refuses to discuss Rezko trial
GRANITE CITY, Ill.- Insisting "the truth will come out," Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday refused to publicly address claims that the former head of the Illinois Finance Authority got his job in exchange for campaign contributions. Read More
Testimony comes to quick conclusion at Rezko trial
With surprising swiftness, testimony at the corruption trial of Antoin "Tony" Rezko concluded Monday. Prosecutors rested their case after more than nine weeks of testimony, and Rezko's lawyers quickly followed suit without calling a single witness. Read More
Ill. Corrections wants Stateville open, Pontiac closed
The Illinois Department of Corrections is shelving plans to shutter a maximum security unit in Joliet, targeting a more than 130-year-old prison in Pontiac for closure instead. Read More
Stateville gets new lease on life as Pontiac prison is put on chopping block
The Illinois Department of Corrections has backed off closing a wing of Stateville prison north of Joliet and now wants to shut Pontiac Correctional Center and transfer its 1,600 inmates to a facility near the Iowa border. Read More
Defense calls no witnesses, says case vs. Rezko weak
The prosecution and defense both rested Monday in the Tony Rezko corruption case, but not before the final witness leveled a new allegation. Read More
Both sides rest at Rezko trial
CHICAGO - Less than two hours after prosecutors rested their case Monday in political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko's fraud trial, defense attorneys did the same without calling a single witness. Read More
Appeals Court reinstates lawsuit over school funding
The Indiana Court of Appeals has reinstated a lawsuit that accused the state of violating its constitution by failing to provide enough money for all schoolchildren to have a fair chance to learn. Read More
Blunt or aides erased e-mails, lawsuit contends
Independent investigators on Monday alleged that Gov. Matt Blunt or his top aides ordered state computer technicians to destroy copies of e-mail messages that might have been politically damaging. Read More
Immigration measure close to dying in Kansas Legislature
Legislation aimed at curbing illegal immigration lingers near death at the state Capitol, and no one has issued a resuscitation order. Read More
Death-row inmate's DNA to be checked against fluids on clothing
An attorney for Brian Keith Moore, who is on death row for a murder he says he didn't commit, said yesterday that lab technicians have found enough DNA on evidence to potentially eliminate Moore as the killer. Read More
Lawmakers comb through budget proposals
Legislators on Monday debated litter control, the cost of river ferries and whether the state is spending too much money teaching juvenile offenders everything but the basics. Read More
Alleged House threat probed
Moving to contain fallout over an alleged threat made by a House member Thursday against a female representative, House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi took the unusual step yesterday of asking the House Ethics Committee to investigate. Read More
House launches ethics probe
A seldom-used legislative committee will investigate allegations by state Rep. Jennifer M. Callahan that she was threatened by another lawmaker, a move that immediately ups the stakes in the high-profile controversy. Read More
Death-row inmate's defense cites jury nonfeasance
Attorneys for a Maryland death-row inmate argued yesterday that their client's sentence should be overturned because a jury didn't use the highest standard of proof when weighing aggravating factors of his crime with mitigating circumstances. Read More
Md. opens safe-driving campaign
With Maryland on pace for more than 600 traffic fatalities this year, state officials kicked off a public awareness campaign to promote safer driving yesterday. Read More
Immigrants feel less welcome in Frederick
In just over a decade, Frederick County has been transformed from a bucolic, timeless community of dairy farms and strawberry festivals to a fast-paced mosaic of high-tech firms and housing developments, Pilates classes and exotic eateries, mega-stores and McDonald's. Read More
Both ouster options tricky
If the City Council is intent on dumping Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, members can try to do it themselves or call on a higher power: Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Read More
Senate Republicans discuss giving up opposition to Gun Lake Casino compact
Legislative opponents of a Wayland Township casino may be ready to fold their cards after last week's federal appeals court ruling in favor of the Gun Lake tribe. Read More
Michigan Supreme Court approves class-action suit over tree damage in Warren
The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that a lawsuit filed by Warren residents who say their property was damaged by roots from city-mandated trees can move forward as a class-action suit. Read More
I-35W victims bill heads to governor
For months, survivors of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse have followed every legislative twist and turn on a bill for a fund to compensate them for their losses, and much of the time their expressions have been solemn, even grim. Read More
Proposed foreclosure freeze thawed a bit
State lawmakers have tried to soften up a proposal to freeze foreclosures for a year, but Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty signaled Monday that he still will reject it. Read More
$38M bridge victim fund clears Minn. Legislature
ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Legislature has approved a $38 million compensation package for victims of last year's Interstate 35W bridge collapse. Read More
Lawsuit contends Blunt's aides ordered staffers to break the law
Gov. Matt Blunt's top aides ordered state employees to break the law by destroying copies of government e-mails so they wouldn't ever become public, a lawsuit filed Monday charges. Read More
Court sets May 21 execution date in Mississippi
The Mississippi Supreme Court has set a May 21 execution date for Mississippi death row inmate Earl Wesley Berry. Read More
Dems in AG race try to break from crowd
Democrats Steve Bullock, John Parker and Mike Wheat are in a tough spot. Each Democrat wants to be Montana's next attorney general. Each has raised enough money and brings enough legal and political experience to make the three-way race truly competitive. That's the rub. Read More
Dispute over school funding still in play
A judge Monday rejected the state's request to dismiss the latest claim that Montana still inadequately funds its public schools, setting up a court hearing where schools will try to prove their case yet again. Read More
Gang violence bill gets mixed reviews
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A bill to address gang violence is getting mixed reaction from some North Carolina legislative candidates. Read More
Bruning vows to fight fraud at the pump
The Nebraska Attorney General's Office is looking into reports of gas stations cheating the public by substituting ethanol for regular fuel. Read More
Demand for new county jails grows across Nebraska
WEST POINT, Neb. -- According to the Nebraska Crime Commission, three counties -- Cuming, Jefferson and Lancaster -- will ask voters in the May 13 primary to approve bond issues to finance new jails. Read More
State worker stands accused of tax evasion
A State of Nebraska employee is the next to be accused of tax evasion involving motor vehicle taxes. Read More
State promises to prosecute gas stations that cheat customers
Nebraska gas stations trying to cheat customers by selling alcohol-blended gas as regular unleaded will be prosecuted, Attorney General Jon Bruning said Monday. Read More
Judge dismisses discrimination suit against state
A federal judge has ruled with the Nebraska Health and Human Services System and the owners of Chadron mobile home park in a civil lawsuit that alleged they provided substandard housing to Native tenants based on race. Read More
Dodds arrested after alleged assault on wife
Local and state police arrested former Congressional candidate Gary Dodds this morning in Portsmouth after a search that began Monday night. Read More
Towns claim districts don't pass muster
A half dozen towns joined a lawsuit against the state yesterday, claiming that large, multi-town legislative districts disenfranchise their residents and violate a constitutional amendment that passed in 2006. The petitioners, backed by a new group, are asking a Merrimack County judge to hold off the 2008 elections until the state redraws its legislative districts. Read More
Superior Court judge gets nod for tenure
A key state Senate committee yesterday unanimously approved the nomination of Superior Court Judge Joseph P. Donohue, the brother-in-law of the state Democratic Party chairman, for judicial tenure. Read More
Ex-N.J. governor's divorce trial begins today
After two tell-all books, tawdry sex claims and 3? years of living apart, New Jersey's gay former governor and his estranged wife are finally facing off in divorce court. Read More
McGreevey expected to testify on custody
Nearly four years after former Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his homosexual affair to the world, the legal dissolution of his heterosexual marriage to former first lady Dina Matos McGreevey finally begins today at Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Read More
Quarterly report says 42 died in DWI-influenced wrecks
Dixon resident Jerry Muniz was a ninth-grader in 2000, when he posted a note on Geneology.com looking for relatives. Read More
No rehearing sought on utility refund
The Nevada Tax Commission voted Monday to not seek a rehearing of a recent state Supreme Court ruling that canceled a $40 million tax refund to a utility because the commission's vote for the refund was taken in an illegal closed-door meeting. Read More
Ohio Dems talking impeachment after AG refuses to resign
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Risking impeachment, Ohio's attorney general on Monday refused demands from the governor and other fellow Democrats that he resign over a sexual harassment scandal in his office and an affair with a subordinate. Read More
Judge agrees to keep Nevada governor's divorce file sealed
CARSON CITY, Nev. - Gov. Jim Gibbons won a court ruling Monday sealing files in his divorce case and ordering a closed-door trial. Read More
For Nevada GOP, one spectacle too many
LAS VEGAS - In this state known for quickie divorces, the slow, increasingly acrimonious dissolution of the governor's marriage is becoming a public spectacle nearly as absorbing a show on the Strip but far more politically significant. Read More
You've got to sue to win
The New York Lottery's impish "Little Bit of Luck" character is really a wolf in sheep's clothing, according to a Staten Island woman who's suing the state and shopkeepers, alleging fraud and racketeering. Read More
Ex-Roslyn school officials collect pensions in prison
Frank Tassone, an ex-Roslyn superintendent, receives about $14,547 a month for the rest of his life -- even as he serves a prison term. Read More
Going after movie bootleggers
NEW YORK -- Bootleggers beware: New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo wants to toughen the penalty for film piracy to include jail time. Read More
Old ruling adds to pension dispute
With private lawyers under state scrutiny for getting themselves listed as public employees in order to get into New York's pension system, a 2004 court case has come to light that clearly stated the practice was not allowed. Read More
Group asks court to ban rules on Medicaid autism services
A state advocacy group for people with disabilities has filed a complaint asking a federal court to prevent the enforcement of new rules that would reduce or eliminate services for autistic children. Read More
Democrats threaten to impeach Dann
Ohio's top Democrats, including Gov. Ted Strickland, on Monday asked Attorney General Marc Dann to resign and threatened to try to impeach him if he doesn't step down. Read More
Ex-State Rep. Matthew Barrett won't face criminal charges over nude photos
Former State Rep. Matthew Barrett will not face criminal charges for lying to police about whether he knew women who appeared semi-nude on a flash drive he used during a high school government class Read More
Appeals court upholds death row inmate release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A federal appeals court in Cincinnati upheld an order Monday releasing Tennessee death row inmate Paul House, who has been imprisoned nearly 22 years. Read More
Rules about impeaching officials in Ohio murky
If Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann survives an impeachment movement, he'll follow the in the footsteps of Calvin Pease and George Tod -- two judges who were impeached by the House but acquitted in the Senate. Read More
Dann ignores governor's, others demand that he resign
Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann on Monday defiantly rejected a call by all of the top leaders of his political party, including Gov. Ted Strickland, to quit right now or watch as they to seek to throw him out of office. Read More
Gov. Strickland, top Democrats, call for Dann to resign; AG stays on job
Gov. Ted Strickland and other high-ranking Ohio Democrats Monday joined Republicans in the chorus for Attorney General Marc Dann to immediately resign and threatened to lead the march toward impeachment if he does not. Read More
Ohio AG refuses to resign; Dems talk impeachment
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The political battle over whether state Attorney General Marc Dann should leave office has taken on the feel of a standoff. Read More
Judge holds hearing on lethal injection challenge
ELYRIA, Ohio - A judge is bringing in attorneys from both sides of a lethal injection challenge Tuesday to discuss testimony from two anesthesiologists who took the stand last month. Read More
Ohio lawmakers prep to impeach Dann; proceedings would be 1st in 200 years
Lawmakers have begun preparing for what could be the first Ohio impeachment proceedings in nearly two centuries after Attorney General Marc Dann yesterday rejected calls from fellow Democrats to resign. Read More
Ohio Attorney General resists calls to quit
Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann is resisting pressure to resign over what he described as a "romantic relationship with a member of my staff," but the situation threatens to stall his probes of alleged wrongdoing related to subprime mortgages. Read More
Lure of gang membership strong in state
Ardmore, OK - Gangs. Are Oklahoma youth really becoming gang members? What motivates a child to join a gang? Are gangs replacing family? Are there different types of gangs? Are gangs a racial issue? Are gangs simply a law enforcement problem? Who should intervene? Read More
State honors officers slain in line of duty
Gov. Ed Rendell and state officials paid final tribute to Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Scott Ball at Monday's Law Enforcement Memorial Day service. Read More
Rendell speech annoys legislators
At a ceremony honoring Pennsylvania police officers slain in the line of duty last year, Gov. Ed Rendell seized the bully pulpit to make a renewed call for gun-control measures. But afterward, Rendell's message left some lawmakers feeling just plain bullied. Read More
State drug testing proposal hits snag
Robert Birnbrauer can't understand why medical professionals in Pennsylvania hospitals aren't randomly tested for drug use. Read More
Got milk? Could be a crime
MOUNT HOLLY SPRINGS, Pa. -- The Department of Agriculture threw its weight at dairy farmer Mark Nolt. Read More
Immunity sought for Dougherty
Labor leader John J. Dougherty will assert his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination unless he is given immunity so he can testify as a defense witness in the trial of a South Philadelphia contractor, according to court papers filed yesterday. Read More
Court orders judge to examine DeNaples investigation
A Dauphin County judge has been ordered to determine whether grand jury secrecy rules were violated in the investigation of a casino owner and a Catholic priest. Read More
Inmate can seek state information on execution method
Convicted murdered Donald Moeller can continue to seek information about South Dakota's method of execution as he fights his death sentence for the 1990 rape and murder of a 9-year-old Sioux Falls girl, a federal judge has ruled. Read More
Long unsure of court cameras committee timetable
Attorney General Larry Long, who is on a committee charged with developing proposed rules on television and radio coverage of South Dakota's circuit courts, says he's not sure when the 22-member group will send its ideas to the state Supreme Court. Read More
Bill seeks to change juror rules
Dodging jury duty will become more difficult and more citizens will be subject to being called upon to decide cases in court under legislation scheduled for votes on the floor of both the state House and Senate this week. Read More
Needle-exchange program hits roadblock
State lawmakers who want to allow needle-exchange programs in Texas vowed to try again in 2009 after an attorney general opinion issued Monday cleared the way for a case against three activists in Bexar County who passed out clean syringes. Read More
House Democrats blast Craddick, saying he knew about 'ghost workers'
As some Texas House members began changing their payroll practices amid an investigation into allegations of ghost employees, others on Monday criticized House Speaker Tom Craddick and other top officials for "trying to start a bonfire" on a practice they approved. Read More
Strip clubs ask high court to halt fee collection
An association representing strip clubs asked the Texas Supreme Court on Monday to stop the state from collecting a new fee that a trial court has ruled unconstitutional. Read More
AG opinion sidelines Bexar needle-swap plan
In the wake of a long-awaited opinion issued Monday by Attorney General Greg Abbott, Bexar County officials will not move forward with what would have been the first legally sanctioned syringe-exchange program for drug addicts in Texas. Read More
Harris County may send more inmates out of state
With the Harris County Jail already filled to the brim and an influx of inmates expected this summer, the sheriff's department is asking Commissioners Court for permission to send another 1,130 more inmates to Louisiana facilities. Read More
Fake documents swamp Houston
Illegal immigrants fearful of being caught in stepped-up workplace raids are fueling a growing market in Houston for phony immigration and work documents. Read More
Texas used seized FLDS records against polygamous sect
Census sheets found in a safe at a polygamous sect's ranch in west Texas both support and contradict the state's claim of a widespread culture of underage marriage. Read More
Mexican citizen given execution date for gang rape, murder
HOUSTON ? A Mexican-born Texas prisoner whose death sentence set off an international dispute and a U.S. Supreme Court rebuke of the White House received an execution date Monday. Read More
Central Texas man on death row maintains innocence as many believe his trial was unfair
Jurors sentenced Rodney Reed to death after DNA evidence showed he'd had sex with 19-year-old Stacy Stites, found strangled in the brush off a remote country road. Read More
Attorneys general meet to discuss energy issues
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -- One highly effective way to reduce electricity use is to hang laundry on an outdoor clothesline, instead of using a dryer, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said Monday. Read More
Death row inmates plead for humanity
"Let's ride" were the last words spoken by Michael Richards before the syringes containing a lethal concoction of chemicals were pumped into his veins in Texas' Huntsville death chamber Sept. 25, 2007. Read More
Republican River tour will address water use
An early June tour will visit the lower Republican River basin in Kansas and Nebraska to help answer water use questions in both states. Read More
Reports find racial gap in drug arrests
More than two decades after President Ronald Reagan escalated the war on drugs, arrests for drug sales or, more often, drug possession are still rising. Read More
EnergySolutions sues to import Italy nuclear waste
EnergySolutions filed a lawsuit after business hours Monday in U.S. District Court, asking a judge to decide whether the Northwest Interstate Compact on Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management has authority over whether the company's Clive facility should be allowed to store materials coming from Italy. Read More
Think tank -- Utah should seek fed waiver to fix illegal immigration woes
The Sutherland Institute, a Utah-based conservative think tank, wants the state to request a federal waiver to allow it to fix Utah's illegal immigration problems. Read More
EnergySolutions sues to stop state's bid to block Italian nuke waste
EnergySolutions has gone to court to protect its plan to import low-level nuclear waste from Italy. Read More
Group recommends assimilating illegals
Lawmakers should step away from a strict law-and-order approach and embrace a comprehensive immigration reform plan, one of Utah's leading conservative think tanks said Monday. Read More
Drug war has high impact on Va. blacks
Two studies contend that racially disparate effects of the war on drugs are more evident in Virginia and Virginia Beach than in most of the country. Read More
Quiet Va. wife ended interracial marriage ban
Mildred Jeter Loving, 68, a black woman whose refusal to accept Virginia's ban on interracial marriage led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1967 that struck down similar laws across the country, died of pneumonia Friday at her home in Milford, Va. Read More
State panel plans wide review of sentencing
Lawmakers shied away from making major changes to the state's marijuana laws this year, but the Vermont Sentencing Commission -- a body consisting of police, judges, prosecutors and public defenders -- will soon pick up that conversation. Read More
Nameless DNA profile charged in 1999 rape
Prosecutors usually have a suspect's name before someone is charged with a crime. But for the first time in Thurston County, prosecutors have charged a genetic profile -- an unknown person's DNA -- with an unsolved rape of a woman in downtown Olympia in 1999. Read More
State leads in prison drug gap
More than 25 years after the Reagan administration declared America's war on drugs, two studies published Monday conclude that the battle has been pitched largely in African-American communities and that African-Americans bear a disproportionate brunt of its collateral damage. Read More
UW safety program criticized
A highly touted program to walk University of Wisconsin-Madison students home safely has been understaffed while services are in high demand after a student's murder, employees say. Read More
W.Va. fourth grader arrested after threats
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A Huntington fourth grader has been arrested stemming from threats made at school. Read More
Lawyer, gambling-interest money pours into court race
The latest campaign reports from state Supreme Court candidates, required to be postmarked by Friday, reveal fundraising patterns similar to those in their first reports filed last month with Secretary of State Betty Ireland. Read More
Candidate calls on Maynard to release records
State Supreme Court candidate Bob Bastress lashed out at Chief Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard on Monday, calling on him again to release his e-mail and telephone records. Read More |
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