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Archive of Crime & Courts on Friday May 09, 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
Facebook safeguards will protect young users
HARTFORD, Conn. - Facebook, the world's second-largest social networking Web site, will add more than 40 safeguards to protect young users from sexual predators and cyberbullies, attorneys general from several states said Thursday. Read More
Behind college raid, rising drug use on campus
LOS ANGELES - The arrest this week of 96 suspects on drug-related charges, including 75 students, after a six-month sting operation at San Diego State University is shining a fresh spotlight on the issue of growing substance abuse at America's colleges and universities. Read More
Bill aids counties paying to jail illegal immigrants
WASHINGTON -- Iowa counties would be eligible for additional federal dollars to help pay the costs of jailing illegal immigrants under a bill the House unanimously approved Thursday. Read More
Cuomo sees fraud in some lawyers' pensions
Hundreds of lawyers across the state have been illegally granted state pension benefits by school districts, towns and other governmental entities, according to Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who has opened an investigation into the abuses. Read More
Debate on analyzing 'cold hit' DNA matches swirls in case before California Supreme Court
One of the key issues in a case argued Thursday before the California Supreme Court is how to describe the significance of a "cold hit," when a criminal suspect is first identified through a DNA database search. Read More
Kohring sentenced to 3 1/2 years
A federal judge sentenced former Wasilla state Rep. Vic Kohring to 3.5 years in prison Thursday for taking bribes in a scheme to keep Alaska oil taxes down. Read More
Polygamy town hall -- A.G. says Texas-like raid on sects not the answer
ST. GEORGE, Utah -- Attorney General Mark Shurtleff called a raid on a polygamous sect's ranch in Texas no surprise given the group's resistant, secretive practices but said Thursday he would never authorize such a move in Utah. Read More
Constitutional change to streamline Utah death penalty appeals draws critics
Opponents of proposed constitutional amendments designed to streamline death penalty appeals said Thursday that the measures are too broad and would upset the balance of powers among the three branches of government. Read More
Two state senators call for review of Department of Corrections
Two Anchorage lawmakers say the Legislature needs to audit the state's Department of Corrections. Read More
Facing prison, Kohring blames government but says his conscience is clear
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Facing a prison sentence of 3 1/2 years, a former Alaska lawmaker said he's broke and has lost respect for the U.S. government, but that his conscience is clear. Read More
6 inmates injured in fights are airlifted for medical aid
SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. - Six prisoners were airlifted for medical treatment after being injured in fights at the state prison in Douglas. Read More
Big MTBE settlement to benefit California
Chevron Corp. and other big oil companies have agreed to pay $422 million to settle a major lawsuit over the gasoline additive MTBE, and much of the money will go to plaintiffs in California. Read More
California picks 12 counties to share $750 million in jail funds
Twelve California counties, including Yolo, are in line to receive a combined $750 million in jail construction funds under recommendations released Thursday by the state Corrections Standards Authority. Read More
Megan's Law website helps nabs sex offender
California's Megan's Law website is being credited with helping to capture a registered sex offender who approached a 15-year-old girl near her Riverside home. Read More
Group sues over order to stop feeding the homeless at Doheny State Beach
Members of a charity group threatened with arrest while trying to feed homeless people at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point have filed a federal lawsuit against state parks officials, claiming interference with their constitutional rights. Read More
Calif. students plead not guilty in major drug bust
SAN DIEGO - The suspected leader of a drug trafficking ring was among seven students who pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges stemming from an undercover operation at San Diego State University that netted more than 100 arrests. Read More
Colorado AG praises Facebook safeguards
Facebook will put in new safeguards to protect children from online predators and inappropriate content. Read More
Yale fires back at South Korean university over fake degree
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Details of a sex scandal involving a top South Korean official and an art history professor, who lied about having a Yale degree, will be used by the Ivy League school to defend itself against a federal lawsuit filed by the South Korean university that hired the professor. Read More
Bill would restrict eminent domain
WILMINGTON, Del. - The latest eminent domain reform bill in the state legislative pipeline would bring riverfront development "to a screeching halt" if passed, Mayor James M. Baker said Thursday. Read More
Crist has a $2.4-billion change of heart
Gov. Charlie Crist said "God bless Gov. Chiles" as the 2008 Legislature drew to a close last week, thankful for $2.4-billion in reserves made possible by the late Lawton Chiles. Read More
Appeals court rules against peanut farmers
RICHMOND, Va. -- Peanut farmers in seven states whose crops were devastated by the 2002 drought are entitled to only a little more than half the $30 million in insurance payments ordered by a lower court, a federal appeals panel ruled Thursday. Read More
Another to be put to death
Two days after becoming the first state to break a seven-month pause in executions, Georgia is moving quickly to put another convicted killer to death later this month. Read More
DeKalb legislators to join Dunwoody lawsuit
Members of DeKalb County's state legislative delegation have decided not to file their own complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice about a legislative bill that would give Dunwoody residents the right to vote for incorporation. Read More
Warrant signed for next Georgia execution
An execution warrant was signed Thursday for death-row inmate Samuel David Crowe, who is now scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection 7 p.m. on May 22. Read More
Facebook agrees to changes to try and stop on-line predators
Another top social networking website has agreed to take steps to protect children from sexual predators and inappropriate content. Bob Brammer, a spokesman for Iowa's Attorney General, says several states have reached an agreement with "Facebook." Read More
Senator questions printing of DOT notice in Spanish
Senate Republican Leader Ron Wieck of Sioux City says it appears the Iowa Department of Transportation broke the law by having a public hearing notice printed in the Sioux City Journal Thursday in both English and Spanish. Read More
Authorities say changes in Amber Alert in the works
Iowa's Amber Alert system is five years old and state officials say changes are planned to make the system more efficient. Read More
Despite exemption, prisons to ban smoking
NEWTON, Iowa -- Iowa's prisons will become tobacco-free in early January even though state lawmakers exempted the institutions in a new law that bans smoking in most public places. Read More
Iowa prisons to ban smoking in 2009
Iowa's prisons are going smoke-free, despite an exemption from the state's new statewide smoking ban. Read More
New law targets fans of dogfights
Those who attend and bet on illegal animal fights could now face tougher penalties, thanks to the work of two Davenport lawmakers who want to stop animal abuse. Read More
DOT to continue using Spanish, other languages
The Iowa Department of Transportation plans to keep publishing official notices in Spanish and other languages, despite a recent court ruling upholding the state's English-language law, a spokeswoman said Thursday. Read More
Governor against plan to stop prison closing
Gov. Rod Blagojevich Thursday panned a plan aimed at stopping him from closing the state prison in Pontiac. Read More
Union -- Mandatory overtime hurts services at 24-hour state facilities
Mandatory overtime is jeopardizing services at 24-hour state facilities, a labor union representing state employees claimed in a report released Thursday. Jessica Becket believes the extended hours contributed to her accident. Read More
Republicans propose moratorium on closing Illinois prisons
Republican lawmakers are proposing a ban on closing any Illinois prisons until a study is done on the needs of the state corrections system. Read More
Rezko lender tries to force bankruptcy over $18 million
A Wilmette businessman who testified last week against political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko at his federal corruption trial sought Thursday to force Rezko's bankruptcy over his failure to repay more than $18 million. Read More
NIU's Cole Hall to be remodeled
The head of Northern Illinois University said the school has a $7.7 million plan to remodel the lecture hall where five people were slain by a suicidal gunman on Valentine's Day. Read More
High court asked to reinstate quadruple murder conviction
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The state has asked the Indiana Supreme Court to reinstate the conviction of a man accused of killing his minister father, stepmother and two stepsisters so he could attend high school prom events in 1989. Read More
Booksellers agree with suit challenging new legislation
"I just thought it was stupid." That was the reaction of Sarah Bird, co-owner of the Griffon Bookstore in downtown South Bend, when she first heard of a new law that will require retailers of sexually explicit materials to register with the state and pay a fee. Read More
State high court asked to review Pelley case
The office of Attorney General Steve Carter has asked the Indiana Supreme Court to review Jeffrey Pelley's quadruple murder case. Read More
Conviction upheld in toddler's death
The Indiana Court of Appeals on Thursday affirmed the battery conviction and sentence of Kwasi Barnes, who was found guilty in 2007 of a Class A felony in the death of a 15-month-old girl. Read More
Legislature's issues in 2008 mirrored nation's
Kansas lawmakers spent the 2008 session wrestling mightily with problems of national, even global scope, and their failures were nearly as big. Read More
Opinion of legislative session depends on perspective
If the 2008 legislative session produced unanimity in one area, it was that most everyone was glad when it ended. Read More
Local issues played a role in session
For the second time in as many years, lawmakers said with a unified voice that Kansas hates funeral protests. Read More
Bill lets citizens target troublesome businesses
Legislation that would give citizens a greater role in having a crime-riddled business closed for as many as five years cleared the House 89-0 Thursday. Read More
Cravins expects Jetson bill OK
A state Senate bill that sets deadlines for closing Jetson - a state-run juvenile prison with a history of brutality - and for establishing smaller, regionalized juvenile detention facilities has a good chance of passing, said State Sen. Donald Cravins Jr. Read More
Bill aims to limit access to ammo
Individuals who provide ammunition to convicted felons should wind up behind bars for up to five years, the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice decided Thursday. Read More
Courthouse feud erupts over bathroom key
It started with a simple, if potentially urgent, need. A court official wanted a key to gain access to a bathroom. Read More
O'Malley meets with correctional officials
Gov. Martin O'Malley met yesterday with prison officials in Western Maryland, where more than 20 correctional officers were fired recently after allegations of inmate abuse, and said he would consider extending the time before disciplinary action is taken in such cases. Read More
Court OKs watercraft ban ruling
PORTLAND, Maine- Just in time for boating season, the Supreme Judicial Court has determined that it is allowable for municipalities to ban personal watercraft on ponds and lakes. The Law Court overturned a lower court ruling that allowed the operation of personal watercraft on bodies of water despite municipal ordinances preventing their use. Read More
Detroit cops seek state aid
Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings found herself in the awkward position Thursday of asking state lawmakers for $1 million to help run her crime lab, only a couple of weeks after shutting down the lab's firearms section for incorrectly classifying evidence in a double homicide. Read More
Same-sex benefits ruling might have minimal effect
A potentially devastating ruling Wednesday by Michigan's high court about same-sex benefits is likely to have little local effect. Read More
Anti-illegal immigration group makes push for Senate bill
COLUMBIA, Mo. - An anti-illegal immigration group is advertising in newspapers across Missouri to support a Senate bill, which among other things would ban illegal immigrants from higher education and jobs. Read More
Attorneys General reach children's safety agreement with Facebook
Facebook, one of the world?s largest social networking Web sites, has reached an agreement with attorneys general from across the country, including Jay Nixon of Missouri. Read More
AG warns of scams involving housing services
Consumers are advised to be aware of letters offering mortgage insurance, refinancing and other services. Read More
Facebook agrees to make site safer for teens
In a continuing effort to develop restrictions to protect children on the Internet, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood said Thursday that he and 47 of his counterparts have hammered out an agreement with Facebook. Read More
State Farm settles Katrina cases
The nation's largest insurance company has settled out of court with more than a dozen Mississippi policyholders whose lawyers were barred from representing them in lawsuits against the insurer over Hurricane Katrina damage, according to court filings Thursday. Read More
Bruner -- Education is a crime-stopper
Teachers, not cops, are the most effective weapons against crime, said Lee Bruner, a Republican candidate for attorney general who said this week he supports coal mining as a way to pay for public education. Read More
MHP checks stopped 277 vehicles
The Montana Highway Patrol squad that conducted traffic enforcement in the Billings area last week stopped 277 vehicles. Read More
Attorney general hopeful focuses on meth
Montana law enforcement needs more manpower in the battle against methamphetamine, and addicts need more treatment, a Democratic candidate for attorney general said. Read More
Mont. judge rejects bid to delay wolf lawsuit
BILLINGS, Mont. - A federal judge in Montana has rejected the government's request to delay a lawsuit seeking to place the gray wolf back on the endangered species list. Read More
Hardin jail defaults on bonds
HARDIN, Mont. -- An empty $27 million jail in Hardin has defaulted on its bonds, as the city heads to court Friday to try to get out-of-state inmates into the facility. Read More
Easley supports college for illegal immigrants
In a statement that defied the legal advice of the state's attorney general, Gov. Mike Easley told community colleges Thursday that they can set their own admission standards, which currently welcome students regardless of their immigration status. Read More
AG -- Facebook agrees to make changes
Attorney General Jon Bruning joined 48 other attorneys general in announcing that social-networking site Facebook agreed to changes to better protect children from predators and inappropriate content. Read More
Bruning stands firm on position for discrimination cases
If the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission and Attorney General Jon Bruning can?t cooperate, about 80 housing discrimination complaints a year will go to federal investigators. Read More
McGreeveys forge accord on custody
Working late into the night, going word by painstaking word, the McGreeveys and their attorneys reached an agreement yesterday on custody of the couple's 6-year-old daughter, effectively ending the first section of their three-part divorce trial. Read More
Former officials discuss ties between governor, top court
When Gov. Christie Whitman was in office, she and then-state Supreme Court Chief Justice Deborah Poritz would sit down to lunch every few months at the governor's mansion, talking about administrative issues, the appointment of judges, who might make a good candidate. But they were careful not to venture into matters pending be fore the court. Read More
McGreeveys reach deal on custody of daughter
ELIZABETH, N.J. - Former Gov. James E. McGreevey and his estranged wife settled child custody matters on Thursday as they moved closer to dissolving their marriage, their lawyers said. Read More
NM sect leader makes first court appearance
CLAYTON, N.M. - A magistrate lowered the bond for the leader of an apocalyptic sect who is accused of sex crimes against young female followers, but refused to release him. Read More
Public Health Crisis - More infections surface
Health authorities said Thursday that 77 more patients might have contracted hepatitis C at a local medical clinic where unsafe injection practices have been identified. Read More
Judge transfers Gibbons' divorce case to Reno
A judge on Thursday approved a request from Nevada first lady Dawn Gibbons, hit with a divorce complaint from Gov. Jim Gibbons, to have the couple's closed-door divorce trial moved from Carson City to Reno. Read More
Gov. endorses tests for cops involved in shootings
Gov. David A. Paterson met Thursday with Sean Bell's family at his office in Manhattan, where he endorsed a proposal to test officers involved in shootings for alcohol or drugs. The reform has been sought by activists after Bell's 50-shot slaying in 2006. Read More
NY governor says he'll explore police procedures
NEW YORK ? Gov. David Paterson pledged Thursday to examine undercover police conduct in the aftermath of the 50-bullet police shooting of an unarmed man. Read More
Storm over 'power' play
Nervous state Power Authority officials have hired a $400-an-hour private lawyer to handle Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's probe of the destruction of e-mails and other records relating to Daniel Wiese, the authority's suspended inspector general, The Post has learned. Read More
N.Y. governor vows to examine undercover police procedures
NEW YORK - Gov. David Paterson pledged to examine undercover police conduct on Thursday, a day after more than 200 people were arrested protesting the acquittal of three detectives involved in the shooting death of an unarmed man. Read More
Dann's ethics form for Washington trip missing
As a state senator, Marc Dann railed against then-Gov. Bob Taft for failing to disclose golf outings and other freebies on his annual financial disclosure statements filed with the Ohio Ethics Commission. Read More
Husted wants independent inquiry
House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, believes an independent, external investigation is needed to gather all the facts before the House considers whether to impeach Democratic Attorney General Marc Dann. Read More
Clearing the air costly to county
DAYTON, Ohio - Enforcing Ohio's indoor smoking ban costs big bucks, and the fines issued to violators don't come close to paying for it, local health department officials have discovered. Read More
Former Ohio AG aide says he was fired with no investigation
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A former aide to embattled Attorney General Marc Dann says he was terminated last year without an investigation by the office, unlike two top aides who were fired last week after sexual harassment claims against one of them prompted an internal probe. Read More
Attorney general office secretary who worked for Anthony Gutierrez suspended and under investigation
An attorney general's office secretary who worked for a manager who was fired last week has been suspended for having information on her state computer erased. Read More
District judge sides with police union, chief seeks appeal
SHAWNEE, Okla. - A judge sided with the Shawnee police union in an issue involving minimum staffing policies that the city had appealed to district court, but the police chief is expected to seek another appeal. Read More
Senator pushes for a vote on state 'social host' legislation
An Oklahoma City senator asked the House speaker Thursday to allow a vote on her bill that would strengthen the law on adults supplying beer and alcohol on their property to minors. Read More
Measure 53 designed to fix seizure law glitches
It's a classic case of unintended consequences. In 2000, Oregon voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 3, a constitutional amendment that imposed restrictions on the ability of government agencies to transfer legal ownership of property connected to a crime. Read More
Ribbons to honor those killed in line of duty
Blue ribbons will be placed on all marked Pennsylvania State Police vehicles next week in honor of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty, Commissioner Jeffrey Miller said. Read More
Facebook changing to fight predators
The social networking Web site Facebook signed an agreement with 48 states and the District of Columbia yesterday that Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett believes will make the site safer for underage users. Read More
Senate approves courthouse for Valley
A Senate resolution to move the proposed site of the Blackstone Valley Courthouse from Lincoln to Smithfield and prepare for construction in the budget year beginning July, 2009 won unanimous passage in the Senate Wednesday, but initial indications are it might face rougher sledding in the House of Representatives. Read More
Senators prepare to hear from Keel
Confirmation hearings for Gov. Mark Sanford's nominee to lead the embattled Department of Public Safety likely will be held the week of May 19, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said Thursday. Read More
Senators question "mission creep" at Highway Patrol
Senators questioned today whether the state Highway Patrol has exceeded its mission by creating drug-interdiction squads, a SWAT team and allowing troopers to accompany college coaches as security during games. Read More
Senators prepare hard questions for Public Safety nominee
The governor's nominee to lead the Department of Public Safety will face questioning from senators later this month about how he plans to restore public trust in the agency. Read More
New task force aims to reduce scams on state's elderly
Advocates for the elderly hope a task force announced Thursday will stop scams that rob the state's seniors of their hard-earned savings. Read More
Fair says he will side with the House on immigration
Greenville Sen. Mike Fair told the Senate today that he plans to side with the House on immigration reform. Read More
Help on the way for senior scam victims
Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is undertaking a new initiative that seeks to help seniors steer clear of scams and stand by them when they are victims. Read More
Hearing planned for safety chief nominee
Senators won't be trying to solve problems within the state Department of Public Safety when they meet May 19 to confirm a new director. Read More
Facebook puts into place new safety controls
When Kathy Frazar heard the operators of Facebook.com had promised to boost safeguards to protect younger users from online predators and shield them from inappropriate content, she was encouraged but not relieved. Read More
Wrongly convicted urge policy change during Capitol visit
One by one, nine wrongly convicted men stood up on the floor of the Texas Senate on Thursday to explain how innocent men ended up in prison and how to prevent it from happening again. Read More
Few who are left at polygamist ranch try to make sense of it all
YEARNING FOR ZION RANCH, Texas - Emptiness echoes off this polygamist community's once-lush lawns, now parched and brown. Read More
Attorneys general reach Facebook agreement
In an attempt to make the Internet safer for children, all but one of the nation's state attorneys general have turned their attention to another popular social networking site. Read More
Competing House bills use databases to check workers' legal status
WASHINGTON -- With little prospect of overhauling the nation's immigration laws before the presidential election, members of Congress are attempting to address the issue in a more piecemeal fashion. Read More
Feds getting involved in polygamy cases
WASHINGTON -- A Justice Department prosecutor has been assigned to review how the federal government can help state and local law enforcement with polygamy cases, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard in a letter this week. Read More
Attorneys general defend Texas
ST. GEORGE, Utah -- The attorneys general for Utah and Arizona agreed Thursday that Texas was right in its removal of hundreds of FLDS children from the Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado, Texas, more than a month ago. Read More
Facebook reaches agreement on sex predators
Facebook, the world's second-largest social-networking Web site, has reached an agreement with state law enforcement authorities across the country aimed at protecting children from sexual predators. Read More
Judge sets hearing on wolf injunction
A federal judge in Montana has rejected a request by the government to delay a lawsuit seeking to place the gray wolf back on the endangered-species list, saying that he's "unwilling to risk more deaths." Read More
Facebook agrees to shield kids from adult content
Social networking giant Facebook has agreed to better protect children on its Web site, including providing automatic warning messages when a child is in danger of giving personal information to an unknown adult. Read More
Bear mauling wasn't Utah's fault, state official says
PROVO, Utah -- Last summer's fatal mauling of 11-year-old Samuel Ives by a black bear was a tragedy, but Utah officials believe the blame lies with the boy's parents and the federal government, not with the state. Read More
Utah seeks facts about Texas raid
Utah authorities will look into claims by members of the Fundamentalist LDS Church that their children were wrongfully taken in a Texas raid of the church's ranch there in April -- as long as the members are from Utah. Read More
Utah polygamists are asked about fostering Texas children
ST. GEORGE, Utah - Utah's attorney general, Mark L. Shurtleff, sat before a room of perhaps 400 people, most of them fundamentalist polygamists, at a town hall meeting here on Thursday night. Read More
Newspaper asks state Supreme Court for ruling in Federal Way judge?s case
The News Tribune asked the state Supreme Court on Thursday to decide the case of a Federal Way judge who is trying to block the release of documents about his role in fostering an allegedly hostile workplace. Read More
Corrections official reviews sick leave use
State Corrections Secretary Rick Raemisch said Thursday he has no plans to change his agency's sick leave policy but is reviewing it in light of a Journal Sentinel investigation that identified examples of correctional officers using sick leave in questionable ways. Read More
Politics influenced state lawyer's hiring, examiner rules
Politics improperly influenced the decision to hire a top state lawyer after former Gov. Tony Earl helped a friend's nephew get the job, a hearing examiner has concluded. Read More
Treating drunk drivers like criminals
The Wisconsin chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving wants to make first-offense OWI a criminal offense in Wisconsin, rather than a civil violation. Read More
Doyle looking to fill judge's seat in Jackson County
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle on Thursday kicked off the search for a new circuit court judge in Jackson County to fill the vacancy left by the death of Eric Stutz, who was elected in April. Read More
Governor appoints 2 to ethics board
Gov. Jim Doyle has appointed two new members to the state board in charge of rooting out government corruption and enforcing election, campaign finance and ethics laws. Read More |
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