PHOENIX — An Arizona sheriff known for aggressively cracking down on illegal immigration has been stripped of some of his special power to enforce federal immigration law, and he claims the Obama administration is taking away his authority for political reasons.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whose office faces racial profiling allegations over crime and immigration sweeps in some heavily Latino areas of metro Phoenix, said officials from Washington won't let him renew a deal that let his deputies make federal immigration arrests.
"Let them all go brag that they took away the sheriff's authority. Let them all do that. That doesn't bother me. I don't have an ego. I will continue doing the same thing," the Republican sheriff said, noting he can still enforce state immigration laws. "What has changed, other than the politics and the perception emanating from Washington?"
The U.S. government, which does most of the nation's immigration enforcement, is changing its rules for allowing local police to enforce more expansive federal immigration laws. Nationally, more than 1,000 local police and jail officers have been granted the power since 2002 to make immigration requests and speed up deportations.
Arpaio has more officers with the special powers than any other local police agency in the country. For more than two years, 100 of his deputies have made immigration arrests and another 60 jail officers have identified inmates who are illegal immigrants.
Even though federal officials declined to let the sheriff keep making immigration arrests, Arpaio last week renewed a deal that will let his jail officers determine inmates' immigration status.
Arpaio said federal officials offered no explanation of why his powers were cut in half.
Vinnie Picard, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which grants the special powers, declined to comment on the curtailment of Arpaio's powers or whether any of the other 62 participating local agencies across the country have been denied renewals.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement will make no final decisions on the agreements until Oct. 14, which is the deadline for renewing the agreements. So far, at least three agencies have dropped out of the program.
Giving federal powers to local police helps supplement the small staff of federal agents who enforce immigration laws in the country's interior, said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors tougher immigration enforcement.
He said it's hard to tell whether the limits on Arpaio's authority will extend to other agencies and would hamper the movement for local police to confront illegal immigration.
"I suspect there is some effort there to send a warning to other police departments: Don't get too aggressive with this, because we will yank it out from under you," Mehlman said.
Joan Friedland, immigration policy director for the National Immigration Law Center, said the federal government wasn't making a serious attempt to rein in Arpaio, because his jail officers still have the power to question jailed people about their immigration status.
"All he has to do is get people to the jail, rather than being able to question them about their immigration status on the street," said Friedland, whose group advocates for low-income immigrants.
For his part, Arpaio said he plans to continue cracking down illegal immigration by enforcing state laws that prohibit immigrant smuggling and ban employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants.
Arpaio said his deputies can still detain suspected illegal immigrants who haven't committed state crimes, as long as his officers call Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to pick them up.
Critics say some of Arpaio's deputies racially profiled people during immigration sweeps. Arpaio maintains that people pulled over in the sweeps were approached because deputies had probable cause to believe they had committed crimes.
His office is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations of discrimination and unconstitutional searches and seizures.
A September 2008 audit by Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the relationship between that agency and the sheriff's office was good, but noted that most rank-and-file patrol deputies who had the special training and who weren't part of a special smuggling unit had rarely used their federal powers, because they didn't have the experience — or didn't want to take the time — to process illegal immigrants.
The review also noted that the local FBI office received no complaints against officers with the special training.
Arpaio's approach to immigration has frustrated other public officials.
The mayor of Mesa complained in 2008 that Arpaio didn't warn his city of raids by deputies who were looking for illegal immigrants working at his city's library and City Hall.
And as Arpaio's sweeps began to draw heavy criticism in 2008, then-Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat, cut off immigration enforcement dollars to his office.
Napolitano, who as the country's homeland security secretary now oversees the federal government's immigration agencies, had said it wasn't an attempt to change Arpaio's approach to cracking down on illegal immigration. Rather, she said the funding was reallocated to try to clear a backlog of thousands of outstanding felony warrants across the state.
by the associated press
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Showing posts with label Court. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Court. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss teen violence
CHICAGO — U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan are set to discuss youth violence in Chicago in the wake of the beating death of a 16-year-old honor student whose attack was caught on cell phone video.
Holder and Duncan plan to meet privately Wednesday with students, parents and school officials. They'll hold a news conference later with Ron Huberman, who replaced Duncan as chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools.
President Barack Obama sent the two federal officials to Chicago after images emerged of the fatal beating of high school sophomore Derrion Albert. Four teenagers have been charged in his death.
by the associted press
Holder and Duncan plan to meet privately Wednesday with students, parents and school officials. They'll hold a news conference later with Ron Huberman, who replaced Duncan as chief executive officer of Chicago Public Schools.
President Barack Obama sent the two federal officials to Chicago after images emerged of the fatal beating of high school sophomore Derrion Albert. Four teenagers have been charged in his death.
by the associted press
Court hears arguments on cross on park land
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is taking up a long-running legal fight over a cross honoring World War I soldiers that has stood for 75 years on public land in a remote part of California.
The cross, on an outcrop known as Sunrise Rock in the Mojave National Preserve, has been covered in plywood for the past several years following federal court rulings that it violates the First Amendment prohibition against government endorsement of religion.
The justices were to hear arguments Wednesday in a case the court could use to make an important statement about its view of the separation of church and state. The Obama administration is defending the presence of the cross, which court papers describe as being 5 feet to 8 feet tall.
A former National Park Service employee, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, sued to have the cross removed or covered after the agency refused to allow erection of a Buddhist memorial nearby. Frank Buono describes himself as a practicing Catholic who has no objection to religious symbols, but he took issue with the government's decision to allow the display of only the Christian symbol.
Easter Sunrise services have been held at the site for decades.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has repeatedly ruled in Buono's favor. Congress has intervened on behalf of the cross, prohibiting the Park Service from spending money to remove the cross, designating it a national memorial and ultimately transferring the land to private ownership.
The appeals court invalidated the 2004 land transfer, saying that "carving out a tiny parcel of property in the midst of this vast preserve — like a doughnut hole with the cross atop it — will do nothing to minimize the impermissible governmental endorsement" of the religious symbol.
Veterans groups are on both sides of the case, with some worrying that other religious symbols that serve as war memorials could be threatened by a ruling in Buono's favor. Jewish and Muslim veterans, by contrast, object that the Mojave cross honors Christian veterans and excludes others.
The administration wants the court to rule that Buono had no right to file his lawsuit because, as a Christian, he suffers no harm from the cross. His main complaint is that others may feel excluded, the government says.
Alternatively, the administration says the land transfer took care of any First Amendment problem.
The case is Salazar v. Buono, 08-472.
by the asssociated press
The cross, on an outcrop known as Sunrise Rock in the Mojave National Preserve, has been covered in plywood for the past several years following federal court rulings that it violates the First Amendment prohibition against government endorsement of religion.
The justices were to hear arguments Wednesday in a case the court could use to make an important statement about its view of the separation of church and state. The Obama administration is defending the presence of the cross, which court papers describe as being 5 feet to 8 feet tall.
A former National Park Service employee, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, sued to have the cross removed or covered after the agency refused to allow erection of a Buddhist memorial nearby. Frank Buono describes himself as a practicing Catholic who has no objection to religious symbols, but he took issue with the government's decision to allow the display of only the Christian symbol.
Easter Sunrise services have been held at the site for decades.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has repeatedly ruled in Buono's favor. Congress has intervened on behalf of the cross, prohibiting the Park Service from spending money to remove the cross, designating it a national memorial and ultimately transferring the land to private ownership.
The appeals court invalidated the 2004 land transfer, saying that "carving out a tiny parcel of property in the midst of this vast preserve — like a doughnut hole with the cross atop it — will do nothing to minimize the impermissible governmental endorsement" of the religious symbol.
Veterans groups are on both sides of the case, with some worrying that other religious symbols that serve as war memorials could be threatened by a ruling in Buono's favor. Jewish and Muslim veterans, by contrast, object that the Mojave cross honors Christian veterans and excludes others.
The administration wants the court to rule that Buono had no right to file his lawsuit because, as a Christian, he suffers no harm from the cross. His main complaint is that others may feel excluded, the government says.
Alternatively, the administration says the land transfer took care of any First Amendment problem.
The case is Salazar v. Buono, 08-472.
by the asssociated press
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Judge stops Kansas law on signage
TOPEKA, Kan. — A federal judge has temporarily blocked a state law restricting roadside signs for strip clubs and sex shops, meaning the stores won’t have to take them down as expected this week.
The attorney general’s office is deciding how to proceed in the case, given U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson’s ruling.
Ashley Anstaett, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Steve Six, pointed out that similar laws in Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri have been struck down.
The Kansas law, enacted in 2006, was scheduled to take effect Wednesday.
by the associated press
The attorney general’s office is deciding how to proceed in the case, given U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson’s ruling.
Ashley Anstaett, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Steve Six, pointed out that similar laws in Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri have been struck down.
The Kansas law, enacted in 2006, was scheduled to take effect Wednesday.
by the associated press
Saturday, June 27, 2009
New laws
COLUMBUS, Ohio — New laws taking effect Wednesday reflect states’ concerns with holding police more accountable, expanding the use of DNA to solve crimes and offering certain tax breaks.
July 1 is the effective date in many states for laws passed this year. In others, laws take effect Jan. 1, or 90 days after passage.
Some laws create new state responsibilities. Florida, the nation’s leader in illicit sales of addictive prescription drugs such as the painkiller OxyContin, will join 38 other states that have electronic tracking systems for such drugs. Critics say the new law may infringe on patients’ privacy rights.
Utah will lift some of the nation’s strictest regulations limiting who can belly up to the bar. For 40 years, the state has deemed bars to be members-only private clubs. The system is being scrapped in an effort to lure tourists and business.
Police mandates
Some laws put extra mandates on police. SWAT teams in Maryland must report on their missions to the governor every six months and report when a team injures or kills a pet.
Minnesota is compelling police and sheriffs to start searching right away when adults disappear suspiciously. Some law enforcement agencies now wait 24 or 48 hours to look into such cases, since adults can choose to leave without telling others.
Tax breaks
Tax breaks abound. North Dakota will reduce taxes on income, champagne, and pull tab gambling tickets. Maryland will add domestic partners who co-own homes to the list of people exempted from inheritance tax.
North Carolina will provide a series of new and expanded property tax breaks or deferrals to disabled veterans, the elderly and fishery owners.
Washington is giving newspaper printers and publishers a 40 percent cut in the state’s main business tax.
Child safety, health
Oregon will strengthen its existing anti-bullying law after a study found the state’s 2001 law was failing to stop name-calling, slurs and harassment, especially insults aimed at minorities, girls and gays.
Mississippi will require anyone 17 or younger to get written permission from a parent or guardian before using an indoor tanning facility.
by the associated press
July 1 is the effective date in many states for laws passed this year. In others, laws take effect Jan. 1, or 90 days after passage.
Some laws create new state responsibilities. Florida, the nation’s leader in illicit sales of addictive prescription drugs such as the painkiller OxyContin, will join 38 other states that have electronic tracking systems for such drugs. Critics say the new law may infringe on patients’ privacy rights.
Utah will lift some of the nation’s strictest regulations limiting who can belly up to the bar. For 40 years, the state has deemed bars to be members-only private clubs. The system is being scrapped in an effort to lure tourists and business.
Police mandates
Some laws put extra mandates on police. SWAT teams in Maryland must report on their missions to the governor every six months and report when a team injures or kills a pet.
Minnesota is compelling police and sheriffs to start searching right away when adults disappear suspiciously. Some law enforcement agencies now wait 24 or 48 hours to look into such cases, since adults can choose to leave without telling others.
Tax breaks
Tax breaks abound. North Dakota will reduce taxes on income, champagne, and pull tab gambling tickets. Maryland will add domestic partners who co-own homes to the list of people exempted from inheritance tax.
North Carolina will provide a series of new and expanded property tax breaks or deferrals to disabled veterans, the elderly and fishery owners.
Washington is giving newspaper printers and publishers a 40 percent cut in the state’s main business tax.
Child safety, health
Oregon will strengthen its existing anti-bullying law after a study found the state’s 2001 law was failing to stop name-calling, slurs and harassment, especially insults aimed at minorities, girls and gays.
Mississippi will require anyone 17 or younger to get written permission from a parent or guardian before using an indoor tanning facility.
by the associated press
Friday, June 26, 2009
U.S. District Judge Sam Kent resigned
WASHINGTON (AP) — An imprisoned federal judge facing an impeachment trial in the Senate in a sex-abuse case says he will resign from the bench at the end of the month.
U.S. District Judge Sam Kent produced the resignation letter when he was served with a subpoena for his Senate impeachment trial, Terrance Gainer, the Senate sergeant-at-arms, said on Thursday.
Kent said in the letter that he will resign effective June 30. His attorney, Dick DeGuerin, was in court and could not be reached for comment.
Kent is serving a 33-month sentence in a Massachusetts federal prison for lying to judicial investigators about sexual assaulting two women. He was impeached by the House last week and this week the Senate began work to bring him to trial on the four articles of impeachment.
The articles accuse him of sexual misconduct and lying to judicial investigators and Justice Department officials.
Kent's letter was sent to President Barack Obama and to the House. The Senate will decide what to do next after hearing from the House, Senate leaders said.
Kent had previously said in a letter to Obama that he would resign effective June 2010. But several members of Congress, angry that Kent would draw his $174,000 annual salary and benefits while in jail, pushed for his impeachment.
Federal judges are appointed for life. Impeachment is the only way to force them from the bench. If they resign, they do not collect their salary.
Kent earlier had asked to be allowed to retire on disability due to depression, but that request was rejected by a 5th Circuit Court of Appeals judicial panel.
Wisconsin Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said he was pleased that Kent realized "we would not allow him to take advantage of the system."
"I hope the women Mr. Kent assaulted will find some closure in this man being behind bars and no longer being able to serve on the bench or collect a taxpayer-funded paycheck," Sensenbrenner said.
In addition to his prison sentence, Kent was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $6,550 in restitution to his former secretary and his case manager, whose complaints resulted in the first sex-abuse case against a sitting federal judge.
Before Kent, the last time the House voted to impeach was in 1998 when it impeached President Bill Clinton.
by the associated press
U.S. District Judge Sam Kent produced the resignation letter when he was served with a subpoena for his Senate impeachment trial, Terrance Gainer, the Senate sergeant-at-arms, said on Thursday.
Kent said in the letter that he will resign effective June 30. His attorney, Dick DeGuerin, was in court and could not be reached for comment.
Kent is serving a 33-month sentence in a Massachusetts federal prison for lying to judicial investigators about sexual assaulting two women. He was impeached by the House last week and this week the Senate began work to bring him to trial on the four articles of impeachment.
The articles accuse him of sexual misconduct and lying to judicial investigators and Justice Department officials.
Kent's letter was sent to President Barack Obama and to the House. The Senate will decide what to do next after hearing from the House, Senate leaders said.
Kent had previously said in a letter to Obama that he would resign effective June 2010. But several members of Congress, angry that Kent would draw his $174,000 annual salary and benefits while in jail, pushed for his impeachment.
Federal judges are appointed for life. Impeachment is the only way to force them from the bench. If they resign, they do not collect their salary.
Kent earlier had asked to be allowed to retire on disability due to depression, but that request was rejected by a 5th Circuit Court of Appeals judicial panel.
Wisconsin Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said he was pleased that Kent realized "we would not allow him to take advantage of the system."
"I hope the women Mr. Kent assaulted will find some closure in this man being behind bars and no longer being able to serve on the bench or collect a taxpayer-funded paycheck," Sensenbrenner said.
In addition to his prison sentence, Kent was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $6,550 in restitution to his former secretary and his case manager, whose complaints resulted in the first sex-abuse case against a sitting federal judge.
Before Kent, the last time the House voted to impeach was in 1998 when it impeached President Bill Clinton.
by the associated press
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Convicts have no right to test DNA
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Thursday that convicts have no constitutional right to test DNA evidence in hopes of proving their innocence long after they were found guilty of a crime.
The decision may have limited impact because the federal government and 47 states already have laws that allow convicts some access to genetic evidence. Testing so far has led to the exoneration of 240 people who had been found guilty of murder, rape and other violent crimes, according to the Innocence Project.
The court ruled 5-4, with its conservative justices in the majority, against an Alaska man who was convicted in a brutal attack on a prostitute 16 years ago.
William Osborne won a federal appeals court ruling granting him access to a blue condom that was used during the attack. Osborne argued that testing its contents would firmly establish his innocence or guilt.
In parole proceedings, however, Osborne has admitted his guilt in a separate bid for release from prison.
The high court reversed the ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. States already are dealing with the challenges and opportunities presented by advances in genetic testing, Chief Justice John Roberts said in his majority opinion.
"To suddenly constitutionalize this area would short-circuit what looks to be a prompt and considered legislative response," Roberts said. Alaska, Massachusetts and Oklahoma are the only states without DNA testing laws. In some other states, the laws limit testing to capital crimes or rule out after-the-fact tests for people who confess.
But Justice John Paul Stevens said in dissent that a simple test would settle the matter. "The court today blesses the state's arbitrary denial of the evidence Osborne seeks," Stevens said.
Peter Neufeld, a co-founder of The Innocence Project who argued Osborne's case at the Supreme Court, said he was disappointed with the ruling.
"There is no question that a small group of innocent people — and it is a small group — will languish in prison because they can't get access to the evidence," Neufeld said. The Innocence Project helps free wrongly convicted prisoners.
The woman in Alaska was raped, beaten with an ax handle, shot in the head and left for dead in a snow bank near Anchorage International Airport. The condom that was found nearby was used in the assault, the woman said.
The woman identified Osborne as one of her attackers. Another man also convicted in the attack has repeatedly incriminated him. Osborne himself described the assault in detail when he admitted his guilt under oath to the parole board in 2004.
Osborne's lawyer passed up advanced DNA testing at the time of his trial, fearing it could conclusively link him to the crime. A less-refined test by the state showed that the semen did not belong to other suspects, but could be from Osborne, as well as about 15 percent of all African-American men.
Osborne is awaiting sentencing on another conviction, a robbery he committed after his parole.
The case is District Attorney's Office v. Osborne, 08-6.
by the associated press
The decision may have limited impact because the federal government and 47 states already have laws that allow convicts some access to genetic evidence. Testing so far has led to the exoneration of 240 people who had been found guilty of murder, rape and other violent crimes, according to the Innocence Project.
The court ruled 5-4, with its conservative justices in the majority, against an Alaska man who was convicted in a brutal attack on a prostitute 16 years ago.
William Osborne won a federal appeals court ruling granting him access to a blue condom that was used during the attack. Osborne argued that testing its contents would firmly establish his innocence or guilt.
In parole proceedings, however, Osborne has admitted his guilt in a separate bid for release from prison.
The high court reversed the ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. States already are dealing with the challenges and opportunities presented by advances in genetic testing, Chief Justice John Roberts said in his majority opinion.
"To suddenly constitutionalize this area would short-circuit what looks to be a prompt and considered legislative response," Roberts said. Alaska, Massachusetts and Oklahoma are the only states without DNA testing laws. In some other states, the laws limit testing to capital crimes or rule out after-the-fact tests for people who confess.
But Justice John Paul Stevens said in dissent that a simple test would settle the matter. "The court today blesses the state's arbitrary denial of the evidence Osborne seeks," Stevens said.
Peter Neufeld, a co-founder of The Innocence Project who argued Osborne's case at the Supreme Court, said he was disappointed with the ruling.
"There is no question that a small group of innocent people — and it is a small group — will languish in prison because they can't get access to the evidence," Neufeld said. The Innocence Project helps free wrongly convicted prisoners.
The woman in Alaska was raped, beaten with an ax handle, shot in the head and left for dead in a snow bank near Anchorage International Airport. The condom that was found nearby was used in the assault, the woman said.
The woman identified Osborne as one of her attackers. Another man also convicted in the attack has repeatedly incriminated him. Osborne himself described the assault in detail when he admitted his guilt under oath to the parole board in 2004.
Osborne's lawyer passed up advanced DNA testing at the time of his trial, fearing it could conclusively link him to the crime. A less-refined test by the state showed that the semen did not belong to other suspects, but could be from Osborne, as well as about 15 percent of all African-American men.
Osborne is awaiting sentencing on another conviction, a robbery he committed after his parole.
The case is District Attorney's Office v. Osborne, 08-6.
by the associated press
Impeaching Texas judge
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House has scheduled a vote for this morning on the impeachment of a Texas federal judge in prison for lying about sexual assaults of two women.
The House filed paperwork Wednesday to set up the vote on four articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent. Kent entered the Devens Federal Medical Center in Massachusetts on Monday to begin serving a 33-month sentence.
He pleaded guilty last month to lying to judicial investigators about the sexual attacks. But he has refused to resign.
House approval of the impeachment articles would send the case to the Senate for a trial.
by the associated press
The House filed paperwork Wednesday to set up the vote on four articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent. Kent entered the Devens Federal Medical Center in Massachusetts on Monday to begin serving a 33-month sentence.
He pleaded guilty last month to lying to judicial investigators about the sexual attacks. But he has refused to resign.
House approval of the impeachment articles would send the case to the Senate for a trial.
by the associated press
Couple accused of spying
WASHINGTON — A husband and wife charged with three decades of spying for Cuba want a judge to let them out of jail and confine them at home, without access to their sailboat and maps of Cuban waters.
Lawyers for retired State Department official Walter Kendall Myers, 72, and his wife, Gwendolyn, 71, filed a motion for release from jail before their hearing Wednesday with U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton. Walton said he would consider it and respond in writing or possibly hold another hearing on the matter if necessary.
Prosecutors said the Myerses talked to an undercover FBI agent about how they would like to sail "home” to Cuba one day.
They have been in a Washington jail since their arrest on June 4.
by the associated press
Lawyers for retired State Department official Walter Kendall Myers, 72, and his wife, Gwendolyn, 71, filed a motion for release from jail before their hearing Wednesday with U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton. Walton said he would consider it and respond in writing or possibly hold another hearing on the matter if necessary.
Prosecutors said the Myerses talked to an undercover FBI agent about how they would like to sail "home” to Cuba one day.
They have been in a Washington jail since their arrest on June 4.
by the associated press
150 children file suit
MIAMI, Fla. — Roughly 150 children are asking President Barack Obama to halt the deportations of their parents until Congress changes immigration laws.
The children are all U.S. citizens and say their constitutional rights are being violated because they, too, will likely have to leave the country if their parents are forced to leave.
The group gathered Wednesday in Miami to talk about the case. They originally brought their lawsuit against the Bush administration. It was refiled in January in Miami.
The children’s attorneys say the parents came to the U.S. before 1996 immigration changes made it more difficult for them to become legal residents, and thus expected they would be allowed to stay.
by the associated press
The children are all U.S. citizens and say their constitutional rights are being violated because they, too, will likely have to leave the country if their parents are forced to leave.
The group gathered Wednesday in Miami to talk about the case. They originally brought their lawsuit against the Bush administration. It was refiled in January in Miami.
The children’s attorneys say the parents came to the U.S. before 1996 immigration changes made it more difficult for them to become legal residents, and thus expected they would be allowed to stay.
by the associated press
Cat killings Teen ?
MIAMI, Fla. — A teenager accused of killing more than a dozen cats in southern Florida was released on more than $200,000 bond Wednesday after a judge ruled that he did not pose a danger to the community.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge John Thornton ordered Tyler Hayes Weinman, 18, released after a brief hearing Wednesday. Weinman will wear an electronic monitoring bracelet while he awaits his trial and will be allowed to attend counseling sessions.
Weinman has been charged with 19 counts each of animal cruelty and improperly disposing of an animal body. He also faces four counts of burglary.
If convicted, Weinman may face a maximum sentence of 158 years in prison.
Weinman is accused of the gruesome cat killings that terrorized residents of two south Miami-Dade County neighborhoods for about a month. Police believe he is behind the deaths of more than a dozen animals, whose mutilated bodies were discovered by their owners or other residents. Police say that some cats were likely killed by dogs.
Weinman, who was arrested over the weekend, is scheduled to be arraigned July 6.
by the associated press
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge John Thornton ordered Tyler Hayes Weinman, 18, released after a brief hearing Wednesday. Weinman will wear an electronic monitoring bracelet while he awaits his trial and will be allowed to attend counseling sessions.
Weinman has been charged with 19 counts each of animal cruelty and improperly disposing of an animal body. He also faces four counts of burglary.
If convicted, Weinman may face a maximum sentence of 158 years in prison.
Weinman is accused of the gruesome cat killings that terrorized residents of two south Miami-Dade County neighborhoods for about a month. Police believe he is behind the deaths of more than a dozen animals, whose mutilated bodies were discovered by their owners or other residents. Police say that some cats were likely killed by dogs.
Weinman, who was arrested over the weekend, is scheduled to be arraigned July 6.
by the associated press
Michigan Man awaits DNA results in ’55 missing child case
KALKASKA, Mich. — A man from Michigan said Wednesday pictures he found online led him to believe he could be the 2-year-old boy who vanished more than a half-century ago from a bakery on Long Island.
John Robert Barnes told The Associated Press he was doing online research within the past year to try to figure out who he really was, saying that from childhood he never felt as though he fit in with the family that raised him.
Barnes saw pictures of the missing boy’s mother when she was a young adult, thought the woman resembled himself at the same age and started to believe he might be Stephen Damman, who disappeared in 1955.
"I don’t know if I’m related to the Dammans or the Barneses. I’m just waiting for the DNA results,” Barnes said during an interview with the AP from his home in Kalkaska, about 195 miles northwest of Detroit.
Police in New York’s Nassau County have said a Michigan resident contacted their office in the past few months, saying he believes he is the missing toddler. The case was referred to the FBI. Barnes said the FBI took a sample of his DNA via a cheek swab and he’s now "waiting for the FBI to tell me who I’m related to.”
Stephen Damman’s mother, Marilyn, left the boy and 7-month-old daughter, Pamela, waiting outside a bakery while she went inside to shop on Oct. 31, 1955, according to police and news accounts at the time. After 10 minutes, Marilyn came out of the bakery but could not find the stroller or her children, authorities said. The stroller, with only her daughter inside, was found around the corner from the market a short time later, authorities said.
Investigators learned that the Michigan man who approached New York authorities also reached out to the woman he believes may be his sister, said Nassau County police Lt. Kevin Smith, and the two conducted a private DNA test that found they could be related. The FBI is conducting its own tests, Smith said.
Sandra Berchtold, a spokeswoman for the FBI in Detroit, declined to comment on the case Wednesday.
The father of the woman and the missing boy, Jerry Damman of Newton, Iowa, has said he’s hopeful the man is his son.
"After all those years, you kind of lost all hope,” he said Tuesday.
Jerry Damman was working at Mitchell Air Force Base on Long Island when his son disappeared. He and the missing child’s mother divorced a few years after their son’s kidnapping. His ex-wife could not be located to talk about the case
by the associated press
John Robert Barnes told The Associated Press he was doing online research within the past year to try to figure out who he really was, saying that from childhood he never felt as though he fit in with the family that raised him.
Barnes saw pictures of the missing boy’s mother when she was a young adult, thought the woman resembled himself at the same age and started to believe he might be Stephen Damman, who disappeared in 1955.
"I don’t know if I’m related to the Dammans or the Barneses. I’m just waiting for the DNA results,” Barnes said during an interview with the AP from his home in Kalkaska, about 195 miles northwest of Detroit.
Police in New York’s Nassau County have said a Michigan resident contacted their office in the past few months, saying he believes he is the missing toddler. The case was referred to the FBI. Barnes said the FBI took a sample of his DNA via a cheek swab and he’s now "waiting for the FBI to tell me who I’m related to.”
Stephen Damman’s mother, Marilyn, left the boy and 7-month-old daughter, Pamela, waiting outside a bakery while she went inside to shop on Oct. 31, 1955, according to police and news accounts at the time. After 10 minutes, Marilyn came out of the bakery but could not find the stroller or her children, authorities said. The stroller, with only her daughter inside, was found around the corner from the market a short time later, authorities said.
Investigators learned that the Michigan man who approached New York authorities also reached out to the woman he believes may be his sister, said Nassau County police Lt. Kevin Smith, and the two conducted a private DNA test that found they could be related. The FBI is conducting its own tests, Smith said.
Sandra Berchtold, a spokeswoman for the FBI in Detroit, declined to comment on the case Wednesday.
The father of the woman and the missing boy, Jerry Damman of Newton, Iowa, has said he’s hopeful the man is his son.
"After all those years, you kind of lost all hope,” he said Tuesday.
Jerry Damman was working at Mitchell Air Force Base on Long Island when his son disappeared. He and the missing child’s mother divorced a few years after their son’s kidnapping. His ex-wife could not be located to talk about the case
by the associated press
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Two robbery suspects with four counts of murder for a traffic crash
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Police say the Philadelphia district attorney's office has approved charging two robbery suspects with four counts of murder for a traffic crash that killed a woman and three young children.
The latest charges against 18-year-old Donta Cradock and 20-year-old Ivan Rodriguez were announced Thursday afternoon. The men also are charged with robbery, conspiracy and related offenses.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says police were not chasing the car Cradock was driving at the time of Wednesday evening's crash. The car jumped a curb and plowed into the children in front of their home.
The men haven't been arraigned and apparently don't have lawyers yet. One of them is hospitalized.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Officers were not chasing a car that jumped a curb, crashed into a crowd and killed a woman and three young children, Philadelphia's police commissioner said Thursday.
Commissioner Charles Ramsey said the officer would have been justified if he had chased the two suspects — one on the motorcycle they were accused of stealing, and one in a car — but he wasn't able to because he was still stuck at the intersection.
"Did a pursuit take place? The answer is no," Ramsey said during a news conference at police headquarters, pointing to the mug shot of one of the suspects. "The fault belongs to the individual you see here."
The driver of the car, Donta Cradock, 18, and the man who fled on the motorcycle, Ivan Rodriguez, 20, have both been charged with armed robbery, assault and related offenses, police said. Capt. James Clark said he expects "more serious charges" will be filed soon.
Both men had bench warrants out for their arrest, but authorities did not immediately know what for; Ramsey said both had extensive criminal records.
The events started when a witness told the officer he had seen a passenger in a car exit the vehicle and steal a motorcycle at gunpoint around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The officer eventually spotted the car matching the witness' description at a traffic light in the Feltonville neighborhood.
The officer pulled up behind the car, turned on his emergency lights and ordered the driver to get out of the car, but the driver sped off, Ramsey said.
The officer wasn't able to pursue the driver immediately because his car was stuck in traffic, Ramsey said; he lost sight of the other car before coming upon the accident scene about a mile away.
Cradock lost control and crashed into the crowd in front of a home, Ramsey said. There were no skid marks at the crash scene, indicating that the driver never tried to brake, Ramsey said.
The car jumped the curb with such force that it badly damaged some concrete steps. It became wedged between a house and a pole.
Cradock was injured and arrested at the scene, and a gun was found in the car, police said. He remained hospitalized Thursday, but police did not release information on his condition.
Rodriguez was arrested at his nearby home, where several weapons were found, police said. Officers were attacked by a dog at the home and had to shoot it but didn't kill it, said police, who recovered two shotguns, two handguns and a rifle there.
The crash killed Latoya Smith, 22; her daughter, Remedy Smith, who would have turned 1 on Friday; Alliyah Griffin, 6, who was Latoya Smith's neice; and Gina Rosario, 7, a neighbor. The accident happened in front of Smith's home.
by the associated press
The latest charges against 18-year-old Donta Cradock and 20-year-old Ivan Rodriguez were announced Thursday afternoon. The men also are charged with robbery, conspiracy and related offenses.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says police were not chasing the car Cradock was driving at the time of Wednesday evening's crash. The car jumped a curb and plowed into the children in front of their home.
The men haven't been arraigned and apparently don't have lawyers yet. One of them is hospitalized.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Officers were not chasing a car that jumped a curb, crashed into a crowd and killed a woman and three young children, Philadelphia's police commissioner said Thursday.
Commissioner Charles Ramsey said the officer would have been justified if he had chased the two suspects — one on the motorcycle they were accused of stealing, and one in a car — but he wasn't able to because he was still stuck at the intersection.
"Did a pursuit take place? The answer is no," Ramsey said during a news conference at police headquarters, pointing to the mug shot of one of the suspects. "The fault belongs to the individual you see here."
The driver of the car, Donta Cradock, 18, and the man who fled on the motorcycle, Ivan Rodriguez, 20, have both been charged with armed robbery, assault and related offenses, police said. Capt. James Clark said he expects "more serious charges" will be filed soon.
Both men had bench warrants out for their arrest, but authorities did not immediately know what for; Ramsey said both had extensive criminal records.
The events started when a witness told the officer he had seen a passenger in a car exit the vehicle and steal a motorcycle at gunpoint around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The officer eventually spotted the car matching the witness' description at a traffic light in the Feltonville neighborhood.
The officer pulled up behind the car, turned on his emergency lights and ordered the driver to get out of the car, but the driver sped off, Ramsey said.
The officer wasn't able to pursue the driver immediately because his car was stuck in traffic, Ramsey said; he lost sight of the other car before coming upon the accident scene about a mile away.
Cradock lost control and crashed into the crowd in front of a home, Ramsey said. There were no skid marks at the crash scene, indicating that the driver never tried to brake, Ramsey said.
The car jumped the curb with such force that it badly damaged some concrete steps. It became wedged between a house and a pole.
Cradock was injured and arrested at the scene, and a gun was found in the car, police said. He remained hospitalized Thursday, but police did not release information on his condition.
Rodriguez was arrested at his nearby home, where several weapons were found, police said. Officers were attacked by a dog at the home and had to shoot it but didn't kill it, said police, who recovered two shotguns, two handguns and a rifle there.
The crash killed Latoya Smith, 22; her daughter, Remedy Smith, who would have turned 1 on Friday; Alliyah Griffin, 6, who was Latoya Smith's neice; and Gina Rosario, 7, a neighbor. The accident happened in front of Smith's home.
by the associated press
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Danny Gans died accidentally
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans' death was accidental, caused by a prescription painkiller, a coroner said Tuesday.
Clark County Coroner Mike Murphy said an autopsy, toxicology and microscopic samples showed the 52-year-old Gans died from toxic levels of hydromorphone. The opiate drug, commonly marketed under the brand name Dilaudid, is used to treat chronic pain, which Gans suffered from, Murphy said.
Murphy said Gans had heart disease caused by high blood pressure — which makes the heart work overtime and left him more susceptible to heart irregularities. Gans also had a condition (polycythemia) that results in too many red blood cells, Murphy said. (The condition is the opposite of anemia.)
"Mr. Gans' health conditions placed him at greater risk for heart irregularities, and the hydromorphone was a factor in exacerbating those risks," Murphy said. "We clearly listed this as accidental."
Gans was found dead in bed at home in Henderson early May 1 after his wife, Julie, reported she couldn't rouse him.
Upon Gans' death, his manager Chip Lightman described Gans as someone who watched his diet, loved to perform and relished his involvement in Las Vegas area fundraisers and philanthropic causes.
"I managed him 18 years and health was never an issue," Lightman told The Associated Press at the time. "Danny lived a good, clean Christian life. He was not a drug user. He would have a glass of wine because they say red wine is good for you. He didn't smoke."
On Tuesday, Lightman said: "Everyone knew he had two shoulder surgeries and excruciating back problems."
Lightman attributed Gans' chronic pain to back injuries dating to his years playing minor league baseball and to the rigors of his performances.
A one-time minor league baseball player, Gans was a singer-actor-impressionist who spent more than a decade working his way to top billing at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
His show brought impressions in rapid-fire succession — Tony Bennett, Al Pacino, Sarah Vaughan, Clint Eastwood, Rodney Dangerfield, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Kermit the Frog, Jimmy Stewart.
A May 21 memorial drew about 1,000 guests at the Encore.
by the associated press
Clark County Coroner Mike Murphy said an autopsy, toxicology and microscopic samples showed the 52-year-old Gans died from toxic levels of hydromorphone. The opiate drug, commonly marketed under the brand name Dilaudid, is used to treat chronic pain, which Gans suffered from, Murphy said.
Murphy said Gans had heart disease caused by high blood pressure — which makes the heart work overtime and left him more susceptible to heart irregularities. Gans also had a condition (polycythemia) that results in too many red blood cells, Murphy said. (The condition is the opposite of anemia.)
"Mr. Gans' health conditions placed him at greater risk for heart irregularities, and the hydromorphone was a factor in exacerbating those risks," Murphy said. "We clearly listed this as accidental."
Gans was found dead in bed at home in Henderson early May 1 after his wife, Julie, reported she couldn't rouse him.
Upon Gans' death, his manager Chip Lightman described Gans as someone who watched his diet, loved to perform and relished his involvement in Las Vegas area fundraisers and philanthropic causes.
"I managed him 18 years and health was never an issue," Lightman told The Associated Press at the time. "Danny lived a good, clean Christian life. He was not a drug user. He would have a glass of wine because they say red wine is good for you. He didn't smoke."
On Tuesday, Lightman said: "Everyone knew he had two shoulder surgeries and excruciating back problems."
Lightman attributed Gans' chronic pain to back injuries dating to his years playing minor league baseball and to the rigors of his performances.
A one-time minor league baseball player, Gans was a singer-actor-impressionist who spent more than a decade working his way to top billing at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
His show brought impressions in rapid-fire succession — Tony Bennett, Al Pacino, Sarah Vaughan, Clint Eastwood, Rodney Dangerfield, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Kermit the Frog, Jimmy Stewart.
A May 21 memorial drew about 1,000 guests at the Encore.
by the associated press
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Officials suspect sites
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A Muslim convert accused of killing a soldier outside a recruiting center may have been considering other targets including Jewish and Christian sites — and had the firepower to carry out more attacks, according to law officials.
A joint FBI-Homeland Security intelligence assessment obtained by The Associated Press said officers found maps to Jewish organizations, a child care center, a Baptist church, a post office and military recruiting centers in the southeastern United States and New York and Philadelphia.
"Out of an abundance of caution, and in light of newly discovered information, the FBI cannot rule out additional subjects, targets, or the potential for inspired copycats who might act out in support of the original act,” the intelligence assessment said.
Abdulhakim Muhammad, 23, of Little Rock, targeted soldiers "because of what they had done to Muslims in the past,” authorities said, saying he had said he wanted to "kill as many people in the Army as he could.”
Muhammad was charged in state court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the shooting in a suburban Little Rock shopping center. An FBI spokesman said Wednesday the bureau is investigating, "which may result in additional federal charges and prosecution.”
by the associated press
A joint FBI-Homeland Security intelligence assessment obtained by The Associated Press said officers found maps to Jewish organizations, a child care center, a Baptist church, a post office and military recruiting centers in the southeastern United States and New York and Philadelphia.
"Out of an abundance of caution, and in light of newly discovered information, the FBI cannot rule out additional subjects, targets, or the potential for inspired copycats who might act out in support of the original act,” the intelligence assessment said.
Abdulhakim Muhammad, 23, of Little Rock, targeted soldiers "because of what they had done to Muslims in the past,” authorities said, saying he had said he wanted to "kill as many people in the Army as he could.”
Muhammad was charged in state court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the shooting in a suburban Little Rock shopping center. An FBI spokesman said Wednesday the bureau is investigating, "which may result in additional federal charges and prosecution.”
by the associated press
Bush in court
DALLAS — A Texan is trying to put a former president under oath and find out what he knew and when he knew it.
But the issue isn’t national security, political skullduggery or a sex scandal.
It’s a property dispute involving George W. Bush’s presidential library at Southern Methodist University.
Gary Vodicka, who was forced out of his condominium by SMU to make way for the project, contends the university coveted the property as the future site of the library even before Bush ran for the White House, and lied about its intentions.
April 17, a Texas district judge ordered the former president to appear at a deposition to answer Vodicka’s questions about the library’s planning stages.
"I was humbled by the ruling,” said Vodicka, 49, a lawyer who is representing himself in the case against SMU. "No one person is supposed to be above the law. And Bush is trying to act like he is.”
"I think his deposition is irrelevant and an effort to make this case more important than it is,” said Mark Lanier, the attorney for SMU.
How it began
The lawsuit centers on SMU’s acquisition of University Gardens, a run-down, 40-year-old condo complex across the street from the university.
SMU decided at the end of 1998 to begin buying up the about 350 units.
The school eventually bought out all but two condo owners: Vodicka, who has four units, and another man with a single unit.
About $800,000 from SMU is sitting in an escrow account for the two men to split if they want it, the SMU attorney said.
Later that year, it became apparent SMU would be the site of Bush’s library. The land upon which the condos once sat will be part of the grounds.
Vodicka alleges SMU officials began angling for the presidential library as far back as 1998 before he announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.
He says the school acquired the condo property with the library in mind.
"Bush floated the idea amongst his family, his close friends, his supporters, for probably a year before he made the announcement,” Vodicka said. "So, yes. They knew.”
by the associated press
But the issue isn’t national security, political skullduggery or a sex scandal.
It’s a property dispute involving George W. Bush’s presidential library at Southern Methodist University.
Gary Vodicka, who was forced out of his condominium by SMU to make way for the project, contends the university coveted the property as the future site of the library even before Bush ran for the White House, and lied about its intentions.
April 17, a Texas district judge ordered the former president to appear at a deposition to answer Vodicka’s questions about the library’s planning stages.
"I was humbled by the ruling,” said Vodicka, 49, a lawyer who is representing himself in the case against SMU. "No one person is supposed to be above the law. And Bush is trying to act like he is.”
"I think his deposition is irrelevant and an effort to make this case more important than it is,” said Mark Lanier, the attorney for SMU.
How it began
The lawsuit centers on SMU’s acquisition of University Gardens, a run-down, 40-year-old condo complex across the street from the university.
SMU decided at the end of 1998 to begin buying up the about 350 units.
The school eventually bought out all but two condo owners: Vodicka, who has four units, and another man with a single unit.
About $800,000 from SMU is sitting in an escrow account for the two men to split if they want it, the SMU attorney said.
Later that year, it became apparent SMU would be the site of Bush’s library. The land upon which the condos once sat will be part of the grounds.
Vodicka alleges SMU officials began angling for the presidential library as far back as 1998 before he announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.
He says the school acquired the condo property with the library in mind.
"Bush floated the idea amongst his family, his close friends, his supporters, for probably a year before he made the announcement,” Vodicka said. "So, yes. They knew.”
by the associated press
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Slaying
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A Muslim convert who already was under federal investigation pleaded not guilty Tuesday in what police called a likely "political and religious” attack that killed a young soldier at a military recruiting center
Abdulhakim Muhammad, 23, of Little Rock, was charged in Monday’s death of Pvt. William Long, 23, of Conway outside an Army-Navy Career Center in a west Little Rock shopping center. He pleaded not guilty to a capital murder charge and was ordered held without bail.
A prosecutor said Muhammad admitted shooting Long and another soldier "because of what they had done to Muslims in the past.”
An FBI-led joint terrorism task force based in the southern United States has been investigating Muhammad since he returned to the United States from Yemen, a law enforcement official said.
The suspect had been arrested and jailed in Yemen at some point for using a Somali passport, the official said. The time of that arrest was not immediately clear.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was not authorized to discuss the investigation.
An FBI spokesman in Little Rock did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat Harris said no decision has been made on whether to pursue federal charges against Muhammad. "We’re consulting with a lot of people on what, if any, charges can be filed against him,” Harris said.
by the associated press
Abdulhakim Muhammad, 23, of Little Rock, was charged in Monday’s death of Pvt. William Long, 23, of Conway outside an Army-Navy Career Center in a west Little Rock shopping center. He pleaded not guilty to a capital murder charge and was ordered held without bail.
A prosecutor said Muhammad admitted shooting Long and another soldier "because of what they had done to Muslims in the past.”
An FBI-led joint terrorism task force based in the southern United States has been investigating Muhammad since he returned to the United States from Yemen, a law enforcement official said.
The suspect had been arrested and jailed in Yemen at some point for using a Somali passport, the official said. The time of that arrest was not immediately clear.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was not authorized to discuss the investigation.
An FBI spokesman in Little Rock did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat Harris said no decision has been made on whether to pursue federal charges against Muhammad. "We’re consulting with a lot of people on what, if any, charges can be filed against him,” Harris said.
by the associated press
Saturday, May 30, 2009
3 in U.S. could be looking at charges in Spain
MADRID — A Spanish prosecutor called Friday for international arrest warrants for three alleged former Nazi death camp guards living in the U.S., saying evidence shows they acted as accessories to genocide.
A final decision on whether to request the arrest and extradition of the three is up to Spanish Judge Ismael Moreno, who has been investigating since July at the request of a human rights group representing Spaniards who were held at Nazi camps.
Prosecutor Pedro Martinez Torrijos said Spain has jurisdiction under its principle of universal justice, which allows grave crimes committed elsewhere to be prosecuted in Spain, and because there were Spanish victims.
The suspects are Anton Tittjung, of Kewaunee, Wis.; Josias Kumpf, who lives in Racine, Wis.; and Johann Leprich, who lives near Detroit.
A fourth suspect in the Spanish probe — retired Ohio autoworker John Demjanjuk — has been deported to Germany.
Martinez Torrijos said that for the time being he will not seek Demjanjuk’s arrest but he does not rule it out in the future.
by the associated press
A final decision on whether to request the arrest and extradition of the three is up to Spanish Judge Ismael Moreno, who has been investigating since July at the request of a human rights group representing Spaniards who were held at Nazi camps.
Prosecutor Pedro Martinez Torrijos said Spain has jurisdiction under its principle of universal justice, which allows grave crimes committed elsewhere to be prosecuted in Spain, and because there were Spanish victims.
The suspects are Anton Tittjung, of Kewaunee, Wis.; Josias Kumpf, who lives in Racine, Wis.; and Johann Leprich, who lives near Detroit.
A fourth suspect in the Spanish probe — retired Ohio autoworker John Demjanjuk — has been deported to Germany.
Martinez Torrijos said that for the time being he will not seek Demjanjuk’s arrest but he does not rule it out in the future.
by the associated press
VA errors’ hearing scheduled in court
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A congressional panel will question Department of Veterans Affairs officials about mistakes that put patients at risk of possible exposure to HIV and other infectious body fluids at three VA hospitals.
The VA recommended more than 10,000 former VA patients in Miami, Fla., Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Augusta, Ga., get follow-up blood checks. Five have tested positive for HIV and 43 have tested positive for hepatitis, according to the VA Web site Friday.
The U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs oversight and investigations subcommittee has set a June 16 hearing to look into what caused the problems and what the VA has done to fix them.
The subcommittee chairman, U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell D-Ariz., said Thursday that veterans who are testing positive for HIV and hepatitis, "whether it came from these improper procedures or not, the VA has a responsibility to take care of these patients.”
The VA’s initial December discovery of an equipment mistake at Murfreesboro led to a nationwide safety "step-up” at its 153 medical centers.
by the associated press
The VA recommended more than 10,000 former VA patients in Miami, Fla., Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Augusta, Ga., get follow-up blood checks. Five have tested positive for HIV and 43 have tested positive for hepatitis, according to the VA Web site Friday.
The U.S. House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs oversight and investigations subcommittee has set a June 16 hearing to look into what caused the problems and what the VA has done to fix them.
The subcommittee chairman, U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell D-Ariz., said Thursday that veterans who are testing positive for HIV and hepatitis, "whether it came from these improper procedures or not, the VA has a responsibility to take care of these patients.”
The VA’s initial December discovery of an equipment mistake at Murfreesboro led to a nationwide safety "step-up” at its 153 medical centers.
by the associated press
Saturday, May 23, 2009
O.J. changes his attorney in heist case
LAS VEGAS — O.J. Simpson has switched lawyers on the eve of his appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court to reverse his conviction in an armed hotel room heist, his former attorney said Friday.
Las Vegas attorney Gabriel Grasso said he had been replaced by Malcolm Lavergne, a move he attributed to an unspecified rift with Simpson’s longtime lawyer, Yale Galanter.
Simpson, 61, is serving nine to 33 years in Lovelock State Prison, northeast of Reno, for his October conviction in kidnapping and robbing two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in September 2007 in a Las Vegas hotel room.
Galanter said he remains in charge of the case but needs a Nevada lawyer to appear with him there.
Galanter said Simpson’s appeal will be filed with the state Supreme Court by Tuesday’s deadline.
by the associated press
Las Vegas attorney Gabriel Grasso said he had been replaced by Malcolm Lavergne, a move he attributed to an unspecified rift with Simpson’s longtime lawyer, Yale Galanter.
Simpson, 61, is serving nine to 33 years in Lovelock State Prison, northeast of Reno, for his October conviction in kidnapping and robbing two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in September 2007 in a Las Vegas hotel room.
Galanter said he remains in charge of the case but needs a Nevada lawyer to appear with him there.
Galanter said Simpson’s appeal will be filed with the state Supreme Court by Tuesday’s deadline.
by the associated press
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