Court Roundup

 New Mexico

Lawsuit: Deputy made man kneel on hot asphalt 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A new lawsuit says an Albuquerque man suffered severe burns to his knees and buttocks after a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s deputy forced him to kneel and sit on hot asphalt for nearly half an hour.
The federal lawsuit filed earlier this month says deputy Chris Starr made Jonathan Griego kneel on the scorching asphalt during a June traffic stop on a day where temperatures reached 96 degrees. The lawsuit says Starr demanded that Griego kneel and sit on the asphalt after finding a needle in his vehicle.
According to the lawsuit, Starr ignored Griego’s complaints that the heat was burning through his pants.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
Jonlyn Martinez, an attorney representing the county, denied the allegations and asked a judge to throw out the lawsuit.
 
Pennsylvania
Sandusky lawyer sued over $25K credit card debt 
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — The ex-defense attorney for former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is now facing legal troubles himself.
The Centre Daily Times reports American Express Bank has sued State College attorney Joe Amendola, claiming he’s failed to pay $25,485 for purchases and interest on a delinquent credit card account.
That amount is listed on a February statement attached to the Centre County lawsuit, which shows Amendola owes a minimum payment of $6,565.
Amendola represented Sandusky when he was convicted and sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison last year for molesting several boys. Amendola was Sandusky’s attorney until an appeal hearing in January, when he testified claiming he didn’t have enough time to prepare Sandusky’s case.
 
California
Lawsuit: Oakland crematorium will  affect air quality 
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A lawsuit says Oakland failed to consider the health impact of burning 3,000 bodies a year when it approved a crematorium in East Oakland.
Filed Wednesday by Communities for a Better Environment, it claims city planners wrongly designated the Neptune Society crematorium a general manufacturing facility that could be approved without a public hearing.
Residents say they are worried the crematorium will add to pollution that already exists because of a nearby freeway and airport.
Neptune Society spokesman Mike Miller tells the San Francisco Chronicle he hasn’t seen the suit so he wouldn’t comment.
The city approved a crematorium in 2012 after air quality management district said there wouldn’t be enough pollution to put the community at risk.