Massachusetts
Fed. judge ends probation for Batesville doctor
GREENVILLE, Miss. (AP) — A federal judge has terminated the supervised probation for a Batesville doctor, apparently clearing the way for Robert Corkern to become emergency room doctor at Delta Regional Medical Center in Greenville.
WABG-TV in Greenville reports that U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers granted a request from Corkern’s lawyers this past week.
Corkern was sentenced in 2012 to two years’ house confinement and three years’ post-release supervision for his role in a medical kickback scheme. Corkern pleaded guilty to bribing a former Panola County administrator to use public funds as part of his earnest money to buy Tri-Lakes Medical Center in Batesville in 2005.
Court records show the government did not oppose early termination of Corkern’s supervised probation.
Corkern will ask the state to restore his medical license.
Indiana
Homeschool group accuses state of intruding
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An attorney representing a suburban Indianapolis homeschool group says a state commission intruded on its religious affairs when it found it discriminated against a girl with a food allergy, but a lawyer for the girl’s family says the 11-family group is guilty of discrimination based on disability.
The Indiana Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Monday.
Attorney Patrick Gillen says the Indiana Civil Rights Commission shouldn’t have stepped into the dispute because it involved a religious organization.
Attorney Nelson Nettles representing the girl told the justices the case was about disability, not religion.
The Fishers Adolescent Catholic Enrichment Society provided enrichment opportunities for children of its 11 member families.
The girl’s family says she is allergic to chicken and the group wouldn’t provide an alternative meal at a dinner-dance.
South Carolina
Solicitor calls for paperless system in Circuit Court
BEAUFORT, S.C. (AP) — One South Carolina solicitor is advocating a paperless court system.
The Beaufort Gazette reports that 14th Circuit Solicitor Duffie Stone wants to move to an electronic case management system that would make the judicial process virtually paperless from arrest to verdict.
A computer-based system would eliminate rooms filled with case files and hours spent copying court documents. Stone says that, for example, the evidence from a murder trial last October consisted of four crates of evidence as well as two more crates of jury information that has to be stored.
Stone expects to choose soon between two providers to archive old case files electronically.
Stone says the archive system would cost about $90,000 initially. The costs, he said, would come from drug money seized across the circuit, Stone said. He hopes the counties in the circuit would then pay the yearly maintenance costs of about $90,000.
Stone said there are rooms full of leftover paper files and photos from previous cases around the circuit that have to be kept in the event of appeals. Physical evidence like guns and other items are kept by the law enforcement agencies that made the arrest in a case, said Daniel Brownstein, a spokesman for the solicitor’s office.
Stone says the electronic case-management system will also speed preparation for trials allowing evidence and documents to be shared quickly by computer between prosecutors and defense attorneys.
He says defense attorneys would use a password to get access to a site containing trial documents. When the files are accessed, he said, the time it was accessed and by whom would be recorded.
New York
Prosecutor says evidence proves ex-trader’s guilt
NEW YORK (AP) — A prosecutor says an avalanche of evidence at the New York trial of a former SAC Capital Advisors hedge fund portfolio manager proves he is guilty of insider trading.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene Ingoglia delivered a closing argument Monday at the trial of Mathew Martoma.
The prosecutor says Martoma corrupted doctors to divulge secret information about the testing of what investors hoped would be a breakthrough Alzheimer’s drug. He says Martoma learned results nearly two weeks before they were publicly announced in July 2008, giving SAC a total of $275 million in combined profits and avoided losses.
Martoma has pleaded not guilty. The Boca Raton, Fla., resident remains free on bail.
The Stamford, Conn.-based company has pleaded guilty to fraud charges and agreed to pay $1.8 billion.
Tennessee
Man convicted of murder in death of baby daughter
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Prosecutors say a father has been convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his 3-month-old daughter.
Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich said Friday that 23-year-old Sebastian Pegues also was convicted of aggravated child abuse in the death of his daughter Kalissa in Memphis.
The children’s mother, Teresa Pegues, also is charged with aggravated child abuse. Her case is being handled separately.
The baby died June 25, 2012 from internal bleeding, cracked ribs and severe liver damage. Doctors said there was evidence of long-term abuse of the child.
Pegues’ lawyers tried to blame the baby’s death on his 8-year-old stepdaughter.
Pegues will be sentenced Feb. 28. The murder conviction carries an automatic sentence of life in prison, while aggravated child abuse carries up to 25 years without parole.
North Carolina
Man charged with killing brother in shared apartment
CARY, N.C. (AP) — Police say a 54-year-old man shot and killed in younger brother in an apartment they shared in Cary.
Investigators say Kevin Bodden’s mother called 911 around 8:45 a.m. Sunday and said he had shot her 44-year-old son Mark Bodden.
The mother told the 911 operator that her older son was angry because the younger brother said he didn’t have any money to give him to go to the store. She told the operator that Kevin Bodden moved in with them several months earlier.
Authorities say Kevin Bodden drove away before police arrived and was arrested several hours later in Durham. He is charged with first-degree murder and remains in jail. It wasn’t known if he had a lawyer.
