National Roundup

Maryland
Officer charged in Gray case sues top prosecutor

BALTIMORE (AP) — An officer charged in the death of a young black man whose neck was broken in the back of a police wagon has filed a federal defamation lawsuit against Baltimore’s top prosecutor.

Lt. Brian Rice sued State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and Maj. Sam Cogen of the sheriff’s office for defamation of character, false imprisonment and violation of rights.

In the lawsuit, Rice cited Mosby’s public comments during her May 1 press conference when she announced charges against six officers, including statements about the legality of the knife found on Freddie Gray. The officers maintain the knife was unlawful. Mosby said it was legal.

Rice faces manslaughter and other charges stemming from Gray’s death. Two other officers have filed similar defamation suits in state court.

Rice’s suit was unsealed Monday.

Texas
Police dog dies in hot vehicle, officer charged

SAN JUAN, Texas (AP) — A South Texas officer has been charged with animal cruelty after his police dog died in a hot law-enforcement vehicle as temperatures were in the 90s.

McAllen police on Monday announced the arrest of 37-year-old San Juan police Officer Juan Cerrillo Jr.

Cerrillo called 911 from his McAllen home last Thursday after finding the Belgian Malinois named Rex unresponsive in the unmarked vehicle.

Cerrillo was arrested Friday on a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to non-livestock animals. He’s free on $4,000 bond.

San Juan police Chief Juan Gonzalez suspended Cerrillo without pay. Gonzalez says it appears Cerrillo arrived home and didn’t remove the dog from the back of the unit.

A message left with the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, which represents police officers, wasn’t immediately returned Tuesday.

Pennsylvania
Police: Teen says he stabbed, strangled mom, then watched TV

PALMYRA, Pa. (AP) — Police say a Pennsylvania teen told authorities he watched TV and took a shower after he stabbed his mom with a kitchen knife and then strangled her with a piece of rope until she died.

Police say 17-year-old Jacob Taliaferro called 911 Monday evening saying he killed Lorrie Ann Demko at their Palmyra home and that she had been dead for some time. Palmyra is about 15 miles east of Harrisburg.

Police found Demko dead on a bedroom floor with multiple stab wounds to her chest.

Lebanon County prosecutors say Taliaferro has been charged as an adult with criminal homicide in the killing of Demko.

Taliaferro is jailed without bail. It’s not known if he has a lawyer who can comment on the charges.

Virginia
Woman pleads not guilty in death of 3-year-old boy

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A Henrico County woman has pleaded not guilty in the death of a 3-year-old boy.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports 33-year-old Alexis Raiford entered a plea on Monday of not guilty to several charges including murder and child abuse and neglect in the April 2015 death of Zyon Thompson.

Prosecutors say the child died of dehydration after being subjected to extreme abuse, including being forced to eat crab seasoning.
Raiford is one of three defendants charged in the child’s death. Her husband Clarence Raiford Jr. and William Corey Moore were convicted in December of felony murder and child abuse charges. Their sentencings are pending.

Zyon was in the Raifords’ care at the time of his death.

Opening statements in Alexis Raiford’s trial are expected to begin Tuesday.

Louisiana
Bill to parole ­juvenile lifers halted in session’s final moments

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A bill to give people convicted of murder as teenagers a chance for parole after 30 years was killed in the final minutes of the regular legislative session.

The proposal became caught in the crossfire in a dispute between the House and the Senate, where it ultimately died.

As one of its final actions, the House voted 82-3 Monday to send the proposal to the Senate for consideration. But senators refused to do so after the House failed to vote on the Senate-backed state construction budget.

The parole provision came in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down automatic life sentences without possibility of parole for crimes committed by someone under the age of 18. Louisiana continues to impose such penalties.

Ohio
Mom gets prison for not stopping rape of daughters

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio woman who didn’t intervene when her boyfriend raped her two daughters has tearfully apologized in court and been sentenced to a decade in prison.

The 44-year-old woman pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in January for not intervening when the man raped the two girls in their Columbus home.

The woman said her daughters mean everything to her, but Judge Chris Brown told her at sentencing Monday that her words didn’t mean enough.

The girls testified that their mother was present and allowed the abuse to happen between June 2014 and February 2015. The girls were 8 and 13 at the time.

Their mother’s boyfriend, 55-year-old Alberto Hernandez, was sentenced last week to life in prison without parole.

New York
Man pleads guilty for hoax bomb threat at Statue of Liberty

NEW YORK (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to making a hoax bomb threat to blow up the Statue of Liberty, causing Liberty Island to be evacuated.

Prosecutors say Harts, West Virginia, resident Jason Paul Smith called 911 in April 2015 and identified himself as Abdul Yasin, the only conspirator not captured in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

More than 3,200 people were removed by boats following the call. Prosecutors say Smith also made calls threatening to kill police officers at the Brooklyn Bridge and to bomb Times Square.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara  says the 42-year-old Smith faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty Monday in Manhattan federal court to conveying false and misleading information and hoaxes. Sentencing is scheduled for September.