National Roundup

Arizona
Prisons chief loses appeal in inmate care suit
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Corrections Director Charles Ryan has lost an appeal of a court order that threatened to hold Ryan in contempt of court and fine the state for repeatedly falling short in improving health care for inmates.

Last week, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Ryan’s appeal of the Oct. 10 order by U.S. Magistrate Judge David Duncan.

The appeals court concluded it lacked the jurisdiction to review Duncan’s order.

Duncan and attorneys for prisoners have complained that officials were dragging their feet in making the improvements they promised more than three years ago when settling a lawsuit that alleged inmates were getting shoddy health care.

Earlier this month, Duncan said he would impose fines against the state, but hasn’t specified when his decision will be issued.

New York
Inmate writes judge to tell him about new song
NEW YORK (AP) — A man serving an eight-year prison term had something to say to the judge who sentenced him — check out my new song!

The Daily News reports John Star wrote to Judge I. Leo Glasser in a letter filed last week to tell him about a music single, “African Girl.”

Star, who is serving an eight-year sentence in Pennsylvania after admitting in 2015 to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, recorded the song a few years ago over the phone.

A music producer told the Daily News he got the recording from a friend and built a song around it.

Glasser is a federal judge in Brooklyn.

When asked by the Daily News if he would listen to the song, he said, “I might,” and declined further comment.

Florida
Man guilty of impersonating member of Saudi royal family
MIAMI (AP) — A Florida man has pleaded guilty to impersonating a member of Saudi Arabia’s royal family to orchestrate several fraud schemes involving theft of millions of dollars.

Miami federal prosecutors said in a news release Tuesday that 47-year-old Anthony Gignac admitted using various aliases making it appear he was a Saudi royal and even drove a Ferrari with diplomatic license plates. Prosecutors say he faces a lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty last week.

Authorities say Gignac and others used the fake Saudi royal identity to persuade investors to put up millions of dollars for purported business opportunities that didn’t exist. Gignac also attempted to use his false identity to buy a Miami hotel and had the nameplate “Sultan” on his condominium’s front door.

Sentencing is set for Aug. 7.

Idaho
Sex offender registration lawsuit rejected
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit challenging Idaho’s sex offender registration laws, but the 134 anonymous sex offenders who brought the lawsuit have the option to refile the case if they can show the current laws caused them actual harm.

That could be difficult, U.S. District Judge David Nye warned, because several common arguments have already been shot down in previous court cases.

“Common arguments in this area are that the registration requirements are embarrassing, invasive and burdensome. These challenges, however, have been unavailing as none are based on recognized fundamental rights,” Nye wrote in the ruling made earlier this month.

The plaintiffs, referred to as John and Jane Does 1-134, sued the state two years ago contending Idaho laws requiring them to register as sex offenders for life violate their constitutional rights on several grounds.

For instance, some plaintiffs said rules requiring them to stay at least 500 feet (150 meters) from schools violate their right to freely exercise their religion, because some churches may be within 500 feet of a school. Others said they were convicted of misdemeanors or lesser sex offenses and completed their sentences but years later were forced to register as sex offenders after lawmakers decided to reclassify the crimes as felonies or aggravated sex offenses.

Nye said the court wouldn’t guess at whether the laws caused enough harm to violate any specific plaintiff’s fundamental rights. The plaintiffs will have to spell that out if they refile, the judge said.

“One cannot simply name a large group of Plaintiffs, allege a dozen causes of actions, and expect the Court to figure out which plaintiffs have suffered which harms,” the judge wrote in the ruling released May 17.

They’ll also have to show any harm they suffered outweighs the benefits sex registration laws offer society, Nye said.

“While the outcome of certain regulations may negatively affect a person socially, economically or even legally, the Court must weigh any competing interests,” the judge found. “Time and time again, Courts have found that the protection of society outweighs any inconvenience or diminution in rights suffered by registrants.”

Dan Brown, the Twin Falls attorney representing the plaintiffs, did not respond to a request for comment.

Wisconsin
State Supreme Court suspends former state prosecutor
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The law license of a former Wisconsin assistant attorney general has been suspended for a year for allegedly mismanaging client trust funds at his law firm.

Michael R. Bauer is a partner at Bauer & Bach in Madison. The Supreme Court says Bauer broke state rules by shifting $376,000 between client trust accounts, his own trust account and the account of his side business, Sports Advisors Inc., all without telling clients. Sports Advisors Inc. represents professional athletes.

The State Journal reports the ruling issued earlier this month says Bauer blamed some of the problems on his time spent in Washington, D.C. in 2014-15, causing him to neglect trust and business accounts for the firm. Bauer’s lawyer says no clients lost money as a result of Bauer’s actions.