Wisconsin: Court: Fiance cannot sue over partner’s slaying
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A court says the fiance of a slain University of Wisconsin-Madison student cannot recover damages for finding her dead body.
The District 4 Court of Appeals on Thursday dismissed two lawsuits filed by Jordan Gonnering, the fiance of Brittany Zimmermann.
Gonnering discovered her body in the Madison apartment they shared in April 2008 after she was killed by an intruder who still has not been caught.
Gonnering had filed lawsuits alleging Dane County authorities failed to respond to a 911 call she made before she died, and that the apartment owners failed to secure the building. He said both were negligent and contributed to his emotional distress.
The court said such claims can only be brought by family members under Wisconsin law, and a fiance does not fall in that category.
Rhode Island: School weighs changing words on ‘prayer’ banner
CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) — School officials say since they can’t afford a court battle, they will likely amend the wording of a banner in the Cranston High School West auditorium that the American Civil Liberties Union says is a prayer.
The ACLU, acting on behalf of a parent, has asked the school department to remove the banner, alleging that it violates the constitutional separation of church and state.
The banner, that’s been in the auditorium since 1958, starts “Our Heavenly Father...” and ends “Amen,” in between encouraging students to strive to do their best and be a credit to the school.
Steven Brown of the ACLU’s Rhode Island chapter tells The Providence Journal that changing the wording may work, but it will take more than simply removing the first and last lines.
California: Oakland approves $6.5 settlement in warrant case
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland City Council has approved a $6.5 million payment to more than 100 people to settle lawsuits that claimed police officers provided false information in obtaining search warrants.
The council voted Tuesday in favor of the payment to 104 people to settle two federal civil rights lawsuits.
The case, which began in 2008, said that a group of Oakland officers had obtained warrants after claiming substances seized by the officers were tested to confirm they were drugs, but that they had never actually been tested.
The sworn statements use to obtain the warrants, resulted in a number of arrests. Most of those cases have been dismissed, while four police officers were subsequently fired.
Oakland officials say $4.5 million of the settlement will be paid by the city, with $2 million being covered by the city’s insurance company.
Mississippi: 2 arrested in death of George County sheriff
LUCEDALE, Miss. (AP) — Two suspects in the death of George County Sheriff Garry Welford have been taken into custody.
Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd said 18-year-old Brandy Nicole Williams and 24-year-old Christopher Lee Baxter were arrested about 6:20 a.m. Thursday as they walked out of a wooded area where they had abandoned their truck a day early near the George/Greene county line south of U.S. Highway 98.
Byrd said they were taken to the Forrest County jail in Hattiesburg. Charges were pending.
The suspects, both from Lucedale, had fled into the woods after fleeing from their truck. Lawmen used dogs and helicopters to track the two and Byrd said the wooded area had been surrounded by state troopers and local authorities overnight.
Authorities said s said Sheriff Garry Welford was struck Wednesday by a vehicle while trying to make an arrest on a road near the Alabama state line. He was pronounced dead at 4:23 p.m. after being airlifted to the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile.
Investigators said Welford was throwing spikes on a road to try to stop a pickup truck when he was struck.
District Attorney Tony Lawrence said the pair was fleeing officers because Baxter failed to appear in court for sentencing on a drug charge this week. Authorities said they believe Williams was driving the vehicle.
“An officer saw them and that’s what started the pursuit,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence said Baxter had pleaded guilty in a meth manufacturing case.
He said Williams had recently entered a pretrial diversion probation program on grand larceny charges in Jackson and George counties.
Attorney David Futch, who had represented Williams, told The Sun Herald that the case involved the theft of four-wheelers and multiple suspects.
Pennsylvania: Drilling firm offers $29 million settlement
CANONSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A federal judge has been asked to approve a nearly $29 million settlement between a western Pennsylvania drilling firm and Pennsylvania leaseholders.
Range Resources Inc., which has a division based near Canonsburg, would pay about 2,000 Pennsylvanians who leased their land for drilling about $1.75 million immediately and more than $20 million over several years.
The settlement, which must still be approved by a federal judge in Erie, was prompted by a 2008 class-action lawsuit.
The property owners claimed Range Resources didn’t fairly compensate them for drilling rights. Range Resources is not acknowledging wrongdoing.
The proposed settlement was filed last week and is estimated at more than $28.7 million, including about $7 million in attorneys’ fees.
New York: Man faces charges for tackling prankster
BETHLEHEM, N.Y. (AP) — A New York homeowner faces charges of child endangerment and harassment after tackling a teen who rang his doorbell late at night as part of a prank called “ding dong ditch.”
Daniel Van Plew told police he was in his underwear and preparing to go to bed Saturday night when he chased four teenagers who pounded on his back door, rang his front doorbell and then ran. He caught a 14-year-old boy and made him wait in his home while he called police.
Van Plew, a pharmaceutical executive, must answer the misdemeanor and violation charges in town court on Aug. 3.
Van Plew contends that he feared for his family’s safety. His attorney, Peter Gerstenzang, calls his client’s reaction “pretty moderate” given the circumstances.
The teen faces no charges.
