Vermont
FBI arrests man in Vt.-Va. lesbian custody case
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The FBI has arrested a man for helping a Virginia woman involved in a custody dispute with her former lesbian partner from Vermont leave the United States and move to Nicaragua.
A lawyer says Timothy David Miller is due in federal court in Burlington Monday to answer charges he helped Lisa Miller and her daughter Isabella avoid a custody order by traveling to Central America in September 2009.
Last year a federal arrest warrant was issued for Lisa Miller, but it was sealed.
Lisa Miller and Janet Jenkins were joined in a Vermont civil union in 2000. Isabella was born in 2002. They broke up in 2003.
The two were involved in a long-running custody dispute and courts awarded Isabella to Jenkins because Miller wouldn’t comply with visitation orders.
Florida
Man convicted of elderly abuse in death of mother
VIERA, Fla. (AP) — A jury found a Brevard County man guilty of aggravated manslaughter in the death of his 90-year-old mother.
It took less than an hour for the six jurors to return the verdict Thursday against 53-year-old Richard Cassin. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in June.
Florence Cassin died last June, a few weeks after she was removed from what officials described as a filthy house. First responders testified that the elderly woman communicated through groans and moans.
During the trial, prosecutors told jurors the elderly woman was left alone to die in a dirty house. Her son’s public defender said he had taken to drinking because he was overwhelmed by the responsibility of taking care of his mother.
South Dakota
Trial set for high school student accused of threats
DE SMET, S.D. (AP) — A new trial date has been set for a South Dakota high school student accused of making terroristic threats on Facebook, but it’s still unclear where the trial will be.
KOKK radio reports that Judge David Gienapp (GEE’-nap) has yet to rule on a defense request to move the trial for 18-year-old Melissa Kruger of De Smet out of Kingsbury County.
A three-day trial is to begin June 29th. Kruger initially had been scheduled to stand trial early this month. She’s accused of posting threats on a Facebook page under an assumed name early this year. Court documents indicate she allegedly talked about bringing a shotgun to school. She has pleaded not guilty.
Iowa
Impeachment resolutions target 4 high court justices
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Resolutions to impeach four Iowa Supreme Court justices have been filed by five members of the Iowa House.
The four justices had joined their colleagues in a unanimous 2009 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Iowa.
Voters ousted three of the justices in November, and they have been replaced.
The resolutions say Justices Mark Cady, David Wiggins, Daryl Hecht and Brent Appel overstepped judicial bounds because such a decision should have been reserved for the Legislature.
A key Republican lawmaker, Rep. Rich Anderson, R-Clarinda, told The Des Moines Register that the impeachment resolutions likely will stall in his House Judiciary Committee.
Kansas
Hospital bills Topeka for treating wounded suspect
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Topeka hospital wants to be paid for treating a 27-year-old man shot and wounded last year by police.
But the City Council is considering paying far less than the hospital’s claim for nearly $200,000.
Juan Lucio was shot by police after allegedly pointing a gun at officers during a confrontation in December. WIBW-TV reports Lucio is due in court next week on charges that include aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
Meanwhile, Stormont-Vail HealthCare has filed a police custody medical services claim for care of a prisoner. The hospital listed charges of almost $200,000.
WIBW says the City Council will consider approval of just over $29,000 for treatment, citing what is considered the Medicare rate by statute.
Connecticut
Female officer sues New Britain police
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) — A fourth female officer with the New Britain police has filed a gender discrimination suit against the department alleging she received unwanted text messages from a male superior officer and was denied promotion because of her sex.
Officer Paula Keller said in the suit filed last week she didn’t receive a promotion to the rank of sergeant in 2008 despite scoring the sixth highest on the test. The six candidates that were promoted were all men.
She also says she was denied advanced training given to male officers.
Keller claims a captain sent her unwanted text messages in 2009 and she has been denied extra duty and special assignments since she spurned his advances. Three other woman officers have filed similar lawsuits in recent years.
Alaska
Enviro groups intervene in polar bear lawsuits
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Three conservation groups have filed to intervene in lawsuits that challenge the federal government’s designation of habitat for threatened polar bears.
The Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and Greenpeace intervened Wednesday in federal lawsuits brought last month by the state of Alaska and the Alaska Oil and Gas Association.
The lawsuits say the designation of more than 187,000 square miles, an area larger than California, is excessive and unnecessary.
Attorney Rebecca Noblin of the Center for Biological Diversity says polar bears need a reduction in greenhouse gases that cause warming and a protected place to live, not an Arctic turned into a dirty industrial zone.
New Jersey
Toll collector lawsuit dismissed
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Turnpike Authority toll collectors have lost a legal maneuver in their fight against privatization.
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by their union that sought to block having a private company operate the tolls unless the workers had the “right of first refusal” to apply for the privatized jobs.
The Asbury Park Press reports the lawsuit claimed the collectors’ First Amendment rights were violated.
The agency said the union discouraged some companies from seeking the contract when it spoke out against privatization and when workers sent job applications to bidders.
The Turnpike Authority is scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to privatize toll collection or to accept the union’s offer of $34 million in concessions and staff reductions.
