Court Roundup

Nebraska State Supreme Court upholds ex-cop's sentence LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and sentence of a former Omaha police officer who tried to entice what he thought was a 14-year-old girl online. Last year, David Kass was sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender. Kass was arrested after La Vista police detectives said he initiated an online conversation with an undercover investigator posing as a 14-year-old girl. Detectives say the conversation was sexually graphic. In an opinion issued Friday, the state's high court rejected Kass' arguments that the Douglas County District Court erred by not finding Nebraska's enticement law overly broad, in giving jury instructions and by imposing an excessive sentence. Texas Fort Hoot suspe ct's arraignment set for next week FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) -- The Army psychiatrist charged in the worst mass shooting on a U.S. military installation will be arraigned in a military court next week. It will be Maj. Nidal Hasan's first court appearance since Fort Hood's commander decided he would face the death penalty. Defense attorney John Galligan declined to say whether Hasan will enter a plea when he's arraigned Wednesday in a Fort Hood courtroom. Military law says suspects charged in death-penalty cases are not allowed to plead guilty. Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the November 2009 rampage. Galligan told The Associated Press Friday that the military judge also will set Hasan's trial date, possibly as early as March. Jurors will be brought in from Fort Sill, Okla. California Man faces trial in fatal pit bull mauling MARTINEZ, Calif. (AP) -- A judge has ordered a California man to stand trial on charges of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal mauling of his 2-year-old step-grandson by pit bulls. Contra Costa County Judge Clare Maier on Thursday decided to increase the charges against 53-year-old Steven Hayashi of Concord from felony child abuse and owning a mischievous animal that caused death, to involuntary manslaughter. She issued the ruling at the conclusion of Hayashi's preliminary hearing. Maier rejected prosecutors' request that Hayashi be charged with second-degree murder in Jacob Bisbee's July 2010 death. Authorities say Hayashi was not at home when Bisbee was attacked by at least three pit bulls in Hayashi's garage. The boy had been left unsupervised. Hayashi's attorney has argued that Jacob's father is to blame because he didn't arrange for child care. Tennessee Lawsuit in fatal shooting by police dismissed CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking damages from Chattanooga police officers who fired 59 gunshots at an armed man after he walked around his neighborhood with a rifle ranting about suicide. U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier in an order Thursday dismissed the suit, two weeks before a scheduled trial linked to the July 2009 death of 32-year-old Alonzo Heyward. Police have described Heyward's death as a case of "suicide by cop." A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation report showed officers were placed in "reasonable fear of death or serious bodily harm to themselves or others" by Heyward's actions. The judge's order said the shooting followed Heyward refusing the officers' orders to drop the weapon. Kansas Judge delays food stamp conspiracy trial 2 months WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- A federal judge has granted a two-month delay in the food stamp fraud trial of two Wichita grocery store owners and other defendants. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten on Thursday rescheduled the trial of Muhammad Qadeer Akram and his wife, Shama Qadeer, to Oct. 4. The couple own Alnoor Grocery. The delay was requested by co-defendant Sobhi Dana, who wanted more time to review the evidence. Thirteen people are charged in two federal indictments with defrauding the government out of more than $580,000. Prosecutors allege the defendants conspired to buy customers' food stamps for cash at a profit. A separate indictment charges Kansas Food Market owner Ahmed Ajami Al-Maleki, who faces trial Aug. 30. Kentucky Woman attacks family court judge during hearing MONTICELLO, Ky. (AP) -- A routine court hearing turned aggressive in southern Kentucky when a woman attacked the judge. It happened last week in Wayne County Family Court in Monticello. Courtroom surveillance video shown on WYMT-TV in Hazard shows Melissa Harvick charging the judge's desk after being handed 10 days in jail for contempt of court for being disruptive in the chamber. Harvick jumped, apparently getting caught on the rail before court security officers grabbed her. Judge Jennifer Upchurch Edwards is seen pushing her chair backward to avoid Harvick. The judge wasn't hurt. Harvick was in court to answer to a domestic violence complaint. She was jailed for contempt and authorities say more charges will follow the incident. Published: Mon, Jul 18, 2011