Court Roundup

Florida State Supreme Court: Valle can be executed TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- The Florida Supreme Court says that the state can proceed with the execution of Manuel Valle, who killed a Coral Gables police officer 33 years ago. The court issued a stay last month until a lower court could hold a hearing on Valle's claim that a new lethal injection drug may cause him to feel pain during his execution, which had been set for Aug. 2. A Miami-Dade Circuit judge rejected Valle's claim earlier this month and the Supreme Court lifted the stay on Tuesday. Valle, 61, was sentenced to die for the 1978 shooting death of Coral Gables police officer Louis Pena. His death warrant was the first signed by Gov. Rick Scott. The Department of Corrections hasn't set a new date for the execution. North Carolina Justice finds evidence of building break-in RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- A break-in at the North Carolina Supreme Court caused broken glass but little other damage. Associate Justice Bob Edmunds told The News & Observer of Raleigh he discovered a shattered glass panel in a door at the Supreme Court building when he came to work Sunday evening. Edmunds said a person entered a stairway but couldn't go elsewhere because of locked doors. Edmunds says he called the Supreme Court marshal, who called Raleigh police. There have been no arrests. Clerk Christie Cameron says it's not unusual for justices to come to the building on weekends to catch up on work, so security is a concern. Budget cuts have scaled back the State Capitol Police Tennessee Court finds county not liable for beating by lawmen NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A federal appeals court has upheld a court ruling that dismissed claims against Campbell County in the beating of a convicted drug dealer by five lawmen in 2004. Five Campbell County deputies were fired and sentenced to jail for handcuffing, beating and threatening to kill Lester Eugene Siler during a raid on his home in July 2004. Siler was serving probation when authorities received complaints he was dealing again. Siler filed a civil lawsuit against the officers, the sheriff's department and the county, but a district court in East Tennessee issued a summary judgment that found that the county was not liable for the deputies' actions. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision in a ruling released Tuesday Louisiana Cops seek new trial in Katrina bridge shootings NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Four of the five current or former police officers convicted of civil rights violations for deadly shootings on a New Orleans bridge after Hurricane Katrina have asked for post-trial acquittals or new trials. In court filings Monday, attorneys for Sgt. Kenneth Bowen, Officer Anthony Villavaso, former officer Robert Faulcon and retired Sgt. Arthur Kaufman argued that jurors didn't hear sufficient evidence to support their convictions earlier this month. A date wasn't immediately set for U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt to hear their requests. Police shot and killed two people and wounded four others less than a week after the 2005 storm, then engaged in a cover-up to make the shootings of unarmed residents appeared justified. Published: Wed, Aug 24, 2011