National Roundup

New Jersey Trial begins for janitor accused of killing priest MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) -- Opening statements are under way at the trial of a church janitor accused of killing a New Jersey priest two years ago. Jose Feliciano could face life in prison if he's convicted of fatally stabbing the Rev. Edward Hinds in the rectory of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Chatham in the fall of 2009. The 66-year-old Easton, Pa., resident claims he killed the priest because Hinds threatened to fire him if he ended their homosexual relationship. But prosecutors say Feliciano made up that story because Hinds was preparing to fire him after learning Feliciano had been charged in 1988 with sexually touching a child. Texas Polygamist appeals child abuse conviction AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A polygamist group member is appealing his conviction in Texas on child sex abuse charges, citing jurisdiction issues. A lawyer for Raymond Merril Jessop asked the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin on Wednesday to overturn his conviction and 10-year sentence. Jessop was the first member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to be tried after a 2008 raid at the group's Yearning for Zion ranch in West Texas. Jessop was convicted in 2009 of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl who gave birth to his daughter. The Austin American-Statesman (http://bit.ly/q3SlTI ) reports that Jessop's attorney, Clinton Broden, argued prosecutors never proved the sexual encounter happened in Texas. Attorney for the state, Ed Marshall, said jurors heard enough evidence to convict Jessop. Colorado Federal lawsuits filed over tire disposal HUDSON, Colo. (AP) -- Federal lawsuits have been filed by shareholders and the Securities and Exchange Commission over disposal of tires at Colorado's tire mountain. The lawsuits claim the owners took millions of dollars from investors and allowed the company to go into foreclosure. Two years ago, Magnum d'Or Resources bought the dump from an owner charged with fraud. The dump has as an estimated 80 million scrap fires. The SEC later alleged in a lawsuit that ex-chief executive Joseph Glusic participated in a kickback scheme that used bogus consultants to funnel more than $7 million in illicit proceeds from the company's securities. According to the Denver Post, Glusic has agreed to pay back some of the money. Nevada Vegas teen pleads not guilty in death penalty case LAS VEGAS (AP) -- A Las Vegas teenager pleaded not guilty to the kidnapping, rape and mutilation slaying of a 15-year-old high school sophomore in his first court appearance since prosecutors announced they'll seek to have him put to death if he's convicted. The 19-year-old Javier (HAH'-vee-air) Righetti appeared in court Thursday in Las Vegas with wrists and ankles shackled. His trial is set for next Oct. 16. Righetti is charged with the deadly attack on Alyssa Otremba in September, and with assaulting another teenage girl in March. The girl's mother, Jennifer Otremba, declined to speak about the case outside the courtroom but said she wanted justice for her daughter. Otremba's charred body was found Sept. 3 not far from her northwest Las Vegas home. Prosecutors allege she was stabbed more than 80 times. Alabama Man accused of tree poisoning gets new lawyer OPELIKA, Ala. (AP) -- Harvey Updyke, the man accused of poisoning historic oak trees at Auburn's Toomer's Corner, has a new attorney and a new court date. Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob Walker on Thursday granted Glennon Threatt's request to be removed from the case. Updyke, 63, appeared in court briefly with his new attorney, Everett Wess of Birmingham. He was indicted in May on two counts of criminal mischief, two counts of desecrating a venerable object and two counts of a state law that includes making it unlawful to damage, vandalize or steal any property on or from an animal or crop facility. Updyke has requested that the charges be reduced to misdemeanors, saying that the state of Alabama "has explicitly set the value of an oak tree" at $20, which would be below the level for a felony. The judge has not yet ruled on that request. His trial was originally scheduled for the Oct. 31 docket, but Lee County District Attorney Robbie Treese said there were three capital trials approaching that would stretch the resources of his department. Wess had no objection to pushing back the court dates. Walker gave the attorneys 45 days to file motions in the case, which will be argued before Walker on Jan. 17. Virginia Giles board says it didn't display commandments ROANOKE, Va. (AP) -- The Giles County School Board says a private citizen placed a Ten Commandments display at a high school and no public money was used to pay for it. Media outlets report that the board asked a federal judge this week to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks the display's removal from Narrows High School. The lawsuit claims the display unconstitutionally promotes a specific religious faith and serves no secular purpose. The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia filed the lawsuit Sept. 13 against the school board in U.S. District Court in Roanoke on behalf of a student and the student's parent, identified only as Doe 1 and Doe 2. The county's two high schools and three elementary/middle schools had posted the Ten Commandments for more than a decade. Last year, the Freedom From Religion Foundation objected to the displays and requested their removal. School officials replaced them with the Declaration of Independence. After a public outcry by Christian ministers and local residents who wanted the schools to reflect their Christian beliefs, the school board unanimously voted in January to put the Ten Commandments back up -- but removed them the following month after Liberty Counsel attorneys advised them about such displays in the context of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from favoring one religion over another. Residents held a rally in May to demand that the commandments be returned to the schools. School board members voted 3-2 in June to rehang the biblical texts as part of displays that include U.S. historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence. In the board's motion, its lawyers argue that the decision was not an endorsement of a religion. Published: Fri, Oct 21, 2011