Court Roundup

Utah Woman accused of trying to sell girl's virginity SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- An arraignment is scheduled for a Salt Lake City woman charged with offering her 13-year-old daughter's virginity to a man for $10,000. The 33-year-old woman was charged in May with two first-degree felony counts of aggravated sex abuse of a child and two second-degree felonies. She was set to appear in court Monday. If convicted, she faces life in prison for each first-degree felony. Prosecutors say the woman discussed selling her daughter's virginity to an adult male in text messages which were seen by the woman's boyfriend, who called police. Authorities say the girl initially agreed to the sex-for-money arrangement, but later changed her mind. The Associated Press isn't naming the woman to avoid identifying the daughter. Connecticut State Supreme Court to take up hunger strike case HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The state Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Tuesday in the case of a Connecticut prison inmate who was force-fed while staging a hunger strike. Lawyers for William Coleman argue the force-feeding violates his free speech rights and international law, which forbids force-feeding prisoners when they're deemed competent and capable of making informed decisions. Coleman is serving an eight-year sentence for rape. The state began force-feeding him in September 2008 after he stopped accepting fluids. A Superior Court judge allowed the force-feedings, ruling the state has a right to protect Coleman's life. The state says Coleman has since voluntarily been taking some nutrition. Coleman, who has been seeking to bring attention to what he says is a corrupt judicial system, is scheduled to be released in December 2012. Maryland Trial starts in yoga shop killing case ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- A murder trial is getting under way for a woman charged with killing a coworker in an upscale yoga clothing shop in Bethesda. Jury selection is scheduled started Monday in the trial of Brittany Norwood, who is accused of fatally bludgeoning Jayna Murray in March inside the Lululemon Athletica shop. Prosecutors say the two women argued after closing hours after Murray found suspected stolen merchandise inside Norwood's bag. They say Norwood tried to conceal the killing by telling police the next morning that the women had been attacked inside the shop by two masked men. The trial in Montgomery County Circuit Court is expected to last about two weeks. Prosecutors intend to seek a punishment of life without parole if Norwood is convicted of first-degree murder. Published: Tue, Oct 25, 2011