National Roundup

Utah Judge to consider challenge of state's bigamy law SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A polygamous family made famous on a reality television show is asking a Utah federal judge not to block their challenge of the state's bigamy law. Kody Brown and wives Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn filed a lawsuit in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court in July. The stars of the TLC show "Sister Wives" say the law is unconstitutional because it prohibits them from living together and criminalizes their private sexual relationships. Formerly of Lehi, the Browns moved to Nevada in January after police launched a bigamy investigation. No criminal charges have been filed. State attorneys say the judge should dismiss the lawsuit. They say the Browns are not likely to be prosecuted. Oral arguments in the case are set for Friday before U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups. Texas Medal of Honor recipient drops defamation lawsuit SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- A Medal of Honor recipient has dropped a lawsuit against his former employer in which he accused the defense contractor of ruining his chances of landing work at another company by saying he was mentally unstable and a poor worker. Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer said in a statement Thursday that he is dropping the defamation against BAE Systems OASYS and a former supervisor, Bobby McCreight, because they settled their differences amicably. The company says it is pleased the matter is resolved. No terms were disclosed. Meyer filed the lawsuit in San Antonio last month alleging the company undermined him after he expressed disapproval that it had pursued selling certain weapon components to Pakistan. Meyer received the Medal of Honor for his actions during a 2009 battle in Afghanistan. Maryland Man sentenced to life for role in killings ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) -- A Maryland man who pleaded guilty to his role in a 2008 triple slaying in northern Virginia that had gone unsolved for more than two years has been sentenced to life in prison. Thirty-five-year-old Delante Cook of New Carrollton was sentenced Friday morning in federal court in Alexandria. Cook admitted that he and his accomplices fatally stabbed three men during a November 2008 home robbery in Springfield. Prosecutors said Cook believed two of the victims, brothers Ryan and Terence Strope, were drug dealers who would be in possession of a large amount of cash. Prosecutors and the defense agreed to recommend a life sentence as part of a plea deal. A third victim, Andres Yelicie, was also fatally stabbed. Wisconsin Lawyers didn't charge justice in ethics case MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A newspaper is reporting that attorneys never charged a state Supreme Court justice for defending him in an ethics case. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Michael Best & Friedrich attorney Eric McLeod never charged Justice Michael Gableman for defending him against a complaint accusing him of lying about his opponent in a campaign ad. Wisconsin's ethics code says state officials can't accept free gifts because of their position. The law firm's attorney said in a letter this week Gableman and McLeod had an agreement in which Gableman would pay McLeod's fees only if he recovered them from the state. The Supreme Court ultimately deadlocked on whether Gableman's ad amounted to a violation. The letter says Gableman wasn't billed because he couldn't recover any fees. New Mexico Family awarded nearly $900K in son's death ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- Three years after their son died at a residential treatment center, an Albuquerque family has been awarded almost $900,000. A Bernalillo County jury found New Pathways Inc. negligent in 25-year-old Kevin Phillip DeAnda's death after the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The Albuquerque Journal reports DeAnda died in his sleep Dec. 31, 2008. According to court documents, DeAnda moved into New Pathways Inc., for people with developmental disabilities in September 2007. His family claims it was under New Pathways care that DeAnda died a sudden and unnecessary death. An autopsy report showed DeAnda died of complications from obesity and obstructive sleep apnea, with mixed drug intoxication. Among the allegations made against New Pathways was that workers failed to check on DeAnda on an hourly basis, as they were supposed to. Attorneys for New Pathways did not comment. Pennsylvania Middle school teacher charged with sexting 2 JAMESTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- State police have charged a western Pennsylvania middle school teacher with sending sexually explicit text messages to two teen students, and exchanging explicit photos with one of the girls. Online court records don't list an attorney for 28-year-old Kevin DeFrancesco, of Greenville, who is a social studies teacher in the Jamestown Area School District, about 70 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. Troopers from the Mercer barracks say the district alerted police that the 13-year-old received explicit messages, including a request for sexual photos, from the teacher on Dec. 5. During that investigation, police learned DeFrancesco traded similar messages with the 14-year-old girl since October and had actually traded pictures with her. DeFrancesco isn't accused of physical contact with either girl. The Associated Press could not find a listed phone for DeFrancesco. School officials won't say what action they've taken. North Carolina Serial killer's lawyer says confession coerced RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Defense attorneys are asking a North Carolina appeals court to reconsider the life prison sentence for a serial killer. Lawyers for 34-year-old Samuel Cooper of Raleigh told the state Court of Appeals that police pressured Cooper into telling investigators what they wanted to hear by holding his father on a weapons charge. Defense attorney Mark Montgomery says Cooper confessed after four days in jail because he has a strong attachment to his father and thought his confession would free his dad. Cooper was convicted last year on five counts of first-degree murder. He was arrested in 2007 and accused of robbing a Garner bank. Investigators found a 9 mm handgun that was linked to a string of seemingly unrelated slayings over a 17-month period in 2006 and 2007. Published: Mon, Dec 19, 2011