At a Glance

 Ex-Detroit treasurer convicted in fraud case

DETROIT (AP) — A former Detroit treasurer and two pension officials who served under ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick have been found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud.

The three officials were convicted Monday in a case alleging they accepted bribes and kickbacks in corrupt deals that cost the city’s troubled pension funds about $97 million in losses.

Former Treasurer Jeffrey Beasley was convicted of conspiracy, two counts of extortion and bribery. He faces up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy, 20 years for extortion and 10 years for bribery. He was acquitted on three extortion counts.

Former pension fund lawyer Ronald Zajac and former Police and Fire Retirement System Trustee Paul Stewart were also convicted of conspiracy.

Kilpatrick is serving a 28-year prison sentence after a federal jury convicted him last March of several crimes.

DIA exhibit features Detroit residents

DETROIT (AP) — A new Detroit Institute of Arts exhibit features stories of Detroit residents through portraits taken around the city.

The DIA commissioned Corine Vermeulen to photograph people in diverse communities for the exhibit that opened recently. 

Vermeulen took photos of hundreds of Detroit residents in temporary portrait studios and asked them questions about their current and future vision of Detroit. The exhibit includes more than 80 photographs from the sessions, including portraits of students, protesters and even custom-bike enthusiasts.

Vermeulen is a Dutch-born photographer who now lives in Detroit. 

Third man cleared in 1975 Cleveland slaying 

 
CLEVELAND (AP) — An Ohio man walked out of a courthouse a relieved man Tuesday after spending nearly 40 years of his life as a convicted felon for a murder that he, his brother and a friend did not commit.
 
A judge dismissed aggravated murder and robbery charges against Kwame Ajamu, who was convicted under the name Ronnie Bridgeman.

Ajamu, Wiley Bridgeman and Ricky Jackson were sentenced to death in 1975 for the slaying of a businessman. All three have been exonerated after prosecutors learned that the 13-year-old boy who identified them as the killers recanted and said he was coerced by police.

Ajamu was freed from prison in 2003. An assistant prosecutor on Tuesday said Prosecutor Tim McGinty has acknowledged what happened to the men was a “terrible injustice.”
 

Court considers PLO pre-trial challenge

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York federal appeals court says it will consider the Palestine Liberation Organization’s pre-trial challenge of a $1 billion lawsuit by U.S. terrorism victims.
 
The PLO doesn’t want the lawsuit to go to trial. It says that would undermine its ability to govern and worsen tensions in the region.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan has ordered the plaintiffs to file a response next week.

A January trial is scheduled over litigation brought by victims of seven shootings and bombings near Jerusalem between January 2001 and February 2004. The attacks killed 33 people and wounded hundreds more, including scores of U.S. citizens.
 

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