Charge refiled against disgraced ex-lawmaker
LAPEER (AP) — The state attorney general’s office has refiled a charge against former state lawmaker Todd Courser, who quit office in a sex scandal last year.
Courser is accused of soliciting an aide to send a phony email to cover up an affair with Cindy Gamrat, a Republican from Allegan County.
Prosecutors filed the charge in Lapeer County, the site of the alleged crime, after a judge said Ingham County wasn’t the appropriate place. Courser, who denies criminal wrongdoing, still faces two additional charges in Ingham.
He and Gamrat had an affair while they served in the House. Gamrat was kicked out by lawmakers.
Like Courser, Gamrat was charged by the attorney general’s office but charges against her were dismissed.
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Michigan man loses key court ruling in Pandora case
LANSING (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court may have dealt a blow to a man who accuses Pandora of illegally sharing his music tastes with others on the internet.
A federal appeals court asked the Michigan court if Peter Deacon qualifies as a “customer” who rents or borrows music from Pandora. The answer is important because Deacon claims Pandora violated state privacy law by sharing his preferences.
In a recent unanimous decision, the high court said Deacon isn’t a customer under the law because no money changed hands. He apparently chose the free version of Pandora’s service.
Deacon’s lawsuit against Pandora was dismissed in 2012 by a federal judge in California. He is appealing.
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‘Serial’ murder case defense team expands
BALTIMORE (AP) — The defense team for the man convicted of murder and featured in the podcast “Serial” is expanding ahead of a new trial with help from a major law firm.
Adnan Syed was convicted of murdering his former high school girlfriend Hae Min Lee in 1999 and burying her in a Baltimore park. He was sentenced to life in prison. A judge recently ruled Syed deserves another trial.
Attorney C. Justin Brown, who has represented Syed for seven years with Christopher Nieto, says he’s delighted to be joined by a pro-bono team from Hogan Lovells, an international firm with litigation experience in Baltimore and in innocence cases.
Syed’s case was widely publicized by “Serial.” The podcast raised questions about Syed’s guilt.
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Beer valued at $90K must be tossed
ATLANTA (AP) — Authorities have found most of the nearly 80,000 bottles of beer that were stolen from an Atlanta brewery, but the company says every last drop will have to be thrown away.
A SweetWater Brewing Co. spokeswoman said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Southeastern Transportation Security Council returned 30 of the 40 pallets of beer that had been stolen. The other 10 pallets had already been recovered.
It’s unclear where the stolen beer was found and no arrests have been made.
Two trailers carrying 3,272 cases of SweetWater’s Summer Variety Pack were stolen last month. The trailers were later found empty.
Because of quality concerns, the beer will be taken to a recycling facility.
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