Daily Briefs

Court throws out charges against owners in dog attack


CHARLOTTE, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan appeals court has thrown out charges against an Eaton County couple whose dog got under a fence and repeatedly bit a lawn care worker.

Debra Olney and husband Daniel Ridge were charged with owning a dangerous animal that caused serious injury. Roscoe got under the fence in 2015 and attacked a woman who was spraying fertilizer and weed control on a neighbor’s lawn.

The appeals court says prosecutors failed to show that Roscoe had previously attacked a person, a key point necessary to send the owners to trial. The court says Roscoe’s past aggression against a fence and lawn mower tires doesn’t count.

The dog was described as a possible pit bull and Shar-Pei mix. The 3-0 decision was dated Tuesday and released Wednesday.

 

ACLU opposes Grand Rapids’ plans for license plate scanners
 

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is offering its opposition to Grand Rapids’ plans to use license plate scanning technology for parking enforcement.

The Grand Rapids Press reports the ACLU of Michigan’s western region unit sent a letter to city officials this week saying that the scanners are another piece of surveillance technology that reduces “personal privacy rights and empowers the surveillance society.”

The parking department is considering seeking bids for scanners to assist in checking to see whether parked cars have valid permits.

Department head Josh Naramore says the scanners automate a process that license plate checkers currently do manually. WOOD-TV reports that he told the City Commission on Tuesday that information collected would be deleted after 24 hours and not shared with police or the federal government.

 

Ex-Spartan football player returned to Michigan in sex case
 

MASON, Mich. (AP) — Former Michigan State defensive end Auston Robertson is jailed on a $250,000 bond after being returned to Michigan from Indiana to face a third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge.

The 19-year-old Robertson was arraigned in 55th District Court in Mason on Tuesday via videoconference from the Ingham County Jail. He is scheduled to return to court next month.

Robertson’s attorney David Rosenberg says “a strong defense” is planned.

A police task force arrested Robertson on Saturday at a relative’s home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Robertson comes from Fort Wayne.

Robertson is accused of forcing a woman to have sex with him at her Meridian Township apartment on April 8. Shortly after prosecutors announced the charge on Friday, Michigan State said Robertson had been dismissed from the football team.

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