National Roundup

West Virginia County reinstates fired deputy, settles lawsuit MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) -- The Berkeley County Council has reinstated a deputy who was fired after he was charged with sexually abusing a woman. A jury found Perry Shannon Layne not guilty of the charges in August 2011. He had been placed on administrative leave following his indictment in October 2010 and was fired May 2, 2011. Layne filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the council and the sheriff in September 2011. He claimed they violated the Deputy Sheriff's Civil Service Act by firing him without a pre-disciplinary board hearing. Media outlets report that the council agreed Thursday to pay Layne $27,500 to settle the lawsuit, along with $9,166 for his legal fees. Illinois Woman's family sues over her hunger strike death CHICAGO (AP) -- The family of a woman who died during a Lake County Jail hunger strike has filed a federal lawsuit alleging jail administrators and the sheriff ignored her mental illness and denied her appropriate medical care. Lyvita Gomes of Vernon Hills was being held on a misdemeanor resisting arrest charge when she began the hunger strike in late December, dying 15 days later. She'd been arrested after struggling with deputies taking her into custody for not answering a jury duty summons. In a written statement, Rodney Fernandes, Gomes' brother-in-law, said the family has been let down by the judiciary system, prison and health care services. The Chicago Tribune reports the lawsuit asserts Lake County officials denied Gomes due process and violated federal laws requiring accommodations for people with disabilities. Illinois Defendant freed after 21 years sues Chicago police CHICAGO (AP) -- A man released last year after spending 21 years in prison for murder accuses Chicago police in a lawsuit of manipulating a witness who later recanted. Attorney Locke Bowman, in announcing the lawsuit Thursday, said Jacques Rivera suffered a grave injustice at the hands of Chicago police. Rivera received an 80-year sentence when convicted in August 1988 in the death of 16-year-old Chicagoan Felix Valentin. Orlando Lopez was 13-years-old when he testified he watched Rivera shoot a rival gang member. Lopez recanted and Judge Neera Walsh ruled in September she believed him. Prosecutors dropped the charges against Valentin. The lawsuit contends Lopez didn't identify anyone as Valentin's assailant during a line-up that included Rivera, and detectives "falsified records" to indicate no line-up occurred. There's no immediate comment from Chicago officials. Arizona Tucson lawyer sues city for alleged sex harassment TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- A deputy city public defender has filed a federal lawsuit against Tucson, alleging sexual harassment by a former municipal judge. The Arizona Daily Star says Sharolynn Griffiths is seeking unspecified compensatory damages and attorneys' fees. She also wants the city to train managers and employees on discrimination and harassment, develop and implement an appropriate process when someone believes they are harassed and create an appropriate anti-harassment policy statement. Former Tucson City Court Judge Ted Abrams resigned in February 2011. That was after Pima County Superior Court found Griffiths had been subjected to unwanted and unsolicited contact of a sexual nature. Investigators say Abrams made "implicit and explicit comments, particularly via cellphone voice and text messages." An attorney for the city declined comment, citing the pending litigation. California Family of teenager killed by police get lawyer SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (AP) -- The family of a 15-year-old boy who was shot and killed for allegedly pointing a gun at a South San Francisco police officer has hired a prominent lawyer. Attorney John Burris said Thursday that he is launching a probe into the fatal shooting of Derrick Gaines in a gas station parking lot. Police said the officer made contact with Derrick Gaines and another teen Tuesday night because they were engaged in suspicious behavior. Police say Gaines ran and the officer gave chase and then shot Gaines when the teen pulled out a gun. Gaines later died at a local hospital as police say they recovered the teen's gun at the scene. Burris, who has handled numerous officer-involved shootings, said at this point there is no evidence that Gaines pulled out a gun or pointed it at the officer. The incident is under investigation. Ohio New indictment for lawyer in Ohio corruption probe CLEVELAND (AP) -- A lawyer charged with racketeering and bribery in a lengthy investigation of county government corruption in Cleveland is facing a new indictment. The indictment filed Thursday against Anthony Calabrese III alleges he paid a county worker to influence commissioners' choice of a new administration building. The Plain Dealer reports Calabrese represented a company hired by the county to find the building. The indictment also accused Calabrese of trying to hinder the corruption investigation. Calabrese previously was accused of paying public officials in exchange for business for his law firm and legal clients. He pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges and has been free on bond. He will be arraigned again on the new indictment. A message was left Friday for Calabrese's attorney. Maine Inmate seeks new trial for 1988 killing ROCKLAND, Maine (AP) -- A Maine man serving a life sentence for the 1988 kidnapping and killing of a Maine girl has a busy week ahead in court. Jury selection begins Friday in Rockland for Dennis Dechaine on a charge of drug trafficking in prison contraband for possessing morphine and the anti-anxiety drug Klonopin at the Maine State Prison in 2010. Dechaine has said he tried to take his life by ingesting the drugs because prison had sapped his will to live. The trial is expected to be held later this month. Next week, Dechaine's lawyer will try to convince a judge that based on DNA evidence, Dechaine should have a new trial for the 1988 kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Sarah Cherry of Bowdoin. Dechaine has maintained that he's not guilty. Published: Mon, Jun 11, 2012