National Roundup

Wisconsin
Court rules ticket did not violate religious freedom
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A state appeals court says a speeding ticket didn’t violate an Oshkosh man’s right to religious freedom.
A sheriff’s deputy cited Jeffrey L. Manke for speeding in Fond du Lac County in October 2011. According to court documents, he was traveling at 71 mph in a 55-mph zone.
Manke argued on appeal Wisconsin’s speeding statutes violate his right to religious freedom because they prohibit a person from speeding. He contended his Bible studies show he is a man, not a person. District Attorney Dan Kaminsky called Manke’s argument nonsensical in a reply brief.
The 2nd District Court of Appeals agreed Manke is a man, which also makes him a person.
Court records did not list an attorney for Manke. No residential listing for him could be found.

Kentucky
Ex-cheerleader proceeding with defamation suit
COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A former Cincinnati Bengals cheerleader is hitting back at a gossip website for its reports of her relationship with a high school student.
The Kentucky Enquirer reports that Sarah Jones is proceeding with a defamation lawsuit against the website TheDirty.com. According to her lawsuit, the web posts accused her of being promiscuous and having sexually transmitted diseases.
The suit also says a website operator defamed Jones by writing, “Why are high school teachers freaks in the sack?”
A federal judge set a Jan. 22 trial date during a pretrial conference this week at the federal courthouse in Covington.
Lawyers for Jones and the website said they expect the jury trial to last two or three days.
The website’s lawyers are seeking transcripts of hundreds of text messages between Jones and the student. The text messages were obtained by state prosecutors and have been placed under seal by a Kenton County circuit judge.
Jones pleaded guilty this month to having sex with her former student while she was a teacher in northern Kentucky. Her guilty plea to sexual misconduct and custodial interference was part of a plea agreement with prosecutors that allowed her to avoid jail time.
Jones’ lawyer says her defamation claim against the website isn’t negated by her conviction.
Jones has said the relationship began in February 2011 when the boy was 17.

Louisiana
Judge: Evidence exists to try man for bomb threat
MONROE, La. (AP) — A judge has found that enough evidence exists to bring former River Oaks School teacher and bomb threat suspect David Reyna to trial.
The News-Star reports Reyna was in court Monday for a preliminary examination hearing in which the prosecution presented evidence about the investigation and Reyna’s alleged involvement in the Sept. 24 offense.
Reyna was arrested Sept. 28 and accused of making bomb threats against River Oaks, St. Frederick and Ouachita Christian schools.
He was booked on one count of communicating false information of a planned bombing of school property.
The three schools were temporarily evacuated. River Oaks dismissed classes for the day, while St. Frederick and OCS resumed classes. No explosives were found by police.
He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Oct. 8.

North Dakota
Group trying to save courthouse turns to judge
WASHBURN, N.D. (AP) — A group has asked a judge to stop the planned demolition of the old McLean County Courthouse, arguing that it is historically significant and could be converted into office space instead of turned into a parking lot.
The McLean County Heritage Preservation Foundation says the century-old building has value because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and could be rented out for offices. The group has asked a judge to grant an injunction stopping demolition of the structure, which was built in 1908 and expanded in 1963.
“The historic courthouse means a lot to pioneer families,” foundation spokesman Dennis Kost told KXMB-TV.
County commissioners are forging ahead with their plan, emboldened by a public vote two years ago in which approval was given for construction of a new courthouse, which is under way. County commissioners have refused to halt plans to demolish the old building, which they say is bat-infested and has health concerns. The preservation group wants more time to seek grants so it can hire experts to dispute that, the Minot Daily News reported.
“The judge will either throw (the complaint) out or let us have a chance to explain why it should be saved,” Kost said.
The county commission on Tuesday awarded a bid to remove asbestos from the building, The Bismarck Tribune reported. Full demolition is to occur in the spring.
“We are going ahead with demolition,” State’s Attorney Ladd Erickson said. “There’s no validity to the complaint.”
The original courthouse building was abandoned three years ago when a second employee was diagnosed with a respiratory ailment linked to spores from bat guano. The Tribune reports that the new, three-story courthouse is nearly done and some offices already are occupied.

California
Racially-charged lawsuit against SDG&E delayed
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A judge has delayed a racially-charged lawsuit against San Diego Gas & Electric after the company argued that publicity tainted the jury pool.
U-T San Diego says a Superior Court judge on Tuesday delayed the start of trial until January.
Former lineman Bilal Abdullah is suing the utility for wrongful termination. Abdullah, who’s black, claims he was fired two years ago after complaining that co-workers tied a noose to the back of his truck, used the N-word and posted racist photos in a work room.
A former co-worker said in a March deposition that he’d used the N-word and tied workplace nooses.
SDG&E denies the lawsuit claims and says Abdullah was fired after committing safety violations that caused a potentially deadly explosion.