Missouri
State Supreme Court sets new execution date
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court has set a July execution date for John Middleton, a methamphetamine dealer convicted of killing another drug dealer in western Missouri in 1995.
Middleton, who is 54, is scheduled to die at 12:01 a.m. July 16 at the state prison in Bonne Terre.
Missouri has executed four men this year and six since November. Another convicted killer, John Winfield, is scheduled to be put to death on June 18.
Meanwhile, Russell Bucklew’s execution, originally scheduled for May 21, remains on hold after the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay over concerns that Bucklew’s rare medical condition could cause him to suffer during lethal injection.
Only Texas and Florida have performed more executions than Missouri in 2014.
Tennessee
Former sheriff acquitted on assault charges
JACKSON, Tenn. (AP) — A jury has acquitted a former West Tennessee sheriff of assault charges involving one of his deputies.
Madison County Sheriff David Woolfork was arrested in December after being indicted on charges of attempted aggravated sexual battery and other counts. A female deputy had accused him of sexually assaulting her at her home.
Woolfork denied the charges and said they were motivated by politics and money.
The Jackson Sun reports jurors deliberated for about two hours on Thursday before reaching their decision.
Woolfork retired as sheriff earlier this year after county officials tried to remove him from office because of alleged misconduct.
Texas
State high court denies Lance Armstrong move
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court has denied Lance Armstrong’s request to block a Dallas company’s attempts to recover about $12 million in performance bonuses it paid the cyclist during his career.
SCA Promotions wants its money back now that Armstrong has admitted using performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France seven times. Armstrong and the company have been in a legal dispute over the money for several years. The company alleges it was deceived by Armstrong and an arbitration panel has agreed to consider the company’s case in June.
Armstrong has sought to block the arbitration review and his pending sworn testimony.
The court ruled in SCA’s favor Friday.
In his court appeal, Armstrong argued he had a binding settlement with the company in 2006 that should not be overturned.
Montana
Man who stole military medals sentenced to jail
KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — A Kalispell man who pleaded guilty to theft, forgery, selling drugs and stealing a military uniform and medals has been sentenced to five years in prison.
The Daily Inter Lake reports 25-year-old Sean Smith was sentenced on May 13.
Smith pleaded guilty to felony theft for stealing tools and other items, criminal distribution of heroin along with two felony charges for forging checks.
A Kalispell Municipal Court judge earlier sentenced Smith to 30 days in jail and 120 days on probation for the January theft of a shadow box containing a military uniform and medals belonging to a deceased Vietnam War veteran. Police recovered the medals belonging to James Smith, including a Purple Heart, and returned them to his brother, Greg Smith. The uniform was not recovered.
Sean Smith is not related to the brothers.
Oklahoma
Police sergeant accused of trying to poison dogs
ARDMORE, Okla. (AP) — An Ardmore police sergeant faces a misdemeanor charge after prosecutors accused him of attempting to poison dogs in his neighborhood.
Sgt. Barry Antwine was charged Wednesday with laying out poison for domestic animals. According to court records, Antwine is accused of putting ethylene glycol in a Cool Whip container outside his home. The chemical is found in antifreeze and brake fluid.
It’s unknown whether any dogs were harmed.
Ardmore Police Chief Ken Grace says Antwine is on administrative leave until the case is resolved. Grace says the case was investigated by the district attorney’s office because it involved a member of the police department.
Antwine is due in court June 11. Court records do not list an attorney, and Antwine didn’t return a message left on his cell phone Thursday.
Pennsylvania
Parents sue city over interpreter for deaf son, 8
GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) — The parents of a deaf 8-year-old boy have sued a western Pennsylvania city because they want it to provide a sign-language interpreter for a local youth soccer league.
The parents and their son are identified only by their initials in the federal lawsuit against the city of Greensburg. The suit was first reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The couple contends their son needs the interpreter to understand his coaches. The boy’s mother served as the boy’s interpreter in 2012, but has been unable to do so last year or this year.
City solicitor Bernard McArdle says he doesn’t believe the city is required to provide the interpreter because the boy is a non-resident playing in a league whose coaches are volunteers. He estimated the interpreter would cost the city $5,000 to $10,000 annually.
Texas
Federal judge says no to Jesus tattoo school ad
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A federal judge has sided with the Lubbock Independent School District in a lawsuit brought by a religious group whose ad featuring a heavily tattooed image of Jesus was rejected by school officials.
A Lubbock-based firm called Little Pencil and founded to promote Christian values through the media sued the district earlier this year after their ad for Jesus Tattoo was refused.
A legal group representing the firm tells the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal they’re disappointed with the decision Thursday from U.S. District Sam Cummings and are “evaluating our options for appeal.”
School district officials contended the ad equated to proselytizing and violated the district’s code of conduct policy that requires tattoos be covered.
