Ohio
Court upholds contract ruling against ex-coach
KENT, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio appeals court has upheld a $1.2 million judgment against former Kent State men's basketball coach Geno Ford over his 2011 departure to become coach at Bradley.
The ruling issued earlier this week sided with Kent State after it sued its former coach over breach of contract. The school's lawsuit claimed Ford didn't have permission to end his Kent State contract that was scheduled to expire this year.
Ford's teams won two consecutive Mid-American Conference regular-season titles during his three years at Kent State.
He's had losing records in two of his first three seasons at Bradley.
Ford's attorney declined to comment.
Missouri
Porn publisher wants execution records released
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Pornographic magazine publisher Larry Flynt is persevering in his legal fight to publicize details about Missouri's execution methods. This follows the November 2013 execution of the white supremacist gunman who left him paralyzed.
A federal district court judge denied Flynt's attempt to intervene in a 2013 lawsuit over Missouri's largely secret execution protocol. The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, which represents the Hustler publisher, wants the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the lower court ruling.
Oral arguments were scheduled for Wednesday.
Joseph Paul Franklin, who targeted blacks and Jews in a three-year cross-country killing spree, shot Flynt in 1978 but was never charged in that attack.
A separate legal challenge to Missouri's execution protocol filed on behalf of Franklin and other death-row inmates endures.
New York
Retrial underway in injury lawsuit against singer
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - A retrial has begun in the injury lawsuit filed by a woman who says 1980s pop star Rick Springfield fell on her during a 2004 concert at the New York State Fair.
The Post-Standard of Syracuse reports that Springfield became emotional and cried while testifying Tuesday in state Supreme Court.
The singer known for his 1981 hit "Jessie's Girl" is being sued by a 45-year-old woman who says she suffered serious injuries when Springfield fell into the crowd during a 2004 concert at the state fair outside Syracuse.
Vicki Calcagno of Liverpool says Springfield's buttocks hit her in the head, causing lasting injuries.
A judge declared a mistrial last year when a new witness came forward, claiming she too was knocked down by Springfield during the same concert.
Minnesota
2 teens plead guilty in foiled school bomb plot
WASECA, Minn. (AP) - Two teenagers charged in a foiled explosives plot at a southern Minnesota school have pleaded guilty.
The Mankato Free Press reported Tuesday that both teens pleaded guilty last week to felony possession of explosive material. They were accused of helping a classmate detonate small "test bombs" around Waseca, resulting in property damage.
Their classmate is accused of plotting to kill his family and attack his school with firearms and homemade explosives. Police and prosecutors don't believe the two teens were aware of his plot.
Waseca County Attorney Brenda Miller said she was pleased with the plea agreement.
The teens are on probation and must perform community service and write letters of apology.
All three were 17 when they were charged. The Associated Press generally doesn't identify juveniles accused of crimes.
Massachusetts
Police: Woman replaced Jesus with pig's head
HAVERHILL, Mass. (AP) - A homeless woman previously charged with scrawling "666" on a Massachusetts church stole a baby Jesus figurine from another church's Nativity scene on Christmas Day and replaced it with a pig's head, police said Wednesday.
Amarellis Cermeno, 54, is scheduled to be arraigned Friday on charges including destruction to a place of worship in connection with the Dec. 25 desecration at Sacred Hearts Roman Catholic church in Haverhill.
Cermeno appears to have "an obsession" with religious issues, police said. Rather than a hate crime, the desecration was "the act of an individual who appears to be mentally ill," police said.
Cermeno, who is known to look through trash bins for food, probably found the pig's head after it had been discarded by a family having a traditional Christmas pig roast, police said. A parish priest discovered the vandalism on Christmas morning.
Cermeno was arrested on Dec. 30 and charged with writing the number "666" - often associated with the devil - in several places on the La Iglesia Biblica Bautista. She also allegedly threatened a police officer with a large crucifix stolen from Sacred Hearts.
Cermeno is currently undergoing a mental health evaluation.
Mayor James Fiorentini said the case highlighted the need for mental health help for homeless people.
Sacred Hearts pastor the Rev. John Delaney said he and is parishioners are relieved that there has been an arrest but are also praying that the suspect gets the help she needs.
Oklahoma
Death rowinmates seek drug protocol ruling, stays
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Attorneys for four Oklahoma death row inmates are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a 10th Circuit Court ruling that approved the state's execution drug protocol.
Attorneys for Charles Warner, Richard Eugene Glossip, John Marion Grant and Benjamin Robert Cole have also requested stays of their scheduled executions, pending the appeal.
The documents filed Wednesday allege that the use of midazolam in a three-drug mixture to perform an execution is unacceptable because it cannot reliably produce "a deep, comalike unconsciousness."
The drugs were first used in Oklahoma in the April 29 execution of Clayton Lockett, whose lethal injection went awry after an intravenous line failed.
Warner is scheduled to die Thursday, Glossip on Jan. 29, Grant on Feb. 19, and Cole on March 5.
Published: Thu, Jan 15, 2015
