National Roundup

Delaware Man hid cocaine inside prosthetic leg, police say DOVER, Del. (AP) - Police say a Delaware drug suspect went out on a limb to transport a stash of cocaine, but he was busted when officers discovered the drug hidden inside his prosthetic leg. Dover Police say 39-year-old Marlow Holmes was arrested Monday afternoon during a traffic stop. They said police dogs alerted officers to the presence of narcotics inside the car Holmes had been riding in. During a search of the car officers said they discovered more than 28 grams of cocaine stuffed into the prosthetic leg that Holmes was wearing, and arrested him. Police say Holmes faces charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was jailed, with bond set at $81,000. Police say they kept the drugs as evidence but returned Holmes' leg. Florida Music promoter denied bail in $300M fraud MIAMI (AP) - A judge has refused to grant bail for a former music promoter who produced shows for acts such as the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Aerosmith and was recently extradited from Brazil to face a $300 million criminal fraud case. U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres said Wednesday there was ample evidence 72-year-old Jack Utsick might attempt to flee prosecution. Authorities say he took off for Brazil in 2007 amid investigations by the FBI and Securities and Exchange Commission into his Worldwide Entertainment Inc. promotion company. Utsick was extradited last year. Authorities say the concert business was actually a Ponzi scheme, with older investors being paid with money from newer ones. An estimated 3,300 investors were defrauded out of nearly $300 million. Utsick will plead not guilty to mail fraud charges. Georgia Gregg Allman filmmaker never given immunity SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia prosecutor says her office never promised immunity to one of four filmmakers charged in a fatal train crash that occurred during shooting of a biographical movie about singer Gregg Allman. Hillary Schwartz was an assistant director on the film "Midnight Rider" when a freight train plowed into the crew in southeast Georgia last February. Camera assistant Sarah Jones was killed and six others were injured. Last month, Schwartz's attorneys asked a judge to dismiss charges of involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing. They said Schwartz was indicted after prosecutors broke a promise not to charge her in exchange for an interview. In a written response to the court Friday, District Attorney Jackie Johnson says her office only promised not to use Schwartz's July 29 interview as evidence against her. Maryland Rule diminished female guard as soldier, she says FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) - A female soldier at Guantanamo Bay says an order barring women from jobs that require physical contact with male prisoners makes her feel less of a soldier. The military policewoman who name was not revealed testified Wednesday at a pretrial hearing for Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi (AHB'-dahl HAH'-dee ahl-ee-RAH'-kee) at the military base in Cuba. The Associated Press covered the hearing from a video feed at Fort Meade near Baltimore. The government is contesting a military judge's interim order barring female guards from jobs that would require them to touch al-Hadi while moving him to attorney-client meetings and court hearings. Al-Hadi contends his Muslim faith prohibits physical contact with females other than wives and close relatives. Some female guards have filed equal opportunity complaints with the military over such orders. California Man charged with killing, torturing newborn daughter SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) - A Los Angeles-area man was charged Tuesday with sexually assaulting, torturing and killing his nearly 3-week-old daughter. Matthew Brendan Warner, 30, of Santa Clarita, was charged with molesting and killing his 19-day-old daughter, Ellorah, who was found Saturday morning in the cab of a pickup truck about a half-mile from the condominium that Warner shared with his girlfriend, the infant's mother, officials said. The parents had reported the child missing Friday night, but the next morning, Warner led investigators to the truck, which was parked at an apartment building, City News Service reported. The exact cause of the child's death had not been determined. Warner, who remained jailed, was charged with murder, assault on a child causing death, sexual assault of a child, torture and oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child. He remained jailed and could face life in prison if convicted. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 18. A call to his public defender, Victor Gerson, was not immediately returned. Warner's mother, Victoria Law-Thompson, told the station that her son had a history of drug addiction but she did not believe he would have intentionally harmed his daughter. "No, no, it's not even conceivable," she said. "Not him. I wouldn't call it murder if it's an accident. I don't know what happened." His girlfriend was not arrested. Her mother, Nan Allison, told KABC-TV that her daughter was "inconsolable." Warner had told her that their baby was missing, she said. The criminal complaint listed "revenge" as a motive for the alleged attack. Warner was on probation after a 2012 conviction for joyriding - his fourth such conviction since 2003, authorities said. New Jersey Jets hire brother of judge in sports betting lawsuit NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The New York Jets' hiring of the brother of a judge considering New Jersey's efforts to allow sports betting won't affect the case, for now. State Sen. Ray Lesniak, a sports betting supporter, and Dennis Drazin (DRAY'-zinn), an attorney advising Monmouth Park Racetrack, say Marcel Shipp's hiring won't lead them to ask U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp to remove himself from the case. Marcel Shipp, a former NFL player, was hired by the Jets this week as a coach. Michael Shipp has ruled against New Jersey in a lawsuit filed by the four pro sports leagues and the NCAA. The case is to be heard by a federal appeals court in March. Lesniak says the issue could be revisited if the appeals court sends the case back to Shipp. Published: Thu, Jan 29, 2015