Louisiana
Ex-NFL star has new plea hearing
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Former NFL star Darren Sharper has a new plea hearing Thursday, further indication that his plea agreement in a drug and sexual assault case is off, federal court documents show.
Earlier this month, court records showed that Sharper had renewed plea negotiations with federal prosecutors and was preparing a trial defense.
Sharper had pleaded guilty as part of a deal involving charges in four states, but a federal judge deferred acceptance of the deal last year. He also has pleaded guilty or no contest to similar charges in state courts in California, Arizona, Nevada and Louisiana.
Court records show that U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo last week also pushed back a trial date for Sharper and his two co-defendants: Brandon Licciardi and Eric Nunez. The trial had been set to start March 7, but now it is set to begin May 16.
An attorney for Nunez declined to comment Tuesday. Other attorneys involved did not return messages seeking comment.
Two Louisiana state counts of aggravated rape against Sharper stemmed from accusations that he sexually assaulted two drug-impaired women at his apartment in September 2013.
The federal indictment charged Sharper with distributing the drugs alprazolam, diazepam and zolpidem - more commonly known by the brand names Xanax, Valium and Ambien, respectively - with the intent to commit rape.
Sharper was selected All-Pro six times and chosen for the Pro Bowl five times during a career that included stints with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. He played in two Super Bowls, one with the Packers as a rookie and the 2010 New Orleans Saints victory.
Washington
85-year-old man convicted of five child sex crimes
KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) - An 85-year-old Finley man has been found guilty of charges relating to the sexual abuse of a young girl.
The Tri-City Herald reports that Eugene Lester Standfill was convicted Tuesday of five sex crimes, including child molestation and rape of a child.
He's accused of sexually abusing the girl and taking sexually explicit photos of her for at least a decade. Authorities were alerted to the alleged abuse after the victim reported it to a friend in 2014.
Standfill has been out of custody since posting $50,000 bail in December 2014.
His sentencing has been set for April 7.
Washington
Man accused of road rage faced with sex crimes
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - A convicted felon accused of ramming several cars in downtown Spokane is also charged with child molestation.
The Spokesman-Review reports that the man is facing several assault charges in for ramming cars Saturday. Court records show that he and his wife, who is also a convicted felon, are charged with child molestation. The molestation charges were filed on Tuesday.
Investigators say the man slammed into cars this weekend during what appeared to be a road rage incident. Investigators say when the man's car became damaged he attempted to get into a nearby occupied car and was tackled by bystanders.
Iowa
Man gets 60 days for head-butting 13-year-old son
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - A Sergeant Bluff man has been given 60 days in jail for head-butting his 13-year-old son.
Forty-eight-year-old Bradley Graff also was ordered Tuesday to pay $410 in restitution. The Sioux City Journal reports that Graff pleaded guilty to child endangerment. He pleaded guilty in a separate case to failing to register as a sex offender. He was given a suspended five-year sentence and two years' probation.
Court documents say the head-butting occurred while Graff was practicing wrestling with his 11- and 13-year-old sons at his business, Wall of Fame. The documents say the older boy asked to stop practicing, but Graff threw him onto a mat several times and head-butted him. The documents also say Graff stomped his son's head onto the mat, giving the boy a bloody nose.
Utah
Woman accused in infant's death dies before trial
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A trial has been canceled as the Murray woman who was accused of fatally shaking an infant while she was watching him in 2011 has died.
Court documents show 39-year-old Jennifer Duran Martinez died Jan. 10 of natural causes, leading to the cancellation of her April murder trial.
Martinez has been accused of first-degree murder in the death of Kaysen Calhoun. Court documents show Martinez was watching Kaysen before his death on Sept. 22, 2011. A medical examiner concluded the 4-month-old died from someone shaking him.
Martinez's defense attorney said an initial report showed Kaysen's trauma happened 10 to 12 hours before his death, before Martinez was watching him.
Alaska
Mayor in legal battle over training contract
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A mayor and a dog musher in Alaska have sued each other for thousands of dollars over an agreement to train together for this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Gwen Bogart of Wasilla filed her suit against Matanuska-Susitna Borough Mayor Vern Halter in December, alleging that Halter broke a contract by failing to provide training, housing and a dog team.
Halter has placed among the top five mushers in three Iditarod races.
Bogart wants him to return a $15,000 deposit, The Alaska Dispatch News reported on Monday.
Halter filed a counterclaim against Bogart. He denies owing her the deposit and claims she did not fulfill the entire $52,000 payment she agreed to under the contract.
"The unpaid balance is $37,000," the counterclaim states.
Bogart agreed to pay $52,000 for a chance at completing the race. She made a down payment of $15,000 on April 15, five months before she planned to move into Halter's Dream a Dream Dog Farm.
In her lawsuit, Bogart said she worked about 160 hours at the kennel and has not been paid for it. She said she left the business after experiencing Halter's "bad temper and bad language" during a late summer training session.
Halter, in his counterclaim, said Bogart left the training facility Sept. 5 and stopped fulfilling the requirements of the contract.
Published: Thu, Feb 18, 2016
