National Roundup

Texas
Family of Muslim teen arrested over clock sues
DALLAS (AP) — The family of a Muslim boy who was arrested after bringing a homemade clock to school has sued Texas school officials, saying they violated the 14-year-old boy’s civil rights.

The lawsuit was filed Monday on behalf of Ahmed Mohamed. The teen was arrested at his suburban Dallas high school in September and charged with having a hoax bomb. He says he brought the homemade clock to school to show his teacher.

The charge was later dropped, but he was still suspended.

The lawsuit names Irving Independent School District, the city of Irving and the school’s principal. A district spokeswoman says the district would release a statement later Monday.

The family has since moved to Qatar, citing threats and a scholarship offered to Ahmed in the Persian Gulf country.

Kentucky
Judge agrees to suspension over racially charged comments
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky judge accused of misconduct for a series of racially charged comments aimed at a prosecutor has been suspended by the state Judicial Conduct Commission.

Olu Stevens, a circuit judge in Louisville, accepted a 90-day suspension without pay in an agreement with attorneys for the commission.

The agreement was announced at the start of a hearing Monday that potentially could have ushered Stevens off the bench for good. The commission deliberated for just a few minutes before accepting the agreement.

Stevens admitted to violating a series of judicial canons. The charges stem from Stevens’ social media comments accusing a local prosecutor of wanting all-white juries. Stevens is black and the prosecutor is white.

A contrite Stevens told the commission he was wrong and his conduct was improper.

Pennsylvania
Woman blasts Cosby request to have lawyer attend deposition
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lawyers for the woman Bill Cosby is charged with sexually assaulting in 2004 say his request to have his attorney attend her deposition in a Pennsylvania civil case is “a continuation of his campaign to harass and intimidate.”

Andrea Constand asked the court last week to deny Cosby’s motion to have his lawyer present during her deposition in her lawsuit against former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor. Constand is suing Castor for defamation.

Cosby settled a lawsuit in 2006 that Constand filed against him. Cosby’s motion says Constand is barred by the settlement from discussing her allegations against him. He says he wants an attorney present to ensure the confidentiality of that agreement isn’t violated.

A judge hasn’t ruled.

Cosby was charged last year with sexually assaulting Constand. He has pleaded not guilty.

Florida
Comics dealer says $85,000 in books stolen 
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida comics dealer says books worth tens of thousands were stolen at a Tampa convention, including two rare editions that marked the first appearance of Spider-Man.

Tampa police say Rick Whitelock of Panama City said he brought several boxes of books to the Tampa Bay Comic Con on Thursday and left them in the locked convention center overnight. When he began preparing his booth Friday, one box was missing.

Whitelock told the Tampa Bay Times the box contained such rarities as two copies of Amazing Fantasy No. 15 from 1962, which features the first appearance of Spider-Man. Another book had the first appearance of the Justice League team of Batman, Superman,
Wonder Woman, Aquaman and The Flash.

Whitelock says the books are unique and would be difficult to sell unnoticed.

Oregon
State Supreme Court upholds death in bombing
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Supreme Court has upheld death sentences for a father and son who were convicted of aggravated murder for the 2008 bombing of a Woodburn bank.

The Salem Statesman-Journal reported that the high court on Friday declined to revisit a May decision not to grant Bruce and Joshua Turnidge a new trial.

The bank bombing killed Oregon State Police trooper William Hakim and Woodburn Police Officer Tom Tennant.

Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russel and a bank employee were injured in the explosion.

The bomb detonated after law enforcement mistook it for a hoax and tried to dismantle it.

Trial evidence showed the Turnidges were motivated by anti-government views.

Delaware
Judge weighing whether to try girl as adult in fight
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A police detective says a Delaware high school student who died after an assault in a girls’ restroom suffered cuts and bruises and had her fingernails ripped out.

The testimony came Monday at a Family Court hearing to decide whether a 16-year-old girl charged in the death of Amy Joyner-Francis should be tried as an adult.

The defendant, charged with criminally negligent homicide and conspiracy, is accused of repeatedly hitting 16-year-old Joyner-Francis in a premeditated attack April 21 at Wilmington’s Howard High School of Technology. Two other girls are charged with conspiracy.

The Associated Press is not naming the juveniles.

Joyner-Francis had a pre-existing heart condition. Authorities say she suffered sudden cardiac death, with a contributing factor of physical and emotional stress due to physical assault.

Delaware
Transgender inmate suing over hormone therapy
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A transgender inmate is accusing Delaware prison officials of denying her access to medically recommended hormone therapy, reading her legal mail and putting her in solitary confinement in retaliation for her legal complaints.

The News Journal of Wilmington reports that lawyers for Kamilla Denise London filed a civil rights lawsuit in the Court of Chancery against Department of Correction employees last week.

The lawsuit says employees at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, a male prison, transferred London to solitary confinement instead of moving her to a prison medical facility as recommended by her psychologists.

Prisons spokeswoman Jayme Gravell declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.

London is serving 25 years for manslaughter after striking and killing a man while fleeing police in a stolen car.