Court Roundup

Pennsylvania
DA: Ex-court records clerk took 18K in ‘gratuities’
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A former county court records clerk in Pittsburgh has been charged with taking more than $18,000 in gratuities from attorneys since 2009 in violation of the state’s Ethics Act.

The Allegheny County district attorney on Tuesday charged 55-year-old Scott Bristol with one count of violating the act.

The DA says Bristol traveled to attorney offices in the area to get estate paperwork filled out and sworn in, and received $75 to $100 for each trip.

Although the Register of Wills Office allows attorneys to pay the county a $75 fee for employees to travel and get documents signed and notarized, the court clerks are not allowed to do that on their own and accept gratuities or payments for doing so.

Bristol was awaiting arraignment and doesn’t have an attorney listed in court records.

Oklahoma
Father charged in son’s carbon monoxide death
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Prosecutors have charged an Oklahoma man with second-degree murder in the death of his disabled 8-year-old son, who was overcome by carbon monoxide last month.

The Tulsa World reports that Noel Cruz, of Tulsa, was charged Monday in the death of Noah Cruz Campbell, who had spinal muscular atrophy and used a wheelchair.

According to prosecutors, Cruz was found, passed out but alive, in a running vehicle in a garage adjoining his home. The door to the family’s home was left open, allowing fumes from the garage to pollute the home too.

An affidavit says Cruz told authorities he’d left the door open so he could hear if Noah called. The boy died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Cruz remains jailed on $500,000 bond. Court records don’t list an attorney.

Ohio
Woman pleads not guilty to recorded sex acts with dog
WARREN, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio woman has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of having sex with a dog that authorities say was recorded on video.

Thirty-three-year-old Amber Finney entered the plea Monday in Warren Municipal Court. She was arrested Sunday after workers at a drug store recognized her and called 911. An arrest warrant had been issued in January, after police learned about the video.

Finney’s newly assigned public defender couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.

Warren, 55 miles (89 kilometers) east of Cleveland, last year became the first Ohio city enact a bestiality law. A similar state law took effect last month.

WKBN-TV reports Finney told officers the video was a fake and that she had been drugged with something slipped into her drink.


Pennsylvania
Prostitute, man rob home after ‘john’ failed to pay
WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — Police say an alleged prostitute and a male friend robbed a home in the Philadelphia suburbs after one of her customers failed to pay her for sex.

The alleged prostitute, 22-year-old Monica DeJesus, and 36-year-old Justin Harris, remained in the Chester County jail on Tuesday on charges including robbery, conspiracy and promoting prostitution.

Philly.com reports they went to the residence in East Goshen Township about 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

Harris allegedly had a gun and kicked in the door, but was overpowered by one of two residents inside, who hit Harris in the face with a fireplace poker. DeJesus then picked up the gun and pointed it at one resident as the other ran away.
Police found the couple a short time later with the gun and unspecified property taken from the residence.

Court records don’t list defense attorneys.