National Roundup

Florida
Judge arrested in undercover prostitution sting
NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge has been arrested along with five other men in an undercover police prostitution sting.

The Naples Daily News reports that Lee County Circuit Judge Jay B. Rosman was arrested along with the others after arranging to meet someone Friday they thought was a prostitute but who was actually an undercover Naples police officer.

A police report says the 64-year-old Rosman offered to pay $300 for an unspecified sex act.

A spokeswoman for the Lee County courts confirmed the arrest and says Rosman was released on bail.

Rosman has been a judge since 1986 and was the 20th Judicial Circuit’s chief judge from 2011 to 2015.

Rosman is married to a Naples attorney and the couple has three children.

Missouri
Man released after his murder conviction tossed
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri man has been freed on bail after his conviction in his wife’s Christmas Day 2006 death was overturned.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that 61-year-old Brad Jennings was released Friday. Jennings says he always maintained hope because he knew he was innocent of killing his wife, Lisa Jennings, at the couple’s home in the town of Buffalo. Her death initially was ruled a suicide but was re-investigated after her sister raised concerns.

One key issue in overturning his 2009 conviction last week was the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s failure to disclose testing on the robe that Bradley Jennings was wearing. The defense didn’t learn until years later that the robe tested negative for gunshot residue.

State prosecutors have 120 days to decide whether to try him again.

Wisconsin
GOP gives state Supreme Court candidate $31K
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Republican Party has given a $31,000 in-kind contribution to Michael Screnock, a candidate for the state Supreme Court.

Races for the court are officially nonpartisan, but the partisan lines are clear for each of the three candidates running this year.

Screnock is a Sauk County circuit judge who has the support of conservatives, even though he’s claiming to be nonpartisan. Madison attorney Tim Burns has declared himself a Democrat as he runs the most partisan race of the three. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Rebecca Dallet is also going after Democratic voters, while saying she’s the only truly independent candidate.

Connecticut
Man charged with stabbing parents during domestic dispute
GRANBY, Conn. (AP) — A 40-year-old Connecticut man has been arrested on attempted murder and assault charges in connection with the stabbings of his parents.

Police in Granby say they responded to a domestic assault shortly after 3 a.m. Monday and arrested Christopher Rich outside his parents’ home.

Police Capt. William Tyler says Rich’s parents were conscious when officers arrived and are in stable condition at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford. Their names have not been released.

Tyler says no other suspects are being sought. The motive for the stabbings has not been disclosed.

Rich is detained on $500,000 bail pending a court arraignment Tuesday. It’s not clear if he has a lawyer who could respond to the allegations.

Ohio
Court considers Miranda warnings by social workers
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court will decide whether social workers must inform criminal defendants of their Miranda rights when conducting interviews.

At issue are statements given to a social worker by a jailed Cleveland man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl.

A judge allowed the social worker to testify at trial about offender Demetrius Jackson’s statements.

He was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison. A lower court overturned that conviction in 2016.

Court justices scheduled arguments in the case for Tuesday.

Jackson’s lawyer argues that social workers are state investigators who should be required to give Miranda warnings before beginning interviews.

The Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH’-guh) County Prosecutor’s Office says social workers aren’t considered law enforcement investigators under Ohio law and aren’t trained in criminal procedure.

West Virginia
Court: Former judge ineligible for benefits
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The West Virginia Supreme Court has ruled a former judge serving a corruption sentence and his ex-wife are not eligible for public retirement benefits.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the court Friday affirmed a 2017 ruling from Kanawha County circuit court to terminate ex-Mingo County Circuit Judge Michael Thornsbury’s membership in retirement systems for public employees and judges.

The justices also denied access by Thornsbury’s ex-wife to the benefits she previously were awarded as part of the couple’s divorce settlement.

Thornsbury was sentenced in 2014 to four years and two months in federal prison for conspiring to deprive a campaign sign maker of his constitutional rights..

Thornsbury is being held in a federal residential re-entry facility in Nashville, Tennessee, pending his scheduled release on March 15.

Colorado
Judge grants new trial to convicted man after mishap
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado judge has decided to give a convicted man a new trial after prosecutors learned that jurors were provided with information that they had agreed to leave out during the trial.

The Daily Sentinel reports 37-year-old Matthew Mitchell, who was accused of robbing and killing 51-year-old Paul Davis, was convicted of first-degree murder and other charges on Dec. 15.

After the verdict was announced, Mesa County Prosecutor Rich Tuttle discovered that the jury had learned Mitchell was found with meth when he was arrested, something Tuttle had agreed to leave out.
He reported his findings to private defense Frank Moya and District Judge Valerie Robison

Robison decided to give Mitchell a new trial on Tuesday.

Mitchell will return to court Feb. 23 to schedule new trial dates.