Michigan's oldest juvenile lifer, 74, to be released
DETROIT (AP) — A judge has cleared the way for the release of a 74-year-old man who is the oldest Michigan prisoner serving a life sentence for murder as a teen.
Sheldry Topp has been in prison since 1962. But he was resentenced Tuesday to a minimum of 40 years.
Attorney Deborah LaBelle says the new sentence means Topp should immediately be eligible for freedom.
States were forced to change the way they sentence teens after the U.S. Supreme Court said minors can't automatically be given life prison terms.
No-parole sentences still are possible. That's what prosecutor Jessica Cooper wanted for Topp.
But Oakland County Judge James Alexander says Topp has been rehabilitated. Topp was 17 when he was sentenced.
Police knocked over role in veteran’s detention
GRAND RAPIDS (AP) — Activists are calling for the firing of a Michigan police officer whom they accuse of racial profiling by notifying immigration officials about the arrest of a mentally ill Latino war veteran who is actually a U.S. citizen.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement held Jilmar Ramos-Gomez for three days in December before releasing the Michigan-born man.
Grand Rapids Lt. Curt VanderKooi told ICE about Ramos-Gomez' November arrest at a local hospital, referring to him as "loco," or crazy.
Interim police Chief David Kiddle says VanderKooi was reprimanded for "unprofessional language."
Dozens of people attended a city commission meeting Tuesday to express their displeasure with how Ramos-Gomez was treated.
The ACLU says Ramos-Gomez was racially profiled.
Wyoming district will open one-student school next fall
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming school district plans to re-open an isolated school to serve a single student entering kindergarten this fall.
The Laramie Boomerang reports Cozy Hollow School is about 60 miles north of Laramie. A modular classroom is already there but hasn't been used for about a decade.
It will be the second one-student school in the Albany County School District. They're only a few miles apart, but connecting roads are impassable much of the winter.
Wyoming law requires on-site education for isolated students when it's impossible to transport them to other schools.
The district tried live-streaming classes for isolated students but it didn't work well.
Portland Trail Blazers stuck in elevator going to practice
BOSTON (AP) — The Portland Trail Blazers might want to use the stairs after the squad got stuck in an elevator.
They were headed to practice Tuesday at Emerson College in Boston when the elevator stopped between floors. Center Enes Kanter tweeted a video in which team members looked at their phones and talked about "survival mode" as one held a candy bar. They said it was hot in the elevator.
Center Meyers Leonard tweeted video of the tall basketball players climbing out of the elevator about 30 minutes later.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
