National Roundup

New Jersey Teens accused in Revolutionary War weapon theft HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) -- Two New Jersey teens are accused of stealing more than a dozen American Revolutionary War weapons from a museum marking the spot where George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River. State Police say a power outage caused by Hurricane Irene disabled the alarm system at Washington Crossing State Park. All the stolen artifacts were recovered. Eighteen-year-old Timothy Davis-Napier and a 17-year-old, whose name was not released, are charged with burglary and theft. Acting State Police Capt. Frank Davis tells The Times of Trenton he doesn't know how they knew the alarm was compromised during the Aug. 30 break-in. The park marks where Washington and the Continental Army landed on Christmas 1776, a first move in the Battle of Trenton that was a turning point in the war. Maryland Man gets 10 years for abusing blind baby HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- A Hagerstown man is serving a 10-year prison term for abusing a blind baby. The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown reports that 21-year-old Clyde Gatrell III was sentenced Monday in Washington County Circuit Court. Gatrell was convicted at a bench trial in July of second-degree child abuse and second-degree assault for fracturing the boy's legs and burning his lips and abdomen with an overheated baby bottle. Washington County Circuit Judge Donald Beachley says the victim was "incredibly vulnerable." Assistant Public Defender Jerome Joyce says his client denies having been rough with the child. Gatrell was acquitted of the more serious charges of first-degree child abuse and first-degree assault stemming from fractures to the baby's arms. Gatrell had been living with the baby's mother. The child's grandmother says he's thriving now. Texas Attacked child molester gets 22 years in prison FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- A North Texas man who went to police after someone attacked him for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl has been sentenced to 22 years in prison. Police say Steven Michael Grogg walked into the North Richland Hills police station bleeding from the head in October after someone who knew the child assaulted him. Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney Dale Smith said during Monday's sentencing that "it's very rare to see a case like this." Authorities say the 60-year-old confessed. Court documents indicate that Grogg committed sexual acts on the girl several times last year when he and his wife babysat. Weeks later, someone confronted Grogg about it and beat him up. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Grogg pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child on Friday. Louisiana Immigrants' law y ers want suit mo v ed from LA to PA NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A lawsuit challenging federal rules that would boost wages for temporary immigrant workers would be dismissed or moved to Pennsylvania if a judge goes along with a motion filed in central Louisiana. Louisiana foresters, seafood and sugar cane processors, hotel owners and amusement park operators are among those challenging the rules set to take effect Sept. 30. They say the rules could drive up wages by 83 percent and kill some businesses. But attorneys for the Southern Poverty Law Center and immigrants who support the change say the challenge doesn't belong in Louisiana. The rule change resulted from a federal court ruling in Pennsylvania, so, they argue that the Louisiana lawsuit should either be thrown out or moved to that state. A hearing in the case is set for Friday in Alexandria. The rules govern wages paid to workers who are in the country with visas issued through the Labor Department's H-2B program. The departments of Labor and Homeland Security are defendants in the lawsuit. Those opposing the new rules say they will ultimately hurt the economy because employers who hire immigrant workers -- often to do jobs U.S. citizens don't want to do -- won't be able to pay the higher wages. Those who want the new rules to take effect as scheduled say a federal court in Louisiana is not the proper place to challenge the rules. "Such bald-faced attempts to appeal one district court's judgment and orders to another district court not only has the potential to subject the Department of Labor to irreconcilable commands but demonstrates a fundamental disrespect for the comity of the federal courts," the motion filed Monday states. Arkansas Death penalty dropped in Pearcy slayings HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) -- Garland County prosecutors will not seek the death penalty for a man charged with capital murder in the deaths of five people in Pearcy. Twenty-four-year-old Jeremy Pickney is charged with five counts of capital murder in the November 2009 deaths of Jeremy Gentry, Kristyn Warneke, Edward Gentry Jr., Pamela Gentry, and Edward Gentry Sr. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty during a hearing Monday in Garland County Circuit Court. Pickney has pleaded not guilty. Co-defendant Samuel Conway was convicted in June and sentenced to life without parole in the case. Jeremy Gentry, Edward Gentry Jr., Pamela Gentry and Warneke were found shot to death in the Gentry's burned home. Edward Gentry Sr. was found shot to death in an adjacent home. Kansas 2nd brother convicted in murder over video game WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- A second Wichita brother has been found guilty of killing a man during a fight over a video game. A Sedgwick County jury on Monday found Benjamin Redgate guilty in the beating death of 22-year-old Luke German last October. The Wichita Eagle reports that witnesses testified that the brothers became angry when German accused them of cheating while playing "Madden NFL 10," a football video game. Witnesses said Benjamin Redgate beat German with a metal rod, while his brother, Chris Redgate, hit and kicked him. Twenty-six-year-old Chris Redgate pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is awaiting sentencing on Oct. 13. Benjamin Redgate will be sentenced Oct. 21. Published: Wed, Sep 21, 2011