National Roundup

Massachusetts High court tosses confession in arson deaths BOSTON (AP) -- The state's highest court has thrown out the alleged confession of a Northampton man who admitted setting a series of fires, including a blaze that killed two people. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled Monday that state troopers made "misrepresentations" to Anthony Baye while interrogating him about the fires, including minimizing his crimes and assuring him he would get leniency if he admitted setting the fires. The court overturned a decision by a Superior Court judge to allow the statements. Baye admitted responsibility for several in a series of 15 fires in Northampton in December 2009, including one that killed an 81-year-old man and his 39-year-old son who became trapped inside their home when it burned to the ground. Texas Convicted killer's June execution delayed HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- The execution of a man early next month for the slaying of a Dallas woman at her apartment more than 20 years ago has been delayed. Dallas County prosecutors asked a judge to withdraw the June 6 execution date for 39-year-old Bobby Lee Hines because results of additional DNA testing in his case won't be available by then. District Court Judge Don Adams in Dallas approved the request Friday. Hines was convicted of the 1991 murder of 26-year-old Michelle Wendy Haupt. She was stabbed with an ice pick and strangled. Hines was 19 at the time and on probation for a burglary conviction. He was staying with the apartment complex maintenance man who lived next door to the victim and had access to all the keys in the development. Ohio $1M bond for Ohio woman charged in odd stabbing CLEVELAND (AP) -- A judge has set $1 million bond for a Cleveland woman charged with murder in a bizarre stabbing. Police say 29-year-old Kimberly Black stabbed her best friend, who then tried to drive away, striking and killing Black's 2-year-old daughter. Black stared at the floor with her hands behind her back during Monday's brief Cleveland Municipal Court arraignment. The prosecutor says Black has "psychiatric" problems. Black did not address the judge but nodded when a public defender said Black was waiving a detailed proceeding. Black has been in custody since the stabbing Thursday night. Police say the friend, Sharice Swain, was stabbed during an argument while sitting behind the wheel of a car. Another of Black's daughters was injured when Swain tried to drive away. Delaware O'Donnell denies lawyer's claim he is owed money WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) -- Former Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell is battling in court with a lawyer who says he's owed more than $20,000 for work on her Senate campaigns. Jonathan Moseley claims he is owed more than $3,200 in wages and more than $1,800 in expenses from O'Donnell's 2008 campaign. He also says he is owed $15,000 for his work for O'Donnell early last year. Moseley, who is representing himself, was expected to testify first at Monday's trial. O'Donnell and former campaign manager Matt Moran also were to testify. The O'Donnell camp denies that Moseley is owed anything. In recent days, her representatives have repeatedly pointed out that Moseley was disciplined in Virginia for professional misconduct, saying he is dishonest and manipulative. Moseley suggested that O'Donnell's supporters were trying to smear him. Massachusetts Salem woman charged for trying spread scabies SALEM, Mass. (AP) -- Police say a Salem woman has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for allegedly trying to infect her landlord with a skin disease. Police tell The Salem News the woman argued with her landlord on Saturday morning after exterminators arrived to deal with her complaint of bugs and mice in her apartment, but refused to enter. The woman, who admitted to having a "severe" case of scabies on her arms, complained that her landlord "was treating her like a leper," and wiped her arms on him. Scabies is a skin disease caused by tiny mites. The itchy rash is spread by direct contact. The woman will be summoned to court at a later date. Names were not released. Louisiana Man claims justifiable homicide in May 2010 death OPELOUSAS, La. (AP) -- A staff sergeant with the U.S. Air Force plans to claim justifiable homicide when he stands trial next month for manslaughter in the May 2010 shooting death of his wife's ex-husband. Police say Jason and Twaila Rolls, both 27, had been married for only a few hours when Michael Hall showed up at their Krotz Springs home. According to a statement by then-Assistant Police Chief Chris David, Hall knocked on a locked -- but apparently improperly closed door -- and then entered the couple's home. In police statements, the couple stated that Hall attacked both of them, pushing down Twaila Rolls as he made his way to Jason Rolls, who was resting on a couch in another room. Hall was 5 inches taller and weighed 75 pounds more than Jason Rolls. When the two men met, Hall tackled Rolls, ripping his shirt as they fell to the ground, according to David's report. Jason Rolls grabbed for a nearby gun and shot Hall once in the chest, killing the unarmed man, the document says. "The size difference may have been a factor in this incident," David wrote. Rolls, who claimed self-defense, was arrested at the scene. A grand jury charged him a little less than a year later with manslaughter, which carries a sentence of up to 40 years. Jason Rolls' attorney, Thomas V. Alonzo, called the killing "the clearest case of self-defense I've seen in 27 years of practicing law." Alonzo says he believes his client was entitled to defend himself. "He's in his home. His wife's been attacked. Someone's committed a felony by coming into his home . It falls under the three separate areas of the (justifiable homicide) statute as I see it," Alonzo said. First Assistant District Attorney Frank Trosclair Jr. issued the following statement to The Advocate reports regarding questions about the case: "We do not engage in any out-of-court discussion regarding pending litigation, and to do so would not be appropriate under prosecutorial ethics," Trosclair said. Jury selection is scheduled to begin June 4. Alonzo said his client has declined to accept at least one plea deal involving negligent homicide. Published: Tue, May 22, 2012