National Roundup

Ohio
French professor arrested in stranger attacks
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — Authorities say a teenager who grabbed an attacker’s cellphone led to the arrest of an Ohio college professor in connection with sex assaults against young men.
The Springfield News-Sun reports that 52-year-old Hollant “Max” Adrien was arrested on rape and kidnapping charges.
Adrien, who teaches French at Wittenberg University, pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
Springfield police say Adrien has been connected to two rapes in the area, as well as the attack on a 17-year-old earlier this month. In that case, the teen pushed away his attacker and grabbed the assailant’s bag and cellphone as he fled.
A subpoena of cellphone records identified Adrien as the suspect, and victims identified him in a photo lineup.

New Jersey
Victim’s husband on stand at trial of TV actress
SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) — Testimony got emotional at the trial of a “Melrose Place” actress accused of killing a New Jersey woman in a 2010 motor vehicle accident.
The victim’s husband on Wednesday said it was like getting hit by a bomb when his car was struck by an SUV driven by Amy Locane-Bovenizer.
Fred Seeman said the SUV’s headlights were “way, way off” in the distance as he turned into the driveway of his Montgomery Township home.
He tearfully told jurors how he heard gurgling noises from his wife.
The actress is charged with aggravated manslaughter.
The prosecution and the defense agree Locane-Bovenizer was drunk. But the defense believes the actress was distracted by another driver who was chasing her and Seeman turned in front of her.
Locane-Bovenizer appeared on 13 episodes of “Melrose Place” in the role of Sandy Louise Harling.

New York
State’s top court says town can discipline police
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York’s top court says officials in a Hudson Valley town have the authority to discipline police for misbehavior instead of turning cases over to an independent arbitrator under terms of their union contract.
The Court of Appeals’ unanimous ruling could affect municipal police departments statewide. It says in a ruling handed down Thursday that the 2007 law adopted in Wallkill that put police discipline cases before a hearing officer chosen by the Town Board is based on a statute adopted before state Civil Service Law took effect.
The court says the board has the authority to suspend, remove or otherwise punish officers for misbehavior, and that is “a prohibited subject” for union negotiations.

Nebraska
Man owes $80K in child support for fourteen kids
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man has been deemed in contempt of court orders to pay nearly $80,000 in child support involving 14 children.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports that a Lancaster County District judge on Tuesday ordered 49-year-old Shekem Amsu Khnemu to start paying up, or face jail.
Khnemu was arrested Tuesday and released from jail Wednesday. Before his release, Judge Jodi Nelson found Khnemu in contempt in each of 11 cases and sentenced him to up to 180 days for each case. She suspended the sentence to give him a chance to pay the back child support. He must pay $500 a month and another $800 in back support by Dec. 1. If he fails to do so, he’ll be jailed.

Massachusetts
Man with HIV gets jail for not telling partners
FITCHBURG, Mass. (AP) — A Fitchburg man authorities say had unprotected sex with multiple partners without telling them he was HIV positive has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Nicholas D. Guzman pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
The 20-year-old Guzman had originally been charged with statutory rape of a child because one of his partners was 13 years old.
According to Fitchburg District Court documents, the statutory rape charge was reduced to indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, and one assault and battery charge was dropped.
The Sentinel & Enterprise reports that he was also sentenced to probation and ordered to stay away from the victims.

New Mexico
Ex-deputy gets probation for flashlight beating
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A former San Juan County sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to violating the civil rights of an American Indian suspect he beat with a flashlight.
Dale Frazier will be on probation for three to five years after Wednesday's plea in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque. He could have received up to 10 years in prison.
The Farmington Daily Times reports the 57-year-old was caught on his patrol car's video camera striking Donovan Tanner with a flashlight in March 2011.
He had detained Tanner and his brother as they walked away from a Farmington brewery where they had argued with a group of men.
The executive director of the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission says the video heightened concerns among American Indians about police treatment.

Hawaii
Man indicted for producing child pornography
HONOLULU (AP) — A federal grand jury has indicted a Big Island man with six counts of producing child pornography.
The indictment filed Wednesday alleges John Ridgely Tucker of Pahoa used and enticed two children to produce six images of child pornography in 2008.
The U.S. Attorney's office says each charge carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in jail and up to 30 years in prison.
The 56-year-old bed-and-breakfast operator was arrested and charged earlier this month after the FBI distributed a photo of a suspect and asked the public for help in finding him.
Tucker's attorney, Brian DeLima, told reporters after the arrest that suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
Tucker had been scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing Thursday but the hearing was rescheduled for Friday.