New Hampshire
Gun application leads to racist graffiti arrest
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Police say a detective combed through hundreds of gun permit applications in Concord, N.H., to find one with a distinctive lowercase “b” that led to an arrest in a 2-year-old racist graffiti case.
Police on Tuesday arrested 42-year-old Raymond Stevens, of Pembroke, on a warrant charging him with criminal mischief.
The graffiti was scrawled in black permanent marker on the homes of several African refugee families in 2011 and 2012. The messages on the houses called the occupants “subhumans” and told them they are “not welcome.”
Stevens was arraigned Tuesday and ordered held on $8,000 bail. His public defender, Melinda Siranian, declined to comment.
A police affidavit says Detective Wade Brown went through about 1,500 handwritten gun permit applications as part of the investigation. The key clue: Stevens’ “b” looked like a “6.”
Florida
Detective: Victim in Facebook was cowering as shot
MIAMI (AP) — A South Florida detective has testified that a woman whose corpse was portrayed on Facebook postings was cowering and trying to defend herself before she was fatally shot by her husband.
Miami-Dade Detective Jonathan Grossman said Tuesday that forensic evidence indicates that 26-year-old Jennifer Alonso was on her knees with one arm raised in front of her before she was shot Aug. 8 at their South Miami home. Her husband, 31-year-old Derek Medina, says he shot her in self-defense as she attacked him.
The testimony came at a bail hearing for Medina. A judge did not immediately decide that issue.
Medina told police he posted the photos of her body on Facebook to let family members know what happened.
Medina has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder with a firearm.
Louisiana
DA won’t seek death penalty in beating deaths
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A man accused of bludgeoning his parents to death in 2009 will not face the death penalty.
The Orleans Parish district attorney’s office made the announcement Tuesday during a hearing in which Orleans Criminal District Court Judge Laurie White set a Jan. 7 trial date for Michael Singreen, who is charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
The Times-Picayune reports Singreen, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, is accused in the beating deaths of lawyers Shirley and Harry Singreen, who were found battered and bloodied in their home.
Ohio
Judge declares mistrial after brawl injury
CINCINNATI (AP) — A mistrial has been declared in the murder trial of a defendant who was injured during a Cincinnati courtroom brawl.
Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Carl Stich on Tuesday granted the defense motion after finding that defendant Byron Frazier was suffering from a concussion, short-term memory loss and headaches. His attorneys said he was unable to assist in his defense.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Frazier was hurt Oct. 8 during a courtroom melee that resulted in two people being arrested for assault. A third person escaped after stomping a sheriff’s deputy.
Frazier is accused of fatally shooting a woman, Kylia Shields, last Christmas.
Stich has ordered a mental evaluation of Frazier. Court records show a competency hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 25.
Pennsylvania
Cops: Pa. boy, 17, rapes woman as brother watches
SHARON, Pa. (AP) — A 17-year-old boy has been charged with raping a mentally challenged woman while his 14-year-old brother watched.
The (Sharon) Herald reports the incident happened Saturday afternoon at the woman’s home, while the boys were visiting and asked to borrow cigarettes.
Sharon police Chief Mike Menster says the boys followed the 32-year-old woman into a basement bedroom when the boys attacked her and the older one raped the woman. Sharon is about 60 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, near the Ohio border.
Police say the victim’s 8-year-old son saw the incident and alerted his grandmother, who called 911 and chased the boys away. Police say the woman later identified both boys.
The suspects’ names aren’t being released because they’re charged in Mercer County Juvenile Court with conspiracy to commit rape and other crimes.
Tennessee
Nashville settles its lawsuit with shackled mom
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville officials have agreed to a $490,000 settlement with an immigrant in the United States illegally who was shackled to a hospital bed during labor after being arrested during a traffic stop.
The Tennessean reported that the Metro Council approved the agreement Tuesday to end the five-year long lawsuit brought by Juana Vilegas.
The case turned the national spotlight on Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall’s enforcement of a federal deportation law, which is no longer enforced in the county.
Villegas was the subject of deportation proceedings when she started to give birth.
Villegas will receive $100,000 from the settlement, with the remainder going to attorneys’ fees.
Councilman Charlie Tygard called Villegas’ attorneys “vultures” and said he didn’t like the idea of settling. Tygard said it’s unfortunate “someone who shouldn’t be here in the first place” is now costing Nashville taxpayers. A federal judge two years ago ruled that sheriff’s officials violated her rights, awarding her and attorneys $1.2 million in damages and legal fees. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in March reversed that decision. The appeals court ordered a retrial, prompting the settlement.
Indiana
Attorney appears to close office, then skip town
KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) — A central Indiana attorney has apparently skipped town without telling his clients or court officials he was leaving.
Howard County Judge George Hopkins says several clients of Kokomo attorney Bradley Hamilton showed up for hearings Monday, but Hamilton didn’t show up.
The judge appointed attorney Brent Dechert to try and sort out Hamilton’s cases. Dechert says in a court filing that Hamilton tried unsuccessfully to sell his law practice and planned a move to Australia.
The Kokomo Tribune reports Hamilton’s law office is closed and his house empty and up for sale.
