National Roundup

Massachusetts Judge: town, local group can join casino lawsuit BOSTON (AP) - A Martha's Vineyard town and a local taxpayer's association can join the state's lawsuit challenging plans to build a gambling facility on tribal land on the resort island, a federal judge ruled Wednesday. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor said the Town of Aquinnah and the Aquinnah/Gay Head Community Association have legal standing to intervene in the lawsuit brought by Gov. Deval Patrick's administration because both entities, along with the state, were party to a 1983 settlement that gave the Aquinnah Wampanoags, a federally recognized tribe, ownership of roughly 400 acres on the western tip of Martha's Vineyard. The tribe proposes turning an unfinished community center on that land into a gambling hall with high-stakes bingo and poker-style electronic games. But the state says such a facility would violate the 1983 land accord. The agreement, which was signed by the state, town, taxpayers association and the tribe, conveyed the land to the tribe with the understanding that the state's jurisdiction would never be "impaired or otherwise altered" and the tribe would not "exercise sovereign jurisdiction" over the land. But with state lawmakers opening the door to private casino and slot parlor development in 2011, the tribe began looking into opening its own gambling facility. The tribe maintains it has the right to operate the type of gaming facility it proposes - regardless of whether it has state approval - since it does not call for traditional slot parlor machines or casino table games such as blackjack or roulette. New Jersey Woman charged in in son's 1990s slaying NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) - A Florida woman was arrested in the death of her 5-year-old son, who was reported missing from a carnival in New Jersey in 1991, but authorities are not saying what led them to file charges. Michelle Lodzinski, 47, was arrested Wednesday in Jensen Beach, Florida. The Port St. Lucie, Florida, resident was held on $2 million bail and it was not yet known whether she had a lawyer or would agree to return to New Jersey. She was scheduled to appear in court in Florida early Thursday afternoon. "Following a routine, cold case review of the evidence and facts surrounding the disappearance and murder of Timothy Wiltsey, a new investigation was conducted and the matter was presented to the grand jury," Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said in a statement. A grand jury in Middlesex County handed up an indictment against Lodzinski. The panel said she "did purposely or knowingly kill" Wiltsey or did "purposely or knowingly inflict serious bodily injury" resulting in his death. Lodzinski told authorities the boy had disappeared at a carnival in Sayreville in May 1991. She has long been considered a suspect, with investigators at the time saying that her story changed as police questioned her. The child's skeletal remains were found in April 1992 in a marshy area in nearby Edison. Alan Rockoff, the Middlesex County prosecutor when Timmy disappeared, said he wasn't surprised at Lodzinski's arrest. "We didn't have sufficient evidence at the time to pull the trigger," Rockoff told The Associated Press. "There was no direct smoking gun here." Rockoff, 81, said detectives never stopped working the case and did as much as they could to solve it. "Hopefully now, there's a possibility of closure," Rockoff said. "Justice works slowly, but works surely." Lodzinski ran into other legal troubles after her son's death. She surfaced in Michigan in January 1994 and said two men claiming to be FBI agents had abducted her at gunpoint outside her apartment building, forced her into a black SUV and drove her to Detroit, where they let her out. She pleaded guilty in 1995 to making false statements to the FBI and fraudulently using the agency's seal. She was sentenced to probation. In 1997, Lodzinski was arrested and charged with stealing a computer from her former employer. She pleaded guilty to a theft charge and was pregnant in 1998 when a federal judge sentenced her to house arrest after she admitted she committed a crime while on probation. California Chief admits involvement in LAPD horse deal LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck has acknowledged his involvement in the department's $6,000 purchase of a horse from his daughter. After denying he took part in the transaction, Beck said Wednesday night that after reviewing paperwork he "realized" he did sign off on the deal. Documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times revealed the chief's signature. The department purchased George, a 10-year-old quarter horse, for its equestrian unit earlier this year from Beck's daughter, Officer Brandi Pearson. Police commissioners said they approved the deal without knowing the horse was owned by Pearson. In a joint statement with Beck, Board of Police Commissioners President Steve Soboroff said he did not believe the chief intentionally misled officials so his daughter could profit. Pennsylvania Golfers charged with fighting after arguing rules UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Two golfers have been charged with assault after they came to blows while arguing about the rules at a Pennsylvania course, and one of them allegedly hit the other in the head with a 3-wood, police said. State police in Uniontown filed the charges Wednesday against Roger Lee Harris, 63, and Bryan Bandes, 42, both of North Union Township. They were golfing in a group with three others at the Springdale Golf Course near Uniontown on Sunday when they argued about rules involving "casual water" - or puddles - after it rained briefly. After settling that dispute on the fifth hole, the men argued again on the seventh hole, with Harris hitting Bandes with the club and the men trading punches, Trooper George Mrosko wrote in a criminal complaint. Harris "who has his club in his hand, gripping it near the head, swung the club, striking (Bandes) in the left forearm and the top of the head," Mrosko wrote, noting that Bandes was trying to fend off the blow with his arm. After that, the trooper wrote, a "melee ensued" with both men trading punches. Harris wound up with a swollen jaw, a fat lip and a scratched eye. Bandes went to Uniontown Hospital where he was treated for a mild concussion and an injury to his forearm. Harris was charged with aggravated assault and simple assault, because he allegedly used a weapon - the golf club - while Bandes was charged only with simple assault. Both face a preliminary hearing Aug. 13. Published: Fri, Aug 08, 2014