Man convicted in street artist’s slaying sentenced to prison
DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit man convicted in the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old French street artist has been sentenced to up to 60 years in prison.
The 30- to 60-year sentence for 19-year-old Dionte Travis was issued Thursday by Wayne County Circuit Judge Bruce Morrow. Travis was found guilty of murder last month in the killing of Bilal Berreni of Paris.
Berreni was found with a gunshot wound to the face in July 2013. It took months to identify him.
Travis was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 16 to 40 years. At his first trial the jury couldn’t reach a verdict on the murder charge.
Two others pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Another suspect who was 13 at the time of the killing was convicted of murder.
Snyder signs campaign finance reform bill
Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday signed several election finance reforms, focused on eliminating abuse and creating transparency in how public resources are used for election purposes.
“This legislation includes many important campaign finance reforms that protect the integrity of our election process,” Snyder said. “I understand there is confusion about how the bill impacts the use of public resources to disseminate factual information prior to an election. This provision needs to be clarified and I am working with my partners in the Legislature on a follow-up bill to address these concerns.”
Senate Bill 571, sponsored by state Sen. Mike Kowall, updates campaign finance rules to specify that:
• Trade association members may use one check when paying membership dues and making a PAC contribution, but the association must transfer PAC contributions in a timely manner or the amount must be returned to the association member.
• Payroll deductions are an acceptable way to collect voluntary PAC contributions from corporate employees.
• Automatic deductions can only support a PAC that a corporation has established.
• Automatic deductions of contributions are allowed without giving annual consent.
• The office of the Secretary of State will be required to post all campaign finance complaints and rulings to its website within 45 days.
• Debt incurred by a candidate in a previous election cycle can be paid with contributions collected in a subsequent election cycle.
• Campaign finance filings must contain email addresses in the contact information.
• Disclaimers and identification of sponsor are required in political advertising, codifying existing Secretary of State practices.
The bill also includes a provision that many municipalities and public institutions that rely on millages have concerns with: prohibiting the use of taxpayer dollars being used for mass communications pertaining to local ballot questions 60 days before an election.
The intent was to prohibit the use of advertisement-style mass communications using taxpayer dollars, not to impact the expression of personal views by a public official or the use of public facilities for debates or town halls on ballot questions.
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