National Roundup

Virginia
Murder suspect’s defense requests mental test redo
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) — The attorney for a Virginia man accused of killing his sister and stabbing his pregnant girlfriend is challenging a psychologist’s opinion deeming the suspect competent to stand trial.

The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star reports 21-year-old Daniel Alfredo Martinez-Nolasco is charged with first-degree murder, malicious wounding and attempted murder in the 2018 attack.

Court records show psychologist Jeremy Walden evaluated Martinez-Nolasco in June and determined he was fit to stand trial.

Defense attorney Alan Polsky calls the findings unacceptable because his client doesn’t speak English and should’ve had an in-person interpreter during the test, instead of one over the phone.

Polsky is asking a judge to provide funds so the defense can redo the evaluation with an in-person interpreter. That request will be heard Sept. 27.

Missouri
Jurors rule against fired unwed pregnant Catholic teacher
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jurors have ruled against a teacher who alleged that she was fired from a Catholic school in Kansas City, Missouri, because she was pregnant, unmarried and refused to have an abortion.

The Kansas City Star reports that jurors sided Wednesday with the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, which said St. Therese School teacher Michelle Bolen was let go in 2015 because of poor performance. Bolen testified that a priest told her that had she terminated her pregnancy, the school would not have to deal with the “scandal” of a pregnant, unmarried teacher.

Her attorney, E. E. Keenan, says state law exempts churches from being sued for pregnancy discrimination. Instead he argued that the diocese violated a state law that protects women from being fired for refusing to have an abortion.

Louisiana
Sex crime suspect says girl’s family attacked him
MONROE, La. (AP) — A Louisiana man accused of having sex with a 13-year-old said he was beaten by the girl’s family after they caught the two together.

News outlets report 18-year-old Javionne Thomas is charged with felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

A Monroe sheriff’s arrest report says deputies responded to a call of an injured person early Sunday morning. Thomas told deputies he was having sex with a girl and was caught by her family who attacked him before he fled.

While investigating the report, deputies say they discovered the girl was a minor. Thomas denied knowing her age and declined to pursue battery charges against the family.

Thomas was booked into jail after being released from a hospital. It’s unclear whether he has an attorney who can comment on his behalf.

Iowa
Ex-lover in corn rake killing: Woman was afraid of husband
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — The field manager of an Iowa hog farm testified that a woman with whom he was having an affair told him last year she was deathly afraid of her husband — a man now accused of using a corn rake to kill her.

Jerry Frasher testified Wednesday in the trial of Todd Mullis. Mullis is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Amy Mullis on Nov. 10 at the farm about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Dubuque.

A prosecutor has said Todd Mullis was irate over the affair and fearful that he’d lose their farm if she divorced him.

The Telegraph Herald reported that Frasher said he began a sexual relationship with Amy Mullis in late May or early June last year.

“I know she wasn’t happy,” Frasher testified. “She said she felt like a slave or a hostage around there. She said she was wanting (to leave Todd). One time, she said if he ever found out (about the affair,) she would disappear.”

Todd Mullis confronted him in July 2018 after a phone bill showed more than 100 instances of Frasher and Amy texting, Frasher said.

“I said it was about other stuff, like showing pigs,” he said.

Todd Mullis called Frasher’s wife asking questions about the text messages, and their discussion appeared to satisfy him, Frasher said.

“Two days later, he called us both back and apologized,” Frasher testified. “He asked us to quit texting, and we did.”

During cross-examination Frasher said he continued to provide professional services to the Mullis farm until Amy Mullis’ death. He said Todd Mullis never showed any animosity toward him.

Earlier Wednesday, the forensic pathologist who performed an autopsy on Amy Mullis’ body testified that she was impaled by a corn rake “at least twice, possibly three times.”

Arkansas
State high court won’t let judge hear execution cases again
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court says it won’t allow a judge who demonstrated against the death penalty the same day he blocked the state from using a lethal injection drug to resume hearing execution cases.

The court on Thursday rejected the request by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen, whom the court disqualified from hearing execution cases in 2017 following the demonstration outside the governor’s mansion. Griffen in June asked the court to allow him to hear death penalty cases again.

Justices said they rejected the request because the judge didn’t file it within 18 days of the court’s decision.

The ruling came two days after Attorney General Leslie Rutledge asked justices to reassign any civil cases handled by her office from Griffen’s court. Rutledge accused Griffen of being biased against her staff. Griffen has denied those claims.

Missouri
4 families sue over vaccine requirements
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Four Missouri families who don’t want to vaccinate their children allege in a lawsuit that the children’s schools and state health officials have made it increasingly difficult to file religious exemptions.

The Kansas City Star reports that a federal judge has already ruled that one of the unvaccinated students may continue going to a charter school in Kansas City while the case continues. The child’s grandfather, Linus Baker, of Stilwell, Kansas, is representing his grandson’s family as well as families from Bates, Christian and Miller counties. Baker also sued last month in Kansas to keep from having to vaccinate his 4-year-old son.

The lawsuit says exemptions are harder to get, with parents required to fill out a form provided by the health department.