Michigan
Court upholds light sentence for woman who killed father in dispute over ride to salon
DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Court of Appeals declined to overturn a light jail sentence for a young woman who killed her father by burning him with a dangerous powder when he couldn’t drive her to a hair appointment before her 18th birthday party.
Megan Imirowicz, now 21, was sentenced to a year in jail in 2023. She was immediately released because she had already spent roughly 17 months in custody before trial and while awaiting her punishment.
Sentencing guidelines called for a minimum term of slightly more than four years in prison. But Oakland County Judge Victoria Valentine gave Imirowicz a break, noting her age, lack of maturity and likelihood of rehabilitation. Prosecutors objected.
“The trial court provided ample justification for the sentence imposed,” the appeals court said in a 3-0 opinion Tuesday.
Imirowicz was found guilty of the use of harmful devices/irritants causing death. She was upset with her father, Konrad Imirowicz, 64, because he was drunk and unable to drive her to an appointment before her birthday party in 2021, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors said Megan Imirowicz threw lye, a chemical drain cleaner, on her father while he was sleeping, causing severe burns all over his body. He needed kidney dialysis, a tracheotomy and had both legs amputated before dying five months later.
“We acknowledge that the victim’s resulting injuries from the chemical burns, which ultimately led to his death, were severe; however, this fact alone does not demonstrate an abuse of discretion” by the judge at sentencing, the appeals court wrote.
Imirowicz is on probation until July 2028.
New Jersey
Ban on ‘props’ can include ‘performative’ use of US flag, constitution
EDISON, New Jersey (AP) — A New Jersey township council’s decision to bar people from using “props” — which officials say can include the U.S. flag and Constitution — when addressing the council has drawn protests and a warning from a free speech advocacy organization.
The Edison Township council last week adopted an ordinance aimed at improving decorum in sometimes raucous public meetings. The rules also bar the wearing of costumes or non-medical masks, use of offensive or abusive language and disruptive behavior. They also limit comments from individuals to four minutes and eliminate rebuttal comments.
“To consider the American flag and the Constitution a prop when someone raises it is an insult to what the flag is, what the flag stands for and what this country is,” resident Maryann Hennessey said at the meeting where the new rules were approved, MyCentralJersey reported.
Council President Nishith Patel said the rules were “not about limiting free speech but about maintaining order and ensuring respectful, focused debates.” He said members had seen how “the theatrics and the grandstanding” can overshadow the important issues residents face.
Patel said the American flag and Constitution could be considered props “when used performatively.” But he said their true strength “lies in our commitment to the values that they represent — the freedom, the equality, and the justice — not in how they are displayed in a speech.”
One resident accused members of trying to stop people from mocking them and warned that the council would lose any lawsuit over the matter. After he waved an American flag and was warned several times, he was ordered removed, according to video of the meeting.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression on Tuesday posted a clip of that exchange on social media, calling it “unacceptable” and warning the council that “you’ll be hearing from FIRE.”
Several council members also expressed concern about the rules. Two of them voted against the ordinance, one waving a flag himself as he did so.
Florida
Ex-ballerina sentenced to 20 years for fatally shooting husband
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — A former Florida ballerina has been sentenced to 20 years in prison following her manslaughter conviction for fatally shooting her estranged husband in 2020.
Manatee County court records show Circuit Judge Matt Whyte imposed the sentence Tuesday on Ashley Benefield, 32, after rejecting her request for a new trial based on allegations of juror misconduct.
Benefield contended that she killed her estranged husband, Doug Benefield, 58, in self-defense during an argument at her house in the Bradenton, Florida, area.
The Benefields were co-founders of the American National Ballet and Ashley Benefield is a former dancer.
She had been charged with second-degree murder, but the jurors opted for a lesser manslaughter offense after nearly seven hours of deliberations in July. The maximum sentence for that crime is 30 years behind bars when a firearm is used, while the murder charge carries a potential life prison term.
Before the sentencing, Whyte rejected defense motions for a new trial based on claims a juror failed to disclose a personal history involving domestic violence and that one juror improperly brought a cellphone into the jury room during deliberations, which the judge found had no merit.
Ashley Benefield’s attorney has said she will appeal the conviction and sentence.
Wisconsin
Searchers recover body of woman missing since 2020
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Searchers have recovered the body of a Wisconsin woman who vanished more than four years ago.
The state Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Cassandra Ayon’s remains were found on private property in the town of Brighton in Marathon County on Saturday.
Ayon was 27 when she was last seen driving away from a mobile home park in Unity in October 2020.
A jury convicted Jesus Contreras-Perez of Mosinee in June 2022 of first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse and stalking causing bodily harm in connection with Ayon’s disappearance. He was sentenced to life in prison in September 2022.
Contreras-Perez and Ayon had been in a relationship and had a son together, according to a WSAW-TV report.
They had broken up shortly before Ayon disappeared and friends told investigators that Ayon had said Contreras-Perez had threatened and stalked her, according to a Central Wisconsin News report. Contreras-Perez insisted during the sentencing hearing that he was innocent and investigators targeted him.
Court upholds light sentence for woman who killed father in dispute over ride to salon
DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Court of Appeals declined to overturn a light jail sentence for a young woman who killed her father by burning him with a dangerous powder when he couldn’t drive her to a hair appointment before her 18th birthday party.
Megan Imirowicz, now 21, was sentenced to a year in jail in 2023. She was immediately released because she had already spent roughly 17 months in custody before trial and while awaiting her punishment.
Sentencing guidelines called for a minimum term of slightly more than four years in prison. But Oakland County Judge Victoria Valentine gave Imirowicz a break, noting her age, lack of maturity and likelihood of rehabilitation. Prosecutors objected.
“The trial court provided ample justification for the sentence imposed,” the appeals court said in a 3-0 opinion Tuesday.
Imirowicz was found guilty of the use of harmful devices/irritants causing death. She was upset with her father, Konrad Imirowicz, 64, because he was drunk and unable to drive her to an appointment before her birthday party in 2021, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors said Megan Imirowicz threw lye, a chemical drain cleaner, on her father while he was sleeping, causing severe burns all over his body. He needed kidney dialysis, a tracheotomy and had both legs amputated before dying five months later.
“We acknowledge that the victim’s resulting injuries from the chemical burns, which ultimately led to his death, were severe; however, this fact alone does not demonstrate an abuse of discretion” by the judge at sentencing, the appeals court wrote.
Imirowicz is on probation until July 2028.
New Jersey
Ban on ‘props’ can include ‘performative’ use of US flag, constitution
EDISON, New Jersey (AP) — A New Jersey township council’s decision to bar people from using “props” — which officials say can include the U.S. flag and Constitution — when addressing the council has drawn protests and a warning from a free speech advocacy organization.
The Edison Township council last week adopted an ordinance aimed at improving decorum in sometimes raucous public meetings. The rules also bar the wearing of costumes or non-medical masks, use of offensive or abusive language and disruptive behavior. They also limit comments from individuals to four minutes and eliminate rebuttal comments.
“To consider the American flag and the Constitution a prop when someone raises it is an insult to what the flag is, what the flag stands for and what this country is,” resident Maryann Hennessey said at the meeting where the new rules were approved, MyCentralJersey reported.
Council President Nishith Patel said the rules were “not about limiting free speech but about maintaining order and ensuring respectful, focused debates.” He said members had seen how “the theatrics and the grandstanding” can overshadow the important issues residents face.
Patel said the American flag and Constitution could be considered props “when used performatively.” But he said their true strength “lies in our commitment to the values that they represent — the freedom, the equality, and the justice — not in how they are displayed in a speech.”
One resident accused members of trying to stop people from mocking them and warned that the council would lose any lawsuit over the matter. After he waved an American flag and was warned several times, he was ordered removed, according to video of the meeting.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression on Tuesday posted a clip of that exchange on social media, calling it “unacceptable” and warning the council that “you’ll be hearing from FIRE.”
Several council members also expressed concern about the rules. Two of them voted against the ordinance, one waving a flag himself as he did so.
Florida
Ex-ballerina sentenced to 20 years for fatally shooting husband
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — A former Florida ballerina has been sentenced to 20 years in prison following her manslaughter conviction for fatally shooting her estranged husband in 2020.
Manatee County court records show Circuit Judge Matt Whyte imposed the sentence Tuesday on Ashley Benefield, 32, after rejecting her request for a new trial based on allegations of juror misconduct.
Benefield contended that she killed her estranged husband, Doug Benefield, 58, in self-defense during an argument at her house in the Bradenton, Florida, area.
The Benefields were co-founders of the American National Ballet and Ashley Benefield is a former dancer.
She had been charged with second-degree murder, but the jurors opted for a lesser manslaughter offense after nearly seven hours of deliberations in July. The maximum sentence for that crime is 30 years behind bars when a firearm is used, while the murder charge carries a potential life prison term.
Before the sentencing, Whyte rejected defense motions for a new trial based on claims a juror failed to disclose a personal history involving domestic violence and that one juror improperly brought a cellphone into the jury room during deliberations, which the judge found had no merit.
Ashley Benefield’s attorney has said she will appeal the conviction and sentence.
Wisconsin
Searchers recover body of woman missing since 2020
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Searchers have recovered the body of a Wisconsin woman who vanished more than four years ago.
The state Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Cassandra Ayon’s remains were found on private property in the town of Brighton in Marathon County on Saturday.
Ayon was 27 when she was last seen driving away from a mobile home park in Unity in October 2020.
A jury convicted Jesus Contreras-Perez of Mosinee in June 2022 of first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse and stalking causing bodily harm in connection with Ayon’s disappearance. He was sentenced to life in prison in September 2022.
Contreras-Perez and Ayon had been in a relationship and had a son together, according to a WSAW-TV report.
They had broken up shortly before Ayon disappeared and friends told investigators that Ayon had said Contreras-Perez had threatened and stalked her, according to a Central Wisconsin News report. Contreras-Perez insisted during the sentencing hearing that he was innocent and investigators targeted him.
