Court Roundup

California Brother of murder defendant testifies in Calif LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The brother of a teenager charged in the shooting death of his gay classmate at a Southern California junior high school has testified that books about Nazi youth and an Iron Cross medal found in the defendant's bedroom belonged to him Brian McInerney told jurors Tuesday he owned the books, along with a video called "Shooting in Realistic Environments," because he was involved in re-enacting World War II battles before enlisting in the U.S. Marines, the Ventura County Star reported. Prosecutors alleged the younger brother, Brandon McInerney, 17, was driven by white supremacist, anti-gay beliefs when he shot 15-year-old Larry King in 2008 in the computer classroom at E.O. Green School in Oxnard. Brandon McInerney is being tried as an adult on first-degree murder and hate crime charges. The defense argues the troubled, violent home that Brandon grew up in was part of the reason for the shooting. Brian McInerney said many of the men in the McInerney family were interested in history and some of the drawings found in Brandon's room seemed to incorporate historical symbols of swastikas and eagles. Senior Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox showed Brian one drawing that had the swastika with the words "white pride worldwide" on it. Brian McInerney also testified that he, his father Billy, who died in 2009, and Brandon had often taken the .22-caliber revolver that was used in the King shooting for target practice. Earlier Tuesday, Brandon's childhood friend testified that he was in gym class with King, who he says was staring at him while he was changing clothes. He also said Brandon had told him that King was bothering him before the shooting. The boy also told jurors he didn't remember a statement to police when he said that Brandon was talking about white supremacy before the shooting. The defense will cross-examine Simi Valley Police Department Detective Dan Swanson, who previously testified on the history of white supremacy for the prosecution, when testimony resumes Wednesday. New Jersey Guilty verdicts upheld in jet crash trial NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- A federal judge in New Jersey has rejected a bid for a new trial by two owners of a charter jet company whose plane crashed at Teterboro Airport. Brothers Paul and Michael Brassington were convicted last fall of fraud conspiracy. Prosecutors said they skirted safety regulations as they ran Florida-based Platinum Jet Management, a company that catered to celebrities like Jay-Z, Bon Jovi and Keith Richards. Michael Brassington also was convicted of lying to authorities and endangering the safety of an aircraft for deliberately understating the weight of the Teterboro plane. The investigation began in 2005 after a Platinum plane failed to take off from Teterboro, crossed an intersection and slammed into a warehouse. About 20 people suffered injuries. U.S. District Judge Dennis Cavanaugh's ruling was published Tuesday. Illinois Man gets probation for stabbing friend in neck BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) -- A judge in southwestern Illinois has sentenced a 37-year-old man to 30 months of probation for stabbing a friend in the neck during a night of drinking. Prosecutors had charged Christopher Carroll with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon for stabbing George Brooks on Feb. 11 inside their home near Belleville. Authorities say Carroll is mentally ill. And St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly says prosecutors offered him a plea deal, partly because they didn't have a cooperative witness. The Belleville News-Democrat reports that Carroll's attorney says the victim signed a waiver saying he didn't want to press charges. Brooks describes Carroll as a close friend and has said he didn't think Carroll stabbed him deliberately. Pennsylvania Mexicans face sentencing in W. Pa. counterfeiting PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Two illegal Mexican immigrants are set for sentencing before a federal judge in Pittsburgh for possessing nearly $39,000 worth of high quality counterfeit $100 bills. Federal investigators have said they may never determine where the men got the bills before they were arrested for passing about $1,500 worth of fake money at a Macy's department store near Washington, Pa. in October. Thirty-one-year-old Alejandro Vargas Ceron and 23-year-old Israel Leyva Sanchez, both gave New York City addresses, but also had Mexican identification cards and were in the country illegally. They'll automatically be deported after serving the sentences scheduled to be imposed Wednesday afternoon. Investigators say the bills were created using an offset printer and bleached paper, which typically signals a more organized and sophisticated scheme than counterfeiters who use scanners and computer printers. Published: Thu, Aug 11, 2011