Ohio
Death from injured testicle leads to murder charge
CLEVELAND (AP) - An Ohio man accused of kicking another man in his testicles during a 2013 robbery has been charged with murder in the injured man's death following a gangrene infection.
A grand jury in Cleveland this week indicted 58-year-old Jackie Pierce on charges of murder, felonious assault and robbery in the 2013 death of Willie Cannon.
Police report Pierce demanded money from Cannon on May 11, 2013, repeatedly kicked Cannon in the testicles when he refused and then took money from Cannon's pocket.
Authorities say the kick ruptured Cannon's testicle, which developed the infection. Cannon died June 8, 2013. Court records don't list an attorney who could comment on Pierce's behalf.
Tennessee
Lawyer sentenced to prison for real estate scheme
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Federal prosecutors say a Hendersonville attorney has been sentenced to more than 2 ½ years in prison for his role in a real estate closing scheme.
Officials with the office of U.S. Attorney David Rivera said that 42-year-old Garry Christopher Forsythe was sentenced to 33 months in a federal prison followed by two years of supervised released. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Aleta Trauger ordered Forsythe to pay $2.2 million in restitution and to forfeit the proceeds of the crime.
Officials say Forsythe pleaded guilty in December to one count of wire fraud in connection with a scheme involving escrow funds held by his real estate company, Forsythe Title and Escrow.
Mississippi
Public defender jailed during client's hearing
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A Hinds County judge ordered an assistant public defender jailed after his client was denied bond.
Media outlets report Christopher Routh was escorted out of the courtroom Wednesday and taken into custody.
Judge Jeff Weill's motion says he found Routh in criminal contempt of court during a hearing for Routh's client Loren Blackwell on a capital murder charge.
The motion states the attorney refused to obey the court's order and willfully disrupted court proceedings.
Hinds County Public Defender Michele Harris says Routh was not disrespectful or disruptive, but was doing his job of representing his client.
Harris says they plan to appeal the contempt order.
Published: Mon, Apr 18, 2016
