SUPREME COURT NOTEBOOK

Court rejects Montana man's rape conviction petition HELENA, Mont. (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the petition of a Montana man to review his conviction for the kidnap and rape of a 4-year-old girl on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Last week Monday, the nation's high court denied without comment John Lieba Jr.'s request to review his case. Lieba was sentenced last year to 42 years in prison after authorities said he chased down the young girl at night in a park, raped and strangled her and then left her for dead in an abandoned pickup truck. Lieba's attorneys turned to the Supreme Court after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected their argument that there wasn't enough evidence to convict him on charges of kidnapping, aggravated rape and assault resulting in serious injury. Published: Mon, Nov 26, 2018