Arkansas
Court says shooter can appeal his sentence on theft
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- The Arkansas Supreme Court says Mitchell Johnson can appeal his sentence on credit card theft and identity fraud, even though he pleaded guilty to the charges.
The court on Friday cleared Johnson to appeal based on his claims that evidentiary errors came up after the plea and during his sentencing.
Johnson argues that the judge shouldn't have allowed evidence on his juvenile record during sentencing and that the 12-year sentence was too harsh.
Johnson was released in 2005 at age 21, for the 1998 massacre at Westside Middle School near Jonesboro. Johnson and fellow shooter Andrew Golden killed four students and a teacher.
Johnson has other post-release convictions and has been sentenced to a total of 22 years in prison.
Wyoming
Man convicted of killing alleged drug dealer files appeal
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) -- A man who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison in connection with the 2004 stabbing death of an alleged drug dealer is appealing his case.
Brian Rawle was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the robbery and murder of Manuel Leon-Leyva. He's appealing his conviction, saying his defense attorneys didn't give him effective counsel at his trial because they didn't know about several psychological disorders.
Rawle's conviction was affirmed by the Wyoming Supreme Court three years ago. His new appeal goes before the federal courts.
Nebraska
911 fees subject of state high court ruling
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- The Nebraska Supreme Court is backing the state's Public Service Commission in a legal fight waged by a prepaid-wireless carrier over 911 fees.
In an opinion released Friday, the high court affirmed a lower court's decision that TracFone Wireless Inc. must use one of three approved methods to collect fees from prepaid-wireless cell phone users for enhanced emergency services.
The surcharge is meant to help emergency responders identify and track the location of people who call 911 from a cell phone.
The case arose after Miami-based TracFone proposed two alternative ways to collect from customers -- both of which were rejected by the commission.
Missouri
Court ruling called groundbreaking
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Legal experts say a Missouri Supreme Court ruling last week is groundbreaking for two reasons.
The court last week ruled that a juror's anti-Semitic remarks made during deliberations could result in a retrial. That decision to delve into the deliberation room was called a first of its kind in Missouri.
The case involved a lawsuit by a woman who claimed she was fired two days after talking to federal investigators examining wage and overtime practices at her workplace, Pepose Vision Institute in Chesterfield.
A legal expert said the case was significant because it marked the first time the state high court has said an employee who refused to engage in illegal conduct or reported illegal conduct had a claim.
New Hampshire
High court sides with town in tax abatement dispute
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- The New Hampshire Supreme Court says the town of Wolfeboro was right to deny a tax abatement to a man whose property tax jumped by nearly $35,000.
Thomas Walker's property consists of a house and attached barn on 93 acres, with 1,100 feet of frontage on Lake Wentworth. In July 2006, his tax bill was just under $2,000, but it jumped to more than $37,000 six months later, after the town reclassified the house site from "shorefront residential" to "waterfront estate."
At trial, the town conceded that it shouldn't have reclassified the house site but argued that even at the old classification, the property was undervalued.
Missouri
Man pretending to be a lawyer gets 4 years in prison
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A man who pretended to be a lawyer and swindled clients out of thousands of dollars has been sentenced to four years in federal prison.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Jeffrey Tedrick's actions also created problems for inmates' appeals.
He was sentenced last to a prison term of about twice the recommended amount. U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry cited a "lifelong pattern" of cheating, lying and stealing.
Tedrick had 15 previous convictions since 1987. He blamed his problems on gambling and told the judge he "saw the light" after looking back at his criminal career and wanted to change his life.
Perry wasn't buying it.
"This is not all explained by gambling," she said. "This is just how you live."
Dave McCall, 44, of Lonedell, had his release from prison delayed for months because of Tedrick, and he was swindled out of $16,000. Perry said others lost cases or their appeals deadline expired.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service Agent Dan Taylor said five current inmates told investigators that Tedrick was supposed to be doing legal work for them. They included Michael G. Belfield, who is serving life without parole for first-degree murder in a 2006 Franklin County case.
Belfield told the Post-Dispatch that Tedrick missed two crucial deadlines for appeals. And his sister, Janet Faulkner, told investigators she lost everything when Tedrick mishandled her divorce case.
Published: Mon, Feb 15, 2010
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