Montana
Mental health court showing early successes
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- Officials say a new adult mental health court in Billings is showing some modest successes in its first year.
The mental health court is designed to help criminal defendants with clinical mental health disorders learn to treat their illnesses and live within the law. The program is only available to 14 people this year, but planners hope to expand the court to serve 40 people in its second year and 70 people in its third.
Billings Police Lt. Mark Cady says he's seen the court lead people who were frequently in trouble to change their ways. The program is still new in Billings, but early numbers suggest that only 10 percent of participants are going on to re-offend.
Arkansas
Suit against DirecTV moved to federal court
TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) -- A lawsuit filed by an Arkansas woman against the nation's largest satellite television operator has been moved to federal court.
The lawsuit was moved at the request of DirecTV and now is pending before U.S. District Judge Harry Barnes in federal court in Texarkana. But Jo Murray of Texarkana, a plaintiff, wants the case moved back to Miller County Circuit Court.
The lawsuit alleges that DirecTV holds customers to a contract that they need a magnifying glass and the Internet to read. It also says retailers don't tell customers about the contract, which includes a provision for a fee if the service is canceled less than two years after purchase.
ProSat and Home Entertainment, a Texarkana-based retailer, has denied wrongdoing.
Florida
Woman busted using boy's urine in drug test
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (AP) -- A 20-year-old New Port Richey woman was arrested for allegedly trying to pass a urine test by using a sample from her friend's toddler.
Sara Lou Kenny was on probation for drug charges.
Police arrested her Friday, along with the roommate whose 4-year-old son provided the urine. The mother, Amber Tobeck, was on probation for fraud and theft convictions.
An arrest report said Kenny had methadone that wasn't prescribed to her. She had just began a 2-year drug court probation Feb. 1.
Both women remained in Pasco County jail on Sunday.
Florida
Pinellas has 'Homeless Court' for minor charges
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Instead of counting on transients to show up for court, Pinellas County is bringing the court to them.
Judges, attorneys, paralegals and clerks convened on Saturday the county's second Homeless Court at the Salvation Army.
It's intended for defendants who miss court dates on minor charges, like tresspassing, public urination or possession of open alcohol containers.
When they miss court dates, it triggers a warrant that ultimately means those crimes require jail time rather than simple fines.
About 20 defendants showed up, which disappointed organizers.
Pinellas County Judge James Pierce estimated there were 60,000 active warrants for homeless people who failed to appear on minor charges. Each day they're jailed costs taxpayers $100.
New York
Wife: Suburban mayor shut door on her hand
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) -- A mayor in suburban New York City has been charged with assaulting his wife by shutting a door on her hand.
White Plains Mayor Adam Bradley turned himself in to police Sunday after his wife filed a domestic-violence complaint.
Bradley was arraigned on third-degree misdemeanor assault in City Court in White Plains, which is just north of Manhattan and is one of the nation's top suburban office and retail centers.
Fumiko Bradley accuses her husband of placing her left arm against a door frame and closing the door on her hand. She says her left middle finger was injured.
Adam Bradley acknowledges he and his wife have had marital problems. But he insists he "did not in any way mistreat" her.
His next court appearance is Friday.
The former Assemblyman was elected mayor in 2009.
Organizers hope to make the homeless court a monthly event.
Wyoming
Lawsuit by cadets over molestation claims settled
GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) -- A lawsuit filed against the Campbell County Fire Department by 16 plaintiffs who say they were molested by a former Gillette fire chief has been settled.
The lawsuit asked for $150 million, but terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
"The resolution is in everybody's best interest," said Gillette attorney Jeremy Michaels, representing the plaintiffs. "It's the right thing to have happened."
Michaels said his clients were psychologically scarred and had to seek counseling for the abuse.
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in November by 15 plaintiffs, and another victim later joined the suit.
The plaintiffs said they were sexually abused by former Campbell County fire chief Gary Scott, who in September pleaded no contest to 14 state charges of sex abuse and is awaiting sentencing.
The 55-year-old Scott is already serving a 24-year federal sentence on 10 felony convictions of taking children across state lines for sexual abuse.
Michael Patterson, an attorney in Seattle representing the fire department, said he was pleased with the outcome of the lawsuit.
Authorities said most of Scott's victims were cadets in a junior firefighter program that was started by Scott after he became fire chief in 1991. Two plaintiffs said they were molested after being sentenced to community service at the fire department.
The abuse began in 1992 and continued until 2007, when Scott was arrested. During that time, the fire department had a number of different insurance companies.
Officials said the settlement will be paid by American Alternative Insurance Corp., Hartford Insurance and North American Co.
Published: Tue, Mar 2, 2010
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