National Roundup

Iowa Sex bias ruling a g ainst Mason Ci ty firm overturned MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) -- An Iowa judge has dismissed a discrimination complaint against I.C. System Inc. in Mason City. The complaint was filed in by the Mason City Human Rights Commission on behalf of a former I.C. System employee, Debra Fatland. She worked for the debt collection company from October 2002 until her termination in January 2003. Her original complaint alleged age discrimination. A judge rejected it but said there was evidence of a possible case of sex discrimination. In 2007 the commission refiled to include the alleged sex bias. The Mason City Globe Gazette says a judge ruled for Fatland in 2008, awarding her nearly $8,500. I.C., System appealed in district court. Judge Stephen Carroll ruled for the company last week, saying there wasn't enough evidence to sustain Fatland's sex bias complaint. Idaho County seeks remedy to juror apathy BURLEY, Idaho (AP) -- Not enough people are responding to jury summonses in Cassia County. That's left officials to consider different ways to expand their jury pools. Options include sending more a strongly worded summons and to use additional databases to collect potential juror lists. The Twin Falls Times-News reports the issue arose because the sheriff's office has had to deliver more summonses because people have failed to respond to the court's initial letter. Jury Commissioner Elizabeth Kenner says the court has been pulling 1,000 candidates every three months, and each time about 600 are disqualified. The latest candidates include 122 people who did not respond to the initial summons. Cassia County Prosecutor Al Barrus said the penalty for not appearing on a juror summons is a $300 fine and three days in jail. West Virginia Mom loses immunization exemption appeal RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- A federal appeals court has ruled against a West Virginia woman who challenged the state's child immunization law. A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond unanimously rejected Jennifer Workman's claim that the law violated her religious rights. The panel said in last week's ruling that the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that states can require vaccinations for public school students without providing any religious exemption. Workman sued after Lenore Pre-K to 8 School refused to admit her daughter without the vaccinations against childhood diseases. Along with the religious objections, Workman said she was concerned that the vaccinations would cause her daughter to develop autism. Virginia Judge: U. of Mary Washington not liable for rape FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- A judge says the rape of a student on the University of Mary Washington's campus is a tragic case but the school isn't liable for criminal acts on its property. The Free Lance-Star reports that Fredericksburg Circuit Court Judge Gordon Willis' ruling came Monday in a $10 million lawsuit filed by the student. According to the lawsuit, the student was sexually assaulted in a school parking garage in October 2008. The lawsuit claimed the university was negligent. It named the commonwealth of Virginia as the defendant because the university is a state agency. The student's attorney has until April 11 to note objections to the ruling and 21 days to file an amended complaint. Maine Federal judge in Maine upholds $200K verdict BANGOR, Maine (AP) -- A federal judge has upheld a jury award of $200,000 to a Millinocket woman who suffered a miscarriage after being discharged against her wishes from Eastern Maine Medical Center. U.S. District Court Judge John Woodcock on Monday upheld the jury's October decision and also denied the hospital's motion for a new trial. Lorraine Morin claimed the Bangor hospital violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act by sending her home on July 1, 2007, after determining her 16-week-old fetus didn't have a heartbeat. She delivered her dead son later that day at home. Eastern Maine Medical Center attorney George Schelling told the Bangor Daily News that he wasn't surprised by Woodcock's decision, saying it clears the way for the hospital to appeal the verdict to the federal appeals court. Pennsylvania Jail's strip-search lawsuit may benefit kids PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A $3 million settlement for Allegheny County Jail inmates who were wrongly strip-searched may benefit many of their children instead. The county's Family Court has issued more than 2,000 orders stopping payment to inmates entitled to some strip search money, because it appears they owe child support. The orders would ensure the support is paid before those inmates get any remaining money. The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2006 by a man strip-searched when he was jailed for nonsupport. The county last year agreed to pay $3 million -- minus nearly $1.3 million in legal and processing fees -- to settle claims by 12,600 former inmates strip-searched for misdemeanors or lesser charges between July 2004 and March 2008. Only a fraction of those inmates were expected to claim a share of the settlement by Thursday's deadline, and receive several hundred dollars each. Idaho No prison for brothers convicted of hate crime COEUR D'alene, Idaho (AP) -- Brothers convicted of a hate crime in northern Idaho apparently won't serve any time in prison. First District Court Judge John Lester on Monday sentenced 50-year-old William Tankovich Jr. and 47-year-old Frank Tankovich to two years of supervised probation. Luster suspended a five-year sentence, saying he wasn't comfortable with prison sentences for their actions. The Tankoviches were convicted Oct. 28 of malicious harassment and conspiracy to commit malicious harassment following an altercation on Aug. 16 outside the Coeur d'Alene home of Kenneth Requena. The judge ordered the brothers not to use of alcohol or drugs, 300 hours of community service and to have no contact with Requena and his wife. Requena says Luster's sentence is a slap on the wrist and sends the wrong message. Published: Wed, Mar 30, 2011