National Roundup

Oregon Court rules for national Presbyterian church MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) -- The Oregon Court of Appeals has sided with the Presbyterian Church (USA) in a property dispute with a church in Rogue River that broke with the national denomination over religious differences. The Mail Tribune reports that a Jackson County Circuit Court judge ruled in 2010 that Hope Presbyterian Church owned the church structure and its contents under Oregon law. But Oregon Court of Appeals on Wednesday overturned the trial judge's decision, ruling the Presbyterian Church (USA) held title to the property, citing both secular law and church doctrine. Brian Boisen, pastor of Hope Presbyterian, said he planned to meet with the church's lawyer and elders in his congregation of more than 100 to decide the next step. He said the congregation left the national church in 2007. Idaho Suspects in Chubbuck beating seek separate trials POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) -- Four people charged with attempted first-degree murder after a victim was beaten in Chubbuck and dumped in a field on the Fort Hall Reservation are seeking separate trials. KIFI-TV reports the defense attorneys argued Wednesday that there are different levels of guilt in the case, and they do not want evidence or statements that apply to one client to be held against all of them. Cody Childers, Stephanie Christensen, Jamie Nappo and Karissa Salaz appeared in court via video as their attorneys made several requests. The attorneys will be back in court on May 4 to find out if the cases will be separated. Judge Rick Carnaroli seemed wary of splitting up the cases, saying he wants to protect the victim of the April 13 attack from potentially having to testify four times. Pennsylvania Defense says feds 'Le-Nature's search flawed PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A defense attorney says federal agents wrongly seized evidence from the home of the former chief executive of defunct western Pennsylvania soft-drink maker Le-Nature's Inc. -- because they went to the wrong address. Attorney Alexander Lindsay wants that evidence excluded from Gregory Podlucky's fraud trial in July, saying the address on the search warrant was for a vacant lot, not Podlucky's home.. Lindsay filed other motions in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, including one seeking to move the trial to another federal court district. Lindsay says the 50-year-old Podlucky can't get a fair jury in southwestern Pennsylvania because of publicity about charges that he and four other executives with cooked the Latrobe company's books to obtain $806 million in loans and equipment leases. Prosecutors say Podlucky spent much of that on lavish living, instead of the now-defunct company. Mississippi Louisiana couple indicted in Katrina fraud case GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) -- The government seeks to recover $1 million in SBA loans and a 43-foot yacht named "Beyond Belief" from a couple accused of Katrina fraud through their business, Planetta Custom Homes, according to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday. FBI agents and Slidell police arrested Victor Planetta Sr., 57, and his wife, Eileen, 53, Tuesday night. The couple was held at the Stone County jail overnight and brought before U.S. Chief Magistrate John M. Roper on Wednesday. They were released on bond pending trial in June. The Slidell-based business also lists an office in Pass Christian. The Sun Herald reports calls to both business numbers indicate the telephones have been disconnected. Victor Planetta made headlines in 2007 after his company helped TV talk-show host Tyra Banks and others to provide a new home for a Bay St. Louis woman who'd lost relatives and their family home in the hurricane. The indictment charges the Planettas conspired to defraud SBA by making false statements for loans to repair their hurricane-damaged homes and businesses in South Mississippi and southeast Louisiana, but using much of the money themselves. They are accused of forging documents on how they spent the money. Court papers show they received the loans in five increments between May 25, 2006, and Aug. 17, 2006. The government wants the Planettas to forfeit a 2006 Silverton Marine motor yacht. Court papers allege the couple bought the $399,923 yacht from Bent Marine of Slidell with a $10,000 down payment March 21, 2006, five months after they applied for SBA loans. A week after receiving their final loan payment, the indictment said, the couple paid off the yacht with a $389,923 check. The Planettas provided SBA $447,229.39 worth of receipts purporting to show how the loan money was spent, the indictment said. The indictment lists initials of five contractors the Planettas reported they paid, and the amount of each check. The government claims the checks to those contractors, which totaled about $266,700, were instead deposited into a Planetta Custom Homes bank account. Illinois Jurors watch hours of Coleman interrogation WATERLOO, Ill. (AP) -- Jurors at the trial of a southwestern Illinois man accused of killing his wife and two sons watched more than four hours of the police interrogation videotaped on the day of the deaths. On the video shown in court Wednesday, detectives confronted Christopher Coleman about his mistress in Florida. The officers told Coleman they believed he killed his family, while Coleman insisted they were alive when he left his home in Columbia that day. Coleman has pleaded not guilty to the May 2009 killings of Sheri Coleman and their sons, who were 11 and 9. Prosecutors contend Coleman strangled his family to further an affair with his girlfriend and to avoid losing his job, which had a no-divorce policy for employees. Mississippi Man pleads guilty in deaths of family members JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- A Terry man charged in the deaths of his daughter and son-in-law has pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter. The Clarion-Ledger reports James Bailey entered the pleas Wednesday in Hinds County Circuit Court. Circuit Judge Bill Gowan sentenced Bailey to 20 years on each count with the sentences to run concurrently, meaning at the same time. Prosecutors say 40-year-old Becky Nelson and her husband, 39-year-old Ricky Nelson were shot to death in their home in Terry in 2010. Published: Fri, Apr 29, 2011