National Roundup

Kansas Trial set for parents of boy missing since 1999 EL DORADO, Kan. (AP) -- The adoptive parents of an 11-year-old Kansas boy who was last seen in 1999 will go to trial later this month on charges that they collected adoption subsidies long after the boy disappeared, as questions endure about what happened to him. The trial in Butler County District Court of Valerie and Doug Herrman is scheduled to begin June 21. They are each charged with felony theft after allegedly collecting adoption subsidies on Adam Herrman between his disappearance, which wasn't reported to authorities until 2008. Prosecutors say the trial will focus on the alleged theft, rather than whatever happened to Adam. But new Butler County Sheriff Kelly Herzet said he remains committed to finding Adam and helping get a conviction for those involved in his disappearance, The Wichita Eagle reported Monday. Herzet was the lead investigator in the case before recently being appointed sheriff. "I want to get people convicted, and I want to find Adam's remains," Herzet said. "I think we owe that to the family ... and to Adam." Adam vanished from the Towanda mobile home park where he lived with his adoptive family. Relatives said Valerie Herrman told them that Adam, who was being home-schooled, had been returned to state custody. Authorities didn't learn of the boy's disappearance until late 2008, when his adoptive sister came forward out of concern for him. His parents told authorities that the boy ran away. The Herrmans told authorities they did not report the boy's disappearance because they feared they would lose custody of him and other children. Investigators said they could find no records or indication that Adam was still alive. In 2009, the prosecutor at the time, Jan Satterfield, said the Herrmans were suspects in his disappearance and said the investigation was being treated as a potential murder case. However, only the felony theft charges have been filed. Darrin Devinney, who was appointed county attorney earlier this year to succeed Satterfield, said the disappearance remains an "active missing person's investigation." Amended charges allege that the Herrmans accepted $15,488 from November 2003 until July 8, 2005. The original felony theft charges accused the couple of collecting $52,800 between May 1, 1999, and July 8, 2005. Asked why the charges were amended to include a shorter time frame and less money, Devinney said the decision was based on the strongest evidence available. The Herrmans, now in their mid-50s, have pleaded not guilty. They have moved to Oklahoma, according to court documents. Kentucky High-profile attorney facing disbarment COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- The Kentucky Bar Association Board of Governors is preparing to decide the fate of class-action legal specialist Stan Chesley, the Cincinnati attorney known as the "Master of Disaster." The board is scheduled to hear oral arguments on Tuesday at a Lexington hotel. A trial commissioner who recommended disbarment also wants Chesley to return $7.6 million of the $20 million he was paid in fees from a Boone County settlement for people sickened by the diet drug fen-phen. The commissioner called Chesley's behavior "shocking and reprehensible." Chesley could appeal any disbarment to the Kentucky Supreme Court, which has the final say on disciplinary matters. Since Kentucky has a reciprocal agreement with Ohio, Chesley could lose his law license in Ohio if he is disbarred in Kentucky, the Kentucky Enquirer reports. Massachusetts Federal corruption trial heading to jury BOSTON (AP) -- The judge presiding over the federal public corruption case against former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and two associates is giving final instructions to the jury. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Wolf said Monday in this case the key question is whether the government has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that there were payments made in exchange for official acts. The government alleges DiMasi used his clout to assure that software firm Cognos received two state contracts worth a combined $17.5 million in exchange for payments, with DiMasi pocketing $65,000. Two DiMasi associates, Richard McDonough and Richard Vitale, allegedly received thousands of dollars as part of the scheme. The defense argues the government's case is "built on a foundation of quicksand" because it relies heavily on the testimony of former software salesman Joseph Lally. Tennessee Judge refuses to dismiss courthouse takeover case KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A federal judge has refused to dismiss an indictment against a Georgia man charged with traveling armed to East Tennessee to possibly take over the Monroe County Courthouse after a grand jury refused to indict President Barack Obama. The judge in Knoxville denied a defense motion contending that charges of transporting a firearm in furtherance of a civil disorder and using a firearm in relation to a violent felony crime charge Darren Wesley Huff of Dallas, Ga., twice for the same conduct. Huff's attorney did not return a message seeking comment Monday. Huff is accused of threatening to take over the courthouse at Madisonville after a grand jury foreman refused to indict the president on charges related to proof of his birthplace. The case is set for trial Aug. 16. New York Jury convicts 3 in NYC hedge fund trial NEW YORK (AP) -- Three stock traders have been convicted in the second federal trial stemming from a massive probe of insider trading at hedge funds. A Manhattan jury reached its verdict Monday. It follows the conviction of Raj Rajaratnam (rahj rah-juh-RUHT'-nuhm), a one-time billionaire and hedge fund guru who was the investigation's biggest target. Zvi Goffer, his brother Emanuel and Michael Kimelman were convicted of conspiracy to trade on confidential information. They had insisted they based trades on public information. Like the Rajaratnam trial, the government relied on a trove of taped conversations. It said Zvi Goffer engineered a plot to pay the two lawyers for inside tips on mergers and acquisitions that generated millions of dollars in illegal profits. Published: Tue, Jun 14, 2011