The man accused of killing 6-year-old Mary Love will not be allowed to move his murder trial out of Hamilton County.
A judge ruled Friday that the attorneys for Ralph Lynch failed to prove that media coverage of the case has made it impossible for him to get a fair trial.
Common Pleas Judge Robert Kraft denied the request for a change of venue, saying he would consider moving the trial only if it became clear during jury selection that impartial jurors could not be found.
Mr. Lynch's lawyers had argued that media coverage of the Colerain Township girl's disappearance in June and of Mr. Lynch's arrest on rape and murder charges has tainted potential jurors.
Broadway will be closed off and on
Broadway between Fourth Street and Pete Rose Way will be closed for 30-minute periods between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. today and each Saturdaythrough Nov. 21.
Broadway between Fourth Street and Pete Rose Way also will be down to one northbound lane and two southbound lanes from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m on those Saturdays.
Construction crews will remove steel bridge beams and other structures from the old Fort Washington Way.
Man, 19, faces $200,000 bond set in child rape case
NORTH COLLEGE HILL -- A $200,000 bond was set Friday for a North College Hill High School student accused of having sex with a 5-year-old boy.
Christopher McKibben of the 6800 block of Betts Avenue is charged with rape of a child under 13.
The suspect's mother was baby-sitting the child Oct. 16 when the alleged incident occurred at Mr. McKibben's home. The 19-year-old allegedly performed oral sex on the child, police said.
He was being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center. A grand jury is expected to hear the case by Nov. 9.
Father charged in shaken baby case
Michael Fehr is in jail accused of child abuse as his 4-month-old son recovers from fractured ribs and injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
The Delhi Township man faces a felony child-abuse charge.
Court records say he was sitting in a chair and throwing his son into the air Oct. 17 when the baby hit his head on the ceiling. Mr. Fehr caught the child and shook him at least twice to make sure he was breathing, the arresting officer wrote, then cradled the baby tightly against his chest.
Mr. Fehr did not tell anyone of the injury, the report says. The child was admitted to Children's Hospital Medical Center on Monday and kept for four days. He had three cracked ribs. He also had cerebral bleeding and retinal hemorrhage, both signs of shaken baby syndrome. Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge John West set Mr. Fehr's bond at $25,000, payable at 10 percent, on the condition that Mr. Fehr stay away from the child if he is released. A grand jury is scheduled to hear his case by Nov. 9.
Connector to be discussed Nov. 10
The proposed Colerain Connector will be discussed at a public hearing 7 p.m. Nov. 10 at McKie Recreation Center, 1655 Chase Ave. in Northside. Cincinnati's Community Development and Intergovernment Committee and the Public Works and Utilities Committee are sponsoring the public hearing. Comments are welcome regarding proposals to improve traffic flow in a corridor in Northside between Interstate 74 at Colerain Avenue near West Fork Road and Virginia Avenue and Hamilton Avenue near Ashtree Drive.
One alternative includes building a limited-access ramp connection from the truncated expressway connection at Colerain Avenue. The other alternative would connect I-74 to Kirby Road with a parkway on the hillside above Virginia Avenue.
Judge throws out suit against deputy
BATAVIA -- A judge dismissed a malicious prosecution lawsuit Wednesdayagainst a Clermont County sheriff's deputy.
Judge William Stapleton, a visiting judge in Clermont County Common Pleas Court, granted a motion for a directed verdict in favor of Deputy Mark Penn, after two days of testimony.
Deputy Penn was sued by Glenda Curtsinger of Williamsburg. She accused him of malicious prosecution for charging her in 1997 with a misdemeanor count of menacing by stalking. A judge dropped the stalking charge when a witness failed to come to the trial.
Clermont County Sheriff A. J. Rodenberg Jr., who testified at Deputy Penn's trial, said his officer "thoroughly covered all the relevant bases," in his investigation.
