Saturday, January 08, 2000
TRISTATE DIGEST
Two men indicted in theft of ATM
A Hamilton County grand jury indicted two men Friday in connection with the Dec. 13 theft of an automated teller machine.
Karl Choate, 29, and Kevin Hoskins, 24, both of College Hill, were indicted on one count each of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. Each man would face two to 10 years if convicted on both counts, according to Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen.
The grand jury ignored charges against four other men Cincinnati police arrested in connection with the early morning ATM heist.
The robbers — wearing ski masks, gloves and coveralls — sprayed the clerk of a Westwood Dairy Mart with a chemical irritant and hauled away the ATM in a stolen white van.
Man found guilty in death during fight
HAMILTON — A Butler County jury late Friday convicted Andrew Phillip Sutton in the May 15 death of a Hamilton man.
Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth immediately revoked Mr. Sutton's bond and ordered sentencing for Feb. 17.
Mr. Sutton was found guilty of murder. The jury found him not guilty of felonious assault, but guilty of attempted felonious assault.
Police said Ernie Gross had tried to break up a fight between Daryl Robbins and Mr. Sutton outside Barney's Bar at Benninghofen and Fairview avenues, witnesses said.
Mr. Sutton punched Mr. Gross twice in the face, and Mr. Gross fell backward, striking his head on the street, witnesses said.
Mr. Gross, 55, the owner of Ernie's Variety Store on Erie Highway in Hamilton, died of a fractured skull.
The felonious assault charge stemmed from the alleged attack against Mr. Robbins, a friend of Mr. Gross.
IRS offers session to solve problems
The Internal Revenue Service is holding a “Problem Solving Day” Jan. 22 at the John Weld Peck Federal Building, downtown.
The session runs 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and is designed to help individual taxpayers and businesses with federal-tax problems, the IRS said. Taxpayers can attend without an appointment but are encouraged to make reservations so the IRS can ensure enough tax experts are available.
For information or to make reservations, call 263-3088 or (800) 829-1040.
Court orders hearing for man on death row
DAYTON, Ohio — An appeals court on Friday ordered a hearing to determine whether a man sentenced to die for killing five people in 1985 received a fair trial.
Samuel Moreland, who was convicted by a three-judge panel, said he would not have given up his right to a jury trial if he had known the consequences. He said those included giving up his right to have both a jury and a judge agree that he should be sentenced to death.
The 2nd Ohio District Court of Appeals ruled that there is no indication that Mr. Moreland was advised of the consequences of his decision about a jury trial.
Mr. Moreland was convicted in 1986 of killing five members of a Dayton family with whom he lived.
Carley Ingram, chief attorney in the appellate division of the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office, said Mr. Moreland signed a jury waiver and she is confident he will not be granted a new trial.
Sitter accused of putting sisters in clothes dryer TOLEDO — A man baby-sitting two sisters put them in a clothes dryer and turned it on, police said.
James Watkins, 36, was indicted on four counts of child endangering Thursday.
The girls, ages 6 and 7, told police that Mr. Watkins put them in the dryer on several occasions. They were not injured.
“The girls called it the dizzy place,” Detective Ann Smith said. “We haven't been able to determine exactly why he did it, but we suspect it was some kind of punishment.”
Mr. Watkins was charged in December with dipping the 7-year-old in scalding water and bounding her sister with duct tape and putting her in cold water.
No anthrax found in threatening letter
TOLEDO — Tests on a threatening letter sent to a Planned Parenthood clinic this week show that the envelope didn't contain anthrax, health officials said.
The letter was one of at least 20 sent to abortion clinics nationwide claiming to contain anthrax.
Police initially said the letter opened in Toledo was probably a hoax. The letter was tested at an Ohio Department of Health lab.
The clinic received a similar threat in November 1998.
The scare led police to close about 10 blocks on the edge of downtown Toledo Tuesday. About 20 Planned Parenthood employees were kept inside the building as a precaution.
New trial denied even though victim recanted
MEDINA, Ohio — A judge has refused to order a new trial for a Medina County man serving life in prison for rape, although his victim has recanted her allegations.
Medina County Common Pleas Judge James L. Kimbler said Thursday the victim was willing to lie under oath to free him.
Daniel Perez, 47, has insisted he was wrongly convicted of rape.
The woman, who was a pre-teen when Mr. Perez was convicted in 1985, had testified that Mr. Perez beat her and she had recounted sexual encounters with Mr. Perez.
Mr. Perez sought his release in 1996 after the woman signed an affidavit saying she had lied during his trial. “Daniel Perez ... never raped me,” she said in the affidavit Mr. Perez used to demand his freedom.
Mr. Perez is serving two consecutive life sentences for rape.
Dayton man charged in police chase
DAYTON, Ohio — A man who police say stabbed his girlfriend and led officers on a high-speed chase that caused two traffic accidents and sent three law enforcement officers and one civilian to the hospital was charged with felonious assault Friday.
John Kelly, 45, of Dayton, was arraigned on the charges before Dayton Municipal Judge Bill Littlejohn, who set bond at $250,000.
None of the victims suffered serious injury.
Thursday's chase began after police received a report of the stabbing and broadcast a description of Mr. Kelly and his car.
Home State ordeal almost over
Portune takes on Bedinghaus
Flu or not, we're feeling crummy
Vaccine is best way to escape flu
Employers accused of profiting at kids' expense
Firefighters suspended in flap over testing
Flynt preparing designs for store
Group homes found lacking
New pool may give school's a break
School levies moving toward forefront
2nd District up for grabs
Butler Co. races heat up
Congressional ballots fill out
Two judges to run for Ohio Supreme Court
Zoo's female cheetah dies
Warren judge retiring midway through term
N.Ky. man in line for top utilities job
Now is good time to take time with kids
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Tornado cleanup closes college
College designs grab top grades
GET TO IT
How to dispose/recycle your Christmas tree
Firm owned by Voinovich's brother files for bankruptcy
Gender equity to be discussed at Beechwood
Long family tradition ends with fire chief's retirement
Man who put weedkiller in medication gets 4 years
New bride will be Boone Co. PVA
New school found for boy who sued
Patton visits Owensboro, offers state assistance
Rest home owner to fight revocation
Slow water problem fixed
Subdivision wants trees around proposed store
TRISTATE DIGEST
