Man pleads guilty in church break-in

        A man accused of breaking into an Over-the-Rhine church mission and stealing Christmas gifts intended for the poor was sentenced Tuesday to pay restitution and serve five years probation.

        Rural Daniel, 44, of South Fairmount pleaded guilty last month to one count each of breaking and entering and receiving stolen property. During the Dec. 14 break-in at Common Ground Ministries, 21 bags of Christmas gifts earmarked for needy families were plundered.

        Many of the gifts were either sold or given away, officials said.

        On Tuesday, Mr. Daniel told Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Crush that he was intoxicated when he broke into the mission. He said he has had a problem with alcohol and needs treatment.

        His ex-wife also asked the judge to help Mr. Daniel get treatment.

        Besides ordering Mr. Daniel to pay $1,500 in restitution to Common Ground and serve probation, the judge sentenced him to six months in a treatment facility and ordered him to undergo counseling for depression and alcohol abuse.
       

Panel to announce if man gets death penalty

       A three-judge panel will announce Friday whether a Lincoln Heights man convicted of killing three people last year will receive the death penalty.

        The judges Monday found Stanley Fitzpatrick guilty of the brutal June murders of girlfriend Doreatha Hayes, her 12-year-old daughter Shenay and neighbor Elton “Arybie” Rose.

        On Tuesday, testimony in the death penalty phrase of the case included Mr. Fitzpatrick taking the stand to apologize to family members of the Hayeses.

        But he also said he couldn't remember killing them. He said on June 8 he woke up covered in blood, discovered the bodies of Ms. Hayes and her daughter, and figured he had killed them.

        He woke up June 9, visited with a co-worker, then stayed in the house the whole day. That night he went to Mr. Rose's house and asked him to come to his house.

        Inside the house, Mr. Fitzpatrick said he told Mr. Rose he'd done something bad to Ms. Hayes. He said Mr. Rose hit him and they fought. Mr. Fitzpatrick said he kept hitting Mr. Rose.

        The hearing will resume Friday at 1 p.m.
       

Meeting today for collaborative plan

       GREEN TOWNSHIP — The quarterly meeting to discuss the Western Hamilton County Collaborative Plan will be 6:30-8 p.m. today in the Mulberry Room of Nathanael Greene Lodge at Veterans' Park, 6394 Wesselman Road.

        Citizens can join elected and appointed officials, planners, administrators and members of land-use committees and commissions in discussions of growth and development.

        Call Teresa Lawson at 946-4452.
       

Three arrested in heroin sting

        MIDDLETOWN — Three law enforcement agencies worked together to shut down heroin distributors who were delivering the drug to Butler County, the sheriff's office said Tuesday.

        After a monthlong investigation, undercover agents on Friday arranged a 1-ounce delivery of the drug from Dayton, Ohio, to a parking lot on Ohio 122 near Interstate 75 in Middletown in exchange for $4,000, they said.

        Undercover agents from the Butler sheriff's office, Middletown police and the Warren County Drug Task Force arrested three suspects and seized more than 34 grams of heroin and a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am, drug paraphernalia and $1,400 cash.

        Those arrested, all from the Dayton area, were identified as Donald Westley Pullen, 26; Julius Kareem Render, 24, both charged with trafficking in drugs and drug abuse/possession; and Terry Lynn Pullen, 27, charged with permitting drug abuse.

        Information on the suspects' court appearances was not available Tuesday evening.
       

Bengal kicker faces assault case in April

        COVINGTON — Bengals kicker Neil Rackers will have a jury trial beginning April 17 on a fourth-degree assault charge, a Kenton County judge ruled Tuesday morning.

        The charges stem from an altercation in a Covington nightclub. Mr. Rackers is accused of pushing a Colerain Township man, Brian Stoehr, into a restroom wall.

        Mr. Rackers said Mr. Stoehr repeatedly taunted him, his wife and his mother while they were dining at Willie's Sports Cafe.

        The incident occurred the night of Dec.9, after the Bengals had lost 14-10 that afternoon to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paul Brown Stadium.

        Mr. Stoehr alleges Mr. Rackers attacked him.

        The final pretrial hearing will be April 15, and Mr. Rackers will appear before Kenton County District Judge Doug Grothaus.

        Philip Taliaferro, Mr. Rackers' Covington-based lawyer, said Tuesday that he expects the trial to take two days.

        “There will be a number of witnesses who will testify to the vile and vicious comments that were made to Neil's wife and mother,” he said.

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