A 19-year-old man was found dead at the rear of a Hartwell residence Saturday, and Cincinnati Police are investigating the death as a homicide.

        Police said the body of Nathaniel Brice Jr., address unknown, was found at 12:41 p.m. at the rear of a home in the 8000 block of Anthony Wayne Avenue.

        Mr. Brice was pronounced dead at the scene by the Hamilton County Coroner's office.

        The Cincinnati Police Homicide Unit is investigating the death.

        Police ask that anyone with information please call the Criminal Investigations Section at 352-3542 or Crime Stoppers at 352-3040. Callers many remain anonymous and may receive compensation for their information.
       

Procession recalls Jesus' last steps

               The 19th annual Way of the Cross/Way of Justice procession begins at noon on Good Friday at Fountain Square and concludes in Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine.

        Along the way, participants will stop at stations that recognize this year's themes.

        Those themes include Third World debt, workers' rights, education, homelessness, fear and ignorance, hate crime violence, equality and the law, and the death penalty.
       

Ohio Wesleyan bans student-faculty sex

               DELAWARE, Ohio — Faculty and workers at Ohio Wesleyan University who engage in voluntary sexual relationships with students now risk sanctions, including being fired.

        Wesleyan faculty and staff members approved the new policy this week. It was developed after a former student was arrested on federal charges, accused of stalking humanities Professor Conrad Kent.

        The new policy includes sanctions ranging from a written reprimand to termination for a sexual relationship with a student being supervised, advised or evaluated.

        “I'm really gratified at the way the university community came together on this issue,” Ohio Wesleyan President Thomas B. Courtice said.
       

Christmas-gift robber to serve nine months

               A South Fairmount man convicted of stealing Christmas gifts from an Over-the-Rhine mission violated his probation and was ordered Friday to serve nine months in prison.

        Rural Daniel, 44, pleaded guilty in January to one count each of breaking and entering, and receiving stolen property. He was accused of a break-in at Common Ground Ministries, 2011 Mohawk Place, from where 21 bags of Christmas gifts were taken.

        In February, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Crush ordered Mr. Daniel detained at a treatment facility for alcohol abuse for six months. He was ordered to pay $2,500 in court fines and restitution, and given five years' probation.

        On March 18, Mr. Daniel's probation was violated because he failed to start payments on his fines. He was discharged at his own request from the treatment facility March 7 before completing the program after he was sanctioned for negative behavior.
       

Permitting child abuse trial begins Tuesday

               HAMILTON — A 20-year-old Middletown mother is scheduled to go on trial Tuesday on charges that she allowed her boyfriend to abuse her 3-year-old daughter to death.

        Tiana Centers is to be tried on a charge of permitting child abuse before Butler County Common Pleas Judge H.J. Bressler.

        The trial is expected to last two or three days.

        Her boyfriend, Kevin Charles Miles, 27, of Woodlawn is charged with murder and child endangering in connection with the Jan. 1 death of Ms. Centers' daughter. She bled to death after being struck in the stomach, police say.

        His trial is begins May 6.
       

Second-grader brings loaded gun to school

               COLUMBUS — Under school district policy and federal law, a 7-year-old boy could be expelled for bringing a gun to his Columbus school on a dare.

        The second-grader at Linden Elementary showed the loaded .38-caliber handgun in his book bag to classmates in the coat room around 9 a.m. Thursday.

        The trigger was locked and the boy did not have the key, said Michael Straughter, a spokesman for Columbus Public Schools.

        Several students told the teacher, who took the bag and removed the boy from the classroom.

        Forest Bryant, who has four children at the school, said he witnessed the incident and did not think the boy understood how serious the situation was.

        “When he realized he had to go to the principal's office, he was petrified,” Mr. Bryant said.

        The day before, the boy had shown the gun to some students after school, and they dared him to bring it to class, Mr. Straughter said.

        Police decided not to charge the boy because of his age.

        This year, six middle- and high-school students in Columbus have been expelled for a year for bringing a gun or fake guns onto school property.

        The 1995 Gun-Free School Act requires federally funded schools to expel students who bring guns onto school property for one year from the day of the incident.

        Columbus endorsed the one-year expulsion with a zero-tolerance policy.

        The boy is expected to have an expulsion hearing Monday.

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