Trial for robbery, murder case begins

        HAMILTON — Prosecutors say Marion “Gil” Emmett was a victim of a robbery — of a $1 bill and his ATM card — that led to murder.

        But the defense lawyer says Mr. Emmett's death was the unplanned result of a fight.

        A three-judge panel must try to sort out which version is the truth in the death-penalty case of Derrick Bird, 21, of Middletown. He and co-defendant Brad Isbell are charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery in the May 2001 beating death of Mr. Emmett, 37. Mr. Isbell's trial is set for June 2-4.

        As Mr. Bird's trial began Tuesday in Butler County Common Pleas Court, Assistant Prosecutor David Kash said Mr. Emmett socialized pleasantly with Mr. Bird and Mr. Isbell, among others, at Barb's Pub in Middletown.

        But later, Mr. Kash said, the pair got Mr. Emmett's ATM card and made five failed attempts to use it, then beat him to death.
       

Man deemed drunk in crash that killed 3

        HAMILTON — The 19-year-old driver in a triple-fatal traffic crash was intoxicated, the Butler County coroner said Tuesday.

        James C. Haynes of Morgan Township had a blood-alcohol level that was “significantly over the legal limit,” Coroner Dr. Richard P. Burkhardt said. He declined to release the specific test result. However, he said test results showed that another victim of the crash, passenger Michael A. Dulli II, 20, of Ross Township, had probably consumed “a beer or two.”

        The crash on Saturday also killed Anthony R. Bustle, 23, of Millville. His blood-alcohol test result was unavailable.

        Meanwhile, another passenger, Justin D. Oehler, 21, of Fairfield, was upgraded from critical to serious condition at University Hospital.

        Sheriff's Deputy Jim Mueller said investigators are trying to determine where the young men obtained the alcohol, and that charges are possible.
       

Governor to honor info-tech students

        Gov. Bob Taft today will recognize 10 students for their participation in the West End's Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School.

        During remarks to Cincinnati business leaders at the Westin Hotel downtown, Mr. Taft is expected to spotlight the success of the redesigned school, which opened in August. Achievements include a 60 percent increase in the number of students on the A/B honor roll and a 50 percent increase in lunchroom attendance.

        The school includes a partnership with Cincinnati Public Schools, Cincinnati Bell and CincyTechUSA.
       

Airport police plan to take over security

        Officials at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport on Tuesday said they expected the airport's police department to take over for the Kentucky National Guard at security checkpoints, tentatively as of May 1.

        The airport police has 44 sworn officers on the force. In addition, the department has created a 25-person public safety division that has taken over many traffic duties. There are plans to add an as-yet-unspecified number of officers to the force over the next six months.

        The Transportation Security Administration on Tuesday announced that it would be pulling Guard personnel out of airports nationally and asking local law enforcement to replace them at security checkpoints.

        Before Guard troops showed up just before Thanksgiving, the Boone County Sheriff's Department had lent several officers. Late last month, the airport was told it would receive a $2 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to help offset some security costs.

        Airport Director of Aviation Bob Holscher said at the time that the airport planned to pay Boone County at least $80,000 to compensate the county for the police overtime.
       

Learning centers discussed in meetings

        The Over-the-Rhine Schools Committee will hold a meeting 6-9 p.m. today to discuss how to create community learning centers in Over-the-Rhine schools.

        Community learning centers provide community services within school buildings, such as health and recreation services. The centers are intended to extend the use of school building beyond the school day, while also meeting the needs of the communities in which they are located.

        The meeting will be held on the second floor of the Emanuel Community Center, 1308 Race Street.

        Parents, students, teachers and community members concerned with Rothenberg, Vine and Washington Park elementary schools are invited to attend.

        This is the second in a series of eight meetings to be held every first Wednesday of the month.

Townships win round in annexation fight

        COLUMBUS — The long battle between cities and townships over annexation policy reached a milestone Tuesday when Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery's office declared that a bill the cities unsuccessfully challenged is now law.

        The law gives townships new protection against unfriendly takeover of township land. Townships had complained for decades that cities had an unfair edge and left townships with little in exchange for their land. Opponents of the new law say it could increase suburban sprawl.

        Cities are not quite ready to give up the fight, said Don Mc- Tigue, an attorney representing No On State Control of Property Rights, a group funded by some of Ohio's cities.

        The group collected signatures to get a referendum put on the November ballot. It needed signatures of 201,253 registered Ohio voters, but only 189,675 were certified by county boards of election, said Carlo LoParo, spokesman for Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell. The number of signatures needed is 6 percent of the vote total in the 1998 election for governor.

        While the petitions were being collected, the bill that Gov. Bob Taft signed July 27 did not become law because of provisions in the referendum law. Ms. Montgomery's office said the bill is now law.
       

Woman accused of killing daughter, 6

        WARREN, Ohio — A woman has been charged with deliberately killing her 6-year-old daughter by running her over with a car.

        The funeral for Samantha Mae Martin was held Tuesday in Austintown in northeast Ohio.

        Sherry Marie Delker, 27, of Austintown, appeared Saturday before Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Peter Kontos and pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder. She was ordered jailed without bond.

        Police said Ms. Delker told a state trooper that she killed her daughter to send her to a better place because “they were trying to take her baby away” and “to stop the abuse.”

        Ms. Delker's attorney, Anthony Consoldane, said he was told his client has been diagnosed with a mental illness.

        Ms. Delker's boyfriend, Roger Anderson, denied a statement by Ms. Delker to police that he “didn't want to date a woman with children.” Mr. Anderson said he had considered marrying Ms. Delker.

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