Compiled from staff and wire reports

Chabad attorneys ask $43K in fees from city

The city of Cincinnati was asked Wednesday to pay $43,000 in attorney fees to the lawyers who successfully challenged the city's ban on holiday displays on Fountain Square.

Freezing rain Tuesday night created a moment frozen in time for an ice-coated fountain in Fort Mitchell, adorned with a touch of holiday decoration Wednesday. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

Lawyers for Chabad of Southern Ohio requested the payment in a legal brief filed with U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott, who ruled last month that the city's ban on displays was unconstitutional.

Chabad sued for the right to erect an 18-foot menorah on the square during Hanukkah. Although the city has appealed the case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Judge Dlott's order should be enforced pending the appeal.

Chabad was then permitted to install the menorah, which remained in place until last weekend.

The group's lawyers, led by Marc Mezibov, argued in their legal brief that they are entitled to the fees because the judge ruled in their favor.

Sentencing set for man who stabbed teen

HAMILTON - A Hamilton man faces a decade or more in prison for stabbing a teenager 19 times.

Judge Michael J. Sage set a Jan. 15 sentencing date for Donnell Goodbread, 23, after a Butler County Common Pleas Court jury convicted him of attempted murder and felonious assault.

The jury deliberated about an hour before reaching its decision Tuesday.

The charges stemmed from a July 29 attack on Christopher Riley, 17, when he tried to intervene in an argument involving Mr. Goodbread and a woman in Park Avenue Park.

Mr. Riley underwent eight hours of surgery for wounds all over his body, officials said.

Ex-janitor to face new trial in sex case

LEBANON - A 74-year-old former janitor accused of groping the breast of an 18-year-old co-worker will face a second trial after a jury couldn't agree on a verdict this week, the Warren County prosecutor said.

Following seven hours of deliberations, Judge P. Daniel Fedders declared a mistrial late Tuesday after the common pleas jury was split 11-1 in favor of convicting Dalton Kaufman on one felony count of gross sexual imposition.

Mr. Kaufman of Clearcreek Township faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted on the charge.

The teen testified through tears earlier in the week that the married father of four grown children began massaging her shoulders and tickling her while the two were alone in the Dunlavy Elementary School library on June 27. Mr. Kaufman then pulled up her shirt and touched her breast three or four times despite her attempts to stop him, she said.

Mr. Kaufman contended that his hand slipped while he had his arm around the teen, and that he inadvertently touched her breast.

He resigned from the school job in an agreement with the district after the teen reported the incident.

Firefighters union gets new president

The Cincinnati firefighters union will swear in a new president tonight.Joe Diebold, vice president of Local 48, succeeds president Mark Sanders.

Lt. Sanders, who held the office for eight years, will continue to work as a firefighter but will spend more time in his job as legislative director for the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters.

Mr. Diebold, who has been on the union's executive board since 1994, takes over as the union prepares to start its contract negotiations in the spring.

Police make arrests in 2 separate killings

Cincinnati police made two homicide arrests Wednesday within three hours.

District 3 officers surrounded an apartment building on Westmont Drive in Westwood and arrested Reggie Sanders, 20. He was wanted in the Nov. 17 killing and aggravated robbery of Jeremy Hargrow in Northside.

That followed a 10:30 a.m. arrest in Lincoln Heights of Eric Brundage, 19. He's charged with murder in the Nov. 23 death of Larry Thomas of Over-the-Rhine. Mr. Thomas was involved in a dispute with Mr. Brundage and another man, Mitchell Johnson, police said.

Mr. Thomas' assailant picked him up and slammed his head on the sidewalk, police said.

Mr. Johnson, 19, also has been charged in the case.

Detectives also announced Tuesday that Brian Witlow, 17, is wanted in the Sept. 1 shooting death of Rita Michelle Walter, 38, in South Fairmount.

Police ask anyone with information about Mr. Witlow's whereabouts to call Crime Stoppers at 352-3040.

Six teens accused in attack on school bus

SPRINGFIELD TWP. - A half-dozen teens from three schools were arrested Wednesday in connection with an attack on the Northwest High School basketball team bus last month.

The six students, ranging in age from 13 to 16,were arrested by Springfield Township police and charged with aggravated rioting and vandalism in connection with the Nov. 29 attack as the bus was leaving Finneytown High School after a game.

Police said the teens, who are not being identified because they are juveniles, threw rocks that broke bus windows and caused minor injuries to some of the passengers.

Working with school security officials, the police investigation led to the arrests of three male and two female students from Finneytown Junior and Senior High schools, and one male student from Western Hills High School.

The students also face disciplinary action from their respective schools.

Woman found dead in car was shot

YOUNGSTOWN - A Columbus woman found dead in the trunk of her burned car was shot in the head, police said Wednesday.

Dental records confirm the body is that of Suzanne M. Dalton, 43, said Mahoning County Coroner Dr. David Kennedy. Mrs. Dalton had been missing from her home since she left Saturday morning to go Christmas shopping.

Youngstown police Lt. Robin Lees said Mrs. Dalton's death "occurred prior to the fire from an apparent gunshot wound to the head."

A gun has not been found. Lt. Lees said Youngstown detectives were in Columbus and working with police there to gather information.

Mrs. Dalton's husband, Richard, said Youngstown police contacted him and told him the family car was found burned behind a former bar in Youngstown with a charred woman's body in the trunk.

Mr. Dalton has said he doesn't know what happened.

He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.