Compiled from staff and wire reports

Woman faints when sentenced in death

Dione Hillman fainted Thursday when a judge sentenced her to three years in prison on a charge of involuntary manslaughter for leaving a child alone while baby-sitting, during which time the toddler drowned.

Sentencing was halted, but resumed a short time later with Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Charles Kubicki also sentencing the Evanston day-care provider to five years on community control on a child endangering charge.

Hillman, 32, pleaded guilty to the charges May 19.

Ousmane Thiam, 2, drowned while playing in a blow-up pool in the backyard of Hillman's home on Hackberry Street.

Hillman, a licensed day-care provider, was taking care of four children ages 2 to 6.

At about 7:30 p.m. she told the older children to watch the younger children, including Ousmane, while she went upstairs and took a bath, according to court records.

Hillman fell asleep in the tub, during which time Ousmane drowned, records show.

Petition filed in death penalty thrown out

HAMILTON - Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper on Thursday filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider a lower court decision that threw out the death penalty in a 1984 triple murder case.

Piper made the motion in the case of Rhett Depew.

Depew was convicted of stabbing to death a 28-year-old woman and her 8 and 12-year-old children in 1984, and setting their Oxford Township house on fire.

Six months ago, a federal appeals court agreed with a District Court ruling that said Depew did not receive a fair sentencing hearing because of comments made by the previous county prosecutor.

The federal court threw out Depew's death sentence and ordered a resentencing hearing in Butler County.

Piper said the Ohio Attorney General's Office also has filed a similar petition in the case.

Vote delayed on raising Realtor tax

LEBANON - Warren County commissioners delayed a vote again Thursday whether to raise the tax to sell real estate.

They are considering raising the county's real property transfer tax from 3 mills to 4 mills, which would generate about $1 million a year in additional revenue.

If it is raised, it would be the highest real property transfer tax in the state, according to area Realtors.

The vote was set Thursday for July 15 after Commissioner Larry Crisenbery asked for more time to see how the county's finances for the 2004 budget figure out over the next few weeks.

The extra money from the tax, he said, may be needed.

Commissioner Pat South said Thursday she expects to vote against increasing the tax because state officials didn't slash the county's $3 million local government fund.

Commissioner Mike Kilburn supports the increase, saying it could be used to help pay for road improvements.

Hate crimes in Cleveland drop

CLEVELAND - The number of hate crimes in Cleveland has dropped in the last 18 months, city officials said.

More than 100 community leaders came together over the past three days to discuss hate crimes at a conference sponsored by the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office.

So far this year, 29 hate crimes have been reported in the city. There were 145 reported in 2001, and 96 in 2002.

Since the Sept 11 terrorist attacks, ethnicity-based crimes, which had ranked last among hate crimes, moved into second place, more than doubling the incidents in 2000, according to the FBI.

Racial bias remains the top motive.