Some of Today's State News Headlines
Today is Tuesday February 12, 2008
Judge orders mistrial for mother accused of microwaving baby
DAYTON (AP) - A woman accused of killing her month-old daughter by burning her in a microwave oven appeared sad after a judge ordered her retried instead of sending the death penalty case to a jury.
The ruling said new evidence was revealed to bolster China Arnold's innocence claim, but the mother showed little emotion when the decision was announced and seemed unhappy as she walked out of the courtroom to be taken back to jail.
Visiting Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge John Kessler declared the mistrial Monday after privately hearing testimony from a juvenile who said he was at Arnold's apartment complex on the August 2005 night Paris Talley died. The judge did not give details about the juvenile's testimony.
Kessler also heard testimony from the juvenile's father and was presented with affidavits from an adult witness who had been in contact with a second juvenile regarding the first juvenile's statements.
(Refer to page 5 of today's Daily Chief-Union)
Jackson calls for charges in police shooting of Lima woman
LIMA (AP) - The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Monday that a police officer who shot and killed a woman during a drug raid should be criminally charged, angering the mayor in a city already on edge.
Jackson said those who planned last month's raid should be held accountable too.
"This was a botched plan," he said. "This use of arms was excessive force. This young woman did not deserve to die."
Jackson's visit to Lima comes just more than a month after a SWAT team raid left 26-year-old Tarika Wilson dead and her 1-year-old son wounded. Family members say Wilson was an innocent bystander who was holding the boy and was not armed.
The shooting has touched off protests, marches and much discussion about race relations in the northwest Ohio city, where one in four residents is black.
Jackson said it would be a travesty of justice if no one is charged.
Lima Mayor David Berger said Jackson's call for charges was unjustified and could further divide residents who already think there won't be a fair investigation.
(Refer to page 5 of today's Daily Chief-Union)
Attorneys to make final arguments in murder trial of ex-patrolman
CANTON (AP) - The jurors know a former police officer killed his pregnant lover three weeks before her due date.
Now they must decide whether to believe prosecutors, who say he strangled her in anger over mounting child support payments, or to believe the defendant, who says it was an accident caused by a single blow during a scuffle.
Attorneys are to give their closing arguments today in the trial of Bobby Cutts Jr. The jury likely will begin deliberations later today.
Cutts, 30, testified through sobs Monday that he swung his elbow at Jessie Davis when she would not let him leave her home in northeast Ohio.
He then wrapped her body in a comforter and dumped it in a park, all the while trying to escape the reality of what had happened.
"This can't be happening. This is not real. This is a bad dream," Cutts said.
(Refer to page 5 of today's Daily Chief-Union)
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