Friday, January 09, 2004

 

News Across the Country ...

From the Anchorage Daily News: Accused child molester halts bail hearing

An accused child molester showed up in court for what he expected to be a routine bail hearing Thursday only to find television cameras and reporters waiting for him.

Richard Pomeroy, 46, who faces trial on four counts of molesting a 6-year-old, started yelling at the sight of the cameras and struggled briefly with a trooper who tried to make him sit down, prompting the trooper to radio for assistance.

Pomeroy wanted his $20,000 cash-only bail reduced to a $10,000 bond, meaning he would have to post only about $1,500. He also sought release on an electronic monitoring system the prosecution said is untested. Assistant district attorney Taylor Winston said her office fears the system won't keep Pomeroy from harassing the victim or her family.

A special guardian for the victim also objects to Pomeroy being allowed to act as his own attorney because it means he will be able to question the victim at trial, Winston said. Pomeroy was assigned a public defender but said he preferred to represent himself and has been doing so. Although defendants have a conditional right to act as their own attorney, the guardian has asked Judge Larry Card to arrange for someone else to cross-examine the victim, who is now 7.

From the St. Petersburg Times:: Man's work on hydrants was fraud, police say

Police have arrested a Clearwater man suspected of defrauding local businesses into thinking they needed their fire hydrants fixed. Police arrested Thomas M. McGee, 42, on a scheme to defraud charge Wednesday.

For the last few months, police said, McGee has been calling local businesses and apartment complexes and telling managers he works for the city fire or water departments. Police said McGee told the managers that their hydrants were faulty and needed to be fixed. He then recommended they call a company called West Coast FHMI, which he said could fix the hydrants for them. What the managers didn't know is the number was McGee's. Police said McGee charged businesses up to $1,600 for the work. They suspect him of defrauding at least four businesses in the city of Clearwater and others in Largo and Palm Harbor.

From the Cincinnati Post: Council vote splits on racial lines

In a vote split along racial lines, Cincinnati City Council rejected a proposal Wednesday for spending $100,000 on initiatives to reduce black-on-black violence in inner-city neighborhoods.

Council's four African-American members supported the proposal, which was opposed by their five white colleagues.

posted by Anne 1/09/2004 05:04:00 AM