Monthly Archive for March, 2009

Dead infant initially thought to be doll, cemetery owner says

Published
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Shawntaye Hopkins
on March 27, 2009
in Uncategorized
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By Shawntaye Hopkins - shopkins@herald-leader.com

An owner of the cemetery where the body of an unclothed infant was found Thursday afternoon said the child was discovered by a woman who walks her dog there every day.

“She was pretty shaken up,” said Carolyn Hale, co-owner of Hillcrest Memorial Park. “It was very unsettling.”

An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Friday at the state medical examiner’s office in Frankfort, according to a release from the Fayette County coroner’s office.

No other details about the child have been released.

Lexington police were called to the scene about 2:50 p.m.

The body was found at the back of the cemetery, which is bordered by several apartment complexes. And the child might have been dumped over a fence bordering cemetery property, Lexington police Lt. Edward Hart said Thursday.

Hale said the woman, who owns a lot at the cemetery, did not immediately realize what she had found.

“At first she thought it was a doll,” Hale said. “She looked closer and realized it looked like a baby.”

The woman immediately informed the caretaker.

Authorities have contacted all hospitals in Fayette County and major medical facilities in surrounding counties to be on the lookout for a woman with medical issues related to having given birth.

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Wanted Missouri man arrested in Danville

Published
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Shawntaye Hopkins
on March 27, 2009
in Uncategorized
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By Shawntaye Hopkins - shopkins@herald-leader.com

A man wanted in Missouri on several felony charges was arrested Thursday night as Danville police investigated possible narcotics activity in a Sonic restaurant parking lot.

Robert Caldwell, 20, of Danville, was inside a white Cadillac where police found marijuana, scales, alcohol and a pellet pistol, Danville police said. He was wanted in Missouri on charges including seven counts of first-degree robbery, a felony, and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle.

Police were called to the Sonic on Huntsville Road about 11 p.m. Thursday after someone reported possible narcotics activity involving the Cadillac and a black Pontiac.

The driver of the Cadillac, a juvenile, fled on foot and has not been located, police said.

Caldwell is being held at the Boyle County jail.

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Driver who fled fatal UK hit-and-run gets 5 years

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on March 20, 2009
in Fayette Circuit Court
. 15 Comments
By Brandon Ortiz - bortiz@herald-leader.com

A Fayette County judge imposed the maximum sentence Friday on a man who was convicted of fleeing the scene of a crash that killed a University of Kentucky freshman last spring.

Connie Blount

Connie Blount

Shannon Houser

Shannon Houser

Shannon Houser, 37, was sentenced to five years in prison for tampering with evidence and leaving the scene of an accident. A jury had recommended six years by asking for the tampering and fleeing sentences to run concurrently, but by law the toughest sentence that Circuit Judge James Ishmael could impose was five years.

Early on April 13, Houser struck Connie Blount, 18, with his pickup. Blount, who investigators have said crossed Broadway against the light, had knelt down in the street, according to testimony.

Blount’s father, Jack, was disappointed that Houser was not prosecuted for murder. He said he’s angry that Houser will be eligible for parole after serving a year.

“Our legal system is a mess,” Jack Blount said.

Police have said that Houser removed the grill and bumper of his truck. But his attorney argued that Houser was not trying to conceal anything, noting that Houser did not wash the truck or try to hide the bumper.

Houser has said that he did not realize that he had hit Blount, who was studying equestrian science at UK.

But Ishmael told Houser on Friday that his explanation defies common sense.

Jack Blount said he will appear before the parole board when Houser is eligible.

“To me, he appears to have accepted no responsibility for what he did,” Jack Blount said. “He just shows no remorse. It is just shocking.”

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Woman led UK, local police on 2-county pursuit, officials say

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on March 19, 2009
in Police
. 2 Comments

Herald-Leader Staff Report

A Versailles woman faces multiple charges and traffic violations after a police pursuit early Thursday through two counties.

Jessica Hope Howard

Jessica Hope Howard

Jessica Hope Howard, 19, was charged with wanton endangerment, fleeing and evading police, driving under the influence and several traffic violations, said Maj. Joe Monroe, interim chief of University of Kentucky Police.

Shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday, UK police tried to pull over a car driven by Howard to let her know that she had a flat tire, Monroe said. Police had attempted to stop her at Virginia Avenue and South Limestone, but the car did not stop.

UK police followed the car as it traveled about 35 mph from Fayette County to Versailles. By this time, Lexington and Versailles police had been enlisted to help in the pursuit, and Howard’s car struck a Versailles police cruiser. No one was hurt, but Howard then returned to Lexington.

The car, which by this time had three flat tires, ran off the road and into a ditch about 4:30 a.m. on Parkers Mill Road in Lexington, Monroe said. Howard, who is not a UK student, was lodged in the Fayette County jail.

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Lexington police search for stabbing suspect

Published
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H-L Justice Team
on March 19, 2009
in Lexington police
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Herald-Leader Staff Report

Lexington police are investigating the early Thursday stabbing of a woman.

The unidentified woman was trying to get out of her vehicle at the Kmart on Nicholasville Road when a man approached her and told her to get back in, said Lexington police spokeswoman Ann Gutierrez.

Gutierrez said the man had the woman drive to North Lexington. When the woman’s cell phone rang in the area of Loudon Avenue and Contract Street, the man became upset and stabbed her. He hopped out the vehicle, then fled on foot.

The woman called police, and she was taken to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening, Gutierrez said. The incident was reported at 12:22 a.m. Thursday.

A K-9 unit searched the area but was unable to find the man. Gutierrez said the woman was not able to provide a detailed description of him.

If found, he will be charged with kidnapping and assault, she said.

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Three students charged in fire at Nicholas Co. teacher’s house

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on March 19, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 20 Comments
By Greg Kocher - gkocher1@herald-leader.com

Three teenagers have been charged in connection with a fire that gutted the house of Nicholas County High School teacher early Thursday.

“It was a childhood prank that went bad,” said Nicholas County Sheriff Dick Garrett.

Garrett Young, 18, of Mount Olivet, was charged with third-degree arson and criminal mischief, Kentucky State Police said. Both charges are felonies punishable by one to five years in prison.

Jordan Stewart, 18, of Carlisle, was charged with one count of criminal trespass, a violation punishable by a fine.
Garrett said a 17-year-old boy was charged with criminal trespass, a misdemeanor.

A juvenile female who was at the scene but who did not get out of a vehicle was not charged, Garrett said.
Garrett said the teens are students at the high school.

Hank Bond, spokesman for Nicholas County Schools, said the district has been made aware of the situation and will cooperate with law enforcement. Bond said he could not comment on any further action that might or might not be taken.

Young and Stewart, who was issued a citation, could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

Nicholas County Fire Chief Mark Hughes said a kind of fireworks known as a “cake” was put on the porch of Dreama Griffith’s house on Walnut Grove Road, near the Nicholas-Bourbon county line.

Cake fireworks are more complex than smaller fireworks such as Roman candles and bottle rockets.

Garrett was called to the house shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday. The fireworks had damaged the soffit on the porch, but it didn’t appear to be burning or smoking, Garrett said.

But then firefighters were called to the house shortly after 2:30 a.m. Thursday, Hughes said. By that time, the fire was “fully involved,” he said.

Apparently sparks from the earlier fireworks explosion had gone through the eaves of the roof and into the attic, where insulation smoldered and caused the fire to spread, Hughes said. “All that’s left are the brick walls,” Hughes said.

Griffith, who teaches English at the high school, got out of the house uninjured. Firefighters were able to rescue her two cats that were hiding beneath a bed, Hughes said.

Garrett said Griffith is staying with her parents.

Young was released from the Montgomery County jail on a $5,000 full cash bond. He is scheduled to appear in court April 8.

Bond and court information for Stewart was not immediately available Thursday.

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Nicholasville men charged in arson

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on March 19, 2009
in Jessamine County
. 5 Comments
By Greg Kocher - gkocher1@herald-leader.com

NICHOLASVILLE — Two men were charged Wednesday night with arson in connection with the Feb. 14 fire that destroyed a vacant apartment building, Nicholasville police said.

The fire was intentionally set by Thomas Aaron Gilbert, 29, of Nicholasville, police said in a release. Police said the owner of the building, Terry Rhodes Carter, 64, of Nicholasville had agreed that Gilbert would share a portion of the insurance money that Carter stood to gain by having the building burned.

Carter was charged with complicity to second-degree arson, a felony punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison. Gilbert was charged with third-degree arson, a felony punishable by one to five years in prison.

No one was hurt in the blaze but the fire was suspicious to investigators because the building had no electricity. The12-unit building at 306 Edgewood Drive in Nicholasville had been recently condemned by authorities and its occupants had been ordered to vacate. The building was a total loss, and has since been demolished.

Nicholasville police said the arrests were the result of a tip given by a person in response to a reward for information offered by the insurance company. The tip confirmed critical information for investigators with the Nicholasville Arson Task Force.

Both men were lodged in the Jessamine County jail.

Greg Kocher covers Jessamine County for the Herald-Leader. Reach him in the Nicholasville bureau at (859) 885-5775.

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Attorney’s illness causes concern, delays in fen-phen case

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on March 17, 2009
in U.S. District Court
. 5 Comments
By Brandon Ortiz - bortiz@herald-leader.com

Shirley Cunningham Jr. (left), William Gallion (right)

Shirley Cunningham Jr. (left), William Gallion (right)

FRANKFORT — The retrial of two former lawyers accused of taking millions of dollars from their clients has been postponed until Thursday morning because a defense attorney is ill.

Georgia lawyer O. Hale Almand, who represents William Gallion, became dizzy about 4 p.m. Monday in U.S. District Court. Testimony ended early for the day.

It was the third time the trial has been postponed due to Almand’s health. The trial was delayed for a week the first week in March.

Almand’s health triggered concerns that U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves might have to declare a second mistrial. But Almand told a lawyer who is temporarily representing Gallion that he just needs rest and expects to be ready for trial Thursday.

Almand has an ear infection that affects his balance, Reeves said.

Cunningham and Gallion are accused of taking $94 million that should gone to former fen-phen diet-drug users in the 2001 settlement of a $200 million lawsuit.

Federal prosecutors and Cunningham’s lawyer, Stephen Dobson, told Reeves they want to avoid a mistrial. The judge said he would research whether he can declare a mistrial for Gallion but continue the case for Cunningham.

Coffey was ordered to report back on Almand’s condition by Wednesday afternoon. Reeves was to conduct a hearing at 4 p.m. if Almand is not feeling better.

Cunningham and Gallion’s first trial resulted in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a verdict. A third lawyer, Melbourne Mills Jr., was acquitted.

Cunningham and Gallion are charged with wire fraud and conspiracy.

Prosecutors were questioning their final witness on Monday. The former lawyers are expected to present their case after the last witness concludes his testimony.

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Debt-scam calls rife in Kentucky

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on March 17, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

Herald-Leader Staff Report

The state attorney general’s office announced Tuesday that there has been an increase in the number of complaints from victims of financial scams.

Attorney General Jack Conway said investigators within the Consumer Protection Division have been receiving several calls per day from consumers just wanting to report contacts from suspicious companies, according to a news release from Conway’s office.

“While more Kentuckians are unfortunately facing layoffs during the economic downturn, scam artists are working overtime to prey on people’s fears and trick debt-ridden consumers into paying money for bogus debt-relief services or non-existent government grants,” Conway said in the release.

The attorney general’s office said some bogus debt relief companies have left individuals messages, saying “it appears that you qualify for a $1,000 advance. If you call today, you will get first priority status.”

A staff member at the attorney general’s office called the 866 number and was greeted with profanity. The call was then escalated to a supervisor to process the request.

Conway’s office said the number appears to ring into an offshore boiler room. The supervisor indicated someone would call back to explain the program.

General Conway said in the release that “bogus calls are being reported to my office regularly.”

“Consumers report that they obtained information from the Internet on free government grants or stimulus payments, or received unsolicited telephone calls,” he said. “Consumers should not respond to the offers, nor should they complete online forms in order to qualify for the so-called ‘free grants.’”

Conway said “these could be efforts by con artists to steal credit card information, to make unauthorized charges, or to steal personal information to further victimize the consumer with identity theft.”

The attorney general implored consumers not to respond to these calls or other calls offering foreclosure relief.

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2 Ky. high school students arrested with guns

Published
by
H-L Justice Team
on March 17, 2009
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

The Associated Press

LOUISVILLE — Jefferson County school officials say two high school students have been arrested after allegedly bringing guns to school.

A statement from spokeswoman Lauren Roberts says the separate incidents happened Tuesday morning at Valley High School in Louisville.

The statement says police arrested a senior, who allegedly had an unloaded gun, and a sophomore, who allegedly had a loaded gun.

The school was on heightened security, but has returned to normal operations.

School officials say a tip and quick response by the school staff stopped the incidents from escalating.

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