Articles

Justices reinstate child molesting convictions under attenuation doctrine

Four Level 1 felony child molesting convictions will be reinstated against a Blackford County man after the Indiana Supreme Court found the man’s incriminating statements to police were sufficiently attenuated from an illegal search and seizure of his apartment. The court’s ruling also more broadly holds that the federal attenuation doctrine can be applied under the Indiana Constitution.

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Indy archdiocese to follow Gary, list of priests accused of abuse

The Indianapolis Catholic archbishop plans to publicly release the names of all the priests in his diocese who’ve faced substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse. The archdiocese of Gary on Tuesday released a list of 10 ex-priests deemed guilty of sexually abusing children.

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Ex-prosecutor who withheld recanted testimony suspended

The Indiana Supreme Court suspended a former Porter County deputy prosecutor from the practice of law for 18 months for withholding from the defense evidence that an alleged victim said he had been coached to lie and had recanted allegations of child molestation.

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Justices clarify definition of sexual misconduct with a child

The Indiana Supreme Court found the “slightest penetration of the sex organ” was sufficient to affirm the conviction of a man of four counts of child molestation and eight counts of sexual misconduct with a minor. Justices offered guidance on what constitutes “other sexual misconduct” in affirming a man’s Level 1 felony child molestation conviction.

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Nassar’s 60-year child porn sentence upheld

A federal appeals court has upheld disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar’s 60-year prison sentence for possessing child pornography and destroying evidence. A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati denied Nassar’s appeal Wednesday.

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Sex offender’s rights not violated by registration extension

An Allen County sex offender’s constitutional rights were not violated when the period of time he was required to register as a sex offender was extended after a legislative amendment enacted after he was convicted of the sex crime, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.

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Judge who heard Nassar case won’t disqualify herself

A Michigan judge who held an extraordinary hearing before sentencing sports doctor Larry Nassar to prison for sexually assaulting female athletes refused to disqualify herself from the case Friday if higher courts send it back to fix any errors. Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said some of her courtroom comments about Nassar were “perhaps inartful,” but she denied any bias.

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Judge to hear Nassar’s request that she disqualify herself

A judge who sentenced disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar to prison for molesting girls will hold a hearing on a request that she disqualify herself from his appeal of the sentence. Nassar’s court-appointed appellate lawyers said the judge was biased, citing comments such as saying she would allow someone “to do to him what he did to others” if the constitution allowed.

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Mom of Fort Wayne girl killed in ’88 hopes defendant gets death

The mother of an 8-year-old Fort Wayne girl who was raped and killed in 1988 wants prosecutors to seek the death penalty against the man accused of the crimes. Prosecutors on Tuesday declined to discuss whether they’ll seek the death penalty for 59-year-old John Miller in the killing of April Tinsley. But the girl’s mother, Janet Tinsley, told the Journal Gazette that she wants to be present if Miller is put to death.

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Prosecutor in Fort Wayne girl’s 1988 killing hails genealogy databases

An Indiana prosecutor who’s preparing formal charges against a man in the 1988 abduction, rape and killing of an 8-year-old Fort Wayne girl says genealogy databases are powerful new tools for investigators. Allen County Prosecutor Karen Richards said in an affidavit that investigators consulted a company that was able to narrow DNA in the Tinsley case to Miller and his brother using publicly available genealogy database research. 

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Suspect in 1988 killing of Fort Wayne girl, 8, appears in court

A judge has given prosecutors until Thursday to formally charge a man who is being held in the 1988 slaying of an 8-year-old Fort Wayne girl. John D. Miller, 59, of Grabill was arrested Sunday on preliminary murder, child molesting and criminal confinement charges in the abduction, rape and killing of April Marie Tinsley.

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