Conviction upheld in robbery after iPhone exchange
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed an Elkhart student’s robbery conviction after concluding there was sufficient evidence to support that she stole money in the presence of the cash’s owner.
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Holcomb ceremonially signs victims rights bill
A victims rights bill inspired by a mother attempting to protect her underage daughter from a sexual predator’s grooming tactics was ceremonially signed Wednesday by Gov. Eric Holcomb, with support from the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council.
Legislative Council approves 2019 interim committees
Study committees for the 2019 interim period have been approved by Indiana’s Legislative Council and will address dozens of issues for review in the coming months, including several legal-focused topics.
Lawyer: Judges’ shooting case rife with ‘speculation and conjecture’
Nearly a month after two judges were shot on the streets of Indianapolis, after which the alleged shooter and his accomplice walked free, an attorney representing one of the arrested men in his probation violation case said the unusual nature of the prosecution and lack of information released about the case has left it “open to speculation and conjecture.”
Appeals court trims sentence for Muncie man in bomb case
The Indiana Court of Appeals has overturned one of several convictions and trimmed the sentence for a central Indiana man who tried to kill his former girlfriend with a homemade bomb. The rulings in the case of 40-year-old Lionel Ray Mackey Jr. of Muncie will apparently reduce his prison term from 101 years to 94½ years.
Suit: Franklin schools failed to stop student from being bullied
A central Indiana teenager with special needs is suing her local school district, alleging it failed to stop “severe and pervasive” bullying she has faced in school. The federal lawsuit filed May 13 in Indianapolis against the Franklin Community School Corp. doesn’t identify the girl.
4 from Indiana sentenced in $125,000 veteran funds fraud
Four southern Indiana residents have been sentenced after authorities say they pocketed more than $125,000 through fundraisers touted as benefiting veterans and their families. Federal prosecutors say James Linville was sentenced this week to 5 years in prison; Joanie Watson was sentenced to 3½ years, and; Thomas Johnson and Amy Bennett were sentenced to 3 years.
Purdue Title IX sexual assault lawsuit still awaiting 7th Circuit decision
The campus sexual assault lawsuit brought by an unidentified male student against Purdue University, which was one of the first such cases to be heard by a federal appellate court since the U.S. Department of Education issued its “Dear Colleague” letter in 2011, is still awaiting a ruling from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals while the number of similar complaints being added to the dockets of circuit courts around the country continues to grow.
Man who sold rental mower loses appeal over Hamilton County venue
A lawn mower thief failed to convince an appellate court that Hamilton County was an improper venue for his case because the theft did not actually occur until the mower’s signed rental agreement expired one day later in another county.
Ex-public defender reinstated after harassment suspension
A former Adams County chief public defender who was suspended from the practice of law for harassing an ex-girlfriend has been reinstated to the practice of law by the Indiana Supreme Court. A hearing officer in the attorney’s case had concluded the lawyer’s prescribed antidepressant Prozac had triggered his misconduct.
Restitution affirmed in Vigo school district kickback scheme
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a restitution calculation in the case of a former Vigo County School Corporation employee who received a share of more than $110,000 in kickbacks after steering government contracts to a favored bidder.
7th Circuit vacates ruling in light of new uniform-rental law
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated in part a Southern District Court’s decision, asking it to reconsider whether an amended Indiana wage-deduction law could be retroactively applied to claims made against a former employer for withholding employee wages to rent work uniforms.
Supreme Court indefinitely suspends Knox County attorney
A suspended Vincennes attorney’s sanction has been converted to an indefinite suspension from the practice of law for failing to cooperate with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission concerning a grievance filed against him.
Fort Wayne electronic health records company to pay states $900K after data breach
A Fort-Wayne based electronic health records company has agreed to pay $900,000 to settle an Indiana-led multistate lawsuit filed after a data breach compromised the personal health information of nearly 4 million people.
Amish couple settles lawsuit over photos their faith forbids
An Amish couple with 13 children settled a lawsuit that accused federal officials of violating their constitutional rights by insisting they provide photographs of themselves before the Canadian wife’s request to become a permanent U.S. resident can be approved.
Man gets life in prison for Indiana deputy’s shooting death
A Lebanon man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty in the fatal shooting of a Boone County sheriff's deputy.
Trump: Mueller is a ‘never Trumper’ who led a biased probe
President Donald Trump blasted special counsel Robert Mueller on Thursday, calling him a “never Trumper” who led a biased investigation on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and failed to investigate his opponents who didn’t want Trump to be president.
Justices affirm denial of parolee’s sentence modification
A man seeking to modify his already served sentence failed to convince the Indiana Supreme Court to accept his argument, though the high court rejected his position for a different reason than the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Res judicata leads to remand of CHINS determination
Saying it was “troubled” by how the Department of Child Services chose to litigate two nearly back-to-back child welfare cases, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ordered a trial court to re-evaluate a 2018 CHINS petition without relying on facts that were available for litigation during a 2017 CHINS proceeding.
Appeals panel upholds Muncie doctor’s convictions
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the forgery and prescription-related offenses for a Muncie doctor alleged to have overprescribed pain medication to patients by using his nurse practitioners’ names to sign the orders.