Articles

Unruly defendant rightly tossed from court, COA rules

A Montgomery County man thrown out of his own trial for disruptive conduct has failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that he was wrongly denied his right to be present. But the appellate panel did vacate one of the man’s convictions on double jeopardy grounds.

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Officials investigate death of inmate at Elkhart County Jail

Authorities say a 51-year-old man who was under medical care at a northern Indiana jail has died after being found unresponsive in his cell. The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department says Brian Banister was being treated for an illness while being held on a preliminary charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and resisting law enforcement.

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NE Indiana man gets 10 years for injuring police officer

A northeastern Indiana man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for seriously injuring a police officer while fleeing authorities. Kevin J. Turner, 53, Huntertown, had pleaded guilty to three felony charges, including resisting law enforcement, for the October incident involving Kendallville police Officer Blake Kugler.

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Goshen officer won’t face charges for shooting motorist

A northern Indiana police officer won’t face charges for shooting a motorist at the end of a chase. Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker said a grand jury convened Wednesday to evaluate the Jan. 9 shooting of Joshua Perry in Goshen declined to return an indictment.

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Vanderburgh County man gets 150 years for killing wife, shooting daughters

A southwestern Indiana man convicted of killing his wife and shooting his adult twin daughters has been sentenced to 150 years in prison. Clinton Loehrlein learned his sentence Monday after a Vanderburgh County jury last year found the Darmstadt man guilty of murder in the January 2017 slaying of 52-year-old Sherry Loehrlein, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery and misdemeanor resisting law enforcement.

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Lawsuit filed over gay inmate’s suicide at Noble Co. jail

A northeastern Indiana county faces a wrongful death lawsuit alleging a gay inmate killed himself in its jail after being denied mental health treatment and enduring harassment over his sexuality. Markus Middleton’s partner is suing Noble County’s sheriff, jail commander and jail staff.

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S. Indiana man hears charges in chase that killed Charlestown officer

Benjamin Eads of Freedom appeared in court Monday in Scott County on charges including auto theft and resisting law enforcement, which led to a death. Authorities say Eads fled a traffic stop on Dec. 12, triggering a police chase during which Charlestown Officer Benton Bertram’s vehicle struck a tree. Bertram was pronounced dead at the scene.

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COA: Angry shopper wrongly convicted of resisting

A Kroger shopper upset by the store’s refusal to cash her check without ID became disorderly and refused to leave, but the evidence against her did not support her conviction of resisting law enforcement, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday.

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