GAY MARRIAGE-KENTUCKY

Kentucky clerk Kim Davis loses latest gay marriage appeal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis has lost another bid to delay issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Thursday denied her latest request for a reprieve.

Davis stopped issuing marriage licenses after the U.S. Supreme Court effectively legalized gay marriage in June. Four couples sued her, and U.S. District Judge David Bunning then ordered her to issue the licenses. He later clarified his order to include all couples, not just the four who filed suit.

Davis' attorneys have appealed that expanded order several times, arguing that the mandate to issue licenses should apply only to the four couples who filed suit. They received licenses during Davis' five-day stint in jail for defying the court's order.

The appeals court again rejected Davis' request Thursday.

BODY IN TRUNK

Convicted Ohio killer facing death sentence claims remorse

HAMILTON, Ohio (AP) — A Kentucky man has taken the stand to express his remorse before jurors decide whether to recommend his execution for killing an 87-year-old southwest Ohio woman and leaving her body in the trunk of her car.

Fifty-seven-year-old Daniel French of Berea, Kentucky, told the Butler County courtroom Thursday that he had "destroyed a life" and was filled with great remorse and sorrow. He said he became "a monster" who caused great pain and suffering.

Jurors who last week convicted French of aggravated murder will make a recommendation to the judge on his sentence for Barbara Howe's 2012 slaying in her Monroe retirement community home. The defense insisted French had no plan to kill her.

French's brother testified Wednesday about them being beaten by their father as children.

TEACHER CHARGED

Bullitt Co. teacher acquitted in dragging of young student

(Information in the following story is from: WAVE-TV, http://www.wave3.com)

SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A teacher in Bullitt County has been acquitted of assaulting a 6-year-old student who was seen on surveillance video being dragged by the arm.

The teacher, Ashley Silas, had been charged with misdemeanor assault over the incident at Brooks Elementary School last year.

WAVE-TV in Louisville reports a jury heard the case and decided in the teacher's favor.

Silas was accused of dragging the boy about 160 feet through the halls to the principal's office because he was being disruptive on the playground.

The charges were brought after the boy's father asked police to review surveillance video of the incident. The parents say the teacher should have sought help.

Attorney Brian Butler said Silas is protected by a Kentucky law that allows teachers to use force to maintain discipline in the classroom.

BODY IN CAR

Man gets life sentence in slaying case

(Information in the following story is from: The News-Enterprise, http://www.thenewsenterprise.com)

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a man to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years in a kidnapping and slaying case out of central Kentucky.

The News Enterprise reports Hardin Circuit Court Judge Ken Howard sentenced 26-year-old Octavio Correa on Tuesday according to terms reached in plea agreement.

Correa and Tiffany Hodges were charged in the death last year of 47-year-old Saul Alvarado Flores of Munfordville, whose body was found in his car.

Correa, who had been facing the death penalty, pleaded guilty in September to complicity to murder and complicity to kidnapping.

Hodges, who is 32, has also pleaded guilty to complicity to murder and complicity to kidnapping, but she hasn't been sentenced yet.

SCHOOL THREAT-LINCOLN COUNTY

Officials investigate threat discovered in school's bathroom

STANFORD, Ky. (AP) — Lincoln County School officials are investigating after they say a threatening message was discovered at one of the district's schools.

In a statement released by the district, officials say the message "Kill everybody 11-5-15" was found Wednesday afternoon by Lincoln County Middle School principal Debbie Sims.

Officials say the message was discovered in the girls' downstairs lobby restroom of the middle school.

School officials say they began working with law enforcement immediately to investigate the incident.

Officials have decided to keep schools open Thursday. There will be an increased police presence at the middle school throughout the day to ensure the protection of the students and staff.

On Monday, Lincoln County Schools were canceled after a graffiti threat at Crab Orchard Elementary School was found over the weekend.

SPECIAL TRAINING-SCHOOL THREATS

Center to offer special training to deal with school threats

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — School officials will be offered special training following several threats that have shut down or caused evacuations at public schools in Kentucky.

Director of the Kentucky Center for School Safety Jon Akers tells media outlets that he estimates there have been at least 17 such threats this school year.

Akers says in the past two months, "it's risen to the level where there's immediate concern."

Akers says he'll offer workshops to school district officials in December and January in four regions of the state.

Akers says he expects to bring in a retired captain from the state police and a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives official to help with the training.

Lincoln County Schools were canceled Monday after a graffiti threat was found over the weekend.

LOUISVILLE-ESCORTS-MOORMAN

Youngest daughter of escort Powell faces prostitution charge

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The youngest daughter of escort Katina Powell was arrested by Louisville Police last year for misdemeanor prostitution.

Abraeshea Moorman is called "Shay" throughout Powell's book "Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen," which alleges former Louisville men's basketball staffer Andre McGee hired her and other dancers for sex parties with recruits and players. Moorman is one of three daughters Powell says danced in the shows from 2010-14 at the Cardinals' Billy Minardi Hall dormitory.

The arrest citation says an undercover detective conducting a human trafficking investigation contacted Moorman through a Backpage.com ad and arranged to meet her at an east Louisville motel on June 19, 2014.

Moorman's hearing on the charge was rescheduled from Wednesday to Jan. 15. A call to her attorney, Bart McMahon, was not immediately returned.

LOUISVILLE-ESCORTS

Louisville trustees meet, no discussion of sex scandal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville Trustee board chairman Larry Benz says there was no discussion about coach Rick Pitino's future at an unscheduled executive meeting, nor did they address an escort's allegations that she other dancers stripped and had sex with recruits and players.

Board members were expected to discuss the scandal surrounding the program on Thursday. But Benz emerged from nearly two hours behind closed doors to say only that pending litigation issues were discussed, but didn't provide any details.

Benz says the school wants to discover the truth behind Katina Powell's allegations that former men's basketball staffer Andre McGee paid her $10,000 for 22 shows. Benz said Louisville is complying with investigations by the NCAA and law enforcement, adding, "We are committed to let those authorities do their work."

 

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press

 

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