Ending The Week With Kentucky News

COLD CASE ARREST

Owensboro man arrested in '08 slaying

OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — A western Kentucky man has been charged with murder in a Trigg County cold case from more than five years ago.

Kentucky State Police said at the time that 64-year-old Harvey Choat of Trigg County was found dead in his home of multiple gunshot wounds.

On Thursday, state police said the Trigg County sheriff's office had received a tip about the case. After state police and the sheriff's office interviewed 28-year-old Seth C. Hooks of Owensboro, troopers obtained an arrest warrant, and Owensboro police arrested Hooks on Thursday.

Hooks was being held in the Daviess County jail and was set to appear in court on Wednesday. Online jail records did not indicate whether Hooks was represented by a lawyer.

KENTUCKY VOTE FRAUD

3 from Clay Co. plead guilty in vote-buying case

(Information in the following story is from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com )

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A former Clay County magistrate and two business owners whose convictions in a vote-buying case were overturned last summer have pleaded guilty in a deal that calls for reduced sentences.

The Lexington Herald-Leader said former magistrate Stanley Bowling; and garbage hauling business owners Bart Morris and his wife, Debra, entered the pleas Thursday in federal court in Lexington.

They were convicted in 2010 with five others but released from federal prison after the convictions were overturned.

Under the plea deals, Bart Morris, who was sentenced to 20 years, will be given 5 ½ years, while Bowling's sentence will drop from 15 years and 10 months to 5 ½ years. Debra Morris was originally sentenced to 10 years. She would not have to return to prison under the new deal.

FATAL FIRE

Woman dies in Letcher County fire

WHITESBURG, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky State Police in eastern Kentucky say a 66-year-old woman has died there in a house fire.

Police said the body of Betty Fields was found in a bedroom of the home after firefighters were called shortly after 7 a.m. EDT Thursday.

The fire occurred in the Mayking community of Letcher County, east of Whitesburg.

No foul play was suspected, but the cause remained under investigation.

PIPELINE FIGHT

Eminent domain contested for proposed pipeline

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Energy Secretary Len Peters doesn't believe a private company that wants to build a pipeline to carry natural gas liquids across the state can use eminent domain to obtain the right of way.

Peters told a legislative committee on Thursday that he reached that conclusion based on a review of state law. His position differs from that of company executives who insisted that they do have authority to take easements if landowners are unwilling to accept a deal.

The Bluegrass Pipeline, being built by Williams Co. and Boardwalk Pipeline Partners of Texas, would cross northern and central Kentucky.

The material to be carried by the pipeline is a liquid byproduct of the natural gas refining process that is used to make plastics, medical supplies and carpet, among other products.

TEEN KIDNAP-RAPE

More charges filed in kidnap, rape of W.Va. teen

(Information in the following story is from: The Exponent Telegram, http://www.cpubco.com )

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — Authorities have filed more charges against a Kentucky man and a West Virginia man accused of kidnapping and raping a mentally disabled 14-year-old girl.

Additional charges of sex trafficking a minor and second-degree sexual assault were filed Thursday against 22-year-old Lewis Kelly Dailey of Radcliff, Ky., and 37-year-old Jamey Glen Dodrill of Fairmont.

They were already jailed on charges of kidnapping, trafficking a minor, sexual assault and conspiracy.

State Police say the girl was assaulted at locations in Fairmont and Clarksburg.

The U.S. Attorney's Office declined comment on whether the men could face federal charges since the crimes involved the use of cell phones and computers, and Dailey crossed state lines.

But Harrison Prosecutor Joe Shaffer tells the Exponent-Telegram it's possible the case could land in federal court.

ROADSIDE BODY

Police: Body found near interstate was female

(Information in the following story is from: The Kentucky Enquirer, http://www.nky.com )

COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Police in northern Kentucky say a body found in the wood line along Interstate 75 last week was that of a white female.

Kenton County Police Chief Brian Capps told The Kentucky Enquirer that a forensic anthropologist determined the gender after conducting a second autopsy on Tuesday. The woman was estimated to be about 30 years old.

He said DNA or dental records would be used in an effort to determine an identity, which could take several weeks.

Mowing crews found the partially decomposed body near truck scales on the southbound side of the roadway.

OHIO RIVER BRIDGES

Ohio River bridge tolling decision on hold

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Motorists will have to wait longer to find out how much it will cost to cross two new Ohio River bridges connecting Kentucky and Indiana.

A bistate board Thursday delayed setting toll rates at the request of its Indiana members.

Kentucky Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock says he was surprised by the delay. Hancock says tolls need to be set as soon as possible as Kentucky prepares to borrow money for its share of the $2.6 billion project.

Hancock is worried that a delay will strap the state with higher interest rates in paying off the bridge-related debt.

Indiana officials indicated the delay is due to a final review of documents and does not signal any disagreement over potential tolls. Both states are relying on toll revenue to finance the project.