Kentucky News Now

SLAYING-ABDUCTION

Ohio grand jury to review highway shooting case

LEBANON, Ohio (AP) — A grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of killing his estranged girlfriend's son in Kentucky, kidnapping her and then killing her on an Ohio highway.

In a hearing Monday, Lebanon Municipal Court Judge Mark Bogen said there's enough evidence for the case of 41-year-old Terry Froman to go to a Warren County grand jury to determine charges.

A message was left for Froman's attorney.

Froman, of Brookport, Illinois, was taken into custody Sept. 12 on Interstate 75 in Warren County, Ohio. Authorities say he had a self-inflicted gunshot wound and 34-year-old Kim Thomas' body was in his car.

Authorities in Graves County, Kentucky say Froman is charged with murder there in the slaying of Thomas' teenage son and with kidnapping Thomas from her Mayfield, Kentucky, home.

FIREFIGHTER CHARGED

Lexington firefighter terminated after arrest

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

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A Lexington firefighter who was charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident has been fired.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that 36-year-old Jarad McCargo's termination was announced Monday, hours after he pleaded not guilty to driving his vehicle into a man Friday night.

Police reports say McCargo backed his vehicle over the curb outside a Lexington bar, hitting a man who is in critical condition at University of Kentucky Hospital. Police said McCargo drove away shortly after his sport-utility vehicle crashed into the building.

The city initially placed McCargo on administrative leave but issued a release Monday evening saying he had been terminated from his probationary employment. He had worked for the Lexington Division of Fire and Emergency Services since July 13, 2013.

LETHAL INJECTION-KENTUCKY

Judge: Kentucky to explain lethal injection drugs

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A judge says Kentucky officials should be prepared to explain how and why they arrived at what drugs to use in a lethal injection and what doses of the narcotics to administer.

Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd didn't issue an immediate order Monday spelling out how far the state's explanation must go. But Shepherd told attorneys during a hearing in Frankfort that attorneys for multiple condemned inmates have a "fair inquiry" about the policy decisions.

The issue is the latest in the decade-long battle over how Kentucky executes inmates and whether the current two-drug system, which mirrors the method used in Ohio, passes constitutional muster and was properly adopted.

Shepherd halted all executions in the state in 2010 on the eve of a scheduled lethal injection.

ATTORNEY-DRUG CASE-SENTENCE

Disbarred lawyer sentenced to 20 years

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A disbarred Lexington lawyer has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud and other crimes.

Part of the case involved 35-year-old Seth J. Johnston's involvement in collecting money for plaintiffs in a case over the diet drug fen-phen. Prosecutors say Johnston diverted nearly $15,000 of the collections for personal use.

U.S. Senior District Judge Joseph M. Hood sentenced Johnston on Monday. Prosecutors said in a related hearing this month that Hood found that Johnston engaged in multiple fraud schemes, resulting in a total loss of more than $4 million to more than 250 victims.

Johnston pleaded guilty last October to wire, mail and tax fraud; obstruction of justice; and distribution of synthetic marijuana.

In August, the Kentucky Supreme Court permanently disbarred Johnston, which he requested.

POLITICAL PARTY-FUNDRAISING

State political parties post fundraising totals

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's two major political parties raised close to $1 million combined in August leading up to the pivotal November elections.

The Kentucky Democratic Party reported it raised more than $498,000 in August. The party that controls the state House and the governor's office has raised more than $1.3 million in 2014 and has a little over $474,000 in cash available.

The Republican Party of Kentucky raised more than $455,000 in August. The party that controls the state Senate and all but one of the of the state's federal offices has raised more than $2 million in 2014 and has $2.1 million in cash available.

The Nov. 4 election will determine Kentucky's U.S. Senator and which party controls the state House.

JAPAN COMPANY-JOBS

Japanese company to open facility in Corbin

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A Japanese metalworking and treatment company says it will spend $8.6 million to hire 30 employees and open a facility in Corbin to indirectly supply parts for Toyota vehicles.

Kowa Kentucky, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kowa Kogyosho, announced the facility Monday in a news conference with Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and Republican state Senate President Robert Stivers. The company plans to have its facility open by August of 2015 and begin production in January 2016.

State officials have approved state tax incentives for the company worth up to $600,000 depending on the number of jobs the company creates and how much money it invests in Kentucky.

More than 160 Japanese companies have offices in Kentucky employing more than 43,000 people statewide.