By Susan Jacobson and Amy Pavuk, Orlando Sentinel Flanked by a crowd of supporters, Caryn Kelley left the Orange County Courthouse late Tuesday a free woman after a jury found her not guilty of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of her boyfriend. "I'm going to sleep very well tonight, thank you," Kelley said. "It's been a long time coming." The three-man, three-woman jury deliberated for about an hour and 35 minutes before reaching its verdict. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-caryn-kelley-trial-closings-20130528,0,3718308.story … [Read more...]
Lawsuit Launched to Protect Coastal Florida Sparrow and Lizard Threatened by Sea-level Rise
February 20, 2013 By
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal notice of intent today to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the agency’s failure to protect the MacGillivray’s seaside sparrow and the Florida Keys mole skink under the Endangered Species Act. Both species are severely threatened by sea-level rise: The sparrow depends on marshes that are threatened by rising seas, while the mole skink is found only on Florida’s low-lying keys, at risk of inundation. Driven by climate change, sea-level rise of three feet to six feet in Florida is highly likely within this century. “Help can’t come too soon for the seaside sparrow, Florida Keys mole skink or many other plants and animals on our vulnerable coasts,” said Jaclyn Lopez, a Center attorney based in … [Read more...]
Groot: ‘We Must Learn to See Hidden Value’
February 18, 2013 By
By DONNA BALANCIA, Contributor LAKE HELEN -- Attorney Lonnie Groot likes the balancing act. Over the years as attorney for various Central Florida municipalities, Groot has always sought to keep the balance between big city growth and small town identity. “There’s a special place in my heart for Seminole County and the surrounding towns,” he said. “The region has been very good to me.” As he looks out over Lake Monroe from the sea wall at Sanford, Groot, who is Of Counsel with Strenstrom McIntosh Colbert Wigham & Partlow PA, can see more than water and a couple of people fishing by the harbor. “It’s a hidden gem, don’t you think?” Groot says. “There is the desire here for Sanford to grow and there’s a lot of potential here.” Groot has a knack to see beyond face value, colleagues, friends and family members say. He likes to get down to the … [Read more...]
Florida businessman, sued by Bulls’ Boozer for $1M, arrested for fraud
December 10, 2012 By
By Ben Golliver -- Claudio Osorio, a Florida businessman sued last yearby Bulls forward Carlos Boozer for allegedly squandering a $1 million investment into a bogus company, has been arrested on a federal fraud indictment, the FBI announced Friday. The South Florida Business Journal reports the wire fraud and major fraud charges involved InnoVida Holdings, a company that made “fiber composite panels” that could be used to build homes in developing countries, such as Haiti. http://nba.si.com/2012/12/07/carlos-boozer-fraud-claudio-osorio-fraud-lawsuit/ … [Read more...]
Man Charged in Trayvon Martin’s Death Sues NBC for Defamation
December 7, 2012 By
By BRIAN STELTER -- 5:51 p.m. | Updated George Zimmerman,accused of second-degree murder in the shooting of Trayvon Martin earlier this year, filed suit against NBCUniversal on Thursday, alleging that news reports that edited his voice on a 911 tape constituted defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The suit, filed in circuit court in Seminole County, Fla., asked for a jury trial. A spokeswoman for NBCUniversal said in response to the suit: “We strongly disagree with the accusations made in the complaint. There was no intent to portray Mr. Zimmerman unfairly. We intend to vigorously defend our position in court.” http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/man-charged-in-trayvon-martins-death-sues-nbc-for-defamation/ … [Read more...]
