By Sue Carlton, Times Columnist -- We are a state that brought the world military groupies in pearls, new ways to mess up elections and legislation on everything from dwarf-tossing to baring your boxers atop your trousers. We are Florida, land of dubious distinctions. Here's a more sobering one: We remain one of the only states in America that does not prohibit drivers who are hurtling down the interstate at high speeds from taking their eyes off the road to type out text messages (hey u want pizza 2nite?) Which is astounding. http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/drive-dont-text-a-florida-law-whose-time-has-come/1263524 … [Read more...]
Trial starts in Fla. lottery winner slaying case
November 27, 2012 By
TAMARA LUSH -- TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jury selection was underway on Tuesday in the trial of a Florida woman charged with swindling a lottery winner out of his money and then killing him. Dorice "Dee Dee" Moore is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Abraham Shakespeare, a laborer who won a $30 million Florida Lottery jackpot in 2006. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Trial-starts-in-Fla-lottery-winner-slaying-case-4068706.php#ixzz2DULejTFf … [Read more...]
Fl. judge shields reporter from testifying in case
November 16, 2012 By
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge is rejecting a request by prosecutors to interview a reporter about a former aide to Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll. Circuit Judge Frank Sheffield on Wednesday ruled that The Florida Times-Union reporter Matt Dixon does not have to testify in the ongoing criminal case against Carletha Cole. Cole was arrested in 2011, accused of giving a Dixon a secret recording containing a conversation between Cole and Carroll's chief of staff. Prosecutors in October tried to subpoena Dixon but the newspaper went to court to fight the request. Sheffield ruled that the state attorney's office did not show that there was a compelling reason for Dixon to testify. The judge also said prosecutors have other ways to prove that Dixon received the recording without questioning him directly. Read … [Read more...]
Casey Anthony, Family Among Witnesses On Defamation Lawsuit
November 9, 2012 By
By David Lohr Casey Anthony, her parents and her brother are among the names on an updated witness list filed by Zenaida Gonzalez in her defamation lawsuit against Anthony. Gonzalez's legal team filed the new witness list Thursday. It contains the names of 24 witnesses, down from 90 names on an earlier witness list filed by the attorneys. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Gonzalez's attorneys had agreed to pare down their list after Anthony's lawyers complained the first one was too beefy. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/casey-anthony-defamation_n_2102806.html … [Read more...]
Boca lawyer Bill Hager is Palm Beach’s new state representative
November 8, 2012 By
By WILLIAM KELLY, Daily News Staff Writer -- With the defeat of Mitt Romney, Connie Mack, Adam Hasner and possibly Allen West, Tuesday night wasn’t a happy occasion for local Republicans. But there’s some salve for the wound. The town’s new state representative is Republican Bill Hager of Boca Raton. Hager, who has represented District 87 since 2010, bested Democrat Tom Gustafson in their contest to represent the newly drawn District 89, which runs along the coast from Riviera Beach to Boca Raton. http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/national/boca-lawyer-bill-hager-is-palm-beachs-new-state-re/nSzqG/ … [Read more...]
