Hung jury, mistrial for Texas mayor who deposited $26K check for vendor into own account

October 15th, 2009 Judge declares mistrial in Abramoff-related caseWASHINGTON — A judge declared a mistrial Thursday in the case of a former lobbyist caught up in the Jack Abramoff affair, the biggest setback in the government's long-running prosecution of the influence-peddling scandal. The jury deadlocked over allegations that Kevin Ring lavished thousands of dollars worth of tickets and meals on employees of then-Republican Reps.

October 14th, 2009 Texas mayor says he deposited check in errorBROWNSVILLE, Texas — A south Texas mayor accused of stealing $26,000 from the city of Brownsville says he didn't realize what he was doing when he deposited a check made out to someone else into his business account. Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada is on trial on charges of theft, abuse of official capacity and misapplication of fiduciary property.

October 13th, 2009 Teller: Didn't think Texas mayor would break lawBROWNSVILLE, Texas — A bank teller allowed a south Texas mayor to deposit a $26,000 check made out to someone else into his business account, the clerk testified Tuesday at the politician's theft trial, because he did not think the well-known figure would be breaking the law. Prosecutors say Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada deposited the check into an account for his real estate appraisal business and spent more than $5,000 over the following three weeks.

October 13th, 2009 Attorney defends Texas mayor's $26,000 depositBROWNSVILLE, Texas — Prosecutors say the outspoken mayor of a Texas border town deposited a $26,000 check intended for a vendor in his own bank account and spent more than $5,000 over three weeks. But Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada's attorney said at the mayor's trial on Tuesday that it was "an innocent mistake" and the mayor would never intentionally deposit a check made out to someone else.

October 13th, 2009 Trial begins for mayor in Texas over missing checkMcALLEN, Texas — The outspoken mayor of a Texas border town faces trial after a $26,000 check for a city vendor was deposited into his personal account. Opening arguments are scheduled for Tuesday in the trial of Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada.

October 13th, 2009 Lawyer: Texas mayor's deposit an 'innocent' errorBROWNSVILLE, Texas — The outspoken mayor of a U.S.-Mexico border city deposited a $26,000 check from the city to a vendor in his personal account last year and attempted to discredit the investigation when it came to light, prosecutors said Tuesday. Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada, who is on trial for a variety of charges including theft, spent more than $5,000 over three weeks after putting the check into his account, authorities said.

October 5th, 2009 Mistrial in case of dad accused of girl's deathLOS ANGELES — A second mistrial has been declared in the case of a man accused of murdering his 4-year-old daughter by throwing her off a cliff. Jurors in Los Angeles announced Monday they were deadlocked in the case against Cameron Brown, with six jurors favoring a second-degree murder convinction and the others supporting an involuntary manslaughter charge.

September 25th, 2009 BHUBANESWAR - Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has urged the central government to release the full amount of Rs.1,350 crore the state deposited with the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Patnaik met Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh in New Delhi Thursday and demanded the release of funds with interest, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office here said Friday.

September 22nd, 2009 Prosecutors: Baltimore mayor's $10K is a mysteryBALTIMORE — Investigators looking into Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon's finances can't determine the source of nearly $10,000 in cash that was deposited into her bank accounts in 2004, according to court documents. The Democratic mayor faces trial in November on charges including perjury and theft.

September 11th, 2009 Judge declares mistrial in first Fosamax trialTRENTON, N.J. — A federal judge declared a mistrial Friday in the first trial over whether Merck & Co.'s former blockbuster osteoporosis drug, Fosamax, causes painful jaw bone destruction.

August 18th, 2009 HOUSTON — A jury has sentenced a Texas mother convicted of mutilating her infant by cutting off his genitals to 99 years in prison. Jurors deliberated for about two hours on Monday before sentencing 28-year-old Katherine Nadal.

August 8th, 2009 NYC hot dog vendor evicted over whopping rent billNEW YORK —Homeowners aren't the only ones in hot water over overpriced real estate. A New York City hot dog vendor has been evicted from his prize spot outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art because he couldn't pay a whopping rent bill of nearly $54,000 a month.

July 24th, 2009 Transcripts: Agents targeted during Hoffa trialNASHVILLE, Tenn. — Newly released grand jury transcripts say associates of late Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa plotted to ambush a group of FBI agents during his 1962 trial in Nashville.

July 16th, 2009 Fort Worth mayor says apology for injury, not raidFORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth's mayor says an apology he issued at a City Council meeting wasn't for law enforcement's raid on a Texas gay bar, but for the fact that a man was seriously injured. Mayor Mike Moncrief (MAHN'-creef) made an impromptu apology during Tuesday night's meeting where officials and residents commented on last month's raid on the Rainbow Lounge, which left one man hospitalized with a serious head injury.

July 15th, 2009 Fort Worth mayor apologizes for raid on gay barFORT WORTH, Texas — Forth Worth's mayor has apologized for a June raid on a Texas gay bar that sparked claims of brutality and procedure violations. About 250 people packed City Council chambers Tuesday and another 150 watched on televisions in the hallway or overflow rooms as officials briefly discussed the June 28 raid that left one man hospitalized with a serious head injury.