Sentenced for harassment

Sentenced for harassment
GIRARD -- Mary Benton of Hubbard has been sentenced to two months in Trumbull County Jail. Benton, 64, of School Street, was sentenced Thursday by Judge Michael A. Bernard in Girard Municipal Court. A jury found her guilty earlier in the day of telephone harassment. Benton was sentenced to 180 days in jail with 120 suspended. She reported to the Trumbull County jail to begin her sentence. Benton was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and court costs. After Benton completes the jail time, she will serve two years' probation. The complaint was filed by a neighbor.
Suit filed against Warren
WARREN -- A Champion Township man is suing the city, alleging he was subjected to illegal body cavity searches by police officers.
Adam Carson, of Aspen Drive, filed a lawsuit Thursday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court naming the city, Mayor Hank Angelo and Safety-Service Director Fred Harris as defendants.
Angelo declined to comment this morning.
The suit alleges that officers arrested Carson on April 17, 2002, on charges of a probation violation and driving under suspension, took him to the police station and conducted a body cavity search on him. It further states that Carson was illegally strip-searched when he was taken to the station Nov. 9, 2002, on traffic charges.
The suit contends the mayor and Harris were negligent in their duties for not properly training and supervising the police officers.
No hearing date has been set.
Discussing distress grant
GIRARD -- The city will hold a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in city council chambers to discuss a grant application for the West Side. The Ohio Department of Development community distress grant is designed to target those living on the west side of U.S. Route 422. The meeting is to explain grant requirements and gather ideas for the types of improvements that are needed.
Dark Xmas convention
AUSTINTOWN -- Regional filmmakers and several big-name science fiction and horror actors will be available for questions and autographs during the Dark Xmas convention.
The event -- set for 4-10 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday -- will take place at the Youngstown Inn, 1051 North Niles Road, near Interstate 80 and state Route 46.
Featured at the convention will be Robin Curtis, who appeared in several "Star Trek" movies; Michael Sheard, who was Admiral Ozzel in "The Empire Strikes Back"; Robyn Griggs, star of "One Life to Live" and the horror movie "Dead Planet"; local filmmaker William Victor Schotten, who wrote and directed "Dead Life"; and local filmmaker and producer Travis Bowen, who is directing "Shadows In The Woods."
Admission for Dark Xmas is $15 for a one-day pass, of $35 for the weekend.
For information, call the Youngstown Inn at (330) 793-9851.
Donating to United Way
BOARDMAN -- Representatives from the local Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores were to present checks totaling $6,000 ($2,000 per store) to the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way at 9 a.m. today at the Boardman Wal-Mart. The $6,000 is in addition to the $13,400 in employee pledges and the Wal-Mart/Sam's Club Foundation corporate gifts raised by the 2003 United Way campaign. The $2,000-per-store bonus was promised by the corporation if employees at the individual stores met their 2002 pledges.
Emergency postpones trial
YOUNGSTOWN -- The trial of Arthur Barron, which was scheduled to begin Monday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, has been postponed until Feb. 18.
According to court documents, the trial was delayed to allow defense attorney Douglas B. Taylor to attend to a family medical emergency in the Dayton area.
Barron, 29, of Carroll Street, is accused of killing 32-year-old John Cannell of Youngstown in November 2002. Police said Cannell was trying to get back his wife's wedding ring, which she had traded for crack cocaine. Barron was tried in February, but Judge James C. Evans declared a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
Barron remains in the county jail while he awaits another trial.
Unclaimed assets
MERCER, Pa. -- Representatives of the state treasurer's unclaimed-property bureau will be at the Christmas Victorian Mercer Craft Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Brandy Springs Community Building on state Route 158 to help local residents find and claim any assets to which they're entitled. The state has some $952 million worth of unclaimed assets from dormant bank accounts, stocks or dividends, uncashed payroll or accounts payable checks, uncollected utility deposits, unredeemed gift certificates and safe-deposit box contents that have been abandoned for five years.