Families to have voice in Columbus police shooting trial

Families to have voice in Columbus police shooting trial

COLUMBUS

A judge in Columbus has agreed to allow a jury to hear from relatives of two slain police officers should the trial of a man accused of killing them reach the death-penalty phase.

The Columbus Dispatch reports Judge Richard Frye agreed with prosecutors Friday that relatives of Westerville officers Eric Joering and Anthony Morelli can be heard during the mitigation phase of 32-year-old Quentin Smith’s trial scheduled for October.

Smith is charged with aggravated murder in the February 2018 slayings. If found guilty, the jury will decide whether to recommend that Judge Frye sentence Smith to death.

It would be the first time that Marsy’s Law, a voter-approved constitutional amendment from 2018 that gives rights to crime victims, would apply in a death-penalty trial.

Smith’s attorneys declined to comment.

Teens who were with boy shot by officer are added to lawsuit

COLUMBUS

Four teenagers who were with a black Ohio boy before he was fatally shot by a white police officer are now third-party defendants in a lawsuit over his death, even though his family doesn’t believe the teens should be held financially responsible.

The Columbus Dispatch reports the city of Columbus wanted the teens added to the case over the September 2016 death of 13-year-old Tyre King. That means they could be on the hook if Columbus or the officer is found liable for damages.

The city contends Tyre’s death was a consequence of the teens’ misbehavior.

Police say Tyre was with another teen who robbed someone, and Tyre was shot by a responding officer who thought he had a firearm. It turned out to be an inoperable BB gun.

Renacci congressional staff did improper work for campaign

COLUMBUS

A congressional agency says staffers to then-U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci of Ohio inappropriately used government resources to benefit his 2018 U.S. Senate bid.

Cleveland.com reports the Office of Congressional Ethics released the findings Wednesday. Renacci won’t be sanctioned because he’s no longer in office.

Investigative documents said Renacci’s congressional communications staff regularly took photos and videos of him performing official functions at the Capitol then shared them with the campaign for publicity. Staffers also performed campaign work in Renacci’s congressional office.

Renacci, a Wadsworth Republican, said his congressional and campaign staffs controlled his social media accounts and that he didn’t review all posts. He said he was unaware campaign work is prohibited in congressional offices and that House buildings can’t be used in campaign commercials.

Renacci lost to Democrat Sherrod Brown.

State officials warn of timber theft spurred by high prices

COLUMBUS

State officials in Ohio say timber theft has increased due to high prices for white oak and black walnut.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry is offering tips to help residents prevent thefts on public and private land.

Division Chief Dan Balser says in a release that timber poachers often work in secluded areas not visible from homes.

He says they often remove the most valuable lower log section trees, leaving upper sections and limbs behind.

Small trailers and winches, or logging equipment such as loaders and large trucks are sometimes used by thieves.

State officials urge Ohioans to inspect their property often, conduct inventories, and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement if the theft of timber is suspected.

Zookeeper hospitalized after tiger attack

TOPEKA, Kan.

City officials say a tiger, who came to the Topeka Zoo in August 2017 from the Akron zoo, mauled a zookeeper at the Topeka Zoo in northeastern Kansas.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that the incident happened Saturday morning, when a Sumatran tiger named Sanjiv attacked the worker in a secured, indoor space.

Topeka Zoo director Brendan Wiley said the zookeeper was awake and alert when she was taken by ambulance to a hospital.

Wiley said he did not know the extent of her injuries. The zookeeper’s name has not been released.

City spokeswoman Molly Hadfield said the zoo was open at the time of the attack and was witnessed by some people.

The zoo reopened about 45 minutes after the attack.

Boy, 14, missing since weekend found buried on Ohio farm

CARROLLTON

Authorities say the body of a 14-year-old boy reported missing a week ago has been found in a shallow grave on a Northeast Ohio farm.

The Carroll County sheriff, prosecutor and coroner didn’t provide any details at a news conference Friday afternoon about how Jonathon Minard died, or whether there were suspects in his death.

Investigators found his body Friday at a Washington Township farm.

Jonathon was last seen April 13 at a New Harrisburg farm where he helps milk cows at a farm owned by a friend’s father.

Investigators were told Jonathon complained about a toothache and said he’d call his mother at the friend’s house to pick him up.

Sheriff Dale Williams said earlier this week the mother didn’t receive a call.

Associated Press