Cases and stories of interest updated today
(Continued from here.)
BAIL DENIED
Judges in two states denied bail for teachers. In Connecticut, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Smith agreed with federal prosecutors that there were no conditions of release that would ensure that Avelino Gonzalez Claudio would not flee. His attorney wanted house arrest and electronic monitoring for Avelino Gonzalez Claudio, 65, who was arrested in February of this year. After an armored car robbery in 1983 by Puerto Rican terrorists, Gonzalez went into hiding after his indictment. He is accused of helping to get the Wells Fargo driver who carried out the plot and the half-ton of cash out of the United States. And other crimes. In Puerto Rico, Gonzales changed his name and became a teacher. He escaped prosecution for 23 years. TT entry
In New York, a judge refused to grant bail to Janet Redmond-Mercereau. Her attorney wanted house arrest and an ankle bracelet as well. She was indicted last month on second-degree murder charges, three counts of tampering with evidence, and two counts of weapon possession. in the killing of her husband, a New York fire marshal, with three gunshots to the head while he slept. TT entry
HEARING
Lawyers for Daytona Beach, Florida, high school teacher David Behringer and Daytona Beach city commissioner and mayoral candidate Mike Shallow are trying to get the case thrown out of court. The two men were arrested for lewd and lavacious conduct in a public restroom in a Sears store. Today they had the Daytona Police chief testify and questioned him about his press conference and comments to the media and in interviews following the arrest. TT - entry
VOTE TO FIRE
In a largely symbolic measure, the D-2 board that hired principal Daniel Markofski voted unanimously to fire him. He had already resigned. He was the principal who was found in a motel room with two teenage girls. The board admitted they had never checked with previous employers and promise to do a check with all previous employers. TT - entry
ARRESTED (AGAIN) - FLORIDA TEACHER
Police arrested Stephanie Ragusa for sex with another student at the middle school where she taught. Ragusa did not report previous arrests for DUI and one for aggravated battery on her application. When the district found out, they hired her anyway. She went through alternative certification. The boy was 15 and she is s accused of having sex with the teen about 20 times between Feb. 15, 2007 and March 10, 2008,. The other student was 14 years old. TT - entry
