Kentucky

Jury Acquits Fen-Phen Lawyer Who Used Drinking Defense in Fraud Case

A jury has acquitted one of three lawyers accused of defrauding their fen-phen clients out of $65 million in settlement proceeds. Jurors acquitted Melbourne Mills Jr. but indicated they have not reached a unanimous agreement regarding the two other defendants, William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr., the Louisville Courier-Journal reports.…

Jul 1, 2008 4:05 PM CDT

FAMU Law School Finds No Evidence Fen-Phen Lawyer’s Gift Was Tainted

The law school at Florida A&M University says there is “no objective evidence” that a fen-phen lawyer’s $1 million gift to the school in 2002 came from tainted money. The statement by FAMU officials said they are still deciding how to use the money donated by lawyer Shirley Cunningham, reports…

Jun 24, 2008 4:48 PM CDT

Supreme Court Upholds Kentucky Retirement Plan in Age Bias Case

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a 5-4 opinion that the use of age as a factor in Kentucky’s retirement plan does not violate the federal age bias law. The plan treats younger workers in hazardous jobs who become disabled before retirement better than some older workers. The majority…

Jun 19, 2008 4:27 PM CDT

Chesley Hits Lack of Trust Accounts in Trial of Fen-Phen Lawyers

Well-known Cincinnati plaintiffs lawyer Stan Chesley criticized three fen-phen lawyers in trial testimony today for failing to set up escrow accounts to hold settlement money. Chesley testified under a grant of immunity from prosecution in the trial of three lawyers accused of diverting $65 million in settlement money from their…

Jun 17, 2008 6:43 PM CDT

Fen-Phen Lawyer Defends Deposit of Settlement Funds Into Personal Accounts

One of three fen-phen lawyers on trial for allegedly defrauding their clients in a fen-phen case testified yesterday that he and a co-defendant deposited tens of millions of dollars of settlement funds into their own accounts for “safekeeping.” William Gallion appeared confident and composed during testimony yesterday, the Louisville Courier-Journal…

Jun 13, 2008 1:19 PM CDT

Judge Warns Lawyers in Fen-Phen Fraud Case to Stay Away from Jurors

The Kentucky judge overseeing the trial of three fen-phen lawyers accused of defrauding their clients told other attorneys and witnesses in the case yesterday to stay away from jurors. U.S. District Judge William Bertelsman issued the warning after jurors said they thought some parties in the case were following them…

Jun 11, 2008 1:10 PM CDT

Paralegal Testifies Fen-Phen Lawyer Told Her to Destroy Documents

A legal assistant testified Friday that a lawyer accused of misappropriating fen-phen settlement money told her to destroy legal documents showing how clients were paid. Rebecca Phipps said she ignored the directive by lawyer William Gallion and instead locked the records in a cabinet and hid the key, the Louisville…

Jun 2, 2008 12:52 PM CDT

Fen-Phen Client Testifies She ‘Smelled a Rat’

A former client of three fen-phen lawyers testified she “smelled a rat” when they wouldn’t turn over documents supporting her settlement. Former client Tracy Curtis testified in the Covington, Ky., trial of lawyers Shirley Cunningham Jr., William Gallion and Melbourne Mills Jr., the Courier-Journal reports. They are charged with conspiracy…

May 20, 2008 1:07 PM CDT

More States Weigh Early Prison Release Programs to Save Money

Several states are considering programs to release inmates from jail early and save the cost of imprisonment. Between 1987 and last year, states increased college spending by 21 percent, in inflation adjusted-dollars, and corrections spending by 127 percent, the Washington Post reports. Now many cash-strapped states are looking to pare…

May 5, 2008 4:43 PM CDT

Anatomy of a Cold Case

More than nine years ago, a forensic anthropologist was called to a creek bed where hunters in Henry County, Ky., had just found the skeletal remains of a body. Handing up bone shards to other investigators, Emily Craig could see the victim had been shot in the head. Authorities got…

Apr 21, 2008 9:29 PM CDT

Stevens Opposes ‘Pointless’ Death Penalty

For 30 years Justice John Paul Stevens has been a key vote upholding the death penalty. But now he has declared his is in opposition to capital punishment and that he thinks it’s unconstitutional, the Associated Press reports. “I have relied on my own experience in reaching the conclusion that…

Apr 16, 2008 10:36 PM CDT

$1M Bond for $25 Theft Lowered After Prosecutor Calls Amount ‘Silly’

The jail in Hamilton County, Ohio, is already overcrowded. But that didn’t stop a local municipal court judge from setting a $1 million bond for Gary Weaver. So what is Weaver accused of doing? The charge is that he stole about $25 by paying for items with what looked like…

Apr 1, 2008 6:13 PM CDT

Troubled American School of Law Gets New Dean, New Name

Troubles for the Kentucky-based American Justice School of Law are far from over, despite its new owners and settlement of a student-led lawsuit. Indeed, the school’s interim dean has resigned, citing a failure by the new owners to provide funding, pay bills or recruit students. Even creditors are knocking and…

Mar 28, 2008 6:30 PM CDT

Local Ky. Hero Lands D.C. Job

Bowling Green, Ky., lawyer Chris McKinney has received many accolades over the years. He was named Kentucky Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year in 2007, received a Bronze Star for military service, and was featured on the “Heroes” segment for CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight show. Now he is leaving the…

Mar 20, 2008 3:11 PM CDT

Ky. Judge Ordered to Allow Prosecutors to Make Objections

A Kentucky judge who had an unwritten no-objections policy as far as prosecutors in his courtroom were concerned is going to have to reverse course. A Jefferson County Circuit Court ruled today that District Judge Sean Delahanty must allow prosecutors to object when he is hearing criminal cases, reports the…

Mar 11, 2008 10:52 PM CDT