Defendants

Three defendants in a 1997 motel shooting returned to Washington County Circuit Court on Tuesday to enter new pleas, three months after the Maryland Court of Special Appeals reversed earlier convictions and negated stiffer sentences. - Reshen Bathers, 20, pleaded guilty Tuesday to attempted armed robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. In January 1998, Bathers was sentenced to 30 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of attempted second-degree murder, attempted armed robbery and a handgun violation that carried a mandatory five-year sentence.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Criminal attorneys speak a language all their own inside the courtroom, a language few defendants fully comprehend. It is all the more confusing if the defendant does not speak English. The number of Spanish-speaking defendants in Franklin County (Pa.) Court, has been steadily rising with the Hispanic population, and Tania Fernandez has been doing much of the interpreting for those who have gone before the bar during the past four years. On most Wednesdays, she is in a courtroom interpreting the words of the defense attorney, prosecutor and judge to defendants and then relating back their responses, questions and comments.

marlob@herald-mail.com WASHINGTON COUNTY - Prisoners acquitted of criminal charges in either Washington County District or Circuit courts are now being released downtown - sometimes still clad in jail jumpsuits. "The policy was revised as of Nov. 8," said Washington County Sheriff Charles F. Mades. "It's new and we're concerned about the safety of it but we are monitoring the situation. " Mades said the ruling came down in late October from the Maryland Judicial Council, a conference of Circuit Court judges in the state.

Seven defendants plead guilty in race-fixing case By STACEY DANZUSO / Staff Writer, Chambersburg CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Calling him a "public enemy," a Franklin County judge sentenced a New York man Wednesday to serve up to six years in the state prison for leading Pennsylvania State Police on a high speed chase along Interstate 81 in August. Mark A. Barrett, 27, of Binghampton, N.Y., was charged with reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, driving under the influence and fleeing for the incident on I-81 that ended near milepost 9 in Antrim Township.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A number of criminal defendants were sentenced in U.S. District Court between March 31 and April 2, according to U.S. Attorney Sharon L. Potter. · Jesse Brent Boyd, 27, of Charles Town, W.Va., four months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for theft of mail. · Miguel Angael Cruz-Polanco, 24, of Martinsburg, W.Va., three years and 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm and distribution of cocaine.

The trial for two men charged in the May 2011 death of the mother of one of the men was postponed again Thursday to allow more time for evidence to be reviewed in the case. The trial for Joshua L. Stitley, 34, of Hancock, and Roy L. Wisotzkey, 35, of Hagerstown, was rescheduled for July 30 by presiding 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Christopher C. Wilkes.   Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Games-Neely told Wilkes on Thursday that she did not object to the defense motion.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Five people were indicted Wednesday on methamphetamine-related charges, with the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania saying that the defendants manufactured, possessed and distributed at least 500 grams of the drug in six Pennsylvania counties, including Franklin County. U.S. Attorney Martin C. Carlson identified the defendants as Carlos Cegledi, 40; Ramon "Poncho" Ferrer, 26; Esperanza Ferrer, 21; Francisco Barrios, 36, also known as Lucio Rincon-Hernandez; and Jesus Barrios, 32. Twenty-three pounds of crystal methamphetamine were seized during the investigation in April and May, Carlson stated in a news release.

charlestown@herald-mail.com CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - A civil trial stemming from a fatal shooting outside a local Elks Lodge began Monday in Jefferson County Circuit Court. The trial stems from a suit in which the plaintiff alleges that the national chapter of the Elks organization was "negligent and reckless," resulting in a 1999 shooting outside a local Elks lodge along old U.S. 340 south of Charles Town. The National Association of the International Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks is the sole remaining defendant in the civil suit.

charlestown@herald-mail.com ROMNEY, W.VA. - Christa Kidwell was described Wednesday as an average 20-year-old woman who enjoyed spending time with her friends. Kidwell grew up in Largent, W.Va., a small community on the southwestern edge of Morgan County about 18 miles south of Berkeley Springs, W.Va., and attended Paw Paw High School, said her aunt, Stacy Smith. On June 30, 2003, she was reported missing to the Morgan County Sheriff's Department. Since then, police had fielded reports of possible sightings of Kidwell, but the reports did not pan out. Then on May 15, a man found human remains on his property near Gore, Va., which is along U.S. 50 northwest of Winchester, Va. The remains had washed down and blocked a drainage culvert, West Virginia State Police Senior Trooper John Gall said.

Two drunken-driving cases that were dismissed in February by a county magistrate have been reinstated, according to an order filed this week in Berkeley County Circuit Court.The order, which was signed by 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Gray Silver III, said that Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Christopher C. Quasebarth and defense attorney Harley O. Wagner agreed that Magistrate JoAnn Overington lacked the authority to dismiss the DUI cases on Feb. 6.The...

When you see Hammerhead, Ox, Hardcore and the rest of the Defenders rumbling through your town, just remember this: They aren't looking to make trouble. Because most of them are police officers and first responders, their day jobs usually involve putting an end to trouble. Seven members and an associate of the Defenders Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club's 56th and newest chapter, the Mason-Dixon Chapter, donned their colors and mounted their Harleys on Saturday for a ride through the county.

A Waynesboro (Pa.) Borough Council member who was charged in a bar fight in Martinsburg that  left a man with brain damage in 2011 faces a possible one-year jail sentence under terms of a plea agreement reached in the case. Craig L. Newcomer, 48, has agreed to enter a guilty plea a misdemeanor count of battery, Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Games-Neely told 23rd Judicial Circuit judge Christopher C. Wilkes on Thursday. Newcomer may be able to enter the plea and then be sentenced on April 29 if Wilkes allows the defendant to plead guilty to the lesser offense.

The trial for two men charged in the May 2011 death of the mother of one of the men was postponed again Thursday to allow more time for evidence to be reviewed in the case. The trial for Joshua L. Stitley, 34, of Hancock, and Roy L. Wisotzkey, 35, of Hagerstown, was rescheduled for July 30 by presiding 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge Christopher C. Wilkes.   Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Games-Neely told Wilkes on Thursday that she did not object to the defense motion.

Monday, February 4, 2013 PREP WRESTLING North Hagerstown earned the right to defend its region duals title, getting the third seed for Wednesday's Maryland Class 4A-3A West dual-meet championships at Damascus High School. The Hubs, who are 12-2 (not counting dual-meet tournaments), will face second-seeded Bethesda-Chevy Chase (13-1) in the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. In the other semifinal at 5:30, top-seeded Damascus (14-0) will take on fourth-seeded Wootton (12-2). The two semifinal winners then will wrestle for the title at 7:30, with the champion advancing to the state duals Saturday at North Point High School in Waldorf.

An attorney representing a Hedgesville, W.Va.-area gun range told the Berkeley County Planning Commission Monday night that the business owner believes it is in compliance with county regulations. Tango Down Range at 1391 Allensville Road has been targeted by nearby residents who have aired safety and noise concerns. Attorney Charles S. Trump IV said his client “absolutely wants to comply with the law and certainly has.” Trump said the business owned by Jimmy McWilliams has been operating on a shale pit site owned by Robert Butts, who still mines shale from the property nearby.

The trial for two people charged in the New Year's Day death of a 3-year-old boy was reset for April 1, 2013, to give experts for the state time to evaluate one of the defendants and to review a file in an abuse and neglect proceeding. James N. Mauldin, 21, and Jasmine K. Dawkins, 23, were indicted in May on one count of death of a child by parent, guardian and/or custodian by child abuse, two counts of gross child neglect creating substantial risk of serious bodily injury and one count of presentation of false information regarding a child's injuries in the death of Kaiwon Connelly.

Berkeley County officials maintained their decision to eliminate an employee's position was handled properly after the affected employee publicly criticized them Thursday. In prepared remarks, Dennis M. Drummond said the county failed to adhere to its own procedures when his geographic information system technician position was eliminated last month. County officials cited a lack of work in deciding to eliminate the job last month. Drummond had been paid $25,448 in salary plus benefits, according to county officials.

Saturday, October 6, 2012 PREP CROSS COUNTRY FREDERICK, Md. - St. Maria Goretti senior Luke Daigneault won the individual title and led the Goretti boys to a successful defense of their team title at the Independent Parochial School League Championships at Ballenger Creek Park on Saturday.  Daigneault, who covered the 3.2-mile layout in 17:28, was joined on the All-League team by teammates Patrick Jones (18:15) and Kevin Proctor (18:22) who finished third and fourth.

A forensic pathologist offered testimony Tuesday as a Franklin County (Pa.) Court of Common Pleas judge assesses whether a man accused of killing his mother is mentally competent to stand trial this December. Marcus Wallace, 41, is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, attempted criminal homicide and aggravated assault. Prosecutors, who are seeking the death penalty, say Wallace attacked his mother, Consuella Wallace, in her Hamilton Township, Pa., home Dec. 10, 2009.

A Maugansville man who testified 11 years ago that Ronald Harshman told him where he dumped a body claimed in court Thursday that he lied. “You've never spoken to (Harshman) in your life?” an attorney asked. “No, I haven't,” Keith Granlun said. As Harshman's attorney seeks a new trial, he is trying to demonstrate witnesses perjured themselves in July 2001 in exchange for special consideration from the Franklin County (Pa.) District Attorney's office. Harshman was convicted of first-degree murder in the presumed death of Melvin Elwood Snyder, whose body was never found.