11/26/2009

Appeals panel rules against developer
Gordon F.B. Ondis had sought damages based on what he claimed was his exposure of fraud

Doctor testifies in negligence suit that Woods’ death preventable
Pittsburgh cardiologist testifies for plaintiff that Michael Woods’ death was preventable

11/25/2009

Lawyers to get $59 million from Station fire settlement
Attorneys had to front much of the cost of the large lawsuit stemming from the 2003 nightclub fire

U.S. Senate committee to consider nomination of R.I. judge
A judiciary panel will meet next week to weigh the state Superior Court judge’s selection for a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seat

Nurse unaware of Woods’ status
Nurse on duty when Michael Woods died admits omission before reassigning room

11/24/2009

Police, MADD kick off program to curb holiday drunken driving
Motorists urged to tie red ribbons on cars to raise awareness

Head nurse testifies in Woods’ suit
Says she was not aware of Michael J. Woods’ condition until he suffered a heart attack

Judge doesn’t favor Cicilline release
The disgraced lawyer had sought early release from prison to a halfway house

Lawyer accused in refinancing fraud
Allegedly diverted refinancing proceeds on mortgages to his own use

Suspect ordered continued held on charge of murdering infant daughter
At hearing, judge orders no bail for Rachin A. McCoy on charge of first-degree murder

11/23/2009

R.I. Supreme Court won’t take action on ‘rent-a-judge’ law
The law, which has never been used, allows retired judges to adjudicate civil cases in private

11/22/2009

Woonsocket couple sentenced to prison for tax evasion
PROVIDENCE –– A Woonsocket couple was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for tax evasion on income from a Woonsocket-based machine shop, Classic Machine.

11/21/2009

Carcieri works to shield former aide as contractor sues R.I.
PROVIDENCE — Governor Carcieri’s lawyers are trying to keep new Superior Court Judge Brian Stern, a former head of state purchasing and chief of staff to the governor, from having to answer questions under oath in a lawsuit filed by the Shire Corp., a road and bridge building company that claims it was the victim of illegal bid manipulations by the state.

Girlfriend doesn’t recall Kent Hospital doctors examining Woods
But Lisa Konopka’s testimony is at odds with documents and hospital employees

Girlfriend doesn’t recall Kent Hospital doctors examining Woods
But Lisa Konopka’s testimony is at odds with documents and hospital employees

Doctors testify that baby’s injuries not from fall
Rachin McCoy, of Newport, is charged in the death of his infant daughter

R.I. Supreme Court appointment may be delayed
Governor wants to personally interview each Supreme Court candidate

11/20/2009

Newport murder defendant says he tossed and failed to catch baby
Rachin McCoy has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his six-week-old daughter

Imprisoned lawyer pleads his case for early release
John M. Cicilline asks a federal magistrate for immediate release to a halfway house

Lawyers spar over care offered brother of actor James Woods
A medical witness says Michael J. Woods should have been able to survive his heart attack

License revoked in cycle fatality
Driver ordered to give up license after passenger killed in highway off-ramp accident

11/19/2009

Judge upholds search by Coventry police
Central Falls soccer players wrongly accused of theft claim rights were violated

Westerly woman pleads no contest to embezzlement
Louise Distefano, of Westerly, accused of embezzling $506,649 from heating company and charity

Outside doctor testifies in Woods lawsuit
He clashes with lawyer for Kent Hospital over care received by Woods before his death

11/18/2009

Narragansett policy targeting nuisance houses challenged in court
BRISTOL — Cities and towns have grappled for decades with how to tamp down student partying in neighborhoods. And Tuesday, lawyers took their cases for and against one town’s effort to ease the situation to students themselves, at Roger Williams University School of Law.

Doctor testifies heart monitor ordered for Michael Woods
Dr. Kelli A. Naylor says it was responsibility of nurses to tell her unit with monitors was full

Field narrowed for R.I. high court post
PROVIDENCE –– The Judicial Nominating Commission on Tuesday night chose two Superior Court judges and three lawyers to recommend to Governor Carcieri for consideration to be an associate justice on the Rhode Island Supreme Court, a seat that became open when Paul A. Suttell became chief justice in July.

Twin River gets OK to hire former casino executive
John J. McLaughlin will advise lenders on how to improve operations of slot parlor

St. Laurent tells court he fired his lawyer
PROVIDENCE –– In a handwritten court filing, Anthony M. “The Saint” St. Laurent Sr. has told the U.S. District Court in Providence that he fired the lawyer who was defending him against a charge that he tried to hire someone to kill a mob rival.

11/17/2009

Woman denied bid to represent herself
Tonya Fuller Balletta was found not guilty by reason of insanity of murdering her daughter

Doctor testifies Woods’ care was below standard
Cardiac specialist says actor’s brother may not have died with proper procedures

3 charged in Rehoboth break-in
REHOBOTH — Three Massachusetts men were arrested Sunday on charges they tried to break into an elderly woman’s house. The police are crediting several residents for tipping them on the suspects’ whereabouts.

11/16/2009

Superior Court upholds officer’s 25-day suspension
Officer William Blais’ unpaid suspension was justified for his fight with another Burrillville police officer, judge rules

Assembly lets town establish hearing board for juveniles
NORTH PROVIDENCE –– In cities and towns across Rhode Island, local juvenile hearing boards swiftly mete out justice to young people charged with crimes, saving some youths from a criminal record in Family Court.

High court voids drunk-driving conviction
Trial Judge Stephen P. Nugent wrongly influenced the jury in Nicki A. Nelson’s 2007 case of driving under the influence

11/15/2009

A challenging time to be R.I.’s new chief justice
Paul Suttell finds that being the head of the state judiciary is an all-consuming job that he finds ‘daunting’

Escapees from Maine caught in Westerly
WESTERLY — Two inmates who walked away from a Maine prison were caught nearly 300 miles later by the Westerly Police Department.

11/14/2009

Her love of languages finally honored: $5 million for scholarships released
Prof. Beatrice S. Demers set aside millions for scholarships, but they were entangled in a legal fight following her death

Suspect in R.I. strangling waives extradition from Conn.
PROVIDENCE –– The 18-year-old Coventry man charged with strangling an acquaintance in her apartment at Cathedral Square on Nov. 7 has agreed to waive extradition from Connecticut and will be arraigned Monday in District Court, Providence, according to the attorney general’s office.

Judicial-selection process debated
Panel’s consensus is that it’s almost impossible to remove politics from judicial appointments

11/13/2009

Judge rebuffs mobster’s request to dismiss case
Anthony M. “The Saint” St. Laurent sought to have his murder-for-hire charge thrown out

Three sentenced in kickback scheme
PROVIDENCE — A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a former high-ranking union official and two other men to probation and temporarily barred them from holding labor positions for their roles in a scheme to trade money and gifts for construction contracts.

Emergency room doctor, nurse testify in Woods suit
WARWICK — The first doctor to examine Michael J. Woods and the nurse assigned to watch over him the day he died in the Kent Hospital emergency room testified Thursday as the negligence lawsuit filed in his death finished its third day in Kent County Superior Court.

11/12/2009

Commission interviews R.I. Supreme Court candidates
The Judicial Nominating Commission will meet Tuesday night to take public comment and vote on the candidates

R.I. Judicial Nominating Commission member Solomon A. Solomon to retire
Judicial Nominating Commission member Solomon A. Solomon announces retirement

R.I. Judicial Nominating Commission cites mistake in Gowell recommendation
PROVIDENCE — The Judicial Nominating Commission says it made a mistake when it forwarded the name of East Greenwich lawyer John R. Gowell Jr. to Governor Carcieri as a finalist for a Superior Court judgeship earlier this year.

High court orders stay in Providence police pension case
Retired Capt. John J. Ryan appealed a ruling that makes it difficult to collect his city pension

Court sides with T-Mobile in Cranston cell tower dispute
Cranston Zoning Board denied the company permission to erect tower on Phenix Avenue

Special master readies report on Station fire awards
PROVIDENCE — A court-appointed special master said in court Tuesday that he’s reviewed what each of the Station nightclub victims is slated to get from the $176 million that’s been offered to settle their lawsuits as well as what each of them may owe in attorney’s fees and expenses.

11/11/2009

Commission interviews Supreme Court candidates
PROVIDENCE –– Six candidates vying for an open seat on the Supreme Court in interviews Tuesday night talked about the need to build consensus in decision-making, elevating the image of the state’s judiciary and some even offered opinions on what could be improved in the way the court operates.

Michael Woods’ symptoms described at trial
Kent Hospital nurses and friends of Michael J. Woods testify in negligence trial

11/10/2009

Trial opens in death of actor’s brother
James Woods is suing Kent Hospital, claiming negligent care caused the death of his brother Michael Woods, who had suffered a heart attack

Seven candidates to be interviewed for Superior Court
Nominating commission to interview remaining applicants for the judgeship on Dec. 15

11/09/2009

R.I. says developer falls short in federal lawsuit
Officials put construction project on hold after Indian artifacts were found at the site

11/08/2009

Assets seized from Saccoccia, others
Besides the millions of dollars prosecutors have recouped from Saccoccia accounts, safe deposit boxes and businesses, these are some of the other assets that have been obtained:

11/07/2009

URI students take Narragansett to court over ‘orange sticker’ policy
URI students, renters, landlords oppose policy designed to clamp down on partying

11/06/2009

The hunt for Stephen Saccoccia’s hidden assets
PROVIDENCE –– It’s been more than 16 years since Stephen Saccoccia was sentenced to 660 years in prison for laundering money for Colombian drug lords. A man with lavish tastes, Saccoccia was a Cranston coin shop owner and precious metals dealer known for his free-spending ways. He wore a Rolex watch, rented apartments in London and New York City and offered Dom Perignon with the cold cuts he served to employees who came to his Christmas parties. For many years he had a raft of high-priced lawyers representing him. But now, as he sits in a West Virginia federal penitentiary for what amounts to a life sentence, he says he is destitute. Maybe that’s true. But the U.S. government has continued to hunt for his assets to satisfy a $136.3 million forfeiture order.

Few options in RI law to prosecute repeat suspended license offenders
WARWICK, R.I. _ Robert A. Notarianni arrived at District Court expecting he’d be walking right back out once he cleared up the little matter of his 17th charge of driving on a suspended license.

R.I. bar association plans legal clinic for seniors
The Rhode Island Bar Association is hosting legal clinics to help guide senior citizens in authorizing someone to make health-care decisions on their behalf should they become unable make choices themselves.

11/05/2009

Providence couple embroiled in search for Nazi art
PROVIDENCE

Narragansett Indian excused from trial
Tribal councilman Randy Noka had been subpoenaed to testify in a child-custody case

11/04/2009

Without notice expungements almost expanded
Measure sails through House during special session only to fail at last minute due to miscue in Senate

Settlement status sought in Station fire suit
A court conference is set next Tuesday to learn when a settlement report will be ready

Without notice expungements almost expanded
PROVIDENCE –– Amid the chaos of last week’s special legislative session, advocates of a bill that would automatically erase a whole new class of criminal records scored a short-lived victory at the State House.

11/03/2009

Prosecutors dispute early-release plea by John Cicilline, the Providence mayor’s brother
Prosecutors say only the prison bureau has control over Providence mayor’s brother

11/02/2009

Paying traffic tickets in R.I., while not painless, at least is now efficient

11/01/2009

R.I. Superior Court works on clearing civil-case backlog
Superior Court has about 1,400 cases declared ready for trial but yet to be heard

10/31/2009

Man held in killing of woman, 18
A 20-year-old man is being held without bail on charges he killed his girlfriend — the mother of his baby girl.

R.I. Supreme Court overturns 2003 rape conviction
Supreme Court says errors unfairly prejudiced jury; new trial planned

W. Warwick lawyer disbarred by high court
Todd. M. Amaral also works as a Rhode Island correctional officer

R.I. Supreme Court censures longtime attorney
The clients of J. Ronald Fishbein “deserve better,” says court

10/30/2009

Johnston police charge 4 with house break-ins
Officers investigate spike in cases, with more than 20 in past two to three months

10/29/2009

Providence man tailed hit-and-run driver to get plate number
Albert Garcia witnessed the Saturday night crash that left three seriously injured.

Woman to serve 20 years for murder of 76-year-old
Heather M. Catterall is sentenced to 40 years for killing Albert Dubois, of Newport, in July 2007

10/28/2009

Another wrong-site surgery at R.I. Hospital
An orthopedic surgeon at Rhode Island Hospital operated on the wrong finger during outpatient hand surgery on Thursday, the fifth in a string of wrong-site surgeries at the hospital over the past 2½ years.

RWU School of Law to boost pro bono work after $250,000 donation
Providence personal injury lawyer gives $250,000 to school

Before he became attorney general, Lynch lobbied for landfill deal
The attorney general says the work didn’t compromise his judgment