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<p> One of the two prosecutors in the Casey Anthony trial Jeff Ashton is back in the courtroom Thursday for the first time since the trial, this time to defend his son on a drunken driving charge.</p><p> Ashton's 21-year-old son, Alexander, was arrested in October after he failed a series of field sobriety tests when he was pulled on U.S. 17-92 over by a Seminole County deputy for speeding.</p><p> Ashton said his son had been drinking that night but was not drunk.</p><p> The six-person jury heard from both defense and prosecution on Thursday at the Seminole County courthouse.</p><p> The judge denied Ashton's judgment of acquittal, saying there was "more than enough evidence to continue." The defense didn't present a case and closings are in progress as of Thursday at 2 p.m.</p><p> The deputy who pulled Ashton over, Brendan Lohri, was only witness the prosecution used.</p><p> Lohri said Alexander was driving 68 mph in a 45 zone and after he pulled him over at 2 a.m. he suspected Alexander was drunk.</p><p> The jury was shown cop's 40 minute dashboard video of Alexander taking his sobriety tests. He was then handcuffed and brought to the Seminole County Jail and given a breathalyzer test, which he also failed, according to the deputy's report.</p><p> Jurors won't hear that because Ashton argued the tests were unreliable so prosecutors agreed not to use those results earlier in the week.</p><p> The case will likely go to the jury Thursday afternoon.</p><p> Check back with Local 6 and ClickOrlando.com for more information.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:15:24 GMT
<p> Judge Lisa Munyon on Thursday set a tentative trial period date of April 9 for the civil lawsuit filed by Zenaida Gonzalez against Casey Anthony.</p><p> Gonzalez is suing Anthony, 25, for defamation, claiming her life was ruined after Anthony linked her to Caylee Anthony's disappearance in 2008.</p><p> The exact start date of the trial is uncertain, but Munyon said she hopes to begin around the week of April 9. She said she plans to start jury selection on a Tuesday or Wednesday, possibly the prior week, with the six-day trial beginning on a Monday.</p><p> Munyon called for the meeting Thursday to ensure that both sides were ready for trial, and both sides said they were. Attorney Keith Mitnik is representing Gonzalez and attorney Charles Greene is representing Anthony.</p><p> The jury will likely consist of a six-person panel. Gonzalez's attorneys said they doubt they'll ask for a sequestered jury. It is unclear if Anthony's attorneys will make that request. </p><p> Both Gonzalez's and Anthony's teams expressed optimism on Thursday they would be able to find a fair jury in Orange County.</p><p> Gonzalez's team said they plan to subpoena Anthony and put her on the stand, even though Anthony will likely plead the Fifth Amendment.</p><p> Anthony's attorneys pointed out that a defendant is otherwise not required to be present at the trial. They're unsure yet how they'll handle the witness subpoena.</p><p> As a courtesy to the security concerns, Gonzalez's attorneys said they have offered to serve the subpoena to Anthony's lawyers to prevent putting her home address on the subpoena. Gonzalez filed a motion Wednesday asking for a partial judgement against Anthony for statements Cindy Anthony made to the media about Gonzalez.</p><p> No hearing is set for that case yet.</p><p> Within the next two weeks, Anthony plans to file a motion asking for the case to be thrown out. One of their big angles will be that Anthony always mentioned a Zenaida Fernandez Gonzalez. </p><p> Records show that that is not Gonzalez's full name, even though her attorneys had originally filed the lawsuit under that name erroneously.</p><p> Gonzalez's lawyers would not discuss any type of settlement options, but said that Anthony could come to the table with something and halt the trial.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:35:15 GMT
See which celebrities and public figures are dominating Twitter as the most followed people on the site.
Published: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:05:00 GMT
Gone, but not forgotten: These are the candy bars, gum and sugary treats of our youth that, like the dinosaurs, are no longer in existence. See how many of these treats you treated yourself to throughout the years.
Published: Tue, 11 May 2010 17:46:54 GMT
<p> Brevard County deputies are investigating an incident in the Brevard County Jail infirmary where an inmate had sexual relations with another inmate, a 17-year-old girl.</p><p> Tommy Lee Dixon, 48 is being charged with underage sex with a minor.</p><p> According to deputies, Dixon sent the 17-year-old girl love letters, which eventually led to the sexual encounter in the jail infirmary.</p><p> Deputies said the two had planned to meet up in the infirmary where she was being held. The girl then performed sex acts on Dixon on Feb. 7, according to deputies.</p><p> Dixon's charge could lead to more added jail time from his original sentence on drug charges, officials said.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:47:35 GMT
<p> A national convention of gay military personnel on active duty will be held at an Army-operated resort on Walt Disney World property this coming fall.</p><p> Convention organizers are announcing Thursday that the Army-operated resort, Shades of Green, will host hundreds of gay and lesbian sailors, soldiers, Marines, and airmen for the second annual Outserve International Leadership Conference in October.</p><p> Shades of Green is located on Walt Disney World property near Orlando, but it is owned and operated by the Army.</p><p> Convention organizers say it's a big step for the Army to allow the conference to be held at the resort, given that it will be just more than a year since end of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell policy."</p><p> Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:00:20 GMT
<p> A man was shot Thursday morning at a home in Oak Ridge, and one person was taken into custody for questioning, Orange County sheriff's deputies said.</p><p> The shooting occurred around 7:25 a.m. at Rose Boulevard and Rose Ridge Circle near Texas and Oak Ridge Avenue.</p><p> According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, shots were fired through the door of a home and one person was struck. The victim was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center.</p><p> Deputies said a car was stopped nearby, and it was determined that the driver was involved in the shooting. A search of the vehicle netted a handgun, a shotgun and an AK-47, deputies said.</p><p> A cul-de-sac in the area was blocked off by crime scene tape.</p><p> No other details were immediately known.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:15:24 GMT
<p> Six abandoned wild boar piglets have found a new home with a bulldog at an animal sanctuary in Germany.</p><p> The bulldog named Baby took to the piglets right away when they were brought in last weekend, shivering from the cold after being abandoned in a forest, officials at the Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin told The Associated Press.</p><p> When the striped piglets were brought in, Baby ran over and started snuggling them and keeping them warm, sanctuary worker Norbert Damm told the AP.</p><p> "She thinks they're her own babies," he said.</p><p> The piglets, whose mother was likely killed by a hunter, weighed less than 2 pounds when they were brought to the sanctuary, but are being bottle-fed and growing well, Damm said.</p><p> They won't be released into the wild, but could be set free in a nature reserve in about three months if they continue to thrive, he said.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:04:45 GMT
<p> A man called 911 late Wednesday saying he was shot while driving his vehicle on an isolated roadway, and Seminole County sheriff's deputies said the shooting was likely drug-related.</p><p> Justin Groover, 24, was shot in the arm, leg and chest but was able to call for help just after 11 p.m., according to deputies. He was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.</p><p> Groover said he was driving his Jeep Cherokee on State Road 46 near Mullet Lake Park Road in Geneva when someone pulled up next to him and opened fire, according to deputies. Neighbors said it's not unusual for drug deals to occur in the area.</p><p> Investigators said the shooter was driving a Pontiac, but they didn't have other specifics about the vehicle.</p><p> Deputies closed the roadway for several hours while they tried to gather clues about the shooting and figure out whether the victim was targeted.</p><p> There were no witnesses, authorities said.</p><p> Deputies continue to search for the shooter.</p><p> Watch Local 6 for more on this story.</p>
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:12:43 GMT
Even the best actors and actresses are allowed a stinker of a performance now and then. Take, for instance, these stars who can claim both Oscars and Razzies on their resumes.
Published: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:00:00 GMT
UPDATED DAILY: Here's a look at some of the individuals who have been arrested recently in Central Florida.
Published: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:11:24 GMT
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