Man charged with manslaughter in Indiana road rage beating
A 27-year-old man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after a 60-year-old man died of cardiac arrest after being beaten in an apparent road rage attack in Fort Wayne.
Allen County
Articles
February trial set for Indiana man charged in 1988 slaying
A judge has set a Feb. 11 trial date for an Indiana man charged in the 1988 abduction, rape and killing of an 8-year-old girl. John D. Miller, of Grabill, is charged with murder and child molestation in the killing of April Tinsley.
Indiana man arraigned in 1988 killing of 8-year-old girl
An Indiana man charged in the 1988 rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl has been arraigned in her slaying. An Allen County judge entered a not guilty plea for 59-year-old John D. Miller Thursday morning and assigned him a public defender.
Mom of Fort Wayne girl killed in ’88 hopes defendant gets death
The mother of an 8-year-old Fort Wayne girl who was raped and killed in 1988 wants prosecutors to seek the death penalty against the man accused of the crimes. Prosecutors on Tuesday declined to discuss whether they’ll seek the death penalty for 59-year-old John Miller in the killing of April Tinsley. But the girl’s mother, Janet Tinsley, told the Journal Gazette that she wants to be present if Miller is put to death.
Prosecutor in Fort Wayne girl’s 1988 killing hails genealogy databases
An Indiana prosecutor who’s preparing formal charges against a man in the 1988 abduction, rape and killing of an 8-year-old Fort Wayne girl says genealogy databases are powerful new tools for investigators. Allen County Prosecutor Karen Richards said in an affidavit that investigators consulted a company that was able to narrow DNA in the Tinsley case to Miller and his brother using publicly available genealogy database research.
Applications open for Allen County judicial vacancy
An Allen County superior court judge will retire at the end of this year, prompting the Allen Superior Court Judicial Nominating Commission to begin the process of selecting his replacement. The vacancy will occur in December when Judge John F. Surbeck, Jr. retires from his position in the Allen Superior Court Criminal Division.
Suspect in 1988 killing of Fort Wayne girl, 8, appears in court
A judge has given prosecutors until Thursday to formally charge a man who is being held in the 1988 slaying of an 8-year-old Fort Wayne girl. John D. Miller, 59, of Grabill was arrested Sunday on preliminary murder, child molesting and criminal confinement charges in the abduction, rape and killing of April Marie Tinsley.
New Haven man charged in fiery June crash that killed woman
A northeastern Indiana man has been charged in a fiery June car crash that killed a passenger.
Planned Parenthood closes Fort Wayne center, citing harassment
Planned Parenthood has closed its health center in Indiana’s second-largest city, blaming intimidation and harassment by supporters of a local anti-abortion group. Planned Parenthood said it closed its Fort Wayne health center Monday following growing harassment and intimidation of the center’s staff that it blamed on supporters of Allen County Right to Life.
Decatur Township getting box for safely surrendering babies
The southwest side of Indianapolis is getting its first baby box where people may anonymously surrender a healthy newborn without fear of criminal prosecution. The box announced Thursday is going in at the Decatur Township Fire Department. The padded, climate-controlled box notifies authorities when it’s been used.
Fort Wayne crash that killed 73-year-old leads to probation
An 18-year-old Fort Wayne man has been sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty in a crash that killed a 73-year-old man. Liam B. Burke was given his punishment Friday after earlier entering the plea to felony reckless homicide and criminal recklessness and misdemeanor criminal recklessness.
County inmates denied right to vote get certified as class
A federal judge in Fort Wayne recently certified a class of Allen County Jail inmates who were denied the right to vote in the November 2016 general election. The attorney representing the class said the case represents an opportunity to avoid similar future problems in other counties.
7th Circuit upholds Allen County workers’ comp judgment
The Allen County Board of Commissioners cannot be held liable for a former county court employee’s disability claims because the board was neither his direct nor indirect employer, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.
Settlement allows children to visit Allen County Jail inmates
A settlement in a federal lawsuit ends a policy that prohibited Allen County Jail inmates from receiving visits from their children, among other agreed changes.
Suit: Allen County didn’t provide counsel in support contempt cases
Allen County violated the right to counsel for indigent parents who faced the prospect of incarceration for failing to pay child support, a suit filed recently in state court argues.
Justices to hear appeal over trains blocking road crossings
The Indiana Supreme Court will decide whether state or federal law controls how long trains may block road crossings. The Court of Appeals reversed the trial court, ruling that federal law does not preempt state laws that forbid trains from blocking crossings for more than 10 minutes.
Law limiting short-term rental regulations by cities may face test from Carmel, others
As the popularity of short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO has increased, local governments across the country have stepped in to regulate when and where their residents can lease their homes to temporary guests. Indiana cities have been no exception, but the 2018 General Assembly limited the extent to which municipalities can regulate the local short-term rental industry.
12 apply to Court of Appeals
The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission has received applications from 12 applicants to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Carmel thumbs nose at Indiana’s new short-term rentals law
Officials in one of Indiana’s wealthiest cities are thumbing their noses at a new state law intended to curtail local governments’ authority to regulate short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, raising the possibility of a court fight.
Indiana justices to rule on lawyer in death penalty case
The Indiana Supreme Court will consider an appeal that challenges a ruling to remove a Fort Wayne defense attorney from a death penalty case. Allen Superior Judge Fran Gull removed defense attorney Nikos Nakos from Marcus Dansby’s death penalty case, citing his lack of training.