Magistrate judges are finalists for Lake Superior vacancy
Three Lake County magistrate judges have been selected as finalists to fill a vacancy on the northwestern Indiana county’s superior court bench.
Lake County
Articles
Man withdraws effort challenging conviction in officer’s death
A man who was sentenced to life in prison without parole for fatally shooting a Gary police officer in 2014 has withdrawn his effort to challenge his conviction.
Gary woman agrees to plead guilty in daughter’s shooting death
A northwestern Indiana woman has agreed to plead guilty to a reduced neglect charge stemming from her 2-year-old daughter’s shooting death. Dashana Fowler, 22, Gary, agreed Monday to plead guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury in the Sept. 4 death of Jayla Miller.
Man withdraws effort challenging conviction in Gary officer’s death
A man who was sentenced to life in prison without parole for fatally shooting a northwestern Indiana police officer in 2014 has withdrawn his effort to challenge his conviction. Carl Le’Ellis Blount filed a petition last year alleging Lake County prosecutors threatened him to get him to plead guilty to murder in the shooting death of Gary Patrolman Jeffrey Westerfield, but he asked to withdraw his petition in April.
Hammond woman accused of driving over boyfriend twice, killing him
A northwestern Indiana woman accused of driving over her boyfriend twice with a car has been charged in his killing. Twenty-three-year-old Briana Rice of Hammond is charged with murder, voluntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident in the April 24 death of 25-year-old Terrondy Jones.
Appellate court: Bar owed duty to patron injured in parking lot fight
A Lake County sports bar should have contemplated that rowdy behavior might take place outside the facility at closing time, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, finding the bar failed to prove it had no duty to protect a patron who was seriously injured in such a fight.
Former Munster doctor sentenced for overprescribing painkillers
A former northwestern Indiana doctor who pleaded guilty to overprescribing painkillers has been sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. Jay Joshi, formerly a general practice physician in Munster, also was ordered to pay a $7,500 fine after pleading guilty last year to dispensing hydrocodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
Indiana murder suspect released on bond
A judge in northwest Indiana has granted bail to a 37-year-old man charged with murder after a police officer testified earlier this month that the fatal shooting was likely accidental.
Porter, Lake County attorneys suspended for noncooperation
Two Hoosier attorneys from northwest Indiana have been suspended from the practice of law in the State of Indiana for noncooperation with disciplinary commission investigations of complaints against them.
Reversal: No valid settlement in Crown Point bicycle crash
Years after three Crown Point bicyclists sued each other for negligence after a crash, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed an order and implementation of a settlement agreement when it found the parties had never come to a valid agreement.
Man charged in slayings of boy, mom in northwestern Indiana
An Indianapolis man has been charged with murder in the fatal shootings of a 13-year-old boy and his 35-year-old mother at their northwestern Indiana home.
11 to be interviewed to fill Lake County judicial vacancy
The Lake County Judicial Nominating Commission is seeking public comment on nearly a dozen candidates who have applied to fill an upcoming vacancy in Lake Superior Court. The commission will interview the candidates next month.
Judge miffed by defendant’s casual clothing delays hearing
A northwestern Indiana judge was so miffed that a defendant dressed down for a court hearing that she postponed it and told him to dress nicer next time.
COA takes criminal recklessness case to Munster H.S.
Questions of whether certain witnesses should have been excused from testifying in a criminal recklessness case for violating a separation of witnesses orders will be considered by a traveling appellate panel Thursday at Munster High School.
Man charged with murder in Lake County in 2011 disappearance of his mother
A 46-year-old man has been charged with murder eight years after the disappearance of his 70-year-old mother in northwestern Indiana. The Post-Tribune reports Paul Monet Fontaine was booked at the Lake County Jail this week after being extradited from Las Vegas, where he was living.
Lake County deputy faces bribery, perjury counts in auto salvage scheme
A Lake County sheriff deputy is facing bribery and perjury charges after a three-month investigation revealed he illegally accepted cash for completing salvage vehicle inspection forms in order to make “fast and easy money,” according to authorities.
Kavadias Schneider returning to Lake County bench as judge pro tempore
A recently retired Lake Superior Court judge will temporarily return to the bench as a judge pro tempore. The Indiana Supreme Court has appointed former Judge Diane Kavadias Schneider as judge pro tempore in Lake Superior Court, Civil Division 5, in preparation for an upcoming vacancy that will be left by Judge William E. Davis.
Hobart ex-funeral home treasurer gets probation for misused funds
A former treasurer of a defunct northwestern Indiana funeral home who allegedly misused funds set aside for customers’ funerals has been placed on probation for a year and ordered to pay more than $15,000 in restitution. Jacqueline A. Kraft, 68, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one felony count of theft and was sentenced to a year in jail, but that sentence was suspended.
Justices to hear Lake County eminent domain case
The Indiana Supreme Court unanimously chose to hear two property-related cases, focusing on issues of eminent domain and deciding a case involving rental property fee exemptions for landlords in Bloomington and West Lafayette.
Teenager hit by train gets no relief in appeal to 7th Circuit
A 17-year-old who was found to be more than 50 percent at fault for the injuries he sustained from running in front of a moving train was unable to convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that he had no warning the locomotive was coming down the tracks.