Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland in court filings alleges ex-Flagler Sheriff Chief Deputy David O’Brien repeatedly raped her while she was unconscious in 2013, shortly before their separation.
Circuit & County Court
Lawyer For Phillip Haire, Accused of Shooting at Cop and Parents, Suggests Mental Incompetence
Phillip Haire Jr., 19, faces 10 charges, including attempted murder charges, in a May 2 shooting on Palm Coast’s London Drive. His lawyer revealed Haire is not being cooperative with his own defense.
Raul Zambrano, Redoubtable Alumni of Flagler Bench, Will Be 7th Circuit’s Chief Judge
Feared and respected, and a former felony court judge in Flagler, Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano was elected Chief Judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit, which includes Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.
Brandon Hubbert Acquitted of Armed Robbery at Palm Coast Staples as Evidence Falters
A jury took barely 20 minutes to acquit Brandon J. Hubbert of Bunnell, who’d faced between 10 years and life in prison had he been found guilty of a 2015 armed robbery at Staples off Old Kings Road.
In Rare Joint Appearance, Flagler’s 3 Judges Speak Candidly About the Job’s Challenges On and Off Bench
Circuit Court judges Dennis Craig and R. Lee Smith and County Court Melissa Moore-Stens spoke of personal and professional challenges and addressed the Flagler bench’s workload.
Ex-Elections Supervisor Kim Weeks Rejects Plea Deal as Lawyer, Her 4th, Sets for Trial
The deal would have spared Kimberle Weeks prison on felony charges that she illegally recorded conversations, but would have meant probation, according to Kevin Kulik, her latest lawyer.
Scott Vetoes Money for Flagler’s 2nd County Judge, Bunnell Bypass, Flagler Beach Sewers
The more than $300 million in vetoes are to make up for money restored to Visit Florida, economic development, and a bump in per-student funding.
James Taylor Is Sentenced to Life In Prison on Molestation Charge; Appeal Immediately Filed
Attorneys for James Taylor, 39, of Palm Coast and Gainesville, said his trial was unfair and prejudicial in several regards, and the act itself no evidence of molestation.
European Village Shooter Facing Up to 35 Years in Prison Is Termed an “American Hero” and Gets 7 Years’ Probation
Daniel Noble fired two shots from an assault rifle at European Village before being wrestled to the ground by three men in December 2014. His attorney pointed to his Iraq War service for leniency.
For Overworked County Judge Melissa Moore-Stens, $150,000 Worth of Help May Be Coming
Flagler County is not getting an additional county judge, but the money appropriated will pay for the equivalent of 428 days of service by retired judges brought back on a per-day basis to handle cases.
Flagler Grand Jury Indictments: Gore and Singer May Face Death Penalty, Haire Life in Prison
Dorothy Singer, accused of killing her husband, and Bobby Gore, accused of killing his son, may face the death penalty, and Phillip Haire, accused of shooting at a cop and his parents, may never see freedom again, if convicted.
Supreme Court Orders New Sentencing of Palm Coast Double-Murderer on Death Row
David Snelgrove has twice been sentenced to death for the murders of Glyn Fowler, 84, and his wife, Vivian, 79, on Bannbury Lane in Palm Coast in late June 2000, but never unanimously.
Decriminalized Pot-Possession Program Will Advance in Flagler, But With Little Support From Sheriff
The proposal to decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot possession in Flagler County has been in limbo for almost a year after a key judicial and law enforcement panel approved it last year, before the election.
Curt and Impassive in Appearance Before Judge, Dorothy Singer Is Held Without Bond in Murder Case
Dorothy Singer, 52, accused of shooting dead her husband, will be represented by Public Defender Ray Warren, a seasoned murder-trial lawyer who has represented recent high-profile Flagler defendants.
Life in Prison for Palm Coast Man as Jury Finds Him Guilty of Molesting 11-Year-Old
A two-second feel over the clothes of an 11-year-old in a Palm Coast home by her guardian four years ago will result in a life sentence for James Taylor, a previously convicted sex offender.
At Man’s Trial, Weighing the Line Between A Parent’s Touch and Outright Molestation
Defense attorneys for James A. Taylor, the man on trial for allegedly molesting his ex’s 11-year-old daughter in Palm Coast, effectively plundered his accuser’s and her sisters’ credibility in four hours of testimony today.
James Taylor Trial: A History of Violence and Rapes of Women and Children, But Jury Won’t Hear It
The single charge of molestation James A. Taylor faces as he went on trial in Flagler County today is deceptive: the sex offender has a history of brutality, rapes and assaults involving women and children, but it’s all off limits.
Joseph Bova, Accused Killer of Store Clerk, Again Declared Incompetent In Threatening Court Appearance
Joseph Bova, accused killer of store clerk Zuheili Roman Rosado in Palm Coast in 2013, threatened that the judge and four others would die in “seconds” during an appearance before Judge Craig this afternoon.
Charges Against Ex-Elections Supervisor Weeks Reduced to Five, But Warrant Stands
In almost two years of wrangling ex-Elections Supervisor Kim Weeks’s lawyers have reduced the 12 felony counts against her to five, but there appears little room left before either a trial or an out-of-court settlement.
Flagler Beach Pastor Who Defrauded Church Members of Hundreds of Thousands Blames Others As He’s Sentenced to 7.5 Years
Wesley Brown, the 54-year-old pastor who’d won the trust of church members only to defraud them, sought to lay blame on others even as he was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison, after facing a potential 100 years.
Senate Approves Stand Your Ground Change To Make It Easier For Shooters To Use Defense
The bill would shift the burden from defendants to prosecutors in the pre-trial hearings, vastly strengthening defendants’ ability to use the defense, but at significant cost to prosecutors.
Sheriff Settles Suit With Ex-Finance Director For $200,000, Causing Delays In Future Hires
Linda Bolante filed a whistle-blower suit against ex-Sheriff Jim Manfre in 2014 after she claimed to have been forced to resign over her raising questions about his ethical practices.
Jury Finds Palm Coast’s John Schenone, 32, Guilty of Raping Girlfriend’s 11-Year-Old Daughter; Will Spend Life in Prison
John Schenone, 32, had been the father figure to the girl and her mother’s live-in boyfriend for six years in Palm Coast’s W-Section, but had been assaulting the girl for a year.
Proposal to Require Unanimity from Florida Juries in Death Penalty Cases Advances
But efforts to broaden the legislation to address other issues involved in a series of court rulings that prompted this year’s measure appear, at least for now, to be doomed.
5 Years in Prison for Rebecca Lawless in DUI Death of Diane Upton in SR100 Crash
The five-year sentence is less than half the minimum required by law, but the judge agreed to the plea because Upton’s family, showing mercy, did not want Lawless more severely punished.
In Reversal Over Accusations of Unethical Conduct, Flagler Judge Scott DuPont Now Says: “I Was Wrong”
Circuit Judge Scott DuPont, who sits in Flagler and Putnam County court, faces accusations that he spread scandalous, unsubstantiated claims about his opponent in the last election, and now reversed course in an apologetic response.
Striking at Balance of Powers, Florida Lawmaker Files Measures to Nullify Court Decisions
Gonzalez’s bills are a reflection of the Legislature’s latest assault on judicial power. But taking aim at separation of powers considered fundamental, if not sacred, to American government may be more of a partisan than a realistic exercise.
European Village Attacker Daniel Noble Pleads Guilty on 3 Charges, Faces 8 to 35 Years
Daniel Noble, the Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, had fired two shots with an assault weapon before being wrestled to the ground in a 2014 incident. He’d originally faced attempted murder charges.
Pleading Guilty to Manslaughter Death of Invalid Uncle, Woman Now Faces Up to 15 Years in Prison
Prosecutors say Holly Norris, 38, had neglectfully left her 65-year-old invalid uncle alone for days by the time he was found unconscious on the floor of a bedroom. He died two weeks later. He’d had a stroke.
Salvo Art Is Evicted in Dispute With Nature Scapes, Rendering Vanguard Gallery’s Artists Homeless
JJ Graham’s Salvo Art Project, the vibrant gallery and artist colony, had a 10-year lease with Nature Scapes, but a long dispute with the nursery’s owners culminated in an eviction and mediated settlement today that closes Salvo’s doors on Jan. 7.
Flagler Circuit Judge Scott DuPont Faces Charges of “Recklessly” Spreading Baseless Claims About Opponent
Circuit Judge Scott DuPont may face serious disciplinary action from the Florida Supreme Court if the Judicial Qualifications Commission recommends it after finding probable cause that he violated ethical rules in his latest election campaign.
Man Charged With 2 Counts of DUI Manslaughter and Vehicular Homicide in Deaths of Kathleen and Carl Boos on A1A
William G. Schwarz, 52, of Ormond Beach, is being held on $400,000 bond at the Flagler jail. His blood-alcohol level was 0.252 at the time of the March 11 wreck involvinf four cars near Painters Hill.
Michael Dunn’s Conviction Upheld In Racial Murder of Jordan Davis in Jacksonville in 2012
A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal said prosecutors presented sufficient evidence to rebut Michael Dunn’s claims of self-defense in the 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Jordan Davis.
“Shoddy Police Work” Helps Bunnell Man Facing Life in Prison Turn Trial In His Favor
Grant Gieger, 30, accused of armed burglary and other violent charges, was found guilty on minor charges instead as the case against him appeared to fall apart because of “shoddy police work,” according to his attorney.
Musical Chairs Continue as Flagler Will Have 5th Different Criminal Court Judge in 7 Years
Circuit Judge Matthew Foxman, in Flagler less than a year, is being reassigned to Volusia County, and will be replaced by Judge Dennis Craig, a Flagler resident who’d previously presided over civil and family court law.
Hammock Man Who’d Attacked 2 Ex-Roommates With Rifle and Hammer Sentenced to 10 Years
Paul Hillman, 44, had attacked George Carnarius, 64, calling him “the devil,” and Linda Warrell, 55, in the Shady Lane house they’d all shared until July 2015. But Warrell had urged against sending him to prison, saying–as the court agreed–that he suffers from a mental illness.
In DUI Case that Killed Michelle Roberts on Belle Terre, an Unprecedented Offer to Avoid Prison Is Rejected
Richard Kelley, who was driving with Roberts and her daughter when they wrecked in January 2014 at Pine Grove, wants the offer further sweetened to a deal that would still let him eventually drive again. It was not his first DUI charge, and he was driving on a revoked license.
Everyone Else Ready for Trial, Man Accused of Child Rape Asks, and Gets, Delay and New Lawyer
John J. Schenone, 33, of Palm Coast, accused of raping the 11-year-old daughter of his then-girlfriend, claimed his court-appointed lawyer had a conflict of interest with another molester she is defending, and was granted a new lawyer and court date.
Zaire Roberts, 17, Gets 7 Years in Prison in Shooting of Phillip Haire in Palm Coast Last Summer
Zaire Roberts was 16 and Phillip Haire 18 when they got in a fistfight on an L-Section street in Palm Coast and Roberts shot Haire twice in July 2015. Haire today pleaded for mercy on behalf of Roberts.
Long-Time Jeweler Robert Zetrouer Sentenced to 25 Years for Raping Child He Blamed
Palm Coast Jeweler Robert Zetrouer, 65, blamed the 13-year-old girl he raped and claimed he assaulted her only to prepare her for boys: that evidence was revealed today just before he was sentenced to what amounts to a life sentence in prison.
Judge Allows European Village Shooter Daniel Noble to Seek Help in Indiana Pending Trial
Daniel Noble, an Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, brandished an assault weapon and fired two shots at European Village before being wrestled to the ground in 2014. He’s been in treatment since, awaiting trial on assault charges.
Flagler Veterans Court Pitch Framed in Crude Attack on Court System by DeSantis Envoy
Randall Stapleford, a part-time staffer for Rep. Ron DeSantis, questioned the veracity of a Flagler County judge and leveled repeated attacks at Chief Judge Terence Perkins for allegedly delaying information related to a potential veterans court during a Flagler County Commission workshop Monday.
Ex-Cop Stavris Pleads, “I Wouldn’t Make It Out of State Prison,” and Gets 3 Years for Lewd Facebook Use Involving Children
Ex-Bunnell cop Michael Stavris had fabricated a Facebook page under his girlfriend’s daughter’s name, solicited boys’ naked pictures and said he wanted to break up his daughter’s relationship because she was dating a black boy.
Anna Pehota Is Found Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder in Husband’s Killing and Sentenced to Life
A surprisingly quick verdict reflected the jury’s belief that Anna Pehota had killed her husband with intent, even though there’d been no argument or abuse that day, only her fear that he’d leave her.
2nd Trial Day Curdles for Pehota as 3-Hour Tape Shows More Resolve Than Remorse in Husband’s Killing
The defense rested without calling a single witness in Anna Pehota’s murder trial today, and what dementia issues may have played a role in her husband’s killing could not be introduced before the jury. Closing arguments are Friday morning.
Circuit Judge Mark Hulsey Faces Allegation of Racist and Demeaning Comments
Hulsey “offhandedly observed” to an aide that African Americans “should go get back on a ship and go back to Africa,” according to the notice of charges, and of of referring to a female staff lawyer as a “bitch” and worse.
“A Hair Between Sanity and Insanity”: Pehota’s Anguished Account of Killing Husband Marks 1st Trial Day
A video interview of Pehota describing the killing of her husband and the circumstances surrounding it underscored the first day of her trial. She faces a second-degree murder charge. Nothing happened today to shake an aura of sympathy–even empathy–around Pehota.
In Jury Selection for Anna Pehota Trial, Pronounced Sympathies for the Killer
Anna Pehota, 76, facing a second-degree murder charge for shooting her husband in the Hammock last September, is benefiting from inherent sympathy going into her trial, which began with jury selection Monday and starts in earnest Wednesday.
Challenge to Florida’s DUI Breath Test May Be Moot After U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
A majority of the U.S. Supreme Court said a law similar to Florida’s, in Minnesota, allowing breath tests for DUI, does not violate the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment, which bars unreasonable searches and seizures.
Trial in Gas Station Murder Likely in Late Summer But Suspect, On Meds, Still Unpredictable
Joseph Bova, the impenetrable 28-year-old suspect in the execution-style murder of a Palm Coast’s Zuheili Roman Rosado at a gas station in 2013, appeared in court today for the first time in almost a year, stable but still hinting at the unpredictable.