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Jurors resume deliberations in medical school killings case

Anthony Garcia
Anthony Garcia

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Jurors have resumed deliberations in the murder trial of a former doctor charged with killing four people with ties to an Omaha medical school.

Anthony Garcia is charged with fatally stabbing the 11-year-old son of Creighton University medical school faculty member Dr. William Hunter, as well as the family’s housekeeper in 2008. Garcia is also charged with killing another Creighton doctor and his wife in 2013.

Prosecutors say Garcia, of Terre Haute, Indiana, was motivated by revenge against the two doctors, who were instrumental in his being fired from the medical school’s pathology residency program in 2001

The jury deliberated only about two hours Tuesday after a full day of closing arguments. Jurors reconvened at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Jury awards couple $11.5M in lawsuit over son’s brain damage

jury-boxOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A jury has awarded an Omaha couple $11.5 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit filed over brain damage they say their son received during birth at Methodist Women’s Hospital.

The lawsuit by the parents of Jackson Cuenca says among the allegations that improper use of forceps caused permanent brain injury during his 2010 birth.

Thomas Shomaker (SHOH’-may-kur), an attorney for the defendants, Nebraska Methodist Hospital and Physicians Clinic, said Tuesday that there was no wrongdoing or failure by medical staffers to meet the standard of care.

On Wednesday he told The Associated Press his clients are considering an appeal. He also says the judge is expected to reduce the award to $1.75 million — the 2010 state cap on medical malpractice damages.

Columbus man accused of injuring girlfriend’s baby takes plea deal

child-abuseCOLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A Columbus man accused of injuring his girlfriend’s infant daughter has taken a deal from prosecutors.

24-year-old Francisco Villatoro pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of negligent child abuse, false reporting and attempted witness tampering. Prosecutors lowered the abuse charge from a felony in exchange for Villatoro’s pleas. He’s scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 2.

Authorities say Villatoro called 911 on May 23, 2015, to report that the baby was choking. The infant was taken to Columbus Community Hospital and then transferred to an Omaha hospital. Investigators say the little girl suffered a head injury that doctors say was not consistent with Villatoro’s accounts of what happened.

Fan dies after falling while leaving Broncos football game

Sports Authority Field at Mile High Denver BroncosDENVER (AP) — Authorities say a fan has died after falling 60 feet at the Denver Broncos’ stadium after a game on Monday night.

Stadium Management Co., which operates Sports Authority Field at Mile High, said the fan fell over a railing.

The medical examiner’s office said Tuesday the man was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead. He was identified as 36-year-old Jason Coy.

Denver police say he was sitting on a railing when he fell. Witnesses and emergency responders immediately tried to help.

The incident occurred near the north end of the stadium following the Broncos’ game against the Houston Texans.

Jury begins deliberating in medical school killings case

jury-boxOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A jury has begun deliberating the case of a former medical resident accused of killing four people with ties to an Omaha medical school, including a young boy.

Anthony Garcia’s attorneys sought to poke holes in prosecutors’ case during nearly four hours of closing arguments Tuesday. Prosecutors pointed to credit card and cellphone records that put Garcia in and around Omaha on the day of two of the killings as part of their case.

Garcia is charged with stabbing to death the 11-year-old son of two doctors and the family’s housekeeper in 2008 and then killing another Omaha doctor and his wife in 2013. Prosecutors say Garcia was motivated by revenge against two of the doctors, who had him fired from the Creighton University medical school’s residency program in 2001.

Tractor rolls on incline, kills 72-year-old Nebraska man

dakota-county-sheriffHOMER, Neb. (AP) — A 72-year-old man has died after his tractor rolled over in a field in northeast Nebraska.

Emergency crews were called to a rural area southeast of Homer on Monday night on a report of a man trapped under a tractor.

Dakota County deputies and Homer Fire and Rescue crews found a man in a field who was pinned under a tractor that had rolled on an incline. He was pronounced dead.

The man’s name is being withheld until relatives can be notified.

Nebraska man who claimed self-defense acquitted in brother’s shooting

judgeshipGENEVA, Neb. (AP) — A Grafton man has been found not guilty in the shooting of his brother.

A Fillmore County District Court jury in Geneva on Friday acquitted 62-year-old Ervin Fuehrer of assault and use of a deadly weapon.

Authorities say Fuehrer shot his brother, Stephen Preslicka, on March 19, 2015, in Fuehrer’s shop driveway following an argument. Fuehrer’s attorney Bob Parker said in his closing arguments that Preslicka was wild when he showed up at Fuehrer’s shop. Preslicka has a bipolar disorder, and it was believed he was in a manic phase at that time.

Fuehrer says he fired a warning shot outside the shop and then shot his brother in self-defense. He said Preslicka had thrown a fire extinguisher at him and broke several windows with his bare hands.

Closing arguments set in trial on medical school killings

Anthony Garcia
Anthony Garcia

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Attorneys are expected to deliver closing arguments Tuesday in the case against a former medical student accused of killing four people with ties to an Omaha medical school, including an 11-year-old boy.

Anthony Garcia’s attorneys focused during the last day of testimony Monday on the prosecution’s timeline and other aspects of the prosecution’s case. Garcia remained silent. He has not testified during the trial, which began Oct. 3.

Garcia is charged with stabbing to death the 11-year-old son of two doctors and the family’s housekeeper in 2008 and then killing another Omaha doctor and his wife in 2013. Prosecutors say the killings were motivated by Garcia’s desire for revenge against two of the doctors, who had him fired from the Creighton University medical school’s residency program in 2001.

Nebraska man died after SUV struck building, pickup, authorities say

fatal-accidentNEMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a 25-year-old man died after his sport utility vehicle crashed into a building and a parked pickup in southeast Nebraska.

The crashes occurred a little before 8:30 p.m. Sunday in Nemaha. The Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office says the SUV was headed south on Nebraska Highway 67 when it left the roadway and struck the building and pickup. Investigators suspect speeding and alcohol consumption were factors in the crashes.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as Matthew Sciarappa, who lived in Auburn.

Norfolk man takes plea deal in crash deaths of 2 other men

gavel-moreNORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — A December sentencing has been scheduled for a Norfolk man charged with the crash deaths of two men.

Court records show 23-year-old Brandon Plante pleaded guilty Monday to two felony counts of vehicular homicide. Prosecutors dropped a drunken driving charge and another misdemeanor charge in exchange for Plante’s pleas. His sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 19.

Authorities say Plante was driving north in a southbound lane of U.S. Highway 81 on June 26 when he struck an oncoming vehicle driven by 32-year-old Tar Eh. Eh and a passenger in the vehicle, 32-year-old Yeh Htoo, were fatally injured. Both lived in Norfolk.

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