No translator in Court, leads justice tongue-tied

By SUNIL Sonkar
TAMPA – The man was 28-year-old and the girl was just 11. Her parents told that they gave consent. They had claimed for cultural norms of the Guatemalan highlands. However, apart from these, in Dover, Florida, the girl of just 11-year-old with a baby raises questions.

When Teodoro Pablo, the deputies, came, Ramirez could [...]

Fla. man charged with posing as twin after DUI

AVON PARK, Fla. — A man faces fraud charges after reportedly pretending to be his twin brother after he was pulled over for driving under the influence. The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office reported that 43-year-old man was pulled over Jan. 20 and charged with DUI. But deputies said the man initially identified himself as his brother and signed that name on his citation and jail forms. Deputies discovered the suspect’s real identity the next day. He reportedly told deputies that he used his brother’s name because his driver’s license was suspended. Besides the DUI, the man was charged with fraudulent impersonation, altering a public record certificate, passing a forged-altered instrument and several misdemeanors. He was being held on $31,250 bail. — Information from: The Tampa Tribune, http://www.tampatrib.com

Lawyers: government entrapped reggae star

TAMPA, Fla. — The attorney for Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton says the government entrapped his client in a drug deal. In court documents filed Tuesday, David Markus says the government used a paid informant to convince his client to buy cocaine. The defense is pushing to have the informant’s identity revealed. To prove entrapment, Markus will have to show that Banton was not predisposed to engage in criminal behavior and that the government induced him. Banton was arrested at his Tamarac home on Dec. 10. The 36-year-old singer, born Mark Myrie, pleaded not guilty to a drug charge in Tampa federal court. He’s being held without bail at Pinellas County Jail. Banton’s trial is expected to begin in March. His latest album, “Rasta Got Soul,” has been nominated for a Grammy. — Information from: St. Petersburg Times, http://tampabay.com THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below. TAMPA, Fla. – The attorney for Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton says the government entrapped his client in a drug deal. In court documents filed Tuesday, David Markus says the government used a paid informant to persuade his client to buy cocaine. The defense is pushing to have the informant’s identity revealed. To prove entrapment, Markus will have to show that Banton was not predisposed to engage in criminal behavior and that the government induced him. Banton was arrested at his Tamarac home on Dec. 10. The 36-year-old singer, born Mark Myrie, pleaded not guilty to a drug charge in Tampa federal court. He’s being held without bail at Pinellas County Jail. Banton’s trial is expected to begin in March. His latest album, “Rasta Got Soul,” has been nominated for a Grammy. — Information from: St. Petersburg Times, http://tampabay.com