Judy Harrison

Courts Reporter

 
Jessica Currier (left) and Allison Ouellet are returning to their home counties in Maine after graduating from the University of Maine School of Law.

UMaine law school grads to help fill the state’s growing need for lawyers

By Judy Harrison on May 17, 2013, at 5:10 p.m.
PORTLAND, Maine — Taylor Kilgore decided she could better advocate for the clients she worked with as an adult mental health case manager if she had a law degree. Allison Ouellet had never stepped foot in a courtroom until she went to law school while her classmate, Jessica Currier, grew ...

N.H. man gets more than 15 years for two York County bank robberies

By Judy Harrison on May 17, 2013, at 4:51 p.m.
PORTLAND, Maine — A New Hampshire man was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court to 15 years and eight months in federal prison on charges related to two bank robberies in York County in November 2011. Bernie Subocz, 45, of Manchester, N.H., was also sentenced to three years of supervised ...
The African Children's Choir performs at a recent concert in Pueblo Colorado. It will perform Sunday at churches in Bangor and Ellsworth and Wednesday in Cape Neddick.

African Children’s Choir to perform at Maine churches

By Judy Harrison on May 16, 2013, at 5:16 p.m.
The African Children’s Choir will perform Sunday and Wednesday at three churches in Maine in Bangor, Ellsworth and Cape Neddick. The choir was founded in 1984 by Ray Barnett of White Rock, British Columbia. “Inspired by the singing of one small boy, we formed the first African Children’s Choir to ...

Portland man sentenced to 25 years for sexual exploitation of a child

By Judy Harrison on May 16, 2013, at 1:11 p.m.
PORTLAND, Maine — A local man was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District court to 25 years in federal prison on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor. David Muise, 26, of Portland was also sentenced to 20 years of supervised release. Muise waived indictment in January and admitted to ...
Roxanne Jeskey sits in court in April during the closing argument of her competency hearing at the Penobscot Judicial Center.

Murder trial of Bangor woman accused of slaying husband in bathtub to go forward

By Judy Harrison on May 16, 2013, at 12:18 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — The murder trial of a local woman will go forward next month after the Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday refused to hear an appeal over the competency of Roxanne Jeskey before there is a verdict in the case. Jeskey, 49, of Bangor is accused of brutally ...
Bruce Fowle, 62, (left) of Bangor pleaded guilty on two counts of theft. Fowle allegedly stole $100,000 over a period of several years from the fireworks fund and about $40,000 from the breakfast group between sometime in 2000 and July 31, 2012.

Groups lose more than money when member steals; credibility in community tough to reclaim

By Judy Harrison on May 16, 2013, at 11:57 a.m.
BANGOR, Maine — The Bangor-Breakfast Kiwanis Club and the organization that sponsors the city’s July 4 fireworks display lost a lot more than money when one of their members stole more than $140,000 over a 10-year period. “We’ve lost credibility in the community,” Anthony Bernatche, who spoke on behalf of ...

Surry man charged with kidnapping Gorham teen who was trying to sell BMW

By Judy Harrison on May 15, 2013, at 5:54 p.m.
PORTLAND, Maine — A Surry man who was arrested in North Carolina after a high-speed police chase was charged Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Maine with kidnapping a man at gunpoint last month in Cumberland County and driving the victim to Delaware in the trunk of his own car. ...
 Sally Ann Schofield of Chelsea, arrives at the Lincoln County Superior Courthouse in Wiscasset for the first day of her non-jury trial in June 2002.  Schofield, a former DHS worker, later was convicted of depraved indifference murder and manslaughter of foster child, Logan Marr, 5, in January 2001.

Judge won’t change probation conditions for Maine woman who killed foster child

By Judy Harrison on May 15, 2013, at 3:42 p.m.
AUGUSTA, Maine — A Superior Court judge on Tuesday denied a motion to modify probation conditions for the woman who is still serving a 17-year sentence for manslaughter in the the asphyxiation death of her 5-year-old foster child in 2001. Sally Ann Schofield , now 51, of Chelsea was convicted ...

Washington County pot farm worker testifies; IDs defendants in case

By Judy Harrison on May 15, 2013, at 1:39 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — A Mexican man facing deportation testified Tuesday in U.S. District Court about how the state’s largest marijuana plantation was run and identified defendants by their first name who have been charged with operating the sophisticated Washington County pot farm in Township 37. Martin Roblero, 22, was granted ...
VIDEO
Judge Jon D. Levy of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court speaks Tuesday in Portland to arguments in the appeal of Jeffrey Cookson, who was previously convicted of murdering Mindy Gould, 20, and 21-month-old Treven Cunningham in December 1999.

Defense attorney: Evidence about alternative suspect should get new trial for man convicted of strangling ex-fiancee

By Judy Harrison on May 15, 2013, at 11:34 a.m.
PORTLAND, Maine — The man serving two consecutive life sentences for killing his former girlfriend and the toddler she was baby-sitting more than a decade ago in Dexter on Wednesday asked the state’s high court to allow DNA tests to be conducted on evidence he claims would show someone else ...
ANALYSIS
Stan Moody, founder of Maine Prison Chaplaincy Corps, is a former state representative and most recently served as a chaplain at Maine State Prison in Warren.

Outside of schools, separation of church and state in Maine gets blurrier

By Judy Harrison on May 14, 2013, at 5:50 p.m.
An elementary school’s decision to end its traditional “blessing” of small student-made wooden rowboats by a local Congregational minister has put prayer in Maine’s public square in the spotlight. South Bristol Elementary School ended the 16-year tradition this year after receiving a letter from Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for Separation ...
Hedge Fund Level Global Investors LP fund manager and Portland native Anthony Chiasson exits United States District Court in New York, May 13, 2013.

Cheverus grad sentenced to 6 years in prison, fined $5 million for insider trading

By Judy Harrison on May 14, 2013, at 8:44 a.m.
NEW YORK — A Portland native and former trustee of Cheverus High School was sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court to six years in prison for being part of an insider trading scheme that illegally earned investors $70 million. Anthony Chiasson, 39, of New York City also was ordered to ...

Substitute teacher pleads guilty to inappropriate behavior with students

By Judy Harrison on May 13, 2013, at 9:33 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — A former substitute teacher pleaded guilty Monday at the Penobscot Judicial Center to misdemeanor charges in connection with inappropriate behavior with four students at schools in Bangor and Old Town. Gene Staffiere, 68, of Bangor pleaded guilty to four counts of Class D assault and one count ...
Seated in his wheelchair, Jeffrey Cookson turns toward the gallery at the close of a hearing for Cookson at Penobscot Judicial Center Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011.

High court to consider Jeffrey Cookson’s request for DNA testing a second time

By Judy Harrison on May 13, 2013, at 7:12 p.m.
PORTLAND, Maine — The Maine Supreme Judicial Court this week will consider the appeals of three convicted murderers, including the man serving two consecutive life sentences for killing his former girlfriend and the toddler she was babysitting more than a decade ago in Dexter. Jeffrey Cookson, now 49, is asking ...

NYC man part of family crack cocaine business sentenced to 7 years in prison

By Judy Harrison on May 13, 2013, at 5:47 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — Alfarabick Mally, also known as Jacob “Pinky” Garcia of New York City, went into the family business when he began running cocaine from the Big Apple to Bangor, a federal judge said Monday morning in sentencing him to seven years in prison, half of what was recommended ...
Rev. Philip Cyr

Two Catholic priests in St. John Valley retire; 8 other priests reassigned

By Judy Harrison on May 13, 2013, at 5:15 p.m.
PORTLAND, Maine — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland on Sunday announced retirements of two priests and the reassignment of eight others. The Revs. David Cote and Philip Cyr retired May 1, according to a press release issued by the diocese. Both men will turn 70 soon. Cote most recently ...
VIDEO
Husson University held its 114th Commencement off-campus, a first in the school's history, on Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium in Bangor. Husson also marked the day by graduating the first class of students from its School of Pharmacy, the first such of any university or college in the state of Maine.

Desire to contribute to community led pharmacy school grads to join ‘pioneer class’ at Husson

By Judy Harrison on May 11, 2013, at 5:52 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — Kari London and Raphael Dikas were looking for careers that allowed them to contribute to their communities every day. Their graduations Saturday from Husson University’s School of Pharmacy will allow them to do just that, both said recently. London, 31, of Bangor, and Dikas, 28, of Fort ...
David Russell

Houlton man gets 10 years for sharing child porn

By Judy Harrison on May 09, 2013, at 6:08 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — A Houlton man was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court to 10 years in prison for sharing child pornography with two law enforcement officers working undercover separately outside Maine. David A. Russell, 58, waived indictment and pleaded guilty in September to one count of transportation of child ...
Beth Rogers, a member of All Souls Congregational Church, will receive a master's degree Wednesday from Grace Evangelical College and Seminary. The graduation ceremony will be held at All Souls this year, the first time it has been held at a mainline denomination's church.

Grace seminary graduate to focus on Christian spiritual formation

By Judy Harrison on May 09, 2013, at 3:38 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — Beth Rogers began looking for a deeper spiritual encounter with God while still in junior high school. Rogers, 54, of Bangor marked a milestone Wednesday in her own journey with Christ when she received a Master of Arts degree in theology from Grace Evangelical College & Seminary. ...
VIDEO
Katherine Higgins, 14, of Dixmont with the poster she entered in the Law Day essay and art contest. Higgins' work was the winner in the art category.

Hampden Academy, John Bapst students win Penobscot County Bar Association contest

By Judy Harrison on May 08, 2013, at 7:18 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — A junior at Hampden Academy and a freshman at John Bapst Memorial High School were the first-place winners in the Penobscot County Bar Association’s annual Law Day essay and poster contest. Law Day was celebrated May 1. The $500 scholarship prizes were presented Wednesday to Laura Fairman ...
 
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