Circuit Judge Robert Pegg chose September as a trial date for 18-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt, who was charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 16 in February.

In a motion filed Monday, Hunt’s attorney, Julia Graves, said she was never notified of the trial date and alleged that Pegg moved the case ahead of 200 other pending criminal cases because he is biased against Hunt, who is gay. A similar case Pegg handled involving a male defendant and female victim took 19 months to conclude, Graves said in her motion.

The judge did not immediately respond to a telephone message Tuesday seeking comment.

Hunt’s story received international media attention and prompted gay rights advocates to say she is being unfairly targeted for what would be considered a common romance if she was not gay. They have argued that older high schoolers dating their younger counterparts is an innocuous, everyday occurrence that is not prosecuted — regardless of sexual orientation — and not a crime on par with predatory sex offenses.

Hunt’s family has alleged that the day before she was arrested, police and the younger girl’s parents secretly recorded a phone conversation in which the two girls discussed kissing in the school bathroom.

State Attorney Bruce Colton, however, said he would have brought charges regardless of the defendant’s sexual preference because Hunt violated a law that prohibits adults from having sexual contact with underage children.

Prosecutors have offered Hunt a plea deal that would allow her to avoid registering as a sex offender if she pleads guilty to lesser charges of child abuse. He said he would recommend two years of house arrest followed by one year of probation if she takes the deal.

But the Hunt family has said they would accept a plea deal only if the charges are dropped to a misdemeanor.

The alleged victim is identified only by her initials in court documents, and her parents have not been publicly identified. The AP does not identify alleged victims of sex crimes.

Colton said the victim’s family is not pushing for prison but wants Hunt to be held responsible in some way.

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Volusia County authorities were directing traffic early Sunday morning when they asked a large group to clear Orange Avenue.

“One subject who was refusing to get out of the street was upset the horse was near him and decided to punch the horse,” Sgt. Jim Young told WESH-TV.

That subject was later identified as 23-year-old Pedro Arzola.

Police say Arzola was talking on his cell phone and ignored the officer’s directions.

Arzola was charged with attempting to injure a police horse.

“We just hope people respect the animals. Obviously, the officer on top is giving commands – trying to get people to do what we need them to do to ensure public order,” Young added to the station.

William Calvin Crow is also facing a conspiracy and weapons charge from the shooting incident that happened last week.

According to the police report obtained by the Fort Myers News-Press, Craig Barton, 54, was sitting under the carport when Crow approached him, pulled a .25 caliber gun, and fired several shots at Barton’s face and neck.

Police say Barton tried to grab the gun from Crow after being shot. During the struggle, Barton was able to take the gun away and threw it in the yard.

Both men survived the incident and were taken to Lee Memorial Hospital.

Crow is currently in custody at the Lee County Jail.

Investigators added in the police report that “Crow was tired of Barton being a ‘moocher’ and was upset over his stepson’s heavy drinking.”

The Quinnipiac University poll finds 41 percent disapprove of Rubio’s handling of an immigration overhaul in the Senate that would give an estimated 11 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally a path to citizenship. The random telephone survey of 1,176 registered voters taken June 11-16 shows 33 percent approve.

Rubio, a Tea Party favorite and possible GOP presidential candidate, is one of the authors of the far-reaching immigration proposal but has refused to pledge support for the measure without tougher border security provisions and stricter standards for who qualifies for government programs. He also wants immigrants to prove they are proficient in English before receiving permanent legal status.

The poll found that 58 percent of Florida voters back a path to citizenship for those here illegally.

“As perhaps the best-known Hispanic-American in national politics, Sen. Marco Rubio has a tightrope to walk between keeping the folks back home happy and serving as a high-profile symbol for the GOP nationally,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Overall, a slim majority of Florida voters — 51 percent — approve of the job Rubio is doing as the state’s junior senator.

On gun issues, 49 percent of voters said they view Rubio less favorably after he voted against a proposal that would have required background checks on people buying firearms at gun shows or online, compared to 10 percent who view him more favorably. Thirty-eight percent said the vote made no difference. An overwhelming majority of voters “strongly” support background checks, including 63 percent of gun owners.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton remains a heavy early favorite among Florida voters in a hypothetical 2016 presidential matchup against either Rubio or former Gov. Jeb Bush. Republicans are more competitive against Vice President Joe Biden.

The survey, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points, shows Bush beating Biden, 47-43. Rubio is in a statistical tie with the vice president.

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Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance almost 40 years ago has been the stuff of urban legend, prompting numerous theories about what happened to the former Teamsters leader.

The FBI saw enough merit in a reputed Mafia captain’s tip to once again this week break out the digging equipment to search for the remains in an Oakland Township field, about 25 miles north of Detroit.

The feisty Hoffa was last seen about 20 miles away on July 30, 1975, outside a restaurant where he was supposed to meet with a New Jersey Teamsters boss and a Detroit Mafia captain.

Hoffa is presumed dead. His body has never been found — but not for a lack of trying.

Previous tips about Hoffa’s remains have led police and the FBI to search unsuccessfully in at least six other sites from Michigan to New Jersey:

— In September 1975, shortly after Hoffa was reported missing, Michigan State police and local authorities used a backhoe to look for him on property in Waterford Township.

— In December 1975, the search moved from Michigan to a rubble field in Jersey City, N.J.

— In July 2003, authorities dug beneath an underground pool at a home in Hampton Township, Mich., for a briefcase an informant said contained a syringe and evidence that Hoffa might have been injected with drugs or poison. No briefcase was found.

— In May 2004, police ripped up floor boards from a Detroit house where one-time Hoffa ally Frank Sheeran claimed to have killed him. The FBI crime lab ultimately concluded that blood found on the floorboards was not Hoffa’s.

— In May 2006, the FBI called in agents, archaeologists, anthropologists and cadaver-sniffing dogs to search for Hoffa’s body at Hidden Dreams Farm in Milford Township. The two-week search at the mid-Michigan horse farm cost about $250,000. It was one of the most extensive searches for Hoffa, with a demolition crew taking apart a barn.

— In September 2012, authorities drilled for soil samples in the floor of a shed in the Detroit suburb of Roseville after police were told by a source that Hoffa was buried beneath the driveway. Tests showed nothing.

Other theories have emerged over the years, including:

— In 1982, self-described mafia murderer Charles Allen, who served prison time with Hoffa and participated in the federal witness-protection program, told a U.S. Senate committee that Hoffa was killed and his body was “ground up in little pieces, shipped to Florida and thrown into a swamp.”

— In 1989, self-described hit man Donald “Tony the Greek” Frankos claimed Hoffa was buried under Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The FBI found no evidence to support the claim.

— In 2006: New Jersey mob hit man Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski, who died earlier that year, claimed in a book that he killed Hoffa and put his body in a car that was sold as scrap metal. Kuklinski’s book, “The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer,” contended he received $40,000 for the slaying.

Still another theory has it that Hoffa was obliterated in a mob-owned fat-rendering plant that later burned down.

Take a look through photos of Hoffa and the search for his remains over the last three decades.

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The case has prompted strong emotions on about race, equal justice and gun control, issues that have come to light during jury selection. Jurors’ identities are being kept confidential during the trial that is expected to last up to a month. Of the 40 potential jurors, 27 are white, seven are black, three are mixed race and three are Hispanic. Twenty-four are women and 16 are men.

Below is a look at some of the more notable statements by potential jurors — identified just by number — throughout selection process that’s in its second week.

“There was fault on both sides as far as I can see, two people being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” — Juror B-30, a 65-year-old white man with hearing problems who wasn’t asked back.

“I haven’t lived under a rock for the past year. It’s pretty hard for people not to have gotten some information.” — Juror B-51, a white woman retiree, asked about what she knew about the high-profile case. She was told to return.

“I think they politicized it and made it a racial issue, and I didn’t like that. I wasn’t agreeing with the racial connotation.” — Juror B-35, a middle-aged black man who owns vending machines, answering questions about civil rights leaders who came to Sanford for demonstrations. He was asked back.

“I believe every American has a right to defend himself. I think the more people armed, the better.” — Juror E-81, a middle-aged white woman who was dismissed after saying she thought Martin was going down the wrong path and that Zimmerman was protecting his neighborhood.

“A young man lost his life. Another man is fighting for his life. No one is a winner in this case.” — Juror I-24, a white woman in her early 60s, when asked to sum up the case. She was asked back.

“Do they know what they’re in for?” — Juror E-7, moments before being given a trespass warning and told not to return to the courthouse until after the trial after complaining about the jury process outside the assembly room. During his interview, the painter-musician admitted to the judge that he had posted on Facebook about the case.

“I want to be there for America and do this.” — Juror H-35, a white woman in her 20s, when asked if serving on the sequestered jury would create a hardship. She was told to return.

“I still don’t understand why it’s a high-profile case.” — Juror H-7, a white man in his early 60s who was asked back.

“It’s a service paying back to my adopted country, citizenship and all that.” — Juror P-67, a Hispanic man in his 40s, when asked if he wanted to serve on the jury. He was told to return.

“It just seemed like he was an underdog … He couldn’t go to work. He had to go into hiding. I just felt sorry for him.” — Juror H-27, a middle-aged white man who admitted he gave $20 to Zimmerman’s legal defense fund. He was dismissed.

“My impressions are that you had a family grieving for the loss of their son. You had another family grieving for the potential loss of their loved one to this process. You had supporters on both sides and some people were very angry.” — Juror H-81, a mixed-race man in his 50s, when asked his impression of the case. He was asked back.

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At the start of the seventh day of jury selection, attorneys had asked 32 potential jurors to return for further questioning. They eventually must narrow the pool to six jurors and four alternates.

The four prospective jurors questioned Tuesday morning expressed no strong opinions about the case. They included a mixed-race man in his 50s, a mixed-race woman in her 20s, a white woman in her 20s and a black man in his 50s.

Zimmerman was driving through the gated community where he lived on the evening of Feb. 26, 2012, when he saw Martin walking back from a convenience store to a home belonging to his father’s fiancee. Zimmerman called a nonemergency police number, followed Martin and at some point a fight erupted between them that left Martin dead.

The case is racially charged. A 44-day delay in Zimmerman’s arrest led to protests around the nation. Protesters questioned whether the Sanford Police Department was investigating the case seriously because Martin was a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

When asked what his impressions were about the case, the mixed-race man in his 50s said, “You had a family grieving for the loss of their son. You have another family grieving for the potential loss of their loved one to this process. You had supporters on both sides, and some people were very angry.”

Prosecutors and defense attorneys are seeking a pool of 40 potential jurors who have been screened for any influence of pretrial publicity before moving to a second round of questioning. Of the 32 candidates asked back so far, more than two-thirds are white. The pool also is overwhelmingly female and skews toward candidates who are middle-aged.

Attorneys had personally interviewed 54 potential jurors over seven days by Tuesday afternoon.

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In a recent press release, the state’s Health Department raises the issue of Floridians contracting a parasite known as Naegleria fowler, which is found in warm, stagnant water.

This type of parasite enters the human body through the person’s nose and makes its way to the brain. The rare infection causes a life-threatening disease called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. The disease can start anywhere between one to 14 days after contact, with symptoms including headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. The infection causes a person’s brain to swell, leading to seizures and hallucinations.

“So as you see the temperatures in lakes and rivers rising, we want to be very careful not to be in the shallows stirring up the muck where this amoeba can be found,” Steve Huard, public information officer for the Hillsborough County Health Department, told WFTS-TV.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states on its website that the Naegleria fowleri parasite grows best at temperatures of 115 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

Health officials recommend people to wear nose clips, to hold their noses shut or just keep their head out of the water while swimming in any fresh water body.

There is a 99 percent fatality rate after contracting the disease, but contracting the disease is very rare as there were only 31 reported infections in the U.S. from 2003 to 2012.

Five fishermen off Florida’s Gulf of Mexico coast reeled in a cocaine bale worth $2.5 million, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office press release states that they saw a large package in the water, retrieved it and pulled it onto their vessel. What they ended up reeling in was 25 kilograms of cocaine.

When they realized what they found, they immediately called the authorities.

The Okaloosa County Multi-Agency Drug Task Force is investigating.

The Quinnipiac University poll shows 43 percent of voters approve of the job Scott is doing, compared to 44 percent who disapprove. Meanwhile, 40 percent of voters have a favorable opinion of him compared to 42 percent who have an unfavorable view.

While those numbers aren’t sizzling, they are better than the 36 percent job approval and 33 percent favorable rating that voters gave Scott just three months ago.

The numbers suggest that Scott’s “It’s Working” message, which he’s using to tout Florida’s improving economy, is starting to work.

Still, the Republican governor will have to improve those numbers if he wants to win re-election.

Scott trails former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist in a head-to-head matchup. Crist is widely expected to seek his old job as a Democrat. The poll shows Crist receiving 47 percent to 37 percent support for Scott. The margin of error is plus/minus 2.9 percentage points.

Even former state Sen. Nan Rich is competitive with Scott in a head-to-head matchup, even though 84 percent of voters polled said they don’t know her. Scott leads Rich 42 percent to 36 percent.

Thirty-five percent of voters said Scott, a former health care company CEO, deserves to be re-elected.

Scott’s approval in the Quinnipiac poll has never been as high and is a far cry from the 29 percent approval he had two years ago. The improvement comes as the economy rebounds and as Scotthas moved toward the political middle. He’s also tried to create a more caring image. Unlike in January 2011 when he announced his first budget proposal at a tea party rally held in a central Florida church, Scott this year has held events around the state with teachers and students, disabled Floridians and with workers where jobs are being expanded.

The governor, who spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on polling, has also pushed for the federally funded Medicaid expansion he previously opposed, restored early voting two years after cutting it back and brought together environmentalists and sugar farmers in an unusual alliance in support of an Everglades cleanup.

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A Sarasota police dive team pulled the body from the water Sunday after it was spotted by a search helicopter

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports witnesses saw the man swimming off of Lido Key Beach Saturday evening. They say he appeared to be distressed before slipping under the water.

The newspaper reports the area he was swimming — called Big Pass — is known for tidal currents. That’s the rush of water to and from land when the tides shift. On Saturday, high tide was a 5:17. He was seen swimming about 6:30 p.m.

Sarasota County’s lifeguard manager Scott Montgomery says signs warn swimmers of the dangers.

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Did you miss this past weekend’s edition of The Current? No problem! Click the audio player below to catch the whole episode featuring:

• Dr. David Decker, Director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Florida Hospital Tampa, about the signs of stroke, F.A.S.T. and what to look for;
• Michael Laplante, one of the organizers of Startup Weekend Tampa Bay, an international competition giving teams just 54 hours to create and build the next big thing;
• Governor Frank Keating, former governor of Oklahoma and President/CEO of the American Bankers Association on National Housing Month, homeownership and what you need to know about buying a home;
• Jeff Rogo, Government Affairs Director for the Bay Area Apartment Association on National Housing Month, why renting may be the best choice, and where all the new rental development is happening around Tampa Bay

The Current airs eight times every weekend on five CBS Radio stations. Don’t forget to send us your comments by Twitter at @TheCurrentCBS, by text at 56022 or by email at franco.ripple@cbsradio.com, and thanks for listening!

The woman called 911 for help Sunday evening. When deputies arrived, they say Eric W. Dunphy grabbed his wife and pulled her inside their mobile home.

Orlando television stations reports Dunphy put his wife in a headlock and threatened to kill her. The deputy then shot and killed Dunphy.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ginett Rodriguez says the deputy repeatedly told the man to let his wife go.

Rodriguez says deputies have been to the home before for domestic disputes between the couple.

The deputy has been placed on administrative leave.

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According to a press release published by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in the Florida Keys, authorities were called to the scene of the altercation between the suspect, 51-year-old Kari Dangler, and her roommate on Wednesday.

When two officers – Sgt. Jason Madnick and Deputy Sydney Whitehouse – arrived, they spoke with the victim, who was said to be standing outside when the responding officers pulled up. He told them Dangler had pointed a revolver at him because he had hidden her booze supply.

When Sgt. Madnick spoke to Dangler, she claimed she was merely cleaning the gun.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Dangler had previously fired the weapon, described in the release as a stainless Colt Python, several days prior because “a frog was making noises.”

“Sheriff’s Office records show a shots fired call in that area on June 4th at 10 p.m.,” the release added. “At the time, responding deputies could not find the source of the weapons fire.”

Dangler was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. She was then remanded to a local prison, according to authorities.

Unlike four years ago, when the annual Jefferson-Jackson fundraising dinner gave gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink a huge spotlight, and featured Senate candidate Kendrick Meek, Democrats decided to keep the program short and set a speakers list that only included Sen. Bill Nelson, congresswoman and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and keynote speaker San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.

Not that there are many candidates to invite. Former Sen. Nan Rich is the only credible statewide candidate that’s announced plans to run. She hopes to challenge Gov. Rick Scott, but she wasn’t asked to speak.

“This is not a candidates forum. This is a fundraising event to celebrate the victories of 2012 and to fundraise so that we can go forward,” said state party Chairwoman Allison Tant before the dinner.

She said, however, people are so unhappy with Republican Gov. Rick Scott they didn’t need a candidate to highlight.

“People are so anxious for a change they almost don’t care who the person is. They’re just ready for the candidates to identify themselves and come out. The enthusiasm is incredible,” Tant said.

Former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist is thinking of running for his former seat as a Democrat and 2010 nominee Alex Sink is considering another run, but neither has announced plans.

The dinner’s three speakers gave a preview of the points they would be making later in the evening during an afternoon press conference.

“Rick Scott has decimated the quality of life for working families,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Rick Scott has continuously demonstrated how out of touch he is. That’s why our event is successful tonight. That’s why we’re going to beat him in November (2014). It’s why he’s the most unpopular governor in the country.”

Tant said the event raised $850,000 for the party and 1,300 tickets were sold.

Castro criticized Scott for vetoing a bill that would have allowed drivers licenses for immigrants who were brought to the country as children and who are not citizens.

“This is just one more example of the divisiveness that’s too much a part of the Florida Republican Party today,” said Castro.

Nelson, who is being asked by some Democrats to run for governor, said Scott has a “narrow, extremist political ideology.”

“That’s why people are upset and they’re looking for someone that can take him on and win. That’s the backdrop to all of this,” said Nelson. He said, though, he has no plans to run.

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry defended Scott in a statement.

“Gov. Rick Scott’s strong leadership has led Florida to have the second largest drop in unemployment in the nation, some of the best schools and teachers in America, and job creators flocking to the state to invest,” he said. “Democrats have to choose between a former governor who oversaw the second highest jump in unemployment in the nation, an extreme liberal former state senator who doesn’t see a tax hike she doesn’t like, or a former CFO who’s already lost to Gov. Scott.”

Rich said she was disappointed she wasn’t allowed to speak. Sink also said Rich should have been given the opportunity. She prepared a speech anyway and tweeted a link to it.

In it, she not only criticized Scott, but she also pointed out a difference she has with potential primary opponent Crist.

“I’m a lifelong Democrat. I’m a Democrat because of our party’s values and priorities,” she wrote.

A man with a “LET NAN RICH SPEAK” sign was told to leave the convention center by hotel security.

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — A central Florida man faces charges after police say he left two dogs in his car without the engine running, causing them to die.

Port St. Lucie police say 52-year-old Carl Castilow parked his car in the lot at Keiser Golf College just before noon Thursday. A woman walking by the vehicle about an hour later spotted the shepherd mix and golden retriever. College staff arrived and helped the woman remove the dogs.

The dogs were given wet towels and ice packs, but the shepherd mix died at the scene from heat exhaustion. The retriever was taken to a nearby animal hospital but died sometime that night.

Castilow was arrested and charged with two animal cruelty counts. He was later released $7,500 bail. Jail records didn’t say if he had an attorney.

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After five days of the selection process, 29 potential jurors have passed through an initial round of questioning about what knowledge they have already gained through media and other means about the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in a Sanford, Fla., gated community.

“I know it’s slow-going to the outside, but it’s not slow-going to the inside,” defense attorney Mark O’Mara said. “I think it’s working out pretty well.”

O’Mara said that Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch leader, has been eager to have the actual trial process begin.

“He’s very encouraged because it’s finally on the way. He’s been waiting for 16 months for this process to start. He’s looking very forward to the resolution and the acquittal,” O’Mara said. “On the other hand, now it is real. And it’s very stressful because the preparation is great and now we’re in it.”

Prosecutors and defense attorneys want to build a pool of 40 potential jurors who have been screened for any influence of pretrial publicity before they move to a second round of questioning. Attorneys had interviewed 41 potential jurors over five days by the end of Friday.

At least 75 potential jurors already have been dismissed.

Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.

Before lunch, Judge Debra Nelson told 23 candidates to return Tuesday and she did the same to an additional six potential jurors before ending the day Friday.

Court spokesman Michelle Kennedy, however, said a tally she had received from the judge put the number of potential jurors called back at 28.

Of the 29 candidates, 19 are white; six are black; two are Hispanic; one describes himself as mixed race; and one is Asian-American. The racial and ethnic makeup of potential jurors is relevant because prosecutors claim Zimmerman profiled Martin when he followed him through his gated community shortly before the unarmed teen was fatally shot. The case prompted public outrage, as some critics believed authorities initially didn’t investigate the case thoroughly because Martin was a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Many potential jurors asked to return were female and middle-aged.

A potential juror was dismissed from consideration and ordered not to come back to the courthouse until after the trial after he complained about the jury process outside the assembly room Friday. During questioning on Thursday, the judge asked the potential juror — a self-described musician and painter — if he had posted on Facebook about the case and he replied yes. He was told he could leave the courtroom a short time later.

Defense investigators were able to uncover the Facebook posting by the dismissed juror. O’Mara said he was worried about possible “stealth jurors,” who want to sit on the jury with ulterior motives.

“It could have easily gotten by us,” O’Mara said.

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Gov. Rick Scott on Friday signed into law a measure designed to overhaul the state’s capital punishment process. That process has been criticized for allowing some condemned inmates to remain for decades on death row.

The “Timely Justice Act of 2013″ creates tighter timeframes for appeals and post-conviction motions and imposes reporting requirements on case progress.

It also re-establishes a separate agency for north Florida to provide appellate-level legal representation to inmates sentenced to death, and requires them to “pursue all possible remedies in state court.”

Scott said in his signing statement that the state’s current death row inmates who have exhausted their judicial appeals have been awaiting execution for an average of 22 years.

“An inmate who has been on death row for 22 years has had a fair opportunity to discover all of the evidence needed to challenge his conviction, especially when the inmate has received the multiple levels of review and the extraordinary due process afforded death-sentenced offenders,” Scott wrote. He said such lengthy delays are “a crushing burden of uncertainty to the victims’ families.”

But even before the new law Scott has picked up the pace of executions. Two men — Elmer Leon Carroll and William Van Poyck — have been executed by lethal injection in the last month. A third man — Marshall Lee Gore — is scheduled to be executed on June 24. Scott, a Republican, has signed 11 death warrants since taking office in 2011 and seven executions have been carried out.

Florida has 405 inmates on its death row, more than any other state except California.

Two former death row inmates who were exonerated say they fear the changes could lead to the execution of people who are innocent.

Seth Penalver was exonerated after 18 years in prison, while Herman Lindsey was freed after three years in prison.

On Wednesday, the two traveled to Starke to protest the execution of Van Poyck.

Although they said that the Timely Justice Act would not have affected Van Poyck’s execution — he had exhausted all of his appeals — they used the day to highlight their opposition to the bill.

Penlaver said he was a “living, breathing example” of why the Timely Justice Act should not be passed.

He hired a private investigator and found new evidence, which he said prosecutors had hid from him, that pointed to other suspects. He was freed in December 2012, after “crying like a baby” and dropping to his knees in prayer in the courtroom as jurors exonerated him on three first-degree murder convictions, armed robbery and armed burglary.

Twenty-four men have been exonerated from Florida’s death row since 1973, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Scott in his signing message disputed the idea that the new law would increase the risk of the execution of those who were innocent. He also contended the changes called for in the measure would increase some of the legal protections for inmates.

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Fort Walton Beach was the bill’s lead sponsor. Republican Sen. Joe Negron shepherded the bill through the Senate.

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The dancers move in sets of two, their pointed toes and outstretched hands a hint of the grand stages where they have performed. In the background plays a recording of “La Bayadare,” the French choreographed ballet they are practicing.

These dancers could be among the young talent of any ballet company, but for now they are something else: Immigrants in the United States trying to land dancing opportunities while navigating cultural differences. The ballerinas fled from the Cuban National Ballet while on tour in Mexico.

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Judge Debra Nelson told the 23 jury candidates on the fifth day of jury selection to return next Tuesday. She asked them not to discuss the case or selection process with anyone.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys want to build a pool of 40 potential jurors who have been screened for any influence of pretrial publicity before they move to a second round of questioning. Attorneys started questioning their 35th potential juror, a black woman in her 30s, on Friday. Juror G-29 outlined the basic facts of the case but said she had stayed away from discussing it much because she doesn’t get involved with current affairs.

At least 75 potential jurors already have been dismissed.

Zimmerman, a 29-year-old former neighborhood watch volunteer, is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder, claiming he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in self-defense. Martin was not armed.

A 44-day delay in Zimmerman’s arrest led to protests around the nation. Some questioned whether the Sanford Police Department was investigating the case seriously since Martin was a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.

The judge said Thursday that jurors picked to serve will be sequestered during the two weeks to a month that the trial will last. They will have limited contact with their families, they will spend the night at a hotel and their actions will be monitored by court security outside the courtroom during the duration of the trial.

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Scott is leading a delegation of nearly 100 people, which includes First Lady Ann Scott, business executives, three legislators and politicians such as Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

This marks Scott’s ninth-trade related trip abroad since he became governor in 2011. He has already visited such far-flung places as Brazil, Israel, Canada, Spain, England and Chile. The Republican governor is scheduled to visit Japan in October.

Scott, who visited an air show last year in London, contends that the trips abroad help his quest to create more jobs.

“It’s all about jobs,” Scott said the day before he departed. “You just keep building these relationships and get more jobs for Florida.”

The Paris Air Show is considered one of the world’s leading aviation and aerospace trade fairs. The last air show held in 2011 attracted more than 350,000 attendees.

Florida, with its mix of airports and military installations, is a leading state in the nation when it comes to the aerospace industry. The state exports aircraft parts and equipment to nations around the world.

The state will have a pavilion in Paris where it will showcase 12 Florida-based aerospace and aviation companies. The pavilion will also include Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as well as economic development agencies from Jacksonville and Miami.

Scott is scheduled to meet with representatives of aviation and aerospace companies during the trip. He will also attend a reception hosted by the U.S. ambassador to France and meet with the French minister of foreign affairs.

The governor’s travel costs are picked up by Enterprise Florida, which uses private donations from large Florida-based companies to cover the costs.

For example, the trade mission last December to Colombia included sponsors such as FPL, the Florida Ports Council, the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the law firm of Holland & Knight. A 2006 opinion from the Florida Commission on Ethics maintains this arrangement does not violate the state’s strict ban on gifts from companies that lobby the governor’s office.

But taxpayers still have expenses on these trips because they pick up the travel tab for governor’s office employees and for his security detail. Enterprise Florida, the state’s economic development outfit, reported that taxpayers spent nearly $30,000 to on Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents that went on the four-day trip to Colombia.

An Enterprise Florida spokesman said this week that expenses have not been finalized for Scott’s trip last month to Chile.

___

Follow Gary Fineout on Twitter: @fineout

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Circuit Judge Debra Nelson said for the first time Thursday that jurors picked for Zimmerman’s second-degree murder trial will be sequestered. They will have limited contact with their families, they will spend the night at a hotel and their actions will be monitored by court security outside the courtroom during the duration of the trial. Prosecutors and defense attorneys resume their fifth day of jury selection Friday.

“You would not be able to participate in day-to-day routine activities,” defense attorney Don West told one potential juror.

Some potential jurors have been wary of the prospect of being cut off from the world during the trial.

Jury candidate K-80, a middle-aged white woman, described sequestration Thursday as “my biggest fear.” Jurors are only referred to by their jury numbers in court to protect their identities.

Juror E-81, a middle-aged white woman, said when she saw the word “sequester” on the questionnaire in the jury room, “the walls caved in.”

“I want to sleep in my own bed,” she said. The potential juror also worried about her safety if picked, saying “I’m going to walk out of here with a bulls-eye on me.”

The jury candidate appeared to already have made up her mind about the case, decreasing her chances of being picked. Her impression was that Martin’s prior use of marijuana and an image of a gun found on his cell phone were indications that “he was going down the wrong path.” She also said she believed Zimmerman was just “looking after his neighborhood.”

“I believe every American has a right to defend himself,” said Juror E-81. “I think the more people armed, the better.”

Potential juror B-67, a Hispanic female in her 40s, was allowed to leave courtroom without being questioned by defense attorneys after she said being sequestered would be a hardship with her family and school commitments.

Zimmerman, a 29-year-old former neighborhood watch volunteer, is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder, claiming he shot an unarmed Martin in self-defense. A 44-day delay in Zimmerman’s arrest led to protests around the nation. They questioned whether the Sanford Police Department was investigating the case seriously since Martin was a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

___

Miami-Dade Fire Chief David Downey said 24 people were taken to area hospitals. Many had cuts and bruises, though one person suffered a fracture, a fire official said. Two people were in serious condition.

Authorities said about 100 people were on the deck of Shucker’s Bar & Grill in North Bay Village, north of Miami Beach, when it gave way.

Sports bar customers — and later rescuers — helped people from the water amid yelling, crying and a rush to find people who might be submerged.

“According to witnesses, a lot of people jumped in to help,” Downey said.

One witness, Martin Torres, 42, of Los Angeles, said he was inside the sports bar with family and friends when heard a loud explosion. At first, he thought a boat had struck the deck. He said he looked outside and saw people staring up from the water, and then he and others started helping them out of the bay.

“It was shock,” said Torres. “People were yelling. Nobody knew. People came out all wet. They were crying. For a while, nobody knows what was going on.”

Israel Marquez, 37, of Bakersfield, Calif., who like Torres was in Florida because he’s scheduled to board a cruise from Florida on Friday, said he “heard a big old snap. Boom. Like a shotgun blast.”

Marquez said he looked out at the deck and “it all came down in slow motion.”

Many peoples seemed in shock, with cuts and gashes on their faces. He said he went to the edge and helped five or six people from the water, and then a swarm of rescuers arrived.

“A lot of people were just shaken up,” added Eric Williams, 42, of Atlanta. He rushed to the scene with his son and they jumped in to help people after they heard a loud noise from their room at the adjacent Best Western.

But he described the scene as “pandemonium,” with people scrambling to get out.

There was initially some concern that people might have been trapped in the water beneath the crumpled deck. But divers searched the waters as helicopters overhead shined spotlights onto the scene, and Downey said later that crews had completed their search and everyone was accounted for.

The accident occurred around 9:45 p.m. as customers were watching the Miami Heat play the San Antonio Spurs. The Heat won on the road.

WSVN-TV news director Tom Tuckwell said he had his back to the bay when he heard an enormous roar, according to the station’s website. When he turned around, he saw people disappearing beneath them.

“That was a big gathering watching the Miami Heat and Spurs,” said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokeswoman Griselle Marino. “There were a lot of TVs and everybody was in celebration and it was loud. So when it started happening, some people didn’t even realize what was going on.”

Torres said he looked down and “these girls were looking up. We started grabbing them. They got crazy. People started pushing toward us.”

Lt. Eugene Germain, spokesman for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, said most of those injured had cuts but one patient suffered a fracture.

He said 50 units responded, and divers were deployed — the water was about 4 feet deep right where the deck was — as air rescue units lit up the scene. Rescuers talked with eyewitnesses and they were able to account for persons they were with.

“We did an extensive search and after completing the search, we didn’t find any other victims,” he said.

Said Marino: “We could have had a lot more seriously injured people but right now it seems to be a very positive outcome.”

Heat player Dwyane Wade said after the game that his thoughts were with the injured fans.

“I’d like to share our concerns as an organization and our gratitude to our fans back in Miami, but share our concerns for all that were injured tonight at Shucker’s restaurant,” he said.

North Bay Village is a small island in Biscayne Bay with a strip of restaurants, hotels, houses and condos that is attached by causeways to the mainland and also to Miami Beach. Pouring rain fell early Sunday near the Shuckers site, where a reporter later observed pilings sticking out of the water where the deck once was. Wood, chairs and palm trees were piled together in the water in a scene like after a hurricane.

Though not as trendy as South Beach, North Bay Village is one of the many tourist spots in and around Miami where locals and visitors converge.

North Bay Village Mayor Connie Leon Kreps went to the scene afterward and said she was grateful that no one had died.

“This is a real tragedy,” she said. “Shuckers has been here for many, many years. People come from all around to enjoy the view and the food. This is really unfortunate.”

She said the city would undertake a thorough investigation of what caused the collapse.

___

Fischer and photographer Alan Diaz in Miami, Cormier in Atlanta, AP writer Jackie Quinn in Washington and AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski in San Antonio contributed to this report.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Circuit Judge Debra Nelson told a potential juror on the fourth day of selection that all panelists will be kept isolated

During the first four days of jury selection, attorneys have asked potential jurors about the hardships they would face if they were kept away from their families during the trial. And some have said they also worried about their safety if they served.

Defense attorney Don West explained to one jury candidate that if picked she would have limited contact with her family, would be monitored by court security outside the courtroom and would have to live in a hotel for the duration.

“You would not be able to participate in day-to-day routine activities,” West said. “You will be limited in contact with the outside world.”

Zimmerman, a 29-year-old former neighborhood watch volunteer, is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder, claiming he shot unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in self-defense. A 44-day delay in Zimmerman’s arrest led to protests around the nation. They questioned whether the Sanford Police Department was investigating the case seriously since Martin was a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Attorneys started off Thursday with a pool of 20 potential jurors who they wanted for a second round of questioning. They needed an additional 10 candidates before they could move past the first round of asking questions about what potential jurors knew about the case from news coverage or social media.

By mid-afternoon Thursday, attorneys had interviewed 29 potential witnesses over four days.

Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.

Potential panelists included a recent high school graduate who said classmates at his central Florida high school claimed to be friends with Martin even though Martin was from the Miami area. But the overwhelming opinion of his classmates and friends on social media was that “George was guilty,” although he made it clear he had never voiced his opinion.

When asked if he thought race played a role in the case, he said, “For sure.”

“It just got people really riled up,” he said.

Following him was a middle-aged white woman who appeared to already have made up her mind. Her impression was that Martin’s prior use of marijuana and an image of a gun found on his cell phone were indications that “he was going down the wrong path.” She also said she believed Zimmerman was just “looking after his neighborhood.”

“I believe every American has a right to defend himself,” said the woman, known as Juror E-81. “I think the more people armed, the better.”

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

CBS WebExtra: St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Rick Kriseman, a former State Representative and City Councilmember, today announced his opposition to the proposed Lens pier design that would replace the now-closed St. Petersburg Pier.

At a morning press conference at the St. Petersburg Museum of History, Kriseman called for the current approach to the pier to remain open to pedestrians and said his administration would take a new approach to public input and seeking new locally-sourced proposals.

Click the audio player above to hear this CBS WebExtra featuring Kriseman’s remarks and answers to an exclusive question. And be sure to tune in to The Current with Franco Ripple every weekend; you can find the full schedule on cbstampa.com/thecurrent where you’ll also find all our past shows. Don’t forget to tweet us at @TheCurrentCBS and text us at 56022!

Attorneys enter the fourth day of questioning jury candidates Thursday about what media stories they had been exposed to about the neighborhood watch volunteer’s fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin during an altercation in a Sanford gated community last year.

They need 30 potential jurors to get past the initial round of interviews so they can ask them more in-depth questions about their views and life experiences. Four potential jurors were dismissed Wednesday, raising the total of jury candidates who have been disqualified to 75.

Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.

Attorneys had interviewed 24 potential jurors by the end of the third day of selection, including 10 Wednesday. A total of 20 have been held over for the next round of questioning.

Among those interviewed was a white man in his 20s who left the courtroom without being asked questions by defense attorneys after he gave answers to prosecutors indicating he wouldn’t be impartial. The juror, known as “R-39″ because potential panelists can be identified only by their numbers, said that “murder is murder,” even if it’s self-defense. Zimmerman, 29, is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder, claiming he shot Martin in self-defense.

A 44-day delay in Zimmerman’s arrest led to protests around the U.S. more than a year ago. Critics questioned whether the Sanford Police Department was seriously investigating the case of Martin, a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Potential jurors who were questioned Wednesday also included a white man in his 50s whose prior Facebook posting earned a question from Judge Debra Nelson. The nature of the posting wasn’t disclosed but the judge asked the self-described painter and musician if he had made it. He said yes and left the courtroom a few minutes later. Earlier in the questioning, he said he thought Zimmerman should have been arrested but he hadn’t formed an opinion on his guilt or innocence.

Nelson has said she will keep the identities of the selected jurors anonymous but she rejected a defense request to sequester the initial jury pool of 500 residents.

After Wednesday’s courtroom session had ended, Martin’s father, Tracy Martin, said his family felt good so far about the jury selection process.

Tracy Martin said, “We are encouraged as a family that we can get justice for our son Trayvon, and we expect the public to come forth and be honest as potential jurors.”

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida is raising more than $1 million for schools by auctioning off unclaimed property.

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater said Wednesday that an auction held last week in Tampa raised a total of $1.16 million. The state sold off unclaimed items found in abandoned safety deposit boxes including an 1876 gold pocket watch.

Florida has been running its unclaimed property program for 52 years. Unclaimed money, including that from auctions, is placed in a state school trust fund. Citizens have a right to claim their property at any time.

Atwater says his office is holding more than $1 billion of unclaimed property. Much of that is money in dormant bank accounts and from utility companies.

To check for unclaimed property in your name, visit http://www.FLTreasureHunt.org or call 1-88-VALUABLE or 850-413-5555.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The Monroe County sheriff’s deputy discovered the Key deer while on patrol late Saturday evening. Its entire head was stuck in the chips bag.

Sheriff’s spokeswoman Becky Herrin says the deer allowed the deputy to remove the bag without a struggle.

Key deer are the smallest of the Virginia white-tailed deer subspecies and are endangered. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services says the deer have been threatened by development, habitat loss and hurricanes.

Herrin reminds Florida Keys visitors to properly dispose of trash to protect animals from harm.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami reported Tuesday that 43-year-old Dean Trinh, of Milpitas, Calif., has been arrested and made his initial court appearance in California. His first Florida court date has not been set.

Authorities say former Florida Keys resident Allan Wagner, who died before his indictment was unsealed, harvested nurse shark pups from lobster traps he placed in Florida waters in 2009 and then shipped them to California by commercial air cargo for further sale by Trinh. Trinh operated a business in Milpitas known as Aquatop USA, which reportedly advertised the sale of nurse sharks on eBay and Craig’s List.

Prosecutors believe the men sold and transferred approximately 74 sharks.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

William Van Poyck, 58, is set for execution at 7 p.m. for the murder of prison guard Fred Griffis. His case garnered international attention because Van Poyck (pronounced poyk) published three books and maintained a blog while on death row.

Van Poyck will be offered a final meal and will have a last visit with his family and spiritual advisors before the execution process begins.

Van Poyck and Frank Valdes ambushed a prison van outside a West Palm Beach doctor’s office in a failed attempt to free James O’Brien. Griffis was fatally shot after he threw the van’s keys into the bushes to foil the escape. Van Poyck and Valdes were captured following a car chase.

In his appeals, Van Poyck argued Valdes fired the fatal shots and if the jury had known that, he wouldn’t have been sentenced to death. The Florida Supreme Court last week rejected Van Poyck’s latest appeal involving Valdes’ widow, who says her husband told her he was the shooter.

The justices noted Van Poyck planned the escape attempt and he and Valdes carried loaded weapons. Courts have rejected similar arguments in the past, including one from a former inmate who also said Valdes confessed to killing Griffis.

Van Poyck, Valdes and James O’Brien had served time together at various Florida state prisons for violent crimes.

In 1999, Valdes was stomped to death in prison. Seven guards were charged with his death, but none were convicted.

Following Valdes’ death, Van Poyck was moved to Sussex State Prison in Virginia for his safety. That’s where he wrote a 324-page autobiography, “A Checkered Past: A Memoir,” saying his purpose was not to elicit sympathy but “to put a human face on me and convicts in general.”

Van Poyck went on to write two novels. He won awards for his writing and has kept a blog since 2005 — he writes letters to his sister Lisa Van Poyck and she posts them online.

“He is deeply remorseful for the ending of Fred Griffis’ life,” Lisa Van Poyck told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “He is guilty of a crime of trying to break somebody out of a prison transport van — he had no intention of hurting anyone.”

Lisa Van Poyck, who traveled to Starke, Fla., this week to meet with her brother for the final time, said she hopes there is a last minute stay of execution. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a final appeal.

“He’s not the man that he was when this crime was committed,” she said.

In his blog, Van Poyck wrote in recent entries that he has received dozens of letters a day regarding his pending execution.

“I am not unusual in wanting to believe, at the end of my line, that my life counted for something good, that I had some positive influence on someone, that my life made a difference, that I was able to at least partially atone for the many mistakes I made earlier in life,” he wrote.

During interviews, the Griffis family said they were frustrated news stories constantly focus on Van Poyck, the crime and his writings and not their relative. They don’t plan to attend the execution and will instead gather somewhere for quiet reflection about Fred Griffis’ life.

“When he was murdered, it basically ripped a hole in the family’s heart that’s never really healed,” said brother Ronald Griffis said.

He said his brother was always looking out for others. He was released on medical discharge after his first tour in Vietnam, but re-enlisted for two more because he felt he could help. In his final moments, he was determined not to let a killer escape.

“I knew that even at the end, he was still my brother, he was still Freddy, that’s who he was. He protected others,” Ronald Griffis said.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford are scheduled to make stops Wednesday and Thursday in the state’s Panhandle, including Pensacola and Panama City.

The two Republicans are using the second leg of their tour to bring attention to legislation and funding increases approved by the Legislature. The session ended in early May.

The legislative leaders are visiting the University of West Florida, meeting with business leaders and speaking to the Fort Walton Beach Rotary Club.

The visits could fuel speculation that that this is a dress rehearsal for a future campaign tour by Weatherford. He has not publicly stated what he plans to do when he leaves office 17 months from now.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

After two days of questioning more than a dozen people about how much publicity on the case they have already been exposed to, Wednesday could be the day lawyers get to delve deeper.

In the jury selection process established by Circuit Judge Debra Nelson, once 30 jurors have been questioned individually about pretrial exposure and have not been dismissed for cause or hardships, they will be brought together as a group for broader questioning by lawyers on both sides.

Thus far, Zimmerman’s attorneys have been unable to find potential jurors who hadn’t heard something about the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by the neighborhood watch volunteer.

After reciting details about the case she had heard in the news, Juror “B-51,” a white, female retiree, told the attorneys Tuesday that they’re going to have a hard time finding jurors who haven’t heard about the case and can only hope they find residents who can keep an open mind.

“I haven’t lived under a rock for the past year,” she said. “It’s pretty hard for people not to have gotten some information.”

By the end of the day Tuesday, the attorneys had questioned 14 potential jurors in person, and 70 jury candidates had been dismissed after filling out an initial questionnaire. That includes 30 released Tuesday.

Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to a second-degree murder charge that could carry a life sentence if he is convicted. He claims he shot Martin in self-defense. A 44-day delay in Zimmerman’s arrest led to protests around the United States. Protesters questioned whether the Sanford Police Department was seriously investigating the case of Martin, a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Nelson has said she will keep the identities of the selected jurors anonymous but she rejected a defense request to sequester the initial jury pool of 500 residents.

Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.

Defense attorneys asked potential jurors if being isolated during the trial would be a hardship, indicating they plan to ask Nelson to sequester the jury. Jury candidates who move on from the initial round of questioning about their knowledge of the case, face other rounds of interviews with the attorneys.

Juror “B-65,” the potential juror with the least knowledge of the case, was a middle-aged black woman who said Tuesday that she learned about it when a prayer was held at her church for the parties involved in the confrontation. She said she no longer owned a television.

Juror “B-35,” a middle-aged black man who owns vending machines, described protests last year over Martin’s shooting as “saber-rattling.” He wondered why there weren’t protests over the fatal shootings of other African-American men in Sanford, the Orlando suburb where Martin was killed in February 2012. He also said he believed Zimmerman deserved his day in court.

“I think they politicized it and made it a racial issue, and I didn’t like that,” said Juror “B-35.”I wasn’t agreeing with the racial connotation.”

Juror “B-7,” a middle-aged white man, said he didn’t think Florida’s  so-called stand-your-ground law was necessary in the state given other self-defense laws that were in place prior to its passage. The law allows a person to invoke self-defense if they feel a fatal shooting is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm. Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, decided not to exercise his client’s right to have a judge decide whether the case could be dismissed under the law.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

A press release posted by the Ocala Police Department states that 22-year-old Britney Jean Rohdy was arrested early Monday morning at a local bar for her crimes.

Concerned parties called the police to the scene after noticing the child abandoned in the vehicle. Rohdy reportedly had entered the bar around 12:30 a.m., and did not exit until 1:17 a.m. when police arrived on the scene, according to witnesses.

She claimed to authorities that she had only been in the bar for five minutes, however.

“In addition, she had left the infant unattended in the vehicle with the window down and the child was sweating,” the release noted. “Fortunately, no injury was found to the infant when examined by medical personnel.”

Upon further investigation, authorities also found Rohdy to be in possession of Oxycodone without a prescription.

She was subsequently arrested and taken to prison. The release noted that she is now facing charges of child neglect and possession of a schedule IV narcotic.

The child was placed in the care of a relative by the Florida Department of Children and Families.

The suspect, 27-year-old Matthew Thomas Howard, had been told by his girlfriend that her past boyfriend, the sword attack victim, had raped her, the New Port Richey Patch is reporting.

Deputies with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office later learned that sex between the female and the victim had been “consensual,” and that she had reportedly lied about being raped.

While posing as the woman, Howard sent the victim a text message.

“[Howard] asked the victim to come to the house for sex while posing as his girlfriend,” Deputy Royce Rodgers is quoted as saying in the incident report. “When the victim arrived and came inside through the front door, [Howard] came in through the back door and threw two punches at the victim.”

After that initial attack, Howard is said to have struck the victim in the face with a metal object. He then reportedly took a “large metal sword and started swinging,” according to the report obtained by the Patch.

The victim soon escaped and called for help. Howard confessed, Rodgers noted in the report, and was arrested. Though initially detained at the Land O’ Lakes Jail, he was later released on a $15,000 bond.

Howard is now facing charges of aggravated battery and assault charges.

By the end of the day Tuesday, the attorneys had questioned 14 potential jurors in person, and 70 jury candidates had been dismissed after filling out a questionnaire. That figure includes 30 dismissed Tuesday.

Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to a second-degree murder charge that could carry a life sentence if he is convicted. He claims he shot Martin in self-defense. A 44-day delay in Zimmerman’s arrest led to protests around the United States.

Protesters questioned whether the Sanford Police Department was seriously investigating the case of Martin, a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Judge Debra Nelson has said she will keep the identities of the selected jurors anonymous but she rejected a defense request to sequester the initial jury pool of 500 residents.

After reciting details about the case she had heard in the news, Juror “B-51,” a white, female retiree, told the attorneys they’re going to have a hard time finding jurors who haven’t heard about the case and can only hope they find residents who can keep an open mind.

“I haven’t lived under a rock for the past year,” she said. “It’s pretty hard for people not to have gotten some information.”

Juror “B-65,” the potential juror with the least knowledge of the case, was a middle-aged black woman who says she learned about it when a prayer was held at her church for the parties involved in the confrontation. She said she no longer owned a television.

Juror “B-35,” a middle-aged black man who owns vending machines, described protests last year over Martin’s shooting as “saber-rattling.” He wondered why there weren’t protests over the fatal shootings of other African-American men in Sanford, the Orlando suburb where Martin was killed in February 2012. He also said he believed Zimmerman deserved his day in court.

“I think they politicized it and made it a racial issue, and I didn’t like that,” said Juror “B-35.”I wasn’t agreeing with the racial connotation.”

Juror “B-7,” a middle-aged white man, said he didn’t think Florida’s so-called stand-your-ground law was necessary in the state given other self-defense laws that were in place prior to its passage. The law allows a person to invoke self-defense if they feel a fatal shooting is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm.

Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, decided not to exercise his client’s right to have a judge decide whether the case could be dismissed under the law.

Juror “B-7″ also said he thought news media coverage of the case had been “speculative” and devoid of hard facts.

“Juror B-86,” a white single mother of two sons who works at a school, indicated she may have trouble ignoring news stories about Martin’s suspension from high school at the time he was visiting Sanford. The judge has prohibited defense attorneys from mentioning during their opening statements either the suspension, Martin’s past marijuana use, or any fights he got into.

Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.

Defense attorneys asked potential jurors if being isolated during the trial would be a hardship, indicating they plan to ask Nelson to sequester the jury. Jury candidates who move on from the initial round of questioning about their knowledge of the case, face other rounds of interviews with the attorneys.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

• Coverage from the Hillsborough County Commission‘s decision to repeal their 2005 ban on recognizing gay and lesbian (LGBT) events in the county, featuring remarks by County Commissioner Kevin Beckner and public comment from Equality Florida executive director Nadine Smith and others;
• Steve Lightburn, Vice President of Development with Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County, on their homebuilding efforts in Tampa Bay, their project with Clearwater Toyota and ways to get involved;
• Rob Brumbaugh, Lead Scientist with the Nature Conservancy‘s Global Marine Team, on National Ocean Week, World Ocean Day and the importance of protecting Tampa Bay’s marine environment;
• Dr. Steve Roberds, Chief Science Officer with the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance, on the leading genetic cause of both autism and epilepsy, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, and how it’s affecting Florida’s children

Don’t forget to send us your comments by Twitter at @TheCurrentCBS, by text at 56022 or by email at franco.ripple@cbsradio.com, and thanks for listening!

Many of those drivers drink to the point of inebriation, the study additionally indicated according to LiveScience.

Researchers at the University of Florida in Gainesville observed designated drivers while out and about, venturing to an unnamed college town in the Southeast to gather information.

In all, a reported 1,071 people participated in interviews and breathalyzer tests offered by researchers over the course of six days while leaving bars between 10 p.m. and 2:30 a.m., including 165 persons who said they were designated drivers.

Of those who said they were responsible for getting friends home safely, an estimated 40 percent admitted to drinking while at the bar. Additionally, 18 percent of those people registered blood alcohol levels of .05 percent or more when breathalyzer tests were performed, LiveScience found.

“If you’re going to be a designated driver, you should abstain from alcohol use completely,” researcher Adam Barry, a University of Florida assistant professor of health education, was quoted as saying.

Barry noted that many claimed to feel fine to drive, which he said can be problematic due to the unreliable nature of self-assessments of sobriety. Researchers also observed that designated drivers usually have to navigate dark roads, and are often distracted by the boisterous nature of drunken passengers.

The science reporting website learned that the study will appear in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs this July.

Circuit Judge Debra Nelson rejected the delay request in George Zimmerman’s second-degree murder trial after lead defense attorney Mark O’Mara told the judge his defense team needed several more weeks to prepare.

O’Mara blamed prosecutors for a delay in turning over evidence and said he needs time to interview an attorney for Martin’s family. Prosecutors opposed the request for a delay.

“We’re not fully ready and need more time,” O’Mara said.

Jury selection began Monday in the Orlando suburb of Sanford, Fla., the scene of massive protests by people who were angered that police waited 44 days before charging Zimmerman with second-degree murder. Other demonstrations were held around the country, and the case drew worldwide attention as it fanned a debate about race, equal justice under the law and gun control.

There is no dispute Zimmerman shot an unarmed Trayvon Martin, 17, during a fight on a rainy night in February 2012. Prosecutors will try to show the neighborhood watch volunteer racially profiled the black teenager, while Zimmerman’s attorney must convince jurors Zimmerman pulled his 9 mm handgun and fired a bullet into the high school student’s chest because he feared for his life.

Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder. He says he shot Martin in self-defense. If convicted, Zimmerman, who identifies himself as Hispanic, could get a life sentence.

Under Florida law, Zimmerman, 29, could shoot Martin in self-defense if it was necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm.

Law enforcement officials at the Seminole County Courthouse had been anticipating scores of protesters supporting either Martin’s family or Zimmerman. But the crowds stayed away on the first day of the trial. Tierrel Mathis, a Florida A&M law student, was the sole person in a fenced off area designated for protests in the hours before the hearing started and she didn’t even describe herself as a protester. She said she merely wanted to observe the starts to one of the highest-profile trials in central Florida.

“I thought there would be mobs of people,” Mathis said.

About a dozen protesters showed up a few minutes after jury selection started. Some carried signs that said “We Say No More.”

Talking to reporters, Martin’s father, Tracy Martin, expressed relief that the trial was starting.

“We seek a fair and impartial trial,” Tracy Martin said. “We ask that the community continue to stay peaceful as we place our faith in the justice system.”

O’Mara, has to be careful how he characterizes Martin, said Randy McClean, an Orlando-area defense attorney.

“Mr. O’Mara’s challenge is to show Trayvon wasn’t profiled, that Zimmerman either saw something that looked suspicious or something else that caused him to make contact with Trayvon.”

McClean and another Orlando defense attorney, David Hill, predicted prosecutors will attack Zimmerman as a frustrated, would-be police officer who had a chip on his shoulder. Zimmerman was employed at a mortgage risk management firm. He had studied criminal justice at a community college and had volunteered to run his community’s neighborhood watch program.

“The state’s narrative is going to be … Zimmerman was a powerful neighborhood watchman, a wannabe officer who liked to use his authority,” McClean said.

The Feb. 26, 2012, confrontation began when Zimmerman spotted Martin, whom he did not recognize, walking in the Retreat at Twin Lakes, the gated townhome community where Zimmerman lived and the fiancee of Martin’s father also resided. There had been a rash of recent break-ins at the Retreat, and Zimmerman was wary of strangers walking through the complex. He was well-known to police dispatchers for his regular calls reporting suspicious people and events.

Martin was walking back from a convenience store after buying ice tea and Skittles. It was raining, and he was wearing a hoodie.

Zimmerman called 911, got out of his vehicle and followed Martin behind the townhomes despite being told not to by a police dispatcher. “These a——s, they always get away,” Zimmerman said on the call. Zimmerman, who had a concealed weapons permit, was armed.

The two then got into a struggle. Zimmerman told police he had lost sight of Martin, and that Martin circled back and attacked him as he walked back to his truck. Prosecutors say he tracked down Martin and started the fight.

Zimmerman told police Martin punched him in the nose, knocking him down, and then got on top of him and began banging Zimmerman’s head on the sidewalk. Photos taken after the fight show Zimmerman with a broken nose, bruises and bloody cuts on the back of his head. He said that when Martin spotted his gun holstered around his waist under his clothes, he said, “You are going to die tonight.” Zimmerman said he grabbed the gun first and fired. Martin died at the scene.

Given the low visibility on the dark, rainy night of the shooting, few residents of the Retreat at Twin Lakes were able to give investigators a good description of what happened, and several offered conflicting accounts of who was on top of whom during the struggle.

But 911 calls made by neighbors captured cries for help during the fight and then the gunshot. Martin’s parents say the cries for help were from their son, while Zimmerman’s father has testified they were from his son. Voice-recognition experts could play an important role in helping jurors decide who was screaming, provided they are allowed to testify. O’Mara had raised questions about whether such prosecution experts would mislead jurors and Circuit Judge Debra Nelson has yet to rule.

The shooting received little initial attention, but that changed after Martin’s parents hired Benjamin Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney. He began complaining to the news media, accusing the police and prosecutors of letting the murderer of a black child go free, and contacting other civil rights leaders, including the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, to get their support.

Gov. Rick Scott appointed State Attorney Angela B. Corey from the nearby Jacksonville district to re-examine the case. She decided to charge Zimmerman.

For the past year, Zimmerman has been free on $1 million bond and living in seclusion.

O’Mara earlier decided not to invoke a “stand your ground” hearing in which a judge alone would decide whether to dismiss the case or allow it to proceed to trial.

It’s not clear whether Zimmerman will take the stand, but he has already testified in pretrial hearings.

Another crucial witness will be a Miami-area female friend of Martin’s who was talking to the teen by cellphone as he was walking through the Retreat at Twin Lakes followed by Zimmerman. She says Martin told her during that conversation that someone was following him and that she also heard a brief exchange between him and someone before the phone was cut off. Martin was shot shortly afterward. But O’Mara already has called into question her credibility, accusing her of lying about missing Martin’s funeral because she was in the hospital.

Prosecutors have refused to comment about the case outside the courtroom. Areas near the courthouse have been designated for expected protests.

“We want to make sure this trial is tried in a courtroom and not outside a courtroom,” lead prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda said.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The Tampa Bay Times reports (
http://bit.ly/14IOEzL
 ) Chris Martin decided to wear black eyeliner, eye shadow and lipstick on the last day of eighth grade at Meadowlawn Middle School in St. Petersburg.

Administrators told the 14-year-old boy he was violating the dress code.

The two women who raised the teen say they understand why his shirt’s image — an anarchy symbol and sheath — violated the code but the makeup was no different than what girls wear every day.

The district backed the principal’s decision.

The parents started a petition on moveon.org to improve tolerance training for teachers and administrators.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)