Kimberly Dawn Trenor on suicide watch after her capital murder conviction

GALVESTON — Kimberly Dawn Trenor remained on suicide watch Tuesday after her capital murder conviction in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Riley Ann Sawyers.
After she is transferred to state prison sometime during the next few weeks, Trenor is likely to be a target of other inmates and probably will be segregated for her safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Michelle Lyons said.
Maj. Mike Henson, Galveston County Jail commander, said Trenor was immediately placed on minimum suicide watch after her conviction Monday for the slaying of Riley, dubbed Baby Grace by investigators after her unidentified body was discovered by a fisherman Oct. 29, 2007.
Trenor, 20, automatically received a life sentence without parole because Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk declined to seek the death penalty.
Anyone sentenced to death or life in prison without parole is placed on minimum suicide watch as a precaution until the person can be examined by a psychiatrist, Henson said.
“I just want to make sure she is not having any thoughts or ideas about harming herself,” Henson said.
Trenor was placed in a special area where a deputy has a desk next to her cell, which is checked every 15 minutes.
She will remain on minimum suicide watch until she is examined, Henson said. If she is determined to be suicidal, she will be placed on full suicide watch in a padded cell and wearing only a smock, Henson said.
Husband awaiting trial
Like her husband, Royce Clyde Zeigler II, 25, who is awaiting a trial date on a capital murder charge in Riley’s death, Trenor has been segregated from other inmates because of the notoriety of the case, Henson said.
Trenor told authorities that she and Zeigler killed Riley during a daylong disciplinary session July 25, 2007. The acts included whipping her with belts, holding her head under bath water, pushing her face into a pillow and couch, and slamming her repeatedly onto a tile floor.
Riley had three skull fractures, any one of which could have been fatal, and a broken vertebra when Trenor says they stuffed her body into a blue plastic box. They kept the box in a storage room for up to two months before tossing it off the railroad bridge next to the Galveston Causeway, Trenor said.
Officials also must consider keeping Trenor safe after she is transferred to the state prison system, Lyons said.
“This is a high-profile case and a case many people have felt strongly about, so her safety will be considered,” she said. Inmates who have harmed a child typically become a target of other prisoners, she said.
Lyons said the state has 45 days from the time the paperwork is complete to transfer a prisoner from a county jail to the prison system. Most prisoners are removed to prison within three weeks, she said, but she agreed with Henson that high-profile cases tend to move faster.
Trenor will be processed at the Woodman State Jail in Gatesville, the first stop for all women entering the prison system, Lyons said.
From there Trenor will go to one of the 10 women’s units, most of them in the Gatesville area, Lyons said. more

Passengers stop flight after 'drunk' pilot sparks panic

Mr Cheplevsky did little to ease passengers' fears by refusing to leave the cockpit to show that he was sober. When he was finally persuaded to face them, witnesses said that he appeared unsteady on his feet and had bloodshot eyes.
"I don't think there's anyone in Russia who doesn't know what a drunk person looks like," Katya Kushner, one of the passengers, told the Moscow Times, which had a reporter travelling on the flight.
"At first, he was looking at us like we were crazy. Then, when we wouldn't back down, he said 'I'll sit here quietly in a corner. We have three more pilots. I won't even touch the controls, I promise'."
Aeroflot's bad day got worse when it emerged that the socialite and television host Ksenia Sobchak was on board. Ms Sobchak, one of Russia's best-known personalities, demanded that all four pilots be replaced.
The airline finally relented and summoned new pilots to fly the jet to New York three hours late. More than 100 passengers passed the time as they waited by signing a petition declaring that they believed Mr Cheplevsky had been drunk.
more

Marijuana Photo Surfaces of Michael Phelps smoking a bong may cause him to loose some of his sponsers

Michael Phelps took a big hit — and now his wallet could take a big hit, too.
A photo of Phelps smoking marijuana out of a bong at a party in November has brought his endorsement career to a crossroads, marketing experts say. And the megabucks that were flowing in could soon go down the drain unless America's superstar swimmer, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games, changes his ways.
"It's certainly not good and it’s a disaster in terms of the near future," said Robert Tuchman, president of Premiere Corporate Events, a sports entertainment firm. "He's very unlikely to have new sponsors come on board and endorse him. And there's the potential for other sponsors to pull the plug on him, using this is an opportunity. He's going to take a big hit on this."
Phelps, 23, acknowledged on Sunday that the photo, which first appeared in the tabloid News of the World, was of him, and he cited his age as an excuse for his poor judgment.
"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said. "I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."
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But Tuchman said it's unlikely corporate sponsors will factor Phelps' young age into long-term affiliations with him.
"When these brands make an investment in you, they make a serious investment in you and it doesn't matter what age you are," Tuchman said. "He kind of used that as an excuse in his apology, but these companies are paying him a lot of money and they have a right to hope that he continues to be seen in a positive light."
Two of Phelps' endorsement deals — with AT&T and Rosetta Stone — ended on Dec. 31, 2008. AT&T officials declined to comment Monday on any plans to re-sign Phelps; a Rosetta Stone spokeswoman said Phelps is not being considered for future promotions, but that decision was made before the photo surfaced.
"We do not condone his activities and are disappointed in his recent judgment," a statement issued by Rosetta Stone read.
But two of Phelps' leading sponsors indicated Monday they are sticking by him. Swiss watchmaker Omega said Phelps' actions were a private matter and a "nonissue," while swimwear manufacturer Speedo called him a "valued member of the Speedo team."
Mazda, which signed Phelps to a $1-million-plus deal last month, will also continue to use Phelps to promote its Mazda 6 car in television and print ads, Dynamic Marketing Group's DMG Entertainment said Monday.
"We definitely stand by him," DMG CEO Dan Mintz told FOXNews.com. "We're not jumping to any knee-jerk reactions. He's never failed a drug test, he's not a cheat. Not that we condone this, but that's the reality of it."
Mintz said an official Mazda statement will be issued shortly.
"This is not the time to turn your back on people," Mintz said. "It's going to be very interesting to see how other brands react to him, and, really, what he does about it at the end of the day."
Phelps also endorses Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, a breakfast cereal that is marketed largely to children. Officials at Kellogg's did not respond to requests for comment Monday regarding Phelps' future with the company. more

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick released from jaill after serving a 99-day sentence

DETROIT — Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick emerged from jail after serving a 99-day sentence. He was greeted in the cold by about two dozen reporters and a handful of onlookers.
The 38-year-old Kilpatrick left the downtown Detroit facility wearing a dark suit just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. He looked thinner and his beard was fuller than when he entered jail at the end of October.
He stood for a minute or two outside the jail amid swirling snowflakes, smiling occasionally to those in the crowd who called his name and shouted: "We love you, Kwame. Detroit loves you baby!" Flanked by a number of men, several dressed in fedoras and long coats, Kilpatrick then was rushed to a waiting sport utility vehicle.
The Democrat waved from the darkened back seat as he was whisked away in the blue Chevrolet Suburban that was part of a multi-vehicle caravan that drove off in the snow and into the early morning darkness. more

Texas jury convicts woman in deadly discipline of her 2-year-old daughter

A mother was convicted of capital murder Monday for the death of her 2-year-old daughter, who was whipped with belts and flung onto a tile floor to teach her manners, before her body was dumped in a box in Galveston Bay. Jurors deliberated less than two hours before finding Kimberly Trenor guilty. She received an automatic sentence of life without parole. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.
"Justice has been served today. Today it's about Riley" — the victim, Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said after the verdict.
Trenor and her husband, Royce Clyde Zeigler II, were accused of killing Riley Ann Sawyers while disciplining her in July 2007. Prosecutors said Trenor and Zeigler beat Riley with belts, dunked her head in cold water and threw her onto a tile floor, fracturing her skull. Zeigler's capital murder trial will be held later.
After Riley's death, the couple stuffed her body in a plastic box and hid it at their suburban Houston home before dumping it in Galveston Bay, according to authorities.
Sheriff's investigators dubbed the toddler "Baby Grace" during the weeks they worked to identify her remains, found by a fisherman. Many of those investigators were in the courtroom Monday and cried as the verdict was read.

"We all made a promise to that little girl ... that we would find the people responsible for her death and bring them to justice and we did," sheriff's Sgt. Michael Barry said. more

Eric Holder makes history as first black attorney general

In this Jan. 15, 2009 file photo, Attorney General-designate Eric Holder testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Holder's nomination as the first African-American attorney general has moved to the full Senate with broad bipartisan support. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to favorably recommend Holder for the job. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) (AP)
Eric Holder won Senate confirmation Monday as the nation's first African-American attorney general, after supporters from both parties touted his dream resume and easily overcame Republican concerns over his commitment to fight terrorism and his unwillingness to back the right to keep and bear arms.
The vote was 75-21, with all the opposition coming from Republicans.
Holder's chief supporter, Sen. Patrick Leahy, said the confirmation was a fulfillment of civil rights leader Martin Luther King's dream that everyone would be judged by the content of their character.
"Come on the right side of history," said Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Holder becomes the only black in the Obama administration in what has traditionally been known as the president's Cabinet. Three other African-Americans have been chosen for top administration positions that hold the same rank.
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Holder was a federal prosecutor, judge and the No. 2 Justice Department official in the Clinton administration. Even his critics agreed that Holder was well-qualified, but they questioned his positions and independence.
The debate turned partisan in its first moments, when Leahy, expressed anger that a few Republicans demanded a pledge from Holder that he wouldn't prosecute intelligence agents who participated in harsh interrogations.
Leahy singled out Texas Republican John Cornyn as one who wanted to "turn a blind eye to possible lawbreaking before investigating whether it occurred."more

Police Chief Willie Fuller Suspended for charges of soliciting sex

Suspended Virginia Commonwealth University Police Chief Willie Fuller appeared briefly in a Chesterfield County court this afternoon for arraignment on charges of soliciting sex with a minor in an online sting operation.
Fuller, who appeared by video teleconference from the jail, did not yet have an attorney. A preliminary hearing was set for April 2.
After the hearing, Chesterfield Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Rigler said Fuller thought he was talking to a 14-year-old girl, not a detective, when the alleged offenses occurred Jan. 10.
"There was one day of chatting," he said, "everything he was charged with happened on that one day."
He was charged with two counts of using a computer to solicit sex from a minor and two counts of attempted indecent liberties with a minor.
Fuller is 50, but Rigler said he portrayed himself online as being about 35. Fuller’s screen name was hotcop2006, Rigler said.
Earlier today VCU said it had suspended Fuller without pay.
--Mark Bowes
12:36 p.m.
Virginia Commonwealth University Police Chief Willie B. Fuller has been arrested in an online sting operation in Chesterfield County and charged with soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl, police said today.
Police said Fuller, 50, was arrested last night at his home in the 9000 block of Meadowfield Court in Henrico County. He was charged with two counts of using a computer to solicit sex from a minor and two counts of attempted indecent liberties with a minor.
His arrest resulted from a sting operation that involved undercover detectives going to online chatrooms or other Internet sites popular with juveniles. The detectives then create fictitious posts and pose as minors.
Although police declined to provide more specific information in this case, meetings are usually arranged between the detectives and the people with whom they communicate, most of whom are seeking sex.
Chesterfield Police Maj. Dan Kelly said Fuller clearly believed he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl.
"I’m not sure which [Internet] medium the detective was using at the time it occurred," Kelly said. "But it was part of our ongoing online efforts in these areas. When time permits, our detectives trained in this area will utilize their time and go online."
Kelly declined to say when Fuller made contact and over what period of time.
"We’re going to wait to talk more about the investigation at a later time," he said.
Fuller is being held without bond in the Chesterfield Jail pending a pre-trial hearing this afternoon in Chesterfield Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
VCU suspended Fuller without pay and appointed Carlton Edwards, a VCU police captain, as interim chief.
"We've taken action," said VCU Rector Thomas Rosenthal. He said he received a call from university President Eugene Trani this morning about the arrest.
"We regard this situation as extremely serious," Trani said in an alert sent to member of the campus community. "We have taken aggressive action to address it, and we will cooperate in all appropriate ways with the Chesterfield County Police investigation."
Fuller came to VCU as police chief in 2000 from Virginia State University, where he was also police chief, said John M. Bennett, VCU senior vice president for finance and administration. Fuller also previously worked for VCU police.
Bennett said VCU instituted criminal background checks on all employees at some point after Fuller was hired, but he said he knew of no complaints against him.
He also said he did not know if any VCU computer equipment had been taken by Chesterfield police from Fuller’s home. Bennett said VCU did not plan its own investigaton.
Chesterfield Police Chief Thierry Dupuis notified VCU officials this morning of Fuller’s arrest, Bennett said. The board of visitors was notified and about 30 minutes later VCU President Eugene Trani alerted the university community by e-mail. more