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Police reports
By Times staff writer Trial of two men delayed in slaying of 9-year-oldDADE CITY -- Trial for two men held in the 1997 murder of 9-year-old Sharra Ferger remains months away after attorneys for the two requested another pretrial hearing in December before setting a trial date. The appointed attorneys for Gary Cochran, 36, and Gary Steven Cannon, 21, told a judge Wednesday that they still are questioning witnesses and might have to contact out-of-state experts to aid in the case. The two suspects are charged with first-degree murder in the October 1997 abduction. Sharra was taken from her Blanton home in the middle of the night and found the next day in a nearby field. She had been sexually assaulted, stabbed and bitten. Attorneys said many witnesses listed by the state must be tracked down and questioned. Circuit Judge Wayne Cobb agreed to set the next pretrial hearing for Dec. 11. Cannon and Cochran, both serving prison terms for unrelated crimes, were not at Wednesday's hearing. Teen accused of having knife, marijuana at schoolNEW PORT RICHEY -- A 15-year-old Ridgewood High School student was arrested Tuesday morning after, Pasco County sheriff's deputies said, he brought a knife to school, according to a sheriff's report. The boy, who is not being named by the Times because of his age, faces charges of possession of a weapon on school property and possession of marijuana. A student told an administrator that the boy had drugs, the report states. When asked, the boy pointed to his book bag, where deputies found a silver lock blade knife and marijuana. The boy was taken to the county juvenile assessment center. New York officials help search for hit-run suspectNEW PORT RICHEY -- Law enforcement officials in Niagara County, N.Y., are working with New Port Richey police to find the 21-year-old man charged with running his car into a Ridgewood High School football player on U.S. 19. Capt. Darryl Garman of New Port Richey said Jason Barrand is from the county in western New York. He was visiting New Port Richey at the time of the crash Sept. 6 near Wing House. Nate Bradley, a senior at Ridgewood, broke his right leg. Barrand faces charges of aggravated battery and leaving the scene of an accident with injury.
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From today's Pasco Times Editorial Letters |
