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Nevada college president to lead Jacksonville U

JACKSONVILLE - Jacksonville University on Tuesday announced its new president will be Kerry D. Romesburg, 59, currently president of Nevada State College.

Romesburg, who has headed the Nevada school since it opened two years ago, also served as president of Utah Valley State College between 1988 and 2002. He is expected to start in July at Jacksonville, a private liberal arts school with about 2,100 students.

Romesburg said by phone from Nevada Tuesday that he would bring "an awful lot of energy and excitement to the job."

He will replace David Harlow, a retired Navy admiral who left the university following revelations of financial and management troubles.

MIAMI - A judge ruled Tuesday that the defense of a 14-year-old accused of stabbing a fellow student to death must bear the legal costs for his murder trial.

Michael Hernandez, looking pale and dressed in a red jump suit, sat quietly as lawyers argued. Beside him and occasionally whispering in his ear was psychologist John A. Spencer, who has joined his defense team.

Hernandez is charged with killing a friend in their school restroom. Jaime Gough died of gaping neck wounds Feb. 3 at Southwood Middle School, a suburban Miami magnet school where both boys took gifted classes.

An insanity defense is planned.

Hernandez's attorney, Richard Rosenbaum, unsuccessfully urged Circuit Judge Henry Leyte-Vidal to declare the boy indigent and force the county to pay for investigative costs prior to trial, including doctors, expert witnesses, depositions, court reporters and transcripts.

"The state has an unlimited war chest," Rosenbaum said. "Michael doesn't have a thing to his name."

Rosenbaum said the parents, who attended the hearing, have refinanced their home to help pay for their son's defense.

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush planned to attend a luncheon in El Salvador on Tuesday to mark President Tony Saca's inauguration, while members of a guerrilla coalition-turned-political party protested the swearing-in ceremony.

Bush was part of the delegation sent by his brother, President Bush, to attend the luncheon.

But as the governor was traveling to El Salvador, 31 lawmakers from the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front skipped Saca's swearing-in ceremony and took to the streets to protest.

The party is demanding that the country pull its troops out of Iraq and has accused outgoing President Francisco Flores of conspiring with Washington to illegally funnel government funds to Saca's campaign.

Bush planned to travel to Honduras immediately after the luncheon as part of a trade mission.

TOLEDO, Ohio - A motorcycle club leader convicted of federal racketeering charges in Florida was convicted of similar charges here Tuesday.

James "Frank" Wheeler, leader of the Outlaws, was convicted of racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to distribute drugs, but acquitted on a firearms charge. Wheeler faced 30 years to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

Wheeler has already been sentenced to 161/2 years in prison for racketeering and other crimes after a trial in Tampa in January.

Nine other members of the Outlaws, accused of running a violent enterprise that distributed drugs in the Midwest during the 1990s, were convicted of racketeering charges here Tuesday. Two others were convicted of conspiracy to commit racketeering and two were cleared of all counts in U.S. District Court.

Prosecutors said Wheeler oversaw a highly organized operation that sold drugs in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Oklahoma while threatening and assaulting rivals to protect their territory.

Wheeler's attorney, Patrick Helmick, said he plans to appeal the latest conviction, saying Wheeler was essentially convicted on the same charges at the first trial in Florida.