Digest

Dateline Florida

By Times Wires
Published August 28, 2007

Couey moves to cell on death row in Starke

John Couey arrived on death row Monday afternoon, three days after he received the death penalty for the murder of Jessica Lunsford. His new home while awaiting execution is Florida State Prison at Starke, where he joins 36 other death row inmates. The majority - 345 of 381 - are kept at nearby Union Correctional Institution. State prison officials said they are taking no special security precautions, even though legal experts believe the 49-year-old could be in danger because of his notorious crime. Jessica's father, Mark Lunsford, said Friday he wouldn't mind if Couey died at the hands of another inmate: "I would be buying a lot of cigarettes for someone."

Bird-snatcher gives Skittles back but tip leads to arrest

Skittles is safe. The Petland Tampa West parrot known for saying "I'm a Rottweiler" and "Hi, sexy" was returned safely Monday night, a few days after being snatched, said store general manager Sue Waugaman. The caged bird, worth $1,899.99, was handed over to Waugaman in a McDonald's parking lot after a woman called to say the man who took it wanted to give Skittles back. Waugaman tipped off deputies and said the man was arrested. "My heart is smiling," Waugaman said.

Reno joins pool of jurors with a strike against her

Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno isn't above the law. She was summoned to jury duty in Miami-Dade County Monday and was assigned to a pool of jurors who will be selected to hear an aggravated battery and robbery case, the Miami Herald reported. She survived the initial round of questioning: She's never been arrested. She knows police and prosecutors. Still, defense attorney Rod Vereen said he wasn't sure his client would want the nation's former top law enforcement officer judging him, adding: "She hired the prosecutor."

[Last modified August 27, 2007, 23:38:52]