TAMPA -- A federal jury has acquitted two women of all charges after a two-week trial that examined whether they conspired to defraud the federal Medicare program.

Jennifer Lee Barnett of Indian Rocks Beach and Louise Wild-Jones of Valrico both were found not guilty Thursday of conspiring to defraud the Medicare program and not guilty on 10 counts of submitting false claims to the Health Care Financing Administration.

Barnett is the former chief executive officer and Wild-Jones is the former director of finance for Florida Medical Quality Assurance Inc., which provided quality assurance services by conducting medical reviews of Florida's Medicare and Medicaid claims.

They were accused of fraudulently billing Medicare for quality assurance work that Medicare already had paid for. The women also were accused of billing Medicare for seminars, including meal costs, that were ineligible for payment.

At trial, their lawyers, Kevin Darken and Michael Maddux, convinced jurors that the charges were the result of mistakes and a lack of communication among various company managers.

State board disciplines four bay area doctors

The Florida Board of Medicine disciplined four Tampa Bay area physicians at its regular meeting Friday in Jacksonville. The board:

Fined Dr. Jorge Antonio Rodriguez of St. Petersburg $5,000 for operating on the wrong finger of a patient. The doctor realized the mistake mid surgery and stopped, then continued on the correct finger. The patient suffered no permanent harm, and Rodriguez properly reported the error to the state. He also must complete a course in risk management. A letter of concern from the board will be placed in his file.

Fined Dr. Harish Patel of St. Petersburg $5,000 for misdiagnosing a spinal cord disease that caused the patient to lose feelings in his legs. The problem required surgery to fix. He also must take a course on diagnosing diseases of the spinal cord.

Fined Dr. Glenn S. Chapman of Palm Harbor $3,000 for prescribing unnecessary medications. The board also ordered him to complete a course on medical ethics and to repay the patient $744.

Reprimanded Dr. Chi-Shang Chen of Tampa, placed him on two years' probation and fined him $5,000 for over-prescribing controlled substances. He must practice under the indirect supervision of another doctor and faces automatic suspension if he breaks the terms of his probation.

Police seek bank robber and getaway driver

ST. PETERSBURG -- Police are looking for the man who robbed a bank Friday and the man who helped him escape.

The first man robbed United Bank, 5801 49th St. N, at 10:15 a.m. Friday with a gun tucked into his waistband. He is described as a Hispanic in his 30s, 5-foot-10 and stocky.

He got into an older-model silver or gray car after running out of the bank. The two men were last seen heading west on 58th Street, sheriff's Sgt. Greg Tita said.

Utah man arrested, held in death of daughter

PINELLAS PARK -- A 22-year-old Utah man was arrested Thursday on first-degree murder charges in the asphyxiation of his 13-month-old daughter, authorities said.

Anthony Williams is being held in Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, pending extradition, said Pinellas Park Police Det. Kenneth Blessing.

In October, Williams left West Valley City, Utah, during a police investigation of the death.

Pinellas Park police stopped Williams' car about midnight Tuesday, Blessing said. Although his sister was driving, officers ran the car's license plates and learned of Williams' warrant. Four police officers and two FBI agents arrived early Tuesday at White Lakes Apartments, 5290 70th Ave., where Williams' sister said he lived with his wife and son, Blessing said. Police found Williams' wife but not Williams, Blessing said.

On Thursday, police received an anonymous call from a woman who said Williams was hiding out in a different apartment in White Lakes, Blessing said.

Williams denies involvement in the death of his daughter, Brianna, who was found on June 9, 2000, with a rag stuffed in her throat, Blessing said.

Former Pinellas schools official dies at 90

CLEARWATER -- Roy E. Kinnick, a former assistant superintendent of Pinellas County schools and an organizer of Valencia Community College, Orlando, has died at 90.

Mr. Kinnick, a principal and high-level school administrator in Pinellas County for a dozen years, died Thursday (March 29, 2001) in Plano, Texas.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Mr. Kinnick moved to St. Petersburg in 1953 to become principal of Disston Junior High School. He later lived in Clearwater while principal of Clearwater Junior High.

Named an assistant superintendent for instruction in 1955, he remained in that post until he became a member of the University of South Florida faculty in 1965.

Part of a team of administrators who established Valencia Community College in 1967, he served as the school's first dean of students and as assistant to the president. He retired in 1974.

His wife of 59 years, Phoebe Underwood Kinnick, died in 2000. Survivors include a daughter, Ann Keane, Plano; a granddaughter, Jennifer Murphy, Powder Springs, Ga.; and a grandson, Scott Keane, San Francisco. Services will be Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Jefferson City, Tenn. Farrar Funeral Home, Jefferson City, is in charge.

Pedestrian hit, killed near coin laundry

ST. PETERSBURG -- A pedestrian was struck and killed by a car late Friday outside the Be-Jo Coin Laundry. The incident occurred at 10:07 p.m. outside the laundry at 4925 38th Ave. N in St. Petersburg. Few details, including the pedestrian's identity, were available late Friday.

United Way honors two devoted volunteers

ST. PETERSBURG -- Alan Bomstein and Annette Raymund were honored March 29 by United Way of Pinellas County during the organization's annual meeting at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club.

Bomstein, 55, president of Creative Contractors in Clearwater, received the Alexis de Tocqueville Leadership Award for a volunteer resume that ranges from the arts to social services. He serves on the board of Morton Plant-Mease Hospital and is chairman of BayCare Health Systems board.

Annette Raymund, 70, a retired homemaker who lives in St. Petersburg, received the Alexis de Tocqueville Volunteer Award. She has volunteered on behalf of the developmentally disabled, families in crisis and refugees, but her major efforts have been at Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services, where Raymund developed the People Enrichment Program 30 years ago. Over time, she has recruited hundreds of volunteers to help frail or disabled elderly.

The awards take their names from the 19th century French aristocrat who wrote of the American predilection for helping those in need. It also refers to the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, those individuals who have contributed at least $10,000 to United Way. A committee from the society makes the selection, this year from hundreds of nominees.

Meanwhile, Barbara Pacheco, president and CEO of United Way, announced that Publix Super Markets and Raymond James Financial are the first corporations in Pinellas County to raise more than $1-million for United Way.

Baseball's opening day pits old and new mayor

ST. PETERSBURG -- Outgoing St. Petersburg Mayor David Fischer will toss out the first pitch at Tuesday night's Tampa Bay Devil Rays season opener -- and his successor will catch it, the team announced Friday.

Using a St. Petersburg mayor for the first pitch on opening day is a first for the team. Fischer has thrown out the first pitch at Devil Rays games in both Tropicana Field and at Florida Power Park, but never on opening day. Catching the pitch will be one of the first official duties for Rick Baker, who was elected mayor Tuesday and will be sworn in Sunday.

Men of Note, who perform regularly at Busch Gardens, will perform the Canadian and U.S. anthems before the 7:15 p.m. game.

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