Tampa Bay briefs

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 28, 2000

Girl, 8, who was hanged still in critical condition

ST. PETERSBURG -- An 8-year-old girl who was accidentally hanged as part of a childhood game with her sister Tuesday remained unconscious and in critical condition at All Children's Hospital on Thursday.

Police said Lisa Martin of St. Petersburg might have been hanging for as long as five minutes when a leash that had been placed around her neck during a game accidentally looped over the top bar of a swing set. Martin, who was playing with her 7-year-old sister Amanda at the time, was pretending to be a dog.

"Right now, we're just waiting to see if she comes out of this," said Shirley Martin, of her daughter Lisa.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is investigating, but no charges have been filed.

City chief of staff recovering from wreck

ST. PETERSBURG -- City Chief of Staff Don McRae was upgraded to good condition at Bayfront Medical Center on Thursday after being thrown out the driver's window Wednesday during a car wreck.

McRae, 69, had been listed in serious condition for a time Wednesday after another car struck his Ford Explorer on Second Avenue S Wednesday, causing it to roll and eject him onto the curb.

He was not wearing a seat belt. McRae supervises the City Clerk's Office, the marketing department and the mayor's Challenge revitalization program.

Largo man hit by car dies of his injuries

LARGO -- A Largo man died early Thursday shortly after he was hit by a car while trying to cross Seminole Boulevard. Allen Dale Lomax, 32, of 12840 Seminole Blvd., was pronounced dead at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, where he was taken by helicopter.

Largo police said Lomax tried to cross Seminole Boulevard at 126th Avenue about 12:20 a.m. when he stepped into the path of a southbound car driven by Eugene Head, 47, of 10609 117th Lane N in Largo. No charges were filed, pending an investigation.

Serial killer's bid for new trial denied

DADE CITY -- A judge on Thursday denied death row serial killer Aileen Wuornos' bid for a new trial in Pasco County, rejecting her claims that her attorney failed her.

In a deposition last year, that attorney -- Steven Glazer of Gainesville -- testified that he promised Wuornos that she would have an automatic appeal to her conviction here, if she pointed out his conduct. But he was wrong.

In a terse five-page ruling, Circuit Judge Wayne Cobb struck down each of the 14 points raised by Wuornos' new state-appointed attorney, Joseph Hobson. Cobb ruled one argument "nonsensical," another "chimerical" and yet another "very strange."

Hobson was unavailable for comment. Wuornos, now 44, was a hitchhiking prostitute who killed six men along Florida highways in 1989 and 1990. She was sentenced to death six times.

Candidate drops out of race with Rep. Bilirakis

OLDSMAR -- A write-in candidate who filed at the last minute to run against state Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, said Thursday that he plans to withdraw from the race as abruptly as he got into it.

Bob Einbinder, a retired hospital administrator who lives in Palm Harbor, jumped into the race for District 48 just before the filing deadline last week. The race currently is between Bilirakis, Einbinder and Chris Gregg, a political newcomer with no party affiliation.

Einbinder, 57, declined to say why he is withdrawing.

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