State briefs

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 16, 2000

Judge strikes down minor parties bond law

MIAMI -- Minor political parties will no longer face a state threat to pay a bond to appear on Florida ballots under a federal judge's order Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore decided the law was unconstitutional and accepted an order written jointly by the state and the parties to strike down the bond provisions.

The 1949 law had the effect of excluding minor parties from Florida ballots by requiring them to post $30,900 in bonds to have candidates' names appear statewide, said Randall Berg, another attorney for the minor parties.

Independent candidates were not covered by the law, only organized political parties, such as the Green Party.

Man gets life sentence in drive-by shooting

FORT LAUDERDALE -- A white man convicted of murder in what prosecutors said was a racially motivated shooting was sentenced Monday to life in prison without possibility of parole.

The jury spared Robert Boltuch, 24, from the death penalty.

Attorneys for Boltuch argued to the jury during sentencing that their client was in a drunken, drug-induced haze the night he shot dead a black college student riding in a car with her white boyfriend.

Prosecutors had charged during the trial that Boltuch shot 20-year-old Jody Bailey just because she was black. Boltuch was convicted June 28 of first-degree murder for fatally shooting Bailey on Oakland Park Boulevard on Feb. 24, 1999.

Boltuch also was convicted of one count of attempted first-degree murder for firing seven shots into the car that was also carrying Bailey's boyfriend, Christian Martin, who survived.

Body found off Keys was Cuban refugee

KEY WEST -- A body found off the lower Florida Keys last week has been confirmed to be that of a Cuban man who, along with his brother, was trying to reach the United States by boat.

The shark-torn body of Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Bueno, 23, was identified by relatives in the Miami area Monday, police said.

The U.S. Coast Guard was unable to retrieve another body because it was dragged underwater by a shark. However, it was believed to be that of the 23-year-old's brother, Alex Rodriguez-Bueno, 20.

The brothers were last seen Aug. 6 by relatives in Cuba and apparently had been planning to make the dangerous 90-mile trip across the Florida Straits.

Their Miami family called the Florida Marine Patrol after hearing reports of two bodies found in the ocean.

Club officials apologize for banning girl's song

NORTH PORT -- Boys & Girls Club officials are apologizing for what they say was a misunderstanding about their policy that prompted two club directors to block an 8-year-old girl from singing Kum Ba Yah at a children's talent show.

Roy McBean, a spokesman for the Sarasota County Boys & Girls Club, said Monday that the decision resulted from a misunderstanding of policy by two club directors, who should have allowed Samantha Schulz of Port Charlotte to sing the song.

Samantha had planned to sing the song on Friday after weeks of practicing for the talent show. But her performance was scrubbed at the last minute by club officials because the song contains the word "Lord."

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