Briefly

Judge seals teen murder suspect's journals

Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 30, 1999

TAMPA -- The personal journals of Valessa Robinson, the Carrollwood teenager charged with murdering her mother, will be sealed until after her December trial, a judge ruled Thursday.

At issue were three years of writings by Valessa, who was 15 in June 1998 when detectives say she helped kill her mother, Vicki Robinson. Valessa's assistant public defender, Dee Ann Athan, argued that the journals were personal and not relevant to the case, and could affect Valessa's ability to find an impartial jury.

Circuit Judge Cynthia Holloway agreed and sealed the journals.

Valessa, now 16, faces life in prison if convicted. Her trial is scheduled for Dec. 13. Valessa's boyfriend, Adam Davis, 20, could face the death penalty at his trial, scheduled for Nov. 1.

A third defendant, 20-year-old Jon Whispel, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison in exchange for agreeing to testify against Valessa and Davis.

Health cited as reason for prosecutor's withdrawal

TAMPA -- The federal prosecutor who recently withdrew from an extortion case pending against two former Tampa city officials is thinking of leaving the U.S. Attorney's Office primarily for health reasons, U.S. Attorney Charles Wilson says.

Wilson called the St. Petersburg Times to say he hadn't been free in an interview Tuesday to discuss the health concerns of Kevin March, a veteran organized crime prosecutor. After getting clearance from March, Wilson said he didn't want to leave an impression that any change in March's status with the office, or his assignments, was related to his performance.

"He is one of the best lawyers in this office, with a long and distinguished career," Wilson said. "He is a resource for other (organized-crime) prosecutors throughout the country."

Wilson would not provide additional details of his discussion with March. March declined to comment Thursday.

Last week another prosecutor succeeded March in the pending extortion and conspiracy case against former Tampa officials Ronnie Mason and David Carr. Last year Wilson transferred supervisory duties for a unit that focused on public corruption from March to another senior lawyer.

Two suspects arrested when stolen Jeep flips

TAMPA -- Two men who led police on a car chase Thursday evening ended up in custody after the stolen vehicle they were driving overturned.

Carl Todman, 20, and Dwight Raiford, 18, were chased from the parking lot of the Sheraton Hotel on the Seminole Indian Reservation by a Seminole police officer, Seminole Detective Jon Shykove said.

"One of our officers observed suspicious actions from the driver and passenger of this vehicle," Shykove said. "When he went to check the people out, they fled."

The officer followed the dark green Jeep Cherokee west on Hillsborough Avenue. He said he did not know how fast he was going, Shykove said. About 2 miles away, the Jeep turned onto Powhatan Avenue and 34th Street and skidded into an empty lot on the corner, flipping over.

The Jeep had been stolen in Temple Terrace. Todman and Raiford were charged with auto theft and taken to the Orient Road Jail, Shykove said.

In a separate incident, Tampa police arrested three juveniles who were driving a stolen white Ford Taurus on Thursday evening, said police spokesman Joe Durkin. The juveniles crashed their car into another vehicle at Humphrey and 13th streets in Sulphur Springs.

Fire damages kitchen at Spruce Street Denny's

A fire at a Denny's restaurant on W Spruce Street heavily damaged the kitchen Thursday night

Three employees saw the fire start on a stove and tried to put it out with handheld extinguishers, said Capt. Bill Wade, spokesman for Tampa Fire Rescue.

Jessica Hayes, a 46-year-old cook, suffered minor smoke inhalation and was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital.

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