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MISSING STUDENT
Boyfriend of Eastern student facing murder charge
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) - The lawyer for a Bridgeport man charged with killing an Eastern Connecticut State University student says his client will plead not guilty.
Thirty-year-old Jermaine Richards is scheduled to be arraigned on murder and kidnapping charges Monday in Bridgeport Superior Court. Attorney John Gulash says not guilty pleas will be entered and a judge will address bail.
Richards is being held on $2 million bail in connection with the killing of his girlfriend, 20-year-old Alyssiah Wiley. She disappeared April 20 in Willimantic near campus and her remains were found Friday in a wooded area of Trumbull.
Richards surrendered to police on Saturday after police obtained a warrant for his arrest.
Wiley was a sophomore psychology major. Police haven't said how she was killed.
TRAINS COLLIDE-MORNING COMMUTE
Slow morning commute in wake of train accident
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) - Governor Dannel Malloy is expected to provide an update on rail service in a news conference this evening following Friday's train collision outside Bridgeport that disrupted trains going into New York.
Connecticut transportation officials say the morning commute went about as well as they could have hoped.
Transportation Department spokesman Judd Everhart says commuters appeared to head warnings Monday about finding other ways to work, giving themselves extra time or staying home.
He said the drive into the city was bad on both Interstate 95 and the Merritt Parkway, but "not a nightmare."
Metro-North reported delays of about 10 minutes on trains from Stamford to New York. The railroad used 120 busses to get commuters from the Bridgeport station to Stamford.
An estimated 30,000 rail commuters were affected by the accident. Governor Malloy says commuters should plan on disrupted service through the end of the week.
PROSECUTOR MISCONDUCT
Conn. court blasts prosecutor, reverses conviction
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - The state Appellate Court has issued a ruling blasting a Connecticut prosecutor for repeated misconduct and ordering a new trial for a man serving life in prison for the killing of a Waterbury bar owner in 1998.
The state's second-highest court overturned the murder and felony murder convictions of 38-year-old Victor Santiago on Monday. The judges said Waterbury prosecutor Terence Mariani Jr. made improper comments during his closing arguments to the jury.
The court also said Mariani had engaged in a pattern of misconduct in Santiago's case and other cases and had ignored pronouncements by the Appellate and Supreme courts that his conduct was improper.
Mariani didn't immediately return messages Monday.
Santiago and two other men were charged in the killing of bar owner Wilfred "Freddy" Morales during a robbery.
DONOVAN-AIDE ARREST
Trial of former Donovan aide heading to jury
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - Defense attorneys have decided not to call any witnesses in the federal corruption trial of Roberty Braddock Jr., a campaign aide to former Connecticut House Speaker Chris Donovan.
The jury is expected to begin deliberating Braddock's fate on Tuesday after final arguments.
Braddock was the finance manager for Donovan's failed campaign last year for the 5th Congressional District seat.
He has pleaded not guilty to allegations that he was part of a scheme in which nearly $28,000 was funneled to Donovan's campaign in an attempt to kill state legislation that would raise taxes on "roll-your-own" smoke shop owners.
Donovan, whose campaign was derailed by the allegations, wasn't charged in the probe and denies wrongdoing. Seven co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
MENTAL HEALTH
Conn. lawmakers announce mental health proposal
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Lawmakers, advocates and relatives of children killed in the Newtown school shooting are unveiling a new proposal for child mental health at the state Capitol complex in Hartford.
Nelba Marquez-Greene joined Sen. Dante Bartolomeo of Meriden, Rep. Diana Urban of North Stonington and child advocates at a Monday news conference to discuss the bill.
Marquez-Greene's 6-year-old daughter, Ana, was 1 of 20 children and 6 educators killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14.
The proposal, which has not yet come before the General Assembly, addresses early identification and intervention for mental health issues as well as home visitation programs.
Bartolomeo said the bill would complement the gun violence prevention and school safety measures enacted last month.
The legislature has until June 5 to act on all remaining proposals.
TRAFFIC STOP-DRUG ARREST
Conn. man arrested on I-91 in Vt. on drug charges
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (AP) - Vermont State Police have arrested a Connecticut man after they said they found 7 pounds of marijuana in his car during a routine traffic stop.
Police said they stopped 23-year-old Erik Yoo of Weston, Conn., on Interstate 91 in Brattleboro on Saturday night.
They said he produced a small amount of marijuana and consented to a search of his sedan.
Police said they also found 2.5 grams of cocaine and several thousand dollars in the car, in addition to the 7 pounds of marijuana.
Yoo was arrested on drug possession charges.
TWAIN EXPERT-COMSTOCK FUNDRAISER
Twain expert raise money for historic NV school
VIRGINIA CITY, Nev. (AP) - A Mark Twain expert from Connecticut is making his first visit to Virginia City this week to help raise money for needed repairs at the Comstock's historic Fourth Ward School.
Steve Courtney is the publicist and publisher for the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, Conn. He plans a lecture about Twain's Connecticut home during Friday night's fundraiser at the Gold Hill Hotel.
Former Nevada historic preservation officer Ron James tells the Reno Gazette-Journal the school that opened in 1876 has some major problems with water coming into the roof and foundation.
James says Courtney's visit coincides with the 150th anniversary of when Samuel Clemens first used the pen name Mark Twain in an article for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise in 1863.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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