IN BRIEF: Jury acquits Oklahoma City man in slaying

Published: November 8, 2008

IN THE STATE

Man dies after shooting in city

A man died after being shot at the Lantana Apartments at 7408 NW 10 St. in Oklahoma City on Friday. About 7 p.m., police received a call about a shooting. When officers arrived, they found a man who had been shot in the abdominal area. Lt. Isaac Goodman said the man, who has not been identified by police, died at the scene. Police were inspecting a car in the complex parking lot bearing the insignia of a local pizza chain and were seen talking to a distraught man wearing a pizza delivery shirt.

Jury acquits man in slaying

An Oklahoma City man avoided a first-degree murder conviction Friday, but he still faces 25 years in prison. Sir Tramane Antoine Neal was convicted of fleeing from police last November when he was wanted in connection with an April 2007 slaying. Neal, 27, was found not guilty Friday by an Oklahoma County jury on charges stemming from the shooting death of Darrel Titsworth, 34. The jury decided Neal, who has five prior convictions, should be sentenced to 25 years in prison for eluding a police officer.

IN THE REGION

Killing brings life sentence

WHARTON, Texas — James Garrett Freeman should forfeit his life for killing Justin Hurst, a 34-year-old Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden, during a March 2007 shoot-out with police, a Wharton County jury decided Friday. Freeman was captured after being wounded in the shoot-out.

Dead man linked to 1985 killing

OMAHA, Neb. — A man who died 16 years ago is responsible for the 1985 killing of a Beatrice woman, and Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning said Friday that six others wrongfully convicted for the crime should be pardoned. Bruning said DNA evidence conclusively links Bruce Allen Smith of Oklahoma to the murder and rape of 68-year-old Helen Wilson. Smith was among the original suspects in the case, but evidence tested as part of the original investigation appeared to exclude him as a suspect. Newer DNA tests performed recently showed that the earlier test result was flawed.

Attorney faces 65-year term

CLAYTON, Mo. — Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Tolen, found guilty last month of statutory sodomy and witness tampering charges, was sentenced Friday to 65 years in prison. A jury had convicted Tolen of 37 criminal counts involving sex acts with teenage boys. In all, Tolen was found guilty of statutory sodomy with five boys, and one count of tampering with a teenage witness.

Texas father jailed in abuse

EL PASO, Texas — A man remained in the El Paso County jail on Friday after he allegedly injured his 10-month-old son. According to a complaint affidavit released Friday, the 23-year-old man was charged with injury to a child after officials at Thomason Hospital called police to investigate an infant with a skull fracture. Police said Thursday the boy was in critical condition.

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