K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For February 12th, 2018 – Morning

THE TRIAL OF CASPER BUSINESSMAN TONY CERCY, ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A 20-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IN JUNE IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN TODAY.

CERCY IS CHARGED WITH ONE COUNT OF FIRST-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT OR RAPE, ONE COUNT OF SECOND-DEGREE AND ONE COUNT OF THIRD DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT ON THE WOMAN AT HIS RESIDENCE AT ALCOVA LAKE.
IF CONVICTED ON ALL COUNTS, HE FACES BETWEEN SEVEN AND 85 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT.

THE DAY WILL BEGIN WITH A LAST-MINUTE MOTION HEARING AT 8:30 A.M. BY CERCY'S DEFENSE ATTORNEYS TO CHANGE THE LOCATION OF THE TRIAL IN PART BECAUSE OF WIDESPREAD PRE-TRIAL PUBLICITY AND A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL JURORS WHO WROTE IN PRE-TRIAL QUESTIONNAIRES THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FAIRLY AND IMPARTIALLY HEAR THE EVIDENCE.

IF NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DANIEL FORGEY RULES AGAINST THAT MOTION, THE JURY SELECTION WILL BEGIN ABOUT 9:30 A.M.

FRIDAY, FORGEY AGREED TO DISMISS NINE PROSPECTIVE JURORS ALTHOUGH DEFENSE ATTORNEYS WANTED HIM TO DISMISS 34.

HOWEVER, DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE BLONIGEN QUESTIONED WHETHER FORGEY EVEN HAD THE AUTHORITY TO DISMISS JURORS BEFORE THE TRIAL BEGAN.

BLONIGEN SAID MANY OF THOSE FILLING OUT THE QUESTIONNAIRES GAVE CONFLICTING ANSWERS, GAVE EQUIVOCAL OR VAGUE ANSWERS, AND SOME WROTE THEY COULD SET THEIR OPINIONS ASIDE AND FAIRLY HEAR THE EVIDENCE.
====================================

AS THE WYOMING LEGISLATURE GETS READY TO CONVENE IN A 20-DAY BUDGET SESSION THIS MORNING (MONDAY) IN CHEYENNE, RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STATE ECONOMY HAVE REDUCED DISCUSSION OF NEW TAXES ON STATE RESIDENTS THAT SEEMED POSSIBLE OR EVEN LIKELY A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE LEGISLATURES JOINT REVENUE COMMITTEE RECENTLY REFUSED TO ENDORSE ANY PROPOSALS TO LEVY NEW TAXES. WHILE INDIVIDUAL LAWMAKERS COULD STILL PROPOSE TAX INCREASES, GOVERNOR MATT MEAD, IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, DIDN'T SEEM TOO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THAT IDEA...

THE GOVERNOR IS SLATED TO KICK OF THE SESSION THIS MORNING AT 10 WITH HIS ANNUAL STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH. LAWMAKERS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE MEETING IN THE JONAH BUSINESS CENTER IN CHEYENNE, AS A RENOVATION PROJECT ON THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING CONTINUES.
==============================

A CHEYENNE MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING A 19-YEAR-OLD MAN IN THE HEAD AND DUMPING HIS BODY IN A RESERVOIR HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND PROPERTY DESTRUCTION.

ARMANDO RAMIREZ-SERNA ENTERED THE PLEA DURING HIS ARRAIGNMENT THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING IN LARAMIE COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.

THE 21-YEAR-OLD IS ALLEGED TO HAVE SHOT JUSTIN ROBINSON WHILE TRYING TO ROB HIM OF A POUND OF MARIJUANA.

ROBINSON WAS FOUND FLOATING FACE DOWN IN A RESERVOIR ON THE WYOMING HEREFORD RANCH NOV. 26. HIS BURNT SUV WAS FOUND NEARBY.

RAMIREZ-SERNA'S TRIAL HAS BEEN SET FOR MAY 14. IF CONVICTED OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER, HE COULD FACE 20 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON.

REPORTING FROM CHEYENNE ... I'M JOY GREENWALD.
==========================

A JUDGE ON FRIDAY ORDERED A CASPER WOMAN HELD WITHOUT BOND AFTER VIOLATING THE TERMS OF HER PROBATION FOR THE SENTENCE SHE RECEIVED AFTER DEFRAUDING DONORS OUT OF MONEY FOR HER SON -- NICKNAMED "NINJA DORIAN" -- WHO SUPPOSEDLY HAD TERMINAL CANCER.
NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT JUDGE THOMAS SULLINS ON FRIDAY ORDERED KRISHELLE LAYTON HELD WITHOUT BOND AFTER SHE ADMITTED THAT SHE HAD NOT PAID RESTITUTION IN A TIMELY MANNER AND HAD NOT KEPT IN TOUCH WITH HER PROBATION OFFICER.

LAYTON WAS ARRESTED JAN. 28 AFTER THE NATRONA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECEIVED A NOTICE ABOUT PROBATION VIOLATIONS IN DECEMBER.

FOUR YEARS AGO, SHE AND HER SON MOVED TO CASPER, AND SHE TOLD SYMPATHETIC CHARITABLE DONORS THAT HER SON HAD TERMINAL BRAIN CANCER.

SHE RAISED MORE THAN $5,000 FROM THOSE APPEALS, BUT IT IS UNKNOWN WHERE THE MONEY WENT.

THE BOY'S DOCTOR TOLD AUTHORITIES THE BRAIN TUMOR WAS NOT TERMINAL, AND A LATER SCAN SHOWED THE TUMOR WAS GONE.

LAYTON WAS GIVEN FIRST TIME OFFENDER STATUS, WAS SENTENCED TO ONE TO FIVE YEARS OF PROBATION, AND WAS ORDERED TO PAY RESTITUTION.

HER DEFENSE ATTORNEY TODD INFANGER ASKED SULLINS IF SHE COULD BE RELEASED ON BOND TO RECEIVE TREATMENT FOR MENTAL ISSUES AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION FACILITY IN SHERIDAN.

SULLINS REFUSED, SAYING IF LAYTON ABSCONDED BEFORE, THERE WAS A REAL RISK SHE'D DO IT AGAIN.