K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For March 9th, 2018 – Morning

THE NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY INTENDS TO RETRY CASPER BUSINESSMAN TONY CERCY ON ONE COUNT OF THIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE BLONIGEN ALSO FILED A MOTION SAYING HE WOULD AMEND THE CRIMINAL INFORMATION THAT INITIALLY INCLUDED ONE COUNT OF FIRST-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT (OR RAPE), AND ONE COUNT OF SECOND-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT.

AT THE END OF AN EIGHT-DAY TRIAL LAST MONTH, A JURY ACQUITTED CERCY OF THOSE TWO COUNTS ABOUT THE ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A 20-YEAR-OLD WOMAN AT ALCOVA LAKE IN JUNE.

THE JURY, HOWEVER, COULD NOT DECIDE WHETHER CERCY WAS GUILTY ON THE THIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT COUNT, WHICH RESULTED IN A MISTRIAL.

THIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT IS A FELONY PUNISHABLE BY UP TO 15 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT.

BLONIGEN HAD UNTIL TODAY TO DECIDE WHETHER TO RETRY THE CASE.

BLONIGEN SAID THURSDAY THAT HE DECIDED TO REFILE THE CASE BASED ON THE WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE, REFINING SOME OF THE EVIDENCE, AND SPEAKING WITH SOME OF THE JURORS IN THE FIRST CASE.
MEANWHILE, CERCY'S DEFENSE TEAM ON MARCH 2 FILED A MOTION ASKING THE COURT TO ACQUIT HIM OF THE THIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT COUNT BECAUSE OF THE NOT GUILTY VERDICTS ON THE FIRST TWO COUNTS.

BLONIGEN SAID THESE FILINGS ARE NORMAL.

HE ADDED THE COURT WILL NEED TO HOLD HEARINGS TO SET DEADLINES AND A TRIAL DATE.
=============================

WYOMING GOP STATE SECRETARY CHARLES CURLEY HAS BEEN SUSPENDED AND IS SET TO BE REMOVED FROM HIS POSITION FOLLOWING A TELECONFERENCE MEETING OF THE PARTY'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON WEDNESDAY.

CURLEY ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED KRISTI WALLIN, THE PARTY'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FEB. 23 AT A DINNER IN CHEYENNE, WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY SOME 275 PEOPLE.

ACCORDING TO A NEWS RELEASE FROM PARTY CHAIRMAN W. FRANK EATHORNE, THE COMMITTEE PASSED TWO MOTIONS: ONE TO SUSPEND CURLEY'S "DUTIES, POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES" AS PARTY SECRETARY, AND ANOTHER DIRECTING EATHORNE TO SET A MEETING OF THE PARTY'S STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE FOR THE PURPOSE OF REMOVING CURLEY FROM HIS POSITION.

THE UPCOMING MEETING REGARDING CURLEY'S REMOVAL WILL BE A CLOSED SESSION, AND THE DATE HAS NOT YET BEEN SET. THE PARTY WILL ANNOUNCE THE DATE ONCE IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED.

THE CHEYENNE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON WEDNESDAY CONFIRMED THAT A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT IS UNDERWAY.
==============================
COUNTY OFFICIALS IN NORTHERN WYOMING REZONED A COAL COMPANY'S PROPERTY FROM AGRICULTURAL TO INDUSTRIAL, ALLOWING IT TO PROCEED WITH A PLAN TO BUILD MANUFACTURING AND RESEARCH FACILITIES.

SHERIDAN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON TUESDAY APPROVED THE REZONING FOR A 114-ACRE PROPERTY NORTH OF THE CITY OF SHERIDAN OWNED BY THE RAMACO WYOMING COAL CO.

THE COMPANY IS AIMING TO BUILD FACILITIES TO CREATE CARBON FIBER PRODUCTS.

COMMISSIONERS TERRY CRAM AND MIKE NICKEL HAD THE ONLY VOTES AGAINST THE REZONING, CITING ACCOUNTABILITY CONCERNS.

THE WYOMING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COUNCIL RULED IN SEPTEMBER THAT THE COMPANY'S PLAN FOR A MINE NEAR SHERIDAN DID NOT OFFER ENOUGH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, LEADING TO THE STATE DENYING A PERMIT FOR THE MINE.

THE COMPANY FILED AN APPEAL IN OCTOBER.
================================

FOLLOWING AMANDA HUCKABAY'S UNEXPECTED RESIGNATION FROM CASPER CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK, CITY STAFF HAVE BEGUN LOOKING FOR A NEW WARD I REPRESENTATIVE.

ANYONE INTERESTED IN FILLING THE VACANCY LEFT BY HUCKABAY SHOULD SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AND RESUME TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AT 200 NORTH DAVID STREET NO LATER THAN 5 P.M. MONDAY, MARCH 19.

IN A NEWS RELEASE, THE CITY SAYS THE TERM OF THE VACANCY WILL START FOLLOWING INTERVIEWS IN MARCH AND WILL END JAN. 5, 2021.

THE SEAT WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR RE-ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE POSITION, AN INTERESTED PERSON MUST BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN NATRONA COUNTY AND A RESIDENT OF WARD I SINCE AT LEAST MARCH 1, 2017.

APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, THE CITY CLERK CAN BE REACHED AT 235-8215.

IN HER RESIGNATION LETTER SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL FRIDAY AFTERNOON, HUCKABAY SAID SHE WAS MOVING TO ST. GEORGE, UTAH, WITH HER FIANCÉ AND DAUGHTER.

HUCKABAY CITED UNFORESEEN ISSUES WITH HER FORMER EMPLOYER AND ISSUES WITH HER DAUGHTER BEING SEVERELY BULLIED AS REASONS FOR HER DEPARTURE.