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U.S. NEWS Saturday 19 OctOber 2019

Nebraska court rejects lethal injection protocol challenge

By GRANT SCHULTE braskans of goodwill hold
Associated Press different viewpoints on
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The the death penalty, these
lethal injection protocol and other concerns about
that was used in 2018 to ex- transparency, account-
ecute a Nebraska prisoner ability and fairness will per-
withstood a legal chal- sist beyond this case."
lenge Friday from death Chambers and Griffith say
penalty opponents who the corrections depart-
hoped to prevent the state ment didn't give them ac-
from carrying out capital cess to "working copies" of
punishment. the proposed protocol or
The Nebraska Supreme estimates of how much it
Court sided with state offi- would cost. Without that
cials who adopted the new information, they contend,
protocol in 2017 to allow they were denied the op-
the state to resume execu- portunity to give "informed
tions. testimony" during a public
Death penalty opponents, hearing on the protocol.
including state Sen. Ernie A spokeswoman for the Ne-
Chambers, alleged in their braska attorney general's
lawsuit that officials cre- office, which represented
ated the protocol without the corrections depart-
following state laws and ment, said state officials
procedures. The court de- were pleased with the rul-
clined to weigh in on those ing.
arguments, ruling instead This July 7, 2010 file photo, shows Nebraska's lethal injection chamber at the State Penitentiary in The new protocol gives the
that Chambers and the Lincoln, Neb. Associated Press state corrections director
Rev. Stephen Griffith didn't broad authority to decide
have the necessary legal der (state law) to bring the and Griffith in the lawsuit, partment of Corrections' which drugs to use in exe-
standing to bring the case. claims they have asserted," noted that the ruling didn't hasty and secretive pro- cutions and how to obtain
"We find that the district Justice Jonathan Papik address their core argu- cess for establishing new them. Nebraska's previous
court correctly dismissed wrote in the opinion. ments about the protocol. lethal injection protocols," protocol called for three
the action without reach- The American Civil Liberties "Today's decision leaves said Danielle Conrad, the specific drugs, including
ing the merits, because Union of Nebraska, which many important questions group's executive director. some that were unavail-
plaintiffs lack standing un- represented Chambers unanswered about the De- "While we respect that Ne- able to the state.q

Real estate developer gets 1 month in college bribery case

Associated Press scored a 28 out of 36 on the the University of San Diego.
BOSTON (AP) — A Califor- test, placing her in the 89th Those allegations were not
nia real estate developer percentile and improving pursued, however, and
was sentenced Friday to 4 points over her previous they weren't included in
one month in prison for score on the exam. Flax- Flaxman's plea agreement
paying $75,000 to cheat on man's daughter used the with prosecutors. Prosecu-
his daughter's college en- score to apply to several tors said he deserved pris-
trance exam. schools and ultimately en- on time, nonetheless, be-
Robert Flaxman, 63, of Los rolled at one of them, pros- cause his daughter ended
Angeles, was sentenced in ecutors said. They did not up getting involved in the
Boston's federal court after identify where she goes to scheme, and because
pleading guilty in May to a college but said the school Flaxman sought a tax de-
single count of fraud and suspended her for a semes- duction for the $75,000 In this March 29, 2019, file photo, Robert Flaxman, founder
conspiracy. He is the 10th ter when the scheme was bribe, which was funneled and CEO of Crown Realty & Development, leaves the federal
parent to be sentenced in uncovered. In earlier court through a sham char- courthouse in Boston after a hearing in a nationwide college
a widespread college brib- documents, the FBI also ac- ity. More than 50 people admissions bribery scandal.
ery scheme. Authorities say cused Flaxman of paying have been charged in the Associated Press
Flaxman paid $75,000 to an admissions consultant scheme, which involves test scores or to get them pleaded guilty, while 19 are
have a test proctor feed $250,000 to fabricate ap- wealthy and famous par- admitted to elite universi- contesting the charges. Tri-
his daughter answers on plication documents that ents accused of paying ties as recruited athletes. als are expected to begin
her ACT exam in 2016. She were used to get his son into bribes to rig their children's A total of 15 parents have in 2020.q