An Austin businessman and two of his companies are accused in an alleged scam using former NFL players to attract investors.

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday filed securities fraud charges in federal court in Austin naming Kurt B. Barton, Triton Financial LLC and Triton Insurance.

The SEC alleges $8.4 million was raised from about 90 investors to purchase an insurance company.

Regulators say the money instead went to pay Triton expenses.

The SEC says Barton and Triton have consented to court orders freezing their assets and appointment of a receiver.

Barton attorney Joe Turner says his client will work with the receiver to ensure that investors "do not lose their money."

Attorneys Alan S. Breckenridge and Jennifer A. Bierman of Gallop, Johnson & Neuman L.C. served as co-counsel in a successful legal action that will benefit client Maverick Tube Corporation by more than $6.5 million.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in favor of Maverick Tube on December 10, 2009 by overturning the district court rulings in favor of Westchester Surplus Lines Insurance Company. District courts in both Texas and Missouri had heard the case arising from Westchester's refusal to provide insurance coverage to Maverick Tube for claims of property damage and breach of warranty with respect to oil well piping that Maverick had sold to a customer.  

“This case has a long history, including a lawsuit filed by Westchester in Texas and a lawsuit filed by Maverick Tube here in Missouri."  Breckenridge said. “We are very pleased that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit understood our arguments, based on Missouri law, and reversed the lower courts’ rulings and remanded the case to the district court for a determination of damages, which we expect will be at least $6.5 million for Maverick Tube,” Breckenridge added. 

Breckenridge chairs the Insurance Practice Group at Gallop, Johnson & Neuman, and is past chair of the Litigation Department. Bierman is a litigator who concentrates her practice in insurance and risk management. Gallop, Johnson & Neuman served as co-counsel with Baker Botts, LLP after the lawsuits were consolidated in Houston, Texas.  

Gallop, Johnson & Neuman, L.C., a full service law firm of 80 attorneys, has provided legal services to clients in diverse industries since its founding in 1976 and is one of the largest law firms in St. Louis. The firm serves public corporations; privately-held companies; entrepreneurs and start-up enterprises; individuals and families; trustees and trust beneficiaries; charities; and non-profit entities.  

For more information, contact Lois A. LaDriere, Director of Marketing, at 314.615.6000 or see the website www.gjn.com.

Media relations contact: Jeff Dunlap at 314.993.6925.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani says he's not running for governor or for U.S. Senate.

Giuliani tells WABC-TV Tuesday that he's decided to turn his attention to his law firm and consulting business rather than commit to another high-profile run for office.

The former presidential candidate says he "would have loved to have run for either governor or the Senate," but says he feels he owes it to his business partners to focus on his private enterprises.

Giuliani says the Republicans still have plenty of potential candidates to choose from for the Senate race against Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand (KEHR'-sten JIHL'-uh-brand). They include ex-Gov. George Pataki and U.S. Rep. Pete King.

Karen Cunagin Sypher's attorney, James Earhart, entered the not guilty plea Tuesday, a month after a federal grand jury handed up a second indictment against her.

The new charges stem from a police report Sypher filed accusing Pitino of raping her. The FBI, Louisville police and prosecutors have said there was no basis for her rape allegations.

Sypher entered not guilty pleas in May to charges of trying to extort money from Pitino and lying to the FBI. She is accused of demanding college tuition for her children, her house to be paid off and $10 million.

A lawyer for a Las Vegas woman is calling for criminal charges against hospital officials who he says ignored his client in the emergency room so long that she went home and gave birth to a premature baby who died.

Attorney Jacob Hafter on Tuesday accused University Medical Center administrators and nursing officials of criminal neglect for failing to treat 25-year-old Roshunda Abney. He also accused them of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Abney's premature daughter.

Hafter says he doesn't trust the Clark County district attorney to prosecute because the public hospital is owned by the county.

There was no immediate response Tuesday from state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.

A UMC spokesman says the hospital is investigating the Nov. 30 incident, and cooperating with ongoing probes by outside agencies.

Florida's judges and lawyers should no longer "friend" each other on Facebook, the popular social networking site, according to a ruling from the state's Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee.

At least one South Florida judge warned her pals with a Facebook status update that they could be "unfriended," and the ruling has prompted others to do the same. The committee ruled Nov. 17 that online "friendships" could create the impression that lawyers are in a special position to influence their judge friends.

The committee did conclude that a judge can post comments on another judge's site and that during judicial elections, a judge's campaign can have "fans" that include lawyers. And the ruling doesn't single out Facebook.

"Although Facebook has been used as an example in this opinion, the holding of the opinion would apply to any social networking site which requires the member of the site to approve the listing of a 'friend' or contact on the member's site," the opinion said.