The Supreme Court seemed receptive Tuesday to reinstating the death sentence of a flamboyant neo-Nazi convicted of murdering three men in Ohio more than a quarter century ago.

Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray told justices during oral arguments that Frank Spisak had a fair trial and deserves death. Cordray urged the high court to reverse a federal appeals court ruling that found Spisak's trial lawyer was ineffective and that his jury received faulty sentencing instructions.

Spisak, 58, was convicted of three murders at Cleveland State University over a seven-month period in 1982 — crimes he said were motivated by his hatred of gays, blacks and Jews. At the same time, Spisak claimed his crimes were sparked by mental illness related to confusion about his sexual identity. He wants to have surgery to become a woman.

The 1983 trial became a public spectacle as Spisak celebrated his killings in court and openly discussed his hateful views. He even grew a Hitler-style mustache, carried a copy of Hitler's book, "Mein Kampf" during the proceedings and gave the Nazi salute to the jury.

The 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled that Spisak's trial attorney essentially gave up on his client in closing arguments by conceding that Spisak was "demented" and "undeserving of sympathy."

The plaintiffs’ product liability law firm of Greene Broillet & Wheeler has launched a Web site designed specifically to give consumers an overview of alleged tire defects and tire safety issues.

The Web site, tire-defect-law, includes sections on tire anatomy, tire tread separation, aged tires, valve stem defects, Load Range E tires, tire informational markings and tire recalls. It also includes a list of tire-related cases Greene Broillet & Wheeler either won in court or for which it negotiated settlements.

Greene Broillet & Wheeler claims to have conducted successful product liability litigations against most major tire makers. Christine D. Spagnoli, a partner in the firm, is plaintiffs’ liaison counsel for all product liability suits against Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. in California, according to a press release.

“Unfortunately, tire manufacturers and sellers don’t provide adequate warning or instruction to protect consumers and warn them of tire-related dangers,” Ms. Spagnoli said, explaining why the firm decided to establish a tire defects Web site.

A Florida appellate court again has rebuffed the NCAA's effort to prevent public disclosure of documents on academic cheating at Florida State.

The documents, with students' names blacked out, could be released as early as Wednesday, said Carol Jean LoCicero, an attorney for The Associated Press and other news media.

LoCicero's clients sued the NCAA, Florida State and the university's outside law firm under the state's open-records "sunshine" laws.

The 1st District Court of Appeal late Monday denied the college athletics organization's motions for a rehearing or certification of the case to the Florida Supreme Court as a question of great public importance.

The NCAA still could ask the state high court to review the case and block release of the documents until the justices make a decision. That will be difficult, though, because of strong trial and appellate court rulings that found the documents to be public records.

A top suspect accused of forming secret death squads and orchestrating the killings of thousands during Rwanda's 1994 genocide pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to war crimes charges.

Idelphonse Nizeyimana, Rwanda's former deputy intelligence chief, entered his plea at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda after being captured in Uganda earlier this month.

"I am not guilty," Nizeyimana, 46, said each time the four counts of war crimes charges was read out to him. A trial date will be set later.

Nizeyimana is accused of ordering the killing of children, hospital patients, priests and even an elderly and revered African queen.

More than 500,000 members of the Tutsi ethnic minority and moderates from the Hutu majority were slaughtered during the 100-day Rwandan genocide in 1994.

Until his capture, Nizeyimana had been on the run for 15 years with a bounty on his head. He was believed to have hidden in the jungles of eastern Congo, where he belonged to a Rwandan Hutu militia called the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda that continues to commit atrocities.

A Christian legal group seeking to stop New York agencies from recognizing same-sex marriages performed outside the state argued in the state's highest court Tuesday that the practice amounts to a policy decision that requires approval by lawmakers.

Attorney Brian Raum told state Court of Appeals judges that a law their court upheld three years ago defines marriage as between one man and one woman, based on "well established public policies linking marriage in New York to procreation and the welfare of children."

Raum's group — the Alliance Defense Fund of Scottsdale, Ariz. — is representing New York plaintiffs who are challenging state and county benefits for spouses of same-sex couples married in Canada or states where those marriages are legal.

The state has exceptions for marriages performed elsewhere that are considered abhorrent in New York, including incest and polygamy. Raum argued that same-sex marriage should be regarded as another exception.

He acknowledged when questioned by judges that a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York recently passed the state Assembly. He also acknowledged that the law defining marriage is a century old, and some more recent statutes protect gays in New York from discrimination.

Sandra L. Brown and David E. Benz have joined the Washington office of the law firm Thompson Hine LLP. Brown, a partner in the firm's Transportation practice group, focuses on representing bulk commodity shippers and other entities that use transportation services, such as electric utilities, state and local government entities and ports, as well as coal, aggregates, chemicals and plastics shippers. Her practice covers freight moving domestically and internationally. Benz is an associate who focuses on matters involving freight
railroad regulation, contracting and strategy. Both were formerly with Troutman Sanders LLP.

On joining the firm, Brown says, "I was attracted to Thompson Hine for its commitment to client service and the strength of its national Transportation practice. I look forward to sharing this commitment and strength with clients."

Brown was a member of the Washington staff of Congressman Eric D. Fingerhut (D-Ohio) from 1993 to 1994 and then worked at the Interstate Commerce Commission. Prior to entering private practice, she worked on a special investigations team at the White House Counsel's Office during the Clinton administration.

Karyn Booth, Transportation practice group leader, states, "Sandy's background adds to the depth of our Transportation practice and increases the firm's representation of utility clients and other companies that ship by rail. We're delighted that both Sandy and David are bringing their substantial railroad experience to our multimodal Transportation team."

Brown earned her J.D. from Ohio Northern University and her B.A. from Goshen College. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Ohio. Benz earned his J.D. and B.A. from the University of Virginia. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and the commonwealth of Virginia.

About Thompson Hine LLP: Established in 1911, Thompson Hine is a business law firm dedicated to providing superior client service. The firm has been recognized as one of the Best Corporate Law Firms in America (in an annual survey of corporate directors conducted by Corporate Board Member magazine). With approximately 400 lawyers, Thompson Hine serves premier businesses worldwide. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Brussels, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, New York and Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.ThompsonHine.com.

Thompson Hine LLP
Stacy F. Weiner, Business Development Manager, 202-263-4127