WhiteBoard News for Monday, July 28, 2003

Fort Myers, Florida (Herald Tribune):

A 24-year-old man on trial for allegedly selling cocaine left court during a break and never returned - missing out on the jury's innocent verdict.

Patre Eugene Williams was facing up to 30 years in prison if convicted of selling cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school. But Williams didn't stick around to hear his fate.

According to his defense attorney, John D. Mills, the state had concluded its case against Williams and it was time for his client to decide if he wanted to testify.

"He was undecided," Mills said Tuesday. "He asked the judge to take an afternoon break."

Circuit Judge James R. Thompson complied, but when the trial resumed, Williams couldn't be found.

Mills told the judge security officers said Williams left the courthouse. Thompson gave Williams 15 minutes to return, then said, "We're going to finish the trial without him."

Mills said the two sides presented closing arguments, and the jury returned after 30 minutes with the verdict.

Mills said he didn't expect Williams to face any consequences from leaving.

"The judge didn't issue a bench warrant" for his arrest, Mills said. "He wasn't in contempt of court. He just left."
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London, England (Ananova):

Thousands of mobile phone users are facing the ultimate examination of their skills and reflexes in the inaugural Mobile Phone Olympics.

The event, on Clapham Common, London, starts today and forms part of the Sprite Urban Games, an annual cult street sports event.

More than 15,000 competitors will use the new Sony Ericsson T310 in their quest to be crowned the first Mobile Phone Olympic Champion, and will take part in four events designed to test their all-round ability.

Text Messaging involves exactly copying an 80 character message, including spaces and punctuation, and sending it to the official's handset as fast as they can.

MMS Messaging asks contestants to send a message as instructed - which can include a photo and text to the official's handset - again as quickly as possible.

The street level of Tony Hawks Pro Skater 4 forms the Mobile Gaming challenge, as competitors try to rack up as many points as possible in two minutes.

While Mobile Phone Hurling sees contestants flinging their phones as far as possible from a standing start.

A maximum of 10 points can be awarded in each event, and the competitor with the highest total out of a maximum of 40 points on each day will be crowned Champion. The overall winner will be announced on Sunday.

Jenna Jensen, of sponsors Phones 4U, said: "The mobile phone athletes will need lighting fast fingers, supreme powers of concentration, a strong arm, textual expertise and quick reactions."

A competition to find the fastest texter last year was won by 18-year-old Natalie Johnson, from Leeds, who won £1,000 after taking just 138 seconds to send 30 words.
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Buxtehude, Germany (DPA):

A German court has ruled that police were right to confiscate the driving licence of a woman they thought was too thin to drive.

The 22-year-old student from Buxtehude near Hamburg lost her driving licence following an accident in February 2002 when she weighed 32.8 kilograms.

She successfully went to court to get her licence back in November and then sued local authorities for damages.

But in a decision with implications for other anorexia sufferers, the court at Stade near Hamburg said authorities were right at the time to confiscate the licence following several medical checks.

It ruled the woman, who now weighs 46 kilograms, will have to present a medical certificate every three months to show her continued fitness to drive. The woman's lawyer is to appeal.
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Haugesund, Norway (Ananova):

A Norwegian man pulled his trousers down in a sex shop and said he wanted to try on some condoms.

The man, from Haugesund, had picked two kinds of condoms and as he stood by the counter wondering which would fit him the best, he decided to try them on.

But staff in the sex shop said he was so polite that they decided against reporting him for indecent exposure.

Police spokesman Trond Friberg told Haugesunds Avis: "Maybe it was a bet or a stag night stunt. Anyway it is not pleasant for those experiencing it."
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