Homicide suspect appears in court

Lisa Marie Ruth, 44, of Boswell, Okla., who was indicted by the Bedford County grand jury in November, will return to court on April 13.

Ruth was arrested earlier this month in connection with the death of William Howard Cooper. According to the bill issued by the grand jury, Ruth was allegedly intoxicated at the time of the accident.

According to Sheriff Randall Boyce, on April 28, 2008, Ruth was driving a large truck pulling an empty horse trailer on Sandusky Road which ran head-on into the small truck in which Cooper, 81, was a passenger.

Cooper died at the scene, authorities said. Bedford County Jail records indicate that Ruth is being held on $50,000 bond.

Badger sentenced

A man who tried to make a run for it after being found guilty of a sexually related charge earlier this year learned his sentence.

Derek Alton Badger, 26, of El Bethel Road, was sentenced to 11 years in prison at 100 percent by Judge Robert Crigler on Monday.

Badger was found guilty in January of aggravated sexual battery in a case involving a 4-year-old girl.

When Crigler was setting the date for a sentencing hearing in January, revoking Badger's bond and ordering him to be placed in custody, Badger tried to escape the courtroom.

According to witnesses, Badger jumped the railing in the courtroom, but Capt. Becky Hord and the court officer present blocked his escape.

Badger had to be cornered in the back of the courtroom and backup assistance was summoned due to the struggle to get the handcuffs on him.

Petition dismissed

A post-conviction petition was also dismissed Monday by Crigler after the man did not show up for his hearing.

Mohamed Iman, 26, of Nashville, was said to already be on parole, court officials told Crigler.

Iman was sentenced in 2006 to 10 years in prison as a result of a guilty plea for having 2.4 pounds of khat.

Khat is prevalent among immigrants from Africa, according to the National Drug Intelligence Center. It's used casually or in religious ceremonies in Somalia, Ethiopia and Yemen where it's not a controlled substance and is openly sold at markets.

Khat's effect is like that of cocaine or methamphetamine but lesser in strength.

At his sentencing hearing over two years ago, Iman had sought to withdraw his guilty plea during a hearing before Crigler, who denied that request.

Iman was said to have "a selective memory and answered evasively" when questioned by Assistant District Attorney Mike Randles, while Iman's defense attorney said his client was "confused about what's going on."

Iman was arrested on Sept. 4, 2005, by Deputy David Sakich, who stopped the vehicle Iman was driving on U.S. 231 North, according to the arrest warrant. Sakich noticed Iman was chewing something and subsequently found 17 plastic bags with khat inside.