REGIONAL BRIEFING
Man charged in grandparents’ arson deaths
A Milwaukee man set a fire that killed his grandparents after an argument in which his grandfather pulled a gun on him, according to a criminal complaint.
Darren D. Carter, 23, is charged with two counts of felony murder in the deaths of Iris B. Carter, 74, and Willie James Carter, 71, according to the complaint and the Milwaukee County medical examiner’s office.
The couple died from smoke inhalation in the fire May 14 at their home at 3842 N. 25th St., according to the complaint.
Carter told police he argued with Willie Carter after stealing money from his grandparents, and that during the argument his grandfather pulled a gun on him, according to the complaint.
He also said he set the fire in the couple’s basement so he could frighten them the way his grandfather had frightened him by pulling out the gun, according to the complaint.
Carter was in the Milwaukee County Jail on Monday with bail set at $100,000, according to state court records.
Pedestrian, 74, dies after crash in Milwaukee
A 74-year-old pedestrian who was hit by a van and suffered a severe spinal injury, leaving him a quadriplegic, has died, Milwaukee police said.
Eddie L. Norwood was hit at the intersection of North Holton and East Burleigh streets just before 4 p.m. June 11, according to Milwaukee County medical examiner’s reports.
Norwood was walking east against the crosswalk when the van crashed into him, the reports said. The van had a green light and right-of-way.
The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated. An officer told a forensic investigator there was no suspicion of alcohol use by the driver and charges were not likely, according to the reports.
Norwood was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and died Saturday.
Aldermen back cap on costs in ACLU case
A plan to limit Milwaukee’s costs for its proposed settlement with the ACLU of Wisconsin over police stop-and-frisk practices to at least $3.4 million advanced at City Hall Monday, and is now set to go before the full Common Council next week.
The tentative deal, which would limit the city’s costs and fees for the consultant to about $1.5 million, was approved on a 3-2 vote by a Common Council committee.
That fee would be on top of the $1.9 million in attorney fees associated with the case, as well as any interest associated with borrowing money to settle the case.
Ald. Mark Borkowski, the chairman of the Judiciary and Legislation Committee, and Ald. Bob Donovan both voted against the proposal.
Borkowski said he would rather the city fight the lawsuit in court, despite the financial risk involved.
Journal Sentinel staff