State Glance
Bennett to challenge Ducey in Arizona Republican primary
PHOENIX — Former Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett says he will challenge Gov. Doug Ducey in this year’s Republican primary election.
Bennett told 12 News late Friday that he’s filed papers to run and that he’s concerned about fiscal aspects of Ducey’s proposal for teacher pay raises.
A Tucson native, Bennett served on the Prescott City Council, the state Board of Education and in the Arizona Senate before newly elevated Gov. Jan Brewer appointed him as secretary of state in 2009 to replace her in that office. Bennett won a full term of his own in 2010.
Ducey defeated Bennett and other four Republicans in the 2014 primary for governor.
Murder case dismissed due to lack of evidence
FLORENCE — A murder case against an Eloy man who spent four years in jail awaiting trial has been dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
The Casa Grande Dispatch reports that 58-yearold Arturo Jimenez quietly said “thank you” when a Pinal County Superior Court judge Friday granted a prosecution motion to dismiss murder and burglary charges.
The case stemmed from the 2009 killing of 92-yearold Norberto Castro, who was fatally beaten with a baseball bat at his Eloy home.
Prosecutor Gary Husk said DNA evidence was shown to be flawed and case investigators no longer work for the Eloy Police Department and have credibility issues.
Apache Junction man pleads guilty to abusing teens
FLORENCE — A 36-yearold Apache Junction man has pleaded guilty to dozens of charges related to sexual abuse of teenage girls.
Johnny Bollinger is scheduled to be sentenced May 15 in Pinal County Superior Court after pleading guilty Monday to 36 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, five counts of involving minors in drug offenses and six counts of disorderly conduct.
The Casa Grande Dispatch reports that investigators discovered sexually explicit material on Bollinger’s laptop after he was arrested in March 2017 on disorderly conduct charges.
Girls later came forward and told investigators that Bollinger sexually abused them and documented the acts on camera.
Panel noms 4 for Pima County Superior Court judgeship
TUCSON — A state screening commission has nominated four Pima County Superior Court officials for appointment to fill a vacant judgeship.
The nominees recommended by the Pima County Commission on Trial Court Appointments are Casey F. McGinley, Lee Ann Roads, Gilbert Rosales Jr. and Laurie B. San Angelo.
McGinley is a current Superior Court judge pro tem, Roads is a court hearing officer, and Rosales and San Angelo are commissioners.
McGinley and Roads are Republicans. Rosales is an independent, and San Angelo is a Democrat.