In brief: Man released as police investigate rape case

A Cheney man arrested this week on suspicion of rape has been released from the Spokane County Jail.

Spokane County prosecutors have not charged Micah Williams-Carr, 34, after Cheney police arrested him following a woman’s accusation of being held captive overnight Sunday and sexually assaulted.

A judge ordered Williams-Carr released as Cheney police continue to investigate the case.

The woman told investigators she knew the man as a regular customer at a fast-food restaurant and went on a date with him, ending with the two at a home in Cheney.

Idaho legal fund tapped for gay marriage fight

BOISE – Four top Idaho officials agreed Thursday to tap nearly half a million dollars in state taxpayer funds for legal fees and costs associated with their court fight against same-sex marriage.

The state’s Constitutional Defense Council, which consists of the governor, attorney general, House speaker and Senate president pro-tem, voted unanimously to pay $401,663 in court-ordered attorney fees and costs to the winning side in the case, which was brought by four lesbian couples; same-sex marriage became legal in Idaho in October.

But the state has continued to fight it and is currently pressing an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The council voted 3-1 to also pay $55,000 in bills run up by Otter’s office for private attorneys and court-required printing fees; his office said its full costs so far have reached $150,000. Attorney General Lawrence Wasden cast the dissenting vote, saying costly outside lawyers weren’t needed.

“My office is equipped to handle these cases,” he said.

Palsy-afflicted boy’s parents sue hospital

PORTLAND – The parents of a boy with cerebral palsy seek $36 million in a lawsuit against an Oregon hospital system, alleging it misrepresented the risks of a water birth.

An amended complaint filed Wednesday in Portland also asks a judge to stop Legacy Health System from performing water births.

The lawsuit states Luca Marino was born at a Portland hospital in December 2011. His parents, Matthew Marino and Amy Benton, allege the hospital wrongly stated that water births carry less risk than traditional births and Benton was a good candidate.

The suit says the hospital allowed midwives and nurses to manage the delivery without an obstetrician.

Legacy’s attorney, Robert Keating, didn’t immediately return a phone message.