Legislators pass French-kiss law
State legislators passed a law Saturday that would require adults who French-kiss a child younger than 13 to register as a sex offender.
Those convicted of tongue-kissing a child would be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
The House of Delegates passed the legislation 96-1 and the Senate 39-0. It now heads to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who said he supports the legislation.
Delegate Riley Ingram introduced the bill on behalf of a woman whose 10-year-old daughter was French-kissed by the 62-year-old husband of her baby sitter.
The only crime prosecutors could charge the man with was contributing to the delinquency of a minor, which did not require that he register as a sex offender.
Auburn, Ala.
Man charged in teen’s death
A man arrested after a car and foot chase by police who suspected him in a string of robberies was charged with capital murder in the abduction and shooting death of an Auburn University freshman, police said Saturday.
Courtney Lockhart was arrested Friday in Phenix City, about 30 miles from the campus. Lauren Burk, 18, was found shot on the side of an off-campus road Tuesday night. Her car was found burning in a campus parking lot.
On Saturday in Burk’s hometown of Marietta, Ga., hundreds gathered at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church to mourn her death.
“As students, I know it’s easy to feel a bit invincible, but you’re not,” said the Rev. Bryant Wright, pastor of the church. “This is a reminder of how vulnerable we all can be in a world of evil.”
Cincinnati
Enzyte maker can hire offshore
A company that sells “male enhancement” tablets and other herbal supplements can remain in business while its top executive awaits sentencing on fraud and money laundering charges, a federal judge said.
Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals will be allowed to hire an offshore company to process its credit card transactions, according to a plan approved Friday by U.S. District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel.
Domestic processing companies had refused to work with Berkeley after founder and president Steve Warshak was convicted in January of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, bank fraud and money laundering. Warshak, 40, faces more than 20 years in prison.
Berkeley’s main business is Enzyte. Television ads for Enzyte feature “Smiling Bob,” a goofy, grinning man whose life gets much better after he uses the product.