Region digest 12/12/02

Cape police still looking for angry motoristInvestigators spent Wednesday actively seeking a man suspected of punching a woman in the face Tuesday, apparently angry at her for pulling into his lane of traffic, said Sgt. Rick Schmidt of the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

A witness gave police the license plate number of the blue van driven by the suspect on Tuesday, but as of late Wednesday no arrest had been made.

Police want to talk to the man first before sending any reports to the county prosecuting attorney's office, Schmidt said. The man's name has not been released.

"It's ludicrous to think something like this would happen," Schmidt said. "It's unbelievable to think someone would go that far. ... People are just not supposed to touch other people."

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle could not comment on whether he will file a charge against the man until after he reviews statements from the witness, victim and the investigating officer.

St. Louis police arrest 15 on drug chargesST. LOUIS -- Local and federal authorities have arrested 15 members of a drug ring allegedly responsible for distributing more than $1 million worth of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in the St. Louis area, police said Wednesday.

Three other suspects were also being sought.

On Dec. 5, a federal grand jury returned a 38-count indictment charging the 18 members of the organization with multiple drug and weapons charges. It alleged that beginning in 1998, the ring distributed the drugs in St. Louis city and St. Louis County.

The indictment also alleged that members of the drug ring carried guns and used intimidation and violence to further their distribution efforts.

Mill Spring man pleads guilty to murder charges

GREENVILLE, Mo. -- On the eve of his trial, a Mill Spring man pleaded guilty Tuesday to a reduced murder charge in connection with the February shooting death of his friend.

Elvis P. Walker was supposed to stand trial Wednesday in Wayne County on the Class A felony of first-degree murder and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action in connection with the death of Bobby G. Clyburn Jr., 26, of Mill Spring on Feb. 20.

Prosecutors said witnesses saw Walker shoot Clyburn once in the head. Walker was later apprehended by the police and gave a statement implicating himself in the crime. He was sentenced to 20 years.

High court overturns murder conviction

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A divided Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the murder conviction of a woman who implicated herself in a fatal house fire, ruling police failed to properly notify her of the right to remain silent.

The court ordered a new trial for Patrice Seibert, who had been sentenced to life in prison on a second-degree murder conviction for her involvement in a February 1997 fire at her Rolla mobile home.

Authorities say the fire was set by Seibert's 17-year-old son and his friend to cover up the apparently natural death of her 12-year-old son, Jonathan, who had cerebal palsy. But the fire killed Donald Rector, 17, who had been living at the house.

A Rolla police officer questioned Seibert without informing her of her Miranda rights to remain silent or have an attorney present. After Seibert said Donald was supposed to die in the fire, the officer took a break, informed her of her Miranda rights and renewed questioning, referring to the initial interview to get Seibert to repeat her statements.

In a 4-3 decision, Missouri's highest court said both statements should have been barred from evidence.

--From wire reports