Magistrate who released rape suspect may be back on the job

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Magistrate who released rape suspect may be back on the job

By Michaela L. Duckett – May 27, 2011

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Good Morning! Wheeew, what a week it’s been. Thank goodness, it’s Friday. It’s also "Don't Fry Day," a time for skin-safety experts to remind Americans about the hazards of overexposure to sunlight - the main cause of skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, claiming one life every hour, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

And yes, black folks do need sunscreen. For more information and ways to protect your skin, click here.

QUESTION: Is sunscreen a part of your daily skincare regimen?

Today, the weatherman says expect clouds, scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon with a high around 75°.

Here’s what is brewing in the news:

Magistrate may be back on the job

The magistrate who let an accused rapist walk out of jail could be back on the job as early as this weekend, reports NewsChannel 36.

Martin Diamond is accused of breaking into the home of his ex-girlfriend and raping her at knifepoint. Her family describes it as a brutal attack, which left the 18-year-old victim with a broken jaw, requiring more than 3 hours of surgery.

Diamond, 23, was arrested May 18 and charged with four felonies. The next day he met with criminal court magistrate Sylvia Cherry, and she unsecured his bond, allowing him to walk out of jail without paying a penny.

Cherry was suspended, and the case is under review.

Chief District Judge Lisa Bell told NewsChannel 36, at least in hindsight, this may have been a bad judgment call.

“This was a discretionary decision, but in retrospect, it was probably not appropriate,” Judge Bell said.

According to court documents, Diamond allegedly assaulted the woman by "repeatedly striking her about the head with his fists," reports The Charlotte Observer.

The victim's mother was angered by Diamond's release.

"We've been violated in every way," she told WCNC-TV. "Violated by the state, violated by this man, just violated… Nobody deserves this."

She also told WCNC-TV she's afraid Diamond has left the state and she feels the system has let her down.

"He was out less than 12 hours later, and he didn't have to pay $1 to get out," she said.

Read: Court officials: Release of rape suspect no mistake
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Hooked on Hookah

Smoking tobacco through a hose attached to a bowl of water is becoming more popular on campuses these days. Researchers say their Internet-based survey of students at eight North Carolina colleges and universities found about 40 percent reported they had used a hookah, also known as a water pipe.

Hookah smoke is flavored and cooler than cigarettes, but researcher Erin Sutfin of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center says it’s just as bad for health. She says a lot of the users didn’t seem to realize this.

``Current hookah users were more likely to report beliefs that it is safer than smoking cigarettes,” she said. “It is not a safe behavior, and they need to understand that.’’

The study in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at cdc.gov.
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WBT rush hour host canned

Tara Servatius, whose commentary has been a staple of afternoon rush hours on WBT-AM (1110) for more than two years, was fired Thursday, reports The Charlotte Observer.

"WBT will not be renewing its employment agreement with Tara Servatius," said Heidi Raphael, vice president of corporate communication for Massachusetts-based Greater Media, which owns the station.

"We are grateful for Tara's contributions to the station, and we wish her the best," she said in a statement released Thursday night.