MONROE -- Bond has been denied for a North Carolina woman charged with murder in the death of her baby, who was found near a trash pile in February.
During the hearing in Union County on Friday, Erica Denise Kelly, 22, told the judge she was innocent and asked for bond so she could take care of her 2-year-old son.
Kelly was arrested Thursday, a little more than a month after a family returning to their mobile home discovered the baby girl.
Kelly has been charged with first-degree murder, and prosecutors say they may seek the death penalty.
The Union County medical examiner has said that the baby was born alive. Authorities said that DNA evidence linked Kelly to the baby.
Man faces capital trial in two deaths
WILMINGTON -- A North Carolina judge has ruled that a convicted felon will face the death penalty in the deaths of his mother and stepfather.
Judge Jay Hockenbury made the decision Friday in New Hanover County Superior Court in the case of Gerard Altman, 33.
Authorities say that Altman's mother, Laura Gallagher, 58, and her husband, James Gallagher, 70, died of blunt-force trauma. Altman has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in their deaths.
Officials said that a blood trail led to the room Altman is suspected of occupying in the couple's home in the Ogden area north of Wilmington.
Altman served 13 years in a New York prison for robbery.
Section of Motor Road to be closed
Motor Road will be closed to through traffic between Ogburn Avenue and Old Rural Hall Road from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, for the removal of a tree.
A detour will be posted.
For more information call City Link at 727-8000.
Retired officer says he is vindicated
RALEIGH -- A retired N.C. Highway Patrol captain said he feels a sense of vindication after an accusation he used a racial slur has been retracted.
Former Capt. Phillip Jones said Friday that he felt vindicated when former Lt. Virgil Lessane recanted the accusation.
Lessane had said he received a voicemail of a recorded conversation between two people who referred to him, and one person used a racial slur. Lessane had said he thought Jones was one of the speakers.
Mitch Foard, the other trooper Lessane said he heard, is still with the patrol but has been demoted. Lessane is black and the two other men are white.
Jones had sued Lessane for defamation of character but dropped the suit Friday.
Soldiers to return from Iraq duty
FORT BRAGG -- Hundreds of soldiers from the 18th Airborne Corps headquarters are coming back to their North Carolina base this weekend.
The headquarters element has been deployed to Iraq for 15 months and 200 soldiers were expected back yesterday afternoon. Corps commander Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III and more soldiers are expected to return early today.
The groups will fly to Pope Air Force Base, adjacent to Fort Bragg.
Austin was the commander of multinational troops in Iraq from Feb. 14, 2008, to April 4. The command now is in the hands of the I Corps Headquarters from Fort Lewis, Wash.
The welcome-home ceremony today will be presided over by Gen. Charles C. Campbell of the Army Forces Command.
2 youths want official state logo
CHARLOTTE -- North Carolina doesn't have an official state logo, and two Harrisburg children have decided they want to change that.
Ruth Jackson, 13, and her brother, J.J., 11, have started an online petition effort to adopt a lighthouse and sun as the state's official logo.
Ruth and J.J. Jackson's logo can be seen online at http://www.nclogo.com.
Motorcyclists rolling into Raleigh
RALEIGH -- Thousands of motorcycle riders rumbled into Raleigh for a weekend of revelry.
About 3,000 bikers were expected to attend a two-day party featuring Sumo wrestling and stunts.
Officials hope that the sixth annual event will pump about $1 million into the local economy.
Some attendees say they feel a cold shoulder from Myrtle Beach, S.C., where officials have been trying to get rid of two rallies traditionally held in May.
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