http://www.channel3000.com/-/1656/7679118/-/uiu3ff/-/index.html en-US © 2011 Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. Home Home en-US © 2011 Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. http://www.channel3000.com/news/raw-milk-farmer-hershberger-acquitted-on-3-of-4-counts/-/1648/20302714/-/9g21fx/-/index.html A Wisconsin dairy farmer has been acquitted on three of four counts in a trial related to the sale of raw milk. The Journal-Sentinel reported that dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger was found guilty on one charge of violating a holding order placed on products at his farm after a 2010 raid. Hershberger could get up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine. The jury returned their verdict early Saturday morning after four hours of deliberation. They found 41-year-old Hershberger not guilty of charges that he sold retail food, produced milk and operated a dairy plant without proper state licenses. His supporters have said he was targeted because he sold raw milk through a private buying club with several hundred members. Sat, 25 May 2013 16:40:51 GMT 20302714 2013-05-25T16:40:51Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/volunteers-supplies-leave-madison-for-tornadoravaged-okla/-/1648/20305332/-/ccf8d1z/-/index.html Two semitrailers full of donated items and more than two dozen volunteers from the Madison area are headed to tornado-ravaged Oklahoma. A four-day effort organized by the Boys and Girls Club and Metcalfe's resulted in 70,000 pounds of donated goods and $20,000 in donations for the Red Cross and Salvation Army. Less than an hour before hitting the road Saturday afternoon, donations for Oklahoma tornado survivors continued to trickle in. Long receipts and bags of goods showed the generosity of the area. They say that even though Oklahoma is far off, they find it easy to empathize and help. "We have to take care of each other," said Kristine Nelson, a Wisconsin Dells resident who delivered $5,000 worth of goods with her friends and family. "Me and my son were actually watching it on the news when the tornadoes hit and we were in tears, because, I mean, our town is small. 14 miles, that would wipe out our whole school district, is five schools, so it makes you think this could happen at home." Twenty-five volunteers spent Saturday morning loading up the last of their supply.  Many said they can only imagine what the people of Moore, Okla., are going through. Donations included basic essentials including water, diapers, paper towels, soap, and blankets. "Community is not just here in Madison, but I feel like as a nation we are one community," said Stephanie Nash, a volunteer preparing for the 13-hour drive. VIDEO "Bucky loves Oklahoma," Nash added, while looking around at the supplies and items being donated. Volunteers will help distribute items to survivors, work in a warehouse, remove debris, and anything else that may be asked of them. "We're gonna do whatever they need us to do," said Michael Johnson, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. "Working in a warehouse, we'll also be working in the community to remove debris. Whatever they tell us to do, we're going to be there to serve." Volunteers will stay at the local Boys and Girls Club facility. Johnson said he was proud of the outpouring of support. Before the group drove off, they joined hands and said a prayer for themselves and for those in Moore. Sun, 26 May 2013 07:55:10 GMT 20305332 2013-05-26T07:55:10Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/biker-hit-by-vehicle-at-mineral-point-road-and-yellowstone-drive/-/1648/20296260/-/m9m6q2/-/index.html The name of a bicyclist hit and killed following a collision with a tow truck has been released. 47-year-old Stephen Radar died on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend while riding his bike on Mineral Point Road Friday afternoon. According to Madison Police, Radar died from the serious injuries that he sustained in that crash. Radar was taken to UW hospital after being stuck by the truck around 3:50 p.m. at Mineral Point Road and Yellowstone Drive. The driver of the truck remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, according to the incident report. No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed. Police do not think alcohol or reckless driving were factors. Crash reconstruction crews were at the scene closing traffic lanes for about 3 hours. Sun, 26 May 2013 08:04:42 GMT 20296260 2013-05-26T08:04:42Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/volunteers-supplies-leave-madison-for-tornadoravaged-okla/-/1648/20305332/-/ccf8d1z/-/index.html Two semitrailers full of donated items and more than two dozen volunteers from the Madison area are headed to tornado-ravaged Oklahoma. A four-day effort organized by the Boys and Girls Club and Metcalfe's resulted in 70,000 pounds of donated goods and $20,000 in donations for the Red Cross and Salvation Army. Less than an hour before hitting the road Saturday afternoon, donations for Oklahoma tornado survivors continued to trickle in. Long receipts and bags of goods showed the generosity of the area. They say that even though Oklahoma is far off, they find it easy to empathize and help. "We have to take care of each other," said Kristine Nelson, a Wisconsin Dells resident who delivered $5,000 worth of goods with her friends and family. "Me and my son were actually watching it on the news when the tornadoes hit and we were in tears, because, I mean, our town is small. 14 miles, that would wipe out our whole school district, is five schools, so it makes you think this could happen at home." Twenty-five volunteers spent Saturday morning loading up the last of their supply.  Many said they can only imagine what the people of Moore, Okla., are going through. Donations included basic essentials including water, diapers, paper towels, soap, and blankets. "Community is not just here in Madison, but I feel like as a nation we are one community," said Stephanie Nash, a volunteer preparing for the 13-hour drive. VIDEO "Bucky loves Oklahoma," Nash added, while looking around at the supplies and items being donated. Volunteers will help distribute items to survivors, work in a warehouse, remove debris, and anything else that may be asked of them. "We're gonna do whatever they need us to do," said Michael Johnson, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. "Working in a warehouse, we'll also be working in the community to remove debris. Whatever they tell us to do, we're going to be there to serve." Volunteers will stay at the local Boys and Girls Club facility. Johnson said he was proud of the outpouring of support. Before the group drove off, they joined hands and said a prayer for themselves and for those in Moore. Sun, 26 May 2013 07:55:10 GMT 20305332 2013-05-26T07:55:10Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/man-killed-in-walworth-county-crash-a-policeman/-/1648/20303434/-/it6fyu/-/index.html The man killed in a Walworth County car-versus-truck crash near the Town of Lyons was a police officer, authorities said. According to the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to a report of an accident early Saturday on Highway 120 about .5-mile south of Highway 36. Authorities said Twin Lakes police Lt. Jeffrey Kreft, 36, of Spring Prairie, was on his way home after a shift when a truck crossed the center line and the two vehicles collided nearly head on. Kreft suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead about an hour later, according to the report. The 1998 Ford F-150 truck was driven by a 16-year-old who suffered a broken foot in the crash and was treated at an area hospital and released, the sheriff said. Police said the truck and Kreft’s 1998 Saturn sustained major damage. Both drivers were wearing seat belts, according to the report. The highway was shut down for about four hours Saturday morning as an accident team investigated the crash. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing. No citations or charges have been issued, according to the report. Police said Kreft was sworn into service with the Twin Lakes Police Department earlier this month. Before joining the Twin Lakes force, he had served with Genoa and Delevan departments, a statement said. Sun, 26 May 2013 07:58:50 GMT 20303434 2013-05-26T07:58:50Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/lawmakers-pass-proposal-to-change-dna-testing/-/1648/20299392/-/t6bp2xz/-/index.html Joint Finance leaders passed a Department of Justice proposal on Friday that changes current DNA testing requirements for criminals to include anyone arrested for a felony and all misdemeanor convictions. Currently, Wisconsin collects DNA samples from people convicted of a felony and certain misdemeanors.  If passed, the change could mean adding approximately 68,000 people to the law-enforcement system's DNA database in the first year it in effect.  The proposal also says if someone's charge is reversed or they are not guilty of the related crime within a yea,r they may request to have their sample expunged. The American Civil Liberties Union said the measure violates people's rights and the expungement clause is bogus since the damage will already have been done. "It has marginal benefits to law enforcement and it treats people who have not been convicted of crimes as suspects for every crime where there's DNA evidence in the country," said Chris Ahmuty, executive director of ACLU of Wisconsin. He said the money should be put toward efforts to improve forensics work. For video on this story, visit the video section Wisconsin's Department of Justice said the benefits of the expansion is worth the $6 million it is estimated to cost.  David Zibolski, deputy administrator of the Department of Justice's Division of Law Enforcement Services said money would come from a current surcharge paid by convicted felons and a new charge to be paid by misdemeanor convicts. "We'll be able to identify more offenders before they recommit other violent crimes; for the citizens that's beneficial.  We can prevent victimization," said Zibolski. Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney said adding to the current database can only help close cases that have gone cold, particularly those involving homicide and sexual assault. The measure hits close to home for some Wisconsin families. Parents of former University of Wisconsin-Madison student Brittany Zimmermann have pushed to expand DNA testing for years.  Five years after their daughter was killed, they still have no idea who did it. State Sen. Jennifer Shilling of La Crosse gave a tearful plea during Thursday night's Joint Finance meeting.  Her parents were killed 20 years ago in suburban Chicago, and she credited improved DNA testing for finding their killer years after their deaths. "To know there is a database bank of DNA it gives survivors, I hate to be called a victim, it gives survivors hope.  It gives victims' families hope," said Shilling Thursday night. Sat, 25 May 2013 19:10:13 GMT 20299392 2013-05-25T19:10:13Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/5yearold-run-over-killed-in-restaurant-parking-lot/-/1648/20304232/-/29jbwez/-/index.html A 5-year-old child has died after being run over by a pickup truck in the parking lot of a Mt. Calvary restaurant. The Fond du Lac Reporter said the incident happened Friday night, in the parking lot of Maximillian's restaurant. Police said a 35-year-old Fond du Lac man was backing his pickup truck into a parking stall when a 5-year-old child ran behind him and was run over. The child died at St. Agnes Hospital. Names of the victim and truck driver were not immediately released. Authorities are still investigating. Sat, 25 May 2013 20:27:37 GMT 20304232 2013-05-25T20:27:37Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/jailer-injured-by-combative-woman-deputies-say/-/1648/20291980/-/6ywmdn/-/index.html A Blue River woman arrested during a disturbance injured a jailer after she arrived at the jail, according to the Grant County Sheriff's Office. Deputies were called to East Prairie Street in Boscobel at 7:58 p.m. for a report of a woman out of control. Investigators said Eliza C. Kulp, 19, was intoxicated and disorderly at a residence in North Lancaster Township. A group told deputies they tried to return her home when she became combative, forcing them to pull over in Boscobel and call for help. Once at the Grant County Jail, Kulp became combative and an officer was kicked in the face while trying to regain control of her, according to deputies. They said a struggle ensued and a jailer also received a minor injury to his shoulder. Kulp was arrested on suspicion of battery to an officer, disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property, underage drinking, and on a probation violation. Fri, 24 May 2013 16:28:52 GMT 20291980 2013-05-24T16:28:52Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/thong-cape-scooter-man-cleared-from-complaint/-/1648/20292844/-/rhey40/-/index.html A man well-known to many Madison residents has been cleared after a complaint about one of his many appearances as what police call the “Thong Cape Scooter Man,” according to Madison police. The 56-year-old man, who is known to police, has been spotted around Madison riding a scooter and wearing a black cape with red trim, a thong, a helmet and nothing else. Staff at Kennedy Elementary School at 221 Meadowlark Drive complained to police when the man drove past the school on May 16 while students were being let out of class. When police visited the man about the complaint, he admitted he exercised poor judgment by going past the school during that time of day. He told the officer it was unintentional because he just happened to be traveling through the area. Police said the officer checked with the City Attorney’s Office about issuing a disorderly conduct citation. An assistant city attorney told the officer there had been no violation of any ordinances. For video on this story, visit the video section Sat, 25 May 2013 19:46:38 GMT 20292844 2013-05-25T19:46:38Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/man-charged-in-2008-wisconsin-rapids-death/-/1648/20295506/-/n5iy9xz/-/index.html Authorities have charged a man in connection with a 2008 murder in Wisconsin Rapids. WSAW-TV reports that Joseph Reinwand is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and arson of a building with intent to defraud in the death of Dale Meister. Meister was found shot to death in his Wisconsin Rapids mobile home on March 4, 2008. Authorities had a suspect within a month, but didn't have evidence to prove it. Wisconsin Rapids police did not say what led to Reinwand's arrest, but say they have been diligently investigating. Online court records do not list an attorney for Reinwand.  He is currently in custody in the Stanley Prison for burglary and weapons convictions. His first court date is June 19. Fri, 24 May 2013 20:25:07 GMT 20295506 2013-05-24T20:25:07Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/northern-musky-season-begins/-/1648/20304258/-/5p1a8a/-/index.html Wisconsin's northern zone musky season is set to open. The season began Saturday. The northern zone encompasses all inland waters north of U.S. Highway 10, which roughly bisects the state through Stevens Point. State Department of Natural Resources fishery experts said things look good for anglers. The fish have almost finished spawning and are ready to feed. Water temperatures have risen and the fish are becoming more active. Sat, 25 May 2013 20:36:06 GMT 20304258 2013-05-25T20:36:06Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/may-31-deadline-to-join-no-call-list/-/1648/20304318/-/1s0hqv/-/index.html Wisconsin residents who want to be protected from unsolicited telemarketing phone calls and text messages have until the end of the month to sign up for the state's "no call" list. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says if you've already been on the list, you need to re-register every two years to stay on it. Consumers who add their names to the list by May 31st will be protected from solicitors starting July 1. The free service includes land lines and cell phones. The list is updated four times a year -- Jan. 1, April 1, July 1 and Oct. 1. To add your residential landline or cell phone to the list, call 1-866-9NO-CALL (1-866-966-2255) or visit http://nocall.wisconsin.gov. Sat, 25 May 2013 20:41:34 GMT 20304318 2013-05-25T20:41:34Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/name-of-woman-killed-in-town-of-deerfield-crash-released/-/1648/20282660/-/k8u20c/-/index.html The name of the woman who died Monday after being transported to University Hospital from a traffic crash on Sunday afternoon was released Thursday. Hannah Marie S. Leblanc, 29, of Severna Park Md., died from injuries she received during the traffic crash. Leblanc was a passenger in the car. Deputies were called to the intersection of State Highway 73 and County Road BB at 4:57 p.m. for a report of a two-vehicle crash. Investigators said a car stopped at a stop sign on County Road BB entered the intersection and was struck by a pickup truck traveling south on Highway 73. The driver of the car, a 31-year-old Maryland man, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the truck, a 27-year-old Beloit man, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. A reconstruction of the crash was conducted at the scene, and the road was closed for several hours. Deputies said the cause of the crash has not been determined and the case remains under investigation. Thu, 23 May 2013 23:23:54 GMT 20282660 2013-05-23T23:23:54Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/milwaukee-special-ed-teacher-faces-sexrelated-charges/-/1648/20304104/-/enlw0w/-/index.html A Milwaukee special education teacher faces charges for allegedly fondling himself in front of students who are cognitively delayed. A criminal complaint filed Saturday charges 37-year-old Kevin France of Milwaukee with four counts of causing a child between the ages of 13 and 17 to view or listen to sexual activity, and two counts of exposing himself. The complaint said France's alleged victims were four female students at Mary McLeod Bethune Academy. According to the complaint, the students saw France touch himself and heard him moan multiple times when the teacher's aide left the room. He also allegedly exposed himself in front of the girls. The school district said France has been removed from the school. France is in custody. Online court records do not list a defense attorney. Sat, 25 May 2013 20:20:47 GMT 20304104 2013-05-25T20:20:47Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/five-percent-of-wis-bridges-functionally-obsolete/-/1648/20300236/-/x02xlp/-/index.html According to state data, 724 bridges in Wisconsin are classified in the same condition as the bridge that collapsed near Seattle this week. Washington state officials said the bridge that collapsed outside of Seattle Thursday night was repaired twice in the last year. Federal officials claimed the structure was classified as "functionally obsolete." According to the latest DOT data, 724 Wisconsin bridges fall into that category as well.  Bureau of Structures Director and state bridge engineer Scot Becker defined "functionally obsolete” as not up to current design standards. He said inspectors look at all of Wisconsin’s 14,022 bridges biannually, and hundreds of repair and rehabilitation projects happen every year. “You don't hear much from us until something like this happens," Becker said. "Those folks are out doing their jobs every day and maintaining a large program of bridges,” According to DOT statistics, 1,234 bridges across the state are considered "structurally deficient." "Structurally deficient means there is a component of the bridge that's deteriorated into poor condition," Becker said. “However, it doesn't mean that the bridge is unsafe." For video on this story, visit the video section Becker said the bridge that collapsed in Washington was a truss-style bridge, a design state engineers don’t use anymore. There are 78 bridges still in the state that are listed under that configuration, most of those either owned by the state or townships. While funds are increasingly tight, and as projects pile on, Becker said he will always put bridge projects first to ensure safety on the roads. “We really put our number one priority and direct our funds to the bridges and repairing them,” Becker said. States with the worst bridges Sat, 25 May 2013 20:51:53 GMT 20300236 2013-05-25T20:51:53Z http://madisonneareast.channel3000.com/news/arts-culture/138262-56-arts-projects-orgs-get-cut-91k-grants More than 50 area artists and organizations got a cut of $91,775 in funding earmarked for cultural programs, city representatives said. Sat, 25 May 2013 22:02:57 GMT 20304706 2013-05-25T22:02:57Z http://www.channel3000.com/construction-suspended-for-memorial-day-weekend/-/1656/20238818/-/bman9p/-/index.html Heavy traffic is expected late Friday as the Memorial Day holiday weekend gets underway. Most major highway projects will be suspended during the busy Memorial Day travel weekend, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Construction in most work zones will end by noon on Friday and not resume until 6 a.m. on Tuesday. "While most lanes through work zones will be open to handle the heavy holiday traffic, drivers may still encounter narrow lanes, lane shifts and rough pavement," said Don Greuel, chief of DOT Project Services. Peak travel times are expected to be from noon until 8 p.m. on both Friday and Monday. Significant road construction projects that may affect highway travel during the Memorial Day weekend include the following: • Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee County • I-94 North-South, Milwaukee County to Illinois state line • I-43 in Milwaukee County • Bayview Bridge in Door County • I-43 Leo Frigo Bridge in Green Bay (Only one lane open southbound over the Memorial Day holiday. Both lanes northbound will be open.) • US 41 in Brown County • I-94 in Eau Claire and Trempealeau counties • I-94 in St. Croix County • US 12/18 Madison Beltline • I-39/US 51 Marathon and Portage counties • WIS 29 in Marathon County • US 51 in Oneida County • WIS 73 in Wood County On average during the last five years, nine people died in Memorial Day weekend traffic crashes, according to the DOT. Eight deaths were reported the same weekend in 2012. More than 400 law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin will be conducting special enforcement through the weekend. Fri, 24 May 2013 20:30:32 GMT 20238818 2013-05-24T20:30:32Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/races-prompt-madison-street-closures/-/1648/20292112/-/r27s2lz/-/index.html Two races will cause road closures in Madison during the Memorial Day weekend. The Madison Twilight 10k will start at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. The route starts on the Capitol Square, goes through the University of Wisconsin campus area and back to the Capitol Square via Dayton Street. Course information is located here. The Madison Half Marathon starts on the Capitol Square at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday. The route goes through the UW Campus, down Monroe Street, through the UW Arboretum and back on Monroe Street to Dayton Street and back to the Capitol Square. The course will be fully open to traffic by 11:30 a.m. Course information is located here. Volunteers and police officers will be at intersections along the routes. Traffic will be allowed to cross the routes only when there are sufficient gaps in the runners. Drivers should plan on using alternate routes to avoid the race courses. Fri, 24 May 2013 16:33:41 GMT 20292112 2013-05-24T16:33:41Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/officers-names-released-in-east-side-shooting/-/1648/20280464/-/ye2jmnz/-/index.html Names of the three officers involved in a shooting on Madison’s east side were released Thursday. The Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation says Officers Ryan Finnegan, Ryan Orvis and Scott Templeton remain on administrative leave after the May 17 shooting. Brent Brozek, 43, died after he was shot multiple times by more than one officer, according to police. The shots were fired after Brozek charged at police twice with a large sword. Traffic was shut down in the 900 block of Rockefeller Lane earlier in the day after Dane County deputies tried to serve Brozek an eviction notice. He refused to leave and gave deputies a reason to think he was armed, authorities said. Law enforcement spent the day negotiating with Brozek, hoping to persuade him to leave the premises peacefully. Witnesses near the Rockefeller Lane scene said police were first heard on a voice amplifier at 11:20 a.m. ordering Brozek to come out of the home and drop weapons. Police also said he had a history of mental health issues. Authorities decreased their presence at the scene around 4 p.m. and said then that they did not believe Brozek was a threat. But neighbors said there was still tension. Around 9 p.m., Brozek left his home brandishing a large sword. Police said they first fired non-lethal bean bag rounds, and then used deadly force when he charged at them a second time. Officers at the scene performed compression-only CPR on Brozek; he was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Thu, 23 May 2013 21:31:03 GMT 20280464 2013-05-23T21:31:03Z http://www.channel3000.com/sports/wisconsin-hosts-ultimate-frisbee-championships/-/1612/20297986/-/h0yfyxz/-/index.html If you drive by Reddan soccer park or Madison Memorial High School over the weekend, you might see a lot of college kids on the fields and wonder, "What are they doing?" They're playing Ultimate Frisbee. This is a big event with great competition. South Central Wisconsin is hosting the USA ultimate college championships. "We start the season with over 800 teams all over the nation and these are the top 40 teams," said Tom Crawford, CEO of USA Ultimate. The top 20 men and 20 women college teams -- more than 1,000 athletes -- are competing this weekend for the National Championship in Verona and Madison. "A lot of times, if you are not at the Division One level or college ability level to play soccer or basketball or whatever, you kinda get lost you and you lose that team sport edge. And this is a way to be really competitive," said 21-year-old Lane Siedor a junior on the Georgia women's team. Ultimate Frisbee isn't really well-known but it has simple rules. Seven players from each Ultimate team take the field and the first team to score 15 points wins. There are no referees. For video on this story, visit the video section "We have observers. They keep the time, they call in and out of bounds," Crawford said. "But the athletes control all of the other calls in the game and the observers only get involved if the athletes need them to or want them to." "It's a fancy game of keep away," explained Oregon women's coach Lou Burruss. "You are trying to keep it away from them and trying to catch it in the end zone and score." More than 3,000 fans are expected to watch one of the fastest growing sports this weekend. "The number participants and athletic ability has been on a steady increase and I don't see any sign that it's slowing down," Burruss said. Sat, 25 May 2013 16:23:26 GMT 20297986 2013-05-25T16:23:26Z http://www.channel3000.com/news/Florida-gay-teen-rejects-plea-deal/-/1648/20294936/-/sd1l9g/-/index.html Eighteen-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt, charged with a crime for having sex with a 14-year-old girl, rejected a deal Friday that would have required her to plead guilty to child abuse, according to Hunt's attorney. Hunt was charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery after the parents of the 14-year-old went to authorities. Hunt's family says their relationship was consensual, but in Florida a person under the age of 16 is not legally able to give consent to sex. If Hunt is convicted, she could go to prison for 15 years -- a reality that touched off a maelstrom of controversy across the country this past week. The case became widely known when Hunt's family began an online campaign in defense of their daughter. The plea deal from the Indian River County prosecutor's office would have required Hunt to plead no contest to child abuse, spend two years "on community control," which usually involves strict supervision, followed by one year of probation. According to the plea deal document, during her probation, Hunt would have had to agree to stay away from the 14-year-old, and to provide her probation officer with immediate access to her Internet and telephone communication. In a statement saying that Hunt was rejecting the plea deal, her attorney, Julia Graves, wrote: "This is a situation of two teenagers who happen to be of the same sex involved in a relationship. If this case involved a boy and girl, there would be no media attention to this case. "Our client is a model citizen. She has been placed in an environment of school with her classmates where they go to school together, have lunch together, and play on the same team and are allowed to have communication and contact without barriers. Then when something develops between the two as a result of this environment created by the state, it leads to criminal prosecution." "If this incident occurred 108 days earlier when she was 17, we wouldn't even be here," the attorney wrote. The parents of the young girl Friday evening said they are prepared to go forward with the case. His daughter's innocence was taken away, Jim Smith told CNN affiliate WPEC. "There deserves some type of punishment for that." The office of State Attorney Bruce Colton said it tendered an "extremely lenient plea offer in this case which would have ensured that the defendant avoided any term of incarceration and the stigma of being labeled a sex offender. "In fact, in all probability the defendant would have avoided being a convicted felon," the statement continued. Colton will prepare for a mid-July trial. Earlier this week, Hunt cried in front of news crews. "I'm scared of losing my life, the rest of my life," she said, "not being able to go to college or be around kids, be around my sisters and my family." In response, Charles Sullivan Jr., the attorney for the 14-year-old girl's family, said they had been hoping the case would be resolved by now. Now the 14-year-old girl may have to take the witness stand if the case goes to court, Sullivan said. "No parent wants their child to have to testify in court, but unfortunately the reality of our system is we have a system where a defendant has the right to have all the witnesses present. It's just the aspect of our law," Sullivan said. "It's a difficult process but it's a necessary process in our system of justice." A case catches fire on Facebook The case has been a lightning rod for controversy after Hunt's family went public on Facebook, describing their daughter's case and essentially accusing the victim's family of going after their daughter because she is gay. The victim's family said that isn't true; they are only trying to protect their 14-year-old. The American Civil Liberties Union has spoken out in defense of Hunt and an online petition by Change.org had attracted some 279,000 signatures by Friday evening. They say the punishment does not equal the crime. Despite the online furor, a case like this isn't all that unusual, said David LaBahn, president of the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, a national professional group. "Prosecutors get these kinds of cases all the time, and it's almost always parents who come to them saying that something like this has happened," said LaBahn, who worked as a trial attorney in California for 10 years and focused on prosecuting sex crimes for four years. The amount of difference between the alleged perpetrator's age and the victim's age weighs heavily in whether a prosecutor moves forward on a case, he said. "If you had an 18- and 17-year-old, there may be some investigation," he said. "If the 17-year-old says it was consensual, that would probably be the end of it and you wouldn't have charges." But in this case, 18 and 14 is a wide gap, he said. "According to law in Florida, this is a crime." It doesn't matter -- and shouldn't matter -- what people in an online community who don't have the investigative details of a case believe, he said. He drew a comparison to the Jodi Arias case currently under way in Arizona. Many people -- even those on the jury -- said they couldn't conceive how a petite woman who claimed she'd been the victim of domestic violence could repeatedly stab her boyfriend, as she admits doing. "As a prosecutor you cannot be influenced by anything other than the facts," he said. While some have suggested this case is being handled differently because it involves two females, Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said that has nothing to do with it. "If this was an 18-year-old male and that was a 14-year-old girl, it would have been prosecuted the same way," he said. Parents of girl, 14, say they are protecting her At trial, the prosecutor is likely to try to put on witnesses who can show that the 14-year-old was damaged psychologically by engaging in sex at such a young age, and that she wouldn't have normally done such a thing. In an earlier interview with CNN affiliate WPEC, Jim and Laurie Smith insisted that the girls' gender has nothing to do with the case. They are concerned about ages. "Our daughter was 14, and this girl was 18," said Jim Smith. According to the Smiths, they twice warned Hunt to stop. "I had another adult, who is a mother, she came to me and said, 'Ms. Smith, you need to know this.' She said, 'We told Ms. Hunt to leave your daughter alone but they are in a relationship. And, she's 18.'" Laurie Smith said she was shocked. Her daughter was just too young, she thought. The 14-year-old began to act out, the Smiths told WPEC. Then one weekend morning the Smiths went to their daughter's bedroom and discovered she was missing. They panicked, thinking someone took their daughter or that she was hurt. "Her running away was the furthest thing from our mind," said Jim Smith. "We thought ... you hear about kids getting abducted from their homes." But they later learned that Hunt had picked their daughter up, they told WPEC. "We had no other alternative but to turn to the law, use it basically as a last resort," Jim Smith said. Bloggers have called Laurie Smith a gay basher and accused her of being abusive to her daughter. Numerous news reports have asked whether the Smiths went after the teen because of her sexual orientation. But Smith says her goal is to protect her 14-year-old, and she will not relent. "I will be an advocate of what she needs," the mother told WPEC. "The stories that people are saying ... I love my daughter. ... I'm willing to do whatever to protect her." "This whole story about you blaming Kate for making your daughter gay ... where did that come from?" a reporter asked the parents. "I don't know. It didn't come from us. That's not how we feel," Jim Smith answered. Still, Hunt's supporters say she is being prosecuted because she was in a sexual relationship with someone of the same sex. A Facebook support page the Hunt family set up called "Free Kate" has gathered more than 47,000 names. Not everyone who is posting online might have the facts of the case. A glance at postings on Facebook and Twitter show that some people are getting the ages of the girls wrong. Others have posted erroneously that Hunt is being prosecuted for numerous other charges. Regardless, everyone seems upset about the effect a felony child abuse conviction would have on Hunt, if she agreed to the plea deal. LaBahn told CNN that a felony child abuse conviction would mean that Hunt would have to disclose her felony conviction on employment applications and she could never serve on a jury. She would be prohibited from voting for a period of time, though each state has different time frames for that rule, the attorney said. She may not be able to secure student loans either, he said, and she might not be allowed to adopt or obtain a childcare license. Graves, Hunt's attorney, had earlier asked that the charges be reduced to a misdemeanor. "This is a life sentence for behavior that is all too common, whether male, female, gay, straight," Graves said at a Wednesday news conference. "High school relationships may be fleeting," she said, "but felony convictions are forever." Sat, 25 May 2013 02:58:59 GMT 20294936 2013-05-25T02:58:59Z