Sun-Journal from Lewiston, Maine • A2

Lewiston, Maine, Saturday, August 4, 2007 A 2 ORRECTIONS To correct an error in a news or sports story, editorial, column, obituary or other news item, phone our reader representative, Mari Maxwell, at 689-2857. MAINE a i i i i 782-4102 or 329-3383 Specializing in Complete Home Remodeling Improvement Garages, Decks and More! Over 25 ears Experience Great References A vailable Fully Insured FREE Estimates A OLLECTIBLE Collectors Delight Located in the Old Dexter Shoe Building 615 U.S. Rt. 2 in Wilton 645-5012 Open 7 Days a Week 9am-5pm buying quality GRAND OPENING! Friday, Saturday Sunday August 3 rd 4 th 5 th from 9-5 Dail 1 0 Any Item Over 10 FREE Refreshments Large Variety of Antiques Collectible Specializing in the Odd Unusual! ROUTE DRIVER Sun Journal Seeks Independent Contractor for an established motor ro ute in the Per and Wo thly Pond area Inter ested candidates must have a eliable vehicle and be available in the early mor ning hours. For mor infor mation contact the Sun Jour nal Of fice at 1-800-782-8728 Ext.

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Equal Pay 2.89 9 For Plans 1 and 2 4. Downside .15 $75 New Customer Bonus. Landlord Discounts. Prices subject to change daily OIL PROPANE INC. 782-1362 Incorrect organization NEWRY Three Lewiston High School students killed in a plane crash last year in Newry were ROTC cadets.

They were incorrectly linked to another organization in one reference of a story published on page A10 of edition and on June 22. Heart condition POLAND A heart condition that led to the death of Androscoggin County Department diver David Rancourt last November was a condition unknown to Rancourt or his family before his death. The condition was discovered in a postmortem examination. Clarification GRAFTON NOTCH Emergency personnel with the Newry Fire Department assisted in the search and recovery of a body at Grafton Notch on Monday, and the treatment of dehydrated hiker Thomas Culver, 30, of Rumford on Tuesday. Grafton Notch is the primary response area for the department.

The name and first name and age were inadvertently omitted in a story published Thursday on page B2 of the River Valley edition, and published Friday on B2 of the Franklin County and Oxford Hills editions. Wrong company BETHEL A story in River Valley and Oxford Hills editions on flood damage should have stated that the insurance agent who deferred comment works for Northeast Bank Insurance Group Inc. of Bethel. OSE EIVA UN OURNAL The historic Bradford House on Pine Street in Lewiston will be torn down following a July fire that caused extensive damage. ARK A LAMME Staff Writer LEWISTON The fate of the Bradford House on Pine Street has been foretold with one word painted on century- old bricks.

The word is and it promises that the historic building will be torn down by demolition expert Roland Chabot. A month after a suspicious fire damaged the building, the Historic Preservation Review Board voted to have it torn down. It was a narrow vote and one that followed passionate debate. was a very good said Gil Arsenault, director of code enforcement in Lewiston. was a very difficult decision for the board to make.

a beautiful The board voted 4-3 in favor of demolition and agreed to waive a 90-day waiting period. Damage to the building from the fire was estimated at $1 million. Potential dangers in leaving the vacant structure standing prompted the waiver. the extent of damage, it was not seen that the property could be Arsenault said. consensus of the board is that the fate of the building has been Roland Chabot Demolition of Auburn marks buildings to be torn down with given name, and is expected to begin his work soon, though no specific date was available.

The future of the property on which the Bradford House sits was not immediately known. The building is owned by 8th District Court Judge Paul Cote and his mother, Joan. The building stands close to Pine Street between Bates and Park streets. really frames that Arsenault said. really going to leave a gap in the downtown.

sad to be losing such a nice The Bradford House, designed by architect George Coombs, was originally a private home and office space for homeopathic physician William Bradford in 1876. He practiced there for 50 years. Before the mysterious Fourth of July fire gutted the building, three law offices worked out of the Bradford House. On the first floor was Cote, Hamann and Fournier; on the second floor was Chris and across the hall, John Whalen. The fire apparently started in the basement at the rear of the late 1880s-vintage building and burned a small portion of the first floor.

Flames later made their way up a pipe chase to the third floor, which was used as a storage area. Although police have not declared the blaze an arson, it has been treated as suspicious almost from the start. Police and fire investigators have been searching for potential witnesses who may have seen someone in or near the building shortly before the fire was reported. By Friday, no arrests had been made and no official cause had been released. Historic Bradford House targeted for demolition HRISTOPHER ILLIAMS Staff Writer AUBURN The family of shooting victim Melissa Mendoza is suing the Sabattus man convicted earlier this year of her murder.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Androscoggin County Superior Court against Daniel Roberts and claims wrongful death in addition to: emotional distress; conscious pain and suffering; loss of consortium; loss of comfort, society and companionship; pecuniary loss; the cost of medical care; and burial. The suit says Mendoza went to home in Sabattus early in the morning of Aug. 15, 2005, He fatally shot her in the back of the head with a .38 caliber revolver. actions were done with or implied the suit claims. Roberts is serving a 55-year sentence at Maine State Prison following a three-week trial in February.

He is appealing both conviction and sentence. He claimed the shooting was self- defense, telling police Mendoza had stolen one of his guns and told him she planned to kill their daughter, Roberts then herself. His trial attorney, Leonard Sharon, said the conviction was flawed because the jury was selected improperly, and the judge who presided over the trial refused to allow a hearing on whether she was biased based on her earlier work as an for victims of domestic Sharon said the sentence may have been skewed because many of the letters passed along to the judge in the case, including two read in court by the prosecutor, were improper and might have unfairly prejudiced the judge. Mary Mireles of Tustin, mother, brought the suit on behalf of estate. Roberts and Mendoza have a 4-year-old daughter, Savanna, who now lives with family in California.

Mendoza also had a son, 13, and a daughter, 10, from a previous relationship. suit was accompanied by a motion to put the case on hold until the Maine Su preme Judicial Court has ruled on appeals. Last year, while awaiting trial, Roberts sued Mireles and sister, charging them with infliction of emotional He claimed the two women had helped Mendoza to fly Savanna back to California during his custody period. The couple had been embroiled in a bitter custody dispute at the time of the shooting. Mendoza had countersued Roberts for the same charge.

Both parties later dropped those suits. Mendoza family sues for wrongful death Mendoza Lewiston panel votes for its razing by a slim margin HRISTOPHER ILLIAMS Staff Writer AUBURN A Lewiston man convicted of kidnapping and murdering an 81-year-old man in 2003 be getting a new trial. An Androscoggin County Superior Court judge on Friday rejected a claim by Shaun Tuttle, 24, that his attorney, Thomas Goodwin of Portland, made mistakes that might have prevented him from getting a fair trial. Tuttle was sentenced to 47 years in prison. His 2005 trial was joined with that of David Lakin, 25, for the murder of James McManus of Lewiston by running over his head with the car then stuffing his body in the trunk.

new court-appointed attorney, Donald Hornblower, called on Goodwin and Tuttle to testify Friday in his bid for a new trial. In his petition to the court, Tuttle alleged that Goodwin: failed to explain to Tuttle the consequences of waiving his constitutional right not to testify at his trial; should have had Tuttle testify only after Lakin had presented his defense; should have done a better job of screening witnesses testifying on behalf; failed to call expert witnesses in an effort to impeach incriminating testimony; and failed to find and have testify any witnesses from a Lewiston bar who would say that Tuttle was drunk on the night McManus was killed. A defendant convicted of a crime who has lost an appeal before the highest court is allowed to petition the court for a post-conviction review seeking a new trial. The defendant must show his constitutional rights were violated. Had he been successful, he could have been granted a new trial, independent from Lakin.

But Justice Thomas Delahanty II announced his ruling shortly after Tuttle stepped down from the witness stand. He said Tuttle failed to prove that Goodwin done his job. Delahanty noted that Goodwin had a wealth of experience in his 31 years as a practicing lawyer, most of those as a prosecutor. Delahanty said Tuttle had been made aware of his option to remain silent and chose not to. Goodwin had testified that he encouraged Tuttle to take the stand and tell his story truthfully in order to counter inconsistent statements he had made to police during multiple interviews.

attorney had used those contradictory statements against Tuttle at trial in an effort to diminish his credibility before the jury. Tuttle claimed Goodwin prepared him well enough for that questioning and, consequently, Tuttle panicked under the pressure of the moment. But Tuttle said Friday that he would have answered the questions largely the same, even if Goodwin had questioned him under oath before lawyer. Delahanty said Goodwin had acted like good trial when he screened witnesses at Androscoggin County Jail who provided him with statements favorable to Tuttle, but, once in court, those same witnesses had trouble recalling those statements. In finding there were for a new trial, Delahanty told Tuttle that post- conviction reviews should not be used to trial employed by defense attorneys.

Judge rejects request for new trial Tuttle AUGUSTA (AP) Gov. John Baldacci announced that 60 jobs were coming to Washington County following a meeting aimed at discussing economic opportunities following the announcement of job cuts at the Woodland Mill. Damar Dore announced during the discussion that his company, ICS of Maine a composites company, would begin hiring by September for a new facility being built in Baileyville, Baldacci said in a statement. Attending the meeting were Maine Economic and Community Development Commissioner John Richardson, Transportation Commissioner David Cole and Deputy Labor Commissioner Jane Gilbert. Washington County to get new jobs.