Adoptive mother accused of abusing children in Anchorage Hillside home sentenced – six years after charges filed pencil Author: Lisa Demer clock Updated: November 2, 2017 calendar Published November 2, 2017
A woman whose parenting of six adopted children on the Anchorage Hillside included abuse, deprivation, humiliation, and torment finally faced judgment Thursday. Anchorage Superior Court Judge Michael Wolverton ordered Anya James to serve eight years, with another two years suspended, plus five years of probation. James, now 57, earlier this year pleaded guilty to two […]
Marvin Roberts, one of Fairbanks Four, files civil rights suit against city By Robin Wood, rwood@newsminer.com Dec 7, 2017
FAIRBANKS—Marvin Roberts, one of the Fairbanks Four, is suing the city of Fairbanks and four Fairbanks Police Department officers over what he maintains was his wrongful imprisonment for the 1997 beating death of 15-year-old John Hartman. Roberts held his daughter, Lorelai, dressed in purple fleece, as his attorney filed the federal civil rights lawsuit Thursday […]
Lawsuit says Fairbanks Four man was wrongly convicted and jailed for 18 years pencil Author: Lisa Demer clock Updated: December 11, 2017 calendar Published December 9, 2017
Marvin Roberts, one of the Fairbanks Four, photographed on Oct. 19, 2016. (Loren Holmes / ADN file)Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via EmailShare on TumblrShare on RedditShare on LinkedInShare on Google PlusPrint article He was high school valedictorian before he became one of the Fairbanks Four convicted in the 1997 beating death of 15-year-old John Hartman. Now […]
Alaska Innocence Project: Marvin’s Story
Alaska Innocence Project: Marvin’s Story from C+L Creative on Vimeo. Marvin Roberts of the Fairbanks Four recounts his story of being wrongfully convicted of murder and imprisoned for nearly two decades. He credits the Alaska Innocence Project for giving him his life back and urges Alaskans to support their mission.
Give the Fairbanks Four their PFDs By Bill Oberly and Luke Hopkins Mar 14, 2018
FAIRBANKS — On Dec. 15, 2015, the convictions of Marvin Roberts, Kevin Pease, George Frese, and Eugene Vent, known collectively as the Fairbanks Four, were vacated and all of the charges against them were dismissed. The four were free to walk out of the courthouse but had nothing to show for their last eighteen years. […]
Wasilla teacher charged with sexual assaults on students over a decade pencil Author: Zaz Hollander clock Updated: September 27, 2018 calendar Published September 27, 2018
Lukis Nighswonger appears in court telephonically for his arraignment on charges of sexual abuse of a minor Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 in Palmer. (Loren Holmes / ADN)Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via EmailShare on TumblrShare on RedditShare on LinkedInShare on Google PlusPrint article PALMER — A popular Wasilla fourth-grade teacher faces felony charges of sexually abusing […]
Child Protection in Alaska struggles to maintain staff, manage caseloads. By Jill Burke | Posted: Thu 9:30 PM, May 02, 2019 | Updated: Fri 7:10 AM, May 03, 2019
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) — As many as 3,000 children are in foster care in Alaska on any given day, spread across some 1,300 licensed foster homes, according to Alaska’s Office of Children’s Services. The workload for front line workers can be overwhelming. Understaffing and high case loads put strain on a job that’s already emotionally difficult. […]
In emotional hearing, former adopted children confront Hillside mother accused of abuse pencil Author: Michelle Theriault Boots clock Updated: October 25, 2017 calendar Published October 24, 2017
Adoptive mother Anya James, center, listens to testimony during her sentencing at the Nesbett Courthouse on Tuesday. (Bill Roth / Alaska Dispatch News) The adopted children of an Anchorage woman accused of abusing them for years in a Hillside home finally confronted her in Anchorage criminal court at a sentencing hearing Tuesday. It was a moment […]
City ordered to pay for most of Shoppers Forum mall chemical cleanup Sam Friedman, sfriedman@newsminer.com Jul 27, 2017
FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks city government must pay more than half the bill for cleaning up toxic dry cleaning chemicals at the Shoppers Forum Mall, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason issued the order Tuesday in the dispute between the city and Shoppers Forum owner Gavora Inc. She ruled the city […]
Alaska Supreme Court rules sex abuse victim can sue OCS Sam Friedman, sfriedman@newsminer.com May 23, 2017
FAIRBANKS — A Fairbanks child sex abuse victim will have another chance to sue Alaska’s foster care system due to an Alaska Supreme Court opinion published Friday. In 2012, a woman who was sexually abused by foster brother Rolin N. Allison Jr., sued the state in a civil case. She claimed the state was negligent in its […]