District developer acquitted of fraud, conspiracy charges
A D.C. jury voted Friday to acquit developer Douglas Jemal on charges that he bribed officials to get government contracts at taxpayers' expense, according to The Washington Post.
Jemal was found guilty on a lesser charge of wiretapping, but the jury rejected the U.S. District Court's larger case of fraud and conspiracy.
Jemal, 63, is known for his work in adding stores, restaurants and housing units to the area surrounding the Verizon Center. According to The Post, Jemal is working on plans to develop areas near the Anacostia riverfront and in the Richmond area.
"We're relieved, of course," Reid H. Weingarten, the lead defense attorney for Jemal, told The Post. "He was charged with horrible crimes, of ripping off the District - charges that never should have been brought."
-KYRA SMERKANICH
Map allows users to see when, where crimes occur in D.C.
The D.C. city government unveiled its new crime map application, which allows people to log on to dc.gov and access a map that plots where and when crime occurs in the city, according to DCist.com.
The crime map allows users and law enforcement to look at when crime happens most and the location of the various crimes so they can gain a greater understanding of which areas of the city are more likely to have crimes committed in them, according to DCist.com.
DCist.com stated that the system is slow when processing requests but that this could be because the map is a new feature.
-K.S.
Gallaudet revokes appointment of university president
Gallaudet University's Board of Trustees voted yesterday to revoke the appointment of the university's future president due to month-long protests from students, faculty, alumni and staff.
The Board of Trustees voted to terminate Provost Jane K. Fernandes' position of President-Designate. She was scheduled to replace current president I. King Jordan on Jan. 1, according to The Washington Post.
The board of the country's only university for the deaf said in a statement released Sunday evening they made their decision in the "best interests of the university," according to Gallaudet's Web site.
Fernandes said in a statement on Gallaudent's Web site, "It is with deep regret that I heard the board's decision to terminate my contract. I love Gallaudet University, and I believe I could have made a significant contribution to its future."
-REBECCA KERN
