Dateline Florida

By Times Staff
Published August 23, 2007

USF STUDENTS WILL GET HEARING ON SEPT. 21

A Sept. 21 court date has been set for a South Carolina judge to hear evidence against two University of South Florida students. Ahmed Mohamed, 26, and Youssef Megahed, 21, were arrested Aug. 4 in Goose Creek, S.C., after a deputy reported finding "several pipe bombs" in the men's car trunk. The men have been held in the Berkeley County jail since their arrest. Bail for Megahed was set at $300,000. Bail for Mohamed was set at $500,000.

After hearing jurors, killer opts for judge

A day after two dozen potential jurors said they would "fry him," admitted killer Charles Grover Brant waived his right to a jury trial. Hillsborough Circuit Judge William Fuente, who had already dismissed the 78-person jury pool, began hearing testimony Wednesday in a nonjury trial. Even in jury trials in Florida, a judge makes the final decision about whether someone lives or dies. Brant, 41, pleaded guilty to killing 21-year-old Sara Radfar in July 2004. Prosecutors refused to seek any punishment short of the death penalty.