German reptile collector caught at airport with 44 lizards in pants WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – A German reptile collector has been jailed for 14 weeks and must pay 5,00 New Zealand dollars (3,540 U.S. dollars) for plundering New Zealand’s wild gecko and skink populations, a judge has ruled. Hans Kurt Kubus, 58, is to be deported to Germany as soon as he is released from prison, Judge Colin Doherty ordered Tuesday. – – – At least 51 Haitians detained in Bahamas; future unclear NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) – At least 51 Haitian migrants were detained in the Bahamas, and authorities differed Tuesday on whether they would be released or face charges. It wasn’t immediately clear if the migrants were victims of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12, killing at least 150,000 people. Thousands of Haitians were already fleeing to neighboring Caribbean islands every year before the quake. – – – 79-year-old jewel thief facing new charge in Santa Ana, California SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) – An international jewel thief who claims to have pocketed a small fortune in gems while shoplifting in ritzy stores from New York to Monte Carlo has been arrested in Orange County for allegedly trying to steal a coat. Doris Payne, 79, was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Superior Court on a felony count of grand theft, district attorney’s spokeswoman Farrah Emami said. – – – Man sentenced for encouraging kids to beat, kill mother with bat LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – A Kansas man who encouraged his children to try to kill their mother by beating her with a baseball bat has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Arthur Davis III of Lawrence was sentenced Monday for attempted first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and contributing to a child’s misconduct. Prosecutors say Davis encouraged his 12-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son to kill his ex-wife last June. After the children began beating her, Davis went to her house and joined the attack. The woman escaped and was treated for cuts to her head. The daughter was granted immunity for testifying against her father. The son entered a plea to a reduced charge of aggravated battery and was sentenced Friday to three years in state custody. He will serve the sentence at a state youth center. – – – 39-year-old homeless man on trial in Covington beating death COVINGTON, La. (AP) – A 39-year-old homeless man is on trial in St. Tammany Parish in the death of a 64-year-old artist whose decomposed body was found in her downtown Covington apartment. Kevin Williams is charged with second-degree murder in the beating death of Ilena Lyons in the summer of 2008. Her body was found July 10, about two weeks after her death, and Williams was arrested July 15, 2008. Assistant District Attorney Nick Noriea Jr. told jurors Monday that DNA evidence links Williams to the death. Public defense attorney Peter Ierardi IV said the evidence is circumstantial. Two witnesses testified Monday that, in July 2008, Williams talked about having killed someone. Two others testified that he asked them to cash Lyons’ checks. – – – Police officers stop cyclist with butcher knife-pool cue axe ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) – Alexandria police said a man stopped for riding his bicycle at night without a headlight was carrying a weapon made from a butcher knife attached to a pool cue. They said the 51-year-old man also had a razor blade in his hat. He was booked with illegally carrying a weapon, resisting an officer, public intoxication and at least five outstanding warrants. The police report said the suspect originally gave police a fake name. An officer patted him down and found a metal push rod that appeared to be used for smoking crack cocaine. They also found a prescription painkiller in someone else’s name. – – – Early voting in mayor race heavy as Saints plan Super Bowl NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The Secretary of State’s office in Baton Rouge says early voting in the New Orleans mayor’s race has been heavier than usual. On Saturday, the first day of early voting, 1,865 people cast ballots. That’s three more than were cast in New Orleans on the first day of early voting in the 2008 presidential race, according to a spokesman for Secretary of State Jay Dardenne. Early voting was also reported to be heavier than normal on Monday. Candidates have been encouraging early voting as the Saints prepare to head to Miami for the Super Bowl, which takes place the day after the Feb. 6 election. Another reason for New Orleans residents to vote early is the fact that election day falls in the middle of the first big weekend of Carnival season parades. – – – – Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at [email protected] ‘