Around the state

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Supreme Court Tuesday denied a request by East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick that the justices reconsider their decision ordering a new mayoral election. The high court also denied a rehearing petition by the Lake County Board of Election and Registration and ordered Special Judge Steven King to order a citywide Democratic mayoral primary "resolving such administrative questions as may arise." The Supreme Court ordered a new election Aug. 6, saying the May 2003 Democratic primary was rife with corruption. In that election, Pastrick defeated George Pabey, a former city councilman and police chief, by 278 votes on his way to winning a ninth term in the heavily Democratic city. Justices denied Pastrick's rehearing request on a 4-1 vote. The election board in Lake County also petitioned the high court, asking for clarification of how to handle voters who case absentee ballots but end up being present on election day. Justices denied that rehearing request on a 3-2 vote, and left all administrative questions about a new election with King's court.
2 men killed during shoot out in Hammond home
HAMMOND, Ind. - A man who refused treatment after being shot last week was killed along with another man in an apparent shootout, police said. The Sunday shooting was the second time Monroe Winston, 27, was shot in the past week, said Officer Mike Jorden, a spokesman for the Hammond Police Department. The other victim was identified as Frederick Fuller, 19, of East Chicago. Winston was with friends at his home when Fuller and another man burst into the residence through a back door shortly after 9 p.m., Jorden said. Witnesses told investigators that Fuller ran in carrying a gun and shot at Winston repeatedly. Winston produced a gun and returned fire, with each man being shot multiple times. Winston was found dead inside his home, while Fuller was found in the alley behind the home, Jorden said. Winston was shot in the arm Aug. 14, but refused treatment, reportedly walking out of a local hospital. "At that time, he refused to cooperate with police and said he would handle the situation himself," Jorden said. Police Chief Brian Miller said a person was in custody related to the shooting but that it was too premature to speculate on whether the shooting was gang related.
Health officials report West Nile case in Hancock County
INDIANAPOLIS -- A Hancock County resident has the second human case of West Nile virus found in the state this year, health officials said Tuesday. No other information on the person's identification or condition was disclosed. Hancock County is just east of Indianapolis. The state's first West Nile case was reported last week in Benton County, along the Indiana-Illinois state line northwest of Lafayette. So far this year, 26 Indiana counties from all parts of the state have had positive test results for West Nile virus in birds and mosquitoes, the state Health Department said. The virus can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that have first bitten infected birds. Indiana's first human cases of the disease were reported in 2002, when it was blamed for 293 illnesses and 11 deaths. Those instances dropped last year to 47 cases and four deaths.