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Megahed's Videos Remain Off-Limits

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 22, 2009

A federal appeals court handed prosecutors a defeat Wednesday in the case of a former University of South Florida student awaiting trial on charges he illegally transported explosives.

The prosecution lost its appeal of a ruling by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday in the case of Youssef Megahed. Prosecutors wanted to show jurors videos investigators found on Megahed's computer of rockets firing in the Middle East.

The prosecution also was barred from showing jurors a video made by Megahed's co-defendant, Ahmed Mohamed, and posted on YouTube in which Mohamed demonstrates how to use a remote-controlled toy to detonate a bomb.

Mohamed was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to helping terrorists in connection with the YouTube video. Megahed is not accused of involvement with that video.

Prosecutors said showing the videos was crucial to proving Megahed's intent when he traveled with Mohamed to South Carolina. The two were arrested there in 2007 after sheriff's deputies found what they said were explosive devices in the pair's car trunk.

The defense argued the videos were irrelevant and inflammatory and that the only issue to be decided at trial is whether the items in the trunk meet the legal definition of explosives.

Megahed's trial was put on hold while the appeals court considered the prosecution's appeal. It will be up to Merryday to schedule a new trial date.

Trial Begins In Tot's Death

TAMPA - Like many mothers, Gayle Gould gave in to her 3-year-old's repeated request.

"He kept insisting to go outside and play," she said of her son, Eddie.

She gave in.

"The next thing I know, he was dead," Gould said. "Pete ran him over."

Pete is Pete Dreydoppel, 53, the Goulds' neighbor at Alafia Riverwoods Mobile Home Park, 6521 River Road.

Dreydoppel went on trial Wednesday on a DUI-manslaughter charge in the toddler's death Feb. 7.

Prosecutors say Dreydoppel was impaired when he drove his Nissan pickup home.

Deputy Jayson Noble testified Dreydoppel had no odor of alcohol or marijuana and wasn't slurring words when interviewed at the scene.

Noble said he followed Dreydoppel into his trailer to let him use the bathroom. He said he noticed drug paraphernalia on a coffee table. When they went outside, Dreydoppel collapsed.

The trial continues today.

Drinker's Last Call Is To 911

When the staff at ShangriLa Gentleman's Oasis scooped up his drink about 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to shut down for the night, Roberto Benigno Campos of St. Petersburg called 911 to say he had been robbed, an affidavit states.

Officers arrived at the bikini bar at 2310 N. Dale Mabry Highway, sized up the situation and told Campos no crime had been committed.

Campos, 33, was undeterred and called 911 three more times to report a drink robbery, an affidavit states.

Police charged him with misdemeanor misuse of the 911 .

Campos was released Wednesday morning after posting $500 bail.

Teen Guilty In Taped Beating

Brittany Mayes, one of five Polk County teenagers accused in the videotaped beating of Victoria Lindsay, has pleaded guilty to one charge of misdemeanor battery.

Mayes entered her plea Tuesday; a judge will make a decision on her sentence March 5. The maximum penalty for the charge is one year in jail.

Mayes first was arrested in April along with four other teen girls and two teen boys accused of participating in an attack on the then-16-year-old Lindsay and recording the beating on video.

Charges against the boys, who were accused of acting as lookouts, were dropped. The four girls - Mercades Nichols, Brittni Hardcastle, Kayla Hassell and April Cooper - still face charges, and prosecutors say their cases may go to trial.

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