A former Morehead State University professor pleaded guilty last Friday to charges of first-degree wanton endangerment of a child under the age of 12.
Noelle L. N’Diaye, 37, appeared before Circuit Judge Beth Maze and opted to plead guilty to the Nov. 11, 2007 charges that she smoked crack cocaine while her 2-month-old daughter was in the car with her, resulting in the child testing positive for the presence of drugs in her system.
On the day of her arrest, N’Diaye was taken into custody at her Sun Street residence after her husband called the Morehead Police on a domestic disturbance and asked for the child to be drug tested.
The arrest came one day after N’Diaye was first reported missing by her husband and then turned up at the Interstate-64 rest area near Morehead.
Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Ronnie Goldy said N’Diaye’s punishment would be up to the judge, but N’Diaye could be a candidate for pretrial diversion. To qualify, a defendant must have committed a class D felony, have no prior criminal record and comply with all requests from the court. Goldy does expect her counsel to request pretrial diversion in the case.
Goldy said N’Diaye did complete a six-month drug rehabilitation program and has been working “successfully” with social services.
“She has continued her substance abuse counseling and is doing what is asked of her,” Goldy said Wednesday. “Her husband did not want her to go to jail. The fact that this lady has a lot of education, we would like to see her maintain a healthy work environment and not have a felony charge on her record. Since she has complied with everything asked of her, we don’t want to say that she needs jail time. Our main objective is the health and safety of the child and the mother has proven that she is willing to fulfill the court’s requirements. But, it all will be up to the judge.”
N’Diaye’s formal sentencing is set for Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. in Rowan Circuit Court.
The Pretrial Diversion program (PTD) is an alternative to prosecution, which seeks to divert certain offenders from traditional criminal justice processing into a program of supervision and services administered by the United Probation Service.
In the majority of cases, offenders are diverted at the pre-charge stage. Participants who successfully complete the program will not be charged or, if charged, will have the charges against them dismissed; unsuccessful participants are returned for prosecution, according to the United States Attorneys Manual.
Local News
Ex-professor pleads guilty
- Local News
-
-
Slone’s Signature Market closing today
Slone’s Signature Market in Morehead closes today, leaving behind empty shelves and months of rumors that the independently-owned grocery store was in serious financial straits.
-
Seniors, disabled can get homestead exemption
Rowan seniors and certain disabled citizens qualify for a money-saving property tax exemption, but many don’t know about it. KRS 132.220(1) allows qualifying homeowners to take a $34,000 homestead exemption on their homes.
-
RCMS students learn about ‘the body’
The first thing RCMS student Destiny Hampton heard when she got to school yesterday was that there was a dead body in James Byron’s 7th grade science class. He wasn’t dead, though. In fact, he blinked and registered a pulse, and creepy sounds came from his belly.
-
Rowan schools implement SB1…without new funds
Rowan School Supt. Marvin Moore said last Thursday that the state’s economic climate has not stopped the district from implementing key facets of SB 1, “Unbridled Learning”, the education reform bill that went into effect last year.
-
LRC plans to appeal judge’s ruling
FRANKFORT - The leadership of the General Assembly announced Thursday it plans to appeal Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd’s ruling that the legislature’s plan to re-draw state legislative boundaries is unconstitutional.
The Legislative Research Commission, made up of leaders of both parties and chambers which employ the legislative staff, issued a press release saying it plans to take its defense of House Bill 1, the legislation containing the new districts, directly to the Kentucky Supreme Court. -
Church project said held up by deed issue
The Morehead News has learned that plans to purchase a local warehouse and convert it into a church apparently have become snagged on a legal technicality – a deed covenant.
-
Coldiron named state’s outstanding school board member
One of the highlights at the annual conference of the Kentucky School Boards Association is the presentation of the Warren H. Proudfoot Award for Outstanding School Board Member.
-
Eight candidates set to run for City Council
Eight candidates have filed to run for six seats on the Morehead City Council in the November general election.
-
Rarely-used legal motion denied in court
It’s not often that the Rowan Circuit Court must consider a writ of habeas corpus, that constitutional safeguard which protects a prisoner from unlawful detention.
-
MUPB audit shows 5.8 percent increase in revenue
The Morehead Utility Plant Board received a clean audit report last Tuesday during the regular meeting of the board of directors.
- More Local News Headlines
-
