A U.S. Supreme Court conference will be held Thursday in the city of Sherrill vs. the Oneida Indian Nation case, following the Oneida Indian Nation petitioning April 25 for the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its March 29 decision.

The Oneidas are arguing that the nation did not have the opportunity to counter an argument the court's decision relied on: that the Oneidas waited too long to successfully reclaim sovereignty on the land they bought in their historic territory.

Successful petitions to grant rehearings of cases are exceedingly rare, according to a Supreme Court practice manual. In 1999, 568 rehearing petitions were filed, but all were denied by the court.

If the conference results in an order from the court, it will be released May 23. If the conference does not result in an order, another conference may be scheduled.

Student pleads guilty to kicking door

A Cayuga Community College student who Auburn city police said kicked down the door to the first-floor office in Lattimore Hall to gain attention to the theft of his laptop in April, pleaded guilty in Auburn City Court Tuesday to a violation charge of disorderly conduct.

Poughkeepsie native Steven D. Taylor, 18, of 81 Genesee St.-Apt. 1-B, was sentenced to 25 hours of community service.

Gang leader claims abuse at county jail

A Syracuse gang leader convicted in August of federal racketeering conspiracy charges filed a notice of claim last week charging that Cayuga County correctional officers assaulted him Nov. 15 in the Cayuga County Jail's cafeteria.

Boot Camp gang leader Karo Brown was convicted of using violence to control the gang's turf on Syracuse's South Side.

Like other federal prisoners who are often boarded-in at the county facility, Brown was incarcerated last fall in Cayuga County pending his sentencing.

Cayuga County Sheriff Rob Outhouse declined comment, citing a policy to not comment on litigation, and county attorney Fred Westphal could not be reached for comment.

Area arts session at Cornell cooperative

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County will host a session on "Women Building Communities," the community arts project sponsored by the Cayuga County Arts Council. The event will be 8-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 25 at the extension center at 248 Grant Ave.

Guest speakers for the event are arts council president Dia Carabajal and Amy Lee, the lead artist on the project.

For more information, call Cooperative Extension at 255-1183.

- From staff reports