Poker News Round-Up: 03/03/09

Poker News Round-Up: 03/03/09

Catch up on the world of poker with our poker news roundups. This week enjoy the latest poker, albeit rather crime ridden, news.

US Judge Finds Poker a Game of Skill Not Chance but…
Cops Too Busy Playing Poker To Fight Crime
WPT Poker Star Suspect in Double Murder Case

US Judge rules Poker is a game of Skill but finds five guilty of illegal gambling
Following a trial on ‘illegal gambling’ in US state South Carolina, a judge has ruled that poker is indeed largely a game of skill.  Poker legend, Mike Sexton, appeared as an expert defence witness in the trial (as reported on 32Red Poker News in February) against five men who were arrested for running a $20 home poker game.

Despite agreeing with Sexton and the five men, that poker is a game of skill, the judge found all five guilty of illegal gambling and fined each one $262 for the offence.  The five involved immediately called for a change in the law in South Carolina and began an appeal against the decision. This poker blog will keep you informed on the situation as it develops. Watch this space…

Poker Playing Police shun Burgled man
Graham Hall was horrified to discover a rental property he owns was burgled last week.  He promptly headed to his local Thames Valley police station to report the incident in the hope of catching the criminals involved. 

Shocked Hall was met by a security guard at his local station who greeted him with a cheery; “Good evening, are you here for the poker?”  When Mr Hall explained the crime, which had recently occurred, he as given a fridge magnet with a non-emergency telephone number on it and told to call in to report the incident.
Mr Hall said; “I told him I’d come to report a crime, but he said I couldn’t do it there. I was flabbergasted – you can’t even report a crime at the police headquarters.”  He lambasted the security guard by saying; “I thought this was a police station, not a casino.”

A spokeswoman for Thames Valley police said yesterday: “The security guard assumed Mr Hall was a member of staff there for the game.

“When it became evident he was not, he explained that we could not take details and directed him to the non-emergency number.”

She said that the matter was not dealt with urgently because it was classed as a “non-dwelling burglary”.

WPT Star the main suspect in double murder case
To round up this week’s crime laden 32Red Poker News we end with the shocking news that a former World Poker Tour star has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his parents.

Ernie Scherer III is being held without bail at a Las Vegas prison following what police describe as the “brutal” murder of Scherer’s mother and father.

Scherer has a string of impressive poker results, the highlight being a 7th place finish on the World Poker Tour at the Bellagio casino in 2005.

Police raided the home of Scherer III and seized his car prior to his arrest.  Investigations are on-going.