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ruled that state statutes preclude disclosure of the death investigation as developed or received by law enforcement agencies. The decision was released Monday.
• "I have worked to inform the public of the cause and manner of the tragic death of Richard Benda, as well as our uncovering of financial misconduct," Jackley said in a statement. "I am pleased that the Hearing Examiner has recognized both the protections provided by our laws and a family's privacy.
• Mercer could not immediately be reached for comment.
• The office says its decisions can be appealed to the circuit court within 30 days.
• After leaving his state job, Benda became a loan monitor for SDRC Inc., which recruited foreign investors for the failed Northern Beef Packers plant in Aberdeen and other projects in the state.
• A state investigation found that $550,000 of a $1 million state grant given to Northern Beef for construction and equipment costs was improperly diverted to SDRC Inc. to pay EB-5 immigration loan monitoring fees.
• Northern Beef opened on a limited basis in 2012 after years of delays, but the company filed for bankruptcy protection in July because it lacked money to buy cattle for slaughter. White Oak Global Advisors bought the plant at auction with a winning $44.3 million credit-and-cash bid.
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- Trial has been delayed for a Pierre teenager charged in adult court with killing another teen.
• Judge John Brown on Monday granted a continuance requested by the attorneys for 17-year-old Braiden McCahren. The teen has two new defense attorneys handling his case because his two former attorneys might be called to testify as witnesses.
• McCahren has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the December 2012 shooting death of 16-year-old Dalton Williams. McCahren was 16 at the time of the shooting that happened in his home.
• His two-week trial was to begin June 2 in Winner. Brown didn't immediately set a new date but said a status hearing likely will be held in early June.
• A motions hearing scheduled for Monday was postponed.
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• VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) -- University of South Dakota linebacker Tyler Starr

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