- Court won't force Calif officials to defend Prop 8
(AP)
AP - A California court has refused to order Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown to appeal a ruling that overturned the state's gay marriage ban.
- NY court dismisses case against Italian U.N. "biter"
(Reuters)
Reuters - A U.S. judge on Thursday dismissed the case against a former U.N. employee accused of biting a U.N. security guard after complaining of nepotism at the world body.
- Ohio gov spares killer who claimed innocence
(AP)
AP - A condemned inmate had his life spared Thursday when Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland cited "legitimate questions" about evidence used to convict the inmate, even though the governor believes the prisoner committed the crimes.
- Mass. man accused of killing kin pleads not guilty
(AP)
AP - A Massachusetts man accused of killing his wife, two children and mother-in-law pleaded not guilty Thursday to four counts of first-degree murder as a prosecutor described how he left two copies of a letter confessing to the slayings.
- Chicago gangs to top cop: You're not playing fair
(AP)
AP - Several current and ex-gang members lashed out at Chicago's police chief on Thursday, calling his so-called "gang summit" initiative to crack down on crime a wasted effort that will have little effect on the streets of the county's third largest city.
- Judge punishes Michigan juror for Facebook post
(AP)
AP - A Detroit-area woman who was removed from a jury for commenting about the ongoing case on Facebook has a longer writing task ahead: a five-page essay about the constitutional right to a fair trial.
- US scammer bought, resold nearly 27,000 credit card numbers
(AFP)
AFP - A US man pleaded guilty Wednesday to fraudulently obtaining nearly 27,000 credit card numbers and selling them on to other scammers, who used them to make purchases.
- Correction: Islamic Charity-Trial
(AP)
AP - In a story Aug. 31 about the trial of the former head of the Oregon branch of the Islamic charity Al-Haramain, The Associated Press misspelled the last name of an assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case. The prosecutor's correct name is Charles F. Gorder Jr., not Gordon.
- Court battle set over giant NYC housing complex
(Reuters)
Reuters - The future of an 80-acre New York apartment complex will be at stake on Thursday as a judge considers whether a venture led by a prominent hedge fund investor may conduct a foreclosure auction.
- Suspect hit with top murder counts in NY shooting
(AP)
AP - A grand jury indicted a high school dropout on upgraded charges of first-degree murder Wednesday in three of four fatal shootings outside a downtown Buffalo bar.
- 6th teen is sentenced in NY hate crime stabbing
(AP)
AP - A New York teenager convicted for his role in the stabbing death of an Ecuadorean immigrant has received an eight-year prison term.
- GI's mental health questioned in WikiLeaks case
(AP)
AP - An Army private is undergoing medical tests to determine his mental state in a case alleging he leaked classified material to WikiLeaks, his lawyer said Wednesday.
- Expert: Charities sent money to Islamic fighters
(AP)
AP - An expert witness for the prosecution testified Tuesday that Islamic charities based in Saudi Arabia, including the one an Oregon tree surgeon is accused of smuggling money for, were regular conduits of funding to Muslim fighters in the volatile Caucasus region.
- State Courts Aim to Reduce Mistrials with More Juror Info
(Time.com)
Time.com - Federal courts are wary, but state judges have been introducing reforms to cut down the rate of mistrials
- Survivor in western AZ shooting in good condition
(AP)
AP - A woman who survived a weekend shooting that left five people dead in western Arizona told a 911 dispatcher that she was shot in the neck and wasn't sure whether others around her were breathing.
- Florida voters canât strip down Obama health-care bill, judge rules
(The Christian Science Monitor)
The Christian Science Monitor - The Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a ballot initiative that sought to amend the stateâs constitution to establish that Florida residents have a right to refuse to purchase mandatory health insurance â including under President Obamaâs reform effort.
- Judge doubts prosecutors can prove 2 key charges
(AP)
AP - The judge in the Anna Nicole Smith drug conspiracy trial said Tuesday he doubted prosecutors can prove key charges against two doctors and the lawyer-boyfriend of the late Playboy model.
- NY synagogue plot suspect heard boasting on tape
(AP)
AP - A down-and-out Muslim man, under pressure from a paid FBI informant, admitted he was eager to attack a New York synagogue to vent his rage against Jews and U.S. military might in the Middle East, according to tapes played Tuesday at his trial.
- Texas man slits throat in court after sentencing
(AP)
AP - A suburban Dallas man used a thin blade from a safety razor to slit his throat in an apparent suicide attempt Tuesday in the courtroom where a judge had just sentenced him to 40 years in prison.
- Ex-Argentine officer fights extradition from US
(AP)
AP - A former Argentine navy lieutenant wanted for prosecution in his homeland for his alleged role in a 1972 massacre of leftist guerrillas has committed no crime and should not be sent back, his attorney told a U.S. judge Tuesday.