Don Thompson, Associated Press Updated 5:05 pm, Monday, May 21, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-3', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 3', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP Image 1of/3 CaptionClose Image 1 of 3 FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2004, file photo, musician Jonathan Richman, left, joins a group of anti-death penalty advocates attending a rally in downtown San Francisco. Kevin Cooper, 60, is still awaiting execution for the 1983 Chino Hills hatchet and knife killings of four people. U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris says California's governor should allow advanced DNA testing that advocates say could exonerate a death row inmate, Friday, May 18, 2018. The 60-year-old inmate was convicted of the 1983 Los Angeles-area hatchet and knife … [Read more...] about California prosecutor opposes new DNA test in 1983 murders
Less rest may work better for Rockets
By Jerome Solomon, Houston Chronicle Published 7:00 pm, Monday, May 21, 2018 Photo: Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle After having just one day between playoff games this year, the Rockets are 6-0. They hope that trend continues in Game 4 against the Warriors on Tuesday. After having just one day between playoff games this year, the... SAN FRANCISCO – The whining about scheduling wasn't as bad this season as it has been, since the NBA has puts some effort into minimizing the number of back-to-back games teams are forced to play. As for the Rockets, they breezed through the regular season, winning 10 of 14 games (71.4 percent) on the second night of back-to-backs. But give them a little rest and they were better. They won 79.5 percent of their games on one day of rest and 76.9 percent of their games on two days rest. When the schedule afforded them at least three days rest, the Rockets were unbeaten (5-0). … [Read more...] about Less rest may work better for Rockets
Fairfax Co. woman charged in stabbing death of her uncle
WASHINGTON — A Fairfax County woman has been charged with fatally stabbing her uncle Monday morning. In a statement, Fairfax County police said that Chardnay Southern, 22, stabbed her uncle Courtney Southern, 30, at about 11 a.m. in a house in the 8000 block of Steadman Street in Alexandria’s Mount Vernon section, where they lived with other members of their family. She stabbed her uncle in the upper body, the police said; he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Chardnay Southern has been charged with murder. Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in conversation about this article and others. © 2018 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. … [Read more...] about Fairfax Co. woman charged in stabbing death of her uncle
Protests on eve of Montgomery Co. Council’s vote on funding deportation defenses
By Kate Ryan | @KateRyanWTOP May 21, 2018 6:14 pm 05/21/2018 06:14pm Protesters visited the Montgomery County courthouse on Monday to ask that the council reduce the number of restrictions on those eligible for legal aid in deportation cases. ROCKVILLE — The Montgomery County Council is set to vote Tuesday afternoon on a special budget appropriation of more than $373,000 to help low-income residents facing deportation pay their legal bills. But before the vote, a number of people who think the plan sets too many restrictions on those who would qualify for the aid staged a protest outside the county courthouse Monday afternoon. The protesters included those representing CASA of Maryland; a religious group known as Sanctuary DMV, and the Maryland ACLU. They said changes to the original resolution, suggested by John McCarthy, the Montgomery County state’s attorney, go too far and will significantly reduce the number of people who can be helped. … [Read more...] about Protests on eve of Montgomery Co. Council’s vote on funding deportation defenses
ACLU urges Baltimore Co. schools to clarify protest policy
WASHINGTON — The ACLU of Maryland is urging Baltimore County Public Schools to update their policies after an 11-year-old Catonsville student was reprimanded for kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance. In a letter to the school district, the ACLU outlines an incident involving sixth-grader Mariana Taylor, who silently took a knee next to her desk during the Pledge of Allegiance Feb. 25. “I decided to kneel because there is a lot of things I really don’t agree with in the country happening — racism, sexism and the person in the White House, particularly the [border] wall — it’s not OK,” the 11-year-old said in an ACLU statement. “I feel like it’s important to stand up for what I believe in, and I want to inspire other people to do it, too.” According to Mariana and another student, Mariana’s teacher confronted her about kneeling, saying that rules require that she stand during the pledge, and “inappropriately … [Read more...] about ACLU urges Baltimore Co. schools to clarify protest policy
DC man accused of trying to blame his son, other kids in toddler’s death
WASHINGTON — A D.C. man facing first-degree murder in the death of a one-year-old boy is accused of trying to blame the child’s death on his own son and other kids the child played with. Brian Wooden, 28, took care of his girlfriend’s 1-year-old son, Carter Sanders, all day on May 16 while she was at work, charging documents said. The boy spent part of the day in Wooden’s uncle’s care while Wooden attended a domestic violence training session, they said. Later that afternoon, Wooden told Sanders’ mother they went to the pool, where Sanders played with other kids, including Wooden’s 3-year-old biological son. The mother of the 3-year-old, however, told the police the boy was in day care all day long and never went to the pool, the documents said. Hours later, D.C. Fire and EMS responders rushed Sanders from Wooden’s apartment on Benning Road Southeast to the hospital, where he died. A medical examiner ruled Sanders’ death a homicide … [Read more...] about DC man accused of trying to blame his son, other kids in toddler’s death
Chris Packham keeps roadkill in his freezer – to feed foxes in his garden
SPRINGWATCH presenter Chris Packham says he keeps roadkill in his freezer to feed foxes in his garden. The eccentric animal activist reveals he will defrost the carcasses for the cubs of his “favourite mammal” this summer. BBC star Chris, 57, says: “They’re so beautiful and to watch them playing is just amazing. I share my space with them. “Now I can help them. I’ve got an enormous quantity of roadkill in a large freezer. I’m going to defrost it and feed it to them.” MOST READ IN UK NEWSBEACH WARFARE German WW2 mine washes up on Bognor Regis beach PREG-AN MARKLE Meghan will be pregnant ‘before she can spell Torquay’ royal expert claims BITTER SISTER Meghan's sister Samantha claims mum Doria is 'cashing in' on Royal Wedding STABBED TO DEATH CCTV catches man running from murder scene just moments after knife attack PICTURE PERFECT First official photographs from Prince Harry and Meghan's Royal Wedding 'OH MY GOD!' Moment Meghan … [Read more...] about Chris Packham keeps roadkill in his freezer – to feed foxes in his garden
New treasures could be found as royal burial site to see first dig in decades
PUBLISHED: 16:11 21 May 2018 | UPDATED: 16:11 21 May 2018 Richard Cornwell Work taking place on the original 1939 dig which uncovered the burial ship at Sutton Hoo Picture: BRITISH MUSEUM Archant The project is part of the preparations for the creation of a new viewing tower over the Anglo-Saxon site, part of a bold and ambitious £4million lottery-backed scheme called Releasing the Sutton Hoo Story aimed at transform the experience for visitors. A computer-generated image of the viewing tower to be built at Sutton Hoo Picture: NISSEN RICHARDS STUDIO Led by a team of archaeologists from Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), the dig will also see Sutton Hoo staff and volunteers taking a hands-on role and working alongside the experts throughout the week. Allison Girling, property operations manager at Sutton Hoo, said: “This is the first dig to happen so close to the burial mounds since 1991, so we’ve been working really closely with the team from MOLA to … [Read more...] about New treasures could be found as royal burial site to see first dig in decades
The princes, the president and the fortune seekers
WASHINGTON (AP) — After a year spent carefully cultivating two princes from the Arabian Peninsula, Elliott Broidy, a top fundraiser for President Donald Trump, thought he was finally close to nailing more than $1 billion in business. He had ingratiated himself with crown princes from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who were seeking to alter U.S. foreign policy and punish Qatar, an archrival in the Gulf that he dubbed “the snake.” To do that, the California businessman had helped spearhead a secret campaign to influence the White House and Congress, flooding Washington with political donations. Broidy and his business partner, Lebanese-American George Nader, pitched themselves to the crown princes as a backchannel to the White House, passing the princes’ praise — and messaging — straight to the president’s ears. Now, in December 2017, Broidy was ready to be rewarded for all his hard work. It was time to cash in. In return for pushing … [Read more...] about The princes, the president and the fortune seekers
Senators press Pruitt for details on new legal defense fund
WASHINGTON (AP) — Four Senate Democrats asked Scott Pruitt on Monday for details about a new legal defense fund to help the Environmental Protection Agency administrator as he weathers a series of federal ethics investigations. Pruitt confirmed at a Senate hearing last week that people he did not identify have created the legal defense fund in his behalf, but he gave no specifics on its operation. Officials typically use such funds to help cover any legal bills for themselves and sometimes for others. Under questioning last week from Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Pruitt said, “Yeah, absolutely” when Van Hollen asked him to commit to refusing any donations to the fund from lobbyists or companies with business before the EPA. Neither Pruitt nor the EPA has made public any other information about his defense fund since then. Pruitt is the subject of probes by the EPA’s inspector general, the Government Accountability Office, Congress and others investigating … [Read more...] about Senators press Pruitt for details on new legal defense fund