Louisiana prisoner freed after 41 years of unconstitutional life sentence
(Reuters) – A Louisiana man walked free from the state’s notorious Angola prison late on Friday after serving 41 years of an unconstitutional life sentence over the shooting death of a white high school student during a violent and racially charged cha…
Friend of Charleston church shooting suspect pleads guilty to lying
CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) – The white man accused of slaying nine black parishioners last year at a South Carolina church planned the shooting for six months and wanted to start a race war, said a friend who pleaded guilty on Friday to federal charges…
Ohio police say threat against ‘American students’ not credible
(Reuters) – An anonymous video posted on social media that threatened “American students” with death, prompting five Ohio school districts to close all their schools on Friday, has been dismissed by authorities as not credible.
U.S. court rules Amtrak has too much power over freight carriers
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. government-owned passenger rail company Amtrak wields improper and coercive regulatory power over private freight carriers under a law that lets it help set rules that competing railroads must follow, a federal appeals court…
Maryland man charged in bomb threat at Baltimore TV station
(Reuters) – A Maryland man accused of threatening Fox Television’s Baltimore affiliate while wearing a hedgehog suit and a fake bomb vest loaded with foil-wrapped chocolate bars has been charged with arson and other counts, authorities said on Friday.
Vigil planned for Ohio family of eight slain a week ago
CLEVELAND (Reuters) – A vigil and fundraiser for eight family members shot execution-style in rural Ohio’s Appalachian foothills, is expected to draw thousands of people on Friday evening, organizers said.
U.S. top court declines to block Texas voter identification law
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected a bid to block a Texas law that requires voters to show a government-issued form of photo identification before casting a ballot, but left the door open to a renewed challenge before the …
Brady Campaign’s ad draws ire of U.S. anti-gun violence activists
BOSTON (Reuters) – The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said on Friday it has sharply cut back an online ad that had used the names and faces of mass shooters and urged the news media not to identify them after the group drew criticism from other…
Oklahoma legislation aims to ensure punishment for sex crimes
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – Oklahoma lawmakers will take up legislation next week aimed at ensuring sex crimes do not go unpunished in the state because the victims were unconscious or intoxicated when they occurred.
Biden gets papal blessing for his global war on cancer
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden took his crusade against cancer to the Vatican on Friday and heard Pope Francis call for an “economic paradigm shift” where medical research is dictated by need rather than profit.
