U.S. wildfires burned record area in 2015: Agriculture Department
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. wildfires burned a record 10.1 million acres (4.09 million hectares) in 2015 and the Forest Service spent 52 percent of its budget fighting fires, the Agriculture Department said on Wednesday.
No jail time for deputy in San Francisco hospital assault
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – A San Francisco Sheriff’s deputy who was convicted of assaulting a disabled, homeless patient inside a hospital in 2014 avoided jail time when he was sentenced on Wednesday, officials said.
L.A. prosecutor declines to charge Cosby over allegations by 2 women
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Los Angeles County district attorney has declined to bring criminal charges against comedian Bill Cosby stemming from sexual assault allegations by two women over separate incidents, one dating back to 1965 and the other to …
Alabama chief justice orders halt to same-sex marriage licenses
(Reuters) – The chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court ordered the state’s probate judges on Wednesday not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, despite a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court last year legalizing gay marriage.
Florida woman died after hospital thought she was faking: lawyers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) – A Florida woman who collapsed and later died after being arrested for refusing to leave a rural hospital emergency room may have lived if medical staff and police had not assumed she was faking illness, her lawyers said on…
Texas trooper indicted for perjury in case related to jail death
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – A Texas trooper, who arrested a black motorist found hanged in jail was indicted by a grand jury on perjury charges on Wednesday over statements he made in his arrest report, court officials said.
FAA says 181,000 U.S. drones registered in its database
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday that 181,000 drones have been registered in the database it launched just over two weeks ago in response to a surge of rogue drone flights near airports and crowded public ven…
Chicago police disciplines officers for improper camera use
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The Chicago Police Department, which is under a federal civil rights investigation over its use of force, has disciplined 22 officers and supervisors over the past two weeks for failing to properly operate vehicle cameras, a spokesm…
California governor declares LA-area gas leak an emergency
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday declared a Los Angeles-area natural gas leak that has been sickening area residents an emergency, and vowed to protect public health and safety.
Baltimore judge orders officer to testify in second Gray death trial
BALTIMORE (Reuters) – A Maryland judge on Wednesday ordered a Baltimore police officer to testify against other officers charged in the death of detainee Freddie Gray.
