Federal judge strikes down Florida’s gay marriage ban, stays ruling
TAMPA Fla. (Reuters) – A federal judge in north Florida on Thursday struck down the state’s gay marriage ban as unconstitutional, but stayed the ruling, leaving same-sex couples still unable to marry in the state.
Alabama band teacher accused of bondage-style sex with students
BIRMINGHAM Ala. (Reuters) – A popular former Alabama high school band teacher suspected of forcing at least eight underage female students into bondage-style sex over a three-year period was arrested in Georgia, authorities said Thursday.
Oregon teenager pleads guilty, sentenced in swastika attack
PORTLAND Ore. (Reuters) – An Oregon teenager pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Thursday for taking part in an attack on a friend who was beaten, forced to eat cat feces and had a swastika carved into his forehead, prosecutors sa…
Alabama man charged in killing over DVDs cites ‘stand your ground’ law
(Reuters) – An Alabama man charged with stabbing his cousin to death after fighting over DVDs of “The Fast and the Furious” films wants his case thrown out because he acted in self-defense under the state’s “stand your ground” law, prosecutors said on …
University of Colorado fights turning over records in theater massacre case
DENVER (Reuters) – The University of Colorado is fighting attempts by lawyers defending accused cinema gunman James Holmes to turn over records that public defenders say the school was trying to hide about its former student, court documents show.
Houston police face heat for death of wayward Chihuahua
HOUSTON (Reuters) – Houston police defended their actions on Thursday after facing criticism for an arrest last month where two people were taken into custody and a pet dog was left at the scene, eventually dying after apparently being hit by a car.
U.S. watchdog finds Pentagon broke law in Bergdahl transfer
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Defense Department violated U.S. law by failing to alert Congress before releasing five Taliban members held at Guantanamo Bay military prison in exchange for a captured U.S. soldier, a government watchdog agency said on Thur…
Oklahoma City policeman arrested for raping women while on patrol
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – An Oklahoma City police officer was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of sexually assaulting at least six women while on patrol, police said.
Ban on filling swimming pools hits communities in parched California
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The California dream of owning a house with a sparkling swimming pool is drying up for would-be swimmers in communities across the state as some local water districts have banned homeowners from filling empty pools in drought-…
California attorney general appeals ruling on death penalty system
(Reuters) – California’s attorney general said on Thursday she is appealing a federal district court decision last month that found the state’s death penalty system unconstitutional on the grounds it took so long it amounted to cruel and unusual punish…
