Student in custody after bomb scare at Houston-area school
HOUSTON (Reuters) – A Houston-area high school was evacuated on Monday and a student taken into custody after police found a suspicious device initially thought to be a bomb but later determined to be a homemade weapon.
Man shot dead over texting dispute in Florida theater
TAMPA (Reuters) – A retired police captain shot and killed one moviegoer who was texting and wounded his wife on Monday in a Florida theater showing the hit new war film “Lone Survivor,” authorities said.
Gun rights group sues University of Florida over gun ban
MIAMI (Reuters) – A Florida gun rights group is suing the University of Florida claiming that a school-wide firearms ban barring students from keeping weapons in dormitories breaks both state and federal laws.
Judge denies Michael Jackson’s family bid for new wrongful death trial
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The family of late pop star Michael Jackson on Monday lost its bid for a new trial against concert promoter AEG Live, which had been cleared of liability in the singer’s death.
Judge rejects inmate’s challenge of Ohio’s new execution method
CLEVELAND (Reuters) – A challenge to Ohio’s new two-drug execution protocol was rejected by a federal judge on Monday, clearing the way for the state to put to death this week a man convicted of a 1989 rape and murder.
California official at center of pay scandal pleads guilty to tax charges
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A former city manager already facing up to 12 years in state prison for his role in a scandal in Bell, California, that made him a symbol of local government corruption pleaded guilty on Monday to federal tax charges.
Wave of lawsuits follows West Virginia chemical spill
NEW YORK (Reuters) – People whose drinking water was contaminated in West Virginia have filed at least 18 lawsuits in state court against two companies after a chemical spill affected 300,000 residents and shut down businesses and schools.
Regulator: 18 of 20 oil cars pierced in North Dakota crash
(Reuters) – Eighteen of 20 tanker cars carrying oil that derailed in the fiery crash of two trains in North Dakota in late December were punctured, spilling more than 400,000 gallons of crude oil, safety regulators reported on Monday.
New York State assemblyman found guilty in bribery case
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York state assemblyman was found guilty on Monday on charges he accepted $22,000 in bribes in exchange for official acts, including securing legislation favoring a network of adult day-care centers operated by four businessme…
Los Angeles murders, violent crime dip to lowest level in decades
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Murders and other serious crimes in Los Angeles dropped to more than 40-year lows in 2013, Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Monday, crediting a citywide focus on prevention and intervention.
