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.
Family of murdered executive withdraws lawsuit against Puerto Rico bank
SAN JUAN (Reuters) – The family of a slain banker voluntarily withdrew a lawsuit on Monday that had accused executives of Puerto Rico’s Doral Bank of conspiring to have him killed after he uncovered fraud at the financial institution.
One dead, one missing in Chicago River after man drops phone
CHICAGO (Reuters) – An effort to retrieve a dropped cell phone ended in tragedy on Monday when a 26-year-old man died after falling into the icy Chicago River near downtown Chicago, and a 21-year-old woman who was with him was presumed dead after also …
Photographer sued over topless photo atop Empire State Building
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The management of the Empire State Building on Monday filed a $1 million lawsuit against a photographer who shot topless pictures of model atop its iconic 86th floor observatory.
California’s ‘Octomom’ charged with welfare fraud
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Nadya Suleman, the California single mother of 14 children including octuplets who has been popularly dubbed “Octomom,” has been charged with welfare fraud over accusations she lied about her income to authorities, prosecutors s…
