SEX ABUSE-JAILS
Federal report documents inmate sex abuse in US
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A new federal report says inmates at jails in Indianapolis, Baltimore, St. Louis and Philadelphia face the nation's highest levels of sexual abuse at the hands of guards.
The U.S. Department of Justice's report says the Marion County Jail in Indianapolis had the nation's highest rate of inmate sex abuse by staff. Its 7.7% abuse rate was well above the 1.8% average abuse rate among all jails based on inmate surveys from February 2011 to May 2012.
The Baltimore City Detention Center had the second-highest abuse rate by guards at 6.7%. The St. Louis Medium Security Institution and the Philadelphia City Industrial Correctional Center both had 6.3% abuse rates.
The report's authors surveyed inmates at 233 prisons, 358 local jails and 15 special correctional facilities.
UNIONTOWN SHOOTING
Public's help sought in Uniontown shooting death
UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Police in western Pennsylvania are investigating the shooting death of a man in the east end of Uniontown.
Authorities in the Fayette County city say the 20-year-old victim was found behind an apartment at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday.
He was treated at the scene and then rushed to Uniontown Hospital, where he died.
The name of the victim has not been released pending notification of his relatives. Police are asking for help from the public in identifying a suspect.
HEROIN DEAL-SHOOTING
Man shot dead in alleged western Pa. heroin deal
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Authorities in western Pennsylvania have charged two men in a shooting death that investigators say occurred during an attempted heroin transaction.
Police said a witness told investigators that 54-year-old Roger Griffin was talking about the drug buy with the two suspects in a home in the Knoxville neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
The witness told investigators that the two drew guns and the victim was robbed and then shot shortly before 4:30 a.m. Friday.
Eighteen-year-old Khamal Fooks and 21-year-old Rayshon Shields are charged with homicide, robbery and conspiracy, and Fooks is also charged with a firearms crime.
Listed numbers for the defendants could not be found Sunday and it was unclear whether they had attorneys.
CORBETT-GRADUATION ADDRESS
Corbett gets cool reception at Pa. graduation
MILLERSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - Gov. Tom Corbett got a cool reception when he addressed a central Pennsylvania university's graduating class.
The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News says the that when the governor stepped to the microphone Saturday at the Millersville University ceremony, about a dozen students turned their chairs away from the stage.
About half of the faculty members wore yellow pins saying "I support public education," and a few also turned their chairs away.
A black armband protest that had been discussed on campus failed to materialize.
Some students and faculty members had objected to Corbett's appearance, citing proposed cuts in funding for state universities.
VIEWING HARRISBURG
Criticism flares around new Pa. graduation tests
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A move to toughen academic achievement standards and tie them to graduation tests for public school students is facing a groundswell of criticism.
After hours of hearings this week on the tests, top Republican lawmakers are trying to figure out what to do about the criticism. Gov. Tom Corbett proposed the concept last year and it needs approval from a government regulations board.
Under the proposal, students in the 2016-17 school year must pass a set of 3 course-specific exams in algebra, biology and English literature to graduate.
Some Democratic lawmakers and school administrators question the wisdom of requiring a graduation test in poorer school districts that struggle to afford small class sizes and instructional materials.
Conservatives worry that the standards are stamping out local control of education.
HERO OFFICER-CHARGES
Ex-Pa. officer once hailed as hero faces charges
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A former Philadelphia police officer once hailed as a hero and given a seat next to the first lady at a speech by President Obama has been arrested and charged with rape and other crimes.
Authorities allege that former officer Richard DeCoatsworth left a party with two females early Thursday and took them to another location, where they allege he produced a handgun and forced them to use narcotics and engage in sexual acts.
A police spokeswoman said the victims called police and the 27-year-old DeCoatsworth was charged with rape, sexual assault, terroristic threats and related offenses.
A listed number for DeCoatsworth had been disconnected; it was unclear whether he had an attorney.
WCAU-TV, which first reported the arrest, said DeCoatsworth retired from the force on disability in 2011.
NEWARK-BELLY LANDING
Landing gear issue leads to plane's belly landing
NEWARK, N.J (AP) - An airline official says a US Airways Express flight with 34 people aboard was forced to make a belly landing at Newark International Airport after experiencing landing gear trouble. No injuries were reported.
US Airways spokesman Davien Anderson says a turboprop plane that left Philadelphia shortly before 11 p.m. Friday landed safely at Newark with its landing gear retracted at about 1 a.m. Saturday.
Anderson says the flight, being operated by Piedmont Airlines, was carrying 31 passengers and three crew members. He says the plane circled Newark in a holding pattern while working to get the gear down. After several failed attempts, the plane landed on its belly.
Anderson says the passengers were evacuated to the terminal by bus. He says US Airways is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the incident.
MISSING WOMAN-1999
Defense: Pa. woman's 1999 death was accidental
HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) - A defense attorney says a central Pennsylvania man charged with homicide in the 1999 death of his daughter-in-law says the woman's death was accidental.
Prosecutors say 65-year-old Kenneth Leighty of Altoona led authorities in Huntingdon County to the remains of 23-year-old Sherry Leighty on his property last weekend.
But attorney Thomas Hooper told The (Altoona) Mirror that he believes the case will be resolved with a charge lower than first-degree murder.
Leighty has been jailed since Altoona police tried to question him last month about the woman's disappearance, but police said he instead fought with officers and was arrested.
His request for lower bail on aggravated assault and related charges was put on hold Friday due to the homicide charge.
MOST WANTED-ARREST
Man sentenced in 1994 eastern Pa. slaying
(Information in the following story is from: The (Easton, Pa.) Express-Times, http://www.lehighvalleylive.com )
EASTON, Pa. (AP) - A man once considered 1 of the Commonwealth's 10 most-wanted fugitives has been sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison in the stabbing death of a man during a game of dominoes nearly two decades ago in eastern Pennsylvania.
Fifty-year-old Francisco Miranda pleaded guilty on Friday in Northampton County Court to third-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Jorge Antonio Velazquez, who was stabbed in the chest during a 1994 game of dominoes in Bethlehem.
The (Easton) Express-Times says Miranda apologized before he was sentenced to what was the maximum term for the charge at the time of the crime.
Authorities said Miranda was arrested at his mother's house in the Dominican Republic in November.
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