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Man faces formal trial for 1966 slaying
JACKSON, Miss. — A man accused in a 1966 Ku Klux Klan slaying was ruled competent to stand trial last Thursday.
U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour Jr. set a Feb.24 trial date for Ernest Avants, 71, who was indicted in 2000 on charges of aiding and abetting the murder of Ben Chester White.
Avants suffered from a stroke last year that left him unable to speak complete sentences. A federal probation officer testified that Avants has recovered his communication abilities.
Defense lawyer Tom Royals said the officer’s depiction on Avants’ health was inaccurate. Avants has maintained his innocence.
Prosecutors believe the 1966 killing might have been part of a plot to lure Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the area to be assassinated.
A state court acquitted Avants of the killing in 1967, but federal prosecutors claimed jurisdiction in 2000 after learning that the murder occurred in a national forest. Two other men accused in the slaying have died.
Anti-French protests fuel Ivory Coast crisis
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — France’s embassy and military became the main targets of protesters Monday. Protesters accused the former colonial power of pushing President Laurent Gbagbo into a deal with rebel factions.
The deal is seen as a victory for the largely Muslim rebels in the north over Gbagbo’s Christian south. The rebels blame Gbagbo for spreading discrimination in the once stable country.
The conflict between the two sides began with a failed coup Sept. 19 and has left hundreds dead and more than 1 million displaced.
African leaders, the European Union and the United Nations gave their support to Gbagbo’s deal. France has committed to protecting the 20,000 citizens in Ivory Coast and to stopping the crisis.
Spy plane crashes in South Korean lands
SEOUL, South Korea — An American spy plane crashed Sunday 30 miles south of Seoul, injuring the pilot and four Koreans. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The U2-S reconnaissance aircraft crashed in a town as the pilot ejected.
He was treated for minor injuries and released from an American military hospital.
Korean news reports said the plane hit a house and an auto repair center, burning down the buildings.
Authorities described injuries to the Koreans as “not serious.”
North Korea has frequently protested the flights, which are believed to have provided the United States with detailed information about the North’s nuclear weapons program.
The United States military command expressed sorrow for the accident.
‘Slammer’ worm attacks worldwide
WASHINGTON — The worm, dubbed “SQL Slammer,” attacked business and government computers Saturday in the most damaging attack on the Internet in 18 months. Networks across Asia, Europe and the Americas were effectively shut down.
According to Oliver Friedrichs, a senior manager with Internet security firm Symantec Corp., the SQL worm attacked via a vulnerability discovered six months ago in the SQL Server 2000 software from Microsoft Corp. Microsoft has offered a free patch for users to fix the trouble spot.
The worm does not pose a potential risk to typical home users of the Internet. Though it does not affect files stored on computers, it causes trouble by replicating quickly and searching across multiple computer lines for more vulnerable systems.
The White House was notified about the attack after its discovery and the FBI’s National Infrastructure Protection Center is investigating.
Brazilian president speaks to world forum
DAVOS, Switzerland — Brazil’s new leftist president addressed the World Economic Forum, an annual meeting of corporate and political leaders, to call for a massive drive to defeat poverty and hunger.
“My greatest desire is that the hope that has overcome fear in my country will also help vanquish it around the world,” President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva said.
Silva called for Western governments and big investors to create a global fund in the effort. He brought the same message before the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, as well. He also urged rich nations to open up their markets to imports from poorer nations.
Al Qaeda suspects arrested in Spain
MADRID, Spain — Suspects that all have ties to al Qaeda were returned to jail in Spain after a brief hearing Sunday.
The 16 men were arrested in raids in Barcelona and nearby towns in Northeastern Spain last Friday. During the raid, police found chemical material that included “hydrocarbons and synthetic material.” They also discovered electronic gear that could be used to set off bombs.
Exact charges against the men are unknown. However, they were suspected of preparing for an attack in Europe, Interior Minister Angel Acebes said.
Four terrorist suspects detained in France last month were described as having “intense contact” with the 16 arrested in Spain. According to Spanish media, France may extradite the suspects.
Death row inmate freed after 16 years
RAIFORD, Fla.—After 16 years on death row, Rudolph Holton was released from prison.
Holton, 49, was convicted of raping and murdering Katrina Graddy, a 17-year-old prostitute, and then setting her on fire in a drug house in Tampa.
The state Supreme Court ruled that Holton deserved a new trial in December because an error was recognized in the case. About 10 days before Graddy was murdered, she had told police that another man raped her. Holton’s defense attorney was never given that report.
One of Holton’s lawyers claimed additional problems with the case. For instance, jailhouse witnesses retracted their testimony against Holton and a DNA test of a hair in Graddy’s mouth proved to be faulty.
Federal prosecutor Mark Ober announced that Holton would not face a new trial. He later told reporters that Holton’s guilt cannot be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
Israel imposes total closure for elections
GAZA CITY, Israel — After Israeli soldiers killed 12 Palestinians, Israel’s defense minister said the army was considering a re-occupation of the Gaza Strip.
Sunday afternoon, the Israeli army imposed a “total closure” on the West Bank and Gaza, lasting through Tuesday’s Israeli elections.
Israel described the closure as a means to prevent terrorist attacks while citizens go to the polls. All Palestinian travel was halted between Palestinian cities, across the boundaries of the West Bank, Gaza, Egypt and Jordan.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Likud party routed the left-of-center Labor party, which came in a distant second place.
— Compiled from news
Submitted January 30, 2003
MALIBU, CA
