Judge overturns Hatch's conviction

Judge overturnsHatch's conviction
NEWPORT, R.I. -- Richard Hatch has won again: The original "Survivor" winner was found innocent of assaulting his ex-boyfriend in a ruling that overturns an earlier conviction.
A judge in September found the 40-year-old Hatch guilty of domestic assault after he got into a fight with his former lover, Glenn Boyanowski, on the steps of Hatch's Middletown, R.I., home. He was sentenced to a year's probation and ordered to have no further contact with Boyanowski.
Hatch appealed, arguing that Boyanowski, 39, was trespassing when the fight occurred. He said the altercation began when Boyanowski tried to push his way inside.
Newport Superior Court Judge Daniel Procaccini overturned the conviction Tuesday following two days of hearings, The Providence Journal reported.
Hatch won $1 million on the first edition of the CBS reality show "Survivor." He was arrested in April 2000 on a charge of abusing his then 9-year-old son. That charge was later dropped.
Cosby honors boycott,cancels Cincinnati show
CINCINNATI -- Bill Cosby has canceled a performance next month, honoring a boycott called by black groups unhappy with the city's response to last year's riots.
"I still stand by the fact that I feel very uncomfortable playing the concerts at this time in this climate," the 64-year-old comedian said in a statement released Wednesday.
The Coalition for a Just Cincinnati -- one of 14 groups that have called for economic sanctions -- mailed letters to Cosby and other performers booked to appear in the city. The coalition asked them to boycott Cincinnati until city leaders pay more attention to police, racial and economic issues.
The push for a boycott came after three days of rioting over the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man by a white police officer last April. The officer was acquitted of charges of negligent homicide and obstruction of official business.
Officials of the Cincinnati Arts Association met with coalition members last month and also talked with Cosby, said Steve Loftin, the association's president and executive director.
"We are deeply disappointed at the cancellation," Loftin said.
Cosby was scheduled for two evening performances March 15 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts. The arts association is a nonprofit organization that manages the center.
Honors for rapper Nellydisplease legislator
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- While Gov. Bob Holden and members of the Missouri House honored St. Louis rapper Nelly, some questioned whether the state should praise a group that sings about illegal drug use and sexual promiscuity.
Nelly and his group, the St. Lunatics, were honored Tuesday for their promise to play basketball with high schools that showed increased participation in standardized state tests.
Lawmakers and young Capitol interns were among the hundreds of fans and spectators who showed up for the lunchtime event. The Missouri State Highway Patrol sent nearly 30 officers for crowd control.
Not everyone was pleased.
Rep. Charles Portwood, R-Ballwin, found copies on the Internet of Nelly's lyrics -- which included profanity and graphic sexual references -- and carried them around to show people.
"Here we are honoring a man for his contribution to the education of our kids, but if you read his lyrics he is talking about promiscuous sex, crystal meth, snorting cocaine. These are the kinds of things you want your kids to hear?" Portwood said. "If it demeans our society, it's wrong."
Today's Birthdays
Composer-conductor John Williams is 70. ABC News anchor Ted Koppel is 62. Actor Nick Nolte is 61. Comedian Robert Klein is 60. Country singer Dan Seals is 54. Singer Ron Tyson is 54. Actress Brooke Adams is 53. Actress Mary Steenburgen is 49. Author John Grisham is 47. Rock singer Vince Neil (Motley Crue) is 41. Rock singer-musician Sammy LLanas (The BoDeans) is 41.