Florida youth denies violating probation terms

Florida youth deniesviolating probation terms
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Lionel Tate, the teen sentenced to life in prison in a 6-year-old girl's death but later freed, did not violate probation because officers illegally searched him after his mother ordered him to leave their home, his lawyer said Wednesday.
At a brief hearing, Circuit Judge Joel Lazarus set a trial Oct. 29 on charges that Tate had violated probation by leaving his apartment earlier this month while under house arrest and carrying a weapon.
Richard Rosenbaum, Tate's attorney, told the judge that he would challenge the search after Tate, 17, and a friend were stopped in the early morning hours of Sept. 3, when most people in the region were locked down for Hurricane Frances.
Police said the search produced a pocketknife and identification in Tate's name. He had given officers a false name.
Tate was 12 in 1999 when he fatally beat Tiffany Eunick, a girl his mother was baby-sitting for. A jury convicted him of first-degree murder, triggering an automatic life sentence and making him the youngest child in modern U.S. history to be sentenced to life in prison.
An appeals court overturned the conviction and sentence, and Tate pleaded guilty in a plea deal to second-degree murder and went free in January.
CBS to probe authenticityof Bush documents
NEW YORK -- Acknowledging questions raised about documents suggesting lapses in President Bush's National Guard service, CBS promised a full-court effort to determine their authenticity while standing by its story.
"We will keep an open mind and we will continue to report credible evidence and responsible points of view as we try to answer the questions raised about the authenticity of the documents," anchor Dan Rather said on "60 Minutes" on Wednesday.
But Rather said CBS' critics have never attacked the thrust of the network's story: that President Bush received preferential treatment to get into the National Guard and stay stateside during the Vietnam War, and failed to satisfy the requirements of his service.
"If we uncover any information to the contrary, rest assured we shall report that also," the embattled anchor said.
Royal couple to divorce
COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- After nearly nine years of marriage, Danish Prince Joachim and his Hong Kong-born wife, Princess Alexandra, announced today they have separated and will divorce.
Queen Margrethe and her husband Prince Henrik said they "deeply regretted" the couple's decision, but added they would give their full support to their son and daughter-in-law, according to a statement read by Ove Ullerup, the Royal household's top official
Joachim and Alexandra will continue their official duties during the divorce and the princess will keep her royal title during the one-year separation period, Ullerup said. Once the divorce is completed, it will be the queen's decision whether to let Alexandra keep her title.
Tax break for exercising?
LONDON -- Money spent on sports and exercise should be tax deductible as part of a national strategy to fight flab, say doctors in Britain who are grappling with one of the world's most rapidly growing obesity epidemics.
Ahead of a daylong conference today on tackling obesity in primary care clinics, the Royal College of General Practitioners called on the government to consider tax breaks to make exercise more accessible and affordable to everybody.
The group, the standard bearer for general medical practice, also urged the government to get healthier food into schools and workplaces.
Worker in trouble again
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A Walt Disney World worker who was acquitted of charges he fondled a 13-year-old girl while dressed as Tigger has been suspended again, accused of shoving two people while in a Goofy costume.
His lawyer said the man was just "goofing around because he was Goofy."
Two photographers at Disney's Animal Kingdom said Michael Chartrand came up to them in his Goofy costume and shoved each in the chest, Orange County Sheriff's Capt. Bernie Presha said Wednesday. The photographers, a male and female whose names were not released, work for Kodak at the park.
Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said Chartrand was suspended Aug. 30 and would remain so indefinitely. Chartrand also could face misdemeanor charges.
Associated Press