Kasich delays killer’s execution

Kasich delays killer’s execution

COLUMBUS

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has issued a reprieve for a condemned killer scheduled to die next month after the recent extended execution of an inmate who repeatedly gasped during the procedure.

The decision delays the March 19 execution of Gregory Lott, who was sentenced to death for setting an East Cleveland man on fire in 1986 and leaving him to die. Lott’s new execution date is Nov. 19.

Kasich’s reprieve follows an uproar over the Jan. 16 execution of Dennis McGuire. McGuire gasped and snorted for several minutes during his 26-minute execution, the longest in state history.

Lott has sued in federal court to stop his execution, arguing that the two-drug method Ohio switched to creates risk of a cruel and inhumane death. McGuire’s family also sued the state.

Crews work on restoring power

PHILADELPHIA

A small army of electricity restoration crews labored Friday to reconnect more than 250,000 customers in Pennsylvania and Maryland who lost power in an ice storm, and utility companies warned some will have to wait several more days.

The lion’s share of the outages remained in the Philadelphia suburbs, where many schools were closed for a third day, and a PECO spokesman said work was continuing round-the-clock. PECO accounted for about 220,000 outages Friday night.

800,000-year-old footprints found

LONDON

They were a British family on a day out — almost a million years ago.

Archaeologists announced Friday that they have discovered human footprints in England that are between 800,000 and 1 million years old — the most ancient found outside Africa, and the earliest evidence of human life in northern Europe.

A team from the British Museum, London’s Natural History Museum and Queen Mary college at the University of London uncovered imprints from up to five individuals in ancient estuary mud at Happisburgh on the country’s eastern coast.

NATO protesters acquitted of terror

CHICAGO

A jury acquitted three NATO summit protesters Friday of breaking Illinois’ rarely tested state terrorism law, a finding the defense said should dissuade Illinois or any other states from ever pressing such charges in a similar way against activists.

Though jurors found them not guilty of the most ominous charges, Brian Church, Jared Chase and Brent Vincent Betterly were convicted on lesser counts of arson and mob action.

Prosecutors portrayed the activists as sinister and dangerous anarchists who plotted to throw Molotov cocktails at President Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters during the 2012 summit.

Allen responds to claims in letter

LOS ANGELES

Woody Allen again is denying he molested adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow and is calling ex-partner Mia Farrow vindictive, spiteful and malevolent in an open-letter published online Friday by The New York Times.

The 78-year-old filmmaker says Dylan Farrow’s open letter published last week includes “creative flourishes that seem to have magically appeared during our 21-year estrangement.”

At the time of the breakup of their 12-year relationship more than two decades ago, Mia Farrow accused Allen of molesting Dylan. Allen has consistently denied the abuse allegation.

Allen claims in the letter 7-year-old Dylan was coached by Mia Farrow.

Allen said his letter will be the final word on the matter.

Associated Press