Grand jury indicts Baltimore officers

Grand jury indicts Baltimore officers

BALTIMORE

A grand jury indicted all six officers charged in the case of Freddie Gray, who died of injuries he suffered in police custody, allowing the state’s attorney to press ahead with the most-serious charges despite criticism that she was part of an “overzealous prosecution.”

The indictments announced Thursday were similar to the charges Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced nearly three weeks ago. The most-serious charge for each officer, ranging from second-degree “depraved heart” murder to assault, stood, though some of the lesser alleged offenses had changed.

Gray suffered a critical spinal injury April 12 after police handcuffed, shackled and placed him head-first into a van, Mosby has said. His pleas for medical attention were repeatedly ignored.

China asserts rights after exchange with US spy plane

BEIJING

China said Thursday it is entitled to keep watch over airspace and seas surrounding artificial islands it created in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, after an exchange in which its navy warned off a U.S. surveillance plane. The United States said its aerial patrolling was in accordance with international law and “no one in their right mind” would try to stop it.

Neither side says it wants confrontation with the other, but as China seeks to assert its expansive claims to the South China Sea, the U.S. is pushing back and trying to demonstrate that China’s massive land reclamation does not give it territorial rights.

Man who landed aircraft at Capitol pleads not guilty

WASHINGTON

A Florida man who landed a gyrocopter at the U.S. Capitol said Thursday that he will never pull a similar stunt again — and doesn’t recommend anyone else try it either.

Douglas Hughes made the comments after appearing in federal court in Washington where his lawyer entered a not-guilty plea to the six charges Hughes now faces.

Speaking outside of court, Hughes said he wouldn’t change anything about his April 15 flight in the bare-bones aircraft, but that he wouldn’t be repeating it.

“Let me be clear. I’ll never do anything like this again,” said Hughes, who has said his flight was intended to call attention to the influence of big money in politics.

Purple Heart recipient killed in Waco shooting

WACO, Texas

One of nine bikers killed at a shootout outside a Texas restaurant was a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient whose family members dispute police claims he was in a criminal group.

An Associated Press review of Texas court records and a database maintained by the state Department of Public Safety turned up no criminal history in Texas for Jesus Delgado Rodriguez, 65, of New Braunfels. And his son, Vincent Ramirez, told the San Antonio Express-News that he was not violent.

Rodriguez was one of nine bikers killed Sunday when gunfire erupted at Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, where motorcyclists had gathered for a meeting. Authorities have said the shooting began during an apparent confrontation between two rival motorcycle gangs — the Bandidos and the Cossacks.

Associated Press