Local
Arson suspect regains job after judge's ruling
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - A woman accused of burning down an Albuquerque youth center she once headed has regained her job.
State District Judge Pat Murdoch ruled Thursday that Donna Rowe can resume the directorship of Youth in Transition, despite charges pending against her.
Rowe is accused of burning down the shelter for homeless and troubled teens last Thanksgiving and of trying to have a staff member killed. Her trial is set for Jan. 12 on charges of intentional arson, attempted intentional arson and criminal solicitation to commit first-degree murder.
"I get to serve kids that have not been served. This is God's work," Rowe said after Thursday's hearing.
Dispatch official retires after 911 controversy
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - A former Albuquerque deputy police chief says he felt like he was being made a political pawn over problems at the city's emergency dispatch center.
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"I felt I did everything someone in my position was responsible to do," said Joe Silva, who supervised the communications division before he announced his retirement two weeks ago.
His retirement came six days after Police Chief Gil Gallegos announced Silva was being reassigned to another division.
Gallegos' announcement was made two days after 911 calls on a shooting incident went unanswered Sept. 14.
National
Sniper suspect's lawyers say he will claim insanity
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - Lee Boyd Malvo's lawyers said Thursday they will mount an insanity defense at his murder trial in the Washington sniper case, arguing that the teenager was a victim of "indoctrination" by the older John Allen Muhammad.
"This case is so bizarre in its facts, and the degree of indoctrination is so severe, that we would be remiss if we failed" to put the sanity issue before a jury, said Craig Cooley, a lawyer for the 18-year-old Malvo.
Victim claims flirting with Bryant turned into attack
EAGLE, Colo. (AP) - The woman who accused Kobe Bryant of rape told police a flirtatious encounter quickly turned ugly when he grabbed her by the neck, bent her over a chair and attacked her from behind, repeatedly asking, "You're not going to tell anyone, right?" The 19-year-old woman was raped after agreeing to go to Bryant's suite at the resort where she worked, Eagle County Sheriff's Detective Doug Winters testified Thursday at a preliminary hearing to determine whether Bryant will stand trial.
