December 5, 2019 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Three leading legal scholars testified at a congressional House hearing that President Donald Trump’s attempts to have Ukraine investigate Democratic rivals are grounds for impeachment. Yet a fourth expert called by Republicans warned against rushing the process.áMeanwhile, Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested whether House Democrats are willing to take that momentous next step. “Are you ready?” she asked behind closed doors. The answer, according to those present, was a resounding yes. That’s crucial because of the likely political aftermath in elections next year. Though no date has been set, the Democrats are charging toward a Christmastime vote.
December 5, 2019 4:15 am
HONOLULU (AP) – A military official says a sailor used his service weapons to kill two civilian workers and then himself at Pearl Harbor. The official who spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday says 22-year-old G. Romero was assigned to stand watch on a submarine undergoing maintenance at the military base in Hawaii. The shooting that also wounded a third civilian comes just days before thousands descend on the base to mark the 78th anniversary of the Japanese bombing that propelled the United States into World War II.
December 5, 2019 4:13 am
PITTSBURGH – (WPXI) – The woman accused of stabbing former NFL player Terrelle Pryor was denied bail Wednesday during a hearing. Shalaya Briston, 24, is charged with criminal attempted homicide and aggravated assault in connection with the domestic incident early Saturday at Heinz Lofts apartments in Pittsburgh. “I believe this a miscarriage of justice that occurred here today,” said Briston’s attorney, Lee Rothman. At Briston’s bond hearing, Rothman argued that Briston, who is 5 foot, 9 inches tall, was overpowered by Pryor, who is 6 foot, 4 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds. The commonwealth’s attorney’s argument was short and sweet, pointing out to the judge that Briston used a deadly weapon on a vital part of the human body. But Rothman said the judge’s decision to deny her bond sets a horrible precedent. “For the judge to make a finding that she’s a danger to the community seems to suggest, that uh, women beware, if you’re being assaulted and you defend yourself, uh, that you’re going to be held in jail without bond,” Rothman said. Rothman also attacked the charges in this case, arguing that after the stabbing Briston and her friends, took Pryor to the hospital to make sure he wouldn’t die and, because of this, Briston should not have been charged with aggravated assault, which by definition, means she acted recklessly. “The fact that she drove the individual to the hospital to preserve life would seem to be evidence to suggest that that charge should not have been charged by the district attorney’s office,” Rothman said.
December 5, 2019 4:08 am
NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. – (WPXI) – The North Huntingdon Township Police Department is investigating the “suspicious” death of a chiropractor after he was found dead inside his office. David Bailey, 54, the owner of Bailey Chiropractic on Parkway Drive, was found dead inside the business on Friday morning, police said. An employee found him just 30 minutes before his office was set to open for the day. Through the investigation, police said they determined someone killed Bailey. His death is now being called a homicide. Investigators are still examining evidence, and a cause of death won’t be released until further toxicology tests are done. The details surrounding his death are very limited, and police are staying quiet about any potential suspects or motives. Officers aren’t aware of any other previous incidents at Bailey’s office. However, police did say four detectives are actively working on the case, and they don’t believe the public is in danger. Anyone with information is asked to call North Huntingdon police at 724-863-8800.
December 4, 2019 4:46 pm
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Authorities say a star Philadelphia high school football player was shot and killed when a gun his twin brother was handling somehow went off. Police say 18-year-old Suhail Gillard was shot once in the chest around 5:20 p.m. Sunday while the brothers were in a city apartment. He was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead there a short time later. Authorities say a weapon was recovered at the scene. Gillard’s brother has been charged with murder, but the shooting remains under investigation and further details on the incident were not disclosed. Gillard was three-time All-Public League running back who played for Mastery Charter North High School. School officials say several colleges had expressed interest in recruiting him.
December 4, 2019 4:42 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is tightening work requirements for the federal food stamp program in a move that would slash benefits for hundreds of thousands of people. The final rule will limit the ability of states to exempt work-eligible adults from having to obtain steady employment in order to receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The program feeds more than 36 million Americans. Scaling back public benefits for low-income Americans has long been a Trump administration priority. USDA officials say the rule announced Wednesday would save roughly $5.5 billion over five years. Benefits would be cut roughly 688,000 recipients.
December 4, 2019 12:56 pm
PITTSBURGH (WPXI) – Pittsburgh police are trying to figure out what led to the discovery of a man’s body Wednesday morning in the river near Point State Park. He was discovered by a park ranger just before 9 a.m. near Point State Park, police said. The medical examiner is working to identify the man.
December 4, 2019 8:06 am
WATFORD, England (AP) – Several NATO leaders have been caught in an unguarded exchange on camera apparently gossiping about U.S. President Donald Trump’s behavior. Footage was recorded during a reception at Buckingham Palace with the leaders of Canada, France, Britain and the Netherlands standing in a huddle with a British royal. Trump wasn’t mentioned by name during the exchange, but they appeared to be talking about Trump’s unscheduled question-and-answer session with journalists.
December 4, 2019 4:21 am
Detroit (AP) – Investigators have found new and distinct problems with air bags made by Takata, the company that manufactured air bags that have lead to the deaths of at least 24 people. One person has died from the recently discovered issue and BMW is telling owners of some older 3-series cars to stop driving them. The company is adding about 1.4 million front driver inflators to recalls in the U.S., according to government documents posted Wednesday.áIncluded are more than 116,000 BMW 3-Series cars from the 1999 to 2001 model years. About 8,000 definitely have faulty inflators and should be parked, BMW said. The rest can still be driven.á
December 4, 2019 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A new report by the House Intelligence Committee reveals contact between President Donald Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and the top Republican on the intelligence panel, California congressman Devin Nunes. The report released Tuesday includes phone records obtained from AT&T and Verizon that show Giuliani also engaged in frequent contact with the White House and with Lev Parnas, a Giuliani associate who is under indictment on charges of using foreign money to make illegal campaign contributions. Giuliani also was in close contact with a journalist as part of an effort to oust the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
