Border patrol agent acquitted in excessive force case

BROWNSVILLE — A former U.S. Border Patrol agent was acquitted Friday of using excessive force to arrest an illegal immigrant in a retrial of a 2001 case.

A federal jury said David Sipe was not guilty of using excessive force against Jose Guevarra on April 5, 2000. The case was first tried in front of Judge Ricardo Hinojosa in McAllen’s U.S. District Court in 2001. At the time, a jury found Sipe guilty after a five-day trial.

But while preparing for sentencing in the 2001 case, Sipe’s attorney, Jack Lamar Wolfe, found evidence the U.S. Attorney’s Office had withheld information requested before the trial. . .

Sipe’s attorney, Jack Lamar Wolfe will be on the show at 3:00

Restaurant protest divides state high court

SACRAMENTO — The California Supreme Court appeared to be divided Monday over whether courts may bar individuals from repeating defamatory statements instead of simply requiring them to compensate the victim monetarily.

Meeting for arguments in Sacramento, at least three justices on the seven-member court appeared to believe so-called prior restraint orders may at times be justified.

Chief Justice Ronald M. George said some people who defame may not have accessible assets and therefore would have no motivation to stop without a court order. . .

Attorney Michael Bush will be on the show at 4:00

Eruv in Oak Park splits community

OAK PARK - It seemed like a real mitzvah.

Chabad of the Conejo’s 120 families would spend $20,000 on a religious structure that would benefit all local Jews.

Common in Los Angeles and most big American cities, the eruv – a thin monofilament line strung from light pole to light pole to symbolically extend a Jew’s private domain to everything within the loop – would enable Jews to carry keys and push strollers on the Sabbath without violating Halacha, or Jewish law. . .

Eruv committee member Eli Eisenberg will be on the show at 6:00

Shiites Celebrate Major Holiday in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – Iraqi Shiites celebrated Tuesday the culmination of Ashoura, a major religious festival, a day after authorities said they killed the leader of a heavily armed cult of messianic Shiites intent on targeting pilgrims.

The Iraqi army said it killed the leader of the heavily armed cult during a fierce gunbattle aimed at foiling an attack on leading Shiite clerics and pilgrims in the city of Najaf who were celebrating Ashoura, the holiest day of the Shiite calendar.

Senior Iraqi security officers said three gunmen of ``the Soldiers of Heaven’’ cult were captured in Najaf after renting a hotel room in front of the office of Iraq’s most senior Shiite spiritual leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, with plans to attack it. . .

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