National Roundup

Alabama Mother: Man charged in AL postal shooting had PTSD MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- The mother of a postal employee accused of firing gunshots inside the main post office in Alabama's capital city says her son belongs in a psychiatric facility and not in the county jail. In an interview with The Montgomery Advertiser, Willa Darby said her 29-year-old son Arthur Lee Darby Jr. spent a year serving in Iraq. She told the newspaper he has received regular treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. She said he was diagnosed with the condition shortly after returning from a tour of duty in Iraq in 2005. He was charged with two counts of attempted murder after police said he used two guns to fire shots inside a mail sorting area at the facility in Montgomery on Dec. 1. No one was injured. Mississippi City council repeals ban of fortune telling HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) -- Hattiesburg city leaders have repealed a ban fortune telling after a federal judge ruled the ordinance unenforceable. The Hattiesburg City Council voted Tuesday to repeal the ordinance. City Attorney Charles Lawrence said the ordinance will repeal in 120 days to allow city leaders time to get new regulations in place, such as zoning restrictions, on fortune telling businesses. U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett on Nov. 28 issued a preliminary injunction sought by Tommy and Marie Costello. The Costellos sued the city in August after their psychic and spiritual reading business was shut down by the city last year. Starrett said in his order that he agreed with the Costellos that the ordinance was a violation of free speech. Hattiesburg has joined other cities like Laurel, Petal and Meridian who do not prohibit fortune telling, but approve the business based on proper zoning. City Council member Kim Bradley said he trusts the free market will decide whether fortune telling has a home in Hattiesburg. "There is all kind of people out there doing business and doing different things. To me it's not really a big deal. I don't believe I'm going to spend my money over there, and try to have my fortune told. I don't believe in that, but I'm sure it will offend some people," said Bradley. Lawrence said the city would have to create zoning restrictions for fortune tellers who wish to practice their trade. "The same restrictions for any other business," he said. The city of Meridian had been struggling with the same issue. In August, the Meridian council rescinded an ordinance that had outlawed fortune telling businesses. Meridian officials acted after being threatening with a lawsuit. Meridian now requires fortune telling businesses to be placed under a business zoning classification. Vermont Vt. Human Rights Commission joins lawsuit MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -- The Vermont Human Rights Commission has joined a lawsuit against an inn alleging that it refused to host a lesbian couple's wedding reception. The Caledonian-Record reports a judge has given the commission permission to intervene in the American Civil Liberties Union's discrimination lawsuit on behalf of Katherine Baker and Ming-Lien Linsley of New York. The couple say they were turned away by the Wildflower Inn in Lyndonville when they told the inn the wedding would have two brides, but no groom. The lawsuit was filed in July in Caledonia Superior Court. The inn's owners say they have no policy to discriminate against gay couples. They said they were never told about the couple's request. Pennsylvania Philly jury awards 3 women $72M over Prempro PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A Philadelphia jury has awarded three women $72.6 million in compensatory damages over their use of a hormone replacement drug, and more could be coming when punitive damages are determined. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the Common Pleas Court jury on Tuesday ordered pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. to pay out the damages over the plaintiffs' claims that Prempro gave them breast cancer. The jury could take two weeks to determine punitive damages. The three women who sued over the drug live or lived in Pennsylvania. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals was hit with dozens of lawsuits after a study found Prempro users had a much higher incidence of breast cancer. New York-based Pfizer bought Wyeth in 2009. A spokesman tells The Inquirer the company will examine its options after the verdict is final. North Carolina County questions sheriff on behavior, lawsuits HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Henderson County commissioners are asking the sheriff now on leave because of mental illness to respond to rumors he has moved to settle legal complaints by his employees. The commissioners sent Sheriff Rick Davis a letter seeking information after a closed-door meeting. A resident alleged in a public meeting Monday that the county's insurance company paid $300,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit. Davis told the Hendersonville Times-News the settlement amount cited was ridiculous, but he would not say if a settlement was paid. Davis said his manic bipolar disorder led him to yell at employees and send inappropriate emails. Davis said long hours and little sleep as sheriff led him to hear voices that didn't exist. He began an indefinite leave from his job two weeks ago. New Jersey State child welfare agency on trial TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Attorneys have laid out opening arguments in the civil trial of New Jersey's child welfare agency and three caseworkers. A lawyer for the adopted mother of an abused Monmouth County girl claims the Division of Youth and Family Services ignored repeated recommendations that the child receive therapy for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Attorney David Mazie on Tuesday told jurors in Trenton the girl was 2 years old when she suffered sexual and physical abuse while in the care of her biological father and under DYFS supervision in 2000. It took two years for her to receive therapy. Attorney Elliot Abrutyn told the jury DYFS caseworkers acted in good faith. Defense witness Richard Gelles told The Star-Ledger of Newark the case exposes "a severe systemic dysfunction" that still exits. Published: Thu, Dec 8, 2011