National Roundup

Florida
House panel approves school bill allowing ­arming of ­teachers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida House committee voted Thursday for a broad school safety bill that would expand an existing guardian program to allow classroom teachers to volunteer to carry weapons on campus if local school boards approve.

The Republican-led legislation adopted 11-5 along party lines by the House Education Committee builds on a law passed after last year’s mass shooting that killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

Teachers would not be required to carry guns, but those who volunteer would have to undergo 144 hours of firearms training, possess a valid concealed weapon permit and pass both a psychological evaluation and drug test.

Currently, teachers whose sole focus is classroom instruction are excluded from the program that as of January numbered about 726 armed volunteer guardians in 25 Florida counties, according to a committee staff analysis.

The main sponsor, Republican Rep. Jennifer Sullivan of Eustis, said the intent is not to force any teacher to carry a gun but allow those who volunteer and are qualified to improve safety in public schools.

The provision is opposed by major teacher unions and other groups who say educators should not take on the role of trained law enforcement personnel. Opponents also raised a number of risky scenarios, such as teachers losing a gun or having one stolen on campus, the possibility of a child or teacher being accidentally shot and potential deadly escalation of confrontations with students or fights.

Still, the bill’s supporters noted that the one trained and armed law enforcement officer at the Parkland school, former Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson, did not enter the building while the shooter was killing students and staff with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle on Valentine’s Day 2018.

“If this bill was in place before Parkland, how many less lives would have been lost?” said Rep. Amber Mariano, a Port Richey Republican.

The legislation also contains a number of other school safety measures, such as wider disclosure of certain student mental health records and mental screening of troubled students, greater reporting of school safety and student discipline incidents and a requirement that law enforcement officials be consulted about any threats.

The Senate has a similar bill moving through committees. Its next scheduled vote is Tuesday. Differences between the two measures would have to be ironed out before a final bill could be sent to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Nikolas Cruz, 20, is charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the Parkland shooting. His lawyers have said he will plead guilty in return for a life prison sentence, but prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Trial is tentatively set for early 2020.

Washington
Man who drowned 6-year-old nephew gets 18 years in prison
EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — A man who drowned his 6-year-old nephew north of Seattle has been sentenced to more than 18 years in prison.

The Daily Herald reports Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Linda Krese said Wednesday that 21-year-old Andrew Henckel knew what he was doing when he killed Dayvid Pakko.

Henckel had been visiting from Kerrville, Texas and was staying at his sister’s home in Lynnwood Oct. 16, 2017 when he was left alone with Pakko.

Court documents say Henckel drowned Pakko in a tub, wrapped his body in a blanket, placed him in a box and threw it in a dumpster. Hundreds of people participated in a search for the child before his body was found.

Defense attorney Michele Shaw argued that Henckel’s autism played a role in his decision-making.

Henckel pleaded guilty in December to second-degree murder as part of a plea deal.

Rhode Island
Lawyer accused of misspending client money ordered ­suspended
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Rhode Island Supreme Court has suspended a Providence lawyer amid allegations that he misspent his clients’ money on golfing and airline flights.

The court agreed on Friday to immediately suspend Peter Leach from practicing law and to appoint the court’s chief disciplinary counsel David Curtin as special master. The Providence Journal reports a client of Leach’s filed a complaint last year alleging Leach had delayed paying out her settlement.

Curtin says he later subpoenaed Leach’s bank records and found a pattern of misappropriated funds.

Virginia
Ex-congressional candidate says she’ll run again from prison
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A former congressional candidate in Virginia says she running for Congress again even though she’ll be in federal prison.

Shaun Brown revealed her plans to reporters Wednesday before turning herself into authorities outside a federal courthouse in Norfolk.

The 59-year-old was sentenced last week to three years in prison for defrauding the federal government through a summer meal program for children. She continues to say she’s innocent.

Brown was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Virginia’s 2nd District on the state’s coast in 2016.

She tried again in 2018 as a third-party candidate. But a judge removed her from the race after finding that Republican campaign staffers forged signatures to place her on the ballot as a spoiler candidate.

Brown said she plans to run in Virginia’s nearby 3rd Congressional District.

Kansas
ACLU seeks probe after black man detained in home
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties of Kansas has asked Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt to investigate the Tonganoxie Police Department following an August incident in which local officers detained a black man moving into his own home.

The ACLU said in a news release Thursday that Karle Robinson was held at gunpoint and handcuffed as he moved into the home he had purchased. Robinson alleges police harassed him and that Police Chief Greg Lawson stopped him from filing a racial bias complaint.

Lawson said he had not seen the press release and would comment later.

ACLU alleges a pervasive culture of racial bias exists in the police department. It requests that the attorney general’s office investigate or refer the complaint to the Kansas Commission on Officers Standards and Training.