Posts Tagged ‘U.S. News’
11-year-old girl pregnant after months of ‘continuous’ sexual abuse
Wednesday, 20 March 2013 19:05
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An 11-year-old girl in Houston is about to give birth following months of sexual abuse, according to police, who said it was one of the most heinous crimes they’ve seen.

“This case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Sara Marie Kinney, public relations director for the Harris County District Attorney, told KTRK.

KHOU 11 News reported a 21-year-old male relative of the girl was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting her almost every day for nearly seven months. (Read more…) He was charged with continuous sexual assault of a child and is being held on a $50,000 bond.

“It was continuous over a long period of time,” Kinney told KHOU 11. “This wasn’t just one sick act.”

The girl told police the suspect came to her apartment while her mother was at work and sexually assaulted her. She is now nine months pregnant.

Two months ago, the girl’s school called her mother after they suspected she was pregnant. When her mother confronted the suspect, he allegedly texted the victim and said he was going to kill himself because she told on him.

Watch video, courtesy of KTRK, below:

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[Crime scene image via Shutterstock]

 
Medical marijuana bill approved by New Hampshire House
Wednesday, 20 March 2013 17:48
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New Hampshire is one step closer to becoming the 19th state to legalize medical marijuana.

On Wednesday, the state House voted 286-64 to approve legislation that would allow patients with chronic or terminal diseases to use medical marijuana if their doctors recommended it.

The bill allows for state-licensed marijuana dispensaries to open, and grants patients or caregivers the right to grow up to three cannabis plants. (Read more…)

“This overwhelming vote comes as a great relief to patients who have been waiting years to legally follow their doctors’ advice,” Matt Simon of the Marijuana Policy Project said in a statement. “Patients should not have to live in fear of arrest in the ‘Live Free or Die’ state, and it’s a great relief for them to see such strong, bipartisan support from the House.”

The bill now moves to the New Hampshire Senate, where similar legislation was approved in 2009 and 2012.

The Republican-led New Hampshire legislature approved a medical marijuana bill last year, but it was vetoed by Democratic Gov. John Lynch. The governor claimed the legislation was too open to abuse by those who didn’t really need the drug.

The state’s newly-elected Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan has given medical marijuana advocates hope that the bill will be signed into law this year.

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[Elderly man smokes medical marijuana via ChameleonsEye / Shutterstock.com]

 
Chipotle pulls Utah Boy Scouts sponsorship over gay ban
Wednesday, 20 March 2013 17:07
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Chipotle Mexican Grill has withdrawn its support of a Boy Scouts event in Utah due to the organization’s ban on gay members.

“We believed that terminating the sponsorship and remaining consistent with our policy was the right thing to do, and we have reinforced our policy with the team that makes these decisions to try to prevent similar issues in the future,” the restaurant chain told ThinkProgress on Tuesday.

Chipotle planned to provide the Utah Boy Scouts with $4,200 worth of coupons for their annual “Scout-O-Rama” event, according to the The Associated Press. (Read more…) The restaurant chain has sponsored the event in the past.

ThinkProgress noted the sponsorship appeared to directly contradict Chipotle’s charitable giving policies. The company has vowed not support charity groups that discriminate based on sexual orientation.

The Boy Scouts have faced increasing pressure to drop their anti-gay policy.

The Boy Scouts of America considered lifting its ban on gay members and leaders in January. However, citing the “complexity of this issue,” the Boy Scouts’ executive board decided to delay a vote on repealing the ban until May.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the group was allowed to prohibit gay members under the First Amendment, which guarantees the freedom of association.

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[Boy Scouts of America via Shutterstock / spirit of america]