http://www.cbs7.com Your Eye on West Texas en-us Copyright 2013 CBS 7. All Rights Reserved. 5/24/2013 10:15:29 PM Texas News 20 5/24/13

Grapevine- The Boy Scouts of America's National Council has voted to ease a long-standing ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted as Scouts.

Of the local Scout leaders voting at their annual meeting in Texas, more than 60 percent supported the proposal.

Under the proposal drafted by the Scouts' governing board, gay adults will remain barred from serving as Scout leaders.

The outcome is unlikely to end a bitter debate over the Scouts' membership policy.

Some conservative churches that sponsor Scout units wanted to continue excluding gay youths, in some cases threatening to defect if the ban were lifted. More liberal Scout leaders - while supporting the proposal to accept gay youth - have made clear they want the ban on gay adults lifted as well.

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Austin- Gov. Rick Perry says he's disappointed with the Boy Scouts of America allowing openly gay boys to be accepted as Scouts.

The organization's National Council voted Thursday to ease its long-standing ban.

Perry is an Eagle Scout and wrote a 2008 book praising the organization and saying it should continue to exclude openly gay members. In February, he dismissed bending the group to the whims of "popular culture."

The governor released a statement Thursday night saying BSA "has been built upon the values of faith and family for more than 100 years, and today's decision contradicts generations of tradition in the name of political correctness."

Perry added: "While I will always cherish my time as a scout and the life lessons I learned, I am greatly disappointed with this decision."

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Dallas- A Dallas man who drowned two of his sons in a creek has been sentenced to death.

Naim Rasool Muhammad was convicted last week of capital murder in the killings of 5-year-old Naim and 3-year-old Elijah in August 2011. Jurors decided on the death penalty for the 34-year-old father on Thursday.

Muhammad confessed that he took the children to a Dallas-area creek, told them to pretend they were swimming, then held their faces underwater. He told a detective he drowned the boys because he was mad at their mother for breaking up with him.

It took jurors less than 10 minutes to find him guilty.

They were shown a video of his confession to the detective, in which he admitted to telling his children, "Play like y'all swimming."
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Austin- Gov. Rick Perry will consider new measures to protect victims of sexual assault.

In a unanimous vote Thursday, the Senate approved a bill that would give victims the right to track physical evidence collected in a rape kit. It has already passed the House.

Another bill approved by both chambers requires hospitals to assemble rape kits or provide transfer to a different hospital.

Lawmakers heard testimony from a woman whose attacker escaped charges after she was unable to find a hospital willing to gather the evidence.

Recent versions of the state's proposed budget also include $11 million to clear a backlog of more than 22,000 untested evidence kits.

Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth has said her proposals would ensure victims are "made partners in the pursuit of justice."
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Austin- A move to give lawmakers the right to carry handguns anywhere they wish sparked an angry debate in the Texas House of Representatives between Republicans.

The shouting match erupted Thursday over whether lawmakers should give themselves special privileges not available to all Texans.

The original draft law only gave special privileges to criminal prosecuting attorneys and judges, adding them to a list of officials allowed to carry concealed handguns anywhere in the state. Regular concealed handgun license holders cannot take their guns into hospitals, churches, bars or private property that bans them. The Texas Senate added lawmakers to those exempted from the restrictions.

Conservative Republicans became enraged, saying lawmakers should not give themselves special privileges.

The House rejected the Senate's changes to the bill and called for a conference committee.
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Brownsville- Both sides have now rested their cases in the trial of a former South Texas district attorney charged with helping a crooked judge.

The defense rested Thursday after former Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos finished testifying in his own defense. He was called to testify Wednesday after federal prosecutors rested in his corruption trial.

He told a federal jury in Brownsville that no one gave him money to fix criminal cases and that he gave no money to former state District Judge Abel Limas for similar purposes.

The Valley Morning Star reports closing arguments will be Friday morning, sending the case to jurors.

Villalobos is the top target to stand trial after an investigation into legal corruption involving Limas, who pleaded guilty to racketeering and awaits sentencing.










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Dallas- Three men have been sentenced to prison in a bribery case involving road and roofing contracts for a North Texas military installation.

John Torrance Gilmore III of Wichita Falls received the maximum 5-year federal prison term Thursday for his leading role in the conspiracy surrounding contracts for Sheppard Air Force Base. At the time, Gilmore was lead supervisory engineer at the Wichita Falls-area base.

Two government contractors, John Carmon Freeman of Vernon and Miguel Angel Hughes of Fort Worth, also were sentenced to prison. Freeman drew a 1½-year prison term, while Hughes received an 8-month prison term.

Former Sheppard employee Larry Thomas Ballard of Wichita Falls will be sentenced July 19.

Gilmore and Ballard worked in the base's civil engineering department. Hughes and Freeman owned construction firms.
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Laredo, Texas- A former Laredo police officer has been sentenced to a year in prison after admitting to abusing a suspect in his patrol car last year.

A federal judge in Laredo sentenced Frank Carter on Thursday. Carter had pleaded guilty March 7 to violating the civil rights of the male suspect and admitted to having used "unjustified and unlawful force against a handcuffed arrestee."

The incident was recorded on a rear-facing dashboard camera.

Carter could have received a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

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Blanket- A strong storm authorities suspect was a tornado smashed the public school complex in a small town in the rolling hills southwest of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The Texas Department of Public Safety reported a tornado about 6 p.m. Monday in Blanket, a town of about 400 residents about 100 miles southwest of Fort Worth.

Brown County sheriff's spokeswoman Kim Chandler says the storm caused "massive damage" to the town's public school complex and toppled many utility poles but only minor damage to the surrounding homes and businesses.

Chandler says school was out and no injuries were reported.

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Dallas- A veteran Dallas firefighter has died after being trapped while battling a six-alarm blaze at a condominium complex.

Dallas Fire-Rescue officials identified the victim of Monday's blaze as 51-year-old Stanley Wilson. Wilson had been a Dallas firefighter for 28 years.

A U.S. flag covered Wilson's body when it was located and removed from the rubble about six hours after the fire started before dawn Monday.

Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans says two firefighters were transported to a hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. Two residents were treated for minor smoke inhalation.

Authorities are trying to determine what sparked the fire that damaged about two dozen units.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings says Wilson was a hero who laid down his life for citizens.
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Austin- The House has approved requiring any decision by a future Texas governor to expand Medicaid first be approved by the Legislature.

Republican Rep. Jeff Leach of Plano tacked an amendment Monday night onto an omnibus long-term care bill. Approved 87-57, it bars future governors from unilaterally accepting increased federal funding by expanding Medicaid under the White House-backed health care law.

The measure must still be approved by the Senate.

Gov. Rick Perry says Texas won't expand Medicaid. But Leach's amendment ensures any other governor or state health commissioner can't move to do so without approval in the Texas Senate and House.

Democrats tried unsuccessfully to block Leach's amendment on parliamentary errors, and some Republicans argued against it.

But Leach said lawmakers "ought to be involved" in the decision.

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Austin- A federal appeals court has upheld a Texas law that says 18-20-year-olds cannot receive a concealed handgun license.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the Texas law limiting handgun licenses is constitutional. Lawmakers had decided that those under 21 were not mature enough to carry concealed handguns in public. The law makes an exception for members of the military.

The National Rifle Association had brought the suit on behalf of three teenagers against the state of Texas for denying adults under 21 from getting a license. But the court said that the Second Amendment does not confer a right to carry weapons beyond the home, and therefore the law was within the Legislature's authority.

The Texas Legislature is currently considering laws to allow guns on college campuses.
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El Paso, Texas- Military officials have identified the third Fort Bliss soldier killed recently in Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device.

Authorities at Fort Bliss on Monday announced that Pfc. Cody James Towse of Elk Ridge, Utah, was killed in the May 14 attack. He was 21 years old.

They previously announced that two specialists from Fort Bliss - William Joseph Gilbert and Mitchell Kirk Daehling - also were killed, as was Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey C. Baker based at Fort Stewart in Georgia.

Towse was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.

Five other Fort Bliss soldiers were killed by a roadside blast in early May in Afghanistan.

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Houston- Police have charged a 22-year-old man with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon following a downtown gunfight in which one was killed.

Authorities say Cordarrel Sharod McGee is hospitalized Monday for treatment of gunshot wounds. They allege he was with three or four other men when they confronted a 27-year-old man returning home from a nightclub early Saturday in Houston.

The resident told police the men began firing at him and he returned fire with his own weapon. The resident shot and killed a 23-year-old man whose name has not been released, and also wounded McGee. The resident also suffered a gunshot wound.

Houston police say McGee was placed in custody after being taken to a hospital by private vehicle.

Online jail records did not indicate an attorney for McGee.
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WACO, Texas (AP) - Baylor University regents have approved a plan to build a $13.6 million track stadium at the Waco campus.

The Waco Tribune-Herald reports the track and field stadium will be built on the banks of the Brazos River next to a $250 million football stadium that is already under construction.

Both are scheduled to be completed by the 2014 to 2015 school year.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44723 Sat, 25 May 2013 03:15:29 UTC sports May 19, 2013

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - A 300-pound Fort Worth man died shortly after police fired a Taser stun gun at him during a drug raid.

Fort Worth police used the stun gun on 34-year-old Jermaine Darden Thursday because they say he was resisting arrest.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports Darden died a short time later at a local hospital.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44722 Sat, 25 May 2013 03:15:29 UTC sports May 19, 2013

EL PASO, Texas (AP) - El Paso police used a bomb squad to investigate the home of a high school teacher arrested on charges he had an improper relationship with a student.

Twenty-seven-year-old Bobby French was arrested Friday by El Paso Independent School District police.

French was a business teacher at Andress High School. His bond has been set at $100,000.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44721 Sat, 25 May 2013 03:15:29 UTC sports May 19, 2013

GRANBURY, Texas (AP) - Residents of a North Texas town ravaged by a deadly tornado are starting to return to home for the first time since the midweek storm.

The process is slow because several hundred people showed up early yesterday to register at a Granbury church.

The registration is required to return to the Rancho Brazos Estates neighborhood.
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HOUSTON (AP) - Police say they have taken into a custody a man they believe may be linked to the killing of a U.S. postal worker in suburban Houston.

The San Jacinto County Sheriff's Office said on Sunday they had taken 36-year-old James Wayne Ham into custody. Postal inspectors say Ham is a lead suspect in the killing of 52-year-old Marie Youngblood.

The postal carrier's body was found late Friday inside her burned out SUV. Investigators believe Youngblood was shot, and later transported to her burned out Jeep Cherokee.

Inspectors say a postal worker was last killed in Texas about 30 years ago.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44719 Sat, 25 May 2013 03:15:29 UTC sports May 19, 2013

HOUSTON (AP) - Houston police are looking for two or three unknown suspects after one person was killed and two others were wounded in a downtown gunfight.

The Houston Chronicle reports a 27-year-old man told police he was returning home from a night club at about 6 a.m. on Sunday when he was confronted by four or five armed men. He says the group fired at him, and he drew his own weapon and returned fire.

Police say he shot two of his suspected assailants. One was pronounced dead at the scene. The wounded man was taken to a hospital by an unidentified person. He has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The 27-year-old is being treated for a gunshot wound in his upper back. He has not been charged.]]> http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=44718 Sat, 25 May 2013 03:15:29 UTC sports