Nation digest 05/21/05

Judge spurns media effort for access in BTK case

WICHITA, Kan. -- A Kansas judge ruled Friday that the news media are not entitled to see a court document that details what led police to arrest the suspect in the BTK serial killings case. Six media organizations, including The Associated Press, sought last month to intervene in the BTK case after nearly all documents were put under court seal. Most of the other documents were subsequently unsealed, except for the affidavit that has the important details about how police came to focus on Dennis Rader as a suspect. Police and prosecutors have refused to discuss their evidence against Rader, 60, a former Park City compliance officer who was arrested Feb. 25 and charged in 10 deaths linked to BTK.

N.M. Capitol evacuated because of package

SANTA FE, N.M. -- The state Capitol was evacuated Friday after the governor's office received a package containing an unknown white powder and a threatening letter. "It's most likely a hoax, but we're taking every necessary precaution," Gov. Bill Richardson, one of those evacuated, said about three hours later. The threat was aimed at Richardson, said Department of Public Safety Secretary John Denko. He would not describe the letter or its contents other than to say, "It was a threat and it was a bit nasty."

Mass. repeals law that bans Indians from Boston

BOSTON -- Gov. Mitt Romney signed a bill Friday repealing a 330-year-old law that barred Indians from setting foot in Boston. The 1675 law, adopted when settlers were at war with the Massachusetts Bay Colony's tribes, had not been enforced for centuries, but was still a source of anger for Indians. With little fanfare, the Massachusetts Legislature voted unanimously on Thursday to strike the law from the books.

Police switch suspects in Indiana girl's death

CROTHERSVILLE, Ind. -- When the body of 10-year-old Katie Collman turned up in an Indiana creek four months ago, police quickly got a confession: A man said the girl was kidnapped and killed because she had stumbled across a methamphetamine operation. But prosecutors said Friday that the confession and story about the meth lab were made up. They dropped murder charges against 21-year-old Charles Hickman and switched blame to a 38-year-old man. The new suspect, Anthony Stockelman, is now charged with murder and criminal confinement, prosecutors said. DNA tests of semen found on the girl's body led to the charges, authorities said. When asked why Hickman confessed to the crime, prosecutor Stephen Pierson said "got me."

Jackson defense may rest early next week

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- The defense in Michael Jackson's child molestation trial may rest early next week, a prosecutor told the court Friday. That would end the defense case in less than half the time the pop star's attorneys had initially said they would need. "We're approaching the end of trial," prosecutor Ron Zonen told Judge Rodney S. Melville. "The defense has indicated they may be resting as early as next Tuesday." Defense attorneys did not contradict the statement but did not comment on it. The defense had said at the outset that they would need about six weeks or possibly up to eight weeks to present their case, which began May 5. Jackson's attorneys have presented a rapid succession of witnesses who supported Jackson's claim that he did not molest a 13-year-old boy.

Carrier USS America sent to bottom of Atlantic

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The retired aircraft carrier USS America is resting on the Atlantic's bottom, sunk by the Navy through a series of explosions. The 84,000-ton, 1,048-foot warship served the Navy for 32 years. Pat Dolan, a spokeswoman for Naval Sea Systems Command, said the America was sunk May 14 through a series of explosions that flooded the ship and sent it to the bottom of the ocean more than 6,000 feet below. She said the ship rests 58 miles out to sea. The Navy did not announce the sinking until days later. No warship this size or larger had ever been sunk.