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Audra McDonald, Bryan Cranston, NPH Win Tonys

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The lethal romp "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" got a lot of love at Sunday night's Tony Awards, nabbing the best new musical trophy on a night that also saw Audra McDonald make Broadway history, Bryan Cranston win as a rookie and four-time host Neil Patrick Harris get his own award.

"A Gentlemen's Guide," in which a poor man comically eliminates the eight heirs ahead of him for a title, opened rather quietly and has had a steady increase in interest, peaking with its huge win over Disney's "Aladdin" and the built-in love of Carole King songs from "Beautiful — The Carole King Musical."

"The little engine that could, did," said an ecstatic lead producer Joey Parnes. The show nabbed a total of four wins, including best book of a musical. It was tied for the most decorated show of the night with "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," an unlikely Broadway hit about obsession, glam rock and a botched sex-change operation.

McDonald, at 43, won her sixth Tony for portraying Billie Holiday in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill," putting her ahead of five-time winners Angela Lansbury and the late Julie Harris for the most competitive wins by an actress. (Harris has six if her special lifetime achievement award is included.) McDonald got a prolonged standing ovation and among those she thanked were her parents for not medicating their hyperactive child.

The latest win — for best lead actress in a play — also makes McDonald the only woman to win a Tony in all four acting categories. She previously won as best featured actress in a play ("A Raisin in the Sun" and "Master Class"), best lead actress in a musical ("The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess") and best featured actress in a musical ("Ragtime" and "Carousel").

"Hedwig" was led by Neil Patrick Harris, and the former Tony host got his first award — best actor in a musical — after performing a song from the show, looking unrecognizable in a miniskirt and blond feathered wig. He gave audience member Sting a lap dance and took Samuel L. Jackson's glasses away and licked them.

"A year ago I was hosting the Tonys. This is crazy pants," he said after donning pants. His co-star Lena Hall won best featured actress in a musical and the show also won for best musical revival and lighting.

Cranston — in a role far from TV's chemistry teacher-turned-meth kingpin Walter White in "Breaking Bad" — won the best lead actor in a play Tony for playing former President Lyndon B. Johnson in Robert Schenkkan's "All the Way," which also was crowned best play. It was Cranston's first time on Broadway.

Jessie Mueller beat some strong Broadway veterans in Sutton Foster, Idina Menzel and Kelli O'Hara to take home the best actress in a musical Tony for playing the title character in "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical." She thanked the iconic singer-songwriter and all her competitors. One of the show's highlights was King singing with the cast of the show.

Host Hugh Jackman kicked off the Tonys with a bounce, hopping up and down like a kangaroo during his opening number Sunday. Big, high-kicking musical numbers from "After Midnight," ''Aladdin" and "Rocky" kept the energy up.

The bearded Australian, back as host after a nine-year absence, greeted many of the night's featured performers as he cheerfully bounded past them backstage. He then joined the cast of the musical "After Midnight" for a rousing rendition of "It Don't Mean a Thing (If it Ain't Got that Swing)." He later rapped with LL Cool J and T.I. to a reworked song from "The Music Man" and danced with all the leading ladies nominated for a musical.

Mark Rylance won his third Tony for playing the countess Olivia in "Twelfth Night." Rylance, who previously won for "Jerusalem" and "Boeing-Boeing," kept the drag theme going this season by winning for playing a woman.

Darko Tresnjak won for directing the musical "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder" and thanked his mother, who was too frail to be there. The musical also won for best book of a musical and costumes for a musical.

Kenny Leon won his first Tony for directing the revival of "A Raisin in the Sun." He thanked, among other, his star Denzel Washington, who was not nominated, and the women in his life. He even managed to plug his next work, "Holler If Ya Hear Me."

One of his "Raisin" stars, Sophie Okonedo, won for best featured actress in a play. "I am loving it on Broadway," she said. She thanked producer Scott Rudin for believing that a "Jewish, Nigerian Brit" could play the iconic role of Ruth Younger. The show also won best play revival.

The evening's disappointments included just one win — best featured actor in a musical to James Monroe Iglehart — for Disney's "Aladdin," which had gone in with five nominations, and only one each for "After Midnight" (choreography) and "Rocky" (scenic design). "Bullets Over Broadway" won nothing, nor did "If/Then" or the "Les Miz" revival.

Sunday night's show ran more than 15 minutes over its allotted three-hour time slot, forcing the producers to make a painful cut — the memorial segment where notable theater deaths of the past year were to be acknowledged.

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images for Tony Awards Pro

Teacher Pulled Knife on Teens: Cops

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A Southern California high school teacher is facing kidnapping charges after pulling a knife on a trio of students and demanding they drive him to a fast-food restaurant while he was apparently intoxicated, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.

The students were driving at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday when they stopped to greet one of their teachers, 34-year-old John Edward Maust, whom they saw standing near Ganesha Avenue and East Mariposa Street in Altadena, sheriff's officials said in a news release.

Maust asked for a ride, and the 17-year-olds agreed. But during the trip, the driver became worried by their conversation with the teacher and pulled the car over, officials said.

"They immediately noticed that he was intoxicated," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Tony Moore. "They didn't feel safe. They got out of the car and he ordered them back into the car."

The teacher at Arroyo Pacific Academy in Arcadia demanded the students drive to a Jack in the Box restaurant, according to the sheriff's department. Maust pulled out a knife on the teens after they reluctantly re-entered the car, officials said.

One of the teens was able to call 911 during the drive. When Maust saw a sheriff’s department helicopter flying overhead, he bailed from the car and fled on foot, officials said.

On Sunday, Maust surrendered at the Altadena Sheriff’s Station, where he was arrested without incident, officials said. He faces charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, and criminal threats. He was being held on $100,000 bail. It was not immediately clear whether he had obtained an attorney.

The teacher was placed on indefinite administrative leave, according to school officials.

"We are immensely saddened," said Philip Clarke, president of Arroyo Pacific Academy. "We are very concerned about the well being of a long-term, well-respected faculty member who is involved. Our hearts and our prayers go out to him at this moment of this situation in his life.

"Our primary concern is for the well being and welfare of our students."

 

 

Tilting Bridge 911 Call: "Crazy"

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A 911 recording shows a Delaware man tried to warn state transportation officials and law enforcement about a tilting interstate bridge nearly two months before the river crossing was shut down.

In the April 15 call obtained by NBC10.com on Monday, Charles Allen Jr. describes how the heavily-traveled 4,800-foot-long bridge crossing the Christina River in Wilmington had begun to separate and lean.

"It's kind of a crazy emergency," he said. "The two roadbeds are lifting up opposing each other, and it doesn't look right. Something's wrong."

Allen, who regularly travels across the bridge on his commute, told the operator that he had tried to contact the Delaware Department of Transportation using several numbers, but could not get in touch with anyone.

"I don't want to be rude and use this number for something that's not [an emergency], but it appears to be an emergency today," he said.

The operator told Allen that she would pass along the information to police. However, it's unclear what happened next with the man's warning.

The tilting wasn't addressed by transportation officials until June 2 -- more than six weeks later. That Monday, state transportation officials issued an emergency shut down of the bridge after a contractor, working on another project, noticed the bridge was leaning 2 feet to the side.

DelDOT officials eventually chose to close the bridge indefinitely. They said the decision was made out of an abundance of caution and to prevent a possible failure and collapse. Engineers are still working to determine what is causing the bridge's supports to tilt.

Allen's 911 call didn't come to light until after the man came forward following the closure.

The contractor's warning was also deferred for two days before action was taken. The state's transportation secretary expressed regret over the slow action regarding the contractor's notification, but said the bridge was not in imminent danger of collapse.

A DelDOT spokesperson said the agency's priority is getting the bridge fixed, but that they would release a statement on the 911 call later on Monday.



Photo Credit: AP

SUV Crashes Into Rancho Bernardo Apartment

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Residents of one Rancho Bernardo apartment complex got quite a scare Monday morning: An SUV crashed into their building.

The accident happened just before 10 a.m. in the 15900 block of Avenida Venusto. A Jeep Cherokee slammed into the corner of a first story unit.

Neither the driver nor any residents were injured, according to the San Diego Fire Department.

A structural engineer was called to inspect the building. There is no word on what caused the driver to crash.

Check back for updates.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Gunman Barricaded in LA Home

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A man armed with what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle surrendered after an hours-long standoff in North Hollywood that followed a high-speed pursuit on Southern California freeways.

The man directed his rifle at officers during a high-speed pursuit from east of downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley, pulled over, ran through a neighborhood and climbed onto the roof of a house. He barricaded himself inside the house until 3 p.m.

The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Nolan Perez, came outside of the North Hollywood house with two dogs and lay down on the ground before SWAT officers took him into custody in the backyard, according to Los Angeles police. He was then taken out of the patrol car and trasnferred into an ambulance.

He was believed to be the only person in the house during the standoff.

Perez was wanted in connection with a criminal threats report filed on Monday, officials said. He was located Monday morning in El Sereno and fled after encountering officers, police said.

The manhunt and standoff forced hours-long lockdowns at nine schools and evacuations near the barricade location in the 11600 block of Hartsook Street, just blocks from the Los Angeles Police Department's North Hollywood Station.

"We're going to make every attempt we can to make contact with this suspect. We don't want anybody to get hurt here, including the suspect," LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman said. 

The standoff began after a pursuit that reached speeds around 100 mph on several freeways near downtown LA before extending north into the San Fernando Valley. The driver of the Nissan sedan encountered traffic on the northbound 5 Freeway and used the emergency lane next to the center divider to pass several vehicles.

At one point, Perez appeared to wave the rifle out a window before exiting the freeway in North Hollywood and stopping on a street near Magnolia Boulevard and Irvine Avenue.

Dressed all in white, he could be seen carrying the weapon and what appeared to be a clip of ammunition when he sprinted from the car and across several residential yards, then climbed onto the roof of a house. He leaned against the weapon, paced around and kneeled down on the roof before jumping off into a back yard about 15 minutes later.

"It was a little bizarre, how calm he was," a resident said.

There were no reports of shots fired in the residential area just west of the 170 Freeway, where an LAPD helicopter circled overhead.

Authorities blocked off an area that includes Magnolia Boulevard to the north, Otsego Street to the south, Tujunga Avenue to the east and Colfax Avenue to the west.

Oakwood School, Joyces Toluca Lake Preschool, Walter Reed Middle School, North Hollywood High School and Colfax Charter Elementary School were among the schools locked down during the search. Police established an evacuation plan so parents could pick students up from Oakwood School, which is adjacent to the street on which authorities said the subject is barricaded.

"It was very reassuring to know she was all right," said parent Robin Share, who was texting with her daughter at Oakwood School during the lockdown. "She was in the middle of a final exam and wanted to finish. She's determined."

Aerial video showed children walking hand-in-hand as they were escorted to nearby North Hollywood Park to be reunited with parents. All LAUSD school lockdowns were lifted early Monday afternoon.

Girlfriend, Son Testify in Deadly Neighbor Dispute Trial

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A North County man’s pattern of removing trees and brush “didn’t make much sense” witnesses testified Monday in the deadly neighbor dispute trial.

John Upton's son and girlfriend described events leading up to the March 2013 shooting in the Olivenhain neighborhood.

Upton, 56, was shot by his neighbor, Michael Vilkin, just days before he was scheduled to move out of the home he rented on Lone Jack.

On the day of the shooting, Vilkin appeared to be trimming trees on property that runs from the end of Upton’s driveway to an empty lot on the other side of Upton’s rental home, a neighbor told NBC 7.

Vilkin has claimed the shooting was done in self-defense, that he had been bullied by Upton over clearing brush.

His son, James Upton, lived in the room attached to the garage, and testified he heard the gunshots the morning his father was shot outside the family's rental home.

After he saw his father’s injuries, James said he walked toward Vilkin screaming and crying, asking the neighbor “Why?”

The defense argues Vilkin feared for his life when Upton approached him and two workers doing landscaping.

Defense attorney Richard Berkon told jurors his client had been bullied, harassed and cursed at by Upton in the past.

However, James Upton testified his dad never got upset but rather frustrated, saying the landscaping took away their privacy.

Evelyn Zeller, John Upton's girlfriend, testified she was the one, not Upton, who first objected to the yard work, saying the removal of natural vegetation "didn't make much sense."

The couple was closing escrow on a new home and knew they would be leaving soon.

“It just didn’t matter. It made no difference,” Zeller said of the ongoing dispute.

At one point Monday, jurors were shown an image of a gun owned by Upton.

Prosecutors have said Upton was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

James Upton testified he saw a blackberry near his father after he was shot. He said his father owned a Glock but that he kept in his bedside table in his room.

“I don’t like guns. My dad didn’t like guns either,” he testified, adding that his father owned the firearm for self-protection.

Vilkin has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and assault with deadly weapon. If convicted, he could face 35 years to life in prison.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Poway Karate Instructor Arrested for Sex with Minor

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 A Poway karate instructor has been arrested for 500 counts of child molestation, including allegedly having sex with a female minor, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department announced Monday.

San Diego resident Josh Thomas Churchill, 31, is the operator at United Studios Self Defense Karate Studio at 13331 Poway Road. An employee told NBC 7 Churchill also acted as the lead instructor. 

Investigators say over more than three years, Churchill committed illegal acts against a minor at the studio and other locations. 

According to his Facebook page "Sensei-Josh Churchill," Churchill was previously an instructor at Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios, but his last post on April 2 said he was no longer working there. 

"I'm sure there'll be a lot of lies and negative things spread, but if you really want to know, call me," the post read.

Churchill was taken into custody Friday after an investigation revealed he had unlawful sex with a minor, sheriff's officials say, and he remains in jail on a $25 million bond.

"The bail is high, $25 million dollars, because this allegedly occurred over a period of over three years," said sheriff's Lt. Jeffrey Duckworth. "There were multiple counts of each crime alleged."

Churchill is accused of 200 counts of lewd acts with a victim 14 or 15 years old, 200 counts of oral copulation with a victim under 16 years old, 99 counts of lewd acts with a child by force and one count of sodomy with a victim under 16 years old.

His arraignment is scheduled for June 10.

NBC 7 also found a recent civil court complaint filed on June 2 by Churchill. In the court papers, he asked for a protective order against an ex-employee of Z-Ultimate and her father, alleging that the they attacked him in May after she was fired.

The ex-employee responded with a restraining order application of her own. Both sides were scheduled to hash out the case in court on June 17. 

Michelle, a mother of one of Churchill's students, said she is in disbelief after hearing the accusations against her daughter's instructor. 

"It's shock. It's scary. It's a parent's worst nightmare. You hope it never, ever happens to your child," Michelle said. 

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the sheriff's child abuse unit at 858-565-5200.

Check back for details on this developing story.



Photo Credit: Facebook

Toddler Killed After Dolphin Statue Falls on Him in San Francisco

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A toddler died after a heavy metal sculpture tipped over on top of him near San Francisco's Fisherman’s Wharf on Friday afternoon, according to police.

The 2-year-old boy was visiting San Francisco from Utah with his family.

Police responded about 11:30 a.m. Friday to the 200 block of Jefferson Street after a dolphin statue outside the Majestic Collection Art Gallery toppled onto the boy, San Francisco police spokesman Officer Gordon Shyy said.

Apparently, the boy had been playing on the statue just outside the store when it fell on him, Shyy said.

Medical crews arrived and the boy was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died later that afternoon, Shyy said.

Shyy said the boy was with his mother, father, an older sister and other family members.

The boy was identified as Kayson Shelton, of Draper, Utah, which is near Salt Lake City, according to the San Francisco medical examiner's office.

Kayson's father, Scott Shelton, is a podiatrist who went to school in the Bay Area. He told NBC Bay Area he and his family were walking down Jefferson Street when his son walked up to the dolphin statue.

"He wanted to go up and touch it,” Shelton said in telephone interview Monday, “and he stepped with a foot on the base of it and the statue came down on top of him.”

The boy's father said his son had a bloody nose right away, but the family thought Kayson was going to be fine. Minutes later, the boy passed out and an ambulance was called. The family praised EMTs' response time, but the child’s internal injuries were too great. Doctors couldn’t save him.

Scott Shelton said the sculpture was an irresistible attraction for any toddler. “I think any 2-year-old would go towards anything like that,” he said.

Police officials said the sculpture’s owner had been warned not to put it out on the sidewalk.

“Last year during the America’s Cup, this specific business was advised about this statue,” Shyy said.

But officers said the gallery ignored the warning and its owners were issued a citation Friday. A San Francisco Police Department spokesperson was unable to specify what sort of penalty the citation carries.

An online fundraising website has been set up for Kayson's family to help with funeral expenses and other costs.

As of Monday afternoon, more than $7,100 had been raised toward a $10,000 goal. Donations can be made online to his parents Toni and Scott Shelton here

The gallery’s owners sent the Shelton family their condolences in a statement Monday that said they are cooperating with the San Francisco Police Department in the investigation of Friday’s “tragic accident.”

 

Bay City News contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: Shelton Family

Pet Pig Saves Family From Fire

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A pet pig is being credited with saving its owners' lives during an early-morning fire Sunday in Mount Carmel, Illinois.

The family pig, named Lucky, jumped into action just after the fire broke out in a mobile home at about 4:40 a.m., NBC affiliate WFIE-TV reported.

"He started screaming," homeowner Ina Farler said. "He would jump down, run to the door and then jump back up on the bed and hit me really hard. I sat up to see what was wrong with him, because he usually doesn't do that through the night. When I sat up, I realized the room was really smoky."

Farler said the heat from the fire was so intense that she knew she had to get out immediately. She was able to grab her two grandchildren with the help of a neighbor.

The family is staying in a hotel while they figure out what they're going to do next, but they're feeling lucky that their pet pig was there for them.

"They're loving. They can be very protective, actually," Farler said of pet pigs. "He loves my grandkids to death."



Photo Credit: WFIE-TV

Missing Teen with Autism Found

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A 16-year-old boy with autism who went missing Monday morning has been found.

Devon Finks was found at a trolley stop in the 1200 block of Industrial Avenue in Chula Vista, according to San Diego police. Officials said he had been riding buses all day long.

Devon was reported missing around 9 a.m. Monday. His father went to Hoover High School for a meeting about his son's behavior. When he came home, Devon was nowhere to be found.

A missing person bulletin described Devon as 5-foot-tall and 98 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He reported to be wearing a maroon “Las Vegas” t-shirt, dark jeans and gray sneakers.

According to bulletin, Devon is anti-social and it was unusual for him to leave home out of the blue.

Monday was also his 16th birthday.
 



Photo Credit: San Diego Police Dept.

San Diego Police Roll Out Cop Cams

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San Diego police officers began training Monday on using body cameras mounted on their chest, collar and glasses.

The cameras come in light of allegations of criminal activity and sexual misconduct against officers over the past several months. San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said the cameras will serve as a safeguard for the times when these allegations arise.

“It’s all about public trust,” she said. “Not only does it hold the officer accountable, it also holds the public accountable.”

The body cameras – which will be first rolled out in the Central, South Eastern and Mid-City divisions -- will always be on, and an officer will begin recording each time he or she makes contact with someone.

The first 75 cameras can be used as soon as officers are trained and the ports have been wired at the divisions.

Then, 225 additional cameras are expected to be rolled out in July or August, Zimmerman said.

The one exception to using the cameras will be when an officer makes contact with some child victims or victims of sex crimes who require the necessary privacy.

What happens if an officer decides not to hit record on his body camera?

"If the officer makes a terrible decision that they're not going to record an enforcement contact, once this training phase is over then they will absolutely be subject to disciplinary procedures," Zimmerman said.  

Accused SDPD Officer Loses Shared Custody of Children

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 A San Diego Police officer arrested with her husband on drug charges has lost shared custody of her two children from a previous marriage.

Monday morning, Jennifer Charpentier was in family court to hear a judge’s ruling on the custody she shares with her ex-husband over their 16 and 18-year-old sons.

The judge decided she is now allowed just 32 hours a week of supervised visitation, pending legal proceedings on the drug arrest. That means there has to be an agreed upon third party with them.

“I feel terrible about it. I feel awful,” Jennifer told NBC 7. “I want the kids to be in our home. I want the kids to be in the dad’s home. I want us to have shared custody. I want us to be able to co-parent and raise the kids together.”

She said as bad as she feels, she understood the ruling.

Her ex-husband filed an emergency court order to determine temporary custody after Jennifer and her now-husband Bryce – also an SDPD officer – were both arrested last week on charges of possession of a controlled substance, sales of drugs, transportation and conspiracy.

Bryce is also accused of being under the influence while in possession of a loaded firearm. Both are now on paid leave from the department.

Jennifer told NBC 7 Monday that the deputies who arrested them gave very little information about what was going on, but she said they did offer a possible clue.

“There was surveillance video of a vehicle belonging to us that apparently raised some suspicion,” she said. “So, as to why we weren’t spoken to about that immediately, I don’t know.”

She said the video was taken near the Mid-City division where Bryce worked, but she had no more information.

In divorce documents, Jennifer’s ex-husband and Bryce’s ex-wife accuse the couple of abusing prescription painkillers.

But Jennifer said the police department requires drug testing and that “in general, I have never tested positive for any painkillers or any illegal drugs. Neither has my husband. In general, I can tell you that’s true.”

So far, no charges have been filed by the District Attorney’s Office, but the two will make appearances in court in the next few days.

Convicted Cop Killer May Be Paroled

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 The man convicted of killing a San Diego Police officer in 1978 may be released on parole, causing outrage among local officers.

Known gang member Jesus Cecena was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole after he shot 30-year-old Officer Archie Buggs four times during a traffic stop in Skyline.

“I think if you shoot a police officer and kill him execution-style like Cecena did, I think he deserves to spend the rest of his life in jail,” said Brian Marvel, president of the San Diego Police Officer’s Association.

However, in 1985, Cecena’s sentence was changed to seven years to life in prison, meaning he became eligible for parole. Since that ruling, the convict has been denied parole more than a dozen times.

The process for release is extensive, but the first step was recently made when a two-member panel with the Board of Parole Hearings sent a recommendation for Cecena’s release to the governor’s office.

Now, many San Diego officers are doing everything in their power to keep the convict in jail.

“The more vocal support we can get stating that Cecena would be a bad person to release in the community would be better,” said Marvel.

The District Attorney’s Office and the officers are calling on Governor Jerry Brown to reject Cecena’s release. Brown will make the final decision and has until September to do so.

"We need letters to the governor supporting us to make sure that Cecena doesn't get released because the governor has the ultimate ability to override the parole boards' decision," said Marvel.

The DA’s office will be writing a letter to the governor and asks anyone with a strong opinion on the matter to do the same.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

Neel Kashkari in San Diego

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Neel Kashkari, GOP candidate for California governor, talked with NBC 7 on June 9, 2014 at a monthly meeting for the San Diego Republican Party.

Horse Crashes Into Taxi in NYC

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A carriage horse bolted on the streets of midtown Monday evening, galloping through Central Park and down several streets before slamming into a yellow cab, denting its door, police say.

Carriage operator Christina Hansen said the 7-year-old horse named Pumpkin somehow got out of its bridle, which is connected to the reins. Once the bridle was off, Pumpkin's driver had no way to stop him. 

"He ran up to the park, and at that point, it's pretty predictable what's going to happen. He's going to run the route he usually takes," said Hansen. 

Pumpkin took off near 59th Street and ran his entire route through Central Park, the equivalent of the Kentucky Derby, according to Hansen. He was slowing down near the zoo off Fifth Avenue when a bicyclist jumped into the driver's seat to try to stop him. It only caused the horse to speed up, slamming the carriage into a cab on Central Park South. 

William Paul, a tourist from Florida, saw the cyclist trying to steer Pumpkin to the side of the street before the horse crashed into the side of the taxi and came to a stop. 

"The horse was very frightened and shaky," he said. 

No one was hurt, and Pumpkin is expected to be OK. But the unusual scene provided a platform for both supporters and opponents of the horse-drawn carriage industry to reiterate their positions.

"Thank God no one was hurt this time, but what is it going to take for people to see that horses do not belong in New York City traffic?" said Allie Feldman of NYCLASS, an advocacy group that opposes horse-drawn carriages.

Mayor de Blasio vowed to end horse-drawn carriages in Central Park when he was elected, and wants to replace them with old-fashioned electric cars. He has met with resistance from carriage-horse operators and their allies, and the City Council has not yet introduced legislation banning the carriage horses. 

 


4 Seconds With Hillary Clinton

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Hundreds of people lined up at a Manhattan bookstore to meet Hillary Rodham Clinton for four seconds and have the potential 2016 presidential candidate sign a copy of her new book being released Tuesday.

The Barnes & Noble store in Union Square had wristbands to give out to the first 1,000 people in line, who were told they'd get four seconds with Clinton and could not pose for photos with her. She was expected to sign copies of her book, "Hard Choices," for about two hours.

"It's really about the hard choices everybody has to make in life," she told the crowd before sitting down.

Sean Brennan, of Queens, said he stood in line because he wants to tell her to run for president again.

"I know it's selfish but please, please give us eight more years," he told NBC News.

The former Democratic senator from New York says she has not decided whether to run again.

Clinton's book was released Tuesday amid a media blitz of television interviews that touched on a wide range of topics, including the tough 2008 campaign.

The former secretary of state told NBC's Cynthia McFadden for an interview airing Tuesday on Nightly News that her advice for a younger version of herself would be to not take everything so personally.

"I would say that what I have learned and really incorporated since – to take criticism seriously, but not personally, not to be so anxious and worried about everything that everybody says and try to figure out how to incorporate that into your thinking," she said.

Clinton said the White House reviewed the book before it was published but did not ask for any changes.

Charges Dismissed in Teacher Sex Case

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A San Diego judge dismissed sex charges in the case of an assistant principal accused of carrying an unlawful sexual relationship with a teenage girl.

Prosecutors told NBC 7 they may refile charges against Kettrell Berry, a former assistant principal at the San Diego Center for Children in Kearny Mesa.

Two years ago, a 16-year-old girl claimed she would confide in Berry at first. Then, she said the relationship became physical.

Berry was fired from the school for troubled youth after allegations first surfaced in April 2012. He was arrested and charged a month later.

In court Tuesday, prosecutors asked for a delay due to pending test results. The defendant exercised his right to demand the trial begin as scheduled.

In response, prosecutors dismissed the charges but say they plan to re-file the case as soon as they get results from newly-tested DNA evidence.

 

Sterling Not Selling Clippers

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Donald Sterling says he is not selling the Los Angeles Clippers and is not dropping his $1 billion lawsuit against the NBA, after announcing last week that he had agreed to sell the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

"I have decided that I must fight to protect my rights," Sterling said Monday in a letter obtained by NBC News. "I love the team and have dedicated 33 years of my life to the organization. I intend to fight to keep the team."

Sterling made the announcement, less than one week after indicating he had agreed to the sale, because he believes his "rights to privacy and the preservation of my rights to due process should not be trampled."

Sterling also said on Monday he would pursue his lawsuit over the NBA's effort to oust him, after his lawyer Bobby Samini told NBC News last week that he was dropping it.

"We have been instructed to prosecute the lawsuit," said lawyer Maxwell Blecher on Monday.

The $2 billion sale was negotiated last week by his wife, Shelly. Sterling's lawyer Samini said June 4 that Donald had agreed to the deal and would drop the suit against the league because "all disputes and outstanding issued have been resolved."

The lawsuit alleges the league violated his constitutional rights by relying on information from an "illegal" recording that publicized racist remarks he made to a girlfriend. It also said the league committed a breach of contract by fining Sterling $2.5 million and that it violated antitrust laws by trying to force a sale.

The Sterling firestorm began after the audio surfaced of Donald Sterling telling V. Stiviano to not bring black people to Clippers games. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver moved to oust him as owner by banning him for life and fining him $2.5 million.

Sterling decided not to sign the papers inking the deal with Ballmer after learning the NBA won't revoke its lifetime ban and fine.

Shelly Sterling utilized her authority as sole trustee of the Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, to take bids for the team and ultimately negotiate a deal with Ballmer. The deal would have record-breaking if approved by the NBA's owners.

Samini was asked on the TODAY Show Tuesday morning whether his client understood that the fine and life-time ban would stand when he seemed to agree to the deal last week.

"I'm not going to go into the particulars of the discussions, but that clearly wasn't the understanding," said Samini. "Adam Silver has come out now and made it clear he isn't going to back off. The bigger issue here is that my client is out to clear his name."

If the deal does go through, its terms would allow Shelly Sterling to remain close to the organization by allowing for up to 10 percent of the team — or $200 million — to be spun off into a charitable foundation that she would essentially run.

Shelly Sterling and Ballmer would be co-chairs of the foundation, which would target underprivileged families, battered women, minorities and inner city youths.

Under the deal Shelly Sterling would also get the title of "owner emeritus" and be entitled to continuing perks such as floor seats, additional seats at games and parking.

One of the individuals said the deal also includes conditions that allow Ballmer to buy back the 10 percent portion of the team for a pre-designated price upon Shelly Sterling's death.

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Atty.: Feds Wiretapped Suspects in Campaign Finance Scandal

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A Mexican millionaire accused of making illegal contributions to local political campaigns is upset about the slow progress of the federal case against him, and according to his attorney, “just wants to get his life back.”

Jose Susumo Azano Matsura allegedly made more than $600,000 in illegal contributions to former Mayor Bob Filner, failed mayoral candidate Bonnie Dumanis, and other candidates. Federal prosecutors claim Azano corrupted U.S. elections and tried to buy access to development rights on the San Diego bay front.

Azano’s relationship with District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, who placed fourth in the 2012 mayoral campaign, was the focus attention last week, as Dumanis campaigned for a fourth term as district attorney.

Her main opponent, former federal prosecutor Bob Brewer, made an issue of a letter Dumanis wrote to the president of the University of San Diego, recommending Azano’s son, Edward, for admission to the private Catholic college.

Dumanis had previously minimized her relationship with Jose Azano Matsura; Brewer claimed the letter indicated a more extensive relationship between the county’s top prosecutor and the accused felon. Brewer also raised questions about a possible “quid-pro-quo” in which Dumanis wrote the recommendation, and possibly provided other benefits, in return for $200,000 in contributions to independent groups that supported Dumanis’s failed mayoral campaign.

Azano was back in court Monday for a routine hearing on the federal case. His lawyer, Knut Johnson, complained to the judge that prosecutors are taking too long to produce an updated criminal complaint that will lay the details of Azano’s alleged campaign fraud.

Prosecutors indicated that it could be September, at the earliest, before that complaint is filed with the court. Defense attorney Johnson and lawyers for two other defendants in the case said they cannot fight the case and will try to get it dismissed until they see that detailed complaint.

Meanwhile, Azano remains under house arrest at his Coronado mansion. His lawyer says Azano is unable to fully control his vast business empire in his home country of Mexico and around the world.

“His number one priority is to exonerate his name, to clear his name,” Johnson told Judge Michael Anello. “His position is, he has done nothing wrong, and this case should go away.”

Another defense attorney, Michael Lipman, who represents Chicago-based campaign consultant Ravneet Singh, took the same position, telling reporters, “We believe that when we finally get in front of a jury, we’ll be able to convince a jury that (Singh) is not guilty of anything.”

Lipman also confirmed for the first time that the government used at least one wiretap to build its case against Azano, Singh and the other defendants. Lipman said defense attorneys will challenge the legality of that wiretap.

The judge set the next hearing in the case for September 15th. Lipman said it could be next year before the trial starts.

Despite the negative publicity the case focused on Dumanis, she coasted to a fourth term as District Attorney, easily beating Brewer in last Tuesday’s election.

Dumanis refuses to answer questions about the recommendation letter she wrote for Edward Susumo Azano or her relationship with the Azano family.

Dumanis says she won’t comment because those issues are part of an “on-going criminal investigation."

Several local criminal defense attorneys unconnected with the case told NBC 7 that Dumanis has probably talked with FBI agents and/or federal prosecutors about her relationship with Azano and may have testified to a grand jury that is hearing evidence in the case against Azano and the other defendants.



Photo Credit: NBC 7

2 Hurt in North Park Drive-By Shooting

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San Diego police are looking for the suspect in a drive-by shooting that happened Monday in North Park.

The shooting occurred just after 10 p.m. near University Avenue and Villa Terrace, about three blocks west of The Mission.

San Diego police said someone in the backseat of a cherry red Toyota sedan opened fire on a group of four men, striking one in the ankle and a second in the hand.

The victims were identified by police as a 24-year-old and a 28-year-old.

One victim ran to Tobacco Rhoda’s about a block away to get help.

Investigators said the sedan – believed to be a 4-door - was last seen traveling westbound on Wightman Street.
 



Photo Credit: NBC 7
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