In brief: Robbery suspect asked to be shot
When a third suspect was caught Friday in a bank robbery investigation that led to the fatal shooting of an FBI agent, he had a request for officers: “Just shoot me.”
Francisco Herrera-Genao, 22, was tired and cold, half-naked, and caked with mud and twigs after a night in the woods. He was arrested after trying to carjack a woman driving to work, authorities said.
Herrera-Genao had managed to elude a 300-officer manhunt for almost a day after gunfire erupted outside a bank that authorities suspected was about to be robbed in Readington, in northcentral New Jersey.
The shooting began when FBI agents confronted three men. Agent Barry Lee Bush, 52, was killed in the gunfire.
A preliminary investigation indicated that Bush was killed when a fellow agent’s weapon accidentally discharged, the FBI said.
Two suspects were arrested shortly after the shooting. Herrera-Genao was found a few miles from the bank.
Washington, D.C.
Healthier school lunches proposed
As part of a sweeping effort to help improve nutrition for schoolchildren and fight childhood obesity, the Agriculture Department is proposing for the first time to require schools to bring their cafeteria menus into compliance with the latest U.S. dietary guidelines.
While the department limits the sale of soda and some junk foods in school cafeterias, it has not required schools to implement the 2005 Dietary Guidelines that call for increased consumption of whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
Nor does it regulate vending machines, a la carte menus or other food and beverages sold in schools outside of the cafeteria, although a bill introduced by Sens. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, seeks to do that.
“We are proposing very significant increases in fruit and vegetables,” said USDA Secretary Mike Johanns..
NEW YORK
Top Democrats agree to debate
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign announced Friday she would participate in a presidential debate this month sponsored by the South Carolina Democratic Party.
All the announced Democratic contenders have now agreed to appear in the debate, which will take place at South Carolina State University on April 26.
Other candidates participating are Sens. Barack Obama, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden; former Sen. John Edwards; New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson; Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich; and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel.
SAN MATEO, Calif.
Child psychiatrist charged in abuse
A child psychiatrist who once headed the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry was arrested amid allegations he had molested male patients dating back to the 1960s.
Dr. William Ayres, 75, was taken into custody Thursday at his San Mateo home and charged with 14 felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14.
Ayres, who retired last year, had been honored in 2002 by the San Mateo board of supervisors with a lifetime achievement award for “his tireless effort to improve the lives of children and adolescents.”
He also served as president of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry from 1993 to 1995.
HERMITAGE, Pa.
Principal sues over Web prank
A school principal sued four former students who he claims posted parody MySpace.com profiles saying he smoked pot, kept beer at school and liked having sex with students.
In the lawsuit, Eric W. Trosch alleged that the three profiles created in December 2005 on the social networking Web site damaged his reputation, humiliated him and hurt his earning capacity.
According to the suit, which seeks unspecified punitive damages, a profile by defendant Justin Layshock said Trosch smoked marijuana and kept a keg of beer behind his desk.
Trosch alleges that another profile created by Thomas Cooper said his favorite movie was pornographic, and a third created by brothers Brendan and Christopher Gebhart said Trosch liked having sex with students and brutalizing women.
From wire reports