Nation in brief: Gunman kills 3 at hospital
Armed with a three-year grudge and more guns than he could hold, a former substitute teacher stormed a west Georgia hospital looking to punish the nurse he blamed for his mother’s death.
The nurse, another employee and a bystander are dead, the alleged shooter is being treated for a gunshot wound police gave him and a military community accustomed to grieving is reeling.
Charles Johnston, 63, was expected to face murder and assault charges in Thursday’s rampage at Doctors Hospital, Police Chief Ricky Boren said. Johnston was being treated at another hospital Friday.
“Apparently it had been on his mind for a while,” Boren said. “It’s a horrible crime, a crime that never should have taken place.”
Johnston went to Doctors Hospital with a gun hidden in his waistband and other guns in his pants and jacket pockets, authorities said. He made his way to the fifth-floor intensive care unit, where his mother had been treated in 2004 before she died of natural causes.
SAN JOSE, Calif.
Mukasey warns of media piracy
Attorney General Michael Mukasey warned Friday that the huge profits generated from piracy and counterfeiting are fostering terrorism.
Terror groups are taking their cues from organized crime and funding their operations with money they make committing intellectual property crimes, he told a gathering of Silicon Valley executives.
“Criminal syndicates, and in some cases even terrorist groups, view IP crime as a lucrative business and see it as a low-risk way to fund other activities,” Mukasey said. “A primary goal of our IP enforcement mission is to show these criminals that they’re wrong.”
Mukasey did not elaborate or take questions.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
Governor booked, supporters rally
Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila surrendered to federal authorities Friday and pleaded not guilty to corruption charges as hundreds of his followers rallied outside to booming salsa music.
Acevedo is charged with conspiracy to violate federal campaign laws and defraud the Internal Revenue Service, and giving false testimony to the FBI – 19 counts in all with a total sentence of 20 years in prison if he’s convicted.
His response has been to stoke Puerto Rican nationalism, describing the federal indictment as an attack against all islanders.
“I will put up a fight for Puerto Rico” he declared after being booked, and emerged into a raucous crowd of some 300 supporters, exchanging hugs and high-fives.
BINGHAMTON, N.Y.
Toilet paper check rejected
A man disputing his water bill is not being allowed to pay with a check written on toilet paper.
Ron Borgna, who is disputing the $2,509.66 bill, wrote a check on floral print, two-ply toilet paper Wednesday.
The disagreement began in September 2006 when Borgna received a $422.90 water bill. Borgna claims he was overbilled. With additional charges, penalties and late fees that bill has grown.
Binghamton city officials refused to accept the check. After a short argument, Borgna was escorted out of the building, the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin reported.
Borgna says he is appealing the judgment against him in small claims court.