In brief: Justice won’t file charges against Zimmerman in shooting

Washington – The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday that it was closing its investigation into the shooting death three years ago of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin without filing criminal charges against former neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman.

Justice officials said it was impossible to prove that Zimmerman “willfully” violated the black 17-year-old’s civil rights when he pulled the trigger during a struggle in February 2012.

The announcement ends the high-profile federal probe into a shooting death that set off a national debate about race, guns, so-called stand-your-ground laws and self-defense.

Southwest grounds planes that weren’t properly inspected

Dallas – Southwest Airlines Inc. said it has grounded 128 planes after failing to inspect backup hydraulic systems used to control the rudder if the main system fails.

The airline said Tuesday night that it had canceled 90 flights so far. The grounding covers about one-fifth its fleet.

Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King said that after discovering the missed inspections, the airline immediately notified federal safety regulators and began checking the planes.

Banning chewing tobacco at baseball games advocated

Sacramento, Calif. – Anti-smoking advocates are hoping to strike out chewing tobacco at California baseball games.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids announced Tuesday that it will sponsor legislation to ban all tobacco products at baseball venues, including Major League Baseball and organized league games.

MLB said it supports banning smokeless tobacco and the spirit of the proposal. Using chewing tobacco, known as dipping, is already prohibited in minor leagues.

The issue was highlighted by the death last June of former San Diego Padres all-star Tony Gwynn, who believed his oral cancer was linked to longtime chewing tobacco use.