Prosecutors vow no deal for Rader

Wichita, Kan. Prosecutors vowed Tuesday there will be no plea bargain in the case against a former church leader and city employee charged with 10 counts of murder in the BTK serial killings that terrorized Wichita since the 1970s.

“I look forward to a trial of this case, because it is important after 30 years for people to know and for people to understand and appreciate, not only the work of law enforcement, but to be able to say, ‘It’s over, it’s over,’ ” District Attorney Nola Foulston said after the arraignment of suspect Dennis Rader.

Rader, 60, stood mute during the brief hearing, leaving it to District Court Judge Gregory Waller to enter a not guilty plea for him. Waller set the trial for June 27, a date likely to be postponed.

Rader, a former city compliance officer from suburban Park City, was arrested Feb. 25 and charged in 10 deaths linked to the serial killer known as BTK, which stands for “Bind, Torture, Kill.”

The killings began in the 1970s and made headlines again last year when the killer started sending messages and packages to media and police.

Accountant testifies Jackson is overspending

Santa Maria, Calif. A forensic accountant testified in Michael Jackson’s child molestation trial Tuesday that the pop star was spending $20 million to $30 million more every year than he earns, a deep financial problem that the prosecution contends underlies conspiracy allegations in the case.

The prosecution also tried to undermine earlier testimony from one of their own witnesses – Jackson’s ex-wife Deborah Rowe – by calling an investigator who said the former wife told him last year that the singer was a “sociopath.”

The detailed analysis of Jackson’s multimillion-dollar empire was brought into the trial over vehement objections from defense attorneys who said it was irrelevant to the case and was based on hearsay statements contained in memos from various financial advisers.

Officials move to ban online game hunting

Sacramento, Calif. Wildlife regulators took the first step Tuesday to bar hunters from using the Internet to shoot animals, responding to a Texas Web site that planned to let users fire at real game with the click of a mouse.

The Fish and Game Commission ordered wildlife officials to prepare emergency regulations to ban the practice. A period of public comment will follow.

“We don’t think Californians should be able to hunt sitting at their computers at home,” said Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Game.

A bill passed by the state Senate two weeks ago would prohibit use of computer-assisted hunting sites and ban the import or export of any animal killed using computer-assisted hunting. The measure now moves to the state Assembly.

Groups including the California Sportsmen’s Association, Safari Club International and the Outdoor Sportsman’s Coalition of California support the ban, saying hunting over the Internet is unethical and unsporting.

Legislators support chaste cheerleading

Austin, Texas After an alternately comic and fiery debate – punctuated by several lawmakers waving pompons – the state House on Tuesday approved a bill to restrict “overtly sexually suggestive” cheerleading to more ladylike performances.

The bill would give the state education commissioner authority to request that school districts review high school performances.

“Girls can get out and do all of these overly sexually performances and we applaud them and that’s not right,” said Democratic Rep. Al Edwards, who filed the legislation.

Edwards argued bawdy performances are a distraction for students resulting in pregnancies, dropouts and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Ribald performances are not defined in the bill. “Any adult that’s been involved with sex in their lives, they know it when they see it,” he said.