Nation in brief: Mother convicted of sons’ murders

A mother who claimed she was sacrificing her young sons for God by tossing them to their deaths in San Francisco Bay was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder.

LaShuan Harris, 24, claimed she was insane when she drowned the three boys on Oct. 19, 2005.

In a videotaped confession, she described struggling with two of the youngsters as she stripped them and plunged them into the bay in an area where tourists stroll along the waterfront. Her youngest child laughed, thinking it was a game.

Harris could receive up to life in prison on the murder convictions and convictions last week for assault of a child causing death. She was previously acquitted of first-degree murder.

WASHINGTON

Bush backs down on Idaho nominee

President Bush on Tuesday shifted a controversial federal appeals court nominee from one opening to another to satisfy Senate Democrats.

In a nod to the Senate’s new Democratic leadership, Bush withdrew the nomination of Norman Randy Smith, of Idaho, for one seat on the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and nominated him for a different seat.

Federal appeals court seats traditionally stay in the hands of judges from the same states. Bush nominated Smith to a 9th Circuit seat held by a judge who lived in Idaho but previously had lived in California.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a Judiciary Committee member, threatened to block the Smith nomination, contending the seat was a California seat. She argued that if Smith were confirmed, California would be underrepresented on the nation’s largest federal appeals court.

Only last week Bush resubmitted Smith’s name to the Senate for the California seat, which had been held by Judge Stephen Trott. On Tuesday he withdrew that nomination and nominated Smith to replace Thomas G. Nelson, of Idaho.

PHILADELPHIA

Attorney found naked with girl

A criminal defense lawyer was arrested after a sheriff’s deputy found him naked with a 14-year-old girl in a courthouse conference room, authorities said Tuesday.

The deputy looked into the room during rounds Monday afternoon and discovered 49-year-old Larry Charles and the girl, said Lt. Dan Bagnell of the Police Department’s Special Victims Unit.

“He had asked for sex. But there was no physical contact we’re aware of,” Bagnell said.

Bagnell said the girl was not a client of Charles, but their exact relationship was unclear.

Charles was charged with solicitation, attempted statutory sexual assault and related counts. Courts were closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but the courthouse was open for attorneys who needed to conduct business in the building.