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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Nation in brief: Warden: Jail unfit for suspect, 11

A jail warden said Sunday he will ask a judge to move an 11-year-old boy accused of killing his father’s pregnant girlfriend from an adult lockup to a juvenile detention center because the jail cannot accommodate the boy.

Lawrence County Warden Charles Adamo said his 300-inmate jail cannot offer proper long-term care for Jordan Brown, who was charged Saturday with using his own 20-gauge shotgun to kill 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk.

Houk was eight months pregnant with the child of Brown’s father and also had two daughters, ages 4 and 7, who lived together in the rural home where authorities said she was slain as she lay in bed Friday.

Police said the boy then hopped onto a school bus with Houk’s oldest daughter. State troopers picked him up at school after tree trimmers called 911 when Houk’s youngest daughter told them she thought her mother was dead.

Brown faces a preliminary hearing on Thursday to determine if he’ll stand trial.

Chicago

Charges in slaying of woman, baby

A 36-year-old attorney fatally shot the former girlfriend and infant daughter of New York Knicks player Eddy Curry during a domestic-related dispute, according to police and published reports.

Fredrick Goings, of Chicago, was charged Sunday with two counts of first-degree murder, Cook County State’s Attorney spokeswoman Sally Daly said.

Police said Goings was arrested Friday evening as he was getting into his car outside a relative’s place in Chicago. Goings has not made any statements to authorities and is not cooperating in the investigation, Lt. Denis Walsh said.

The bodies of 24-year-old Nova Henry and her 9-month-old daughter, Ava, were found in their Chicago apartment on Jan. 24. Both died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Philadelphia

Newspaper owner files for bankruptcy

The owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Sunday in an effort to restructure its debt load.

Philadelphia Newspapers Inc., owned by Philadelphia Media Holdings LLC, is the second newspaper company in two days, and fourth in recent months, to seek bankruptcy protection.

“This restructuring is focused solely on our debt, not our operations,” Chief Executive Officer Brian P. Tierney said in a statement. “Our operations are sound and profitable.”

The filing Sunday indicated the company has between $100 million and $500 million in assets and liabilities in the same range. The company said it will continue the normal operations of its newspapers, magazines and online businesses without interruption during the debt-restructuring process. In a story posted on its Web site Sunday, the company says it has a debt load of $390 million.

Galveston

Cargo to be taken from stuck tanker

Officials say they plan to remove cargo from a grounded oil tanker in the Gulf of Mexico to reduce its weight and hopefully refloat it.

Coast Guard spokeswoman Renee Aiello said Sunday that some cargo from the Yasa Golden Dardanelles would be moved to another vessel.

She said the new plan follows unsuccessful attempts Saturday to free the 800-foot tanker using tugboats at high tide.

Aiello also said there’s no indication that the ship’s load of 621,000 barrels of low sulfur fuel oil has leaked or spilled.

From wire reports