No class-action lawsuit over conditions at women’s prison
YPSILANTI (AP) — A federal judge has rejected class-action status in a lawsuit challenging conditions at Michigan's only prison for women.
Judge Stephen Murphy III says the claims are too varied to be folded into one case. The Detroit Free Press reports that Murphy is allowing just a portion of the lawsuit to proceed.
Prisoners complained about being squeezed into makeshift space at the Huron Valley prison near Ypsilanti and long waiting lists for certain programs due to overcrowding. The judge says the claims would require "individualized fact-finding" that is unsuitable for a class-action lawsuit.
The Corrections Department says the current prison population of 2,100 women is below capacity.
Lynn Shecter, an attorney for the women, had no immediate comment on the weekend decision.
Lawyer won’t offer mental health evidence in stabbing case
FLINT (AP) — The lawyer for a man accused of stabbing a Flint airport police officer has dropped plans to introduce mental health evidence.
Joan Morgan made the disclosure in a court filing Monday. Jury selection starts Nov. 5 in Flint federal court.
Amor Ftouhi is a native of Tunisia who lives in Montreal. He’s accused of stabbing Lt. Jeff Neville last year while yelling “Allahu Akbar,” the Arabic phrase for “God is great.” Neville survived the attack.
Ftouhi is charged with committing an act of violence at an airport and interfering with security.
Hurricane adds 10 days to South Carolina voter registration
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina residents are getting an extra 10 days to register to vote in November because of Hurricane Florence.
A judge Tuesday approved South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s request to extend the deadline to register to Oct. 17. Registration was scheduled to end Sunday.
Wilson asked the deadline be extended because some voter registration offices and many roads were closed for days or weeks because of flooding from the storm which struck last month.
The decision applies across South Carolina and to both in-person and mail-in registration.
The State Election Commission didn’t oppose the extension.
The general election is Nov. 6.
Rhode Island man wins first prize for one-ton pumpkin
TOPSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Oh my gourd!
A Rhode Island man has won the prize for the heaviest pumpkin at the Topsfield Fair in Massachusetts with a fair record 2,114-pound gourd.
The Salem News reports that Ron Wallace won the Topsfield Fair's All New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off on Friday for the third time and took home a prize of more than $8,500.
Wallace, who lives in the Greene section of Coventry, Rhode Island, also won in 2006 and 2009.
Dan and Holly Boyce of Benson, Vermont, came in second place with a 2,017.5-pound gourd, and received a $3,000 prize. Scott Marley, of Bellingham, placed third and received a $1,500 cash prize with his 1,846.5-pounder.
The Topsfield fair dates to 1818.
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