At a Glance ...

Judge cuts sentence of man convicted of killing off-duty cop

DETROIT (AP) — A judge has reduced the life sentence of a Detroit man who has spent 42 years in prison for the fatal shooting of an off-duty police officer.

Charles Lewis was 17 years old in 1976 when Gerald Sypitkowski was killed. Judge Qiana Lillard says it was a “spur of the moment ... robbery that went bad.”

The Detroit News says the judge recently resentenced Lewis to 37 to 60 years in prison. His attorney, Sanford Schulman, believes the 60-year-old Lewis will be immediately eligible for release.

Lewis’ case was reopened because the U.S. Supreme Court said teens can’t automatically be sentenced to life terms like adults convicted of murder.


Judge OKs parole for woman in nursing home deaths

WALKER (AP) — A judge says the Michigan parole board can release a woman who has spent 30 years in prison for the deaths of nursing home residents in the Grand Rapids area.

Kent County Judge Joe Rossi says the board didn’t abuse its discretion when it voted to grant parole to Catherine Wood, who’s 57 years old.

Five people were suffocated at the Alpine Manor Nursing Home in Walker, near Grand Rapids, in the late 1980s. Wood pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy and was sentenced to a maximum prison term of 40 years.

Investigators say Wood’s cooperation was crucial in prosecuting her companion, Gwendolyn Graham. Wood said she was the lookout for Graham, who is serving a life sentence.

Relatives of the victims sued to try to overturn the parole board’s decision.


Michigan Tech to offer varsity-level ‘esports’ competition next year

HOUGHTON (AP) — Michigan Technological University soon will become the state’s first public university to offer competitive gaming, or “esports,” at the varsity level.

Esports are organized, multiplayer, online video game competitions. They’re often viewed by non-participants, both in person and via livestream.

Athletic director Suzanne Sanregret says esports is one of the fastest growing areas of competition internationally.

Michigan Tech plans to begin competing in fall 2020.

The university is seeking a program director and plans to renovate two racquetball courts into a gaming arena.


Deputies ask man to quit calling about his stolen marijuana

DADE CITY, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a Florida man repeatedly called 911 to report that his roommate had stolen his marijuana.

A deputy for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office posted a Twitter response to the man's calls: Stop calling.

Deputy Neal Zalva says in the Twitter video that he called the man back to tell him to quit contacting the sheriff's office about his stolen marijuana.

Zalva recorded the video as part of the agency's #TweetAlong program, which allows viewers to get a behind-the-scenes look at the police work by the deputies.

Recreational marijuana use remains illegal in Florida.

A sheriff's office spokesman says no charges were filed against the caller.

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