Texas: Pastor, brother charged in Bible study beating

A church pastor and his twin brother have been charged with severely beating an 11-year-old boy with a stick as punishment for cheating during his Bible studies.

According to police, the 22-year-old pastor beat Louie Guerrero for an hour on July 3 while the brother held him down, at one point allowing the boy a bathroom break.

The boy remained hospitalized Tuesday, where a nurse told investigators that his kidneys had failed and that he required a blood transfusion. The family’s attorney, Bobby Taylor, said the boy was in fair condition.

Joshua Thompson, pastor at Capitol City Baptist Church, and his brother Caleb turned themselves in to police Tuesday. Both men are charged with felony injury to a child, punishable by up to life in prison.

Details of the cheating allegations were not available.

Nevada: Legal marijuana issue wins spot on ballot

Voters in Nevada, which up until last year had the nation’s strictest marijuana law, will decide in November whether to let adults legally possess small amounts of pot.

State officials said Tuesday that a petition drive to put the measure on the ballot had narrowly succeeded with about 75,000 valid signatures.

Under the proposal, marijuana would be sold in state-licensed shops and taxed like cigarettes and other tobacco products. A distribution system would also be set up to provide low-cost pot for medical uses.

To become law, the change needs voter approval this year and in 2004. But whether it could ever actually take effect is unclear. Federal law bans marijuana possession, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that states cannot make exceptions for medical use.

The new proposal would let adults have up to three ounces of marijuana. Driving under the influence would still be illegal, as would using marijuana in public places.