Illinois: Rent-A-Center to pay $47 million settlement

A judge approved a $47 million settlement Friday for thousands of women who claim they were unfairly denied or driven out of jobs with the nation’s largest operator of rent-to-own stores.

Rent-A-Center Inc. also will hire the plaintiffs and make sweeping changes to its employment practices in settling two sex-discrimination lawsuits emanating from federal courts in East St. Louis and Memphis, Tenn.

The plaintiffs alleged the Plano, Tex.-based company drove women out by demoting or firing them, making them work in high-crime areas and subjecting them to “intrusive tests” about sex, religion and personal bathroom habits.

Male managers have said that after a change in ownership in 1998, they were told to do what was necessary to get rid of women employees, said Mary Anne Sedey, lead attorney for the plaintiffs.

Rent-A-Center attorney Dan Dargene said the management supported the settlement. “They know it’s good for their business,” he said.

Ohio: Bus passengers subdue attacker

Three Greyhound passengers, including an off-duty female bus driver, subdued a man who had thrown himself onto the driver and steering wheel, saying he wanted to die, authorities said.

State Highway Patrol troopers were already en route early Friday to the southbound bus on Interstate 75 in northwest Ohio, saying the driver had called them after the same man alleged another passenger had a gun.

After the man was subdued, the driver stopped the bus and, with the help of the passengers, removed Bobby Whitley, 51, of Jackson, Mich.

Whitley apparently saw the flashing lights of approaching patrol cruisers and started to run, but was taken into custody without resistance, the patrol said.

Whitley was charged with inducing panic, disorderly conduct and assault.

Missouri: Decades-old confession not valid, court rules

A federal appeals court ruled that a former Navy seaman’s confession in the 1968 killing of a shipmate cannot be used against him, raising the possibility he will not be tried.

Edward LeBrun, 57, is accused of murdering Andrew Lee Muns while their Navy fueling vessel, the USS Cacapon, was anchored in the Philippines. About $8,600 was found to be missing from the disbursement office, and Muns disappeared at the same time.

Authorities concluded that Muns stole the money and fled. But two years ago, Muns’ sister asked for the investigation to be reopened and the probe led to LeBrun.

In a videotaped confession, LeBrun said Muns caught him stealing the money. He said he strangled Muns, smashed his head against the deck and dumped the body in a tank of caustic fuel oil.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Navy officers convinced LeBrun to confess without reading him his Miranda rights. The appeals court ruling upheld a lower-court decision.

Virginia: Tomcat fighter jet crashes; pilots rescued

Two aviators were rescued after their F-14 Tomcat fighter jet crashed off Key West, Fla., during a training flight, the Navy said Friday.

The two-man crew ejected from the aircraft Thursday night and were rescued by a Navy H-3 search and rescue helicopter from the Key West Naval Air Station. They were taken to the Lower Keys Medical Center, treated for minor injuries and released, according to the Norfolk-based Atlantic Fleet.

The aviators are assigned to Fighter Squadron 101, based at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach. Their names were not released.