Texas

High court stays out of redistricting case

The Texas Supreme Court refused Monday to order Democrats to end their Senate boycott, and the Democrats sued in federal court to block the Republican effort to redraw the state’s congressional boundaries.

Democrats were pleased that the high court stayed out of the political fight.

“We believe strongly that the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction with respect to Senate turf,” said Sen. Eliot Shapleigh of El Paso.

Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, both Republicans, had asked the court in Austin to order 11 Senate Democrats back from self-imposed exile in New Mexico. The Democrats’ absence has prevented the Senate from considering the GOP redistricting plan.

The court in Austin offered no explanation for its decision to reject the request by Perry and Dewhurst.

Ohio

Charges dropped in college house fire

A man suspected of starting a fire that killed five college students in a house near Ohio State University was released from jail Monday after prosecutors in Columbus dropped charges against him.

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said the aggravated murder and arson charges against 20-year-old Robert Lucky Patterson could be refiled at any time.

“Mr. Patterson is not cleared as a suspect. He can be re-arrested, indicted, tried, convicted,” he said.

Detectives need more time to pursue leads and build a stronger case, O’Brien said.

Monday was the deadline for seeking an indictment. Under Ohio law, prosecutors have 10 days to indict a suspect who has been arrested on a felony charge.

California

Peterson attorneys examine wife’s body

Scott Peterson’s defense team sent experts Monday to Marinez to examine the remains of Laci Peterson and her unborn son.

The remains, which washed up in April on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, have already been examined by the Contra Costa County coroner.

Scott Peterson has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder for allegedly killing his pregnant wife, who disappeared from Modesto on Christmas Eve.

A team of defense experts including forensic scientist Henry Lee spent the morning with the remains, taking video and still cameras with them and leaving with tissue samples, a Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department spokesman said. Lee is a nationally recognized expert known for his role in the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

Florida

Toughman promoter won’t face charges

Police said Monday they will not charge an amateur boxing promoter for the death of a 30-year-old woman who was beaten into a coma during a Toughman competition.

Promoter Art Dore violated no state laws and cannot be charged with the June 17 death of Stacy Young, a mother of two who entered the June 14 bout on an impulse when no opponent could be found for the only other woman to sign up, Chief Peter Abbott said.

“All we had was a sporting event with willing participants,” Dore said from his office in Bay City, Mich. “I don’t know how they could find anything.”

Young outweighed her 20-year-old opponent, Sarah Kobie, by about 60 pounds, but witnesses have said the bout was a mismatch from the start. Young collapsed in the ring shortly before the end of the third round and suffered a seizure.

A medical examiner ruled Young’s death an accident.

A bill has been introduced in the state Legislature that would close a loophole in the state boxing code that permits such fights.