New Jersey

Father relives tragedy of son’s helicopter death

When Albert Bianchi learned his son was killed in a military helicopter crash this week, the pain was all too familiar. Another son died the same way in 1987.

“This is my second son who’s died in a helicopter crash, and it’s as much as I can bear,” Bianchi, 67, said from his home in Maplewood, his voice shattering with emotion.

Cmdr. Kevin Bianchi, 40, was among four Navy helicopter crew members killed Wednesday in a crash in Italy.

In March 1987, Kevin’s older brother Robert, a 26-year-old Navy helicopter pilot, was killed in a crash in the Philippines.

Los Angeles

California courts rule in Davis recall cases

Judges ruled against allies of Gov. Gray Davis Friday in two state courts, making it more likely that an effort to recall the Democrat could be certified for the fall ballot as early as next week.

A Superior Court judge refused to issue a temporary restraining order to prevent the secretary of state from certifying the recall until allegations of illegal signature-gathering were investigated.

Also, an appeals court sided with a recall group that sued the secretary of state to speed up signature verification.

Proponents of the Republican-led recall claim to have given counties more than 1.6 million signatures for certification — more than twice the amount needed to trigger a recall. If the recall is certified, Davis would become the first California governor ever to face a recall election.

Virginia

Prosecutor: Malvo spoke of shootings to guards

Sniper suspect Lee Boyd Malvo willingly and proudly discussed the sniper shootings with two prison guards the day after his arrest, so his statements should be admissible in court, prosecutors said.

“He was relaxed and calm as he related his past criminal activities,” prosecutor Raymond Morrogh wrote in a motion filed Thursday and made public Friday.

It is not known exactly what Malvo said to guards Oct. 25 at the Baltimore Supermax federal prison.

Malvo, 18, and fellow suspect John Allen Muhammad, 42, have been linked to 20 shootings, including 13 deaths, in Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Washington, D.C.

New Hampshire

Dentist suspended for not treating lesbian

A Franklin dentist who refused to treat a lesbian and berated another patient for moving around in discomfort had his state license suspended.

Joseph Roper Jr. committed professional misconduct, the Board of Dental Examiners wrote in a settlement reached last week.

The board said in March 1999, Roper confronted patient Tricia Thompson in the waiting room after seeing that she had identified a female partner as her spouse on a “get-acquainted card.” Roper refused to provide treatment and told her loudly that same-sex marriages were against his belief.