Palmdale, Calif.

Boy found guilty of killing with bat

In a tragic case that put a spotlight on youth sports conflict, a judge in Juvenile Court on Friday found a 13-year-old Palmdale boy guilty of second-degree murder for killing a 15-year-old with a bat after a Pony League game earlier this year.

The boy said he hit the teen twice with a bat – in the knees and then in the head – because he feared the older boy was about to beat him up. But in a stern rebuke to the young defendant’s self-defense argument, Superior Court Judge Richard E. Naranjo said the boy had chances to avoid a tragic end to the youthful gibes, no matter how vigorous.

“There’s no controversy about the teasing and the shoving,” Naranjo said. “But when the opportunity was there to avoid further confrontation, (the defendant) did not take that opportunity.”

The 13-year-old boy, who cried as he hugged his parents after the verdict, will be sentenced by Naranjo on July 28.

Detroit

Motown reunites at Four Tops singer’s funeral

At a spacious church just one mile from the tiny studio that sent their voices around the world, members of the Motown family gathered Friday to say goodbye to Renaldo ” Obie” Benson, whose beautiful baritone blended with the voices of three other men to make the Four Tops.

Benson, 69, died July 1 at Harper Hospital in Detroit following a series of sudden serious illnesses, including a heart attack and lung cancer. His funeral was held at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, just down the street from what is now the Motown Historical Museum. But in 1963, it was the home of Motown Records, the company that recorded such Four Tops hits as “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “I Can’t Help Myself” “Standing in the Shadows of Love.”

Among those present were Otis Williams of the Temptations, Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers – both original members of the Miracles – retired Motown Vice P resident Esther Gordy Edwards and two brothers of the famous Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team, Eddie and Brian Holland.

Montana

Plea agreement proposed in Letterman kidnap case

Attorneys reached a tentative plea agreement Friday in the case of a man charged with plotting to kidnap the young son of talk show host David Letterman, a prosecutor said.

Teton County Atty. Joe Coble told The Associated Press that Kelly Frank, who earlier pleaded not guilty in the case, was to appear Monday in state court in Conrad for a change-of-plea hearing.

Coble would not release details of the agreement, but said it was reached through Frank’s attorney, Jim Hunt.

Hunt did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Friday.

Frank, who worked on Letterman’s sprawling ranch near Choteau in northwestern Montana, was arrested in March after an acquaintance told authorities that Frank had talked of a plan to kidnap Letterman’s then 16-month-old son, Harry Joseph, and the boy’s nanny.

The acquaintance told authorities that Frank intended to hold the two for 48 hours on the belief he could extort $5 million ransom from Letterman.

Minnesota

Budget deal may be near

State leaders said Friday they were on the brink of ending Minnesota’s unprecedented partial government shutdown, as a marathon negotiating session between the governor and top lawmakers stretched on.

Both sides said an agreement to end the six-week special session was close, but they were still hashing out last-minute disputes over reforms for public schools.

“In virtually every area, there is agreement or near agreement. Right now it’s just about working out the fine details,” said Brian McClung, a spokesman for Gov. Tim Pawlenty. “They intend to keep working until an agreement is reached.”

Nearly one-fifth of the state work force has been told to stay home and use either vacation time or go without pay. They will be officially laid off if the impasse extends beyond July 15.

Leaders hoped to reach a deal Friday night so lawmakers could pass a “lights on” bill to end the shutdown and return 8,900 furloughed state employees to work Monday, McClung said.

The last state government shutdown before Minnesota was in Tennessee in 2002.