NEWS OF THE DAY
From Across the Nation
1 Zimmerman confronta
tion: A man who allegedly shot at George Zimmerman during a confrontation along a road in Lake Mary, Fla., was ordered by a judge Saturday to turn in his weapons and avoid contact with Zimmerman. Matthew Apperson was released on $35,000 bond after being charged with aggravated assault. Zimmerman’s attorney said the former neighborhood watch volunteer was driving Monday when Apperson intentionally fired a gun into Zimmerman’s truck without provocation. Zimmerman suffered minor injuries when the passenger window shattered. The two men were involved in a road-rage incident last year. Zimmerman was acquitted in the February 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, in a case that sparked protests.
2 Gag order: Baltimore prosecutors are seeking a gag order as they pursue a criminal case against six police officers in the case of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old who died after suffering a spinal injury while in police custody. Rochelle Ritchie, a spokeswoman for State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, confirmed the office is seeking a gag order but declined to provide further details. Mosby announced the charges May 1 after more than a week of protests that on two occasions gave way to rioting. Defense attorneys have filed numerous motions calling into question the basis for the charges.
3 Lights out: A New York City Council member has introduced a bill to turn the lights off in certain office buildings at night as a way to cut energy costs and help migratory birds. Others, though, worry that dimming the lights could make the city less safe and diminish its signature sparkle. Councilman Donovan Richards Jr. said his proposal is aimed at commercial buildings at least 20 stories high, and requires them to turn off the lights after midnight if no one is inside. It exempts landmarks such as the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.
4 Gun recovered: The gun used to fatally shoot two Hattiesburg, Miss., police officers has been found, officials said. State Bureau of Investigation spokesman Warren Strain said city workers cutting the grass along a street found the .40-caliber pistol that police believe Marvin Banks used to shoot the officers. Two more people were arrested Friday on charges related to the killing of the officers, bringing the total number of people implicated to seven. Officers Benjamin Deen and Liquori Tate were shot May 9 when a traffic incident turned violent.
5 Revenge shooting: A former biotechnology entrepreneur in San Diego has been sentenced to life in prison for shooting and wounding his former business partner and his brother-in-law. Hans Petersen, 52, was convicted of two counts of attempted murder in what prosecutors described as a revenge mission. Superior Court Judge Leo Valentine Jr. said the stiff penalty was imposed to prevent Petersen from being released and finishing “what he started.” Authorities said Petersen blamed a former business associate, Steven Dowdy, for losing his job and was angry at his brother-in-law, Ronald Fletcher, for helping sell the property he and his estranged wife had owned. Petersen blamed the violence on a prescription drug.