NEWS OF THE DAY
From Across the Nation
_1 “Affluenza” case: A 20-year-old Texas man who as a teenager invoked “affluenza” in his defense after killing four people in a drunken wreck was released from jail Monday. Tarrant County sheriff ’s spokesman David McClelland said Ethan Couch was released from the county jail near Dallas after serving nearly two years for a revoked probation. Couch was 16 in June 2013 when he struck and killed four pedestrians. A psychologist at his manslaughter trial blamed his irresponsibility on family wealth, dubbing it “affluenza.” A juvenile court sentenced him to 10 years of probation, which was revoked in 2016 after he attended a party where alcohol was served.
_2 PLO lawsuit: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from American victims of terrorist attacks in the Mideast more than a decade ago. The justices did not comment in ending a lawsuit against the PLO and Palestinian Authority over attacks in Israel in 2002 and 2004 that killed 33 people. A lower court tossed out a $654 million verdict against the Palestinians. The Trump administration had sided with the Palestinians in calling on the high court to leave the lower-court ruling in place.
_3 Broadcaster mocked: President Trump on Monday jumped to the defense of the Sinclair Broadcast Group, which is under fire following the rapid spread of a video showing anchors at its stations across the country reading a script criticizing “fake” news stories. Trump tweeted that it was funny to watch “Fake News Networks” criticizing Sinclair for being biased. The president singled out CNN and NBC. Sinclair, based in Hunt Valley, Md., owns nearly 200 local stations. A video released by Deadspin over the weekend illustrated many of their anchors saying they were concerned about a “troubling trend of irresponsible, one-sided news stories plaguing our country.” Deadspin said the anchors looked like hostages recording videos to prove they are alive. There was no immediate comment from Sinclair. _4 Shoplifter slain: Police in Tennessee say a convenience store clerk has been charged in the fatal shooting of a suspected shoplifter whose body was found near the store. Memphis police charged Anwar Ghazali, 28, with first-degree murder. The shooting happened Thursday, but police said Ghazali never reported the incident. The 17-year-old’s body was found beside a home near the store Saturday. Police spokesman Louis Brownlee said the teen was suspected of leaving the store without paying for a beer, and Ghazali followed him and allegedly shot him.
_5 Sexual harassment: Connecticut U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty said Monday she won’t seek re-election amid calls for her to resign because of her handling of a sexual harassment case involving her former chief of staff. The Democrat said it’s in the best interest of her constituents and her family to end her time in Congress at the end of this year. Esty is in the middle of her third term. A former female staffer said she was punched and received death threats.