NEWS OF THE DAY
1 Valedictorian: Princeton University has announced the first black valedictorian in its 274year history. Nicholas Johnson called the achievement especially significant given Princeton’s struggle in recent years, like other prestigious universities, to confront its troubled history with slavery. Johnson, who is from Montreal, majored in operations research and financial engineering. Johnson, a member of the Princeton chapter of Engineers Without Borders, said he had summer internships both at Google and at Oxford University. He plans to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue a doctorate.
2 Texas shooting: Five people were shot and wounded during a party at a park in Fort Worth that drew about 600 people despite local guidelines discouraging large gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic, police said. Officer Buddy Calzada said fireworks were set off Sunday night, and then witnesses reporting hearing about 30 rounds of gunfire. Two of the people who were shot were in critical condition and three others suffered injuries that weren’t considered lifethreatening. No arrests have been made.
3 Jail lawsuit: The family of a Kansas inmate who hanged herself at a rural county jail has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit that alleges incompetence by law enforcement officials. No one was monitoring the surveillance station, which showed the minutebyminute efforts by Olivia Rennaker in April 2018 to hang herself in her cell at the Barber County Jail. It was more than an hour later before her body was finally discovered hanging from the bars. The lawsuit against the jail cites its failure to screen for suicide risk for the Medicine Lodge woman after her arrest for unlawful possession of a small amount of marijuana. It also alleges officials failed to do adequate cell checks and properly train employees.
4 Groping penalty: Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, who has sought national attention as an antiabortion and toughoncrime crusader, will have his law license suspended for 30 days over allegations that he drunkenly groped a state lawmaker and three other women during a party, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday. The unanimous decision said the state’s attorney disciplinary commission “proved by clear and convincing evidence that (Hill) committed the criminal act of battery.” But the court gave Hill a less serious punishment than a suspension of at least 60 days recommended by a hearing officer for his actions during a party marking the end of the 2018 legislative session. Hill had denied doing anything wrong. 5 Messy divorce: A man who sought legal permission in Iowa to engage in a sword fight with his exwife is not insane but merely angry over their child custody arrangement, according to a psychological evaluation. David Ostrom asked in a court filing to be allowed to fight his former wife, Bridgette Ostrom, of Harlan, and her attorney so that he can “rend their souls” from their bodies. A judge responded by suspending David Ostrom’s child visitation and ordering the evaluation. The Ostroms have been embroiled in disputes over custody and property taxes.