NEWS OF THE DAY
1 Innocent man: A Florida man who has spent the past 37 years in prison on a rape and murder charge was ordered released Thursday, after officials discovered new evidence that proved his innocence. Robert Duboise, who is 56, was serving a life sentence in Hardee County, convicted in 1983 for the murder of 19yearold Barbara Grams. She had been raped and beaten while walking home from a Tampa mall. Duboise’s conviction centered on one piece of evidence: an alleged bite mark on Grams’ face. A jailhouse informant also helped convict him. Judge Christopher Nash ruled that Duboise should be released immediately.
2 Ship fire: Arson is suspected as the cause of a July 12 fire that left extensive damage to the Bonhomme Richard docked off San Diego, and a U.S. Navy sailor was being questioned as a potential suspect, a senior defense official said Wednesday. The sailor was not detained. The amphibious assault ship burned for more than four days and was the Navy’s worst U.S. warship fire outside of combat in recent memory.
3 Minneapolis unrest: An emergency curfew expired and downtown Minneapolis was calm Thursday after unrest broke out following what authorities said was misinformation about the suicide of a Black homicide suspect. Gov. Tim Walz mobilized the Minnesota National Guard at the request of Mayor Jacob Frey, who imposed the curfew after people broke windows and stole merchandise Wednesday night from stores on and near the Nicollet Mall. At least 33 people were arrested police said. Police Chief Medaria Arradondo tried to dispel rumors that spread on social media about the death of the unidentified Black man, who was suspected in a Wednesday afternoon homicide and fatally shot himself on the Nicollet Mall as officers approached. His death, which was captured on city surveillance video and released by police within 90 minutes, nonetheless sparked the protests.
4 McCain staffers: More than 100 former staff members for Sen. John McCain are supporting Joe Biden, a show of support across the political divide that they hope amplifies the “Country First” credo of the former Arizona senator. Coinciding with Trump’s renomination acceptance speech at the Republican convention Thursday and the second anniversary of McCain’s death this week, the endorsement of Biden represents the latest effort from antiTrump Republicans to lure conservatives and moderates away from the president. The signatories includes a range of people — from chiefs of staff in McCain’s Senate office to junior aides on his campaigns — who worked for him over his 35 years in Congress and during two presidential bids.
5 Pence address: A private Milwaukee college has canceled plans to have Vice President Mike Pence deliver a commencement address this weekend, citing unrest in nearby Kenosha. Wisconsin Lutheran College said Thursday that “after further review with careful consideration of the escalating events in Kenosha,” it decided to not have Pence deliver the speech. More than 270 students and alumni signed an open letter objecting to the visit, which was announced prior to the violence in Kenosha over the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake.
Chronicle News Services