Sheriff defends release of details on Williams
SAN FRANCISCO –Sheriff’s officials in the San Francisco Bay Area defended their decision to release details about how actor Robin Williams killed himself, saying state law requires they be disclosed to the public.
Marin County Sheriff’s Lt. Keith Boyd said in an email Wednesday that the agency would have liked to withhold some of the information, but could not under the California Public Records Act.
“These kinds of cases, whether they garner national attention or not, are very difficult for everyone involved,” Boyd said. “Frankly, it would have been our personal preference to withhold a lot of what we disclosed to the press yesterday, but the California Public Records Act does not give us that kind of latitude.”
Court refuses to delay gay-marriage ruling
RICHMOND, Va. – Same-sex couples could begin marrying as early as next week in Virginia after a federal appeals court refused Wednesday to delay its ruling that struck down the state’s gay marriage ban.
The state would also need to start recognizing gay marriages from out of state next Wednesday, though the U.S. Supreme Court could effectively put same-sex marriages on hold again if opponents of same-sex marriage are able to win an emergency delay.
VA referrals to private doctors increasing
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Department of Veterans Affairs is significantly increasing its referrals of veterans to private doctors following a scandal over lengthy patient waiting times at many VA hospitals and clinics and falsified appointment records, VA Secretary Robert McDonald said Wednesday.
In the past two months, the VA has made more than 838,000 referrals for veterans to receive care from private doctors, McDonald told the AMVETS. That’s an increase of 166,000 referrals, or about 25 percent, from the same period last year.
Brazilian candidate dies in plane crash
SANTOS, Brazil – Brazilian presidential candidate Eduardo Campos died Wednesday when the small plane that was carrying him and several campaign officials plunged into a residential neighborhood in the port city of Santos.
All seven people aboard the plane, including a campaign photographer and cameraman, a press adviser and two pilots, died in the crash, Santos City Hall press officer Patricia Fagueiro told The Associated Press.
Iranian cleric rejects direct talks with U.S.
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday dismissed the value of direct talks with the U.S.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say over all state matters in Iran, did say that nuclear talks with world powers over Tehran’s nuclear program will continue.
Addressing Foreign Ministry officials Wednesday, Khamenei criticized the U.S., saying direct talks with its diplomats didn’t help reduce sanctions or decrease its animosity toward Tehran.
Associated Press
