Tagged: Law and Justice

Seventeen counts of murder. Six counts of assault and attempted murder. Those are the charges filed Friday against 38 year old Staff Sgt. Robert Bales. He’s the Washington-based soldier accused of killing 9 Afghan children and 8 adults in a massacre earlier this month. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Correspondent Austin Jenkins explains the next step is an Article 32 hearing.

Since 2009, Idaho lawmakers have tried, and failed, to pass a bill to ban texting while driving. Until today. Senators passed a ban this morning and sent it to Governor Butch Otter. The version that passed was watered down from the original legislation proposed earlier this session. Senator Jim Hammond, (R-Coeur d'Alene,), the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, explains.

Major Christopher Ophardt at Lewis-McChord says it’s unclear at this point whether the pretrial hearing will happen in Washington or at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. That’s where Bales is currently being held. Ophardt acknowledged prosecutors at Lewis-McChord recently sent four Washington based soldiers to prison for killing Afghan civilians in 2010.

Idaho lawmakers are one step closer to signing off on a bill that would ban texting while driving.

For years state lawmakers have tried to pass legislation that would make it illegal to text and drive. This year may be different because Tuesday the House agreed to a bill that would make texting while driving an infraction. Supporters say this would send a strong message to drivers, especially teenagers, that it's dangerous to text and drive.

UPDATE:  The suspect, Steven Daniel Kravetz, age 34, was arrested on Saturday afternoon in Olympia.  

UPDATE: Authorities now say Judge David Edwards and Deputy Polly Davins are in stable condition and expected to survive.

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The Grays Harbor County Courthouse in Montesano and nearby buildings are on lockdown following a shooting and stabbing this afternoon. Authorities are on a manhunt for the suspected attacker.