Saturday, August 4, 2007

California Man Ordered To Stay Away From Kids

LOS ANGELES -- A self-described pedophile who says he is attracted to young girls but doesn't actually molest them was ordered Friday to stay at least 30 feet away from every person under age 18 in California.

The temporary restraining order was issued against Jack McClellan by Superior Court Judge Melvin Sandvig.

The order was obtained by lawyers Anthony Zinnanti and Richard Patterson, both parents of young children. As soon as Sandvig issued it, Zinnanti raced to Los Angeles International Airport to serve it on McClellan, who had boarded a flight to Chicago for a television appearance.

* * *

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky.-- A military jury found a soldier guilty of rape and murder in the March 12, 2006, slayings of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and her family. Jurors deliberated much of Friday evening before convicting Pfc. Jesse Spielman, 22, of conspiracy to commit rape, rape, housebreaking with intent to commit rape and four counts of felony murder.

· INDIANAPOLIS -- A federal judge denied a request from environmentalists that he block truck shipments of more than a million gallons of wastewater from neutralized VX, a nerve agent, from western Indiana to an incinerator in Texas.

· OAKLAND, Calif. -- Police arrested seven people in connection with the shooting death of an Oakland journalist. Authorities believe those responsible for Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey's death were among those arrested on charges including homicide, robbery and assault.

· BARABOO, Wis. -- A 16-year-old was sentenced to life in prison for the shooting death of his high school principal. Eric Hainstock was convicted a day earlier of first-degree intentional homicide in the slaying last September of Weston Schools Principal John Klang. Sauk County Circuit Judge Patrick Taggart said Hainstock will be eligible for parole in 30 years.

· PHILADELPHIA -- A wealthy motel owner was convicted of traveling to Europe to molest impoverished boys in exchange for money and gifts. Anthony Mark Bianchi, 45, was convicted of having sex with or attempting to have sex with at least six teenage boys in the isolated Moldovan village of Trebujeni. He faces more than 20 years in prison under sentencing guidelines, prosecutors said.

· NEW YORK -- An artist manning a replica Revolutionary War submersible caused a scare when police found the strange-looking vessel foundering in a security zone near the docked Queen Mary 2, authorities said. Police held the artist, Philip "Duke" Riley, and two other men, both from Rhode Island, for questioning, but there was no indication the trio meant any harm, authorities said.

· FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Colorado State University forecasters trimmed the number of major hurricanes they expect to form in the Atlantic Ocean this year to four, from the five forecast in May.

· CAPE CANAVERAL -- Work to fix a leaky valve in the crew cabin of the space shuttle Endeavour has led NASA to delay its launch by one day, to Wednesday evening, officials said.

-- From News Services