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CALIFORNIA

A fourth suspension in hate-crime case

A fourth San Jose State University student has been suspended in connection with an incident in which three others have been charged with a hate crime for allegedly bullying a black roommate, locking a bicycle chain around his neck, and using racial slurs.

The student, 18, from Los Angeles, has not been identified because at the time of the alleged incidents he was a minor, according to university spokesman Pat Harris and Bay Area media reports. He is expected to be charged.

The other students are also accused of locking their roommate in his dorm room and hanging a Confederate flag and pictures of Hitler in their shared suite between August and mid-October, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

In addition to a misdemeanor hate crime, the students were charged with misdemeanor battery. - L.A. Times
TEXAS

Plea deal in ricin case

A Texas woman accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Obama and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors, a newspaper reported Saturday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Coan added into the case docket for actress Shannon Guess Richardson, 35, a one-line entry that states "notice of plea agreement," the Texarkana Gazette reported. The terms of the deal were not made public. - AP

WASHINGTON

Shooter lost access

Senior U.S. officials say the Experts, the company that employed Washington Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis, withdrew his access to classified material for two days in August when mental-health problems became evident, but restored it and never told the Navy about the incident. Less than six weeks later, the former Navy reservist gunned down 12 civilian workers and was shot dead by police. The Experts did not return messages seeking comment. - AP

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