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Jury selection in convenience store murder trial set for Monday

Jury selection in convenience store murder trial set for Monday

A man accused of killing another man in 2007 is scheduled to appear in court for his murder trial Monday.

Julius Cortez Cawthorne also known as "Meatball," is accused of shooting and killing Latransezon Malloy.

It happened inside a convenience store on Pulaski Pike in Huntsville on Christmas day.

Jury selection for this case begins Monday morning.

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Massachusetts judge plans to release portion of Bishop inquest

Massachusetts judge plans to release portion of Bishop inquest

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - A Massachusetts Superior Court Judge plans to release portions of the inquest into the death of Amy Bishop Anderson's brother Seth.

Seth Bishop was shot and killed by Bishop-Anderson in 1986. The case was ruled an accident and did not get another look until after the shootings on the UAH campus in 2010.

[Click here to read inquest ruling (PDF)]

Bishop-Anderson is accused of shooting six people during a biology department meeting. Three of the victims died.

Bishop-Anderson will go to trial for capital murder in March.

Bishop-Anderson can still appeal the release of this inquest. If there is no appeal, portions of the inquest will be released in ten days.

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Catholic broadcaster in Ala. sues over Obama policy

Catholic broadcaster in Ala. sues over Obama policy

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WAFF) - A Roman Catholic broadcasting network based in Irondale is suing the Obama administration over its new policy on birth control funding.

EWTN Global Catholic Network filed suit Thursday in Birmingham over the rules. Network president Michael Warsaw said in a statement that the lawsuit is meant to defend Catholics and others from being forced to fund contraception.

[Click here to read lawsuit (PDF)]

Most employers and insurers have to cover birth control free of charge under the nation's new health care law. The administration recently announced that church-related institutions like charities, colleges and hospitals must comply after a one-year grace period.

The decision sparked an outcry from conservative Republicans and religious groups.

Madison County DHR reacts to house explosion in Washington State

By Christine Pae

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - Authorities in Washington state released a 9-1-1 call that a social worker made moments after a father set his house on fire on Sunday.

The 9-1-1 call revealed a social worker who became frantic after the home burst into flames.

The unnamed social worker just dropped off two young boys for a supervised visit with their father, Josh Powell, when the house exploded. 

Child Services with DHR said anything can happen in situations where parental custody is involved.

"It's a horrible situation," said DHR Assistant Director Tyron Newton. "So many times things like that could happen; as we all know human behavior is not predictable."

Newton said social workers are trained to watch for warning signs before dropping off children for visitation.

DressBarn collecting clothing donations for women re-entering workforce

DressBarn collecting clothing donations for women re-entering workforce

Huntsville plant employee wins car

Huntsville plant employee wins car

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - Navistar in Huntsville is looking to its factory employees for ways to cut costs and they're giving some incentive.

The company has a program where all of its North and South American employees can submit their ideas to help the company and those that participate are entered into a drawing to win a new car.

This year's winner lives in Huntsville.

"I wasn't here for the drawing. I had a flat tired and I got back on the road and my phone started blowing up. People were calling me saying hey man where are you at? You've won a car, you need to be over here now," said Gordon Franklin, Navistar employee.

Franklin said he's actually been without his own car for a few weeks.

Huntsville's plant had the highest participation out of any, more than a 1000 ideas. 240 of them were implemented - which saved the company $3.6M.

Copyright WAFF 2012. All rights reserved.

Woman arrested for child abandonment

Woman arrested for child abandonment

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - Huntsville Police arrested a woman for child abandonment. 

Officials arrested 45-year-old Laura Lee Jacobson on two warrants for child abandonment. She was arrested from a case stemming from March 2010 for abandoning her two small children near the 9000 block of Todd Mill Road. 

Jacobson was taken into custody around 2 a.m. for driving and being under the influence of some type of stimulates.

She was booked in the Metro Jail on a $2,000 bond. 

Copyright WAFF 2012. All rights reserved.