Reuters US Domestic News Summary

09/03/2016 8:58

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. drops case against ex-cop arrested outside New York's Trump Tower

Prosecutors have dropped their case against a retired New York City police officer arrested outside Trump Tower and accused of resisting U.S. Secret Service agents protecting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, a court filing on Friday showed. Anthony Shark, 54, was arrested on Aug. 2 after refusing instructions to leave a street outside the building that agents had closed off while protecting Trump, according to a criminal complaint filed at the time in Manhattan federal court.

SpaceX to shift Florida launches to new pad after explosion

SpaceX said on Friday it would shift Florida flights to a nearly completed second site after damage to its launch pad on Thursday from the explosion of a rocket belonging to the space services company run by Elon Musk. The Federal Aviation Administration has sent seven people to Florida to supervise investigation of the disaster, said FAA spokesman Hank Price. The agency, which oversees U.S. commercial rocket launches, requires that SpaceX's flights be suspended pending results of the probe.

Ex-Subway pitchman blames victim's parents for her 'destructive behaviors'

Former Subway sandwich pitchman Jared Fogle, who is in prison for child pornography and sex with minors convictions, has responded to a lawsuit filed on behalf of one of his underaged female victims by blaming her parents for what he called "destructive behaviors" such as drinking and drug abuse. Fogle, 38, who became famous after shedding weight on a diet that included sandwiches from the fast-food chain, pleaded guilty in November 2015 to charges of child pornography and traveling for illicit paid sex with minors.

Trump to visit Detroit in outreach to black voters

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will continue an effort to peel away minority support from Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Saturday, visiting a church and touring neighborhoods in the largely black city of Detroit. The former businessman and reality TV star will be accompanied by Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon and former Republican presidential hopeful who grew up there, and will give an interview for a Christian television program.

University of Chicago weighs free speech vs. crackdown on hecklers

Disruption of a local prosecutor's speech at the University of Chicago by hecklers unhappy with her handling of a police shooting may have been the last straw for administrators at one of the country's most prestigious schools. After years of tolerating dissenters who shouted down unpopular speakers on campus, the school is now considering a policy of meting out suspensions, expulsions or other punishment for those it sees as violating free speech rights.

Hermine churns north into Carolinas after pounding Florida

The U.S. East Coast faces a potential mix of dangerously high winds and heavy rains over the long holiday weekend as Tropical Storm Hermine plowed up the Atlantic Coast on Saturday, leaving a path of destruction in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Tropical storm and flooding watches and warnings were in effect along the Atlantic seaboard from South Carolina north to Rhode Island as the potentially life-threatening storm moved along a stretch inhabited by tens of millions of Americans.

Salt Lake police officers 'not within policy' in shooting, board finds

A Salt Lake City civilian review board said in a report on Friday that two white police officers who shot and wounded a black teenager acted outside their department's policy on use of force. The finding by the Police Civilian Review Board will be considered by the police chief, who has the authority to determine what discipline, if any, the officers should face.

NFL's Kaepernick kneels during national anthem, continuing protest

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt with his arms folded during the performance of the U.S. national anthem during a pre-season game in San Diego on Thursday, continuing his protest against racial injustice and police brutality. Kaepernick, 28, had pledged to continue sitting during the performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before National Football League games, a move that has been both criticized and cheered by commentators.

Earthquake of magnitude 5.6 hits U.S. State of Oklahoma: USGS

An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 hit the U.S. state of Oklahoma on Saturday, the United States Geological Survey reported. It said the quake struck 15 km (10 miles) northwest of Pawnee in the north of the state and was 6.6 km deep.

Anger as ex-Stanford swimmer freed after three months for sex assault

A former Stanford University swimmer whose six-month jail sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman caused uproar was released from jail on Friday after serving half of his time. Controversy over the short sentence for Brock Turner, a one-time U.S. Olympic hopeful, has stoked the intense debate about sexual assault on U.S. college campuses.

09/03/2016 8:58