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Anderson Gallery’s newest exhibit, “you, your sun and shadow,” opened Friday Jan. 20.

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Local & VCU National & International

Dispute over judges stymies divided state Senate

The power struggle between Republicans and Democrats in an evenly divided Virginia Senate boiled over Tuesday in a dispute over the election of judges, leading to a stalemate that briefly shut down the chamber.

After nearly two hours, the Senate was able to resume its calendar without resolving the dispute when the House of Delegates and the Senate agreed to postpone consideration of the legislation until Thursday.

At issue is the proposed election of two new judges – former Dels. Clifford L. Athey Jr., R-Warren, and Clarence E. “Bud” Phillips, D-Dickenson – added to a group of judges who were up for re-election Tuesday.

Senate Democrats said they informed their Republican colleagues that they were willing to vote for the re-election of all the incumbents included in House Joint Resolution 246 but wanted to hold off on the appointment of the new judges. Democrats stood firm, and Republicans refused to remove the names of the two prospective new judges.

Because each party has 20 members – and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling is not authorized to break a tie vote on the election of judges — the issue became an impasse played out in pointed floor speeches.

While postponing the issue to Thursday allowed the Senate to continue with its calendar, it did not necessarily mean the time will bring a resolution.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Virginia bulls go to Russia

Add bulls to the list of Virginia’s growing list of agricultural exports.

Gov. Bob McDonnell’s office said Monday that the state’s first direct export of Holstein bulls to Russia has been completed.

The shipment involved less than 50 bulls from Vistar Farms of Mechanicsville. The exact number of bulls and the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed for competitive reasons.

The deal is the first for Virginia since Russia started to allow the importation of U.S. cattle in 2008, when the two countries reached an import protocol agreement.

U.S. exports to Russia now account for about $10 million of the live cattle business there, McDonnell’s office said.

Russia was Virginia’s ninth largest agricultural export customer in 2010 at just under $60 million.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Henrico jury recommends 39-year term in Facebook slaying

A Richmond jury recommended 39 years in prison for a Henrico County man who murdered another man after a dispute that seemed to stem from a posting on Facebook.

The panel of six men and six women deliberated about 75 minutes on Tuesday before recommending that Kareem Tillar, 21, serve a sentence of 34 years for the second-degree murder of Jamel Cobb, 19. Tillar also must serve a mandatory five years for a related firearm conviction. Formal sentencing was set for March 2.

The jury found Tillar guilty of the two charges on Monday after a daylong trial in Richmond Circuit Court. The sentencing phase of the trial was held over until Tuesday.

Brief by the Richmond Times-Dispatch

Megaupload founder joked about his ‘hacker’ past

Two years ago, Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom joked in emails with his new neighbors in New Zealand about his bad-boy reputation before telling them his criminal past was behind him and he was coming to the country with good intentions.

“I am a former hacker” who was once convicted of insider trading, he wrote, before going on to say “In all seriousness: My wife, two kids and myself love New Zealand and ‘We come in peace.’” Dotcom’s emails came to light Wednesday, the same day a New Zealand judge denied him bail following his arrest on U.S. accusations of copyright infringement and a U.S. official confirmed the arrest of a fifth member of his company.

Judge David McNaughton in Auckland denied Dotcom bail pending a hearing Feb. 22 on his possible extradition to face trial in the United States, saying Dotcom poses a flight risk. Dotcom, 38, insists he is innocent and poses no flight risk.

New Zealand police arrested three other Megaupload employees last week on U.S. accusations they facilitated millions of illegal downloads of films, music and other content, costing copyright holders at least $500 million in lost revenue. McNaughton is expected to make bail rulings on the three later this week or early next week.

Brief by the Associated Press

Julian Assange says he’s launching TV talk show

You’ve read his leaks. Now watch his show.

Cyber-transparency activist Julian Assange says he’s launching a career in television, hosting what he’s billing as a new brand of talk show built around the theme of “the world tomorrow.”

The show’s guests haven’t been disclosed, but Assange has promised to give viewers more of what he’s been supplying for years: controversy.

The WikiLeaks secret-spilling site said in a statement released late Monday that “iconoclasts, visionaries and power insiders” would be brought in so that Assange could challenge them on their vision of world affairs and “their ideas on how to secure a brighter future.”

The world of television talk shows is a new one for the 40-year-old Australian, whose group has orchestrated the biggest mass-disclosures of secret documents in U.S. history. But the statement argued that Assange was uniquely qualified for the role given his past as “a pioneer for a more just world and a victim of political repression.”

Brief by the Associated Press

HIV-infected man fights to become Atlanta officer

A former investigator with the city of Los Angeles claims Atlanta police rejected his job application solely because he has HIV, a decision he said breaks the law and perpetuates stereotypes about people with the virus.

Atlanta police argue hiring the man poses a threat to the health and safety of the public, setting up a legal fight that is being followed closely by gay rights groups and police agencies.

A federal appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments in the case Wednesday, and judges will have the chance to pepper both sides with questions.

Brief by the Associated Press

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