US & World News, Thursday 2/14

US & World Summary --- Kirkwood Shooter, Victim To Be Laid To Rest (Kirkwood, MO) -- Two funeral services will be held today in Kirkwood, Missouri, the scene of a deadly shooting one week ago today. A service for shooter Charles "Cookie" Thornton will be held this afternoon at Kirkwood United Methodist Church. Thornton fatally shot and killed five people before he was killed by police. Funeral services for one of two police officers killed during the shooting spree are also set to take place today. Meanwhile, the towns mayor, Mike Swoboda, remains hospitalized in critical condition. --- Charges, Denials Highlight Congressional Hearing (Washington, DC) -- It was "he said, he said" yesterday on Capitol Hill as baseball pitcher Roger Clemens squared off against his former trainer. In emotional testimony during a congressional hearing on steroids in baseball, Clemens denied using steroids or human growth hormones, contradicting claims by Brian McNamee that he regularly injected Clemens with both. McNamee told the panel that he personally injected Clemens, New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte 1/81/8 PET-it 3/83/8 and former major leaguer Chuck Knoblauch 1/81/8 NOB-lock 3/83/8 with performance-enhancing drugs. --- Court Dismisses Lawsuit On Secret Kidnapping (San Francisco, CA) -- A federal judge has tossed out a lawsuit against a subsidiary of Boeing. The firm had been charged with helping fly terrorism suspects to secret prisons overseas, but Judge James Ware says the case involved a state secret. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in May accusing Jeppeson Dataplan of providing flight and logistical support to the U.S. government on "extraordinary-rendition" flights. The ACLU filed the suit on behalf of five men who say the CIA had them flown to foreign prisons for interrogations and torture. --- Josh Booty Arrested And Tasered (Santa Ana, CA) -- A Fox Sportscaster and one-time NFL quarterback is in trouble with the law. Josh Booty was Tasered by Orange County, California Sheriffs deputies yesterday while being booked on suspicion of driving under the influence. A Sheriffs spokesperson says the older brother of current USC Quarterback John David Booty was pulled over in Santa Ana for a traffic violation and arrested. Authorities say Booty became combative while being processed and deputies used a Taser to subdue him. --- No Verdict Yet In Cutts Trial (Canton, OH) -- Its day three of jury deliberations in the Bobby Cutts Jr. murder trial. Cutts is accused of killing girlfriend Jessie Davis and her unborn daughter in Canton, Ohio. Yesterday, the panel wasnt able to reach a verdict after a full day of talks. Jurors asked Stark County, Ohio Judge Charles Brown several questions to clarify the difference between aggravated murder and murder charges. If convicted, Cutts could face the death penalty. --- Repo Lots Overflow With Reclaimed Cars It could be a record year for vehicle repossessions. Thats according to "USA Today," which says repo levels this year are headed for their highest level in at least ten years. Industry insiders blame the rise on easy credit and a faltering economy leading to overflowing lots for repo operators and auto auctioneers. One-point-six-million vehicles are expected to be repoed this year, a ten-percent rise over last year and 33-percent more than ten years ago. One major auto lender wrote off more than one-billion-dollars in bad auto loans last year. --- Man Claims To Be Illegitimate Son Of JFK The late President John F. Kennedy may have fathered another child. A 45-year-old man has come forward claiming to be the love child of the former president. According to Britains "Sun" tabloid, Jack Worthington is an American citizen living in Canada. He wants tests from Kennedy family members to determine if they have the same DNA. Worthington came forward after an American newspaper reported that JFK had a love child living in Canada. Worthington was born one year before Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-02-14-08 0743CST