TOP STORY

LOS ANGELES

State court tosses death sentence

The California Supreme Court threw out the death sentence of a convicted murderer Monday, ruling that Los Angeles County prosecutors failed to disclose a murder confession by a key witness who testified against the defendant.

The capital case was prosecuted in 1982 by three deputy district attorneys, including Lance Ito, now a Los Angeles Superior Court judge who oversaw the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

Adam Miranda was convicted of first-degree murder for killing Gary Black while committing a robbery, and has served 26 years on San Quentin's death row.

During the penalty phase of his trial, prosecutors introduced testimony of Joe Saucedo, who told the jury he witnessed Miranda stab Robert Hosey two weeks before he killed Black. Hosey later died of stab wounds.

In 1996, defense attorneys received Miranda's case file and found a letter by inmate Larry Montez, who claimed that Saucedo confessed to Hosey's murder while in an adjacent cell at the Los Angeles County Jail.

IN BRIEF

SACRAMENTO

Legislature honors Plunkett, Escalante

Former NFL star Jim Plunkett and Jaime Escalante, the math teacher who inspired the movie "Stand and Deliver," have been honored by the California Legislature.

Plunkett, 60, and Escalante, 77, were among 14 people presented with a Latino Spirit Award for their achievements in education, the arts, business, public service and sports. The award is given annually by the Assembly to mark Cinco de Mayo.

Plunkett, who won Super Bowls with the Raiders when the team was in Oakland and Los Angeles, was recognized for his achievement in athletics and community service.

Escalante was recognized for his achievement in education. The Bolivian native taught math at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. He currently teaches part time at a university in Bolivia.

SACRAMENTO

Bill to ban pets on driver's lap advances

A California lawmaker wants to ban motorists from holding pets on their laps while driving.

Assemblyman Bill Maze, R-Visalia, said he introduced the bill after seeing a woman driving with three dogs on her lap. He said pets are a distraction that put motorists and their passengers at risk.

No lawmaker spoke in opposition to the bill, which passed the Assembly on a 44-11 vote Monday and now goes to the Senate.

If Maze's bill is signed into law, motorists would pay a fine of $35 if caught driving with a live animal on their lap.

— From wire reports