News of the Day From Across the Nation, Sept. 19
Dylann Roof’s friend knew about his plans to shoot black church members during Bible study in Charleston, S.C., and lied to investigators when they interviewed him a day after the massacre, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.
Joey Meek, 21, hung out with Roof off and on in the weeks before the June 17 shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal and failed to let authorities know that Roof was planning a racially motivated attack, the indictment said.
On Friday, Meek stood before a federal magistrate in handcuffs, shackles and an orange jumpsuit and pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to investigators and concealing information.
3 Execution drugs: A British pharmaceutical company that told Arkansas not to use its products during executions is trying to determine if the state plans to use them anyway, but prison officials are dismissing inquiries about the drug by citing a new law that makes all execution policies an official state secret.
Hikma Pharmaceuticals canceled a contract with Arkansas prison officials in 2013, after it learned the state purchased a seizure medication and another drug to use in lethal injections from one of its U.S. subsidiaries.
Florida A&M University on Friday settled a wrongful-death lawsuit with the family of Robert Champion over the fatal hazing of the drum major for $1.1 million and an apology, according to documents obtained by the Orlando Sentinel.
Gun laws: A federal appeals court has struck down as unconstitutional parts of Washington, D.C.'s gun laws.