News from the Lone Star State

[TexasStooge]

Boy shot dead; stepfather arrested

By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com and HOLLY YAN / The Dallas Morning News

LANCASTER, Texas - A 14-year-old Lancaster boy died of a gunshot to the head hours before his stepfather was located and taken into custody in Colorado, authorities said Thursday.

Brian Montez Booker, 37, was arrested overnight on a federal kidnapping warrant, according to Aurora, Colo., police Officer Marcus Dudley. The body of the slain boy, Joshua Henry, was found shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday about 25 feet from the roadway in the 2600 block of West Main Street in Lancaster, officers said.

The case began unfolding about noon Tuesday, when Mr. Booker reportedly checked Joshua out of Lancaster Junior High School. Lancaster police Lt. Joe Hall said no Amber alert was issued because it is not uncommon for a parent to pick up a child early from school.

"When the child was removed from school, there was nothing out of the ordinary," he said. "There was nothing to indicate anything was wrong."

Teri Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Lancaster Independent School District, said the district requires a pre-approved list of adults who are allowed to remove children from school. She would not comment specifically about Joshua or the case.

Police say Mr. Booker then kidnapped wife Yolanda Booker, 37, apparently at gunpoint, while she was at work in the 1300 block of North Industrial Boulevard in Dallas.

It doesn't appear that Ms. Booker was present when her son was killed, but "we don't know that for a fact," Lt. Hall said. "He was probably killed shortly after he was picked up from school."

An Amber alert was issued Wednesday.

Police found Mr. Booker after a relative in Aurora called police Wednesday night, saying Mr. Booker was in their home, armed, and may "cause harm," Officer Dudley said.

SWAT team members set up a perimeter. As a precaution, a hostage negotiator accompanied them, although it did not appear Mr. Booker was holding anyone captive, Officer Dudley said.

The other family members had left the home unharmed by the time police arrived, but Mr. Booker resisted arrest, so he was stunned once with a Taser gun.

"He was not compliant with the orders," Officer Dudley said.

Ms. Booker was found safe at the home. "His wife was there at the residence but it was unclear whether she was there on her own free will," the officer said.

Mr. Booker's motives for abducting the mother and son were unclear, Lt. Hall said, but he later told his brother he planned to kill them.

"Relatives said [Mr. Booker] ... made violent threats in the past, but we're not sure if they involved the son," Lt. Hall said.

Joshua was Ms. Booker's son and lived with the couple. Mr. and Ms. Booker also have a daughter, who is staying with relatives, Lt. Hall said.

Mr. Booker was expected to appear before a federal magistrate on Thursday. Lt. Hall said police were waiting for the investigation to conclude before more charges would be added.

Lt. Hall said the FBI was brought in to the investigation because "they're another law enforcement agency that has a lot of resources."

"We believe because of the violent nature and because we had (information) that they had lived in Colorado in the past that they might cross state lines," he said.

Special Agent Lori Bailey said it was not unusual for the FBI to be involved, particularly when it appears "there may be some sort of interstate nexus." The district attorney would decide whether the case would go forward under federal or state charges, she said.

At Lancaster Junior High School, where Joshua had been an eighth-grader, counselors were made available to the pupils and teachers were instructed to be sensitive to their concerns and questions, the district's spokeswoman said.

"They are fine. It's what we would expect for junior high school students," Ms. Wilson said. "It's just a normal start to the day. There are children who are very sad and some who are going about their regular business."

DallasNews.com staff writer Linda Leavell, Dan Ronan of WFAA ABC 8 and the Associated Press contributed to this report.


Photo provided by Lancaster P.D.
Brian Booker, Yolanda Booker and Joshua Henry

[TexasStooge]

Battle lines drawn on teardown limits

Dallas: Residents, builders air views on 'McMansions'

By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Dallas homeowners took an unusually calm approach at Wednesday's public hearing on a zoning tool designed to prevent "McMansions" in their neighborhoods, despite two weeks of angry phone calls and e-mails accusing Mayor Laura Miller and some City Council members of trying to weaken the measure.

Their biggest beef was that a provision designed to put incompatible projects on hold while building standards are confirmed is no longer on the table. Without that tool, they say, the effectiveness of the proposed "neighborhood stabilization overlay" is dramatically reduced.

"There were many people ... who felt it was a very crucial element of the plan, because whenever anybody tried to get a petition drive going, the builders would just speed up," said Ken Lampton, a real estate agent who supports the overlay. "But I think the time when [that tool] could be gotten is over."

Ms. Miller was cautious at the crowded hearing, reminding the dozens of attendees that no details have been set in stone and that another public hearing will be held within 30 days. No council vote has been set.

"I don't know what shape it will be in or what factors will be included," Ms. Miller said. But "a majority of us would like to offer this tool to the neighborhoods that want it."

The hard-chargers of the evening were the builders and developers lined up to speak against any such measure, which they say would take away property rights and deplete Dallas' property tax base.

"Why are we creating new zoning when all we're doing is reinventing the wheel in the form of a new roll of red tape?" asked Jeremy Larson, a sales and marketing representative for a custom homebuilder. "The city certainly has better fish to fry."

The overlay, as it was originally designed and recommended by the city staff, would have allowed residents – with support from a majority of their neighbors – to regulate height, garage location, front- and side-yard setbacks and the paved surface of future construction.

It also would have given them a 1 ½-year safety window after declaring their intent to create an overlay, during which developers would have to prove that new projects were compatible with "prevailing standards" in the neighborhood.

More than 1,500 Dallas residences have been torn down and replaced since the late 1990s, many of them in East and North Dallas.

After months of public deliberation, the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee and the influential City Plan Commission recommended the overlay to the City Council, in a much more restrictive form. One board took out limits on how many stoies could be built. Another increased the minimum number of houses that could be included. Both shortened the "prevailing standards" time period.

The version being considered by the City Council – crafted by the mayor after a week of meetings with plan commissioners and council members – would keep story limits in the overlay, a point of contention for builders and real estate agents. It would also require 75 percent of homeowners to sign on to the overlay with notarized, city-issued petitions, a high threshold that has prompted outrage from overlay supporters. And it doesn't include a "prevailing standards" window.

"New home construction is a source of new property tax revenue," said Peter Urrutia, director of government affairs for the MetroTex Association of Realtors. "This proposal has potential long-term, unintended consequences."

Neighborhoods – not dollars – are Dallas' best asset, said Jeri Arbuckle, president of the Dallas Homeowners League. In that regard, the overlay is a great idea, she said.

"Economic interests cannot take precedence over quality of life," she said. "If you make the process so difficult ... the neighborhoods will not use it, and it will be useless."

Property rights swing both ways, said neighborhood advocate David Marquis.

"If someone lives in a neighborhood for 10 years or 20 years, they'd like to see the character of the neighborhood maintained," he said. The overlay would not "veto economic development, but simply [allow homeowners] to have some input into what's built next door."

[TexasStooge]

Police to stay ahead of crime at fair

Big Tex takes his place before festivities begin

By KATIE MENZER / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Big Tex will have some help keeping an eye on visitors at the State Fair of Texas.

Dallas police presence will be strong on the fair's opening day Friday and throughout its run, officials said Tuesday.

They gathered on the fairgrounds to mark the big guy's first public appearance and to announce security measures.

Police will monitor the fairgrounds by car, foot, horse, golf cart and elevated platforms.

Surveillance cameras and K-9 units also will be used.

"We will literally be everywhere," said Deputy Chief Jesse Reyes, who is overseeing security for the fair.

This is Chief Reyes' first year to head up the fair's security, although he worked the beat in 2002.

He said he is particularly partial to State Fair food and assured security will be especially tight around Fletcher's Corny Dogs.

"You will probably see me at more than one stand," he said with a smile.
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STATE FAIR OPENING WEEKEND FORECAST via NWS:

Friday: <IMG alt="Partly Cloudy" src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/52/30.gif" border=0> High: 85°F | Low: 65°F
Saturday: <IMG alt="Isolated Thunderstorms" src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/52/37.gif" border=0> High: 87°F | Low: 72°F
Sunday: <IMG alt="Partly Cloudy" src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/52/30.gif" border=0> High: 88°F | Low: 71°F
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BigTex.com - Official State Fair Site

[TexasStooge]

Denton Record-Chronicle editor dies

DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News/Denton Record-Chronicle) - Barry Boesch, executive editor of the Denton Record-Chronicle, died Thursday at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas from complications of a brain tumor.

Boesch, 51, had been diagnosed with cancer in March, but had continued to work until the summer, when radiation and chemotherapy treatments began to take their toll.

He had spent the last three weeks in the hospital battling an infection. His wife, Patti Boesch, was with him when he died. “I told him he was a good man, a great husband and an extraordinary father, and I have no regrets,” she said.

Boesch was a widely respected newspaperman who spent most of his nearly 30-year career with The Dallas Morning News. He became the top news executive at the Record-Chronicle in October 2001.

“Barry was an outstanding journalist and a great leader,” Record-Chronicle Publisher Bill Patterson said. “During his tenure, he led the DR-C to a redesign that included numerous improvements to the paper. He worked with our staff to improve the depth of our reporting. He revamped our entertainment magazine, ‘Denton Time,’ and he led us to a launch of ‘Movies and More,’ our Friday lifestyle section. Barry was committed to excellence, and the DR-C team mourns his loss.”

Bob Mong, editor of The Dallas Morning News, said Boesch was ahead of his time in seeing how much readers valued suburban news.

“He led our expansion into Collin County in the 1980s and then went on to lead our entire suburban operation,” Mong said. “He was a trailblazer in every sense of the word. When he became editor-in-chief of the Denton Record-Chronicle, he brought his many gifts and insights to its community journalism. He was truly a pioneer in community journalism.”

Funeral services for Boesch will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Rest Haven Funeral Home, 2500 Highway 66 East in Rockwall. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Both The Morning News and the Record-Chronicle are properties of Belo Corp., which also owns newspapers in Providence, R.I., and Riverside, Calif.; 17 television stations; several cable television operations; and other media companies.

[TexasStooge]

Stepfather held in boy's death (Updated)

By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8

LANCASTER, Texas — Lancaster police said they intend to file murder charges against Brian Booker for the shooting death of his stepson.

Joshua Henry, 14, was found dead Wednesday evening with a single gunshot wound to the head after he and his mother were kidnapped.

Booker, 37, was arrested in Aurora, Colo. overnight following a lengthy standoff with police.

Officials said it all started Tuesday afternoon when Booker legally released Joshua from Lancaster Junior High School.

"We knew that the child was picked up around 12; we knew that the mother was picked up around 12:30," said Lancaster Schools Police Chief Sam Allen.

An Amber Alert was issued for Joshua on Wednesday afternoon.

The boy's body was discovered in a field off West Main Street by school police. Police believe he was killed within hours after he left school. "We knew that the mother was picked up around 12:30, so our guys just started looking," Allen said. "They started walking the area from the high school up to I-35."

Police said they were not certain whether Joshua's mother, Yolanda Booker, 37, witnessed the fatal shooting after she was kidnapped from her workplace. She was said to be safe in Aurora.

Brian and Yolanda Booker were schedled to be returned to Lancaster some time Thursday afternoon.

Grief counselors and extra support staff was in place at Lancaster Junior High as students arrived Thursday morning to learn of the death of their classmate.

"We've encouraged our teachers to work with kids and just listen, encourage and be there for the children," said Lancaster ISD spokeswoman Teri Wilson.

Police said the Bookers were believed to be having marital problems, but it was not known whether that may have been a motive in the kidnap and murder.

[TexasStooge]

Judge: No sex for Sherman teen

SHERMAN, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A state district judge has ordered a 17-year-old drug offender barred from sex as a condition of her probation.

Judge Lauri Blake made the ruling that bars the girl from having sex as long as she is living with her parents and attending school.

It is one of several unorthodox rulings Blake has imposed since she was elected 10 months ago in the 336th District Court covering Fannin and Grayson counties.

She has also prohibited tattoos, body piercings, earrings and clothing "associated with the drug culture" for those on probation.

Blake also enforces rules on the lawyers in her courtroom including a ban on sleeveless shirts and cleavage.

"It used to be like a circus, lawyers milling around," said Fannin County District Attorney Richard Glaser. "She makes them sit and come up one at a time."

Glaser is investigating the complaint of a lawyer who was briefly ordered into a holding cell because of his manners.

If lawyers are discontent, none has approached her about it, Blake said in a brief telephone conversation. Last week, she agreed to an interview but later declined through her court coordinator.

Others wonder how she can enforce some of her conditions, suchas the sex ban.

Fred Moss, a Southern Methodist University professor and former federal prosecutor, said being on probation entitles a judge to restrict one's freedom.

"Some conditions could be viewed as too draconian and violate someone's personal dignity," he said. "I'm not sure where the parameters are these days."

Steve Blackburn, a lawyer involved with the Dallas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said defendants who don't like their probation conditions can reject them and go to jail. On the other hand, conditions that violate someone's constitutional rights are best avoided, he said.

"The idea is that you can't ever ask somebody to give up certain rights," he said.

[TexasStooge]

Fair walks fine line

Dallas: Don't touch Big Tex, but bring on the fire and fast pigs

By KATIE MENZER / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Can you imagine the State Fair of Texas without Fletcher's?

What if the Texas Star Ferris wheel was replaced by an enormous bubble bounce?

Big Tex in a tutu?

Change is always a gamble at the fair, where visitors hold on to tradition as tightly as to the sticks on their corny dogs. Any alteration in the schedule can elicit hundreds of angry phone calls from traditionalists.

But fair officials know that the status quo also can bring stagnant profits and that they must mix things up if they want to keep the thrill alive.

"We walk a fine line," State Fair president Errol McKoy said. "We realize the tradition of the fair is very important, but it's incumbent on us to keep moving forward."

There are, of course, the untouchables – traditions so beloved that officials wouldn't dream of messing with them.

Fletcher's Corny Dogs have been a staple of the fair, which opens today, since they were introduced by brothers Neil and Carl in 1942.

The Texas Star has been turning fairgoers – and their stomachs – since it was erected in 1985. And Big Tex is approaching senior-citizen status at the age of 53.

But not all of the fair's line-up is cemented in stone. Fair officials have developed a formula they believe keeps strict traditionalists happy and those with a more progressive bent excited to come back year after year.

"About one-third of the fair is new each year, and two-thirds remains the same," Mr. McKoy said. "We want to improve, but we always have to temper that to make sure we don't lose the flavor of the fair.

"The livestock barns, the auto show, the Midway – we will keep all of that, but we try to put a little twist on it."

Take the traditional laser light show, which untraditionally has no lasers in it this year.

They've been replaced by 20-foot geysers of fire that will shoot up out of the pool every night on the Esplanade. It's a new technology – called Fire Water – that will make its national debut at the State Fair.

"Lasers aren't what this show is about," said Scott Britt, whose company Interlaced Productions designed the show for the State Fair. "It's about fire, water, light, music and video."

Mr. McKoy said he's been trying to inject some fire into the light show for years, but ordinances regulating propane use at the fair prevented it. Fire Water uses a liquid – not gas – that creates streams of fire ignited by a spark.

Russell Clark, director of a special-effects company and Fire Water's creator, isn't sharing the secret of his liquid-based fire system, but he said it creates a flame taller and more resilient against wind than systems pumped by natural gas.

"You can't miss these flames," Mr. Clark said. "It's really cool."

Will laser lovers be disappointed? Probably, but Mr. McKoy thinks no one else will.

"People are just going to be knocked out," he said.

Other changes at the fair might not be as explosive, although they'll be no less startling to some.

The disappearance of the petting zoo already has drawn its fair share of criticism. Officials recently had to cancel the zoo because of insurance problems, although they hope to bring in back next year.

Another dramatic change is the replacement of the fading, red-and-white-striped tents along the Midway. The tents are now blue with brightly colored triangles, which make the area look less like a circus.

The tents' changeover is a two-year, $2 million project for the fair, which designed the new fabric and had it produced.

"We thought it was time for a visual change," Mr. McKoy said. "We want the Midway to look fresh and new."

On the other side of Fair Park, officials have decided to expand last year's popular garden railway, pushing out the pumpkin-carving demonstration and face painting.

And while the evening parade, Backyard Circus, Boris the giant boar and Little Hands on the Farm will all be back, racing pigs – a former State Fair staple that's been absent for about a decade – has been added to the schedule.

"They were popular before, and they'll be popular again," said Joe Hedrick, who runs the races.

As for the monolithic corny dog?

Well, there's even a little change there – although only with the spicy jalapeño and cheese dogs offered at a couple of Fletcher's stands last year.

"Fairgoers will be happy to know we'll be offering them at all locations this year," said Ron Black, vice president for the fair's food service and novelties.
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STATE FAIR OPENING WEEKEND FORECAST via NWS:

Today: <IMG alt="Mostly Cloudy" src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/52/28.gif" border=0> High: 83°F | Low: 69°F
Saturday: <IMG alt="Isolated Thunderstorms" src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/52/37.gif" border=0> High: 90°F | Low: 72°F
Sunday: <IMG alt="Partly Cloudy" src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/52/30.gif" border=0> High: 90°F | Low: 71°F
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BigTex.com - Official State Fair Site

[TexasStooge]

DART To Expand To South Dallas, Fair Park

DALLAS, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- For the first time, Dallas Area Rapid Transit is going south.

DART said it is going to extend its light rail system into Fair Park, south Dallas and Pleasant Grove.

The massive project also includes new rail lines to Farmers Branch, Carrollton, Irving and D/FW International Airport.

The entire project should be finished by 2013.

[TexasStooge]

Police search for suspects in elderly beating

ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police are searching for a group of teenagers who are suspected of roughing up and robbing an elderly man in Arlington.

Surveillance cameras at a Kroger store caught one of the suspects on tape after he purchased beer and cigarettes allegedly using the victim's credit card.

The attack happened outside the Inn Town Suites along Collins while 67-year-old Harvey Krauss was taking an evening walk. When the suspects came across Krauss, police said they then stole his wallet, cell phone and beat him.

"It happened so quick, and they were kicking me and getting my wallet away from me," Krauss said.

"Here was a man just minding his own business, just walking," said Lt. Blake Miller. "And they, from what the victim describes, they brutally attacked him for no reason."

Police said the suspects did not use a weapon and they have no vehicle information.

The victim suffered injuries to his ribs, arms and face.


A surveillance camera caught one suspect allegedly using the victim's credit card.

[TexasStooge]

Haltom athlete faces sex assault charge

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8

HALTOM CITY, Texas - One of the most sought-after high school football players in North Texas is off the team and out on bond, accused of having sex with an underage girl.

It's the kind of crime that often goes unreported, but this time it was - and no matter the outcome, it will likely have many consequences.

Jeremy Brent is a six foot, five inch receiver with blazing speed and a lot of colleges that would like to catch him.

However, on Monday an officer arrested him in the Haltom High School cafeteria on a sexual assault charge. Brent is 19, and police received a complaint he had intercourse with a 15-year-old girl.

"In this case there is no evidence of a forcible act or coercion," said Deputy Chief Ron Everett of the Haltom City Police Department. "It's unusual in that two parties knew each other. No one claims force."

The arrest knocks Brent out of all school extracurricular activities, jeopardizes his college chances and could send him to jail for 20 years.

"The law is very clear: if there is more than three years' age difference, it is a violation of the statute, and we're required to follow through and investigate that case," Everett said.

Haltom City police had the warrant two months before a school resource officer made the arrest.

"He was not a high priority to go out and make the arrest; we had other issues," Everett said. "He definitely wasn't a threat to the public."

[TexasStooge]

Video captures alleged father, son robbery team

BEDFORD, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police said surveillance video caught a father and son robbery team in action.

The video was taken during a robbery at a Bedford convenience store, and police said at least eight recent Tarrant County holdups happened in similar manners.

Monday night, police arrested a Wyoming father and son after a chase through Tarrant and Dallas counties.

Sherman Harris, 42, and his 19-year-old son, also named Sherman, were jailed and are suspected in a string of robberies in Grapevine, Bedford, Fort Worth and White Settlement.

[TexasStooge]

Slain teen's brother heard man's threat

Lancaster stepdad who took boy from school is held in Colorado; mom found safe

By HOLLY YAN and COLLEEN McCAIN NELSON / The Dallas Morning News

LANCASTER, Texas - When a fight between his stepfather and his mother escalated, Joshua Henry tried to protect himself.

The 14-year-old, who aspired to be a basketball player, wedged a chair against his bedroom door and locked it before he went to sleep Monday.

"We never lock the door," said Jonquil Henry, his 18-year-old brother who shared the bedroom.

In another room, they heard their stepfather tell their mother, "I'm going to kill you and your kids," Mr. Henry said.

Joshua arrived safely at Lancaster Junior High School on Tuesday. But a few hours later, he was dead.

His stepfather, Brian Montez Booker, pulled him out of school about noon. Joshua's body was found Wednesday night in a field south of his home. He had been shot in the head.

Early Thursday, Mr. Booker, 37, was arrested on a federal kidnapping warrant in Aurora, Colo., authorities said.

Police say Mr. Booker also kidnapped his wife, Yolanda Vanessa Booker, while she was at work Tuesday in Dallas.

Mrs. Booker, 37, was found unharmed in Colorado with her husband. She flew home to Texas on Thursday, where her older son met her at the airport.

"It was sad," Mr. Henry said. "We hugged. Then she said, 'I'm sorry for letting this get so far.' "

The Bookers' five-year relationship and three-year marriage was marred by fights and threats of violence, relatives said. But Mrs. Booker seldom discussed her volatile spouse.

"She never said she was scared," said Gilbert Brice, Mrs. Booker's uncle. "She's a little fighter. It was the kids who saw him push her around."

Mr. Henry had heard Mr. Booker threaten to kill his mother but said little.

"I heard them, but I didn't want to cause a ruckus with my mom," he said. "I kept it down for my mother."

The Bookers moved from Colorado to Lancaster last year, eventually settling into an apartment. But the fresh start did not bring stability.

Mr. Booker worried that his wife would leave him, Mr. Henry said. He was often distraught and had tried to kill himself several times since arriving in Texas, relatives said.

And Mr. Booker had abducted his wife at least once before, Mr. Henry said.

"It was about this time last year. He took her away for about an hour and said he was going to kill her and kill himself," Mr. Henry said.

When a Lancaster police officer arrived Wednesday night at the family's apartment on Houston School Road, the 18-year-old thought that perhaps his stepfather had made good on part of his promise.

"I thought he was going to say my stepdad killed himself," he said.

Lancaster police Lt. Joe Hall declined to discuss the details of Mr. Booker's criminal history but said, "He is a person we have dealt with in the past."

The encounters usually involved domestic disputes that were not particularly violent, he said. Available records don't show a history of violence or other convictions.

While Mr. Booker was familiar to police, his actions Tuesday did not initially raise concern. Lt. Hall said an Amber Alert was not immediately issued because parents regularly pick up children early from school.

"When the child was removed from school, there was nothing out of the ordinary," he said. "There was nothing to indicate anything was wrong."

Teri Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Lancaster Independent School District, said the district requires a pre-approved list of adults who are allowed to remove children from school. She would not comment specifically about Joshua or the case.

Police said that the timeline of Tuesday's events is still unclear but that Joshua was probably killed shortly after he was taken.

Lt. Hall said he does not think Mrs. Booker witnessed the shooting. Family members said she did not learn until Thursday that her son was dead.

No murder charges have been filed yet, Lt. Hall said.

"Since he's in custody on the kidnapping warrant, we know he's not fixin' to be released," he said. "It gives us a little more time to make sure we cross our T's and dot our I's."

In Aurora, police found Mr. Booker and his wife in a relative's home.

Officer Marcus Dudley, spokesman for the Aurora police, said someone called authorities to report that Mr. Booker was armed and "could cause harm."

SWAT team members and a hostage negotiator arrived at the scene and staked it out for several hours. When Mr. Booker refused to comply with police orders, he was stunned with a Taser gun and taken into custody, Office Dudley said.

Mr. Booker is expected to be transported to Dallas by the U.S. Marshals Service as early as the beginning of next week, Lt. Hall said.

The FBI also has been brought into the investigation because "they're another law enforcement agency that has a lot of resources," Lt. Hall said.

"We believe because of the violent nature and because we had [information] that they had lived in Colorado in the past that they might cross state lines," he said.

Special Agent Lori Bailey said it was not unusual for the FBI to be involved, particularly when it appears "there may be some sort of interstate nexus."

The district attorney will decide whether the case would go forward under federal or state charges, she said.

Mr. Brice, Mrs. Booker's uncle, said he hoped appropriate action would be taken.

"Hopefully, Montez can get some help now, and, hopefully, justice will prevail."

Clutching photos of the family, Mr. Brice described a friendly eighth-grader who was preparing to try out for the basketball team, who loved to hang out at the mall and play video games, and who tried to dress like his older brother.

"Only the good die young," he said.

DallasNews.com staff writer Kimberly Durnan contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Clerk killed in crime spree

By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Three suspects were in custody early Friday after a violent crime spree led to the fatal shooting of one Dallas convenience store clerk and the beating of another.

Police said the first incident was at a Shell gas station in the 9500 block of C.F. Hawn Freeway about 3:30 a.m. According to witnesses, three gunmen robbed the store and then shot the clerk.

The victim, identified as Feroz Lalani, 37, of Dallas, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was rushed to Baylor University Medical Center. He died at the hospital.

A short time later, three men with similar descriptions entered a 7-Eleven store at Bruton Road and Masters Drive. They beat up the clerk, robbed the store and fled. The clerk, whose name was not available, was hospitalized in Mesquite in fair condition.

Police said surveillance cameras at the 7-Eleven—coupled with witness reports—gave them the information they needed to intercept and arrest three men at a Circle M convenience store at St. Augustine and Scyene roads a few minutes later.

A fourth suspect may still be at large, investigators said.

Lalani had worked at the Shell station for a year-and-a-half. He was the father of two young children, ages 2 and 4.

[TexasStooge]

Suspects in elderly beating sought

ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police are searching for a group of teenagers who are suspected of roughing up and robbing an elderly man in Arlington.

Surveillance cameras at a Kroger store caught one of the suspects on tape after he purchased beer and cigarettes allegedly using the victim's credit card.

The attack happened outside the Inn Town Suites along Collins while 67-year-old Harvey Krauss was taking an evening walk. When the suspects came across Krauss, police said they then stole his wallet, cell phone and beat him.

"It happened so quick, and they were kicking me and getting my wallet away from me," Krauss said.

"Here was a man just minding his own business, just walking," said Lt. Blake Miller. "And they, from what the victim describes, they brutally attacked him for no reason."

Police said the suspects did not use a weapon and they have no vehicle information.

The victim suffered injuries to his ribs, arms and face.

[TexasStooge]

Richardson tries smoking out burglars

By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8

RICHARDSON, Texas - Richardson city leaders are going to new extremes to prevent crime at a popular municipal golf course, by attempting to smoke out would-be burglars before they steal anything.

Smash-and-grab burglars work fast; they usually burst in through a door or window, take what they want and bolt. That's what happened at the pro shop at Sherrill Park Golf Course, where thieves got away with $20,000 worth of clubs.

Since the break-in, the city has decided to try a new remedy for smash-and-grabs at the golf course - a new security device called the Smoke Cloak.

"It's basically designed to defeat the burglar who is going to pay no attention to the fact that the building has an alarm system," said Edward James of Chubb Security Systems, which is implementing the device for Richardson. "It operates on the premise that you can't steal what you can't see."

News 8 asked Chubb to give us a demonstration. The Smoke Cloak is activated when a motion or glass detector triggers the burglar alarm. A mixture of heated glycol and distilled water forms a vapor which shoots out of the system as thick fog.

"If you take away the burglar's sight - his ability to be able to see what he's looking for - he's not going to be very effective," James said.

The Smoke Cloak can also be activated manually at the press of a button. In a matter of seconds, the room fills with dense fog, hiding the merchandise and driving the burglars out.

"You don't want to walk into it, so you retreat from it," James said.

The dense fog created by the smoke cloak is safe to breathe. but Chubb officials said it creates just enough fear, shock and disorientation to scare the crooks away.

[TexasStooge]

Automakers depend on State Fair

By TERRY BOX / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - In a world of anonymous "appliance" sedans, Ford's new Fusion boasts a provocative chrome grille and a taut, clean body.

But the Fusion – the most important new car at this year's State Fair of Texas – will need to be more than just another pretty face in the crowd. It's attempting to crack the hyper-competitive midsize sedan segment dominated by Japanese heavyweights Toyota, Honda and Nissan.

"We think we have an opportunity here because while consumers have told us that they want a car they can count on, they also want one that stands out," said Dan Geist, Fusion marketing brand manager. "It's a niche we can fill."

With Ford Motor Co. intent on competing again in midsize sedans – after decades as a leader in trucks – the Fusion has emerged as the company's most significant new car in 20 years, company officials say.

Built on the highly regarded Mazda6 platform, it has drawn positive reviews and should be at dealerships this month.

"This is our ticket back into the car business," said Ben Poore, Ford Division car group marketing manager.

Besides the Fusion, the other major new vehicle at the State Fair will be the 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe sport-utility vehicle, a truck critical to embattled General Motors Corp. The auto displays at the fair open today and run through Oct. 23.

The truck, which will be officially unveiled at the State Fair, is the first all-new Tahoe in six years. And the GM assembly plant in Arlington is the lead factory for the Tahoe and will begin building it in December.

The current Tahoe has about a 60 percent share of the full-size SUV segment, and GM is counting heavily on the new truck – with its aerodynamic styling, increased power, better fuel economy and greater refinement – to retain that share.

"We think we will have what it takes to continue to be No. 1," said Carl Hillenbrand, Chevrolet product manager.

Some of the other new vehicles at the fair include:

•The dually version of Dodge's 2006 Ram Mega Cab. For those who prefer their pickups supersized, Dodge is taking its already large four-door Mega Cab and adding optional dual rear wheels that make the truck wider and give it more payload capacity.

•The 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The Sport Trac is a Ford Explorer midsize SUV with a small pickup bed on the back. The new model has the Explorer's smoother-riding independent rear suspension, a much stiffer chassis and an optional 4.6-liter V8 with 292 horsepower.

•The Lincoln Zephyr and Mercury Milan, Lincoln and Mercury's versions of the Fusion.

•The 2006 Chevrolet Impala, which has been lightly restyled and is available with a 303-horsepower V8 engine.

•The Saab 9.7X. Based on the Chevrolet TrailBlazer-GMC Envoy, the 9.7X is Saab's first midsize SUV.

Fired up on Fusion

Ford says it expects to sell about 130,000 Fusions, or roughly a third of the volume of the segment-leading Toyota Camry. But based on early interest in the car, some dealers say Ford's sales estimate may be conservative.

For years, Ford dealers in Dallas-Fort Worth have mostly sold trucks. Now, for the first time since the 1985 Taurus, they will have an attractive midsize sedan – and one with a base price of $17,795, lower than comparably equipped Toyotas and Hondas.

"We've been a nonentity in that segment for so long," said Bill Utter Jr., president and general manager of Bill Utter Ford in Denton. "Every sale will be incremental to us."

About three-fourths of Fusion buyers are expected to be current Ford owners. The rest will be conquests from GM, the Chrysler Group and the imports.

The buyers' target demographics: 25 to 39 years old, more than half of them college-educated and with a $60,000 median family income.

But one of the Fusion's biggest initial roles will be to stop defections from Ford, a major consideration as the automaker battles to halt its slide in market share.

"Every year, we're losing around 50,000 people from our products to our competitors' midsize cars," said Mr. Poore, Ford's car group marketing manager. "We're losing Mustang owners, Focus owners, Taurus owners. Fusion is our interceptor."

Jerry Reynolds, managing partner of Prestige Ford in Garland, expects he can sell 30 Fusions a month if he can get them – and Mr. Reynolds' dealership is one of the nation's largest sellers of trucks.

"We haven't had anything in my memory that fits in like the Fusion," he said.

The car is coming to market with a solid pedigree. Inspired by Ford's attention-grabbing 427 concept car, the Fusion is available with a sporty Mazda-derived suspension and an optional 210-horsepower V6.

While it may not yet be the best car in the midsize segment, it's "near the top," said Mike Dushane, online editor of Automobile magazine.

"It will be a slower road to success because Ford has not had any competitive cars in that segment," Mr. Dushane said. "But it's a very good entry."

In many ways, the Fusion is "right on the money," said Wes Brown, an analyst at industry consultant Iceology in Los Angeles.

"Is it good enough to get Camry or Accord buyers to look? Probably not, because Ford is simply not on their shopping lists," Mr. Brown said. "But it does many things well."

Tahoe retooled

Likewise, the 2007 Chevy Tahoe should help rejuvenate slumping GM. With sales of the old Tahoe dropping, GM pushed up the production of the new truck – along with the GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Suburban. Sales of the current Tahoe were down 9.2 percent through August.

Although about the same size as the old Tahoe, the new truck rides on a stiffer frame, absorbs bumps better with a redesigned front suspension and has more precise rack-and-pinion steering.

The interior is vastly improved, with two-tone color schemes, more refined detailing and low-gloss materials for the instrument panel.

In addition, the standard 5.3-liter V8 has been upgraded to 320 horsepower but is expected to offer the best fuel economy in the full-size segment – 20.5 miles per gallon on the highway.

The full-size SUV segment, "on the whole, went through some tremendous growth in years past – more, in fact, than we had anticipated," said Mr. Hillenbrand of Chevrolet.

"We don't see the segment continuing to grow at that rate. But we also don't expect the downturn we're in now to be permanent. We do see some potential growth with the new trucks."
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STATE FAIR OPENING WEEKEND FORECAST via NWS:

Saturday: <IMG alt="Scattered Thunderstorms" src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/52/38.gif" border=0> High: 90°F | Low: 72°F
Sunday: <IMG alt="Partly Cloudy" src="http://image.weather.com/web/common/wxicons/52/30.gif" border=0> High: 90°F | Low: 72°F
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BigTex.com - Official State Fair Site

[TexasStooge]

Students burned at elementary school

By MICHAEL REY / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Four children at Adelle Turner Elementary School in South Oak Cliff were injured Friday morning when they were burned by steam in the school's cafeteria, a spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue said.

Dallas Independent School District spokesman Donald Claxton said first graders were lining up about 10:30 a.m. when a hot lunch fixture tipped over, spilling hot water and steam.

One girl was trapped underneath the fixture. She suffered third-degree burns on the lower portion of her body. She was taken to the Parkland Memorial Hospital burn unit.

Three other students suffered less severe injuries.

Claxton said the parents or guardians of all students who were injured have been notified.

DISD will inspect similar cafeteria fixtures at other schools to determine whether there is a bigger problem.

The school, at 5505 South Polk Street, serves kindergarten through sixth grade and has an enrollment of about 600 students.

[TexasStooge]

Pastor may face prison time for sexual assault conviction

Irving: Jury agrees with women who say church leader coerced them

By ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - That a charismatic pastor of an Irving nondenominational church had sex with at least three women in his tiny congregation was never in dispute during Steven G. Smith's trial.

Mr. Smith's own attorneys called his adulterous behavior "sad and distasteful" but argued he was not guilty of sexual assault because the relationships were consensual.

A jury disagreed Thursday, finding Mr. Smith guilty after deciding under a rarely used 1996 law that the women were unwilling participants because Mr. Smith exploited the emotional dependence he held over them as their pastor.

"That was the way he treated the women in his church," prosecutors Josh Healy said during closing arguments. "He'd use the Bible. He'd use God's word to prey on these women."

In each of the three cases described in the trial, female congregation members testified that Mr. Smith influenced them into having sex during private prayer and counseling sessions.

But attorneys for Mr. Smith argued that the relationships were consensual and that Mr. Smith was not acting in his capacity as a minister.

"It's straight-up adultery and it's wrong," said attorney Jack Peacock, but he added that the allegations do not amount to sexual assault.

When questioned during the trial about their relationships with Mr. Smith, the women said he would use the Bible to justify his behavior. In one case, Mr. Smith explained that his own commandment "to heal each others' hearts" took precedence over the Bible's commandment against adultery.

The women also said Mr. Smith alternately threatened that he was considering suicide and said he needed the sexual relationships because his own marriage was lacking.

"He told me how precious it was to his heart that I had let him be intimate with my soul," one of the women testified. The Dallas Morning News does not typically publish the names of victims of sex crimes. "He told me the Lord had literally used me to save his life during the suicidal depression he had been having. ... I didn't understand how to tell him no."

Former members of the church described a tightly knit ministry that began as a Bible study in the early 1980s and operated out of Mr. Smith's Irving home. The congregation never had more than 30 by design, and new members had to be approved by vote. Most members had been attending for more than 10 years when it imploded after the behavior surfaced in 2002.

Church members described Mr. Smith as the undisputed leader and teacher who did not delegate authority when it came to church matters.

The husband of one of the victims testified that Mr. Smith advised him to refrain from having sex with his then-girlfriend at the same time Mr. Smith was counseling the victim and having sex with her.

Mr. Healy and fellow prosecutor Brian Corrigan argued during the two-day trial that Mr. Smith was a sexual predator. After six hours of deliberations, the jurors agreed.

The punishment phase of Mr. Smith's trial begins today, and Mr. Smith faces punishment ranging from probation to 20 years in prison for the second-degree felony charge.

In September 2004, a jury heard the same allegations and deliberated 16 hours before becoming deadlocked, causing a mistrial. After the guilty verdict Thursday, Mr. Smith – who had been free on bond – was taken into custody until the punishment hearing concludes.

[TexasStooge]

Teen who hit teacher guilty of murder

From KHOU CBS 11 in Houston

ALIEF, Texas - The suburb Houston teenager charged with running down an elementary school teacher last year was convicted of murder Thursday.

Jurors took three hours to find Breanna Zipf of Katy guilty in the death of Gwendolyn Davey.

Davey, who taught in Alief ISD, was killed while walking her dog in her Katy neighborhood.

The punishment phase of the trial was scheduled to begin Friday, and Zipf could get life in prison.

[TexasStooge]

Students burned at elementary school

By MICHAEL REY / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Four children at Adelle Turner Elementary School in South Oak Cliff were injured Friday morning when they were burned by steam in the school's cafeteria, a spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue said.

Dallas Independent School District spokesman Donald Claxton said first graders were lining up about 10:30 a.m. when a hot lunch fixture tipped over, spilling 180- to 200-degree water and steam.

One girl was trapped underneath the fixture. She suffered third-degree burns on the lower portion of her body. She was taken to the Parkland Memorial Hospital burn unit and reported in fair condition Friday afternoon.

Three other students were hospitalized with less severe injuries. A Parkland spokesperson said they were in good condition.

A fifth student was not burned, but became very upset after seeing the accident, and was picked up by her parents, Claxton said.

Claxton said the parents or guardians of all students who were injured had been notified.

The injured students were in the lunch line and had reached the counter, which is on wheels, Claxton said. One of the workers had moved away from the counter to put in a new tray of food. Apparently, Claxton said, the students leaned on the counter, or reached over it, and it tipped.

DISD will inspect similar cafeteria fixtures at other schools to determine whether there is a bigger problem.

Capt. Jesse Garcia, spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue, said the counter has three inserts to hold food trays. Each insert had at least three inches of water that was between 180 and 200 degrees, he said.

He said burn injuries are much more dangerous for children.

“They are much smaller … and tend to suffer more burns because of their size,” he said

Turner Elementary, at 5505 South Polk Street, serves kindergarten through sixth grade and has an enrollment of about 600 students.

Dallas Morning News reporter Tawnell D. Hobbs contributed to this report.