“I now look forward to moving on with the next phase of my life and to continuing to serve our great nation as a private citizen.”

Petraeus speaking outside the court house after that sentencing. He pleaded guilty three years ago to the unauthorized removal of classified material which he gave to his biographer. That's a misdemeanor. 

 

Prosecutors rested their case today in the sentencing trial of convicted Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. As NPR’s Tovia Smith reports, it was another day of grueling testimony from victims of the attack. 

One man glared at Tsarnaev from just feet away before describing seeing his own body on fire. He had one leg amputated and it is still unsure if he’ll be able to keep the other. Shrapnel remains lodged in his heart. Another amputee described her pain and terror as a stranger said Hail Marys for her at the scene. The government added with a man who lost a leg and whose three-year-old son was injured. He described also seeing eight-year-old Martin Richard dying on the sidewalk as his mother hovered over him, pleading. The trial resumes Monday when defense attorneys will begin to make their case why Tsarnaev should not be sentenced to death. Tovia Smith, NPR News, at the Federal Court in Boston. 

 

In Baltimore the state’s governor is sending in state troopers to help with the protests following the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody. Demonstrations have been going on for more than a week now and a confrontation between police and protestors happened last night. U.S. Justice Department is investigating Gray’s death. 

 

The $45bn merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable could be in trouble. It’s come up against regulatory road blocks. And NPR’s Yuki Noguchi tells us there are reports that the companies might scuttle the deal altogether. 

A panel of experts at the Federal Communications Commission has been reviewing the proposed megamerger since it was announced over a year ago to see whether the deal would serve the public interest. Though no formal recommendation has been made, sources say the panel has alerted Comcast and Time Warner that they were leaning toward referring the case to administrative of law judge, which would mean protracted legal delays. Spokesmen for the FCC and the Department of Justice declined to comment, as did the companies. Several news outlets are now saying the companies intend to kill the deal as a result of the regulatory hurdles. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News, Washington. 

 

Wall Street higher by the closing bell today. The Dow up 20 points at 18,058. The Nasdaq up 20 points to 5,056. That’s a milestone for the Nasdaq today, crossing into a record territory not seen since about 15 years ago. The S&P500 also higher, gaining 4 points today to close at 2,112. 

 

This is NPR.

 

Federal inspectors released a harsh report today criticizing one of the world’s largest private prisons, which is located in West Texas. As NPR’s John Burnett reports, the Federal Bureau of Prisons rated the facility deficient or unsatisfactory in half of its ratings. 

The Reeves County Detention complex in Pecos Texas houses about 2,400 criminal immigrants in a low security facility for the Bureau of Prisons under a nearly $500m contract. The Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General concluded the operator GEO group understaffed housing units and the health clinic, that it was unresponsive to federal inquiries, that it submitted inaccurate disciplinary hearing records and monthly invoices, and that the prison’s quality control program was minimal or marginal. Inmates at Reeves County rioted in 2008 and 2009, protesting substandard medical care and other issues. The report recommends improved federal oversight. John Burnett, NPR News, Austin.

 

Congress wants private companies to share information about cyber-attacks with federal authorities. The House today passing a bill that would expand protection from liabilities for companies that share the information with the Department of Homeland Security. This legislation will be merged with a related one the House passed yesterday and sent to the Senate where a similar legislation has bipartisan support. 

 

Loretta Lynch will become the first black female attorney general of the U.S. She was confirmed by the Senate today, ending months of delay. Lynch, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, will replace outgoing AG Eric Holder.