This Hour: Latest Massachusetts news, sports, business and entertainment - ABC6 - Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather

This Hour: Latest Massachusetts news, sports, business and entertainment

Posted: Updated:

WHITEY BULGER

Judge denies Bulger's bid for name of informant

BOSTON (AP) - A federal judge has denied a request by his lawyers for reputed gangster James "Whitey" Bulger to order prosecutors to name a confidential informant they hope can help undermine the credibility of 2 key government witnesses.

Bulger's lawyers wanted U.S. District Judge Denise Casper to order prosecutors to turn over the name of the informant mentioned in an FBI report from 2000. They say the informant gave information about former Bulger associates Kevin Weeks and John Martorano that could contradict their testimony at trial.

In an order filed Friday, Casper denied the request, saying the informant is not the only person able to bolster or weaken the testimony of the government witnesses.

But Casper ordered prosecutors to turn over documents about any follow-up investigation on the informants allegations.

BOSTON MARATHON-COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Community outreach key to Obama counterterror plan

WASHINGTON (AP) - Within hours of the Boston Marathon blasts, government officials and Muslims in Boston called each other to offer assistance.

These calls were the fruits of years of cultivating such relationships in an effort to ultimately prevent the very type of attack Boston experienced April 15.

But the calls following the explosions were not about the unfolding investigation.

Representatives from the departments of Justice and Homeland Security offered support to Muslim communities in case they suffered backlash or threats, even days before law enforcement connected the suspected bombers to a violent interpretation of Islam.

This type of outreach has been a cornerstone of the Obama administration's counterterrorism strategy. The goal is to prevent homegrown terrorist attacks by forming trusting relationships among law enforcement, government agencies and Muslim Americans.

BOSTON MARATHON-LAST MILE

Thousands run final mile of Boston Marathon

BOSTON (AP) - Thousands of athletes have joined victims of the Boston Marathon bombings to run and walk the last mile of the race, reclaiming the triumph of crossing the finish line.

About 3,000 runners and bombing victims gathered in light rain Saturday morning to run the final mile of the world's oldest annual marathon. The event, known as OneRun, begun at Kenmore Square and ended at the official finish line.

Explosions near the finish line killed three people and wounded more than 260 on April 15.

Organizer Kathleen McGonagle says OneRun honors victims and emergency workers and allows runners to reclaim the final mile.

The National Anthem was sung by the choir from St. Ann Parish, where 8-year-old victim Martin Richard's family worshipped.

ANGEL FLIGHT-CRASH

Rescuers look for pilot in deadly NY Angel Flight

EPHRATAH, N.Y. (AP) - Rescuers are searching for the pilot of a volunteer Angel Flight that crashed in upstate New York, killing two passengers.

A dispatcher for the Fulton County Sheriff's Department says divers went to a large pond Saturday morning where the bulk of the plane was found submerged in Ephratah (ee-FRAY'-tah), west of Albany. Investigators are also combing nearby woods.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the plane departed from Bedford, Mass., and was headed to Rome, N.Y., when it crashed Friday night.

Angel Flight is a nonprofit group that arranges free air transportation for sick patients from volunteer pilots. Officials haven't yet identified the passengers or pilot.

Ephratah resident Roger Berry tells The Associated Press he was chopping wood when the plane crashed. He says he heard a bang and saw pieces of the plane crash.

FATAL CAR CRASH-WESTON

3-car crash kills 1, injures 2 others in Weston

WESTON, Mass. (AP) - One person is dead and two others injured after three cars crashed on a ramp leading from the Massachusetts Turnpike to Route 95 in Weston.

State Police Lt. Daniel Richard says the crash occurred Saturday afternoon, trapping one person in 1 of the vehicles with life-threatening injuries. He announced later that one victim died of their injuries. He did not elaborate.

Emergency workers took two other people to an area hospital for treatment. Police did not have immediate information on their condition.

Investigators are now working to determine circumstances surrounding the crash on the ramp from the eastbound lanes of the Turnpike to Rt. 95 northbound.

Authorities withheld the identity of the dead victim because relatives had not been notified.

BOSTON ARCHDIOCESE-NEW PRIESTS

Cardinal O'Malley to ordain 5 priests

BOSTON (AP) - The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has welcomed five new priests during an ordination ceremony attended by about 1,200 people.

Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley on Saturday ordained the five men to priesthood at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

O'Malley says the priesthood is a gift from God and he prays the new priests "inspire the current generation of young men" to consider the priesthood.

The new priests are John Augustine Cassani of Weymouth; Thomas Keith Macdonald of Westford; Jacques Antoine McGuffie of Port-au-Prince, Haiti; Gerald Alfred Souza of Plymouth; and Christopher William Wallace of Methuen.

The ordination ceremony was carried live on the Catholic TV Network.

SPRINGFIELD-NEW DEACONS

Springfield Diocese ordains 5 new deacons

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield has five new deacons.

Bishop Timothy McDonnell ordained the deacons during a ceremony on Saturday at St. Michael's Cathedral. They are David Culliton of Greenfield; Keith Davies of Ware; George Galli of Williamstown; Daniel Romanello of West Stockbridge; and Spencer Trova of Pittsfield.

Each man has already completed four years of academic and formation training.

All five men are married.

As deacons, they have specifically designated liturgical duties, and can assist priests and bishops.

Their primary focus is 1 of service to the church in practical ways, very often by organizing charitable works within their parish.

There ordination will bring the number of deacons in the diocese to 77.

ATM SCHEME

Turkish man faces penalty in Conn. over ATM scheme

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - A Turkish citizen is facing sentencing for his role in an ATM skimming scheme across southern New England.

Ahmet Cilek is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday in federal court in New Haven.

Cilek, who lasted lived in Levittown, N.Y., pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Authorities say in 2011 Cilek and others conspired to install devices on automated teller machines at 11 banks and one credit union in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Prosecutors say the co-conspirators used information captured by the devices and pinhole cameras to create counterfeit bank cards to withdraw money from customers' accounts.

Prosecutors say more than 250 bank accounts were victimized, and financial institutions suffered losses of $336,000.

Defense attorney Donald Cretella Jr. says Cilek is remorseful.

TRAFFIC SAFETY CONTEST

RI eighth-grader wins AAA traffic safety contest

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A Rhode Island eighth-grader who races BMX bikes has won the top prize in a regional contest on traffic safety with a video encouraging helmet use.

AAA Southern New England said Friday that Lydia Clarkin of Coventry won the organization's Traffic Safety Message Contest with a video she produced and directed about the importance of helmet use while biking and riding scooters. The 13-year-old, who is home-schooled, appeared in the "Make It Click" video with her younger brother.

Her entry was selected from more than 1,000 submitted in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The video can be viewed at www.AAA.com/safetymatters.

The video says there are about 820 deaths and 544,000 injuries every year because of bike crashes.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Powered by WorldNow

10 Orms Street Providence, R.I. 02904
401-453-8000

All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WLNE.
All Rights Reserved.

For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.