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In Dallas, Scores Of Marchers Protest Police Killings

Twitter/@Sayn_WTF_IWant2
Scores of marchers protested through downtown Dallas Thursday evening.

Five stories that have North Texas talking: marchers take to the streets in Dallas to protest police killings; a jury convicts Eric Williams of capital murder in the killing of the Kaufman DA’s wife; a Dallas-area taxi driver has been named one of the FBI’s most-wanted fugitives; and more:

On Thursday night, marchers took to the streets in Dallas and other cities across the country to protest the lack of charges against a white New York City police officer who used a chokehold that killed an unarmed black man. WFAA-TV says about 250 people marched through downtown and Dealey Plaza as Dallas police “formed human blockades to prevent them from walking on to Interstate 35E.” Several people were detained, although it’s not clear whether there were any arrests, The Dallas Morning Newsreports. There were other protests in New York City, Chicago and elsewhere. NPR has more on the protests across the country. [Associated Press]

  • A North Texas jury has convicted a former public official of capital murder in a revenge plot against a local district attorney, his wife and a top assistant. Jurors found Eric Williams guilty Thursday of the murder of Cynthia McLelland, the wife of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland. Williams has been charged with the deaths of both McLellands and prosecutor Mark Hasse. Williams could face the death penalty at sentencing. The McLellands' bodies were found riddled with gunshot wounds in their home in March 2013. Two months earlier, a masked gunman shot Hasse outside the local courthouse. [Associated Press]

  • A Dallas-area taxi driver accused in the 2008 shooting death of his two teenage daughters has been named as one of the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives. Federal and local authorities said Thursday that 57-year-old Yaser Abdel Said is wanted for capital murder. A reward for information leading to his arrest has been increased from $20,000 to $100,000. The bodies of the daughters, 18-year-old Amina and 17-year-old Sarah, were found on New Year's Day 2008 in a cab at a hotel in Irving. Investigators say they went with their father under the pretense of getting something to eat. No motive was released Thursday but police have said the family had domestic problems. Said was a native of Egypt who lived in Lewisville. [Associated Press]

  • Get ready for marching bands, giant balloons, floats – and Santa, of course. The 27th annual Children’s Health Holiday Parade takes over downtown Dallas Saturday morning. The parade airs live at 10 a.m. on WFAA-TV (Channel 8). The parade is free and sidewalk seating is available along the parade route. Parade organizers suggest you arrive by 7 a.m. to find the best spots along the route. (Or perhaps you ordered reserved seating in advance.) After all, about 400,000 spectators are expected. The parade starts on Commerce Street at the Adolphus Hotel and ends at City Hall. Road closures begin at 7 a.m. Learn more about street closures here.

 

  • Baylor University has hired a communications firm to help the football team get a playoff spot. ESPN reports the university hired Kevin Sullivan Communications. In response, a TCU student got creative, creating fake billboards that Baylor might use in its efforts to get in the playoffs:

Eric Aasen is KERA’s managing editor. He helps lead the station's news department, including radio and digital reporters, producers and newscasters. He also oversees keranews.org, the station’s news website, and manages the station's digital news projects. He reports and writes stories for the website and contributes pieces to KERA radio. He's discussed breaking news live on various public radio programs, including The Takeaway, Here & Now and Texas Standard, as well as radio and TV programs in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.