By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – A spokeswoman for the Dallas County Sheriff's office says the longest-serving prisoner on Texas' death row has died of natural causes in the county jail.
Spokeswoman Kim Leach said Monday that 55-year-old Ronald Chambers died after he was found on the floor of his cell and transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital. She says Chambers came to the jail with "a series of health complications." He died Friday.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice lists Chambers, who served nearly 35 years, as having spent the longest time on death row. He arrived on Jan. 8, 1976, three days before his 21st birthday, after being convicted of the abduction and murder of a 22-year-old Texas Tech student who was visiting Dallas.
He had been in Dallas County's custody on an appeals issue since May 2009.
Hearing for Fort Hood shooting suspect ends
A hearing to determine if an Army psychiatrist should stand trial in the worst mass shooting on a U.S. military base ended today with no defense evidence.
Maj. Nidal Hasan was back in court at Fort Hood at his Article 32 hearing. His lawyers chose not to call any witnesses.
Col. James Pohl, who's the investigating officer, will recommend whether Hasan should go to trial on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder for last November's attack.
That decision ultimately will be made by Fort Hood's commanding general.
Pohl, during today's three-minute court appearance, asked Hasan if he remembered that Pohl had told him he had the right to make a statement.
Hasan replied: "Yes."
When asked if he wished to make a statement, Hasan said: "No."
Arlington girl, 14, dies in wreck with boyfriend
Denton police say a 14-year-old boy had been drinking when he wrecked his family's SUV in an accident that killed his 14-year-old girlfriend.
Capt. Lenn Carter says the couple and a 16-year-old boy apparently were running away to Oklahoma.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office says the accident early Sunday killed Valeria Rodriguez of Arlington.
Police say her boyfriend did not have permission to take his family's SUV, which crashed through a guard rail and rolled down an embankment. Police say both underage boys suffered minor injuries. Rodriguez died after being ejected from the vehicle.
Carter says beer cans were found in the vehicle and that the older boy also had been drinking. The boyfriend was detained on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.
PAC accountant testifying in Tom DeLay trial
Testimony has resumed in the money laundering trial of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
Prosecutors on Monday questioned Russell Anderson, the accountant for DeLay's Texas-based political action committee.
DeLay is accused of using his PAC to illegally funnel $190,000 in corporate funds into Texas legislative races in 2002.
DeLay denies wrongdoing. He says the money swap at the center of the case was legal, no corporate money went to Texas candidates and he had little involvement in how the PAC was run.
The former Houston-area congressman is charged with money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors say they may rest their case on Tuesday. The trial is in its third week.