Everett Dutschke, whose Tupelo, Miss., home was searched Tuesday by dozens of officials, some in hazmat suits, had feuded with Paul Kevin Curtis, a 45-year-old celebrity impersonator who had maintained his innocence since his arrest.

The search began early Tuesday afternoon and ended about 11 p.m. CDT, with officials declining to comment on what they had found or on the next phase of the investigation.

At one point, two FBI agents and two members of the state's chemical response team left Dutschke's property and began combing through ditches, culverts and woods about a block away from his house in the neighborhood of single-family detached homes.

Dutschke, who spoke with The Associated Press by telephone during the search, said his house was also searched last week.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," he said.

Continue Reading...

Speaking at the University of Mississippi, Holder said Thursday night that he wished such pre-approval was no longer necessary. But he said that discrimination is not dead, pointing to a recent federal court decision that concluded Texas lawmakers had unfairly drawn legislative districts to exclude minorities.

Holder called federal preclearance of voting laws in the mostly southern states "a vital part of our enforcement action."

Holder's 18-minute speech was part of Ole Miss events marking the 50th anniversary of the admission of James Meredith as the university's first black student. U.S. marshals battled rioters in 1961 to allow Meredith to attend classes.

Continue Reading...