Texas Headlines

POLYGAMIST RETREAT

Mothers from polygamous sect separated from young children

ELDORADO, Texas (AP) - A woman held a handwritten sign out the

bus window that read: "SOS. Mothers separated. Help."

Dozens of mothers were bused away from their children at the San

Angelo Coliseum yesterday after their legal efforts to stay united

were rejected. Texas officials were preparing to move the last of

the more than 400 children taken from the sect's ranch to group

homes, shelters and residences over the next few days. Some are

hundreds of miles from the polygamist ranch.

The women told of a rushed, emotional scene when they were

forced from the shelter where they'd stayed with their young

children since the state removed them from their homes.

Earlier in the day, Texas' 3rd Court of Appeals rejected the

mothers' pleas to immediately stop authorities from busing the

children taken from the ranch to foster homes.

The Austin court agreed to hear arguments Tuesday. But attorney

Robert Doggett, who represents 48 mothers, says that "having a

hearing after the fact" was pointless.

The mothers are from a polygamous renegade Mormon sect called

the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Texas officials allege the sect encourages adolescent girls to

marry older men and have children, and that boys are groomed to

become future perpetrators. Sect members deny the allegations.

POLYGAMIST LEADER

Utah judge rejects new trial for polygamist-sect leader

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - A Utah judge has rejected a request for

a new trial for a polygamous-sect leader convicted of rape as an

accomplice.

Washington County court spokeswoman Nancy Volmer says the ruling

came yesterday from 5th District Judge James Shumate in St. George.

Warren Jeffs' legal team claims his conviction should be thrown

out because a juror failed to disclose that she was a rape victim.

The juror was replaced during deliberations.

The 52-year-old Jeffs is head of the Fundamentalist Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The sect's West Texas ranch was

raided April 3 and hundreds of children were removed.

In September, Jeffs was convicted in southern Utah for his role

in arranging the marriage of a 14-year-old girl to an older cousin.

He's now locked up in Arizona awaiting trial there.

TEXAS STORMS

High winds, at least 1 twister cause damage in Texas

DALLAS (AP) - The National Weather Service now confirms that

five tornadoes struck West and North Texas on Wednesday.

Meteorologists determined yesterday that a tornado packing winds

of up to 115 miles per hour destroyed homes and knocked down trees

in the Fort Worth suburb of Crowley Wednesday night. They say it

left a path of damage and debris about 3-10ths of a mile long and

100 yards wide.

They say a weak tornado touched down in Erath and Palo Pinto

counties, while strong winds caused damage in Hood, Johnson and

Tarrant counties.

The weather service says most of the damage in the West Texas

town of Snyder came from straightline winds, but a tornado

apparently also touched down briefly. They also say two tornadoes

touched down in open country in southern Dawson County, between

Patricia and Ackerly.

The storm system that created the tornado also produced strong

winds that caused damage in Hood, Johnson and Tarrant counties.

More thunderstorms, with some possibly severe, are in the

forecast for this afternoon and tonight for middle third of the

state.

GAS PRICES

Texas retail gasoline prices reach new record highs across the

board

HOUSTON (AP) - No city in the weekly Triple-A Texas gasoline

price survey fell short of a record-high pump price this week.

The survey released today shows regular self-serve is averaging

a record-high $3.47 per gallon, 13 cents higher than last week.

Nationally, the average price rose 14 cents to $3.56 per gallon.

The reason is the stratospheric price of crude oil, which tops

$115 per barrel today.

The most expensive gasoline in Texas is found in Fort Worth,

where the average climbed 13 cents this week to a record $3.49 per

gallon. The state's cheapest gas is in San Antonio, where the price

climbed 14 cents this week to $3.41 per gallon.

MOTHER CONVICTED

Spring mother found guilty in child-injury trial

HOUSTON (AP) - A Harris County jury has found that a Spring

woman caused her young son to have at least two unnecessary

surgeries.

Forty-year-old Laurie Williamson was convicted yesterday of

injury to a child in connection with her son undergoing surgeries

for implantation of a nerve-stimulation device and insertion of a

gastric feeding button.

She now faces possible life in prison. The Houston Chronicle

reports that testimony in the punishment phrase of the trial began

late yesterday and is set to resume Tuesday.

State child welfare officials and prosecutors have said

Williamson has Munchausen syndrome by proxy -- a rare disorder in

which a person fabricates or induces symptoms in others to gain

attention.

Defense attorney Allen Isbell has denied that Williamson has the

syndrome.

Prosecutor Mike Trent said Williamson manipulated doctors and

her son's condition to get the surgeries.

Isbell has said that doctors told Williamson that her son needed

the procedures.

Prosecutors say that over ten years, Williamson took her three

children to at least 500 doctor appointments.

Child Protective Services took custody of the children in March

2006.

RESTAURATEUR SLAIN

Matriarch of San Antonio restaurant family slain

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - The 76-year-old matriarch of a San Antonio

restaurant family has been discovered slain in her home after

firefighters responded to a fire there.

A police spokesman says that forensic evidence indicated Viola

B. Barrios, whose body was found yesterday, had been killed. But he

declined to release any details, including what injuries she

sustained. Police say that Barrios' silver Mercedes was missing

from the home.

Officials say the rear of her house was intentionally set afire.

Barrios started Los Barrios as a young widow in 1979, hoping to

support her three children. For nearly 30 years she worked seven

days a week, making tortillas and enchiladas and managing the

restaurant that became one of San Antonio's best-known.

Her son tells the San Antonio Express-News that his mother's

life "represented the opposite of her death, not taking, but

giving."

For instance, Viola Barrios had purchased 18 mattresses this

week to take to her hometown in Mexico Bustamante, Nuevo Leon, for

residents who are without beds.

SOLDIERS CHARGED

Soldier admits shooting Iraqi man, but calls it justified

WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii (AP) - A Hawaii-based soldier

accused of killing an unarmed Iraqi last year has admitted shooting

the man.

Sergeant First Class Trey Corrales of San Antonio says he fired

after seeing the man standing in the backyard of a house his

platoon had just raided in search of insurgents.

Corrales says he told the man in Arabic to freeze and put his

hands in the air, but the man started to run. He says he was acting

on instinct when he raised his weapon and fired four shots at the

man.

Corrales is testifying at his court-martial at Wheeler Army

Airfield, near Honolulu.

Other witnesses say Corrales shot the man after dragging him

outside after he had already surrendered to the platoon.

The incident happened in June near Kirkuk in northern Iraq.

Corrales' platoon raided the house to look for insurgents they

suspected of planting roadside bombs.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)