NPR 2009-6-26

Singer Michael Jackson has reportedly been rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles. A fire department official tells the Los Angeles Times that paramedics had performed CPR when they arrived at his home because Jackson wasn't breathing.

Civil liberties groups are cheering a decision the US Supreme 1 Court handed down today. The court said that officials at a middle school in Arizona violated the law when they strip-searched a teenaged girl for banned prescription 2 drugs. Adam Wolf is the American Civil Liberties Union lawyer who represents Savana Redding. He says the ruling sets out some new ground rules for student searches.

"The court was clearly troubled by the search that happened to Savana and laid out a pretty stringent 3 standard which is that a school official can execute a strip search only in extraordinary circumstances."

And the court found educators should not force children to remove their clothing unless there is a question of students’ safety, but it did not hold the school financially liable.

The Supreme Court has also ruled that defendants 4 have the right to cross-examine forensic 5 analysts 7 whose reports are used as evidence. The opinion overturns a lower court ruling as NPR's Ari Shapiro reports.

The man who brought this case is a cocaine 8 dealer 9 who was convicted partly on the basis of crime lab analysis. He said the analysis was faulty and he argued that he should be able to cross-examine the analyst 6. Lower court said no. When it went to the high court, some states said crime labs would become terribly backed up if defendants are allowed to call crime analysts to the stand. But writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said that obviously is not the case. Many states already let defendants cross-examine forensic analysts and Scalia wrote perhaps the best indication that the sky will not fall after today's decision is that it has not done so already. The opinion created unusual alliances. Justices Ginsburg, Souter, Stevens and Thomas joined Scalia in the majority. Justice Kennedy wrote a dissent 10 joined by Roberts, Alito and Breyer. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Washington.

US Attorney General Eric Holder 11 was on Capitol Hill today testifying in support of a legislation that expands federal hate crime statues to cover sexual orientation 12, gender 13 and those with disabilities. NPR's Audie Cornish reports.

The House already passed a hate crimes prevention bill back in April. The Senate Judiciary Committee has a similar legislation pending 14. It provides grants and training for state prosecutors 15, but also allows federal prosecutors to step in when appropriate.

US Attorney General Eric Holder. "Just as when I first testified on the issue in 1998, bias-motivated acts of violence divide our communities, intimidate 16 our most vulnerable citizens and damage our collective spirit."

Republicans on the Committee expressed skepticism that such a legislation is needed, arguing that there is no evidence that states are failing to prosecute 17 such crimes when they occur. Audie Cornish, NPR News, the Capitol.

Stocks rally today. The Dow closed up 172 points and NASDAQ gained 37.

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House Democratic leaders are working to line up enough votes to get a controversial climate change bill passed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says progress is being made and that Democrats 18 planned to bring it up soon, possible as early as tomorrow. Republicans largely opposed the House version, arguing that it amounts to a massive energy tax.

TV icon 19 Farrah Fawcett died today at a Santa Monica hospital after a three-year battle with cancer. She was 62. From Los Angeles, NPR's Carrie Kahn reports.

Best known for her long flowing feathered hair and stunning 20 smile, Fawcett became one of the 1970s biggest sex symbols. Her iconic poster in a slightly wet red swimsuit sold millions. She burst into instant stardom with a role as one of three beautiful yet highly trained police detectives answering to a mysterious boss. "Hello, It is Charlie, angel. Time to go to work. But after one season of Charlie's Angles, Fawcett left to pursue a movie career. Recently Fawcett aired a TV documentary chronicling her battle with cancer. "Cancer is a disease that is mysterious, headstrong and makes its own rules." Her long time partner Ryan O'Neal said in a statement that he takes comfort knowing that Fawcett brought so much joy to so many people around the world. Carrie Kahn, NPR News.

Texas billionaire Allen Stanford has pleaded not guilty to charges he swindled investors 21 out of seven billion dollars as part of a massive investment scam. Stanford entered his plea during his arraignment 22 at a federal court in Houston today. He and three former executives of his Stanford financial group were indicted 23 last week. The three others also entered not guilty pleas. Stanford has been in federal custody 24 since he was arrested in Virginia last week.

I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.