Elizabeth Smart trial
The jury will resume deliberations Friday morning in the trial of Brian David Mitchell, above at left, a homeless street preacher accused of kidnapping 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart in 2002.
After three hours of deliberation Thursday night, the Salt Lake City, Utah, jury will return at 10:30 a.m. ET Friday.
The jurors will decide whether Mitchell, 57, was legally insane when he snatched Smart at knifepoint from her bedroom on June 5, 2002. Smart testified at the monthlong trial that he led her to a makeshift camp in the canyons above her home, "sealed" her as his spiritual plural wife and raped her.
Defense attorneys argued Mitchell was so delusional that he could not understand his actions were wrong. Prosecutors countered that Mitchell was little more than a narcissistic pedophile who used religious dogma and claimed revelations from God to get what he wanted.
'Don't ask, don't tell'
Gay rights activists plan to hold a rally at noon Friday to urge legislators to repeal the military's policy barring openly gay people from serving.
The Senate on Thursday rejected a Democratic bid to open debate on a defense authorization bill that includes a repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" law. The House has already given its approval.
Thursday's vote could kill chances for the measure to pass before Congress ends its session, but a bipartisan group of senators have said they will raise the issue again.
"The Senate and the president must remain in session and in Washington to find another path for repeal to get done in the lame-duck," said the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which has been working to repeal the policy since it was first established in 1993.
Heisman Trophy
College football's most prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy, will be conferred on the nation's best player at 8 p.m. ET Saturday.
The finalists are Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, Oregon running back LaMichael James, Boise State QB Kellen Moore and Stanford QB Andrew Luck.
Newton is considered the favorite, though his standout season has been shadowed by allegations of recruiting violations. The NCAA last week cleared Newton of any wrongdoing but did say his father had acted improperly in seeking payment from schools for his son's athletic services.
The ceremony will be broadcast on ESPN.
There they go. Gay people want it their way, forget about how others feel.
There they go again. Straight people want it their way, forget how others feel.
Oh, Hiiiiiii Richy. Toooloooloooo.
The marines do not want gays they would not last semper fi
@Alfredo. What? What in the world is simper fi. Oh but there is a place for gay guys. They could do some interior decorating in tents, for U.S. Jeeps, in the mess hall, in the showers; oops. Scratch that, not in the showers.
CNN really blows, 3 headlines for 1 post. Just like a bunch of Dumbocrats. Cam newton will win the award this year, and forfeit it next year. If this was a white dude he would be sacrificed, but let's not upset the black community, oh no god forbid. Since its in their genes to be this way its ok. At least that's what Jessie and Al say. Just repeating their own words. Pathetic.