Knights' Anti-Gay Marriage Funding Sparks Petition

A Catholic advocacy group has delivered a petition with about 7,500 signatures to the Knights of Columbus, asking the Catholic fraternal organization to stop using its money to oppose same-sex marriage. Catholics United Education Fund submitted the petition Tuesday to the Knights' New Haven headquarters. The liberal advocacy group, which claims 45,000 members, says the Knights spent more than $600,000 opposing same-sex marriage in the last election cycle. The group says the effort drives younger Catholics away from the faith and the Knights should focus on serving the poor and vulnerable. The Knights said it supports Catholic social teaching, including on moral issues. The group says its first concern has always been charity, and over the past decade has donated more than $1.4 billion and 664 million hours to charitable causes.

Meriden Cop Pleads Not Guilty To Brutality Charge

A Meriden police officer who's the son of the city's police chief has pleaded not guilty to charges of brutality and obstructing an investigation after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed prisoner in 2010. The indictment accuses 25-year-old Evan Cossette, the son of Meriden police Chief Jeffry Cossette, of using unreasonable force and lying in a report. The incident was recorded by a surveillance camera. Evan Cossette appeared Tuesday in New Haven federal court and was released on $75,000 bond. Cossette arrested Pedro Temich of Meriden on May 1, 2010, in connection with a hit-and-run accident. The indictment says while Temich was handcuffed in the police department lockup, Cossette pushed Temich, who fell and hit his head on a concrete bench.

Somers Inmate Convicted Of Killing Cellmate

A Connecticut inmate could face the death penalty after he was convicted of killing his cellmate at a Somers prison. The Hartford Courant reports that the jury deliberated less than 90 minutes total before returning the verdict Tuesday against 25-year-old Jose Jusino. Jusino was serving a 30-year prison sentence for murder when he strangled 22-year-old Reynald Robles at the Northern Correctional Institution in July 2009. A convicted murderer who kills again can be charged with a capital felony in Connecticut. Jurors will return next week to decide if Jusino should be sentenced to death.

The prosecution said Jusino repeatedly admitted killing Robles, including to correction officers, a state police detective and in letters to the prison warden. His attorney argued Jusino was in a rage when he killed Robles and therefore didn't intend it.

New Haven Police Release Video In Probe Of Hit-And-Run

New Haven police have released a years-old security video they hope can help track down a potential witness to an unsolved hit-and-run accident that killed an 11-year-old girl in 2008. The New Haven Register reports that police are trying to identify a bicyclist seen riding near the accident that killed Gabrielle Lee. Police theorize the bicyclist may have been trying to catch up to the suspect's vehicle as it fled. But they say they're not just looking for the bicyclist, but anyone who might have seen something, or who has information. Lee was killed while crossing the street to help her mother carry clean clothes from a Laundromat near her home. Her brother witnessed the accident.

Merrill Picks 75 Voting Precincts For Audit

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill has randomly chosen 75 voting precincts across Connecticut where presidential election results will be audited. Merrill on Tuesday chose the 75 from a pool of 747 precincts that used optical scan machines Nov. 6. The post-election audits can begin Wednesday and must be completed by Dec. 3. Merrill said even though the election was "remarkably smooth," the audits are essential to guarantee the integrity of the elections. State law requires a hand audit of 10 percent of all polling places where optical scan machines were used in all elections and primaries Merrill also took some communities to task for not yet reporting their voter turnout numbers to the state. She called the two-week delay by 13 communities "inexplicable."

Agreement In East Haven Bias Case Filed In US Court

An agreement that resolves a U.S. Justice Department complaint alleging a pattern of police discrimination toward Latinos in East Haven has been filed for the approval of a federal court. The city and the federal government announced last month that they had reached a proposed settlement agreement mandating wide-ranging reforms of the East Haven Police Department. The agreement was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut. The U.S. Justice Department's civil rights division last year announced the results of an investigation into complaints that officers were harassing Hispanic residents of East Haven. The settlement agreement calls for a compliance officer to oversee the reforms, which include mandatory training on bias-free policing and development of up-to-date policies on applying for search warrants. The reforms also include stronger community engagement efforts.

Minus Maryland, UConn Could Be Candidate For ACC

Connecticut's future in the Big East conference is once again in question following the departure of Rutgers for the Big 10. That conference also is adding Maryland from the ACC, and the Huskies are being mentioned as a possible replacement in for the Terrapins. UConn President Susan Herbst has long hinted that an invitation to join that ACC is something the school would welcome. Athletic director Warde Manuel told reporters Monday that it was too soon to comment on the latest moves, and neither he nor Herbst responded Tuesday to repeated messages seeking comment. Manuel is in the Virgin Islands this week, where the men's basketball team competed in the Paradise Jam, and the women will begin in the same tournament on Thursday. Football coach Paul Pasqualoni says he's become resigned to the fact that change in life is inevitable, and has confidence the school's leadership will do what is best for UConn.