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National

Federal lawsuit: Arkansas

voting system dilutes black rights

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The voting system for electing judges to Arkansas’ top courts violates black residents’ rights by diluting the strength of their votes, according to a federal lawsuit filed by civil rights lawyers.

The lawsuit filed Monday says that because the state’s seven Supreme Court justices are elected statewide, instead of by district, the white voting bloc overpowers the votes of black Arkansas residents. The suit says that’s why no black judge has ever been elected to the court.

The lawsuit points to several cases in which a black candidate was supported by a majority of black voters in an election, but was defeated by a white candidate supported by a majority of white voters.

Instead, lawyers suggest the state should change the voting system for Supreme Court justices by creating electoral districts, for which black voters “in at least one district would constitute a majority of the voting-age population.”

The suit also alleges that voting by districts for the state’s 12 appellate judges lumps all black voters into a single electoral district, reducing the strength of the population’s vote. Similar to its Supreme Court proposal, the lawsuit proposes creating two voting districts for appellate judge elections in which black voters are the majority.

Unlicensed day care owner

indicted after twin toddlers drown

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The operator of an unlicensed Tennessee day care has been indicted on two counts of criminally negligent homicide in connection with the drownings of a set of twins at her home.

News outlets report the indictment of Jennifer Salley was handed down last week. Authorities say toddlers Elijah and Elyssa Orejuela were found in the deep end of the pool at the Knox County day care July 20. The twins, who were nearly 2 years old, later died at a hospital.

An investigation by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office led to the indictment. It’s unclear where officers arrested Salley.

The toddler’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit last month against Salley, seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Salley had a lawyer who could comment.

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