Council to weigh bouncer law

The City Council is expected to hold a hearing this afternoon to discuss a proposal that would require background checks on bouncers and other security staff members at bars and clubs. The plan, introduced by Councilor Michael Flaherty, also would require bouncers and doormen to undergo training that would help them recognize patrons who might cause trouble. The staff members would also be trained on how to eject patrons. If passed, the city law would be named after Imette St. Guillen, who was raped and murdered this year after leaving a New York City bar. Darryl Littlejohn, a bouncer at the bar, has been accused of the killing. The hearing will be held at 1 p.m. on the 5th floor of City Hall.

BRAINTREE

The state Department of Social Services has been contacted about a case in which a Roxbury woman allegedly tried to pass a bag containing 19 store credits to her 8-year-old daughter as police questioned the woman about another transaction. Police said Natasha Walker, 29, was arrested Thursday after she was caught trying to earn store credit by returning $215 worth of stolen merchandise to KB Toys at the South Shore Plaza. Walker's handbag had a small quantity of marijuana, police said. She was charged with shoplifting, larceny under $250, and possession of marijuana. Walker's daughter was placed in the custody of a friend.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officials are investigating the death of a Braintree man found Saturday on MBTA tracks near the Quincy Adams Station. MBTA personnel discovered Jeffrey Smith, 54, unconscious at 8:15 p.m., and he was pronounced dead at Quincy Medical Center from injuries caused by a fall. MBTA officials gave no further information.

BARNSTABLE

A judge will not release the names of the jurors who convicted a garbage collector in the rape and murder of a Cape Cod fashion writer because of death threats made against them. Threats were made in three anonymous phone calls to the Barnstable County courthouse switchboard within an hour after Christopher McCowen was convicted on Nov. 16 of killing Truro resident Christa Worthington. At that time, Superior Court Judge Gary Nickerson refused to release the names and addresses of the seven women and five men of the jury. Nickerson on Friday revealed the reason for keeping the names secret. (AP)

NORWOOD

Another employee called in sick to work yesterday at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Norwood, bringing to 29 the number of suspected victims in an outbreak of Norovirus. Two suspected victims were patients. Margaret Pantridge, spokeswoman for the hospital, said the two patients were scheduled to be released from the hospital yesterday and the employees were expected to soon recover from the virus, which can cause severe gastrointestinal problems. Pantridge said doctors believe the outbreak was caused by the Norovirus, a close relative of the Norwalk virus, which has infected hundreds of cruise passengers around the world.

LOWELL

A Chelmsford man was killed yesterday in Lowell after his car crashed into a building, police said. Christopher Wooster was apparently alone in his Mercury Mountaineer when it crashed into the Lowell Humane Society about 7:23 a.m. He was pinned under the vehicle , police said, and pronounced dead at the scene.

(Correction: Because of a reporting error, a New England in Brief item in yesterday's City & Region section incorrectly said an outbreak of norovirus was at a Norwood hospital. It is at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham.)