Appeals Court limits 'no knock' entry

The state Appeals Court has ruled that police cannot use a general fear of pit bulls to enter a suspect's home without knocking. The court says police should not have been allowed to get a "no knock" warrant to enter the home of a Springfield man based on their assertion that the man's pit bull might have hurt the officers who conducted the search. Luis Santiago is charged with drug offenses and receiving stolen property. Prosecutors appealed a lower court ruling suppressing evidence seized from Santiago's home based on the improper search warrant. But the Appeals Court upheld the suppression order, saying that police have to show that a particular pit bull is violent, instead of asserting that all pit bulls are aggressive. (AP)

Opponents of a high-security research laboratory being built by Boston University in the South End criticized the university yesterday for not hiring more city residents, minorities, and women in construction jobs at the Albany Street site. The city requires contractors to make a good-faith effort to ensure that at least half the workforce lives in the city, a quarter represents minority groups, and 10 percent are women. The lab foes alleged that BU had betrayed a promise to create jobs for the community. A BU spokesman acknowledged that the university had fallen short of the city benchmarks, but pledged to continue working toward meeting the goals.

The Suffolk Superior Court jury deciding the fate of John Tibbs in the fatal shooting 12 years ago of a 17-year-old entered its 25th hour of deliberations yesterday. The jury began deliberating Friday after three weeks of testimony from more than 50 witnesses. Assistant District Attorney David Meier has said that Tibbs, seeking revenge for the shooting of an ally, stepped off the back of a motorcycle at Nelson and Corbet Streets in Dorchester on Aug. 11, 1995, and fired into a group of men, killing Tennyson Drakes and wounding two of Drakes's friends. Tibbs, now 36, was put on trial after the driver of the motorcycle identified Tibbs as the shooter and exonerated Marlon Passley, who had been convicted and sentenced to life in prison in the killing. Jury deliberations will resume today.

Police arrested a postal worker from Revere after she allegedly sped through an East Boston construction zone yesterday and fled the scene. Noelle LaCoste, 26, was driving a postal truck at Border and White streets about 11:47 a.m., when she narrowly missed an officer and was pulled over, police said. LaCoste drove away from the officer while he was writing her citation, police said. After a cruiser caught up to her on Meridian Street, she tried to strike the officer with her arm before he arrested her, police said. Police said they found two syringes and other drug paraphernalia in LaCoste's truck. Charges she faces include assault and battery on a police officer, failure to stop for a police officer, and resisting arrest.

Jack M. Gorman, the former president of McLean Hospital, permanently surrendered yesterday his right to practice medicine in Massachusetts, ending a state investigation that began last year after officials at the renowned psychiatric hospital in Belmont learned of allegations that he had engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a patient. The 55-year-old psychiatrist abruptly resigned in May 2006, just four months into his tenure as president, after the woman, a patient at his practice in New York City, threatened to expose the relationship and he attempted suicide. Gorman has reported the improper relationship to the state of New York, which suspended his medical license indefinitely. Gorman's agreement never to seek renewal of the license ensures that he cannot legally practice medicine in Massachusetts again.

A 6-year-old girl and her 11-year-old brother were seriously injured yesterday when they were struck by a van. Police said the van driver was then attacked with a pipe by a witness to the crash. Sean Leitao, 23, of New Bedford ran a stop sign at Morgan and Fourth streets just before 7:30 a.m., police said. Struck by a pickup truck, his van veered onto the sidewalk and struck the children, who were waiting for a school bus. As Leitao was getting out of the van, police say, he was attacked by John Dorvil of Fall River. Leitao faced charges that include reckless operation. Dorvil also was charged in the alleged attack. The girl was treated for head injuries; her brother sustained a broken leg. (AP)