By Bryan Marquard, Globe Staff

Leo Kahn, who built his family's wholesale business into the Purity Supreme grocery chain, then co-founded the Staples office supply company and was a pioneer of selling natural foods in supermarket-sized venues, died Wednesday in the Springhouse care facility in Jamaica Plain of complications from a series of strokes. He was 94 and lived in Newton.

Longevity was as much a hallmark of his entrepreneurial imagination as it was his life. Mr. Kahn was 69 when the first Staples store opened, and in his 70s when he founded the Fresh Fields and Nature's Heartland natural foods chains. He ran his first marathon in his early 60s and was still jogging into his 80s.

Outdistancing the competition in other venues, too, Mr. Kahn launched the Heartland warehouse-style grocery store chain, which in the 1970s was an early experiment in no-frills shopping where low overhead meant shoppers bagged their own purchases and plucked goods from bulk shipping boxes, rather than tidily arranged shelves.

"Leo was an incredibly savvy guy," said Thomas Stemberg, who cofounded Staples with Mr. Kahn in 1986 and now is managing partner of the Highland Consumer Fund at Highland Capital Partners, a venture capital firm in Lexington. "He had a huge brain, but he had an even bigger heart. Leo is one of the kindest individuals one could ever imagine."

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By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff

A federal jury today found a former state correction officer violated a former inmate's civil rights by using his position of power to have sex with the woman while she was incarcerated at the South Middlesex Correctional Center in Framingham.

Kelly A. Ryan, the superintendent of the facility, was also found liable for a violation of the woman’s civil rights.

The jury of 10 women awarded the former inmate, Christina Chao, 31, a total of $73,700 in damages.

''It’s been a long, long road for Christina, and I’m glad that she’s vindicated,'' said her attorney, Andrew M. Fischer, of Jason & Fischer of Boston. ''She needed to do this, to bring some sort of closure to what happened to her in prison.''

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By Globe Staff

Carole Berotte Joseph, who sparked controversy as president of Massachusetts Bay Community College, will be taking a new job in New York.

Joseph has been appointed president of Bronx Community College in New York, the City University of New York announced Monday on its website.

Joseph, who has been president of Massachusetts Bay since 2005, had previously worked for the City University of New York as vice president of academic affairs at Hostos Community College in the Bronx.

Benno Schmidt, chairman of the board of trustees of CUNY, and Chancellor Matthew Goldstein welcomed Joseph's return in a joint statement, saying, "She has a deep commitment to student success and to the University’s mission of access to a high quality education."

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By Brian Ballou, Globe Staff

Two men were arraigned this afternoon on drug charges stemming from a Framingham sting operation that left one man dead when a police SWAT team member discharged his firearm.

It remains unclear whether the shooting was in response to a perceived threat, or whether the officer's gun fired accidentally.

Eurie Stamp, 68, was killed during the sweep of 26 Fountain St. where he lived with one of the defendants, Joseph Bushfan, 20, and Bushfan’s mother, who he was in a relationship with. The second defendant, Devon Talbert, also 20, lives in Boston.

Both face charges of possession with intent to deliver a class B drug and drug violation in a school zone. Bushfan was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail, and Talbot was released on personal recognizance.

Police obtained their search warrant after an investigation that spanned several weeks and involved a confidential informant who had allegedly purchased crack cocaine from the defendants. They went to the Fountain Street address this morning at 12:30 a.m., according to a statement from the Middlesex district attorney’s office. Bushfan was arrested outside of the apartment, while Talbot was arrested inside.

Bushfan has several prior offenses including an armed robbery case out of Middlesex County in which he was released on bail. He is also on probation as a result of an assault case in West Roxbury.

The investigation into the circumstances of the shooting continues and further details, including the name of the officer involved, will be released upon completion of the investigation, the DA’s office said.

By Peter Schworm and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

FRAMINGHAM – Reacting to the "despicable'' theft of 1,500 toys just before Christmas, dozens of people are dropping off replacement toys and checks at State Police barracks across the state, State Police said this afternoon.

“They are getting a lot of donations and a lot of toys,’’ said State Police Lieutenant David Wilson, a spokesman for the agency. “The response has been great.’’

Individuals and corporations have been energized by the theft and are working feverishly to replenish the estimated $15,000 worth of toys stolen from a Toys for Tots storage container early Saturday morning.

Sophia McCormick had tears in her eyes when she dropped off 10 large shopping bags brimming with toys at the State Police headquarters here today.

“Every kid deserves a Christmas,’’ said the Winthop mother of three young children. “I just hope this puts a smile on someone’s face.’’

“It has been heartwarming to see people like Sophia,’’ Colonel Marian McGovern, the head of the State Police, said at a press conference. “This has touched a lot of people’s hearts.’’

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By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff

A Framingham man was indicted today for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old wife in August.

Kyle Alleyne, 25, was indicted in Middlesex Superior Court on charges of murder in the first degree, assault and battery, and reckless endangerment of a child, according to the Office of Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. An arraignment date has not been set.

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By Megan McKee, Globe Correspondent

In her Brazilian home state of Amazonas, some residents take six-hour boat trips through rain forests to cast ballots in the country's compulsory elections, said Claudia Tamsky.

Yesterday, Tamsky, a Milford resident and leader of the local Brazilian Workers' Party, watched Brazilians from all over New England stand in long lines at Framingham High School, waiting to vote in in their native country’s presidential election, which was held at Framingham High School.

Dilma Rousseff, a former left-wing guerilla who was arrested, imprisoned, and tortured during the 1970s and who is now a member of the Workers' Party, was widely predicted to become the country's first female president in a historic win.

But local Brazilians will have to wait another month for their new leader. Last night, Brazilian electoral officials announced neither of the two top presidental candidates received 50 percent of the vote, and a runoff election must be held Oct. 31. Rousseff had carried a healthy lead in the polls early in the day, but fell short of the needed majority vote yesterday.

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By Megan McKee, Globe Correspondent

FRAMINGHAM -- Traffic has been backed up for about a mile approaching Framingham High School as Brazilians from all over New England are casting compulsory votes for their home country?s president today.

Polls close at 5 p.m. in Framingham, which is one of eight voting locations in the United States, according to leaders of the local chapter of Brazil?s Workers Party.

Since 8 a.m., hundreds of people have been waiting in a line snaking in front of the high school to cast their ballots in an operation overseen by the Brazilian consulate.

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