Free Republic

Democratic State Sen. Hiram Monserrate was found not guilty today of the felony assault after Queens Supreme Court Judge William Erlbaum rendered his verdict after reflecting on the evidence. Monserrate was found guilty of the lesser charge of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, in the non-jury trial for dragging his girlfriend down a hallway, an incident that was caught on surveillance cameras. Monserrate, who gets to keep his seat as a result of being acquitted on felony charges, faces up to a year in jail. He will be sentenced Dec. 4.

O.J. Simpson plans to sign autographs and pose for pictures at a Halloween-themed comic book convention in a rare public appearance coinciding with the 10th anniversary of his acquittal on murder charges, a promoter of the event said on Friday. Simpson agreed to show up at the NecroComicon show in Los Angeles for three days, starting on Friday night, as a favor to an unspecified friend who was paid in advance to arrange for the weekend appearance, according to the promoter, Tom Riccio. Riccio said Simpson, who now lives in Florida, was "not getting a penny" for his visit, but...