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From The Associated Press

Phoenix sued in death of New York woman

PHOENIX—The family of a New York woman who died in police custody at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport filed a lawsuit Thursday against the city, accusing officers of using excessive force and contributing to her death.

Carol Anne Gotbaum’s family criticized police following her Sept. 28 death in an airport holding cell, and their lawsuit claims that officers failed to follow department policies that would have kept her safe.

“If they followed their policies, Carol would be alive today,” family lawyer Michael Manning said.

Gotbaum, 45, step-daughter-in-law of New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, was headed to an alcohol rehabilitation program in Tucson on the day she died. She was upset after missing her connecting flight, and police stopped her as she wandered through the terminal screaming “I’m not a terrorist!”

Manning didn’t say in the lawsuit how much money the family wanted from the police department, but he filed an $8 million wrongful-death claim against the city in March. The suit was filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.

Police spokesman Joel Tranter wouldn’t comment about the lawsuit, but the department has previously rejected claims that it’s responsible for Gotbaum’s death.

In addition to the officers involved, the lawsuit also names the city of Phoenix and Police Chief Jack Harris. It says the city and the police department has been “deliberately and callously indifferent to the care and safety of citizens” by allowing officers to be indifferent to people with medical conditions.

Redistricting proposal backers pull plug

PHOENIX—Backers of a proposed state constitutional amendment on congressional and legislative redistricting are pulling the plug on their initiative drive aimed at the November ballot.

The so-called “Fair Districts, Fair Elections” proposal would have required that new district maps be drawn with more emphasis on creating districts winnable by either major party.”

The group’s chairman says supporters collected more than a third of the required 230,000 signatures. But former state Representative Ken Clark says they decided their effort was being overwhelming by the focus on this year’s presidential election.

The Phoenix Democrat says the group is discussing a different reform proposal that could go on the 2010 ballot.

Al-Qaida in Iraq leader arrested

BAGHDAD—Iraqi police commandos captured the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq in a raid in the northern city of Mosul, Iraqi officials said Thursday, in what could mark a significant blow to the Sunni insurgency in its last urban stronghold.

Iraqi Defense Ministry Spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said the arrest of Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, was reported by the Iraqi commander in Mosul, where insurgents have sought to establish a foothold after being widely uprooted from Baghdad and surrounding areas last year.

The U.S. military in Baghdad said it was “checking with Iraqi authorities to confirm the accuracy of this information.”

House passes broad housing rescue

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The House has passed a housing aid plan to provide $300 billion in refinanced mortgages for struggling homeowners.

President Bush says he’ll veto the bill. It passed 266-154 with support from 39 Republicans.

The measure would let debt-ridden homeowners refinance into fixed-rate, government-backed mortgages they could afford.

Congressional analysts say it could help as many as 500,000 borrowers and cost $2.7 billion over the next five years.