K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For December 20th, 2017 – Morning

DUPONT, WASH. (AP) - FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS IN THE DEADLY AMTRAK WRECK WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THE ENGINEER WAS DISTRACTED BY A SECOND PERSON IN HIS CAB AS HIS TRAIN HURTLED INTO A CURVE AT MORE THAN TWICE THE SPEED LIMIT. THREE PEOPLE WERE KILLED MONDAY WHEN THE TRAIN TOOK A 30 MPH CURVE AT 80 MPH AND PLUNGED OFF AN OVERPASS, SENDING RAIL CARS PLUMMETING ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY SOUTH OF SEATTLE.
VATICAN CITY (AP) - POPE FRANCIS IS SENDING HIS CONDOLENCES FOR THE DEATH OF CARDINAL BERNARD LAW AND SAYS HE IS PRAYING FOR HIS SOUL. FRANCIS SENT A TELEGRAM OF CONDOLENCES WEDNESDAY TO THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS, CARDINAL ANGELO SODANO.
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A CASPER MAN WHO IS CHARGED WITH THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF TWO VICTIMS OVER A DECADE AGO DENIED THE TWO CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST HIM TUESDAY MORNING IN NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.

65-YEAR-OLD JEFFREY LANCE BRYDEN PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ONE COUNT EACH OF INDECENT LIBERTIES WITH A MINOR AND INCEST. HE COULD FACE UP TO 15 YEARS IMPRISONMENT AND $15,000 IN FINES IF CONVICTED OF BOTH COUNTS.

CHARGING PAPERS SPECIFY THAT THE CRIMES ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN DEC. 1, 2002 AND JAN. 31, 2005. THE VICTIMS WOULD HAVE BEEN 11-15 YEARS OLD AND 18-22 YEARS OLD, RESPECTIVELY, WHEN THE ALLEGED CRIMES WERE COMMITTED.

ONE VICTIM CAME FORWARD ON SEPT. 7, 2016, TO REPORT THE ALLEGED ABUSE TO THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT AFTER SPEAKING WITH BRYDEN OVER THE PHONE. DURING THE PHONE CALL, COURT DOCUMENTS SAY, BRYDEN TOLD THE VICTIM THAT "HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE HAD TO DO TO GET THE FAMILY BACK TOGETHER."

THE VICTIM REPORTEDLY REPLIED THAT BRYDEN "NEEDED TO ADMIT WHAT HE DID TO HER... SO SHE AND HER SISTER... WOULD STOP BEING CALLED LIARS."

BOTH VICTIMS REPORTEDLY TOLD POLICE THAT BRYDEN WOULD GIVE UNSOLICITED 'MASSAGES' AND PROCEED TO SEXUALLY TOUCH THEM.

BRYDEN REMAINS FREE ON $5,000 BOND. THE CASE IS SET TO GO TO TRIAL MARCH 5.

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THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT IS INVESTIGATING A NUMBER OF PARCEL THEFTS, AND IS ASKING ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM TO FILE A REPORT.

SGT. MIKE OGDEN SAYS ANYONE WHO COULD NOT FIND A PACKAGE THAT WAS MARKED AS "DELIVERED," OR ANYONE WHO KNOWS A PACKAGE WAS STOLEN FROM THE AREA NEAR THEIR FRONT DOOR, SHOULD FILE AN ONLINE REPORT AT THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.

VICTIMS SHOULD INCLUDE THE TYPE OF ITEM THAT HAD BEEN SHIPPED, ITS VALUE, AND WHICH CARRIER SERVICE HANDLED THE SHIPPING.

OGDEN SAYS INVESTIGATORS ARE SEEKING VICTIMS AS PART OF AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION.

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CHEYENNE, WYO. (AP) - WYOMING LEGISLATIVE LEADERS ARE CONSIDERING PROPOSALS THAT WOULD IMPLEMENT A PILOT PROGRAM FOR LIVE VIDEO STREAMING OF LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS DURING ITS INTERIM MONTHS.

THE LEGISLATURE'S MANAGEMENT COUNCIL VOTED TUESDAY TO CONSIDER CONTRACTING WITH WYOMING PUBLIC BROADCAST SYSTEM AND ANOTHER COMPANY TO BROADCAST INTERIM MEETINGS.

THE COUNCIL CONSISTS OF SENATE PRESIDENT ELI BEBOUT, HOUSE SPEAKER STEVE HARSHMAN AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE LEADERS.

THE WYOMING TRIBUNE EAGLE REPORTS THAT A BILL THAT WOULD IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT WAS TABLED BY THE COUNCIL UNTIL ITS FINAL MEETING AFTER THE NEW YEAR BEFORE THE 2018 SESSION.

WITH MEETINGS SPREAD ACROSS WYOMING DURING THE LEGISLATURE'S INTERIM MONTHS, INTEREST GROUPS, MEDIA OUTLETS AND OTHERS HAVE ADVOCATED FOR LIVESTREAMING TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS.
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CASPER, WYO. (AP) - THE WYOMING SUPREME COURT HAS DECIDED TO ALLOW THREE CASPER RESIDENTS TO SUE A RENTAL COMPANY THAT THEY SAY INVADED THEIR PRIVACY ON LAPTOPS. THE STAR-TRIBUNE REPORTS THAT THE RESIDENTS RENTED THE LAPTOPS FROM A COMPANY THAT THEY SAY INSTALLED SOFTWARE THAT COULD BE USED TO REMOTELY ACCESS THE COMPUTERS' CAMERAS AND MORE.

MISSOULA, MONT. (AP) - A NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK OFFICIAL TELLS A MONTANA NEWSPAPER THAT WORK TO RESTORE GRIZZLY BEARS TO THE NORTH CASCADES ECOSYSTEM HAS BEEN HALTED BY INTERIOR SECRETARY RYAN ZINKE'S OFFICE. BUT A ZINKE SPOKESWOMAN TELLS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS THAT HE DID NOT DIRECT A STOP WORK ORDER ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

CHEYENNE, WYO. (AP) - A 2-MONTH-OLD BABY WHO WAS HOSPITALIZED AFTER WYOMING POLICE SAY HER MOTHER THREW HER INTO A DITCH HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL. CHEYENNE POLICE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN OFFICER KEVIN MALATESTA SAYS THE GIRL WAS RELEASED FROM CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO OVER THE WEEKEND AND IS NOW IN THE CARE OF THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES.

CHEYENNE, WYO. (AP) - A JUDGE DISMISSED A SECOND-DEGREE MURDER CHARGE FOR A 21-YEAR-OLD ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS ROOMMATE. THE WYOMING TRIBUNE EAGLE REPORTS CODY HESS NOW FACES A SINGLE COUNT OF VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER, WHICH CARRIES A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 20 YEARS IN PRISON AND/OR A $10,000 FINE. CHARGING DOCUMENTS ALLEGE HESS GOT INTO A FIGHT WITH MICHAEL ROBBINS, PULLED HIS GUN AND SHOT ROBBINS THREE TIMES NOV. 14. HESS' ATTORNEY ARGUED AT A PRELIMINARY HEARING DEC. 6 THAT HIS CLIENT ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE.