FBI offers reward in vandalism at pregnancy clinic

NASHVILLE (AP) — The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for vandalism at a women’s health clinic in Nashville.

The fire occurred at the Hope Clinic for Women on June 30. An incendiary device was thrown through the clinic’s front window and the building’s exterior was spray painted, the FBI’s Memphis field office said in a statement. The device did not ignite, but the FBI has labeled it as an arson investigation.

Gov. Bill Lee called the incident an act of “terrorism.”

The clinic offers pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and counseling.

Coroner says actor Leslie Jordan died of natural causes

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Leslie Jordan, the actor whose wry Southern drawl and versatility made him a standout on TV series including “Will & Grace” and “American Horror Story,” died from natural causes and not from a car accident last year, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office has concluded.

The 67-year-old actor died of sudden cardiac dysfunction due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a report by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Arteriosclerosis is hardening of the arteries that can restrict blood flow.

Jordan died at the scene after his car crashed in the Hollywood area Oct. 24.

An autopsy didn’t find any signs of life-threatening trauma, according to the coroner’s report, which listed the cause of death as natural.

Jordan had been sober for more than two decades at the time of his death, and toxicology tests didn’t find any alcohol or drugs in his body.

The 4-foot-11 Tennessee native was known for both comic and dramatic roles. He won an outstanding guest actor Emmy in 2005 for his part as Beverly Leslie in “Will & Grace,” had a recurring role on the Mayim Bialik comedy “Call Me Kat” and starred on the sitcom “The Cool Kids.”

Jordan’s other eclectic credits include “Hearts Afire,” “Boston Legal,” “Fantasy Island” and “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” He played various roles on the “American Horror Story” series.

Clarksville groups to help with pollinator-friendly plants

CLARKSVILLE (AP) — The Clarksville Healthy Yards is sponsoring an event to help the public plant pollinator-friendly Tennessee native plants that need to experience cold weather before they germinate.

At a short workshop on Feb. 4, experts will share an easy winter-sowing method that requires almost no maintenance, according to a news release. Experts will prepare the seeds that attendees will plant. Then participants must simply set the pots outside for the winter and wait for germination in early spring.

The event is co-sponsored by the Clarksville Sustainability Board and Austin Peay State University’s Center of Excellence for Field Biology. It takes place in room C220 at Austin Peay’s Sundquist Science Complex.

The event is free, but registration is required. Interested members of the public should send their name and email address to clarksvilletnhealthyyards@gmail.com or call 931-221-6480.

Attendees should bring an empty gallon milk jug or clear food container.

Justice Department investigating Memphis man’s arrest, death

MEMPHIS (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department says it has opened a civil rights investigation into the arrest of Tyre Nichols, who died days after a confrontation with Memphis Police Department officers during a traffic stop.

The U.S. attorney’s office released a statement saying the FBI’s field office in Memphis and the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department are investigating the use of force used by police during Nichols’ Jan. 7 arrest.

Relatives have accused police of beating him and causing him to have a heart attack. Authorities have said Nichols, who was Black, experienced a medical emergency.

Nichols was arrested after officers stopped him for reckless driving, police said.

There was a confrontation as officers approached the driver, and he ran before he was confronted again by the pursuing officers, who arrested him, authorities said. He complained of shortness of breath and was hospitalized. Officials said a cause of death has not yet been determined.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the state’s police agency, said Nichols died Jan. 10. The agency is conducting a use-of-force investigation at the request of Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy.

Judge orders release of video of inmate who mutilated self

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee judge has ruled that video detailing the treatment of a death row inmate who cut off his penis while on suicide watch must be made public.

Henry Hodges, who was sentenced to death for the 1990 killing of a telephone repairman, filed a lawsuit last October accusing the state of providing inadequate medical and mental health care and subjecting him to abuse.

Hodges has said that while he was in the prison infirmary, he was kept naked and tied down with restraints on a thin vinyl mattress over a concrete slab. The room where he was housed had no TV, radio or other mental stimulation, and the lights were always on.

Lawyers for the state have argued that he was provided with appropriate around-the-clock care.

The lawsuit filed in Chancery Court in Nashville was put on hold in December in order to allow Hodges time to exhaust the prison’s administrative grievance procedure.

However, Davidson County Chancellor I’Ashea Myles agreed to hear arguments from The Associated Press and the Nashville Banner that photos, videos, and other documents in the case should be open to the public.

Myles originally ordered that only Hodges’ medical records be filed under seal. However, the attorneys have filed numerous other records under seal as well. Those include video of Hodges taken within Riverbend Maximum Security Institution.

The state has sought to prevent the video from being released to the public, claiming the footage poses a security risk at the prison.

Man kills 2 kids, himself; wife’s body found in Alabama

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — An Alabama man involved in an investigation into the death of his wife fatally shot his two children before killing himself in Tennessee, police said.

The shooting occurred Thursday morning at a home in Murfreesboro, police said in a news release.

Jamie Lepore, 46, of Hazel Green, Alabama, shot his two children ages 9 and 11, then died by suicide, the statement said. All three were pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Murfreesboro police said Lepore was part of an ongoing homicide investigation in Hazel Green.

The Madison County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office said in a separate statement that the body of Lepore’s wife, Jennifer, 43, was found Wednesday night inside a residence.

The cause of her death was not immediately determined, pending results of an autopsy.

“It is truly a tragic situation to lose an entire family, especially in this manner,” Madison County Sheriff Kevin Turner said.