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E-mailJustice Dept.: No pardon for Jack Johnson
The Justice Department is refusing to back a posthumous pardon for Jack Johnson, the black heavyweight boxing champion who was imprisoned nearly a century ago because of his romantic ties with a white woman.
In a letter obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, the department's pardon attorney, Ronald L. Rodgers, told Rep. Peter King that the Justice Department's general policy is not to process posthumous pardon requests in favor of saving time for people "who can truly benefit" from them, Rodgers wrote.
Pro basketball
» Kobe Bryant is the leading vote-getter for the NBA All-Star game and Tracy McGrady is on track to join him in the Western Conference backcourt despite not playing yet this season. Bryant had more than 692,000 votes in the first set of returns announced Thursday, about 20,000 more than East leader Dwyane Wade. McGrady is nearing a return from microfracture knee surgery, but leads Steve Nash by more than 9,000 votes for the West's second guard spot. McGrady likely is benefiting from his popularity in China as Yao Ming's longtime teammate in Houston. Also on track to start for the West in the Feb. 14 game are NBA leading scorer Carmelo Anthony and Dirk Nowitzki at forwards, and Amare Stoudemire at center. LeBron James and Kevin Garnett lead at the East forward position, Dwight Howard has a huge advantage over Shaquille O'Neal, and his Orlando teammate Vince Carter is second among guards.
» The Washington Wizards will honor late owner Abe Pollin by wearing a patch on their jerseys for the rest of the season. The black patch just under the jersey's right shoulder features the name "Abe." Two identical logos also appear on each side of the court at Verizon Center, the downtown arena built mostly with Pollin's money. Pollin died Nov. 24 at 85. He bought the Wizards in 1964 and was the NBA's longest-tenured owner.
» Kenyon Martin missed the Denver Nuggets' game at Detroit with a hand injury. The Pistons were missing four players: Richard Hamilton (right ankle), Ben Gordon (left ankle), Will Bynum (ankles) and Tayshaun Prince (back).
Pro football
» Arena Football One is expected to return April 15 in a mix of large and medium markets with a more modest economic model owners hope will ensure success. Chicago is expect to be the largest market, and Cleveland also will be represented.
Olympics
» Skip Gilbert, chairman of the National Governing Bodies Council and one of the U.S. Olympic Committee's most outspoken critics, and Chicago 2016 CEO Pat Ryan are among those who will help former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue look at the way the federation does business.
Soccer
» U.S. forward Landon Donovan is in talks about a loan move to Everton that would give him experience in the English Premier League in the run up to the World Cup.
» A soccer hooligan in Serbia was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison for a brawl on a train that left one rival fan dead of a stabbing.
Swimming
» Evelyn Verrastzo of Hungary topped her world record in the 200-meter individual medley at the European short-course championships, finishing in 2 minutes, 4.64 seconds. Russia also set a record in the men's 200 medley relay in Istanbul.
Tennis
» The Spanish Supreme Court has ordered former top-ranked women's player Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario to pay back approximately $5.1 million in unpaid income tax.
