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Arizona No defense in 2nd border-activist trial in Tucson TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- An attorney for a man on trial in Tucson for the killings of a young girl and her father says there is such overwhelming evidence against his client that he will not present a defense. The Arizona Daily Star reports attorney Richard Parrish said in a motion that counsel will not contest the guilt of Jason Bush because they would lose credibility with the jury. Instead, the defense will focus on trying to keep Bush out of the death chamber. "He (Bush) confessed to these murders," Parrish wrote in a court motion reported by the Green Valley News. "The defense in this case will not contest his guilt, believing that if they did so, both defense attorneys would entirely lose their credibility before the jury, which must then be engaged in a defense effort to mitigate the penalty imposed on Bush." Jury selection in Bush's murder trial began this week. Bush, 36, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the May 2009 killings of Raul "Junior" Flores, 36, and his daughter, Brisenia, 9, in Arivaca, south of Tucson. Bush and co-defendants Shawna Forde and Albert Gaxiola were indicted in June 2009 in the slayings. Prosecutors believe Forde recruited Bush and Gaxiola to rob and kill Raul Flores because Forde believed Raul Flores was a drug smuggler and she needed to fund her border-protection group. Bush denied being a member of Forde's group. Forde was convicted and sentenced to death. Gaxiola is scheduled to go to trial June 1. Prosecutors alleged that Forde, Bush and Gaxiola dressed as law enforcement officers and forced their way into the home, then shot Raul Flores, his daughter and his wife, Gina Gonzalez, who was wounded in a gun battle with the attackers. Nebraska Former pledges settle suit with UNL, fraternity LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Two former University of Nebraska-Lincoln fraternity pledges who said they were the victims of hazing have settled their lawsuits against the school, the fraternity and its members. The attorneys for Drew Lechner and the other former pledge, which the paper has chosen not to identify, filed dismissal motions in Lancaster County District Court. The University of Nebraska's general counsel's office says the school will pay $62,500 to settle each lawsuit. Other details of the settlement were not immediately available. UNL suspended the fraternity for four years in 2009. Idaho Justices uphold life sentence in Boise teen case BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- The Idaho Supreme Court has upheld the life sentence for a Boise teen convicted of second-degree murder in the stabbing and beating death of his mother in 2007. The justices ruled Wednesday in the case of Ethan Windom, who was 16 at the time he was arrested and charged in the slaying of Judy Windom. Ethan Windom was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and his attorney appealed the life sentence without parole because it was excessive given his chances to rehabilitate. Four of the court's five justices backed the state judge who determined the crime was "so brutal and so heinous" to merit life in prison. But Justice Warren Jones disagreed. While Jones agreed severe punishment is appropriate, he wrote life without parole is unreasonable for a teen with a severe mental illness. Texas Jury weighs death penalty for father who killed his son GALVESTON, Texas (AP) -- DNA tests show that a Southeast Texas man convicted of capital murder in the 2008 death of his 3-month-old son showed the child was sexually assaulted before he was fatally stomped. Texas Department of Public Safety DNA analyst Tanya Dean testified about the tests during the penalty phase of the trial of 24-year-old Travis James Mullis. Mullis was convicted Friday of stomping on his son's head to stop him from crying. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Jurors can opt for life imprisonment without parole. A court-appointed defense investigator testified that Mullis' mother neglected him until he was adopted upon her death by her half-brother. That uncle later went to prison for sexually molesting Mullis when he was 6. Published: Fri, Mar 18, 2011