Scientist admits sending nuclear triggers to Israel

Willie NelsonLOS ANGELES -- A physicist accused of exporting potential nuclear triggers to Israel pleaded guilty to two federal counts as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Richard Kelly Smyth, a fugitive for 16 years until his July arrest in Spain, entered the plea Friday after prosecutors said they would drop the 28 other counts against him.

Smyth, 72, was first charged in 1985 with exporting devices known as krytrons to Heli Corp. in Israel. The two-inch devices can be used in photocopying machines, but because of their potential as nuclear triggers, they cannot be shipped without State Department approval.

On Friday, Smyth pleaded guilty to making false statements or false documents by signing or approving invoices to send the material to Israel in 1982. He also pleaded guilty to exporting the devices without a license.

He will be held without bail until his sentencing on Feb. 28.

L.A. police chief faces union no-confidence vote

LOS ANGELES -- After years of butting heads with Police Chief Bernard Parks over issues ranging from discipline to work schedules, the city's police union says it will seek a vote of no confidence against the chief.

Police union President Mitzi Grasso said Friday the vote will give members a chance to weigh in on Parks' future.

Parks, whose five-year term ends next year, must tell the civilian Police Commission in February whether he wants to seek a second term. He reportedly has told supporters he will do so. He was on vacation Friday and unavailable for comment.

Deputy Chief Michael Bostic said the department's command staff was "saddened, dismayed and shocked" by the action of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

Molester called influence in boy's killing of father

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A 12-year-old boy, accused with his brother of murdering their father, wrote that a convicted child molester encouraged him to become a homosexual and told him his father mentally abused him, according to court records.

Alex King and 13-year-old brother Derek, both charged as adults, face automatic life in prison without parole if convicted of first-degree murder for allegedly beating their father to death with a baseball bat.

Firefighters found the body of Terry Lee King, 40, in his burning home in Cantonment on Nov. 26.

The child molester, Ricky Marvin Chavis, 40, is charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder. He is accused of hiding the boys from police at his Pensacola house after the killing.

Vietnamese refugee sells home to buy parade float

PASADENA, Calif. -- In the years since Madalenna Lai boarded a wooden boat and fled communist-led Vietnam, she has wanted to say "thank you" to the Americans who helped her build a new life in the United States.

On New Year's Day, she will get her wish in one of the country's most-watched events, the Tournament of Roses Parade.

It has taken eight years, and she had to sell her house to raise the $100,000 to do it, but when the parade's 52 floats start through Pasadena, Lai's will be among them.

Her 35-foot long, 18-feet wide float will carry a simple message: "Thank you America and the world."

Six survivors of the Vietnam war and the mayor of Pomona will ride on the float.

-- From wire reports