Former football star faces 25 years in prison

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A former high school football star was convicted of first-degree murder for his part in a drug robbery in which his accomplice killed a man.

A six-man, six-woman jury deliberated about an hour before convicting Geraldo Croll Bascomb of murder and assault with a firearm Friday in West Valley Superior Court.

Bascomb, 27, a former running back at Upland High School, faces 25 years to life in state prison when he is sentenced Jan. 19 for the murder of James Moser.

Prosecutors said Moser, 22, was selling marijuana from his Upland apartment. Bascomb was one of two men who entered the apartment on Jan. 28, 2000, intending to steal Moser's drugs.

Bascomb held a roommate at gunpoint in the living room while his accomplice went into a bedroom and shot Moser, authorities said. The gunman has not been apprehended.

Under state law, any death that occurs during the commission of certain felonies, such as robbery or burglary, is automatically a first degree murder, even if the killing is unintentional. Also, every suspect involved in a felony is equally responsible for the acts of accomplices.

Bascomb has refused to reveal anything about the alleged shooter, authorities said. Deputy District Attorney Debbie Ploghaus said that prior to the trial prosecutors offered Bascomb a reduced sentence if he cooperated. /AP

Head of district resigns after spending $400,000

SANTA ANA -- The head of the Orange County Sanitation District resigned after coming under fire for spending some $400,000 on a spiritual-based consulting firm to improve working relations at the agency.

Dharma Consulting uses Eastern-inspired teachings and specializes in "awakening the corporate soul," according to its literature.

Blake Anderson resigned Friday as general manager on the condition that he receive the six months' severance he is entitled to under his contract, said Bradley Hogin, the district's general counsel.

Anderson's resignation and performance evaluation will be considered Wednesday at the next board of directors meeting, Hogin said.

Criticism of Anderson surfaced over the summer after news reports questioned a $180,000-a-year contract he arranged with Dharma, a Leucadia-based firm founded in 1989 by yoga priest Eric Klein.

Since 2002, the district has paid Dharma consultants about $400,000, board officials said. /AP

Mayor meets to decide fate of city official

LOS ANGELES -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa met Friday with activists who have demanded the ouster of the head of the city's Department of Animal Services.

As a mayoral candidate, Villaraigosa promised to fire Guerdon Stuckey, the department's general manager, but four months after taking office Stuckey is still on the job.

After the meeting, three members of the Animal Defense League said that Villaraigosa did not give them what they wanted: an assurance that Stuckey would be dismissed.

"The mayor did not provide the unequivocal assurances that we had asked for," said Jerry Vlasak, a defense league member.

Activists have been campaigning for several years to stop the practice of euthanizing dogs at city shelters. City officials said the number of euthanized animals has dropped dramatically. /AP

In fiscal 2004-05, the city euthanized 24,932 dogs, down from 39,086 in 2001-02, according to city statistics. Activists dispute those numbers.

Another group, the Animal Liberation Front, has claimed responsibility for threatening and harassing Animal Services employees, including a bomb scare that forced the evacuation of a street in July where an agency employee lived. Smoke grenades were detonated in the hallway of Stuckey's apartment tower last month.