Overweight inmate fighting execution

A death row inmate scheduled for execution says he’s too fat to be put to death, claiming executioners would have trouble finding his veins and that his weight could diminish the effectiveness of one of the lethal injection drugs.

Lawyers for Richard Cooey argue in a federal lawsuit that Cooey – 5-feet-7 and 267 pounds – had poor veins when he faced execution five years ago, and the problem has been worsened by weight gain.

Cooey, 41, is sentenced to die for raping and murdering two young women in 1986. His execution is scheduled for Oct. 14.

Sacramento

Schwarzenegger floats tax hike

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed during private budget negotiations over the weekend to close the state’s $15.2 billion deficit with a temporary 1-cent hike in the state sales tax, to take effect immediately, according to Democratic and Republican legislative sources.

The proposal, floated in meetings with legislative leaders and their staff, hinges on lawmakers agreeing to spending restraints to control the growth of government and give governors authority to cut programs whenever the state falls into the red.

The 1-cent tax increase would remain in effect for three to four years, after which point the sales tax rate would gradually drop. It would ultimately settle at a rate that is lower than the current rate of 7.25 percent.

Boston

Novak retires after dim prognosis

Columnist Robert Novak is retiring immediately because of a dim prognosis in his battle against a brain tumor.

Novak, 77, a conservative Chicago Sun-Times political commentator whose columns are syndicated nationwide, was diagnosed with a brain tumor last week and was admitted to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston for treatment.

He announced at the time that he was “suspending my journalistic work for an indefinite but, God willing, not too lengthy period.” Monday, however, the Sun-Times quoted Novak as announcing his immediate retirement in view of what he called his “dire” prognosis.

“The details are being worked out with the doctors this week, but the tentative plan is for radiation and chemotherapy,” Novak told the Sun-Times.