Vandals pull skulls from graves in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS - Vandals broke into at least 10 above-ground tombs, taking skulls from two coffins and putting them on top of the vaults, police said Sunday.

"They weren't looking for anything specific - just to vandalize tombs," said Capt. Marlon Defillo, a New Orleans police spokesman.

"It does not appear that any items or property were taken, nor any satanic ritual occurred," Defillo said.

He said the skulls and caskets at Greenwood Cemetery were put back into their proper places.

NEW YORK - Authorities raided a cockfight in New York City and arrested more than 70 people on animal fighting and other charges, prosecutors said.

Nineteen roosters and more than $17,000 were seized in the Saturday night raid on a Bronx building equipped with steel doors, security guards and lookouts with radios, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Sunday.

ASPCA agent Joseph Pentangelo said the seized roosters would be euthanized.

Salt Lake journalists sold Smart gossip to tabloid

SALT LAKE CITY - Two reporters for the Salt Lake Tribune have been disciplined for contributing to the National Enquirer about the Elizabeth Smart story.

Kevin Cantera and Michael Vigh, the Tribune's lead reporters on the Smart case, had a dinner meeting with a reporter from the tabloid and outlined the investigation into the girl's disappearance, Tribune editor James E. Shelledy said in a Sunday letter to readers.

The reporters were paid an undisclosed amount for their contributions, and they worked with the Enquirer without the Tribune's permission.

Elizabeth, then 14, was taken at knifepoint from her bedroom on June 5 and found with her alleged captors March 12.

Information given by Vigh and Cantera to the tabloid either had been published in the Tribune or was known to the newspaper but not published because of authenticity issues or irrelevancy, Shelledy wrote.

The writers were reprimanded.

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