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Tampa man charged in wife's slaying

TAMPA - Police say Junius Laynard Randolph made their investigation into the recent death of his wife relatively easy.

According to investigators, Randolph, a 40-year-old Tampa man with a history of domestic violence arrests, called a friend from a pay phone in Tampa General Hospital's emergency room Sunday to say he had killed Cynthia Mason Randolph, 50, the night before.

Police had found Mrs. Randolph's body after they got a call from a friend that she was in danger. Police then confronted Mr. Randolph at the hospital at 3 p.m. Sunday and took him to police headquarters for questioning after he threw his hands up and declared, "Here I am," according to a police report.

According to police, the Randolphs were arguing when Randolph stabbed his wife with a knife. Randolph, who shared an apartment at 915 E Osborne St. with his wife, was charged with second-degree murder and booked into the county jail a few hours later, jail records show. He is being held without bail.

Jail records show Mr. Randolph was arrested twice in the past year on domestic violence charges. In both cases, he was released after posting bail. He also was arrested in August and charged with failing to report himself as a sex offender, according to jail records.

A St. Petersburg Times newspaper hawker who was hit by a truck Sunday morning was in stable condition Monday night.

Police said Bryan Lewis was standing on a median at 22nd Avenue N and 34th Street when he was struck by the truck, which was traveling north.

The driver, Torre Morris, 30, of St. Petersburg, was arrested and charged with driving with a suspended license.

Maurice Beausoleil, who runs the newspaper sales operation, said it was Lewis' third Sunday as a hawker. Onlookers said Lewis was knocked 75 to 100 feet by the impact.

He was taken to Bayfront Medical Center for treatment. Hospital officials said his condition has improved.

The accident came less than two months after the St. Petersburg City Council rejected a proposed ban on median sales and solicitations.

TAMPA - A 16-year-old boy who was dressed in a mask and carrying a bat was attacked by a group of four young men and ended up in the hospital.

Jonathon Groves of Heatherfield Drive near Town 'N Country was walking along Leeward Drive in the same area about 9:30 p.m. Sunday when four men jumped out of two cars and started beating him with the bat and sticks, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Witnesses came to the aid of Groves, whose face was injured, deputies said. He was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital.