Defense contractor pleads guilty to bribery

Defense contractor Mitchell Wade admitted Friday in federal court that he attempted to illegally influence Pentagon contracting officials and tried to curry favor with two House members in addition to lavishing more than $1 million in cash, cars, a boat and other bribes on convicted Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif.

The admissions, including details that identify Reps. Virgil Goode, R-Va., and Katherine Harris, R-Fla., as recipients of illegal contributions, are contained in Wade's agreement to plead guilty to four criminal charges stemming from his role in the Cunningham probe.

Cunningham quit after pleading guilty in November to taking $2.4 million in bribes from Wade and others. Goode and Harris apparently were unaware the donations were illegal, prosecutors said.

Wade, 46, also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge that he provided benefits to a Pentagon official and other Defense Department employees to get them to help his company, MZM.

New York

Anthrax victim's condition worsens

The New York drum maker who was infected with anthrax after inhaling spores lurking on goat skins took a turn for the worse Friday as he struggled to breathe.

"He's in serious trouble," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said after Vado Diomande's condition was downgraded.

Diomande, 44, collapsed last week and was diagnosed with inhalation anthrax, a rare, often fatal infection. Authorities think he contracted it from breathing in spores on raw goat skins he had imported from the Ivory Coast.

Salt Lake City

Polygamist judge ordered removed

The Utah Supreme Court on Friday ordered a small-town judge with three wives removed from the bench.

The court unanimously agreed with the findings of the state's Judicial Conduct Commission, which recommended the removal of Judge Walter K. Steed for violating the state's bigamy law.

The decision did not address whether the judge should face criminal charges.

12 years for partner of cellphone bandit

The boyfriend of the woman dubbed the "cellphone bandit" was sentenced Friday to 12 years in prison for his role in four bank robberies last year.

Dave C. Williams appeared in U.S. District Court, where he apologized for helping Candice R. Martinez rob four Wachovia Bank branches from Oct. 12 to Nov. 4.

Williams also must pay thousands in restitution.

The couple have pleaded guilty to conspiracy and weapons charges. Martinez faces sentencing next week.

Also

Anti-tax crusader: Irwin Schiff, 78, was sentenced Friday to more than 13 years in federal prison for advising people no law requires them to pay income tax. He was ordered to pay more than $4.2 million restitution.

Murderer caught: A Kansas prison volunteer and John Manard, the convicted murderer she's accused of helping escape in a dog crate on Feb. 12, were caught Friday in Tennessee.

Compiled from The Associated Press, The Washington Post and New York Daily News