Homeless man is set on fire, dies

Los Angeles

A homeless man who was a familiar face to residents of Koreatown died after being doused with gasoline and set on fire on a street where he had lived for many years, police and local merchants said Friday.

Police were called Thursday evening and found the man, who was pronounced dead at a hospital.

A man in his 20s was seen throwing gasoline on the man, chasing him, throwing more on him and running from the scene, said Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz.

The victim remained unidentified, Diaz said. Investigators canvassed the neighborhood Friday looking for evidence, witnesses and information about the victim.

The homeless man had been in the area for at least 20 years but never bothered anyone or begged for money, said Young Kim, who owns a nearby dry clearer. People gave him food, clothes and spare change, Kim said.

Los Angeles

NASA sticks with new Mars rover

NASA said Friday it will press ahead with plans to launch a supersized rover to Mars next year despite spiraling costs and schedule pressures.

The decision to maintain the status quo — for now — came after the space agency's top managers met to mull over the progress of the Mars Science Laboratory, a souped-up, nuclear-powered rover.

Concerns have been raised about how to pay for the project's escalating costs and whether engineers can ready the rover in time for a safe launch next fall. NASA has poured $1.5 billion into the project, but the final price tag is expected to be close to $2 billion.

The Mars Science Lab is designed to roam the Martian plains and study rocks to determine whether the environment could support microbial life.

Las Vegas

O.J.'s lawyers seeking new trial

O.J. Simpson's lawyers cited judicial errors and insufficient evidence Friday in seeking a new trial for the former football star, who was convicted of kidnapping and robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a casino hotel room.

"Simpson should be granted a new trial," attorney Gabriel Grasso wrote in a motion faulting Clark County District Judge Jackie Glass' decisions during jury selection, her limits on cross-examination of witnesses during trial and her instructions to jurors before deliberations.

In a separate filing, a lawyer for co-defendant Clarence "C.J." Stewart said Stewart suffered from being tried with Simpson, who was acquitted more than a decade ago of killing his ex-wife and her friend.

Simpson, 61, and Stewart, 54, are due for sentencing Dec. 5. The jury convicted them of all 12 charges, including kidnapping, armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, in the hotel room confrontation more than a year ago. Both men remain jailed in Las Vegas.

Also

Crash toll rises: The death toll has risen to nine in the crash of a charter bus that was on its way to a casino in Northern California. UC Davis Medical Center spokeswoman Phyllis Brown says E. Vang Saelee died Friday at the Sacramento hospital.

Recall: Russell Stover Candies is recalling one lot code of its 2-7/8-ounce size of Private Reserve Assorted Chocolates because the candy might contain undeclared hazelnuts. The recalled product has the lot code "N0349." For more information, consumers can call 866-410-9490.

Seattle Times news services