WASHINGTON

Court to hear police appeal in chase that ended in death

The Supreme Court will hear an appeal by police in Arkansas who were involved in a car chase that ended with the deaths of the driver and his passenger across the Mississippi River in Memphis, Tenn.

The justices said Friday they will review an appeals court ruling allowing a civil lawsuit by the driver’s daughter to proceed against six West Memphis, Ark., officers. They fatally shot driver Donald Rickard and passenger Kelly Allen in a chaotic scene on a Memphis street.

The lawsuit says police used excessive force. The officers say they should be shielded from liability and cite a 2008 high court decision allowing police to use tactics that put fleeing suspects at risk of death to end high-speed chases.

SEATTLE

Seattle voters pick socialist to serve as city councilor

Seattle voters have elected a socialist to the City Council for the first time in modern history.

Kshama Sawant’s lead grew to 1,640 votes Friday, prompting 16-year incumbent Richard Conlin to concede.

Conlin was backed by the city’s political establishment, but Sawant’s grassroots and message of inequality resonated with the city. Sawant campaigned on taxing the wealthy to fund city needs and backs a $15 minimum wage.

The last socialist candidate to make it into the general election was in 1991 and was defeated easily.

– From news service reports