A South Carolina police officer is fired. Guilty verdicts are handed down in the Boston bombing trial. And Tiger Woods returns to the Masters.
It’s Thursday, and here are the five things to know for your New Day.
SOUTH CAROLINA SHOOTING
Officer fired: Officer Michael Slager is now out of a job, the latest fallout from Saturday’s shooting that left an unarmed man dead. Slager, formerly of the North Charleston police department, was fired yesterday, one day after he was charged with murder in the death of Walter Scott. Slager was charged after a video surfaced which appears to show Slager shoot at Scott eight times as Scott runs way. The man who recorded the video, Feidin Santana, spoke to the media for the first time yesterday.
BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING
Life or death?: Now that the guilty verdicts are in, the jury turns its attention to whether Dzhokhar Tsarnaev should be put to death or spend the rest of his life in prison for bombing the Boston Marathon almost two years ago. Tsarnaev was found guilty on all 30 counts yesterday; 17 of which could send him to death row. The trial will resume, possibly as early as next week, and the penalty phase will begin. Jurors will hear evidence of what makes Tsarnaev’s crimes so heinous he should be executed. The defense will try to soften his actions by painting him in a more sympathetic light.
AARON HERNANDEZ TRIAL
Deliberations continue: The jury in the Aaron Hernandez murder trial will start a second day of deliberations today. The jury deliberated for almost 10 hours on yesterday. Before being dismissed, the jury wanted a list of more than 400 exhibits in the case and clarity on one of the weapon possession charges. Hernandez is accused in the shooting death of semipro football player Odin Lloyd, a friend of Hernandez whose bullet-riddled body was found in a Massachusetts industrial park in June 2013.
SEVERE WEATHER
Tornadoes: Tornadoes ripped through Kansas last night, and a possible tornado may have touched down in a small Missouri town. Spotters reported a tornado near Goddard, Kansas. That storm just missed the city, but posed potential severe weather risks to other communities through the night. In Missouri, there were reports of wind damage and flooding in Potosi, about 70 miles from St. Louis. Aerial footage also showed damage to roofs and a street overtaken by water. More storms are expected today in the Midwest, Mississippi River Valley, Tennessee River Valley and near the southern Great Lakes.
THE MASTERS
Tiger’s back: Tiger Woods is back at the Masters, after injury forced him to miss the tournament last year. Will he return to the dominating force he once was? Or will he struggle like he has in recent tournaments? We’ll find out this weekend. Yesterday Woods took part in the Masters’ par-3 competition, the first time he’s done that since 2004. But he didn’t finish. In fact, he was disqualified. Why? Woods let his 7-year-old daughter, Sam, tap in a close putt. Against the rules, but a pretty adorable way to get kicked out of the contest.
Those are your five biggies for the day. Here are a few others that are brewing and have the Internet buzzing.
More Masters: Also at the par-3 contest, golfing legend Jack Nicklaus hits a hole-in-one.
A girl? She’s given birth to 6 BOYS. See this mom’s reaction when she finds out she’s having a girl.
Not a barrier: Watch this deer jump backyard fences.
Fight club: Ever seen koalas fight? It’s as weird as you’d imagine.