Man gets 17 years in AIDS case

A man infected with AIDS was sentenced to 17 years Friday for exposing three unsuspecting women to the deadly virus.

Martin Jones, 37, pleaded guilty at his trial in July to nine counts of criminal exposure to AIDS and three counts of statutory rape involving one woman.

One of the women was 17 when she began an affair with Jones. She later had his baby and is HIV positive. The other two women have tested negative.

Officials in Jackson County, Mich., brought and then dismissed AIDS exposure charges against Jones in 1994 involving two women there. Jones is from Michigan.

He was first diagnosed in 1991.

DaimlerChrysler

announces 2 recalls

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. _ DaimlerChrysler AG said Friday it is recalling 417,000 1998 and 1999 Chrysler Cirrus, Dodge Stratus and Plymouth Breeze cars to inspect a brake tube that could be worn by contact with an exhaust clamp.

The automaker said there have been three reports of the clamp wearing a hole in the right rear brake tube, causing a fluid leak and the loss of some brake capacity. There have been no injuries as a result, DaimlerChrysler said.

The German-American automaker also is recalling 3,700 1999 Plymouth Prowlers to repair a dashboard warning light. The recall is intended to assure the proper function of the brake warning light if a hydraulic pressure differential is detected, the company said.

DaimlerChrysler said that car owners will be notified by mail and that repairs will be made at no cost to the owners.

Marine captain

charged in death

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. _ A Marine captain who allegedly pushed his troops too hard during a conditioning hike in the summer heat was charged with negligent homicide in a corporal's death.

Criminal charges resulting from deaths during military training exercises are rare.

Capt. Victor Arana, 28, of DuPage County, Ill., was accused of marching his unit too fast with not enough time for breaks.

Lance Cpl. Giuseppe Leto, 21, of New Milford, Conn., died after completing the 8-mile hike at Camp Lejeune on July 8. Temperatures were 80-85 degrees when the hike began, said Capt. James Rich, a Camp Lejeune spokesman.

Arana also was charged with dereliction of duty and failing to obey a lawful order. If convicted, he could get more than 3{ years in prison and be dismissed from the Marines.

Judge blocks ban

on gun sales at show

LOS ANGELES _ A federal judge Friday blocked Los Angeles County from banning gun sales later this month at the world's biggest gun show.

The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the operators of the Great Western Gun Show, which opens Oct. 29 at the county fairgrounds.

Great Western Shows Inc. challenged an ordinance that was enacted by the county Board of Supervisors in the aftermath of a shooting rampage at a Jewish community center last summer. Under the ordinance, vendors can display guns and offer them for sale but cannot actually complete sales transactions at the show.

U.S. District Judge Richard Paez said the county is trying to pre-empt state law, which allows gun shows to operate with sales.