Murder suspect claims self defense
KINGWOOD, W.Va. (AP) _ A former teacher on trial for three counts of murder says he killed his pregnant girlfriend in self-defense after her son was accidentally shot.
Thirty-six-year-old James DeGasperin took the stand in his own defense Thursday in Preston County.
DeGasperin is accused not only of killing Lori Casteel and her 13-week-old fetus on April 15, 2007, but also Casteel's 4-year-old son Collin.
DeGasperin said during an argument over her drug use, Casteel pointed a shotgun at him and threatened him. He said as he grabbed the gun, it went off and Collin was shot.
Casteel later came after him with the gun, he said, so he grabbed a baseball bat and hit her.
He also said he has no idea what he was thinking when he went back to Collin, and after finding no pulse, hit the child's head with a rock.
The trial resumes Monday.
Computer glitch blamed for tax overcharges
BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) _ Several shoppers at the Beckley Wal-Mart are due a slight refund.
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Ashley Hardie says a computer error caused some shoppers to be hit with a 4 percent
Mountain Keepers Festival this weekend
DAWES, W.Va. (AP) _ Three groups working to end mountaintop removal coal mining are sponsoring a festival at Kayford Mountain's Stanley Heirs Park near Dawes in Kanawha County.
The two-day Moun
Historic W.Va. jail now houses government offices
CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. (AP) _ The new offices for many Jefferson County government workers are located in a building that's nearly 100 years old.
The county circuit clerk's office moved into the f
WVU Professor Says Her Team Proved Einstein Right
aMORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia University professor says Albert Einstein really knew what he was talking about.
Astrophysicist Maura McLaughlin and some colleagues say they’ve confi
Charleston mayor open to merging county-city govt.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) _ The mayor of West Virginia's largest city says he open to the idea of consolidating services with the state's largest county.
Charleston Mayor Danny Jones said


