Longtime Berkeley tree sitter convicted

BERKELEY (AP) — A longtime Berkeley tree sitter has been convicted of illegal lodging and pointing a laser at a police officer.

Fifty-five-year-old Matthew Dodt received a 60-day suspended sentence and three years of probation after his conviction on Thursday following a three-day trial.

Dodt began living on platforms in a cedar tree in People's Park in November 2010. His attorney, Zadik Shapiro, said he was protesting because he believed the space belonged to the Ohlone Indians and he was angry about police treatment of the homeless.

He was arrested in January 2011 after authorities say he stabbed a man who had climbed the tree to talk to him.

He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, but that charge was eventually dropped

Taco truck owner and teen wounded in shootout

OAKLAND  (AP) — A taco truck owner and a would-be teen robber have been wounded during an Oakland shootout.

The 32-year-old taco truck co-owner Omar Casillas was sweeping the parking lot when 19-year-old Shean Ward-Morris and his 17-year-old brother walked up and pointed a weapon at him.

The video shows Casillas pulling out a gun moments later and opening fire. Ward-Morris is seen falling to the ground and his brother running away.

Ward-Morris then fired at Casillas from the ground.

7 ordered to stand trial in Fairfield man's death

VALLEJO. (AP) — Seven people have been ordered to stand trial in the slaying of a man whose body was found bound and blindfolded in a Vallejo temple parking lot.

A judge issued the order on Thursday at the end of a preliminary hearing.

Twenty-nine-year-old Keith Osby's body was found beaten and with a gunshot wound to the head in the Springbrook Masonic Temple parking lot on May 13, 2011.

Police say he had been invited a day earlier to a Fairfield home by one of the defendants, who accused Osby of stealing a laptop and PlayStation 3 game console.

There, he was hit with a baseball bat before being taken to the parking lot and shot.

Oakland Zoo welcomes new giraffe

OAKLAND (AP) — The latest addition to the Oakland Zoo has made its public debut.

Maggie, a baby giraffe born last month, was put on display for the first time on Thursday.

The 6-foot, 80-pound female giraffe ran around the exhibit before nuzzling with her mom and other adult giraffes.

Stay-away orders in place for 2 Oakland protesters

OAKLAND  (AP) — A judge has refused to lift an order barring two Occupy Oakland protesters from coming within 300 feet of Frank Ogawa Plaza and the vacant Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center.

Twenty-one-year-old Michael Lubin and 23-year-old Mario Casillas were among hundreds of protesters arrested during weekend clashes with police.

Their attorneys argued on Thursday that the stay-away order should be lifted. But the judge disagreed.

Lubin pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assaulting a peace officer. Prosecutors say he threw a 2-by-4 board at a line of police officers and hit an officer in the back with a rock.

Casillas pleaded not guilty to one felony count of assaulting a police officer. Prosecutors say he swung a bicycle at police, injuring two officers.