GO HABS GO !!!

GO HABS GO !!!

Woody Harrelson’s father dies in prison

Woody Harrelson’s father dies in prison
Charles Harrelson, 69, found dead in cell at Supermax federal facility

Charles Harrelson was the convicted hired assassin of San Antonio federal judge John Wood and the father of actor Woody Harrelson.



DENVER - Actor Woody Harrelson’s father, Charles Harrelson, died of a heart attack in the Supermax federal prison where he was serving two life sentences for the murder of a federal judge, officials said Wednesday.

Charles Harrelson, 69, was found unresponsive in his cell on the morning of March 15, said Felicia Ponce, a Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman in Washington.

Fremont County Coroner Dorothy Twellman said an autopsy showed Harrelson had severe coronary artery disease. She said he probably died in his sleep. “It appears it was very sudden.”



Charles Harrelson was convicted of murder in the May 29, 1979, slaying of U.S. District Judge John Wood Jr. outside his San Antonio, Texas, home. Prosecutors said a drug dealer hired him to kill Wood because he did not want the judge to preside at his upcoming trial.

Charles Harrelson denied the killing, saying he was in Dallas, 270 miles away, at the time.

Wood, known as “Maximum John” for the sentences he gave in drug cases, was the first federal judge to be killed in the 20th century.

Charles Harrelson was transferred to Supermax, the highest-security federal prison, after attempting to break out of an Atlanta federal prison in 1995. Other inmates at Supermax, about 90 miles south of Denver, include Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, Oklahoma City bombing coconspirator Terry Nichols and Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph.





His son got his start in acting as Woody the bartender on “Cheers” beginning in 1985 and went on to star in films including “Natural Born Killers,” “White Men Can’t Jump” and “The People vs. Larry Flynt.”

Woody Harrelson’s publicist did not immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday.

The actor was just 7 when his father was first sent to prison, for murdering a Texas businessman. He was in college when his father was convicted of the judge’s assassination.

Carbonneau gives nod to Halak in net

Jaroslav Halak





MONTREAL (CP) - Hot rookie Jaroslav Halak will be in the Montreal Canadiens net until he loses a game, coach Guy Carbonneau said Thursday.

Halak, the starter in each of Montreal's five consecutive victories, will be in goal again on Friday night against the Senators in Ottawa.

''If he wins, he'll be in there Saturday night (at home against Buffalo) and if he wins again, he'll be there Tuesday night (at home against Boston),'' Carbonneau said.

''If he loses? I haven't figured that out yet.''

Carbonneau seemed to step back somewhat from a statement earlier this week that No. 1 goalie Cristobal Huet may return from a hamstring injury in one of the weekend games.





But it is still possible. Huet was to see a doctor on Friday, hoping to get clearance to return. The French goaltender has been out since he tore his left hamstring during a Feb. 14 game against New Jersey.

In Huet's favour is that he has earned at least one point (three wins and two extra-time losses) in five starts against the Sabres this season.

Carbonneau wants to get Huet in a game or two to get his reflexes back before the playoffs, but the Canadiens are in a six-team battle for the last three Eastern Conference spots and right now are riding Halak's hot hand.

''Cristobal did the job for us last year,'' Carbonneau said. ''If the opportunity is there to put him in the net, we will, but as long as Halak is winning, it's not urgent.''

The Canadiens also have goaltenders David Aebischer and Michael Leighton on hand, although neither is expected to see action any time soon.

Halak, 21, has been solid through the Canadiens winning streak, allowing only 10 goals in five games to improve to 8-4-0 since he was called up from AHL Hamilton when Huet got hurt.

Montreal is 3-3-1 against the Senators this season, but lost the last two in back-to-back games in early February.

''They're a team that likes to attack and force things,'' said Carbonneau. ''They'll bring three in to forecheck and their defence will pinch and that's when you have to catch them.

''That's what we've been doing lately - taking advantage of two-on-ones and three-on-twos.''

Another bright spot of late for the Canadiens has been their forward lines, which have all been producing.

Alex Kovalev, who has two goals in each of the last two games, is dangerous on a trio with rookies Guillaume Latendresse and Maxim Lapierre, but more impressive has been Tomas Plekanec between Chris Higgins and rookie Andrei Kostitsyn.

''When we weren't winning earlier, maybe we were relying on one line too much,'' said Higgins. ''Now all our lines are producing and that makes it easier to win.

''It makes it tougher for the opposition to play against us because they usually have one defensive line to play against your big line, so it's worked out well for us.''

Plekanec has goals in each of his last three games to reach 20 for the season, a career high. Kostitsyn has 11 points in 13 games since he was called up on Feb. 22.

''I think he's got his confidence now,'' Higgins said of Kostitsyn, a fine skater and passer. ''He knows his role and he's comfortable playing with Tomas and I.

''We like getting him the puck because he's a pretty skilled player.''

Celbutante Paris Hilton could face up to 90 days in jail if a judge finds she violated her probation.

LOS ANGELES — City prosecutors said Thursday they will ask a judge to revoke Paris Hilton's probation in a reckless driving case, a move that could lead to a jail term.
The decision followed an investigation into whether the hotel heiress and reality star violated terms of her probation by driving last month with a suspended license.

"We're confident we have sufficient evidence to prove that her license was suspended and that she had knowledge of that suspension," said Nick Velasquez, a spokesman for the city attorney's office. He declined to elaborate on the evidence, citing an ongoing investigation.





Hilton could face up to 90 days in jail if a judge finds she violated her probation, Velasquez said. A hearing was scheduled for April 17.

In January, Hilton pleaded no contest to alcohol-related reckless driving stemming from a Sept. 7 arrest in Hollywood and was sentenced to 36 months' probation, alcohol education and $1,500 in fines.




Hilton was pulled over on Sunset Boulevard on Feb. 28. Police said they saw her blue Bentley Continental GTC speeding with its headlights off. She was ticketed for misdemeanor driving with a suspended license.

Hilton's spokesman Elliot Mintz said at the time that she hadn't been aware that her license was suspended.

Mintz did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.

Eminem, ex-wife call truce

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. Eminem and Kim Mathers agreed Monday not to criticize each other in public for the sake of their daughter.

The decision was made following a court hearing in which the 34-year-old rap superstar and his ex-wife agreed that insulting each other could prove harmful to their 11-year-old daughter, Hailie.

Eminem filed a motion in Macomb County Circuit Court earlier this month that sought to prevent Mathers from making "derogatory, disparaging, inflammatory and otherwise negative comments" about him in the media.

Mathers, who has twice married and divorced the rapper, blasted Eminem in recent TV and radio interviews, including one on a Detroit radio station in which she said he was unfaithful and uncaring - and disparaged his sexual prowess.

She attended the hearing and a closed-door meeting beforehand in the chambers of Friend of the Court Referee David Elias. Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, wasn't in court, but spoke by telephone in Elias' chambers.

The two sides agreed to the deal, which was announced at the court hearing.


"We're happy the court was able to bring this matter to a just and equitable resolution," Eminem's lawyer, Harvey Hauer, said outside the courtroom.

Michael J. Smith, Mathers' attorney, said the decision was reached "for the full benefit of the child."

Smith said Eminem and Mathers have "to attempt to promote a good relationship" and "can't talk bad about each other to the child."

However, Smith said the order doesn't prohibit Eminem from performing songs in which he is critical of his former wife.

Eminem has assailed Mathers with his lyrics.

The couple married in 1999, divorced in 2001, remarried in January 2006 and separated three months later. Their second divorce was finalized in December.

Their daughter, Hailie, was born in 1996.

Eminem has won nine Grammy Awards, including best rap album for "The Slim Shady LP," "The Marshall Mathers LP" and "The Eminem Show." He won an Oscar for the song "Lose Yourself" from the hit 2002 film "8 Mile."