Around the nation

Democrats nix do-over primary

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Democrats are not going to hold a do-over presidential primary.

The state party’s executive committee made it official yesterday, saying “it is not practical” to conduct a party-run primary or caucus as a way to get the state’s delegates seated at the Democratic National Convention this August in Denver.

Michigan and Florida were stripped of their convention delegates for moving up their primaries before Feb. 5 in defiance of party rules. Florida Democrats already had decided against holding a second primary election.

Hillary Rodham Clinton won the Jan. 15 Michigan primary. Rival Barack Obama had pulled his name from the ballot.

Michigan Democrats hope the campaigns can agree on a way to split Michigan’s delegates so they can be seated at the Aug. 25-28 convention.

Senators seek probe in attorney firing

The chairman and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday asked the Justice Department to investigate media reports that a former department attorney was fired because of her sexual orientation rather than job performance.

The department’s Office of Inspector General and the Office of Professional Responsibility are conducting an inquiry into suspected improper hiring and firing practices at Justice in the wake of accusations that several U.S. attorneys were dismissed because of partisan politics.

National Public Radio recently reported that Leslie Hagen was removed from her job as liaison between Justice and the U.S. Attorneys’ Committee on Native American issues amid rumors of her sexual orientation despite receiving an “outstanding” job performance rating.

Man pleads guilty in murder spree

PHOENIX — One of two suspects charged in a series of random shootings that killed seven people in the Phoenix area pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts of first-degree murder.

Samuel Dieteman also agreed to testify against his co-defendant, a move that may keep him from being executed.

Authorities say Dieteman, 32, and former roommate Dale Hausner, 35, randomly shot and killed seven people, wounded 17 more and killed several animals during a rampage that continued for several months over 2005 and 2006. It was one of two serial murder cases that sent fear through Phoenix and its surrounding suburbs at the same time.

Mr. Hausner has pleaded not guilty to seven murder counts and faces the death penalty if convicted.

Dieteman, who also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder, will be sentenced to death or to life in prison without parole.

’The Penny’ violin sells for $1.27 million

NEW YORK — A 300-year-old Antonio Stradivari violin named “The Penny” sold for $1.27 million at auction in New York yesterday, Christie’s auction house said.

The instrument, described as sweet and bell-like in its sound, was named after its previous owner, pianist and violinist Barbara Penny. She owned the Stradivarius until her death last year.

The buyer of the violin was anonymous. Stradivari made around 1,100 instruments, most of them violins, and around 650 of his instruments survive today.

From staff reports and wire dispatches.