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Tuscaloosa PD Releases Video, AAA Teen Defensive Driving School

Excerpt from Tuscaloosa Police Department video
Excerpt from Tuscaloosa Police Department video

Tuscaloosa’s police chief says he hopes releasing more than two hours of video and audio footage dispels any concerns of police misconduct in the death of a man while in custody that occurred Friday.

Yesterday, Tuscaloosa police released footage from the night Anthony Ware died after he was pepper sprayed and handcuffed.

The footage shows a man running into the woods after patrol cars pull up to an apartment block. It later shows officers performing CPR on Ware in the woods. Authorities say the moment Ware was sprayed and detained last Friday wasn't recorded.

Ware was wanted for domestic violence and attempting to elude police. His official cause of death hasn't been released. Chief Steven Anderson says the department requested an expedited autopsy and he doesn't anticipate finding any injuries implicating any of the officers involved in the man's death.

Members of the University of Alabama football team participated in the annual SEC Media Days yesterday. APR’s MacKenzie Bates reports the Tide remain confident as they get ready for the 2015 season.

All eyes were on Hoover, Alabama yesterday as University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban took the podium at the annual SEC Media Days. He talked about a wide variety of subjects, including the Confederate flag, domestic violence in college football and his expectations for his team this season.

Saban says while this year’s team will present a lot of challenges, he is still looking forward to the season and what his team can do.

"This year, especially on offense, we’re going to have a lot of new faces. We have some talented players, but they don’t have a lot of experience. So how rapidly they develop is going to be a key to how well we come together on offense.”

The Crimson Tide was 12-2 last season, including an appearance in the first-ever college football playoff. Alabama begins the 2015 season on September fifth against Wisconsin in the Cowboys Classic in Dallas, Texas.

Teenagers in the Birmingham area can brush up on safe driving techniques starting today.

AAA Alabama is holding a class for young motorists at its headquarters on Acton Road.

The focus will be on defensive driving, which means watching out for what other motorists are doing.

Another big topic is for young drivers to stop texting while they’re behind the wheel. AAA spokesman Clay Ingram says that’s often the most challenging lesson.

“It’s hard to get these teens to understand. Sometimes you’ll hear a teen say in response to that: ‘Oh no, I’m a great texter. I don’t have a problem with that.’ That’s another big red flag, since it’s not about the texting, it’s the driving.”

Ingram says AAA’s research shows boys and girls are equal offenders when it comes to texting while driving.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham is opening a mental health center to serve the area’s LGBT community.

Officials say the clinic is run by the university's department of psychiatry and will begin seeing patients Monday.

The school's department of psychiatry and behavioral neurobiology released a statement indicating studies that show increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicide among LGBT people.

Larry McMillan will treat adolescent and adult patients at the new clinic. He says many LGBT people avoid seeking professional help out of fear of being marginalized or stigmatized. McMillan says the clinic is a way to break down barriers and offer a welcoming environment.

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