From the Associated Press:

LOS ANGELES -- An Amber Alert for three states, including California, was issued today for a Las Vegas woman suspected of abducting her four children, according to police and the California Highway Patrol.
  Claire Tourand, 34, failed to show up for a custody meeting with social service officials in Las Vegas, and an arrest warrant was issued earlier today, a Reno, Nev., police officer said.
  A family court judge also issued an order for the return of the children, saying there's an immediate risk of harm to them.
The Amber Alert is in effect in Nevada, California and Arizona, and authorities believe she may be headed to Mexico in a white 1998 Mercury Sable, license plate 369 SDH, said CHP Officer Patrick Kimball.
  The children, Ivan, Jakelyne, Megan and Tyson Mata-Martinez, range in age from 4 to 9, the police officer said.

*PHOTO of Claire Tourand courtesy of the Washoe County Sheriff's Department, Nevada

The Associated Press reports a man has been returned to Los Angeles from Las Vegas, where he allegedly fled after beating his friend to death with a hammer:

LOS ANGELES -- A man accused of fatally beating his friend with a hammer in Los Angeles has been charged with murder after he was arrested in Las Vegas.
Police say 19-year-old Adam Quintana was arraigned Friday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Quintana is accused of attacking 21-year-old Fernando Garcia, wrapping the body in blankets and leaving it in a trash bin Nov. 17.
Las Vegas police received a tip about Quintana's whereabouts, two days after police announced a $50,000 reward for information on the case. He was arrested last week and returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Quintana's bail was set at $1 million.

As the associated press reports below, O.J. Simpson has been sentenced to at least 15 years in prison. Here's a link to the full story. 

O.J. Simpson appears during his sentencing hearing at the Clark County Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken, Pool)

Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass sentenced Simpson after saying he was arrogant and ignorant. She said the evidence against him was overwhelming.

Earlier, 61-year-old Simpson apologized and told the judge he was sorry about trying to retrieve memorabilia that he said belonged to him. He appeared ready to break down in tears during a rambling, 5-minute declaration.

"I didn't want to steal anything from anyone ... I'm sorry, sorry," he said.

Prosecutor David Roger said Simpson was the ring leader in the botched attempt to recover the items from two collectibles peddlers.

Judge Glass also ruled that Simpson cannot be freed on bail pending possible appeal.

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Jurors in the O.J. Simpson trial reached a verdict Friday after working into the night, deliberating the fate of the former football star and a co-defendant accused of robbing two sports memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a casino hotel room.
"We have a verdict," said Michael Sommermeyer, spokesman for the Clark County District Court. He said it would be read after all the defendants, lawyers and prosecutors arrived at the court.
The jury reached a decision after deliberating for more than 13 hours.
Simpson, 61, and a golfing buddy, Clarence "C.J." Stewart, 54, each face five years to life in prison if convicted of kidnapping, or mandatory prison time if convicted of armed robbery. They've pleaded not guilty to 12 charges, including conspiracy, coercion and assault with a deadly weapon.
Deliberations began 13 years to the day after Simpson was acquitted of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in Los Angeles.

KFI's Steve Gregory is blogging live reports from Las Vegas, where OJ Simpson is on trial for robbery. He's put together some pretty interesting tidbits covering, testimony, acrimony and disharmony.

Here's an excerpt from one of yesterday's entries:

WOW - what an afternoon......Walter Alexander just finished his testimony....the defense wanted to impeach his testimony because of allegations that Alexander's a pimp and owns a website that hires out hookers. Judge says NO. Prosecution says all of that came up in preliminary hearings and they could have stopped it then. At one point, Simpson attorney, Yale Galanter, approached Alexander in the witness stand and began reading a transcript -- Alexander says, "Step Back" - Galanter says, "No, I'm going to do what the prosecution does" - the bailiff starts to go over...the judge tells Galanter to step back and chews his ass out for disobeying a request from the witness and an order from the court!!!