All Over Albany

Authorities say man shot by deputy was here illegally, Murphy defends healthcare vote, charges against alleged Barnes attacker tossed because of mistakes, man says he stumbled over human remains

Albany County sheriff James Campbell says the man shot and killed by a deputy this past weekend near ALB was in the country illegally from Mexico. The sheriff's office says the earlier arrest of three other illegal immigrants helped them track down the man's identity. Authorities say the investigation led them to an apartment on Central Ave near Henry Johnson in Albany where the man apparently had been staying (map). Undersheriff Craig Apple said rapid escalation of the encounter justified the deputy's use of deadly force. Apple says the deputy spoke to the man in Spanish and identified himself as police and told the man to put his hands up. Authorities aren't sure why the man was walking down the road. [TU] [WNYT] [YNN] [Fox23] [WTEN] [Troy Record]

Scott Murphy was making the virtual rounds yesterday to explain his "yes" vote on the healthcare reform package. Murphy was touting the bill as being "truly fiscally conservative." National Republicans apparently are planning to try to portray him as a flip-flopper who voted for "a government takeover of health care." Chris Gibson, one of the two Republicans looking to challenge Murphy in this fall's election: "We clearly need health care reform but we went about it wrong in this bill." [Post-Star] [Daily Gazette $] [TU] [Gibson email release]

Steven Raucci Trial Day 15 Prosecutors played audio -- recorded by an informant wearing a wire -- in which it sounds like Raucci discusses or refers to his involvement with the acts of vandalism and terrorism at issue in the case. He also says at one point that he had been "tormenting" two vandalism victims and "making their lives miserable." Raucci's attorneys tried to portray the informant, a former cop who's testifying under an immunity agreement and intentionally blew a different undercover case, as unreliable. [Fox23] [Daily Gazette $] [TU]

The state Senate passed a budget "road map" resolution yesterday that would cut school funding by $1.4 billion. The plan doesn't include the soda tax or a tax increase on cigarettes. It would keep the state parks open. The resolution passed on a party line vote -- Republicans complained they weren't included in the process. [NYT] [AP/WTEN] [NYDN] [AP/CBS6] [TU] [YNN]

The charges against the man who allegedly attacked Steve Barnes and a friend in 2008 have been thrown out because of mistakes by the Albany County DA's office. [TU]

The man who says he found the body alongside a bike path in Ballston says he noticed it after he "stumbled on a bone." Authorities have released little information about the case. [Fox23] [Saratogian]

The Schenectady school board president said the Eric Ely-to-Steven Raucci email about the in-progress criminal investigation was not included in the report from the district's internal investigation of the situation. A board member says the body will seek legal advice about how to proceed. [Daily Gazette $] [CBS6]

The Troy man accused of killing an Albany man at a party in West Hill last September pleaded guilty yesterday. The plea deal includes 14 years in prison. [TU] [CBS6]

The Troy school district is looking at closing one of its elementary schools in order to reduce a tax increase. [Troy Record]

Schenectady is getting a new color scheme for its police cars. [Marv Cermak]

WNYT is back atop the local newscast ratings for 11 pm. [TU]

The Saratoga Springs Public Library now has video games in its collection. [Post-Star]

Engineers from a company in Slingerlands have designed playground equipment that can generate power to run water pumps and lighting for schools and villages in developing countries. [Daily Gazette $]