This day in history

[June 09, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Wednesday, June 9, the 160th day of 2010. There are 205 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On June 9, 1954, during the Senate-Army Hearings, Army special counsel Joseph N. Welch berated Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy for his attack on Frederick Fisher, a junior attorney at Welch's law firm, asking: "Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

On this date:

In A.D. 68, the Roman Emperor Nero committed suicide.

In 1860, what's considered the first dime novel, "Malaeska: The Indian Wife of the White Hunter" by Ann S. Stephens, was published.

In 1870, author Charles Dickens died in Gad's Hill Place, England.

In 1940, during World War II, Norway decided to surrender to the Nazis, effective at midnight.

In 1953, 94 people died when a tornado struck Worcester (WU'-stur), Mass.

In 1969, the Senate confirmed Warren Burger to be the new chief justice of the United States, succeeding Earl Warren.

In 1973, Secretariat became horse racing's first Triple Crown winner in 25 years by winning the Belmont Stakes.

In 1978, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints struck down a 148-year-old policy of excluding black men from the Mormon priesthood.

In 1980, comedian Richard Pryor suffered almost fatal burns at his San Fernando Valley, Calif., home while freebasing cocaine.

In 1985, American educator Thomas Sutherland was kidnapped in Lebanon; he was released in Nov. 1991 along with fellow hostage Terry Waite.

Ten years ago: The Justice Department released a report saying an 18-month investigation had found no credible evidence that conspirators aided or framed James Earl Ray in the 1968 assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Painter Jacob Lawrence died in Seattle at age 82. Sculptor George Segal died at his New Jersey home at age 75.

Five years ago: President George W. Bush defended the USA Patriot Act, saying it had made America safer and should be made permanent. Italian aid worker Clementina Cantoni was freed after having been held hostage more than three weeks in Afghanistan.

One year ago: Under heavy guard, a Guantanamo Bay detainee walked into a civilian U.S. courtroom for the first time; Ahmed Ghailani, a Tanzanian accused in two American Embassy bombings in 1998, pleaded not guilty before the judge in New York. A bankruptcy judge approved Chrysler's plan to terminate 789 of its dealer franchises.

Today's birthdays: Actress Mona Freeman is 84. Media analyst Marvin Kalb is 80. Sports commentator Dick Vitale is 71. Author Letty Cottin Pogrebin is 71. Rock musician Jon Lord is 69. Mystery author Patricia Cornwell is 54. Actor Michael J. Fox is 49. Writer-producer Aaron Sorkin is 49. Actor Johnny Depp is 47. Actress Gloria Reuben is 46. Rock musician Dean Felber (Hootie & the Blowfish) is 43. Rock musician Dean Dinning is 43. Musician Ed Simons is 40. Country musician Shade Deggs (Cole Deggs and the Lonesome) is 36. Bluegrass singer-musician Jamie Dailey (Dailey & Vincent) is 35. Actress Michaela Conlin (TV: "Bones") is 32. Actress Natalie Portman is 29. Actress Mae Whitman is 22.

Thought for today: "The public! the public! How many fools does it take to make up a public?" -- Nicolas Chamford (nee-koh-LAH' shahm-FOHR'), French writer (1740-1794)

[Associated Press]

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