News of the day from across the nation, Aug. 5

Michael Barrett wrote in a letter this week that repeated budget cuts have left his office unable to hire enough public defenders for people who can’t afford representation.

Barrett told lawmakers his office needs almost twice as many attorneys and that because of their large workloads, public defenders were spending 40 percent less time on cases than private defense attorneys would.

New York federal prosecutors unveiled an indictment charging nearly four dozen suspects with organized crime-related counts, saying they operated a massive East Coast syndicate.

Prosecutors said Thursday the 46 defendants committed crimes ranging from extortion to illegal gambling throughout the East Coast, including in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Mayor Buddy Dyer mayor says he wants the city to purchase the Pulse nightclub and create a permanent memorial for the 49 people who were killed there during a June shooting.

Dyer said he’d like the gay nightclub to remain in its current state for the near future, continuing to act as a temporary memorial as people come from around the world to pay their respects.

Besides those killed, another 53 people were wounded during the June 12 attack.

Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson sued the city of Baton Rouge and police officials Thursday, saying officers responded in a “militarized and aggressive manner” in arresting him and other people protesting a police shooting death.

Mckesson was among nearly 200 protesters arrested in Baton Rouge following the July 5 shooting death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling, a black man who was shot during a struggle with two white police officers.