Oakland Murder Case Puts Focus on CA Death Penalty:  Despite a moratorium on California's death penalty, prosecutors in the state continue to seek it, as they have in a high-profile Oakland case that goes to trial this week involving the cold-blooded murder of an eight-year-old girl.  Kale Williams of SF Gate reports that the death penalty is being sought against 25-year-old Darnell Williams, charged with first-degree murder in the 2013 killing of Alaysha Carradine while she was sleeping over at a friend's house.  Williams was allegedly hellbent on revenge for an earlier slaying of a friend and looking to gun down anyone associated with the suspected killer when he sent a barrage of bullets into the apartment where the killer's children lived with their mother.  Experts say, however, that even if Williams is convicted and sentenced to death, the likelihood of his execution is "tenuous at best."  The State's new death penalty protocol would use one of four barbiturates that would conform to U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel's 2006 ruling.  Since capital punishment was restored in California over four decades ago, only 13 prisoners have been executed.  A total of 743 condemned inmates continue to sit on death row.

Capital Returning to Normal After Shooting Incident:  The U.S. Capitol reopened Tuesday with heightened security, a day after officers shot and wounded a man who pulled a weapon at a security checkpoint as he entered the Capitol Visitor Center that was teeming with tourists.  Alan Fram of CNS News reports that 66-year-old Larry R. Dawson, who is currently hospitalized, faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon and assault on a police officer while armed in Monday's incident that left one female bystander with minor injuries.  Last October, Dawson disrupted a House session by yelling he was a prophet of God, prompting the District of Columbia Superior Court to issue a "stay away order" that barred him from the Capitol grounds.  Dawson failed to appear in court as scheduled the following month claiming he was exempt due to his status as a prophet of God, and has additional history of questionable behavior.  Police believe Dawson acted alone and the incident isn't "anything more than a criminal act."

Chicago Violence Surges, Policing Debate Rages:  Violence in Chicago continues to surge during a "pivotal moment" for the city's law enforcement, enmeshed in conflict and facing distrust from the black residents.  Monica Davey of the NY Times reports that as of Friday, 131 people had been killed since the start of the year, an 84% increase in homicides from the same period in 2015.  The city has also seen 605 shooting incidents so far, almost twice as many at the same point last year.  Experts cannot reach a consensus on what is causing the rising bloodshed this year; some cite relatively mild winter weather, while many others believe it is because law enforcement officers have "backed off" of proactive policing amid increased scrutiny.  Gangs have also been tied to much of the violence, as many have become "disorganized and splintered into more factions."  Though the current levels of violence are far below that of the 1990s, "it seems like this year is just the worst of the worst," say residents.