charges of fraud related to the calls he authorized on election night. the calls suggested the election was over and the case hinged on al lack of authority line on the call that would have identified the call. a key witness is the voice on the call recorded while working for a political consultant. now the lawyers say the boyfriend has gone to the fbi to challenge the account of what she did when the call was made. >> he said he told her the night before she goes to the fbi that he wants to tell the truth and he is going to tell the truth. i would like to know and i think we deserve the opportunity to find out exactly what the truth is. >> the boyfriend told investigators that russell may have been involved with a different rowboat call in a

washington d.c. race. that call also did not identify the calls sponsor. >> we need to be able to explore what this individual can add to the case that we did not have the opportunity of having before us. >> meanwhile, the trial as been postponed again as the admitted writer of the rebel calls. trial is now set for the end of april. both argue the state prosecutor failed to follow the process in state law, the civic cases should not have been brought in the first place. they have a six-inch thick book of letters of support. >> thank you. a decision on whether center you will -- senator ulysses currie is close at hand. the committee investigated charges that he failed to

disclose the $245,000 he made as a consultant for shoppers food warehouse. he expects to get a formal recommendation from the sham all tonight. >> if they met and made a decision and adopt a final report, i will distribute it tonight to the members and it will be on the agenda for tomorrow. >> the committee could recommend he not be disciplined or he could face sanctions, including expulsion. they will vote on the appropriate reaction. >> martin o'malley breezed through a house hearing today. he made a pitch for doubling tags and where people campus septic systems. he wants to double the flesh tax but charge customers based on the amount of water use. >> i believe a better way

forward is to double the yield by switching households to a fee structure based on consumption. in other words, the less you pay, the less you use. >> the committee chair person said the bill needs tweaking to make it fair to those who are not on metered water systems. none of the members have any questions, but the committee grilled but governor on the bills. >> the prosecution rested its case today in the case of george huguely, who is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, yeardley love. his roommates describe what they witnessed when they returned to the apartment. >> after six and a half days of long, detailed testimony, the commonwealth of virginia rest its case at around 2:00. the defense and dove family, calling a narrow path elegist specialist to the stand who said

he disagrees with the state's opinion on the cause of death. he says there is no evidence of blunt force trauma. after almost 50 witnesses were called to the stand, the commonwealth of virginia rested its case on wednesday afternoon. most of the testimony centered around former teammates and roommates as well as several women huguely send text messages to when he was drunk. one of the teammates who was a pall bearer at love's funeral, told the court hours before she was found dead, huguely returned to their apartment and was drunk and seemed strange. he gas was wrong several times and all he got back with a blank stare with no answer. there was one awkward exchange. the commonwealth showed him a report he had given to police and ask if it jog his memory. he replied it did not.

with the commonwealth resting, many wonder how the defense will handle witnesses over the next several days. we asked a criminal law expert what we could expect. >> it seems what they will be talking about is expert staff, cause of death analysis and the kinds of things they have spent the last couple of days cross- examining about. >> the defense made a motion to drop all of the charges in the case except grand larceny, but the motion was denied after a brief argument. the first witness was a toxicologist who testified that even though her blood alcohol level was 0.14%, it was most likely 0.16% hours before. there was a heated exchange after testimony he saw no evidence of her heart beat slowing due to alcohol. he snapped back saying then she

must be alive today. the judge immediately called for a recess, but court later resumed without incident. the following witness was a narrow path ethologist specialist from chicago brought in to counter testimony given by two state pathologists who claimed her brain had a evidence of blunt force trauma. he dismissed the testing done by the state, claiming that in cases of blunt force trauma, bands connecting the brain together are lacerated but hers were not. the doctor said she most likely died from blood stopping in her body and starting again. >> the doctor is still being questioned by the commonwealth of virginia. the judge has made it clear he would go late into the evening, saying he would even hold a saturday session.

>> you can get every update live on-line from the trial. more than 200 followers are logging on each hour. you can to at wbaltv.com. >> hundreds of people in southeast baltimore still try to figure out how to prepare meals and heat their homes after being without gas for a day and a half. let's go live to the area for an update. >> we're at the command center. this is a multi faceted job. there are many factors. all day long, crews have been going around to the affected homes and businesses and they have to turn off the gas. the first part of the job is fixing the gas line. that has been finished. the gas line has been fixed. late this afternoon, crews were

filling in holes for the gas line was. because water got into the lines, after all of the gas is turned off, the next part of the job is to purge the gas line of all the water and debris inside. the big question is when will folks get gas back in their homes? >> we are making really good progress. we think by sometime thursday we will start the process of restoring service to our customers. a lot of it depends on how much water and sediment is in the gas main, but if things go well, we could begin the process of restoring gas service to our customers. >> when the process starts, there may be problems with appliances. city officials say they will supply plumber's if needed to

the residence. >> thank you. the mayor announced a new motor sports deal that could bring grand prix racing back to the streets of baltimore. this time, there are more guarantees of profit and that vendors will be paid. let's go live downtown for more on the new contract. >> it the state comptroller is still trying to go after the money owed to the city after last year's grand prix. many vendors have not been paid but the mayor says there is a provision for them in this new contract. >> baltimore city has a new agreement with a new motor sports bra -- motorsports promoter. it's a partnership of two baltimore-based entrepreneurs and a construction executive from indianapolis with extensive motoring experience. >> it was very important for us

to put safeguards in place to protect the taxpayer. >> some of the safeguards -- the price will include an amusement tax and community in fact fee that goes into the city, summoned to a lockbox escrow account. that means 25% of contracts could to baltimore-based businesses and 35% of workers must come from baltimore. they can audit the records anytime and the promoter greece to work with promoters and the 2011 race to have not gotten paid yet. >> it is important for the race to happen again. >> many of the restaurants and businesses outside the area did not get a boost last year, but they're working with the city to fix that and get a visitor's out and about all over baltimore. >> 1 ways to increase the

numbers of skywalks in and out of the race but also minimize the events that occur after the race. there ought to be no concert tour anything after the race. at 6:00, everyone should get out and enjoy the rest of the city. >> the final contract will be presented next wednesday. >> it has been the home pocket to the court of baltimore for nearly two decades. but now it's about to set sail for a new home. where the ship is headed and how its departure could effect baltimore. >> the story of jeremy levin continues to grow. comeback and get it on the fun a little later in sports. >> and rain is headed this way. we will see how what it's going to get. right now, cloud approaching with 48 at thecb

>> have the comfort will soon as set sail away from the port of baltimore for good. the navy ship which has set sail for nearly 25 years all run the world will move to virginia and lower-cost. >> the hard economics of the matter is that this ship was docked at a private birth and was paying $2 million a year when they paid nothing by going to available naval facilities in north look. >> we are told the relocation will affect about 40 local workers. the governor says he's looking

for opportunities to keep the comfort doctor in baltimore. >> weird days away from the cardinal designate. that includes that of the baltimore exit -- archdiocese's. the archbishop will be formally or native to the college of cardinals during a special ceremony at st. peter's basilica all at the vatican. we caught up with him before he left baltimore. >> it is going to be exciting not living in rome, being close to the holy father and being called to give advice. i'm very interested in the church in this country. >> you can catch more of the exclusive interview tonight at 11:00. we're the only local reporter headed to rome. we will lead the coverage beginning at 4:30 saturday morning.

>> midway through february and still no sign of any severe winter weather. temperatures well above normal again. 55 downtown. the record for the day is a rather warm 77 degrees. 11 and a half inches of snow but no precipitation today. that will change as we head into tomorrow. >> no sign of any cold air coming in. the next system will be all grain. 43 in manchester. columbia and leave the '40's. western maryland, those locations are above freezing. clouds increasing over the area

heading into the early morning on thursday. the pink indicates wet snow as the precipitation begins. increasing clouds tonight and 33 to 40 degrees. the sun went down at 5:43. mild weather dominates the mid- atlantic and stretches up into maine. in the gulf coast, the storm is going to produce strong to severe thunderstorms. the storm goes up into the ohio valley, with cooler air coming behind a system which means the second storm rolling through the mountain west, when it gets in, there might be slightly chilly air around it. it is almost like spring with rain up into southern michigan and a winter remix tonight and

tomorrow. off and on main showers and clearing out and friday should be nice. lots of sunshine and mild temperatures, pretty nice before the next storm approaches. showers tomorrow and a light southeast breeze. a small craft advisory up for the day tomorrow. the mix of winter weather and then a sunny day on friday. eastern shore colleges rainy weather with high temperatures almost 50 degrees. showers are likely on the lower eastern shore before it clears out on friday. gusty winds on friday but a sunny day and a chance for snow into sunday, clearing up in time for presidents day on monday.

>> crunch time has arrived for a lot of college teams. without their point guard, they will be a lot of help getting into the tournament. first, they've got to help themselves. coming off the duke lost, they have five games before the tournament. a win over north carolina -- they could get into the march madness conversation, but that looks like a stretch right now. >> we were really starting to get it, so it is disappointed -- it is disappointing. no one expected us to be any good and i thought we were starting to get better than everyone thought we were going to be. >> but he continues to remind

everyone that in basketball, anything can happen. he keeps reshaping the language. he continued his in same run with it the sixth straight win for the next. titus and so you know what comes down the stretch. who knew? the best part about this kid is he is totally likable. you what ieven tell was thinking after that shot. i couldn't talk more about how much of a team led and gutsy effort it was. we had everybody come in and had great energy off the bench and i am thankful to god we got this

one tonight. >> the horned frogs will have more attention than they want now and for all the wrong reasons. for worth police arrested four players today on drug charges. the arrests were part of a bitter sting operation that led to 17 students to rest. the warrants claimed three of the football players sold drugs to undercover police officers. the arrest could do more than damage the school's reputation. they had planned to join the big 12 but this could complicate plans considerably. we will see of tom has a complications waiting for you in the forecast after this.

>> hundreds of people remain without natural gas after a gas main break. we'll have the latest on the restoration efforts plus a shelter for those who remain without gas. we will be live with the governor's answers for residents tonight. that and latest on the george huguely

>> sunshine and temperatures in the '50s. a little cooler because of the rain tomorrow, breezy and sunny. all kinds of rumors of a storm. without the cold air, it's hard for it to snow. >> i would say it is scientifically impossible. >> thank you for joining us. nbc nightly news with brian williams is next.