Ex-astronaut agrees to plea deal in traffic death of two girls

A former astronaut pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the traffic deaths of two girls in 2016.

James Halsell Jr., 64, an ex-NASA space shuttle commander, had been indicted on reckless murder charges in the Alabama crash that killed 11-year-old Niomi Deona James and 13-year-old Jayla Latrick Parler. He admitted guilt to multiple reduced charges of manslaughter and assault Thursday in Tuscaloosa.