By The Associated Press

Today in History

Today is Saturday, June 22, the 173rd day of 2019. There are 192 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On June 22, 1977, John N. Mitchell became the first former U.S. Attorney General to go to prison as he began serving a sentence for his role in the Watergate cover-up. (He was released 19 months later.)

On this date:

In 1911, Britain’s King George V was crowned at Westminster Abbey.

In 1918, a train carrying members of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus and their families was rear-ended during an emergency stop by another train near Hammond, Indiana, killing at least 86 people aboard the circus train.

In 1937, Joe Louis began his reign as world heavyweight boxing champion by knocking out Jim Braddock in the eighth round of their fight in Chicago. (A year later on this date, Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round of their rematch at Yankee Stadium.)

In 1940, during World War II, Adolf Hitler gained a stunning victory as France was forced to sign an armistice eight days after German forces overran Paris.

In 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, more popularly known as the “GI Bill of Rights.”

In 1945, the World War II battle for Okinawa ended with an Allied victory.

In 1969, singer-actress Judy Garland died in London at age 47.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon signed an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that lowered the minimum voting age to 18.

In 1981, Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty to killing rock star John Lennon. Abolhassan Bani-Sadr was deposed as president of Iran.

In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court, in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul, unanimously ruled that “hate crime” laws that banned cross burning and similar expressions of racial bias violated free-speech rights.

In 2012, ex-Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted by a jury in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, on 45 counts of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years. (Sandusky is appealing a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence.)

In 2008, acerbic standup comedian and satirist George Carlin died in Santa, Monica, California, at age 71.

Ten years ago: Nine people were killed when a Washington, D.C., commuter train crashed into the rear of another during afternoon rush hour. President Barack Obama signed the nation’s toughest anti-smoking law, aiming to keep thousands of teens from getting hooked. Chris Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault of ex-girlfriend Rihanna (he was later sentenced to probation and community labor). Lucas Glover won the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black with a 3-over 73 for a two-shot victory.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama, in a recorded interview aired on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” said that al-Qaida-inspired militants who had violently seized territory in Iraq could grow in power and destabilize other countries in the region.