Criminal Law
Crime Scene KC 
Comprehensive crime news information, crime prevention tips and crime analysis about the Kansas City area.
Post Frequency: 1413.7/day Last Entry: February 08, 2010 at 16:15:00 Recent Entries: 14137
By James Hart
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Open Thread ... Monday
Posted on February 08, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Michael Jackson's doctor charged with involuntary manslaughter
Posted on February 08, 2010Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyer says his client will plead not guilty. If he's found guilty, he could be sentenced to four years.
Teacher forced teen to touch her chest, Fla. cops say
Posted on February 08, 2010She's also accused of fondling his buttocks.
How "The Dating Game" figures into a murder trial
Posted on February 08, 2010In Santa Ana, Calif., a man named Rodney Alcala, 66, is on trial for the 1979 slaying of a 12-year-old girl. (He's also suspected of a handful of other murders.) Alcala, who has an IQ near 160 or 170 and...
As seen on TV
Posted on February 08, 2010Tony Rizzo has an interesting story about a KCPD officer making a shot that you usually only see on TV: This kind of dangerous confrontation often ends badly. But on Saturday, when Kansas City police confronted a suicidal, knife-wielding woman,...
Dad abused girl because she didn't say her ABCs, cops say
Posted on February 08, 2010A few outlets have said he basically tried to "waterboard" the little girl. From the News Tribune of Tacoma: Tabor spoke to a Yelm police officer and said that he and his girlfriend had ?held her down on the counter...
Man tried to buy crack with credit card, Mich. cops say
Posted on February 08, 2010Things did not go well.
Some "bikini baristas" go the extra mile for tip money
Posted on February 08, 2010In Washington state, several communities have tried to regulate a growing trend there: Drive-through coffee shops where the baristas work in bikinis. In Everett, police say they caught five baristas who would "put on erotic shows" and let customers touch...
Man says he was sodomized outside KC club
Posted on February 08, 2010From Tony Rizzo: A 35-year-old Kansas City man told police Saturday that he was sexually assaulted by another man outside a midtown nightclub. The alleged victim told officers that he was waiting for a cab outside a bar at 39th...
Booze thief tries to hide in police station, Wyo. cops say
Posted on February 08, 2010At some point, he figured out where he was and tried to run, but it was too late, officers state.
Nurse faces criminal charge for reporting doctor
Posted on February 08, 2010In Kermit, Texas, a nurse is charged with misusing official information, a third-degree felony, after she and a colleague wrote an anonymous letter to the state medical board, complaining about a doctor. State investigators found several violations involving the doctor...
UPDATE: Baby's body found near Carthage
Posted on February 08, 2010An autopsy is planned for today in Columbia to see if the body found Saturday is Eddie Salazar, the 8-month-old who disappeared last week in Carthage The boy's father was arrested for filing a false report.
Wrongly convicted man forgives accuser
Posted on February 08, 2010CNN has a piece about Dean Cage, a Chicago man who spent 14 years in prison until he was cleared by DNA evidence, and how he's built a friendship with the woman who wrongly accused him of raping her. On...
Maybe you should keep that to yourself
Posted on February 08, 2010From nwfdailynews.com: The 30-year-old Crestview man told police he was weaving because he was just trying to get home and that he had drunk "a six-pack probably." He also said that the drinks had likely affected his driving. When asked...
More details about that weird kidnapping
Posted on February 08, 2010A few weeks ago, three men from southern Missouri allegedly drove to New Jersey, kidnapped a pet-store owner named Jeffrey Muller and brought him back to Missouri, where he escaped. Sadly, police say, they kidnapped the wrong Jeffrey Muller. Charges....
Not remotely crime-related
Posted on February 08, 2010Toledo strip club raises $1,000 for charity via "Lap Dances for Haiti." Though, as the Blade newspaper notes, that's sort of a misnomer: Lap dances are illegal in Ohio. Instead, the club donated all of its cover charges from Saturday...
Jogger says he was literally whipped in Overland Park
Posted on February 08, 2010One of his attackers included a dude with a mohawk, no less. (How very "Road Warrior.") OP police say he had marks that COULD have come from a whip, though they're still investigating. This allegedly happened about 1 this morning...
People get killed for singing "My Way" at Filipino karaokes
Posted on February 08, 2010From the New York Times: The authorities do not know exactly how many people have been killed warbling ?My Way? in karaoke bars over the years in the Philippines, or how many fatal fights it has fueled. But the news...
Feds considering charges against Roeder
Posted on February 08, 2010You might ask yourself: What's the point? Especially since Roeder has already been convicted of killing Dr. George Tiller and given a Hard 50 sentence, meaning he won't be eligible for parole until age 101. Well, there are two reasons....
Should it be illegal to pretend to be a war hero?
Posted on February 08, 2010They're one of the few groups that make child molesters look good: People who pretend to have won medals for military service. In 2005, Congress passed a law, the Stolen Valor Act, that makes it a crime to do just...
Man used Internet to get stranger to rape his ex, Wyo. cops say
Posted on February 08, 2010Here's what police in Casper think happen: A man named Jebidiah James Stipe allegedly posed as his ex-girlfriend online and posted a Craigslist ad for a "real aggressive man." One man responded, and Stipe, who was serving as a Marine...
No Hollywood ending for Jesse James Hollywood
Posted on February 08, 2010In Santa Barbara, Calif., a judge has given Jesse James Hollywood a sentence of life without parole for a 2000 homicide that -- beyond attracting a lot of press attention -- became the subject of a major movie, "Alpha Dog."...
Alaska police try to solve Mo. natives' murders
Posted on February 08, 2010The AP had a piece this weekend about the 1983 slayings of Kathy Morris and Jerry Elrod Jr. in Fairbanks. The investigator working on the case is trying to interview people who might remember anything about the victims or the...
Boss sued for age discrimination, flatulence
Posted on February 08, 2010"Constant barrages of flatulence," it should be noted.
Home invader shot during KC break-in
Posted on February 07, 2010From Bob Cronkleton: An intruder was shot tonight after breaking into a Kansas City house and chasing someone inside. Someone inside shot the intruder after he broke into the house in the 2700 Block of Lister Avenue about 8:15 p.m.,...
Pamela Smart still says she's innocent
Posted on February 06, 2010It's been nearly 20 years since Pamela Smart's spouse, Gregg, was murdered in their New Hampshire home. Smart, a teacher's aide, was convicted of seducing a teenage boy, then getting him and some buddies to kill her husband. This was...
Still no sign of missing Mo. baby
Posted on February 06, 2010As I'm writing this late Friday, police are still searching for Eddie Salazar, an 8-month-old who was reportedly abducted from his home in Carthage, Mo., on Thursday. The boy's father told police that one or two masked intruders stole the...
KCPD sued over woman's death
Posted on February 06, 2010From Tony Rizzo: The son of a woman shot to death by Kansas City police officers in 2007 has sued the officers and the Board of Police Commissioners. Police fatally shot Linda Friday inside her south Kansas City home on...
45 years for torturing, murdering disabled woman
Posted on February 06, 2010It's hard to imagine what life was like for Dorothy Dixon, a murder victim from Alton, Ill. One of her attackers, Michelle Riley, has just received 45 years for her part in the developmentally disabled woman's death back in January...
Pantsless man dances in the street, punches Seattle cop
Posted on February 06, 2010I think the best part of the Seattle Times' story is how three guys were filming the action with their cellphone. When confronted by police, the men said they didn't know Tiny Dancer and were merely trying to "help" him....
Open Thread ... Weekend Edition
Posted on February 06, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Police release 911 call from shooting at Illinois farm home supply store
Posted on February 05, 2010| The Associated Press Police release 911 call from the manager of the Macomb, Ill., Farm King store where a 19-year-old opened fire with a AR-15 semi-assault rifle.The shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. | Bob Cronkleton
Florida man steals girfriend's Social Security money to buy crack
Posted on February 05, 2010The woman told police she cashed her Social Security check for $672 Wednesday and later that night noticed that most of the money and his sleeping bag were gone. Ocala, Fla., police found him the next day on the street...
Protesters demand charges against ex-Philly police officer
Posted on February 05, 2010Protesters marched on Philadelphia City Hall demanding that charges be filled against an ex-police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man. Frank Tepper was off-duty Nov. 21 when a melee broke out in front of his home. Tepper claims...
Baptist charged in Haiti had good intentions, bad info, family says
Posted on February 05, 2010The Wall Street Journal has a profile of a woman who helped put together the missionary trip to Haiti that has since landed her and nine others in legal trouble. For Ms. Silsby it was the latest in a series...
Open Thread ... Sweet Merciful Friday
Posted on February 05, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Former stripper convicted of murder to get new trial
Posted on February 05, 2010The Alaska Court of Appeals has granted Mechele Linehan, a former stripper who was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to murder her fiance, a new trial.The appeals court found that it was improper to allow evidence at her...
Twilight star sits as member of jury
Posted on February 05, 2010Even movie stars serve jury duty sometimes. Kristen Stewart was a jury member in Los Angeles County involving a man accused of attempting to solicit sex from an undercover police officer. The verdict: Not guilty. | Bob Cronkleton
Washington cities cracking down on "sexpresso" stands
Posted on February 05, 2010Three years after Washington coffee shops started hiring bikini-clad baristas, cities are cracking down on businesses where the women are serving more than coffee. In Everett, Wash., five women face prostitution charges for allegedly charging up to $80 to let...
Illinois man allegedly used Facebook to threaten ex-girlfriend
Posted on February 05, 2010Christopher J. Bensfield, 19, of rural DuPage County, Ill., allegedly threatened an ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend on her Facebook account.Even though she asked him to stop sending threatening messages that he was going to kill them, Bensfield allegedly continued...
Grandmother found safe after grandson allegedly kidnaps her
Posted on February 05, 2010A 75-year-old grandmother from Ohio who was kidnapped Thursday has been found safe at a Chicago hotel.Chicago police have arrested her grandson and three others. The motive is said to be unclear, but might have involved a family dispute. |...
Homeless sex offenders don't have to register in Michigan
Posted on February 05, 2010In a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled convicted homeless sex offenders do not have to register with the state.The judges reasoning: If you don't have an address, it is impossible to comply...
Locked doors foil bank robbery
Posted on February 05, 2010Three men didn't get very far in their robbery attempt of a bank in Roselawn, Ohio.As they approached wearing bandannas, the bank's doors automatically lock. Unable to get inside, the men fled. | Bob Cronkleton
Burglars take home improvement supplies
Posted on February 05, 2010Looks like some burglars in rural Saline County had some items to complete on their "honey-do" list. A look at what they took: A black United States Stove Co. wood pellet stove, a water heater, 15 boxes of Pergo snaplock...
Former state worker charged with sex crimes involving children
Posted on February 05, 2010A former long-time technology worker with the Kansas Department of Revenue is facing 30 charges of sex crimes with children.Timothy Lee Floyd, 47, has been charged with multiple counts of rape of a child younger than 14, aggravated indecent liberties...
Babies' skeletons found in murder suspect's car
Posted on February 05, 2010You might remember the case of Katie Stockton, an Illinois woman who was arrested in KCK last year. Stockton is accused of leaving her newborn baby to freeze along the side of the road. Now? Authorities say they found the...
Man tries to torch tattoo parlor after he can't get an anti-Obama tattoo, police say
Posted on February 05, 2010The case is from California. He reportedly wanted a tattoo with Obama in crosshairs, plus a swastika. When the management refused, he allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail through the window.
Should it be a crime to operate on your dog?
Posted on February 05, 2010A Rhode Island man pleaded no-contest to criminal charges after he reportedly removed a cyst from his dog's leg. (The dog had to be operated on again, by professionals, to deal with infection from the first procedure.) The man said...
NY cop blamed "marijuana meatballs" for drug test
Posted on February 05, 2010In New York, a state appeals court refused to believe a NYPD detective's reason for failing a drug test: He says his wife spiked his meatballs with marijuana, hoping he would get fired and, thus, wouldn't get killed on duty....
Girl, 12, arrested for drawing on school desk, N.Y. cops say
Posted on February 05, 2010Complete with handcuffs and a visit to police headquarters that lasted several hours! Snip: Twelve-year-old Alexa Gonzalez scribbled "Lex was here 2/1/10" on her desk Monday at Junior High School 190 in Queens. She also wrote "I love my friends...
Mo. legislators want to ban K2, too
Posted on February 05, 2010Which comes hot on the footsteps of the Kansas legislature, which passed a similar measure earlier this week.
Anger-management counselor pulled gun during argument, police say
Posted on February 05, 2010In Fairfax County, Va., an anger-management counselor is accused of pulling a gun on two guys that he accused of blocking his car. Those two guys happened to be federal marshals. Hat Tip: Many thanks, goshel!
Minn. man found drunk in church parking lot with teen daughter, police say
Posted on February 05, 2010Who was also drunk, police allege. Mugshot is via WCCO-TV.
Elderly woman uses loaf of bread to stop pursesnatcher
Posted on February 05, 2010If a 74-year-old woman, armed with nothing but Wonderbread, is able to thwart your evil plans, maybe a life of crime isn't for you.
Mom shoots son in groin with .357-caliber handgun
Posted on February 05, 2010After he decided to pull a prank on her by pretending to rob her, Wis. police say. (Complete with ski mask.) Apparently, Mama is a big believer in self-defense because she was carrying a .357 revolver in her waistband. She...
Shoplifter hides 75 bottles of lotion in pants, Mass. cops say
Posted on February 05, 2010It apparently happened at a Bath & Body Works. The guy couldn't run away from police because his pants were too full.
Sentencing for driver who killed Steamboat Arabia co-founder
Posted on February 05, 2010Edward Tseona was sentenced to three years Friday for his role in the death of Greg Hawley, who helped found the Steamboat Arabia museum with his family, Brian Burnes reports. Tseona was racing on Interstate 70 back in January 2009...
The latest twist in that weird kidnapping?
Posted on January 16, 2010From The AP: The self-professed head of a motorcycle gang whom investigators blame for a bungled New Jersey kidnapping tried to persuade new biker recruits to kill a Missouri sheriff and his deputy, authorities said Friday. The Bates County Sheriff's...
Open Thread ... Weekend Edition
Posted on January 16, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Who is Warren Wilbert?
Posted on January 15, 2010The AP has a profile of Judge Warren Wilbert, who's presiding over the Scott Roeder trial in Wichita. Wilbert has drawn a lot of attention since he said it's possible the defense can argue a voluntary manslaughter defense. Wilbert, 57,...
If THIS suspect isn't mentally ill, who is?
Posted on January 15, 2010A California jury has sentenced a former aerospace engineer named William Sadowski to life without parole after he beheaded a police officer during a 2005 carjacking. (Sadowski took off in the officer's car, and the officer, who was clinging to...
Quick-thinking trucker helps catch fugitive
Posted on January 15, 2010Great story from Arkansas, where a trucker gave a ride to a guy who -- he soon learned -- was a suspect in a murder-for-hire, on the run from police. After the trucker noticed a gun in the guy's bag,...
Is this a case of child neglect?
Posted on January 15, 2010In Sheboygan, two women are facing child neglect charges after they allegedly went barhopping and left an 11-year-old gril in charge of five other kids, including a 7-month-old with a 105-degree fever. (Though it's not clear that Mom knew about...
Man sues over "electromagnetic allergies"
Posted on January 15, 2010In Santa Fe, a man who says he has "electromagnetic allergies" is suing his next-door neighbor because she has a wi-fi network and uses things like a computer and a cellphone, the monster. The electromagnetic waves reportedly make him physically...
Open Thread ... Friday
Posted on January 15, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Have you seen this man?
Posted on January 15, 2010From KCPD: Detectives are trying to identify the man in the attached picture. He may have information regarding the homicide of Randy Wilson from January 9, 2010. The man is not a suspect or person of interest but was in...
VIDEO: Bulletproof glass is also moron resistant
Posted on January 15, 2010Near Chicago, a suspect ran from a courtroom and, after he got cornered on an elevated walkway, tried to jump through the glass onto the ground below. Only the glass was bulletproof ...
Drunk cowboy breaks into home, threatens dog's life
Posted on January 15, 2010Iowa City sounds like a livelier place than has previously been advertised.
Our house is a very, very, very fine house
Posted on January 15, 2010From WMUR-TV in New Hampshire: Police in Farmington said they found medieval weaponry, drugs and a 5-year-old holding a gun while serving a search warrant at a home in Farmington.
Shon Pernice tries to get charge kicked
Posted on January 15, 2010Pernice came to public attention after his wife, Renee, disappeared about a year ago. He's been charged with stealing a gun from his neighbor's basement and is expected to go to trial Jan. 25. But his attorney is pushing to...
KC Crime Lab gets reaccredited
Posted on January 15, 2010Through 2014. Officials from the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors audited KCPD's facility back in August. From the department: ASCLD's audit found that the lab met 84 percent of "essential" criteria, 84 percent of "important" criteria and 100 percent...
Has Dominic James made Missouri safer for other abused kids?
Posted on January 15, 2010James was only 2 years old when he was killed by a foster parent in Springfield, three months after state workers had pulled the little boy from the home of his biological parents. His dad had tried working caseworkers about...
Report: Victim shoots two robbers in KCK
Posted on January 15, 2010KSHB says the two suspects tried to rob a guy at a car wash on Merriam Lane about 8 this morning -- only the victim turned the tables and shot both of them. One guy had serious injuries, the station...
VIDEO: Sassy Texan thwarts gunman using Jesus' name
Posted on January 15, 2010"Don't Mess With Texas" -- That's a pretty simple guideline, people. I'm not sure why some folks aren't comprehending it.
Israeli accused of keeping harem, fathering dozens
Posted on January 15, 2010Israeli authorities have arrested a man named Goel Ratzon, accusing him of enslavement, incest and rape because he has a group of 17 women living in three apartments near Tel Aviv. They think at least 37 kids have been produced...
No charges for D.A. who brought gun into courthouse
Posted on January 15, 2010In Shawnee County, the D.A. reportedly brought a gun into the county courthouse back in December. It was in a box full of other items, and it was an accident, so the sheriff -- who investigated the incident and gave...
Kan. cellphone customers might pay extra 911 fee
Posted on January 15, 2010Right now, Kansans with cellphones pay 50 cents each month to build up the state's 911 service -- that way, if there's an emergency, 911 can find wherever the cellphone is calling from. That fee was supposed to be cut...
Punishment for officers who failed to stop Fort Hood shooter?
Posted on January 15, 2010The AP says that eight Army officers could be disciplined because they failed to do anything about Maj. Nidal Hasan, the alleged Fort Hood shooter, even though there were early signs that he was unstable.
Man sexually assaulted girl, 3, and gave her STD, prosecutors say
Posted on January 15, 2010From Christine Vendel: Jackson County prosecutors on Thursday accused a 44-year-old Kansas City man of sexually assaulting a 3-year-old girl and giving her chlamydia and possibly herpes. They charged Neville ?Bruce? Wright with statutory sodomy in the assaults, reported in...
The Baby Oil Bandit slips away
Posted on January 15, 2010Remember Larry D. Booker? Booker has appeared on Crime Scene previously because of his penchant for (A) appearing naked in public while (B) slathered in oil. The authorities are looking for Larry because he's violated probation and failed to appear...
Spitless in Seattle
Posted on January 15, 2010In Seattle, the authorities are thinking about banning spitting, sex and smoking in local parks. I understand the sex thing. Maybe even the smoking. But is there a huge spitting epidemic that's been ravaging that city? "Spitting? Are the players...
New clues in Lafayette County death
Posted on January 15, 2010A few days ago, a woman's body was found in a burned car in Lafayette County. (Near Bates City, if memory serves.) The sheriff's office has sent out several photos of jewelry found on the woman's body -- in the...
Desperately seeking James Lewis
Posted on January 15, 2010Russ Ptacek at KSHB has been trying to reach James Lewis, the former KC guy who was imprisoned for an extortion plot tied to the 1982 Tylenol poisonings. (But who was never charged with the poisonings themselves.) Well, Russ finally...
MISSING: Teresa S. Brown
Posted on January 15, 2010From KCPD: TERESA S. BROWN, B/F, 18 YOA, 5?5? Tall, 190#, black hair, brown eyes, may be wearing red jacket with hood. Ms. Brown was last seen on 1-13-2010 about 1500 hours at 3018 Bellefontaine. She has diminished mental capacity...
Teens who take nude pix of themselves -- are they child pornographers?
Posted on January 15, 2010I thought this case had been settled, but boy, was I wrong: A federal appeals court is going to decide whether three girls, ages 12, 12 and 16, can be prosecuted for child pornography -- for photos they took of...
Mother of the Year?
Posted on January 15, 2010In Tampa, Fla., a woman is accused of leaving her 3-month-old alone in a car while she allegedly went indoors and worked as a prostitute for more than an hour, authorities say.
NBA player Arenas pleads guilty to gun rap
Posted on January 15, 2010He won't be sentenced until March. Experts think he'll probably do 30 to 90 days under a plea deal, though it could be extended to six months because of a previous conviction.
Kan. escapees rode four-wheeler to Mississippi
Posted on January 15, 2010Not the whole way: The prisoners, who escaped from the facility in Winfield, stole the four-wheel in Arkansas and rode mostly along railroad tracks. That was back around Thanksgiving. They were spotted Monday in Mississippi -- with the four-wheeler --...
Murder suspect's family doesn't think he killed himself
Posted on January 14, 2010Near Detroit, the family members of an incarcerated murder suspect are questioning the police's official conclusion that he killed himself by cutting off his own penis, flushing it and then slitting his own throat with a razor. They think he...
Open Thread ... Thursday (Friday Eve)
Posted on January 14, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
More about the Roeder case ...
Posted on January 14, 2010Jack Cashill has a column about the Roeder trial at WorldNetDaily. He compares Roeder's situation with how other famous cases of "outlaw justice" -- the James brothers, John Brown, the Rex McElroy slaying in Skidmore -- were legitimized. Scott Roeder,...
Single-mom soldier gets charged by the Army
Posted on January 14, 2010Just a quick update about Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, who failed to deploy to Afghanistan because there's no available to care for her child while she's overseas. (Her mom was onboard, but backed out at the last minute, she says.) The...
Former U.N. weapons inspector arrested in sex sting
Posted on January 14, 2010Scott Ritter, who served as a chief U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq during the Clinton administration, has been arrested after he was allegedly caught in an online sex sting conducted by police in the Poconos. Ritter famously opposed the Bush...
Man accused of raping girl, Tasering boy
Posted on January 14, 2010From Glenn Rice: Clay County authorities have charged a 19-year-old man with raping an 8-year-old girl, and they allege that he used a taser on the victim?s brother when he tried to stop the attack. Christopher J. Thomas Jr. of...
Still no answers in burned body case
Posted on January 14, 2010From Joe Lambe: A burned car found Monday in Lafayette County, Mo., with a woman?s body in the trunk was stolen three days before in Merriam, police said today. Merriam police said the owner of the car is fine and...
Operation Rescue offers $10K for tips
Posted on January 14, 2010That lead to the arrest and conviction of abortion doctors who've broken the law, the AP reports. The group plans a series of ads, plus direct mailers to clinic employees, in the hopes they'll turn in their bosses.
Boy, 8, is on terror watch list
Posted on January 14, 2010Well, he is a Cub Scout, and you know how those guys are always learning to start fires, use knives, etc. Mom says Mikey Hicks has been on the list since age 2, when he was patted down by airport...
Wow, that Josey Wales really is an outlaw
Posted on January 14, 2010In Tulsa, Okla., a man claiming to be Josey Wales reportedly wandered through a radio station, pointing a gun at employees and threatening to take hostages as he looked for one specific radio personality. Police ended up shooting Josey --...
Tony Alamo ordered to pay $500K each to teen "brides"
Posted on January 14, 2010Evangelist Tony Alamo, 75, is serving a 175-year sentence after he allegedly took the young women, who were underage, across state lines for sex. It might take a while before the victims get their money. Alamo doesn't have to pay...
UK cops use riot shields for sledding
Posted on January 14, 2010Which got them into some hot water with their supervisors. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Swedish hip-hop musician kills man who slapped his car, police say
Posted on January 14, 2010His lawyer says it was a case of self-defense. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Mo. employees return to work 1 week after murders
Posted on January 14, 2010In St. Louis, the ABB plant -- where three people were slain by another employee last week -- is reopening today for its employees, who will hear about the availability of counseling, etc., but probably won't do much other work...
FBI warns about Haiti donation scams
Posted on January 14, 2010It's important to give, but the bureau warns that a lot of con artists use tragedies as a way to make money, too. The FBI passes along the following tips: Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including...
Kan. legislators racing to ban K2
Posted on January 14, 2010Everybody knew the legislature was going to consider a ban on K2, a substance that resembles marijuana, but isn't illegal because it doesn't have the same active ingredient. But elected officials really aren't wasting any time. Authorities say this is...
A lot of teen girls like to fight, study says
Posted on January 14, 2010A new U.S. study says that 1 in 4 teenage girls has been involved in a serious violent activity in the past year. (Boys are still more aggressive -- their rate was 1 in 3 -- but researchers were more...
That weird kidnapping story gets weirder
Posted on January 14, 2010Our story so far: Three knuckleheads from south Missouri are accused of driving to New Jersey, kidnapping a pet-store owner named Jeffrey Muller and driving him back to Missouri, where their car breaks down, the pet-store guy escapes and southern...
"You all hating on my pimp game"
Posted on January 14, 2010Near Chicago, police have arrested a man named Alex "Daddy" Campbell, who owns a massage parlor. He's accused of forcing an employee -- a foreign national -- to pay him $16,000 so that he wouldn't make her work seven days...
Ill. cop accused of Tasering kids in school demonstration
Posted on January 14, 2010At a junior high in Kankakee, Ill., a police officer assigned to the school has been put on leave after he allegedly used a Taser on three students, who volunteered for an "unauthorized demonstration." Which led to mothers dragging their...
KC woman killed over $20 in fake crack
Posted on January 14, 2010From Mark Morris: An argument over $20 worth of fake crack cocaine led to the death of a Kansas City woman last year, and jurors Wednesday had to decide whether it was murder or self-defense. They opted for murder. Warren...
Now, THAT is a lovely mugshot
Posted on January 14, 2010If the police took away your weed and samurai sword, I'd bet you'd look this sad, too.
Green Bay Packers blamed for domestic violence
Posted on January 14, 2010The suspect said he was feeling "ornery" after the Packers lost to the Cardinals. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak
The continuing heartbreak of bear gall-bladder smuggling
Posted on January 14, 2010In North Carolina, a member of the Cherokee Nation has been sentenced to six months after he allegedly sold dozens of bear gall bladders to people who aren't members of the tribe. (Bear gall bladders -- or the bile contained...
Ariz. woman tried to trade baby for gun, police say
Posted on January 14, 2010No, I totally get this. When it comes to self-defense, babies are worthless. Hat Tip: Many thanks, eephus!
New effort to fight elder abuse in JoCo?
Posted on January 13, 2010There's going to be a new committee / team that includes DA staff, sheriff's deputies, SRS lawyers and social workers, police and medical personnel. All of those people have been working on these elder-abuse cases -- now they'll be coordinating...
Hairdresser shoots customer unhappy about weave
Posted on January 13, 2010Story is from the Pittsburgh area. The stylist is getting 5 to 20 years -- she reportedly shot the customer after she'd been struggling with the customer and the customer's sister. The best part? Ms. Reed says she fired two...
Open Thread ... Wednesday
Posted on January 13, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
How do we fix Armour Boulevard? Does it NEED to be fixed?
Posted on January 13, 2010In the Pitch, Peter Rugg has a piece about tensions between homeowners in Hyde Park and the apartment-dwellers on Armour Boulevard, many of whom rely on Section 8. The Parkers aren't thrilled about the situation, arguing that such a concentration...
There are three kinds of convicts
Posted on January 13, 2010Another local blogger, Midtown Miscreant, does a little bit of zoological writing and explains how the different types of inmates can be recognized.
MADD-like group to focus on distracted drivers
Posted on January 13, 2010The group is called FocusDriven, and they hope to do what MADD did for drunk driving: Change public opinion so that texting / calling while driving becomes as taboo as driving while blitzed. Though, as the Washington Post points out,...
Naked man found trapped in cactus bed
Posted on January 13, 2010Alcohol might be a factor, police say.
KCPD investigates barbershop robbery
Posted on January 13, 2010From Christine: A man with a handgun and a man with an assault-type rifle barged into the C-Notes Barber Shop at 1715 E. 31st St. about 6:15 p.m. and stole money from the barber. They also took money from the...
Boy, 11, reports Mom's Boyfriend for dealing drugs, Okla. cops say
Posted on January 13, 2010Good for him. He'd tried telling his grandparents, neighbors and even his dad, but nobody did anything. So the 11-year-old finally called 911 and reported the drug-dealing, something he'd been planning for about three months. Mom and Mom's Boyfriend are...
Kan. police chief accused of sex crimes
Posted on January 13, 2010Michael Akins, the police chief in Inman, Kan., was arrested yesterday and charged with 16 counts of sex crimes, plus two counts of battery, for alleging abusing four kids -- three girls and a boy -- under age 14. It...
There are some things you shouldn't shoplift ...
Posted on January 13, 2010Yes, it can be embarrassing to buy sex toys. It's even more embarrassing to get caught shoplifting them ... Hat Tip: Many thanks, tentiltwo!
More prisoners tattoo their eyeballs
Posted on January 13, 2010Basically, they inject ink into the whites of their eyes, so that it'll turn a different color. Inmates say that undergoing "colorization" feels like having an icepick jammed into their eyes. And yes, there is video to show exactly what...
Smacked a cop? Here's your sign
Posted on January 13, 2010From AP: Alexandra Espinoso-Amaya, 24, wears a homemade sign with the words "I battered a police officer. I was wrong. I apologize." in front of Orlando Police Department for four hours Tuesday, January 12, 2010 This is her punishment for...
Burglars strike Mo. murder victim's house
Posted on January 13, 2010Carlton Carter was one of three people murdered last week at the ABB plant in St. Louis after another employee went on a shooting spree. While his family was out planning his funeral, burglars reportedly broke into Carter's home and...
Parents sue KU frat after son dies from alcohol
Posted on January 13, 2010Jason Wren, a 19-year-old KU freshman, died last March from alcohol poisoning, and now his parents are suing his former fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and 10 members of that organization for wrongful death, the Journal-World reports. (An autopsy placed his...
Mo. survivalist convicted on weapons charges
Posted on January 13, 2010Robert Joos -- who was featured on the blog yesterday -- was found guilty of federal weapons charges during a trial in Springfield. Authorities say they found 19,000 rounds of ammunition, explosives and more than a dozen guns on Joos'...
Facebook felon finally found
Posted on January 13, 2010We've got some sad news this morning: Craig Lynch, the UK inmate who escaped from prison on Sept. 23 and gave recurring Facebook updates while he was on the run, has been captured. They caught him last night. Authorities haven't...
Suspect in McDonald's freakout blames staff
Posted on January 13, 2010UPDATED: KMBC had an interview with McMullen at 10. She apologized to other customers who saw the freakout, especially ones with little kids. She says that she was under extreme provocation from staff, though. And she said that one video...
Drug-fueled orgy involving guns goes horribly wrong
Posted on January 13, 2010In Portland, Maine, a man is accused of shooting another man in the head and killing him. The victim, the suspect and a third guy had allegedly spent 12 hours, drinking, huffing aerosols, smoking weed and having sex in a...
Man accused of raping woman recovering from chemo
Posted on January 13, 2010In Lincoln County, Mo., a man is accused of tying up and raping his estranged wife while she was home recovering from chemotherapy treatments, police say. He tells authorities the sex was consensual. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak
It was like they caught him red-handed ...
Posted on January 13, 2010Near Seattle, a bartender called police after she caught a customer looking at her while fondling himself. He escaped, but left behind a jar of Vaseline. Amazingly, the same guy came back two days later, and the bartender called the...
Body found in burned car in Lafayette Co.
Posted on January 13, 2010From Meredith Rodriguez: A woman?s body was found in the trunk of a torched car in Lafayette County Monday night. Lafayette County firefighters responded to a car fire on Sni-A-Bar road near Missouri FF around 11:30 p.m., according to Lafayette...
Something awful ALLEGEDLY happened at the Hustler Club
Posted on January 13, 2010A Delaware man is suing after he went to Larry Flynt's Hustler Club in New York, had a couple of drink, agreed to go into a private room for a lap dance. He says he passed out for 90 minutes...
Hello, 911? My 6-year-old won't go to school
Posted on January 13, 2010An Ohio dad says he called the police in hopes they would "scare" the crying rugrat into going to school. The police say they're actually OK with these kinds of calls, though I don't think they endorse the "scaring" part.
Does this movie pirate deserve to go to prison?
Posted on January 13, 2010The New York Times has a profile of the sad sack who posted a bootleg copy of "Wolverine" on the Internet and, thus, incurred the wrath of Fox and became a target of the FBI. He's still not sure what...
The dumbest thing you'll read today
Posted on January 12, 2010In Washington state, a legislator feels like the term "at-risk" is too negative and hurts poor kids' changes of improving their lot in life. So she's proposed a bill to remove the term in state statutes and replace it with...
Sex offenders win at Mo. Supreme Court
Posted on January 12, 2010The Missouri Supreme Court says that registered sex offenders do NOT have to comply with new regulations that were passed after they were originally sentenced. So if you were convicted of a sex crime back in the 1970s, you wouldn't...
Open Thread ... Tuesday
Posted on January 12, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Suspect in serial killing acts as his own attorney
Posted on January 12, 2010This is the third time for California prosecutors to try Rodney Alcala, who's been convicted twice of murdering a 12-year-old, Robin Samsoe, back in 1979. Both previous convictions were overturned, so now they're trying again. Only this time, Alcala is...
The case against Robert Joos
Posted on January 12, 2010In Springfield, a man named Robert Joos is on trial, facing federal weapons charges, the News-Leader reports. Last summer, the feds seized over a dozen guns and 19,000 rounds of ammunition from Joos' property in McDonald County -- a 200-acre...
Robber uses brother as getaway driver, gets stuck, KCPD says
Posted on January 12, 2010From Christine Vendel: A Kansas City man may be regretting his choice of getaway driver after he and his brother got stuck in the snow Monday night while fleeing an attempted robbery. According to police: A gunman confronted a clerk...
Most Americans OK with racial profiling at airport, poll suggests
Posted on January 12, 2010From USA Today: By 3-1, those polled favor the idea of subjecting airline passengers to more intensive security checks if they fit the profile of terrorists based on age, ethnicity and gender.
Funny, he doesn't LOOK like a neo-Nazi ...
Posted on January 12, 2010Okay, maybe a little. (The man above is named Frank Spisak, and the Supreme Court has reaffirmed his death sentence for killing three men in Cleveland back in 1982.)
Raymore's weapons ban stands
Posted on January 12, 2010They tried -- but failed -- to override the mayor's veto of a measure that would have allowed councilmembers to carry during meetings. (It also would've let the public bring guns into parks and city buildings, though not city council...
The Supremes tackle "civil commitment"
Posted on January 12, 2010"Civil commitment" is a process where the authorities keep a sex offender in custody -- even after he's served his sentence -- because he's still dangerous and still likely to reoffend. In theory, the sex offender can only be held...
Mo. activists want a new puppy mill law
Posted on January 12, 2010The Humane Society and other groups are circulating a petition to get the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act on Missouri's ballot during the November general election. Operating a puppy mill is illegal now, but it isn't prosecuted -- the act...
Abducted Mo. boy tapes PSA
Posted on January 12, 2010Shawn Hornbeck -- the Missouri boy who was held prisoner for years by his abductor -- is recording a public-service announcement urging kids to pipe up if something is wrong. Today's the third anniversary of his rescue, the Post-Dispatch reports....
Cop asks girls, 9, to not pull Daddy's hair
Posted on January 12, 2010In Buffalo Grove, Ill., a man drove his twin daughters, age 9, to the police station after they pulled his hair and hit him in the neck while he was driving. (To be fair, he was singing a song they...
Robbers hit Burger King in Waldo
Posted on January 12, 2010Happened over the lunch hour yesterday at 71st and Wornall, KMBC reports. It was particularly bold because that BK sits right next to a convenience store that a lot of KCPD officers frequent. Hat Tip: Many thanks, Tom Servo!
$6K reward in pedestrian's death
Posted on January 12, 2010The wife of Edward Falke, a pedestrian who was struck and killed back on Oct. 10 in Oak Grove, is adding $5K to the reward for information in his case. (It happened in the 300 block of S.W. 15th Street...
Alleged drug lord revealed as hermaphrodite
Posted on January 12, 2010In South Africa, police discovered that a local man -- suspected of being a drug lord -- was also a hermaphrodite when his prosthetic penis fell off during a search. And that's led to his gender being a major story...
Her milkshake brings all the boys to the graveyard
Posted on January 12, 2010From AP: In this Aug. 2, 2005 file photo, American Nancy Kissel walks out of Hong Kong's High Court. The American expatriate jailed in Hong Kong for more than four years for killing her investment banker husband by drugging him...
Church threatens to sue JaCo sheriff
Posted on January 12, 2010That's according to KSHB, which has seen a copy of the lawsuit that New Covenant Faith Center plans to file. They're seeking over $25,000, and they want to stop the sheriff from conducting any more searches. (The church and a...
You should get a charge out of this one
Posted on January 12, 2010In Olympia, Wash., a woman allegedly rewired her husband's table saw to give him an electric shock after she learned that he was leaving her. The shock threw him to the ground, but he didn't need to go to the...
Attacking Roeder's manslaughter defense
Posted on January 12, 2010In Wichita, the judge in the Scott Roeder trial is going to consider whether jurors should have the option of finding the Kansas City man guilty of a lesser charge, such as voluntary manslaughter. That's all the defense has going...
Local family loses another young man to homicide
Posted on January 12, 2010Randy L. Wilson, 21, who was shot and killed over the weekend, is a relative of Nelson Hopkins Jr., a teenager who was slain in December, Christine Vendel reports. (Though it doesn't look like the two incidents are connected.) Wilson...
OP seeks habitual shoplifter who likes perfume, makeup
Posted on January 12, 2010The woman, pictured above, is suspected of several shoplifting incidents. In the last one, back on Dec. 11, she allegedly tried to steal $1,200 worth of perfume. (Store security thwarted that attempt.) Anyone with information is asked to call Overland...
Robbers hit gas-station clerk with chemical spray
Posted on January 12, 2010From Mission PD: On 1-11-10 at about 7:00pm, two women entered the Valero gas station in the 6500 block of Johnson Drive. One of the women sprayed the employee on duty with a chemical spray, and one of them reached...
N.H. cops break up fight involving swords, pipes
Posted on January 12, 2010It all started because somebody lost their cigarettes. Everybody settled down when the police showed up, though one guy did punch a wall in frustration.
Best. Date. Ever.
Posted on January 12, 2010In Ponce Inlet, Fla., a 52-year-old woke up in an emergency room after he'd been in a one-car wreck. Of course, he didn't remember that part. His LAST memory was taking a drink of beer as he was hanging out...
McGwire admits to using illegal steroids
Posted on January 11, 2010From AP: Mark McGwire finally came clean Monday, admitting he used steroids when he broke baseball's home run record in 1998. McGwire said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday that he used steroids on and off...
The murder of Walter K. Sartory
Posted on January 11, 2010This one will break your heart. The Tennessean has a masterful story about Walter Sartory, an elderly man who was a genius and worked on nuclear research at the Oak Ridge facility in Tennessee. Sartory also had a personality disorder...
Kidnappers drag N.J. man to Missouri, police allege
Posted on January 11, 2010What a weird story. Three Missouri men -- from Rich Hill and Nevada, to be specific -- are accused of kidnapping a man named Jeff Muller as he opened his pet store in Newton, N.J., on Friday morning. Muller eventually...
What hurt more? The broken heart or the stab wound?
Posted on January 11, 2010In South Bend, Ind., police were dispatched on a call involving a man who had been stabbed in the shoulder. He told officers, though, that he had stabbed himself to try and show his lady friend just how much he...
Mom tracks down disabled daughter's stolen device
Posted on January 11, 2010Great story from San Jose, Calif., where a woman lost her disabled daughter's DynaVox, an $11K machine that helps her communicate. When a man tried to sell the device online, she arranged a sting with police and got the machine...
FDA inspectors investigating Gatorade prank
Posted on January 11, 2010In Colorado, some enterprising soul added new labels to Gatorade bottles sitting on store shelves -- only these had pictures of Tiger Woods and his wife with the word "Unfaithful." Federal food inspectors are on the job, trying to see...
Balloon Dad reports to jail
Posted on January 11, 2010From AP: Richard Heene runs back to his vehicle to retrieve his driver's license from his wife Mayumi as he arrives at the Larimer County Detention Center to begin serving his 90-day jail sentence in Fort Collins Colo., Monday, Jan....
Ex-NBA star pleads guilty in shooting death
Posted on January 11, 2010Jayson Williams has officially pleaded guilty to assault in the accidental shooting death of his limo driver back in 2002. Under the plea deal, Williams will serve 18 months to five years.
Man arrested for trying to break into jail, Fla. cops say
Posted on January 11, 2010The guy had just cut a deal on a manslaughter charge and was on probation, the AP reports. But he was reportedly so scared of the victim's family, that he tried to crawl over a razor-wire fence and beg the...
Open Thread ... Monday
Posted on January 11, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Report: Supervisors feared Fort Hood suspect, but kept promoting him
Posted on January 11, 2010Nidal Hasan -- the man charged with killing 13 people during the recent Fort Hood mass shooting -- was able to earn positive evaluations and promotions, even though his supervisors worried about his behavior. Eh, they were probably overreacting. I...
Should schools ban political T-shirts?
Posted on January 11, 2010Again, not remotely crime-related, just an interesting case: The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from a Texas teenager whose school banned him from wearing T-shirts with political commentary. One shirt supported John Edwards' presidential campaign...
Feds tried to downplay immigrant deaths, N.Y. Times reports
Posted on January 11, 2010The Times has a big piece today about official efforts to block reporters trying to investigate the deaths of illegal immigrants while in custody. (There have been 107 such deaths since 2003, when ICE formed.) ... internal documents suggest that...
The Database King's war on crime
Posted on January 11, 2010The St. Pete Times has a profile on Hank Asher, the businessman behind AutoTrack and Accurint, two powerful databases used to find people. (As well as the infamous, aborted MATRIX project.) Asher is known for giving his technology to law-enforcement....
More police targeting illegal guns instead of drugs, report says
Posted on January 11, 2010For years, police department made drug enforcement their top priority, believing that it would help reduce violent crime, the Christian Science Monitor reports. More and more, though, they're giving up on the "War on Drugs" and focusing on illegal guns...
Mo. girl's killer gets life without parole
Posted on January 11, 2010Travis E. Glass, a Palmyra man convicted of strangling a 13-year-old Hannibal girl back in 2001, has been resentenced to life without parole. He'd previously received the death penalty, but the Missouri Supreme Court decided that he should get a...
Boy, 12, uses toy gun to rob store, Fla. cops allege
Posted on January 11, 2010On the bright side, though, he did say "thank you" after he got his money, the police say. Never let anyone tell you that young people today don't have good manners. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Delay in Roeder trial?
Posted on January 11, 2010Judy Thomas says they've pushed jury selection back to Wednesday. (It was supposed to start today.) There were "additional legal issues" that surfaced over the weekend, requiring the judge to consider additional arguments on a prosecution motion.
VIDEO: Man throws Molotov cocktail at c-store clerk
Posted on January 11, 2010The attack happened back on Dec. 29 in Milwaukee. The clerk was behind bullet-resistant glass and didn't get hurt. They're not clear about a motive, but this happened a couple of days after a suspect was arrested for a robbery...
Bad cops = bad convictions?
Posted on January 11, 2010In St. Louis, the state and federal prosecutors are reviewing cases handled by seven police officers who've either been convicted or accused of misconduct. Several people who've been convicted over the years could be freed as a result, the Post-Dispatch...
Missing KC teen located
Posted on January 11, 2010From KCPD: At 9 a.m., Beauty Smith was located walking near Ruskin High School in fair condition. Detectives will be interviewing her to determine if a crime has occurred.
KCPD investigates suspicious package in Westport
Posted on January 11, 2010From KCPD: This morning (01/11/2009) at 7:10am, KCMO police were called to the area of Westport and Mill Street in regard to a suspicious package. Upon arrival, Westport Security officer?s stated they observed a cardboard box with wires protruding from...
Inmate sues for his right to "Penthouse"
Posted on January 11, 2010In Florida, a man serving 13 life sentences for robbery and kidnapping is suing Penthouse because they've refused to let him buy a subscription and have it mailed to his prison.
Hearing today in Katie Rios homicide
Posted on January 11, 2010Rios is the 14-year-old girl who was slain last week near Harrisonville. A 16-year-old male is supposed to appear in court today, and the judge will hear arguments on whether he should be tried as an adult.
Drug cartel stitches man's face onto soccer ball
Posted on January 11, 2010And his body was carved into several pieces. The cartels have a habit of corpse desecration -- it's actually pretty common to read about a pile of severed heads, their bodies nowhere to be found. The soccer ball is new,...
Open Thread ... Weekend Edition
Posted on January 09, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Man, 70, used gun to end teens' snowball fight, Ohio cops say
Posted on January 08, 2010They were playing too close to his 2006 Buick Rendezvous, police say.
Not remotely crime-related
Posted on January 08, 2010Man's penis freed from metal pipe with industrial grinder Hat Tip: Saw this via Fark!
Flushing a stolen clarinet? That's a felony
Posted on January 08, 2010To be fair, the clarinet cost $1,800. It was probably worth more than the guy who stole it.
L.A. doc gets 5 years for assaulting bicyclists
Posted on January 08, 2010Which was a big win for the cycling community, which wanted him to do serious time. He'd apparently gotten into an argument with two bicyclists, then pulled in their path and slammed on the brakes. One rider went through his...
Open Thread ... Friday
Posted on January 08, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Would you ever give weed to your kids?
Posted on January 08, 2010Hear me out, hear me out! In Utah, a woman is facing criminal charges after her son got caught with marijuana at school and said that Mom was the one who provided it, police say. Mom reportedly admitted to it:...
I wonder why the police don't believe him
Posted on January 08, 2010In Mississippi, a man arrested for check fraud says that police MUST RELEASE HIM because he's the only one who can stop a plot by armed Mormon insurrectionists who plan to revolt and hurt the president. (Say it with me:...
The most disgusting thing you will read today
Posted on January 08, 2010Third paragraph, second sentence. If you love bunnies, you probably don't want to click the link.
New activity in Tylenol poisoning case?
Posted on January 08, 2010For years, James Lewis -- a former KC resident -- has been a leading suspect in the 1982 Tylenol poisonings, where seven people died after taking cyanide-laced pills. Lewis did time after he tried to extort $1 million from the...
Will jurors' abortion views matter in Roeder trial?
Posted on January 08, 2010Scott Roeder -- the KC man charged with killing abortion provider George Tiller -- goes on trial next week in Wichita. About 60 potential jurors will be questioned by attorneys on Monday as the selection process continues, the Eagle's Ron...
Father of the Year?
Posted on January 08, 2010An Alaska man allegedly offered to give an iPod to his teenage son -- if the son would let him have the Vicodin that the teenager was going to get for an upcoming surgery. (Mom and Stepdad reportedly taped the...
Will "mind-reading" devices stop terrorists in airports?
Posted on January 08, 2010The AP talks about new techniques and technology that could help authorities stop terrorists before they board airliners. There's one that -- more or less -- reads your mind. The system that Israeli-based WeCU Technologies has devised and is testing....
Cass Co. names teen murder victim
Posted on January 08, 2010Katie Rios, 14, of Harrisonville, is the name of the girl who was killed yesterday, the Cass County Sheriff's Department reports. The medical examiner is scheduled to complete her autopsy today. There's a Facebook page in Rios' memory here.
Woman used antifreeze margaritas to kill boyfriend, N.Y. cops say
Posted on January 08, 2010Here's the AP summary. The longer version says the defendant allegedly put the antifreeze in some margarita mix, figuring the boyfriend would get to it sooner or later. (He was dead within five days.) The death happened back in October,...
Teen lovers accused of murder
Posted on January 08, 2010In El Dorado County, Calif., authorities have filed murder charges against Tylar Marie Witt and Steven Paul Colver, who allegedly murdered her mother. She's 15 and 19. The slaying -- which happened while Mom was asleep -- apparently happened after...
Thugs steal Obi-Wan Kenobi's lightsaber
Posted on January 08, 2010Man, he couldn't beat Darth Vader, and now he's getting beaten down by UK street punks? You've had a long, hard fall, Obi-Wan.
Accused priest attempts suicide with 20-foot jump, police say
Posted on January 08, 2010The priest, who'd been removed from duty over abuse allegations, allegedly jumped from an interior balcony at a closed-up church in Joliet, Ill., authorities say. He didn't die, though he was taken to intensive care. (I'm not sure how they...
St. Louis rampage tied to lawsuit in KC?
Posted on January 08, 2010The Post-Dispatch has a follow-up on yesterday's workplace shooting in St. Louis, where a man named Timothy Hendron allegedly killed three coworkers and injured several others. As we noted yesterday, Hendron was a plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against his...
Have you seen this woman?
Posted on January 08, 2010From KCKPD: The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department?s Major Case Unit is requesting the public?s assistance in locating the person shown in the picture below. Annicka Martinez, Hispanic female, DOB 12/30/1979 is wanted for questioning in relation to the homicide...
Teenage girl slain in Cass County -- 1 in custody
Posted on January 08, 2010From Cass Co. Sheriff: Around 2:00 p.m. today the Cass County Sheriff?s Office received a 9-1-1 call in the 30200 block of S. Hess Road south of Harrisonville. Deputies arrived on scene and found a teenage female the apparent victim...
Grand jury investigating Sheriff Joe?
Posted on January 08, 2010In Maricopa County, Ariz., two county officials say they've received subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury that's looking into possible misconduct in Sheriff Joe Arpaio's department. It's not clear what *kind* of possible misconduct, though the AP notes...
Baby sitter killed 6-month-old, KC jury says
Posted on January 08, 2010From Mark Morris: A Jackson County jury found a Kansas City man guilty late tonight of murdering a 6-month-old child. Ralph L. Willis, 27, was convicted of second-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child and child abuse in the...
Snow-plow driver shot on the job in KC
Posted on January 08, 2010From KCPD: Officers were called this morning at 235 am to investigate a shooting. When they arrived they found a male who had been shot. The man, an on-duty KCMO plow driver, was parked underneath the I-470 overpass on James...
SWAT officer accused of 12 robberies in 2 weeks
Posted on January 08, 2010In the space of two weeks! Story is from Minneapolis. Investigators say he was actually late for a shift because he was committing a robbery.
Mo. Highway Patrol's leader to retire
Posted on January 08, 2010Col. James Keathley, the patrol's superintendent, says he'll retire in May. The governor says they're already searching for a replacement and should have one by the time Keathley leaves.
Murder charge in fatal hit-and-run
Posted on January 08, 2010Montrez E. Hughley, 17, is facing a charge of second-degree murder after he allegedly fled from police in a stolen car in July and hit another motorist, Cecil Robinson, who died from his injuries weeks later. (The stolen vehicle was...
No prison for wife who killed abusive, Nazi-loving husband
Posted on January 08, 2010Well, it's tough but fair. The prosecutors wanted her to spend at least one year in prison to show that "self-help" like this isn't OK, but it seems like everyone agreed that her battered-wife defense was justified.
Hug me, and I will Taser you
Posted on January 07, 2010A woman in Florida allegedly Tasered another person who was trying to hug her. It happened on Christmas, of all days.
Naked jogger apprehended near White House
Posted on January 07, 2010For some reason, they're taking him for a mental evaluation ...
Assault with meatloaf
Posted on January 07, 2010In Manatee County, Fla., a man is facing a domestic battery after he allegedly smeared a meatloaf in his wife's face. She had reportedly told him that she was leaving him. (Photo: Meatloaf is only PART of a well-balanced meal.)
3 dead at St. Louis workplace
Posted on January 07, 2010Not many details, but here's what the P-D has so far. Police think the gunman is still in the building, at last report. No word on the victims' conditions. Will update as information becomes available. UPDATE, 9:40 a.m. The authorities...
Open Thread ... Thursday
Posted on January 07, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Mo. sees HUGE drop in traffic fatalities
Posted on January 07, 2010Last year, the Missouri Highway Patrol recorded 860 fatal wrecks. In 2008, that number was 960.
Okla. man uses buttocks to smash ex's 72-inch TV, police say
Posted on January 07, 2010The ex-girlfriend is also his baby's mother.
Hatchet-toting girlfriend goes on booze-fueled rampage, cops say
Posted on January 07, 2010The couple had argued after her dogs messed up his cabin, authorities say. Then the gates of Hell opened up, and the girlfriend, who allegedly had been drinking, proceeded to attack his cabin with a hatchet and a .45-caliber handgun....
Driver, 92, hits diner, then orders breakfast, Fla. cops say
Posted on January 07, 2010From WESH-TV: The elderly driver was cited, after breakfast, for careless driving.
Charges filed in Lenexa bank robbery
Posted on January 07, 2010From the U.S. Attorney for Kansas: Franklin Landavazo, 33, Las Vegas, Nevada, is charged with one count of robbing by force, violence, and intimidation, Bank of the West, Lenexa, Kansas, on December 29, 2009. A federal criminal complaint filed on...
Chicago might drop police entrance exam
Posted on January 07, 2010I am sure this will help improve the quality of Chicago's police force ... Hat Tip: Many thanks, JoJo!
30 days for alleged victim who refuses to testify
Posted on January 07, 2010In Douglas County, a judge has ordered a man to spend 30 days in jail because he refuses to testify against two men, one of them a KC guy, who allegedly tried to rob him. (He ended up shooting them...
4 deaths on Mo. roads over New Year's holiday
Posted on January 07, 2010Actually, none of those fatalities occurred on Dec. 31 or Jan. 1, but the highway patrol's counting period extended to Jan. 3. Two of the deaths were in Bates County, which is part of Troop A. Guess how many DUI...
The child's birthday party from Hell
Posted on January 07, 2010Yesterday, we had a post about a Wisconsin woman who allegedly served Mike's Hard Lemonade and champagne to the children attending her daughter's birthday party. The kids ranged in age from 11 to 14. You would think, wow, that's a...
Fight over TV volume spirals out of control
Posted on January 07, 2010It's from Sheboygan. At some point, someone flung a pot of rice at the other party.
Holocaust Museum shooter was Mo. native
Posted on January 07, 2010I'd forgotten this, but James von Brunn -- the guy who killed museum guard Stephen Tyrone Johns earlier this year -- was originally from the St. Louis area and had a degree from Washington University.
Mom left kids in freezing car while she tanned, police say
Posted on January 07, 2010The case is from Connecticut. One kiddo is 3 years old, and the other isn't yet 1. The car wasn't running, despite the temperature being about 19 degrees, police allege.
Funeral homes gave brain in bag to family, suit claims
Posted on January 07, 2010Lawsuit in 3 ... 2 ... Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Another search tied to church investigation
Posted on January 07, 2010Jackson County deputies searched another home Wednesday as part of its investigation of the New Covenant Faith Center, aka the House of Prayer. This house is not far from the church and another home that were raided late Monday. Tony...
Where is Bradyn Fuksa?
Posted on January 07, 2010From Olathe PD: The Olathe, Kansas Police Department is seeking information on the whereabouts of a 22-year-old Missing Adult, MICHAEL "BRADYN" FUKSA. Bradyn was last seen in the Olathe, KS area on 07-15-09. The last known contact with Bradyn was...
Man accused of trespassing on his own land
Posted on January 07, 2010The defendant, a gentleman from Wisconsin, was actually Tasered when he confronted a construction company that didn't have a right to be on his land. The story doesn't say anything about the company facing any repercussions. Hat Tip: Many thanks,...
Olathe releases results from New Year's Eve patrol
Posted on January 07, 2010From Olathe PD: The Olathe KS P.D. conducted a saturation patrol on New Years Eve from 11:00 PM to 3:00 AM as part of a grant funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation. During the course of this enforcement effort,...
More about the Great McDonald's Freakout of 2010
Posted on January 07, 2010No word of any arrests yet, but Christine reports that KCPD got about a half-dozen "solid leads" on the woman who allegedly threw water and knocked over registers at the Mickey D's near Main and Linwood, reportedly because she wasn't...
"Uncle Ed" Muscare sentenced to 5 years
Posted on January 07, 2010For probation violations. Muscare, a former KC television personality, is a registered sex offender, owing to a sex crime involving a teenage boy back in the late 1980s. He reportedly violated his probation by posting clips to YouTube, which gained...
Should pregnant woman be punished for drinking, doing drugs?
Posted on January 07, 2010In Kentucky, a state legislator is pushing a bill that would charge women whose children are born with alcohol or illegal drugs in their system. Critics say it probably won't pass because officials worry such a law would lead these...
German cop accused of sex in church
Posted on January 06, 2010I spent half an hour thinking of puns. None of them could be printed without necessitating a visit to Human Resources.
Holocaust Museum shooter dies
Posted on January 06, 2010James von Brunn, the man charged with the fatal shooting at the Holocaust Museum in D.C., has died in a prison hospital.
Someone shoots blow-darts at ducks in south Florida
Posted on January 06, 2010I kept yelling "duck!" but they just sat there ...
Open Thread ... Wednesday
Posted on January 06, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Cop was OK to take man's gun, despite CCW permit, court says
Posted on January 06, 2010A federal appeals court says that a Massachusetts policeman was OK to pat down a lawyer carrying a concealed weapon and then seize the weapon, even though the man had a valid CCW permit. Snip: Officer Stern "executed a pat-frisk,"...
Now, THAT is a lovely mugshot
Posted on January 06, 2010I'm just wondering when they're going to bring charges against his barber.
Man rapes woman who tried to help him, police say
Posted on January 06, 2010From Christine Vendel: A man knocked on a woman?s door and asked for help to get his truck out of the snow, then allegedly raped her early today, Kansas City police said. The attack occurred about 1 a.m. near 37th...
Woman sues high school for letting her become a hooker
Posted on January 06, 2010From The AP: A Dutch court on Wednesday rejected a compensation claim by a woman who sued her former high school for allegedly failing to stop her from becoming a prostitute. Maria Mosterd claimed her school should have done more...
Girl was killed over MySpace post, Wash. police say
Posted on January 06, 2010A 16-year-old boy is accused of killing his 15-year-old girlfriend, then shooting himself in the shoulder to make it look like they were victims of a gang attack, police in Burien, Wash., say. The motive? The boy was reportedly upset...
If you're going to be a shoplifter, be a GREAT shoplifter
Posted on January 06, 2010An Oregon woman has pleaded guilty to shoplifting high-end clothing and purses from stores and then selling them online. She reportedly cleared $215,000 in the space of two years.
Mo. man could get 2 to 15 for underwear theft
Posted on January 06, 2010An Aurora, Mo., man has been found guilty of second-degree robbery after he stole a sports drink and a pair of boxer shorts from Wal-Mart. That's a crime that carries a potential punishment of 2 to 15 years. The man...
VIDEO: Flying kick knocks man into train's path
Posted on January 06, 2010In Beaverton, Ore., some friends were horsing around next to a transit train when one of them "executed a flying kick," which knocked his buddy onto the tracks. Amazingly, thanks to the ground at that particular spot, he was unharmed,...
Yet another case of instant karma
Posted on January 06, 2010In Great Britain, police are searching for a man who secretly installed a hidden camera in a store's dressing room -- which was quickly discovered by store employees. The camera took pictures of the bad guy while he was setting...
World of Warcraft leads to case of forbidden love
Posted on January 06, 2010A 42-year-old Texas woman -- a mother of four, BTW -- is facing charges after she allegedly flew to Canada and convinced her 16-year-old lovah to run away from home. The two of them reportedly fell in love while playing...
Former Mo. legislator to be sentenced
Posted on January 06, 2010Talibdin ?T.D.? El-Amin, a former state rep from the St. Louis area, is supposed to be sentenced today for taking a bribe -- from an undercover FBI informant.
Mom of 9 sues over being sterilized
Posted on January 06, 2010In Springfield, Mass., a woman is suing the hospital where she had her ninth child because, instead of inserting an IUD, they gave her a tubal ligation. (An IUD is reversible; tubal ligation, the story says, means she's done having...
Has lottery winner's luck run out?
Posted on January 06, 2010Abraham Shakespeare -- a former truck driver's assistant who won $30 million in a 2006 lottery -- is now a missing person, and authorities in Lakeland, Fla., think he might be the victim of foul play. The AP has an...
Should inmates be allowed to vote?
Posted on January 06, 2010A federal appeals court says that it's wrong for Washington state to deny inmates the right to vote. Why? The lawsuit contended that because nonwhites make up a large percentage of the prison population, a state law prohibiting inmates and...
Man sets coworker on fire, gets probation
Posted on January 06, 2010After the coworker, who required extensive skin grafts, wrote a letter to the judge say that he forgave the defendant and asked for leniency on the guy's behalf. Originally, the victim denied that he was set on fire during horseplay,...
What are deputies investigating at Independence church?
Posted on January 06, 2010We still don't have many answers about Monday's raid at New Covenant Faith Center, aka the House of Prayer, and a home in Independence. Jackson County authorities had a press conference to say they seized computers, numerous files, firearms and...
VIDEO: Woman throws fit in KC McDonald's
Posted on January 06, 2010Holy Cow ... KCPD is putting out this video of a woman who threw a bucket of mop water container of water at McDonald's employees and pulled an Incredible Hulk on their cash registers because they didn't fix her sandwich...
Suspect charged in Antwan Clark homicide
Posted on January 06, 2010KCPD says that Tony D. Garrett, 27, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Antwan Clark, who was fatally shot Sunday near 25th and Chestnut.
Short guy robs Wendy's in OP
Posted on January 06, 2010From Bob Cronkleton: A short man robbed an Overland Park Wendy?s restaurant early Wednesday morning, fleeing with an undetermined amount of cash. The man, who was described as 5 foot, 1 inch tall, walked into the Wendy?s near West 109th...
Police can search your car if it smells "too clean," Utah court says
Posted on January 06, 2010That's according to the Utah Court of Appeals, which says that an "overwhelming" smell of cleaners or air fresheners is all the suspicion that police need for a search. (A lady who got caught with 60 pounds of pot in...
Teen charged in road-rage stabbing
Posted on January 05, 2010From Joe Lambe: Johnson County prosecutors today charged a Shawnee teen with two counts of aggravated battery related to a Sunday road rage attack in Lenexa. Jake Ruether, 18, stabbed the victim twice in the chest after a fight broke...
Phill Kline to testify in Roeder trial?
Posted on January 05, 2010The former Kansas DA / JoCo DA -- who investigated abortion doctor George Tiller for possible violations of abortion law -- has been subpoenaed by lawyers for Scott Roeder, the Star reports. I'm guessing they're going to try and touch...
I'm dragging you from your home because I love you
Posted on January 05, 2010In Wisconsin, a 37-year-old woman is accused of leading a posse of relatives to drag her 18-year-old daughter away the girl's boyfriend, of whom Momma does not approve, police allege. Momma was later arrested while bowling.
Wis. mom serves Mike's Hard Lemonade at kid's party, police say
Posted on January 05, 2010There were 10 guests, ranging in age from 11 to 14. The birthday girl was 12. Mom is also accused of serving champagne, and the police are pretty sure the party was held at a Hampton Inn. "Our investigation revealed...
Open Thread ... Tuesday
Posted on January 05, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Cops take marijuana plants, leave ransom note
Posted on January 05, 2010In Marathon, Fla., authorities found six large marijuana plants growing in a vacant lot, thanks to a citizen's tip. Nobody was around, so the police left a ransom note, offering to sell the pot back to its rightful owner. The...
Robbery fails to ruin dinner at Taco Bell
Posted on January 05, 2010Two guys, one of them armed with a shotgun, robbed a Taco Bell about 8:30 last night in the 4000 block of Blue Ridge Cutoff, Kansas City police report. The bad guys cleaned out the registers and safe before escaping....
Man stole rhinestone-encrusted jacket, Chicago cops say
Posted on January 05, 2010They've arrested and charged a guy with the robbery after they caught him wearing the jacket in public. And really, with a jacket this fine, how could you not show this baby off? a black, waist-length jacket that had a...
Maybe forgiveness ISN'T the answer
Posted on January 05, 2010Local blogger Midtown Miscreant returns after a short holiday break with an update on a few local cases, including "Uncle Ed" Muscare, a favorite topic of his. (Double-M helped draw attention to Muscare's Internet adventures.) The takeaway: Maybe forgiveness isn't...
Never joke about explosives in your underwear
Posted on January 05, 2010Especially if you're about to board an airplane.
Celebrated lawyer-judge goes to prison
Posted on January 05, 2010Bobby DeLaughter -- a former prosecutor who helped get a conviction in the Medgar Evers murder -- is now serving a prison sentence for lying to the FBI, which was investigating him for bribery. DeLaughter was portrayed by Alec Baldwin...
The return of "Slap Butt Tuesday"
Posted on January 05, 2010In Niceville, Fla., a 14-year-old boy has been charged with battery for slapping the buttocks of a girl since Aug. 24, 2009, without her permission. (Also, he smelled her jacket, which just sounds Crispin-Glover-levels of creepy.) The suspect allegedly apologized...
They should have punted
Posted on January 05, 2010In Sacramento, Calif., two guys tried to run away from police, who were trying to arrest them for a burglary. Their escape route took them through a high school's football field -- where several police were practicing for a charity...
Toothpaste Defense fails crucial test
Posted on January 05, 2010In Massachusetts, a state legislator has been ordered to prison after he reportedly failed a Breathalyzer test, violating his probation. (He'd pleaded guilty to a hit-and-run accident.) His argument for why he failed the test: He hadn't been drinking, so...
Wizard says he pulled gun in locker room as joke
Posted on January 05, 2010Gilbert Arenas, a player for the Washington Wizards, says he pulled some unloaded guns in the team locker room, but says it was intended as a joke and he didn't point them at anyone. (The other player mentioned in rumors,...
Suspected killer has one regret: That he didn't kill more people, police say
Posted on January 05, 2010From AP: Newly released court documents say one of the men charged with killing a New Hampshire woman in her bed told police his only regret was that he didn't succeed in killing her 11-year-old daughter. Hat Tip: Many thanks,...
Vegas gunman was upset over Social Security, sources say
Posted on January 05, 2010The AP, citing unnamed sources, says the gunman who killed a security guard and wounded a deputy U.S. marshal yesterday in Las Vegas was allegedly upset about his Social Security benefits. He'd sued the government over the matter, but the...
The good news is nobody died
Posted on January 05, 2010In New York, a school-bus driver has pleaded guilty to 37 counts of child endangerment and DUI after she allegedly drove kids while she was drunk. (You've got to feel bad, at the end of video, for the little kid...
Legal theorists abandon the death penalty
Posted on January 05, 2010Years ago, the American Law Institute -- a large group of lawyers, judges and professors -- helped develop national standards for using the death penalty, ideas adopted by many in the legal profession. Last year, though, the group decided to...
Now, THAT is a lovely mugshot
Posted on January 05, 2010It's one thing to get busted for public intoxication. It's another to get busted while dressed like a Nazi. Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2!
Gambler threatens to kill racing horse
Posted on January 05, 2010In Great Britain, a man has pleaded guilty to threatening the life of a race horse, unless the horse was withdrawn from a competition. (The guy had forgotten to place a bet on behalf of a gambling syndicate. If the...
Mid-Mo. murder case keeps getting weirder
Posted on January 05, 2010Last week, we had a post about a murder case from Audrain County, Mo., over near Mexico. A trucker named Chester Harvey Jr. and his 19-year-old son, Chad, were accused of murdering a guy that Chester had picked up in...
Worship center raided by Jackson County
Posted on January 05, 2010From The Star: An Independence worship center and a nearby house were raided Monday night as part of an ongoing investigation. According to reporting partner KSHB-TV, the Jackson County Sheriff?s Department says it was looking for records, firearms and computers...
Is the U.S. being unfair to Mexican drug smugglers?
Posted on January 05, 2010Hahahahahahaha -- sorry, I got the giggles after typing that headline. Anyway, the Arizona Republic reports, the U.S. is trying a new tactic with drug smugglers that get caught at the Nogales ports of entry. You see, most smugglers are...
The prosecutors of the world dodge a giant bullet
Posted on January 05, 2010Two wrongly convicted men -- Terry Harrington and Curtis W. McGhee Jr. -- are going to be paid $12 million thanks to a settlement with Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and the men who prosecuted them. Harrington and McGhee's lawsuit raised a...
KC recorded more bias crimes in 2009
Posted on January 04, 2010There were 35 last year, about three times as many as 2008, Christine wrote in a piece that ran this weekend. It's not clear if there really were more or if the system is just getting better at logging these...
China arrests 5,400 for online porn
Posted on January 04, 2010That's porn, period -- they're not targeting child pornography, bestiality, etc. The Chinese government actively monitors how its citizens use the Web. Critics say that many of these pornography arrests are actually cases where the government is going after people...
They still don't think the Muhammad cartoons are funny
Posted on January 04, 2010Last week, an ax-wielding man tried to break down the front door of Kurt Westergaard, a Danish political cartoonist. Westergaard has been the object of death threats since he drew cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, something that many Muslims considered...
Abducted kids found 11 years later
Posted on January 04, 2010In Pennsylvania, police have arrested a woman named Jill Haugen, who -- authorities allege -- parentally abducted her two sons about 11 years ago. Guess how they caught her. She actually called them and said that she didn't want to...
Proof that God is watching over tweakers
Posted on January 04, 2010In Murfreesboro, Tenn., police found a man asleep next to a gas pump, amazingly NOT exploded, despite having an active meth lab in his back seat. An employee at the convenience store says the man had been there about an...
Open Thread ... Monday
Posted on January 04, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Ga. couple accused of tattooing their kids
Posted on January 04, 2010Six children allegedly received "black cross" tattoos on their hands after Mom and Dad reportedly laid hands on a tattooing device. (They used guitar strings for needles, police allege.) It's not clear if the kids WANTED the tats, but it...
Scott Roeder trial set for Jan. 11
Posted on January 04, 2010The prosecution's witness list now tops 220 people. And they'd like to add another 10 people, if the judge approves. Obviously, the church ushers who witnessed the murder are on the list, along with Roeder's family, various LEOs and an...
Secret Service investigating Obama effigy in Georgia
Posted on January 04, 2010In Plains, Jimmy Carter's hometown, of all places. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Bus rider cut woman's hair without her knowing, Ore. cops say
Posted on January 04, 2010An Oregon man, 22, is accused of cutting the hair of a woman while they were riding the bus. The woman, sadly, didn't know he was doing it because he was sitting behind her, police say. He's been charged with...
Abduction charges possible in unusual custody case
Posted on January 04, 2010In Fairfax County, Va., police are saying that parental-abduction charges are possible a woman, Lisa Miller, who refuses to hand over her child to her former partner. The two women had a civil union in Vermont, and Miller got pregnant...
Why they're packing heat at the Lawrence Humane Society
Posted on January 04, 2010It's because the shelter investigates reports of animal cruelty, and sometimes, the people being investigated aren't in a good place mentally. From the Journal-World: ?We?re dealing with people that might not be in the best position in their lives and...
Man uses bomb threat to rob OP pharmacy
Posted on January 04, 2010From Joe Lambe: Overland Park police today evacuated several businesses after a robber at a pharmacy put a clock on the counter and said it was a bomb. A heavy-set man demanded prescription medicine and left, police said. An employee...
Report: Man stabbed in Lenexa road rage case
Posted on January 04, 2010It reportedly happened Sunday near 95th and Quivira, after one vehicle cut off another, Fox 4 reports. The victim received several chest wounds and required open-heart surgery. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
More about the Mohlers
Posted on January 04, 2010Actually, AP says TWO of the Mohlers were in court today: In one of the brief hearings, a Lafayette County judge set a March 24 trial date for 72-year-old Darrel W. Mohler, of Silver Springs, Fla. Mohler, who was hunched...
"Uncle Ed" Muscare in court Wednesday
Posted on January 04, 2010For allegedly violating his probation by posting videos on "YouTube." (This report from WKMG-TV in Florida refers to him as "the singing sex offender.") Muscare, who used to be a TV host in Kansas City, pleaded no-contest in 1987 to...
Who killed Javier Reynoza?
Posted on January 04, 2010From KCKPD: The victim from the homicide that occurred on January 2, 2010 in the 1700 Block of Central Avenue has been identified. Javier Reynoza, Hispanic male, DOB 11/27/1972 was a Kansas City, Kansas resident. The victim?s family has been...
Where is Adam Herrman?
Posted on January 04, 2010It's been a year since Adam Herrman was reported missing -- which was about a decade AFTER he'd disappeared near Towanda, Kan. The report spurred several searches in Butler County, but nothing ever turned up. No charges yet, though the...
2 injured, shooter dead in Las Vegas federal building
Posted on January 04, 2010The victims were a deputy U.S. marshal and a court security guard, the AP reports. No word yet on the shooter's motive. Hat Tip: Many thanks, Jane
Federal criminal courts saw big jump in filings
Posted on January 04, 2010In his annual report, Chief Justice John Roberts says the federal criminal courts had an 8 percent jump in filings last year. Immigration prosecutions are a big reason. There were more marijuana cases, too, though drug cases overall were down.
KCPD has new Web site
Posted on January 04, 2010It looks like they've got the same information and features as the old site -- and actually, KCPD puts a lot of good stuff online -- but it's much easier to find things on the redesigned site.
Ind. robber made two big mistakes
Posted on January 04, 2010One, Indianapolis police say, he allegedly tried to rob a CVS using nothing more than a water-hose nozzle. Also, he kind of announced his plans: A police report said Abney approached an employee who was taking a smoking break outside...
Malaysian morality police crack down on hookups
Posted on January 04, 2010In Malaysia, the morality police had a crackdown on unmarried couples staying in hotel rooms on New Year's Eve. About 52 couples were arrested and, under Shariah law, face a maximum punishment of two years and a fine. These rules...
Who killed Antwan Clark?
Posted on January 04, 2010KCPD has named the victim of a homicide that reportedly happened Sunday afternoon at 25th and Chestnut. Antwan Clark, a Kansas City resident, was 22 years old. The authorities say he was shot, then taken by private vehicle to the...
Belgian thieves win Darwin Award
Posted on January 04, 2010For using (too much) dynamite to remove cash from an ATM machine. They used so much that it destroyed the building containing the ATM. More "winners" here. Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV!
Give me the McNuggets, and nobody gets hurt
Posted on January 04, 2010In Toledo, Ohio, a woman has pleaded not guilty to punching through a McDonald's drive-through window after she was told the restaurant was out of Chicken McNuggets.
Man uses baby as shield against Taser, Fla. police say
Posted on January 04, 2010Wow, that's pretty bad. On the bright side, there's no way he could sink any lower ... Witnesses said he screamed at law enforcement to tase the baby. Never mind.
Local homicide victim was 17 years old
Posted on January 04, 2010KCPD has identified the person who was found fatally shot in a car Saturday near 113th and Sycamore. Cortez Wilson was 17 years old, police say.
KCPD offers safety seminar for women
Posted on January 04, 2010It's scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 9 at the Kansas City Regional Police Academy. The cost is $25 per person and is open to females 12 and older. For more information, visit KCPD's site.
More threats against federal judges, prosecutors
Posted on January 04, 2010The number of threats doubled between 2003 and 2008, the Justice Department's inspector general reports. One of the big problems is that judges and prosecutors don't always report threats to the authorities so that investigators can take precautions. While there...
Boy, 9, slain while playing "Tony Hawk"
Posted on January 03, 2010The New York Post has a heart-breaking report about a 9-year-old boy, Anthony Maldonado, who was fatally stabbed while playing a video game, just days after he got a prized PlayStation for Christmas. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak
"America's Most Wanted" helps catch murder suspect
Posted on January 03, 2010In Florida, police have arrested Paul Merhige, one of the nation's most-wanted men, who's accused of shooting four relatives during a Thanksgiving celebration. The authorities say "America's Most Wanted" deserves credit for helping catch Merhige. Someone at the motel recognized...
1 shot, killed in 1700 block of Central Ave.
Posted on January 03, 2010From Glenn Rice: Kansas City, Kan., police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man found late Saturday in the 1700 block of Central Avenue. Police received the call just after 10 p.m. When officers arrived, they found a Hispanic...
2 used dead woman's credit card, Merriam police say
Posted on January 03, 2010Last week, JoCo authorities filed charges against Jeffrey A. Bendure, 41, and Lisa I. Smith, 39, because they allegedly used a credit card belonging to Angela Hook. Hook, a KCK woman, disappeared in early December and was found dead last...
Man fatally shot near 25th and Chestnut
Posted on January 03, 2010From KCPD: Today (01/03/2010) at 1:40pm, KCMO police were called to a residence in the 2500 block of Chestnut in regard to a shooting. Upon arrival, officer's were informed that the victim was shot in the front yard and transported...
1 shot dead at 113th and Sycamore
Posted on January 02, 2010From KCPD: Tonight (01/02/2010) at 8:26 pm, KCMO police were called to the intersection of 113th Street and Sycamore Terrace in regard to a one=car accident. Upon arrival, a black male (mid 20's) shooting victim was located in the driver's...
Montana to allow doctor-assisted suicide
Posted on January 02, 2010The Montana Supreme Court made the ruling on Thursday, becoming the third U.S. state to do so. (The other two are Oregon and Washington.) The patients have to be terminally ill and mentally competent to get a prescription for life-ending...
Will 2010 be marijuana's big year?
Posted on January 01, 2010From AP: Washington is one of four states where measures to legalize and regulate marijuana have been introduced, and about two dozen other states are considering bills ranging from medical marijuana to decriminalizing possession of small amounts of the herb.
Not remotely crime-related
Posted on January 01, 2010Iowa woman uses vacuum cleaner to battle deer.
Open Thread ... New Year's Weekend
Posted on January 01, 2010Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Things will be slow today and through the weekend....
Fund-raiser was actually for suspected killer, not victim, police say
Posted on January 01, 2010In Vancouver, Wash., an 18-year-old is facing theft charges after she reportedly organized a car wash to raise money for the family of a man killed in a hit-and-run. Instead, the money went to the 18-year-old's boyfriend -- the guy...
KCK investigating morning homicide
Posted on January 01, 2010From Karen Dillon: Kansas City, Kan., police are on the scene of the year?s second homicide. Police received a call about 7:55 a.m. about a shooting in an apartment at 2027 South Mill St. When they arrived, they found a...
KC's first homicide of the year
Posted on January 01, 2010From KCPD: On January 1, 2010, at 1:15am, KCMO police were called to Joshua's night club, 5701 Longview Rd, in regard to a shooting. Upon arrival officer's located a shooting victim in the parking lot. She was transported to a...
Charges dropped against Blackwater guards
Posted on January 01, 2010A federal judge has dropped all charges against five Blackwater security guards who were accused of fatally shooting 17 Iraqis during an incident in 2007. The Justice Department isn't happy -- neither is the Iraqi government. But the judge said...
Man committed robbery so he could avoid New Year's with wife, police say
Posted on January 01, 2010He didn't even try to get away -- he literally waited for the Sicilian police to come and arrest him.
Victim named, suspects charged in KC homicide
Posted on January 01, 2010Kansas City police have released the name of the city's first homicide victim of 2010, Latasha Prewitt, 25, of KCMO. Charges have been filed against two people, Keasha Ingram, B/F, 24-years-old, 1st degree Assault, Armed Criminal Action; and Jasmine Depriest,...
NBA players accused of drawing guns in locker room
Posted on January 01, 2010From CNN: Two Washington Wizards basketball players drew guns on each other during a heated Christmas Eve gambling debt dispute, the New York Post reported Friday. Law enforcement authorities said they were investigating an incident but gave no details...
Update on KCK homicide
Posted on January 01, 2010From KCKPD: On Friday, January 01, 2010 at about 0755 hours, the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department responded to a reported shooting in the 2000 Block of South Mill Street. Upon arrival, officers located a black female dead inside the...
The year in crime
Posted on December 31, 2009I'd forgotten how busy the crime beat was around Kansas City until I sat down and looked over the past year's worth of posts. I've tried to put together a list of the more prominent stores from Kansas City, Missouri...
Autopsy doesn't show how Angela Hook died
Posted on December 31, 2009From Jim Sullinger: Merriam police said today they are no closer to determining how Angela Hook died following an autopsy performed this morning. Lt. Mike Daniels of the Merriam Police Department said there were no signs of trauma on the...
Indictment in Gladstone beating death
Posted on December 31, 2009From Clay County prosecutor's office: On November 24, 2009 Gladstone Police Officers were asked to respond to North Kansas City Hospital regarding an assault that had occurred in Gladstone on November 20, 2009. The victim of the assault, Gary Harris,...
Now, THAT is an interesting question
Posted on December 31, 2009I saw this post at the io9 blog that raised an unusual question: If one conjoined twin was found guilty of murder, how should they be punished? Especially if their twin was innocent?
VIDEO: A cautionary tale about beer
Posted on December 31, 2009You could end up looking like this guy ...
Woman divorces man that she never met
Posted on December 31, 2009In Queens, N.Y., a woman didn't learn that her identity had been hijacked until she tried to get married -- and learned that someone had already "married" her and was claiming her kids as dependents. The good news is that...
Could California become the "Cuba of guns"?
Posted on December 31, 2009The state passed a law that requires microstamping technology in all new semi-automatics sold there. (Microstamping works by stamping a string of characters every time a gun is fired -- theoretically making shells at crime scene traceable to a statewide...
Do defendants have a right to info from "anonymous" tipster lines?
Posted on December 31, 2009In North Carolina, two men facing murder charges are demanding to see the information collected by the local CrimeStoppers hotline -- which received anonymous tips that led to their being charged in a young woman's slaying. They argue they need...
Open Thread ... Thursday
Posted on December 31, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Daddy, daughter decide to fake a kidnapping, La. cops say
Posted on December 31, 2009For fun, a Louisiana man and his 12-year-old daughter decided to play a joke on other motorists, police say. They allegedly put duct tape over her mouth and tied her hands together, then propped her in the front seat of...
Walking while drunk can be dangerous, too
Posted on December 31, 2009New Year's isn't just a bad time for drunk-driving crashes -- it's also one of the worst days for pedestrian deaths because a lot of those killed are walking while drunk and wander into traffic, MSNBC reports. Alcohol impairment is...
Man pleads guilty to putting "Love Guru" on Internet
Posted on December 31, 2009Have you seen this movie? Making this available on the Internet is like taking ebola monkeys to a maternity ward, just completely unacceptable.
Oklahoman, 20, accused of looting beer from stuck beer truck
Posted on December 31, 2009I'm not saying it's OK, but I understand.
Thieves steal jewelry off corpse
Posted on December 31, 2009Story is from Tennessee, where the bad guys apparently broke into a funeral home and stole the jewelry as the body lay in the casket.
Have you seen this man?
Posted on December 31, 2009From KCKPD: The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department?s Major Case Unit is still requesting assistance from the public in locating the person shown in the picture below. Andre S. Chapple Jr., is wanted in connection with the murder of Kansas...
If you insist on drinking and driving ...
Posted on December 31, 2009.. then the McGuire, Jennings and Miller Funeral Home of Rome, Ga., has a fantastic deal for you! The funeral home is offering free burials to anyone who signs a contract saying they plan to drink or get high on...
Lamb's head found inside IKEA microwave
Posted on December 31, 2009I just don't get Swedish interior design.
6 dead after shooting at Finland shopping center
Posted on December 31, 2009Including the gunman, authorities say, though it's not clear if he killed himself. More details here. (AP Photo/Lehtikuva/Jussi Nukari )
Joplin PD seeks man in toddler's death
Posted on December 31, 2009In Joplin, police are trying to arrest a man named Byron D. Lang, who's been charged with second-degree murder in connection with a 2-year-old's death there back in 2008. Lang skipped out on his bond, Kathee Baird reports, and though...
Man who shot KCPD officers is up for parole
Posted on December 31, 2009And a coalition of local law-enforcement officers is speaking out so that Saeed Aquil won't be released, Tony Rizzo reports. The shooting itself happened back in 1994 -- on Dec. 31, in fact. Sgt. Larry Schoen was hit in the...
Woman punches man after "weird sex," police say
Posted on December 31, 2009From the News Herald of Panama City: A 23-year-old man was punched in the face by his 18-year-old girlfriend moments after they finished having ?weird? sex according to a report from the Bay County Sheriff?s Office.
Praying for fewer murders
Posted on December 31, 2009From Christine: Religious and community leaders plan to gather New Year?s Day to remember Kansas City?s 2009 homicide victims and pray for less violence in 2010. The event, which is open to the public, is set for 10:30 a.m. Friday...
"Best man" wasn't particularly good
Posted on December 31, 2009In Houston, police are investigating after the best man in a wedding allegedly pulled a gun during the reception and robbed the D.J. Snip: But the groom told investigators he barely knows the guy. He said he was a last-minute...
Mo. trucker, son accused of torturing and killing man in basement
Posted on December 31, 2009In Audrain County, Mo., a trucker named Chester Harvey Jr. and his son, 19-year-old Chad, are accused of killing and torturing an Ohio man in their basement. It's not clear why the victim, James William Boyd McNeely, was killed or...
Missing person is OK, police say
Posted on December 31, 2009Jeffrey Clouse, a man reported missing from earlier in the week, has turned up safe and sound, KCPD says. No foul play was involved.
Dutch will use full-body scanners for U.S.-bound flights
Posted on December 30, 2009Yet another change prompted by last week's attempted terror attack on a plane from Amsterdam to Detroit. The Dutch already have these scanners in place, but haven't used them before on U.S. flights because of privacy concerns. Nigeria, the suspect's....
Reward raised in KC homicide
Posted on December 30, 2009From Christine Vendel: The widow of a man killed in a barber shop robbery in August has contributed $230 to a reward fund for information in the unsolved case. Tipsters now are eligible to collect up to $2,730 for information...
DUI suspect drives into snow plow in KC, police say
Posted on December 30, 2009From Christine Vendel: Kansas City police arrested a woman for driving under the influence after she crashed into a working snow plow early today. The snow plow driver said he was clearing snow northbound on Jackson Avenue near 19th Street...
You've been warned ...
Posted on December 30, 2009The Johnson County Sheriff's Office just sent out a note saying they're going to have extra deputies on the roads on New Year's Eve.
Westboro Baptist member to sue Nebraska officials
Posted on December 30, 2009Longtime readers will remember that Shirley Phelps-Roper, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, is facing criminal charges in Nebraska because she reportedly let her kid stand on a U.S. flag during a funeral protest. She's also accused...
Top attorney to head appeal for Mo. convict
Posted on December 30, 2009This is interesting: A lawyer named Kathleen Zellner -- who's responsible for getting 10 men exonerated in Illinois and has a national reputation -- is going to represent Ryan Ferguson, who's serving a 40-year sentence for the 2001 murder of...
This wasn't extortion, it was a "business arrangement"
Posted on December 30, 2009This one sets a new record for unmitigated gall. Remember the guy accused of blackmailing Letterman over his extramarital affair? Well, his new legal defense basically suggests that, basically, it's OK to blackmail celebrities. In court papers filed Tuesday, Robert...
Nixa man offered $15K to have wife, stepson killed, police say
Posted on December 30, 2009Jimmie M. Williamson allegedly tried to hire an undercover investigator to have his wife and stepson killed because she had filed for divorce, police say. From Kathee Baird's Crime Scene blog: When the cop asked Williamson if he still wanted...
Man buys a drink at bar ... then robs the place, Ore. cops say
Posted on December 30, 2009I think it was very sporting of him to give everyone a clear look at his face before he came back for the robbery. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Senior citizens help fight Medicare fraud
Posted on December 30, 2009The Senior Medicare Patrol is a volunteer group of senior citizens who are on the lookout for Medicare fraud. They visit nursing homes and community centers to get leads on possible fraud, get a basic narrative and forward that to...
Ill. couple sue after they say they were falsely arrested
Posted on December 30, 2009In Chicago, a couple was accused of burglarizing a house that, in reality, they had been hired to repair. Jonathan and Ashely Cooper even provided a work order to police when they arrived at the scene, having been called by...
Best Excuse Ever
Posted on December 30, 2009From the Southland Times of New Zealand: One woman went to her local council, visibly upset at having to pay for a ticket when she said it was impossible for her to have been in the area when the ticket...
Senate OKs new U.S. attorney for KC area
Posted on December 30, 2009Beth Phillips will be the first woman to serve as the U.S. attorney for the western Missouri region, once the president officially signs the necessary paperwork. Dave Helling has an article on her career so far.
I think you've got something on your face
Posted on December 30, 2009From AP: This photo provided by the Pinellas County Sheriff's office on Wednesday Dec. 30, 2009 shows Gregory J. Oras, 37. Authorities say Oras, the Florida man who called 911 claiming he'd been beaten and shot at was hoping the...
Girl, 11, and her boyfriend tried to kill mom, Fla. cops say
Posted on December 30, 2009By setting her bedroom on fire while she was asleep, the authorities allege. Mom survived, though she did suffer serious burns. Police think the motive was probably "probably just typical teenage angst." The mother and daughter had gotten into an...
1 dead, 1 hurt in KC shooting
Posted on December 30, 2009From KCPD: Tonight (12/29/09) at 9:59pm, KCMO police were called to a residence in the 5900 block of Cypress Place in regard to a shooting. Upon arrival, officer's located a shooting victim (b/m approximately 30yrs old) inside the residence with...
Missing woman's body found outside Shawnee Mission Med
Posted on December 30, 2009You probably remember Angela Hook from the posts that we had when she was reported missing. Sadly, her body was found in her car's back seat Tuesday afternoon outside Shawnee Mission Medical Center. It isn't clear how Hook, a KCK...
Security for 9/11 trial could cost $75 million-plus
Posted on December 30, 2009Considerably more, the New York police commissioner says. The city doesn't have enough officers, so they'll have to pay a lot of overtime. Officials say they're going to need financial assistance from the feds. No trial date has been set...
Hello, 911? My stolen truck just broke down
Posted on December 30, 2009Moron steals pickup ... then calls 911 when it breaks down, police say.
Employees use gift cards to rip off retailers, experts say
Posted on December 30, 2009Everybody loves gift cards -- including employees who are trying to rip off the stores that employ them, the New York Times reports. Clerks will use their access to put extra money on the cards, which are easier to sneak...
That is a lovely photograph ...
Posted on December 30, 2009The New York Post has published a photo of a jail guard asleep on the job ... and an inmate posing next to her.
2 hurt after street gun sale goes bad
Posted on December 30, 2009From Christine Vendel: Police said a man wanted to buy a gun so a passenger in his car directed him to a house in the 4400 block of Tracy Avenue. A man from the house came outside and showed a...
Open Thread ... Wednesday
Posted on December 30, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Arrest made in Metcalf Bank robbery
Posted on December 30, 2009This is the robbery that happened yesterday morning down south on Wornall, the FBI reports. No name of the suspect yet.
KCPD names victim from 59th and Cypress
Posted on December 30, 2009From KCPD: The deceased victim has been positively identified as 37-year-old Dwight Gibson of KCMO. There are no suspects in custody and detectives ask anyone with information to call the TIPS Hotline at 816.474.8477.
We have both kinds of sandwiches: bologna and PB&J
Posted on December 30, 2009In Macomb County, Mich., the inmates at the county jail will be eating nothing but bologna or PB&J sandwiches for the next few months after authorities found mold growing in their fridges. They don't have money for any replacements right...
Man used beer cans as "security alarm"
Posted on December 30, 2009A Fargo man apparently set a pile of beer cans next to his apartment door, which he used as a kind of security alarm, police say. (Anyone who entered would've knocked them over, creating a crash.) That's how he knew...
MISSING: Where is Jeffrey Clouse?
Posted on December 30, 2009From KCPD: JEFFREY B. CLOUSE, W/M, 35 YOA, 5?11? Tall, 165, brown hair, brown eyes, unknown clothing. Mr. Clouse was last seen on 12-29-2009 at 63 and Pennsylvania Ave. about 2200 hours he left in his gray, 2006 Hyundai 4-door,...
Why can't I ship my giant Death Gloves?
Posted on December 30, 2009Fact: There are some things that you simply cannot send through the mail. Like this. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Abandoned van spooks NYPD
Posted on December 30, 2009A couple of buildings had to be evacuated today while New York City police investigated a van that had been left in Times Square for a couple of days. The bomb squad was called out, and a robot was used...
New limits on Tasers?
Posted on December 29, 2009In San Diego, a federal appeals court has sided with a man who was Tasered during a traffic stop back in 2005. Snip from the Sacramento Bee: During his second traffic stop in Coronado, he got out of the car....
Can't a guy push a shopping cart full of bongs down the street?
Posted on December 29, 2009No. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
China executes Brit who might have been mentally ill
Posted on December 29, 2009Just a followup from yesterday's story: China has executed Akmal Shaikh, a British man who was convicted of smuggling heroin into the country. This is the first time in 50 years that China has executed a European citizen. The British...
Florida couple tries to sell baby for $30, police say
Posted on December 29, 2009In Pensacola, police have arrested a young couple who reportedly tried to sell a 2-month-old baby (hardly used!) for $30. They were allegedly approaching potential buyers in a PetSmart parking lot.
Jumping the border? There's an app for that
Posted on December 29, 2009In California, a group of professors is building a cellphone app that will help illegal immigrants cross the border safely, USA Today's On Deadline blog notes. The software would show where travelers could find water, for example. The developers say....
Do we need "nearly naked" body scanners?
Posted on December 29, 2009Another side effect of last week's attempted terror attack? There's going to be more support for airport scanners that can look under a passenger's clothes. Privacy advocates such as the ACLU have opposed these devices, saying they're too intrusive. (They...
Wrongly convicted man gets $3.25 million
Posted on December 29, 2009Boston has agreed to pay $3.25 million to Ulysses Rodriguez Charles, who spent 18 years in prison after he was convicted of raping three women during a home invasion. Charles was freed, though, after DNA tests couldn't tie him to...
Churchgoers report man, 80, for bank robbery
Posted on December 29, 2009Tony Rizzo has a story about a local man, 80-year-old Augusta Cannon, who is accused of robbing a south Kansas City bank on Dec. 22. Authorities say he was reported by a pastor and several churchgoers, who said they recognized...
Toddler hospitalized after taking PCP
Posted on December 29, 2009From Christine Vendel: A 21-month-old child went into respiratory arrest Sunday after ingesting PCP in his mother?s apartment in the 1600 block of Bellefontaine Avenue. Prosecutors on Monday charged Velma C. Scott, 32, with felony child endangerment. Court records accuse...
Man threatens woman with witchcraft if she doesn't date him, police say
Posted on December 29, 2009In one of the 110 calls that he made to her, the Fort Pierce, Fla., police allege, the man also threatened to blow up her apartment. Snip: The report did not state whether the man actually practices witchcraft.
Son fights dad after being told to fix his own lunch, Fla. police say
Posted on December 29, 2009Why does "keeping it real" lead to such unreal stories? Jason Werry hurled a candleholder at his father, hitting him in the head. Jay Werry, who has a concealed weapons permit, pulled a gun on his son. Jason Werry hit...
Somebody needed to learn a lesson ...
Posted on December 29, 2009In Port St. Lucie, Fla., a 39-year-old man is accused of using a pellet gun to shoot a boy, 14, in the chest. The boy had shot another kid, so the man was trying to "teach him a lesson." That...
Man made pregnant girlfriend drink bleach, Pa. cops say
Posted on December 29, 2009He allegedly did that because he thought that she had cheated on him, authorities say. He's been charged with assault against her and the unborn baby.
Sea lion killed execution-style
Posted on December 29, 2009By a fisherman who was frustrated that the sea lion kept taking his fish, authorities allege.
Open Thread ... Tuesday
Posted on December 29, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
NYC crime rate hits record low
Posted on December 29, 2009New York's homicide count was in the 460s at last report, compared to 516 last year. Experts say it hasn't been this low since 1963, when the current record-keeping system started. City officials say the reductions are due to police...
Was N.J. dad right to remove his son from Brazil?
Posted on December 29, 2009Another local blog, Hip Suburban White Guy, has a different take on the case of David Goldman, who just won a long legal battle to get his 9-year-old son back after several years in Brazil. If David Goldman REALLY had...
Open Thread ... Monday
Posted on December 28, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
L.A. cops avoid gang duty because of financial disclosure
Posted on December 28, 2009Los Angeles is having a hard time staffing its gang units because of new financial disclosure rules that require officers to reveal all of their assets and debts. The measure is intended to fight corruption -- L.A.P.D. had a problem...
Ex-beauty queen accused of Social Security fraud to get school loans
Posted on December 28, 2009Unusual case from Alaska, where a former Miss Anchorage is accused of getting a new Social Security number so that she could apply for more school loans after she'd reached the lifetime maximum for federal education assistance. (She's a Rhodes...
Victims capture robber in Lenexa, police say
Posted on December 28, 2009From Grace Hobson: Victims of an attempted robbery in Lenexa last night were able to subdue their armed attacker and hold him until police arrived, police said today. A man armed with a handgun entered the victims? home around 7:15...
UPDATE: Brothel to offer male prostitutes
Posted on December 28, 2009A few weeks ago, we heard about an effort to legalize the use of male prostitutes at Nevada brothels. Because of a quirk in the state regulations, prostitutes had to have a cervical exam -- something that guys physically can't...
Where is Donnell Minton?
Posted on December 28, 2009From KCPD: Donnell L. Minton, B/M, 25 YOA, 5?9? Tall, 260lbs, black hair, brown eyes, unknown clothing. Mr. Minton was last seen on 12-26-2009 at 6730 Askew about 0100 hours he left by unknown means and has since contacted friends...
More cities keep their police copters on the ground
Posted on December 28, 2009Because of budget problems, several cities had to ground their police helicopter units, including places like Oakland and Colorado Springs, the New York Times reports. Topeka's helicopter unit was cut because of budget problems, though there was talk that they...
Why didn't they catch terror suspect sooner?
Posted on December 28, 2009Critics are asking why Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was allowed aboard a Detroit-bound plane, which he allegedly tried to destroy, after his father warned authorities and Abdulmutallab was added to the government's terrorism database. The White House is already planning to...
Mo. man shot and killed while stealing truck
Posted on December 28, 2009In St. Louis, an 18-year-old was shot and killed when he reportedly to drive off with a pickup that its owner had left running outside a house early Sunday. The owner came out as he was driving off, though, and...
Is it self-defense? Or an excuse for murder?
Posted on December 28, 2009The Miami Herald reports that some prosecutors are unhappy with Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law -- meaning that citizens don't have to try and run away before they use deadly force to defend themselves. There have been a handful of...
Teens still missing 10 years later
Posted on December 28, 2009The Joplin Globe has a piece here about Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible, two Oklahoma girls who disappeared on Dec. 30, 1999. That was Freeman's 16th birthday, and it was the night that police found her parents murdered in their...
Does Kansas need a primary seatbelt law?
Posted on December 28, 2009Right now, police in Kansas can only ticket someone for a seatbelt violation if they've already stopped them for something else, such as speeding. Some legislators want to change this so that motorists can be stopped for not wearing a...
Nelly offers $10K reward in burglary
Posted on December 28, 2009Nelly, the St. Louis-based rapper, is offering a $10,000 reward after a man broke into his home in Wildwood, Mo., and made off with a duffel bag full of electronics earlier in December, the AP reports.
Missouri seeing another big drop in traffic deaths?
Posted on December 28, 2009The highway patrol says that 839 people have died on Missouri roads this year, compared to 942 at the same point last year. The total for last year was 960. Barring a major catastrophe, it looks like the Show-Me State...
Victim's mom wants new trial for West Memphis Three
Posted on December 28, 2009Pamela Hobbs, the mother of murder victim Stevie Branch, says there should be a new trial for three men who were convicted of killing Branch and two other 8-year-olds in 1993 in West Memphis, Ark. The defendants were teenagers at...
Kansas facing huge DNA backlog
Posted on December 28, 2009There's a backlog of approximately 30,000 DNA samples waiting to be analyzed at the state's crime lab, the Eagle reports. That's because Kansas has started requiring DNA samples from people arrested for felony crimes, which has greatly increased their workload...
Remember, the crooks are watching your trash
Posted on December 28, 2009Just a quick reminder: Be careful what you throw away over the next week or so. A lot of burglars like to watch for houses that have thrown out boxes for new computers, TVs, etc. It's another way they can...
Toys 'R' Us store loses all of its shopping carts
Posted on December 28, 2009In New York, police are investigating after someone (or several someones) stole more than 500 shopping carts from a new Toys 'R' Us in the Bronx. The thefts started around Thanksgiving and continued all of them were gone. The carts...
Excuse me, is that a pot roast in your pants?
Posted on December 28, 2009In Fort Walton Beach, Fla., a 41-year-old man is accused of stealing a $69.16 pot roast from a Winn-Dixie by stuffing the meat down his pants. A store manager stopped him, police say.
No spillover violence from Mexico?
Posted on December 28, 2009U.S. authorities were worried that violence from Mexico's war on drugs would spill into this country, but judging from homicide totals in several border cities, that's not been the case, USA Today reports. Cities like Tucson, El Paso and San...
Jon Gosselin's apartment burglarized, trashed
Posted on December 28, 2009Whatever didn't get stolen was apparently destroyed. Also, the guilty party used a butcher knife to leave behind a note "speared" to his dresser. Why do bad things happen to good irritating people? Hat Tip: Many thanks, Searching!
Update on last week's attempted terror attack
Posted on December 28, 2009If you haven't heard already, federal prosecutors have charged Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian native, with trying to destroy an airliner flying from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas. Luckily, his explosives caught fire instead of detonating. A Dutch tourist named...
Adoptive parents want to return boy, 11, after attempted arson
Posted on December 28, 2009In Oklahoma, a married couple is asking to return the 11-year-old boy they adopted because he has severe problems -- including, ABC News reports, "reactive detachment disorder, disruptive behavior disorder, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and fetal alcohol syndrome...
Mo. troopers find pot hidden in Christmas presents
Posted on December 28, 2009Troopers made the discovery during a traffic stop last week on Interstate 44 near Joplin -- a couple of out-of-staters had reportedly been speeding. The authorities say they found about 20 pounds of pot inside wrapped Christmas presents and some...
Almost 2,600 murdered in Juarez in 2009
Posted on December 28, 2009National Public Radio has a good piece here about the state of affairs in Juarez, which they describe as the murder capital of the Western Hemisphere. The story answers an important question: If so many people are murdered there, what...
Something awful happened at Wal-Mart
Posted on December 28, 2009I think the faked heart attack is my favorite part.
Judge will consider Roeder's "defense of others" argument
Posted on December 28, 2009From AP: A Kansas judge will hear further arguments on whether a man who has confessed to killing a Wichita abortion provider may present evidence on the ?use of force in defense of another.? Sedgwick County District Judge Warren Wilbert...
La. cops keep Corvette as "teaching tool"
Posted on December 28, 2009Liked this story about a Louisiana police department turning a Corvette, seized during a drug case, into their DARE car. Snip: Kenner Police Chief Steve Caraway said the car, now painted the same black and white of the police cars,...
Thief steals $40K worth of cheesecake
Posted on December 28, 2009The cheesecakes, along with the tractor-trailer they were in, were stolen in Orlando, police say.
Does this man deserve to be executed?
Posted on December 28, 2009Chinese authorities are preparing to execute a British national named Akmal Shaikh for drug smuggling, but his family says Shaikh is a homeless man with mental illness who was tricked into smuggling drugs. (They say he was told he'd become...
Why Kansas needs nurses who can do rape exams
Posted on December 28, 2009The Journal-World has a story about the need for nurses who are trained to conduct "rape exams" that gather evidence in sexual-assault cases. In some Kansas towns, the local hospital doesn't have staffers who can do that, so the victim...
Gang of muggers picked the wrong victim
Posted on December 26, 2009In New York City, police are investigating after a group of men reportedly tried to drag a woman off a subway car -- which led her to fatally stab one of them in the chest and escape on a different...
Mo. trooper killed while helping motorists
Posted on December 26, 2009Cpl. Dennis Engelhard, 49, was killed while working Christmas duty. He was helping at the scene of a wreck on Interstate 44 near Eureka when another vehicle lost control and struck him. Engelhard is the first Missouri trooper to be...
How Charlie Sheen spent Christmas
Posted on December 26, 2009From AP: This picture provided by the Aspen Police Department on Friday, Dec. 25, 2009 shows Charlie Sheen. Sheen has been arrested in Aspen, Colo. on charges related to an alleged case of domestic violence. Authorities said Sheen was arrested...
Salvation Army major robbed, murdered for his kettle
Posted on December 26, 2009While his children watched. On Christmas Eve. Stay classy, North Little Rock. Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV
Open Thread ... Weekend Edition
Posted on December 26, 2009Sorry, sports fans, things will probably be very quiet today. As always, the OT is open, but regular service won't return until Monday. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments, and please avoid profanity, as well...
Report: No evidence of ACORN fraud
Posted on December 24, 2009The Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan government office, says it couldn't find any evidence that ACORN committed voter fraud or broke federal financing rules -- though ACORN's critics say they don't believe the report.
Man decides to firebomb ex-girlfriend's house, police say
Posted on December 24, 2009Only he went to the wrong house.
Say, how's Bernie Madoff doing?
Posted on December 24, 2009The other day, I saw an item about Madoff being transferred to a prison medical center. It turns out he need treatment for "facial fractures, broken ribs and a collapsed lung," which makes it sound like he need to be...
More U.S. kids taken overseas in parental abductions
Posted on December 24, 2009Over the past two years, there's been a big increase in the number of U.S. kids who are taken overseas during parental abductions, the Christian Science Monitor reports, citing State Department figures. There's been an increase in the number of...
Cop's badge deflects bullet
Posted on December 24, 2009In Oakland, Tenn., a town near Memphis, an officer says his heavyweight badge -- and his bullet-resistant vest -- helped stopped a bullet during a traffic stop early today.
They call him Mr. Plow
Posted on December 24, 2009In Reinfeld, Germany, police stopped a 7-year-old boy who "borrowed" a front-end loader from his parents' business and, you know, plowed all the snow in town. He said he did it after his dad complained about the roads. Hat Tip:...
Man claims he smothered dad in self-defense, police say
Posted on December 24, 2009In St. Pete, Fla., police are investigating after a California man allegedly smothered his 83-year-old father with a pillow and claimed self-defense. Investigators say they doubt this was a mercy killing because the elderly man wasn't good sick and still...
Man holds 3 hostage in Va. post office, police say
Posted on December 24, 2009In Wytheville, Va., a man in a wheelchair held three people hostage for several hours yesterday at a post office, police say. Luckily, it ended peacefully, and everybody was OK. Early reports indicated the man might have had explosives strapped...
Grandma kills herself after giving pot cookie to grandson, police say
Posted on December 24, 2009What a tragic story -- a Denver woman reportedly committed suicide after she gave her 3-year-old grandson a peanut-butter cookie made with cannabis butter, the AP reports. The next morning, she couldn't wake him up, so she called an ambulance....
2 more arrests in Christmas Eve robbery
Posted on December 24, 2009From Glenn Rice: Clay County authorities have arrested two more men accused of taking part in a Northland burglary on Christmas Eve 2006 in which the owner was beaten and a safe was stolen. Arthur Hopkins of Kansas City and...
Molestation case could be even worse than expected
Posted on December 24, 2009Yesterday, we had a post about Dr. Earl Bradley, a Delaware man accused of molesting young patients and videotaping the assaults. Police said there were at least 16 victims, some as young as 6 months old. A state official now...
More people buying personal breathalyzers
Posted on December 24, 2009This is a weird little trend, but experts say there's a burgeoning market for privately-owned breathalyzers, USA Today reports. Police aren't thrilled, though, because they don't think people are going to use them correctly and, thus, will think they're OK...
Somebody has a confession to make ...
Posted on December 24, 2009In Spokane, Wash., a man allegedly rammed his truck into his church because they wouldn't pay him in cash for $70 in electrical work that he did for them. A church official says they tried to give him a check,...
Will New Jersey man get his son back?
Posted on December 24, 2009Five years after his son was taken to Brazil, David Goldman appears to have won a long legal battle to reclaim his 9-year-old son, Sean. The country's Supreme Court has sided with him, and the boy's Brazilian relatives say they...
You woke up on the wrong side of the bed ...
Posted on December 24, 2009... if you threaten to cut a cat in half because somebody woke you up too early.
Wrongly convicted man sues LAPD
Posted on December 24, 2009You might remember the case of Bruce Lisker from earlier this year, when Lisker was freed after 26 years in prison and cleared of murdering his mother. Now? He's suing the city of Los Angeles, LAPD and the detectives who...
There ARE other fish in the sea -- mostly pirahnas
Posted on December 24, 2009In South Bend, Ind., four guys thought they were going on a date with some women they met over a chatline, but they were attacked by two guys who showed up with guns, robbed them and took all of their...
UK fugitive updates Facebook while on the run
Posted on December 24, 2009This is funny: British authorities are still looking for Craig Lynch, 28, who escaped from a prison near Suffolk back in September. They haven't been able to apprehend despite the fact that Lynch regularly updates his Facebook status with details...
There is a special place in Hell ...
Posted on December 24, 2009... for someone who would steal a dog from a little girl with autism. Duke also allows her to pet and hug him, which helps calm her down and ease the anxiety she suffers as part of her developmental disability....
Open Thread ... Wednesday
Posted on December 23, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
NYC's pot crackdown is biased, study says
Posted on December 23, 2009A new study argues that New York City's emphasis on arresting people for marijuana isn't fair, the New York Times reports. According to surveys, white people were among the heaviest users of pot, but they were arrested much less often...
WyCo DA wants death sentence in quadruple homicide
Posted on December 23, 2009A judge has cleared the way for capital murder charges against Adrian Burks, who's accused of slaying four people earlier this year, including a 3-year-old girl. Burks pleaded not guilty during yesterday's preliminary hearing. The victims were James Warren, 66;...
Doctor accused of "brutal attacks" on kids, Del. police say
Posted on December 23, 2009In Delaware, a pediatrician named Earl B. Bradley is accused of molesting 16 patients, some no older than six months old. The police say they have videotapes that Bradley apparently made of the assaults. Snip from AP: An explicit 18-page...
Not remotely crime-related
Posted on December 23, 2009Pennsylvania teen suspended for coming to school dressed like Santa -- which is exactly what school officials warned him would happen when he told them about his plans several weeks ago. Obviously, he is being oppressed. When asked if he...
Plea deal in fatal JoCo hit-and-run
Posted on December 23, 2009Rita Huscher, an 84-year-old art teacher from Olathe, was killed back in June when a tractor-trailer hit her minivan from behind and caused her to hit a bridge pillar. Clark Montgomery Jr., the suspected driver, has agreed to plead guilty...
St. Joe robbery suspect acts as his own lawyer
Posted on December 23, 2009Say, how did that go? More than once, Monk referred to Judge Dan Kellogg as ?Kelloggs,? like the cereal brand. When his ex-girlfriend testified that he confessed the robbery to her, Monk declared her statements ?hearsay? and then seconds later...
Everybody wants to be on the radio
Posted on December 23, 2009Near Philadelphia, a man was arrested after he allegedly hopped in an unattended police cruiser and, well, started talking on the radio. He helpfully gave both his name and address and stuck around for police to arrest him, authorities say....
But he brought enough for everybody!
Posted on December 23, 2009In Selma, Ind., a fifth-grader handed out $300 to other kids on his school bus on the day before Christmas break, authorities say. Don't worry -- it wasn't his money. He allegedly stole $10,000 from his grandparents' safe. Eventually, the...
Minn. woman accused of tearing man's genitals
Posted on December 23, 2009There was a tear that was bad enough to require stitches, the Winona Daily News reports. The victim, who showed officers his wound, said the suspect, a 54-year-old woman, had grabbed his genitals and pulled hard. When questioned by police,...
Sex charges dropped against Mo. pastor
Posted on December 23, 2009In Newton County, Mo., prosecutors have dropped all charges against George Otis Johnston, a 66-year-old pastor who faced several counts of child molestation and statutory sodomy. The authorities say some witnesses have changed their earlier stories or taken them back...
Safety first! Public nudity second!
Posted on December 23, 2009A New Zealand constable said she recently stopped two naked men on bicycles and gave them a warning -- that they really should be wearing helmets if they're going to be riding bicycles. (The constable's last name? Duder. As in:...
One dies from last night's double shooting
Posted on December 23, 2009From KCPD: On 12/22/09, at 8:38pm, officers received several calls of a shooting in the area of 35th and Euclid. Officers responded to the area and located two male victims suffering from apparent gunshot wounds in the 3400 block of...
There's a knife in my chest? No biggie
Posted on December 23, 2009In Warren, Mich., a man walked into a burger joint last night with a 5-inch knife embedded in his chest. He said he was waiting for an ambulance, then calmly ordered a cup of coffee, sat down and started chatting...
Sex and murder ... at an adult daycare?
Posted on December 23, 2009In Edinburg, Texas, a 76-year-old man reportedly shot another patient at an adult daycare and then himself was fatally shot by police. Investigators found a letter on the man's body: He was upset because he thought the victim had paid...
Should Kansas spend $40 million to expand Sexual Predator program?
Posted on December 23, 2009In Kansas, the state can keep a sexual predator locked up indefinitely, even after he's finished his sentence, if the authorities believe he has a high chance of reoffending. (A process deemed "intriguing" and "practical" and "maybe not so constitutional,"...
Teen says she was raped while passed out
Posted on December 23, 2009In Olathe, two adults have been accused of raping a 16-year-old girl who'd passed out back in August, KMBC reports. Lisa Money and Oneth Savery face several charges. The station interviewed a girl who says she's Money's daughter -- she...
Morons try to trade stolen lizard for booze, Ky. police say
Posted on December 23, 2009The lizard, a bearded dragon, was allegedly stolen from a pet hospital, authorities in Morehead, Ky., say. Officers later got a tip that two men had tried to pawn a reptile. When the attempt failed, police said the men went...
Why small nonprofits are ripe targets for fraud
Posted on December 23, 2009MSNBC has a smart piece here about fraud at smaller charities and nonprofits -- and why it's more common to find fraud and embezzlement at a PTA or booster club than a larger organization like Red Cross. The really big...
Mommy, why are the reindeer sleeping?
Posted on December 23, 2009Sometimes, the only way you can help reindeer is by shooting them. Hat Tip: Many thanks, Patty PV!
Mexican police try to win U.S. tourists' hearts
Posted on December 23, 2009I'm not sure if you had heard, but Mexico has been having a little murder problem lately. And that's been cutting into their tourism dollars. (It's not clear if there's been an impact on other industries.) To woo back U.S....
OP woman accused of killing newborn
Posted on December 23, 2009Joe Lambe has a report about Alice Zeorlin, 25, an Overland Park woman who's accused of killing her secret newborn by putting the baby in garbage bags in a fridge. Zeorlin had a preliminary hearing yesterday and will stand trial...
Coming soon to a seedy neighborhood near you
Posted on December 23, 2009Plans are being made for a nationwide tour of the Stripper-Mobile.
Mother of the Year?
Posted on December 23, 2009What kind of woman leaves her 5-month-old under a porch so she can go Christmas shopping at Walgreens?
Man lit himself on fire, jumped off cliff
Posted on December 23, 2009Story is from Dana Point, Calif. -- it's one of the more unusual suicides that I've read about.
If the economy tanked, shouldn't crime have gone UP?
Posted on December 22, 2009The Crime Report, a web site from John Jay College, has a post here about the crime stats released yesterday by the FBI. It's been received knowledge that, whenever the economy sours, crime rates usually increase. Only the feds say...
Convicted killer still wants sex change on taxpayers' dime
Posted on December 22, 2009Michelle Kosilek -- born Robert -- went to prison after killing her wife back in 1990. Kosilek wants the state to pay for a sex-change operation, which will help her anxiety and depression, her lawyers say. Denying her that surgery,...
Scott Roeder isn't going anywhere
Posted on December 22, 2009The judge has decided to keep the trial in Sedgwick County, despite defense arguments that pretrial publicity has made it impossible to get a fair trial there.
How a good man became a carjacker
Posted on December 22, 2009The Des Moines Register has a story about a man named Richard Neil Brown, who apparently killed himself after he stole a 2009 Impala from an elderly man. Brown, who leaves behind a wife and a young daughter, had lost...
N.Y. teen accused of horse buggery
Posted on December 22, 2009Like, on several occasions. As the police put it, "This guy makes Michael Vick look like a charter member of PETA." Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Police explain why officers shot dog
Posted on December 22, 2009KMBC has a piece about KCPD explaining why its officers shot and killed a dog during a standoff this weekend. (Neighbors apparently caught that on video.) The department says that officers were worried the animal might complicate their entry into...
A ray of hope for Roman Polanski?
Posted on December 22, 2009Or "Roaming Roman," as we call him at my house. As reported yesterday, an appeal court in California rejected Polanski's efforts to get his original sex-crime case dismissed. But the court also suggested there might be another way for Polanski...
Feds prosecute more immigration crimes, report says
Posted on December 22, 2009Federal prosecutors handled more cases than ever during the 2009 fiscal year -- experiencing a jump of nearly 9 percent, the New York Times reports. They're especially busy with immigration violations. Snip: Much of the spike, immigration experts say, arises...
KCK man killed in apparent domestic dispute
Posted on December 22, 2009UPDATED, from KCKPD: The victim from the homicide that occurred on Monday, December 21, 2009 in the 2900 Block of Hutchings Street has been identified. Wesley U. Smith, black male, DOB 03/24/1956 was a Kansas City, Kansas resident. The victim?s...
Now, THAT is a lovely mugshot
Posted on December 22, 2009Not sure what the police are thinking: He sure doesn't LOOK like someone who would threaten to blow up a post office.
Baby stroller used to steal iPods, OP police say
Posted on December 22, 2009From OPPD: Overland Park Police are asking for assistance in identifying three suspects who stole 11 IPods from inside a display counter of a retail store and then concealed them in a baby stroller. Total value of the loss $4,500.00....
Man admits to driving forklift while drunk
Posted on December 22, 2009You see, officer, I got my truck stuck in this ditch. Then my buddy, his truck got stuck while he was trying to pull ME out. And that's when I decided to get the forklift ... Hat Tip: Saw this...
We've got nothing to hide, nope, not a thing
Posted on December 22, 2009The Philly Daily News has a report about a respected police officer who's now facing charges of sexual assault. The department learned about the allegations in 2007 and arrested the man last month, one day after he retired. There was...
Holiday Cab rides again
Posted on December 22, 2009Holiday Cab -- the program that gives partiers a free / discounted cab ride home from local bars -- will run from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Dec. 26 through Dec. 31, KMBC reports. The first $25 of the cab...
Cabbie cheated out of $3,000 fare
Posted on December 22, 2009A Miami cab driver agreed to drive a man from that city to Memphis so the man could make it home for Christmas, a ride that would cost about $3,000. Over the phone, the passenger's girlfriend said that she would...
Off with their ears and noses, Pakistani court rules
Posted on December 22, 2009In Pakistan, a court has ordered authorities to cut off the ears and noses of two brothers who reportedly did the same thing to a female cousin, who'd refused to marry one of them. The brothers were also sentenced to...
UK priest suggests shoplifting
Posted on December 22, 2009But only if you're in financial straits! He says that shoplifting is better than, say, whoring oneself or selling drugs. Snip: "My advice as a Christian priest is to shoplift," Jones reportedly told churchgoers during his Sunday sermon. "I do...
What were the dumbest crimes of 2009?
Posted on December 22, 2009I'm working on a year-in-review post for next week, and I wanted to pick your brain: What were the dumbest crimes of 2009? They don't necessarily need to have appeared on Crime Scene before, though please post a link so...
Dear 911, my kid won't stop playing video games
Posted on December 22, 2009A mother in Boston called 911 because her 14-year-old son wouldn't stop playing Grand Theft Auto at 2:30 in the morning. Amazingly, Mom was not hauled off to jail. Instead, the officers talked the kid into going to bed. Hat...
You can run, but -- well, I guess you CAN hide
Posted on December 22, 2009A Florida fugitive was allegedly arrested over the weekend near Ridgedale, Mo., on the Arkansas border -- where he's been living in secret for the past 31 years. His girlfriend / baby mother had no idea of his past as...
Elderly man learns he was a "black market baby"
Posted on December 22, 2009Interesting story here about an Oklahoma man who learns that his birth mother, desperately poor during the Great Depression, sold him for a typewriter and money to pay her hospital bill.
Open Thread ... Tuesday
Posted on December 22, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Crime dropped in first half of 2009, report says
Posted on December 21, 2009The FBI has released a report with preliminary crime statistics for the first six months of 2009, and the results are pretty positive. Violent crime overall was down 4.4 percent, and property crime was down 6.1 percent compared to the...
UPDATE: Boy had dozens of needles shoved in his body
Posted on December 21, 2009Just a quick update about the Brazilian boy who had to have dozens of needles removed from his body. Stepdad, who was already a suspect, has allegedly confessed. He says he did it because he wanted to spite the boy's...
Have sex with my wife, or else!
Posted on December 21, 2009This next story will blow your mind: A Minnesota man is accused of forcing another man to have sex with his wife -- and using a gun, a knife and a crowbar as incentive. There's a lot to summarize here,...
Cat found glued to Minn. highway
Posted on December 21, 2009Luckily, a couple of kind passersby found the poor beast and pried it from the roadway, then took it to a shelter. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
L.A. cops investigating Brittany Murphy death
Posted on December 21, 2009The early report from the coroner says that Murphy, who starred in "8 Mile," apparently died from natural causes at age 32. There's still going to be autopsy -- maybe today or tomorrow -- as well as toxicology tests, so...
Mo. Highway Patrol plans DUI patrols in Clay, Jackson counties
Posted on December 21, 2009Sometime between now and the end of the year. Again, driving while intoxicated is a dumb idea most times of the year. It's especially stupid right now because most local agencies are going to be out in force over the...
Man stabbed with ice pick over parking spot, Mo. cops say
Posted on December 21, 2009In Springfield, Mo., police say an 18-year-old woman is suspected of using an ice pick to stab a man several times after he allegedly took her parking spot. She's been arrested, but not charged at this point.
Is Sheriff Joe overreaching? And will he get reelected?
Posted on December 21, 2009Again, I'm going to indulge my fascination with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., even though he has zero bearing on the Kansas City region. The Los Angeles Times has a piece on Arpaio, who originally got...
Mo. Highway Patrol adding 25 officers
Posted on December 21, 2009Kansas City is getting 12 of the new guys, who start work just after the start of the year. They had their graduation last week in Jeff City.
Do we really want police to WEAR cameras?
Posted on December 21, 2009In San Jose, Calif., some officers are literally going to be wearing cameras. It's still a pilot project, so only 18 patrol officers will be wearing them. The devices are made by Taser and will cost about $4 million per...
UK man sniffed store employee's behind, police say
Posted on December 21, 2009The Sun describes him as a "5ft 9in balding ginger weirdo," which just seemed racist. He apparently would sneak up behind the poor employee's back to sniff his behind, on two occasions at least. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Grandview man fired at KC cops, prosecutor say
Posted on December 21, 2009From Sara Shepherd: Authorities have charged a teen that allegedly shot at police who followed him after he stepped out of a stolen car tied to multiple burglaries last week. Jaron A. Bradley, 19, of Grandview was charged Friday with...
Cop might have pulled gun during snowball fight, D.C. police say
Posted on December 21, 2009To be fair, there might have been armor-piercing bullets hidden in some of those snowballs. Police are still investigating, but they say that Internet video and witness statements tend to support the story: That a D.C. officer pulled a gun...
Does Roeder have the right to a "necessity defense"?
Posted on December 21, 2009Scott Roeder has already told reporters that, yes, he killed abortion provider George Tiller earlier this year. His only defense, it seems, would mean arguing that he was somehow justified in slaying the doctor. (He's officially pleaded not guilty.) The...
Dad tricks officials into helping kidnap son, police say
Posted on December 21, 2009There's an international manhunt under way for Jean Philippe Lacombe, who allegedly tricked Texas authorities into helping him kidnap his son. Literally, police pulled the 10-year-old off his school bus as he kicked and begged not to be given to...
Quadriplegic mom fights to keep her son
Posted on December 21, 2009Not a crime story, just an interesting case from the Chicago area, where a quadriplegic mom is fighting a legal battle to retain custody of her 5-month-old son. Her former boyfriend, the little boy's dad, is seeking custody by saying...
Stealing a tree? Urine trouble
Posted on December 21, 2009The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has found a unique way to stop people from stealing their evergreens for use as Christmas trees. Workers spray the trees with water, glycerin and fox urine. If someone cuts down a tree and brings it...
Should crime-lab analysts be forced to testify?
Posted on December 21, 2009About six months ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it wasn't enough to simply produce evidence reports in court -- the crime-lab analysts who created them must be available to testify, too. A lot of police departments and prosecutors...
25 years for shooting wife's boyfriend
Posted on December 21, 2009In West Palm Beach, Fla., a security guard has received 25 years for tracking down and shooting the man who was fooling around with his wife. How did he learn about the affair? The other man sent the suspect photos...
Open Thread ... Monday
Posted on December 21, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Where is Angela Hook?
Posted on December 21, 2009KSHB has a piece about a Hook, a KCK woman who went missing a couple of weeks ago: The KCK mom left her home in the 2500 block of North 33rd in Kansas City, Kansas, on Dec. 5. She was...
Va. Tech student admits to beheading woman in cafe
Posted on December 21, 2009Because she wouldn't return his romantic interest in her.
KCPD homicide count stands at 108
Posted on December 21, 2009Compared to 124 at the same point last year. (It was 91 in 2007 and 110 in 2006.) KCPD has solved / closed 61 of the homicides reported this year. Add in homicides committed in previous years, and the solve...
Shon Pernice trial to start Jan. 25
Posted on December 20, 2009A Clay County judge has set the ground rules for Shon Pernice's trial, which is set to start Jan. 25. For starters, there won't be any references to the disappearance of Renee Pernice, Shon's wife, which has been a high-profile...
10 arrested after standoff in KC
Posted on December 20, 2009From Bob Cronkleton: Ten people were in custody Saturday after an armed robbery, kidnapping, two carjackings ? including that of a U.S. Postal Service van ? and a standoff that lasted several hours. Five of the suspects were adults; the...
Will Kansas abolish the death penalty?
Posted on December 19, 2009There's going to be a debate in the legislature next month on a bill that would do exactly that. (State Sen. Tim Owens of Overland Park has set aside four days for hearings. It'll start Jan. 19.) Supporters are using...
Did road rage lead to fatal crash?
Posted on December 19, 2009From Judy Thomas: A Kansas City woman was killed in Wyandotte County early today in a crash that was caused by road rage, the Kansas Highway Patrol said. The crash occurred shortly after 1 a.m. when a 2004 Chevy Blazer...
Turkey-frying stunt goes horribly, horribly wrong
Posted on December 19, 2009In Florida, authorities are investigating after a radio show used a crane to lower a turkey through the roof of a van and into a vat of burning oil. Somehow, for reasons that no one could have possibly foreseen, the...
Who killed Kevin Beaver?
Posted on December 19, 2009Beaver, a chef at McCoy's Public House, was murdered early Friday morning in an apparent street robbery near 43rd and Wyoming. He would have turned 41 today. Meredith Rodriguez wrote a very good article about him, and it's worth your...
Should cameras be allowed in federal courtrooms?
Posted on December 19, 2009The federal system's Ninth Circuit -- which covers several western states, including California -- are going to allow cameras in some federal trials, though only for civil suits where there isn't a jury. And it's still just on a experimental...
Maybe it wasn't a good idea to give a pot cookie to Grandma
Posted on December 19, 2009In Paisley, Fla., a woman is facing criminal charges after she allegedly fed a marijuana-laced cookie to her mother, age 72. Which led to Grandma being taken to the hospital, after she apparently started to have heart problems. It's not...
Man found guilty of being naked in his own home
Posted on December 19, 2009It wasn't that he was naked -- it was the fact that a woman and her child saw him through a window. The authorities say that he apparently meant for them to see him. Though he was found guilty, the...
Convict can't date unless his probation officer says OK
Posted on December 19, 2009In Wisconsin, a 19-year-old man has been sentenced to 1 year in jail for stealing his foster parents' car and taking his girlfriend, age 16, to Tennessee. He also got three years of probation, and he won't be able to...
Open Thread ... Weekend Edition
Posted on December 19, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
How bedbugs got a N.J. man arrested
Posted on December 19, 2009In New Jersey, a 60-year-old was arrested after he went to city hall to complain about a bedbug infestation at his residence and, to prove it was a real problem, pulled down his pants and showed staffers where the bedbugs...
Mo. cousins duel with knives, police say
Posted on December 18, 2009The ladies were allegedly fighting over a man -- the estranged husband of one, who allegedly had a relationship with the other, police say. Yes, there are mugshots. Hat Tip: Many thanks, FanDanGo!
"I didn't know he could do that"
Posted on December 18, 2009A defendant learns the hard way that it's a bad idea to curse at a judge in his own courtroom.
Got your nose!
Posted on December 18, 2009In Memphis, a lawyer is being sued for allegedly biting off a man's left nostril after a fight in a restaurant bathroom. It sounds like a lot was going on there: A lawsuit filed by Greg Herbers claims attorney Mark...
Should the state be able to seize DUI convict's car -- even if it isn't his car?
Posted on December 18, 2009The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that, yes, it's OK for the state to take away a person's car, even if he wasn't the one who got caught driving drunk, if a loved one was drunk behind the wheel. In...
Man was killed for talking to woman
Posted on December 18, 2009From Tony Rizzo: A man with a 1997 murder conviction was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for an August 2008 slaying. Damon L. Simpson, 32, received consecutive sentences of life without parole for first-degree murder and armed criminal action....
1 critically hurt near Westport and State Line
Posted on December 18, 2009From Sara Shepherd: A man suffered life-threatening injuries after being shot early this morning near State Line and Westport roads, Kansas City police said. Neighbors said they heard multiple gunshots about 6:20 a.m. near 44th and Wyoming streets. Police found...
"It's an expression of my repressed creativity"
Posted on December 18, 2009A California man has taken down his holiday display, which depicted a shotgun-toting Jesus standing over the corpse of Santa Claus. (You know Santa was dead because there were X's over his eyes.) A local TV station says the man...
NYPD to start testing cops' hair for drugs
Posted on December 18, 2009The police unions had balked at the testing, but a judge says it's OK. The hair tests can detect drug use over the space of 90 days, while urine tests only catch drug use in the past three. (Which surprised...
More needle exchanges coming?
Posted on December 18, 2009NPR reports that Congress has lifted a ban on funding needle exchanges with federal money. Needle exchanges are programs where drug users can get free, clean syringes. That way, they're less likely to share needles and expose themselves to HIV...
Fewer death sentences given in 2009
Posted on December 18, 2009The Death Penalty Information Center has issued its annual report, and there are a lot of interesting bits to be found: There were fewer death sentences handed down this year, 106 -- that's the lowest it's been since they reinstated...
Not remotely crime-related
Posted on December 18, 2009Health expert suggests that Santa Claus is partly responsible for childhood obesity.
DNA frees convicted man after 35 years
Posted on December 18, 2009In Florida, a man named James Bain has been freed from prison after new DNA testing showed that he didn't kidnap and rape a 9-year-old boy back in the early 1970s. Bain, who was convicted on the basis of the...
U.S. sends $25 billion in drug money to Mexico every year
Posted on December 18, 2009How much money do U.S. authorities seize during their investigations? About $60 million, the AP says. Something like $99.75 of every $100 sent south gets through. Which is a big problem, because that's how the cartels pay for drug production,...
Hacker seeks lighter sentence because of Asperger's
Posted on December 18, 2009A man who was part of a huge cybercrime -- the theft of millions of credit-card numbers -- is asking for a reduced sentence because of his Asperger's syndrome, which is a form of autism.
Open Thread ... Sweet Merciful Friday
Posted on December 18, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. PROGRAMMING NOTE: James is off today, but Bob Cronkleton -- and...
Authorities break up Alaska sex-trafficking ring
Posted on December 18, 2009As many as 50 underage girls and adult women were involved in the Anchorage sex-trafficking ring. Ringleaders lured the teenagers and adult women into the illegal prstitution ring through the use of "force, fraud and coercion." KTVA-11's story has link...
Nixa, Mo., woman sentenced for sending, receiving child pornography
Posted on December 18, 2009Amy Vogt, 35, was sentenced to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. She is also required to register as a sex offender. Hat tip to Kathee | Bob Cronkleton
Nixa, Mo., man convicted of lesser charges
Posted on December 18, 2009Gerald Bluford was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action for the stabbing death of his partner, Eric Eidson, at their condominium in Nixa, Mo., in November 2007. Bluford had faced charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal...
Former band teacher must file as sex offender, pay victim $250,000
Posted on December 18, 2009A judge has sentenced Alison Peck, the former band director at Greenfield (Mo.) High School, to five years probation for two counts of statutory rape of a student. She had sex with the victim in three different counties. In a...
SW Missouri man arrested for threatening to shoot up school
Posted on December 18, 2009Travis J. Walker, 38, of Crane, Mo., allegedly made threats to bring a firearm and "shoot up the Hurley School." He was upset with the way the school was disciplining his son and another student. Mugshot alert. Hat Tip to...
Operation Guardian Angel
Posted on December 18, 2009The feds in Kansas City got the seventh and final conviction today in an investigation they dubbed Operation Guardian Angel. All of the men responded to ads police posted online earlier this year. The officers pretended to be pimps offering...
Kansas Troopers receive fuel donation for holidays
Posted on December 18, 2009The gift is from the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association of Kansas. From the Kansas Highway Patrol press release: For the 19th consecutive year, the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association of Kansas (PMCA) has donated gasoline to the...
Cass County Sheriff?s Office releases Criminal Apprehension Unit stats
Posted on December 18, 2009From the press release: The Criminal Apprehension Unit (CAU) was formed in July 2008 to enhance the Sheriff?s Office capabilities by providing specialized or directed patrol assignments, surveillance, fugitive apprehension, and conducting other special law enforcement functions as needed...
Rapper pleads guilty in using eBay to commit wire fraud
Posted on December 18, 2009Rapper Willie D, who was born Willie James Dennis, pleaded guilty to defrauding international customers in the bulk purchases of iPhones. Willie D posed as an electronics salesman on eBay. He then lured the customers outside of eBay and requested...
Gnome hoard confiscated from backyard
Posted on December 18, 2009Lisa Soneda couldn?t believe what she saw after the wind blew down her next-door neighbor?s rickety fence: "Lots and lots of gnomes," she said. "I counted like 46." There were actually 60 in all -- smiling, lying down, waving, wearing...
Daughter killed mom, burned body and had son bury remains
Posted on December 18, 2009Daughter of the year candidate: Jeanne Sevigny, 59, had told police that her 78-year-old mother, Mary Wilcox, of Westford, Vt., had Alzheimer's disease and wandered from their home Nov. 9, 2006. Police, however, now have a different version. They accused...
Mom with nose for trouble foils son's stink-bomb plot
Posted on December 18, 2009A Frederick Colorado mom disrupted her son's alleged plot to set off a stink bomb at his high school by going to school officials and telling them of his plans.Officers found a bag near the school containing ingredients such as...
Groom must wear monitoring bracelet to own wedding after accused of sexual assault
Posted on December 18, 2009The bachelor party for Jordan Iddings, 24, of Montana got a little out of hand. He allegedly groped a woman in a Missoula bar. When she slapped him, he punched her in the face. Oh, he also allegedly tried to...
Victims rights worker embezzles money from crime victims fund
Posted on December 18, 2009Eloise Mireles. who worked for the Harris County (Texas) District Attorney?s Office, has been accused of stealing $232,000 from the funds intended for crime victims over a period of several years. Her husband, Daniel Mireles, is also facing charges of...
Self-proclaimed vampire threatens to kill judge
Posted on December 17, 2009You know he's for real because he refers to himself as a "vampyr." Hat Tip: Many thanks, Keith G in PV!
Restaurants offer pot-infused foods in California, Colorado
Posted on December 17, 2009One place charges $89 for a pizza made with marijuana. You'd have to be high to pay that much for a pizza. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Say, how is Raymore's new gun policy doing?
Posted on December 17, 2009You mean the one that lets councilmembers carry guns to meetings? Well, everything's going great, if you can overlook the part about half the city council wanting a police escort to meetings.
Not remotely crime-related
Posted on December 17, 2009Arizona teacher suspended after taking class to Hooters for lunch.
Shawnee cops find pot farm during routine call
Posted on December 17, 2009KCTV has a report about Shawnee cops who -- while answering a call about a security alarm -- found an indoor grow operation with 45 marijuana plants.
I'm too fat to get a DUI
Posted on December 17, 2009A New Hampshire man was arrested for intoxicated driving earlier this year, but he says it wasn't fair. He was arrested because he failed the field sobriety test, which involves a lot of coordinated movement -- something that he can't...
Did woman really offer sex for World Series tickets?
Posted on December 17, 2009Near Philadelphia, a woman named Susan Finkelstein appeared in court for her preliminary hearing. Finkelstein, you might remember, was accused of offering sex for World Series tickets, according to an undercover officer who arrested her. The Daily News has more...
KC man guilty -- again -- of abandoning corpse
Posted on December 17, 2009Matthew C. Davis has been found guilty of abandoning the body of his girlfriend, Amber McGathey, after she died from a drug overdose back in 2004. (The body was found in a car in River Market, about a week after...
1 shot, injured in 4500 block of Virginia
Posted on December 17, 2009From Meredith Rodriguez: A man who was shot Wednesday night in Kansas City is expected to survive. Police were called on a shooting around 7:40 p.m. They arrived to find the man lying in the middle of the street in...
KCPD releases results from "You Drink & Drive, You Lose" campaign
Posted on December 17, 2009From KCPD: The KCPD recently focused extra enforcement efforts on impaired driving laws in the holiday You Drink & Drive, You Lose campaign conducted December 7-13. During the effort the DUI Section and officers assigned to other elements made 14...
Maybe "martyr" isn't the right word ...
Posted on December 17, 2009In Shenzen, China, a police officer was declared a "martyr" by his captain -- even though the officer had died after getting blind drunk, passing out and choking to death on his own vomit. The captain was allegedly trying to...
Should pet owners be able to sue for emotional distress?
Posted on December 17, 2009In Vermont, a couple is suing their neighbor, who reportedly shot their dog when it wandered into his yard, for emotional distress. The neighbor, who says he was trying to scare off the dog, was given 100 hours of community...
N.J. dad tries to get his son back from Brazil
Posted on December 17, 2009Just a quick update on David Goldman, the New Jersey man who's trying to get his 9-year-old son back. When the boy was 4, his mom took him to her native Brazil for what was supposed to be a short...
Man was beer battered, police say
Posted on December 17, 2009A Florida woman, home from a drinking outing, poured beer over her sleeping boyfriend because he planned to move to Ohio, police say. He called the cops, and she was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery. Get it? Beer battered!
Shawnee man guilty of killing his elderly father
Posted on December 17, 2009William May, 48, was convicted Wednesday of killing his 71-year-old father, Doyle, this spring. (The specific charge was second-degree murder, though the judge had argued that it should've been manslaughter.) From Joe Lambe's report: William May?s mother, Margaret May, had...
Who hides a gun behind their Christmas tree?
Posted on December 17, 2009In Cortez, Colo., a boy shot himself in the calf while he was playing with a loaded pistol that his folks had hidden behind their Christmas tree. The local law says no charges will be filed because the parents had...
Take that, whippersnappers
Posted on December 17, 2009The Cincinnati Enquirer has a piece about three young burglary suspects -- one of them a former football standout -- getting caught by two elderly men were part of their neighborhood watch. Our heroes are 71 and 84.
Man with guilty conscience confesses to murder
Posted on December 17, 2009In Phoenix, police say a California man drove to their offices and confessed to bludgeoning his neighbor to death for drug money in 1988. As the article notes, the man got away with murder ... and couldn't stand it. According...
Open Thread ... Thursday (Friday Eve)
Posted on December 17, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Suspect opens fire on KCPD detective, police say
Posted on December 17, 2009From KCPD: On 12/17/2009 at approximately 6pm, KCMO Property Crimes Detectives observed a stolen auto (also believed to be used in numerous residential burglaries) near 36th and Wayne. Two suspects (black males approx. 20yrs old) exited the vehicle and began...
Boy, 4, goes drinking, burgling and cross-dressing so he can find his daddy, police say
Posted on December 17, 2009Oh, somebody's on the naughty list. From WTVC: April Wright is 21 years old and is going through a divorce with her husband who is in jail. She says she is not sure how her 4-year-old managed to get out...
North Dakota museum fire ruled arson
Posted on December 17, 2009After finding that the museum door?s lock had been cut and artifacts were missing, authorities believe someone intentionally set the blaze that destroyed the museum at the Whitestone Hill Battlefield State Historic Site in North Dakota last month. The battlefield...
Father charged for threatening daughter with ax
Posted on December 17, 2009In the father's defense, he was trying to teach his 17-year-old daughter a lesson by threatening to smash items she had stolen. | Bob Cronkleton
And now in sports news . . .
Posted on December 17, 2009A father and son from Burnaby, Canada, went to a Vancouver Canucks hockey game Wednesday night and a fight broke out. Not among the players, but between them and a 24-year-old female security guard. She was escorting them out of...
Ankle monitoring bracelet trips up burglar
Posted on December 17, 2009Police probably wish all crimes were this easy to solve. It seems that career criminal Shawn Conklin of Shelton, Conn., didn't realize that monitoring device on his ankle had GPS capabilities. After being arrested for other burglaries, police checked and...
Witness strikes again
Posted on December 17, 2009Don't know what it is today, but witnesses seem to be awfully helpful and are turning into crime fighters. Here's a story about a locksmith in Vancouver, Wash. | Bob Cronkleton
Officer shoots, kills police dog that bit him during investigation
Posted on December 17, 2009An Alameda, Calif., police dog was shot and killed after it attacked an officer during a burglary investigation. The dog, Billy, bit the officer and refused to let go, even after his handler ordered him to do so. The burglary...
Former church deacon sentenced to 11 years for bank robbery attempt
Posted on December 17, 2009Bruce Windsor, a former South Carolina church deacon and youth soccer coach, has been sentenced to 11 years for attempting to rob a Greenville bank. More than 100 people crowded the federal court in Spartanburg, S.C., to support him. Windsor...
Some people shouldn't work with children
Posted on December 16, 2009In Bishopville, S.C., police are investigating an elementary-school teacher accused of abusing 5- and 6-year-olds: The report claims that the woman rubbed Purell hand sanitizer in their faces and mouths. The report goes on to say that the woman struck...
The real bicycle thief
Posted on December 16, 2009In Toronto, the owner of a used-bike shop -- accused of stealing 2,865 bicycles -- has pleaded guilty. Hat Tip: Many thanks, Goshel!
Car burglars love Blue Springs
Posted on December 16, 2009Bob Cronkleton has a report here about a wave of car break-ins in Blue Springs: Police are investigating a string of vehicle break-ins in parking lots in a Blue Springs business area. Items valued at about $2,300 were stolen, including...
Open Thread ... Wednesday
Posted on December 16, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Convicted legislator tries to copyright name
Posted on December 16, 2009Ted Klaudt, a former South Dakota legislator serving time for sexually assaulting two of his foster daughters, contacted media outlets there and warned that he'd copyrighted his own name. Anybody who wants to use his name would have to contact...
Doctor, wife go shoplifting for fun, Wis. cops say
Posted on December 16, 2009He makes about $150,000 per year, he reportedly told officers. The stolen goods were worth about $1,500.
Not remotely crime-related
Posted on December 16, 2009In Chile, a lady Olympic weightlifter went into labor during a workout -- which was a surprise, because she didn't know she was pregnant. The kiddo was 6 months along. Hat Tip: Many thanks, Jen!
Elderly woman's death wasn't reported for months
Posted on December 16, 2009In Wilmington, N.C., police are investigating the death of an elderly woman who, coroners estimate, died back in May. Nobody reported her death until yesterday -- even though caretakers had been going into her house pretty much every day, police...
Could you forgive Michelle Kehoe?
Posted on December 16, 2009Yesterday in Independence, Iowa, a woman named Michelle Kehoe was sentenced to life without parole for an unspeakable crime: She drove her two young sons into the woods and tried to murder them, then slit her own throat. One boy...
83-year-old accused of meth trafficking
Posted on December 16, 2009From AP: The Missouri State Highway Patrol says an 83-year-old Lebanon man faces drug charges after law officers found methamphetamine in his home. The patrol said Tuesday that local, state and federal officers found crystal methamphetamine, three shotguns and a...
Did 9/11 lead to the financial meltdown?
Posted on December 16, 2009After 9/11, the federal government spent most of its energy working on terror and national security cases -- with good reason. But there was less energy for investigations into financial frauds, USA Today reports. From the fiscal years 2003 to...
Can meditation "fix" repeat offenders?
Posted on December 16, 2009Near St. Louis, there's a nonprofit called Enlightened Sentencing Project that offers parolees training in Transcendental Stress Management. Judges say the program does such a good job helping convicts that, more and more, they're requiring probationers and parolees to attend...
Stolen money gets mailed back to bank
Posted on December 16, 2009In West Newton, Pa., someone has mailed back an envelope full of cash that was stolen from a bank there earlier this month, the authorities say. About 80 percent of the original take was returned. Investigators assume the robber or...
Cops accused of cover-up in racial beating
Posted on December 16, 2009In July 2008, an illegal immigrant named Luis Ramirez was fatally injured during a brawl with a group of teenage football players in Shenandoah, Pa. Three teens were prosecuted on state charges and avoided conviction on the most serious charges,...
Woman flashes breasts at motorists -- until one runs over her
Posted on December 16, 2009The story is from New Zealand. A word of caution from the woman: Ms Dudfield says she has learned her lesson, and has a message for others considering drunken dares. "Don't be me. Don't be stupid, don't get drunk and...
Should Kan. ban texting-while-driving?
Posted on December 16, 2009There's a new bill in the Kansas legislature that would ban texting-while-driving for motorists of all ages, David Klepper says. (Though it's still legal to talk on your cellphone while driving -- unless you're 16 1/2 or younger. Kansas law...
Man shoots arrow into suspect's buttock, Wash. police say
Posted on December 16, 2009In Kelso, Wash., a man with a compound bow interrupted an apparent break-in at a vacant house and chased a suspect for three blocks before finally shooting the guy in the behind with an arrow, police say.
Mo. trooper shoots suspect in KCK house
Posted on December 16, 2009From Meredith Rodriguez: A Missouri Highway Patrol trooper shot a suspect inside a Kansas City, Kan., house Tuesday. The suspect was taken to a hospital and later arrested after the 3 p.m. shooting in the 1100 block of Metropolitan Ave....
Highlights from yesterday's police chase
Posted on December 16, 2009This is the pursuit that ran down I-35 and ended outside an apartment complex northwest of Metcalf and Shawnee Mission Parkway. (I was driving south when it went through -- that was the first time I'd seen a pursuit on...
Mother of The Year?
Posted on December 16, 2009A North Carolina woman, 22, is being sent to prison because she put her 2-year-old son in a boiling pot of water. He was being punished for being constipated. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Woman pleads guilty to having noisy sex
Posted on December 16, 2009The BBC has a report about a 48-year-old woman who drew complaints from neighbors and her postman for making loud, "unnatural" noises when she had sex. Which she did on a nearly daily basis. For hours at a time. Hat...
Va. man killed his wife over Christmas lights
Posted on December 16, 2009He's been sentenced to life in prison. He told the authorities that he wanted to take the lights down, but she disagreed. He ended up shooting her on Jan. 16.
Wrongly convicted man freed after 28 years
Posted on December 16, 2009Thanks to new DNA tests, which showed that Donald Eugene Gates did not rape and murder a college student in 1981 in Washington, D.C. His conviction had been based partly on a hair analysis that experts now say isn't really...
How a rabbit saved a woman from domestic violence
Posted on December 16, 2009This story just about broke my heart ...
Iowa woman jailed for not returning 53 DVDs to library
Posted on December 16, 2009The library says the DVDs were worth a total $1,360, which means they cost about $25 each. I assume they were all packaged with a $10 bill when the woman checked them out.
Burglary suspects arrested in Prairie Village
Posted on December 16, 2009From PV Police: At approximately 11:15 AM on December 15, 2009, Prairie Village Police Officers were dispatched to a residential burglary in progress in the 7700 block of Windsor St. The victim provided arriving officers with a suspect and vehicle...
20K animals seized from exotic pets company
Posted on December 16, 2009Imagine the aroma ... Hundreds of rodents were crammed in small containers covered with wire, and many had killed and eaten each other, Davies said. Other animals were kept in feeding troughs, and there were numerous stacked shipping containers still...
Ohio daycare accused of putting sleep aid in kids' candy
Posted on December 16, 2009The kiddos were allegedly dosed with melatonin. Police are still investigating the allegations.
Guilty verdict in shooting rampage at Jewish center
Posted on December 16, 2009In Seattle, a jury has convicted a man named Naveed Haq for going on a shooting spree at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle in 2006. He killed one person and wounded five others. His defense had argued that Haq...
Could new software help stop child porn online?
Posted on December 16, 2009Microsoft has come up with a new program that, basically, tracks down child pornography online. Most online searches are based on text. Even when you search for a photo online, you're usually searching for words and captions associated with that...
That was $400 well spent
Posted on December 15, 2009In Boston, a man wanted for drug trafficking allegedly paid another guy $400 to maim his fingertips so that police wouldn't be able to identify him from his fingerprints. The man is now in custody. How did they identify him?...
How to survive Club Fed
Posted on December 15, 2009There are a couple of St. Louis-area politicians headed to prison, so the P-D interviewed a former Missouri mayor who went away for a year, and he gave some general advice on what it's like. "My biggest advice is don't...
Man accused of crime spree near Chicago
Posted on December 15, 2009On Friday, a man named James Amison -- who believed that his wife and his dad were having an affair -- allegedly strangled his wife, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend and paralyzed his dad. Amison was later shot himself, when...
"Goodfellas" inspiration gets arrested in Ill.
Posted on December 15, 2009For disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Henry P. Hill, who was played by Ray Liotta in the "Goodfellas" film, says he had one too many drinks and got a little rowdy. Why's he in town? Hill is scheduled for three...
Now, THAT is a lovely mugshot
Posted on December 15, 2009He's accused of head-butting a police officer ... and he looks pretty happy about that.
Not remotely crime-related
Posted on December 15, 2009In Taunton, Mass., an 8-year-old boy was ordered to get a psychiatric evaluation because he drew a picture of a stick-figure Jesus on the cross. (He'd been asked to draw something that reminded him of Christmas.) Dad is frankincensed. ?I...
Mo. killer gets life without parole
Posted on December 15, 2009In Columbia, a man named William Clinch was sentenced to life without parole for murdering his former brother-in-law, Jeremy Bohannon. Bohannon had gone to a McDonald's to meet his kids -- instead, he was ambushed by Clinch in the parking...
Is Illinois a good home for the Gitmo prisoners?
Posted on December 15, 2009The federal government is expected to announce that some of its Gitmo detainees are going to be transferred to a prison in Thomson, Ill. (It's a maximum-security facility about 150 miles from Chicago.) There are about 200 prisoners at Gitmo...
Wis. police alerted about drunk Santa
Posted on December 15, 2009Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, where police were alerted about a drunk Santa approaching local children ... "He smelled like alcohol. So I knew it wasn't the real Santa because Santa doesn't drink alcohol," says 9-year-old Katie Dockerty. Katie says the Santa...
Live, late-breaking ... investigative?
Posted on December 15, 2009Longtime reader Vibiana just called to report that she just saw a naked man outdoors near 10th and Laurel in KCK, which is something of a curiosity, given the current meteorological conditions. (Laurel is about a block north of Quindaro.)...
Will California vote to legalize pot?
Posted on December 15, 2009Supporters say they've got enough signatures to get a pot-legalization measure on next November's ballot, the Los Angeles Times reports. The measure would let cities and counties there pass laws that legalize marijuana production and sales. Polls suggest that a...
KCK homicide total stands at 38
Posted on December 15, 2009Compared to 33 at the same point last year, police report.
MU cheerleader suspended after incident
Posted on December 15, 2009Just a quick update about yesterday's story on two Mizzou women's basketball players who were suspended after they allegedly assaulted a male cheerleader. Now? That cheerleader has been suspended. The basketball players say they were defending one of the cheerleader's...
Couple placed dead fetus under Christmas tree, Texas cops say
Posted on December 15, 2009In Brownsville, Texas, a couple is facing criminal charges after a fetus was found in a box under their Christmas tree. Police are investigating to see whether they see used drugs or other means to self-abort the fetus, which was...
"You?re going to see on the news what happened on Muncie"
Posted on December 15, 2009Yesterday was the preliminary hearing for Adrian Burks, the man accused of killing four people earlier this year in KCK. The victims were Amanda Remmers, 21; James Warren, 66; Peggy Castleberry, 41; and Juanita D. Castleberry-Bess, 3. (The little girl...
Raymore lets councilmembers carry guns during meetings
Posted on December 15, 2009From Don Bradley: In a 5-3 vote Monday, the council approved an ordinance that allows council members to carry concealed weapons during meetings, possibly making Raymore the first city in the Kansas City area to do so. Raymore?s loosening of...
He was clean, but there wasn't a getaway
Posted on December 15, 2009In Tyler, Texas, police arrested a man who allegedly kicked down the front door of a house so he could take a bath. Which is reportedly what he was doing when they arrested him.
Oregon town isn't sure if public nudity should be illegal
Posted on December 15, 2009Fox News has a piece about Ashland, Ore., which has a reputation for tolerating public nudity. The tolerance, though, is wearing thin because they've had a few cases of naked men walking around the local schools.
A map of the missing
Posted on December 15, 2009There's an interesting resource at the Missouri Highway Patrol's site: a map of missing-persons cases from across the state, viewable on a county-by-county level. (Here's the one for Jackson County, which reports 129 cases.) The incidents go back years in...
Sheriff Joe loves Christmas
Posted on December 15, 2009It seems like Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., can't cross the street without getting into legal warfare. This time, it's over holiday music, which he plays in his jails. A series of inmates have filed lawsuits arguing they're...
Serial paint-huffer killed elderly man who tried to help him, S.C. cops say
Posted on December 15, 2009What a sad story. An elderly couple, Archie and Betty Horton, took in a man named Boyd Keith Mace, who had been convicted almost two dozen times for huffing paint. Mace has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after he reportedly...
Teller hired day laborer to rob her bank, N.Y. cops say
Posted on December 15, 2009How lazy have American crooks become?
Open Thread ... Tuesday
Posted on December 15, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
MU women b-ball players accused of beating up male cheerleader
Posted on December 14, 2009After a party last week at his house, Mike DeArmond reports. Two of the team's top scorers were arrested for third-degree assault and have been suspended indefinitely from the team. The coach has issued a public apology. Hat Tip: Many...
More proof that alcohol impairs your judgment
Posted on December 14, 2009From Joe Lambe: Overland Park police are considering whether to file a sex charge against a man who allegedly made lewd advances toward a woman officer as she booked him for drunken driving. It happened about 2:30 a.m. Saturday as...
Nev. brothel to offer male prostitutes?
Posted on December 14, 2009Right now, Nevada requires prostitutes to undergo cervical exams on a regular basis to make sure they're free of disease. Because the law specifically uses the word "cervical," male prostitutes haven't been able to work legally. The state health board...
The season of giving ... and taking
Posted on December 14, 2009In Boston, a newspaper vendor gave a cup of coffee to a panhandler who had asked for money -- so the panhandler threw the coffee in the man's face, punched him and started going through his pockets anyway, police allege.
Where is David Cook of Bates County?
Posted on December 14, 2009Cook has been missing since November 2008, and his case was featured this weekend on "America's Most Wanted," Fox 4 reports. He's a resident of Amsterdam, Mo., and had worked at a KCP&L location in LaCygne, Kan. He also did...
Robber's accomplice was a pain in the behind
Posted on December 14, 2009From Christine Vendel: A suspected robber suffered a gunshot wound to his rear end when his partner dropped a gun during a holdup early Sunday.
Local man drove drunk and got his mom, girlfriend killed, police say
Posted on December 14, 2009Over the weekend, Kansas City police arrested a man named Carlton L. Lewis, 24, who's been sought since mid-November. He's accused of driving drunk during a wreck that killed his mother, 47-year-old Crystal S. Lewis, and his girlfriend, 32-year-old Melinda...
Italian premier clobbered with statuette
Posted on December 14, 2009From AP: This video image made available by RAI TG3 shows Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi sitting in his vehicle after an attacker hurled a statuette striking the leader in the face at the end of a rally in Milan, Italy...
Police arrest "Merry Christmas"
Posted on December 14, 2009Merry Christmas, 44, was arrested in Boynton Beach, Fla., for allegedly obstructing a police investigation. Her birthday is Dec. 28. Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2!
St. Louis girl, 7, shoots 1-year-old brother, police say
Posted on December 14, 2009The shot was fired into the little boy's chest, leaving him in critical condition, the P-D reports. It reportedly happened at a family gathering. The kids were in one room, and the girl allegedly got a gun out of an...
Liberty boy missing -- possibly taken by his dad, police say
Posted on December 14, 2009From Mark Morris: Liberty police asked for the public?s help in finding a boy who they think was taken by his father Sunday. Officers were trying to locate Orin Brightwell, 8, who had spent the weekend with his father, Hector...
Adultery's still a crime in New Hampshire
Posted on December 14, 2009The legislature is considering a repeal, but in the mean time, don't go having sex with someone else's spouse if you're in New Hampshire.
Report: Illinois secretly releases some prisoners early
Posted on December 14, 2009The AP has learned that Illinois prisons, under a secret order from the governor, has been releasing some inmates incredibly early. The practice is helping the state save money. That means some prisoners have enough good-conduct days to qualify for...
Pregnant woman wrestles with gang members who attacked cop, police say
Posted on December 14, 2009The woman and her husband were driving along when they saw a group of teens beating the fu-schnickens out of a cop in Brownsville, Texas. The woman reportedly hopped out of the car and started wailing away at the attackers...
Former Mo. mayor seeking new trial
Posted on December 14, 2009Deb Masten -- the former Kirksville mayor who was convicted of burning down her bar -- is seeking a new trial, arguing that video evidence shown at her first trial wasn't fair. From the Daily Express: During Masten?s trial, the...
DMV = Destruction Most Violent
Posted on December 14, 2009In Centennial, Colo., a man is accused of crashing his truck into the front of a DMV because he got there after it closed.
DNA evidence used to solve cat's slaying
Posted on December 14, 2009A New York man has been charged with animal cruelty after he allegedly used an umbrella to kill his mother-in-law's cat. (He was allegedly upset because she'd kicked him and told him to get a job.) What's unusual is how...
Open Thread ... Monday
Posted on December 14, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
Another robbery involving an open garage door
Posted on December 14, 2009Kansas City police are investigating a home invasion that happened in the southern part of the city over the weekend, Christine reports. A young man apparently left the garage door open before he left for work before 11 p.m. Sunday,...
30 years for gruesome gang rape
Posted on December 14, 2009I remember when this case first broke: A Florida woman and her 12-year-old son were attacked by a gang of teens in their housing complex. The woman was repeatedly raped, the boy was beaten and their attackers forced her to...
Who killed Rakim Gonzales?
Posted on December 14, 2009From KCPD: The man who was killed on December 11th, at 68th Terrace and Myrtle, has been identified as Rakim Gonzales, black/male, 12/27/1989, of Kansas City, MO. There are no suspects in custody and anyone with information is asked to...
Music director burned down church for money, feds say
Posted on December 14, 2009From the U.S. Attorney for Kansas: A former church music director has pleaded guilty to setting fire to the Sunflower Missionary Baptist Church in Leavenworth, Kan., U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today. Carva Lee White, 45, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded...
Maybe three isn't your lucky number
Posted on December 14, 2009A Connecticut woman is arrested after she keeps asking a married couple to have sex with her, police allege. Yes, there is a photo of the suspect.
KCPD names victim from weekend homicide
Posted on December 14, 2009From KCPD: The man who was killed has been identified as William L. Payton, black/male, 09/13/1987, of Kansas City, MO. There are no suspects in custody at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at...
Just like the Apple Dumpling Gang
Posted on December 14, 2009Midtown Miscreant blogs about a case last week where a local KFC got robbed and two crooks got into a shootout with an off-duty officer. (A third robber was waiting for his order of chicken, back in the store.) Luckily...
Lex Luthor wishes he was this bad ...
Posted on December 14, 2009The Detroit News writes about a convicted drug trafficker who's awaiting sentencing: Black, who used concert tour buses to move duffel bags of cash and drugs around the country, allegedly fled to Mexico prior to his 2007 arrest in California....
Totals from JaCo's "You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" campaign
Posted on December 14, 2009From Jackson County Sheriff: The Jackson County Sheriff?s Office participated in the holiday ?You Drink, You Drive, You Lose? Campaign conducted December 7th thru the 13th. During the effort, Jackson County officers targeted Friday and Saturday for this campaign...
Teenagers love to smoke weed, study says
Posted on December 14, 2009Though they are cutting back on cigarettes, meth and binge-drinking.
Human Trafficking in America
Posted on December 14, 2009If you haven't seen it yet, the Star is running a series of articles this week about human trafficking in America. It's not something that you might think is a big problem here, but the U.S. attorney for Western Missouri...
More gangs on Indian reservations, report says
Posted on December 14, 2009The New York Times reports that gangs are becoming a big problem for several reservations, partly because there's less money for law enforcement and there aren't many programs trying to help young people. (The suicide rate for Indian teens is...
Someone sent text messages from dead woman's phone
Posted on December 14, 2009In Connecticut, a woman named Rebecca Koster was found hacked and burned to death back on Dec. 4. Her case is already disturbing, but someone took it a step further and used her phone to send a series of text...
Teacher ticketed for cutting child's hair
Posted on December 14, 2009In Milwaukee, a teacher was ticketed for disorderly conduct after she reportedly cut off a child's strand of braided hair because the first-grader wouldn't stop playing with it, WISN-TV reports. The kiddo has other braids, but Mom is still very...
140 months for Shawnee man who sold heroin
Posted on December 14, 2009Including a sale in an elementary school's parking lot. From the U.S. Attorney for Kansas: Michael Shirley, 39, Shawnee, Kan., has been sentenced to 140 months in federal prison for heroin trafficking, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today. ... On...
Should the Super-Glue Avengers go to jail?
Posted on December 14, 2009And when I say "Super-Glue Avengers," I refer to the group of women who allegedly super-glued a Wisconsin man's penis to his stomach after he'd reportedly fooled around with all of them. (He'd been tricked into getting (A) naked and...
Suspect chokes to death while swallowing bag of pot, Fla. cops say
Posted on December 13, 2009In Bay County, Fla., deputies tried to arrest a 23-year-old man, and while he struggled with them, he reportedly swallowed a bag of pot. They Tasered him, and that's when they noticed he was choking. They weren't able to clear...
AP: Gun laws becoming less strict
Posted on December 12, 2009The AP surveyed state legislatures and found that many states, usually in the South and West, have loosened their gun regulations over the past year. That's partly due to the NRA, which has put more energy into lobbying state leaders....
Thank heaven for guns that jam
Posted on December 12, 2009In Woodbridge, Va., a student reportedly walked into a community college classroom and fired two shots at a professor before the rifle jammed. The teacher wasn't hit. The student, police say, was allegedly upset about his grades.
Open Thread ... Weekend Edition
Posted on December 12, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments,...
She's too pretty to be guilty
Posted on December 12, 2009An Oklahoma woman -- who was at the hospital to get a blood draw because she was arrested for DUI -- is accused of stealing an ambulance and leading police on a 50-mile chase. Yes, Virginia, there is a mugshot....
Grandview installs red-light camera
Posted on December 12, 2009It'll go live Dec. 23 at Main and 15th, KCTV reports. There will be a 30-day grace period before they start issuing tickets off the camera, though.
Woman smuggled monkey skulls and meat, authorities say
Posted on December 12, 2009This part made me laugh: Manneh's lawyers argued that she and other African immigrants on Staten Island needed the meat for religious reasons. The judge ultimately rejected that defense but gave Manneh a lenient sentence because she has 11 children...
24 percent jump in officers fatally shot on the job
Posted on December 12, 2009The number so far is 47 compared to 38 at the same point last year, AP reports. We had a lot of cases this year where several officers were killed in one incident, such as the recent attack in Washington...
18 months probation for OP bigamist
Posted on December 12, 2009Joe Lambe has a report here about Charles L. Clemens, the Overland Park man who married two woman and -- amazingly -- lived in the same apartment complex with each one. When the women learned about each other, they left...
KCPD investigating 2 homicides
Posted on December 12, 2009From Meredith Rodriguez: Kansas City police found a man in his early 20s shot to death in a car tonight. When police found him, the man was slumped over the steering wheel of a Toyota with a pistol in his...
3 DUI arrests during KCPD sobriety checkpoint
Posted on December 12, 2009From KCPD: The Kansas City Missouri Police Department conducted a Low Staffing Sobriety Checkpoint on December 11, 2009 from 2300 hours to 0400 hours at NB I 29 &NW 64th street Exit Ramp and NB I 29 & Barry Road...
Two girls seriously injured sledding
Posted on December 11, 2009In Omaha, Neb. two 14-year-old girls pushed themselves down a steep slope in an inner tube. After hitting a snow bank used as a ramp, the girls went 20-feet in the air and fell on pavement. One was unconscious when...
OP bigamist gets probation
Posted on December 11, 2009This is an update to a story that broke a few months ago. The Overland Park man who had two wives in separate apartments at the same complex went to court today. The judge sentenced him to 18 months probation....
I feel ya, kid. Santa is shady.
Posted on December 11, 2009Just don't beat him with a candy cane. The L.A. Times is letting readers post photos of kids who are less than happy to sit on Santa's lap. |Meredith Rodriguez
While economy is down, ethics in the workplace is up
Posted on December 11, 2009One would think that ethics would suffer in the workplace during a recession, but that is not the case, reports The Star's Diane Stafford. She points out two possible reasons ethical lapses lower during hard times: ?When an organization?s well-being....
Roommate, 98, indicted for murder
Posted on December 11, 2009After authorities found a 100-year-old woman strangled to death in September, who did they finger as the suspect? Why, her 98-year-old roommate, of course. Now the question is: Will Laura B. Lundquist still be alive when the trial rolls around?
New lineup methods aim to minimize eyewitness mistakes
Posted on December 11, 2009Studies have snown that 75 percent of DNA exoneration cases involve mistakes by eyewitnesses. A great story by The Star's Grace Hobson discusses new trends aiming to make lineups more accurate. One main change is to show the potential suspects...
Hit-and-run caused local power outage
Posted on December 11, 2009Early Friday morning a car struck a pole in Westport, causing a power outage, according to NBC Action News. Then the coward ran. |Meredith Rodriguez
Dog saves owner from fire
Posted on December 11, 2009From The Star's Joe Lambe: A man?s barking dog woke him during a house fire in Merriam, and man and dog escaped by jumping out a bedroom window. Firefighters said this morning that the 1:30 a.m. fire in the 6300...
Columbia, Mo. man dies of hypothermia in his home
Posted on December 11, 2009The 30-year-old man's electricity had been shut off Sept. 30th for lack of payment. He had been dead more than 24-hours when police found his body today. Dang, that is just tragic. |Meredith Rodriguez
Hold the meth and mayo, please
Posted on December 11, 2009An employee was accused of cooking methamphetamine at a southeast Missouri Sonic restaurant Thursday. |Meredith Rodriguez
Weapon of choice: stun gun or ice scraper?
Posted on December 11, 2009In one Utah robbery attempt, an ice scraper was a more effective weapon than a stun gun. A robber tried to use his stun gun on a man who was putting chains on his tires. But when the stun gun...
Text msg: r u home?
Posted on December 11, 2009An acquaintance asked a Utah woman over text the question, and she wrote back, "no." The acquaintance then went to the woman's trailer and stole video game systems and jewelry. |Meredith Rodriguez
It's sorta like collecting old Coke bottles, right?
Posted on December 11, 2009A man in Amsterdam reported the theft of his Ecstasy pill collection, concerned because some of the stolen pills are poisoned and would be lethal if swallowed. The man told police he does not deal or use drugs. "I've tried...
She was probably slaving in the kitchen all day
Posted on December 11, 2009An Iowa man allegedly assaulted his wife when she refused to shovel snow. He "struck her in the head with his chest" and tried to pull her out of the house, accusing her of being lazy. He was arrested on...
Man offered to trade sex for beer, S.C. cops say
Posted on December 11, 2009They say he was standing outside a grocery store, holding onto a "Will Trade Sex for Beer" sign. I don't consider this begging -- he's really more of an entrepreneur.
Open Thread ... Sweet Merciful Friday
Posted on December 11, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. PROGRAMMING NOTE: James is going to blog this morning, but Meredith...
Indiana executes man for three murders
Posted on December 11, 2009This was Indiana's first execution since 2007, the AP reports. Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Common sense wins rare victory
Posted on December 11, 2009A Chicago woman was facing a felony charge because she allegedly taped part of the latest "Twilight" movie while trying to film her sister's birthday party at the theater. She ended up with three minutes or so but insisted she...
Eighth-graders charged over oral sex during class
Posted on December 11, 2009That's right, during class. The charge is indecent exposure. Authorities say the incident allegedly happened in the presence of a substitute teacher, who didn't notice, and other students, who didn't tell the adults until later. Case is from the Macon,...
A modest proposal: Make defendants pay damages for child porn
Posted on December 11, 2009Under federal law, people who download child porn can theoretically be ordered to pay damages to the child who was victimized by the photo. In Texas, prosecutors tried to get one defendant to pay $3.4 million to the child whose...
Can judges and lawyers be Facebook friends?
Posted on December 11, 2009Here's a little sidebar from Florida, where the state's judicial ethics advisory committee is urging judges to not "friend" lawyers who might appear before them. The committee say it's necessary to avoid even the appearance of a conflict. It's only...
More about the Rod Jetton case
Posted on December 11, 2009Dave Helling has another followup in the case against Rod Jetton, the former Missouri House speaker who's accused of assault in Sikeston. Dave got a copy of the police incident report, so there are more details there, and he notes...
A likely excuse
Posted on December 11, 2009Why am I driving in this ditch? Well, I'll have you know it's not because I'm driving drunk. I am merely looking for deer.
"She made the whole thing up"
Posted on December 11, 2009In Ladue, Mo., a woman told police that she had been dragged from her wheelchair and into the woods, where two men allegedly raped and robbed her. Except there were some factual inaccuracies with her report, the P-D says: "What...
KCK killer, 15, just wanted to shoot a stranger
Posted on December 11, 2009From Dawn Bormann: A boy who was 13 when he killed a man received the maximum juvenile sentence for first-degree murder Thursday. Antwuan Taylor, now 15, must stay at the Juvenile Correctional Facility until he is 22 1/2 years old....
A remarkable show of restraint
Posted on December 10, 2009A Texas man is accused of grabbing his AR-15 rifle and chasing down the punks who dared to play "Ding Dong Ditch" on his house. In a remarkable show of restraint for a Texan, he did not shoot them, police...
Open Thread ... Thursday (Friday Eve)
Posted on December 10, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. PROGRAMMING NOTE: James is going to blog this morning, but Meredith...
4 hurt in fight outside Mission apartments
Posted on December 10, 2009From Mission PD: A fight in the parking lot of a Mission apartment complex resulted in injuries to four people, one serious. The incident occurred 12-09-09 at about 10:30pm in the 4900 block of Broadmoor, and it is believed to...
$100K for tip that helped catch 9/11 suspect
Posted on December 10, 2009In Minnesota, a flight instructor has received a $100,000 reward for tipping off the authorities about Zacarias Moussaoui weeks before the 9/11 attacks. One of his coworkers received $5 million. Another colleague, also a tipster, has received nothing.
$4,500 reward in Raytown homicide
Posted on December 10, 2009From Crime Stoppers: The Crime Stoppers Greater Kansas City TIPS Hotline and Raytown, Missouri Police Department are requesting the public?s assistance in identifying those responsible for the homicide of Wesley B. Binder. Mr. Binder was found near his home at...
Emo girl gets punched because she hates Insane Clown Posse
Posted on December 10, 2009This is a tough one. I'm really not sure whose side I'm on here.
Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar
Posted on December 10, 2009Julie Newmar -- who once played the Catwoman, the Batman villain / jewel thief -- reportedly helped police track down thieves who stole $25K in jewelry from her home.
Man shot his wife, thought she was a burglar, Ohio cops say
Posted on December 10, 2009The missus had gotten up because one of the grandkids' toys had started making noise. The husband says he saw a shadow and, naturally, assumed it was a burglar, police report.
Man dressed as Santa tries to grab girl, Ohio cops say
Posted on December 10, 2009Not only dressed as Santa, but carrying a box and a bag full of candy canes. Oh, and a unicycle with bells on it.
"I live in a van down by the river!"
Posted on December 10, 2009Salon.com has a great piece here about a Duke grad student who literally lives in his van -- constantly avoiding the parking police -- as a way to save money.
Teen tells girlfriend to close her eyes -- then stabs her, Alaska cops say
Posted on December 10, 2009Awful story from the Anchorage area, where a 16-year-old is accused of luring his ex-girlfriend into the woods while they were on a lunch break from school. He told her that he was going to give her a silver ring...
Ex-husband saves woman from Smithville Creek
Posted on December 10, 2009KSHB says she apparently drove into the creek, then called 911 and her ex for help. The ex just happened to beat the authorities there.
"The First National Bank of You" is not a reliable source
Posted on December 10, 2009More and more people are creating their own "bond promissory notes" or "private offset bonds" to try and pay off car loans, tax liens and other debt, even though they, um, can't, the Post-Dispatch reports. The feds say people are...
The coolest thing you're going to see today
Posted on December 10, 2009The BBC has video of a man who, after a teenager puts a gun at his head, quickly disarms (and pummels) said teenager.
Big Wheel keep on turning
Posted on December 10, 2009From AP: A Topeka man will be sentenced in municipal court over a confrontation with a 6-year-old boy who he said threatened him by riding toward him on his Big Wheel. Denny Bogan says he was defending himself when he...
How should Mo. fix its DUI law? Does it need fixing?
Posted on December 10, 2009Gov. Jay Nixon had a series of press conferences yesterday to announce a slate of suggested DUI reforms, which are going to be sent to the legislature next year. Here's the laundry list, courtesy of the governor's site: Requiring repeat...
Your Honor, I was suffering from "caffeine psychosis"
Posted on December 10, 2009In Colfax, Wash., a financial analyst is accused of hitting two pedestrians with his vehicle. His attorney is arguing that his client might have been suffering from "caffeine psychosis" from apparently drinking too much coffee and too many energy drinks...
Do we need an "honest services" law?
Posted on December 10, 2009Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about the federal "honest services" law, passed back in 1988. The law says, basically, that it's illegal ?to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services.? It's a crime to...
U.S. prison population growing at slower rate, report says
Posted on December 10, 2009The Bureau of Justice Statistics says that America's prison population grew 0.8 percent in 2008 -- which isn't considering it's averaged out at 1.8 percent over the past decade. In the 1990s, the growth rate was about 6.5 percent. More...
Stay classy, Cedar Rapids
Posted on December 10, 2009Cedar Rapids police stopped a couple that was allegedly having sex in their car in a church parking lot early on Sunday morning. An officer caught the man and woman having sexual intercourse around 1 a.m. Sunday in the parking...
Maybe she was charged with horsing around?
Posted on December 10, 2009In Shelbyville, Tenn., a woman was arrested for public intoxication after she was found passed out, though still atop a horse, which was outside a motel, police allege. The woman had ridden the horse in a Christmas parade shortly before...
Woman pours boiling grits on sleeping boyfriend, La. cops say
Posted on December 10, 2009The man, who suffered second-degree burns, apparently made the crucial mistake of falling sleep in the presence of a woman that he'd just ticked off. They had been in a fight, and he told her that he was breaking up...
Sonic speed!
Posted on December 10, 2009In Cape Girardeau, police found a Sonic employee allegedly making a batch of meth at the restaurant early Thursday morning.
Girl accused man of rape so that friends would "feel sorry for her"
Posted on December 10, 2009Then she got caught up in the lie as prosecution continued, sending a construction worker to prison on a 20-year sentence. The accused, William McCaffrey, was in prison almost three years. New DNA evidence showed that the bite marks on...
Nurse mowed down, caught on tape
Posted on December 10, 2009Police released a video of a nurse who was struck by a hit-and-run driver outside a hospital. Fox posted the video, with instant replay, here. The nurse suffered multiple fractures but is in good condition. Police are still searching for...
Just like the movies
Posted on December 10, 2009Around noon today, during the height of the holiday shopping season, a man fired shots at police officers in New York City's Times Square. Officers shot back and killed him in the passenger drop off area of the Marriott Marquis...
Sixteen hunters in northern Arizona still missing
Posted on December 10, 2009Two of them are 10-years-old. Crews have already rescued 50 people since the snow storm that hit Arizona Monday. The storm brought more snow than expected. |Meredith Rodriguez
Two second-degree murder charges filed
Posted on December 10, 2009One for a pregnant woman and one for her unborn daughter, who both died Nov. 20 in a shooting. Calvin A. Boswell, 24, of Grandview faces two second-degree murder charges in the deaths of Ashley Thomas and her unborn daughter,...
Kansas City Police Officers getting driving lessons
Posted on December 10, 2009An audit showed that officers caused 149 preventable crashes in 2008, costing the department $362,681. That's a 33 percent increase from the year before. Fifty-five percent are caused by officers who have been on the job six years or less,...
2,000 arrests this year for illegal deer poaching in Missouri
Posted on December 10, 2009Those numbers are normal for Missouri, officials say, but spotlighting is up this year. Spotlighting is when poachers shine bright lights at deer and then shoot them. It's also illegal to shoot deer from the road. Who knew? |Meredith Rodriguez
Gun advocates are sensible, survey shows
Posted on December 10, 2009So says a Washington Post columnist. He says NRA lobbyists and Washington are out of touch with NRA members. A poll conducted by Mayors Against Illegal Drugs and a Republican pollster shows that NRA members believe gun rights and gun...
Report: Exploding chewing gum kills student
Posted on December 09, 2009Ukrainian authorities say it blew off his jaw ...
JoCo jail to be on Discovery Channel?
Posted on December 09, 2009From JoCo Sheriff: For the past three weeks, two film crews contracted by the Discovery Channel have been in Johnson County shooting a new documentary series entitled ?Behind Bars.? The show, which focuses on the operation of the Johnson County...
N.C. woman accused of selling moonshine at daycare
Posted on December 09, 2009Uh-oh, that's not apple juice ... Hat Tip: Many thanks, cripjak!
Murder suspect gets makeup to cover tattoos
Posted on December 09, 2009Just a quick update on John Allen Ditullio Jr., who's on trial for murder in Florida. A judge agreed for taxpayers to pay for a makeup artist to cover up the tattoos on his face and neck, so they wouldn't...
Another Mo. city might require prescriptions for cold meds
Posted on December 09, 2009Poplar Bluff is considering a new rule that would require customers to get prescriptions before they could buy anything with pseudoephedrine, which is a key ingredient in meth. Unfortunately, it's also used in several over-the-counter cold medicines. A few communities...
Drunken stranger found cuddling teddy bear on couch
Posted on December 09, 2009Sadly, it wasn't his couch.
Woman beat her boyfriend with raw steak, Fla. police say
Posted on December 09, 2009Because he refused a piece of sliced bread and wanted a roll instead, the authorities allege. Snip: Egan denied hitting the man with the steak but did admit to slapping him, saying she did it "so that he could learn."...
4 Missourians get prison over dogfighting raids
Posted on December 09, 2009The raids took place in July, rescued 500 dogs and led to the arrests of 26 people in several states, including Missouri, the AP reports. Four of those suspects were sentenced yesterday. Fifty-year-old Teddy Kiriakidis of Leasburg and 34-year-old Ronald...
UPDATE: Springsteen cousin dies in KC hotel
Posted on December 09, 2009From Christine Vendel: Bruce Springsteen?s cousin, whose death in October prompted the singer to cancel his Sprint Center concert, died from an accidental drug overdose, according to autopsy results released Tuesday. Lenny Sullivan, 36, died from acute amphetamine and heroin...
Man murdered sister because he didn't get invited to Christmas, he says
Posted on December 09, 2009In California, a man named Edward Wycoff was sentenced to death for the 2006 murder of his sister and her husband at their El Cerrito home. Wycoff says he killed them because he wasn't invited to Christmas, he thought they...
Beauty queen planned ex-boyfriend's kidnapping
Posted on December 09, 2009Kumari Fullbright, who won a couple of beauty pageants and once competed for Miss Arizona, has pleaded guilty in the reported kidnapping of an ex-boyfriend back in 2007. She'll do two years in prison. Hat Tip: Many thanks, eephus!
Teens pleads not guilty in alleged drug murder
Posted on December 09, 2009From Joe Lambe: A 15-year-old boy pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a first-degree murder charge in the August shooting death of 20-year-old Robert Moran IV. Mikeise Levon Boyd of Kansas City previously was certified as an adult in the case....
Kentucky Fried Crooks
Posted on December 09, 2009Christine has more about Monday's robbery of a KFC on 85th Street in Kansas City. As it turns out, only TWO of the bad guys got into a shootout with an off-duty officer in a nearby parking lot. The third...
Man wanted his kids to beat their mother to death, jury says
Posted on December 09, 2009In Lawrence, a jury has convicted Arthur W. Davis III of attempted murder and other crimes for a June 16 attack on his wife. She says she woke up to find their teenage son beating her with a baseball bat...
?Hey, you want me to send your husband in pieces or what??
Posted on December 09, 2009The New York Times has an interesting report about a rogue group of kidnappers and hitmen that branched off one of the Mexican drug cartels. Several men who are allegedly connected to the group are on trial in San Diego....
Mo. public defenders say they need 175 more lawyers
Posted on December 09, 2009To help them keep up with their workload, the Missouri Senate's appropriations committee heard. That represents an increase of about 50 percent. Legislators said there's no way that's going to happen, not with the state's budget being what it is...
VIDEO: Mission Improbable
Posted on December 09, 2009Burglar does his best "Mission Impossible" entrance into a Florida pawn shop.
I had no idea this was illegal
Posted on December 09, 2009In North Carolina, a Cherokee tribal member has been found guilty of trafficking in bear gall bladders. They must be delicious.
N.J. man dressed like his mom to raid her bank account, police say
Posted on December 09, 2009His act came with a pink blouse, head scarf and a high-pitched "lady voice," officers say.
Open Thread ... Wednesday
Posted on December 09, 2009Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below. PROGRAMMING NOTE: James is going to blog this morning, but Sara...
The hostess with the...
Posted on December 09, 2009So that's what they call a folk hero in Tennessee. _Tony Rizzo
Father charged with killing baby
Posted on December 09, 2009Christine Vendel has an awful story from Kansas City. Prosecutors in Jackson County allege that 18-year-old Howard Jackson beat his 7-month-old son to death in September. He was arrested Tuesday. He remains jailed and bond is set at $250,000 cash...
Who's mutilating cows in Colorado?
Posted on December 09, 2009Really intriguing story from the Denver Post. The UFO investigator stopped short of blaming aliens for decades of strange, unexplainable mutilations, but darned if anyone has a better idea:"A lion will drag its kill. Coyotes rip and tear flesh. These...
Guilty: 16-year-old who killed girl that rejected her advances
Posted on December 09, 2009Sad/disturbing story from Florida, where a 16-year-old section leader in the marching band shot and killed her 15-year-old friend. In the days leading up to Collette's death, Wimberly had been sending her friend text messages declaring her love. Collette, a...
A woman scorned
Posted on December 09, 2009The latest in a great murder story from LA -- a 23-year-old cold case, a love triangle, a DNA-laden bite-mark and a police detective as the suspect: Stephanie Lazarus, the Los Angeles Police Department detective accused of murdering the wife...
DUI don't of the day: 'Tinkling' on arresting officer
Posted on December 09, 2009First, it was his fifth drunk-driving arrest. Then, after he got into the back of the squad car, he urinated in the back of the squad car, spraying the back of the officer's head. | Sara Shepherd
100-year-old pedophile 'still a big threat'
Posted on December 09, 2009After sexually abusing four children years ago, he's out of jail on post-release supervision -- still kicking and not rehabilitated. The DA says, "It doesn't matter to me that he's 100 years old. He's evil. He's a pedophile. Pedophiles are...
Escape fails for Christmas tree thief on bicycle
Posted on December 09, 2009Police officers didn't believe him when he said he bought said tree at the "Sunset Lounge," either. | Sara Shepherd
22 pounds of meth = 33 years in the clink
Posted on December 09, 2009If 22 pounds of meth seems like a lot, you're right... A federal judge has sentenced a man to more than 33 years in prison after he was caught in Shawnee with what turned out to be the largest methamphetamine...
Can accused child killer get fair trial?
Posted on December 09, 2009No big surprise here. _ Tony Rizzo
Teachers gone wild
Posted on December 09, 2009A janitor caught the French teacher and the Spanish teacher (both women) mid-naked tryst in a Brooklyn high school classroom. Since then, all the kids who were in some kind of assembly at the time have begun Facebook fan groups...
Don't Mess With Uncle Sam's Money
Posted on December 09, 2009The feds take tax fraud pretty seriously. The U.S. attorney in Kansas said Daniel Joel Gleason, who formerly worked for a Topeka-based tax preparation service, was ordered to serve 78 months in federal prison and then cough up $3 million...
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Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Career Choices
Descriptions of law enforcement occupations
Missing Children
Databases and organizations
Law & Order Depicts Police Procedures and Criminal Justice
Accuracy of Criminal Justice Depiction on Television
Sex Offender Lists
Registries by State and County
Can someone detained in a search w/ warrant, be charged with a crime related to the search if they were not arrested at the time of the search?
The police have fairly wide discretion on when they can make an arrest so long a...