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September, 2009

New Charges Allege That Terrorist Suspect Wanted to Attack Quantico

Added: 2009-09-30 14:35:53

Three counts in a new indictment against a suspected terrorist allege that the man planned to attack the United States Marine base at Quantico, Virginia. The new charges, announced Thursday, are added to the previous charges of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy ...

Hanging of Census Worker May Be Protest Against Government

Added: 2009-09-29 14:36:40

Washington—The FBI is investigating potential foul play and anti-government sentiment in the death of an employee for the United States Census Bureau, who was found hanged from a tree earlier this month.The body of Bill Sparkman, who is a teacher in addition to working for the Census Bureau part-...

Shoe Bomber Correspondence Causes Controversy

Added: 2009-09-28 14:38:08

Washington, D.C.—Security experts are skeptical of a Justice Department decision to allow Richard Reid, the “shoe bomber,” to correspond with family members from his prison cell. Reid, who pled guilty in December 2001, to trying to detonate a bomb which was concealed in his shoe on an over...

Facebook Five Fight For Right To Air Work Grievances Online

Added: 2009-09-25 14:39:50

Canberra, Australia—In a case which questions the function of social networking sites, several New South Wales state prison guards have been accused of misconduct after posting complaints about their boss on the popular site Facebook.The guards, who are being supported by their union, the Public ...

Horrorcore Rapper Arrested in Murder Case, Suspected in Slaying of Four

Added: 2009-09-24 14:44:35

Farmville, VA—An arrest has been made in the slaying of four people, including a pastor, in a small Virginia town. Authorities say that the suspect, a 20-year-old aspiring rapper, had written lyrics bragging about the thrill of killing. Richard Alden Samuel McCroskey III has been charged with ...

Federal Courts to Decide California Prison Overcrowding Issue

Added: 2009-09-23 14:49:25

With a prison population nearly double its intended capacity, and a state budget hopelessly painted in red, officials in California are being forced to deal with prison overcrowding issues: by mandate of the federal courts.A panel of federal judges has ordered state officials to cut the prison popu...

Court Rejects Appeal For Retrial After Judge-DA Affair

Added: 2009-09-22 14:57:01

Dallas, TX—The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled on Wednesday that a death-row inmate will not be allowed to seek a new trial, even though the judge in his original trial has admitted to having an affair with the prosecutor. Charles Dean Hood, who was convicted of murdering Tracie Lynn Wal...

Retired Officer IDs Robbery Suspect

Added: 2009-09-21 14:59:19

St. Louis, M.O.—A man wanted in connection with 14 armed robberies was arrested at a motel in Kingdom City, Missouri, about 100 miles west of St. Louis. While at a motel in Kingdom City, a retired Missouri state trooper recognized Chad E. Shaffner from “wanted” billboards which had appeare...

Gotti Jr. To Stand Trial Again

Added: 2009-09-18 15:00:00

New York N.Y.—For the fourth time in as many years, John “Junior” Gotti is getting ready to stand trial on federal charges of racketeering and murder. The previous three all ended in mistrials. The defense claims the prosecution is simply pressing forward in an attempt to retry past failur...

Four Women To Stand Trial in Penis-Gluing Incident

Added: 2009-09-17 15:02:57

Calumet County, Wisconsin—Four women will stand trial for participating in a plot to lure a man to a motel, hold him hostage, and glue his penis to his stomach in retaliation for having had relationships with three of them. A Calumet County Circuit Court Judge ruled earlier this week, after havin...

Republican Assemblyman Steps Down Amid Sex-Talk Scandal

Added: 2009-09-16 15:08:53

Sacramento, C.A.—Republican Assemblyman Mike Duvall has stepped down following a scandal in which he was caught on tape boasting about his illicit sexual conquests to a fellow assemblyman.Recorded during a committee meeting inside the California State Capitol Building in July, Duvall can be heard...

Photog Leibovitz Stands to Lose Life's Work

Added: 2009-09-15 15:09:28

New York, N.Y.—Photographer Annie Leibovitz, best known for her large portfolio of celebrity prints, could lose the rights to that portfolio and future works if she fails to pay back a loan on time. The rights to Leibovitz's entire portfolio, as well as intellectual property rights and real es...

Police Kill Pastor in Drug Operation

Added: 2009-09-14 15:10:26

Atlanta, G.A.—Undercover police officers shot and killed a Georgia pastor following a drug sting Tuesday afternoon. Jonathan Ayers, 29, was seen in his car with a woman who was the target of a drug operation in Stephens County. Ayers dropped the woman off in downtown Toccoa before stopping at a c...

Numerous Cold Case Homicides Linked Together With DNA Samples

Added: 2009-09-11 15:12:16

Milwaukee, WI—Police announced recently that DNA helped crack the case of a series of killings which took place in the Milwaukee area over a 21-year period. Walter E. Ellis, 49, was arrested over the weekend and charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide. More charges will be...

California Wildfire Deemed Arson Case

Added: 2009-09-10 15:13:10

Los Angeles—The wildfire that has ravaged Southern California in recent weeks, which has burned 226 square miles of land, destroyed scores of homes, and killed two firefighters was set deliberately, say authorities. Investigators launched a homicide investigation on Thursday, after forensic ev...

Pfizer To Pay Out Record Penalty; Stock Goes Up

Added: 2009-09-09 15:13:41

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Pfizer, the world's largest drug manufacturer, will pay $2.3 billion in criminal and civil penalties in a settlement with the Justice Department. The record fine was levied in the wake of allegations that the drug giant had improperly marketed the pain drug Bextra, along with thr...

Suspected Serial Killer Jailed on Murder Charges

Added: 2009-09-08 15:17:01

Rocky Mount, NC—A suspect has been arrested in connection with five suspected serial killings, dating back to 2005, in rural areas of North Carolina. Antwan Maurice Pittman, 31, has been charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Taraha Shenice Nicholson. Nicholson's remains were found...

Philadelphia Mob Losing Power

Added: 2009-09-07 15:17:59

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.—An ongoing hearing before the Casino Control Commission of New Jersey has revealed information about the dwindling status of the mob in Philadelphia and South Jersey. Down to 20 members, from 80 at the height of its power, the Philadelphia-South Jersey Mafia family has fall...

Manson Follower Susan Atkins Seeks Parole

Added: 2009-09-04 15:20:12

A terminally ill member of the former so-called “Manson family” is up for parole for the 13th time. Susan Atkins, 61, was initially sentenced to death for her role in the vicious slayings of seven people in August 1969, which were perpetrated by followers of Charles Manson. In 1972, however, wh...

Fashion Designer Sentenced in Rape Case

Added: 2009-09-03 15:20:54

Los Angeles—Earlier this week, a fashion designer who had worked with Paris Hilton and the reality television show “America's Next Top Model” was sentenced to 59 years to life in prison. Anand Jon Alexander, 35, had been convicted in November on charges that he lured aspiring models to Los...

Ex-High School Football Coach's Trial Begins

Added: 2009-09-02 15:22:01

Louisville, TN—A trial begins this week for a former high school football coach accused of reckless homicide and wanton endangerment in the death of a high school football player last year. Max Gilpin, who was just 15 years old when he passed out during football practice in the summer of 2008,...

Eight Killed in Georgia Trailer Park, No Suspects

Added: 2009-09-01 15:23:18

Brunswick, GA—Authorities in Georgia are remaining tight-lipped about any possible developments in a murder investigation that stemmed from a weekend slaying.Police were called to the New Hope Mobile Home Park in Brunswick on Saturday, after nine people were found shot. Seven were pronounced dead...

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