Tag Archives: Crime news

‘Heartbeat bill’ passed in Ohio

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By SHANIKA ISAACS

Gov. Mike DeWine signed an ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Thursday afternoon, which banned the abortion of a five to six week old pregnancy in Ohio, even though it was considered unconstitutional in other states. The bill was expected to take full effect in the next 90 days which inevitably invites many who are unhappy about its passing decision.

The state’s government believed that as their duty to protect the citizens of state, they also needed to protect those who were not given the choice to have a voice. The only exception to the bill would be if a woman was in imminent danger due to her pregnancy and as a resulted needed to terminate it.

Many angered organizations joined forces to show their lack of support toward the bill and voiced many of their opinions toward it.

“This legislation is blatantly unconstitutional and we will fight to the bitter end to ensure that this bill is permanently blocked,” said Freda Levenson, ACLU Ohio Legal Director, in an article for NPR by Gabe Rosenberg.

Some of the groups who plan to use were Pre-Term Cleveland, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio and the Women’s Med Center of Dayton.

As the political battle enraged the dislikes of the business community and those who believed in a women’s right to chose what she does to her body, the rest of society was left to consider the consequences. Would this law benefit the upcoming future or would it continue to tear society apart?

Ex-NFL player charged with murder

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Cierre Woods, a California native that was once a member of the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and Houston Texans, appeared in court on Thursday in Las Vegas. He is facing first-degree murder charges after a five-year-old girl, whom he was accused of abusing, died.

Authorities said the 28-year-old was initially arrested on Wednesday at Summerlin Hospital on suspicion of first-degree child abuse. But then on Thursday, the first degree murder charges were added because La’Rayah Davis, the little girl, had died.

The girl’s mother, Amy Taylor, is Wood’s girlfriend and was also arrested and charged with firs-degree child abuse. However, it is not confirmed whether the 25-year-old will be charged with first degree murder as well.

According to the Associated Press, Las Vegas Metro police reported that La’Rayah had bruises on her abdomen, legs and torso. Prosecutors added in court that, while the cause of death is yet to be determined, an autopsy had revealed the existence of a large liver laceration.

La’Rayah’s father, Danaun Davis, traveled from California to be in the courtroom Thursday.

“She had so many people she touched, and she was only 5,” he said. “[The] most tragic thing is [that] I can’t call her. I just spoke to her on that Monday before. ‘Dad, I’ll see you in two weeks.’ The next day, I get a call that she’s gone.”

Woods was a former student-athlete at the University of Notre Dame and ran for almost 2,500 yards there and 16 touchdowns. He also appeared for three games in the NFL in 2013 and two games in 2015 for just five carries. According to Yahoo Sports, he most recently played in the Canadian Sports League, but is now currently a free agent.

All the reports I read on Woods were detailed with facts of the event and his former career. Likewise, most reports included a timeline of how the events transpired in the past week. It’s unfortunate that the La’Rayah passed and so I hope she gets justice.

Rapper Nispey Hussle killed

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By SHANIKA ISAACS

Nipsey Hussle was an American rapper and song writer from Los Angeles who was killed on April 3, creating an uproar in the black community.

His caused of death was as a result of obtaining gunshot wounds to the head and torso. According to Stacia Brown who wrote an article to The Washington Post, the conspiracy theory of Hussle being killed due to his connection with Dr. Sebi and HIV, proved to be false.

Many people believed that the documentary Hussle was working on with the herbal doctor, would prove that he was killed by government officials, for having the cure for HIV aids. A claim that would have dismantled the multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical empire that ran the country.   

She explained in her article that this type of response from the black community was a form of grief where many were bewildered by his death as they searched for a deeper explanation. Hussle quickly moved from a hero status to a martyr. The murder suspect Eric Holder, Hussle’s best friend, was arrested and charged for his friend’s death and attempted murder for bystanders who got injured. However, Holder pleaded not guilty on Thursday to these charges with a $5 million bail.

Victim’s family speaks to Uber, Lyft

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By PAIGE FLANNERY

Last Friday, University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson was found dead in a field 14 hours after she got into a black Chevy Impala that she thought was her Uber.

Over the past week since her passing, there have been many services held in both Columbia, S.C,, where she attended school, as well as in her hometown in Princeton, N.J.

The story of Samantha’s death has gone viral, and people everywhere have been speaking out about the topic. Samantha’s family has called on companies such as Uber and Lyft to take action to make their rides safer and for the companies to hold themselves accountable. A petition was made for these companies to implement QR codes to verify both the driver and passenger’s identity before getting in the vehicle.

On the other end of the spectrum, the hashtag #WhatsMyName has been trending, which is being used to spread awareness about ride-share safety by urging any Uber or Lyft customers to ask the driver who the car is for before getting in the vehicle.

Although everyone would benefit from companies like Uber and Lyft taking action to make their rides safer, it is really the customer’s responsibility to keep themselves safe. In Samantha’s case, she didn’t realize that the car she got into wasn’t her uber until it was too late. However, she and other ride-sharing customers should always confirm the driver’s identity as well as their license plate before entering the vehicle.

Even if Uber had already put the QR code initiative in motion, there is still the possibility that customers don’t use it and still get into the wrong car. In this case, it is on the customer rather than the company.

As tragic as Samantha’s death is, if she had looked at the license plate before getting in the vehicle, she would still be alive today and Uber could not have done anything to prevent that.

Fighting causes student’s death

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By OLIVER JIA

According to CNN news, a South Carolina student died after a fight with another student in the classroom. The students’ families are trying to figure out this incident.

According to the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office, Raniya had a physical altercation with another girl. Authorities did not publicize the names of the students because they are younger than 17. Raniya was described as a good student who loved to write, play basketball and spend time with her friends.

The report stated that when first responders arrived, the student was on the nurse’s station with breathing. Then she was taken to the medical center and then airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Health in Charleston.

After the conflict, school administrators secured the scene immediately, they ended the fight and called emergency medical services to the school. 

This incident influenced Raniya’s family. Ashley Wright, Raniya’s parents were saddened and they were planning her funeral on Thursday.

A school board member decided to do some research and a survey, trying to find any avenues that can help solve these problems so that they can make campus life safer. William Bowman, a school board member said, “we would continue to do the survey and got funds to apply different safety measures or needed safety measures.”

Kidnapper, murderer pleads guilty

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By SHANIKA ISAACS

A man was in court on Wednesday to answer for kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents in Wisconsin on Oct. 15, 2018.

James Patterson pleaded guilty on two counts of first-degree intentional homicide one count of kidnapping. The remaining charges of burglary were dropped, which was ruled as a life sentence for the accused.

After three months into her disappearance she was able to escape from her kidnapper’s house. By the time she was able to get to safety an arrested was made against Patterson within 30 minutes. Upon exiting the courtroom, his last words were ‘Bye Jayme’ but she was not there.

According to The New York Times, Patterson had trouble finding direction and appeared to lack companionship.

“Former high school classmates and teachers described Mr. Patterson as a quiet, bookish boy who struggled to find his way after graduation. He enlisted in the Marines but was sent home from boot camp after five weeks. Neighbors said he bounced from job to job and spent much of his time alone.”

What are some of your thoughts about this person? Do you think he’s mentally challenged or he plain evil?

Smollett saga comes to unexpected end

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By RYAN GRILLE

This week, the charges against Jussie Smollett were dropped. Smollett was arrested for staging a fake hate crime in Chicago. The FBI is currently undergoing an investigation into why the charges against Smollett were dropped. The news has resulted in many angry reactions from various sources, including President Donald Trump.

The entire Smollett saga represents a failure of both journalism and the ability of people to remain skeptical. When the story first broke out, there were several people who were skeptical about the validity of Smollett’s claims. However, the skeptics were widely criticized for downplaying the apparent tragic incident. The focus of the media became the attack and how it was a reflection of the current social issues facing the country.

However, this narrative began to unravel rather quickly. It became apparent that Smollett’s story had several holes and inconsistencies. Eventually, Smollett was arrested for filing a false police report. It was soon discovered Smollett had actually hired two African-American brothers to stage the attack. As a result, there was public outrage all across the internet.

Several lessons can be taken from the Smollett incident. Firstly, it is important to remain skeptical about all claims until all the facts are in and they can be properly analyzed. Secondly, you should never run to anyone’s defense simply because said person has a political or social ideology you agree with. People like Smollett may take advantage of the current social climate in order to further their own selfish goals. Hopefully, this entire saga will serve as a wake-up call for many people.

Charges dropped against Smollett

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By NAOMI FEINSTEIN

In a stunning twist, Chicago prosecutors dropped all charges against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett on Tuesday after he was accused of staging a racist and anti-gay attack on himself. However, Smollett still maintains innocence.

Despite refuting Smollett’s claim of being a victim rather than the mastermind behind the attack, prosecutors felt Smollett’s completion of 16 community service hours and $10,000 bond donated to the city was a sufficient punishment.

Chicago police and Mayor Rahm Emanual are angered by the prosecutors’ decision, believing Smollett staged the attack upon himself to gain publicity and advance his career.

This shocking decision leaves many people confused across the state as well as the nation because the Chicago police had said it had plenty of evidence that Smollett did orchestrate the attack on himself.

In hearing this decision, I was shocked myself because I saw the sharp criticism against Smollett and calls for justice all over the news and social media. Top officials made appearances promising that Smollett will be properly punished for his crimes.

I am left wondering as well as many others if Smollett’s fame played a factor in handling of this case. If this was a regular individual, would they receive the same punishment for 16 felony charges? I do not think so. Not only that but Smollett continues to lie about really happened so he did not seem to gain any lessons from his community service hours. Is there something happening within the State Attorney’s Office of Chicago that we don’t know about? It definitely seems like it as the office has completely changed its stance regarding this case for no apparent reason. Hopefully, the Fourth Estate can get to work in exposing what is really going on here and provide people answers to their questions.

College admission scandal leads to arrests

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By SHANIKA ISAACS

About 50 people were arrested and charged including many celebrities, famous coaches and wealthy parents for their participation in one of America’s biggest college admission scandal the country has ever seen.

Lori Loughlin, the wife of Mossimo Giuannulli were reported by People that the entire family went completely under the radar as they tried to avoid the on-going tension of the issue. Olivia Jade, 19 and her sister Isabella Rose, 20, daughters of Loughlin both dropped out of the University of Southern California which was one of the implicated universities.

“The whole family is still laying low at their Bel Air home. Lori and Mossimo both have court dates in Boston next week. It’s still a very stressful time for them all,” a source told Aurelie Corinthios, who wrote an article for People.

The sting lead by William Rick Singer called ‘Operation Varsity Blue’ took place at The Keys, his college admission prep company. Those arrested included two SAT/ACT administrators, one exam proctor, nine coaches, one college administrator and 33 parents.

Many people were disturbed by the actions of the elites and some even shared their views of understanding why the rich would always be ahead.

Elle Fromm told “PBS News Hour,” “You know, maybe it used to be your parents donated a library. And now it’s you have got a fixer who bumps your SAT score up 400 points. But, yes, I’m not that surprised.”

To live in a society that rewards the rich for their minimal efforts would endlessly encourage the cycle of inequality. If people at the top of the pyramid continue to teach their peers a way of lying and cheating to get to the top, then the wheels of morality would be highly skewed. Life cannot persist like this and such behavior requires an overall change of perception. What are some of your thoughts on the scandal?   

New Zealand announces gun changes

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By NAOMI FEINSTEIN

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced new law gun control laws that will ban all military-style weapons and assault rifles in wake of the mass shootings that killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch.

“On 15 March, our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too,” Ardern said. “We are announcing action today on behalf of all New Zealanders to strength our gun laws and make our a country a safer place.”

However, Ardern later clarified that this new legislation will be proposed to Parliament in beginning of April. She hopes to restrict access to such guns while the country waits for Parliament to pass the new legislation.

It took only 72 hours for New Zealand to act and make the proper changes to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring.

The United States has a mass shooting almost every week, but no progress has been made in banning military style assault rifles, such as the AR-15, the common weapon in mass shooting

Not only has Arden fulfilled her promise of pursuing gun control, but also vowed to not give the shooter notoriety or mention is name in conversation. The “No Notoriety” campaign has not been as successful in the United States as the media continues to mention the perpetrator.

Prime Minister Ardern stands as a symbol for gun control and should be applauded for her response following one of the deadliest shootings in New Zealand history.

New Zealand shooting shocks world

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By MCKENZIE STOUTE

Last Friday, a terrorist attacked a New Zealand mosque, leaving 49 dead, marking this as worst mass killing in New Zealand history.

During the attack the terrorist live streamed the shooting to Facebook and Twitter using a helmet camera.

The suspected gunman was an advocate of white supremacy, and had a hatred for immigrants, which fueled his decision to target the Mosque. The gunman wrote a manifesto which he posted on Facebook and stated, that he wanted to avenge attacks in Europe perpetrated by Muslims. The dead and wounded include individuals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Turkey.

World leaders have spoken out about the attack, including President Trump

“My warmest sympathy and best wishes goes out to the people of New Zealand after the horrible massacre in the Mosques. 49 innocent people have so senselessly died, with so many more seriously injured. The U.S. stands by New Zealand for anything we can do. God bless all!” he stated.

This shooting comes at a surprise for New Zealand natives being, Mass shootings are extremely rare in New Zealand. The most well-known shooting is the Aramoana massacre that happened all the way back in 1990, when a man gunned down 13 people in a tiny seaside village. Immediately after this pas attack, The prime minister on Saturday vowed to tighten New Zealand’s gun laws.

Taylor Swift’s stalker breaks in, again

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Last Thursday, a Taylor Swift-obsessed stalker was arrested in New York City again after being released from jail just 30 days prior for committing the same crime: breaking into her home.

Roger Alvarado, a 23-year-old Florida native, allegedly climbed a ladder and broke a glass door to get inside of Swift’s townhouse at around 2:30 a.m., police said.

According to sources, the pop star was out of town at the time and so police were alerted to the singer’s apartment by its automated security system. The sources also added that Alvarado did not steal anything from the property.

Alvarado, who is on probation after getting out of jail Feb. 5, has since been charged with stalking, burglary and felony criminal contempt for violating an order of protection.

This is, at least, the third time he has been arrested at Swift’s home.

In the previous break-in, which happened last April, police say Alvarado used Swift’s shower and slept in her bed. This offense is what sent him to jail for more than nine months and as part of the sentence, the judge ordered him to complete a mental-health program.

But two months before that, Alvarado was arrested for reportedly breaking Swift’s front door with a shovel.

In my opinion, I believe these situations occur more frequently because of websites and tabloids. They dedicate themselves to exposing celebrities and putting their last bits of privacy, like their personal home addresses, out for everyone to see at a grander scale. I think there should be more caution on what is reported on, in order to make sure public figures aren’t placed in even more danger.

Jussie Smollett attack investigated

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By MCKENZIE STOUTE

“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett is in hot water after allegedly orchestrating a hate crime against himself. He has been charged with filing a false police report after claiming to be the victim of a racist, homophobic attack.

Smollett claimed that he was attacked on Jan. 29, by two masked men while walking home in Chicago. He described his attackers as wearing mask, “Make America Great Again” hats and yelling racist and homophobic slurs at him. Smollett continued to explain how one of the attackers tied a noose around his neck and doused him with bleach.

Many stars and fans of the “Empire” actor took to social media to voice their support for Smollett.

When searching for evidence police couldn’t find any surveillance camera footage of the attack but saw two men who matched the description Smollett gave oh his attackers, walking the street he claimed he was attacked on. Come to find out these men are friends of Smollett and stated,

“Jussie hired us to stage this attack against him because he felt a threatening letter he received wasn’t getting enough attention.”

Smollett continues to deny these claims with his attorney public stating, “Jussie has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.”

Currently, the public doesn’t know who to believe, this story giving individuals yet another reason to not trust what is put out in the news media.

Good Samaritan arrested in drug bust

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By LESLIE ANNE DOMINIQUE

Oh how the cookie crumbles…

A man who was praised for buying $540 in Girl Scout cookies last Friday, was arrested on Tuesday for federal drug charges.

Last Friday, Detric Lee McGowen was a hero all over the internet. His story of buying 120 boxes of Girl Scout cookies from freezing children at the supermarket went viral.  The story was picked up by local and national news, with pictures of him and the happy children presented all over.

Unrelated to his generosity, McGowen was arrested on Tuesday and charged by the DEA with conspiracy to import and distribute fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.

McGowen is one of the 11 men tied up in a case claiming that they conspired to import Mexican drugs into the U.S. More than $1 million were found among the defendants.

Various local news networks have caught up with the Girl Scouts from Greenville to speak on their experience with McGowen. In an interview with the Greenville News, Karen Kelly, the vice president of the Girl Scouts chapter stated, “Nobody was hurt. Nobody was threatened.… We had no reason to believe that this man was anything other than one of our valuable customers.… This is now in the hands of law enforcement and of course we will cooperate with authorities.”

The Girl Scouts of Greenville are saddened by the actions of McGowen and maintain that the girls are safe and that McGowen presented no form of danger or threat. It has not yet been reported if the Girl Scouts plan on returning the money,

McGowen has been charged with a total of eight drug-related counts and has further been charged with racketeering and conspiracy to deceive the United States.

This story has been reported by a variety of news networks. CNN, NPR, The Washington Post and more have written about the intriguing story. The overall draw to the story is that you never really know a person. A criminal may be who you least expect.

‘Empire’ actor charged for fa​lse report

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By KARLI FEINSTEIN

Actor Jussie Smollett, one of the stars from the Fox Television show “Empire,” is currently facing a felony charge of disorderly conduct due to a fake police report claiming two men attacked him in Chicago last month.

The Chicago Police believe Smollett paid two men $3,500 to conduct an assault on him. Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson said the “Empire” actor staged the attack on himself because he was unhappy with his salary.

According to Johnson, Smollett first “attempted to gain attention by sending a false letter that relied on racial, homophobic and political language.” This was a reference to a letter Smollett sent to to the “Empire” set before the attack.

Smollet first reported the “attack” on Jan. 29. He claimed two men were yelling out homophobic and racial slurs like “‘Empire’ fa***t” and “‘Empire’ n***er.” The men then apparently proceeded to choke him with a rope and pour an unknown substance on top of him.

The two men who allegedly attacked Smollett are brothers, identified as Olabinjo Osundairo and Abimbola Osundairo. They were arrested on Wednesday, but released without charges on Friday morning after police recognized new evidence of the case.

“When we discovered the actual motive, quite frankly, it pissed everybody off because we have to invest valuable resources,” Johnson said.

This case caused such chaos for no reason at all. The Chicago police were very upset that this gained so much attention when there are much more drastic scenarios happening right now in Chicago as we speak. 

At a press conference, Johnson said, “Before I get started, I look out into the crowd, I just wish that the families of gun violence in this city got this much attention because that’s who really deserves the amount of attention that we are giving to this particular in distinct.”

Hearing this story really bums me out, especially since I’m a big fan of the show “Empire.” Smollett took total advantage of his fame in this situation. He thought by faking an attack he could gain more money from the show and more respect from his fans. This behavior is so disgusting and I’m glad he will reap the consequences from it.

Actor Jussie Smollett no longer a victim

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By NAOMI FEINSTEIN

After “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett reported last month that he was victim of a racist and homophobic attack, Chicago Police now believe he orchestrated the attack upon himself, charging him with a felony of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report. He is being held on $100,000 bail and must surrender his passport.

Initially, Smollett told the police that he was beaten by two masked men as they yelled racist and homophobic slurs at him, placed a rope around his neck, and poured an unknown substance on him. Additionally, the studio where “Empire” is filmed received a letter filled with homophobic and racist language just a week before the attack.

Police were skeptical of Smollett’s story from the beginning, but still treated him as a victim until they completed the investigation. In a press conference, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Smollett paid two brothers $3,500 to stage the attack as well as provided money for the materials. Johnson believes this was a stunt for Smollett to increase his publicity in hopes of receiving a salary promotion. Smollett, however, denies the allegations.

“Actor Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career,” Johnson said. “Why would anyone especially an African American man use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations?”

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the news and entertainment media glorified Smollett as a symbol for the gay and African-American communities. However, many, including Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, were dissatisfied with how quick media organizations were to cover the attack.

“I just wish that the families of gun violence in this city got this much attention,” Johnson said.

Although hate crimes are widespread and happen daily, they rarely make the news. But in this case, it did because it involved a public figure. Thus, it was alarming that the media is so quick to publish a story about a celebrity, but when a common citizen deals with such an ordeal, it is rarely mentioned. Even staffers working for Good Morning America had doubts about Smollett’s story after he had an interview with GMA host Robin Roberts.

Some feel this will negatively impact future victims of hate crimes as they may be afraid to speak up in fear of being accused of making it all up. Smollett could have been a great leader, but his ego got in the way.

This ordeal will definitely further divide our country as the media will be under a lot of scrutiny for believing Smollett’s story and not waiting for the investigation to be concluded. In the end, Smollett damaged his reputation and the media’s credibility with individuals accusing media organizations for distorting reality.

Ohio State student kidnapped, killed

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

On Monday, Feb. 11, 20-year-old Ohio State University student Skylar Williams was kidnapped by her 24-year-old ex-boyfriend Ty’Rell Pounds from the campus parking lot. Later that day, Pounds fatally shot Williams after being stopped by Kentucky State troopers.

The couple began dating in high school and were in a tumultuous relationship for nearly three years.

In the Richland County Court, Pounds alleged that Williams was abusive towards him throughout the relationship, but never filed charges because she claimed to create false allegations if he took her to court.  

Last October, however, Pounds filed a restraining order against Williams after he alleged that she hit him at North Central State College. Then, this January, Williams reported an incident that occurred outside of a Mansfield, Ohio, gas station with Pounds in addition to filing a rape charge against him originating from an incident she claimed occurred in September 2018. Pounds insisted that Williams fabricated that claim because he did not pay to get her mother’s car fixed.

Records show that the couple also shared a 1-year-old child.

The Richland County court records showed that visitation of the child by Pounds required supervision by a third party in order to make contact between him and Williams unnecessary. According to the affidavit, Pounds also said he believed it would be in the best interest of the child to be under his custody.

In the news conference Wednesday afternoon held by Kentucky State Police, the patrol commissioner said KSP became involved at around 3:24 p.m. Monday after a 911 call was made by a witness. In the call, the witness claimed to have seen “a distressed female at a gas station in Gallatin County mouth ‘help me’ while being forced by a male into a dark-colored Dodge Caravan.” Soon after, the police located the van and tried to stop it, but Pounds continued to drive, prompting the police chase.

Eventually, the trooper pursuing the car noticed Pounds wearing a bulletproof vest and holding a gun. Joey Brown, the state trooper, then used a pit maneuver, flipping the car on its side. Brown then got out of his patrol unit and instantly heard gunshots from inside the van, causing him to shoot at Pounds.

Pounds was pronounced dead at the scene, but Brown attempted to give Williams medical attention until ambulances came. She died soon after arriving at the hospital.

In my opinion, the reporting on this case seemed objective, factual and complete. They explained plenty on the history of Williams and Pounds’ toxic relationship, allowing readers to conjure up their opinions on the situation. Unfortunately, two lives were lost and a child was left orphaned. I also appreciate that many of the articles provided The National Domestic Violence Hotline number at the end in order to prevent further tragedies.

Couple jailed after mistreating children

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By: KARLI FEINSTEIN

On Tuesday morning in Wise County, Texas, a mother and her boyfriend were arrested after police received a domestic disturbance call regarding four malnourished children stuck inside a home.

According to authorities, the children were found under clutter and grime. The children’s age ranged from 1-5, there were three boys and one girl. 

Two of the four children were placed in a barn crate that was converted into a sleeping space.

According to CNN affiliate, KTVT, the two oldest children ages 4 and 5 were the ones stuck in the crates.

Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said when he found the children, they were hungry and thirsty, and covered in feces. Akin also stated that the children didn’t talk much when the police arrived at the home. 

“Our deputies and our lieutenant fed and gave water to those children. And due to the malnourishment and other concerns, EMS was called; emergency medical was called,” Akin said.

The biological mother to four of the children was identified as Paige Harkins. Her boyfriend, Andrew Fabila, is the biological father to one of the kids. 

The domestic disturbance call was made in the first place due to an altercation the couple was having. When the authorities showed up, Fabila had multiple cuts on his face.

Harkins and Fabila were both arrested on four counts of endangering a child. Harkins was also charged on one count for aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, Akins said. The couple is currently being held at Wise County jail. 

The children were taken to a hospital in Fort Worth for further assessment. They are now in custody of Child Protective Services. 

I believe this horrific situation is something that should never occur. The fact that there are still people out there who treat their children like this is just disgusting and morally wrong. If you’re going to have a child, you better understand the responsibility it entails. You can’t treat children like animals and leave them in crates to die. I don’t think stories like this ever get enough coverage from the news media. I concur that if we were to focus more on issues like this, people would know how wrong it is to mistreat children.

If convicted, will El Chapo stay in prison?

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Deliberations for El Chapo’s fate have officially begun earlier this week after nearly three months of testimony.

The week, however, ended on Thursday seemingly positive for Joaquín Guzmán Loera as his jurors did not reach a verdict. He was seen smiling and hugging his attorneys after U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan dismissed 12 jurors from the federal court in Brooklyn.

Guzman-Loera, 61, is accused of leading Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and trafficking tons cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines across the Rio Grande into United States — among other things. He previously twice escaped from maximum-security prison in Mexico and in closing arguments by prosecuting attorney Andrea Goldbarg, it was said that he was devising a third breakout prior to being extradited to the U.S.

The defense, nonetheless, claims Guzman’s role has been exaggerated by cooperating witnesses and that he is just a mere scapegoat in the drug world. El Chapo’s wife even claimed to have never even had any idea he was a criminal.

But what is undeniable of El Chapo is that he captured the world’s attention and gained a legendary status in the eyes of many, despite the thousands of people ruthlessly murdered by his savage Sinaloan cartel. This can be attributed to the mass media attention he has garnered for decades.

Jurors are expected to continue deliberating on the 10 criminal counts, one of which consists of 27 criminal violations, next Monday. If convicted in the United States, he could face life in prison- unless he escapes, again.


Super Bowl scammer goes missing

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

In Gwinnett County, Ga., police are looking for a distinguished businessman accused of swindling Super Bowl fans out of three quarters of a million dollars.

As Atlanta’s WSB-TV reports, nearly a dozen Georgians have notified authorities of the fraudulent Super Bowl ticket sales. Buyers were promised 100-level seating with access to the concierge lounge and a few pre-parties. Surprisingly, among those who filed police reports, is the businessman’s own mother. The same man has been reported as “missing” since the beginning of the new year by his wife.

Ketan Shah, the alleged scammer, owns a digital printing shop and is a member of various community boards.Thursday, however, marked the beginning of his dismissal from said boards. A statement on the Georgia Indo-American Chamber of Commerce’s website said Shah had been suspended from its board of directors and dismissed its connection to the alleged scheme.

“It’s just crazy, mind blowing,” said victim Alan Tartt to WSB-TV’s investigative reporter Nicole Carr. “Everything seemed legit.”

Tartt connected with Shah in November because of a mutual friend. He told police he soon began to make $5,000 payments to Shah — with two others — on $20,000 worth of tickets.

His mother claimed to have lost $36,000, but declined to press charges. Four other men filed charges against Shah and, as records show, they too lost similar amounts in ticket purchases, each.

The largest sum of money reported missing was made by a Columbus, Ga., business-man. He made a payment of $500,000 to Shah as he was told he would have the opportunity to host an arena Super Bowl event in addition to game-day tickets.

What is extraordinary of this situation is that the victims were not strangers to the accused. Shah knew these people for countless years and he still decided to disappear with payment amounts prior to delivering on his promises.

Bhavi Shah, Ketan Shah’s wife, told authorities that her husband also took out a half-million dollar loan against the business without her knowledge and is uncertain as to why he would do such a thing or where he might be located.

Overall, this story was reported with imperative sources and details. Had it not been done this way, it would not have been so interesting to read. Likewise, as a result of the writing style, it would surely be interesting to get Shah’s side of the story — if he is found.