Tag Archives: Crime reporting

Teen found may be boy missing 8 years

Posted on by

By CAMILA MUNERA

CNN posted an article titled, “Teen found wandering in Kentucky says he escaped kidnappers after 7 years,” written by Faith Karimi and Holly Yan.

The article summarizes the story of Timmothy Pitzen. A 6-year-old that disappeared almost eight years ago after his mother committed suicide in a motel room. She left a note saying her son was with people who loved him. “You’ll never find him” she noted.

The article notes how the mother struggled with depression. Her marriage was failing and her biggest fear was to have her son taken from her due to her mental health issues. One can assume this is why she didn’t let the boy stay with the father, maybe in a way she was jealous. 

Now years later Timmothy has possibly appeared again. The article explains how police in Illinois are currently waiting for DNA test results to see if this teenager really is Timmothy Pitzen.

I find it really important for the news to share a story like this one because sometimes people don’t tend to take mental health seriously. These are some of the consequences when you don’t. Some people don’t understand that having a mental health disorder that is not treated will begin to consume and change you, the worst part is that you won’t even notice. 

I want to believe this teen is Timmothy and I hope to hear the rest of the story. His family never stopped looking for him for years.

Smollett saga comes to unexpected end

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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.

Good Samaritan arrested in drug bust

Posted on by

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.

Student overdoses on opioid Oxycodone

Posted on by

By SHANIKA ISAACS

A Marathon High School student was rushed to the Fisherman’s Community Hospital in the Florida Keys area on Wednesday for an opioid overdose that caused a complete body shutdown.

According to the Miami Herald, which was one of the only news media sources that covered the incident, the Monroe County 911 operator received a call around 9:48 a.m. that three students took Opioid but only one ‘crashing’ as a result.

Opioid Oxycodone, defined by Erica Jacques who wrote an online article with the VeryWell Health organization, is an opiod painkiller, otherwise known as a narcotic painkiller. It is correctly used to treat moderate to severe forms of both acute and chronic pain. It works by changing the brain’s perception of pain thus providing release. However, with the abuse of this drug it can cause tremendous repercussions for an individual where they can experience irregular breathing and moments of unconsciousness.

The other two students involved in this incident were handed over to their parents who were briefed by Superintendent Mark Porter to expect an undergoing investigation into the matter.

“Our main concern is the health and well-being of the students involved,” said Porter, “Disciplinary actions may be taken once we have all the details of the investigation.”

As the numbers of daily opioid overdose were reported to be on the raise by the South Florida police departments, law makers continue to scramble in finding a way to keep them down. How did the kids get access to such powerful drugs? What is the accountability of the parents in this situation? What are some of your thoughts on the issue?

‘Empire’ actor charged for fa​lse report

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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.

How much should we cover the shooter?

Posted on by

By NAOMI FEINSTEIN

It has been one year since the worst mass shooting in United States history. On Valentine’s Day 2018, tragedy disrupted the happiness and love at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

According to authorities, a former MSD student brought his semi-automatic rifle into a freshman building where he shot and killed 17 students and faculty in less than 10 minutes.

During the immediate aftermath of the shooting, survivors, which included students David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez, Cameron Kasky and Jaclyn Corin, launched a campaign called the “March For Our Lives” to end gun violence around America. Additionally, they vowed to never forget the lives lost by making sure their names are always brought up in commemoration.

After the shooting, the news media goes through the usual script of covering a mass shooting: explaining what happened, the lives lost and background of the shooter. However, many of these young activists are calling for the media to stop glorifying mass shooters.

Most recently, USA Today published a story in honor of the one-year anniversary of the shooting. In doing so, the reporter, John Bacon, highlighted all the key figures at the center of the shooting to discuss where they are today, which included discussing the young student activists and the shooter along with an image of him in court.

In response to the article, David Hogg appeared on MSNBC where he said, “They’re [USA Today] one of the best news organizations at making shooters famous in the first place. They always plaster the shooter’s face everywhere. They always give them several hundred pages of coverage.”

Hogg advocating for news media outlets to change how they cover mass shootings is part of the broader campaign called “No Notoriety” that began as a result of the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting. There have been studies done to show that many mass shootings are repetitions of each other as perpetrators see the news coverage of the shooting and want the notoriety of being a school shooter. These aspiring shooters who hope to achieve fame see that is a real possibility through the news media. Thus, this campaign is calling for the news media to stop naming and showing pictures of the shooter.

News media outlets face difficult decisions in covering mass shootings. Now, many, such as Anderson Cooper, are pledging not to name the shooter during coverage or release any images. However, the American news media have the responsibility to keep the public well informed about what is happening around the globe and nationally. Yet, they need to be responsible in reporting. Instead of focusing on who it was, the news media must focus on why or how it happened.

We should use the news media coverage surrounding mass shootings to better understand why this keeps on happening and find the solutions to prevent them from happening in the future rather than as a means to talk about the shooter. When the media glorifies and identifies mass shooters, the victims are hurt twice: once by the perpetrator and the media. Since it seems as though mass shootings are going to be a constant in the U.S. for years to come, news outlets need to do their jobs but must be mindful of the victims and their families because their wounds are consistently reopened due to reappearing images and identification of the shooter in the news.

If convicted, will El Chapo stay in prison?

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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.

CBP makes record fentanyl bust

Posted on by

By PAIGE FLANNERY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Arizona announced on Thursday that border officers have made the largest fentanyl bust in U.S. history.

The 254 pounds of powder and pills that were confirmed to be the synthetic opioid was found hidden inside of a floor compartment of a large truck trailer filled with cucumbers. Officials valued the drug at $3.5 million. This bust is a large step for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but a small step for the opioid crisis in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017. This record breaking number has much to do with the out-of-control opioid overdose crisis in America. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that more than 130 people in the United States die from opioid overdose every day.

So what does this monumental fentanyl bust mean for the United States? The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has referred to Mexican cartels as “the greatest criminal drug threat to the United States.” These cartels are known to smuggle narcotics across the Southwest border of the U.S., often hidden in trailers similar to the truck trailer filled with cucumbers and 254 pounds of fentanyl that was just busted. This fentanyl seizure was more than double the amount of the previous record that was found in Nebraska in 2017. This national security concern is constantly on the radar for Customs and Border Protection officials, and this bust was an important victory for them.

We often hear President Trump preaching about his proposal for a border wall, which he claims will reduce national security concerns such as drug trafficking. However, U.S. Border Protection officials have expressed that, according to their data, the majority of hard drugs such as fentanyl and other opioids are seized from vehicles that attempt to cross the border by driving through official entry ports. It is unclear if a border wall would have much of an impact on the drug trafficking and opioid crisis in the U.S., but this major bust will hopefully act as a warning for all other drug traffickers looking to cross the border into the United States.


Parkland shooter faces new charges

Posted on by

By NOA ISRAEL

Nine months after accused Parkland shooter, Nikolas Cruz opened fire at his high school, he faces new charges after an altercation with a prison guard Wednesday morning.

Cruz is being held at the Fort Lauderdale jail, awaiting trial for the Feb. 14 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that left 17 students and staff members dead and 17 others injured. He faces 34 counts of murder and attempted murder.

On Wednesday CNN reported that Cruz “now faces additional charges of assault, battery and use of an electric weapon on the guard,” after he allegedly attacked a Broward County officer. The report states, Sgt. Raymond Beltran, requested that Cruz not drag his feet while he walked to the dayroom. In response to this, Cruz attacked Beltran.

According to video surveillance of the incident, “Cruz flipped his middle finger, then rushed Beltran and struck him in the face, the report states. Cruz took the officer to the ground and struck the top of his head with fists […] and then took his stun gun,” CNN reported.

Cruz was escorted to the hearing by multiple officers on Wednesday morning. He remained silent with his head down for the duration, as the judge set another hearing for Friday and set a preliminary bond of $200,000 for battery on an officer.

In April, Cruz waived his right to a speedy trial and was entered into a not-guilty plea by the judge. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the massacre in his trial set to begin in September 2019.

State executes man with electric chair

Posted on by

By NOA ISRAEL

The utilization of capitol punishment in the United States has been a long standing topic of controversy, with many states opting for life sentences as an alternative. Some states, such as Tennessee still support and practice the death penalty — on Thursday, the electric chair was used for the first time in five years on an inmate at a Tennessee prison.

Edmund Zagorski smiled right up until the “sponge and helmet were put over his head,” reporter Adam Tamburin stated. In 1984, 24-year-old Zagorksi was arrested just days after he lured two young men to a wooded hunting area and murdered them. He was charged with two counts of first degree murder.

At the time of the murders in Tennessee, the death sentence was the mandatory punishment for a capitol murder conviction. Zagorski eventually confessed to the murders on the presence that he would get to dictate certain aspects of his execution. He was sentenced to the death by electrocution in March of 1984 — 11 months after the murders.

Currently 31 states still uphold using capitol punishment, with six states — Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky — that still have the electric chair as an option. There have been oppositions towards the death penalty, with many stating it is unethical and inhumane, causing 19 states to abolish the use of capitol punishment.

Zagorki sat on death row for 34 years. In the months leading up to his death, his execution date was altered several times as was the method that would be used.  He was ultimately granted his wish of death by the electric chair. His last words were “let’s rock,” reported CNN.

Media blanket-cover Pittsburgh shooting

Posted on by

By ADAM SPECTOR

Last week, a shooter opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27. Eleven persons were killed and six others were injured.

This has been described as the deadliest against the Jewish community in United States history.

Authorities say Robert Bowers, 46, was the man responsible for the shooting. No alternative suspects have been mentioned.

Just about every news source has covered this story. Most have been thorough and are making sure this matter is known across the country.

Although sources such as CBS, CNN, and ABC have done a good job of making this story a priority, they have given hate crimes in general somewhat of an overlook.

As mentioned last week according to WBAL-TV 11, “from vandalism to murder, a new report from Maryland State Police shows that Maryland is seeing more hate crimes.” In 2017, Maryland saw a 35 percent increase in hate crimes since 2016, despite this serious issue, very few sources seemed to cover it

In this day and age, a lot of things are unnecessarily made political, however, this situation has a fair reason to be made political.

Some people have connected this story and the increased level of hate crimes to Donald Trump’s anti-Mexican, anti-immigrant, and anti-Islam policies as well as his popularity among white supremacists.

Despite this somewhat logical connection, Vice President Mike Pence rejected the idea that President Donald Trump’s rhetoric contributed shooting in Pittsburgh.

“Look, everyone has their own style. And frankly, people on both side of the aisle use strong language about our political differences,” Pence said in an interview with NBC News “But I just don’t think you can connect it to threats or acts of violence… And I don’t think the American people connect it.”

Although sources such as CBS, CNN and ABC have not covered the rise of hate crimes in the USA as much as they should have, they did make this story a priority.

Wigs are worse than hate crimes?

Posted on by

By ADAM SPECTOR

The rate of hate crimes has gone up over the past several years, yet it has received little media attention.

Eric Blankenstein, a senior Trump appointee responsible for enforcing laws against financial discrimination, used to write blogs and once questioned in if using the n-word was inherently racist and said that the majority of hate crimes were big hoaxes.

In a statement, Blankenstein admitted that he wrote the posts but claims they have no bearing on his work now.

According to WBAL-TV 11, “from vandalism to murder, a new report from Maryland State Police shows that Maryland is seeing more hate crimes.”

In 2017, Maryland saw a 35 percent increase in hate crimes since 2016. This has also been a nationwide increase. Despite this severe issue, sources such as CNN, Variety and the Huffington Post seem to spend more time talking about irrelevant issues.

The problem right now is that there are so many irrelevant topics of debate that the issue of hate crimes, racism, and anti-Semitism seem to have been put on the back burner.

In other words, people right now are more focused on minor issues of perceived political correctness, such as banning Speedy Gonzalez reruns and removing Apu from “The Simpsons” than the actual issue of ending hate crimes.

The way many people enjoy pretending to be offended by very minor things puts others under a false impression that racism is over even though it’s clearly not.

Even though Speedy Gonzalez offended Americans over potential Hispanic stereotypes, the Looney Tunes cartoon character remained popular in Latin America. This means the people that Americans thought would be offended by the character were not offended, yet Americans were.

Another example of people wasting their time was with Vogue’s recently released photo with of Kendall Jenner, with an Afro. This was somehow considered racist because she didn’t really have an Afro?

These people should instead spend their time raising awareness of hate crimes and should try to take action in their communities to prevent violence, vandalism, and any other crimes against people on the basis of race, religion, sexuality and or nationality. News editorials should promote this idea.

Man arrested in UM student death

Posted on by

By MIRIAM RUIZ

Yasser Abualfaraj, who was a third-year student at the University of Miami, was murdered on Oct. 7 in his off-campus apartment. Police investigations have continuously been going on. Earlier today, it was reported that an arrest was made in the case.

A homeless man by the name of Robert Gore was arrested for the murder. Gore reportedly stabbed Abulfaraj more than 60 times while he was sleeping in his apartment. The police were able to trace the criminal due to DNA found on a can of beer and clothing.

The incident was a robbery and after Gore committed the homicide, he searched for valuables throughout the apartment. The student was later found by his roommate.

Robert Gore was arrested at a gas station on South Dixie Highway on Wednesday. An employee from Shell station near the location of the arrest reported that Gore had been caught stealing food at the shop before and was not pleasant. According to a report published on CBS Miami, “He said he had been coming to the store for years and was a real pest.”

The University of Miami mourns the loss of Abualfaraj. The police investigation has provided closure for the family as it grieves Yasser Abualfaraj’s death during this difficult time.

The news media in Miami have reported this story in an informative and delicate manner while keeping the community updated on the tragedy.

Volunteers search for missing girl

Posted on by

By NOA ISRAEL

The sheriff of the Barron County, Wis., has requested help from 2,000 volunteers to search for teenager Jayme Closs, who disappeared from her home last week.

Closs, who was seen earlier last week at a relative’s birthday party, went missing on Oct. 15. A 911 call was placed from within the Closs’s Wisconsin home on the day of her disappearance and police arrived within four minutes. Upon arrival, the responding officers discovered Closs’s parents — James and Denise Closs — had been shot to death inside the home and found no trace of 13-year-old Jayme.

“On the 911 call, no one on the line talked to the dispatcher, but a disturbance was heard, authorities said. The dispatcher “could hear a lot of yelling” […] [and] a responding officer arrived to find “the door has been kicked in,” CNN reported. These circumstances lead police to believe Jayme had been kidnapped and an Amber Alert was issued.

One week later, Closs is still missing while searches for her continue across the state. On Monday, the Barron County sheriff requested volunteers to help in the search. More than 2,000 civilians showed up Tuesday morning to participate.

“By morning, the line of cars stretched over the horizon…. Across an area of five square miles, through soybeans, corn fields and thick woods, the volunteers scanned the ground for any bit of evidence,” said one CBS correspondent on the scene reported.

While efforts to find Closs are in full effect, searches-including yesterdays- have turned up little or no evidence. Close is considered to be in danger at this time and continued efforts to find her will be conducted by the Barron County police.

Man who killed officer remains on the loose

Posted on by

By NOA ISRAEL

A man who shot and killed a police officer in Georgia Saturday is still on the loose after evading police capture.

Gwinnett County officer Antwan Tony was responding to a suspicious vehicle call along with another officer when 18-year-old Tafahree Maynard fired a weapon from within his approaching vehicle. Tony was struck by the bullet and, after the second officer returned fire, Maynard sped away.

After returning fire, the second officer pulled Tony to safety and attempted to keep him alive until medical personnel arrived. Unfortunately, Tony died from his wounds at a hospital soon after.

The vehicle driven by Maynard and his acquaintances was found crashed about a mile away from the scene of the shooting, all of the members inside the vehicle had fled. One of the suspects, Isaiah Prestlow, was apprehended in connection with the shooting and charged with aggravated assault but Maynard still remains on the run.

Police continue the search for Maynard and have charged him with aggravated assault and felony murder.