Illegal Alien Arrested for Raping Girl, 11

(Pearland, Texas) A 20-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador, Isaias Larios, has been arrested for alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl.

"There was a young girl washing her hands because she had finished using the restroom," Capt. Jon Matherne said.

"He grabbed her, took her out back, made her climb a fence and sexually assaulted her."

And remember, we're talking of an attack on an 11-year-old girl and Larios has no business even being in the U.S.

Court records show that Larios has a lengthy criminal history in the Dallas area. Larios was on probation for a felony conviction but was not supervised because his case was not properly transferred to Brazoria County.

An immigration hold has also been placed on Larios because he is in the country illegally, police said.

Plus, Larios is a convicted felon who apparently wasn't deported. He must have qualified for sanctuary status or something. Not only that, but Larios is only 20 years old with a whole adult life ahead of him to collect entries on his rap sheet.

Currently, Larios is in custody with bond set at $105,000. If he posts bond, presumably he'll be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). There's no guarantee, however, that he'll remain in custody since he may qualify for the ICE catch-and-release program or the administrative glitch exclusion. Nevertheless, after all is said and done, he'll likely be deported and have to incur the unreimbursable expense of traveling back to Texas from El Salvador to continue his criminal career.

Mom Arrested for Cruelty and Battery

(Henry County, Georgia) A 43-year-old mother of four boys, Sandra Lewis, was arrested Wednesday by Henry County Police for cruelty toward her children. She allegedly burned two of her boys with a cooking pot.

Lewis has been charged with two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree and two counts of aggravated battery.

According to police spokesman Lt. Jason Bolton, authorities began investigating Lewis, of 433 Trinity Trail, on April 20 after one of the children’s teachers noticed a serious burn on the child’s wrist. The teacher took the boy to the school nurse, and the boy told school officials Lewis had burned him.

Bolton said the child told police Lewis burned him on April 14. Police, and workers with the Department of Family and Children Services examined the boys and found they had multiple second- and third-degree burns "all over their bodies," Bolton said.

Two of her boys were adopted and they were the ones burned. All four boys have been placed with social services.

Teacher Arrested for Stealing Student's Medicine

(Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania) A 30-year-old social studies teacher at Phillipsburg High School, Jennifer A. Ostile, was arrested last week for stealing drugs from the school nurse's office.

Two school nurses noticed April 18 that a student's bottle of Endocet was four pills short. The discrepancy turned up during a routine daily inventory of student medications.

Nurses told police Ostile came to their office Thursday to use her bottle of a gel for her neck. Nurse Martine Nielsen heard a filing cabinet open in the room Ostile was in.

When Nielsen looked in the office, she saw Ostile throw something to the floor. She told police, "It sounded like a prescription bottle."

Nielsen heard the filing cabinet open again before Ostile left the office. She and nurse Linda Frick went to the filing cabinet and found another pill missing from the student's Endocet bottle.

Police arrested Ostile that evening. She's charged with theft by unlawful taking and is accused of stealing one pill.

Ostile has been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of her case.

Illegal Gets Prison for Manslaughter

(Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) A 20-year-old illegal alien from Honduras, Jose Roberto Castro-Gomez, pleaded guilty last week to two felonies related to a November 2006 car crash that killed his passenger.

Police say that early on the morning of Nov. 30, Castro-Gomez drove off U.S. 33, west of Harrisonburg and crashed into a tree. Gualberto Patricio Garcia, 21, of Harrisonburg, died from injuries sustained in the wreck.

Castro-Gomez was sentenced to one year in prison for involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident. He will also face a deportation hearing.

No information was provided regarding the criminal history, if any, of Castro-Gomez. Nonetheless, he'll spend a year in prison, probably be deported to Honduras and then likely return to Pennsylvania.

Illegally Lucky in High School

(Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) A 17-year-old boy, Craig A. Walgenbach, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child for alleged sex with a 15-year-old girl. The girl said two episodes occurred, in February and in March.

If convicted, he faces a possible 80 years in prison. A court appearance is scheduled for May 11th.

I would guess that the girl filed a complaint. Heh.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Woman Steals Identity for Prison Sex

(Baltimore, Maryland) A 29-year-old Reisterstown woman, Tiffany Gwen Weaver, pleaded guilty yesterday in Baltimore Circuit Court to identity theft for using false ID to enter prison and have sex with her prisoner boyfriend.

Prosecutors said that on Nov. 13 Weaver used a falsified Maryland State Bar Association identification badge to gain entry to the Maryland Reception Diagnostic and Classification Center in downtown Baltimore.

She claimed to be the attorney of inmate Jason Beau Moody, a man who had been sentenced in October to 30 years in prison for convictions of manslaughter and weapons violations.

In July 2003, Moody shot to death his girlfriend's ex-husband as she and her 7-year-old son looked on.

Once inside the prison and alone with her boyfriend, a prison employee spotted "Moody behind Weaver, who had her skirt up." However, according to Weaver's attorney, Mr. Bates, "There was no thrusting whatsoever."

Since Weaver has never been in trouble before and there was no thrusting, Mr. Bates plans to urge the court to impose probation when she is sentenced in June. Weaver faces a possible six months in jail.

Consequently, if the court is receptive to Mr. Bates' urges, Weaver will get off -- again.


[Update 06/08/07]

Weaver gets probation.

Daycare Teacher Faces Drug Charges

(Chattanooga, Tennessee) A 25-year-old teacher at Kids 'R' Kids daycare center, Marquita Jett, was arrested while working as a stripper at the Club Coffee, an illegal strip club. Jett, along with several others, faces drug charges.

In addition to drugs, counterfeit money and guns were confiscated.

A convicted felon, Edward "Ace" Williams III, operated the establishment without an adult entertainment or liquor license. He was charged with liquor violations and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. One stripper working for the club was a 15-year-old runaway girl from Florida.

Daily Kucinich Chortle

So, Rep. Dennis Kucinich has brought charges of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney because the VP has violated the provisions of the Declaration of Independence.

What? I mean, WHAT!

Does this mean that Kucinich could be impeached because he has violated the provisions of Darwin's Origin of Species?

Incense Causes Cancer

(Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) I suggest that simple logic supports the reported conclusions of this study.

A doctor has warned against the harmful effects of oud, which can cause cancer.

Dr Sayed Oraby, a consultant pulmonologist at a local hospital who agreed with the findings of a study conducted by the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, said that the study has particular relevance to Saudi Arabia due to the common habit of using 'bakhour' (incense) to fill households with the rustic aroma of oud, a type of oily wood, the burning of which increases the particulate matter of the air, creating indoor air pollution that can be particularly harmful to young children and the elderly.

The Cheng Kung study said that burning incense considerably increases the risk of people contracting respiratory problems, even lung cancer.

"The smoke that comes out of burning incense is similar to vehicular exhaust, which is a mixture of chemicals, such as carbon monoxide. It provokes the bronchi (airways) in the lungs, especially in people who suffer from asthma," Oraby said.

He stressed that the danger increases with the long-term exposure to incense smoke.

Doctors recommend that incense be burned outdoors or in large interior spaces where the harmful smoke can disperse. Presumably, the people most affected are those who regularly use incense in religious rituals. To mimimize risk, devotees may want to light up fewer incense sticks.

Man with Concealed-Carry Permit Kills Robber

It's always sad when someone has to die but not so much when it's the bad guy. This report is from yesterday.

CLEVELAND -- A man who has a permit to carry a concealed gun shot and killed one of two teenage robbery suspects he encountered on his front porch, police said. City prosecutors decided yesterday that the 25-year-old Cleveland man was justified and would not be charged in the shooting Saturday night of 15-year-old Arthur Buford, a freshman at John F. Kennedy High School.

Buford and another teen approached the man on his porch and one of the youths pulled a gun, prompting the resident to pull his gun and shoot Buford several times in the chest, police said.

The other kid got away. More at the link.

(H/T Mike in Northfield OH)

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Single Square Sheryl Sits

Say that a few times in succession. The Cracker Barrel Philosopher has all the poop on Sheryl "Stinkfingers" Crow. Unavoidably chucklable. Go see.

Muslim Cabbies Face Penalties for Refusing Fares

This report came out last week.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Muslim cabdrivers at Minnesota's biggest airport will face new penalties, including a two-year revocation of their taxi permits, if they refuse to give rides to travelers carrying liquor or accompanied by dogs, the board overseeing operations ruled Monday.

The Metropolitan Airports Commission, which was responding to complaints about the liquor issue, voted unanimously to impose the penalties, which take effect in May.

First offense will be a 30-day suspension. After that, a refused fare will result in a two-year taxi license revocation.

If I were in charge, the taxi company would also face penalties. After all, they are expected to provide a service and the airport authorities have a right to demand a professional and respectful operation.

The stunt the Muslim cabbies tried reminds me of the "White Only" lunch counters back in the 1950s. It's blatantly arrogant discrimination against people simply because they are different. Even so, nobody should be surprised since the Muslim drivers' behavior is fairly consistent with the level of tolerance and diversity we usually see from the religion of peace.

Kudos to the Metropolitan Airports Commission.

Tip: slwlion

Wal-Mart Health Clinics

Here's some news from Bentonville that will probably upset the anti-capitalists among us.

Bentonville-based Wal-Mart announced today that it is planning to open as many as 400 health clinics in its stores over the next two to three years. The retail giant says that if demand remains high, it could open as many as two-thousand of the clinics within seven years.

The company says it will contract with local hospitals and other health organizations to get the clinics up and running.

I'm real curious as to how the health clinics will work. Obviously, no one is going to drop by Wal-Mart for a kidney transplant, at least not until the system is up and running, yet I imagine that all sorts of common boo-boos and sniffles and sprains can be handled swiftly and inexpensively.

Terror Threat - US Embassy Athens

Breaking news from Greece.

Greek police arrested 11 Iraqi immigrants on Wednesday after receiving information of a possible al-Qaeda terrorist attack against the United States Embassy in Athens.

Officials conducted searches in various homes around the embassy late on Tuesday and blocked the streets around the diplomatic mission on Wednesday morning after receiving information from an Iraqi national of a possible plan to attack the embassy.

The suspects were taken to police headquarters for questioning. Reportedly, the searches conducted of the various homes found explosives. Security in central Athens has been heightened.

Claiming responsibility afterward was the radical-left Revolutionary Struggle. Readers may recall that this is the same group that fired a rocket at the embassy last January from across the street and it landed in a toilet on the third floor. At the time, the Revolutionary Struggle produced more noise than substance. Even so, the Greek and U.S. governments have offered a combined $2 million reward for information on the group.

From another source, only six Iraqis reportedly were arrested after Greek police received a tip from an Iraqi national of an imminent attack.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

CA Teacher Chats Sex with Boy on Web

(Livermore, California) A 24-year-old 8th-grade teacher at Our Saviors Lutheran School, Rebecca Rogers, was arrested last week for allegedly engaging in inappropriate conversations of a sexual nature with one of her male students.

Livermore Police were alerted after the parents of the boy found instant messages of a sexual nature. According to Lt. Scott Trudeau, police are in the process of examining Rogers's computer and, so far, among an extensive number of messages sent to the boy, several were inappropriate and sexual.

Rogers was booked into the Santa Rita Jail and later released on bail. A tentative appearance in Alameda County Superior Court has been scheduled for Monday.

Ohio Teacher Indicted for Sex with Boy

(Ironton, Ohio) A 35-year-old teacher at Rock Hill Middle School, Melissa Bare, was indicted Monday by a Lawrence County grand jury on two counts of sexual battery for engaging in sex with a 16-year-old male student. On Tuesday, Bare pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Yesterday, Bare posted $50,000 bond and was released from custody. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 16th.

Bare was suspended with pay from her teaching position in February when an investigation into alleged misconduct was launched.


[Update 05/04/07]

Melissa Bare pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual battery. Judge Charles Cooper set bond at $50,000 cash or $75,000 property.

A pretrial conference is scheduled for May 9th.


[Update 11/08/07]

Bare pleads guilty and is sentenced.

William Ronca Gets Prison for Sex with Stepdaughter

(Abbeville, South Carolina) In January 2006, 26-year-old William "Billy" Edward Ronca was arrested for raping his 9-year-old stepdaughter. Ronca was charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor and locked up in the Abbeville County Jail on $250,000 bail.

In April 2006, the girl, at 10 years old, gave birth by Caesarean section. A DNA test confirmed that Ronca is the father. The child was put up for adoption while the girl's mother filed for divorce from Ronca. Understandably, local interest in the case has been intense.

In the latest development in the case, William Ronca pleaded guilty yesterday in the Abbeville County Courthouse to first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Eighth Judicial Circuit Deputy Solicitor John Anthony told the judge that the 3rd-grader was regularly raped by Ronca for about two years. Following the plea, 13th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Gary Hill sentenced Ronca to 25 years in prison.

From Index Journal:

A visibly shaken Brian Jones -- the father of the young girl -- stepped forward to address the court about the events that had befallen his daughter.

"There are no words to describe the devastation that has been brought upon my daughter and our family," Jones said, often stopping for brief moments to gather his emotions. "I know that what (Ronca) did to her will forever haunt her for the rest of her life."

"Every time she changes her clothes or gets into the shower, she will see the stretch marks and see the scar. She'll probably never recover from what happened."

Both the victim's grandmothers, Barbara Jones and Bonnie Moody, asked the court for justice. Grandmother Jones talked of "a scar that will never go away." In a pleading voice, grandmother Moody said, "She has been stripped of her childhood and stripped of her innocence. Please remember that you are her voice."

Ronca spoke and asked for forgiveness. His short statement ended with a request "that my God and the court have mercy on me." Ronca's mother, Jeanne Lezotte, also asked for the court to show mercy.

In Ronca's defense, attorney Tara Schultz emphasized her client's troubled past which includes theft, drug use, attempted suicide and psychiatric care. Schultz also mentioned Ronca's stand up nature -- willingness to admit his crime and accept his punishment.

In conclusion, William Ronca got 25 years in state prison of which he must complete 85 percent prior to being eligible for parole. Doing the math, that would be 21 years and three months from today. On some day in July 2028, Ronca may have his initial parole hearing. Of course, first he'll have to survive the big house for more than two decades as a convicted child molester. Easy to say, much harder to do.

McCandless Deals for No Jail in Sex Case

(Fort Collins, Colorado) In November 2006, former teacher and the principal's wife at Brighton Charter High School, Carrie McCandless, was accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student. Ultimately, McCandless was charged with sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

After considerable legal machinations, a plea deal has been reached between McCandless and the prosecutors.(Hat tip: Don Morgenstern)

As part of a plea agreement reached with Larimer County prosecutors, Carrie McCandless, 30, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful sexual contact – a misdemeanor charge and a reduction from the original felony charge of sexual assault on a child by a person in position of trust as well as felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and tampering with physical evidence.

The latter charge stemmed from an alleged phone call McCandless made to the victim in the case following a hearing on the other charges. McCandless, through her lawyer, previously denied she contacted the boy.

Per acceptance of the agreement by Larimer County Judge James Hiatt who ordered a pre-sentence investigative report be completed prior to sentencing, McCandless will receive a four years deferred sentence and, as a convicted sex offender, will have intensive supervised probation. She also will be required to register as a sex offender but only for 10 years because the sex charge was a misdemeanor. McCandless is not expected to serve any jail time.

And if she complies with all the stipulations specified by the court, the felony charges against her will be dropped. No jail and no felonies. Helluva deal.

Actual sentencing is scheduled for June 8th. In the meantime, McCandless is free on bail.

Previous:

01/31/07 - Teacher Faces New Charge

12/06/06 - Teacher/Principal's Wife Romanced Boy

11/09/06 - Teacher/Principal's Wife Accused of Sex with Student

[Update 06/08/07]

McCandless sentenced.

Teacher and Boy Caught Nasty by Cops

(Titusville, Florida) A 32-year-old teacher at Jackson Middle School, Janet Lea Hughes, was arrested yesterday after being caught by police with a partially undressed 16-year-old male student in a van at the First Presbyterian Church parking lot in Titusville.

When interviewed, both Hughes and the boy indicated to police that they had engaged in sexual activity on another occasion.

Hughes was booked on one count of unlawful sexual acts with a minor and one count of attempted unlawful sexual acts with a minor. As of this afternoon, Hughes was in custody with bond set at $35,000.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 08/06/07]

State charges filed against Hughes.

Lonoke Police Chief and Wife Sentenced

(Lonoke, Arkansas) As promised last week, Special Circuit Judge John Cole sentenced former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell and his wife, Kelly, today. Judge Cole agreed with the jury's recommendations.

Jay Campbell will spend 40 years in prison. Kelly Campbell received 20 years in prison. Bond will be set, allowing release as the Campbells appeal. A hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday.

Teacher Koppes Gets Prison for Sex Crimes

(London, Ohio) In May 2006, a married, special education teacher with Jonathan Alder School District, Angela Angus-Koppes, was charged with two counts of sexual battery for having a sexual relationship while tutoring a teenage developmentally-disabled boy. Authorities were alerted by the boy's mother after Koppes told her she was in love with her son.

After months of legal wrangling, an agreement has been reached between the prosecution and defense, resulting in Koppes pleading guilty to reduced charges of attempt to commit sexual battery.

Judge Robert D. Nichols then sentenced 38-year-old Koppes to six months in jail on each of two counts, to be served concurrently. Also, Koppes was ordered to register as a sex offender for a ten-year period.

Interestingly, Koppes didn't speak during yesterday's proceedings but her lawyer explained that her behavior was influenced by multiple sclerosis and bipolar disorder.

Ten Years Prison for Sex with Boy

(Denver, Colorado) Last January, a 30-year-old security officer and youth counselor at Lookout Mountain Youth Services Center in Golden, Heather Rose Robbins, pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a child and unlawful sex in a penal institution.

Robbins engaged in several sexual episodes with a 16-year-old boy between May 2004 and August 2005.

Yesterday, Robbins was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Ouch!

Teacher-Boy Sex May Link to Crimes

(La Verne, California) In April 2006, a 47-year-old special education teacher at Allen Avenue Elementary School, Debra Lynn Pence, was convicted of molesting a 15-year-old boy who was her former student. Pence was sentenced to probation. No surprise there.

Well, it seems that Pence's name has popped up in a news story regarding the 15-year-old boy, now 17, that she molested. Matthew Wanamaker has been somewhat incorrigible since Pence was sentenced, according to his parents. He has been implicated in threats of violence against Bonita High School where he attends and, last week while the nation mourned the deaths at Virginia Tech, he was arrested for the alleged burglary of his parents' home in which a shotgun, a rifle, and three handguns were stolen.

Matthew Wanamaker's parents immediately notified officials at Bonita High School which was subsequently closed.

Arrested with Wanamaker were three accomplices, Kimberly Valazza, 44, Shane Saucedo, 24, and Kent Bonilla, 23. All were booked and released on bond.

Now, I refuse to contend that Matthew Wanamaker's problems have anything to do with having been molested by 47-year-old Debra Lynn Pence. It could very well be coincidental that he became an angry, thieving criminal a troubled youth about the same time Pence was convicted. However, if someone else asserts that the molestation and the criminal behavior are linked, I won't dispute it.

Man Frees Willy

(London, England) Full of diners, the Zizzi restaurant turned chaotic when a 35-year-old Pole burst in, grabbed a knife and cut off his willy.

The 200-seater restaurant on The Strand in central London was packed with runners and spectators from Sunday's Marathon.

Sales rep Stuart McMahon, who was eating supper with his girlfriend, said: "This guy came running in then charged into the kitchen, got a massive knife and started waving it about.

"Everyone was screaming and running out as he jumped on a table, dropped his trousers and popped his penis out. Then he cut it off. I couldn't believe it.

"The staff were really upset and there was blood everywhere."

Police sped to the scene and restrained and handcuffed the man. Several diners were treated for shock by ambulance crews.

Cops grabbed the Pole's severed member and put it on ice. Both the Pole and his pole were then rushed to the hospital where doctors worked to stop his bleeding and reattach his handiwork. Prognosis is currently unknown.

Surgeons said that the operation was the first of its kind in the UK. Cops said the Pole is "clearly not a well boy."

Foster Mom and Foster Son and Baby

From the United Kingdom, we learn the story of the foster child who recognized the sacrifices of his foster parents by giving something in return. Or this story could be viewed as an amazing and moving account of "ordinary people like you."

On the other hand, one might say that 34-year-old Julia Gregg is an immature and irresponsible adult woman who abused her position of trust while violating her marriage vows and soiling the dignity and reputation of her husband. And then there's the possibility that Julia is merely a neglected and thrill-seeking opportunist who opens the vault in return for the slightest of sugar-coated flattery.

Take your pick.

From The Sun:

[W]e tell the shocking story of Julia Gregg, who left her husband of ten years to have a baby with their teenage Kosovan foster son.

FOSTER parents Julia and Steve Gregg gave a loving home to more than 20 children during their ten-year marriage - including the lad who eventually replaced Steve in the relationship.

And now Kosovan refugee Krenar Lleshi is father to his former foster mum's five-month-old daughter Hattie.

Frankly, these are not "ordinary people" like me. Check the pic of the proud parents at the link.

Tip: Barry

Blogger Arrested for Shooting Plot

(Peterborough, Ontario) A 21-year-old student and blogger, Joshua Bryn Bauman, has been arrested for writing a script for shooting up Fleming College.

From Peterborough Examiner:

A Fleming College student's blog describing a plot for a school shooting similar to the Virginia Tech massacre laid out "a disturbing scenario," said college president Tony Tilly.

The student city police say is responsible for the blog was arrested Saturday and has been suspended by the college.

"The police have reported that (the blog) describes how the individual would plot out an incident at Fleming, and I think that pretty much captures the nature of it," said Tilly, who viewed the blog before it was taken down Saturday night.

"The blog has been removed from the web. We think that's an important step. I don't want to see any communication that makes this kind of linkage to tragic events."

Tilly said the school is conducting its own investigation to decide measures such as whether or not the student can return to Fleming.

"Our investigation will determine what will happen. I'd prefer not to speculate on the results, but at this stage I can say that while the investigation is being carried out the student is suspended."

Students were informed of the arrest by email. In response, correctional worker program student April Parsons remarked, "I was kind of surprised there was something like that at Fleming. You kind of expect stuff like that in the States." Actually, Ms. Parsons, I think more bloggers have been arrested in Iran than the U.S.

National Database of the Mentally Ill

I think this is interesting, but more knee-jerk than a workable proposal.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prompted by the Virginia Tech massacre, a U.S. Congress reluctant to tackle gun control may pass limited legislation to help keep firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill, lawmakers and aides said on Sunday.

"Given the horror that happened at Virginia Tech, I think there's a real chance of passing this," said Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, told "Fox News Sunday."

The way Sen. Schumer sees this working is to have mental-health adjudications included in the national instant background check database which prevents firearms purchases. Presumably, the intent is to have all mentally ill people listed.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on one's perspective, it isn't possible. A significant percentage of mentally ill people have never been adjudicated as such. For example, if an individual checks him or herself into a facility or the family of an individual does so, there is no formal adjudication and all records are protected by doctor-patient confidentiality. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 specifies federal requirements for security and privacy of medical records and health providers take the act very seriously.

Consequently, the only people who would be affected by the proposed legislation would largely be those individuals that had attempted or already committed a criminal offense and their mental health became an issue during legal proceedings.

Of course, if the government redefined "adjudication" to mean when any lower-level bureaucrat signs the proper form, quite possibly a flood of names would be gathered for the database of mentally ill people. After all, that's how Hitler was able to get his Aryan purity project launched.

And, as I understand, this new proposed legislation, had it been law at the time, wouldn't have stopped Cho Seung-Hui from buying guns anyway. Although a judge made a preliminary determination that Cho was nuts, the final "adjudication" came from a doctor working with the court. And the doctor said Cho was fine.

In conclusion, based upon the doctor-patient problems and the dangerous potential of having bureaucrats making mental health determinations, I don't see the proposed legislation becoming law. Even so, I do think there would be some support in Congress, in particular those politicians that drool at the thought of wielding the legislative power to declare somebody mentally ill.

Tip: slwlion


[Update] This post included in Grand Rounds. Go visit.

Mom Boffs Blind Boy

(Isleworth, England) A 36-year-old married mother of two, Karen Wiltshire, has been sentenced to nine months in jail for engaging in sex with a 14-year-old blind boy between April 2001 and April 2002.

Manipulative mum Karen Wiltshire seduced the boy when she was 36 and he was just 14 and had regular sex with him for a year in her own home, often when her husband and children were about.

The boy's mother confronted Wiltshire in 2002 which ended the sexual relationship. For some unknown reason, the boy's mother did not alert the authorities until 2006 when she learned that Wiltshire was working in a school for disabled boys. In August 2006, Wiltshire was arrested.

Judge Sam Katkhuda imposed the nine-month sentence after Wiltshire admitted to indecently assaulting the boy. Katkhuda also ordered Wiltshire banned from working with children ever again.

Tip: Barry

Al-Qaeda Rule on Displaying Produce

I'm still chuckling about this al-Qaeda rule regarding placement of tomatoes and cucumbers.

Al-Qaeda has warned street vendors not to place tomatoes beside cucumbers because the vegetables are different genders.

Apparently, tomatoes are considered to be female and cucumbers are male and placing them adjacent to each other is naughty. Who knew?

It's not known what penalty is associated with tomato-cucumber offenses under Sharia law. Nevertheless, I'm inclined to think that radical Islamists don't eat a lot of salads.

Tip: BizzyBlog

Brit Health Care No Longer Free

(UK) According to a study by Doctors For Reform, a health system pressure group, increasing numbers of patients are paying for premium health care to go along with their free care from the National Health Service (NHS). The Doctors For Reform group contends this means that "the health service is no longer free."

At the same time that patients are forced to pay for "free" NHS medical care, a large and increasing number of Brits are opting to travel overseas for medical treatment. People view "medical tourism as a more pleasant option than surgery at home, as well as a chance to escape serious hospital super-bugs, which are becoming more common in the UK."

Whoa! It sure seems that the utopian socialist medical scheme isn't working all that well in the UK.

I'm reminded of the old story about the farmer who offers free oats. People can take all the oats they want for free. Just pick them up. Of course, if someone wants premium oats, those that haven't already passed through the horse, there is a price.

Iran: Flashy Women Destroy Families

(Tehran, Iran) The results are in for the first day of Iranian dress code enforcement, prosecuting women who do not adhere to strict Islamic rules. Since 10:00 AM Saturday morning, 1,347 women have received warnings and Islamic guidance for tight coats, short trousers or loose headscarves.

Also, according to Mehdi Ahmadi of the Tehran Police, "There were 170 arrests. Of these, 58 were released after making a written commitment and rectifying their appearance. The cases of the rest, who already had a record, were handed over to the judiciary," he said.

And then there's this:

Mohammad Taghi Rahbar, a member of the culture committee of the Iranian parliament, was quoted by the Etemad newspaper as saying a harder line towards female dress was long overdue.

"The current situation is shameful for an Islamic government. A man who sees these models on the streets will pay no attention to his wife at home, destroying the foundation of the family," he warned.

There you have it. Flashy women in tight coats, short trousers and loose headscarves are luring men away from their wives and destroying families. And let's not forget that the Iranian government also tagged women without veils as tools of the enemy.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Peace Corps Volunteer Found Dead (Updated)

An autopsy was performed and it confirmed that the remains were of Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell. It was also determined that she was murdered.

From GMANews.tv:

Police intensified Sunday a Luzon-wide manhunt for a 25-year-old woodcarver from Ifugao who was tagged as the killer of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell.

Campbell's decomposing body was retrieved on April 18 by Army soldiers in a shallow grave, her feet protruding from the ground, 10 days after she went missing during a solo hike in Batad to see the Banaue Rice terraces. A bloodstained piece of wood believed used in killing her was found near the grave.

Sources at the Cordillera Administrative Region Police Office identified the suspect in the killing of Campbell as Juan Dontugan, 25, 5'7" in height, fair complexion, medium-built, and described as "strong" as he is a woodcarver.

In the meantime, Campbell's family is planning a memorial service in Fairfax County, Virginia.


Previous Entry (4/18):

(Manila, Philippines) After 10 days of searching, soldiers believe they found the body of U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell, 40, in a shallow grave near the village of Batad about 160 miles north of Manila. Police suspect that she may have been murdered.

According to Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Philippine Army spokesman, "... the smell of the American volunteer worker's protruding foot caught the attention of a K-9 unit of a search and recovery team."

From ABS-CBN:

Torres said US embassy officials are already proceeding to the site to identify the body.

He said authorities including Scene of the Crime Office personnel are investigating the cause of Campbell's death. Forensic examination of the body of the American volunteer will be conducted.

Campbell, 40, went missing on April 8 after embarking on a hike to view the famous Banaue Rice Terraces. A former journalist, Campbell, of Fairfax, Virginia, came to the Philippines in 2005 and had been working as a teacher at a college in eastern Legazpi City.

Police earlier said Campbell might have fallen off a cliff. They denied that Campbell was kidnapped by communist guerrillas.

Typically a fall doesn't result in a shallow grave, no matter how mountainous the terrain. Nonetheless, positive identification of the remains awaits confirmation.


[Update 04/27/07]

Julia Campbell honored by Philippine Congress.

Woman Indicted for Killing Five

(Belleville, Illinois) A 25-year-old East St. Louis woman, Tiffany Hall, was indicted Friday by a St. Clair County grand jury for first-degree murder of three children; DeMond Tunstall, 7; Ivan Tunstall-Collins, 2; and 10-month-old Jinella Tunstall.

Hall had previously been indicted for the September 2006 murder of the children's mother, Jimella Tunstall, and she was also indicted for the intentional homicide of Jimella Tunstall's unborn child.

Hall allegedly beat Tunstall unconscious and then ripped her fetus out of her abdomen using a pair of scissors, leaving Tunstall to bleed to death. Hall dumped Tunstall's body, wrapped in a curtain, in an East St. Louis lot. Afterward, it's alleged that Hall "drugged the children with cough syrup, drowned them in a bathtub and hid their bodies in a washer and dryer." Astonishingly, Jimella Tunstall is reported to have been Hall's best friend.

Hall portrayed the dead fetus as her own and arranged a funeral service which lured her boyfriend home on leave from the U.S. Navy. She confessed her actions to her boyfriend who alerted the authorities.

Hall is currently in custody in the St. Clair County Jail in lieu of $5 million bond.


[Update 08/16/07]

Hall gets two death penalty trials.

90 Lashes for Incest

(Sharjah, United Arab Emirates) A brother and sister have been sentenced by the Sharjah Sharia Court of First Instance to 90 lashes and three months in jail followed by deportation for engaging in incest.

Police said S.M.A., a 22-year-old Pakistani, had a sexual relationship with his sister M.M.A, 20. The brother and sister used to live in Sharjah with their elder brother and their step mother after the death of their father four years ago.

M.M.A. told the court that every night when their stepmother and their elder brother used to go to bed she used to go to S.M.A. room and spend the night with him.

The relationship resulted in a pregnancy and a child was born about six weeks ago. The brother and sister are appealing the verdict.

Teacher Accused of Slapping Boy

(Naperville, Illinois) A 26-year-old teacher at Neuqua Valley High School, Akela J. Dillon, has been charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly slapping a 16-year-old boy in the school corridor. The incident was recorded by a school surveillance camera.

According to the boy's mother, Dillon struck the student, who is black, because he is dating a white girl.

Dillon was placed on administrative leave after the incident. She faces a possible one-year jail term and $2,500 fine if convicted.


[Update 05/03/07]

At a bench trial in Will County, Judge Michael Powers sentenced Dillon to 12 months of court supervision after conviction of misdemeanor battery.

Teacher Arrested for Meth

(Henderson, Texas) A 34-year-old elementary school teacher, Melanie Lynn McGuigan, was arrested on Friday the 13th during a traffic stop after almost 15 grams of methamphetamine was found in the vehicle. Driving the car and also arrested was 30-year-old Ricky Lee Anderson, an acquaintance.

Both McGuigan and Anderson were booked into the Rusk County Jail and released on bond Sunday morning. Both faces charges of possession of a controlled substance of more than 4 grams, a second-degree felony, punishable by a possible 20 years in the penitentiary.

On Monday, Elysian Fields School District Superintendent, Dr. Bob Browning, stated that McGuigan had submitted her resignation from her teaching position.

Woman Arrested for Solicitation of Girl

(West Monroe, Louisiana) A 20-year-old Texas woman, Adora Sondi Anne Ramirez, was arrested last week by federal agents for allegedly soliciting sex from a 15-year-old girl she met on the Internet. Apparently, Ramirez drove 600 miles from Post, Texas, to West Monroe to meet the girl at a motel.

After a tip from the girl's home, federal agents interrupted the rendezvous right after the two checked into a hotel in West Monroe, Louisiana.

In Ramirez's bag, agents found lubricant, stuffed animals and jewelry, which she said were gifts for the girl.

So, Ramirez drove 600 miles to another state for fun with a girl and, instead, she got arrested. Good.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Cheese Heroin

(Dallas, Texas) This is the first I've heard of cheese heroin.

From DMN:

A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 15 years in state prison Friday after he was caught last school year with about 40 hits of "cheese" heroin at Thomas Jefferson High School. The 7.3 grams of cheese heroin found on Luis Soto was the largest seizure recorded by Dallas ISD police during the 2005-06 school year, officials said.

A hit of cheese sells for about $2. As many as 17 or more youths have died in the Dallas area over the last two years from cheese heroin overdoses. Authorities are awaiting toxicology results on several other deaths.

Note that authorities found about 100 hits of cheese heroin in a 14-year-old girl's sock at a middle school in January.

Sex While Driving Results in Deadly Crash

(Salt Lake City, Utah) A 30-year-old illegal alien from Guatemala, Rigoberto Salas-Lopez, was arrested after the SUV he was driving crashed and killed eight of 14 illegal alien passengers. On Wednesday of this week, Salas-Lopez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Nuffer.

From Salt Lake Tribune:

The judge appointed a public defense attorney, Viviana Martinez, to Salas-Lopez, who is charged with one count of transporting illegal aliens resulting in death.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Kennedy said the charge is punishable by death or life in prison and a fine of $250,000. Kennedy verified Salas-Lopez is in the country illegally and that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on him.

Salas-Lopez apparently will also be charged with sexually abusing a 22-year-old female at the time of the accident.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 2nd.

Tip: slwlion

Massachusetts Teacher Denies Child Sex Charges

(Worcester, Massachusetts) Last January, a 38-year-old English teacher at Frederick Hartnett Middle School, Donna S. Giguere, was charged with repeated sexual assault of a male foster child under the age of 14 who was in her care. The alleged sexual episodes occurred between March 2003 and October 2004 and not on school grounds.

Yesterday in Worcester Superior Court, Assistant District Attorney Cheryl R. Riddle portrayed Giguere as a woman who grooms boys for sex. Defiantly, Giguere shouted "not guilty" to the six child-sex charges filed against her. She was arraigned on two counts of rape of a child, two counts of unnatural rape of a child and two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.

Giguere remains free on $5,000 bail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for May 18th.

Tip: Jason Cann

Female Counselor Gets Six Months in Sex Case

(Xenia, Ohio) A 34-year-old former juvenile counselor, Anjanette Castonguay, has been sentenced to six months in jail (two six-month terms running concurrently) for engaging in sex with two 17-year-old boys and for providing them with drugs and alcohol.

A six-month sentence was handed down in Xenia Municipal Court and six months was handed down in Greene County Juvenile Court with Clark County Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Monnin presiding.

From DDN:

In June, Castonguay provided two boys beer at an Econo Lodge in Beavercreek and "sexual contact took place, at least initially while others (were) in the room and even in the same bed," according to reports.

On Friday, Monnin found her guilty of contributing to the delinquency of minors and sentenced her to six months in jail, concurrent with the Xenia Municipal Court sentence, as well as 12 months, unless she completes the treatment program.

Agreed, this case is confusing. However, it all boils down to Castonguay serving six months in jail for the crimes of sex with minors and contributing to their delinquency. It's assumed that she will complete the substance abuse program and avoid an additional year in jail.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

NYTimes Declining

The New York Times reports a 26 percent decline in first-quarter profit from a year ago. An advertising recession is blamed.

Really? I think that advertising revenue is being redirected to vehicles with more eyeballs. The Times isn't suffering from an advertising recession, it's a lack of eyeballs.

Tribune Reports Loss

The Tribune Company, which owns the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, WGN-Ch. 9 and other media properties, reported a $15.6 million loss for the first-quarter compared with last year's gain of $102.8 million. Blamed is "erosion in advertising revenue and circulation."

On a nuts and bolts level, it's simply an erosion in the number of eyeballs directed at its product. The Tribune is losing ground to a flood of other media sources.

Taliban Beheading Performed by Child

A Taliban propaganda video is circulating which shows a young boy hacking the head off of a purported "American spy." People who deny the existence of evil need to explain this.

The boy with the knife looks barely 12. In a high-pitched voice, he denounces the bound, blindfolded man before him as an American spy. Then he hacks off the captive's head to cries of "God is great!" and hoists it in triumph by the hair.

A video circulating in Pakistan records the grisly death of Ghulam Nabi, a Pakistani militant accused of betraying a top Taliban official who was killed in a December airstrike in Afghanistan...

I won't wait for the headline coverage and outrage from the mainstream media. The story is likely under their radar. I also don't expect Amnesty International nor the UN nor Human Rights Watch to convene any special forums to investigate child conscription nor inhumane treatment issues. After all, nobody has yet figured out a way to blame the incident on the U.S.

No Charges in Intruder's Death

(Norfolk, Virginia) About 2 AM on February 28th, a convicted felon was shot when he attempted to break into a resident's apartment. The body of the intruder, Keith Foreman, was found nearby later in the morning. In a letter released yesterday, Commonwealth Attorney Jack Doyle said no charges will be filed.

Foreman was 6 feet tall and weighed 308 pounds and was previously convicted of several felonies, including manslaughter.

Mary Winkler Shot Husband Accidentally

Now, I wasn't in the courtroom to hear testimony but it seems to me that Mary Winkler received a huge gift from the jury. She was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the shotgun death of her husband. As I understand, he was shot in the back while sleeping and Mary Winkler contends that it was an accident.

Unbelievable, if my facts are right. As a result, Winkler may receive a mere months-long stint in jail, or probation, at sentencing on May 18th.

And all the while I'm thinking there is a Border Patrol agent named Ignacio Ramos doing 11 years in prison for shooting and wounding an illegal alien drug smuggler in the leg. A Border Patrol agent on the job enforcing laws for the American people gets 11 years for wounding a drug trafficker. Mary Winkler will probably be home for Christmas after shooting her husband in the back and fleeing as he lay bleeding to death.

There must be some grounds for appeal. This is nuts. And to top everything off, I can't help but think of similar cases where women are not held accountable for grievous murder.

There's Andrea Yates. Remember her? She drowns her five kids and last I heard she's out on bond awaiting a retrial. She probably goes to the park and listens to other people's kids playing. Not her own because she drowned them, one by one in the bathtub.

Hey, and let's not forget Lashaun Harris who threw her three young children into San Francisco Bay and was sentenced to get well at a mental hospital.

And now we have Mary Winkler who boo-hooed on the witness stand telling the jury that her husband made her get gussied up for sex. And he was controlling. And he pinched his daughter's nose. And so he died, but she didn't mean to do it. It was an accident. And the jury bought it. Hook, line, and sinker.

I don't believe that Matthew Winkler deserved to die. Apparently, Mary Winkler believed otherwise and the jury ruled that it was largely an okay thing to do.

On the other hand, Ignacio Ramos continues to serve his 11 years in prison while his victim, now fully recovered from his leg wound, presumably returned to working in the illegal drug trade.


[Update 9/23/08]

Mary Winkler got a sentence of five months and custody of her children.

Arizona Teacher Arrested for Sex with Boy

(Phoenix, Arizona) A 37-year-old charter school teacher at the D.W. Higgins Institute in Tempe, Judith Wallace, was arrested for allegedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy.

According to the Maricopa County Sheriff's office, Wallace is the daughter of the school's owner.

It's reported that Wallace treated the victim as her boyfriend during the relationship, spanning the time period between February and April 2006. During that time, Wallace plied him with alcohol and took him to social gatherings.

Wallace faces two counts of sexual conduct with a minor. She was booked into the Fourth Avenue Jail and later released.

Woman Accused of Sex with Drunk Teen

(Easton, New York) A 29-year-old local woman, Amy Washburn, was arrested this week for allegedly drugging and liquoring up "a person under the age of 17" and then engaging in sexual contact. The incident is believed to have occurred in 2004.

Washburn has been charged with first-degree criminal sex for allegedly performing oral sex on the teen while the teen was under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs. Police believe a subsequent similar incident with the teen occurred also.

Washburn was booked into the Washington County Jail.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Nasty Teacher and Female Student

(Orange County, Florida) A 26-year-old teacher at Oak Ridge High School, Allison Reopel, has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with an 18-year-old female student. In addition to teaching, Reopel is also a softball and soccer coach at the high school.

From WFTV.com:

A computer tech allegedly caught Reopel in a sex act with a female student as he walked into a classroom at the school.

It was unclear if the 26-year-old teacher and 18-year-old student were caught during school hours or were alone in the classroom after school. The computer tech who allegedly found them reported the incident, which sparked a full investigation.

The Orange County School District placed Reopel on administrative leave. She later resigned.

Tip: Travis

Brit Teacher Accused of Sex with Boy

(St. Albans, England) A 29-year-old married teacher, Jenine Saville-King, is on trial for engaging in a long-term sexual relationship with a student, starting when the boy was 15. Saville-King pleaded not guilty to seven counts of sexual activity with a boy and one count of abuse of trust.

Reportedly, the sexual relations with the boy started in 2004 and continued even after Saville-King became pregnant by her husband. In fact, she allegedly had sex with the boy until three days before she gave birth in mid-2005.

After the birth, Saville-King rekindled the relationship, however, the boy was less willing and showed his disrespect by posting a picture of the two of them as a screensaver on his computer. The picture led to school officials being alerted and, ultimately, the arrest of Saville-King in February 2006.

The case continues.

Tip: Barry and Don Morgenstern


[Update 05/02/07]

Saville-King acquitted.

Ethnic Koreans React

Reporting from South Korea, Robert Koehler of the Marmot's Hole writes that the Virginia Tech shootings by Cho Seung-Hui have produced rumblings regarding possible harm to U.S.-South Korean relations and the country's international image. The reach of the massacre story is global with literally thousands of voices raising salient questions while some scratch the scabs of seemingly unrelated issues. And the story is not even a week old.

So far, specific Korean responses to the massacre have been sympathetic, apologetic and apprehensive. Here's some examples.

- President Roh Moo-hyun and Foreign Minister Song Min-soon have voiced their condolences to the American public.

- With tears in his eyes, Korean Ambassador to Washington, Lee Tae-shik, said that the Korean-American community should use the Virginia Tech massacre to self-assess, repent and seek to rejoin U.S. mainstream society.

- Washington State Sen. Paull Shin, adopted by an American soldier after the Korean War, fought his emotions while apologizing to fellow lawmakers and staff in private and in Senate chambers. "It hurts me deeply, knowing what happened to Korea and how much the U.S. helped. This is not the way to pay back the blessings we received."

In the early going, it seems that condolences from the ethnic Korean community express a measure of soulful pain, unlike the general flood of sincere messages sent from other corners of the globe. It's as if the Koreans believe they harbor some of the blame for the actions of one homicidal psychopath. Frankly, I don't see it myself. I'm inclined to agree with Robert's remarks.

He was a sick kid. Period. You can talk try to read into this tragedy cultural factors all you like (and I'm afraid that's going to happen both in the United States and here in Korea), but the fact remains that there are 100,000 Korean students in the United States, not to mention about 1 million Korean-Americans, many of whom share the same cultural background as the shooter, and NONE of them have shot up their schools. The overwhelming majority, in fact, are upstanding members of their academic and residential communities. Cho Seung-hui is about as representative of the Korean community as the Columbine shooters were of the white community, that is to say, he's not.

Having the ethnic Korean community torn between grief, shame and self-admonition is an unreasonable reaction to the unforeseen atrocity, in my opinion.

Teacher Guilty of Cocaine Charge

(Lewiston, New York) In February, 59-year-old substitute teacher for the Lewiston-Porter Central School District, Joan M. Donatelli, admitted that she snorted cocaine in front of her fourth-grade students.

Donatelli was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Yesterday in Lewiston Town Court, Donatelli pleaded guilty to seventh-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in accordance with a plea agreement. In exchange, Niagara County District Attorney Matt Murphy dropped two child endangering charges. The seventh-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance is a misdemeanor which carries a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail.

Judge Thomas J. Sheeran will schedule a sentencing date after reviewing the recommendations of county probation officials. It's anticipated to require a couple months.


[Update 06/28/07]

Donatelli sentenced.

Veil or Jail

(Tehran, Iran) Listen up, ladies, there's a new rule. Veil or jail. Take your pick. Chad Evans has the story.

According to Iranian Police Chief Gen. Ahmad Moghaddam:

"Women who do not wear the veil and don't abide by the Muslim dress code are tools of the enemy, who tries to destroy the system by spreading a cuture which goes against Islamic values," he said.

The general slammed recent criticism of a police measure which will become effective starting on 21 April under which women who do not respect the Islamic dress code will be arrested.

So, ladies, unless you want to be considered a tool of the enemy and sent to jail, you've got scant time left to veil up. April 21st is Saturday. But don't despair, try to look at the bright side and think of all the money you'll save by no longer needing to fard. Expensive cosmetics, plastic surgery and botox injections will be eliminated from your lives.

In unrelated news, Moghaddam stated that, contrary to Sharia and Iranian law, the consumption of illegally produced liquor in Iran is increasing.


[Update 04/23/07]

Arrests made and warnings issued for improper dress.

Lonoke Corruption Case

(Lonoke, Arkansas) Contrary to my original intent, I haven't followed the story of former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell and his wife, Kelly, very closely. At the start, it seemed to be a simple story but it eventually exploded into a wide-spectrum corruption case to which I couldn't devote the time.

To remind readers, back in October 2006 both Jay and Kelly Campbell were charged with a virtual book of crimes, including theft, criminal conspiracy, hindering prosecution, sex offenses, drug offenses, burglary and tampering. Their trial was necessarily delayed because defense attorneys had a mountain of material to review.

The trial of Jay and Kelly Campbell began on March 1st and essentially wrapped up this week. Only sentencing remains. Initially, bail bondsman Bobby Cox was to be tried with the Campbells but the judge decided to grant Cox a mistrial when one witness testifying against Cox was found to have a prior conviction for exhuming Elvis Presley's body. Yes, readers, this case has more twists and turns than directions to an Ozark mountain still.

Moving on. After six weeks of testimony by 140 witnesses and introduction of 300 pieces of evidence, including suggestive photos of Kelly Campbell mixing it up with city jail inmates, the jury returned with a verdict. Note that the sex with inmates charges against Kelly Campbell were eventually dropped because, at the time it occurred, sex with inmates wasn't illegal. Nonetheless, the Campbells were both found guilty of a slew of crimes.

After being portrayed by the prosecution as running the police department like a king above the law, former Lonoke Police Chief Jay Campbell was convicted of 23 charges including the most serious charge of managing a continuing criminal organization or enterprise to obtain drugs, money and jewelry illegally and to obtain construction labor from state prisoners. From the jury came a recommendation of a total of 315 years in prison for Jay Campbell.

Although the charges related to having sex with inmates were dismissed, Kelly Campbell was still convicted of 26 felony and misdemeanor charges. However, the jury found her not guilty of five charges including the charge of running a continuing criminal enterprise. Even so, the jury recommended a total of 303 years in prison, plus one month and 20 years probation. It's not known if she was ultimately convicted of mixing it up with the 16-year-old schoolboy as mentioned previously.

But the jury of six men and six women recommended that their sentences run concurrently. Therefore, Jay Campbell faces a possible 40 years in prison and Kelly Campbell faces a possible 20 years. The sentencing recommendations have been taken under advisement by Special Circuit Judge John Cole who will announce his ruling on April 24th.

The Campbells are expected to appeal.


[Update 04/24/07]

Campbells sentenced.

Sex in Texas Classroom

(Fort Worth, Texas) So far, the incident is merely alleged.

The Fort Worth Independent School District and the Fort Worth Police Department are investigating allegations that 8th graders had sex in class while a substitute teacher was present.

Officials say they've talked with several students and their stories are consistent.

The incident allegedly happened in an English class while a substitute teacher and other students were in the room.

According to Lt. Dean Sullivan of the Fort Worth Police Department, the students had arranged their desks to conceal their actions. An anonymous caller to the school reported the incident.

The Tarrant County District Attorney's office is reviewing the matter.

Smoking Complainer Killed

(Karachi, Pakistan) Just complaining about smoking can get you shot and killed in Pakistan.

A man lost his life and three of his friends sustained gunshot wounds when they tried to deter a couple of men from smoking in a prohibited area late on Sunday night.

According to one of the injured, Omair told police that he and his friends requested the men not to smoke as the area had been declared non-smoking zone. The violators pulled out guns and began firing, killing Sohail and injuring Noor Aziz.

Police are looking for the shooters.

Thousands of Brits Given Tainted Blood

(United Kingdom) It's reported that thousands of British hemophiliacs were exposed to HIV and/or hepatitis C contaminated blood and blood products after the National Health Service (NHS) ignored warnings about using hemophiliacs to test out new blood products.

Public hearings were initiated after a BBC Newsnight program exposed what has been called "the worst treatment disaster in the history of the National Health Service."

The programme claimed that from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s, 4,500 haemophiliacs in the United Kingdom were exposed to lethal viruses through blood products designed to help them.

Newsnight disclosed that many haemophiliacs became infected from supplies of the clotting agent Factor 8 from abroad, and unknown to them at the time, much of the plasma came from donors like prison inmates in the US who were allowed to sell their blood even though there were questions about their health.

The programme said that many official documents had "mysteriously disappeared", although the Government claimed some were shredded and others had not been released on grounds of commercial confidentiality.

Almost 2,000 infected individuals have died and many more are terminally ill and struggling for financial support.

This case demonstrates just one problem with having a bureaucratic, socialized medical care system. Decades can pass before it becomes known how thousands of people were killed or made sicker.

Bureaucracies, devoid of any meaningful bedside manner, view patients as names on pieces of paper. And if the pieces of paper are ignored or disappear, so do the patients. Because of the aforementioned and other socialist schemes, America should never give Hillary Clinton the clicker.

Peace Corps Volunteer Found Dead

(Manila, Philippines) After 10 days of searching, soldiers believe they found the body of U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell, 40, in a shallow grave near the village of Batad about 160 miles north of Manila. Police suspect that she may have been murdered.

According to Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Philippine Army spokesman, "... the smell of the American volunteer worker's protruding foot caught the attention of a K-9 unit of a search and recovery team."

From ABS-CBN:

Torres said US embassy officials are already proceeding to the site to identify the body.

He said authorities including Scene of the Crime Office personnel are investigating the cause of Campbell's death. Forensic examination of the body of the American volunteer will be conducted.

Campbell, 40, went missing on April 8 after embarking on a hike to view the famous Banaue Rice Terraces. A former journalist, Campbell, of Fairfax, Virginia, came to the Philippines in 2005 and had been working as a teacher at a college in eastern Legazpi City.

Police earlier said Campbell might have fallen off a cliff. They denied that Campbell was kidnapped by communist guerrillas.

Typically a fall doesn't result in a shallow grave, no matter how mountainous the terrain. Nonetheless, positive identification of the remains awaits confirmation.


[Update 04/22/07]

Campbell confirmed murdered.

Another Utah Teacher Walks in Sex Case

(Tooele, Utah) District Judge Mark Kouris, the same judge who sentenced teacher Cameo Patch to probation for sexual battery and then blamed the student, has now sentenced another teacher, 42-year-old Leslie Baird, to probation for forcible sex abuse of a male student. Baird actually admitted to engaging in sex with two male students, 17 and 18 years old.

Baird was originally charged with counts of first-degree forcible sodomy and second-degree forcible sex abuse. A plea deal eliminated the felony counts of forcible sodomy plus misdemeanor counts of dealing harmful material to a minor and giving alcohol to a minor. She ultimately pleaded guilty to the remaining charge of second-degree forcible sex abuse.

As a reminder, Baird was a Tooele High School teacher who liquored up male students and had sex with them. She was only exposed because it became common knowledge at the school.

In January, District Judge Mark Kouris sent Baird to have a 90-day head examination. Based upon confirmation that Baird is in fact a female, Kouris imposed probation.

To be fair, it appears that Kouris probably did not base his ruling entirely on the fact that the defendant is female. There's an obvious whiff of politics involved since Baird's daddy is the mayor of the neighboring Tooele County community of Grantsville.

In summary, recent rulings by Judge Kouris let two female teachers convicted of sex crimes walk away with probation. Regarding Cameo Patch, Kouris told her he "would be inclined to order some incarceration" if she were a man. With Baird, Kouris simply said she was "getting quite a deal" since she faced a possible 15 years in prison.

Jeez, it would seem logical for all those adult women with sexual proclivities toward schoolboys to immediately pack up the car and hit the road for Tooele County, Utah.


[Update 06/20/07]

Hold the phone. Apparently, Baird was actually sentenced to one-year in jail. She was then released early.

Shoplifter Blames Irritable Bowel Syndrome

(Cape Coral, Florida) A 61-year-old woman, Helen Gallo, was arrested Sunday for shoplifting and explained that she couldn't wait in line to pay because of irritable bowel syndrome. She was booked into the Lee County Jail on a petty larceny charge and released on $500 bond.

Pretty lame excuse, I'd say. What's next? Bank robber blames the heartbreak of psoriasis?

NC Woman Gets Prison for Indecency with Boy

(Brevard, North Carolina) A 21-year-old local woman, Andrea Bussey, pleaded guilty yesterday in Transylvania County Superior Court to taking indecent liberties with a 13-year-old boy. Bussey was 20 years old when she committed the offense.

Bussey was originally arrested and charged with statutory rape in December 2006 but pleaded to the lesser crime in accordance with an agreement with the prosecution.

From Hendersonville News:

Assistant District Attorney Doug Mundy said that the boy's mother discovered explicit letters Bussey wrote to her son. When the boy's mother confronted him about the letters, he admitted to his mother that he had sex with Bussey sometime between October and December 2006, Mundy said.

Bussey was sentenced to at least 13 months in prison in accordance with the plea deal. She will be credited with 137 days already served since her arrest.

Wife of Former NFL Player Accused of Rape of Boy

(Kenton County, Kentucky) Jeni Lee Dinkel, a 51-year-old Hollywood makeup artist and wife of former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Tom Dinkel, pleaded not guilty yesterday to rape and sodomy charges resulting from allegations of engaging in sex with a 15-year-old Catholic schoolboy.

From The Enquirer:

Dinkel's accuser attends Covington Catholic High School with Dinkel's teenage son, authorities said.

"The investigation resulted from allegations that surfaced after officers had responded to the suspect's residence back in October for a loud party call," Villa Hills Detective Joe Schutzman said in a statement released Monday. "There were allegations that the suspect was providing alcoholic beverages to minors."

Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders said witnesses told police that Jeni Lee Dinkel was present on at least one occasion when police responded to complaints about underage drinking at her home.

"When police investigated these parties, they started hearing rumors about sexual contact between Mrs. Dinkel and an underage male," Sanders said.

March 22, a teenage boy told the Children's Advocacy Center that Dinkel had repeatedly engaged in sexual contact with him at her home during a four-month span in 2006, according to court records.

Dinkel is free after posting 10 percent of a $25,000 bond. Her next court date is scheduled for May 15th.


[Update 05/31/07]

Jeni Lee Dinkel pleads guilty to rape in accordance with a plea deal. Sentencing on July 2nd.


[Update 07/02/07]

Plea deal rejected.


[Update 08/09/07]

Dinkel sentenced.


[Update 12/02/07]

Dinkel released from jail.


[Update 02/19/08]

Dinkel arrested for violating her probation.

Richard Gere Burned in Effigy

(New Delhi, India) Jeez, I was under the impression that Richard Gere was a respect-for-all-living-things, holier-than-thou Buddhist. This story seems to indicate that he's just an ordinary guy, insensitive to the values of the people around him.

Angry crowds in several Indian cities burned effigies of Richard Gere on Monday after he swept a popular Bollywood actress into his arms and kissed her several times during an AIDS-awareness event.

Photographs of the 57-year-old actor embracing Shilpa Shetty and kissing her on the cheek at an HIV/AIDS awareness event in New Delhi were splashed across Monday's front pages in India - a country where sex and public displays of affection are largely taboo.

In Mumbai, members of the right-wing Hindu nationalist group Shiv Sena beat burning effigies of Gere with sticks and set fire to glamorous shots of Shetty.

Heh.

ACLU Investigates Sexual Abstinence

(Columbus, Ohio) The ACLU is apparently suspicious about sexual abstinence so an investigation has been launched.

The American Civil Liberties Union has asked 31 school districts in Ohio for copies of curricula used to teach sexual abstinence programs so it can review the material for accuracy.

The group's Ohio affiliate sent public information requests to districts last week as part of a project being conducted by the civil rights group's national office, said ACLU of Ohio staff attorney Carrie Davis.

The goal is to examine the content of abstinence education programs paid for with tax money, Davis said. The material also will be reviewed for any separation of church and state concerns, she said.

So, the ACLU is worried about how tax money is spent. Really? Since when?

Virginia Tech Massacre

(Blacksburg, Virginia) My prayers are with the families and friends of the students and faculty murdered today on the Virginia Tech University campus. The entire situation is currently chaotic with law enforcers still containing and investigating the crime scene.

To recap the incident, shortly before 8:00 AM on the Virginia Tech campus, a gunman shot and killed two students in a dorm. Afterward and up until about 12:30 PM, the gunman shot and killed 30 other people, presently not identified. Reportedly, at least two dozen others are injured with an unknown number in critical condition. Police ultimately found the gunman dead, apparently from suicide.

Law enforcers are not identifying the gunman while they continue to investigate. However, Michael Sneed of the Chicago Sun-Times has reported that the gunman was a Chinese national who arrived in the U.S. last year on a student visa. It's not known if he was a student at Virginia Tech.

Various media reports strongly suggest that the shooter was despondent because of a failed relationship. It's also strongly suggested that the motive for the shootings has nothing to do with political extremism.

Realize that there has been no confirmation of the identity of the shooter or his motive.

In the meantime, the Virginia Tech Alumni Association is taking donations for a relief fund for victims and their families.


[Update 04/17/07, 9:30 AM]

News conference:

- Virginia Tech senior English major Cho Seung-Hui, 23, a resident alien from South Korea was the shooter who killed students and faculty in classrooms. He lived on campus and was one week away from graduating with a baccalaureate degree.

- Both 9mm and a .22 caliber handguns were used and recovered.

- It's confirmed that one of the weapons was used at both crime scenes.

- Classes have been canceled for the rest of the week.

- No information provided on motive.

- Cho Seung-Hui shot himself in the head.

Russia Launches New-Generation Nuke Sub

(Severodvinsk, Russia) The first nuclear submarine built since the fall of the Soviet Union has been launched at a cost of $890 million (23 billion rubles). It has been named the Yuri Dolgoruky after a Slavic prince who once helped defend Moscow. The boat is the first in a planned group of eight submarines called the Borei-class.


Borei-class nuclear submarine
Note that the $890 million price tag for the Borei-class boats seems quite cheap. As I recall, new American nuclear submarines cost at least twice that amount.

From MOSNEWS.com:

The long-delayed Yuri Dolgoruky, the first Borei-class (Arctic Wind) nuclear submarine, was moved to the dry docks at a highly secret submarine base in the Arctic town of Severodvinsk, the heart of Russia's northern submarine fleet.

Sergei Ivanov, who rules the military-industrial sector, took part in the ceremony along with the navy top brass and Kremlin advisers.

"For the first time in 17 years we are launching such a vessel -- in essence this is the first Russian strategic submarine, a submarine of the new generation," Ivanov said at the ceremony.

The launch of the new submarine is part of a plan, approved by President Vladimir Putin, to upgrade the core of Russia's undersea nuclear attack forces, military analysts said.

After some devastating accidents, including the Kursk in 2000, President Putin increased funding dramatically to the submarine fleet. According to one former Russian naval engineer, Putin wants to demonstrate that Russia is still a great power and that means great weapons.

Ominous, though, is this quote:

"Russia's attack submarines fulfil the function of preventing the United States's freedom of action at sea," said Ivan Safranchuk, head of the World Security Institute's Moscow office. (sic)

The Borei-class boats will carry the Bulava-M ballistic missiles (range - 5,000 miles) which, unfortunately, have thus far lacked reliability. The weapon has failed to successfully fire in four of its last five tests.

Jemaah Islamiyah Forms Hit Squad

(Jakarta, Indonesia) Information about the hit squads was discovered during raids in Java last month when seven suspected members of the al-Qaeda satellite, Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), were apprehended.

Southeast Asian terror network Jemaah Islamiyah has set up an assassination squad and made a target list that includes police, judges and prosecutors, Indonesia's anti-terror chief said in a newspaper report published Monday.

The hit squad is believed to have about 100 operatives who would target both locals and foreigners in Indonesia.

According to Anti-Terror Chief Maj. Gen. Ansyaad Mbai, "We also know from their propaganda that the West, the Christians, are their enemy. It is logical that they could target Christian priests." Yeah, so what else is new Mr. Anti-Terror Chief?

Frankly, I don't know why the Indonesian government even bothers to capture and convict the JI terrorists because they are customarily given a hand-slap at sentencing and freed with only token jail terms.

In any event, the Jakarta Post considered the news of hit squads to be important enough to run the story as the lead headline in today's edition.

Illegals Caught with 4,000 Lbs. of Dope

(San Diego, CA) This report is interesting.

Agents of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol seized four sport utility vehicles Thursday containing 4,000 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of $3 million, authorities reported yesterday.

One driver, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and turned over to Operation Alliance, a multiagency task force that enforces drug-trafficking laws.

Drivers of the three other vehicles escaped on foot, with two climbing over the border fence into Mexico near Tecate.

It's likely that 1,000 lbs. is approaching the maximum payload for the average SUV unless it has a beef-up suspension, therefore, it's logical to presume that each vehicle was full of marijuana.

Somewhat surprisingly, the illegals had no problem with quickly abandoning their SUVs, plus $3 million in dope, when the Border Patrol showed up. With that much invested, I wonder why they didn't drive off in four directions and try to outrun the authorities. Instead, after one driver was pulled over, the other three stopped, jumped out and ran off.

Youth Counselor Aids Escape

(Cambridge, Maryland) A 25-year-old youth counselor at VisionQuest Morning Star Youth Academy, Amanda Mae Beavers, surrendered herself to the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office to face charges related to assisting 17-year-old Charles Miller to escape last month.

The VisionQuest facility is an alternative all-male school for troubled teens. Approximately 45 ninth-grade boys live at the Woolford, MD, installation.

From WJZ.com:

Investigators say the boy escaped early on March 30. Beavers reported to work that night, but left an hour later, saying her father was ill.

On Friday, police say Beavers' mother called 911 and said the teen had been at her house in Bradshaw, W. Va., for three days. She told police said she was suspicious because of the boy's age and how he would kiss and hug her daughter.

Beavers and the boy left West Virginia after the police were contacted. But she returned a call from a detective and said she had dropped him off in Ohio after an argument. She agreed to drive back from Kentucky and turned herself in.

The "troubled" teen, Charles Miller, is still being sought by authorities in Ohio. In the meantime, Beavers was released on bail after being charged with second-degree child abuse by a custodian.

Notably, Miller's exit from VisionQuest Morning Star Youth Academy was the sixth escape in the the month of March alone. As a result, the state of Maryland Department of Juvenile Services is conducting an investigation of the facility.