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7 Aug, 2015

DUI, gun possession arrest

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John Mcafee DUI mugshotMcAfee is arrested in Tennessee for DUI and possession of a handgun while under the influence. Police confirm McAfee is a resident of Lexington, TN, in the western part of the state between Nashville and Memphis. He is released on $5,000 bond.

Prosecutors accused of hiding evidence

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Defense attorneys for six Baltimore police officers file a motion alleging that investigators for the Baltimore Police Department had information that Gray had a history of intentionally injuring himself in order to collect insurance money. The attorneys allege that police investigators knew that Gray once injured himself so severely while in a Baltimore jail that he required medical attention. The attorneys say in documents that when police investigators tried to follow up on the evidence, prosecutors in the state’s attorney’s office told them “not to do the defense attorneys’ jobs for them.”

The motion also says that high-ranking members of the state’s attorney’s office met with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner a week before Gray’s autopsy was complete and his death ruled a homicide. In addition, attorneys say the prosecutors didn’t provide the medical examiner’s office with a copy of the statement of Donta Allen, the man who had been inside the police van where Gray suffered his injury. Investigators initially said Allen told them that Gray had been making banging noises in the back of the van. But Allen later told the media that police had exaggerated his account.

UN to examine chemical weapons attacks

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The UN adopts a resolution aimed at identifying those behind chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Ban and the head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will be asked to prepare a plan for an inquiry. US ambassador to the UN, Power:

Today’s resolution has been adopted with the council’s unanimous support. This sends a clear and powerful message to all those involved in chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The joint investigative mechanism will identify you if you gas people. It bears repeating as well that we need to bring the same unity that we have shown today to urgently find a political solution to the Syrian crisis.”

The resolution follows months of negotiations between the US and Russia. Syria’s ambassador to the UN denies his government was behind the attacks, claiming the Islamic State (IS) group and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front are to blame. Under the terms of the agreement, a team of expert inspectors will be given full access where possible to all locations in Syria and be allowed to collect materials and interview witnesses. Churkin, the UN’s Russian representative, says he hopes that the joint investigative body will work

impartially, objectively and professionally.

The resolution calls for Ban and the OPCW to recommend a team of investigators within 20 days.

Sentenced to life in prison

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A jury of nine women and three men reject the death penalty and sentence Holmes to life in prison without parole. In closing arguments, the District Attorney plays a recording of a 911 call with gunshots and screams in the background as the victims’ pictures disappear one by one from a courtroom TV screen.

For James Eagan Holmes, justice is death. Death.

Holmes Defense attorney says that the massacre was heartbreaking but that Holmes’ schizophrenia was the sole cause.

The death of a seriously mentally ill man is not justice, no matter how tragic the case is. Please, no more death.

In the hours before the sentencing jurors had asked to review a graphic crime scene video. When the verdict is read one man storms out, others cry. Holmes’ mother also cries, with Holmes’ father’s arm around her. Holmes smiles at his lawyers and thanks them after the verdict was read.

 

5 Aug, 2015

Rangers catch eight poachers

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Eight suspected rhino poachers are arrested in the Kruger National Park. The first incident took place in the early hours of the morning while rangers conducting anti-poaching operations along the Crocodile River – south of the Park encounter three suspected poachers; a shoot-out ensues during which one poacher is wounded. All three suspects are arrested. Two hunting rifles, silencers, ammunition and other poaching equipment are confiscated. A follow-up investigation later the same day outside the park leads to the arrest of a further five suspects. Minister of Environmental Affairs:

Just a week after commemorating World Ranger Day I want to again commend our rangers for their hard work together with other law enforcement units including the South African Police Service (SAPS). [These arrests are] a clear indication that resilience and dedication pays off.

Must testify

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Cosby is ordered to give a sworn deposition to Allred, regarding Huth’s claims that he sexually abused her when she was 15 years old at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. Cosby will testify on 9 October, Huth will answer questions from Cosby’s lawyers on 15 October. Cosby’s lawyers had sought to compel Huth to give her deposition before the comedian, but the judge says Cosby should go first. Allred:

We are pleased that we will now be able to move ahead without further delay on Ms. Huth’s case, and we look forward to taking Mr. Cosby’s deposition.

4 Aug, 2015

Detained

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Kahane grandson (2)Ettinger is arrested due to his involvement in a right wing network. More arrests are expected to follow. Spokesman:

As Israeli investigators released their findings that a right-wing Jewish terrorist network is gaining power throughout Israel and illegal West Bank settlements, they detained Meir Ettinger, the grandson of the late Meir Kahane, but declined to charge him with the arson attack Thursday night that burned a baby to death and severely wounded his mother, father and 4-year old brother.

Ettinger smiles and jokes with onlookers as he was taken into custody.

Arrested

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Israel’s Shin Bet security agency says it is interrogating Ettinger, the suspected head of a Jewish extremist group. The agency would not say if he is also suspected in the arson attack, but it accuses Ettinger of heading an extremist movement seeking to bring about religious ‘redemption’ through attacks on Christian sites and Palestinian homes. Ettinger denies leading an extremist movement. His lawyer says that authorities arrested his client to appease an Israeli public outraged by the arson attack.

There was no urgent need to arrest here, other than some kind of desire to show, Here, we’re doing something, here, we’re arresting. Of course, what is better than the number one most wanted target?

Family files suit against Encinia

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Bland’s mother seeks a jury trial and unspecified monetary damages in a wrongful death suit against Encinia; Waller County jail screening officers Elsa Magnus and Oscar Prudente; Waller County; and the DPS. The suit says Encina was previously was reprimanded for “unprofessional conduct” and faulted Texas DPS for improper training, saying the agency should have known he “exhibited a pattern of escalating encounters with the public”, and that he:

demonstrated a deliberate indifference to and conscious disregard for the constitutional rights and safety of Sandra Bland.

In addition, the lawsuit accuses Magnus and Prudente, screening officers at the Waller County Jail, for inadequately monitoring Bland and failing to provide proper medical care when she was found injured in her cell. County lawyer:

We look forward to presenting all the evidence to the Court, in the context of the applicable standards for civil liability, and intend to vigorously defend the case.

3 Aug, 2015

Arrests two suspected terrorists

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Cameroon authorities arrest two suspected members of Boko Haram disguised as female refugees. The men, who were carrying explosives in their luggage, are stopped at the Minawao refugee camp in the north of the country, near the border with Nigeria. Cameroon’s government spokesman says the men are being interrogated. He also says authorities arrested a number of foreigners suspected of collaborating with Boko Haram.

Aug 2015

Sue for video

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Police officers sue to erase videos of their raid of Sky High Collective. Lawyer for Sky High:

It’s pretty pathetic for police to say if we don’t like something that it can’t be used as evidence.

Attorney for Santa Ana Police Officers:

The video was taken without the officers’ knowledge and was handled by Pappas, among others, prior to being made public.

3 Aug, 2015

Lawyers gag guilty plea

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According to his lawyers, Roof wants to plead guilty to all the crimes he has been charged with, but they have advised him not to enter a plea until prosecutors inform the court on whether or not they’ll seek the death penalty.

Roof has told us he wishes to plead guilty. Until we know whether the government will seek the death penalty, we cannot advise Mr. Roof.

The Magistrate enters a not guilty plea for Roof.

Shoplifting arrest

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Richards is released on $5000 bail after spending the night in jail after being accused of taking about $600 in merchandise from a Target store in the Van Nuys area.

Arrested

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Karpeles is arrested at his home by Japanese police who say he accessed a computer system and falsified data on its outstanding balance. Police say Karpeles protested at his arrest and said he will not sign any documents until his lawyer arrives. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police say they believe Karpeles had manipulated transaction records on a computer system that Mt. Gox used to swap Bitcoins for dollars, and had “unjustly inflated the balance” of an account held under his name:

He created false information that $1 million had been transferred into the account, when in fact it had not been.

Karpeles has not been formally charged. Police can detain him for up to 23 days before charging him.

Arrestation de Mark Karpelès, fondateur de la plateforme d'échange de bitcoins Mt. Gox

Zimbabwe seeks extradition

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Muchinguri, Zimbabwe’s environment minister, says the process to extradite Palmer from the United States is underway.

Unfortunately, it was too late to apprehend the foreign poacher as he had already absconded to his country of origin. We are appealing to the responsible authorities for his extradition to Zimbabwe so that he be made accountable. This must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all genuine, animal-loving conservationists who believe in sustainable utilization of natural resources.

She also says Palmer’s use of a crossbow and arrow to shoot the lion before he was eventually shot and killed with a gun had breached Zimbabwe’s hunting rules.

30 Jul, 2015

Sentenced for breast assault

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Ng is sentenced to jail for three and a half months for assaulting a senior police officer with her breast. Ng Lai-ying tells the court that she yelled “indecent assault” out of fear immediately after the chief inspector’s hand landed on her left breast when he failed to grab the strap of her bag. But the magistrate says she “used her female identity to trump up the allegation that the officer had molested” her, calling that a malicious act that harmed the officer’s reputation. She is bailed pending an appeal.

Pleads not guilty

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Former University of Cincinnati Police Officer Ray Tensing pleads not guilty to charges of murder and voluntary manslaughter. His attorney, Stew Mathews, says that no matter what the body camera seems to show, he is convinced that his client was genuinely scared for his life when the shooting occured.

The guy jams the keys in the ignition. Turns the car on, jams it (into) drive and mashes the accelerator. He wasn’t slowly pulling away. (Tensing) feared for his life. He thought he was going to be sucked under the car that was pulling away from him. He thought he was going to get sucked under and killed.

Released on $1 million bond

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Tensing pleads not guilty in court and is released on bond. Judge Shanahan set;s Tensing’s bond at $1 million. Tensing has his head bowed, eyes closed and does not look at anyone in the court. Tensing’s father and other family members are  in the courtroom during the arraignment. When Shanahan sets the high bond, applause breaks out in the courtroom, and she admonishes the attendees. Tensing’s lawyer says he would do his best to raise the money to get his client out of jail and Tensing leaves the Hamilton County jail eight hours later after spending the night behind bars.