A Buford, Ga., man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and must pay $191,395 in restitution for rolling back odometers on used cars and trucks to make the vehicles more valuable.
Ronald Dale Cole, 55, pleaded guilty on May 30, in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, to two counts of odometer tampering.
Cole bought high-mileage cars, sport-utility vehicles and trucks, at wholesale auto auctions in Georgia and South Carolina, rolled back the odometers by an average of 97,742 miles and resold the vehicles at auto auctions. Cole sold 56 vehicles with altered odometers with an average loss per victim of $3,418. Most of the vehicles Cole sold were more than 10 years old.
The $191,395 in restitution is the amount the court found Cole had defrauded victims through his odometer fraud scheme.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Estate Financial principals in jail, bail $5M each
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 10/17/2008 06:32:33 AM PDT
PASO ROBLES, Calif.—Executives of the troubled Paso Robles lender Estate Financial have been arrested on 26 felony violations of the California Corporations Code.
Prosecutors say Karen Guth and Joshua Yaguda misrepresented investments in real estate backed securities, embezzling $500,000 and illegally taking more than $3.2 million.
San Luis Obispo County prosecutors, state investigators and FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents raided the rural Paso Robles property of Guth and Yaguda on Thursday and arrested the pair. Bail is set at $5 million each.
If convicted, they face more than 15 years in prison and $11 million in fines.
In May, the Department of Corporations revoked Estate Financial's permit to collect money from investors.
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Information from: The Tribune, http://www.sanluisobispo.com
Article Launched: 10/17/2008 06:32:33 AM PDT
PASO ROBLES, Calif.—Executives of the troubled Paso Robles lender Estate Financial have been arrested on 26 felony violations of the California Corporations Code.
Prosecutors say Karen Guth and Joshua Yaguda misrepresented investments in real estate backed securities, embezzling $500,000 and illegally taking more than $3.2 million.
San Luis Obispo County prosecutors, state investigators and FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents raided the rural Paso Robles property of Guth and Yaguda on Thursday and arrested the pair. Bail is set at $5 million each.
If convicted, they face more than 15 years in prison and $11 million in fines.
In May, the Department of Corporations revoked Estate Financial's permit to collect money from investors.
———
Information from: The Tribune, http://www.sanluisobispo.com
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Georgia woman with 5 dead spouses leaves jail
(AP) — A grandmother charged in the death of one of her five dead husbands has been released from a North Carolina jail.
Authorities said 76-year-old Betty Neumar posted bond Thursday at the Stanly County jail. She was being held on a $300,000 bond.
Neumar is charged in the 1986 death of her fourth husband, Harold Gentry. Authorities have said she tried to hire three people to kill Gentry in the weeks before his bullet-riddled body was found in his rural North Carolina home. She was arrested in May.
Authorities in Florida and Ohio are investigating Neumar in the deaths of her third husband and her only son, and investigators also are re-examining the death of her first husband. She hasn't been charged in any of those cases.
Authorities said 76-year-old Betty Neumar posted bond Thursday at the Stanly County jail. She was being held on a $300,000 bond.
Neumar is charged in the 1986 death of her fourth husband, Harold Gentry. Authorities have said she tried to hire three people to kill Gentry in the weeks before his bullet-riddled body was found in his rural North Carolina home. She was arrested in May.
Authorities in Florida and Ohio are investigating Neumar in the deaths of her third husband and her only son, and investigators also are re-examining the death of her first husband. She hasn't been charged in any of those cases.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
County police officer pleads guilty to DUI
A Montgomery County Police officer who crashed his take-home cruiser on Interstate 270 in May has pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.
In an Oct. 3 plea agreement, the state dropped two lesser drunk-driving charges and District Court Judge Stephen P. Johnson gave Officer John Distel, a first-time offender, the disposition of "probation before judgment" — meaning the guilty plea will never appear on his permanent driving record if he meets all probation criteria for one year.
Probation before judgment, or PBJ, is often viewed as a best-case scenario by defense attorneys, observers said. Distel now faces an internal affairs investigation by Montgomery County Police.
"John Distel is a decorated officer and he looks forward to continuing his work for the county as a police officer," his private attorney Michael A. Taylor said Monday.
Distel, 32, a six-year county police veteran and patrol officer with the 2nd District station in Bethesda, crashed into two highway barriers about 1:25 a.m. on May 9 while driving south on Interstate 270 near the Montgomery Village overpass in Gaithersburg, according to county police. He sustained minor injuries in the crash, but was not taken to the hospital, police said. No one else was injured and he was the "sole witness" to the crash, Lt. Paul Starks, county police spokesman said in May.
County police conducted the police investigation, involving alcohol and collision investigation units, after Distel claimed he was a victim of a hit-and-run collision.
Police charged Distel, who lives in Germantown and previously worked in the 6th District in Gaithersburg, with driving under the influence, driving under the influence per se, and driving while impaired, according to court records.
Johnson placed Distel on one year supervised probation, which means he must check in periodically with a parole and probation officer and is banned from drinking alcohol for one year. Distel had enrolled in and is completing alcohol treatment, Taylor said in court. Distel was fined $307.50 and his driver's license was restored.
"Brief mention" of the "hit-and-run" allegations was made in court by Assistant State's Attorney Sharon Diamant, Taylor said on Monday. Diamant did not return calls for comment.
According to a collision report, Distel told police that he was driving his 2003 Crown Ford Victoria in the highway's center lane, when a silver Toyota passing on his left first struck his cruiser's rear and then its front, forcing him to lose control of his cruiser, spin and hit both the left and right shoulders of the four-lane span. The Toyota fled the scene, he told police. Starks said Monday that Distel gave a differing account after the initial investigation began.
"Officer Distel mistakenly believed that is what happened, he had suffered head trauma from the airbags discharging in his face," said Taylor.
Diamant referenced Distel's breath test and field sobriety test results in court, Taylor said. The Rockville attorney said he had "no comment" on why Distel used a cell phone to report the crash, rather than his in-car radio.
Per protocol, county police took away Distel's take-home car privileges and placed him on 90 hours of paid administrative leave in May, Starks said. He returned on restricted duty to a desk job on May 27, minus powers of a sworn police officer. Since September, Distel has had his police powers back, but he has not returned to patrol.
Now that the court process is complete, department policy stipulates that the officer must face an internal investigation to determine any administrative violations and his fate with the department. That review is now underway, Starks said. Repercussions could range from a fine or loss of personal leave to a letter of reprimand to termination, Starks said. The most serious punishments are usually held for officers with previous sustained history.
County policy also says that employees involved in alcohol-related incidents could be steered toward a diversion program.
According to department regulations, officers are not allowed to drive their cruisers within four hours of consuming alcohol.
A lawyer for the Fraternal Order of Police Montgomery County Lodge 35, the county police union, will represent Distel in the internal investigation, Taylor said.
According to court records, Distel has no prior traffic violations in Montgomery County. Taylor told the court that Distel is an Iraq war veteran, who served in Iraq in 2004. He served fulltime with the U.S. Army from 1996 to 2001 and as an Army reserve officer from 2001 to 2004, when he was honorably discharged from active duty.
In an Oct. 3 plea agreement, the state dropped two lesser drunk-driving charges and District Court Judge Stephen P. Johnson gave Officer John Distel, a first-time offender, the disposition of "probation before judgment" — meaning the guilty plea will never appear on his permanent driving record if he meets all probation criteria for one year.
Probation before judgment, or PBJ, is often viewed as a best-case scenario by defense attorneys, observers said. Distel now faces an internal affairs investigation by Montgomery County Police.
"John Distel is a decorated officer and he looks forward to continuing his work for the county as a police officer," his private attorney Michael A. Taylor said Monday.
Distel, 32, a six-year county police veteran and patrol officer with the 2nd District station in Bethesda, crashed into two highway barriers about 1:25 a.m. on May 9 while driving south on Interstate 270 near the Montgomery Village overpass in Gaithersburg, according to county police. He sustained minor injuries in the crash, but was not taken to the hospital, police said. No one else was injured and he was the "sole witness" to the crash, Lt. Paul Starks, county police spokesman said in May.
County police conducted the police investigation, involving alcohol and collision investigation units, after Distel claimed he was a victim of a hit-and-run collision.
Police charged Distel, who lives in Germantown and previously worked in the 6th District in Gaithersburg, with driving under the influence, driving under the influence per se, and driving while impaired, according to court records.
Johnson placed Distel on one year supervised probation, which means he must check in periodically with a parole and probation officer and is banned from drinking alcohol for one year. Distel had enrolled in and is completing alcohol treatment, Taylor said in court. Distel was fined $307.50 and his driver's license was restored.
"Brief mention" of the "hit-and-run" allegations was made in court by Assistant State's Attorney Sharon Diamant, Taylor said on Monday. Diamant did not return calls for comment.
According to a collision report, Distel told police that he was driving his 2003 Crown Ford Victoria in the highway's center lane, when a silver Toyota passing on his left first struck his cruiser's rear and then its front, forcing him to lose control of his cruiser, spin and hit both the left and right shoulders of the four-lane span. The Toyota fled the scene, he told police. Starks said Monday that Distel gave a differing account after the initial investigation began.
"Officer Distel mistakenly believed that is what happened, he had suffered head trauma from the airbags discharging in his face," said Taylor.
Diamant referenced Distel's breath test and field sobriety test results in court, Taylor said. The Rockville attorney said he had "no comment" on why Distel used a cell phone to report the crash, rather than his in-car radio.
Per protocol, county police took away Distel's take-home car privileges and placed him on 90 hours of paid administrative leave in May, Starks said. He returned on restricted duty to a desk job on May 27, minus powers of a sworn police officer. Since September, Distel has had his police powers back, but he has not returned to patrol.
Now that the court process is complete, department policy stipulates that the officer must face an internal investigation to determine any administrative violations and his fate with the department. That review is now underway, Starks said. Repercussions could range from a fine or loss of personal leave to a letter of reprimand to termination, Starks said. The most serious punishments are usually held for officers with previous sustained history.
County policy also says that employees involved in alcohol-related incidents could be steered toward a diversion program.
According to department regulations, officers are not allowed to drive their cruisers within four hours of consuming alcohol.
A lawyer for the Fraternal Order of Police Montgomery County Lodge 35, the county police union, will represent Distel in the internal investigation, Taylor said.
According to court records, Distel has no prior traffic violations in Montgomery County. Taylor told the court that Distel is an Iraq war veteran, who served in Iraq in 2004. He served fulltime with the U.S. Army from 1996 to 2001 and as an Army reserve officer from 2001 to 2004, when he was honorably discharged from active duty.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Salty's sued over DUI death
PANAMA CITY BEACH — The wife of a man killed by a drunk driver last year filed suit Monday against the bar he was working for the night of the crash.
On the one-year anniversary of Clint Malone's death, his wife, Jennifer Malone, filed a lawsuit against Salty's Bar and Grill, 10908 Front Beach Road, and the establishment's managers, Kellen, Robert, Robert Jr. and Kellye Potter.
According to the complaint, Jeremy Matthew Hunt was working as a bar back, an assistant to the bartender, the night of Oct. 12 and into the morning of Oct. 13, 2007. Hunt left the bar drunk, according to the lawsuit, and his vehicle hit Clint Malone, 36, as he was riding a bicycle on Thomas Drive alongside Jennifer Malone, who was training for the New York City Marathon.
Hunt, 21, pleaded on contest in July to DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident with death. He received 10 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation.
Malone's lawyer, David Carter of Vero Beach, wrote in the complaint that the management of Salty's "had a policy or procedure whereby employees, including underage employees, were permitted to consume alcohol on Salty's premises."
A telephone number for the business was disconnected and phone numbers for the Potters could not be immediately located.
Carter wrote that Salty's knew Hunt was drinking on the job and he did so in the presence of management.
"Defendants had actual or constructive knowledge of multiple incidents in which Jeremy Hunt became intoxicated from alcohol provided by defendants on Salty's premises, then drove a vehicle in an intoxicated condition," Carter wrote. On the morning of the crash, he said, Hunt "consumed alcohol with defendants' consent and encouragement."
Carter said Salty's management also was negligent because it "failed to adequately and reasonably train and supervise Jeremy Hunt in the performance of his duties, including but not limit to Jeremy Hunt's participation in Salty's providing of alcohol and encouraging employees to consume alcohol."
Carter sued for Jennifer Malone's mental pain and suffering, as well as the suffering of her two children, and the loss of Clint Malone's companionship and support. The suit also asks for compensation for medical and funeral expenses and loss of earnings.
On the one-year anniversary of Clint Malone's death, his wife, Jennifer Malone, filed a lawsuit against Salty's Bar and Grill, 10908 Front Beach Road, and the establishment's managers, Kellen, Robert, Robert Jr. and Kellye Potter.
According to the complaint, Jeremy Matthew Hunt was working as a bar back, an assistant to the bartender, the night of Oct. 12 and into the morning of Oct. 13, 2007. Hunt left the bar drunk, according to the lawsuit, and his vehicle hit Clint Malone, 36, as he was riding a bicycle on Thomas Drive alongside Jennifer Malone, who was training for the New York City Marathon.
Hunt, 21, pleaded on contest in July to DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident with death. He received 10 years in prison followed by 20 years on probation.
Malone's lawyer, David Carter of Vero Beach, wrote in the complaint that the management of Salty's "had a policy or procedure whereby employees, including underage employees, were permitted to consume alcohol on Salty's premises."
A telephone number for the business was disconnected and phone numbers for the Potters could not be immediately located.
Carter wrote that Salty's knew Hunt was drinking on the job and he did so in the presence of management.
"Defendants had actual or constructive knowledge of multiple incidents in which Jeremy Hunt became intoxicated from alcohol provided by defendants on Salty's premises, then drove a vehicle in an intoxicated condition," Carter wrote. On the morning of the crash, he said, Hunt "consumed alcohol with defendants' consent and encouragement."
Carter said Salty's management also was negligent because it "failed to adequately and reasonably train and supervise Jeremy Hunt in the performance of his duties, including but not limit to Jeremy Hunt's participation in Salty's providing of alcohol and encouraging employees to consume alcohol."
Carter sued for Jennifer Malone's mental pain and suffering, as well as the suffering of her two children, and the loss of Clint Malone's companionship and support. The suit also asks for compensation for medical and funeral expenses and loss of earnings.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Man Convicted In DUI Records-Altering Case
Man Arranged Payments, Jury Says
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A man was convicted Friday in connection with his role in a DUI records-altering scheme, the district attorney's office said.
Hector Whitley was convicted on 10 felony counts involving conspiracy, secreting and destroying court records, and making fraudulent computer entries in seven DUI cases, Deputy District Attorney Don Steed said.
"The jury has made a clear statement that the obstruction of justice will not be tolerated by the criminal justice system or the community," Steed said.
Former Sacramento Superior Court clerk Fernando Catlin, the co-defendant, was assigned to enter data relating to active DUI cases.
Whitley was identified as the person who offered to arrange for the dismissals through Catlin in return for money, the office said.
Investigators linked seven false case dismissals to court orders and computer entries made by Catlin.
Catlin was sentenced in August to five years in state prison.
Whitley faces up to eight years in state prison, Steed said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A man was convicted Friday in connection with his role in a DUI records-altering scheme, the district attorney's office said.
Hector Whitley was convicted on 10 felony counts involving conspiracy, secreting and destroying court records, and making fraudulent computer entries in seven DUI cases, Deputy District Attorney Don Steed said.
"The jury has made a clear statement that the obstruction of justice will not be tolerated by the criminal justice system or the community," Steed said.
Former Sacramento Superior Court clerk Fernando Catlin, the co-defendant, was assigned to enter data relating to active DUI cases.
Whitley was identified as the person who offered to arrange for the dismissals through Catlin in return for money, the office said.
Investigators linked seven false case dismissals to court orders and computer entries made by Catlin.
Catlin was sentenced in August to five years in state prison.
Whitley faces up to eight years in state prison, Steed said.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
AG's decision means Chicago officer to go free
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller decided today not to seek a review of a state appeals court ruling overturning the assault conviction of a Chicago police officer.
The officer, Michael Mette, could be quickly released from the Rockwell City state prison, perhaps within a day or two, state officials said.
The Iowa Court of Appeals threw our Mette’s conviction last week and ordered a Dubuque County District Court to acquit the officer.
Miller had 20 days to ask the Iowa Supreme Court to review the ruling, but he acted Tuesday by announcing that while he disagreed with the Court of Appeals analysis, he accepted the outcome.
“This case hinges on the factual findings set out in the District Court ruling and does not present the kind of clear legal issue which would be necessary for a successful application for further review to the Iowa Supreme Court,” according to a statement issued late this afternoon by Miller’s office.
Mette, 31, has been serving a five-year prison sentence that stemmed from an incident while he visited Dubuque on Oct. 9, 2005, to celebrate his brother’s 25th birthday. He went to a party at the home of Jake Gothard and quickly decided to leave, but Gothard became angry. Gothard and another man, Nicholas Boyd, followed Mette and his friends, yelling and threatening them with physical violence.
After some threats, pushing and shoving, Mette punched Gothard, breaking the man’s nose, cheek and jaw and knocking him unconscious, the court said. Gothard's blood-alcohol content was .27, more than triple the level at which an Iowa motorist is considered intoxicated, court records show.
When police officers arrived at the scene and questioned Mette and his brother, they both claimed Gothard had been drunk and fell down, according to court testimony.
An officer then noticed blood on Mette's hand and shirt and questioned him further. Mette then admitted punching Gothard, the court said. Mette claimed self-defense, but was convicted by Dubuque County Judge Monica Ackley. She ruled Mette had an obligation tor retreat from the situation.
Mette’s case gained widespread attention in Illinois, where the conviction was viewed as outrageous. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley wrote to Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, seeking a pardon for Mette. So did Cook County State’s Attorney Richard Devine and Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis.
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller decided today not to seek a review of a state appeals court ruling overturning the assault conviction of a Chicago police officer.
The officer, Michael Mette, could be quickly released from the Rockwell City state prison, perhaps within a day or two, state officials said.
The Iowa Court of Appeals threw our Mette’s conviction last week and ordered a Dubuque County District Court to acquit the officer.
Miller had 20 days to ask the Iowa Supreme Court to review the ruling, but he acted Tuesday by announcing that while he disagreed with the Court of Appeals analysis, he accepted the outcome.
“This case hinges on the factual findings set out in the District Court ruling and does not present the kind of clear legal issue which would be necessary for a successful application for further review to the Iowa Supreme Court,” according to a statement issued late this afternoon by Miller’s office.
Mette, 31, has been serving a five-year prison sentence that stemmed from an incident while he visited Dubuque on Oct. 9, 2005, to celebrate his brother’s 25th birthday. He went to a party at the home of Jake Gothard and quickly decided to leave, but Gothard became angry. Gothard and another man, Nicholas Boyd, followed Mette and his friends, yelling and threatening them with physical violence.
After some threats, pushing and shoving, Mette punched Gothard, breaking the man’s nose, cheek and jaw and knocking him unconscious, the court said. Gothard's blood-alcohol content was .27, more than triple the level at which an Iowa motorist is considered intoxicated, court records show.
When police officers arrived at the scene and questioned Mette and his brother, they both claimed Gothard had been drunk and fell down, according to court testimony.
An officer then noticed blood on Mette's hand and shirt and questioned him further. Mette then admitted punching Gothard, the court said. Mette claimed self-defense, but was convicted by Dubuque County Judge Monica Ackley. She ruled Mette had an obligation tor retreat from the situation.
Mette’s case gained widespread attention in Illinois, where the conviction was viewed as outrageous. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley wrote to Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, seeking a pardon for Mette. So did Cook County State’s Attorney Richard Devine and Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Two blondes
Two blondes decided to rob a bank together. The first blonde, Judy plans the robbery and goes over the plan with the second blonde, Buffy, in great detail. The robbery begins...
Judy drives up in front of the bank, stops the car and says to Buffy, "I want to make absolutely sure you understand the plan. You are supposed to be in and out of the bank in no more than three minutes with the cash. Do you understand the plan?" "Perfectly," said Buffy. Buffy goes in the bank while Judy waits in the getaway car. One minute passes... Two minutes pass... Seven minutes pass... and Judy is really stressing out. Finally, the bank doors burst open! And here comes Buffy. She's got a safe wrapped up in rope and is dragging it to the car. About the time she gets the safe in the trunk of the car, the bank doors burst open again with the security guard coming out. The guard's pants and underwear are down around his ankles while he is firing his weapon. As the gals are getting away, Judy says "You are such a blonde! I thought you understood the plan!" Buffy said, "I did... I did exactly what you said!" "No, you idiot," said Judy. "You got it all mixed up. I said tie up the GUARD and blow the SAFE!"
Cheap And Simple Ways To Ward Off Burglars
The following are a few simple ways to keep burglars out of the house by putting a few signs in well-placed locations.
Dear Mr. Butcher, starting tomorrow, please leave eight pounds of meat for Brutus. Six pounds only makes him angry and vicious!
Dear Mr. Mailman, we found bloodstains all over our mail. They must be yours. The next time you put mail into our slot, please be sure to keep all parts of your body well clear of all openings. P.S. - Any sign of that book we sent for, "The Care and Feeding of Wild Jungle Cats"?
Selma, don't come in! The boa constrictor got loose again...
Dear Mr. Exterminator, be very careful when you go inside! The termites have eaten through most of the floorboards and you will fall into the basement where all of the rats are!
To whom it may concern: Some of the items in this house have been engraved with Federal Identification Numbers. Others have merely been wired to explode when touched. Good luck...
Judy drives up in front of the bank, stops the car and says to Buffy, "I want to make absolutely sure you understand the plan. You are supposed to be in and out of the bank in no more than three minutes with the cash. Do you understand the plan?" "Perfectly," said Buffy. Buffy goes in the bank while Judy waits in the getaway car. One minute passes... Two minutes pass... Seven minutes pass... and Judy is really stressing out. Finally, the bank doors burst open! And here comes Buffy. She's got a safe wrapped up in rope and is dragging it to the car. About the time she gets the safe in the trunk of the car, the bank doors burst open again with the security guard coming out. The guard's pants and underwear are down around his ankles while he is firing his weapon. As the gals are getting away, Judy says "You are such a blonde! I thought you understood the plan!" Buffy said, "I did... I did exactly what you said!" "No, you idiot," said Judy. "You got it all mixed up. I said tie up the GUARD and blow the SAFE!"
Cheap And Simple Ways To Ward Off Burglars
The following are a few simple ways to keep burglars out of the house by putting a few signs in well-placed locations.
Dear Mr. Butcher, starting tomorrow, please leave eight pounds of meat for Brutus. Six pounds only makes him angry and vicious!
Dear Mr. Mailman, we found bloodstains all over our mail. They must be yours. The next time you put mail into our slot, please be sure to keep all parts of your body well clear of all openings. P.S. - Any sign of that book we sent for, "The Care and Feeding of Wild Jungle Cats"?
Selma, don't come in! The boa constrictor got loose again...
Dear Mr. Exterminator, be very careful when you go inside! The termites have eaten through most of the floorboards and you will fall into the basement where all of the rats are!
To whom it may concern: Some of the items in this house have been engraved with Federal Identification Numbers. Others have merely been wired to explode when touched. Good luck...
Celebrity Mug Shots
Celebrity Mug Shots
Like anyone else charged with a crime, celebrities must be photographed by police after being arrested, and those images then become a matter of public record.
When he was 19, rapper 50 Cent pleaded guilty to selling controlled substances (heroin and crack cocaine). Later, in July 2005, he received two years of probation for three counts of assault and battery stemming from an incident a year prior when the singer jumped into the audience after being hit by a water bottle.
Brad Renfro the tough-but-adorable Jack Swade in The Client, was on the other side of the law in August 2000 after he and a pal tried to steal a yacht docked in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida marina. The then-teenager was charged with grand theft and sentenced to two years' probation for the crime. He was also ordered to pay hefty damages to the yacht's owner.
Like anyone else charged with a crime, celebrities must be photographed by police after being arrested, and those images then become a matter of public record.
When he was 19, rapper 50 Cent pleaded guilty to selling controlled substances (heroin and crack cocaine). Later, in July 2005, he received two years of probation for three counts of assault and battery stemming from an incident a year prior when the singer jumped into the audience after being hit by a water bottle.
Brad Renfro the tough-but-adorable Jack Swade in The Client, was on the other side of the law in August 2000 after he and a pal tried to steal a yacht docked in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida marina. The then-teenager was charged with grand theft and sentenced to two years' probation for the crime. He was also ordered to pay hefty damages to the yacht's owner.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
O.J SIMPSON GUILTY! OFF TO JAIL MAYBE FOR LIFE!
OJ Simpson was found guilty of robbery -13 years to the day of his acquittal on charges of killing his wife.
The 61 year old Simpson was convicted of all 12 counts late Friday night. The jury was in deliberations for more than 13 hours.
Simpson groaned as the decision was read and he was immediately remaindered into police custody.
Simpson, the former football great and actor, could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Simpson was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and 10 other charges after commandeering a group of five men and storming a Vegas hotel room and seizing sports memorabilia..
Four of the other men originally charged with Simpson had plea bargained their way out - by turning state’s evidence against Simpson and co-defendant C.J. Stewart.
Many considered the verdict justice delayed 13 years after Simpson’s double murder acquittal
Friday, October 3, 2008
Fake Bounty Hunters Captured
Fake Bounty Hunters Captured
Four wannabe bounty hunters were charged Wednesday with impersonating public servants after they failed to collar a fugitive but succeeded in infuriating their neighbors and terrifying the elderly.
The self-styled bounty hunters told police they worked for a fugitive recovery agency called Wargod Inc.
On Friday, according to police, five members of Wargod searched for what one of them said later was a fugitive wanted for armed robbery. They wore black military fatigues, assault vests with empty holsters, and badges as they walked the streets of Stroudsburg that night, prompting emergency calls from concerned citizens.
At first, they were seen standing in front of a bar on Main Street in Stroudsburg, flashing cans of mace and handcuffs.
Then at about 9:45 p.m. Friday, the manager of West Gate apartments — a home for the elderly — dialed 911. The same five people were running up and down the halls trying to get inside one of West Gate's apartments, police said.
Meanwhile, state police — unaware of what was happening West Gate — arrived at Wargod's home base, a house occupied by Kelly Hefferon, 40, on Route 715 in Jackson Township. They were responding to the latest in a series of bitter complaints from neighbors about shots fired in the back yard and sirens sounding until after midnight.
Neighbors also told a reporter that they occasionally had seen the Wargod staffers armed, clad in black and marching in formation up and down Jackson View Road.
State police found Hefferon's two children and a friend there Friday night. One of them, a 16-year-old boy, was wearing a badge and an empty nylon holster. He and his friend said they also were fugitive recovery agents.
Just then, the five Wargod staffers, returning from their hunt at the home for the elderly, pulled into the driveway in a silver Ford Expedition, with a pistol-grip shotgun in the front seat, slugs rattling in the drink holder, and a red light on the dash.
Four wannabe bounty hunters were charged Wednesday with impersonating public servants after they failed to collar a fugitive but succeeded in infuriating their neighbors and terrifying the elderly.
The self-styled bounty hunters told police they worked for a fugitive recovery agency called Wargod Inc.
On Friday, according to police, five members of Wargod searched for what one of them said later was a fugitive wanted for armed robbery. They wore black military fatigues, assault vests with empty holsters, and badges as they walked the streets of Stroudsburg that night, prompting emergency calls from concerned citizens.
At first, they were seen standing in front of a bar on Main Street in Stroudsburg, flashing cans of mace and handcuffs.
Then at about 9:45 p.m. Friday, the manager of West Gate apartments — a home for the elderly — dialed 911. The same five people were running up and down the halls trying to get inside one of West Gate's apartments, police said.
Meanwhile, state police — unaware of what was happening West Gate — arrived at Wargod's home base, a house occupied by Kelly Hefferon, 40, on Route 715 in Jackson Township. They were responding to the latest in a series of bitter complaints from neighbors about shots fired in the back yard and sirens sounding until after midnight.
Neighbors also told a reporter that they occasionally had seen the Wargod staffers armed, clad in black and marching in formation up and down Jackson View Road.
State police found Hefferon's two children and a friend there Friday night. One of them, a 16-year-old boy, was wearing a badge and an empty nylon holster. He and his friend said they also were fugitive recovery agents.
Just then, the five Wargod staffers, returning from their hunt at the home for the elderly, pulled into the driveway in a silver Ford Expedition, with a pistol-grip shotgun in the front seat, slugs rattling in the drink holder, and a red light on the dash.
Jail Humor
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Why couldn't the Inmate call his friend? - He didn't have a cell phone.
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A midget clairvoyant has escaped from the county jail. - APB reads: small medium at large.
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A poll was taken in a sex offender block at a jail. The Inmates were asked what college team they liked best. BYU was the hands down favorite.
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Prison v Work:
IN PRISON ... you spend the majority of your time in an 8X10 cell.
AT WORK ... you spend the majority of your time in a 6X8 cubicle.
IN PRISON ... you get three meals a day.
AT WORK ... you only get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it.
IN PRISON ... you get time off for good behavior.
AT WORK ... you get rewarded for good behavior with more work.
IN PRISON ... the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
AT WORK ... you must carry around a security card and open all the doors for
Yourself.
IN PRISON ... you can watch TV and play games.
AT WORK ... you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
IN PRISON ... you get your own toilet.
AT WORK ... you have to share with some idiot who pees on the seat.
IN PRISON...they allow your family and friends to visit;
AT WORK ... you can't even speak to your family.
IN PRISON ... all expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required.
AT WORK ... you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners.
IN PRISON ... you spend most of your life looking through bars from inside wanting to get out.
AT WORK ... you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.
IN PRISON ... you must deal with sadistic wardens.
AT WORK ... they are called your Boss.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A man escapes from a prison where he has been kept for 15 years. He breaks into a house to look for money and guns and finds a young couple in bed. He orders the guy out of bed and ties him to a chair. While tying the wife to the bed he gets on top of her, kisses her on the neck, then gets up and goes into the bathroom.
While he's in there, the husband tells his wife: "Listen, this guy is an escaped prisoner, look at his clothes! He probably spent lots of time in jail, and hasn't seen a woman in years. I saw how he kissed your neck. If he wants sex, don't resist, don't complain, do what he tells you, just give him satisfaction, no matter how much he ravages you. This guy is probably damned dangerous. If he gets angry, he'll kill us! Be strong, honey. I love you" To which the wife responds, "He wasn't kissing my neck". He was whispering in my ear. He told me he was gay, thought you were cute, and asked if we kept any Vaseline in the bathroom. I told him where to find it. Be strong, honey. I love you, too."
-------------------------------------------------
A man who had been caught embezzling millions from his employer went to a lawyer seeking defense. He didn?t want to go to jail. But his lawyer told him, "Don't worry. You'll never have to go to jail with all that money.? And the lawyer was right. When the man was sent to prison, he didn't have a dime.
---------------------------------------------
Jail Credits?
An attorney friend recently became involved in a case in which a criminal defendant had, with the assistance of his defense counsel, worked out a plea agreement with the prosecution in which he would plead guilty to an indictment in exchange for the prosecution and the court's sentencing him to five years of imprisonment.
The problem with this plea agreement was that the indicted charge by statute had a maximum penalty of two years. This problem was not discovered by a jail house lawyer until the defendant was four and a half years into his sentence, at which point the court vacated the sentence and adopted a “Visa Rewards” state of mind and re-sentenced the defendant to: "one year committed to the House of Correction. Defendant deemed to have 1,680 jail credit days."
Jail credit days? Is that like a get-out-of-jail free card? Does he have 1,680 days that he can apply to any future convictions?
Luckily for the defendant, he has a nephew who is Internet savvy and gave him the best advice of any that has been given to him in the past five years: “Try to sell your 1,680 jail credit days on eBay.
---------------------------------------------
The Beginner's Guide to Jail
1. Bring a positive attitude! Sure, jail seems like the worst thing that could happen to you, but it could be worse. Remember the time your girl/boyfriend caught you cheating? That was pretty bad, right? Jail is a lot more civilized. Nobody's going to yell at you, slap you, or threaten to withhold sex (believe me on the last one). Rest assured you'll eventually get the right to a fair trial, not an arbitrary condemnation and a big "fuck you, we're through." The justice system still has faith in you! Just try not to rest assured overnight...all prisoners are treated equally until your trial (this isn't the kind of equal treatment you want).
2. Forget about anything you brought besides a positive attitude. The police officers will confiscate everything on your person, except for your clothes, the moment you enter the jail. Ever felt naked without your cell phone? Prepare to get violated in jail. Read on.
3. You aren't limited to one phone call. That being said, the jail always gets the last laugh. Shit, I must have used the jail phone about 125 times...with a success rate of 0.05%. You see, collect calls don't work on cell phones, and collect calls made to local numbers require the receiving party to setup a credit card account with GlobalTel for $30 in order to receive your call. First, don't expect to recall even a fifth of your friends' cell phone numbers from memory, let alone their home phone numbers. Second, don't expect your parents to shell out $30 to receive a collect call from you—it's just not logical. Your only option? The classic collect-call trick: when the operator asks for your name, you have approximately 4.5 seconds to get your entire message across to the receiving party. Rehearse your sentence before calling. When you've cut out enough extraneous verbs and articles to sound like Microsoft tech support, you're know you're ready. I would suggest including three key phrases: "Your name," "in jail," "get me out."
4. When you get your mugshot taken, visualize Nick Nolte's DUI mug. Trust me, you'll laugh about it later. And if you ever do anything famous, you'll end up on thesmokinggun.com too.
5. Bail bond companies don't accept collect phone calls from the jail. Just how illogical is this? (NOTE: IOWA BAIL BONDS DOES ACCEPT COLLECT CALLS FROM JAIL!) Dumbfoundingly illogical. Put it this way: Imagine how much money you could make as a telemarketer by selling services at a 50% premium to clients over the phone. Now imagine you had to wait for these clients to call YOU. Now imagine blocking all of these clients from ever initiating contact in the first place. Congratulations, you now have the business model of a bail bond company. Don't expect to go public anytime soon. And just to torture you, the jail offers a list of over 25 bail bond companies phone numbers above the jail phone. Oh yes, you can dial them all you want, but that's what we like to call an "exercise in futility." Read on.
6. Do not over-exercise in jail. If you need to do a few standard push-ups or sit-ups to blow off some steam, fine. But do not be the Tae Bo idiot training for the next Billy Blanks video. You don't need to intimidate a bunch of DUI and petty larceny thieves. Besides, you won't be around long enough to bulk up or join a prison gang.
7. Do not try to escape. It's too easy, and you'll only get laughed at. Remember, this is a minimum-security facility where they leave all the cell doors unlocked so you can wander around inside your block (a two-story area with tables in the middle holding about 50 inmates). Look, they even open the door to the entire block to serve meals. Only a couple of napping security guards and a door buzzer stand between you and the outside world. The only escapes that make the news involve rooftops, ladders, razor wire, chisels, tunnels, bodies of water, electric fences, and Iraq.
8. Take whatever meal is offered to you. Sentenced inmates have to take their meals by roll call, but all inmates are eligible to eat whatever tasty entree is on the menu. Remember all the stuff you refused to eat during middle school lunch? Yeah, the cafeteria workers made notes and put it on your "if you ever go to jail" record. This includes a healthy serving of prunes to keep you regular. That being said, if you skip a meal, don't expect to wander into the kitchen for a snack later on when you decide you're hungry. That might be considered an escape attempt, in which case you'll get laughed at for being fat.
9. Find the old guy with the beat-up checkers board and let him win. He'll feel like it's his first day in jail all over again, and you will become his understudy—a valuable position when it comes time for negotiating with the asshole warden. There are two kinds of inmates: orange suits (sentenced) and plain clothes (held until bail is posted, aka you). Old orange-suited Chubby Checker has been in and out of jail enough to know the warden personally and buffer your pitiful pleas with kiss-ass know-how.
10. Embellish the adventure of your capture and arrest until you've gathered a small crowd. Once again, it's all about P.R. If you market yourself correctly in jail, you will garner favors and insight into getting out. After the phone broke in my block and the guard said tough luck, another inmate explained to me that Officer DeMarcus would be in at the 7am shift change to let me use a different phone. Thank you Officer DeMarcus, I now realize that indeed, all 25 bail bond companies do reject calls from the city jail.
11. Don't leave jail without a shower! Each cell has two inmates, a shower, and a toilet. When they call your name on the P.A. and tell you you've made bail, quickly ask one of your enamored inmates if you could borrow their cell to take a hot shower and a steamy dump. Mmmmmm, prunes!
That concludes the "Beginner's Guide to Jail." Stay tuned next year for "Earning Your Bachelor's Degree from Maximum Security!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why couldn't the Inmate call his friend? - He didn't have a cell phone.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A midget clairvoyant has escaped from the county jail. - APB reads: small medium at large.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A poll was taken in a sex offender block at a jail. The Inmates were asked what college team they liked best. BYU was the hands down favorite.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prison v Work:
IN PRISON ... you spend the majority of your time in an 8X10 cell.
AT WORK ... you spend the majority of your time in a 6X8 cubicle.
IN PRISON ... you get three meals a day.
AT WORK ... you only get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it.
IN PRISON ... you get time off for good behavior.
AT WORK ... you get rewarded for good behavior with more work.
IN PRISON ... the guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
AT WORK ... you must carry around a security card and open all the doors for
Yourself.
IN PRISON ... you can watch TV and play games.
AT WORK ... you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
IN PRISON ... you get your own toilet.
AT WORK ... you have to share with some idiot who pees on the seat.
IN PRISON...they allow your family and friends to visit;
AT WORK ... you can't even speak to your family.
IN PRISON ... all expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required.
AT WORK ... you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners.
IN PRISON ... you spend most of your life looking through bars from inside wanting to get out.
AT WORK ... you spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.
IN PRISON ... you must deal with sadistic wardens.
AT WORK ... they are called your Boss.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A man escapes from a prison where he has been kept for 15 years. He breaks into a house to look for money and guns and finds a young couple in bed. He orders the guy out of bed and ties him to a chair. While tying the wife to the bed he gets on top of her, kisses her on the neck, then gets up and goes into the bathroom.
While he's in there, the husband tells his wife: "Listen, this guy is an escaped prisoner, look at his clothes! He probably spent lots of time in jail, and hasn't seen a woman in years. I saw how he kissed your neck. If he wants sex, don't resist, don't complain, do what he tells you, just give him satisfaction, no matter how much he ravages you. This guy is probably damned dangerous. If he gets angry, he'll kill us! Be strong, honey. I love you" To which the wife responds, "He wasn't kissing my neck". He was whispering in my ear. He told me he was gay, thought you were cute, and asked if we kept any Vaseline in the bathroom. I told him where to find it. Be strong, honey. I love you, too."
-------------------------------------------------
A man who had been caught embezzling millions from his employer went to a lawyer seeking defense. He didn?t want to go to jail. But his lawyer told him, "Don't worry. You'll never have to go to jail with all that money.? And the lawyer was right. When the man was sent to prison, he didn't have a dime.
---------------------------------------------
Jail Credits?
An attorney friend recently became involved in a case in which a criminal defendant had, with the assistance of his defense counsel, worked out a plea agreement with the prosecution in which he would plead guilty to an indictment in exchange for the prosecution and the court's sentencing him to five years of imprisonment.
The problem with this plea agreement was that the indicted charge by statute had a maximum penalty of two years. This problem was not discovered by a jail house lawyer until the defendant was four and a half years into his sentence, at which point the court vacated the sentence and adopted a “Visa Rewards” state of mind and re-sentenced the defendant to: "one year committed to the House of Correction. Defendant deemed to have 1,680 jail credit days."
Jail credit days? Is that like a get-out-of-jail free card? Does he have 1,680 days that he can apply to any future convictions?
Luckily for the defendant, he has a nephew who is Internet savvy and gave him the best advice of any that has been given to him in the past five years: “Try to sell your 1,680 jail credit days on eBay.
---------------------------------------------
The Beginner's Guide to Jail
1. Bring a positive attitude! Sure, jail seems like the worst thing that could happen to you, but it could be worse. Remember the time your girl/boyfriend caught you cheating? That was pretty bad, right? Jail is a lot more civilized. Nobody's going to yell at you, slap you, or threaten to withhold sex (believe me on the last one). Rest assured you'll eventually get the right to a fair trial, not an arbitrary condemnation and a big "fuck you, we're through." The justice system still has faith in you! Just try not to rest assured overnight...all prisoners are treated equally until your trial (this isn't the kind of equal treatment you want).
2. Forget about anything you brought besides a positive attitude. The police officers will confiscate everything on your person, except for your clothes, the moment you enter the jail. Ever felt naked without your cell phone? Prepare to get violated in jail. Read on.
3. You aren't limited to one phone call. That being said, the jail always gets the last laugh. Shit, I must have used the jail phone about 125 times...with a success rate of 0.05%. You see, collect calls don't work on cell phones, and collect calls made to local numbers require the receiving party to setup a credit card account with GlobalTel for $30 in order to receive your call. First, don't expect to recall even a fifth of your friends' cell phone numbers from memory, let alone their home phone numbers. Second, don't expect your parents to shell out $30 to receive a collect call from you—it's just not logical. Your only option? The classic collect-call trick: when the operator asks for your name, you have approximately 4.5 seconds to get your entire message across to the receiving party. Rehearse your sentence before calling. When you've cut out enough extraneous verbs and articles to sound like Microsoft tech support, you're know you're ready. I would suggest including three key phrases: "Your name," "in jail," "get me out."
4. When you get your mugshot taken, visualize Nick Nolte's DUI mug. Trust me, you'll laugh about it later. And if you ever do anything famous, you'll end up on thesmokinggun.com too.
5. Bail bond companies don't accept collect phone calls from the jail. Just how illogical is this? (NOTE: IOWA BAIL BONDS DOES ACCEPT COLLECT CALLS FROM JAIL!) Dumbfoundingly illogical. Put it this way: Imagine how much money you could make as a telemarketer by selling services at a 50% premium to clients over the phone. Now imagine you had to wait for these clients to call YOU. Now imagine blocking all of these clients from ever initiating contact in the first place. Congratulations, you now have the business model of a bail bond company. Don't expect to go public anytime soon. And just to torture you, the jail offers a list of over 25 bail bond companies phone numbers above the jail phone. Oh yes, you can dial them all you want, but that's what we like to call an "exercise in futility." Read on.
6. Do not over-exercise in jail. If you need to do a few standard push-ups or sit-ups to blow off some steam, fine. But do not be the Tae Bo idiot training for the next Billy Blanks video. You don't need to intimidate a bunch of DUI and petty larceny thieves. Besides, you won't be around long enough to bulk up or join a prison gang.
7. Do not try to escape. It's too easy, and you'll only get laughed at. Remember, this is a minimum-security facility where they leave all the cell doors unlocked so you can wander around inside your block (a two-story area with tables in the middle holding about 50 inmates). Look, they even open the door to the entire block to serve meals. Only a couple of napping security guards and a door buzzer stand between you and the outside world. The only escapes that make the news involve rooftops, ladders, razor wire, chisels, tunnels, bodies of water, electric fences, and Iraq.
8. Take whatever meal is offered to you. Sentenced inmates have to take their meals by roll call, but all inmates are eligible to eat whatever tasty entree is on the menu. Remember all the stuff you refused to eat during middle school lunch? Yeah, the cafeteria workers made notes and put it on your "if you ever go to jail" record. This includes a healthy serving of prunes to keep you regular. That being said, if you skip a meal, don't expect to wander into the kitchen for a snack later on when you decide you're hungry. That might be considered an escape attempt, in which case you'll get laughed at for being fat.
9. Find the old guy with the beat-up checkers board and let him win. He'll feel like it's his first day in jail all over again, and you will become his understudy—a valuable position when it comes time for negotiating with the asshole warden. There are two kinds of inmates: orange suits (sentenced) and plain clothes (held until bail is posted, aka you). Old orange-suited Chubby Checker has been in and out of jail enough to know the warden personally and buffer your pitiful pleas with kiss-ass know-how.
10. Embellish the adventure of your capture and arrest until you've gathered a small crowd. Once again, it's all about P.R. If you market yourself correctly in jail, you will garner favors and insight into getting out. After the phone broke in my block and the guard said tough luck, another inmate explained to me that Officer DeMarcus would be in at the 7am shift change to let me use a different phone. Thank you Officer DeMarcus, I now realize that indeed, all 25 bail bond companies do reject calls from the city jail.
11. Don't leave jail without a shower! Each cell has two inmates, a shower, and a toilet. When they call your name on the P.A. and tell you you've made bail, quickly ask one of your enamored inmates if you could borrow their cell to take a hot shower and a steamy dump. Mmmmmm, prunes!
That concludes the "Beginner's Guide to Jail." Stay tuned next year for "Earning Your Bachelor's Degree from Maximum Security!"
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Rapper The Game Escapes Jail on Battery Charges
There's this rapper called "The Game." What kind of freaking name is that, anyway? Can you imagine his 5-year-old kid at school? "My daddy is The Game."
"What game? Candy Land?"
"No, THE Game."
"Oh, Hungry Hungry Hippos?"
At any rate, The Game - who really does have two sons - is in legal trouble. I know, a rapper in trouble with the law. What will they think of next? Apparently he got in a fist fight with his cousin at a family funeral a few months ago because, you know, rappers are classy that way. They're really like rednecks on the Jerry Springer Show. With more rhythm.
The Game, whose real name is Jayceon Terrell Taylor, had to go to court over this criminal battery charge. The judge said that Taylor won't have to go to jail if he attends 36 anger management meetings by February. This is probably the way to go for Taylor, since he's currently on parole for a previous gun offense. I KNOW! A rapper with a gun! Crazy.
But anger management classes? What the hell is The Game gonna do for a living after that? I mean, you take the anger out of rap and what are you left with? Reggae?
LAWYER JOKES:
The problems with lawyer jokes is that
1. lawyers don't think they're funny and,
2. the rest of us don't think they're jokes!
Warning Signs that you Might Need a Different Lawyer
1. He tells you that his last good case was a Budweiser.
2. When the prosecutors see who your lawyer is, they high-five each other.
3. He picks the jury by playing "duck-duck-goose."
4. He tells you that he has never told a lie.
5. A prison guard is shaving your head.
Q: What do you call a million lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?
A: A good start.
Q: Do you know how to save a drowning lawyer?
A: Take your foot off his head.
Q: How do you get a lawyer out of a tree?
A: Cut the rope.
Q: How do you know if a lawyer is well-hung?
A: When you can't fit your fingers between the rope and his neck.
Q: What's black and brown and looks good on a lawyer?
A: A Doberman Pinscher.
Q: What's the difference between God and a lawyer?
A: God doesn't think he's a lawyer.
Q: How can you tell if a lawyer is lying?
A: His lips are moving.
Q: How many lawyer jokes are there?
A: Only three. The rest are true stories.
The problems with lawyer jokes is that
1. lawyers don't think they're funny and,
2. the rest of us don't think they're jokes!
Warning Signs that you Might Need a Different Lawyer
1. He tells you that his last good case was a Budweiser.
2. When the prosecutors see who your lawyer is, they high-five each other.
3. He picks the jury by playing "duck-duck-goose."
4. He tells you that he has never told a lie.
5. A prison guard is shaving your head.
Q: What do you call a million lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?
A: A good start.
Q: Do you know how to save a drowning lawyer?
A: Take your foot off his head.
Q: How do you get a lawyer out of a tree?
A: Cut the rope.
Q: How do you know if a lawyer is well-hung?
A: When you can't fit your fingers between the rope and his neck.
Q: What's black and brown and looks good on a lawyer?
A: A Doberman Pinscher.
Q: What's the difference between God and a lawyer?
A: God doesn't think he's a lawyer.
Q: How can you tell if a lawyer is lying?
A: His lips are moving.
Q: How many lawyer jokes are there?
A: Only three. The rest are true stories.
JUDGE DENIES BAIL FOR 'ROCKEFELLER' IN KIDNAP CASE
BOSTON - A judge has ordered the man who calls himself Clark Rockefeller held without bail in Boston, denying a request for lower bail by citing the defendant's history of deception.
The unusual move by Superior Judge D. Lloyd Macdonald came after Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter's attorney argued many murder defendants get lower bail than the $50 million bail set by a magistrate this week.
Gerhartsreiter has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the alleged kidnapping of his daughter in July in Boston. He was arrested in August in Baltimore.
Authorities say Gerhartsreiter has used numerous aliases. He is considered a person of interest but has not been charged in the disappearance of a California couple in the 1980s.
Fugitive Investigator Acquitted of Manslaughter
Fugitive Investigator Acquitted of Manslaughter
A Callaway County jury has acquitted a fugitive apprehension agent in the fatal shooting of an unarmed parole jumper in Cape Girardeau.
Jurors reached the not-guilty verdict Tuesday in the involuntary manslaughter case against Steven R. Julian, 46, in the February death of Zachary Snyder. The trial took place in Callaway County on a change of venue.
Authorities say Julian went to an apartment complex to apprehend Snyder, who was wanted on a parole violation. He confronted Snyder, then shot him in the back after the suspect abruptly spun around. Julian testified that he could not see whether Snyder had a weapon in his left hand.
When the verdict was read, Julian's family members and co-workers breathed a sigh of relief with an audible gasp.
Across the aisle, Snyder's mother, Edith Snyder, sat in silence, a hand clasped to her mouth, eyes lowered, before hurrying out of the courtroom.
A Callaway County jury has acquitted a fugitive apprehension agent in the fatal shooting of an unarmed parole jumper in Cape Girardeau.
Jurors reached the not-guilty verdict Tuesday in the involuntary manslaughter case against Steven R. Julian, 46, in the February death of Zachary Snyder. The trial took place in Callaway County on a change of venue.
Authorities say Julian went to an apartment complex to apprehend Snyder, who was wanted on a parole violation. He confronted Snyder, then shot him in the back after the suspect abruptly spun around. Julian testified that he could not see whether Snyder had a weapon in his left hand.
When the verdict was read, Julian's family members and co-workers breathed a sigh of relief with an audible gasp.
Across the aisle, Snyder's mother, Edith Snyder, sat in silence, a hand clasped to her mouth, eyes lowered, before hurrying out of the courtroom.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Stupid Criminal Stories
Men Steal From Spy Store
DALLAS - Police said two burglars struck a Texas store that sells high-end security equipment, and the whole thing was caught on tape by 17 cameras rolling in the store.
"The point is, nobody is safe; there is always a stupid criminal out there," said Kris Webb, owner of Spy Supply.
The thieves broke into Webb's surveillance gear store in North Richland Hills, Texas, last week.
"I've got them on no less than 17 cameras," Webb said. "We are a security business."
And if the name of the business wasn't telling enough, multiple warning signs on the store should have given the burglars a clue that they would be on camera.
"It is absolutely astounding that these people have the audacity to steal from us and not expect to get caught," Webb said.
The surveillance cameras caught several clear images of the two men who broke in through the store's front door with a crowbar early Friday.
Police said the duo filled a trash can with close to $10,000 worth of spy equipment.
Authorities said the video even showed a clear shot of their getaway car.
Webb said he's taking the robbery in stride.
"I'm pretty confident they will get caught," he said. "I'm not confident we'll get our equipment back."
----------------
Ex-con allegedly targets cops for robbery
NEW YORK, - An ex-con allegedly tried to rob two people in New York, police said, but didn't notice his intended victims were police officers -- in uniform.
Police said 33-year-old Jermaine Washington allegedly was so intent on robbing someone Saturday that he pulled a fake handgun on the two armed police officers as they walked through Riverside Park, The New York Daily News said.
"It was stupid criminal tricks," a police source said. "The guy didn't even look to see who was coming."
After Washington allegedly pulled his fake gun, the two officers drew their real weapons and Washington surrendered after a short but tense standoff.
--------------
Don't leave clues behind ...
A BURGLAR who knocked on his victim's door before he crept in through an open window was caught after he left behind medication with his name on.
Heroin addict John Beckwith provided police with another valuable clue at the scene -an imprint of his training shoe on a window sill.
A court heard yesterday that Beckwith thought he was breaking into an empty house because homeowner Jane Simmonds did not answer his knocks on the door.
But the 28-year-old was left as shocked as Ms Simmonds when he walked into her bedroom and found her sitting on a bed having an afternoon cup of tea.
Drug addict Beckwith fled from the three-bedroomed house in Stockton with handfuls of belongings, but dropped a bottle of methadone on the grass outside.
Teesside Crown Court was told that he stole house and car keys, bottles of alcohol, cigarettes and a handbag containing credit cards and building society books.
Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said Beckwith was arrested two days later and said police found the shoe that left the print at Ms Simmonds' home in Hunwick Walk.
Peter Wishlade, in mitigation, said Beckwith had been evicted from his home days before the break-in when police closed it down under drugs legislation.
He said: "He found himself living on the street, wandering around with no money and with nowhere to reside because none of his family would accommodate him.
"He checked by knocking on the door if anyone was in, but unfortunately, the lady did not hear that.
"He was as surprised as she was by the confrontation.
"He ran out. He had no wish to disturb anyone. He would like to apologise for the distress he would have caused that lady."
Beckwith, of Buchanan Street, Stockton, who has previous convictions for break-ins and thefts, admitted the July 28 burglary and was jailed for 30 months.
Judge Tony Briggs told him: "Sneak-in burglaries are very distressing because, however they are committed, however careful the owner is, one always runs the risk of confronting the householder."
The court heard that since he was on remand, Beckwith has reduced his methadone intake and is now employed in the prison workshop making tables and chairs for other jails.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
DALLAS - Police said two burglars struck a Texas store that sells high-end security equipment, and the whole thing was caught on tape by 17 cameras rolling in the store.
"The point is, nobody is safe; there is always a stupid criminal out there," said Kris Webb, owner of Spy Supply.
The thieves broke into Webb's surveillance gear store in North Richland Hills, Texas, last week.
"I've got them on no less than 17 cameras," Webb said. "We are a security business."
And if the name of the business wasn't telling enough, multiple warning signs on the store should have given the burglars a clue that they would be on camera.
"It is absolutely astounding that these people have the audacity to steal from us and not expect to get caught," Webb said.
The surveillance cameras caught several clear images of the two men who broke in through the store's front door with a crowbar early Friday.
Police said the duo filled a trash can with close to $10,000 worth of spy equipment.
Authorities said the video even showed a clear shot of their getaway car.
Webb said he's taking the robbery in stride.
"I'm pretty confident they will get caught," he said. "I'm not confident we'll get our equipment back."
----------------
Ex-con allegedly targets cops for robbery
NEW YORK, - An ex-con allegedly tried to rob two people in New York, police said, but didn't notice his intended victims were police officers -- in uniform.
Police said 33-year-old Jermaine Washington allegedly was so intent on robbing someone Saturday that he pulled a fake handgun on the two armed police officers as they walked through Riverside Park, The New York Daily News said.
"It was stupid criminal tricks," a police source said. "The guy didn't even look to see who was coming."
After Washington allegedly pulled his fake gun, the two officers drew their real weapons and Washington surrendered after a short but tense standoff.
--------------
Don't leave clues behind ...
A BURGLAR who knocked on his victim's door before he crept in through an open window was caught after he left behind medication with his name on.
Heroin addict John Beckwith provided police with another valuable clue at the scene -an imprint of his training shoe on a window sill.
A court heard yesterday that Beckwith thought he was breaking into an empty house because homeowner Jane Simmonds did not answer his knocks on the door.
But the 28-year-old was left as shocked as Ms Simmonds when he walked into her bedroom and found her sitting on a bed having an afternoon cup of tea.
Drug addict Beckwith fled from the three-bedroomed house in Stockton with handfuls of belongings, but dropped a bottle of methadone on the grass outside.
Teesside Crown Court was told that he stole house and car keys, bottles of alcohol, cigarettes and a handbag containing credit cards and building society books.
Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said Beckwith was arrested two days later and said police found the shoe that left the print at Ms Simmonds' home in Hunwick Walk.
Peter Wishlade, in mitigation, said Beckwith had been evicted from his home days before the break-in when police closed it down under drugs legislation.
He said: "He found himself living on the street, wandering around with no money and with nowhere to reside because none of his family would accommodate him.
"He checked by knocking on the door if anyone was in, but unfortunately, the lady did not hear that.
"He was as surprised as she was by the confrontation.
"He ran out. He had no wish to disturb anyone. He would like to apologise for the distress he would have caused that lady."
Beckwith, of Buchanan Street, Stockton, who has previous convictions for break-ins and thefts, admitted the July 28 burglary and was jailed for 30 months.
Judge Tony Briggs told him: "Sneak-in burglaries are very distressing because, however they are committed, however careful the owner is, one always runs the risk of confronting the householder."
The court heard that since he was on remand, Beckwith has reduced his methadone intake and is now employed in the prison workshop making tables and chairs for other jails.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Let us Serve you before your CELLMATE does!
The Yard Sale!
A lady was taking her time browsing through everything at a yardsale and said to the hostess, “My husband is going to be veryangry when he finds out I stopped at a yard sale.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand when you tell him about all thebargains,” the hostess replied.
“Normally, yes,” the lady said. “But he just broke his leg,and he’s waiting for me to take him to the hospital to have it set.”
Pair arrested for telling lawyer jokes
BY ZACHARY R. DOWDY
From Newsday staff writer
Posted January 12 2005
HEMPSTEAD, Long Island -- The line leading into First District Court in Hempstead, Long Island, Monday morning was long and frustrating, but it was the punch line in a lawyer joke that got two rabble-rousing comedians arrested.
"How do you tell when a lawyer is lying?" Harvey Kash, 69, of Bethpage, said to Carl Lanzisera, 65, of Huntington, as the queue wound into the court. "His lips are moving," they said in unison, completing one of what may be thousands of standard lawyer jokes.
But while that rib and several others on barristers got some giggles from the crowd, the attorney standing in line about five people ahead wasn't laughing.
" 'Shut up,' the man shouted," Lanzisera said. "'I'm a lawyer.'"
The attorney reported Kash and Lanzisera to court personnel, who arrested the men and charged them with engaging in disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.
"They put the handcuffs on us, brought us into a room, frisked us, sat us down and checked our driver's licenses to see if there were any warrants out for our arrest," Lanzisera said yesterday. "They were very nasty, extremely nasty."
The men are founders of Americans for Legal Reform, a group of outspoken advocates who use confrontational tactics to push for greater access to courts for the public and to monitor how well courts serve the public. One tactic is driving a truck around the Huntington area emblazoned with the slogan "Stop The Lawyer Disease." They said their rights to free speech were violated Monday.
But Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau courts, said the men were causing a stir and that their exercise of their First Amendment rights to free speech was impeding the rights of others at the court.
"They were being abusive and they were causing a disturbance," Bagnuola said. "They were making general comments to the people on line, referring to them as 'peasants,' and they were causing a disturbance. And they were asked on several occasions to act in an orderly manner, not to interfere with the operation of the court."
Bagnuola said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained to officers.
Kash said he and Lanzisera were merely saying out loud that the public was being treated like peons or peasants while attorneys, who wave their security passes to court officers and don't have to stand on line, are treated like kings.
"I'm not surprised this happened because anybody who stands up for their rights is put down because these people want only one thing, and that is control," Kash said.
The men were given desk appearance tickets and are due back in court - as defendants - next month.
Court jesters
Harvey Kash and Carl Lanzisera poked fun of lawyers while in line at First District Court in Hempstead yesterday - but court officers weren't laughing. Here are some of the jokes that got them in hot water:
Q: What do you say to a lawyer with an IQ of 50?
A: Good morning, Your Honor.
Q: How do you tell if a lawyer is lying?
A: His lips are moving.
Q: Why do they bury lawyers 100 feet into the ground?
A: Because down deep, they're good people.
Q: What's the difference between a vulture and a lawyer?
A: Wing tips.
A lady was taking her time browsing through everything at a yardsale and said to the hostess, “My husband is going to be veryangry when he finds out I stopped at a yard sale.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand when you tell him about all thebargains,” the hostess replied.
“Normally, yes,” the lady said. “But he just broke his leg,and he’s waiting for me to take him to the hospital to have it set.”
Pair arrested for telling lawyer jokes
BY ZACHARY R. DOWDY
From Newsday staff writer
Posted January 12 2005
HEMPSTEAD, Long Island -- The line leading into First District Court in Hempstead, Long Island, Monday morning was long and frustrating, but it was the punch line in a lawyer joke that got two rabble-rousing comedians arrested.
"How do you tell when a lawyer is lying?" Harvey Kash, 69, of Bethpage, said to Carl Lanzisera, 65, of Huntington, as the queue wound into the court. "His lips are moving," they said in unison, completing one of what may be thousands of standard lawyer jokes.
But while that rib and several others on barristers got some giggles from the crowd, the attorney standing in line about five people ahead wasn't laughing.
" 'Shut up,' the man shouted," Lanzisera said. "'I'm a lawyer.'"
The attorney reported Kash and Lanzisera to court personnel, who arrested the men and charged them with engaging in disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.
"They put the handcuffs on us, brought us into a room, frisked us, sat us down and checked our driver's licenses to see if there were any warrants out for our arrest," Lanzisera said yesterday. "They were very nasty, extremely nasty."
The men are founders of Americans for Legal Reform, a group of outspoken advocates who use confrontational tactics to push for greater access to courts for the public and to monitor how well courts serve the public. One tactic is driving a truck around the Huntington area emblazoned with the slogan "Stop The Lawyer Disease." They said their rights to free speech were violated Monday.
But Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau courts, said the men were causing a stir and that their exercise of their First Amendment rights to free speech was impeding the rights of others at the court.
"They were being abusive and they were causing a disturbance," Bagnuola said. "They were making general comments to the people on line, referring to them as 'peasants,' and they were causing a disturbance. And they were asked on several occasions to act in an orderly manner, not to interfere with the operation of the court."
Bagnuola said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained to officers.
Kash said he and Lanzisera were merely saying out loud that the public was being treated like peons or peasants while attorneys, who wave their security passes to court officers and don't have to stand on line, are treated like kings.
"I'm not surprised this happened because anybody who stands up for their rights is put down because these people want only one thing, and that is control," Kash said.
The men were given desk appearance tickets and are due back in court - as defendants - next month.
Court jesters
Harvey Kash and Carl Lanzisera poked fun of lawyers while in line at First District Court in Hempstead yesterday - but court officers weren't laughing. Here are some of the jokes that got them in hot water:
Q: What do you say to a lawyer with an IQ of 50?
A: Good morning, Your Honor.
Q: How do you tell if a lawyer is lying?
A: His lips are moving.
Q: Why do they bury lawyers 100 feet into the ground?
A: Because down deep, they're good people.
Q: What's the difference between a vulture and a lawyer?
A: Wing tips.
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