A baby sitter was arrested after a 4-year-old boy was discovered dead on Wednesday in a luxury New York City apartment building, according to the New York Police Department.
The child was found unconscious and unresponsive with visible bruising, cuts to his arms and legs and burns to his body, said Detective Markowski. (NYPD policy is not to give out the full names of its detectives).
He was pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital in New York.
In a new conference, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said the boy suffered "horrific injuries sustained over period of days."
The 28-year-old baby sitter has not been charged, according to NYPD Detective Ort. She did not confess to killing the boy, but police said she made statements to them that she abused the child.
Julie Bolcer, a spokeswoman for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, said the office is looking into the cause and manner of the death.
Showing posts with label Murder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Murder. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
Claim Filed for Girl Run Over After Plane Crash
The parents of a teenage girl who was run over and killed by two emergency vehicles after an Asiana Airlines crash have filed a claim against the city of San Francisco, saying rescuers were reckless and poorly trained.
In legal forms filed this week in San Francisco, attorneys for the parents of 16-year-old Ye Meng Yuan say firefighters who first saw the girl after the July 6 crash should have examined her and moved her somewhere safe. Firefighters told investigators they assumed the girl was dead and hurried on toward the damaged aircraft.
An autopsy revealed Yuan was alive before the vehicles hit her.
In all, 304 of the 307 people aboard the plane survived after the airliner slammed into a seawall at the end of a runway during final approach for landing.
The impact ripped off the back of the plane, tossed out three flight attendants and their seats, and scattered pieces of the jet across the runway as it spun and skidded to a stop.
Yuan was one of three Chinese teens who died; one died during the crash, and another later in the hospital.
In their claim, attorneys at the Los Angeles law firm Kreindler and Kreindler representing Yuan's parents name 37 specific airport, fire and police department employees, saying they and others "breached their duty of care." They do not specify damages.
In an obituary, Yuan was described as a champion athlete who excelled at literature, playing piano, singing and public speaking. Her given name means "wish come true" in Chinese.
It is still unknown how Yuan got out of the plane, but the claim says she was possibly taken out by rescuers. Interviews for an ongoing National Traffic Safety Board found Yuan was covered with foam and struck twice — once by a fire rig spraying foam whose driver had seen and driven around her earlier in the chaos, and again 11 minutes later by a second truck that was turning around to fetch water.
Her death has prompted new training for firefighters who work at San Francisco International Airport, including 40 to 80 hours of advanced instruction at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
"There are many lessons to be learned here," Assistant Deputy Chief Dale Carnes, who oversees the San Francisco Fire Department's airport division, said during a NTSB hearing in December. "We are developing strategies to lessen the potential for firefighting vehicles impacting accident victims."
In legal forms filed this week in San Francisco, attorneys for the parents of 16-year-old Ye Meng Yuan say firefighters who first saw the girl after the July 6 crash should have examined her and moved her somewhere safe. Firefighters told investigators they assumed the girl was dead and hurried on toward the damaged aircraft.
An autopsy revealed Yuan was alive before the vehicles hit her.
In all, 304 of the 307 people aboard the plane survived after the airliner slammed into a seawall at the end of a runway during final approach for landing.
The impact ripped off the back of the plane, tossed out three flight attendants and their seats, and scattered pieces of the jet across the runway as it spun and skidded to a stop.
Yuan was one of three Chinese teens who died; one died during the crash, and another later in the hospital.
In their claim, attorneys at the Los Angeles law firm Kreindler and Kreindler representing Yuan's parents name 37 specific airport, fire and police department employees, saying they and others "breached their duty of care." They do not specify damages.
In an obituary, Yuan was described as a champion athlete who excelled at literature, playing piano, singing and public speaking. Her given name means "wish come true" in Chinese.
It is still unknown how Yuan got out of the plane, but the claim says she was possibly taken out by rescuers. Interviews for an ongoing National Traffic Safety Board found Yuan was covered with foam and struck twice — once by a fire rig spraying foam whose driver had seen and driven around her earlier in the chaos, and again 11 minutes later by a second truck that was turning around to fetch water.
Her death has prompted new training for firefighters who work at San Francisco International Airport, including 40 to 80 hours of advanced instruction at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
"There are many lessons to be learned here," Assistant Deputy Chief Dale Carnes, who oversees the San Francisco Fire Department's airport division, said during a NTSB hearing in December. "We are developing strategies to lessen the potential for firefighting vehicles impacting accident victims."
Claim Filed for Girl Run Over After Plane Crash
The parents of a teenage girl who was run over and killed by two emergency vehicles after an Asiana Airlines crash have filed a claim against the city of San Francisco, saying rescuers were reckless and poorly trained.
In legal forms filed this week in San Francisco, attorneys for the parents of 16-year-old Ye Meng Yuan say firefighters who first saw the girl after the July 6 crash should have examined her and moved her somewhere safe. Firefighters told investigators they assumed the girl was dead and hurried on toward the damaged aircraft.
An autopsy revealed Yuan was alive before the vehicles hit her.
In all, 304 of the 307 people aboard the plane survived after the airliner slammed into a seawall at the end of a runway during final approach for landing.
The impact ripped off the back of the plane, tossed out three flight attendants and their seats, and scattered pieces of the jet across the runway as it spun and skidded to a stop.
Yuan was one of three Chinese teens who died; one died during the crash, and another later in the hospital.
In their claim, attorneys at the Los Angeles law firm Kreindler and Kreindler representing Yuan's parents name 37 specific airport, fire and police department employees, saying they and others "breached their duty of care." They do not specify damages.
In an obituary, Yuan was described as a champion athlete who excelled at literature, playing piano, singing and public speaking. Her given name means "wish come true" in Chinese.
It is still unknown how Yuan got out of the plane, but the claim says she was possibly taken out by rescuers. Interviews for an ongoing National Traffic Safety Board found Yuan was covered with foam and struck twice — once by a fire rig spraying foam whose driver had seen and driven around her earlier in the chaos, and again 11 minutes later by a second truck that was turning around to fetch water.
Her death has prompted new training for firefighters who work at San Francisco International Airport, including 40 to 80 hours of advanced instruction at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
"There are many lessons to be learned here," Assistant Deputy Chief Dale Carnes, who oversees the San Francisco Fire Department's airport division, said during a NTSB hearing in December. "We are developing strategies to lessen the potential for firefighting vehicles impacting accident victims."
In legal forms filed this week in San Francisco, attorneys for the parents of 16-year-old Ye Meng Yuan say firefighters who first saw the girl after the July 6 crash should have examined her and moved her somewhere safe. Firefighters told investigators they assumed the girl was dead and hurried on toward the damaged aircraft.
An autopsy revealed Yuan was alive before the vehicles hit her.
In all, 304 of the 307 people aboard the plane survived after the airliner slammed into a seawall at the end of a runway during final approach for landing.
The impact ripped off the back of the plane, tossed out three flight attendants and their seats, and scattered pieces of the jet across the runway as it spun and skidded to a stop.
Yuan was one of three Chinese teens who died; one died during the crash, and another later in the hospital.
In their claim, attorneys at the Los Angeles law firm Kreindler and Kreindler representing Yuan's parents name 37 specific airport, fire and police department employees, saying they and others "breached their duty of care." They do not specify damages.
In an obituary, Yuan was described as a champion athlete who excelled at literature, playing piano, singing and public speaking. Her given name means "wish come true" in Chinese.
It is still unknown how Yuan got out of the plane, but the claim says she was possibly taken out by rescuers. Interviews for an ongoing National Traffic Safety Board found Yuan was covered with foam and struck twice — once by a fire rig spraying foam whose driver had seen and driven around her earlier in the chaos, and again 11 minutes later by a second truck that was turning around to fetch water.
Her death has prompted new training for firefighters who work at San Francisco International Airport, including 40 to 80 hours of advanced instruction at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
"There are many lessons to be learned here," Assistant Deputy Chief Dale Carnes, who oversees the San Francisco Fire Department's airport division, said during a NTSB hearing in December. "We are developing strategies to lessen the potential for firefighting vehicles impacting accident victims."
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Parents Accused of Brutally Killing 2-Year-Old Make Outrageous Excuses
If you don't want your day completely ruined, I suggest you stop reading. A sweet, 2-year-old boy named Aiden Calvo died allegedly from brutal beatings inflicted by his own parents. The beatings were so horrifying and violent that even veteran police officers were disturbed by what they found when they discovered this poor toddler's body. Aiden suffered broken bones; a fractured skull; and bleeding from his brain, among other incredibly horrific, hard-to-believe injuries no human should ever endure in their lifetime.
His parents, Elizabeth Calvo, 21, and Adam Garber, 25, have been arrested by police and face murder charges. If found guilty, let's hope Georgia puts that death penalty to use. It truly doesn't get more awful than this.
According to reports, Aiden woke up in the middle of the night on December 16 and told his parents he had problems with his eyes. He was sent back to bed, and, according to his 5-year-old brother, when he woke up in the morning, he had "stuff" coming out of his nose and mouth. Authorities responded to a 911 call and found the toddler seizing and bleeding. The father said that Aiden may have eaten chemicals or ingested "poison from the carpet," but police determined that long list of brutal injuries could only have occurred from "non-accidents." Officials believe there was an extensive history of abuse with the parents. After Calvo and Garber were brought in for questioning, they reportedly turned on one another, each blaming the other for the abuse.
To say this is disturbing and heartbreaking is an understatement. Children look to their parents as a source of comfort, not pain. And the fact that both parents reportedly were involved in this makes the situation so much worse. You'd think one parent would have stepped in to stop things. This poor child had no one.
If convicted, let's all pray that these monsters are forced to suffer like their innocent child did. It won't bring back Aiden or undo the awful things that have been done, but at least it's some justice.
His parents, Elizabeth Calvo, 21, and Adam Garber, 25, have been arrested by police and face murder charges. If found guilty, let's hope Georgia puts that death penalty to use. It truly doesn't get more awful than this.
According to reports, Aiden woke up in the middle of the night on December 16 and told his parents he had problems with his eyes. He was sent back to bed, and, according to his 5-year-old brother, when he woke up in the morning, he had "stuff" coming out of his nose and mouth. Authorities responded to a 911 call and found the toddler seizing and bleeding. The father said that Aiden may have eaten chemicals or ingested "poison from the carpet," but police determined that long list of brutal injuries could only have occurred from "non-accidents." Officials believe there was an extensive history of abuse with the parents. After Calvo and Garber were brought in for questioning, they reportedly turned on one another, each blaming the other for the abuse.
To say this is disturbing and heartbreaking is an understatement. Children look to their parents as a source of comfort, not pain. And the fact that both parents reportedly were involved in this makes the situation so much worse. You'd think one parent would have stepped in to stop things. This poor child had no one.
If convicted, let's all pray that these monsters are forced to suffer like their innocent child did. It won't bring back Aiden or undo the awful things that have been done, but at least it's some justice.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Mom Drowns 8-Year-Old Autistic Son Right After Regaining Custody of Him
A little boy with autism is dead and so is his mother in what is being called a murder-suicide in Alabama. Cops say Delicia Barrow drowned her 8-year-old son, Randle Barrow, in the Tennessee River, then returned to their home where the single mom killed herself. The tragedy was discovered after Randle, who attended a special school for kids with autism, didn't show up two days in a row.
Cops went to the Barrow home where they found the house on fire and Delicia dead. There was also a note that led them to Randle's body. The sad story shares similarities with many stories of overwhelmed parents of children with special needs who have decided to do something drastic -- and horrible -- to their children.
Inevitably, these sad tales open up a conversation about what it is that society should be doing for parents of kids with special needs, but in the case of Delicia Barrow, there's a startling fact that makes that conversation essentially moot.
Delicia Barrow was a single mom of a child with autism -- her husband died in a car accident when Randle was just a baby -- but she was not alone.
In fact, close friends of the Barrow family have come out to say Delicia had handed over custody of Randle to them -- voluntarily -- earlier this year. The couple were even named in Delicia's will as guardians for the little boy. But it was Delicia herself who just recently decided to take her son back ... and, of course, it seems it was Delicia herself who made the horrible decision to take her child's life.
His mother HAD help! She HAD options when she was feeling like life was too much! She didn't have to ask for Randle back, and she could have returned him to her friends.
That's more than most single parents have, more even than most two-parent families have. When most of us are feeling overwhelmed, we have to just push ahead as is; we don't have someone willing to take our children for us for awhile so we can figure out our own problems without involving them.
As a parent, I know that it's not an easy gig -- whether your child has special needs or not. This doesn't mean that there is ever an excuse to kill your own child (there is NOT), but we can all acknowledge that sometimes you're simply pushed to the edge, and you need someone to help pull you back. You might be sympathetic to the person even when you're in complete disapproval and shock over their decisions.
But in the case of a mom who had help and didn't take it, who actually went and got her kid back ... only to end his life ... I'm not even able to have sympathy for the person, separate from her crime.
Whatever she was going through, her child did not deserve this. Period.
Cops went to the Barrow home where they found the house on fire and Delicia dead. There was also a note that led them to Randle's body. The sad story shares similarities with many stories of overwhelmed parents of children with special needs who have decided to do something drastic -- and horrible -- to their children.
Inevitably, these sad tales open up a conversation about what it is that society should be doing for parents of kids with special needs, but in the case of Delicia Barrow, there's a startling fact that makes that conversation essentially moot.
Delicia Barrow was a single mom of a child with autism -- her husband died in a car accident when Randle was just a baby -- but she was not alone.
In fact, close friends of the Barrow family have come out to say Delicia had handed over custody of Randle to them -- voluntarily -- earlier this year. The couple were even named in Delicia's will as guardians for the little boy. But it was Delicia herself who just recently decided to take her son back ... and, of course, it seems it was Delicia herself who made the horrible decision to take her child's life.
His mother HAD help! She HAD options when she was feeling like life was too much! She didn't have to ask for Randle back, and she could have returned him to her friends.
That's more than most single parents have, more even than most two-parent families have. When most of us are feeling overwhelmed, we have to just push ahead as is; we don't have someone willing to take our children for us for awhile so we can figure out our own problems without involving them.
As a parent, I know that it's not an easy gig -- whether your child has special needs or not. This doesn't mean that there is ever an excuse to kill your own child (there is NOT), but we can all acknowledge that sometimes you're simply pushed to the edge, and you need someone to help pull you back. You might be sympathetic to the person even when you're in complete disapproval and shock over their decisions.
But in the case of a mom who had help and didn't take it, who actually went and got her kid back ... only to end his life ... I'm not even able to have sympathy for the person, separate from her crime.
Whatever she was going through, her child did not deserve this. Period.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Arizona Father, 2 Daughters Found Dead in Home
A father and his two young daughters have been found dead inside a home in the Phoenix suburb of Tolleson in what police are calling a murder-suicide.
Police cordoned off an area in the neighborhood on Wednesday after getting a call from a relative who found the bodies.
Tolleson Police Sgt. Obed Gaytan says the girls, ages 6 and 8, had been shot. Police identified the father as 45-year-old Alejandro Gallardo and said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
Neighbors and those who work in the area told police they heard screaming coming from the home Wednesday morning.
Police cordoned off an area in the neighborhood on Wednesday after getting a call from a relative who found the bodies.
Tolleson Police Sgt. Obed Gaytan says the girls, ages 6 and 8, had been shot. Police identified the father as 45-year-old Alejandro Gallardo and said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.
Neighbors and those who work in the area told police they heard screaming coming from the home Wednesday morning.
Police Say Phoenix Father Kills Son With Ax
Police say a Phoenix father has confessed to killing his son with an ax.
Sgt. Steve Martos says 51-year-old Gary Sherrill was arrested on New Year's Eve and booked on a charge of first-degree murder. It's not clear whether Sherrill has an attorney.
Sherrill's ex-wife called police after he failed to return their child. Sherrill picked up the 13-year-old boy a day earlier, but the mother had not been able to reach them.
KNXV reports Sherrill initially told police the boy wasn't home. Officers asked more questions, and Sherrill let them in. Police found the boy dead. He had stab wounds and lacerations to several parts of his body.
Martos says Sherrill told police he believed his son was a demon and that his son was going to eat him.
Sgt. Steve Martos says 51-year-old Gary Sherrill was arrested on New Year's Eve and booked on a charge of first-degree murder. It's not clear whether Sherrill has an attorney.
Sherrill's ex-wife called police after he failed to return their child. Sherrill picked up the 13-year-old boy a day earlier, but the mother had not been able to reach them.
KNXV reports Sherrill initially told police the boy wasn't home. Officers asked more questions, and Sherrill let them in. Police found the boy dead. He had stab wounds and lacerations to several parts of his body.
Martos says Sherrill told police he believed his son was a demon and that his son was going to eat him.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Roy Kerr charged with killing his father, Earl Kerr, in their Alexandria Township home
ALEXANDRIA TOWNSHIP - Aggravated assault charges have been filed against the adult son of a man who was found dead in their Hunterdon County home last week.
County Prosecutor Anthony Kearns III says 75-year-old Earl Kerr was found Friday by state police troopers who had gone to his Alexandria Township home to do a welfare check.
Kerr's 55-year-old son, Roy, who also lived at the residence, was arrested later that day. He remained jailed yesterday on $200,000 bail.
Authorities declined further comment on the investigation and would not comment on the manner or cause of death. Kearns said an autopsy has been performed but declined to discuss the findings, citing the ongoing investigation.
Juvenile held in killings of 2 Newark children
ELIZABETH - (AP) - Authorities say a juvenile has been taken into custody in the Christmas night slayings of two Newark children.
Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray plans to provide further details at a news conference this afternoon.
The juvenile was apprehended in connection with the fatal shootings of a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy outside a home in the southern end of Newark near Interstate 78.
A funeral for the girl, Zainee Hailey, is being held Tuesday. The honors student had returned from her grandfather's house in Elizabeth and was taking out the trash when she was shot.
Newark will end 2013 with more than 100 murders, the most the city has had since 2006.
Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray plans to provide further details at a news conference this afternoon.
The juvenile was apprehended in connection with the fatal shootings of a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy outside a home in the southern end of Newark near Interstate 78.
A funeral for the girl, Zainee Hailey, is being held Tuesday. The honors student had returned from her grandfather's house in Elizabeth and was taking out the trash when she was shot.
Newark will end 2013 with more than 100 murders, the most the city has had since 2006.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Funeral services today for Teia Gallo, of Washington Township
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - (AP) - Funeral services will be held Monday for a northern New Jersey woman who authorities say was fatally stabbed by her teenage brother.
Family members tell The Record that Teia Gallo's funeral will be held at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Hillsdale.
The 20-year-old died Thursday night after her 17-year-old brother, Travis, allegedly stabbed her multiple times with a kitchen knife. Authorities say the slaying occurred as they argued in their family's home in Washington Township, an affluent suburb just northwest of upper Manhattan.
Travis Gallo appeared Friday at a closed hearing in juvenile court in Hackensack and had a not guilty plea entered by a public defender. The Bergen County Prosecutor's office will decide within the next month whether to have him tried as an adult.
Family members tell The Record that Teia Gallo's funeral will be held at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Hillsdale.
The 20-year-old died Thursday night after her 17-year-old brother, Travis, allegedly stabbed her multiple times with a kitchen knife. Authorities say the slaying occurred as they argued in their family's home in Washington Township, an affluent suburb just northwest of upper Manhattan.
Travis Gallo appeared Friday at a closed hearing in juvenile court in Hackensack and had a not guilty plea entered by a public defender. The Bergen County Prosecutor's office will decide within the next month whether to have him tried as an adult.
Suspected 'Cop Killer' Bank Robber Had Threatened President
The man suspected in a spree of bank robberies and the killing of a police officer in Tupelo, Miss., was sentenced in 2010 for threatening to kill President Obama and his predecessors, a federal law enforcement official told ABC News.
Authorities today identified the suspect, who was killed Saturday in a shootout with police outside a Phoenix, Ariz., bank, as Mario Edward Garnett, 40.
An indictment said that in August 2010 Garnett allegedly posted a message to the White House website, saying among other things: "if you order a strike on Iran, I'm going to come up there and blow your brains out on national TV. You scheming hypocrite ... Netanyahu is a dead man. Damn Israel."
Six days later, he allegedly posted another message, saying: "I'm going to settle some scores on behalf of Israel and America's victims on behalf of those they continue to oppress. I'll kill president and farmer alike. You are either worth something or you are chaff."
Garnett was sentenced in June 2011 to eight months behind bars and three years supervised release for the threats against the president.
According to court documents, he was held for a month after his sentencing, but on July 26, 2011, he was let out on supervised released.
He was supposed to participate in a "program of mental health aftercare," but he violated the conditions of supervised released, saying during a mental health session on Sept. 21, 2011, that his probation officer should be "put to death," according to the document.
He repeatedly "rants and makes threats," court documents said at the time.
A federal judge placed Garnett on home confinement with GPS monitoring for 120 days.
But in October 2011, a federal judge sentenced Garnett to 24 months in prison for violating his supervised release, and the judge said he "recommends a facility to evaluate and address the defendant's mental health."
Nationwide Manhunt Comes to End in Arizona Shootout
According to the FBI, Garnett -- armed with a gun -- entered a Phoenix bank around 10 a.m. on Saturday. After allegedly taking cash from the bank vault, the suspect attempted to flee, but then encountered a Phoenix police detective. Shots were exchanged and the suspect died from his wounds, according to the FBI.
The bank was the third known robbery or robbery attempt linked to the suspect within the last week, FBI officials said.
Officials had conducted a nationwide manhunt for the man after he allegedly shot two police officers following a bank robbery in Tupelo, Miss., on Dec. 23. One of the officers was fatally wounded.
A total reward of more than $200,000 had been offered to anyone with information leading to the arrest of the suspect.
FBI special agent Daniel McMullen said today the investigation was ongoing, but multiple clues led investigators to believe that Garnett is the same man responsible for the robbery and shooting in Mississippi.
According to police, cell phone records showed the suspect was in the same area as each different bank robbery and wore similar clothing during each robbery attempt. He also allegedly made similar statements at each robbery.
The suspect was also allegedly connected to an earlier robbery attempt in Atlanta. According to police, just hours before the fatal incident in Mississippi, the suspect unsuccessfully tried to rob a Bank of America with a gun. After initially failing, the suspect then walked outside and robbed a person at the ATM.
Jacksonville police release details in Applebee's shooting
The estranged couple in Sunday’s deadly shooting at the Lane Avenue Applebee’s have been identified as suspect 44-year-old Sheridian Landell Veney Sr. and 42-year-old victim Lisa Marie Veney.
The couple had domestic issues, but Sheridian Veney did not have a criminal record, Chief of Investigations Chris Butler said.
He had been gone to the Applebee’s to meet with their visiting 18-year-old daughter in the military. The mother arrived and the couple got into an argument. Lisa Veney started to walk away when the shooting occurred with a .38-caliber revolver, Butler said.
“The suspect followed her to the door, at which time he fired at her,” Butler said. “He shot her five times, killing her there.”
There were some “undocumented domestic violence issues” between the two, Butler said. The couple did not live together, while the daughter was visiting from a military base, Butler said.
Sheridian Veney of the 900 block of Deer Spring Drive remained as customers and staff — 40 to 50 people — ducked, crawled and ran to safety. He apparently didn’t put up much resistance in being detained there until officers arrived.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
NJ teen to be sentenced in girl's slaying
WOODBURY — A southern New Jersey
teenager is facing a 17-year prison sentence for killing a young girl who
disappeared while riding her bike last year.
Justin Robinson’s sentencing is scheduled for Thursday.
The 16-year-old pleaded guilty in adult court last month to aggravated manslaughter, saying he alone strangled 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale last October. She was killed not long after she left her home in Clayton for a bike ride.
Robinson and his brother, Dante, were each charged with murder.
Authorities say that besides Justin Robinson’s admission, they didn’t have physical evidence that established whether one or both of the brothers strangled the girl. Murder charges remain against Dante Robinson.
Pasquale’s disappearance set off a massive two-day search in Clayton, where all three youths lived.
Justin Robinson’s sentencing is scheduled for Thursday.
The 16-year-old pleaded guilty in adult court last month to aggravated manslaughter, saying he alone strangled 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale last October. She was killed not long after she left her home in Clayton for a bike ride.
Robinson and his brother, Dante, were each charged with murder.
Authorities say that besides Justin Robinson’s admission, they didn’t have physical evidence that established whether one or both of the brothers strangled the girl. Murder charges remain against Dante Robinson.
Pasquale’s disappearance set off a massive two-day search in Clayton, where all three youths lived.
Friday, January 11, 2013
California Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Racketeering Offenses Related to Fatal Shooting of Three-Week-Old Infant
LOS ANGELES—A member of the 18th Street criminal street
gang was sentenced to life in federal prison for his conviction on
racketeering offenses arising out of the September 2007 shooting of a
street vendor near MacArthur Park, California, that resulted in the
murder of a 23-day-old infant.
Javier Perez, 35, received a life sentence from U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson. There is no parole in the federal system.
Perez was one of four defendants—all of whom were members or associates of the Columbia Lil’ Cycos clique of the 18th Street gang (the CLCS organization)—who were found guilty of federal racketeering offenses last May.
The three other defendants found guilty after last May’s trial are: Eduardo Hernandez, 35; Vladimir Iraheta, 31; and Leonidas Iraheta, 31. Judge Pregerson is scheduled to sentence those defendants on January 24 and 25.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the CLCS organization used violence and intimidation to control narcotics distribution in an area adjoining MacArthur Park in the Westlake District of Los Angeles. Under the orders of the CLCS organization’s leadership, narcotics suppliers and street dealers paid “rent”—typically a percentage of proceeds from the sale of narcotics—in exchange for permission from the CLCS organization to sell narcotics in the organization’s territory. Those who paid rent received the exclusive authorization to sell narcotics in CLCS organization territory, as well as protection from rivals. Street vendors operating in CLCS organization territory also were required to pay “rent” to the organization in order to be allowed to sell their wares near MacArthur Park. Evidence presented at trial showed that the CLCS organization made tens of thousands of dollars a week through its collection of rent. The failure or refusal to pay rent and otherwise follow the organization’s rules would result in retribution, including acts of violence.
A street vendor who refused to make a $50 rent payment to the CLCS organization was targeted to be killed by members of the organization in a shooting on September 15, 2007. Although the man survived despite being shot four times, a 23-day-old infant sitting in a stroller next to the vendor was struck and killed.
Shortly after the failed attempt to murder the vendor and the resulting death of the child, CLCS organization leaders ordered the kidnapping and murder of the shooter in order to make amends with the Mexican Mafia. The shooter was thereafter taken to Mexico by Javier Perez—who only 10 days before had been released from prison on other charges—and other CLCS organization members, under the false premise that the shooter would hide out from the police there. Once in Mexico, the shooter was driven to a remote area, where he was strangled and his lifeless body was thrown over a cliff. Unbeknownst to the would-be killers, the shooter survived the attempt on his life. The CLCS organization associate who assisted Perez in strangling the shooter previously was convicted and sentenced to a life term of imprisonment.
The four convicted at trial were among 43 members and associates of the CLCS organization who were charged in a 2009 federal racketeering indictment that alleged acts of violence, narcotics distribution, money laundering, and various violent crimes in aid of racketeering. The charged defendants included local federal criminal defense attorney Isaac Guillen who laundered over $1.3 million in drug and extortion proceeds on behalf of the CLCS organization and Mexican Mafia member Francisco “Puppet” Martinez. Guillen is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Pregerson tomorrow.
Thirty-seven of the defendants named in the indictment have been convicted in federal court. The remaining six defendants are fugitives.
The CLCS racketeering case was investigated by the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department.
Javier Perez, 35, received a life sentence from U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson. There is no parole in the federal system.
Perez was one of four defendants—all of whom were members or associates of the Columbia Lil’ Cycos clique of the 18th Street gang (the CLCS organization)—who were found guilty of federal racketeering offenses last May.
The three other defendants found guilty after last May’s trial are: Eduardo Hernandez, 35; Vladimir Iraheta, 31; and Leonidas Iraheta, 31. Judge Pregerson is scheduled to sentence those defendants on January 24 and 25.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the CLCS organization used violence and intimidation to control narcotics distribution in an area adjoining MacArthur Park in the Westlake District of Los Angeles. Under the orders of the CLCS organization’s leadership, narcotics suppliers and street dealers paid “rent”—typically a percentage of proceeds from the sale of narcotics—in exchange for permission from the CLCS organization to sell narcotics in the organization’s territory. Those who paid rent received the exclusive authorization to sell narcotics in CLCS organization territory, as well as protection from rivals. Street vendors operating in CLCS organization territory also were required to pay “rent” to the organization in order to be allowed to sell their wares near MacArthur Park. Evidence presented at trial showed that the CLCS organization made tens of thousands of dollars a week through its collection of rent. The failure or refusal to pay rent and otherwise follow the organization’s rules would result in retribution, including acts of violence.
A street vendor who refused to make a $50 rent payment to the CLCS organization was targeted to be killed by members of the organization in a shooting on September 15, 2007. Although the man survived despite being shot four times, a 23-day-old infant sitting in a stroller next to the vendor was struck and killed.
Shortly after the failed attempt to murder the vendor and the resulting death of the child, CLCS organization leaders ordered the kidnapping and murder of the shooter in order to make amends with the Mexican Mafia. The shooter was thereafter taken to Mexico by Javier Perez—who only 10 days before had been released from prison on other charges—and other CLCS organization members, under the false premise that the shooter would hide out from the police there. Once in Mexico, the shooter was driven to a remote area, where he was strangled and his lifeless body was thrown over a cliff. Unbeknownst to the would-be killers, the shooter survived the attempt on his life. The CLCS organization associate who assisted Perez in strangling the shooter previously was convicted and sentenced to a life term of imprisonment.
The four convicted at trial were among 43 members and associates of the CLCS organization who were charged in a 2009 federal racketeering indictment that alleged acts of violence, narcotics distribution, money laundering, and various violent crimes in aid of racketeering. The charged defendants included local federal criminal defense attorney Isaac Guillen who laundered over $1.3 million in drug and extortion proceeds on behalf of the CLCS organization and Mexican Mafia member Francisco “Puppet” Martinez. Guillen is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Pregerson tomorrow.
Thirty-seven of the defendants named in the indictment have been convicted in federal court. The remaining six defendants are fugitives.
The CLCS racketeering case was investigated by the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Blood found in car of Vegas dealer suspected of murdering 10-year-old girl
Brenda Stokes Wilson was identified in court Friday as the prime suspect in the slaying, although prosecutor Robert Daskas told a judge that authorities haven't positively identified the girl found dead Thursday in an undeveloped housing tract in North Las Vegas.
"It's no secret the defendant is the suspect in the murder of 10-year-old Jade Morris," Daskas said as he convinced Senior Clark County District Court Judge Joseph Bonaventure to increase Wilson's bail from $60,000 to $600,000 pending the filing of kidnapping and murder charges.
Daskas said a weapon was used in the slaying, but he didn't elaborate.
Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy said it could be Friday afternoon before
Wilson, 50, was arrested later that night after she was wrestled to the ground with razors in each hand following a face-slashing attack on a female co-worker, Joyce Rhone, at the Bellagio.
Wilson has been jailed on felony battery with a weapon, burglary and mayhem charges that could get her decades in prison. Police said she has offered no help in the search for the missing girl. Murder and kidnapping charges could get her life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
Wilson stood in court flanked by eight police officers as her lawyer, Tony Liker, clutching a Bible and a copy of the charging documents, asked the judge to postpone arraignment until Wednesday to give him time to meet with Wilson.
Liker declined comment outside court.
Police went public with the search for Jade Morris on Christmas Day, and the case received increasing attention after the relationship between the girl and Wilson became known. Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson watched the proceedings in court Friday and called the case important for the community.
Wilson, who had been identified by police and prosecutors as Brenda Stokes, told the judge Friday that her full name was Brenda Stokes Wilson.
She used to date the missing girl's father, Philip Morris, and had a long and trusted relationship with Jade Morris, according to the missing girl's grandfather, Philip Tucker.
Philip Morris was removed from court Wednesday by armed court officers after shouting questions about his daughter's whereabouts to Wilson. He did not attend Friday's hearing.
Tucker said Philip Morris lived in Billings, Mont., and worked at a Flying J truck stop for more than a year. He would stay with Wilson when he visited Las Vegas, Tucker said.
Tucker said Rhone was Wilson's best friend and also knew Philip Morris.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the slaying. But Tucker said Wilson appeared to believe that Rhone and Philip Morris had become romantically involved. Tucker said he didn't know if Wilson's jealousy was well-founded.
"But whatever was going on with them didn't concern Jade," Tucker said. "How do you take a kid who loves you so much and hurt her?"
Jade Morris' family last saw the girl when Wilson picked her at about 5 p.m. Dec. 21. About two hours later, Wilson returned to another friend the red 2007 Saab sedan that she borrowed for the shopping trip.
Wilson allegedly had a razor in each hand when she attacked Rhone as Rhone dealt blackjack about 9:30 p.m.
Daskas said police have the vehicle and are testing blood found on the driver's door and steering wheel to see if it matches Jade Morris. Stokes later got a ride with a friend to the Bellagio, police said.
Rhone, 44, was hospitalized with deep cuts on her face, including one from her ear to the edge of her mouth. A police arrest report said Rhone also had several smaller cuts around her right eye.
Tucker said Rhone called him Saturday, speaking with difficulty and expressing surprise at the attack.
"She said, `I can't believe she would do something like this to me,"' Tucker recalled. "I said, `Was Jade with her?' She said she didn't know Jade was involved."
A police report said Wilson told investigators following her arrest that she visited her doctor last week, seeking to be admitted to a hospital "due to feeling like she wanted to hurt someone."
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