Tahoe residents oppose new homes in path of wildfire danger

Andrew Freund Sr., JoAnn Cunningham

Autopsy, court hearing set in case of missing Illinois boy

WOODSTOCK, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois couple is due in court on charges accusing them in the death of their 5-year-old son after a body believed to be his was found wrapped in plastic and buried in a shallow grave. McHenry County sheriff’s records show 36-year-old JoAnn Cunningham and 60-year-old Andrew Freund Sr. of Crystal... Read More

Bad Parenting, Criminal Justice News, News

Public defender asks to drop Florida school massacre suspect

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The public defenders for the Parkland school massacre defendant unexpectedly asked to withdraw from the case Wednesday, saying the 20-year-old man will soon inherit nearly a half-million dollars and no longer qualify for free legal representation. The Broward County Public Defender’s Office filed the unexpected notice late Wednesday, saying Nikolas... Read More

Criminal Justice News, Guns, News

Nikolas Cruz

Nissan ex-chair Ghosn released from Japanese detention

TOKYO (AP) — Former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn walked out of a Japanese detention center Thursday evening, his head held high, after paying 500 million yen ($4.5 million) in bail and winning a court rejection of an appeal from prosecutors. Ghosn walked solemnly out of the Tokyo Detention House with one of his lawyers by... Read More

Business, Criminal Justice News, International Justice Watch, News

Carlos Ghosn

Cohen says he pleaded guilty to crimes he didn’t commit

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump’s prison-bound former lawyer told actor Tom Arnold last month that he pleaded guilty to some crimes he didn’t commit so his wife wouldn’t “get dragged into the mud of this crap.” Michael Cohen told Arnold “they had me on campaign finance” for arranging hush-money payments to two women... Read More

Michael Cohen

Future of Northwest e-recycler unclear after fraud sentences

SEATTLE (AP) — The future of one of the Northwest’s largest electronics recyclers is uncertain after a judge sentenced its founders to prison for what prosecutors described as the largest known fraud of its type in the nation: a seven-year scheme to ship dangerous waste to Hong Kong, rather than safely handling it in the... Read More

Total Reclaim Inc.

Georgia mother pleads guilty to killing husband, 4 children

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — A suburban Atlanta woman has pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing her husband and four children and seriously injuring another daughter. WSB-TV reports that 35-year-old Isabel Martinez pleaded guilty but mentally ill Tuesday to five counts of murder and other charges. She was sentenced to five life sentences with the possibility of... Read More

Bad Parenting, Criminal Justice News, News

Isabel Martinez

Planned Parenthood: States should oppose Trump ‘gag rule’

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — It’s time for states with leaders who support abortion rights to go on the offensive against Trump administration attempts to restrict abortion that would reduce access to health care, the president of Planned Parenthood said Tuesday. “States are a critical backstop at a time when we have the Trump-Pence administration stripping... Read More

Planned Parenthood

Ex-mayor apologizes in court for pay-to-play conviction

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A former Pennsylvania mayor apologized in federal court Wednesday to the citizens of his city as he awaited sentencing for his conviction on charges he exchanged contracts for campaign contributions. “I let them down and I apologize to them,” said Vaughn Spencer, who was the Democratic mayor of Reading from 2012 until... Read More

Criminal Justice News, Fraud, News, Politics

Vaughn Spencer

Inmates sue over what they call inhumane conditions at jail

CLEVELAND (AP) — Twenty current and former inmates are suing over what they say are inhumane and dangerous conditions at a troubled county jail in Cleveland. Many of the inmates say they’ve been denied medication or mental health treatment. Some describe being served food with bugs and being forced to sleep on the floor. The... Read More

Handful of US states are poised to legalize sports betting

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The number of states allowing sports betting is poised to expand. Governors in Montana and Iowa are considering measures that would allow residents to wager on sports, while Indiana lawmakers are scheduled to approve their own version as early as Wednesday. Barring a veto, they would be the first states to... Read More

Criminal Justice News, News, Sports

Sports Betting

Indictment: Ex-CEO ignored red flags as opioid crisis raged

NEW YORK (AP) — The pharmaceutical industry executive hit Tuesday with criminal charges stemming from the opioid crisis doesn’t have his name on a museum wing, and his company isn’t within earshot of Apple or anyone else on the Fortune 500. Even his $1.5 million paycheck was a paltry sum compared to his peers. Laurence... Read More

Criminal Justice News, Drugs, News

Laurence Doud III, Opioid, Opioids

Convicted ringleader in Texas dragging death to be executed

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A man who orchestrated one of the most gruesome hate crimes in U.S. history was set to be executed Wednesday for the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. nearly 21 years ago. John William King, who is white and an avowed racist, was put on death row for chaining Byrd to... Read More

Criminal Justice News, Execution, News

John William King

Manson follower Van Houten gets another shot at release

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten is getting another chance at getting out of prison following a years-long saga that has seen a board recommend her parole three separate times. Van Houten’s case is being heard before California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal, which will consider whether to overturn a Los... Read More