Man arrested for driving naked while on probation

ERWIN — On a videotape of a pursuit by the Tennessee Highway Patrol of a man fleeing in July at speeds of 130 mph, a law enforcement officer said it was clear why the man wasn’t interested in stopping: He was naked.
That incident landed Jason Chad Elliott, 30, 1290 Milligan Highway, Apt. 3, on probation for six years Friday in Unicoi County Criminal Court and might earn him some jail time. Judge Lynn Brown will make that ruling at a later hearing.
Elliott, who pleaded guilty to felony evading arrest and felony reckless endangerment charges, told Brown that his actions were a “rash decision.” Brown quoted the late Southern columnist Lewis Grizzard about different pronunciations of “naked.” One is not having one’s clothes on. The other is not having clothes “and you’re up to something.”
The July 8 events began about 11:30 p.m. when Trooper Julian Robinson pulled up behind Elliott’s car in the emergency lane on Interstate 26 at Exit 36. Elliott got off I-26 and drove through streets on Erwin’s north side before re-entering the interstate. He did not stop until he reached the Flag Pond exit 13 miles later.
Elliott admitted during the hearing that he drove 130 mph and passed two cars by using the emergency lane on the right. Unicoi County Sheriff’s Deputy Todd Wilcox, who joined the pursuit, said Elliott drove 98 mph in the emergency lane. Elliott got off I-26 at Exit 43 but immediately returned to the interstate. more

75 year old man tackles robber who stole his computer

STUART — A 75-year-old Stuart man chased down a 6-foot 1-inch, 230-pound, 29-year-old robber who had just snatched his laptop computer and printer on Sunday.
Joseph Kohl was standing in front of Best Buy at 2555 N. Federal Highway in Stuart at 12:13 p.m. waiting for his wife to pick him up at the curb. He placed his brand new laptop and printer down along the pillar where he was standing when the thief grabbed his items and tried to take off, said Kohl.
Without a second thought, Kohl ran about 8 feet before he grabbed the thief and tried to get back his packages, said Kohl.
“I have no idea what computers are about, but I didn’t want him taking my first one,” he said.
An off-duty Martin County Sheriff’s Office deputy, Don Kelly, was coming out of the store and jumped into the fray, said Sgt. Martin J. Jacobson of the Stuart Police Department.
“It was over in a minute,” said Kohl. “Having the off-duty cop there ended the situation right there. He showed his badge and the kid gave up.”
Both men were still fighting the suspect when Stuart Police arrived, Jacobson said.
“The police showed up in no time. It was like they were parked right around the corner,” said Kohl. more

DA: forced to Charge Boy Murder Suspect as an Adult

PITTSBURGH — A Pennsylvania prosecutor said his hands are tied, and he has no choice but to charge an 11-year-old boy as an adult in the killing his father's pregnant girlfriend.
Lawrence County District Attorney John Bongivengo said Monday that Pennsylvania law doesn't permit him to file a criminal homicide charge against Jordan Brown in juvenile court.
Brown is charged as an adult with using his own 20-gauge shotgun to kill 26-year-old Kenzie Marie Houk Friday morning.
The gun was a Christmas gift from the boy's father, who was training him to be a hunter, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.
Because he's charged as an adult, Brown is in the county jail -- albeit separated from adult inmates. His attorney, Dennis Elisco, says being locked up with adults is inappropriate for a child and will file motions Monday to move the case to juvenile court and to let the boy's father post bail so he can get out of jail.
"I don't think anybody wants him there," Elisco said, referring to the county jail.

Houk was eight months pregnant with Brown's father's child, and also had two daughters, 7 and 4, who lived in the rural home with the Browns where authorities said she was slain as she lay in bed about 8 a.m. Friday.
After the shooting, the boy hopped onto a school bus with Houk's oldest daughter, police said. He was picked up from school several hours later after some tree trimmers called 911 when Houk's youngest daughter told them she thought her mother was dead.
Elisco said a judge likely won't hear his motions right away. Until then, he hopes to get the fifth-grader's school to send him assignments in jail.
"I want him to be occupied and busy and back, essentially, in school," Elisco said. "I wouldn't say he's in good spirits. He's confused. He looks and acts like a typical 11-year-old."
Elisco said jail officials can't even find clothes to fit the 4-foot-8 boy.
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"They put a shirt on him, he's swimming in it, and his pants are cuffed up about 10 times," Elisco said.
Lawrence County Warden Charles Adamo told the Associated Press on Sunday that he wanted to speak to a judge about moving the boy from an adult lockup to a juvenile detention center.
"I'm just going to speak to the judge [on Monday] because I don't have the facilities to accommodate somebody who's 11 years old," Adamo said.
Adamo said his 300-inmate jail cannot offer proper long-term care for Brown, of Wampum. more

Upstate Teacher Accused Of Inappropriate Relationship With Student

An upstate teacher is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student. Greenwood County Sheriff Tony Davis says 7th Grade teacher Angel Lindle is charged with having sex with a former student who was 14-years-old at the time.
Simmons was a Science Teacher at Edgewood Middle School in 1996. District Superintendent Dan Powell says Lindle has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
The county sheriff's office says a 37-year-old Angel Simmons Lindle of Donalds has been charged with seven counts of sexual conduct with a child.

Deputies said Lindle was having sex with one of her former students, a 15-year-old boy. Police said the encounters happened numerous times over a period of six months.
Investigators said they found out after someone called authorities to complain about the relationship. more

Drunk driver suspect killed by drunk driver

A Pasadena man charged last year in what authorities said was a fatal drunken driving wreck was killed this week, apparently by a drunken driver.
Nicholas Hernandez, 25, was a passenger in a black Ford Mustang that struck a light pole in the 9100 block of the Gulf Freeway service road and rolled several times Thursday. He was ejected from the car.
Police believe the driver, Jose Resendez, 27, was drinking and expect him to be charged with intoxication manslaughter.
If convicted of intoxication manslaughter, Resendez faces anything from two years’ probation up to 20 years in prison.
Harris County Assistant District Attorney Brent Mayr said Hernandez was arrested after the Aug. 3, wreck which killed James Kelleher, 26, and his passenger, 23-year-old Suzanne Penland, who were hit head-on as they drove south on Texas 288.
Mayr said Hernandez was driving a Chevrolet Impala the wrong way on the highway and had a blood alcohol concentration of .30, more than three times the legal limit, when he hit the two friends who were in a Buick LeSabre.
Hernandez was convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2002 and again in 2003. Because a third DWI would be a felony, Mayr said Hernandez was charged in last year’s wreck with felony murder, which carries a sentence ranging from probation to 99 years or life in prison. He had been released from jail on $100,000 bond. more

She Won

NY Mother Who Drowned 3 Kids Pleads Mentally Ill

A woman who drowned her three young children in a bathtub, and tried twice to commit suicide, entered a plea Monday that will send her to a psychiatric facility rather than prison, possibly for the rest of her life.
Leatrice Brewer, 28, pleaded "not responsible by reason of mental disease or defect" after psychiatrists determined she suffered a "major depressive disorder" and believed she killed the children to save them from the potentially fatal effects of voodoo.
The case drew attention to Nassau County's social services agency, whose caseworkers visited Brewer's apartment two days before the killings and found no one home, but neglected to schedule an immediate follow-up visit. Two social workers were later suspended.
Brewer faced three murder counts in the Feb. 24, 2008, deaths. She had told authorities she slashed 6-year-old daughter Jewell in the throat before drowning her, and then drowned the little girl's half-brothers: 5-year-old Michael Demesyeux and 18-month-old Innocent Demesyeux.

The plea did not sit well with the father of the two young boys, who is suing county officials over the deaths. Innocent Demesyeux said in a statement that Brewer's guilt or innocence "should be decided by regular people on a jury and not by lawyers and politicians."
But other relatives agreed that a mental hospital was the appropriate destination for the troubled woman. more

Grandmother just don't look like they used too?

Grandmothers just don't look like they used too!

When I was a kid and heard grandmother I thought of a older woman who was in her late fifty's early sixty's. They were settled and the main focus of their attention was their grandchildern. Their loving soul were filled with wisdom and understanding. They were church going folks who never did any wrong, except maybe cuss a little!

Now as an adult I am shocked at how grandmothers look today! Forget the vivid image of big mama and now lets drop the age limit down to early thirty's and try not to look too surprised!

I am sure the question would come up how can this be? Lets roll back the clock so to speak and see if you can visualuize this image of a young girl who was pregnant at 12 or had a baby at 12!

Now fast forward 18 years later and her son or daughter has just had a baby, wala!

Some guys did not like you looking at their mothers, now in society grand mothers are sexy fit and trim!

So how do you think guys feel when you are not only looking at their mother but also looking at their grandmother? With the intent to get with them?

The ability to be compasionate understanding and patient goes out the door when grandma has to rush out the door to go to work... The younger generation of grandma are not as dependable either, how can you ask them to sit at home and watch your kids when they are out trying to get their grove on and the last thing that they want to do is baby sit?

What makes the situation totally unique, is that when this woman is in her late 50's that she could be a great-grand?

I guess its not that hard to see that woman are not looking like grandma's at 30!!!

Yea, they are not looking like grandma's, anymore...

How often do you go to the bathroom?

How often do I go to the bathroom? once a day? After hearing about people who don't go for days, but sometimes weeks, is incredible! I thought that was insane to know that a person keeps that toxic waste in there body was days, and in some case weeks... Would you believe that if you eat 3 times a day that you should go three times a day? Don't freak, it may be meant for you to go once a day.
So this is a simple thing that you could do: eat vegertables and fruits, cut down on your intake of sugar and eat portions of food.

make sure you have at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. Replace refined grain products with whole grain products, for example, replace white bread with whole wheat bread. Be sure you drinks plenty of water and goes easy on milk. Sixteen ounces of milk per day is plenty. Avoid eating dried fruits, and don't consume drinks and pop. Make sure you are active for at least 1 hour per day in short periods distributed throughout the day. All of these strategies will naturally increase fiber in you diet, promote bowel activity, and avoid constipating processes, such as too little exercise, too little water, and too much milk. It's also a good idea to just sit on the toilet after every meal to take advantage of the natural help of the gastrocolonic reflex that leads to stooling after eating.


What Your Bowel Movements Are Telling You About Your Health

Hard and dry:
The amount of time it takes for the food you eat to make its way through the gastro-intestinal system and exit into the toilet will have an impact on the consistency of your stool. “Intestinal transit averages 40 to 45 hours from when you eat to when it comes out,” says Foxx-Orenstein. If it stays in the GI tract for longer than that, fluid is re-absorbed into the body and the stool becomes harder and dryer. Certain medications—like blood pressure drugs, antidepressants and histamines—can slow down the GI tract.

Constipation:

Which has a myriad of causes, will lead to harder, drier stools (since you’re going less often, your stool will stall in the system and the fluid re-absorbed). For some people, a diet high in dairy can be a cause of constipation, so if you are experiencing problems going (and have dry, hard-to-pass stool when you do finally go), it is worth reducing your dairy intake for a week or two to see if that helps. And being dehydrated can also lead to this problem because if the body is lacking in water, it will draw it—and conserve it—from wherever it can find it.

Little lumps:
“An ideal stool looks like a torpedo—it should be large, soft, fluffy and easy to pass,” says Foxx-Orenstein. But when conditions are less than ideal, the stool may become more like little deer pellets. Again, transit time may be part of the issue because slow-moving stool will lose fluid, making them less fluffy and lumpier. A lack of fiber in the diet may also to be to blame. Beware if you’re following a weight-loss plan (such as Atkins) that focuses on increasing protein and decreasing carbohydrates, since that can leave you with a diet that’s low in fiber. And since fiber holds on to fluid, a lack of it will lead to harder, pellet-like poops that may be more difficult to pass.

Too liquid:
Your body secretes about eight liters of fluid during the course of a day—from the stomach, salivary glands and pancreas—to help your food get broken down and make its way through the digestive system. Under normal, healthy conditions, the majority of that fluid is absorbed along the way, resulting in those sought-after soft, fluffy stools. But if food passes through too quickly, there isn’t enough time for all of that liquid to absorb, and the stool emerges in a too-soft state. The reasons for such super-quick transit could include a sudden increase in fiber in the diet, or a bacterial or viral infection. “When there is an infection, the body produces toxins which cause water to be released,” says Dr. Michael Farber, director of the Executive Health Program at Hackensack University Medical Center. “Things move through very quickly through your system because the body wants to get rid of them.”

Pencil thin:
Thin may be the preferable state for many things—figures, cell phones, television screens—but when it comes to bowel movements, thin is definitely not a good thing. Specifically, thin stools could be an indicator of colon cancer, or its precursor, polyps in the colon. “Whenever you have mass in the colon that creates blockage, anything that needs to be pushed past that mass will become thinner,” Farber says. “If you are seeing thin stools on a consistent basis, that it something you should have looked at by your doctor.”

Looking pale or gray:
Normal stool can come in a range of colors (influenced by what you eat and what medications you take, among other factors). But if your stool has an unhealthy hue, particularly if it’s pale or grayish in tone, you could have problems somewhere along your digestive tract. The liver excretes bile to help break down fats in the food you eat, and that bile also adds color to the stool. But if there’s a blockage in the liver—or in the tubes through which the bile travels—the stool might take on a too-pale appearance. Also, if you are suffering from a pancreatic disorder, the stool might look gray because it will be lacking the color imbued by the digestive enzymes produced in that organ.

Inmate used hacksaw and bedsheets to escape jail

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- An inmate who escaped from the Mesa County jail in September did so by cutting a hole in the roof of the exercise yard with hacksaw blades and shimmying down the side of the building on bed sheets he had tied together, according to an arrest affidavit unsealed late Wednesday.
Shane Johnson, 41, was awaiting sentencing on burglary and auto theft convictions when he escaped.
The affidavit says it took him about two minutes to climb down the side of the jail and jump into a vehicle that was waiting for him behind the building.
Prosecutors allege Johnson’s wife, Marilynne Johnson, was driving the getaway car.
The Johnsons were arrested Jan. 10 in Baja California, Mexico.
Shane Johnson remains in custody in Mexico on suspicion of burglarizing homes there. Marilynne Johnson, 47, is in the Mesa County jail on $100,000 bond on suspicion of aiding her husband’s escape.
Another inmate, Rodney Price, also has been charged with helping Shane Johnson escape. He remains in custody on unrelated charges.
The details of Johnson’s escape were contained in an arrest affidavit for his wife.
The document says detention staff believe Shane Johnson received two hacksaw blades in an envelope that was mailed to him in jail.
The envelope, which contained a hidden compartment, was found in Johnson’s cell after his escape. The package listed a return address in Colorado Springs; however, it wasn’t clear from the affidavit whether investigators know who sent it.
The affidavit said Shane Johnson used the blades to cut a hole in a portion of steel mesh roof in the jail’s exercise yard. Video then shows him climbing down the side of the building late at night.
Mesa County Sheriff Stan Hilkey said the jail has since undergone a complete audit, and improvements have been made, including a new covering on the exercise yard and razor wire on the fence around the building. more

LAPD Hunting 2 Suspects Who Set Exotic Dancer on Fire

Police in Los Angeles are searching for a man and a woman who they say set an exotic nightclub dancer on fire, leaving her clinging to life.
The woman was meeting the two acquaintances about at 1:30 a.m outside the Babes & Beer nightclub in the Tarzana area of the San Fernando Valley when they doused her with some type of flammable liquid and set her on fire, police said. She then ran back inside the bar where other patrons came to her aid.
The attackers, Rianne Celine Theriault-Odom, 27, and Nathaniel Marquis Petrillo, 22, were frequent patrons of the club and positively identified by witnesses, police spokesman Richard French said.
Deputy Police Chief Michael Moore said the dancer is in grave condition.
"Given the condition of this victim, they may be responsible for ultimately her murder,"Moore said at a news conference Thursday. "This is a terrible, terrible attack."
The victim is a 27-year-old mother of two young children, Moore said.
The nightclub's Web site advertises "intimate dining" and "seductive nightlife." A message left on the club's answering machine was not immediately returned.

Angry doctor threw baby, staff claim

AN ANGRY doctor allegedly threw a baby and twisted its arm and an elderly patient was left to die in a hall way at Bundaberg Hospital, staff claim.Three hospital staff have sought whistleblower protection after detailing allegations of gross medical neglect and incompetence, overcrowding, bullying, intimidation and cover-ups to the Crime and Misconduct Commission. A highly qualified nurse who spoke to The Courier-Mail told how she was repeatedly made to falsify records to hide lengthy waiting times in the emergency department. She said triage cases were improperly and dangerously downgraded because of understaffing. She said a troubled teenager who waited five hours without seeing a doctor ran away and slashed her wrists. And a doctor said he was too busy to see a boy who had been stabbed in the leg in a suspected child abuse case. The cases are among 100 serious and minor procedural errors on the hospital's prime reporting database. Dismissed as a troublemaker and frustrated at the lack of response, the nurse and two others took complaints to Burnett MP Rob Messenger, who first raised allegations against the hospital in Parliament in 2005. "They have made allegations which lead me to reasonably suspect misconduct by a number of public officials," Mr Messenger said. He called for an inquiry, saying it was clear patients and employees of Bundaberg Hospital were "in continuing danger of physical and psychological danger". The CMC was told the doctor threw the baby on its back and twisted its arm after angrily shouting, "Keep him still". It is believed the child suffered bruising but was not seriously hurt. The elderly man who died on the trolley was refused acute care after his triage rating was downgraded. "Good nurses and doctors and administration officers who work miracles every day are being placed under unbelievable pressure by a government that won't properly resource staff," Mr Messenger said. He said the $41.1million upgrade promised by the Beattie-Bligh governments had not happened. "They have spent $8.6 million and instead of the 30 extra beds promised, we got five. There is clear evidence of understaffing and underfunding." more

Kimberly Dawn Trenor on suicide watch after her capital murder conviction

GALVESTON — Kimberly Dawn Trenor remained on suicide watch Tuesday after her capital murder conviction in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Riley Ann Sawyers.
After she is transferred to state prison sometime during the next few weeks, Trenor is likely to be a target of other inmates and probably will be segregated for her safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokeswoman Michelle Lyons said.
Maj. Mike Henson, Galveston County Jail commander, said Trenor was immediately placed on minimum suicide watch after her conviction Monday for the slaying of Riley, dubbed Baby Grace by investigators after her unidentified body was discovered by a fisherman Oct. 29, 2007.
Trenor, 20, automatically received a life sentence without parole because Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk declined to seek the death penalty.
Anyone sentenced to death or life in prison without parole is placed on minimum suicide watch as a precaution until the person can be examined by a psychiatrist, Henson said.
“I just want to make sure she is not having any thoughts or ideas about harming herself,” Henson said.
Trenor was placed in a special area where a deputy has a desk next to her cell, which is checked every 15 minutes.
She will remain on minimum suicide watch until she is examined, Henson said. If she is determined to be suicidal, she will be placed on full suicide watch in a padded cell and wearing only a smock, Henson said.
Husband awaiting trial
Like her husband, Royce Clyde Zeigler II, 25, who is awaiting a trial date on a capital murder charge in Riley’s death, Trenor has been segregated from other inmates because of the notoriety of the case, Henson said.
Trenor told authorities that she and Zeigler killed Riley during a daylong disciplinary session July 25, 2007. The acts included whipping her with belts, holding her head under bath water, pushing her face into a pillow and couch, and slamming her repeatedly onto a tile floor.
Riley had three skull fractures, any one of which could have been fatal, and a broken vertebra when Trenor says they stuffed her body into a blue plastic box. They kept the box in a storage room for up to two months before tossing it off the railroad bridge next to the Galveston Causeway, Trenor said.
Officials also must consider keeping Trenor safe after she is transferred to the state prison system, Lyons said.
“This is a high-profile case and a case many people have felt strongly about, so her safety will be considered,” she said. Inmates who have harmed a child typically become a target of other prisoners, she said.
Lyons said the state has 45 days from the time the paperwork is complete to transfer a prisoner from a county jail to the prison system. Most prisoners are removed to prison within three weeks, she said, but she agreed with Henson that high-profile cases tend to move faster.
Trenor will be processed at the Woodman State Jail in Gatesville, the first stop for all women entering the prison system, Lyons said.
From there Trenor will go to one of the 10 women’s units, most of them in the Gatesville area, Lyons said. more

Passengers stop flight after 'drunk' pilot sparks panic

Mr Cheplevsky did little to ease passengers' fears by refusing to leave the cockpit to show that he was sober. When he was finally persuaded to face them, witnesses said that he appeared unsteady on his feet and had bloodshot eyes.
"I don't think there's anyone in Russia who doesn't know what a drunk person looks like," Katya Kushner, one of the passengers, told the Moscow Times, which had a reporter travelling on the flight.
"At first, he was looking at us like we were crazy. Then, when we wouldn't back down, he said 'I'll sit here quietly in a corner. We have three more pilots. I won't even touch the controls, I promise'."
Aeroflot's bad day got worse when it emerged that the socialite and television host Ksenia Sobchak was on board. Ms Sobchak, one of Russia's best-known personalities, demanded that all four pilots be replaced.
The airline finally relented and summoned new pilots to fly the jet to New York three hours late. More than 100 passengers passed the time as they waited by signing a petition declaring that they believed Mr Cheplevsky had been drunk.
more

Marijuana Photo Surfaces of Michael Phelps smoking a bong may cause him to loose some of his sponsers

Michael Phelps took a big hit — and now his wallet could take a big hit, too.
A photo of Phelps smoking marijuana out of a bong at a party in November has brought his endorsement career to a crossroads, marketing experts say. And the megabucks that were flowing in could soon go down the drain unless America's superstar swimmer, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games, changes his ways.
"It's certainly not good and it’s a disaster in terms of the near future," said Robert Tuchman, president of Premiere Corporate Events, a sports entertainment firm. "He's very unlikely to have new sponsors come on board and endorse him. And there's the potential for other sponsors to pull the plug on him, using this is an opportunity. He's going to take a big hit on this."
Phelps, 23, acknowledged on Sunday that the photo, which first appeared in the tabloid News of the World, was of him, and he cited his age as an excuse for his poor judgment.
"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said. "I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."
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But Tuchman said it's unlikely corporate sponsors will factor Phelps' young age into long-term affiliations with him.
"When these brands make an investment in you, they make a serious investment in you and it doesn't matter what age you are," Tuchman said. "He kind of used that as an excuse in his apology, but these companies are paying him a lot of money and they have a right to hope that he continues to be seen in a positive light."
Two of Phelps' endorsement deals — with AT&T and Rosetta Stone — ended on Dec. 31, 2008. AT&T officials declined to comment Monday on any plans to re-sign Phelps; a Rosetta Stone spokeswoman said Phelps is not being considered for future promotions, but that decision was made before the photo surfaced.
"We do not condone his activities and are disappointed in his recent judgment," a statement issued by Rosetta Stone read.
But two of Phelps' leading sponsors indicated Monday they are sticking by him. Swiss watchmaker Omega said Phelps' actions were a private matter and a "nonissue," while swimwear manufacturer Speedo called him a "valued member of the Speedo team."
Mazda, which signed Phelps to a $1-million-plus deal last month, will also continue to use Phelps to promote its Mazda 6 car in television and print ads, Dynamic Marketing Group's DMG Entertainment said Monday.
"We definitely stand by him," DMG CEO Dan Mintz told FOXNews.com. "We're not jumping to any knee-jerk reactions. He's never failed a drug test, he's not a cheat. Not that we condone this, but that's the reality of it."
Mintz said an official Mazda statement will be issued shortly.
"This is not the time to turn your back on people," Mintz said. "It's going to be very interesting to see how other brands react to him, and, really, what he does about it at the end of the day."
Phelps also endorses Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, a breakfast cereal that is marketed largely to children. Officials at Kellogg's did not respond to requests for comment Monday regarding Phelps' future with the company. more

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick released from jaill after serving a 99-day sentence

DETROIT — Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick emerged from jail after serving a 99-day sentence. He was greeted in the cold by about two dozen reporters and a handful of onlookers.
The 38-year-old Kilpatrick left the downtown Detroit facility wearing a dark suit just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. He looked thinner and his beard was fuller than when he entered jail at the end of October.
He stood for a minute or two outside the jail amid swirling snowflakes, smiling occasionally to those in the crowd who called his name and shouted: "We love you, Kwame. Detroit loves you baby!" Flanked by a number of men, several dressed in fedoras and long coats, Kilpatrick then was rushed to a waiting sport utility vehicle.
The Democrat waved from the darkened back seat as he was whisked away in the blue Chevrolet Suburban that was part of a multi-vehicle caravan that drove off in the snow and into the early morning darkness. more

Texas jury convicts woman in deadly discipline of her 2-year-old daughter

A mother was convicted of capital murder Monday for the death of her 2-year-old daughter, who was whipped with belts and flung onto a tile floor to teach her manners, before her body was dumped in a box in Galveston Bay. Jurors deliberated less than two hours before finding Kimberly Trenor guilty. She received an automatic sentence of life without parole. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty.
"Justice has been served today. Today it's about Riley" — the victim, Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said after the verdict.
Trenor and her husband, Royce Clyde Zeigler II, were accused of killing Riley Ann Sawyers while disciplining her in July 2007. Prosecutors said Trenor and Zeigler beat Riley with belts, dunked her head in cold water and threw her onto a tile floor, fracturing her skull. Zeigler's capital murder trial will be held later.
After Riley's death, the couple stuffed her body in a plastic box and hid it at their suburban Houston home before dumping it in Galveston Bay, according to authorities.
Sheriff's investigators dubbed the toddler "Baby Grace" during the weeks they worked to identify her remains, found by a fisherman. Many of those investigators were in the courtroom Monday and cried as the verdict was read.

"We all made a promise to that little girl ... that we would find the people responsible for her death and bring them to justice and we did," sheriff's Sgt. Michael Barry said. more

Eric Holder makes history as first black attorney general

In this Jan. 15, 2009 file photo, Attorney General-designate Eric Holder testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Holder's nomination as the first African-American attorney general has moved to the full Senate with broad bipartisan support. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to favorably recommend Holder for the job. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) (AP)
Eric Holder won Senate confirmation Monday as the nation's first African-American attorney general, after supporters from both parties touted his dream resume and easily overcame Republican concerns over his commitment to fight terrorism and his unwillingness to back the right to keep and bear arms.
The vote was 75-21, with all the opposition coming from Republicans.
Holder's chief supporter, Sen. Patrick Leahy, said the confirmation was a fulfillment of civil rights leader Martin Luther King's dream that everyone would be judged by the content of their character.
"Come on the right side of history," said Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Holder becomes the only black in the Obama administration in what has traditionally been known as the president's Cabinet. Three other African-Americans have been chosen for top administration positions that hold the same rank.
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Holder was a federal prosecutor, judge and the No. 2 Justice Department official in the Clinton administration. Even his critics agreed that Holder was well-qualified, but they questioned his positions and independence.
The debate turned partisan in its first moments, when Leahy, expressed anger that a few Republicans demanded a pledge from Holder that he wouldn't prosecute intelligence agents who participated in harsh interrogations.
Leahy singled out Texas Republican John Cornyn as one who wanted to "turn a blind eye to possible lawbreaking before investigating whether it occurred."more