Stepfather was sexually abusing his son for years

For years, a man regularly confined his adolescent stepson to a bedroom rigged with an alarm, molested him several times a week and often denied him food, water and access to a bathroom, authorities said.

The 17-year-old boy, who lived with his stepfather for nearly six years, told police Robert J. Pratt would smash his head into a wall when he resisted his advances and sent him to school in long-sleeved shirts and pants so no one would see his bruises and scars.

Pratt was being held without bail on sex assault charges, accusations that surprised acquaintances who know him as a quiet, helpful neighbor.

The boy came forward after Pratt, 37, of Bennington, kicked him out of the apartment they shared and he moved in with his mother, who lived in the same apartment complex.

I really despise the thought of this man abusing this child and no one had a clue. Whats said is that his mother lived in the same apartment complex and she was okay with her biological son living with her ex... In today's society woman have changed their views, and some even are okay with the children not living with them. When you think about it what if Bennington hadn't kicked him out of the apartment, would the sexual abuse still be going on?

L.A. lost $1.4Million performing service for jackson

The memorial service for singer Michael Jackson cost the city of Los Angeles $1.4 million, the mayor's office said. Costs included putting extra police on the streets, trash pickup, sanitation, traffic control and more for the Tuesday event, a spokeswoman said. The city, which is $530 million in debt, set up a Web page seeking donations to help with the expenses. This city has some nerve, they go all out to perform this mind blowing service to honor the king of pop then turn around and cry broke? Did someone put a gun to the mayors head saying he had to do it? CNN said over 1 billion people watched the service. Hotels, motels were sold out with people trying to be in the general area. I look at it like this if you do something from the good of your heart is great. Although if you expect to get paid for the good deed is crap. If the city of LA was okay with offering the services of extra police, trash pickup and traffic control then the city should be okay with eating the debt they created!

The light shined on Paris

Michael Jackson's daughter touched the hearts of millions when she bid a tearful farewell to her father at his memorial service in a rare public appearance.
Paris Jackson, 11, she is consoled by her uncle Marlon Jackson after her moving and brief speech. I could feel her pain and I felt myself fighting back a tear drops. Paris shocked everyone when she asked to speak, the key was she wanted everyone to know just how she felt about her father.

"Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine," she said, fighting back tears as relatives consoled her.

"And I just want to say that I love him so much," she said as she burst into tears and sought refuge in the embrace of family members.

For many watching, Paris' appearance marked a rare glimpse of a child who has spent most of her life shielded from the public.

Born to two mothers -- Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe and an unidentified woman who reportedly served as a surrogate -- Jackson's three children lived and traveled the world with him, their faces often covered by veils and masks when appearing in public.

I really did not intend on watching the service but my significant other had made up her mind that she wanted to watch. The various performances were nice but there were two that stood out to me I enjoyed Stevie Wonders moving tribute to Michael.

and Shaheen Jafargholi from Britain's Got Talent left many mouths open with his rendition to since you've been gone.

I watched the children as the services were going and the little boys were just their, but their sister did show that girls do mature faster when she stepped up and let the world know exactly who Paris Jackson is! Michael I honestly believe that you left too soon.

The death of another superstar

Police said Monday that 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi bought the handgun found under her body less than two days before the shooting.

They were found dead on the Fourth of July - McNair from two gunshots each to the head and chest, Kazemi from a single shot.

Kazemi appeared confident the pair would last and had introduced her family to McNair, her nephew said. Abdi quoted her as saying McNair was divorcing his wife and that it would be finalized soon.

"I think she had already put her stuff up for sale on Craigslist," Abdi said.
The year of 2009 has been one of much confusion with the many death of so many superstars. I suppose none is more or less stranger than the Steve McNair saga. Steve was no different from any man or woman with money,some believe that they can have their cake while enjoying their ice cream and think nothing of what they did.

So while I was listening to this story and reports kept saying girl friend, I kept thinking I thought he was married? I feel for his wife and children for not only do they have to face the lost of a father, but they have to face the lost of a father who cheated on their mother. So many lives were destroyed from a simple lie or was it a promise of what was to be. I can not help to think that McNair thought that he was in control of his situation. What Steve and many others like him in a situation like that is, their only two guaranteed truths one is life and the other is death. When you play russian roulette with 4 bullets in the chamber you limit your odds to win.

A serial killer who terrorised a town in South Carolina has been shot and killed by officers, US police say.

Patrick Tracy Burris, 41, was killed when officers investigating an attempted burglary tried to arrest him.

Bullets in his gun reportedly matched those used in the murders, which saw five residents of the town of Gaffney shot and killed within a few days.

Police said Burris had a long criminal record and had been released on parole in April after serving eight years.

"Look at this," State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Chief Reggie Lloyd told a news conference, waving a copy of Burris's criminal record.

"This is like 25 pages. At some point the criminal justice system is going to need to explain why this suspect was out on the street."

Previous charges filed against Burris included larceny, forgery and breaking and entering in several states in the south-eastern US.

I despise the fact that this common criminal killed all those people but lets face it the man did do his time. Some people seem to believe that when a man or woman commits a crime that they are never suppose to leave the jail. That is a nice concept in never never land but in real life that's not how it goes.

Unfortunately I feel for the community they were not aware of the beast in side of this sicko. So now is it the the new thing to do, by convicting all carear criminals to life in prison because they were lost? Maybe we could rewrite the constitution to violate rights of all citizens we don't like? If that seems far fetched to you then how does a correctional facility owe anyone an explanation of releasing a man who completed his time?

Teacher Gives Sex Tape to 5th Graders

A local teacher accidentally put pornography into a DVD that was meant to be filled with school memories from the past year, and nobody caught the error until after it was sent home, shocking parents and students alike.

Parents of students who attend Isabelle Jackson Elementary said that the woman is a good teacher, but just made a mistake that may become the most embarrassing moment of their life.

The offending DVD starts with a menu screen that displays various school trips and functions, and when you click on one of them, you see kids in a classroom sharing stories. They start clapping, then the video suddenly cuts to sex.

"It goes from my son, straight to her on the couch," said 'Joe,' who saw the video along with his son and did not wish to be identified. "My son's reaction was, 'Dad, is that Ms. Defanti?'". more

Nothing could be more embarrassing for the teacher to have made such a careless error of not only copying her sexual escapades but then sending it home innocently with the children so that the childern and the parents could watch. I feel for the teacher for she can never have the same relationship with the parents or the childern especially if the video was really freaky.

Sharpton still getting his grove on

I guess Al sharpton still has a move or two left in those bones.