crime

'Mountain Man' Kidnapper Is Ready to Be Paroled, Thanks

Louis Peitzman · 04/14/12 04:45PM

In 1984, "mountain man" Don Nichols kidnapped professional athlete Kari Swenson, accidentally shot her, left her wounded, and escaped into the woods where he escaped law enforcement for five months. Anyway, he's up for parole again.

Call Me...Maybe? Wireless Providers to Disable Stolen Phones

Caity Weaver · 04/10/12 07:54PM

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile are teaming up with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make it harder for thieves to use stolen phones, since you seem hell-bent on accidentally leaving yours everywhere.

Easter Bunny Arrested for Drug Possession

Louis Peitzman · 04/08/12 03:18PM

The Easter Bunny — or, OK, an Easter Bunny — was arrested Thursday for the illegal possession of prescription narcotics. Joshua Lee Bolling was observed "acting suspicious" in his downtime as the Piedmont Mall Easter Bunny.

18-Year-Old High School Student and Former Teacher Call It Quits

Louis Peitzman · 04/07/12 04:42PM

Movies like Never Been Kissed and TV series like Pretty Little Liars have showed us the lighter side of student-teacher romance. The reality is far less pleasant, but for a time 18-year-old Jordan Powers and her former teacher, 41-year-old James Hooker, were trying to make it work. That relationship ended, however, when Hooker was arrested for — big shocker — sexually assaulting another teenage girl 14 years ago.

"Operation: Game Over" Purges 3,500 Sex Offenders From Online Gaming Sites

Jessica Benjestorf · 04/05/12 04:05PM

"Operation: Game Over"—an initiative undertaken by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman—recently purged over 3,500 registered sex offenders from online gaming sites. Sexual predators are using voice and text chat functions on the interactive games to troll for victims. One 19-year old Monroe county man pled guilty to sexual abuse charges after luring a 12-year old boy to his apartment; they met on XBox Live. The initiative was backed with widespread support from the gaming industry, with Microsoft, Apple, Blizzard Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Disney Interactive Media Group, Warner Brothers and Sony participating in the plan.

New Rape Cop Emerges Right on Time

Hamilton Nolan · 04/02/12 03:55PM

It's been five days since former NYPD officer Michael Pena was found guilty of drunkenly sexually assaulting a Manhattan woman at gunpoint. Is New York ready for a week without a rape cop?

Several Fatalities In Oakland Nursing School Massacre (UPDATE)

Leah Beckmann · 04/02/12 02:52PM

Oakland police are searching for an unidentified gunman after he walked onto Oikos University campus, a small religious nursing college in Oakland, California, and opened fire. The shooting spree began this morning at approximately 10 am and left several wounded and dead. Both the whereabouts of the shooter and the number of fatalities are still unknown.

Forensic Experts Say Screams on 911 Call Are Not George Zimmerman's

Louis Peitzman · 04/01/12 10:44AM

There has been much debate about the audio recordings of 911 calls on the night George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin — were the cries for help heard in the background from Martin or from Zimmerman? Those who believe Zimmerman's claim of self-defense said he was the one calling for help — suggesting Martin had the upper hand in the fight — while others have insisted it was Martin begging for his life.

New Evidence Contradicts Zimmerman's Claim of a Violent Fight With Trayvon Martin

Louis Peitzman · 03/31/12 11:29AM

While George Zimmerman still has not been charged in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, his public defense — as espoused by his lawyer and family members — rests on the fact that Zimmerman was involved in a physical altercation with Martin. New evidence, however, contradicts that version of events. First there was the security camera footage from the night Zimmerman claims Martin beat him senselessly: to most who watched the video, Zimmerman appeared unscathed.

Can You Believe This Guy Is a Serial Killer?

Emma Carmichael · 03/30/12 11:57AM

Weird, right? He looks so normal-eyed and harmless! But 65-year-old trucker Robert Ben Rhoades, currently serving a life sentence for the murder of a 14-year-old Illinois girl, is believed to have killed "an average of three women a month by the early 1990s."

Rape Cop Guilty For a Change

Hamilton Nolan · 03/28/12 08:40AM

NYPD officer Michael Pena was found guilty of sexual assault yesterday for drunkenly kidnapping a Manhattan woman off the street and sexually assaulting her in an alleyway last summer. Pena's novel "didn't mean to" defense apparently did not work. Huh.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn Charged With 'Aggravated Pimping'

Louis Peitzman · 03/27/12 12:26AM


It's hard out here for a Dominique Strauss-Kahn. First he was accused of rape, then he was questioned about a prostitution ring, and now he's being charged for his involvement. Now, "aggravated pimping" is a hilarious term, but what does it mean legally? Allow CNN to explain.

Baton-Wielding 'Ninjas' Foil Medical Marijuana Delivery

Emma Carmichael · 03/26/12 04:30PM

A medical marijuana delivery in West Covina, Calif., was foiled early this morning after two men dressed as ninjas and wielding martial arts batons approached a deliveryman and stole a bag of cash and product.