'THE EPITOME OF DANGER': Doctor Charged In Homeowners Shooting

Mahmoud Yousef Hindi (R) appears for his arraignment on charges of murder, assault and wanton endangerment, along with defense attorney Todd Lewis.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A Louisville man accused of opening fire at a homeowners association meeting, killing one and critically wounding another, was ordered held on a $1 million bond Saturday at an initial court hearing where a prosecutor called him "the epitome of danger to the community."

A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of 55-year-old Mahmoud Yousef Hindi to charges of murder, assault and wanton endangerment in the Thursday evening shooting at a church.

Dressed in a blue jail outfit, Hindi showed no emotion and did not speak as he stood before a judge.

Afterward, defense attorney Todd Lewis called the case a "horrendous tragedy" and said the Hindi family's thoughts were with the victims' families. Lewis asked for patience in unraveling the case.

"We look forward to our day in court," he told reporters. "There's always another side to things."

What specifically sparked the attack wasn't clear.

Police say Hindi, a doctor educated in Jordan, had a history of disputes with the homeowners group revolving around a fence that the association said didn't meet its height or design requirements in the upscale neighborhood of Spring Creek.

The association's attorney says the organization brought the zoning violation charges to the city. Hindi wrote several letters to the attorney, expressing anger and contempt for the attorney.

In one letter that ranted about several neighbors, Hindi cited the Quran, the theory of creationism, the idea that America has gone to Communism, threatens to form his own homeowners association and accused neighbors of stealing his "no trespassing signs" in the dispute over the fence.

"You would not believe some of the crap he wrote in these letters," said Mark Wagner, a former president of the homeowners association. "It was rambling stuff."

Wagner, who used to live near Hindi, said his predecessor as association president resigned from the post and abruptly moved from the neighborhood after having property-line disputes with Hindi.

"They were so scared of him that they moved," Wagner said in a phone interview. "They dumped their house. They sold it to the first person who looked at their house ... to get away from this guy."

Police say Hindi was at the homeowners meeting for a short time before he started shooting. Some of the several people in attendance detained him until police arrived. Police did not immediately release other details such as what sort of weapon was used.

Slain was 73-year-old David Merritt, a one-time association president, who was shot once in the head and died at the scene, according to a deputy coroner.

The wounded man, whose name was not immediately released, was in critical condition Saturday at University of Louisville Hospital.

Barbara Pass, who lives down the street from Hindi, said people were intimidated by him.

"He threatened people, he would say things like, `You know I've got a gun and I just might use it.'"

Two of Hindi's brothers and one of his sons watched the brief arraignment via closed-circuit television in another room. They declined comment as they left the local jail where the hearing was held.

"The family is in a state of shock and disbelief as to what has happened," said Khalid Kahloon, another attorney representing Hindi. "This is a ... peace-loving, law-abiding family enjoying their American dream, and then it's shattered by this unfortunate and very tragic incident."

His attorneys asked the judge for a much lower bond. Kahloon called him a "complex man" who "is not a danger to the community in the sense that this crime is not a random, violent crime."

Kahloon cited another neighbor's favorable comments about Hindi. The neighbor, Marty Swiergosz, told The Courier-Journal that he got along well with Hindi and Hindi's family.

"It's real complex because they were nothing but good to me," Swiergosz said of the Hindi family. "They'd give us stuff out of their garden. He always wanted to feed our dogs. That was 98 percent of the time."

Swiergosz described Hindi as a "passionate man," but told the Louisville newspaper that he wouldn't repeat some things Hindi had said.

Prosecutor Joe Martz objected to lowering the bond.

"He is the epitome of danger to the community," Martz said at the arraignment.

The judge kept the bond at $1 million and set a pre-trial hearing for Sept. 14.

Hindi is a Jordanian-American citizen who worked in nuclear medicine, Kahloon said.

Hindi was unable to keep practicing medicine because of health problems – he recently had back surgery – and his medical license had expired, the attorney said.

Kahloon mentioned one other time when Hindi had a brush with the law, when he was given a traffic ticket in another county for exceeding the speed limit by 7 mph. Hindi had failed to appear for a hearing on the citation, resulting in a bench warrant, the attorney said.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Son Charged In Woman's Death

The RCMP have charged a 25-year-old man with the murder of his mother, who went missing from Richmond in June.

Lianjie Guo's remains were discovered in a suitcase on the Sunshine Coast in July but police withheld that information until now. Yuan Xi Tang has been charged with first degree murder and counselling to commit an indictable offence, announced the RCMP and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) in a Friday news release.

Sgt. Jennifer Pound told News1130 that Tang is also suspected of trying to have his father killed.

Powell River RCMP discovered a suitcase with human remains on Harwood Island on July 29. Those remains have now been confirmed as Guo's. The cause of death is not being released for investigative reasons.

Guo's husband was notified Friday of the charge against his son and police say he is still trying to process the information.

Guo and her husband had been in Canada visiting their son for only about seven hours when she disappeared on June 7, CTV reported.

Tang said at the time that the family had no idea what happened to her.

"My father is still very upset and still loves my mom and now he’s missing my mom," he told reporters, translating for his father who speaks Cantonese.

Also on HuffPost:

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Arkansas Cop Charged With Felony Manslaughter For Shooting 15-year-old

Josh Hastings, a police officer who fatally shot a 15-year-old Arkansas boy was charged with felony manslaughter Friday after investigators determined his account of the incident didn't match up with evidence at the scene.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- A police officer who fatally shot a 15-year-old Arkansas boy was charged with felony manslaughter Friday after investigators determined his account of the incident didn't match up with evidence at the scene, Little Rock police said.

Officer Josh Hastings, who has a history of disciplinary issues with his department, shot Bobby Moore Jr. while responding to a suspicious persons call at an apartment complex on Aug. 12. Hastings claimed the car Moore was driving was heading toward him, prompting him to fire through its windshield, but the police chief said evidence shows the car was either moving in reverse or stopped several feet away from Hastings when he fired.

Moore died at the scene. Two other teenagers in the car fled on foot and weren't injured.

"I have reviewed this matter and have concluded that the incident did not occur in the manner represented by the officer and that the use of deadly force did not conform to departmental orders," Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas said, adding that prosecutors agreed "the use of deadly force was not justified."

The 26-year-old officer, who had been suspended six times in five years prior to the August shooting, was booked into jail Friday but later released on $15,000 bond. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Hastings' attorney, Bill James of Little Rock, said the officer was justified.

"I'm confident that when the facts all come out he'll be found innocent. I think he used reasonable force," James said.

Several phone numbers listed for Moore's relatives in the area were disconnected when called Friday.

The police chief said evidence showed that the vehicle had stopped several feet from Hastings "and that the driver was in the process of reversing direction when the shots were fired." Thomas also said evidence didn't support Hasting's claim that Moore's vehicle "continued past him," noting that the teen's car came to rest after colliding with a parked vehicle behind it, showing that it had been moving in reverse.

Prosecutor Larry Jegley said he didn't see a need for his office to recuse itself from the case, saying the same standards and level of scrutiny is applied in all cases.

Thomas said Hastings has been relieved of duty pending administrative proceedings.

According to police records, Hastings was suspended for 15 days earlier this year after he was found sleeping in his patrol car in March.

In August 2011, Hastings was dealt a one-day suspension for not running audio and video equipment while he drove with a suspect in his cruiser. Between May 2011 and November 2011, Hastings was suspended for six days for not attending court hearings, which resulted in six drunken driving prosecutions being scuttled or delayed.

The agency suspended him for 10 days in 2010 for responding to a call outside of his district. A year before, he was sent home for a day for crashing a patrol car. He had another one-day suspension in 2008 for wrongly identifying a suspect and not properly logging documents in the case.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Grandma's Lover Charged With Killing Girl

 Stuart Hazell, 37, has been charged with the murder of 12-year-old Tia Sharp.

LONDON (AP) -- The partner of the grandmother of a missing British schoolgirl was charged Saturday with the 12-year-old's murder, police said.

The charge came as police apologized to Tia Sharp's mother after they failed to find the girl's body in her grandmother's house the first three times they searched it.

Scotland Yard blamed "human error" and apologized for "the distress and concern" caused by the delay in finding Sharp's body, which was discovered Friday in the house – her last known whereabouts – one week after she disappeared in south London.

Stuart Hazell, the 37-year-old partner of Tia's grandmother Christine Sharp, has been charged with murder and will appear in court on Monday.

See Photos From The Investigation (story continues below) :

Loading Slideshow

Tia Sharp, 12, was last seen alive on August 3. Her body was found in the home of her grandmother, Christine Sharp, on August 10. Investigators believe that she was murdered.

Stuart Hazell, 37, has been charged in the murder of 12-year-old Tia Sharp. Hazell is the partner of Tia Sharp's grandmother, Christine Sharp.

Tributes are left for missing 12-year old school girl Tia Sharp, seen in photo on wall, placed near to the home of her grandmother Christine Sharp, after police found a body in the grandmother's house in New Addington near Croydon, south England, Friday Aug. 10 2012. (AP Photo / Lewis Whyld, PA)

Forensic police officers leave the home of Christine Sharp, grandmother of missing 12-year old school girl Tia Sharp, after they sealed off the area around the home in New Addington near Croydon, south England, Friday Aug. 10 2012. (AP Photo / Lewis Whyld, PA)

Police have erected a tent outside the home of Christine Sharp, grandmother of missing 12-year old school girl Tia Sharp, after they found a body at the home in New Addington near Croydon, south England, Friday Aug. 10, 2012. (AP Photo / Lewis Whyld, PA)

Police secure the area near a tent erected by police outside the home of Christine Sharp, grandmother of missing 12-year old school girl Tia Sharp, after they found a body at the home in New Addington near Croydon, south England, Friday Aug. 10 2012. (AP Photo / Lewis Whyld, PA)

Two others, a 46-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of murder and a 39-year-old man suspected of "assisting an offender," have been bailed to return to a London police station, they said.

Neither suspect was identified by name in line with British practice, and police did not disclose what relationship, if any, the suspects had with the victim. The Press Association and the BBC said the woman was Christina Sharp, and the man was a neighbor.

It is not yet known how the schoolgirl died, and a post-mortem examination is expected to take place Sunday.

FROM HUFFPOST: View A Timeline Of The Case

The discovery of Tia Sharp's body led to anger and disbelief in Britain. The family's frantic search and appeals had even managed to displace much of the feel-good Olympic coverage from the front pages of the nation's tabloids, with at one point The Sun offering 25,000 pounds (nearly $40,000) for the tip that led to the girl's safe return.

The Daily Mirror newspaper asked its readers "WHY DID IT TAKE COPS 8 DAYS?" with the figure 8 outlined in red. The Daily Mail was even more critical, writing under a bold-faced "SHAMBLES" headline: "Despite a week-long hunt by 100 police with dogs, Tia is found dead in her granny's house, which officers had searched THREE times."

Police have not specified exactly where in the house the body was found, but Scotland Yard Commander Neil Basu said Friday they had been juggling several different leads with detectives sifting through 60 sightings of the missing girl, 300 calls, and 800 hours of surveillance footage.

_______________

Associated Press writer Cassandra Vinograd contributed to this report.

Get Alerts

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Man Charged In Murder Of UK Schoolgirl

 This is an undated handout photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of missing 12-year-old Tia Sharp. (AP Photo/ Metropolitan Police)

LONDON -- The partner of the grandmother of a missing British schoolgirl was charged Saturday with the 12-year-old's murder, police said.

The charge came as police apologized to Tia Sharp's mother after they failed to find the girl's body in her grandmother's house the first three times they searched it.

Scotland Yard blamed "human error" and apologized for "the distress and concern" caused by the delay in finding Sharp's body, which was discovered Friday in the house – her last known whereabouts – one week after she disappeared in south London.

Stuart Hazell, the 37-year-old partner of Tia's grandmother Christine Sharp, has been charged with murder and will appear in court on Monday.

Two others, a 46-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of murder and a 39-year-old man suspected of "assisting an offender," have been bailed to return to a London police station, they said.

Neither suspect was identified by name in line with British practice, and police did not disclose what relationship, if any, the suspects had with the victim. The Press Association and the BBC said the woman was Christina Sharp, and the man was a neighbor.

It is not yet known how the schoolgirl died, and a post-mortem examination is expected to take place Sunday.

The discovery of Tia Sharp's body led to anger and disbelief in Britain. The family's frantic search and appeals had even managed to displace much of the feel-good Olympic coverage from the front pages of the nation's tabloids, with at one point The Sun offering 25,000 pounds (nearly $40,000) for the tip that led to the girl's safe return.

The Daily Mirror newspaper asked its readers "WHY DID IT TAKE COPS 8 DAYS?" with the figure 8 outlined in red. The Daily Mail was even more critical, writing under a bold-faced "SHAMBLES" headline: "Despite a week-long hunt by 100 police with dogs, Tia is found dead in her granny's house, which officers had searched THREE times."

Police have not specified exactly where in the house the body was found, but Scotland Yard Commander Neil Basu said Friday they had been juggling several different leads with detectives sifting through 60 sightings of the missing girl, 300 calls, and 800 hours of surveillance footage.

_______________

Associated Press writer Cassandra Vinograd contributed to this report.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Morton Grove Man Charged With Firing Shots At Area Mosque

 Left, David Conrad has been charged in connection with the incident. Right, the Muslim Education Center mosque in Morton Grove.

Mere hours after the Chicago Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) expressed fears that recent statements made by Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) could make area Muslims a "target," shots were fired at a suburban Chicago mosque.

According to an alert issued by CAIR, two air rifle shots were fired at the outer wall of the Muslim Education Center mosque in Morton Grove Friday evening, while the building was full of worshippers observing Ramadan.

"This last week of Ramadan is the holiest week of the year for Muslims, and the shots were fired at 8:30, a little after sunset, the busiest time of the day when Muslims come to the mosque to break their long day fast and pray together," MEC President Dr. Mohammad Aleemuddin said in a statement released by CAIR.

David Conrad, 51, of Morton Grove was arrested and police seized a high-velocity air rifle in connection with the shooting, Fox News reports. One pellet narrowly missed hitting a security guard stationed at the center, but no one was injured.

Kamran Hussain, Vice President of the Muslim Community Center of Chicago, which owns the facility, told the Chicago Sun-Times that Conrad and the mosque have a history of conflicts. He said Conrad has lived in a home adjacent to the mosque's parking lot for 12 years, and "he's always been a thorn in our side."

Morton Grove Police said in a statement that they were aware of the "sensitive nature of these incidents" and contacted the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office to further the investigative process, Morton Grove Patch reports.

Conrad had been charged with three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class X felony, and one Class 4 felony count of criminal damage to property, CBS Chicago reports. The mosque’s president, Mohammad Aleemuddin, told the station he thinks Conrad should also be charged with a hate crime.

No one was hurt, but the oblong pellet projectiles damaged the wall of the mosque, according to the Chicago Tribune. The mosque has been damaged before, but multiple incidents went unreported, Morton Grove police said in a release.

Related on HuffPost:

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Former Notre Dame Student Charged With Killing His Dad In 'Violent' Struggle

Former Notre Dame student Patrick Mikes Jr. was arrested on Wednesday night and charged with killing his father after a "violent encounter" in the basement of the family's home in Troy, Michigan, say police.

The 21-year-old senior psychology and pre-med double major, who has not been a student at the school since August 2, was arrested at a restaurant after DNA blood analysis evidence from the home showed that his blood was found with his father's, "indicating a struggle between the two men," reports WSBT-TV.

Mikes Jr. has initially told investigators that his father had never returned from a bike ride on July 27. But the elder Mikes's riding shoes and helmet - as well as the blood evidence - were found in the family home, casting doubt on the son's story.

After a lengthy search by dozens of investigators and 12 police dogs, the police found Mikes Sr.'s body and his bicycle in a cornfield on Friday, just 30 feet from where the previous day's search had been halted, reports the Detroit Free Press. The cornfield is about 62 miles from the family's home.

Mikes Jr. was also seen on surveillance video buying a large quantity of cleaning supplies on July 27, police told Clawson Patch.

“We are confident that Mr. Mikes Sr. was killed by his son,” Capt. Bob Redmond told the Oakland Press.

Mikes Jr. is being held without bond in the Oakland County Jail. His attorney entered a plea of not guilty on Wednesday.

"There are no psychological problems, no past criminal behavior," said his attorney, Christopher Andreoff, reports the Detroit News. "He has led a very wonderful life."

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

HIV-Positive Ex-Youth Pastor Charged With Internet Luring

A former youth pastor who once worked in Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick has been charged with attempting to lure a teenage boy over the internet for sex.

The 42-year-old man, who lives in the Durham region east of Toronto, was arrested Thursday after allegedly making arrangements on social media to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex.

In fact, Ontario police said, the "boy" was an undercover police officer, and when the accused showed up at the meeting place, an arrest was made.

He has been charged with attempted aggravated sexual assault as well as luring a child via computer.

Police said the man is HIV positive, and it's believed he contracted the virus in the 1990s.

"The accused had an extensive social media presence, and investigators are concerned there may be further victims," the Durham Regional Police Service said in a release.

The man used the profile name "collegetoy2033" on social media sites.

He had been a church youth counsellor in Sussex, N.B., Rochester, N.Y., Amherstview, Ont. and Saskatoon.

The man has been held in custody pending a bail hearing.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Ontario Provincial Police's internet child exploitation unit at 1-888-579-1520 (ext. 5363) or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Man Charged With Murdering Missing Student May Face Death Penalty

Brandon S. Lavergne, 35, is charged with murder in the May 19 disappearance of Mickey Shunick and the 1999 death of Lisa Ann Pate.

Prosecutors say they're seeking the death penalty for a registered sex offender accused of murdering two women in Louisiana.

Brandon S. Lavergne, 33, is charged with murder in the May disappearance of 22-year-old Michaela "Mickey" Shunick, as well as in the 1999 death of Lisa Ann Pate. Lavergne is also suspected of moving both bodies, according to the Associated Press.

Shunick, a 22-year-old anthropology major at the University of Lousiana, was last seen around 2 am on May 19, bicycling home after visiting a friend. Authorities believe that Shunick was murdered, though her body has not yet been found.

In July, Lavergne was arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping and murder after police identified him as the driver of a pick-up truck that had tailed Shunick.

In surprising development, prosecutors also charged him with murdering 35-year-old Pate, who was reported missing 13 years ago and later found buried beneath boards in a field.

Now, state prosecutors say they are planning to seek the death penalty against Lavergne, according to documents submitted on Thursday. Prosecuting attorney Keith Stutes also intends to establish that the defendant has a pattern of criminal behavior, KLFY reports.

After being convicted of oral sex battery in 1999, Lavergne allegedly attempted to conceal his sex offender status on multiple occasions.

Get Alerts

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

University of Kentucky Employee Charged With Four Bank Robberies

Authorities have charged a University of Kentucky employee in connection with the robbery of four Lexington banks.

According to the Lexington Division of Police, Crystal Little, 29, was taken into police custody Saturday, after a robbery at a local PNC Bank. A witness description of the robber's car led officers to Little's house, police said.

Due to similarities between the PNC heist and other local bank robberies, investigators believe Little is responsible for at least three other unsolved cases that date back to 2010. In each instance, the suspect wore a pink hat, sunglasses and a surgical mask.

According to ABC 36, Little is employed as an Administrative Assistant at the University of Kentucky.

Little’s friend, Melinda Belleville, told The Herald-Leader that Little has been suffering from growing financial and family problems.

"I want everyone to know that this is not Crystal Little," Belleville said. "This is not a bad person. I could never believe in a million years that she would become involved in something like this. But she would not or could not ask for help until it was too late."

Little is being held in lieu of a $30,000 bond. She entered a not guilty plea Monday and is scheduled to appear in court again on Aug. 8.

Also on HuffPost:

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Suspected Colorado Shooter Formally Charged

Prosecutors filed formal charges on Monday against James Holmes, the lone suspect in the fatal shooting of 12 moviegoers during a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo.

Holmes, who was represented by a public defender at the hearing at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, was charged with 24 counts of first-degree murder and 116 counts of attempted murder.

His attorneys asked for more time before entering a plea. For each of the 12 fatally shot moviegoers, Holmes faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree murder with "extreme indifference." The maximum penalty is death, the Denver Post reported.

A 24-year-old former doctoral student at the University of Colorado, Denver, Holmes was held on suspicion of first-degree murder charges since the July 20 shooting spree during a midnight screening of the new Batman movie. Holmes, dressed in ballistic gear and armed with an assault rifle and three other guns, set off gas canisters before opening fire in the sold-out theater, police said.

Holmes spoke just once Monday morning. When asked if he agreed to waive his rights to a preliminary hearing within 35 days, he answered "yes."

Read the criminal complaint filed against James Holmes

Prosecutors were expected to file the charges last week, but at a July 23 hearing they requested and were granted a continuance. District Court Judge William Sylvester issued an order forbidding Holmes from having contact with victims or witnesses. He also barred law enforcement and attorneys from speaking publicly about the case, in an effort to protect Holmes’ constitutional right to a fair trial.

Prior to the media gag order, 18th Judicial District Attorney Carol Chambers said her office was considering the death penalty against Holmes. It remains unclear if a decision has been made.

In contrast to Holmes' first appearance in court last week, no cameras were permitted in the courtroom. His arrival Monday was kept largely out of sight as officials brought him to court through an underground tunnel. For the past week, images of his bright orange hair and facial expressions appeared repeatedly in the news media.

Holmes allegedly told his Colorado jailers that he does not know why he is behind bars. According to the Daily News, an employee of the Arapahoe County Detention Center said the jailers believe Holmes is faking amnesia.

Holmes is being detained without bond.

Also on HuffPost:

Get Alerts

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.