Cop Who Killed Tamir Rice Gets a New Job – as a cop
The former Cleveland police officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice has been hired by a police department in a small Ohio village, the AP reports. Bellaire’s police chief, Richard Flanagan, confirmed Friday that he hired Timothy Loehmann as a part-time officer. “He was cleared of any and all wrongdoing,” Flanagan tells the Times Leader. “He was never charged. It’s over and done with.” According to published reports, Loehmann, who is white, shot Tamir, who was black, two seconds after responding to a 2014 call about the boy carrying what turned out to be a pellet gun.
A grand jury declined to indict Loehmann, who was fired last year after it was discovered he had been deemed “unfit for duty” on an earlier job. That happened in Independence, Ohio, where he was told in 2012 to quit or be fired after a deputy chief deemed him unable to follow directions, communicate, or execute proper handgun control. Loehmann chose to resign from the police force, per an old Guardian article. Loehmann also failed an exam by the Maple Heights, Ohio, police department in 2009. “Ms. Rice believes that Timothy Loehmann does not belong on any police force, anywhere, period,” the Rice family attorney tells Cleveland 19. Bellaire is a village of about 4,000 along the Ohio River, more than 150 miles south of Cleveland.
via: http://www.newser.com/story/265625/cop-who-killed-tamir-rice-gets-a-new-job.html
‘Mean Girls’ Accused of Faking Sex Assaults to Implicate Boy
A lawsuit filed by the parents of a Pennsylvania boy who was accused of sexually assaulting two teen girls alleges the accusers and their friends conspired against the boy by falsifying the allegations. Per Trib Live, the suit filed in a Pittsburgh federal court claims the boy, identified as T.F., was the target of lies that lead to false charges against him and his being bullied at Seneca Valley High School. Dubbing them “Mean Girls” in a play on the conniving characters of the book and film of the same name, the suit filed on behalf of T.F.’s parents alleges one teen girl first claimed he assaulted her in July 2017 while another claimed she witnessed it. Per PennLive, the suit says the accuser was later recorded by school officials as she explained that she made up the assault against T.F., saying “I just don’t like him.”
While T.F. was charged in juvenile court, he was given a consent decree in which he admitted no fault while committing to checking in with the probation department for six months. In April, a second girl claimed T.F. entered her home and assaulted her after which two other girls supported her claim, the suit alleges, leading to his being hauled out of school in shackles and placed on home confinement pending a hearing. In May, the suit says three of the girls admitted they had lied to authorities. Prosecutors moved to dismiss charges against T.F. in August. His parents’ lawsuit cites gender bias and asks for civil damages against the girls’ parents, the school district, and the Butler County District Attorney’s office.
via: http://www.newser.com/story/265604/mean-girls-accused-of-faking-sex-assaults-to-implicate-boy.html
Gas station owner asks customer not to warm urine in store microwave; customer asked to see a sign saying so
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Florida gas station owner has placed a sign in his store asking customers not to warm urine in the microwave.
Parul Patel says he’s become “sick and tired” of people walking into his BP gas station and On the Fly convenience store in Jacksonville to warm their containers of urine. The store is within walking distance of two labs, though one says it doesn’t collect samples for drug tests.
Patel tells First Coast News the people “walk in off the street, microwave their urine containers then leave.”
Warming urine from someone who hasn’t taken drugs is seen by some as a way to help pass a drug test.
Patal says a woman became aggressive a few months ago when he asked her not to warm urine. She asked to see a sign that says it’s not for that purpose. So he made one.
via: https://pix11.com/2018/10/07/gas-station-owner-asks-customer-not-to-warm-urine-in-store-microwave/
Indiana 17-Year-Old Allegedly Raped Multiple Schoolmates, Told Girl ‘Just Loosen Up’
Two felony counts of rape have been filed in Indiana against a 17-year-old high school student who has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least four female schoolmates.
PEOPLE obtained a probable cause affidavit against Levi Stewart, who has been charged as an adult and faces up to 32 years in prison if convicted.
The Plainfield teen was released from custody on Sept. 10 on $5,000 bond. He will be asked to enter pleas to the charges at his next court hearing, scheduled for Nov. 14.
Authorities accuse Stewart of “threatening, intimidating and harassing young female students in his classes to engage in sexual activity with him,” the probable cause affidavit states.
According to the affidavit, Stewart allegedly coerced two 17-year-old girls into performing sex acts on him. He was arrested Sept. 6 on the rape charges.
Police interviewed two other girls — a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old — who said Stewart forced them into engaging in sexual activity in a public park in Plainfield.
The allegations against Stewart span a period of 18 months.
The affidavit alleges investigators were contacted by school officials in late August after female students came forward to accuse Stewart of “harassing and touching” them following an Aug. 17 football game at Plainfield High School. It wasn’t clear from the affidavit whether the girls who initially accused Stewart are among the four identified as accusers in the affidavit.
One of the four accusers in the affidavit told police Stewart used physical force with her when she refused his sexual demands, allegedly hitting her arm or slapping her. Another time he was rejected, Stewart allegedly grabbed the girl by the neck and screamed at her, according to the affidavit.
Another accuser described how Stewart would allegedly forcibly kiss her while unbuttoning her pants. The affidavit further alleges Stewart forced that accuser to perform oral sex on him by grabbing her by the back of the head and pushing her face towards his crotch.
“Do it,” he demanded, according to the affidavit. “You’re already down there.”
The affidavit details allegations of how another accuser once was forcibly molested by Stewart: When she asked him to stop, he allegedly told her to “just loosen up,” the affidavit states.
A Plainfield Schools spokeswoman provided The Indianapolis Star with a statement on the arrest, stating administrators “cooperated fully with law enforcement authorities throughout their investigation.”
The statement adds: “It is our obligation and responsibility to protect the privacy of students, and we do not anticipate making further comment on this matter.”
Neither Stewart nor his attorney were available for comment Thursday.
2-year-old sends over $1,000 in cash through shredder
HOLLADAY, Utah (KSL) — A Holladay family is figuring out how to replace more than $1,000 in cash that their 2-year-old son sent through the shredder.
Ben and Jackee Belnap said they had been saving up cash to pay Ben’s parents back for University of Utah football season tickets. They had $1,060 in an envelope ready to go, when that envelope disappeared over the weekend. Ben and Jackee started searching the house.
“I’m digging through the trash and she hollers and says, ‘I found it,’” Ben said. “She’s holding the shredder and she says, ‘I think the money is in here.’”
Jackee said their 2-year-old son, Leo, is familiar with their shredder.
“Leo helps me shred junk mail and just things with our name on it, or important documents we want to get rid of,” she said.
Leo apparently sent the envelope through the shredder sometime when they weren’t looking.
“We just, for like five minutes, we just shuffled through it, not talking. We didn’t know what to do and then I broke the silence and I’m like, ‘Well, this will make a great wedding story one day,’” Jackee said.
It turns out the couple might not be out all that money. There is a government office that deals with mutilated cash.
“I called the guy the next morning and he said, ‘Oh, we might be able to help you here,’ and I was shocked,” Ben said. “He said, ‘Bag it up in little Ziploc bags, mail it to D.C., and in one to two years, you’ll get your money back.’”
Two years might be a long time to wait, but when that money does come back, little Leo will probably still be banned from going anywhere near their shredder.
Video produced by Summer Delaney.
via: https://pix11.com/2018/10/04/2-year-old-sends-nearly-1000-in-cash-through-shredder/
‘Unhappy’ father rigged car to explode, killing 2-year-old son and friend
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A Pennsylvania father used a homemade explosive device to kill himself, his child and one of his friends, authorities announced Thursday.
“It’s a miracle that no other bystanders were seriously wounded or killed,” said John Gallagher, chief for the Allentown branch of the U.S. attorney’s office. “What happened here in Allentown on Saturday night was nothing short of a nightmare,” he added.
Officials confirmed 26-year-old Jacob Schmoyer was behind Saturday’s explosion that took his life, along with his 2-year-old son, Jonathan, and his 66-year-old friend, David Hallman.
Officials from several law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S attorney’s office and Allentown police spoke at a press conference Thursday.
“All three subjects were inside the vehicle – Schmoyer in the driver’s seat, Mr. Hallman in the passenger side of the vehicle and the baby was in a car seat in the back on the driver’s side,” said Don Robinson, ATF special agent.
Through preliminary lab testing, authorities say it was determined that explosives were placed somewhere near the center console of the vehicle.
“These were not commercial products, commercial explosives, these were homemade explosives, a couple different types,” added Robinson.
Officials say they also discovered Schmoyer sent four letters through the mail the day of the explosion, one of which was sent to the Allentown Police Department and three others that were sent to family members. Each one detailing the construction of the explosive device and his plans.
Police say they received the first letter through the mail on Tuesday, and another on Wednesday. Two more were received Wednesday by family.
“He was very unhappy with his life, described himself in some negative terms, admitted to a number of other criminal acts, a number of other petty thefts to burglaries to other criminal acts that he had committed along the way and indicated a desire not to stick around,” Robinson said. “Unfortunately, in these letters, [he described] his intent to take Mr. Hallman and his son with him.”
“It’s sad, sad day for all families, there’s really no way to describe what runs through somebody’s mind when they’re doing this, but we are confident that we have determined who is involved and who is responsible, and that is Jacob Schmoyer,” he added.
Police say they are awaiting final lab work to come in for the explosives and letters, which they are hoping to have in the next few days.
They are asking anyone who finds an item they believe to be related to the incident, not to touch it and report it to police right away.
Cheerleader allegedly brings pot brownies to school to win votes for Homecoming queen
HARTFORD, Mich. – The term “higher education” is taking on a new meaning in Van Buren County after police say a cheerleader allegedly brought some pot-laced brownies to school.
Hartford Police can’t recall anything like this ever happening in their town. They say that the student, a 17-year-old female, gave those brownies to some athletes at the school. The brownies were included inside goodie bags for the football team during Homecoming week, according to WXMI.
“The principal mentioned they were getting some tips in about some possible brownies that may have been laced with marijuana oil,” said Michael Prince, a patrolman for the Hartford Police Department.
Prince says the high school got a tip through the OK2Say app which allows people to submit information anonymously. The tip alleged a 17-year-old cheerleader brought pot brownies to school, some for football players. They say the leftovers were used to sway votes in an effort to become homecoming queen.
“The school’s taking this very seriously, they are doing their own investigation and they’re just starting to turn over some of the statements from the students possibly involved or witnesses,” said Prince.
Twelve brownies were allegedly brought to school. Investigators say staff members were able to recover three of them, leaving nine brownies unaccounted for and possibly consumed by students. Those three desserts have been sent to the state police crime lab for testing to confirm there are drugs inside.
“I’ve read about things across this country, it has not happened with anything that I know of in this area,” said Prince. “I’ve been an officer a long time and whenever you think you’ve heard it all, something just about daily comes up like ‘Wow.'”
The students involved could be in hot water: having drugs is one thing, but officials say having them and distributing them in a drug-free zone could mean felony charges for those involved. Officer Prince is now encouraging parents to talk to their kids about the issue.
“I think they need to talk to their children that are students and if they think that they could possibly been involved, then take them to the hospital and get them tested,” said Prince.
As for that student who’s the main suspect, Prince says she and her mother are out of state right now for what they’re calling a family emergency. He’s hoping to interview them when they return.
There’s no word yet on any punishments, but the school did send home a letter that says all the students involved are being dealt with according to district policies and student handbooks.
Postal worker quits, boxes of mail found dumped on side of New Jersey road
PENNSAUKEN, N.J. – A postal worker left a heap of boxes packed with mail on the side of a South New Jersey road, according to the Courier-Post.
A Facebook user shared a photo of the discarded United States Postal Service mail on Sunday with the caption, “If you[‘re] looking for your mail it maybe on river road by 36st station … ”
The photo, posted by a user named Positive Energy Bennett, has been shared more than 3,000 times.
USPS investigators learned that the mail carrier had resigned Sept. 8.
“We do not anticipate any further action against this individual,” Special Agent Scott Balfour told the paper Wednesday. “The Roxborough Station Post Office is going to deliver the mail.”
Authorities did not say what might have led the ex-employee to dump hundreds of letters.
Funeral director guilty of 16 counts of abuse of corpse after taking graphic cellphone photos
STROUDSBURG, Pa. — A former Pennsylvania funeral director was sentenced Wednesday after she pleaded guilty to taking photos with bodies as they were being prepared for burial.
Angeliegha “Angel” Stewart pleaded guilty in Monroe County court to 16 counts of abuse of a corpse. She will spend the next ten years on probation.
Investigators say last year, Stewart snapped images of bodies at the Lanterman and Allen Funeral Home in East Stroudsburg as they were being prepared for burial, then showed them to friends as a joke.
One photo showed a corpse whose organs had been removed. Another showed a body covered in maggots.
Stewart admitted to showing the pictures to her friends to, “gross them out.”
Among those photos was one of the husband of Rev. Cait Finnegan.
“I don’t think she is going to change without being forced to think about what she has done. She’s on probation and the only thing she is forced to do now is not get caught again,” Rev. Finnegan told WNEP.
Stewart sobbed as she told the victims’ families she was sorry. She said, ”If I could take away the pain, I would but it’s too late. My life came crashing down last year. I just hope you can get closure. I know you probably hate me. I just hope you can get over this and move on. I’m really sorry and there is nothing more I can say.”
“If she had true remorse, she would have, she should have had the courage to look at each family member when they were talking to her,” said victim Theresa Englehardt.
“I am used to seeing crocodile tears. I think she is sorry she got caught to some extent,” Rev. Finnegan said.
Stewart will spend the next 10 years on probation, serve 250 hours of community service, and she had to give up her funeral director’s license.
Oklahoma principal used ‘unreasonable force’ when paddling students, affidavit alleges
A principal in McAlester, Oklahoma, has been charged after two elementary students were left with welts and bruises following an alleged spanking with a wooden paddle.
Indianola Public Schools Principal Gary Gunckel, 50, was charged last week with two counts of child abuse by injury in relation to the alleged paddling, which reportedly occurred in September, according to a probable cause affidavit reviewed by local newspaper McAlester News-Capital.
Gunckel has also been placed on administrative leave “while the legal process determines the outcomes,” according to a statement from Indianola Public Schools.
Gunckel allegedly used “unreasonable force” when paddling the two male students, ages 10 and 11, according to the newspaper. Their identities have not been revealed.
The charges come after a mother of one of the boys contacted Cody Vaughn, a deputy with the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, with concerns over the “bruising and whelps on her son’s buttocks,” the newspaper reported.
While the mother reportedly gave Gunckel permission to “swat” her son with a paddle as a punishment for being involved in an argument with the other boy, she contacted the sheriff’s office because she felt the bruising indicated Gunckel had used “excessive” force.
The mother also claimed the mother of the other boy contacted her to say her son was also bruised, according to the affidavit.
Gunckel allegedly apologized later on “for busting the boys” and said he spanked the elementary students the same way he spanked high school students. He reportedly told the parent he was sorry that her son bruises easily. She said he explained to the boy that it was “supposed to hurt so that he would remember not to do what he was doing anymore,” the affidavit stated.
“Although federal law prohibits any school district from disclosing specific information related to an individual child’s discipline or their student records, Mr. Gunckel followed district policy,” Superintendent Adam Newman said in the Indianola Public Schools’ statement.
“While the district has a policy in place that outlines the student discipline, including the types of discipline methods available for administrators to utilize, the administration will seek out input from our community and parents, to determine their thoughts and opinions on whether or not we will move to change the discipline policy,” Newman said in the statement.
He declined to comment further on the accusations against Gunckel when contacted by Fox News on Wednesday.
A preliminary hearing conference is scheduled for Oct. 12.