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WATCH: Attorney Says OJ Simpson Knew About Guns

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The attorney who represented OJ Simpson in a trial stemming from a bizarre 2007 Las Vegas hotel room raid testified Friday that he advised Simpson to call police after the former NFL Hall of Fame player mentioned plans to retrieve sports memorabilia.

Attorney Yale Galanter added that Simpson confided to him that he knew two individuals in the group involved in the raid -- intended to retrieve sports memorabilia from a dealer -- had guns.

Galanter's advice to Simpson -- who was sentenced to prison after the 2008 trial -- and the steakhouse meeting before the raid have been key parts of this week's hearing in Las Vegas. The ex-USC Trojan wants a judge to throw out the robbery-kidnapping convictions on the claim that Galanter failed to disclose that he knew about the hotel room raid in advance, told Simpson it was legal and provided bad advice at trial.

Galanter, who previously won an acquittal in a Simpson road rage case, was asked Friday by attorneys for the state about a steakhouse dinner with Simpson the night before the raid. Simpson was in Las Vegas for a wedding, Galanter was working on a case, so the two decided to meet, Galanter said.

"In the middle of him explaining the rehearsal dinner, he said that he and some of his boys may be doing a sting in the morning," said Galanter. "When he first mentioned it, it went over my head. It was social, and about a minute later I leaned over and said, 'What are you talking about? What sting? What are you doing?'"

Simpson told him "some of his boys had an opportunity to get some of his property back," Galanter testified.

"He said he finally had a lead on some personal items of his that had been stolen from his house in California," Galanter added. "He wanted to know what I thought about it. I told him to call the police."

In testimony that contradicts Simpson's repeated assertion that he was not aware two members of the group involved in the confrontation were carrying guns, Galanter claimed Simpson told him he asked his companions to bring guns.

Simpson testified Wednesday that guns were "never a subject" in conversations leading up to the hotel raid.

Galanter's testimony is an opportunity to defend his role in the case Friday during what is expected to be the final day of testimony. It is not clear when the judge will issue a ruling, but the outcome is part of a process that will determine whether the 65-year-old Simpson spends the rest of his life in prison.

He has already served four years in prison, but must serve nine of the maximum 33-year sentence before he is eligible for parole.

During Thursday's proceedings, prosecutors told the judge they want to call a surprise witness. Simpsons' attorneys objected, claiming it was too late to add a witness.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Leon Simon told the Simpson attorneys a woman contacted the DA's office after Simpson testified Wednesday, according to Simpson's defense.  Outside the courtroom, Simon had no comment.

The judge is expected to rule Friday on the prosecution's request.

Simpson did not testify during the criminal trial -- a decision a member of his trial legal team said was a mistake during testimony earlier this week -- but he was on the stand for about six hours Wednesday. Simpson provided his version of events leading up to a confrontation at the Palace Station hotel during which the former Heisman trophy winner and an impromptu posse retrieved sports memorabilia and other items.

Simpson said the items disappeared after his 1995 "trial of the century" acquittal in the slayings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.

After going over witness statements, Galanter said he decided against putting Simpson on the stand.

"It was my opinion that him taking the witness stand would be problematic," said Galanter. "I just seriously thought we'd get crucified. I felt the evidence was overwhelming. I just thought it would be suicide."

Simpson testified he did not want anyone in his group to bring guns. One of the dealers, Bruce Fromong, testified during the original trial that a gun was pointed at him and he was told he would be shot if he did not cooperate.

It's not clear what facets of Simpson's testimony the potential witness would contradict. Simon was to meet with her late Thursday.

On Thursday, Simpson's position was bolstered by Malcolm LaVergne, who joined Simpson's legal team after the conviction to work on the appeal.  LaVergne suggested it might have been appropriate for Galanter to testify for Simpson, describing the advice he gave, rather than representing him.

LaVergne was asked if, in his opinion, Galanter's decisions were affected by a conflict of interest.

"From what I now know, absolutely," LaVergne testified.

As for the items Simpson wanted, a judge eventually ruled that the items should be delivered to Simpson's civil case attorney.



Photo Credit: Getty

10-Year-Old Boy Recalls Rescue From Rubble

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Joseph Youngblood, 10, huddled with his friend's family inside their bathroom, the only room in the house not ripped from its foundation.

"Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker" Turned in by Barista: Police

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Authorities say the internet celebrity known as "Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker" was turned in to Philadelphia police by a coffee barista who recognized him as being a man wanted for murder in New Jersey.

Union County Prosecutor Ted Romankow told NBC 4 New York on Friday that Caleb Lawrence McGillvary was buying coffee in a Philadelphia Starbucks Thursday evening when a worker recognized him and notified her supervisor.

The supervisor called police, and officers arrived and found McGillvary, who is accused of killing Joseph Galfy, a lawyer from Clark, N.J. 

"He wasn't lying low," said Romankow. "He was out there."

Galfy was found in his home on Monday, dead of blunt force trauma. Prosecutors say Galfy met McGillvary in Times Square Saturday night, and brought him back to his house to spend the night.

They say they believe the two men had a sexual encounter.

Authorities said McGillvary, who has appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," pondered on his Facebook page Tuesday the idea of waking up in a stranger's house with a groggy head and injuries, and the realization of being drugged and raped. "What would you do?" he wrote, according to officials.

McGillvary gained internet notoriety earlier this year when he was hitchhiking with a man who allegedly attempted to run over a utility worker in California.

According to the Fresno Bee, McGillvary pulled a hatchet out of his backpack and struck the driver in the head after the dispute, and others held the man until police arrived. Video from a profanity-laced interview McGillvary gave to a local TV station recounting his role went viral.

Authorities said he will be processed in Philadelphia and returned to New Jersey in the coming days.

--Pat Battle contributed to this report



Photo Credit: Facebook

West Haven Man Sentenced for Stealing from Elderly Aunt’s Estate

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 A West Haven man who stole around $310,000 from the estate of his elderly aunt was sentenced on Friday to serve 15 months in prison and pay up to $131,000 in restitution.

Phillip Wendland, 54, had pleaded guilty to one count of larceny in the first degree and was sentenced in Milford Superior Court.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Wendland held a springing power of attorney for his aunt, which came into effect in 2007 when she was incapacitated.

When the aunt died in 2008, Wendland assumed the role of executor of her estate and stole approximately $310,000 from the estate, according to court documents.

Superior Court Judge Frank Iannotti sentenced Wendland to six years in prison, suspended after 15 months served, and five years of probation.

Wendland also was ordered to pay $83,000 in restitution as a condition of probation.
 



Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Fire Destroys Historic Willimantic Church

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Emotions ran high in Willimantic on Friday morning, after a landmark church was destroyed by two fires.

“There’s significant damage,” Willimantic Fire Chief, Marc Scrivener said.

The 110-year-old St. Mary’s Church on Valley Street suffered broken windows and major roof damage, after two fires ripped through the building on Thursday night and early Friday morning.

“I was pretty surprised. [The street] was … dark from the smoke,” Carmen Cardona said.

The first fire broke out on Thursday evening in the back portion of the building. The flames were so powerful that firefighters from nine departments rushed in, surrounding every corner of the church to contain it.

Crews thought it was over until 4 a.m. on Friday, when smoke started billowing from the roof and a second fire ignited.

Chief Scrivener said it’s common for fires to reignite in older buildings,  like St. Mary’s.

“We have a lot of old structures [like that in Willimantic], that have a lot of hidden, void spaces. … We fully anticipated that and that’s why we were on the scene all night.”

Crews remained at the scene into the morning, checking for hot spots.

Now the fires are out and many are wondering when the church will re-open.

There’s a crack along the side of the building, which raises concerns about the integrity of the structure. No one is allowed in until a fire marshal completes the inspection.

The uncertainty upset many people in town who can’t imagine Willimantic without St. Mary’s Church.

“When I saw the church getting burned, I started crying,” Cardona said.

“It’s been there as long as I know,” said Mike Jolie.

Jolie told NBC Connecticut he’s ready to pitch in to make sure St. Mary’s Church is able to re-open soon.

“I’m going to go in and see if they need any help to put it back together, whether it’s clean-up or cleaning. … Whatever it takes,” he said.

An investigation is underway to determine what caused the initial fire.

Sister Mary Mark, principal of St. Mary's School, said the church has been undergoing renovations.



Photo Credit: Anthony Santa Lucia

Possible Human Remains Found in Trumbull

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State police are in Trumbull, investigating the discovery of possible human remains.

The end of Quarry Road in Trumbull is blocked off and police dogs are at the scene.

The site is close to the Bridgeport line.

No additional information was immediately available.


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Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

FBI Rules Out Foul Play in Connecticut Train Crash

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The FBI has ruled out foul play in their investigation into Friday night's rush hour train crash in Connecticut that injured 72 people.

National Transportation Safety Board officials are looking into a broken part of the rail that underwent repairs last month, but have not determined whether it was a pre-existing fracture or if it occurred as a result of the accident, according to NTSB spokesperson Earl Weener, who provided an update at a news conference on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, one man with serious head injuries is awake and talking, said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who spoke to patients at St. Vincent Hospital. The train conductor, who helped several riders off the train before being transported, remains hospitalized with a lower back injury.

NTSB officials arrived on the scene on Saturday morning to begin investigating the cause of the train crash, injuries sustained by the commuters and operator performance.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy and other officials spoke at a news conference on Saturday morning where they described a grisly scene after a Metro-North commuter train heading east from New York City derailed and was hit by an oncoming train heading west from New Haven.

"The damage is absolutely staggering," Sen. Blumenthal said. "Ribbons on the sides of cars are torn away like ribbons of clothes."

The NTSB's investigation could take seven to 10 days but that does not mean that service shutdown will take that long, board spokesman Earl Weener said..

The eastbound Metro-North train derailed just after 6:00 p.m. and was hit between the Bridgeport and Fairfield stations, officials said.

"We came to a sudden halt. We were jerked. There was smoke," Alex Cohen, a Canadian passenger on the westbound train en route to New York, told NBC Connecticut.

"People were screaming; people were really nervous. We were pretty shaken up. They had to smash a window to get us out," he said.

St. Vincent Hospital in Bridgeport, Conn. said on Saturday that it saw a total of 46 patients, six of whom were admitted for treatment. All patients remained in the hospital and were reportedly in stable condition.

Bridgeport Hospital saw 26 patients and admitted three. Two of those patients were in critical condition a day after the accident, and one was in stable condition, according to The Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the derailment.

"I have no reason to believe this is anything other than an accident," Gov. Malloy said Friday night.

Chaos Along the New Haven Line

Malloy warned Friday that the crash had caused extensive track damage along one of the nation's busiest corridors, and commuters throughout the Northeast could face difficult travel in the days ahead.

Eastbound Metro-North service is disrupted at South Norwalk, while westbound service is suspended past Bridgeport.

On Friday, the collision roiled the weekend commute for a wave of workers heading home from New York — not just the hundreds of passengers on each of the trains that collided, but hundreds more on the trains behind them.

The small South Norwalk station was a chaotic scene in the minutes just after the crash, as hundreds of passengers scrambled — many of them in vain — to hail cabs to complete their trips home.

Service Disruptions Could Last Days

Amtrak service between New York and New Haven will be suspended through Sunday, according to a press release, and there is no estimate on what time service will be restored. There is limited Northeast Regional service available between Boston and New Haven.

That was largely, officials said, because two of the four tracks in the segment of the rail line were already out of service for long-term improvement projects.

Normal service was not expected to resume until a full investigation was made, the track fully assessed and repairs made. That could take some time, since the train cars can't be removed until after an investigation, and since they must be removed by crane, the MTA said in a statement.

Stay with NBC Connecticut for more updates on this developing story.



Photo Credit: Debby Burke

Car Crashes Into East Haven Home

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An 8-year-old East Haven girl suffered just a bump on her head when a car crashed into her family’s house on Thursday night but the crash left a lasting impact on the house.

Antonia Torello was watching TV in her parents’ bedroom when a car came through the house around 9 p.m., throwing Antonia and her tiny dog, Chewy, across the room.

"It scared the begeebees out of me," Antonia said. “I was watching “Wipeout” and I actually got wiped out."

Antonia said she was flung across the room.

"Like a slingshot flinged me across the room, so I found myself next to my dog, crumpled up in a ball," she said.

Antonia's father, Bobby Torello, said he actually saw the car veering out of control along busy North High Street just seconds before it hit his ranch-style home.

"And I actually watched it crash right in -- and knowing my daughter was in the other room, I lost it completely," he said.

Antonia said she heard a screech get louder and louder.

"Then I heard it really louder and then I heard glass broke," she said.

The Torellos said the impact of the crash took out a stop sign and a street sign.

"It was the freakiest thing I've ever seen," Bobby Torello said.

The crash left broken glass on the front lawn and a gaping hole in the house that is now covered by ply wood.

East Haven police are investigating what caused the driver to lose control.
 



Photo Credit: NBCConnecticut.com

Lockdowns Lifted at Torrington Schools

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A search for a suspect led to three schools in Torrington being locked down Friday afternoon.

Forbes School at 500 Midgeon Avenue, Vogel-Wetmore School at 68 Church Street and St. Peter/St. Francis School at 360 Prospect Street were all placed into lockdown, according to school officials.

Officers responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the area.  While searching the vehicle, officers found drugs, and got into an altercation with the driver, 29-year-old James Tripp, police said.

Tripp fled on foot and police began a search for him. 

The schools were placed into a "shelter in place" situation, meaning no one was allowed in or out of the building, but students were free to move about the school, according to the assistant superintendent.

Police located Tripp behind St. Mary's Church on Forest Court around 4 p.m. and the lockdowns were lifted.



Photo Credit: NBC 5

N.Y. Jets' Goodson Arrested on Drug, Gun Charges: Police

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New York Jets running back Mike Goodson was arrested in New Jersey after state police responding to a 911 call found a loaded gun and marijuana in the SUV he was riding in early Friday, authorities said.

State police said a tow truck operator driving on Route 80 in Denville called 911 after seeing the SUV, where Goodson was a passenger, stopped in the left lane on the highway shortly after 3 a.m. Troopers responded and arrested the driver, who has a prior felony conviction, on a DWI charge.

Authorities found the gun and drugs in the car while they were evaluating Goodson, state police said.

Goodson and the driver were both charged with possession of a handgun, hollow point bullets, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Information on attorneys wasn't immediately available.

A team spokesperson told NBC 4 New York the Jets "are aware of the report and are gathering information."

The Jets, looking to upgrade their running game, signed the versatile Goodson and traded for hard-running Chris Ivory, formerly of the Saints, this offseason to complement third-year man Bilal Powell and Joe McKnight, who is in his fourth year.

Goodson, who will turn 26 next week, had been expected to serve as the second RB on the depth chart behind Ivory going into training game, and was widely viewed as a boon for the passing game.

The Jets signed him to a three-year $6.9 million deal in March to help replace Shonn Greene, who was signed by the Tennessee Titans in free agency, in the backfield.

Goodson was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the 2009 draft and most recently played for the Oakland Raiders. He missed most of last season due to an ankle injury, but compiled 221 rushing yards on 35 carries and caught the ball 16 times for 195 yards in a touchdown in 12 games, mostly as Darren McFadden's backup.


Photo Credit: Getty Images

Pat Robertson Tells Wife of Cheating Husband that Men Tend to "Wander"

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Pat Robertson is at it again. This time, the televangelist dished out marriage advice to a woman who wrote his show asking for guidance on how to forgive her cheating husband.

The one-time Republican presidential candidate -- who once condoned divorcing an Alzheimer-inflicted spouse --  told the woman that men have "the tendency to wander a little bit."

"Stop talking about the cheating," he said on The 700 Club. "He cheated on you. Well, he's a man."

He urged the woman to focus on the good qualities about their marriage. "Does he provide a home for you? Does he provide food for you to eat? Does he provide clothes for you to wear?" he asked, adding that the onus is on the woman to keep the "home so wonderful that he doesn't want to wander."

Robertson has a knack for giving out controversial marriage advice. In January, Robertson said on his show that "awful-looking" women are to blame for a loveless marriage. And days after appearing at a campaign rally with Mitt Romney last year, he joked about wife-beating as a way to discipline a "rebellious" wife.

Check out the full clip below:



Photo Credit: Getty

All Eyes on Orb at 138th Preakness Stakes

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All eyes will be on Orb Saturday afternoon when the Kentucky Derby champion takes his post at the Preakness Stakes, aiming to win the second leg of the elusive Triple Crown.

The colt's resounding victory at the Derby, marked by a surge of power in the final stretch, has fueled hopes for the first Triple Crown triumph since 1978, when Affirmed won the Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

Orb, the even-money favorite at Pimlico, will either dash those hopes or move one step closer to the coveted crown.

For fans hoping to see the first Triple Crown in decades, there are plenty of reasons for optimism. In the Derby, on May 4, Orb handily beat five of the eight horses he will take on in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes. Since then, his performance in training has earned stellar reviews.

Hall of Fame trainer Claude R. "Shug" McGaughey called Orb's workout at Belmont earlier this week "breathtaking," "spectacular" and even better than his performance leading up to the Derby, according to the Associated Press. The colt ran four furlongs in 47.18 seconds and five furlongs in 59.54.

But the widespread optimism was dampened just days later when Orb drew the rail, or No. 1 post—a position that has launched only two Preakness victors since 1950. Running from that position, other horses could crowd Orb against the rail, making it difficult for Orb to find room to maneuver to the head of the pack.

"Obviously, if I was going to pick it out, I wouldn't have picked the 1," McGaughey told the AP when the positions were drawn. "But with only nine horse in there to run a mile and three-sixteenths, with a rider like Joel (Rosario), he's going to figure out what to do. He'll have him in the right spot."

The shorter race could also favor some of the horses that faded at the end of the mile-and-a-quarter Derby. Goldencents—partially owned by Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino— was one of the favorites heading into the Kentucky Derby, but finished 17th in a field of 19 horses. That performance hasn't deterred bettors from putting their money on the colt in the Preakness. Heading into the race he's among the four favorites, with 8-1 morning line odds.

Mylute, who has 5-1 odds after placing fifth in the Kentucky Derby, is another Preakness favorite. The horse will be ridden by rising star Rosie Napravnik, who will be the third female jockey ever to compete in the Preakness Stakes. She heads into the weekend with more wins than any other jockey posting for the race, besides Joel Rosario, who will be riding Orb.

Departing, who skipped the Derby, could also pose a threat to the even-money favorite. The horse arrives at Pimlico with four wins this year, including a big victory two weeks ago at the Illinois Derby, where he managed to pull ahead of the pack and finish by 3 1/4 lengths.

Govenor Charlie, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, and Titletown Five, co-owned by Packers Hall of Famers Paul Hornung and Willie Davis, will also make their Triple Crown debuts in the second leg of the contest.

Govenor Charlie, who descends from the 1998 Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet, has 12-1 odds, while Titletown Five is a much longer shot. Despite his 30-1 odds, Titletown Five's trainer D. Wayne Lukas still has a decent chance to taste victory. The Hall of Fame trainer has two other horses in the race— Oxbow and Will Take Charge.

The $1 million race begins at 6:20 p.m. and will be streamed live on NBC Live Extra beginning at 4:30 p.m.

If Orb wins, he'll race for the Triple Crown at Belmont on June 8. Twenty-two horses have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown, but only 11 have won all three. 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Husband's Body Parts Found in Home of Ex-Wife

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Six years after Danny Burroughs went missing from his New Jersey home, investigators say they have found his body parts in the home of his ex-wife, Loretta Burroughs.

The remains were found in two containers in Loretta's home in Ventnor, N.J., according to a source close to the investigation who did not want to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case.

Loretta Burroughs, 61, wept quietly this afternoon as she was formally charged with Danny's murder.

Burroughs went missing on August 14, 2007, from the couple's home on Leipzig Avenue in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township, N.J. He was last seen on his riding lawnmower.

Loretta divorced Danny shortly after he disappeared. She then sold the couple's home.

Loretta moved, more than once, according to the Burroughs family, and was living at the home on Hampshire Drive in Ventnor where the body parts were found.

Crime scene investigators, acting on new information, went to the home this morning around 6 or 7 a.m., according to neighbors. The remains were discovered inside a closet and positively identified as Daniel Burroughs.

Investigators are not clear if they were put into containers due to decomposition, or if the body was mutilated. They do believe that the body was moved several times. And detectives say Loretta Burroughs was in the process of selling her Ventnor home and relocating to another home in Villas, Cape May County.

Loretta Burroughs was arrested this morning. Investigators say she stabbed her husband to death in 2007. Autopsy results are pending.

Danny Burroughs' family convinced investigators to re-open the case in February, after the county put together a Cold Case Unit. The family launched a Find Danny Burroughs Facebook page in 2010, and used the page to raise questions about Danny's disappearance. In the "about" section of the page, his brother wrote:

Out of nowhere his (now) x-wife told everybody he "ran off with another woman", he left without ANY of his belongings-NOTHING! I say BS to her story and MANY-MANY lies! She, never even called to tell me (my brother) Dan supposedly "up and left." I found out several days later when I called my brothers home to see how he was feeling >for me, this is when the nightmare began.

"We knew for years that she knew something and we just couldn't get the help from anybody to find him," said Robert Valiante, Jr., a family friend.

Burroughs' family kept pushing police to go past Loretta Burrough's claim that Dan had run off to Florida with another woman.

"That's why they could never question her or prosecute her because there was no body," Valiante said. "There was no remains. Well, I guess not because she had 'em! Without a body he would have been lost forever."



Photo Credit: Facebook | Find Danny Burroughs

Mom Accused of Attacking Daughter's Bully

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A Philadelphia mom was arrested inside her daughter's school after police say she assaulted an 11-year-old student.

Attifa Brown says she was upset her daughter was being bullied at school, but denies ever hitting the child.

"I don't beat my own child, let alone somebody else's," said Brown.

Police say there is a videotape of the incident that happened yesterday around 10:00 a.m. inside A.B. Anderson Elementary School in Cobbs Creek.

"The problem here is that we have a 26-year-old mother who has no reason to approach an 11-year-old child, so her credibility as far as I'm concerned is shot," said Lt. John Walker, Philadelphia Police.

Investigators say Brown went to the school with her daughter to confront the 11-year-old girl, accused of bullying her child.

"The tape showed this lady over my daughter for minutes, poking her in the face, pulling her hair and beating her," said Bobby Webster, mother of the 11-year-old victim.

Webster says her daughter is not a bully.

"I thought I taught her to actually defend herself and take care of herself," said Brown, who added that at the end of the day, "I'm human."

School officials are investigating how Brown was able to walk into the school without signing in or without being questioned.

Brown is facing a long list of charges, including terroristic threats, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and defiant trespass.



Photo Credit: NBC10.com

Top News Photos of the Week

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President Barack Obama looks to see if it is still raining as a Marine holds an umbrella for him during his joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, not pictured, Thursday, May 16, 2013, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

Wade Shows Up At Girl's Prom

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Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade granted a South Florida teen's wish and showed up at her senior prom on Friday.

Nicole Muxo said that she was called up to the dance floor, where she was told that Wade was on the phone.

“So I talked to him on the phone, and as I was talking to him the doors opened and he walked out and I was completely shocked, I had no idea that he was going to even call," said Muxo, who attends Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School in West Kendall. "So I was super-excited, everyone else was super-excited in there.”

Photos show Wade taking pics with the teen and others before the prom at the La Jolla Ballroom in Coral Gables. He also was snapped at the dance.

Muxo said Wade brought her flowers and then they danced.

Wade tweeted about the prom and shared photos on Twitter.

"I had a blast at Prom w @nicole_muxo... Never be 2 scared to ask.. They might just say… " Wade Tweeted.

Muxo thanked the NBA player for coming by.

"It meant a lot to me. It made my dreams come true," she said.

Initially Wade had said he wasn't aware of the YouTube video, in which Muxo makes her pitch to the NBA superstar while wearing a No 3. Wade jersey. Kanye West's "The Glory" plays in the background.

WATCH the YouTube video here.

"My senior prom is coming up, and I have everything set for a perfect night except for one thing: a perfect date," she says.

In the video she called Wade her favorite basketball player and used signs and "Prom?" written on basketballs to ask Wade to the big event.

Muxo had told NBC 6 South Florida she asked out Wade because he's her favorite player and because he's a positive role model for a lot of people.

It wasn't the first time she asked him out.

"Back when I met him last year, I asked him to Homecoming, but the season was about to start, and he had practice, so he couldn’t make it, so I thought, why not take another shot and ask him to prom?” she said.



Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida

Child Left in Car in School Parking Lot Dies

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A 1-year-old child died after being left alone in a vehicle in an elementary school parking lot, Dallas police say.

The child's mother, Vibha Marks, has been arrested on a charge of abandoning a child with serious bodily injury.

Police said someone spotted the child unattended in a car parked in the faculty parking lot at Frank Guzick Elementary School at 5000 Berridge Lane at about 1:20 p.m.

The passer-by broke the window on the vehicle, removed the child and began performing CPR, police said.

Dallas Fire-Rescue confirmed that it was called to the school at about 1:30 p.m. When responders arrived, the child was unresponsive. Emergency workers continued CPR and transported the child to Baylor Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Marks, a teacher at the elementary school, was interviewed by the Dallas Police Department on Friday afternoon.

Officials with the Dallas Independent School District said Marks has been placed on administrative leave and that a letter was sent home to parents about the police presence at the school.

At 1 p.m., the temperature at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was 84 degrees. Studies of temperatures in enclosed cars shows that temperatures can rise by as much as 43 degrees in a one-hour period.



Photo Credit: Getty Images and Dallas Police

Deaf Dog Stolen, Held For Ransom: Family

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A deaf 11-year-old mini Yorkie was snatched from a yard in Hollywood and his dognappers are demanding $1,000 from his owners, who are pleading with the public to help bring their dog home.

“I’m scared for him because he’s used to being inside and cozy and cuddled with,” owner Tricia O’Kelley said, her voice quavering. “He slept with me every night for the last 11 years.”

Walter, who weighs about 5 pounds, was last seen Thursday afternoon in the family’s fenced-in backyard.

A blocked number called O’Kelley’s cellphone, which is listed on Walter’s tags, about 10:15 p.m. Thursday.

“From the second I answered the call, I knew this guy was bad news,” she said.

The man on the other end of the line told O’Kelley he wants $1,000 for the dog’s safe return. O’Kelley said she heard another man laughing in the background.

Her husband took over negotiations. The dognapper said he’d call back and hung up.

Within minutes, the blocked number called back and this time, O’Kelley’s husband, Adam Rosenblatt, put the call on speaker so the police on a second phone could hear.

The dognapper laid out his demands.

He wanted the family to create phony fliers offering a $1,000 reward for Walter’s return and listed streets on which he wanted them posted. Then, he would bring one of those posters to a Chevron station where he would exchange the dog for the cash.

Police suggested they make the fliers and meet the men at the gas station with a plain-clothed officer.

O’Kelley’s husband was in the process of hanging up the fliers when the man called back, saying he’d been lied to and that police were at the gas station.

“He said, ‘Don’t lie to me. I’m keeping your dog,’” O’Kelley said.

That last phone call at 11:15 p.m. Thursday came from a 7-Eleven payphone in North Hollywood, O’Kelley said. And that was the last time she heard from whoever has Walter.

Walter has a condition that causes his trachea to collapse, which is common for his breed.

“He’s not just some puppy,” O’Kelley said. “He needs special care.”

The family’s two young daughters – ages 2 and 4 – ate breakfast outside Friday morning in the hopes that Walter would smell the food and come home, O’Kelley said.

“It’s unbearably terrifying and heartbreaking,” she said. “The whole thing about pets and kids, they trust you to take care of them and keep them safe.”

Walter is outfitted with tags and a microchip. O’Kelley said she’s willing to pay the extortion if the men would return her dog, which she’s had since he was a puppy.

NBC4 obtained an incident report number in the case. Calls to LAPD to confirm the report had not been returned as of 8 p.m.

Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD Hollywood Division, which is handling the case.



Photo Credit: Tricia O'Kelley

Former Officer Accused of Rape, Held on $60M Bail

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A former Philadelphia police officer, once hailed as a hero and given a seat next to the first lady at a speech by President Obama, is being held on $60 million bail charged with raping two women at gunpoint and other crimes.

A source tells NBC10 former officer Richard DeCoatsworth, 27, met one of the women at a bar on North Front Street two weeks ago, then forced her into prostitution at a Days Inn hotel along Roosevelt Boulevard.

Between 2 a.m. Thursday and Friday evening, DeCoatsworth went to the woman’s home along North Howard Street in the Fishtown-Kensington area, according to the source.

Once he arrived, DeCoatsworth forced that woman and a second woman, both in their 20s, to use drugs and perform oral sex on him at gunpoint, according to the source. The alleged victims reported the assault Friday only after DeCoatsworth went home, according to police.

Police raided DeCoatsworth’s house on the 2700 block of Salmon Street in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. He was charged with rape, sexual assault, terroristic threats and related offenses. Police also confiscated drugs and guns from the home, according to a source. No word yet on what kind of drugs were removed from the home.

According to court documents, bail was set at $25 million for each of the alleged victims. Another $10 million bail was set in a separate domestic violence case DeCoatsworth is now being charged with, according to investigators. Police say he assaulted his live-in girl on May 9. The $60 million bail is reportedly one of the highest set in Philadelphia history. Decoatsworth faces more than 32 crimes in all three cases.

NBC10’s Cydney Long talked to one of DeCoatsworth’s neighbors who said she was relieved to hear about the former cop's arrest.

“I am scared to be saying this now but I hope he stays where he is at, he has been a thorn in the side of this neighborhood for so long,” said the woman who did not want to be identified.

DeCoatsworth was shot in the face back in 2007 when he was a rookie officer. After being shot, he managed to chase down the suspect for several blocks before collapsing. He called in enough information by radio that police were able to track down and arrest the suspect later the same day.

His heroism earned him an invitation from Vice President Joe Biden to attend President Obama’s first congressional address at the U.S. capital in February of 2009. The officer sat with First Lady Michelle Obama during the address. He was also honored by his peers as a 2008 Top Cop. He was involved in two more dramatic incidents soon after.

In April of 2009, police say DeCoatsworth was jumped and attacked by a man when he tried to disperse a crowd at the Logan section of the city. During the struggle, sources say DeCoatsworth’s gun went off and hit the suspect who took off running. Another officer responding to the scene shot the suspect dead, according to sources.

In September of 2009, police said DeCoatsworth and another officer stopped a man on a motorcycle in the Kensington section of the city. While they were questioning him, a second man allegedly jumped on the motorcycle and drove at the officers. Police say DeCoatsworth shot at the suspect, who sped off. The suspect was found later at the hospital where his mother had taken him to be treated for a shotgun wound.

During the incident, local witnesses claimed the two suspects did nothing wrong and that DeCoatsworth and the other officer acted recklessly, shooting while children were nearby.

In November of 2011, Internal Affairs investigated an alleged scuffle between DeCoatsworth and another officer, according to Philly.com. The Daily News also reports he amassed nine citizen complaints, accusing him of assault, abuse and misconduct.

DeCoatsworth retired from the police force on disability back in December, 2011.

In February of 2012, an arrest warrant was issued for DeCoatsworth after he allegedly threatened a woman in Port Richmond.

 



Photo Credit: Philadelphia Police

12 Shot in Spate of Weekend Violence Across Chicago

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Two people were fatally shot in the head and another shot dead in the chest in weekend violence that wounded at least nine others across Chicago, according to police.

Last night’s first fatality took place at 7:24 p.m. Friday in the 7800 block of South Langely Avenue when a 17-year-old man was shot in the chest, according to Chicago police news affairs officer Jose Estrada.

The man, identified as Clifton Barney, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Barney was reportedly on the street when an offender shot him once in the chest and jumped into a light-colored vehicle, Estrada said. No one was in custody as of Saturday morning.

Less than an hour later, a 40-year-old man was shot in the head in the 200 block of North Mayfield Avenue, police said.

The shooter ran up to the man firing several times before hitting him in the back of the head and fleeing on foot, Estrada said.

The man, Ramar Bonner, was taken to Loyola University Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner's office.

The third fatality of the night took place around 3:50 a.m. Saturday in the 4800 block of West Iowa Street where a man was found dead with a gunshot wound.

The 27-year-old man was reportedly involved in a verbal altercation with an unknown offender prior to the shooting, Estrada said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Earlier, a 16-year-old was shot in the leg around 9:58 p.m. Friday in the 5400 block of West Wrightwood Avenue, according to police.

The teen was walking with several others when the group was approached by a male who began firing shots. The teen was transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the right leg in stable condition. No others were injured in the shooting.

The shooting occurred around 10 p.m. Friday near the 4800 block of Golf Road in Skokie, where officers discovered a male juvenile shot in the abdomen, according to police.

The victim was taken to an area hospital where his condition was stabilized, police said.

Shortly after, two 18-year-old men were shot around 10:20 p.m. in the 5800 block of South Laflin Street, Estrada said.

The two teens were in separate groups when a verbal altercation erupted and shots were fired, police said. One teen was shot in the left calf and the other was shot in the hip. Both men were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital in stable condition.

Around 10:50 p.m., a 34-year-old man was shot in the back and abdomen during a drive-by shooting in the 120 block of South Perry Avenue, Estrada said.

The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition.

Three others were shot in the Lawndale neighborhood around 11:25 p.m. on the 1200 block of South Kolin Avenue, police said.

The victims were in a group with several others when unknown offenders approached on foot and fired shots from a nearby alley, Estrada said.

A 38-year-old man was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition with a gunshot wound to the back. A 38-year-old woman was shot in the arm and taken in serious condition to Mount Sinai Hospital. The third victim, a 27-year-old woman was shot in the neck and was reported to be in “grave” condition at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to police.

Police recovered three guns from the alley and discovered the shooters’ emptied vehicle in the 1200 block of South Kostner Avenue.

Around 3:35 a.m. Saturday, a 20-year-old man walked into Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to the shoulder, police said.

The man claimed to be riding in a vehicle when another car pulled up with occupants flashing gang signs and shouting gang slogans before firing at the victim.

No shots were reported in the area, however, and the shooting is still under investigation.

The weekend's most recent shooting according around 3 p.m. Saturday when a 12-year-old boy was shot multiple times in the 2800 block of West 23rd Street, according to a tweet from Chicago Fire Media. 

The boy was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound in his arm in stable condition, according to police news affairs. 
 

 

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