Society's ChildS


Sherlock

UK: Body of woman found in Nottingham alley sparks murder inquiry

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© unknownPolice carried out house-to-house inquiries in the area
The death of a woman in her 20s whose body was found in a Nottingham alleyway is being treated as murder.

The discovery was made at about 08:45 BST in an alleyway between two houses in Thorneywood Mount, in the St Ann's area.

Police officers have searched bins and gardens in the surrounding streets. A cordon put in place earlier has now been lifted.

Detectives have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Question

US: Mystery prisoner has Utah jail authorities stumped

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© Utah County JailUtah County Sheriff's Office is asking for help identifying a man who was arrested for investigation of criminal trespassing after he was spotted hanging around the parking garage of the Provo City offices, looking into cars. He was arrest July 1, but refuses to give his name.
A mystery man arrested on minor charges more than three weeks ago remains behind bars in Utah while law enforcement officials try to determine his true identity, which he refuses to reveal.

"This is really a strange case," said Lt. Dennis Harris with the Utah County Sheriff's Office. "He just doesn't want to be found."

The unidentified man, who has graying hair, a light beard and is believed to be in his 60's, was arrested on July 1 for trespassing in a parking garage.

He was booked into jail on three misdemeanor charges and has thwarted any chance of release, with or without bail, by refusing to identify himself.

"I've been trying to think from A to Z why he would want to stay here ... why he wouldn't give us any information," Harris said.

"He either has to be wanted by some other state or he could be on some other registry or database that has not shown up," he added.

Law enforcement officials say the man is "fairly well spoken and educated," but very guarded about his identity.

Penis Pump

US, Oregon: Wu Pressed to Resign after Sexual Accusation

David Wu
© Beth NakamuraRep. David Wu is facing pressure to resign in the face of allegations of a sexual impropriety involving the daughter of an old friend in California.
Congressman David Wu, who earlier this year apologized for bizarre behavior during his most recent re-election campaign, was facing calls for his resignation on Saturday over yet another crisis - a young woman's reported accusation that she had an "unwanted sexual encounter" with the Democrat three weeks after his election victory in November.

Wu's spokesman, Erik Dorey, said the seven-term Democrat had a telephone conversation on Saturday with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi about the allegation, which was first reported by The Oregonian. Dorey would not comment on the substance of the conversation. An aide to Pelosi declined Saturday to comment on Wu.

Late Friday, the 56-year-old Wu issued a one-sentence statement about The Oregonian's report: "This is very serious, and I have absolutely no desire to bring unwanted publicity, attention or stress to a young woman and her family."

Pressure was building on Wu to address the allegation publicly. There also were calls for his resignation.

People

Thousands of demonstrators march from cities across Spain to protest in the capital over country's jobs and debts crisis

Thousands of angry demonstrators from across Spain finally arrived in Madrid at the weekend to protest over the country's debts and unemployment queues.

They had marched for a month from their hometowns before converging on the landmark Puerta del Sol Square to show their anger at the country's economic woes.

Five columns converged on the 'urban village' next to the town hall where some protestors had camped out for three weeks in May under blue plastic tarpaulins.

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© Biniam Ghezal/ DemotixCrisis: Protesters gather in Madrid from their hometowns to condemn Spain's leaders for the economic troubles in the country
The marchers set off from Barcelona and Bilbao in the north, Malaga in the south, Valencia in the east and Cadiz in the south west on June 25.

Family

U.S.: Rhode Island city asks retirees to give up 50% of their pension

rhode island

As cities across the United States struggle to keep their finances afloat, Central Falls, Rhode Island, is taking a novel approach to try to avoid bankruptcy.

The city is asking police and firefighter retirees to give up 50% of their pension.

On Tuesday, a state-appointed receiver, Judge Robert Flanders, met with constituents to discuss options that will prevent the city from filing for bankruptcy, but the choices seemed limited: either volunteer for the pension cut, or risk losing it all.

No Entry

Ecuador: Over 300 Dead Sharks Found On Illegal Fishing Boat

Dead Sharks
© NOAA

Ecuadorean officials have reported that they have seized over 350 dead sharks from a boat that had been illegally fishing in the waters around the Galapagos Islands Marine Reserve.

The Associated Press (AP) on Friday, citing government news agency reports, said that the crew of the boat, which had been discovered southeast of Genovesa Island on Monday night, will face criminal proceedings for fishing in the protected waters of the aquatic reserve. The catching, selling, and transporting of sharks within the park is strictly prohibited.

MSNBC.com added that the vessel had been located by park rangers and an Ecuador navy ship some 20 miles inside the Galapagos Islands park, and that the total number of sharks discovered were 286 bigeye thresher, 22 blue sharks, 40 Galapagos sharks, 6 hammerhead sharks, 2 tiger sharks, and 1 mako shark.

According to University of North Carolina (UNC) marine biologist John Bruno, who is currently teaching at the Galapagos Science Center, it was the largest shark seizure ever at the national park.

Attention

The Raquel Nelson case: Prosecuting the victim, absolving the perpetrators

This is an advocacy blog, but typically we're rather measured in our tone. Sometimes, however, we see something so utterly outrageous, so emblematic of the failure of our current transportation system, that "measured" just won't cut it.

The prosecution and conviction this week of Raquel Nelson - a metro Atlanta mother who lost her four-year-old son to a hit-and-run driver - on the charge of vehicular homicide is one of those times.

You heard that right: According to the office of Cobb County prosecutor Barry Morgan, Nelson - who had no car at the time - committed vehicular homicide by attempting to cross a five-lane highway with her three kids to get to her apartment, after being let off the bus.

Attention

US: Pedestrian convicted of vehicular homicide in own child's death

A Marietta mother may serve more time than the driver who hit and killed her 4-year-old son.

Raquel Nelson, 30, could be sentenced to up to 36 months at a hearing July 26, said David Savoy, her attorney. She was convicted Tuesday of homicide by vehicle in the second degree, crossing roadway elsewhere than at crosswalk and reckless conduct, said Savoy.

Jerry L. Guy, the driver who admitted hitting the child when pleading guilty to hit-and-run, served a 6-month sentence. He was released Oct. 29, 2010, and will serve the remainder of a 5-year sentence on probation, according to Cobb court records.

Comment: The bulk of the responsibility in this case rests with the city officials. They have done nothing to improve urban planning and public transportation in Atlanta, despite repeated calls from the residents. Now they are spending public funds to viciously prosecute a grieving mother, instead of using a fraction of it to set up a traffic light and paint a crosswalk. The Transportation for America blog has further details.


Pistol

US: 6 dead, 4 injured in Texas roller rink shooting

roller world
© Reuters/Mike Stone
Police officers stand outside of the Roller World Forum were five people were murdered in Grand Prairie, Texas July 23, 2011.
Austin - A gunman opened fire at a family birthday party at a North Texas roller rink late on Saturday, killing five people and wounding four others before turning the gun on himself, police said.

Police were called to Forum Roller World in Grand Prairie, about 20 miles west of Dallas, at 7:10 p.m. following reports of a shooting, Grand Prairie Police Department spokesman John Brimmer said.

The incident began when an unidentified man drew a gun during an argument at a birthday party at the rink. He opened fire, shooting five people dead and wounding four others, and then shot himself, Brimmer said.

"This was a domestic situation that went south in a hurry." Brimmer told Reuters. "The shooting lasted only seconds."

Megaphone

Former Governor Jesse Ventura: 'We're a fascist nation now'

jesse ventura

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura lambasted Friday at a federal court hearing "un-American" security procedures implemented at airports across the nation in 2010.

He filed a lawsuit with the Transportation Security Administration in January, claiming their use of pat down searches at airport security checkpoints is unconstitutional. Pioneer Press reported that a lawyer for Ventura argued in federal court that the searches violate his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable and unwarranted searches.

The Justice Department has filed a motion to have the lawsuit dismissed, claiming that the searches are legal and that they can only be challenged in a federal appeals court.