Did this man kill Brandon Fauntleroy-McDowel?

From Christine Vendel:

Kansas City police today released a sketch of a man suspected of killing Brandon Fauntleroy-McDowel in a carjacking Tuesday.

A witness who saw the man driving away in the victim’s red 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe after the crime at Eighth and Jefferson streets worked with artist Lee Hammond today to create the sketch.

Police did not provide height or weight estimates because the witness only saw the suspect sitting in the vehicle. The witness told police the man’s complexion was “very dark.”

Anyone with information should call the Tips Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $11,000 is available and callers can remain anonymous.

KCK murder suspect goes free because he didn't get a speedy trial

From Bob Cronkleton:

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled today that a murder charge against a Kansas City, Kan., man be dismissed because his rights to a speedy trial were violated.

The Supreme Court found that the case against Mario Larenzo Mitchell, 21, must be dismissed and that he is free from further prosecution relating to the murder.

Mitchell was awaiting trial in Wyandotte County District Court regarding the murder of Keith Watson, 19.

Mitchell allegedly shot Watson to death about 2:20 a.m. Jan. 8, 2005, at a gas station at 4701 Parallel Parkway. Mitchell allegedly walked up and fired at Watson several times while he was sitting in a vehicle at a gas pump.

Mitchell’s first trial ended in mistrial in September 2005. He was shot that same day and waived his right to a speedy trial.

Jury selection for his new trial began March 26, 2007. The next day prosecutors appealed a district court ruling regarding Mitchell’s prior juvenile record.

The court then suspended the proceedings pending the appeal. Mitchell objected to the appeal and reasserted his rights to a speedy trial.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mitchell.

OH man accused of having sex with a picnic table

A couple of thoughts ...

1. This stuff usually happens in the UK. So, way to go, Ohio.

2. A tipster reportedly provided 3 DVDs to the police, showing the table-desecration as it happened. Three DVDs!

Sauntsye Love

Please forgive the delay, but a while back, Jackson County prosecutors dropped charges against Love, who was accused of a July 5, 2005, homicide on Quality Hill. No one else has been charged in the case.

TX judge: 1st Amendment protects strip clubs, too

Recently, Texas passed a $5 entrance fee for anyone visiting a strip club in that state. The money raised was supposed to go to victims of sexual assault and people who didn't have health insurance.

A judge, though, has ruled this new law unconstitutional, saying that it impinges on free speech.

Teens fight with Tasers, cinderblocks in FL mall's parking lot, police say

I am sooo sorry that we don't have video of the actual fight. I bet it looked something like the Battle of Helm's Deep from "Lord of the Rings."

UPDATE: San Francisco tiger-mauling

Three guys were attacked by a tiger on Christmas Day at the San Francisco Zoo -- one of them died. The survivors, who happen to be brothers, look like they're getting ready to sue the organization, the Chronicle reports.

One of the brothers, by the way, is accused of shoplifting a Wii controller from Target.

Kansas City burglar favors black panties

From Kevin Hoffmann:

Residents living in an east Kansas City neighborhood may want to tighten security of their home valuables, including loose cash, jewelry — and female undergarments.

Two women living in homes near East 48th Street and Phelps Road reported to police that they had arrived home about 9:30 Thursday night to find doors to their homes ajar. Inside, they learned that they were victims of burglary; someone had stolen jewelry and cash. Each victim also reported that the burglar stole a pair of black panties.

Double the jeopardy, double the fun

An Oregon man gets thrown in jail and forced to register as a sex offender ... even though a grand jury decided the charges didn't have any merit. Yeah, the judge, the prosecution and even his own defense attorney essentially overlooked the grand jury's decision.

Once the mistake is discovered, the previous conviction is essentially nullified ... so they've decided to file new charges. He has, of course, filed a lawsuit.

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right"

Words to live by ...

Hat Tip: Many thanks, Tony!

KS House passes bill to legalize ownership of machine guns

Finally!

Why you should never mug a martial-arts expert

Snip from Tampa Bay Online:

The man, who is a tae kwon do expert, pushed the gun away and kicked the woman in the face before fleeing across a street to a Shell gas station to call 911, deputies said.

Report: More states want to collect DNA from arrestees

Stateline says 22 states are considering bills that would require anyone arrested for a felony -- not charged or convicted -- to give a DNA sample. Missouri is one of those considering it. Kansas is one of 12 states that already has such a law in place.

Opponents argue that it'll overwhelm the individual states' crime labs, and they call it a privacy invasion. Supporters say it's no different from taking a suspect's fingerprints. And it could help solve many more crimes.

Unbelievable

Brazilian boy, age 16, confesses to 12 murders over the last three months.

Open Thread ... Sweet Merciful Friday

Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. This is also a good place, if you've seen an interesting story elsewhere, to post links.

Please sign your comments, and please avoid profanity, as well as racially and sexually abusive language. And when you sign your comments, please use only one nickname. I read the OT, but if you need to contact me directly, my email is jhart@kcstar.com.

Thanks again for your patronage, and have a great Friday!

Cash America Pawn adds $4K to robbery reward

The robbery happened about 2 p.m. Monday at the Cash America at 11148 Blue Ridge.

From Crime Stoppers:

Two black males, each about 5'9" with a medium build and both wearing t-shits or wrapped around their faces, entered the store and ordered an employee to kneel on the ground.  One of the suspects was armed with an AK-style assault rifle. This suspect description matches others given in previous Cash America robberies in the metro area over the past several months.

An employee of the store received a minor head injury when she accidently struck her head on the cash drawer one of the suspects was pulling open.  She was not hospitalized.

The Cash America Pawn Company's home office in Texas has added $4,000 to the reward for information leading to an arrest in this or any of these robberies. The total possible reward is $5,000.    Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 816-474-TIPS.

Strip club had 12-year-old dancer -- but city can't shut the joint down

Story is from Dallas, via Fox News. Police are investigating whether management knew the 12-year-old stripper was a runaway, but the city itself can't shut the club down over that. There's a specific list of violations that can trigger a shutdown. Employing an underage kid, though, isn't one of them.

It's not mob violence, it's health-care reform

Indian police arrested a group of people who allegedly tied a woman to a tree and beat her because she was a witch. A man had hired her to magically cure his wife, but when she didn't get better, the "witch" was accused of bad magic.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, kmb!

Jayci Yaeger is dead

Jayci -- whose dying wish was to see her incarcerated dad -- passed away yesterday, the day after he came to visit her.

UPDATE: Suspect accused of VA highway shootings

This is from the story yesterday where someone fired upon five vehicles on a Virginia interstate, injuring two.

The reports of my death ...

Lovely story from The Gazette, "Legitimacy of obituary in question" ...

A Cedar Rapids reader raised questions about the obituary, saying his daughter had been in an Internet relationship with a person purporting to be Smith. The reader believed the obituary was a hoax.

... The Gazette could find no record of a person by that name dying in Minnesota this month and has not been able to verify the address and place of employment given for Smith. The funeral home listed in the obituary submission as handling the arrangements had no record of Smith.

Report: IA pizza deliveryman shot robber, now faces job review

A Des Moines pizza deliveryman pulled out a gun and shot a 19-year-old who robbed him late Thursday, police said. The 19-year-old will live, and he'll face charges to boot.

The Pizza Hut employee, though, is being suspended from his job while his supervisors investigate. The company forbids its drivers from carrying weapons and instead tells them to report any robbery attempts.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, You're A Mean Drunk R2D2!

Man kills 3 because he was upset over Mom's hospital care, police say

Story is from Georgia. Two of the victims were hospital employees, and the third was a guy who had the misfortune to park near the gunman, police say. Snip from The AP:

Johnston overheard someone call the nurse's name, then waited until he went into an empty room, where he confronted him, saying: "Do you remember me? Do you remember my mother?"

 

He shot him once; the nurse started to run, then fell in the hall after being shot again.

The suspect's mom was a patient there in 2004.

Saw this via RDM's Random Remarks!

Death penalty now possible in slaying of Leavenworth woman, unborn child

The Leavenworth County Attorney says he's not sure if he'll seek death for Sedale Fox, who's accused of shooting and killing Olivia R. Jackson, who was pregnant, back in January. It's possible, though -- Fox's charges have been upgraded to capital murder.

ICE wants to deport more criminal immigrants

Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimates there are more 300K immigrants behind bars in the United States, a new report says. The agency would like to deport as many as possible, keeping in mind that some are now U.S. citizens. Here's the problem: ICE isn't sure which ones are here illegally, and best of all, doesn't know which prisons or jails are holding them.

How much would it cost to do so? About $2 billion per year.