Woman found dead on 27th Terrace in KC

From The Star: Police have identified a 40-year-old woman found dead on her porch Saturday as Chershia Mayberry, 40, of Kansas City. The cause of death has yet to be determined and no charges are expected today, police said.

Police arrested a man after Mayberry died shortly before 3 p.m. in the 5600 block of East 27th Terrace on the city’s East Side.

KC teen killed in weekend gun battle

From The Star: A 17-year-old juvenile killed in a “rolling gun battle” late Saturday has been identified as Monte Wedd of Kansas City. The shooting took place near 44th and Agnes Street. Police responded to a report of persons in two vehicles shooting at each other. Another victim was wounded and taken to a hospital.

Texan gets 99 years for 16th DUI

The man, who is 52, will be eligible for parole in 10 to 15 years.

John Hinckley Jr. not dangerous, psychologist testifies

Which raises the question if the former gunman will ever be released from his mental hospital on a permanent basis. (He's been freed for a series of short visits to his family.)

Bath salts are a hell of a drug

Police: Pa. man was high on bath salts, thought 'electricity was following him'

Monday's Open Thread

Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below.

As always, please follow our standard rules: 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. If you need to reach me, please email jhart@kcstar.com. Thanks again, and have a great day!

Guilty verdict for local man in pregnant woman's 2009 slaying

A Grandview man has been found guilty of fatally shooting a pregnant woman in November 2009 in Kansas City’s Midtown neighborhood.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts against Calvin Boswell on Friday on two murder charges and several other counts, the Jackson County prosecutors office said. His sentencing is set for May 27.

The victim, 25-year-old Ashley Thomas, had been sitting in a car with her boyfriend and another man in the 1300 block of East Armour Boulevard when shots were fired into the vehicle. Thomas was nine months pregnant. The shots also hit her boyfriend and another man, who both survived.

Diversion for Lawrence man in national-anthem dispute

You might remember this one. The defendant says he merely tapped the guy on the shoulder. The reporting party told police that he was grabbed by the neck:

A Lawrence firefighter must complete anger management counseling as part of a diversion agreement after a dispute with another man over removing his hat during the national anthem.

How to tell if Dad hates your new boyfriend

A California man is accused of putting up wanted posters for the boyfriend of his 19-year-old daughter, a gentleman who happened to be (A) 33 and (B) a registered sex offender, KTLA reports.

The home-made fliers, allegedly made and distributed by Oliveira, offered $3000 for the boyfriend's body "dead or alive." The poster listed the boyfriend's name, had his photo and said he was a convicted sex offender.

The signs were reportedly posted on a California college's campus.

Officers recognized for stopping killer moments after slaying

I missed this from earlier in the week, but Kansas City police presented distinguished service medals to two officers who faced an armed suspect, moments after that man had killed a teenager. More details are at Chief Corwin's blog.

A helpful hint

There are just some things that you don't say to a jury that's considering whether you should be put to death. Top of the list:

"If I had an AK-47, I'd kill every last one of ya'all with no remorse."

Open Thread, Weekend Edition

Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below.

As always, please follow our standard rules: 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. If you need to reach me, please email jhart@kcstar.com. Thanks again, and have a great day!

16-year-old gets 25 years in Michael Tutera slaying

From Mark Morris:

A Jackson County judge sentenced a 16-year-old boy to 25 years in prison Thursday for his role in the May murder of a Kansas City businessman.

Joseph Hendrix pleaded guilty in January to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Michael Tutera, 49, at his home just south of the Country Club Plaza.

Four other defendants, including Hendrix’s brother, also are charged in the case.

Man says he was arrested for calling cop 'fat slob'

A federal appeals court is allowing the man's wrongful-arrest and First-Amendment lawsuit to proceed.

KCPD announces DUI checkpoint

For next weekend, April 1-3.

VIDEO: The Burger King bikini brawl

Something terrible happened at a Burger King in Panama City Beach, Fla.

Quote of the day

From the AP:

The Workers' Compensation Court ruled last June that Hopkins was an employee and noted that while his "use of marijuana to kick off a day of working around grizzly bears was ill-advised to say the least and mind-bogglingly stupid to say the most," there was no evidence presented regarding Hopkins' level of impairment.

Maybe he rubbed her the wrong way?

A New Jersey woman is pressing charges against a masseur at her health club, accusing him of massaging her breasts and buttocks. She only pressed charges after she learned that he isn't gay.

22 years for KC man who beat 1-year-old son to death

From Mark Morris:

A 20-year-old Kansas City man received a 22-year prison sentence Thursday for killing his 1-year-old son because the boy was crying.

Authorities charged Ray A. Cruz Sr. in May with second-degree murder, child abuse and endangering the welfare of a child after finding his son, Ray A. Cruz Jr., at their home, badly beaten and struggling to breathe. According to police, the boy had “bruises all over his body,” and had 10 broken ribs, bruises on his genitals and bleeding in his eyes.

St. Louis cops don't want local control of their department

St. Louis police are resisting an effort to return control of their department to local elected officials, the Post-Dispatch writes. The police in Kansas City and St. Louis are overseen by state-appointed boards, and there's a ballot initiative that -- if enough signatures are collected -- would let Missouri voters hand power back to the local cities.

The St. Louis police association filed a lawsuit against the measure's language on Thursday.

Friday's Open Thread

Welcome back to the Open Thread, our blog's space for off-topic comments and discussion. If you've seen an interesting story somewhere else, feel free to post a link below.

As always, please follow our standard rules: 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. If you need to reach me, please email jhart@kcstar.com. Thanks again, and have a great day!

Prosecutor: Burglar broke into Platte County high school for unusual reason

From Glenn Rice:

Platte County authorities today accused a 19-year-old man of breaking into a Northland high school and masturbating on a pile of underwear taken from boys’ lockers.

John P. Gallagher of Smithville faces one count of second-degree burglary. He was being held in the Platte County jail after failing to post a $5,000 bond, Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said.

Gallagher allegedly entered the Platte County R-III High School through an unlocked window. He left the underwear in an unused locker, according to court records.

The prosecutors' press release also included this mention:

One of the students reported that, two days earlier, he had found a used condom tied to his athletic shoe in his gym locker.  He believed a friend was playing a joke and did not report it.

Police identify woman killed in Lenexa

From Joe Lambe:

Leslie Price, 47, of rural Jackson County, Kan., was found shot dead at a Lenexa construction site in the 8400 block of Lenexa Drive at about 6:30 p.m., Lenexa police said.

Her estranged husband, James Price, 44, of Denison, Kan., was later found dead from a self inflicted gunshot in a construction trailer at 4900 East 87th St., Kansas City police reported.

Another guilty plea in Mo. sex-slave case

From Mark Morris: A former postmaster pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in the sexual torture of a young woman in Lebanon, Mo.

Dennis Henry, 51, of Wheatland, Mo., admitted that he had sex with the woman, whom prosecutors alleged was coerced to work as a sex slave for another defendant in the case, Edward Bagley Sr., of Lebanon.

Woman killed in Lenexa, estranged husband found dead later in KC

From the Star: Lenexa police say they are investigating the deaths of a rural Jackson County, Kan., woman, whose husband was later found dead in Kansas City.

The woman was killed about 6:30 p.m. in the 8500 block of Lenexa Drive. Lenexa police said she appeared to have been shot. Police Lt. Karl Burris said the slaying occurred alongside a road construction zone.

Investigators later found the victim's 44-year-old estranged husband dead in Kansas City. The names and other information have not been immediately released.