The suspect was naked, but his raccoon wore a mask, police say

You meet the most interesting people at NASCAR races ...

'Make hay while the sun shines' also applies to lawn maintenance

An Oklahoma City man was arrested after he allegedly mowed his lawn at 4:30 in the morning, the Daily Oklahoman reports. Someone -- (cough, cough) a neighbor (cough, cough) -- apparently had a problem with that start time.

Mayor's son accused of assault at KC club

From Christine Vendel:

Kansas City police have ticketed the mayor’s adult son with assault in connection with a Westport-area nightclub incident early Thursday. Police cited Kyle C. James on Monday night after he turned himself in at police headquarters, police said. James then bonded out of jail.

Police: Mom allegedly blew pot smoke into crying baby's mouth

A young Arizona mother is accused blowing marijuana smoke into her crying baby's mouth so the little girl would be quiet, authorities there say. The 21-year-old is also accused of hitting the baby.

Hat Tip: Many thanks, eephus

Report: Death penalty possible in Mo. girl's death

Prosecutors are considering the death penalty in the case of Shawn Morgan, a Missouri man accused of killing his 3-year-old neighbor, Breeann Rodriguez. The little girl's disappearance prompted a huge search near her hometown of Senath in the southeastern part of the state.

Cast not the first stone ... unless you want to get hit by a crossbow

Well, you know what they say about people who throw stones: Sometimes, another person will use a crossbow to shoot them back.

Meanwhile, in Wisconsin ...

Police in Madison, Wis., were called after neighbors objected to one man's spray-painted sign, "Euthanize Welfare Kids," which he reportedly displayed in his front yard.

ATF's acting director reassigned after 'Fast and Furious' gun investigation

The ATF's acting director has been reassigned following the investigation into "Operation Fast and Furious," where agents watched -- but did not stop -- illegal gun sales in the Southwest. Authorities hoped to study how gun smugglers work, but some of those guns were later linked to a shootout that killed a Border Patrol agent.

The U.S. attorney for Arizona has resigned, too.

Police: Mom accused of hatchet murders blamed ghost for kids' deaths

A North Carolina woman, 33-year-old Naiyana Patel, is accused of killing her daughters, ages 4 and 7, with a hatchet over the weekend, WYFF-TV reports. Patel was badly injured, too. Police say she hit herself in the head with the hatchet after the girls died.

Wednesday'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 plea in murder of KC store clerk

A 20-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murdering Tony Singh, a 7-11 clerk who was working his last scheduled shift, in March 2010 at a store on Bannister Road. Phillip Martin is set to be sentenced in early November. Martin reportedly set a drink can on the store's counter, and Kansas City police were able to pull his fingerprints off the can. 

Police: Suspect wasn't dressed as a clown -- he'd just been golfing

A Massachusetts man is accused of driving a golf cart while drunk -- a relatively common "weird crime" story. The best part: Police were originally told the suspect was dressed like a clown. Nope, he'd just been golfing, they say.

Pajama-clad girls suspected of rustling goat from Minn. zoo

The perps, ages 6 and 7, were allegedly seen walking the goat at 11:30 p.m. Saturday in Mankato, Minn. Their cover story, when questioned by police:

The goat lives in their bedroom closet, they said. Mom bought it a couple weeks ago, but dad didn’t know about it. So they had to keep the goat thing quiet to keep dad from suspecting anything.

Suspected shoplifter tries to hide ribs in his pants ... again, police allege

If your scheme to steal a rack of ribs by shoving it down your pants failed the first time, odds are good that it won't work on the second go, either.

Fact: PCP is a hell of a drug

Kansas City police were called after a man allegedly acted out early Sunday at a gas station on Independence Avenue. (Witnesses said it looked like the gentleman was fighting himself.) The authorities believe the man was on PCP:

During the transport, the man wiggled himself loose in his restraints, police said. When the officer tried to stop his movements, the man bit two of the officer’s fingers. Police said the bites left deep marks and may have broken the officer’s pinky finger.

Police: Tenn. dad was drag-racing while baby was on board

You really need to see the photo to appreciate the wreck that happened. Amazingly, the kiddo only had a few scratches, police say.

Former Mo. trooper admits to ignoring auto shop's VIN shenanigans

From Tony Rizzo:

A former Missouri Highway Patrol trooper pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to concealing the illegal activities of an auto repair business operator.

Dusty Berry, 27, entered the plea in U.S. District Court in Kansas City. He faces up to three years in federal prison, according to prosecutors.

Warren Jeffs hospitalized after fasting

Warren Jeffs, the polygamist leader who was recently sentenced to life in prison, is critically ill after a fast, Texas prison officials tell CNN. At last report, he was in stable condition at a hospital there.

Tuesday'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!

Two witnesses expected to recant earlier testimony in Ryan Ferguson case

From Karen Dillon:

In October, two witnesses whose testimony put Ryan Ferguson behind bars in 2005 are expected to testify that they didn’t see him commit murder after all.

That will just be the latest twist in a strange case that has captured national attention almost since Ferguson was arrested in 2004 in Kansas City.

And depending on what happens at the court hearing Oct. 25 in Cole County, Ferguson — convicted of killing Columbia newspaper sports editor Kent Heitholt in 2001 — could get a new trial.

Missouri doctors treating suspect in Tucson shooting spree

As you might recall, Jared Lee Loughner -- the suspect in the Tucson shooting rampage from earlier this year -- is being treated at a federal prison in Springfield because his mental state is so bad. And it doesn't sound like it's getting much better.

He's been diagnosed with schizophrenia, and doctors are now forcing him to take medication, something that his lawyers want the courts to review.

Via the AP:

The man accused in the Arizona shooting rampage kept himself awake for 50 hours straight after an appeals court stopped forced medication. He walked in circles until he developed sores and then declined antibiotics to treat an infected foot. Already thin, he stopped eating and shed nine pounds.

Life in prison for Del. pediatrician accused of molesting 100+ children

Earl Bradley, a Delaware pediatrician accused of molesting more than 100 young patients, will spend the rest of his life in prison, CNN reports. The abuse reportedly occurred over the space of a decade. Some of the victims were as young as 2 years old.

Pennsylvania man accused of befouling ex-wife's photo IDs

A Pennsylvania man is accused of breaking into his ex's house and defecating on her photo IDs, police say. How did the ex allegedly catch him? She walked in on him while he was on the toilet, the authorities report. 

Not remotely crime-related: Kids' lawsuit against mother gets dismissed

I've tried to avoid posting as many stories about civil lawsuits because, well, there's usually not a crime involved. But I couldn't help passing along this one. In Chicago, two grown children tried -- and failed -- to sue their mother for faulty parenting. From the Tribune:

The alleged offenses include failing to take her daughter to a car show, telling her then 7-year-old son to buckle his seat belt or she would contact police, "haggling" over the amount to spend on party dresses and calling her daughter at midnight to ask that she return home from celebrating homecoming.

Someone has stolen the Statue of Liberty

... replica from a miniature golf course in Iowa. Slow news day, friends.