Report: Strippers pose as paralegals to reach federal defendants

The Miami's New Times paper is all over the story.

Lawyers hired by the accused narco dons allegedly list the scantily clad women as "legal assistants," and the FDC lets them in. Meanwhile, attorneys who refuse to go along risk losing their clients to lawyers with busty beauties on staff.

Michael Jackson's doctor sentenced to four years in prison

Of course, prison is sort of like the island on "Lost" -- time flows differently there. Conrad Murray will probably be behind bars a little under two years, the AP notes. The defense argued that Murray has already received a terrible punishment ...

Chernoff suggested that Murray is being punished enough by the stigma of having caused Jackson's death. "Whether Dr. Murray is a barista or a greeter at Walmart, he is still the man that killed Michael Jackson," he said.

I'm not sure if I would drink a coffee concocted by a guy who believed in the liberal application of powerful anesthetics ....

Third homicide victim linked to Thanksgiving slayings in Kansas City

Christine Vendel has much more detail about the fatal shooting on Thanksgiving near 66th and Bellefontaine. Police got into a shootout with suspect Jerry Petty, fatally wounding him, and found two women -- Petty's wife, Loretta, and her goddaughter, Deja Davis -- dead inside the house.

Police now think that Jerry Petty also killed a third woman:

The third woman, Denise Hall, was found shot to death in the 2900 block of East 69th Street on Saturday afternoon — at least two days after police think she was killed. Police said Hall, 56, was an acquaintance of Petty.

The working theory is that Hall was killed during a robbery, that Jerry Petty was trying to get money for crack.

I helped write the story, so I'm a little biased, but you might be interested in reading the whole piece. Loretta Petty was a recovering alcoholic, sober for 20 years, who had not only changed her own life, but helped a huge number of other addicts get clean.

And Deja Davis -- what a tragedy. We've lost a lot of bright, young people to homicides this year.

Elderly man pays Sears back for money he stole in 1940s

He gave them a $100 bill to replace the $20 to $30 that he took from a cash register decades ago, the AP reports.

Wis. man gets 11 years for using snowmobile to kill deer

Listen, I've been in a car-versus-deer wreck, and that wasn't much fun. I can't imagine that hitting one with a snowmobile is going to feel pleasant. I would love to know what was going through the guy's head --- oh, wait, it's Wisconsin, and I've never answered my own question.

Oh, and he was convicted of driving drunk and killing a pedestrian, so he'll do time for that, too.

Lisa Irwin's family asks group to stop praying in their front yard

Lisa Irwin's family has asked a group of volunteers to stop holding prayer vigils for the missing girl outside their home, KCTV reports. KSHB refers to the gatherings as "nightly" and notes that Irwin's family was grateful for the support, but overwhelmed by having the vigils in their front yard.

It's been about two months since Lisa disappeared. What would you have done if you were in the family's position?

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!

Olathe police officer's gun, handcuffs, uniform shirts stolen from home

It happened sometime between Nov. 18 and 24. The sheriff's office is investigating, and they're encouraging citizens -- if they doubt that an officer is really who they say they are -- to ask to see ID.

Dinged car leads to scuffle, gunfight in Wichita

The Eagle reports that four people went to the hospital as a result of the fight.

FBI seeks suspects in Smithville robbery

From Bob Cronkleton:

A woman and a man armed with a handgun robbed the Clay County Savings Bank in Smithville Monday afternoon.

The two entered the savings bank at 1101 S. U.S. 169 about 12:50 p.m. The man showed a handgun and demanded money.

The two suspects then fled with an undisclosed amount of money in a mini-van, which was described as possibly being turquoise or green and similar to a Dodge Caravan.

KC police look for suspect in homicide

From Christine Vendel:

Kansas City police today asked for the public’s help finding a man suspected in the shotgun slaying of Nathan L. Davis on Nov. 8 inside a home that later was set on fire.

Police have been looking for Travis A. Robling, 27, who lives in the 4200 block of Ditzler Avenue, for more than a week. Jackson County prosecutors charged him last week with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Davis, 25, in the 5400 block of East 28th Street.

Murder suspect would like $235K from kidnapping victims, please

Great story here from Topeka's Capital-Journal ...

In 2009, Jesse Dimmick -- a murder suspect running from authorities -- came into a Shawnee County couple's home and offered them money if they would hide him. The couple fled while he was asleep, and the police arrested him.

Dimmick is now suing the couple, arguing they had a legally enforceable contract, the Cap-Journal reports. Best Part:

A neighbor told The Topeka Capital-Journal in September 2009 that the couple gained (Dimmick's) trust by eating Cheetos and drinking Dr Pepper with him while watching the movie “Patch Adams.”

I know this is Exhibit A for frivolous lawsuits, but if they're all as entertaining as this one, I'm okay with them.

Deaf man says he was held in Colo. jail for 25 days without interpreter

The man -- who was eventually cleared of domestic assault charges -- has filed a federal lawsuit against the Adams County sheriff's office, the Denver Post reports. The guy's fiancee told the paper that she wasn't given an interpreter either:

Moore, meanwhile, tried to tell the deputies that Siaki did not hurt her but could not because she was not provided an interpreter or any aids.

KC woman pleads guilty in national adoption-fraud case

From Matt Campbell:

A Kansas City woman on Monday admitted her role in scamming 14 couples across the country in a scheme in which she pretended to be pregnant with twins and willing to let others adopt them.

Roxanne Janel Jones, 35, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Kansas to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud as well as aggravated identity theft. She could be sentenced to up to 22 years in prison.

CBS News had a really good investigative piece on Jones here.

Defense: Sirhan Sirhan didn't kill RFK

Attorneys for Sirhan Sirhan claim that he didn't actually shoot Robert F. Kennedy and are trying to get his conviction overturned, the AP says. A bullet found in RFK's neck didn't match Sirhan's gun, so an unnamed party switched it out before it was entered in evidence, the defense claims.

More proof that Christmas craft fairs are magnets for violence, crime

I've been doing this job for a while now. This is the first seashell-ornament stabbing that's crossed my path, though.

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!

New York Times discovers that weird stuff happens at Waffle Houses

As longtime readers might remember, we've found a lot of weird crime stories from our nation's various Waffle Houses -- and now the New York Times is taking note, too. The good people at Waffle House are fighting back with their very own Waffle House Museum.

Common sense wins rare victory

A security guard has lost his job at a Safeway in Washington state after he caught a 4-year-old shoplifter -- she allegedly ate some dried fruit, then put the package back on the shelf -- and threatened her with criminal charges, the AP reports.

Stay Frosty: Man dressed as snowman accused of kicking police dog

So ... maybe he's not such a jolly, happy soul after all.

Inmate gets out of jail early for meeting judge's challenge to lose weight

A judge in Lake County, Fla., is letting an obese prisoner out of jail nine days earlier because he successfully completed her challenge to lose weight -- 25 pounds in 20 days, ABC News reports. Why, yes, the judge DOES have a T.V. show.

Amateur superhero avoids charges, loses job, vows to keep patrolling

Ben Fodor -- aka "Phoenix Jones" -- won't be charged in an incident from October, when he allegedly pepper-sprayed a group of people outside a nightclub, CNN reports. Prosecutors say they couldn't locate the witnesses.

KCPD identifies man killed in gunfight with officers on Thanksgiving

From Mara Rose Williams:

Kansas City Police this afternoon identified the man officers shot and killed Thanksgiving night outside a house in the 6600 block of Bellfontaine where the bodies of two women also were found.

Police said 64-year-old Jerry Petty, who reportedly worked for Habitat for Humanity, was killed by police after he came out of the house firing at officers.

Ohio police think death toll in alleged 'Want Ad' slayings could climb to three

Last week, I wrote about a case from Ohio, where two suspects allegedly used want ads to lure jobseekers to a rural area -- so the jobseekers could then be robbed and killed. Police now think the death toll could rise from one to three.

I call the big one 'Bitey'

You know, it's sad. Why can't a guy go to an interstate exit in south Georgia and buy a poisonous snake from an unlicensed dealer without something terrible happening?