Tag: crime

Pair of Woke Bills in NY Could Free Notorious Killers Including ‘Son of Sam’

In the mid-1970’s, New York was gripped with fear as an unknown murderer roamed the streets.

During his murder spree, David Berkowitz often approached victims sitting in cars and fired through the windshield or window.

He left taunting letters to police and columnist Jimmy Breslin, signing them “Son of Sam” (he claimed a demon-possessed dog named Sam told him to kill).

He was arrested in August of 1977, confessed to murdering six victims and wounding seven others.

Now, thanks to two woke bills being pushed in Albany, cell doors could swing open for Berkowitz and other notorious killers.

The Elder Parole bill would allow people convicted of certain crimes (including some violent felonies and murders) to apply for parole once they reach age 55 and have served at least 15 years of their sentence. It expands early parole eligibility for older inmates.

The Fair and Timely Parole bill would require the parole board to presume release for most inmates who have served their minimum sentence, unless the board can prove they still pose a clear public safety risk, and also reduces the weight given to the “nature of the original crime, especially for older convictions.

Further, it shortens the time between parole hearings.

The bill emphasizes factors like age, rehabilitation efforts, and time served over the severity of the original offense, placing more weight on behaviors during incarceration rather than the actual violent crimes that put someone behind bars in the first place.

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Small-Town Virginia Mayor Arrested for Showing Up Drunk to Train Derailment

A small-town Virginia mayor was arrested this week after he allegedly showed up intoxicated at the scene of a train derailment.

The derailment and arrest happened this past Tuesday near the West Virginia border, where emergency crews were responding to a Norfolk Southern derailment.

According to WSLS-TV, Rich Creek Mayor Paul Morrison was taken into custody at the scene.

Jail records showed the 57-year-old was arrested by deputies from the Giles County Sheriff’s Office on a public intoxication charge.

Authorities have not released further details about what led directly to the arrest.

Morrison was later released on his own recognizance.

According to the New York Post, Morrison was cuffed and booked after allegedly arriving inebriated at the derailment scene.

The derailment itself involved a train that spilled soybean oil into the Bluestone River.

The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection said the oil was not hazardous.

Morrison was elected mayor this past November through a write-in campaign.

He won 77 out of 106 votes cast in the town of roughly 700 residents, according to WSLS.

Morrison issued an apology for the arrest on Thursday.

“To my Family, the First Responders, the Town’s Employees, Town Council and the residents of Rich Creek, I would like to offer apologies for my state and any actions on 04/28 at the railroad incident,” the mayor said.

He added that he regretted “any inconvenience as well as embarrassment this may have caused.”

“I am truly sorry to have let you down and can assure you that nothing like this will happen again,” Morrison said.

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Locals Protest Mexican Government’s Unwillingness to Stop Gulf Cartel Targeting Innocents

Dozens of residents in the cartel-controlled city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, took a high risk by holding a protest, blocking one of the area’s main avenues, and asking to be able to live in peace. The protest follows an attack by gunmen from the Gulf Cartel that led to the murder of two innocent citizens with complete impunity, while the Tamaulipas government claims that the state is one of the safest in the nation.

This week, residents in Reynosa held hands as they blocked Hidalgo Boulevard, one of the city’s main arteries, demanding peace. The peaceful protest lasted for a short while as passing motorists honked and cheered in support. The move came just one day after a group of gunmen with the Gulf Cartel shot and killed two victims in a brazen daytime attack.

The attack also took place along Boulevard Hidalgo when the gunmen pulled up next to a motorist and began shooting. The male victim got down and tried to run away, but died in a hail of bullets. The gunmen were able to drive off with complete impunity. Some of those bullets also struck a young teen girl who was on her way to school. Her parents tried to rush her to a local hospital, but the girl died soon after.

Preliminary information points to the gunmen having killed the male motorist for having tried to sell a vehicle without paying a fee or tax to the criminal organization. Breitbart Texas has reported extensively on the reign of terror spread by the Gulf Cartel, where the criminal organization collects extortion fees from average citizens for most business endeavors.

The shootings sparked much outrage within the city, where residents began pressuring the local mayor and dared to become widely outspoken about the poor security conditions in the region.

By Friday evening, after much pressure from various protests and local news outlets, the Tamaulipas government issued a prepared statement claiming that they had arrested seven individuals in connection with the shooting. As with other cases in the past, the arrests focus on low-level gunmen, with government officials rarely targeting the leadership of the top Gulf Cartel, who are the ones that impose the extortion fees and have the protection of top-level government officials.

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Fugees Rapper Pras Reports to Prison to Begin 14-Year Sentence for Illegal Foreign Obama Donations

Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees has reported to federal prison to begin a 14-year sentence following a conviction over illegally funneling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign.

Michel reported to prison Thursday, a spokesperson said, with federal records listing him as an inmate at a low-security correctional institution in Arizona.

“Today is a painful day for Pras, for his family, and for everyone who believes in a fair system of justice. Pras honors the legal process as he reports to begin his sentence,” said Erica Dumas, a spokesperson for Michel, adding that his legal team is still contesting his charges.

“This chapter is difficult, but it is not his final one,” Dumas said.

Michel, 53, was convicted in 2023 on 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government. He was sentenced late last year.

Prosecutors said he obtained over $120 million from Malaysian billionaire Low Taek Jho — also known as Jho Low — and steered some of that money through straw donors to Obama’s campaign. Michel also tried to end a U.S. Justice Department investigation of Low, tampered with two witnesses and perjured himself at trial, prosecutors said. Low has maintained his innocence.

Michel was a founding member of the Fugees along with childhood friends Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, with the group going on to win two Grammy Awards and selling tens of millions of albums.

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Fauci Colleague’s Indictment Might Shed Light on Covid’s Murky History

David Morens was formerly a senior adviser to Anthony Fauci when he was the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Morens also co-authored several science papers with the former director. One of these argued hubristically in Cell that the U.N. and the World Health Organization should be empowered to “rebuild the structure of human existence” toward the end of preventing future pandemics. Imagine the bureaucratic possibilities!

Back in 2024, Morens was suspected of avoiding FOIA requests around the funding of gain-of-function research that might have led to Covid. Soon thereafter, Fauci distanced himself from his former colleague in congressional testimony, stating that while Morens had helped with some science papers, he wasn’t really an adviser on NIAID policy.

Now, Morens has been indicted. From the DOJ press release:

A former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) employee is facing indictment for his role in a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in connection with COVID-19 research grants.

David M. Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, is charged with conspiracy against the United States; destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations; concealment, removal, or mutilation of records; and aiding and abetting. Morens served as a senior advisor in NIAID’s Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022.

“These allegations represent a profound abuse of trust at a time when the American people needed it most — during the height of a global pandemic,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Morens and his co-conspirators deliberately concealed information and falsified records in an effort to suppress alternative theories regarding the origins of COVID-19.”

Intriguingly, two unnamed “co-conspirators” are alleged to have participated in the information-suppressing plot:

According to the indictment, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, Co-Conspirator 2, and others conspired during the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud and commit several offenses against the United States after NIH terminated Co-Conspirator 1’s grant. NIH terminated the grant, Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence (bat coronavirus grant), based on allegations that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in Wuhan, China. NIAID awarded the grant to Company #1 and Co-Conspirator 1, who made a subaward to the WIV.

Following the termination, Morens and Co-Conspirator 2 pledged to help Co-Conspirator 1 restore the termination of the bat coronavirus grant and counter the narrative that COVID-19 leaked from a lab. In anticipation that their communications would be requested through a FOIA Request, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, and Co-Conspirator 2 agreed in writing to intentionally hide from public view their communications by corresponding using Morens’s personal Gmail account, rather than his official NIH email account.

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Violent Offenders Freed By One Twisted Word

New York’s Family Court Act exemplifies how euphemistic terminology undermines justice for violent crime victims. The law classifies 13- to 15-year-olds who commit armed robberies and murders as “juvenile delinquents” engaged in “acts which if committed by an adult would be a crime,” rather than calling them what they are: criminals. This linguistic sleight of hand enables a system where 12-year-olds can commit murder yet face only short-term incarceration. The sanitized language serves a political agenda that prioritizes rehabilitation rhetoric over accountability, leaving communities vulnerable to repeat offenders who understand the system offers minimal consequences for maximum violence.

Recent cases from Florida and Maryland illustrate the growing crisis. An 11-year-old shot teenagers in Florida, while separate incidents involved a 17-year-old and 12-year-old in murders. Miami-Dade experienced a wave of carjackings committed by offenders aged 16-18. Baltimore police made over 500 teen arrests in 2022, with more than 120 juveniles caught carrying handguns. Maryland statistics reveal that individuals under 19 commit 15 percent of violent crimes statewide. The CDC defines youth violence as intentional harm by those aged 10-24, including weapons offenses and gang activity. These numbers reveal a disturbing trend that soft-on-crime policies have enabled rather than prevented.

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Michigan State University Forced to Close Academic Building After Discovery of a METH LAB

Police were forced to shut down the largest academic building at Michigan State University this week after it was discovered that it was housing a meth lab.

This sounds like something out of the TV series ‘Breaking Bad.’

It’s another embarrassing black eye for higher education but on the bright side, at least the lab didn’t blow up first.

NBC News reports:

Man arrested and charged in meth incident at Michigan State University

A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged in an incident involving methamphetamines at Michigan State University, prompting the closure of Wells Hall, the largest academic building on campus, this week.

Xin Tong faces charges of malicious destruction of property over $20,000 and operating or maintaining a methamphetamine lab, state police said in a news release. He is being held at the Ingham County Jail on a $500,000 cash surety bond. It is not clear whether Tong has an attorney.

Campus Public Safety Chief Mike Yankowski said at a news conference Wednesday that the incident involved an unknown substance found on flooring and doors throughout the building in East Lansing.

At around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, campus police responded to a report of possible trespassing. Officers found Tong on the fifth floor with four or five backpacks and duffel bags, Yankowski said.

Police obtained a search warrant and found “several labeled and unlabeled containers of an unknown liquid substance inside,” the safety chief said.

The news release identified the substances as sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone and butane. Police said the substances can be purchased legally online and in stores.

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Liberal Insanity: Michigan Town Spends $18,000 in Taxpayer Cash to Rip Out Over 600 ‘Racist’ Neighborhood Watch Signs, Mayor Calls Them ‘Expressions of Exclusion’

The liberal city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, has spent $18,000 in taxpayer funds to remove more than 600 “Neighborhood Watch” signs after city officials declared the crime prevention signs “expressions of exclusion” that allegedly promote racial profiling and make people of color feel “unwelcome.”

The signs were yanked from front yards and public spaces by city crews over the past few weeks, with the final one removed last week.

Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor personally helped remove the last sign alongside two city council members.

In a video statement posted to Instagram to virtue signal, Taylor declared, “Frankly, neighborhood watch signs are expressions of exclusion, and they’re inconsistent with our values. Ann Arbor is a welcoming community. We don’t want to push people away. We want to welcome folks in.”

Council Member Cynthia Harrison, who is Black, strongly supported the removal.

In the announcement video, Harrison stated, “There are people that look like me, and those from my community that have been questioned, quite frankly, in their own neighborhood by others, you know, wondering what they’re doing there.”

“This is just representative of our values and how we want people to feel in Ann Arbor,” Harrison continued. “We do welcome everyone to the city of Ann Arbor, but most importantly, we want everyone to feel welcome, and just the removal of these signs is a huge step in that direction.”

The city council voted 10-0 in December to direct staff to remove every single Neighborhood Watch sign by July 15.

Officials unanimously approved the $18,000 expenditure earlier this year, drawing the money from the city’s general cash reserves rather than from the police or street maintenance budgets.

Ann Arbor officials claim the Neighborhood Watch program, launched nationwide in the 1970s amid rising crime concerns, has been “defunct” and inactive for decades.

The officials also cited research showing the signs do not actually reduce crime and instead “reinforce biased surveillance practices” and create distrust toward people of color.

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Former Congressman David Rivera Convicted of Lobbying for Venezuela

Former Rep. David Rivera (R-Fla.) was found guilty on Friday of secretly lobbying on behalf of Venezuela’s government, following a seven-week federal trial.

Rivera—alongside associate Esther Nuhfer—was convicted on all charges, including failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiring to commit money laundering.

Prosecutors said the pair worked for the government of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro as part of a covert influence campaign.

According to the government’s case, Rivera leveraged his Republican political connections, including ties from his time in Congress, to push U.S. officials to ease their stance toward Venezuela’s socialist leadership.

Prosecutors alleged that Rivera secured a $50 million lobbying deal from Venezuelan official Delcy Rodríguez, with funds connected to the state oil company PDVSA.

As part of the effort, Rivera worked with Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and others to arrange meetings with U.S. officials and business leaders.

Sessions has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

The case highlighted Miami’s long-standing role as a center of influence in U.S.–Latin America relations, shaped by its large exile community and history of anti-communist activism.

Rivera was first charged in 2022. Prosecutors said he used encrypted communications to conceal his activities, including a messaging group called “MIA.”

One of his key contacts was Venezuelan businessman Raúl Gorrín, who has separately faced U.S. bribery charges.

Messages presented at trial allegedly showed the use of coded language—referring to Maduro as “the bus driver,” Sessions as “Sombrero,” and money as “melons.”

Rivera denied any wrongdoing.

His defense argued that his firm was hired by a U.S.-based subsidiary of Venezuela’s oil company, not directly by the Venezuelan government, and therefore did not require registration under foreign agent laws.

They also said his work focused on business matters, including helping Citgo operate in the United States, and on encouraging political change in Venezuela.

However, prosecutors pointed to a related civil case alleging Rivera performed little of the contracted work and used the agreement to mask illegal lobbying.

Of the roughly $20 million he received, they said millions were diverted to personal expenses, including maintaining Gorrín’s luxury yacht.

Prosecutors said Rivera viewed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a key ally for gaining access to senior U.S. officials. Rubio was not accused of any misconduct.

Court records showed Rivera met with Rubio in Washington in 2017 and later encouraged him to support negotiations with Maduro, suggesting the United States should help facilitate a peaceful resolution.

The effort ultimately failed.

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Indian realtor tells Canadian judge he abducted 9-year-old boy because it’s ‘acceptable in his culture,’ begs not to be deported

An Indian real estate agent in Ontario, Canada has claimed to a judge that it was a “cultural misunderstanding” when he lured a boy into his vehicle and abducted him. He is now facing deportation from the country.

Manoj Govindbalunikam, 37, was given an 18-month sentence earlier in April after being convicted of abducting a 9-year-old boy in August 2023. He pleaded not guilty to abducting the boy and then buying the young lad ice cream as well as toys. Police later found photos of him with the boy in his yellow Chevrolet Camaro.

While in court, Govindbalunikam’s lawyer asked that his punishment be reduced to a conditional discharge. In doing so, he would be able to avoid getting deported back to India.

“A term of imprisonment of six months or more would render Mr. Govindbalunikam inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and he could face deportation,” the attorney said, per the Daily Mail. The lawyer claimed the incident was a misunderstanding and that luring the boy with the toys and ice cream would be “considered acceptable in his culture.”

“The subject also admitted offering the victim a toy and food as a kind gesture with no intention or desire to do something wrong or harmful,” the attorney argued.

Govindbalunikam also claimed that the charges against him were racist and that he “never experienced racial discrimination until his arrest.”

“He claims that conversing with any individual and offering transportation would be considered acceptable in his culture. As such, he claims that this offense is misinterpreted on how authorities have perceived his actions,” the attorney added in the hearing.

The explanation that the abduction was a “misunderstanding” was rejected by the judge. Police said that the real estate agent lured the boy to his car with a fidget spinner and then gave him his real estate agent business info. After the child went walking home, Govindbalunikam offered to give him a ride.

After telling the boy to ditch his bike, he drove the 9-year-old to a tavern where he “purchased an ice cream for the victim.” Witnesses at the tavern recognized the boy, but not Govindbalunikam, and called the police.

“Mr Govindbalunikam has been here for over a decade and has worked in two demanding fields,” the judge said in his ruling.

“I do not accept that this abduction was as a result of a ‘cultural misunderstanding’ whereby he mistakenly believed that it was acceptable to take a child. He has been a resident of Canada for too long to suggest that this was an innocent error,” the judge added.

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