Tag: crime

California megachurch leader, grandparents charged with murder, torture in death of 11-year-old daughter

A California megachurch leader and her parents have been arrested on charges including murder and torture in the death of the woman’s 11-year-old daughter.

Leticia McCormack, a leader at Rock Church in San Diego, founded and led by former NFL player Miles McPherson, was booked in jail Monday on a charge of murder, three counts of torture, and three counts of willful cruelty to a child in the death of Arabella McCormack, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office reported.

On Thursday, McCormack’s leadership profile had been removed from the megachurch’s website.

Arabella was initially fostered before being adopted by Brian and Leticia McCormack, officials said.

The 49-year-old church elder’s father, Stanley Tom, 75, was also charged with murder, three counts of torture, and three counts of willful cruelty to a child, according to a news release from the department. Arabella’s grandmother Adella Tom, 70, was booked on three counts of torture and three counts of willful cruelty to a child.

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Paul Pelosi Attack Suspect Indicted by Federal Grand Jury: DOJ

The Canadian national who allegedly attacked the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer in the Pelosis’ home was indicted (pdf) on Nov. 9 by a federal grand jury, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

David DePape, 42, was “charged with one count of assault upon an immediate family member of a U.S. official with the intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties,” the DOJ said in a statement. “He is also charged with one count of attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official on account of the performance of official duties.”

Federal officials last week confirmed to The Epoch Times that DePape was in the United States illegally, having overstayed his visa after he initially entered the country in 2000. The DOJ statement didn’t mention DePape’s immigration status and referred to him as a “California man.”

If convicted, DePape faces up to 30 years in prison on the alleged assault count and 20 years in prison for the attempted kidnapping count. He also faces a number of state charges, including attempted murder, for which he has pleaded not guilty.

He remained held on Nov. 10 in the San Francisco County jail without bail ahead of a Dec. 14 preliminary hearing on the local charges, according to the Mercury News. No court date has been set for the federal charges.

The indictment stated that two police officers arrived at the Pelosis’ San Francisco home early on Oct. 28 to see DePape and Paul Pelosi struggling over a hammer. When officers told the two to drop it, DePape allegedly got control of the hammer and hit Pelosi in the head, fracturing his skull.

The officers, according to court papers, then restrained the suspect while Pelosi remained on the ground.

“As set forth in the indictment, once DePape was restrained, officers secured a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, a pair of rubber and cloth gloves, and zip ties from the crime scene, where officers also observed a broken glass door to the back porch,” the DOJ said in its statement.

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JonBenet Ramsey Murder Now Under Investigation By Cold Case Team Examining DNA Remnants

In yet another effort to discover the murderer of 6-year-old beauty pageant queen JonBenet Ramsey, who was found bludgeoned and strangled in her family’s basement in 1996, local police are now going to work with a review team to use new technology to find the killer.

The girl was reported missing the day after Christmas 1996 after JonBenet’s mother Patsy found a handwritten ransom note demanding nearly $118,000; her father John found her body later that day. For years, John, as well as Patsy, who died of cancer in 2006, were suspected by the public of killing their daughter, but in 2008 they were officially cleared.

“The amount of DNA evidence available for analysis is extremely small and complex. The sample could, in whole or in part, be consumed by DNA testing,” the Boulder Police Department and Boulder County District Attorney’s Office stated in a news release.

“The Boulder Police Department will be consulting with the Colorado Cold Case Review Team in 2023. The Cold Case Review Team is comprised of professional investigative, analytical, and forensic experts from across the state,” the district attorney’s office added.

Last May, John Ramsey asked Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) to move the case from the Boulder police to an independent agency.

“Anyone who would do this to a child is just beyond sick. He may be still out there, and if he is, he’s probably killed other children,” Ramsey said, according to Inside Edition, adding that new technology should be used to identify his daughter’s killer. “Technology has advanced so far in 25 years, that to not go back and apply the latest technology is just foolish.”

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Good Samaritan Killed by Violent Cop While Rendering Aid to Shooting Victim

Kenneth Vineyard, 48, is the type of man who would run up to a complete stranger who lay bleeding on the ground and do anything he could to help him. In fact, that is exactly what he did on Sunday when a shooting unfolded in a Walmart parking lot. Unfortunately for Vineyard, however, this would be his last act of kindness thanks to Pennsylvania’s finest — who killed him for it.

Vineyard’s family is now demanding justice after an officer with the Center Township Police Department walked up to Vineyard as he helped a complete stranger and killed him.

“This appears to be another instance of senseless police violence,” said attorney Joel Sansone, according to KDKA.

According to police, Vineyard was at the Monaca Walmart with his fiancé on Sunday afternoon when gunfire erupted in the parking lot. Vineyard was not involved in the shooting. Police said Rashaun Smith, 20, was shot in the abdomen by Yeshua Bratcher, 23, and Vineyard simply ran up to Smith and began rendering aid.

“As the victim of that shooting lay bleeding, a Good Samaritan named Kenneth Vineyard rushed to the victim to render aid,” said Sansone.

Vineyard stopped Smith’s bleeding until paramedics arrived. When paramedics began helping Smith, Vineyard backed away and let them work. That’s when a man in plainclothes — who was a Center Township police officer — approached Vineyard and began barking orders.

Vineyard told the officer that he had just helped the shooting victim and was trying to make his way back to his fiancé. The officer couldn’t have cared less, however, and violently attacked Vineyard, according to Sansone. The officer reportedly shoved Vineyard to the pavement so hard that it killed him.

“The unidentified man insisted Mr. Vineyard step away and violently pushed Mr. Vineyard to the ground where he struck his head on the pavement,” Sansone said.

According to Sansone, Vineyard’s fiancé began chest compressions immediately while the first responders on the scene jumped in to help as well but he had no pulse. Vineyard was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Sansone says he has video of the officer shoving Vineyard as well as witness statements that corroborate his claims. “We want the name of the individual who caused this death and we intend to sue him and possibly others,” said Sansone.

“This officer should be immediately suspended pending the outcome of this investigation if the facts are as I’ve been told. He should be arrested and charged with manslaughter at the very least,” he added.

Although state police claim to be investigating the attack, the officer involved has yet to even be interviewed. Yeshua Bratcher, however, has been found, arrested, and charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and a firearms violation.

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Tiffany’s jewelry tycoon, 71, plunges to her death from Norwegian Spirit cruise ship at 3am off Tahiti coast as it’s revealed gems were stolen from her cabin – and boyfriend took TWENTY HOURS to report her missing

A tycoon who owns Tiffany jewelry empire in Turkey has died after plunging to her death from a cruise ship during a South Sea Islands holiday.

Dilek Ertek, 71 – the distributor of Tiffany in Turkey for more than 20 years – fell into the South Pacific off the coast of Tahiti from the Norwegian Spirit ship on October 26.

Respected Turkish newspaper Sabah reported that her family have urged police to investigate Miss Ertek’s Swiss national lover, who was with her on the trip.

Her son Gokce Atuk says jewelry had gone missing from the safe in his mother’s cabin.

And despite ship CCTV footage showing she probably fell at 3am, her unnamed lover only reported her missing some 20 hours later, according to local media.

Experts seem baffled over how Miss Ertek – who was just 5ft2 and tee-total – was able to fall over the 3ft-high guard rail to her cabin. 

The 74-year-old partner was kept under observation by the ship’s crew in a separate cabin before they then docked in Tahiti three days later.

He was reportedly questioned by police in Tahiti before being released due to a lack of evidence. He has since returned to Switzerland.

A search at sea for Miss Ertek’s body has been discontinued.

Miss Ertek had boarded the vessel on October 24 in Papeete Island, French Polynesia, to celebrate her birthday in Bora Bora, a small South Pacific island on November 5.

The cruise was set to end in Honolulu, in Hawaii.

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Leah Remini testifies Church of Scientology faked rape claim against ex-member Paul Haggis

Actress Leah Remini testified Monday that the lawsuit accusing Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis of rape was fabricated by the Church of Scientology — telling Manhattan jurors “it is Paul who is the victim here.”

“The purpose of Scientology lawsuits is just to destroy your life,” Remini said, appearing via video link from Beverly Hills, with an Emmy Award statue visible in the background.

Lawyers for Haggis, 69, called the “King of Queens” star to the stand in his trial over the suit from former publicist Haleigh Breest, who alleges he raped her in his Soho apartment after a film premiere on Jan. 31, 2013. The “Crash” director has denied the accusation, claiming the encounter was consensual.

He claims the suit is part of a vendetta by Scientology for speaking out against the church when he broke with it in 2009 after three decades of membership.

Remini — arguably one of the most prominent ex-Scientologists — told the court about the repercussions of disavowing the church and acted as a character witness for Haggis.

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THAT’S WEIRD? California Officials REFUSE to Allow Paul Pelosi’s Attacker David DePape to Be Interviewed by ICE

ICE officials are not allowed to talk to illegal alien David DePape.  They are being blocked by California officials.

Jon Feere, a former senior advisor, COS, Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE), posted this on his Twitter account on Sunday.

FYI: Sources in ICE tell me that San Francisco is not allowing officers to interview Paul Pelosi’s attacker, David DePape; i.e., Dems and SFPD are siding with the alleged attacker. ICE routinely interviews jailed aliens to determine appropriate next steps, background, etc.

DHS’s statements on DePape have been short and vague, likely because ICE hasn’t had a chance to talk with him. The Sheriff SF has a pro-criminal alien policy (SFSD 2-39) that blocks DHS and ICE from interviewing jailed illegal aliens. (Pages 271-77)

Why are California politicians Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, and Speaker Pelosi okay with DePape being shielded from DHS? Is DHS Secretary Mayorkas not trying to get access, happily siding with the criminal alien instead of his own employees? What might ICE learn from an interview?

Earlier this year while speaking at the Conference of Mayors, Secretary Mayorkas claimed he would ask cities to “reconsider” their non-cooperation with ICE. Seems this would be a good opportunity, but he’s remained quiet.

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Police Refuse to Release Mugshot of Pelosi Hammer Attack Suspect

San Francisco authorities are refusing to release the mugshot of David DePape, the suspect arrested in the Oct. 28 hammer attack of Paul Pelosi, husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California).

City police as well as the county sheriff’s office both denied The Epoch Times’ emailed requests for the mugshot of DePape, 42.

An initial request was sent to the San Francisco County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the jail where DePape is being held. An officer replied: “We do not own the rights to mugshots;” San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) does.

The SFPD public information officer, Officer Nicole Pacchetti, told The Epoch Times: “Under the current circumstances we do not release mugshots of the suspect.”

Although police across the United States routinely release mugshots of arrested suspects, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott announced in 2020 that he would no longer release mugshots “except in circumstances where their release is necessary to warn the public of imminent danger or to enlist the public’s assistance in locating individuals, including at-risk persons.”

At the time, the chief cited research showing that widespread publication of mugshots “fosters racial bias and vastly overstates the propensity of black and brown men to engage in criminal behavior.” Scott also said that refusing to release mugshots reinforces a cornerstone of American jurisprudence: “innocent until proven guilty.”

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NBC Report Contradicts Federal Charging Statement in Paul Pelosi Attack – And Paul Pelosi’s Actions

An NBC News report Friday morning contradicts details in the federal charging papers against David DePape, 42, about the attack one week ago on Paul Pelosi, the 82-year-old husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), at the couple’s San Francisco home. Pelosi was released from the hospital Thursday and returned home where he faces a long recovery from injuries from the hammer attack that required skull surgery and also seriously injured his right arm and hands.

DePape, an illegal alien from Canada, faces state and federal charges and is being held without bail and has an ICE detainer. DePape reportedly confessed to breaking into the Pelosi home with plans to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and break her kneecaps. He allegedly tried to take Paul Pelosi hostage instead when told she was not home. Police report DePape had two hammers, zip ties and tape.

NBC reporter Miguel Almaguer reported on the Today Show that accused attacker David DePape and Paul Pelosi were alone in the Pelosi home for thirty minutes, that Paul Pelosi answered the door and did not tell police he needed help and try to leave the house but instead walked away and back to DePape while DePape told police who asked “what’s going on?”, “Everything is good.” It was then that Pelosi and DePape were seen wrestling over the hammer. Police intervened after Pelosi was struck in the head and knocked unconscious.

Almaguer did not note those details contradict the official narrative.

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‘It Can Ruin Your Career’: Glenn Greenwald Explains Why Journalists Are Terrified To Question Paul Pelosi Narrative

Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald said Sunday that there was a very simple reason that members of his chosen profession seemed unwilling to question the narrative surrounding the alleged attack on Paul Pelosi — namely the possibility that asking questions could put their careers at risk.

Greenwald laid out his theory in a Twitter thread, saying that it didn’t even matter whether or not the prevailing narrative — that the person who was arrested at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) was a far-right conspiracy theorist and election denier — was true. The point, he said, was that it couldn’t be questioned.

“It’s very possible that the instantly formed media narrative — Paul Pelosi’s attacker was a MAGA fanatic who broke in to murder Nancy — will be proven true. But right now there are so many glaring doubts and holes in that story that it just takes common sense to question this,” Greenwald began.

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