News: Potential New York Terrorist Arrested

(Long Island, N.Y.) A twenty-year-old college student was arrested last week for attempting to use weapons of mass destruction. He was living in Lubbock, Texas and had previously attended Texas Tech for chemical engineering. Some of his targets were former president George W. Bush’s Dallas home and undisclosed areas of New York City.

A native to Saudi Arabia, he received a student visa along with a scholarship, and has been in the country since ’08. An industrial corporation in Saudi Arabia allegedly paid for his tuition and living expenses. Police findings suggest that he had been planning anti-American acts prior to his entrance into the country.

His hatred for America went back as far as his teenage years. Since the 9/11 attacks he had been motivated to take criminal action against American targets after being influenced by speeches from Osama bin Laden. Though he did not appear outwardly religious, his plot was to learn English and skills with chemical explosives before unleashing a jihad on American soil.

The plan he hatched for New York City involved planting explosives in a series of rental cars, which he’d rent under a variety of names using a forged birth certificate and different licenses. They’d explode during rush hour, causing the most damage. He also intended on blowing up hydroelectric dams, a nightclub, and nuclear power plants, with plans that were similar to those of the Time’s Square Bomber.

He purchased the chemical materials on the Internet, where he researched how to assemble explosives; reports stated that his apartment was equipped with a makeshift laboratory and Hazmat suit. He lived above an Army Career Center, and like the Time’s Square Bomber, planned to target soldiers who had worked in an Iraqi prison camp. Though his lawyer stated he would plead not guilty for his March 11th detention hearing, he could face life in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

The amount of explosives he purchased was the equivalent of about fifteen pounds, which is enough to create the same kind of damage caused by the ’05 London Subway attack. Some reports stated that he was equipped with the skills to turn a cell phone into a remote detonator for the bombs, and that he had purchased a stun-gun and battery tester. He also had access to traffic cameras, allowing him to view and select city locations.

The heroes in this story are workers of the chemical supply company which sold him the items and the shipping company which distributed what was purchased. They reported to federal authorities that the $465 he spent in chemicals seemed suspicious, and that he did not seem to be using the items for commercial reasons. It took the FBI just weeks to trace his online purchases and uncover incriminating evidence from his diary and emails once they had discovered online posts he made that were radical in nature.

The diaries revealed that he enjoyed violent video games and dabbled in poetry. They also confessed his attraction to a woman who had helped him learn English. He learned the language in an English as a Second Language program at Vanderbilt University.

This case has Americans wondering if foreign access to visas is granted too easily. Fifteen out of the nineteen terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks also received visas in Saudi Arabia. This case illustrates the difficulties of discerning who comes here for education from those who intend on doing harm. Though stricter action against the distribution of visas may offend certain interest groups, many feel that the cost of American lives is too great to compromise.

News: News for Long Island Murder Trial

(Long Island, N.Y.) New information in the murder trial for Valley Stream motivational speaker Jeffrey Locker may help prove his alleged killer’s innocence. The defendant on trial, an East Harlem man named Kenneth Minor, claims that he aided Locker in his desire for suicide by holding a knife in place as he plunged into it. Since the trial began over a week ago, a second man has come forward claiming he was also approached by Locker to be recruited for the crime.

Marvin Flemming, a man accustomed to the streets of East Harlem, supports Minor’s claim that Locker was lurking around the area prior to his death in hopes of hiring a man to kill him. Flemming says that Locker paid him five dollars during a meeting outside a bodega while he was propositioned by Locker about the killing. Minor was allegedly spotted purchasing items at a bodega after the killing took place; he claims that it was all according to the plan set by Locker to insure the suicide appeared to be a robbery and murder.

Flemming says his intention was to hustle Locker for as much as he could get before it became clear to the fifty-two-year old speaker that he wouldn’t comply with the killing scheme. He maintains that he never planned to kill Locker, but had no problem taking roughly $4,000 in cash, jewelry, and knives in exchange for his initial compliance. Reports have stated that Locker was seen making cash withdrawals from an ATM machine prior to his death.

Flemming also claims that he witnessed Locker make a phone call to say that he had found someone to do the job that he/she refused. He claims that Locker planned to pretend to bust a tire, and Flemming was supposed to rob and shoot him as he tended to it. On the night of his murder, Locker allegedly called his wife to inform her that he had pulled over on the road to help fix a tire.

Instead of sticking to Locker’s plan, Flemming says he ditched on the speaker by entering a friend’s home, where he was supposed to retrieve a gun. He says he never returned or saw Locker again, but claims to have received a phone call from Locker who asked him why he was betrayed. This could explain why reports have stated that phone calls were made by Locker to a particular apartment in a nearby housing project.

Locker’s killing took place on July 16th of 2009, and the trial against Minor began last week; it’s unsure whether Minor will be prosecuted for second-degree murder or assisted suicide. The defense has previously requested a review of the case, since evidence surfaced that indicated Locker had researched funeral arrangements and life insurance policies prior to his death. The insurance company that handled Locker’s multi-million dollar policy has not granted the money since reports have shown that Locker stated he earned more than his actual income.

A motive for this bizarre crime could be the financial debt that Locker faced after getting involved in a Ponzi scheme. A witness in the case claimed that he had spotted Locker’s vehicle several times in the area, suggesting that Locker had spent a significant amount of time trying to hire his killer. If evidence proves the validity of their statements, it’s still unsure whether Minor and Flemmings were the only persons whom Locker attempted to recruit for his killing.

News: Animal Hoarding in a Shirley, Long Island Home

(Long Island, N.Y.) Dozens of animals were rescued in Shirley last Tuesday when a cow was found living in the sunroom of a two-bedroom house. The find caused a complete evacuation of the residence, in which the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) removed nearly a hundred animals individually. The property belonged to a mentally-compromised elderly woman, but was also inhabited by her twenty-three year old caretaker, his fiancé, and a five-year-old child.

The house was located in a residential area, and was built in a Cape-Cod style with 1400 square feet of space on a 10,000 square foot piece of property. Farm animals, exotic animals, and domestic animals were being hoarded into the home, according to authorities. Some of the animals recovered include: a cow, deer, baby bull, a three-hundred-pound pig, sun conure, pheasant, diamond dove, eight goats, five dogs, six cats, two ducks, twenty rabbits, mice, several chinchillas, gerbils, hedgehogs, snakes, three hens, two cockatiels, lovebirds, sixteen different species of rats, and seventy-five pigeons.

The pig was among the larger animals removed from the home and required a tranquilizer as rescue workers cut through the fence to free the animal. At least twelve animals were found dead in the basement of the home and were left to rot along with animal feces, debris, and urine. There was no food or water found at the residence.

The eighty-six-year old homeowner was taken to a safe place; authorities are unsure whether she will face charges. Criminal charges are expected to be filed against the caretaker, who admitted to owning the animals, with possible violations for animal cruelty. The Brookhaven Community Court in Patchogue wrote up eight tickets for housing violations, three of which were considered misdemeanor offenses.

Fees for the town clean-up of the home will have to be paid by the homeowner. The caretaker, who claims to have rescued the animals, has no prior offenses. It’s unsure why the animals were neglected and left out during freezing temperatures.

Suffolk County‘s SPCA is a non-profit organization with sixty staff workers consisting of veterinarians and volunteers who deal with about two thousand cases a year. They handle animal abuse cases and other pet-related scandals such as cockfights. All of their dealings are confidential, and they urge anyone with information about animal abuse cases to call and report the incident through their hotline.

Some of the animals found in the Shirley home were malnourished and have been nursed back to health or put into foster care as they await adoption. Police say that the house was reported years ago for having too many cats. Though the residence was cleaned by friends of the owner, it has since depreciated and has been condemned following Tuesday’s discovery.

Some say that the homeowner was considered the neighborhood “cat lady” and was allegedly found by authorities with a cat on her lap and bird on her head. SPCA workers had to enter the home with hazmat suits and gear while pigeons flew around her residence. She has no children.

Neighbors had been complaining for months to police about the horrendous smell coming from the area. One neighbor claimed that a goat ate through his fence and door. Another neighbor with an asthmatic son says that the animal stench has caused him multiple doctor visits. None of the neighbors knew how many animals were living inside the home.

It’s unsure what the relationship was between the young caretaker and the owner of the residence. Some reports claim that the caretaker’s mother was previously named power of attorney for the elderly woman. Authorities await more information in the development of this case.

News: Quogue Woman May Win $70 Million Lawsuit With Default Judgement

(Long Island, N.Y.)A $70 million default judgment could be awarded to a fifty-three year old resident from Quogue named Nancy Genovese for a lawsuit she filed against the Southampton Town Council. Genovese’s case made the news two years ago when she was arrested on criminal trespassing charges for attempting to photograph a “Jolly Green Giant” helicopter at the National Guard base of Gabreski Airport in West Hampton. Since then, Genovese’s case has been twisted to fit a variety of political agendas.

The misdemeanor charges against Genovese were dropped because authorities had no proof that she ever left the public area of the base where her vehicle was stationed. She was arraigned at the South Hampton Town Justice Court and spent four nights in a Suffolk County jail. Her bail was set at $50,000.

The biggest controversy of the case seems to be whether Genovese was justifiably treated as a terrorist threat for carrying a rifle and gun in her car at the time that police accosted her. Police argue that their treatment toward her was standard, based on the risk she posed against security. Adding to the scandal was the notion that Genovese is a self-claimed patriotic conservative, and says she’s been victimized by police who labeled her a tea-bagger, right-winger, and Glenn Beck supporter.

There are clearly two very opposing sides to this highly political case. Those who talked to Genovese at the base say that she was warned in the past to stay out of the area and that they’d been ordered to question anyone who approached the premises. Nonetheless, Genovese hadn’t broken any laws at the time of her arrest, ultimately leading to the dropping of all charges against her.

Police, who claim to have been on the lookout for suspicious persons, say they found hundreds of rounds of ammunition for the unloaded registered rifle and gun in Genovese’s vehicle. Genovese claims to have just come from practicing her hobby of target shooting at a nearby range. She says she was never previously warned and was photographing the base for a “Support Our Troops” webpage.

To complicate matters, Genovese was carrying $13,000 in cash, which she claims was to pay school tuition for her children, who were present at the time of the incident. Police say that there are signs prohibiting the use of cameras and other media at the base. Genovese claims that her individual rights have been violated because she was denied a lawyer and not informed she was being arrested until hours after questioning.

There have been many cases of people who have been arrested and later placed on suicide watch, straight-jacketed, and examined by a shrink before being cleared. Genovese claims this is one of many horrible things that have been inflicted on her during her time in police custody. Her experience has Long Islanders questioning at what point police action becomes excessive in similar cases. Or, are cops simply doing their jobs by being proactive against suspicious circumstances?

This case isn’t simply reflective of a bi-partisan struggle. Members of both sides of the political spectrum say that this case illustrates all the ways that civil liberties are threatened and how the fear left over from 9/11 has got the country creeping towards a military state. They insist that Genovese did not commit any crimes, that we are all innocent until proven guilty under the law, and that police have taken an oath to protect constitutional rights as well as the state.

Genovese could receive a “default judgment” due to an error made by Southampton’s Town Attorney. A town response to progress in the case was not sent by the deadline; this was seen as a forgetful mistake on behalf of the town attorney who experienced close family member deaths during the process. As a result he was asked to resign, which he did.

News: Nassau County Shuts Down Crime Lab

(Long Island, N.Y.) Last Friday Nassau County‘s crime lab was shut down as a precautionary policy due to indications that some of the drug testing performed in criminal cases did not produce accurate results. This affects cases that have already been taken to trial and have received verdicts. The recent information may force the county to reexamine past proceedings.

Not surprisingly, Nassau County is arming themselves with a team of defense attorneys. Assuming that the county will have to reconstruct an improved crime lab at the end of the investigation, many Long Islanders are wondering where Nassau County will be getting the finances to complete the project. Just weeks ago, Nassau County announced a state takeover of the 2011 budget and a lawsuit challenging the validity of such an action.

Legally, Nassau County will try to establish a set of rules and create laws to ensure that future crime labs will never again fall under question. The Nassau County Bar Association, which will be creating a task force to make recommendations going forward, has over six thousand members. It is the largest group of suburban law staff in the country.

Most of the criminal cases mishandled by the crime lab were for faulty measurements in drug charges. However, some say that police and lab officials knew about inaccuracies months before the investigation. In admitting to the attempt at a cover up, at least one worker testified to having known about the potential problem with drug measurements since 2006.

What’s being called into question is a grouping of roughly nine thousand cases over the three year period of 2007-2010. These cases will undergo re-measuring and examining to insure the correct findings. In addition to providing the measurements for drug cases, the crime lab deals with cases involving alcohol. The lab determines blood alcohol levels, analyzes DNA samples in homicide cases, and deals with ballistics.

In the testing of nine cases, the lab has already proven that six are responsible for the faulty measuring of ecstasy and ketamine, causing those prosecuted in the cases to be the victims of inaccurate information. The discrepancy in amount could mean the difference between a felony and misdemeanor charge against those convicted. This has led to lengthier sentencing for the guilty parties than what is normally given in cases involving similar amounts collected for the charge.

As a result of the inaccuracies, some prisoners may get to see reduced time behind bars or an overturn of their sentence. Lawyers in sixteen separate cases have already begun to process the challenges of previous convictions. These procedures also apply to convicted persons who are serving time as the result of plea bargains – had facts in the case been altered, the parties involved may not have chosen to plead guilty.

With Nassau County‘s crime lab closed down, county officials are looking to outsource their forensic work to lab agencies in Pennsylvania. Not surprisingly, the expenses involved in outsourcing cases pose an issue for the county budget. Nassau County‘s crime lab was put on probation twice; the last time was in December of 2010, which resulted in findings that sparked the grand-scale investigation. There are over four hundred crime labs in the country, and Nassau County is home to the only one to be under current probation.

Another allegation that came out of December’s probation is that the lab did not keep updated maintenance work on its equipment. It was also reported that there were issues with the lab’s recordkeeping and the storage of evidence used in a variety of cases. The previous probation came less than three years prior to December’s fiasco.

News: Crimes on Long Island

(Long Island, N.Y.)A level three sex offender was convicted this week for the crimes he committed against a seventeen year old girl from Plainview. The charges include first-degree robbery and coercion, criminal possession of a weapon in the third-degree, and second-degree misdemeanor of unlawful imprisonment. Though he’s already served a twenty-year sentence for previous violations, this time he will face another fourteen years behind bars come sentencing in April.

The five-foot-nine hundred-and-sixty pound criminal forced himself into the teenager’s car after knocking on her window and asking about the time. She was parked at a red light when he reached over and unlocked the passenger’s door as she rolled down the window to respond. He then forced her to drive around the area of Old Country Road, and ordered her to park at a specific side street. Once the vehicle came to a halt, he assaulted her; but she was able to grab the keys and get away. Her screams caused the criminal to flee to his vehicle where he was spotted by authorities.

He was arrested on December 19th, 2009 around six-thirty at night after a witness recognized his face from a poster for sex offenders in the area. The witness saw him get into his vehicle, which was parked across from the Plainview Public Library. At the time of his arrest, he was found with a knife.

In 1982 the criminal went to jail for first-degree rape charges and sexual abuse in crimes against two women. He served twenty years in maximum security at Sing Sing prison in New York. This time around, he was convicted by a jury in two days for his crimes against the Plainview woman.

A string of robberies across the Great Neck/ Kings Point area brought residents together for a town meeting this week. The criminal is considered a serial burglar and has attempted to break into seven known homes in the communities within the time frame of December 2010 to January of this year. Police are led to believe that his motives are sexual. Though he had ample opportunity to steal from the residencies, nothing was ever taken.

Nonetheless, the man authorities believe is responsible for the break-ins is a Hispanic man in his twenties and is guilty of a violent past. He is the suspect in an attack with a hammer against a woman from Hempstead. He’s also suspected of raping a two year old in Texas.

Four of the recent break-ins occurred in less than a week. He entered one of the homes through the bathroom window, causing the family’s five year old daughter to scream for help. He tried to pinch her mouth shut, but when that didn’t stop the child from screaming, the man fled from the scene.

In a different break-in the man held a knife to the throat of a sixty-one year old woman who was able to wrestle the weapon away, causing him to flee again. In a third instance, he held a piece of cloth over the mouth of a fifteen-year-old who was also able to subdue the criminal before he fled.

Another instance of crime occurred between Hicksville and the Northern State Parkway when a thirty-eight year old car thief from East Northport led police on a wild pursuit. Because it happened during bumper-to-bumper traffic, a police cruiser and nearly twelve cars were damaged by the chase. The man was eventually accosted, while high on drugs, around Exit 36 near South Oyster Bay Road in a stolen Nissan.

News: Murder Trial for Long Island Motivational Speaker

(Long Island, N.Y.)Not only did a fifty-two-year old motivational speaker and father of three get caught in a $300 million Ponzi scheme headed by former manager of *NSYNC and The Backstreet Boys, he attempted to stage his own murder by hiring a contract killer. The debt caused by the scandal left him to take out a multiple-million-dollar life insurance policy a month prior to his death. However, the insurance company claims he lied about his income and has refused to pay his family what was promised for his death.

A thirty-six-year old man from East Harlem was arrested a week after the speaker’s death for first-degree murder and robbery. Those charges were later dropped when new information about the case came to light. The alleged killer claimed he was hired by the speaker to hold a knife in place while he repeatedly plunged into it. The crime took place in the speaker’s ’07 Dodge Magnum which was parked near the Triboro/Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. He was found by police with his hands tied behind his back and neck tied with chord to the driver seat’s headrest.

The alleged killer claims that video footage which shows him purchasing items from a bodega immediately after the crime was part of the speaker’s plan. He says he used the deceased man’s ATM card to help stage the murder and robbery; he also claims that the ATM card was what the speaker promised him for the hired killing. He says he met the fifty-two-year old prior to his death when the speaker was walking around East Harlem streets looking for a gun and a “Kevorkian.”

Though this bizarre crime happened on July 16th, 2009 at roughly three o’clock in the morning, the trial didn’t begin until this week. It’s still unclear whether the charge against the alleged killer will be for second-degree murder or assisted suicide. Either way, it’s almost certain that he will face jail time, being that suicide is illegal in New York State. However, his defense attorneys are pushing for the lesser charge of manslaughter and a fresh set of jurors to look at the case. They claim that there is new information showing that the speaker researched the cost of funeral arrangements and life insurance policies prior to his death.

Another issue in the case is whether or not the alleged killer’s confession will be admissible in court. If the murder in the second-degree charge stands, he could face twenty-five years to life behind bars. One report claims that the speaker was seen purchasing a water bottle and condoms and walking into a nearby deli prior to his death. Before entering the deli, the speaker supposedly withdrew $200 from a nearby ATM machine.

A witness said he appeared to be walking in a calm, relaxed state but that the next time he saw the speaker was after his death. It was also stated that the speaker’s vehicle was a regular visitor of the area, and that he made a string of calls to a specific apartment in the local housing project. Original reports of the crime stated that it was likely the work of multiple killers and that the speaker may have been visiting prostitutes.

When the speaker didn’t return from the city that night to his Valley Stream residence, his wife contacted authorities. She claimed that he called her earlier to say that he stopped by the bridge to help a fellow driver fix a flat tire. He spent his career in the publication of self-help books and leading people in life-fulfillment workshops. Family and friends portrayed him as a very trusting, generous, and spiritual person.

News: Another Batch Of Craigslist Crimes

(Long Island, N.Y.)Since the discovery that the four female remains from Gilgo Beach were murdered at the hands of a Craigslist killer, many Long Islanders have been waiting for news about progress in the case. In the past weeks more crimes have been committed after exchanges between persons on the website. Though Craigslist has taken down its controversial adult services section, the recent incidents prove that the website is still an avenue for crime.

Last Tuesday night a nineteen-year-old man from Hazel Park, Michigan was shot to death in the upper torso. The man had scheduled a meeting with a fraudulent seller of the popular Android phone after advertising that he wanted to purchase it on Craigslist. He had been contacting his killer through text messages and agreed to pay $80 for the phone and $15 to have it delivered to his home.

The victim’s aunt, who provided him with a residence since September, claims to have heard two shots around 7:30pm on Tuesday night. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak where he was pronounced dead. The original meeting place for the exchange was intended for a gas station near a major highway. It’s unclear why the teen was shot and killed for such a miniscule robbery.

Last week, a twenty-seven-year old woman from Wisconsin met a forty-five-year old man from East Williamsburg, Brooklyn at John F. Kennedy Airport. He paid for her airfare and taxi to his apartment. The pair had shared information through Craigslist, and he allegedly arranged to have her stay in his home for the exchange of cooking/cleaning services.

The woman got a job at a restaurant in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She claims that the man kept her as a sex slave for eight days by chaining her to his bedroom. He only allowed her to leave to go to work, giving her the opportunity to call her mother who later contacted Brooklyn authorities.

She was found by police in the fetal position shaking on the bed. The man was charged with assault, rape, and unlawful imprisonment, and was kept on $350,000 bail. In 2004 the man had been involved in a misdemeanor assault charge for domestic violence which was eventually dropped.

Weeks after twenty-two-year old Megan Waterman, one of the four Gilgo Beach victims, went missing twenty-four-year old Elena Jasmir Lozada disappeared from Portland, Maine. Like Waterman and the other victims, Lozada had also posted services on Craigslist. She lived less than ten miles from Waterman.

Lozada is five-foot-two and approximately 110lbs. She has short, wavy brown hair and brown eyes and a distinguishable scar near her left ear. She is Hispanic and was last seen in Portland while staying with friends on July 23rd, 2010. Her mother last heard from her on July 6th, 2010, and claimed that Lozada spoke of moving out of her apartment and planning a trip to Boston, Massachusetts. Police believe she may have ended up in Dorchester, Massachusetts and are urging anyone with information to contact Detective Christopher Giesecke from the Portland Police Department.

On Sunday, January 30th, 2011 Waterman was the first of the Gilgo Beach victims to be buried. She rests in Portland, Maine. The night before her funeral friends and family gathered in a Portland-area roller-skating rink, a favorite of Waterman’s, to honor her. On Monday, January 31st, 2011 a memorial service was held for Gilgo Beach victim Melissa Barthelemy fifteen miles southeast of Buffalo, New York in Elma. Services for Amber Lynn Costello, a third victim, were held in Lindenhurst, New York. Her ashes were buried next to her mother in North Carolina.

Craigslist was created in San Francisco and has been established since 1995. It receives approximately thirty million postings per month, making it the seventh most popular website to be designed in English. Lawsuits have caused the website to change its “erotic services” section to “adult services” before it was removed altogether following the Gilgo Beach slayings. It’s estimated that a third of the website’s revenue came from adult advertisements. As of 2007, an estimated 260,000 people per city were on the site for adult services, making that aspect of the site the most popular section (and almost twice as popular as the second most popular section).

In addition to robberies and sex crimes, the website has been known to be the backdrop for crimes of revenge. One case involved a man who posed as his ex-girlfriend and invited aggressive men to take advantage of her after soliciting for it on Craigslist. The woman was later raped at knifepoint while at her home. Another case involved the mother of a nine-year-old girl who solicited sex while posing as the mother of her daughter’s enemy.

News: Four People Murdered in Brooklyn

(Long Island, N.Y.)A twenty-three year old man was charged with four counts of murder after going on a twenty-eight hour stabbing spree in New York City. With ten prior arrests, the man who was allegedly on drugs at the time of the murders was accosted by police this morning near a subway station in the Times Square area. The killings left his stepfather, twenty-year old ex-girlfriend, and her mother slain by a kitchen carving knife.

The incident began when the fifty-four year old stepfather, who was a private ambulette driver, refused to let his stepson drive the family’s Lexus. He was stabbed to death as the killer took off in the vehicle and drove to the home of his ex-girlfriend in the Sheepshead Bay area of Brooklyn; this occurred twelve hours after the first murder. Her mother, who was the only one home at the time, was attacked and stabbed to death.

Hours later, the twenty-year old dental receptionist returned to find her mother and called for emergency services as she waited outside for them to arrive. Her killer then revealed himself and came upon her as he chased her to the street and stabbed her in the stomach. According to her Facebook status, she had been dating someone else at the time of the killings. She had also posted a Bob Marley quote which partially stated that “everyone’s gonna hurt you.”

The killer went on to commit more carjacking and stabbings in addition to running over and killing a pedestrian with one of the vehicles. He faces four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of assault, two robberies, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon – all within less than a two day time frame. He’s been held without bail for the seven stabbings, motor vehicle homicide, and two carjackings, and is currently awaiting a lawyer for trial.

The week before the spree the killer was arrested on drug charges and was allegedly pulled over and released for suspicion of driving while high. At the time of the slayings, helicopters and dogs were called in for south Brooklyn. According to residents, the entire neighborhood was terrorized.

The six foot, hundred and seventy-pound killer wore a white jumpsuit to his arraignment and claimed he was setup. His bloody clothing had been collected as evidence. He was put in police custody by two transit cops and an off-duty detective.

Once detained by officers, the killer admitted that it was necessary for the people to die. Reports show that he used six different knives in the killing, causing a massive manhunt in the New York City area; he was in possession of two knives at the time of his seizure. Police were able to capture the killer after he terrorized a No. 3 train leaving Penn Station and attempted to stab a forty year old brother of a city cop who was a passenger aboard. The victim claimed he was happy that the killer chose him instead of a person who would be less likely to defend himself/herself. Allegedly, the killer was trying to get to the conductor.

Before getting detained in police custody, the killer grabbed a newspaper from the hands of a bystander which has his photograph. He then demanded to know if people believed what was being said about him was the truth.

News: Energy Drinks May Be Banned On Long Island

(Long Island, N.Y.)It wasn’t long ago when the New York City Council had many New Yorkers in outrage over the ban of cigarette smoking in certain public settings. That legislative move came after the New York City Mayor’s ban of smoking in restaurants and bars. Last November, New York State legislators helped get the alcoholic energy drink Four Loko off shelves, and their next target seems to be other popular (non-alcoholic) energy drinks.

Last December Lynne Nowick, a Republican legislator from Suffolk County, proposed banning the selling of energy drinks with more than 80mg of caffeine to minors less than nineteen years of age. This means that minors will have a better chance of being sold cigarettes than these popular beverages. The reasons for the ban seem to be similar to those against the distribution of tobacco; these drinks are considered addictive and unsafe.

There are a number of reasons why energy drinks can be dangerous. For one thing, manufacturers aren’t required to list and label the amounts of their contents or include a warning. However, the popular drink Red Bull, which contains 80mg of caffeine in a can, warns on its label that it is not for children and pregnant women and should not be consumed more than twice a day. The amount of caffeine in Red Bull is considered the equivalent to a strong cup of coffee.

Other states that have banned the distribution of Four Loko are Washington, Michigan, Utah, and Oklahoma. Democratic Senator Charles Schumer helped push for the ban in New York. Part of what makes drinks like Four Loko so toxic is that they make drinkers feel awake while intoxicated, allowing them to feel alert enough to drive.

It’s also believed that there are negative effects of combining alcohol (a depressant that slows down the body) and caffeine (a stimulant that speeds up the body). Research has shown that in the last month 78% of drinkers under the age of twenty-five have combined alcohol with a caffeinated energy drink. This includes the popular drink of Red Bull and Vodka as well as Jaeger Bombs, which are a Long Island staple.

Similar to what prompted increased legislation against the selling of cigarettes, the Four Loko ban was due to its accessibility to minors. It was first banned on a New Jersey college campus. New York detectives had a minor go undercover and attempt to purchase the beverage from twenty-eight stores; he successfully bought the drink from eleven different vendors. Four Loko is set apart from the rest of its kind because it gives many users the feeling of being high, making many compare the drink to “liquid ecstasy” and “liquid cocaine.”

Four Loko costs between two or three dollars apiece and comes in a 23.5 ounce can. It contains the alcohol equivalent of four beers and an undisclosed amount of caffeine. The drink Relentless, marketed by Coca Cola, contains 160mg of caffeine. The drinks Spike Shooter and Cocaine are sold in a container half the size of Relentless and contain 300mg and 280mg of caffeine respectively. Tilt, another label, has 100mg of caffeine and 6.6% alcohol by volume. Similarly, the drink Sparks contains 120mg of caffeine and 6% alcohol.

A lot of these labels have had issues with marketing and have been forced to come off the shelves. Such issues have encouraged some companies to remove the caffeine contents from their alcoholic beverages. Red Bull has been banned in Norway, Uruguay, and Denmark.

If the current attempt to ban non-alcoholic energy drinks takes place in New York it will be the first in the country. Many see the proposal as yet another infringement of rights. They argue that the soda and coffee companies should be held just as accountable, or, that they’ll soon become the next target of proposed bans.