News: Possible Remains Found at Jones Beach

(Long Island, N.Y.) Investigators that have been searching the Gilgo Beach area for evidence of a serial killer have extended their search into Nassau County today and have stumbled across possible remains. Reports have surfaced stating that officials from the office of the Medical Examiner have determined that the remains found are human, but are awaiting confirmation from lab analysis. The results of forensic testing have yet to be released, but authorities are expecting answers in the immediate future.

These remains were found fifty feet from Ocean Parkway and roughly a mile-and-a-half east of the Jones Beach tower. They were discovered between eleven and eleven-thirty this morning by a patrolling state trooper with the help of a cadaver-sniffing dog. Earlier in the day police had discovered several sets of non-suspicious remains that were quickly disregarded and confirmed as animal bones by the medical examiner’s office.

Reports have stated that today’s set of remains is not complete, and does appear to be wrapped in something. Today’s search was extended westward into Nassau County after investigators searched the Suffolk County beaches east of the border and discovered three sets of remains last week. If today’s remains are determined to be human, it would make a total of nine found in the area since early December.

The search today began at nine this morning and targeted five-hundred-and-fifty acres belonging to Jones Beach State Park in Nassau County. Both the ocean-side and bayside of the parkway were canvassed. The parkway will be closed to commuters in both directions until seven tonight.

Since today’s search has yielded an influx of evidence, it’s possible that the search will be extended into tomorrow and the parkway will remain closed. Reports have stated that police and authorities have already announced that roads could be closed longer between the Wantagh Parkway and Robert Moses Causeway if their investigation continues.

Today’s investigation included over a hundred Nassau County Police Officers and State Troopers. The Nassau County Police targeted areas west of the Nassau County border, while State Police searched eastward from the Jones Beach Water Tower. Some reports have stated that Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano was scheduled to hold a news conference by the search area at two this afternoon.

Police and authorities still have not identified the four previous sets of remains found since December’s discovery of the remains of four young women in their twenties. Some reports have claimed that the newer sets of remains were not wrapped in burlap like the original four. The search for Shannan Gilbert, a missing woman from New Jersey, will continue as police wait for results and answers regarding her case. Reports have stated that the police investigating today’s search site, some of which were on horseback, claim that they have taken steps to perfect the methods employed by Suffolk County police during the previous searches.

Nassau Bureau of Special Operations Officers have used hazmat suits to ward of ticks, poison ivy, rough branches, and other dangers. Firefighter volunteers from several fire departments were also involved in today’s search, and ladder trucks from Levittown and Baldwin were used to help investigators see outward of fifty feet. Cadaver-sniffing dogs were also used as members of the press filled up a nearby parking lot.

News: Update for Slain NYPD Officer

(Long Island, N.Y.) The forty-two-year-old man charged with the aggravated murder of forty-two-year-old police officer Alain Schaberger pled not guilty last week to the charges. After a short hearing at Brooklyn Supreme Courthouse, the mother of the man arrested pleaded to authorities. Her son, who was previously held without bail, also pled not guilty to the charge of domestic violence.

The woman allegedly shouted in a hallway of the court saying that her son was innocent as she knelt and held the bible. Other reports have stated that she was carrying a picture of Jesus and wearing large black rosary beads while she swore by the bible. She was later escorted out of the courthouse.

If convicted of the aggravated murder charge, her son could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. The incident began earlier last month after New York City Police from the 84th Precinct responded to a domestic violence call. The man’s girlfriend claimed that he had threatened to kill her; the couple had a longtime history of domestic disturbance incidents. Some reports have stated that at least four restraining orders were violated on the night police responded to the call.

The mother of the accused also claimed that the 84th Precinct policemen were lying about her son’s role in the tragic death of their comrade. The man’s defense attorney claims that his client never touched the officers. Instead, some reports have stated that he blames the incident on the officer’s partner who was larger in size and shoved him over the stoop without noticing. According to this theory, the officer died after having lost his footing and those present at the scene didn’t even notice he had fallen until after they had brought down the man they arrested. The defense claims to have eyewitnesses willing to testify to this alternate take on the events leading to the officer’s death.

The fallen officer’s father has stated that he believes the man responsible for his son’s death will pay. The man had thirty prior arrests before being accused of throwing the officer off a stoop in Boerum Hill. The officer fell nine feet before breaking his neck while the man was being arrested outside his parents’ home.

Among those who attended the hearing were the president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and the Police Union president. About a hundred police officers were present, and there weren’t enough spaces available for all of those who wished to be there. The man’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 17th, but he will make it through a video after taking the judge’s suggestion to do so. According to some who attended the hearing, the man wants to deal with the court proceedings from the safety of his own cell.

The funeral for the fallen officer was held at Frederick J. Chapey & Sons Funeral Home. Among those who attended were an estimated five-thousand police officers and members of the United States Navy. Mayor Bloomberg and the Police Commissioner both made eulogies.

The slain officer made the ultimate sacrifice, and sent a message to fellow officers that no call should be considered routine. The funeral was held on the same day as that of a Long Island Police Officer, who was also killed on duty. Many of the officers headed from one funeral to the other, resigning themselves to a full day of grieving.

News: Two Charged in the Murder of DJ Megatron

(Long Island, N.Y.) Police have determined that two killers were responsible for the death of a thirty-two-year-old Staten Island man known as DJ Megatron. The DJ was shot a block away from his Staten Island home at two in the morning on March 27th. The men were brought to Staten Island Criminal Court in handcuffs and shackles for a court appearance on Thursday.

Both alleged killers are Staten Island residents, and authorities believe they stalked the DJ for at least a block before attempting to rob him. After he resisted the robbery, one of the assailants shot him the chest, as police are calling the incident a “robbery gone wrong.” The two men believed to have been responsible for the killing are twenty and twenty-one years old.

The assailants were identified by witnesses as well as video surveillance during moments before and after the actual slaying. Both men have pleaded not guilty to murder, robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon charges. They were held without bail, and some reports claimed that the DJ’s watch and cell phone were stolen before the assailants fled the scene. Grieving family members and friends of the DJ claim that the watch was a gift from the DJ’s eleven-year-old daughter.

Some reports have stated that one of the men admitted to killing the DJ, while others have stated that his lawyer denied the confession. So far, the defense has maintained that no murder weapon was found in the case, making it difficult to link the crimes to the defendants. After the DJ was shot in the chest, he managed to stagger across the street before collapsing.

Both of the men in question have had prior arrests. Some of the previous charges associated with them were for robbery, rape, reckless endangerment, and grand larceny. One of the men involved was on parole and had only been out of prison for a couple of months.

Originally, it was difficult for police to come up with a motive for the crime, and it was believed that one of the DJ’s enemies might have been involved in the shooting. His family insisted that a revenge killing couldn’t have been possible, because the DJ was too friendly and amiable of a person. Since police have closed in on the two young men, they have discarded previous theories, and believe that they have captured the persons responsible.

The DJ’s funeral was held in the International Christian Center on April 5th and colleagues of his in the music entertainment business were among the hundreds of guests who attended. It was an open casket ceremony and R&B Gospel music played in the background as family, friends, and fans paid their respects.

The DJ was on his way to a local store at the time of the shooting. Some reports have stated that the DJ had only a dollar in his wallet at the time of the incident.

In an ironic twist of events, some reports have stated that prior to his death DJ Megatron volunteered to take a stand against gun violence by pledging his support to an annual event. The event was also designed to support the local youth, something that the DJ was known for doing throughout his career and lifetime. Family members have stated that they are grateful for the amount of support they have received in the wake of the tragedy.

News: Long Island Animal Hoarding

(Long Island, N.Y.) A fifty-six-year-old Glen Clove woman was arrested Thursday for 103 counts of animal cruelty. The woman allegedly had a hundred cats, some of which were kittens, and three ferrets living in a home that was deplorable, uninhabitable, and inhumane. Her landlord was granted an eviction on Monday, and the woman was forced to vacate the home at noontime yesterday after having lived there for two years.

The crimes, a result of hoarding, are classified as a Class A Misdemeanor offense and she will be due in Glen Clove Court on April 19th. Her landlord was the first to notify Glen Clove’s Animal Lovers League because he hadn’t seen his tenant in several days. Though the initial concern was to inquire upon the welfare of her cats, it was soon realized that the animals needed to be rescued. The Animal Lovers League and Glen Clove City Marshall took the animals into protective custody where they will await adoption. Some of the cats will be available for adoption as early as this weekend.

On March 29th and 30th police officers came to the woman’s home after getting a request from the Nassau County District Attorney’s Animal Cruelty Unit and Animal Lovers League. They found that though some of the cats were missing hair around the ears, and one was missing an eye, the animals were fed and water was provided. In this prior incident, none of the animals seemed to be suffering from neglect or serious ailments.

Yesterday’s arrest came more from the home’s living conditions, and authorities found once again that the animals were not starved. One report stated that toxic air came from opening a window to the home, and was contaminated by large amounts of ammonia. Animal shelter volunteers had to enter the home wearing protective suits, respirators, boots, gloves, and goggles. They carried crates to help transport the animals to safety.

The woman in question could have received a year in prison for each cat involved, but it is unlikely that she will get jail time since none of the animals were harmed. Instead, officials handling the case are likely to ensure that the woman receive counseling in order to prevent future incidents from happening. The cats removed from her home had no fleas, and will get shots, spayed, neutered, and de-wormed before they are cleaned up and placed on adoption.

Roughly a year ago Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice equipped the Animal Cruelty Unit with a hotline. The hotline has been staffed with specially-trained prosecutors and investigators at all times and hours. Since its creation in February of last year, an estimated seven-hundred tips have been received, allowing the animal cruelty prosecution to increase by more than fourfold. Callers can be anonymous, and in previous times, just two animal cruelty cases per year were brought to the attention of authorities. With the help of the Animal Cruelty Unit and hotline, as many as sixteen cases a year are now prosecuted.

It should be understood that animal cruelty is sometimes an indicator of more serious crimes such as domestic violence, gang violence, and child neglect. About 61% of the hotline’s calls are for dogs and 26% for cats; the rest of the calls deal with birds and smaller or industrial animals. The Animal Cruelty Unit deals with other cases such as gang-run dog fighting rings and has even brought Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus under question for the treatment of nine elephants. The Animal Cruelty Unit is relentless in its pursuit against animal mistreatment, and urges the community to assist in their efforts to speak for the silent victims and abuse behind closed doors. Tax-deductible donations are being accepted by the Animal Lover’s League.

News: Search Update for Gilgo Beach

(Long Island, N.Y.) The search for a missing person and serial killer investigation continued today amidst overcast skies along the now infamous Ocean Parkway. Suffolk County Police Units and other personnel finished up their three-day full-scale search from Oak Beach to the Nassau County border. Authorities maintain that they did as thorough a job as possible canvassing the South Shore barrier island.

Monday’s investigation will branch out of Suffolk County and breach into Nassau. As of today, police plan on searching specific areas from the Nassau/Suffolk line to the Jones Beach tower. Today’s investigation included a command post off the left westbound lane of Ocean Parkway, a little more than two miles east of the Nassau County border. Monday’s search will bring about fifty state troopers to the area, in addition to Nassau County Police and State Park Police. The investigations in both counties will follow common procedure, and the search in Nassau County will be conducted near a wildlife sanctuary.

Long Island residents will see Nassau and Suffolk County authorities working together with State Police to solve a common goal. So far, all eight remains have been found on the Suffolk County side of the border and on the north side of the roadway. This week’s findings, which include four additional sets of remains, have prompted authorities to extend their search westward into Nassau County. The question lingers of how far police will have to travel, and how much the search will extend, before their investigation is complete.

Certain conditions have made the timing optimum for the ongoing search, especially aspects of the investigation involving cadaver-sniffing dogs. The increase in temperatures, the loosening of the ground, and the pre-bloom status of the vegetation has made the timing ideal for undergoing the vigorous search efforts. Police and authorities have assured the public that all steps have been taken to make the search as efficient as possible, and that they have done everything short of cutting down the brush and plowing the landscape. Regardless of conditions, the backdrop of the investigation is not an easy area to search and manage.

Some reports stated that members of the Special Patrol Bureau, including the search coordinator, claimed that police recruits have had to set upon the search tasks wearing boots and jumpsuits. After the police have been forcefully pushing through the thick brush, rough vegetation, and hostile landscape, their jumpsuits and clothing have been torn. As a result, they have suffered from scratches and poison ivy.

As police have moved methodically up and down along the parkway, utilizing all units to search for more findings, reports have surfaced stating that three-fourths of the area was tackled as of last night’s investigation. The area police have targeted was the seven-and-a-half mile stretch of land between Oak Beach and the Nassau County Border.

Friends and family members of the victims, four of which have been identified, have been speaking their concerns over the investigation proceedings. A memorial day for the victims is scheduled for sometime in the middle of June, and will take place near Gilgo Beach. One family member stated that the estimated turnout for the planned day of remembrance will depend on the body count.

News: Former New York State Senator Pleads Not Guilty

(Long Island, N.Y.) A fifty-seven-year-old former New York State Senator pled not guilty on Tuesday to all charges in his federal fraud case. He was the former Democratic Majority Leader and was faced with revised indictment charges that included tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the United States Government. His thirty-five-year-old son is also facing similar charges.

Coming out of the Brooklyn Federal Court, the former state senator claimed that he was certain he’d be exonerated on the old and new charges. The new charges include accusations of subscribing to false and fraudulent tax returns. The father and son duo was previously accused of taking money from a federal-funded health clinic in the Bronx.

The pair has already been charged with embezzling at least half a million dollars from the health clinic. Accusations against them have stated that the money was used personally on expensive meals, concerts, and Broadway shows. Some of the more notable expenses include pony rides during family birthday parties and a $49K payment on a Bentley.

The health clinic is designed to provide services to poor patients and is taxpayer subsidized. FBI search warrants revealed an estimated ninety boxes worth of evidence that contained hundreds of thousands of documents from the Soundview Health Center. That evidence has been made available to defense attorneys by prosecutors on the case.

About a million dollars a year was given to the health clinic from federal funds alone. The years in question range from 2005-2009, and accuse the father and son of using the clinic’s funds as a personal resource. The tax fraud charges came after this issue had been addressed to authorities.

In January, federal prosecutors handling the case allegedly telegraphed their decision to proceed with additional charges and counts to the defendants. This took place during a court hearing when the prosecution originally presented the evidence taken from the defendants’ healthcare firm. Following the court proceeding, the United States Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn offered the pair a plea deal. If the father and son had chosen to admit to wrongdoings, they could have received a lesser sentence.

The former New York State Senator has refused all plea bargains, having his attorney decline the prosecution’s offer. Both he and his son will await trail, beginning with jury selection on September 12th in the Brooklyn Federal Court. Reports coming from a press release claimed that the former senator told interviewers he was fine, ready, and looking forward to the trial in September.

If convicted, both father and son could face at least fifty-five years in prison. In addition to prison time, they must forfeit all of their profits to the Internal Revenue Service. Following their arraignment, father and son were released on $750K bail by the court. The Obama Administration has taken steps to ensure that the United States Government has more funding options to battle and defend tax evasion crimes.

News: Bed Bug Task Force in Nassau County

(Long Island, N.Y.) This week the newly-created Bed Bug Task Force will hold a workshop meeting in Freeport’s Recreation Center for property managers, housing inspectors, and landlords interested in bed bug management. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice have teamed up to create the Bed Bug Task Force. A second meeting is also available for tenants and homeowners.

The task force began after the Nassau County Department of Health Complex in Uniondale for Health and Human Services was infected with the pests last year. Several meetings were arranged between county officials and members of the Civil Service Employee Association Local 830, including the union’s president, to deal with the issue of bed bugs in the workplace. The problem was ongoing, spanning at least a few months, and some sources claimed that the bed bugs were resisting efforts of removal.

The Nassau County Department of Health Complex was not the first significant government building to address the problem. In September of 2009 the New York City Department of Health Offices were infected, and some reports have stated that these types of buildings may be more at risk of infestation. Also, the Bronx Psychiatric Center in Morris Park was documented for a bed bug epidemic. The facility had between three and four hundred beds when union members working in the building reported the issue.

The Civil Services Employee Association Local 401 represented the facility’s nurses, housekeepers, and maintenance workers, totaling over five hundred and fifty employees. These workers spotted the bed bugs at a nursing station and tracked them to bedrooms inside a ward. The employees also filed a Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau compliant, and criticized the treatment procedure. They claimed that the bed bug outbreak was treated from room to room rather than by evacuating individual wards.

Following this action, the State Labor Department inspected the building, and bed bugs were found in at least two other wards on different occasions. A second union, the Public Employees Federation, which represents the hospital’s psychologists, psychiatrists, and secretaries, also took action against the bed bug issue. Bed bugs are able to bite anyone, whether it is patients or staff. They often cause anxiety, sleeplessness, and ailments that are especially devastating in a mental health facility.

According to the Nassau County Department of Health website, bed bug infestations declined after World War II but have been on the rise over the last decade. Reasons for the recent increase of these pests can include changes in pest management strategies, increase in travel, and transference of used furniture. The website lists contact numbers for tenants experiencing bed bug issues, leading them to the Nassau County Department of Health’s Office of Community Sanitation. Homeowners with infestation issues are directed to the Nassau County Department of Health Healthy Homes Program, and hotel/motel owners should reach the Nassau County Department of Health Bureau of Environmental Sanitation.

The new task force will include a worker from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program and New York City Bed Bug Advisory Board. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website, bed bugs are classified as small insects that feed on human blood. The can survive for months without feeding, and turn a brighter shade of red as their bodies swell with blood. They are largely nocturnal and affect humans while they are sleeping. The bites are painless but will become large, itchy welts in time, though they are not known to spread any diseases. They are transferred in luggage, furniture, and clothing and can travel between cracks in floors and walls.

News: Bed Bug Task Force in Nassau County

(Long Island, N.Y.) This week the newly-created Bed Bug Task Force will hold a workshop meeting in Freeport’s Recreation Center for property managers, housing inspectors, and landlords interested in bed bug management. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice have teamed up to create the Bed Bug Task Force. A second meeting is also available for tenants and homeowners.

The task force began after the Nassau County Department of Health Complex in Uniondale for Health and Human Services was infected with the pests last year. Several meetings were arranged between county officials and members of the Civil Service Employee Association Local 830, including the union’s president, to deal with the issue of bed bugs in the workplace. The problem was ongoing, spanning at least a few months, and some sources claimed that the bed bugs were resisting efforts of removal.

The Nassau County Department of Health Complex was not the first significant government building to address the problem. In September of 2009 the New York City Department of Health Offices were infected, and some reports have stated that these types of buildings may be more at risk of infestation. Also, the Bronx Psychiatric Center in Morris Park was documented for a bed bug epidemic. The facility had between three and four hundred beds when union members working in the building reported the issue.

The Civil Services Employee Association Local 401 represented the facility’s nurses, housekeepers, and maintenance workers, totaling over five hundred and fifty employees. These workers spotted the bed bugs at a nursing station and tracked them to bedrooms inside a ward. The employees also filed a Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau compliant, and criticized the treatment procedure. They claimed that the bed bug outbreak was treated from room to room rather than by evacuating individual wards.

Following this action, the State Labor Department inspected the building, and bed bugs were found in at least two other wards on different occasions. A second union, the Public Employees Federation, which represents the hospital’s psychologists, psychiatrists, and secretaries, also took action against the bed bug issue. Bed bugs are able to bite anyone, whether it is patients or staff. They often cause anxiety, sleeplessness, and ailments that are especially devastating in a mental health facility.

According to the Nassau County Department of Health website, bed bug infestations declined after World War II but have been on the rise over the last decade. Reasons for the recent increase of these pests can include changes in pest management strategies, increase in travel, and transference of used furniture. The website lists contact numbers for tenants experiencing bed bug issues, leading them to the Nassau County Department of Health’s Office of Community Sanitation. Homeowners with infestation issues are directed to the Nassau County Department of Health Healthy Homes Program, and hotel/motel owners should reach the Nassau County Department of Health Bureau of Environmental Sanitation.

The new task force will include a worker from the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program and New York City Bed Bug Advisory Board. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website, bed bugs are classified as small insects that feed on human blood. The can survive for months without feeding, and turn a brighter shade of red as their bodies swell with blood. They are largely nocturnal and affect humans while they are sleeping. The bites are painless but will become large, itchy welts in time, though they are not known to spread any diseases. They are transferred in luggage, furniture, and clothing and can travel between cracks in floors and walls.

News: More Remains Found at Gilgo Beach

(Long Island, N.Y.) Today’s search for evidence in the investigation of a possible serial killer and the disappearance of a missing woman expanded west to the Nassau County line after three more sets of remains were discovered Monday. The recent findings were discovered within five hours of yesterday’s search in the underbrush between Oak Beach and Gilgo Beach.

The investigation set for today will place a police command center vehicle along the parkway and will include marked and unmarked officer cars in various areas. These additions to the search were scheduled to arrive after nine this morning. Though the rainy forecast of today was enough to delay a full-scale search in the manner that last week’s was delayed, yesterday’s discoveries have kept it on.

What’s under investigation is the seven-and-a-half mile area of land between Oak Beach and the Nassau County border near the popular Jones Beach. Police are waiting for the medical examiner’s report from their Suffolk County office in Hauppauge. DNA testing in the presence of a forensic anthropologist should shed more answers for detectives assigned to the investigation.

Also on the scene were twenty-five police recruits and three canine units. Members of the North Babylon, Babylon, and Islip Fire Departments brought tower ladders to the search site in order to give investigators a more advantageous view of the area. Once again, westbound lanes between the Captree Bridge Causeway to the Nassau County line will be closed. Eastbound lanes will remain open, but authorities urge residents to keep in mind that the area is being considered a crime scene.

More questions have been raised following the discovery of the three new sets of remains. Police have yet to announce the gender of the remains and whether any of the three belong to missing person Shannon Gilbert. Police are also dealing with the question of whether the victims are the work of a single killer. The proximity of the remains and the use of the area as a dumping ground suggest that only one individual is responsible for the slayings.

Once the identities of the remains are determined, police will search for links among each of the victims. Commonalities between lifestyles, hometowns, and acquaintances will be analyzed to determine how they have been targeted. Friends and family members of Gilbert have questioned the thoroughness of the previous searches, wondering how police could find so many remains in such a short span of time. One report detailing the circumstance of Gilbert’s disappearance claimed she made an incoherent 911 phone call after arguing with a client on the last night she was seen.

Other concerns regarding the investigation include the issue of time. Spring foliage will bloom in the area, making the search site even more obscure for investigators. Also, the landscape of the area has cadaver dogs constantly hit in the face with heavy brush and bramble. Rainy weather could also interfere with the performance of cadaver-sniffing dogs. Some reports have estimated that at least twenty officers have suffered from poison ivy, and tick infestation is another great concern for those involved with the search.

In response to the investigation, residents have to present identification to enter the area and all other drivers are ordered to stay away. Police have deducted that the crimes most likely occurred during the middle of the night when the killer sought out an isolated location to serve as the ideal dumping ground. They say that the killer most likely pulled onto the shoulder of the westbound lane and dragged the bodies out of his vehicle less than twenty-five feet from the roadside. This poses the question of where the killer might reside.

News: Extreme Landing for Long Island Plane

(Long Island, N.Y.) A small aircraft with possible engine problems landed on the shore of Rockaway Beach in Queens. The plane had taken off from Farmingdale’s Republic Airport and ended up in shallow waters three miles south of John F. Kennedy International Airport. The incident occurred after sundown, roughly five minutes past seven last night.

Authorities are still uncertain as to where the plane was headed and how long it had been traveling. Some reports stated that the aircraft was traveling westward and was scheduled for a roundtrip back to Farmingdale. Onboard the plane was a twenty-four-year-old pilot, and a twenty-two-year-old man and twenty-one-year-old woman who were dating.

Reports stated that all of the passengers were safe and refused medical attention when emergency responders arrived at the scene. The plane was a single-engine aircraft that landed on a beach adjacent to Beach 56th Street and Shorefront Parkway. New York Police Department Aviation and Harbor Units responded to the call, along with firefighters from neighboring areas.

The plane was not damaged, though it was stated to have experienced “rough engine” issues. The pilot had allegedly contacted air traffic controllers at JFK airport and asked for permission to land because one of the passengers was violently ill. When the controller denied permission for the Piper PA-28-161 to make a landing, the pilot revealed that he had been experiencing engine problems. The controller asked the pilot if he wished to declare an emergency, but the pilot refused and asked if there were any nearby private beaches. The controller responded by saying that he didn’t have permission to land.

Reports have stated that the pilot is a medical student at Georgetown University and was taken to the police station for possible charges. Some responders on the case have questioned why the pilot chose to land on a beach when he was in such close proximity to a major airport. Other reports have stated that the couple aboard the plane was sightseeing and exploring the area, and that the young woman wanted an adventure.

The plane’s male passenger said that he was looking out of the window when he realized that the plane had gotten close to making impact. He stated that the plane made contact in the next instant, and that the nose dropped as the power cut off. Eyewitnesses in the area claimed that the plane was moving unusually fast as it was headed for the beach, and made a huge splash when it crashed forcefully onto the shore.

Another witness stated that a man got out of the aircraft immediately after it landed and was crying as he stood in front of the plane and handled the front landing gear. Allegedly, he stated to witnesses that he would never get on a plane again and was concerned for the welfare of the others onboard. Some reports stated that the pilot told police that he had permission to land, and that he was speaking casually to air traffic controllers. Such aspects of the case have authorities questioning if the emergency was genuine.

A NYPD Helicopter arrived quickly on the scene, and all three passengers were later questioned for several hours at the 101st Precinct stationhouse. The Federal Aviation Administration will take part in the investigation, and has discovered that the plane was registered to Plane Nonsense Inc. of Bear, Delaware. Another plane belonging to the company crashed into a fence at the end of a Massachusetts runway last September.

The pilot’s parents arrived early this morning and all three passengers left without speaking to the press. Some reports have declared the landing to be smooth in spite of the circumstance.

News: Recent Arrest and Sentencing on Long Island

(Long Island, N.Y.) In the early moments of Sunday morning a bouncer at a Westbury bar got in an altercation with two patrons. The bar, called “Mi Pueblito Bar,” is located on Old Country Road. The thirty-six-year-old bouncer was charged with assault and possession of a dangerous weapon.

The bouncer allegedly ran into trouble when two thirty-year-old patrons had to be removed from the bar. Outside, the altercation escalated and turned into a physical fight. The bouncer was armed with a metal baton, which he used to inflict damage on the patrons.

One of the men received nine stitches to the head in the wake of the incident and the other received ten. Both were rushed to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. The bouncer was arraigned yesterday at the First District Court in Hempstead; bail was set at $1,500 cash and $3,000 bond.

In other news, the man convicted of killing Long Island motivational speaker Jeffrey Locker was sentenced today to twenty years to life in prison. The main issue in the Locker trial was whether the defendant should have been charged with murder or assisted suicide. Locker allegedly hired the thirty-eight-year-old defendant to kill him so that his family could collect a hefty life insurance policy and cover his extensive debts.

The defendant had admitted to the stabbing of Locker in 2009, but claimed that he held the knife in place in the speaker’s vehicle as Locker repeatedly plunged into it. He claims that the twenty year sentence was excessive and racially biased. Locker, a Valley Stream native, was a white-collar Caucasian and the defendant, African American, was allegedly unemployed during the time that Locker recruited him for the crime. The defendant also claimed that racial bias had kept the case from being settled years ago.

The lawyer of the defendant claims that he has every intention of making an appeal. Though he tried to portray his client as an Angel of Mercy, the prosecution prevailed at associating him with the Grim Reaper. The defendant pleaded for a fifteen year sentence, claiming to want to reach home before becoming a senior citizen. Fifteen years is what he would have received had the prosecution agreed to a plea of manslaughter.

Grounds for an appeal might include the defense lawyer’s claim that the judge accidentally instructed the jury incorrectly. He claims that the judge told the jury that the assisted suicide defense could only be used in instances of a defendant’s passive participation in the crime, and that active participation would fall under the category of murder. This, according to the defendant’s lawyer, does not appear under any statute, making the assisted suicide defense a plausible one.

The prosecutor assigned to the trial illustrated a different side to the case by claiming that no suicide-by-proxy could apply to the defendants’ actions. He claimed that because Locker was determined to have been stabbed up to seven times in the chest, it was impossible to consider the action anything but murder. The prosecution also deemed it implausible that Locker stabbed himself and was the direct cause of his own death. Nonetheless, reports stated that a coroner witness for the defense testified that it was possible for the defendant to have held the knife in place while Locker plunged into it.