Crime

Photo: E. JASON WAMBSGANS/AFP via Getty Images R. Kelly has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty on all counts in his sex-crimes and racketeering case last year. “The public has to be protected from behaviors like this,” Judge Ann M. Donnelly told Kelly on delivering the sentence, per the New York Times . Seven victims gave impact statements, testifying about the ongoing trauma and mental-health effects of Kelly’s abuse, which goes back decades. “I hope you go to jail for the rest of your life,” a woman identified as Jane Doe No. 2 told Kelly in her statement. Kelly did not make eye contact with most of the victims. He did not speak, citing ongoing litigation, but his lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, called him a “musical genius” and cited his own childhood sexual abuse to argue for a lesser sentence. “Mr. Kelly rejects that’s he’s this monster,” she said. Prosecutors argued for a sentence “in excess of 25 years” for the 55-year-old singer, while his … [Read more...] about R. Kelly Sentenced to 30 Years in Sex-Crimes Case

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for three men on suspicion of various war crimes during the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. The suspects — Lieutenant-General Mikhail Mindzaev, Gamlet Guchmazov and David Sanakoev — all served in the governments of the Russian-backed self-declared republic of South Ossetia. The Hague-based court said on Thursday that there are “reasonable grounds to believe that each of these three suspects bears responsibility for war crimes.” The ICC launched an investigation into the Georgian conflict in 2016. Europe's forgotten war: The Georgia-Russia conflict explained a decade on In pictures: Russia-Georgia border, 10 years after conflict Russia had invaded Georgia after violence broke out between separatist groups and Georgian forces, leaving hundreds dead and thousands displaced. Last year, the European Court of Human Rights concluded that “grave human rights abuses” had occurred on … [Read more...] about International Criminal Court demands three to be arrested for war crimes during 2008 Georgia war

Russia: CCTV shows soldiers killing unarmed civilians Sign up for our news briefing, including a daily special Russia-Ukraine edition SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Video footage from the camera shows the exact moment a Russian soldier realises he and his squad have been caught in the act during a looting spree in Ukraine after killing two Ukrainian civilians. The squad of Russia 's soldiers are captured on camera celebrating with alcohol and stealing valuable objects when one of them looks up, spots the camera, and shoots it. CCTV footage, relayed by the BBC, reveals what could be the latest evidence of alleged Russian war crimes amid Putin ’s invasion of Ukraine. Related articles Putin facing hell as … [Read more...] about Putin war crimes: Russian troop shoots camera after being caught on looting spree – VIDEO

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the New York Police Department's treatment of sex crime victims after concluding there is "significant justification" to do so and after receiving reports of deficiencies for more than a decade, prosecutors said Thursday. Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and two U.S. attorneys in New York announced the probe in a release, saying they will thoroughly review the department's Special Victims Division to gauge whether it engages in a pattern of gender-biased policing. "Survivors of sexual assault should expect effective, trauma-informed and victim-centered investigations by police departments," Clarke said. "Based on information provided to the Justice Department, we find significant justification to investigate whether the NYPD's Special Victims Division engages in a pattern or practice of gender-biased policing." The investigation comes after years of reports of deficient … [Read more...] about Justice Department to probe work of NYPD sex crimes unit to see if it engages in pattern of “gender-biased policing”

STUFF Police national organised crime group director Detective Superintendent Greg Williams briefs media after 35 people were arrested across the North Island. A man has admitted his part in a global sting on organised crime . The man, who has interim name suppression, was arrested last June with about 40 others across the country. He was set to go to trial in May 2023. On Friday at the High Court at Auckland, the man admitted importing methamphetamine from China, cocaine from South America, supplying methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of selling it to others. He further admitted engaging in money laundering transactions through the proceeds of selling controlled drugs. READ MORE: Entertainer and others charged in global crime sting lose name suppression, but still can't be named Global organised crime sting: Entertainer and three others seek name suppression Global organised crime sting: Entertainer, Navy officer to … [Read more...] about Man admits conspiring to import meth, cocaine during global crime sting

Eight more strip-searches of children are to be examined by the police watchdog, Scotland Yard has confirmed, meaning 11 cases are now under review. The voluntary referrals relate to separate incidents between December 2019 and March 2022, when children aged 14 to 17 were strip-searched by officers in custody or subject to “more intimate searches outside custody”, according to the Metropolitan Police. The Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) has returned two of the referrals to the force to investigate. The rest are still pending with the IOPC. It comes after three cases were referred to the watchdog, including two teenage girls, known as Child Q and Olivia, who were strip-searched by officers while they were menstruating. A third case, involving a child known only as Child A, was confirmed to be under investigation by the Metropolitan Police last month. Strip-searches 'essential to ensuring safety' - Met Dept Asst Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: “We … [Read more...] about More strip-searches of children by police to be examined by watchdog

Police have discovered the body of missing Julie Marie Catron, who was buried in the backyard of her Georgia home. Columbus Police Department CPD) officers, located the remains of the 64-year-old in her backyard in Carriage Drive on Wednesday, June 29. Officers later confirmed that same day on social media that they had found a body at the property. "In the course of a missing persons investigation, Columbus Police Department investigators have located what appears to be human remains on a property in the 2600 block of Carriage Drive," they said. According to ABC9, Catron's remains were found in a shallow grave. She had been missing since November 2021. In a Friday, June 10, missing person alert, the CPD and Catron's family had asked the public for help to try and locate her. The police said of her moves: "She may have traveled from Columbus, Georgia, to Destin, Florida, or Crestview, Florida in November 2021." Newsweek has contacted the Muscogee County Coroner's Office … [Read more...] about Body of woman missing for months found buried in her backyard: Police

Ukraine cuts ties with Syria over Luhansk and Donetsk recognition Amnesty report says Russia committed 'war crime' with Mariupol theater strike Russian troops have withdrawn from Snake Island The European Court of Human Rights has ordered Russia not to execute two Britons captured after fighting for Ukraine This article was last updated at 13:46 UTC/GMT Lavrov: New 'iron curtain' is descending Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that a new "iron curtain" was descending between Russia and the West. "It's practically already coming into place. Let them just behave carefully," Lavrov said of Western countries during a news conference. The Kremlin's decision to invade Ukraine has sparked an overhaul of Europe's foreign, defense and security policies. Biden hails 'historic' NATO summit While closing a NATO summit in Madrid , US President Joe Biden described the meeting as "historic," noting the last time the military alliance updated its … [Read more...] about Ukraine: Russia pulls back forces from Snake Island — live updates

The Lafayette Police Department is using a new integrated surveillance system to connect police department, municipal and private cameras to speed investigations and gather real-time information while responding to calls. The department had a soft public launch of the system at a Wednesday open house for the agency’s new downtown police precinct inside the Rosa Parks Transportation Center at 101 Jefferson St. The system, Fusus , pulls a range of video sources — stationary surveillance cameras, portable police trailer cameras, license plate readers, traffic cameras, officer body worn cameras and in-unit dashboard cameras, as well as privately owned and municipal cameras — into a central, cloud-based database and map, Lafayette Police Sgt. Brad Robin said. Robin, who oversees the department’s research and planning team, said the database can be accessed by officers on their in-unit computers and via an associated app on their phones. “All of the officers can actually use … [Read more...] about Lafayette Police rolling out new integrated surveillance network citywide

In 2011, after seeing the level of abuse that The X Factor contestant Frankie Cocozza was getting online, Nicola Brookes posted a message of support. In a Facebook comment, she advised Cocozza to keep his friends and family close and be patient while waiting for the harassment to end. For some reason her innocuous comment infuriated the internet trolls – sparking a 10-year campaign of abuse. For the next decade, Brookes, now 55, was plagued by people who seemed set on the goal of destroying her reputation – impersonating her online, stealing her photos to create accounts in her name, faking profiles that made it seem as though she was a paedophile and drug dealer. One of her tormentors, Nicky Wright of South London, was jailed for stalking in 2018. Another turned out to be a police officer, who was suspended. Yair Cohen, who touts himself as the first Internet lawyer, makes a living tracking down anonymous trolls online. Brookes was one of his first digital cases. After deploying … [Read more...] about ‘I could have sorted Wagatha in 24 hours’: Meet the troll-hunting lawyer