Van Der Sloot Lawyer Quits

(CNN) -- Joran van der Sloot's lawyer has quit defending him against murder allegations in Peru, citing unspecified differences over strategy.Van der Sloot, the onetime suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, faces a possible trial on first-degree murder and robbery charges in the killing of 21-year-old Stephany Flores. His lawyer, Maximo Altez, filed papers to withdraw from the case Tuesday."I can not defend this case in the way he wants me to," Altez told In Session. He would not elaborate.

Read more: http://www.wesh.com/news/28084733/detail.html#ixzz1NyRJ5ms1

Casey Defense Adds TV Host To Witness List

Stephen Watts Toured Anthony Home's Backyard

POSTED: 2:25 pm EDT May 31, 2011
UPDATED: 3:26 pm EDT May 31, 2011

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Casey Anthony's defense team has added journalist, blogger and TV personality Stephen Watts to its defense list, court records show.

According to Watts' blog, he is a television producer turned TV host and reporter.

Watts' site said he has worked or appeared on shows and networks such as "Nancy Grace," “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren," TRU TV and "Inside Edition."

He has covered cases such as Drew Peterson, O.J. Simpson, Scott Peterson, Haleigh Cummings and Casey Anthony, the site says. He also said he is working on a book about the media's influence on the justice system.

The defense's addition to its witness list was filed Friday, according to the clerk's website.

Coincidentally, Watts was mentioned in testimony by Cindy Anthony on Tuesday. Anthony said she gave Watts and Mark Furhman a tour of her backyard at one point. Furhman was an investigator on the O.J. Simpson case but has since written books and provided radio commentary.

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http://www.wesh.com/r/28083833/detail.html

Casey's Brother Files Motion To Be In Courtroom For Trial

Posted: 4:51 pm EDT May 30, 2011Updated: 7:38 pm EDT May 30, 2011

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Casey Anthony will be back in an Orange County courtroom for day 17 of her murder trial on Tuesday and her brother is asking the judge for permission to be in court.

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BILL SHEAFFER: Preview Of Day 17 In Casey Trial
VIDEO REPORT: Casey's Brother Files Motion
WATCH: WFTV Casey Special: Weekly Recap

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A motion was filed over the weekend by Casey's brother, Lee Anthony, who is also a witness in the case. Lee Anthony’s attorney, Mark Lippman, who is also representing George and Cindy Anthony, will petition the judge on Tuesday to allow Lee Anthony to sit in on the trial and hear testimony from other witnesses. Typically witnesses aren't allowed to be in court to hear other testimony.

READ MORE HERE:

http://www.wftv.com/news/28074159/detail.html

Innocent until proven Guilty / Casey Anthony ( Chat House News Editorial)

WRITTEN BY : Micki Owens
DATE: May 30, 2011

Seventeen jurors sit in the courtroom deciding the fate of Casey Anthony. They are watching and listening to facts given by prosecution, witnesses and defense.

Casey's life is in their hands. Whether she lives or dies will be decided. Will they choose to give her life behind bars or death by lethal injection or let her walk free? It's hard for someone to make that kind of decision on a person's life, do they sleep and replay all the information absorbed from the day?

Does Casey, while eyeing them want forgiveness or does she hold them in contempt for determining her life?

Casey sits stone cold and emotionless while staring right into their faces, she does this for hours. Seventeen faces stare back at her, watching and noting every breath she takes, every movement made, every emotion she leaks. Seventeen ordinary people watch and listen to lies told, a baby is dead, grand parents grieving and the accused mother sits directly across staring back. Is Casey's heart racing? Is Casey trying to read them?

Will Casey Marie Anthony be found guilty in the death of her daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony? Its all in the hands of these seventeen people now. Casey's peers. Innocent until proven guilty. Will there be justice for Caylee?

Casey Anthony - May 28th - Video, Photo Links

Posted: 8:45 am EDT May 28, 2011Updated: 3:26 pm EDT May 28, 2011

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Casey Anthony's mother, Cindy, testified on day 16 of Casey's murder trial on Saturday. Cindy was brought to tears as she described Caylee Anthony's baby blanket and bed to prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick.

Casey walked into the courtroom smiling, wearing a light blue, beaded blouse and she had her hair pulled back into a bun.

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 DAY 16: Pt. 1 | Pt.2 | Pt.3 | Pt.4 | Pt.5 | Pt.6 | Pt.7
 CINDY CRIES: Images Of Emotional Testimony
 ANGRY CASEY CRIES: See Images | Watch Video
 BILL SHEAFFER: Analysis Of Day 16
 CASEY WALKS IN: See Images | Watch Video
 IN COURT: Casey, Cindy, Ex, Lawyers, Judge

Read more: WFTV.COM

Madeleine McCann review is defended

Friday, May 27, 2011, 09:30

Britain's top policeman faced accusations that Madeleine McCann's disappearance was being given "unfair" attention at Scotland Yard.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson denied claims that reviewing the investigation into what has happened to the missing girl from Rothley could come at the cost of other inquiries.

At a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority yesterday morning,London Assembly member Jenny Jones confronted him over the review and asked why the McCann case was special. Read more at www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk

Hailey Dunn: Child porn investigation continues

By Greg Kendall-Ball

Posted May 27, 2011 at 11 p.m.

More than threemonths ago, law enforcement officials reported finding nearly 109,000 images depicting deviant acts and child pornography while investigating the disappearance of Colorado City teenager Hailey Dunn.

To date, no arrests have been made and no indictments issued, but officials say the case has not gone stagnant.

Mitchell County Sheriff Patrick Toombs said representatives from the agencies involved in the case — his deputies, Colorado City police, the Texas Rangers, the FBI and the district attorneys for Howard County, Scurry County and the 32nd Judicial District — meet weekly to discuss the case.

"We talk to each other at least once a week, sometimes more than that, about the leads we're following, about information that's come out," Toombs said. Read more at www.reporternews.com

Mother charged in death of baby found in trash bin

Posted: Saturday, May 28, 2011 12:20 am

ST. LOUIS • Melissa Shawneece Jackson was charged Friday with first-degree murder in the beating and strangulation of her 18-month old son, found in a trash bin near their home this week.

The St. Louis circuit attorney's office also filed a charge of felony abuse of a child against Jackson, 28. She was arrested Friday afternoon at her home and was ordered held without bail.

Marquell Jackson suffered three independently fatal injuries, documents filed in the case say, and was killed Tuesday or Wednesday while in the sole care of his mother. They say there was no sign of forced entry to the apartment, in the 2300 block of South Jefferson Avenue. Read more at www.stltoday.com

Man Accused of Killing Daughter Says Girl, 10, Poisoned Him

By RUSSELL GOLDMAN

May 27, 2011

A Florida father accused of murdering his little girl and burning her twin brother with chemicals told police his 10-year-old daughter tried to poison him by slipping baby oil into his soda, according to court documents.

Jorge Barahona told police the girl died at home, but did not say how, according to court documents released by the state and obtained by the Associated Press. He also told investigators that he feared fourth grader Nubia was trying to feed him rat poison.

Barahona and Nubia's twin brother Victor were found parked on the side of I-95 near West Palm Beach on Feb. 14, the boy covered in toxic chemical burns and overcome by fumes. Hours later police discovered Nubia's naked body stuffed in a garbage bag in the truck's flatbed, drenched in the same caustic chemical. Read more at abcnews.go.com

Castle Rock children laid to rest as their mother is charged with murder

Read more - 

Police Find Two Children Dead In Castle Rock Home After Receiving A Woman's Suicide Call 

Day 4: Smell Of Death, Casey's 'Special Bond' (Video)

Heated Exchange Between Baez, Casey? (Video)

In what appears to be a heated exchange, Casey Anthony and her attorney talk as a 15-minute recess is called Friday.

Casey Anthony's murder trial Friday (Video Links & More)

Posted: 5:38 am EDT May 27, 2011Updated: 7:09 pm EDT May 27, 2011

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- On day 15 of Casey Anthony's murder trial Friday a manager of a towing yard stated that Casey's car smelled of decomposition, her brother's fiancee said Casey's relationship with Caylee was "amazing," George Anthony took the stand once again, and Judge Bevlin Perry denied a motion to renew a motion for a mistrial.

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 DAY 15: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13
 BILL SHEAFFER: Analysis Of Day 15
 CASEY WALKS IN: See Images | Raw Video
 IN COURT: Casey, Judge, Attorneys, Witnesses
 LEE, CINDY, GEORGE: Images | Raw Video
 VIDEO REPORT: Witnesses Testify

Read more: www.wftv.com

Holly Bobo's Hometown Always Hopeful (Video)

AG to fight child killer's commitment to mental facility

Utah mom not competent for trial in kids' deaths

Published May 27, 2011

Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY –  A judge has ruled a Utah woman not mentally competent to stand trial on charges in the strangulation deaths of her children.

Sun Cha (Soon'-cha) Warhola was ordered Friday to the Utah State Hospital to see if her competency can be restored. Court-appointed evaluators testified she suffers from a serious mental illness and requires substantial treatment.

Read more at www.foxnews.com

Roseburg Community Remembers Kyron Horman

May 27, 2011

By Sharon Ko

ROSEBURG, Ore. -- It'll be almost a year since Kyron Horman, the young Portland boy, went missing from school.

The story of his disappearance has reached thousands of people and the community of Roseburg wants his family to know they have not forgotten.

Anyone traveling on I-5 near Roseburg, will pass by Kyron's face and see a message from his mother. Recently, some other billboards have popped up in other high traffic areas.

"I thought it was great exposure," says Joseph Bardaville. Read more at kezi.com

Social workers explain Ehrlick's abrupt changes (Video)

Mother of Irving boy found dead appears in court (Video)

Baby Gabriel's former attorney testifies detective destroyed attorney-client relationship

Amplify’d from www.azcentral.com

by Laurie Merrill - May. 25, 2011 06:58 PM The Arizona Republic

Baby Gabriel's mother didn't get the ticket to freedom she had hoped for Wednesday, but she got the next best thing: A second shot at being found incompetent to stand trial.

After listening to testimony about a San Antonio detective whose "over the top" tactics during a jailhouse interview deeply affected Elizabeth Johnson, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ordered her to undergo a second competency evaluation. Johnson was seeking to dismiss the charges against her.

"A dismissal in a situation like this is a last resort," Judge Paul McMurdie said. "If she is not cooperating with her lawyers, she needs to be restored. If she can't be restored to competency, there is a civil remedy."

That remedy would be to commit her to a psychiatric facility for treatment, said her current attorney, Daniel Raynak. If it is determined Johnson cannot ever be restored to competency, Raynak said, criminal charges could be dropped. Read more at www.azcentral.com

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/a13w9a

Baby Gabriel's former attorney testifies detective destroyed attorney-client relationship

by Laurie Merrill - May. 25, 2011 06:58 PM The Arizona Republic

Baby Gabriel's mother didn't get the ticket to freedom she had hoped for Wednesday, but she got the next best thing: A second shot at being found incompetent to stand trial.

After listening to testimony about a San Antonio detective whose "over the top" tactics during a jailhouse interview deeply affected Elizabeth Johnson, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ordered her to undergo a second competency evaluation. Johnson was seeking to dismiss the charges against her.

"A dismissal in a situation like this is a last resort," Judge Paul McMurdie said. "If she is not cooperating with her lawyers, she needs to be restored. If she can't be restored to competency, there is a civil remedy."

That remedy would be to commit her to a psychiatric facility for treatment, said her current attorney, Daniel Raynak. If it is determined Johnson cannot ever be restored to competency, Raynak said, criminal charges could be dropped. Read more at www.azcentral.com

Hailey Dunn Anniversary Falls Near National Missing Children's Day

By Jocelyn Tovar, KTXS News

POSTED: 9:38 pm CDT May 25, 2011

UPDATED: 10:48 pm CDT May 25, 2011

COLORADO CITY, Texas --

Friday will be exactly five months since Colorado City teenager Hailey Dunn was last seen alive and five months of searching has turned up no clues in her disappearance.

The City Manager of Colorado City, Pete Kampfer, meets with the police chief weekly to talk about the investigation, but volunteers are scaling back their search for the missing girl.

"They come in every weekend raring to go they want to find Hailey," said volunteer Kristy Lloyd. Daily searches for Hailey Dunn slowly decreased to twice a week and now five months into the search only five volunteers make it out once a week. Read more at www.ktxs.com

Arizona executes convicted child killer

By David Schwartz

PHOENIX | Thu May 26, 2011 1:21am EDT

(Reuters) - An Arizona apartment complex custodian was put to death by lethal injection on Wednesday for the 1984 rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl, after a flurry of last-minute court appeals failed, prison officials said

Donald Edward Beaty, 56, died at 7:38 p.m. local time at a state prison in Florence, Arizona, officials said, in an execution delayed for more than nine hours by a legal dispute over one of the drugs used to kill him.

Beaty, convicted of killing newspaper carrier Christy Ann Fornoff, had won a temporary stay from the Arizona Supreme Court after his lawyers objected to the last-minute substitution of a drug to be used in the lethal-injection mix.

But the court lifted the stay after conducting a special hearing on Wednesday morning, rejecting arguments that the state breached Beaty's constitutional due process rights and protections against cruel and unusual punishment. Read more at www.reuters.com