Criminal Justice Archives

Man convicted of murder in killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — A Venezuelan man has been convicted of murder in the killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley. Jose Ibarra was charged with murder and other crimes in Riley’s February death, and the guilty verdict was reached Wednesday by Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard. Ibarra had waived his right to a jury trial, meaning that Haggard alone heard and decided the case. The killing added fuel to the national debate over immigration when federal authorities said Ibarra illegally entered the U.S. in 2022 and was allowed to stay in the country while he pursued his immigration case.… Continue Reading

Insurers say bear that damaged luxury cars was actually a person in a costume

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California is seeing its share of bear break-ins. Now it’s seen a fake one — someone in a bear costumer rummaging through luxury cars. In what it’s dubbed “Operation Bear Claw,” the California Insurance Department says four Los Angeles residents were arrested Wednesday, accused of defrauding three insurance companies out of nearly $142,000 by claiming a bear damaged their vehicles. The group is accused of providing video footage from the San Bernardino Mountains in January of a “bear” moving inside a Rolls-Royce and two Mercedes to the insurance companies. The department says a biologist reviewed the videos and confirmed it was clearly a person in a bear suit.… Continue Reading

Outgoing North Carolina governor grants 2 pardons, 6 commutations

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has commuted what have been lengthy sentences served by six criminal offenders in state prisons and granted pardons to two others. Five of the commutations went to people who were convicted of murder. Those pardons of innocence the outgoing governor also signed on Wednesday gives the persons wrongly imprisoned for erroneous felony convictions the ability to seek monetary compensation. One such pardon went to a man ultimately acquitted in the deaths of an elderly couple. The other pardon went to a man exonerated in a convenience store robbery.… Continue Reading

A man dubbed ‘AK Guru’ has been charged with making and selling hundreds of machine guns

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Authorities say a North Carolina man nicknamed the “AK Guru” has been charged with making and selling hundreds of machine guns built from existing and deconstructed weapons. Court documents show that 72-year-old Earl Carter Jr. is being held by federal authorities on numerous charges. The FBI says a confidential informant told investigators that Carter makes machine guns “by either modifying legal firearms to make them into a machine gun or by piecing together parts.” Authorities say Carter was based in the small town of Hamlet, about 80 miles east of Charlotte. Carter’s lawyer has not responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press.… Continue Reading

Father of teenage suspect in Hedingham mass shooting pleads guilty to gun storage crime

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The father of a teenager accused in a 2022 mass shooting in North Carolina’s capital city that left five people dead has pleaded guilty to storing improperly a handgun that authorities said was found with his son after the shootings. Media outlets report Alan Thompson entered the plea in Wake County court. He received a suspended jail sentence and some probation. Son Austin Thompson is accused of murder and other charges and faces a 2025 trial. He was 15 when the shootings occurred in Raleigh. His older brother was among those killed. The father’s attorney said Alan Thompson saw no warning signs that his son would commit violence.… Continue Reading

Diddy faces public scrutiny over alleged sex crimes as questions arise about future of his music

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs created a hit-making empire with big name performers, earning his place as a savvy music mogul and becoming a three-time Grammy winner while securing high-profile deals across other industries. But now, Combs’ kingdom is collapsing under charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. He was arrested in New York on Sept. 16 and accused in an indictment of using his “power and prestige” to induce female victims and male sex workers in “Freak Offs” along with allegations of abuse dating back to 2008. If convicted on all counts, Combs could face at least 15 years in prison. Combs’ public image has taken a nosedive as major deals slipped away.… Continue Reading

Alec Baldwin urges judge to stand by dismissal of involuntary manslaughter case in ‘Rust’ shooting

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Alec Baldwin has urged a New Mexico judge to stand by her decision to end his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie. State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense. Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider. Baldwin was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal for “Rust” in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.… Continue Reading

Bureau of Prisons says it’s adding staff and making fixes at jail where Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is held

NEW YORK (AP) — The Bureau of Prisons has increased staffing at the federal jail in New York City where Sean “Diddy” Combs is incarcerated amid criticism of poor conditions and violence. The agency says it has increased the number of workers at the Brooklyn around 20% since January. But the agency says 157 positions remain vacant. The Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn has faced longstanding issues, including overcrowding, rampant contraband, and staff misconduct. Officials say they are working hard to address the myriad issues and will keep a sustained focus on the jail. The Bureau of Prisons also says it has been offering retention bonuses to address staffing shortages.… Continue Reading

Second judge refuses to grant home release to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

NEW YORK (AP) — A second judge has refused to grant bail to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter said Wednesday that the government had proved “by clear and convincing evidence that there is no condition or set of conditions” that will ensure the safety of community and that he won’t tamper with witnesses. The hip-hop mogul pleaded not guilty following his Monday arrest on sex trafficking charges, and his lawyer says he’s innocent. Prosecutors say he used his power and prestige for years to sexually abuse women.… Continue Reading

North Carolina’s highest court hears challenge to law allowing more time for child sex abuse suits

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s highest court is weighing whether a state law that gave adults who were victims of child sexual abuse two additional years to seek civil damages is constitutional or not. The state Supreme Court heard Wednesday five cases involving individuals who sued based on changes in a 2019 law. Victims used to have until age 21 to sue. The law raised that age but also gave other victims whose time period still had expired to file lawsuits in 2020 or 2021. The court gave no indication when it would rule on the constitutionality. Since 2002, 30 states revived previously expired child sex abuse claims with expansions of claim periods.… Continue Reading