All articles tagged with #crime and justice
As Nancy Guthrie remains missing in Tucson nearly a month after her disappearance, CNN highlights how other local cases—Jimmy Hendrickson (1991) and Karen Grajeda (1996)—have lingered for decades without answers, illustrating ongoing investigations, community vigils, and growing rewards as families cling to hope for closure.
Crystal Hefner and attorney Gloria Allred asked California and Illinois regulators to investigate the Hugh M. Hefner Foundation, alleging it holds about 3,000 of Hefner’s private scrapbooks with thousands of nude photos of women—the potentially non‑consensual and, in some cases, underage images—raising concerns about consent, storage, and distribution. The foundation hasn’t commented, and regulators are reviewing the complaints.
Los Angeles County detectives are probing whether the fatal stabbing of former NFL defensive tackle Kevin Johnson (Philadelphia Eagles) is connected to four other homicides of unhoused individuals in the area between October 2025 and January 2026, with investigators pursuing all leads as they determine potential links.
Authorities found blood and signs of forced entry at Nancy Guthrie's Tucson home, elevating the case from missing person to possible kidnapping; a reward and tip line were announced as investigators seek information, with Savannah Guthrie urging prayers for her mother.
Lawyers for Renee Good’s family say a preliminary private autopsy found she was shot at least three times, with wounds to the head, arm, and breast. Two of the wounds were not immediately life‑threatening, including a bullet to the left forearm and a breast wound that did not penetrate major organs. The full autopsy has not been released.
A federal lawsuit filed in Manhattan by the Legal Aid Society and Jenner & Block on behalf of four Black male detainees alleges New York state uses solitary confinement on minors in five facilities, sometimes for weeks or months, to punish alleged rule infractions or due to staffing shortages. The suit describes 16- to 20-year-olds kept in cells for up to 22–24 hours a day, denied education and bathroom access, and claims this violates state regulations and harms mental health; it seeks class-action relief and highlights gaps between policy and practice.
A Spotlight PA investigation revealed that State College police underreported hundreds of rapes over nearly a decade by misclassifying them as sex offenses and using outdated definitions, leading to inaccurate crime statistics and potential impacts on community trust and safety.
Alabama is set to execute Geoffrey West, convicted of a 1997 murder during a gas station robbery, using nitrogen gas, marking the nation's latest use of this method. Despite pleas for mercy and forgiveness from the victim's family, the governor has upheld the law, and the execution is scheduled for Thursday night.
Kayle Bates was executed in Florida for his 1982 murder, marking the state's 10th execution of 2025, the most in a single year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, amidst ongoing debates and legal challenges.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs received a standing ovation from fellow inmates after being acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges, though he remains in custody for related prostitution charges, with his lawyer noting he is doing well.
A South African woman, Racquel Smith, was sentenced to life in prison for selling her 6-year-old daughter, Joshlin Smith, who remains missing. The case, involving drug addiction and child trafficking, has shocked the nation, with the girl still unlocated despite extensive searches and public attention.
Oklahoma's Pardon and Parole Board has denied clemency for Kevin Ray Underwood, who is set to be executed for the 2006 murder of 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin, a crime he admitted was part of a cannibalistic fantasy. Underwood's attorneys argued for clemency based on his history of mental health issues, but the board unanimously rejected the plea. This execution, scheduled for Underwood's 45th birthday, would be the 25th and final execution in the U.S. for 2024, following another scheduled execution in Indiana.
Daniel Penny, a former Marine, has spoken out after being acquitted in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely, describing the vulnerable position he felt during the incident. Penny explained that Neely was acting erratically and threatening passengers, prompting him to intervene. The case, which highlighted issues of homelessness, mental illness, and race, saw the jury deliberating for over 24 hours before acquitting Penny of criminally negligent homicide. The more serious charge of manslaughter was dismissed earlier in the trial.
Gianna Gasparini, a former Gustavus Adolphus College hockey player, received a one-year probation sentence after pleading guilty to reckless driving, which resulted in a crash that killed her teammate, Jori Lynn Jones. The incident occurred in August 2023 in western Minnesota. Gasparini's charge will be dismissed if she complies with probation terms, including a $3,000 fine and remaining law-abiding. The crash happened when Gasparini's SUV collided with a minivan at an intersection, and she admitted to not noticing the intersection in time. She had consumed alcohol the night before but was not under its influence at the time of the crash.
The verdict in a recent case involving Penny has become a focal point in the ongoing debate over how the legal system handles cases involving crime and mental illness. The case highlights the complexities and challenges faced by the justice system in balancing public safety with the rights and needs of individuals with mental health issues.