Jurors Say They Can’t Serve in the Courtroom of Judge Who Handed Down Light Sentence to Rapist

Posted on June 9, 2016

PALO ALTO (CBS SF) — Potential jurors in Santa Clara County are apparently refusing to serve in the courtroom of the judge who handed down a six-month sentence to a former Stanford University student convicted of sexual assault.
KPIX 5 reporter Len Ramirez confirmed Thursday that 20 jurors refused to serve in Judge Aaron Persky’s courtroom on Wednesday, citing the judge as a hardship.

Minuteman Co-Founder Guilty of Sexual Molesting Two Girls

Posted on June 8, 2016

A Maricopa County Superior Court jury on Wednesday found former “border-vigilante” leader Chris Simcox guilty of two counts of child molestation and one count of furnishing obscene material to a minor.
The three-woman, nine-man jury found him not guilty on three other counts of sexual conduct with a minor — a charge that carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

Mexican National Guilty of Drug Trafficking via “Panga” Boat Loaded with Two Tons of Marijuana

Posted on June 8, 2016

A federal jury found a resident of Tecate, Mexico guilty of federal drug trafficking charges for piloting a “panga” boat stuffed with nearly two tons of marijuana from Ensenada to Santa Barbara County in California, authorities announced Wednesday.
Following a three-day trial, the man, 24-year-old Jose Guadalupe Zepeda-Ramirez, was found guilty on June 2 of two felony counts – conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.

Feds: “Mo’ Money” Tax Preparers Sentenced to Prison for Preparing False Tax Returns

Posted on June 8, 2016

A federal judge sentence two Memphis residents to prison today for conspiring to defraud the IRS by preparing false tax returns, according to officials.
Jeremy Blanchard, 35, and Erik Pittman, 35, both of Memphis, were sentenced to serve five years and 10 months and two years and nine months in prison, respectively, officials announced.

Man sues Chicago police over shooting, seeks $15 million in damages

Posted on June 8, 2016

An Englewood man who survived being shot seven times by Chicago police two years ago filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday that seeks $15 million in damages, his attorneys said.
Dominiq Greer, 25, said an officer shot him during a chase on July 4, 2014, even though he posed no immediate threat. He acknowledged he was carrying a handgun when he was initially stopped by police and ran from the officers because he was afraid of them.