Tabloid Archives | Tabloid Column

Sunday, January 15

Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno says he "didn't know which way to go" after an assistant coach came to him in 2002 saying he had seen retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing a boy. [More]

Madonna Calls Gaga a Copycat

Madonna has remained uncharacteristically mum on near-universal charges that Lady Gaga ripped off her 1989 hit, “Express Yourself” with her self-described gay anthem “Born This Way,” which she performed at the MTV Video Music Awards last August. [More]

15-Year-Old Gets 85 Years For Killing of Teacher

A 15-year-old was sentenced to 85 years in prison for killing and sexually assaulting his teacher at a Maryland youth facility. [More]

Ship aground off Italy; 3 bodies found

Survivors who escaped a luxury cruise liner that ran aground and tipped over off Italy's coast recounted a chaotic and terrifying evacuation through the ship's upended hallways on Saturday, as divers searched the submerged part for any people still unaccounted for in the confusion. [More]

Woman jailed 45 years for killing son, 6

A Texas woman was sentenced Friday to 45 years in prison for suffocating her 6-year-old son in a New Hampshire motel room and leaving his body along a dirt road in Maine. [More]

White House criticizes online piracy legislation

White House officials raised concerns on Saturday about online piracy legislation in the works in Congress that top technology companies have decried as heavy-handed. [More]

Woman finds love letter from 1862

A Swedish woman who discovered pages covered in handwriting while walking in the countryside said she was shocked to read they were from 1862. [More]

Saturday, January 14

Cops cry foul on DUI defense of Obama half-uncle

Massachusetts police say they're discouraged by a defense lawyer's request to trawl through the record of the officer who pulled over President Barack Obama's half-uncle last year for driving under the influence nearly double the legal limit. [More]

Gene Hackman struck by car while riding bike

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman was struck by a car while riding a bicycle Friday in Islamorada, Florida, the state highway patrol said. [More]

Montana teacher found dead, 1 in custody

A 43-year-old Montana schoolteacher last seen six days ago while out on a morning jog has been found dead, her school said Friday. [More]

Cop sacked for on-the-job sex

An Atlanta cop has lost his job for having sex while on duty, making him the third officer in a month to be disciplined for such behavior. [More]

Mayor: Slain teens' 'little butts' should have been in bed

Outraged Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter lashed out after three 14-year-olds in his city were killed, calling the shooter "a dog," "idiot" and "a**hole. He also fumed at the boys' parents for not adequately supervising their children, saying that "their little butts" should have been in bed. [More]

Van der Sloot sentenced to 28 years for Peru murder

Peruvian judges on Friday sentenced Dutch national Joran van der Sloot to 28 years in prison and ordered him to pay thousands of dollars in reparations for the killing of a 21-year-old Peruvian woman in 2010. [More]

Newsman Richard Threlkeld dies in car accident

Richard Threlkeld, a far-ranging and award-winning correspondent who worked for both CBS and ABC News during a long career, has been killed in a car crash on New York's Long Island. [More]

Paula Deen to discuss health rumors on TODAY Tuesday

Celebrity chef Paula Deen will sit down with TODAY’s Al Roker Tuesday, Jan. 17, in an exclusive interview to discuss reports that she has type 2 diabetes. [More]

Judge: John Edwards has life-threatening heart condition

A federal judge disclosed Friday that former presidential candidate John Edwards has a life-threatening heart condition, a court source confirmed to CNN. [More]

Friday, January 13

California man dies after falling into wood chipper

A brush-removal worker in California died Thursday after he got tangled in rope and fell into an industrial-sized wood chipper. [More]

Detroit imposes business hours at police precincts

Fighting crime is a 24-hour job, but Detroit police stations will be sticking to its own business hours. [More]

Judge agrees Natalee Holloway is dead

An Alabama judge agreed Thursday to declare Natalee Holloway legally dead, more than six years after the teenager vanished on the Caribbean island of Aruba. [More]

Judge sends Kentucky Amish men to jail over fines

A group of Amish men were sent to jail in western Kentucky Thursday for refusing to pay fines for breaking a state highway law that requires their horse-drawn buggies to be marked with orange reflective triangles. [More]

Ohio parents plead guilty in son's cancer death

The parents of an 8-year-old Ohio boy who died of cancer in 2008 have pleaded guilty to attempted involuntary manslaughter in his death. [More]

2 boys arrested for alleged sex assault of 8-year-old

Two 10-year-old Houston boys could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy on a school bus. [More]

Ohio panel sticks to 'White Only' pool sign ruling

A Cincinnati landlord who claimed a black girl's hair products clouded an apartment complex's swimming pool discriminated against the child by posting a poolside "White Only" sign, an Ohio civil rights panel said Thursday in upholding a previous finding. [More]

Smoking pot doesn't hurt lung function

Periodically smoking marijuana doesn't appear to hurt lung capacity, the largest study ever conducted on marijuana smokers has found. [More]

Call him rocket man: 2,000 mph car in the works in California

The Concorde jet airliner had a top speed of 1,350 mph. Aviation authorities grounded it because the futuristic wonder was deemed to be too dangerous, and there are no plans to replace it. So why not build a car that can go 2,000 mph, instead? [More]

Man accused of assaulting police officer with stuffed monkey

A 24-year-old Iowa man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly stealing a stuffed monkey from a convenience store and assaulting a police officer with it. [More]

Thursday, January 12

Corey Feldman: I'll reveal pedophiles' names

Former child star says he'll expose two abusers in an upcoming book, and that he believes the revelation will put him in danger. [More]

Van der Sloot pleads guilty to killing Peru woman

After Joran van der Sloot pleaded guilty Wednesday to the 2010 murder of a Peruvian woman he met at a Lima casino, his lawyer argued that the killing was tragically triggered by fallout from the very event that originally brought his client notoriety. [More]

Man steals police car, radioes about its lighter

Authorities say a handcuffed man has stolen a police cruiser in northwest Indiana, and he radioed police for help in finding the car's cigarette lighter and a key to unlock his hands. [More]

Mrs Obama: Some give her 'angry black woman' image

First lady Michelle Obama is challenging assertions she's forcefully imposed her will on White House aides and says people have inaccurately tried to portray her as "some kind of angry black woman. [More]

Ohio dad admits to beating 6-week-old son blind

An Ohio judge ripped into a father who admitted to beating his 6-week-old son so badly, the boy is permanently blind and will have other development issues. [More]

Man faces charges after leaving baby at Occupy camp

Authorities have charged a man with leaving a 13-month-old girl alone in a tent at the Occupy D.C. camp. [More]

Anthony says she became pregnant after party

Casey Anthony told a psychiatrist that she became pregnant with her daughter, Caylee, after passing out at a party when she was 18 years old, according to depositions in which the doctor said tests gave no indication that Anthony was mentally ill as she faced her murder trial. [More]

Psychiatrist: Casey Anthony 'surprisingly cheerful' in jail

Two depositions from psychiatrists who evaluated Casey Anthony before she went on trial for murder were unsealed Wednesday, revealing more details about sexual abuse that Anthony's lawyer alleged she endured as a child. [More]

Handcuffed man steals police car full of guns

Police in northwest Indiana have found a police cruiser they say was stolen by a handcuffed man who subsequently radioed for help in finding a key to unlock himself. [More]

Khloe Not a Kardashian?

The second wife and widow of the late Robert Kardashian are making some seriously salacious claims against the Kardashians in a bombshell interview with Star magazine. [More]

Pilot explains crosswinds landing

Air travel is one of the safest ways to get around, but once in a while you see something that reminds you why so many people are phobic about getting into a flying metal tube. [More]

Wednesday, January 11

Ariz. survivor: Giffords 'makes me want to vomit'

A former Marine whose wife of 54 years was killed last year in the Tuscon shootings has strong feelings about Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her retired astronaut husband. [More]

Cops: 'Judge Judy' sparks 'mad' hammer attack

Janet Ann Knowles apparently doesn't like Judge Judy. The 62-year-old Jupiter woman was arrested Sunday on aggravated battery charges after she hit a 65-year-old man on the head with a hammer after she got "upset with Judge Judy." [More]

TSA Top 10 Good Catches of 2011 - none are terrorists

For some reason, TSA officers say they have had some good finds last year at their checkpoints and wanted to share their top 10 good catches for 2011. [More]

Arkansas Grandma Was Taped to 'Bomb,' Forced to Withdraw Money From Bank

A manhunt was under way Tuesday in Arkansas after a 73-year-old grandmother said a masked man taped a bomb to her ankle and forced her to withdraw money from a bank. [More]

Female burgler hid behind fake mustache

A Salt Lake City woman accused of stealing from her neighbors allegedly wore a fake mustache and an oversize man's suit to disguise herself, police said. [More]

Bill Had 'Scary' Appetite

Just how much did President Bill Clinton eat while he was in office? Roland Mesnier, the former White House pastry chef from the Carter Administration through George W. Bush, said he was astonished at Clinton's big appetite, calling it "scary." [More]

Casey Anthony Claims Computer Hacked in Report

Casey Anthony, who recently resurfaced in a video diary that went viral on the Web, says in her probation report that her computer was recently hacked. [More]

Officials: NH couple, Arizona deputy deaths linked

Investigators said Tuesday they believe the same man who fatally shot a New Hampshire couple near a scenic northern Arizona resort town also killed a sheriff's deputy several days later in Phoenix. [More]

Tuesday, January 10

Charlie Sheen: 'I'm not crazy any more'

Charlie Sheen says that last year's headline-making antics are indeed a thing of the past. [More]

Furor in Greece over pedophilia as a disability

Greek disability groups expressed anger Monday at a government decision to expand a list of state-recognized disability categories to include pedophiles, exhibitionists and kleptomaniacs. [More]

Jerry Sandusky's Autobiography Reportedly Led Police to Four Alleged Victims

The autobiography of alleged child molester Jerry Sandusky - "Touched" - reportedly helped investigators find four victims who said they were victimized by Penn State's former defensive coordinator. [More]

Murderer Freed, Though Parole Board Said 'No Way'

Outrage as outgoing Miss. Gov. Haley Barbour defies parole board, pardons David Gatlin, as families protest. [More]

Police Say Ex-Husband is Person of Interest in Bombing that Injured Couple

A bomb that seriously injured a Colorado couple was left beside their car in a paper bag with their names written on it, and the woman's ex-husband is a person of interest in the case, police said Sunday. [More]

White House chief of staff stepping down

President Obama announced that White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley is being replaced by budget director Jack Lew. [More]

Snapped bungee plunges tourist into African river

An Australian tourist bungee jumping in Africa plunged 365 feet into a river when her cord snapped, but she managed to swim to safety with a broken collarbone and her legs tied together. [More]

Grocery bills make dining out appear affordable

Meat prices jumped more than 8 percent in 2011, the USDA estimated. Eggs were up about the same amount. Fats and oils? Up close to 9 percent. Is it cheaper to dine out? [More]

Monday, January 9

No Arrests or Suspects Identified in Death of Oklahoma Mom

Police said Sunday that there have been no arrests or suspects identified in the death of a central Oklahoma woman whose body was found along a dirt bike trail. [More]

Chaz Bono is saving up for penis surgery

Bono told Rolling Stone that he has a doctor in Belgrade in mind to do the procedure, and is considering the options. [More]

Police: Body found on queen's estate was missing 17-year-old

The body found on Queen Elizabeth II's estate in Sandringham last week was a 17-year-old who had been missing since August, police said Sunday. [More]

Navy SEAL dies after accidentally shooting himself

Navy officials have confirmed that a Navy SEAL who accidentally shot himself in the head has died. [More]

Rare penny sells for $1 million in Orlando

A rare U.S. penny from 1793 was sold for $1 million at an auction during the Florida United Numismatists convention in Orlando, officials said. [More]

Chicago Cardinal Apologizes for Linking Gay Pride Parade to Ku Klux Klan

Chicago's Cardinal Francis George has apologized for comments he made comparing the city's gay pride parade to demonstrations by the Ku Klux Klan. [More]

New York Man Had Crack, Eight-Year-Old in Car, Police Say

Police on New York's Long Island arrested a man early Sunday after allegedly finding crack cocaine in his car along with his eight-year-old daughter. [More]

Judge falls asleep during trial - twice

A prosecutor in Sweden questioned the acquittal of a defendant after a judge fell asleep twice during a fraud trial. [More]

Texas Man Doused With Gasoline and Set on Fire

A Texas man was in an intensive care unit Sunday after being doused with gasoline and set on fire. [More]

Sunday, January 8

Actress suing IMDb, Amazon for $1M for publishing her age reveals herself in new lawsuit

A B-list movie actress who anonymously filed suit against IMDb last fall, claiming it ruined her career when it revealed her real age on her profile, has revealed herself in federal court. [More]

New Jersey Headphone Wearing Man Accidentally Walks Into Moving Train

Authorities say a man wearing headphones unwittingly walked into the side of a moving train in northern New Jersey, but escaped with only minor injuries. [More]

Lottery checks bounce for 85 winners in Illinois

Eighty-five Illinois lottery winners discovered they were not as lucky as they thought. Their checks, worth $159,000 combined, did not clear the bank. [More]

Florida Man Wears Jacket Featuring Crack Recipe to Court

A Florida man facing drug trafficking charges made a bold fashion statement in court, arriving in a jacket covered with cartoons showing the recipe for crack cocaine. [More]

Air Force charges three cadets with sex crimes

The Air Force charged three of its cadets with sexual misconduct on Thursday, including one accused of rape, just over a week after the government revealed a rise in reports of sexual assault at military academies. [More]

Dad Charged With DWI After Picking Up Kids

A Minnesota father of two has been charged with third-degree DWI after he was stopped on Tuesday after picking his children up from daycare. [More]

Texas teen deported to Colombia reunites with mom

A Texas teenager who was deported to Colombia in May after claiming to be an illegal immigrant was returned to the United States and remains at the center of an international mystery over how a minor could be sent to a country where she is not a citizen. [More]

'Love Story' Actress Ali McGraw: I Should Have Sought Alimony

Former movie star Ali MacGraw says she regrets not getting alimony from any of her three ex-husbands, including producing legend Robert Evans and late screen icon Steve McQueen. [More]

Saturday, January 7

Grandmother Who Threw Granddaughter Off Mall Walkway Gets 35 Years

A Virginia woman was sentenced Friday to 35 years for throwing her 2-year-old granddaughter off a sixth-level walkway at a busy shopping mall, a murder the judge called "almost beyond comprehension." [More]

Ladies, he's available!

After a breakup with his fiancée, Chaz Bono says he's ready to date for the first time as a single guy. [More]

No more politicians, NH eatery owner says

A New Hampshire restaurant owner says he is so fed up with the flurry of GOP presidential candidates at his Portsmouth eatery that he put up his own 2012 slogan: "No Politicians, No Exceptions. [More]

Paramedic Accused of Ambulance Sexual Assault

A paramedic has been arrested on charges that he sexually assaulted a woman in the back of an ambulance as she was strapped to a stretcher. [More]

Mountain Dew's odd defense in mouse charge

An attempt to win a small court battle this week has put Mountain Dew in peril of losing a much larger war. PepsiCo, the parent company, defended itself against a man who claimed he found a dead mouse in a can of the citrus soda. [More]

Teen Mom Still Rattled by Home Invasion Nearly Week After Shooting, Killing Intruder

Authorities don't plan to file charges against a recently widowed Oklahoma teen mom who fatally shot a New Year's Eve intruder while she was home alone with her 3-month-old son. [More]

Cops: Woman donned mustache to rob neighbors

A woman in Salt Lake City repeatedly stole from her neighbors, donning an oversized man's suit, a beanie and a fake mustache in an attempt to disguise herself while she entered their home, police said. [More]

Calif. Lawmaker Pleads No Contest in Shoplift Case

A California lawmaker pleaded no contest Friday to stealing leather pants and other merchandise from a Neiman Marcus store in an incident her attorney blamed on a benign brain tumor. [More]

Navy SEAL accidentally shoots self in head

A 22-year-old Navy SEAL was on life support after he accidentally shot himself in the head while showing off a pistol to a woman he met at a bar, police said. [More]

Energy Dept. Pulls $730M Loan to Russian Company

After GOP complaints, department ends federal support for steel plant in Michigan, but project is not dead. [More]

NBC planning show for Betty White's 90th birthday

Betty White says her plans for her upcoming 90th birthday might include "a little vodka on the rocks." [More]

Friday, January 6

Colorado woman accused of damaging $30 million painting

A Colorado woman was arrested after allegedly pulling down her pants and punching a $30 million painting - before urinating against it. [More]

Sword-Swallower Impales Himself on Stage

An experienced British sword-swallower was taken to the hospital after ripping a four-inch hole in his esophagus during a show in northern England. [More]

No charges for teen widow who killed intruder

Authorities don't plan to file charges against an 18-year-old Oklahoma widow who fatally shot a New Year's Eve intruder at her house while she had a 911 dispatcher on the phone. [More]

Man arrested on long test drive

Police in Wisconsin said a man who took a car for a test drive from Madison to Milwaukee told officers the long test drive was normal. [More]

Family demands answers after Texas teen mistakenly deported to Colombia

A Dallas teenager who ran away from home more than a year ago somehow wound up deported to Colombia after U.S. authorities mistook the girl, who lacked identification, for a Colombian national. [More]

Couple finds $4,500 wedding ring in dog's stomach

A couple has found a suspect in the disappearance of their $4,500 wedding ring — their 10-month old basset hound. [More]

Navy pilot deaths ruled murder-suicide

The killings of four people, including two U.S. Navy pilots, in a Coronado, California, apartment early New Year's Day was a murder-suicide, investigators said. [More]

Dogs really do know what you're thinking

Scientists have finally proven what every dog owner knows – our canine friends read our facial expressions like dedicated detectives. Dogs don’t just depend on verbal commands, they look deeply into our eyes and try to guess what we’re up to, according to a new study. [More]

Mother Delivers Emotional Eulogy for Three Girls Killed in Connecticut Christmas Fire

Standing near three small caskets adorned with wreaths of pink and white lilies, ad executive Madonna Badger Thursday told more than 1,000 mourners "love is everything" in an emotional eulogy for her young daughters who perished in a Christmas Day blaze at their Connecticut home. [More]

Medical examiner arrested, kept body part

A medical examiner in Wisconsin has been arrested after keeping a human body part obtained from an autopsy for use in training a dog. [More]

Thursday, January 5

Man gouges out uncle's eyes over TV remote

An Illinois man has been charged with gouging out his uncle's eyes then pushing him down the stairs in a fight over a remote control, authorities said. [More]

Man dies at Alaska center for street alcoholics

A man who was slurring his speech and appeared intoxicated was found dead on New Year's Day at a controversial center in Anchorage where chronic street alcoholics are allowed to keep drinking. [More]

Four killings in Coronado ruled murder-suicide

A New Year's Day shooting that left four dead at a condominium near San Diego was a murder-suicide involving a 25-year-old Navy pilot who killed himself, officials say. [More]

PayPal ordered violin be destroyed, woman alleges

A seller claims that she's out $2,500 and an antique violin after the company told the buyer to destroy the instrument. [More]

Bishop Resigns After Saying He Fathered 2 Children

A Los Angeles bishop has resigned after revealing he is the father of two teenage children, the Vatican announced Wednesday. [More]

NYC mayor: Girlfriend's kiss better than Gaga's

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants the world to know that while he might have shared a New Year's kiss with Lady Gaga it was nothing compared with the one he got later from his longtime girlfriend. [More]

Husband of Missing Pregnant Mom Reportedly Changes Story, Says She Worked as a Prostitute

Court records reveal that the husband of a missing Oklahoma woman initially lied to investigators about his wife's disappearance in an attempt to hide her alleged criminal activity. [More]

Now you see it, now you don't: Time cloak created

It's one thing to make an object invisible, like Harry Potter's mythical cloak. But scientists have made an entire event impossible to see. [More]

Body found in Ark. forest was missing dispatcher

A police dispatcher last seen alive leaving a party with her boyfriend shortly before Christmas was slain, authorities said Tuesday after confirming that a body found in the wilderness over the weekend was hers. [More]

Pennsylvania Woman Admits to Posting Hitman Listing on Facebook to Kill Baby's Father

A Philadelphia woman has avoided prison after admitting she posted an offer of $1,000 on Facebook for someone to kill her baby's father. [More]

Wednesday, January 4

Honda sued over mileage in small claims court

A woman who expected her 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid to be her dream car wants Honda to pay for not delivering the high mileage it promised. [More]

Police show up for overdue books

A Massachusetts woman said her 5-year-old daughter burst into tears when police officers showed up at her door and demanded her overdue library books. [More]

Judge: Black church rightful owner of KKK store

After a lengthy legal battle between a black South Carolina church and members of the Ku Klux Klan, a judge has ruled that the church owns a building where KKK robes and T-shirts are sold. [More]

Chicago Jogger Critically Injured by Pit Bulls

A Chicago man was left in critical condition after two pit bull terriers attacked him as he jogged along the city's lakefront Monday morning, the Chicago Tribune reported. [More]

Bank left unlocked for two days

Officials with a Wells Fargo Bank in California are being tight-lipped about how the bank ended up being left unlocked for 48 hours. [More]

Murder probe after body found on queen's estate

Police launched a murder investigation Tuesday after a woman's body was found on Queen Elizabeth II's estate in Sandringham, in the English county of Norfolk. [More]

Police: Convict prefers jail to monks

Italian authorities said a man who has twice fled a halfway house told police he prefers jail to the monks who run the house. [More]

Tuesday, January 3

Woman donates kidney to her former boss

An Indiana woman who donated one of her kidneys to her former boss says she hopes it gives him many healthy years with his family. [More]

Massachusetts Trooper Accidentally Shoots Woman While Hunting

An off-duty state trooper who was hunting in southeast Massachusetts shot and wounded a 66-year-old woman who was out walking her two dogs when he mistook her pets for a deer. [More]

New York Woman Sues Boss, Claiming He Pressured Her Into Having Abortion

Catherine Rizzo, 25, claims there was no way to misinterpret her supervisor's ultimatum at Cooky's Deli in Bohemia, N.Y. [More]

Ohio suspends well operations after series of quakes

Ohio has suspended operations at five deep wells used to dispose of fracking-related fluids after nearly a dozen earthquakes in the town of Youngstown over the past year, the latest sign of local unease over the booming shale gas industry. [More]

Monday, January 2

Ranger killed in Mount Rainier Nat'l Park shooting

A Mount Rainier National Park ranger died in a shooting Sunday following a routine traffic stop, and authorities closed the 368-square-mile park in Washington state as they searched for the armed gunman, a park spokeswoman said. [More]

Man with explosives detained at Texas airport

An official in Texas says a man has been detained after entering an airport in Midland with explosives in military-grade wrapping. [More]

Howard Stern calls fans on New Year's Eve

Radio host made personal phone calls to some fans who tweeted him their phone numbers. [More]

Federal Agent Shot Dead Getting Dad's Cancer Meds

Veteran agent John Capano is gunned down while wrestling robbery suspect outside New York pharmacy. [More]

Sunday, January 1

Man tried to use $1 million bill at Walmart

Police say a North Carolina man insisted his million-dollar note was real when he was buying $476 worth of items at a Walmart. [More]

David Letterman's blackmailer gets new TV job

The former CBS News producer who went to jail for trying to blackmail David Letterman, has secured a job at "On the Case with Paula Zahn" on the Investigation Discovery Channel. [More]

FBI agent drowns saving swimmer

An FBI agent drowned Thursday in Puerto Rico while trying to save a swimmer, the FBI announced. [More]

Verizon reverses on $2 fee for one-time payments

After a customer backlash, Verizon Wireless on Friday dropped a plan to start charging $2 for every payment subscribers make over the phone or online with their credit or debit cards. [More]

Jim Morrison's former home damaged by arson

A Laurel Canyon home once inhabited by Jim Morrison was damaged in one of the 19 overnight arson attacks that plagued Hollywood and West Hollywood early Friday morning, according to the Los Angeles Times. [More]

Police: Injured man stole ambulance

Police in Florida said they arrested an injured man accused of stealing an ambulance while it was on a call to drive himself to the hospital. [More]

More car fires hit LA on New Year's

Four more car fires broke out in the Los Angeles area New Year's Eve, leaving authorities to probe for any links to a series of arson blazes that burned dozens of cars and spread to some structures in recent days. [More]

Monkey stolen from California zoo found safe

Banana-Sam, a much-loved squirrel-monkey stolen from his enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo, has been safely returned, officials said. [More]

Saturday, December 31

Arizona parents duct tape kids, post photos on Facebook

An Arizona couple remained in custody Saturday morning after police said they duct taped the wrists, ankles and mouths of their two children and posted the photos on Facebook. [More]

Does 'Moonshiners' Show Illegal Moonshining?

Virginia alcohol regulators say the Discovery Channel's "Moonshiners" television show is misleading viewers into thinking the state is tolerating illegal booze manufacturing and that it wouldn't have participated if they knew how the episodes would turn out. [More]

Juror Dismissed in Florida for 'Friending' Defendant

A Florida man was kicked off a jury for sending a Facebook friend request to a defendant, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported Friday. [More]

White House delaying debt ceiling request

Under an August deal between Obama's Democrats and the Republicans, Congress is unlikely to block the expected $1.2 trillion increase request, ensuring that the debt limit will not be reached again until after November's presidential election. [More]

Lost ring found growing around carrot

A Swedish woman says she found her wedding ring - missing since 1995 - wrapped around a carrot she pulled out of the family vegetable patch. [More]

Chevy to Recall Cars to Check for Missing Brakes

General Motors Co. is recalling more than 4,000 of its 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact cars to check for missing brake pads. [More]

Monkey 'Banana Sam' Stolen From S.F. Zoo

Police are investigating the brazen theft of a beloved squirrel monkey named Banana Sam from the San Francisco Zoo. [More]

"Occupy" makes annual list of most overused words

"Occupy," the term associated with the months-long protest movement in New York and across the United States against income inequality and a variety of other social ills, was among the 12 nominees after just a few months of overexposure. [More]

Friday, December 30

Thief proposed with stolen diamond ring

A stunning engagement ring didn't have the outcome a Vermont man had hoped for. His girlfriend said yes, but the ring landed him in jail. [More]

Female 'Robin Hood' Doles Out Cash to Kids After Robbing Bank

A Boston woman was undergoing psychiatric evaluation Thursday after she robbed a bank and attempted to give away the money to children at a park. [More]

New York Times spams 8.6 million readers

The New York Times accidentally e-mailed 8.6 million people to tell them their newspaper subscription had been canceled. Some of them had never even subscribed to the newspaper in the first place, ABC News reported. [More]

New Jersey Asst. Principal Arrested for Allegedly Videotaping Boys Showering

An educator using a secretly installed camera videotaped teenage boys in the shower at a Catholic high school for nearly three years, authorities said. [More]

UAW takes aim at foreign automakers

The United Auto Workers union is staking its future on the kind of struggle it hasn't waged since the 1930s: a massive drive to organize hostile factories. [More]

Advocates: More gay-friendly senior housing needed

Many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender seniors fear discrimination, disrespect or worse by health care workers and residents of elder housing facilities, ultimately leading many back into the closet after years of being open, experts say. [More]

Families awarded $17.8 million in military jet crash

Two families whose relatives were killed when a military jet crashed into a University City neighborhood in 2008 have been awarded almost $18 million for their loss. [More]

Man denies burning down Maine topless coffee shop

A man is denying involvement in a fire that destroyed a small Maine town's topless coffee shop where his ex-girlfriend worked. [More]

NASCAR's Kahne sorry for breastfeeding comments

NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne has apologized for comments he made on his Twitter account about public breastfeeding. According to reports, Kahne posted messages on his account that he saw a mother breastfeeding a child in a supermarket, calling it "nasty" and saying he didn't "feel like shopping any more or eating." [More]

Man, 99, divorcing wife of 77 years over affair in the 1940s

A 99-year-old Italian man is divorcing his 96-year-old wife after discovering that she conducted an affair in the 1940s, reports the Telegraph. [More]

Katy Perry, Russell Brand not wearing wedding rings

Katy Perry was spotted in Hawaii before Christmas without her wedding ring, which could be explained by the fact she was jumping around in the surf. [More]

D.H.S. Launches Hot Line for Jailed Immigrants

The Homeland Security Department is launching a hot line for people jailed on immigration charges who believe they are victims of crime or may be U.S. citizens. [More]

Thursday, December 29

Neil Diamond: Caroline Kennedy Inspired 'Sweet Caroline'

Neil Diamond held onto the secret for decades, but he has finally revealed that President Kennedy's daughter was the inspiration for his smash hit "Sweet Caroline." [More]

Hawaii man charged in bar assault with cow bone

A Hawaii man has been charged with four counts of assault after allegedly attacking a group of men with a cow bone. [More]

Miami family finds 13-foot python in pool

A Miami family had a surprise, and unwelcomed, Christmas visitor: a 13-foot Burmese python in their swimming pool. [More]

Tiger Mistress: I'm Pregnant!

The first of Tiger Woods' former mistresses to expose the string of affairs which led to his divorce has tweeted that she is five months pregnant. [More]

DA: No charges against son of OJ Simpson relative

Prosecutors have decided not to file charges against the 25-year-old son of Denise Brown and his girlfriend after they were arrested in a reported domestic violence incident. [More]

Shopping While Intoxicated nets online gains

After enjoying a few drinks, some people go dancing. Others order food. And for some, it’s time to shop online. [More]

Public outraged by Phoenix man's euthanized cat

Some people in Phoenix are threatening to pull their support for the Humane Society after it euthanized a cat brought in for medical treatment by a former heroin addict. [More]

Cheetah the chimp from 1930s Tarzan flicks dies

Cheetah, the chimpanzee sidekick in the Tarzan movies of the early 1930s, has died at age 80, a Florida animal sanctuary said. [More]

Gulf Coast Sees Record Tourism Rebound After Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Along the beaches of the Gulf Coast, 2011 ends with a surprise that no one expected this soon: a post-oil spill rebound in tourism, and record-setting at that. [More]

Wednesday, December 28

Neighbor Chopped up Missing Indiana Girl With Hacksaw, Police Say

A babysitter and trusted neighbor has confessed that he bludgeoned a 9-year-old Indiana girl to death with a brick then dismembered her, hiding her head, hands and feet at his home and dumping the rest of her remains nearby, police said Tuesday. [More]

Sinead O'Connor ends marriage after 16 days

Sixteen days after her December 8 Las Vegas wedding to boyfriend Barry Herridge, Sinead O'Connor is ending the marriage, the "Nothing Compares 2 U" singer announced Monday on her website. [More]

Schwarzenegger, Shriver spend Christmas together with kids

Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger have come together for another major occasion since the journalist filed for divorce from her husband in July. [More]

Fireplace Blamed for Deadly Connecticut Fire

A Christmas Day fire that killed three children and their grandparents was a tragic accident related to a fireplace in the home, not the result of foul play, the mayor said Tuesday. [More]

Former Stripper Sues Rhode Island Chief Accused of Taking Cash

A former Rhode Island stripper has filed a federal lawsuit against a suspended North Providence police chief who is accused of stealing more than $700 from her purse after an August car chase. [More]

Tuesday, December 27

Cops: Man accidentally shoots self while using toilet

A convicted felon was wounded when the gun he'd forgotten he'd tucked into his waistband fell, striking the toilet he was using and going off, striking him in the leg, police say. [More]

Man jailed after Facebooking a store burglary

An 18-year-old Pittsburgh man is accused of burglarizing a market with three teens, then posting pictures on his Facebook page showing the suspects mugging with some of the loot. [More]

Man who killed 6 relatives wore Santa outfit

The man believed to have killed six relatives and then himself on Christmas Day was dressed as Santa Claus, Grapevine, Texas police said Monday. [More]

Mexico's cartels build own national radio system

When convoys of soldiers or federal police move through the scrubland of northern Mexico, the Zetas drug cartel knows they are coming. [More]

Clerk Punches Would-Be Robber in Gold Store

Police say a would-be robber who demanded money from a store clerk got a fistful. Before he could run off with any cash, the clerk at the We Buy Gold store in Hendersonville punched him in the nose on Friday. [More]

Locked car leads to pot citation

New York state authorities said a man was cited on a marijuana charge after a sheriff's deputy helped him enter his locked car. [More]

Iran: Woman may be hanged, not stoned

A woman sentenced to die by stoning in 2010 will still be executed, Iranian officials said Monday, but the method of execution is still being debated, according to an Iranian media report. [More]

Deer find safe home at FBI firing range, academy

Call it a playground for Bambi and G-Men, where imaginary criminals are hunted and deer are the spectators. [More]

Couple turns in found $12,000

An Ohio couple who found $12,000 while walking in Akron said they turned the cash in because it was "what Jesus would have done." [More]

Monday, December 26

Alcohol test for NYC police officer questioned

The New York Police Department has launched a probe into why internal affairs investigators were initially kept in the dark about an off-duty police officer who was suspected of drunken driving in a car crash that seriously injured a passenger, a spokesman said Sunday. [More]

7 found dead in apartment in Fort Worth suburbs

Seven people believed to be related had opened their Christmas gifts and started cleaning up the wrapping paper when they were shot to death in suburban Fort Worth, police say. [More]

Boston student re-united with $170,000 violin

Christmas came early for a Boston music student who was reunited with the $170,000 violin she forgot in the overhead compartment of a regional commuter bus she rode last week, police said. [More]

N.Y. Sheriff Hawks Naming Rights for Helicopter

Budget cutbacks have sent a central New York county sheriff scrambling to find advertising revenue to keep a high-tech police helicopter flying in 2012. [More]

NORAD Santa trackers have record holiday

Santa Claus set records Christmas Eve as he raced across the globe on his traditional holiday mission. [More]

Police Aim to Crack Down on Violent 'Knock Out' Game

The rules of the game are as simple as they are brutal. A group - usually young men or even boys as young as 12, and teenage girls in some cases - chooses a lead attacker, then seeks out a victim. [More]

Web gambling gets boost from Obama administration

The Obama administration cleared the way for states to legalize Internet poker and certain other online betting in a switch that may help them reap billions in tax revenue and spur web-based gambling. [More]

Sunday, December 25

What kids around the world feed Santa

Santa might get milk and cookies in America, but he enjoys a culinary feast around the world, from sponge cake in Chile to a pint of Guinness in Ireland. [More]

NORAD's Santa tracking set to launch on Christmas Eve

With Santa's departure from the North Pole imminent, preparations to track his global trek were underway on Friday at an aerospace command center in Colorado. [More]

Santa's on the Move!

[More]

Ohio Mom Confesses to Throwing Out Girl's Body

An Ohio woman was being held on $10,000 bond Saturday after reportedly confessing to police she threw her daughter's body out with the trash. [More]

Frightening frosting? TSA confiscates cupcake

An airport security officer confiscated a frosted cupcake amid fears its icing could be a security risk, according to reports. [More]

Chicago senior wins battle over purse

Police say a hardy 80-year-old Chicago woman brushed off her encounter with an alleged purse-snatcher that included being dragged by a car. [More]

Gibson's ex-wife gets estimated $425M in split

We now know whathis ex-wife Robyn is getting for Christmas: half of Mel's net worth of $850 million. That's the estimated take in a divorce settlement finalized today, per People. [More]

Obama Campaign, DNC Cough Up Corzine Funds

President Obama's re-election campaign and the Democratic National Committee have returned more than $70,000 in contributions from former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine following the collapse of MF Global, Corzine's financial firm, officials said Friday. [More]

Starbucks' cup of woe: $7.5 million civil award

A San Diego jury awards a man and his wife nearly $7.5 million in their civil suit stemming from a fall the man took inside a Starbucks in 2008. [More]

Fruitcake From 1941 Sells for $525 in Ohio

A 1941 fruitcake has sold for $525 to an Arizona man in an Ohio company's online auction, and the money will go to the homeless in southwest Ohio. [More]

Saturday, December 24

Man starts beer, robs bank, goes back to finish beer

Authorities say a Tampa Bay area man ordered a beer at a bar, left to rob a nearby bank then came back to finish his beer. [More]

Naked man jumps from ambulance, dies on CA freeway

The California Highway Patrol says a man has died after he jumped naked out of an ambulance on a freeway and was hit by a truck while trying to flee. [More]

TV Anchor Arrested for DWI After On-Air Falter

A Mankato television news anchor has been arrested on suspicion of drunken driving two weeks after her on-air broadcast raised questions about her sobriety. [More]

Thieves posted pics on Facebook

Pittsburgh police said they connected four teenagers to a theft after they posted pictures of themselves posing with the loot on Facebook. [More]

Casey Anthony sued for defamation

The man who found 2-year-old Caylee Anthony's body in 2008 is suing her mother for damages, saying Casey Anthony defamed him during her murder trial earlier this year. [More]

Student Leaves $172,000 Violin on Boston Bus

A student at a Boston conservatory left a rare violin worth $172,000 on a bus after arriving in Philadelphia, and police are asking for the public's help in getting it back. [More]

Attorney, accountant taken off Huguette Clark estate

Based on "shocking" evidence of tax fraud, a judge on Friday suspended the attorney and accountant for copper heiress Huguette Clark from handling her $400 million account. [More]

Nun famous for kissing Elvis prays for miracle

In the little town of Bethlehem, Conn., a cloistered nun whose luminous blue eyes entranced Elvis Presley in his first on-screen movie kiss is praying for a Christmas miracle. [More]

Judge Punishes Arizona Sheriff for Document Destruction

A judge overseeing a lawsuit that alleges racial profiling in Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's immigration patrols issued punishments against the agency on Friday for its acknowledged destruction of records in the case. [More]

Friday, December 23

Anthony Weiner and Wife Have Baby Weiner

Disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin welcomed the birth of their first child, a son named Jordan Zain Weiner, on Wednesday. [More]

Holiday myths debunked

The most persistent holiday health myths - weight gain, suicides and traffic deaths - are based on kernels of truth. [More]

Ariz. Sheriff Arpaio's Officers Turn in Fed Credentials

Dozens of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's jail officers lined up at a news conference in Phoenix Wednesday to ceremoniously hand in their federal credentials a week after they were stripped of the ability to verify the immigration status of inmates. [More]

Man had no idea family thought he was murdered

After Ted Szal ran out on his family near Chicago 35 years ago, he had no idea his relatives feared he had been killed by notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy. [More]

Cops: Drunk tried driving hurt deer to NY hospital

Police say a drunken New York man struck a deer with his vehicle, then tried driving the injured animal to a nearby hospital — for humans. [More]

Deadly shoulder massager relaxes, strangles

If you think you’ve found the perfect gift for Grandma, and it happens to be a ShoulderFlex massager, buy her something else quick. It turns out to be a device that can lull users into a relaxed state - and then strangle them. [More]

Kansas Student, 19, Reported Missing Found Safe

A 19-year-old woman reported missing from the University of Kansas's Overland Park campus last week has been found safe, and police say she was never abducted. [More]

Woman Charged for Hoax Airliner Bomb Threat Aimed at Husband

A California woman angry with her husband called in a bomb threat to prevent him from departing on a jetliner at Los Angeles International Airport, the FBI said. [More]

Heckled karaoke singer socks 3 in face

Police say a karaoke singer who was booed soon after taking the stage at an Ohio tavern punched three people in the face when bartenders tried to kick him out. [More]

Thursday, December 22

Utah man wins Lamborghini, crashes it hours later

A truck driver who won a $380,000 Lamborghini in a convenience store contest crashed the sports car six hours after he got it, and he now plans to sell the 640-horsepower convertible because he can't afford the insurance or taxes. [More]

2 women share 1st kiss at US Navy ship's return

A Navy tradition caught up with the repeal of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" rule on Wednesday when two women sailors became the first to share the coveted "first kiss" on the pier after one of them returned from 80 days at sea. [More]

Michael Douglas' Son Stunned, Sentenced to Four and a Half More Years in Prison

Cameron Douglas, the scion of one of Hollywood's most famous acting families, was sentenced to an additional 4 1/2 years behind bars Wednesday, on top of his current five-year prison sentence for drug dealing. [More]

Mexican Man Charged With Killing of U.S. Immigration Agent

Julian Zapata Espinoza, the man suspected of killing U.S. immigration agent Jaime Zapata, has been extradited to face charges in the United States, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. [More]

Boxer Mayweather gets 90 jail days in Vegas case

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. was sentenced Wednesday to 90 days in a Las Vegas jail after pleading guilty to a reduced battery domestic violence charge and no contest to two harassment charges. [More]

Teacher arrested, accused of biting student

A Voorheesville fifth grade teacher was arrested after he allegedly bit the arm or one of his female students. [More]

Pudgy passengers prompts state ferries capacity change

The Washington state ferry service isn't going to start turning away hefty passengers, but it has had to reduce the capacity of the nation's largest ferry system because people have been packing on the pounds. [More]

Reindeer falls off truck, captured in Norton, Ohio

Police in Ohio said an officer captured a reindeer that fell from a livestock truck and took a stroll down the middle of a state road. [More]

Man Accused Of Driving Over Tombstones With Truck

Union County deputies say they have arrested a man accused of driving his truck over tombstones and running into a church sign. [More]

Taxpayers pay $200,000 for escalator to nowhere

Taxpayers doled out $200,000 for an escalator in downtown Montreal that leads right into a solid white wall. [More]

$50,000 of margarine still missing but stolen truck found

A thief who slipped away with $50,000 worth of margarine remains at large even though the truck that carried the payload has been recovered. [More]

Wednesday, December 21

Famed Sportswriter Quits, Faces Molestation Claims

Award-winning columnist Bill Conlin quits Philly paper amid allegations he abused four kids during the 1970s. [More]

Conn. Mayor Seeks to Let Illegal Immigrants Vote

Already known as a refuge for people from other lands, New Haven is tightening its embrace of newcomers as its mayor seeks to extend voting rights to illegal immigrants and other noncitizens, a policy challenge that comes shortly after attacks on "sanctuary cities" by Republican presidential candidates. [More]

'Bored' man guilty of burying fiancee alive

A man who buried his fiancee alive in a cardboard box in England — only for her to escape using her engagement ring — was found guilty of attempted murder. [More]

Hugh Hefner had 'mixed emotions' about Lohan doing Playboy

Hugh Hefner believes Lindsay Lohan's Marilyn Monroe-themed Playboy pictorial will be a keepsake - but the media mogul admits he initially had doubts about featuring the embattled actress on its cover. [More]

Fine Accuser Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse Charges

A man who accused former Syracuse University assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting him pleaded guilty Tuesday to sexually abusing a teenage boy in an agreement that caps his sentence at just over three years in prison. [More]

New Yorkers Can Bury Their Ashes With Their Pets

Life is good again — and death is looking better — for animal lovers in New York who want to be buried with their Persians, Pomeranians or potbellied pigs. [More]

Brain-Eating Amoeba Deaths Linked to Neti Pots

Louisiana's state health department has issued a warning about the dangers of improperly using nasal-irrigation devices called neti pots, responding to two recent deaths in the state that are thought to have resulted from "brain-eating amoebas" entering people's brains through their sinuses while they were using the devices. [More]

Ohio sheriff: Accident led to Amish girl's death

An Ohio sheriff says a man cleaning his muzzle-loading rifle accidentally shot and killed a 15-year-old Amish girl driving a horse-drawn buggy more than a mile away. [More]

Bon Jovi jokes about death rumors

Rock star Jon Bon Jovi posted a picture to Facebook holding a sign reading "Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey" to dispel Twitter rumors of his death. [More]

Boy With Down Syndrome Suspended for 'Hug'

A 14-year-old Missouri boy with Down syndrome whose mother says he “gives people hugs all the time” has been suspended from middle school for allegedly sexually harassing a bus aide, a school official said. [More]

Dutch TV cannibalism stunt a hoax

The Dutch network behind a TV show featuring hosts claiming to eat one another's flesh said the stunt was a hoax to raise awareness of organ donation. [More]

Tuesday, December 20

Judge shifts expenses from Jackson executors

The executors of Michael Jackson's estate will no longer have to pay some legal expenses and other costs out of their own pockets after a judge approved changes Monday to the estate that has earned hundreds of millions of dollars since the pop star's death. [More]

Ellen DeGeneres buys Brad Pitt's Malibu home for $12 million

It is official: Ellen DeGeneres is the proud owner of a new home. [More]

Florida seniors caught in sex sting

Police in Florida say they arrested three seniors during a sting operation after receiving complaints of men participating in public acts of lewdness. [More]

N.J. cop arrested for DWI after DWI class

A Midland Park, N.J., police officer was arrested for drunken driving after consuming alcohol during a state police class on DWI arrests, authorities say. [More]

Man says he drove 225 miles with dead wife

A 71-year-old Canadian man told authorities he drove about 225 miles with his dead wife next to him after she fell ill and passed away in the car while the couple were vacationing. [More]

California teen gets 21 years for killing gay student

A Southern California teen who pleaded guilty to killing a gay classmate was sentenced Monday to 21 years in prison. [More]

Police called to police Christmas party

British police said three patrol cars and police dogs were dispatched to a hotel on a report of a disturbance at a Christmas party for off-duty detectives. [More]

How Kobe's Wife Found Out

TMZ.com is reporting that a “secret underground society of trained spies,” otherwise known as the wives of NBA stars, are responsible for informing Vanessa Bryant about her husband Kobe Bryant’s alleged extra-marital dalliances. [More]

No injuries when plane lands on street

A pilot did an "absolutely amazing" job of landing his crippled plane safely on a street in Longmont, Colo., an airport manager says. [More]

Saudi prince buys $300 million Twitter stake

Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, an investor in some of the world's top companies, has bought a stake in Twitter for $300 million. [More]

Monday, December 19

Lindsay Lohan's Playboy issue 'breaking sales records,' Hef says

Lindsay Lohan's nude photo spread for Playboy is helping the men's magazine break sales records, according to Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. [More]

Man says he set woman afire inside a small elevator over debt

A 47-year-old man stinking of gasoline went into a police station and implicated himself in Deloris Gillespie's death. The suspect, Jerome Isaac, told police he set her on fire because she owed him $2,000 for some work he had done for her. [More]

$2,000 diamond ring put in Salvation Army kettle

The holiday spirit is alive and well in Miami after an anonymous donor dropped a diamond ring into a Salvation Army kettle. [More]

Opera Singer Injured After Falling Off Stage

Mezzo-soprano Wendy White has been hospitalized after falling about eight feet from a platform to the stage during a performance of Charles Gounod's "Faust" at New York's Metropolitan Opera. [More]

Michael Jackson's furniture auctioned

Furniture from the rented mansion where pop star Michael Jackson died was being auctioned off Saturday, and among the most expensive items sold were paintings that went for $46,875 and $35,200. [More]

Air Force to Award Silver Star to Francis Gary Powers

The U.S. Air Force will award a Silver Star posthumously to Francis Gary Powers, the pilot whose spy plane was shot down in 1960 over the Soviet Union in a defining moment of the Cold War. [More]

Sunday, December 18

TSA agent lets rapper keep pot found in bag

Freddie Gibbs announced the incriminating news on Twitter with a photo of the inspector's note next to bags of marijuana he said were his. [More]

Kobe Bryant's wife files for divorce

Kobe Bryant's wife, who stood by her husband when he was charged with sexual assault in 2003, filed for divorce on Friday from the Los Angeles Lakers star, citing irreconcilable differences after a decade of marriage. [More]

Autopsy Shows Fla. A&M Drum Major Beaten to Death

A medical examiner ruled Friday that a Florida A&M University (FAMU) drum major was beaten to death in a hazing incident. [More]

Officer fired 7 shots into vet's car

Las Vegas police had a plan to end an hour-long standoff with an unarmed Gulf War veteran: One officer would fire a non-lethal beanbag shell at the window of the man's Cadillac, and another officer would follow-up with pepper spray to force the man from the car. [More]

N.Y. High School Students Suspended for 'Tebowing'

Students suspended for mimicking pose of quarterback Tim Tebow, as school officials say it jammed halls. [More]

Freak accidents confirms elevator-phobics' fear

This week's story about the woman who was crushed and killed in a freak elevator accident in New York City horrified millions - but none as much as those who suffer elevator phobias. [More]

Rapper Slim Dunkin slain in Atlanta music studio

Atlanta police say the rapper Slim Dunkin was gunned down Friday evening in a city music studio as he was preparing to record a video. [More]

Ho! Ho! No! California Teen Gets Stuck in Chimney

A California teenager has learned the hard way that he's no Santa Claus. The Stockton Record reports 18-year-old George Herrera got stuck in a chimney while trying to sneak into his house Thursday. [More]

Britney Spears engaged to marry Jason Trawick

Britney Spears is ready to walk down the aisle for the third time. The 30-year-old pop star has agreed to marry her longtime boyfriend and former agent Jason Trawick. [More]

9-Year-Old NYC Boy Chokes in School Cafeteria

Witnesses say a fourth-grade boy choked on meatballs during lunch in a New York City school cafeteria this month and later died. [More]

Saturday, December 17

'Barefoot Bandit' Gets Over Seven Years in Prison

The 20-year-old "Barefoot Bandit" was sentenced Friday to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty to dozens of charges. [More]

Man leaves movie, steals date's car

Deputies in Florida say a man stole a woman's car while they were on a date at a Tampa area movie theater. [More]

Ex-NHL player, TV analyst Milbury accused of assault on child

Mike Milbury, a former National Hockey League player, coach and executive, is accused of assault and battery on a child stemming from an incident at a youth hockey game. [More]

SEC charges ex-Fannie, Freddie CEOs with fraud

Two former CEOs at mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Friday became the highest-profile individuals to be charged in connection with the 2008 financial crisis. [More]

Sheriff Joe responds: I'm no 'whipping boy' for feds

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said a scathing U.S. Justice Department report about his office's law enforcement tactics against Latinos marks "a sad day for America as a whole." "Illegal criminal offenders will go undetected and be dumped back out on the street near you, and for that you can thank your federal government," Arpaio said. [More]

Clint Eastwood's Family to Star in Reality Show on Network Behind 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians'

Is Clint Eastwood going the way of the Kardashians? Apparently so, as his wife and two of his daughters are currently shooting a family reality show intended to air on the E! network, TMZ has learned. [More]

Okla. Teacher, Ex-Professor Charged With Child Porn

An Oklahoma prosecutor said Friday he "fully expects" more young victims to emerge in the case of a former third-grade teacher accused of making child pornography involving her students and sharing it online with a retired college professor in Pennsylvania. [More]

Orlando Millionaire Sentenced to 30 Years for Killing Wife

An Orlando millionaire developer has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing his wife. [More]

Woman in India named world's shortest

Standing just over 2 feet tall, Jyoti Amge of Nagpur, India, was confirmed Friday as the world's shortest living woman. [More]

Phil Spector Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Review Murder Conviction

A lawyer for imprisoned music legend Phil Spector is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review his murder conviction, arguing his constitutional rights were violated by the trial judge. [More]

Barry Bonds gets probation, house arrest for obstruction of justice

Baseball legend Barry Bonds was sentenced Friday to two years of probation and 30 days of house arrest for obstruction of justice in a grand jury inquiry into illegal steroid use by professional athletes. [More]

Friday, December 16

Teacher Investigated After Allegedly Writing 'Stupid' on Student's Face

A teacher in Overton County, Tenn., has been suspended without pay while he's investigated for writing "stupid" on a student's forehead. [More]

Sandusky attorney launches ‘proper shower technique’ defense

In an interview with WHTM-TV, attorney Karl Rominger, the newest member of the former Penn State defensive coordinator’s defense team, offered up an interesting — and creepy — explanation as to why Sandusky showered alone with boys as young as 10 years old he had met through his Second Mile charity. [More]

Thieves arrested after 911 'pocket dial'

Police in Wisconsin said they arrested two men on retail theft charges after one of their phones accidentally called 911 while in its owner's pocket. [More]

Minnesota Principal Apologizes for Student-Parent Kissing Prank

A Minnesota high school principal is apologizing for pep rally prank earlier this month in which blindfolded students were surprised to find they had kissed their parents in front of hundreds of classmates. [More]

Somali Pirates Get Life in Prison for Hijacking That Killed 4 Americans

A former Somali police officer and an electrician whose job it was to bless their expedition were sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for their roles in the hijacking of a yacht that left all four Americans on board dead. [More]

IndyCar: 'Limitless' racing factor in Vegas wreck

Las Vegas Motor Speedway's "limitless" racing surface was singled out Thursday as a significant factor in a "perfect storm" of conditions that led to the death of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon. Wheldon was killed when his car sailed 325 feet through the air into a catchfence, and his head hit a post in the fence. The blow created a "non-survivable injury." [More]

Man arrested for hiring wedding strippers

Chinese police have arrested a man who hired two strippers to perform at his son's wedding after the performance was mobbed by villagers, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. [More]

Conrad Murray too poor to fund appeal

Michael Jackson's doctor on Tuesday asked for a publicly funded lawyer to handle his appeal on a manslaughter conviction in the pop star's death, saying he could not afford to pay for one himself. [More]