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How an illegal jailhouse snitch operation backfired, derailing an California murder conviction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

Days before suspected killer Paul Gentile Smith arrived at Orange County jail in June 2009, sheriff’s investigators were already plotting to put him with a group of informants.Cold-case investigators had used DNA evidence to link Smith to the 1988 killing of his childhood friend and sometimes marijuana supplier, Robert Haugen, in Sunset Beach. Orange County sheriff’s investigators arrested Smith in Nevada, where he was in custody on a domestic abuse charge.According to court papers, investigators Raymond Wert and Donald Voght drove Smith from Las Vegas with two goals in mind: get a confession and develop evidence that Smith was orchestrating an attempt to kill Wert.What was secret at the time was that prosecutors and deputies had previously created a clandestine network of jailhouse informants to coax confessions out of targeted inmates. Such an operation is illegal when used on charged defendants who have attorneys because it violates their right to counsel under the 1964 case Mass...

California deputy accused of extorting female inmates for sex

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

A Riverside County corrections deputy was arrested this week on suspicion of extorting four female inmates and sexually assaulting one of them, authorities said Saturday, Sept. 16.Christian Heidecker, 32, was booked Friday at the Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of four counts of extortion, sexual penetration under color of authority and three counts of attempted sexual assault of an inmate, according to inmate records.He was being held on $1 million bail, inmate records show.Riverside County sheriff’s investigators were notified on Aug. 31 of possible crimes being committed by an employee, who was formerly assigned to the Riverside Alternative Sentencing Program at the Coordinated Custody Management Unit in Banning, Sgt. Steve Brosche said.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | How an illegal jailhouse snitch operation backfired, derailing an California murder conviction Crime and Public Safety | They said it: Cop watcher owning up ...

Single-family residence sells for $1.5 million in Danville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

223 Marigold Street – Google Street ViewA house located in the 200 block of Marigold Street in Danville has new owners. The 1,738-square-foot property, built in 1998, was sold on Aug. 18, 2023. The $1,500,000 purchase price works out to $863 per square foot. This single-story house has three bedrooms and two baths. Additionally, the house features an attached two-car garage.Additional houses that have recently changed hands close by include:In October 2022, a 2,311-square-foot home on Casablanca Street in Danville sold for $1,675,000, a price per square foot of $725. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.A 1,738-square-foot home on the first block of Lily Court in Danville sold in October 2022, for $1,425,000, a price per square foot of $820. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.On Anthurium Court, Danville, in April 2023, a 2,624-square-foot home was sold for $1,900,000, a price per square foot of $724. The home has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. 

Man on electric skateboard fatally struck in Gilroy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

(BCN) -- A pedestrian was struck and killed Saturday night in Gilroy, police said. Officers responded around 9 p.m. to First Street between Wren and Kern avenues after receiving several 911 calls about a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle.Police found a 34-year-old man at the scene suffering from major injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.Investigators believe that the man was in the roadway on an electrically powered skateboard just before he was hit. The driver of the vehicle that struck him remained on the scene and is cooperating with law enforcement.Anyone who may have witnessed this collision is encouraged to reach out to Gilroy Police Sgt. Michael McMahon at (408) 846-0350 or [email protected] © 2023 Bay City News, Inc.

Hunter Biden sues the IRS, alleging agents illegally released his tax information

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden arrives for a court appearance, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Wilmington, Delaware. President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden arrives for a court appearance, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Wilmington, Delaware. (CNN) — Hunter Biden sued the Internal Revenue Service on Monday, alleging its agents illegally released his tax information and that the agency failed to protect his private records.President Joe Biden’s son alleges the IRS unlawfully disclosed his tax return information and did not establish safeguards to ensure the confidentiality of his records. He is seeking, among other things, all documents involving the disclosure of the tax information, $1,000 for each unauthorized ...

New-look PSG starts its Champions League campaign against Dortmund. Its recruits have yet to gel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain started its previous Champions League campaign with a team featuring Lionel Messi and Neymar and a win over Juventus.The two soccer greats didn’t score that night and PSG later was eliminated from Europe’s top competition in the last 16 for the fifth time in seven years. The premature exit, once again, highlighted the blatant failure of PSG’s strategy of assembling star-studded teams without a real backbone.The owners have changed their master plan during the offseason, though, and it’s a revamped PSG that takes on Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday as the group stage of the elite European tournament kicks off.As usual, the French champions spent a lot of money on new recruits, but they no longer seem obsessed with the need for big names.Taking part in the group stage for the 12th consecutive time, the PSG squad facing Dortmund on Tuesday is radically different from the one that was knocked out by Bayern Munich last season.Up front, Marc...

Irán anuncia intercambio de prisioneros con EEUU este lunes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

TEHERÁN – Irán y Estados Unidos intercambiarán cinco prisioneros de cada país este lunes, una vez completada la transferencia a Catar de 6,000 millones de dólares de fondos iraníes congelados, informó el Gobierno iraní.“Cinco ciudadanos iraníes detenidos en EE.UU serán liberados y cinco ciudadanos estadounidenses regresarán a Estados Unidos”, dijo el portavoz del Ministerio de Exteriores iraní, Naser Kananí.El diplomático indicó que dos de los ciudadanos iraníes regresarán al país persa, otros dos permanecerán en Estados Unidos y el quinto viajará a un tercer país. Estadounidenses detenidos en Irán son puestos bajo arresto domiciliario Tensión en el estrecho de Ormuz: Irán intenta capturar dos buques y realiza disparos De acuerdo con medios regionales, los presos estadounidenses Siamak Namazi, Emad Shargi, Morad Tahbaz y dos otras personas sin identificar serán transportados a Catar a primera hora de la tarde.El intercambio ...

Recapturan a nueve adolescentes que escaparon de un centro de menores de Pensilvania tras un motín, según la Policía

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

(CNN) — Nueve adolescentes escaparon de un centro de detención de menores en Pensilvania tras un motín en las instalaciones este domingo por la noche, según la Policía, pero fueron recapturados este lunes a primera hora.La Policía informó en una rueda de prensa que los nueve jóvenes fueron recapturados este lunes por la mañana.Las autoridades informaron primero que cuatro de los nueve delincuentes juveniles fueron puestos bajo custodia a las 5:47 a.m., hora local, según la policía estatal de Pensilvania. Más adelante se informó de la recaptura de todos.Los primeros cuatro jóvenes fueron capturados en Oak Grove Rd, dijo David Beohm, oficial de Información Pública de la Tropa L de la Policía estatal de Pensilvania, en X, antes conocido como Twitter. Oak Grove Rd está a unos 3 kilómetros de la Academia Abraxas.Más temprano, las autoridades informaron que las fuerzas del orden estatales y locales respondieron al motín en la Academia Abraxas en Morgantown y tomaron “de nuevo ...

Nine juveniles who escaped from a Pennsylvania detention center have been captured, state police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

MORGANTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Nine juveniles who escaped from a Pennsylvania detention center have been captured, state police say.Source

7 corn mazes to try near Denver

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:39 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Get lost in the fall festivities with these corn mazes near Denver. Most corn mazes open in late September, but you can start planning your trip now. Check out the corn mazes that are already open or are opening soon. Anderson Farms Starting on Sept. 20, Anderson Farms, located just outside of Boulder, is opening its corn maze for daytime fun and haunted happenings at night. The farm has Colorado's longest-running corn maze, opening in 1999. It includes eight miles of trails and allows you to choose one of three games.Fritzler Farm ParkFritzler Farm Park opened on Sept. 17 and is only open on the weekends. The yearly designs of this maze in La Salle are unmatched. This year's design is of Queen Reba's face. The maze turns sinister at night with haunted features coming out once the sun sets. Chatfield FarmsChatfield Farms opened on Sept. 16 and runs all the way to Oct. 29 in Littleton. From a bird's eye view, the corn maze's theme is under the sea with fish, a sea tur...