Christian Militia Plot Suspects Seek Bail

Several members of a Christian militia that prosecutors claim plotted to kill police officers were scheduled to be in a Detroit court Wednesday to determine if they will be allowed to go free on bail.

Bond hearings are scheduled for the alleged ringleader, David Brian Stone, and other members of the Hutaree militia, a small group that was preparing to fight what it believes is the Antichrist.

Stone, 44, of Clayton, Michigan, was among nine members arrested after a series of raids in three Midwestern states, which U.S. federal officials said they carried out after monitoring the group since last summer and learning it planned to launch its attack next month.

Each of the suspects is being held without bail and each has requested a public defender. Bond hearings are scheduled Wednesday for Stone and other Hutaree members.

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Rapist Hoped Bail Jumping Would Stop Trial

Auckland, March 19 NZPA - Pravin Kumar hoped his efforts to skip bail and miss his trial date might help him avoid a trial on two rape charges.

Instead, a jury found him guilty at a trial held in his absence -- and his attempt to hook up with a woman via the internet led to him being arrested afterwards.

Today the 41-year-old was sentenced in the High Court in Auckland to preventive detention by Justice Chris Allan with a minimum imprisonment period of seven years on two charges of rape, two of kidnapping, one of male assaults female and one of indecent assault.

The sentence means he can only be released once the seven years have elapsed if he admits to his offending and shows the authorities it is safe to release him.

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NFL Star Joey Porter Arrested

Just days after NFL player and Bakersfield native Joey Porter, 33, signed a three year deal to play for the Arizona Cardinals, he was arrested on three misdemeanors. “The charges he faces are DUI, battery on a peace officer and resisting arrest,” California Highway Patrol Sgt. Don Clotworthy said.

The CHP spokesman said two officers stopped a friend of Porter's in another car in the Taco Bell parking lot off Hageman Road and Calloway Drive about 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Porter pulled up behind the CHP car, and one of the two officers went over to Porter's car. “The officer detected mister Porter had been drinking,” Clotworthy said.

He said an officer asked for Porter's driver's license and for Porter to get out of the car for a field sobriety test. “Mister Porter refused to do that and instead of complying with officers order, request, he began to roll up his window,” Clotworthy said.

The officer reportedly reached in through the window and lifted the unlock button. “At that time Mister Porter struck the officers hand. The officer was able to push Mister Porter's arm out of the way. Mister Porter then got out of the vehicle in a confrontational manner.”

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Bail Agent Group Sues Santa Ana County

SANTA ANA — The Orange County Bail Agents Association filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the city of Santa Ana for allowing agents representing bail bond companies to solicit business near jails and police stations.

Newport Beach-based attorney Richard P. Herman calls the solicitors “guerilla marketers” and claims in his request for a preliminary injunction that Santa Ana “got snookered” when city officials allowed the solicitation of bail business.

“It is sort of like giving a solicitors license to a hooker who would leave out the details,” Herman wrote in the lawsuit.

Herman also alleges the practice creates an unfair playing field for bail agents.

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Lawyer to Ask For Lower Bail for Health Reasons in Wife's Hit Man Case

A lawyer for a Garden City mother accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill her estranged husband will argue in court Thursday that her bail should be lowered, in part because she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008 and needs to see doctors regularly.

According to court papers, Susan Williams, 43, had a radical hysterectomy in 2008 after being diagnosed with the disease.

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New York Mom of 4 Hires Hit Man to Kill Husband For $20,000

A NEW York mother of four embroiled in a nasty divorce was arrested for trying to hire a hit man to kill her husband for $20,000.

The New York Post reports today Susan Williams, 43, of Long Island, NY, was arrested yesterday authorities said.

She contacted an unidentified man February 19 and said she wanted to arrange the murder of her husband, Peter Williams, according to Nassau County District Attorney (DA) Kathleen Rice.

The unidentified man alerted the DA's office, which arranged for him to tell Susan Williams to meet an undercover detective posing as a hit man.

At that meeting Sunday - where Susan mentioned her pending divorce and "said she wanted him dead" - she was told the job would cost $20,000, said Rice

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Bail Bondsman: County Taxpayer's Best Friend

In light of the ongoing studies of jail overcrowding in Harris County and the evaluation of the functions of the private-sector bail system, it is important to understand the facts. The commercial bonding system is remarkably effective at what it does. Bail is meant to make sure defendants show up for trial court appearances. The system since the 1800s in America allowed private business to post bail in exchange for payments from the defendants and the promise that they find the defendants and return them if they failed to appear. The private bail system costs taxpayers nothing, and it is effective at ensuring that defendants appear for court. Currently, there is another entity involved in bonds, the taxpayer-funded pretrial release.

Last year, around 45,000 defendants were bonded out of the Harris County Jail by licensed commercial bail bondsmen. Bondsmen are solely responsible for every one of their defendants' court appearances. Whenever a defendant misses court, bondsmen work hard to return their defendants back to court as soon as possible because they are financially liable for the bond. Should a bondsman fail to return a defendant within time limits set by state law, Harris County requires them to pay 100 percent of the bond amount plus costs of court, interest and rearrest fees.

Licensed bondsmen have a 98.5 percent success ratio for their defendants' timely appearances in court. This ensures that the courts move their dockets along in a timely manner. Last year, licensed bondsmen in Harris County paid about $5 million out of the face value of citizens in private-sector bond of $315 million, which is less than a 1.5 percent failure rate.

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Trio Charged Over Melbourne Riot Given Bail

A Melbourne magistrate has granted bail to three men who have admitted taking part in last Friday's riot at Oakleigh, in the city's south-east, that caused $50,000 damage.

Nineteen-year-olds Jack Corben and Jordan Black handed themselves in this morning after police contacted their families.

They are charged with affray and destroying property.

The court heard Black used a baseball bat to smash a window at a Bob Jane T-mart store while Corben kicked the window.

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Bail Bondsman, Son Arrested on Tax Charges

Baltimore's leading bail bondsman and his son were arrested Wednesday on federal charges of filing false tax returns and illegally running an insurance business, among other counts.

Milton Tillman Jr., 54, and his son, Milton Tillman III, 35, who run 4 Aces Bail Bonds Inc. and other companies, were each released pending trial during an initial appearance in Baltimore U.S. District Court on Wednesday afternoon. Neither man had been able to review the 28-count indictment before being brought to court.

Tillman Jr.'s attorney said they "had known about this case for some time," however.

Baltimore's leading bail bondsman and his son were arrested Wednesday on federal charges of filing false tax returns and illegally running an insurance business, among other counts.

Milton Tillman Jr., 54, and his son, Milton Tillman III, 35, who run 4 Aces Bail Bonds Inc. and other companies, were each released pending trial during an initial appearance in Baltimore U.S. District Court on Wednesday afternoon. Neither man had been able to review the 28-count indictment before being brought to court.

Tillman Jr.'s attorney said they "had known about this case for some time," however.

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Lower Bail Rejected for Priest Accused of Sexual Assault on Boy

A Kane County judge Thursday rejected lower bail for a Catholic priest accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old St. Charles boy.

Judge T. Jordan Gallagher shot down the motion sought by the Rev. Alejandro Flores, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail following his January arrest on seven felony counts. Flores, 37, is accused of assaulting the boy in 2005. At the time, Flores was a seminarian assigned to a West Chicago parish.

Flores' attorney, Glenn Sowa, sought a $20,000 cash bond that would have allowed Flores to be released and to travel to a Maryland psychiatric facility that treats priests, nuns and other religious workers.

Flores had been assigned to a church in Shorewood. After accusations against him surfaced, Flores in January fell from a Joliet church choir loft in what police and church officials characterized as a suicide attempt. The Diocese of Joliet has offered to pay for his treatment and for his travel to Maryland and back to Kane County for court appearances.

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Judges Deny Bail Bondsman Signing Privileges

Criminal Court Clerk candidate Vernon Johnson has been denied approval to write bail bonds because of his "terrible history," according to a blistering order signed this week by nine Criminal Court judges.

The judges, who regulate conduct of bail bondsmen who operate in Shelby County courts, cited numerous violations by Johnson since 1976, including often writing bonds in excess of the total amount authorized by the court.

"He has a terrible history with this court, and has not shown that he should be granted the privilege of entrusting him with the liberty of our defendants, bond powers and court documents," the judges said in a 24-page order. "He has repeatedly and consistently betrayed the trust this court has vested in him time and time again over a period of 34 years.

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Arizona Judge Issues Warrant For Lil Wayne Despite The Fact The Rapper Is Currently In New York Jail

An Arizona judge issued a bench warrant Tuesday for Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Wayne after he failed to appear for a hearing on drug and weapons charges because he is serving jail time in New York.

A Yuma County Superior Court judge issued the warrant after the entertainer, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, failed to appear in court for a final trial management conference.

But Lil Wayne's attorney, James Tilson, said his client couldn't appear because he is already serving a one-year jail sentence for having a loaded gun on his tour bus. The rapper began serving that sentence March 8 at the Rikers Island jail complex.

Lil Wayne was arrested in January 2008 at a border checkpoint 78 miles east of Yuma after authorities say they found cocaine, Ecstasy and a handgun on his tour bus.

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Dozens Arrested in Europe-Wide Mafia Crackdown

Dozens of people have been arrested across Europe in a major crackdown on Eastern European mafias.

At least 24 were detained in Spain and another 45 were arrested in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Italy.

The suspects were said to be members of Georgian and Russian crime gangs. All are accused of drugs and arms trafficking, money laundering, extortion and conspiracy to murder.

Spanish anti-corruption authorities, who led the operation, said that the gangs were also involved in money laundering, extortion and other crimes in Britain, Ireland Sweden, Belgium and Turkey.

Some were also said to have links to criminal gangs in Colombia.

Those arrested in Spain were mostly said to be "foot soldiers".

“We are not going to find great mansions nor enormous quantities of money, as in other operations, because this is an organisation which operated at a more basic level, but they did it in various European countries," a Spanish police source said.

“These people were ready to kill if it was necessary."

The arrests in Spain were made in Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid and Bilbao.

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Ga. Man Who Posted 'Elton John Must Die' Arrested

A Georgia man who posted a video of himself on the Internet holding a sign that said "Elton John must die" has been arrested for making terroristic threats.

Neal Horsley, 65, was arrested early Wednesday in Carrollton, about 50 miles west of Atlanta, said Atlanta Police Sgt. Curtis Davenport. He would not say who Horsley is accused of threatening, but Horsley's son, Nathan, said he thought the arrest was connected to the video about the musician.

In the video posted Feb. 28 on YouTube, Horsley held the sign in front of a building where he said John has a condo. John's publicist, Fran Curtis, confirmed that John has an Atlanta apartment but declined further comment.

Horsley was upset that John, who is gay, told Parade magazine in an interview last month that he thought Jesus was a "compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems."

"What Elton John has done is desecrated the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, blasphemed the Lord Jesus Christ," Horsley said in the video.

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Rapper DMX Arrested for Violating Probation

Troubled rapper DMX was arrested in Arizona on Tuesday for violating his probation by regularly using illegal drugs during the last nine months, authorities said.

The rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, told a probation officer that he used cocaine and was not complying with the terms of his treatment plan, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio told Reuters.

He faces five counts of violating probation.

Simmons was booked into a Phoenix jail late Tuesday afternoon and was isolated from other inmates, sheriff's officials said.

"We would hope that he is finally sent to prison," Arpaio said. "We've arrested him five times already. How many times do you have to violate the law?"

The rap star has faced continued legal trouble in Arizona, and was serving probation for throwing a food tray at a detention officer inside a Phoenix jail last year. Simmons spent 90 days in jail on drug, theft and animal abuse charges.

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R&B Singer D'Angelo Arrested For Soliciting A Prostitute

D'Angelo is back in legal trouble after being arrested and charged with soliciting a prostitute in New York.

D'Angelo, whose real name is Michael Archer, was arrested Saturday (March 6). According to The New York Post, the singer allegedly offered an undercover policewoman $40 for oral sex.

According to published reports, D'Angelo was driving in his Range at about 2:30 a.m. when he saw a woman he believed to be a prostitute. After asking the woman for sex, he was arrested and charged with solicitation. According to the sources of the New York Post, the singer had $12,000 in his car at the time of his arrest.

D'Angelo has been plagued by legal troubles since his 2002 arrest for allegedly resisting arrest. Since then the singer has been arrested repeatedly for charges ranging from possession of marijuana to DUI.

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Bill Would Allow Va. Bail Help Only For Poor

A bill quietly rolling through the General Assembly would put an end to what supporters call taxpayer-funded get-out-of-jail-free passes for criminals who can afford to pay their own bail. Opponents argue it is nothing more than a ploy by bail bondsmen to increase profits.

Commercial bail bondsmen are pushing the measure to limit pretrial services, where the state pays for criminals to be released before their court hearing, to only those offenders who cannot afford to post their own bond. They argue tax dollars should not be used to bail out those who can afford to pay their own way or to compete with private business.

Pretrial services supporters say freedom shouldn't depend on someone's ability to pay, and that their programs save the state and local governments money because it's cheaper than housing minor offenders in overcrowded jails.

The bill passed out of the House last month on a 63-36 vote. The Senate Courts of Justice Committee, which killed a similar measure earlier in the session, could consider the bill on Wednesday.

Pretrial services supporters say they fear legislators will reverse course amid pressure by supporters of the bill, who are running commercials statewide and touting the bill as a way to save the state millions as lawmakers franticly try to reconcile a $4 billion state budget shortfall.

"Schools are facing devastating cuts. Medicaid is facing devastating cuts, and here we have people being released who should be paying their own way," said Pat Edmonson, a lobbyist for Virginians for the Preservation of Bail.

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Businessman Held On $1-million Bail In Supergraphic Case

In a dramatic escalation of the war against illegal supergraphics in Los Angeles, authorities have jailed a businessman accused of posting an eight-story movie advertisement on an office building at one of Hollywood's busiest intersections.

Kayvan Setareh, 49, of Pacific Palisades was arrested at his home Friday night and ordered held on $1-million bail. An arrest warrant obtained by Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich accuses Setareh of three misdemeanor city code violations, two of them related to the city sign law, according to William Carter, Trutanich's chief deputy.

The arrest was an unusually aggressive move by Trutanich and comes less than a week after the city attorney filed a separate lawsuit involving more than a dozen other supergraphics scattered across the city. Just days after that lawsuit was filed, workers used bolts and wire to wrap the new ad around the face of a 1928 office building on the northeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, a major tourist destination along Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Trutanich's office said Setareh had an "ownership interest" in the building.

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