An amputee was killed by dogs who descended on him as he sat in his wheelchair by the side of the road, a South Carolina corner found.

The Dorchester County corner’s office released information about the May 8 dog attack that left the paralyzed 80-year-old man dead. Corner Chris Nisbey said that Carlton Freeman was “minding his own business while going down side of road” when a pack of dogs suddenly set upon him.

The amputee was pulled out of his wheelchair by his legs and tried in vain to fight off the dogs, Nisbet said. Emergency workers were able to reach Freeman, but he died four days later in a hospital.

Nisbet said that the amputee killed by the dogs showed a considerable amount of fight, both before and after the attack.

“Upon my examination of Mr. Freeman, it is a wonder that this gentleman was able to hang on as long as he did,” said Nisbet in a press release. “He had bites and lacerations from his legs to the top of his head. This is very sad story, but even worse that Mr. Freeman was basically helpless to the attack, due to being a bi-lateral amputee.”

Local animal control officials found three of the dogs involved in the attack and said they’re looking for the fourth and have set traps in the woods for it. Neighbors said the dogs were roaming around the neighborhood for months, and identified the possible owner of the animals.

The amputee was killed by the dogs just a few months after two other gruesome dog attacks earned national attention. Within a span of four days, two separate pitbull attacks — one in New Orleans that left a 54-year-old woman maimed and another in the Bronx where a child was the victim — became national news.

Amputee Killed By Dogs After Being Pulled Out Of Wheelchair is a post from: The Inquisitr

Englewood, NJ – A New Jersey couple living in a senior housing complex have been arrested for illegally supplementing their income.

The suspects, 75-year-old James Parham and his neighbor and assumed accomplice, 66-year-old Cheryl Chaney, have been accused of allowing others to use crack in their apartments, and have been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a nuisance. Chaney had an additional penalty for possessing crack cocaine.

In connection to the case, police also charged 54-year-old Selma McDuffie, a non-resident of the building, with possession of drug paraphernalia after she was found with a crack pipe. As a result, McDuffie has been suspended from her job as a police-sponsored crossing guard.

Parham’s nuisance charge stems from encouraging and permitting prostitution on the premises. Authorities state Parham admitted to running a prostitution ring out of the complex, employing some of the elderly residents along with a few younger women with addiction problems from the neighborhood as sex workers, according to NBC 4 New York News.

Reports indicate none of the alleged prostitutes were arrested. But more charges could be pending against Chaney and Parham depending on what the ongoing investigation uncovers.

Marketing prostitution and drugs can generate violence. Therefore, many of the other residents were afraid to venture freely into certain areas of the complex.

A lack of security within the building is thought to have contributed to the issue, as there is only one security cameras located in the lobby, allowing residents to see who is being buzzed in. Authorities intend to review the footage as part of the investigation.

The Englewood Housing Authority manages the 152-unit property, which exclusively serves the disabled 55 and older and low-income residents who are 62 and older. Chaney had no criminal record, and Parham had a few minor arrests years before for disorderly conduct and other low-level crimes. The Englewood Housing Authority reserves the right to bar anyone with recent drug convictions or a violent criminal history from living in its buildings. But both had met the income guidelines and passed the terms of the criminal background check upon moving into the building.

[Image via Shutterstock]

75-Year-Old Accused Of Running A Senior Prostitution Ring is a post from: The Inquisitr

The giant Hong Kong Duck has mysteriously deflated. The 54-foot-tall, inflatable rubber duck deflated overnight. Hong Kong residents were disturbed to find the duck flattened out in Victoria Harbor this morning.

Several news outlets reported that the air was released for maintenance. However, others suspected fowl play. The duck’s organizers eventually revealed that the duck’s deflation was planned as it needed to “freshen up.”

Residents were upset to see the Hong Kong duck deflated, as it has become a part of the city’s landscape. “Rubber Duck” is the creation of Florentijn Hofman of The Netherlands.  The duck was expected to be on display from May 2 to June 9.

Rubber Duck has toured a total of nine countries. It received a heartfelt welcome from Hong Kong residents and has seen several hundred thousand visitors from across Asia.

As reported by the Wall street Journal, hotels and restaurants have enjoyed a nice profit from the Hong Kong ducks’ presence in the harbor. The Marco Polo Hotel offers a package deal that includes a complimentary rubber duck toy, late check-out, and a room with a view of the duck. The package is being offered for the equivalent of $300 per night.

The duck’s creator, Hofman, was requested to bring the duck to Hong Kong as leaders thought the residents needed something to make them smile. Rubber Duck has brought smiles to the faces of millions of visitors worldwide since its creation.

As reported by CNN, The duck did suffered a setback in 2009 when it was stabbed multiple times by an unknown vandal in Belgium. In that incident, community members worked together to guard the duck every night following the repair.

According to officials, the giant Hong Kong duck’s deflation was mysterious but not an act of vandals. They have not explained why it was deflated, without alerting residents. However, they contend that it was planned.

[Image via Wikimedia]

Giant Hong Kong Duck Mysteriously Deflates is a post from: The Inquisitr

James Harrison $600K massages and other body work confession raised a few eyebrows in the Bengals linebacker’s introductory interview with Cincinnati, OH media. He fielded some questions cautiously, but he really relaxed and shared a little of his personality when he talked about taking care of his body.

As Steelers fans already know, the 35-year-old two time Most Valued Player for the Pittsburgh Steelers couldn’t reach a contract agreement with them this year and was cut from the team in March. In late April, Harrison signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.

According to the Bengals transcript of the press conference, when James Harrison was asked about the importance of his body, he said frankly:

“My body is what helps me to make money. Whatever there is that I need to do to try and make myself better or get myself healthy, I’m going to do it. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to say that I spend anywhere between $400,000-$600,000 on body work, as far as taking care of my body, year-in and year-out.”

Now, the story seemed to get a little more colorful as it went around the rumor mill. By the time I heard it, the tale was that James Harrison spent $600K on massages.

And you know what I thought then.

But Harrison freely explained his expensive body upkeep plan.   He revealed that he invests an hour a day in stretches, another half hour or so in ice and hot tubs, and then two to four hours a day in massages.

He also said that he has a hyperbaric chamber which presumably helps oxygenate his blood to help him get better performance.

So the whole $600K isn’t just for the massage, although a lot of it is.  Said Harrison:

“I have massages and I bring people in from New York, Arizona to where I’m at. There’s that cost…I started off with just one massage person and my chiropractor. Getting massages from different people, probably tried out maybe 150 different massage people. Right now I’m down to…six people…I’ve got a masseuse, got an acupuncturist, got a trainer, got another masseuse and another masseuse and a homeopathic doctor.”

OK, if you’re talking about six experts on call to fly in and give you a massage wherever and whenever, maybe $600,000 a year doesn’t sound so outrageous. I mean, you’re a multi million-dollar Superbowl champion. You don’t want to pay peanuts and get monkeys.

If you and I had a staff that size, maybe we too would have James Harrison’s $600K massage bill.

[Cincinnati Bengals photo by Shout It Out Design / Shutterstock.com]

James Harrison $600K Massages And Body Work, Bengals Linebacker Splurges To Pamper Body is a post from: The Inquisitr

Florida has shortened yellow traffic lights to below federal standards, resulting in an influx of revenue in the form of traffic tickets, a new investigation found.

The change in Florida traffic lights stemmed from a change in state policy at the Florida Department of Transportation, which changed the police on yellow-light intervals in 2011. The minimum time for yellow lights is now below federal standards, an investigation from WTSP News 10 Investigators found.

The times were reduced only by fractions of a second, but even a half-second difference can result in twice as many citations for running red lights, the investigation found.

The investigation started after reports of a “dangerously short yellow light” in Hernando County, Florida. After the story broke, the county promised to re-time all of its intersections.

The issue is compounded by the use of red light cameras, which have been criticized as unsafe and unfair to drivers. These cameras generated more than $100 million in revenue to the 70 communities in Florida using them. Just about half of that revenue — 52.5 percent — goes to the state, and the rest goes to cities, counties, and the companies operating the cameras.

“Red light cameras are a for-profit business between cities and camera companies and the state,” said James Walker, executive director of the nonprofit National Motorists Association. “The (FDOT rule-change) was done, I believe, deliberately in order that more tickets would be given with yellows set deliberately too short.”

Some communities are now speaking out against the shortened yellow traffic lights in Florida and the use of red light cameras.

“The number of things wrong with this story defy our ability to list them all in this space,” an editorial in the Lebanon Daily News stated. “Worst is that the Florida standards were set below standards set by the federal government.”

The editorial went on to question claims from Florida authorities that the shortened yellow traffic lights aren’t about raising revenue.

“They’re all doing it for the money. They’re doing it because they believe people won’t notice; it’s a tiny change in terms of time, but machinery reacts far more swiftly than man, and the camera eye is always watching.

Officials were relying on no one noticing that there was some fiddling going on. Someone noticed. Good. But not so good for the many, many people ($100 million dollars worth) of those whose tickets might be due to government cheating.”

The story of the shortened yellow traffic lights in Florida has since created a nationwide backlash against the state, leading to stories in publications across the country.

Florida Shortened Yellow Traffic Lights Below Federal Standards, Investigation Finds is a post from: The Inquisitr

The adoptive parents of a young child are suing a South Carolina hospital and the state’s child welfare agency for performing sex assignment surgery when it wasn’t necessary.

The child, only named as M.C., was born eight years ago with male and female genitals. Doctors determined at that time that the child had an intersex condition.

When M.C. was 16 months old and in the care of the South Carolina Department of Social Services, doctors and officials with the department decided the toddler should undergo sex assignment surgery. They made M.C. a girl, removing all male genitalia from the child’s body.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) filed a lawsuit against the hospital and social services on Tuesday, saying that they violated the child’s constitutional rights when they chose to make M.C. a girl instead of a boy. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of M.C.’s parents, Mark and Pam Crawford.

The child, now eight, identifies as a boy. He wears boy clothes and has a boy haircut. He has also told his school and his religious community that he has always been a boy. And, technically, this is true.

The SPLC lawsuit states that the defendants’ violated M.C.’s substantive and procedural due process rights, which are outlined in the 14th Amendment, because they subjected the child to unnecessary surgery. They allege the surgery was done “without notice or a hearing to determine whether the procedure was in M.C.’s best interest.

The lawsuit also alleges that the doctors committed malpractice by performing the surgery, because they failed to obtain correct consent. The suit filed over a child’s sex assignment surgery is the first of its kind in the United States. Alesdair H. Ittelson, SPLC staff attorney, stated:

“This case is about ensuring the safety of all children who do not have a voice. No one advocated for M.C.’s right to be free from unnecessary medical intervention at a time when the state was entrusted with his safety and well-being.”

Doctors have been performing sex assignment surgeries since the 1950s on infants with intersex conditions. Long-term outcomes of today’s genital surgeries have not been studied. However, many doctors and advocates do not recommend the surgery until the child chooses to identify with a gender.

Some risks of sex-assignment surgery include chronic pain, sexual dysfunction, sterility, loss of the important health benefits of hormones.

Do you think the parents of M.C. have the right to sue over her sex assignment surgery? Was the child’s surgery a violation of his constitutional rights?

[Image via ShutterStock]

Parents Sue Hospital For Toddler’s Sex Assignment Surgery is a post from: The Inquisitr

A man on trial over the fatal gang-rape of a woman in New Delhi last December is critically ill after being attacked in jail, just weeks after another defendant died in the same jail.

Four adults and a 17-year-old juvenile are accused of the gang rape of a 23-year-old student on December 16. She died 13 days later from massive injuries sustained during the attack after she was transferred to a Singapore hospital.

Vinay Sharma, 20, was rushed to New Delhi’s state-run Lok Nayak Hospital on Tuesday with chest injuries after he was assaulted in Tihar Jail, his lawyer A. P. Singh told Agence France-Presse.

He also alleges his client’s food has been poisoned while he has been in jail.

“He was vomiting blood and running a very high fever,” Singh told AFP. “He was also suffering from chest pains. He is in a very critical condition.”

The lawyer alleges Sharma’s chest pains were caused by his client being “beaten up and thrashed” by inmates at the maximum-security prison. Singh added that the vomiting symptoms are the result of the “slow poisoning” of his client’s food for several weeks.

“He [Sharma] was being given food mixed with poison since the start of this month,” Singh said.”He was first admitted to the clinic inside the jail but was later moved to a city hospital. He was shifted again to another hospital when his condition worsened.”

Back in March, one of the co-defendants in the gang-rape case, bus driver Ram Singh, was found hanged in his cell in the same prison. A later inquest ruled he had committed suicide, while his lawyers maintain that he was murdered.

The remaining defendants (five remain of the original six), all have entered not-guilty pleas while their lawyers have accused police of torturing the defendants to secure confessions.

Prosecutors in the case say DNA evidence links the defendants to the attack in which the female student and her male friend were assaulted on a bus, after a trip to the cinema.

The case triggered widespread protests in India amid calls for wholesale reform of existing rape laws and security protocols for women and girls. The student who died in the attack became known as “Braveheart” and was posthumously honored with an International Woman of Courage Award in March.

The family of the student has demanded the death penalty for those accused.

AFP reports that Singh said the judge at a special fast-track New Delhi court has dismissed his plea that Sharma be granted bail on “humanitarian grounds,” but has allowed the accused man’s family permission to visit him in hospital.

Delhi Gang-Rape Defendant ‘Critical’ After Prison Attack, Poisoning Alleged is a post from: The Inquisitr

Seventeen puppies were abandoned along State Park Road east of Indiana Highway 49 last Friday.

Karen Read saw someone in a gold SUV dumped nine puppies and their mother along the road and speed off. She and other residents rounded up nine of the puppies, which had gone in all different directions. Read called her husband to help, and he gathered the eight other puppies that had also been abandoned nearby.

Read called the police and waited until a Porter County Animal Control officer arrived to take 15 of the 17 puppies. A resident who had helped Read round up some of the puppies took the other two, which appeared to be ill, to the Porter County Animal Shelter Sunday.

Read said the mother dog was not caught Friday, but Animal Control confirmed Monday that she had been captured in a live trap and was taken to the animal shelter.

“I’m glad I came when I did,” Read told The Northwest Indiana Times. “We have coyotes, raccoons and possums out there. They’d be killed.”

Read also told CBS Chicago, “Good grief. I was really angry that night, and I’m trying not to be a judgmental person. I don’t know what kind of situation they were in, but I think it was a pretty reckless and callous act that they did.”

Lakeshore PAWS, a local foster organization in Valparaiso, Indiana, took in the puppies, which appeared to be from two different litters. According to the shelter’s latest “pupdate,” the puppies are Lab mixes, ranging in age from 6 to 12 weeks old. The puppies were only available for viewing from 10 am to 3 pm Wednesday at Coco’s Canine Cabana.

As of 10:40 am Wednesday, all of the puppies were spoken for, and Lakeshore Paws was no longer taking applications for them.

The Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help identifying the person who dumped the puppies on the road.

Last April, six bulldog puppies were found locked inside a suitcase in a Toledo, Ohio alleyway. The three male and three female puppies were 3 to 4 weeks old. The suitcase belonged to a man named Howard Davis, who said the suitcase had been stolen from him and that he had given the dogs to a friend in Michigan. The dogs were taken to the Humane Society and reunited with their mother until they became eligible for adoption.

What do you think should happen to the person who abandoned the 17 puppies?

[Photo credit: Lakeshore PAWS]

17 Puppies Dumped Along Indiana Road is a post from: The Inquisitr

Caroline Kennedy’s jury service raises troubling questions about how far judges should go to assure the appearance of justice. Kennedy, the 55-year-old daughter and last living child of 1960s era President John F. Kennedy, was selected Monday to serve as a juror in the trial of Nelson Chatman in the state Supreme Court in Manhattan, New York.

Chatman has been accused of selling crack cocaine, and his trial is expected to take a week.

The Associated Press actually tweeted the story with the comment: “Even the rich can’t get out of it.” I guess that’s one way to look at it. Some other media sources made much the same wisecrack.

The Daily Beast put it as, “Nobody’s safe from the clutches of jury duty.”

And I understand that the Kennedy family has a history of public service, and I don’t doubt that Caroline Kennedy wants to serve and intends to be fair.

However, some people are questioning how you can put someone on a jury with strong ties to the prosecution side.

Her famous uncle, Robert Kennedy, served as JFK’s U.S. Attorney General. While the appointment was controversial at the time and even smacked of nepotism because he was the president’s brother, he was a strong fighter against organized crime. Like his brother, he died at an assassin’s hands.

And, of course, there are more recent ties. According to The Daily News, Kennedy told Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Richard Carruthers that she had known the Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. “since I was in elementary school.”

Nevertheless, she was chosen as a juror.

Much as we all enjoy seeing rich people inconvenienced just like the rest of us, a man’s fate will be decided. Should Caroline Kennedy really be serving on a jury?

Even the rich can’t get out of it; Caroline Kennedy pulls jury duty in New York City drug trial: apne.ws/16x78sQ -DC

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 14, 2013

Nobody’s safe from the clutches of jury duty thebea.st/16y0XVe

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) May 15, 2013

[Caroline Kennedy photo by stocklight / Shutterstock.com]

Caroline Kennedy Jury Ethics Questions Raised is a post from: The Inquisitr

Teen Mom Jenelle Evans is facing more than two years in jail after being arrested for possession of heroin and assault last month. Evans was also served with an outstanding warrant for failing to pay child support by the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.

Evans and her husband Courtland Rogers were arrested on April 23, and the case was heard in a North Carolina court Tuesday.

“We are waiting for her to be indicted for a felony,” Evans’ attorney Dustin Sullivan said. “If she is convicted, the sentencing guidelines could be 25 months maximum.”

Evans’ next court date is set for July 1, and her attorney said he expects a grand jury to indict her on the felony charges around that time.

After Evans’ arrest, she claimed that she was “set up” by Rogers. A source close to the situation said that, even though the drugs were found in Evans’ home, they did not belong to her. Because they were found in a common area, all the residents of the house were held accountable.

Evans previously checked into a rehab facility seeking treatment for her drug addiction, but she checked out after only four days.

“She wasn’t in rehab that long because she doesn’t think she really needs it. She’s ready to live her life like a normal person not on drugs or dealing with the crappy guys who were around her,” a source said.

Evans also said she wasn’t on drugs anymore, and that she was where she wanted to be in life.

“I’ve been sober since November of 2012 and everyone knows this,” Evans wrote on Twitter.

Jenelle Evans and Courtland Rogers are currently estranged. Rogers was placed on suicide watch after checking himself into a hospital in February, and said he wanted to die because he wasn’t with Jenelle.

“I just didn’t know how to deal with the pain that I’m not with her,” he said.

Do you think Jenelle Evans will serve two years in jail?

Jenelle Evans Facing Two Years In Jail For Felony Drug Charges is a post from: The Inquisitr

A judge scolded Donald Trump today for arguing with an attorney on the witness stand.

This is the second day that Trump has taken the stand to defend himself against 87-year-old investor Jacqueline Goldberg. According to ABC, Trump is being accused of lying to Goldberg in order to get her to purchase condos at the Trump Tower in Chicago.

ABC reports that Trump was questioned by the plaintiff’s attorney, Shelly Kulwin, and it did not go well. Trump raised his voice and rolled his eyes at attorney Shelly Kulwin as she questioned the real estate mogul about his business dealings.

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve scolded Trump and Kulwin for acting like children.

Judge Amy St. Eve said: “You have been dancing around and boxing each other. This is not a boxing match. Let’s get control of ourselves.”

News.AU reports that the case centers around Trump’s involvement with the development and management of the Chicago tower. Goldberg alleges that Trump proposed a profit-sharing plan to woo investors but would renege the offer after they bought in. Trump says that he is a big picture executive and doesn’t know anything about the profit-sharing plan.

Trump said: “I build hotels. I don’t run them.”

Goldberg filed a lawsuit saying that Donald Trump breached his contract and used deceptive practices. She is suing Trump for her $500,000 deposit as well as other unspecified damages.

Judge Scolds Donald Trump For Talking Back In Court is a post from: The Inquisitr

Fred White, who called Kansas City Royals games for nearly three decades, passed away Wednesday due to complications from melanoma. He was 76 years old.

The Homer, Illinois, native was the voice of the Kansas State Wildcats in the mid-1960s through the early 1970s. He began his tenure with the Royals in 1973, spending 25 years in the radio booth with partner Denny  Matthews. White was also a play-by-play man on Big Eight and Big 12 telecasts, and called basketball games for CBS and NBC Sports, Turner Broadcasting, and ESPN.

Most recently, White served as the Royals’ Director of Broadcast Services and the Royals Alumni. The day before his death, the Royals announced that White was retiring after 40 years working with the team.

“Fred White has been synonymous with Royals baseball as long as anybody can remember. There are so many people in Kansas City who, when they hear a voice, they knew it was Royals baseball, and Fred was that voice along with Denny for so many years,” vice president of communications and broadcasting Mike Swanson said. ”He had a huge influence on my life back in the ’70s, and I’m personally honored that I had a chance to work with him when I came back to town and wish him and his family nothing but the best.”

The team released a statement about White’s death Wednesday afternoon. The statement reads:

“The Kansas City Royals are deeply saddened today to announce the passing of Fred White due to complications from melanoma. White, who spent 40 seasons in the Royals’ organization as an announcer, Director of Broadcast Services and the Royals Alumni, passed away earlier today in hospice care.

There are no details at this time regarding funeral arrangements.”

Former pitcher Jeff Montgomery reflected on Fred White’s contributions to the team, even after he was replaced as the Royals’ broadcaster by Ryan Lefebvre in 1998.

“After he finished a 25-year broadcast career, he was a tremendous asset to the organization because he brought the alumni together,” Montgomery said. “There were a number of alums who kind of felt alienated from the organization for one reason or another, and Fred recognized that the alumni were a significant asset to the organization.”

Before joining the Kansas City Royals, Fred White was the sports anchor at WIBW-TV in Topeka.

Former Royals Broadcaster Fred White Dies is a post from: The Inquisitr

Two of the Cleveland kidnap victims are suffering from long-term injuries not unlike those seen in a prisoner of war camp. Along with severe malnutrition, as least one will require long-term therapy for hearing loss, as well as joint and muscle damage.

The basement where all three women were held had chains coming from the wall and dog leashes attached to the ceiling. In a sense, it looked like a torture chamber.

The women were restrained with the chains and duct tape in “stress positions” for long periods of time. The positions left them with bed sores and other injuries, according to reports.

So far, Amanda Berry is the only Cleveland kidnap victim to be seen in public. While Gina DeJesus was spotted entering a family home last week, her face was covered by the hood of her sweatshirt. Michelle Knight has yet to be seen in public, though she was discharged from the hospital.

Berry was the victim who broke down a door to freedom last week with a neighbor’s help. She then told police about the other women. Berry also gave birth to a girl in captivity, who is now six years old.

Sources have said that Knight and DeJesus were not as lucky as Berry. Knight told investigators accused kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro forced her to miscarry at least five times by starving her, then repeatedly punching her in the stomach. Sources have added that both women were gaunt and had very short hair when they were freed.

All of the bedroom doors in the house had padlocks on the outside and only held a mattress. The Cleveland kidnap victims would be forced to watch as either Castro or one of the other women ate in front of them. Knight and DeJesus would sneak food to each other.

While the three Cleveland kidnap victims have yet to speak publicly about their ordeal, psychologists believe the women probably formed a bond that was strengthened by Berry’s daughter’s birth. Knight delivered Berry’s daughter in a plastic children’s swimming pool. She also gave the infant mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

While the three Cleveland kidnap victims recover, their alleged kidnapper and abuser, Ariel Castro, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Cleveland Kidnap Victims Have Long-Term Injuries [Report] is a post from: The Inquisitr

UPDATE: The jury is back with the new Arias death penalty decision. Jodi Arias reportedly remained calm as the jury returned a decision that the killing of Travis Alexander was exceptionally cruel, which will allow the death penalty to be considered during the sentencing phase of her trial in Maricopa County, Arizona.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Jodi Arias death penalty deliberations have begun. The same jurors that already convicted 32-year-old Arias of first degree murder in the killing and shooting murder of her boyfriend, Travis Alexander, must now decide if she can be sentenced to death for the crime.

Alexander was stabbed 27 times, his throat was cut, and he was shot in the face.

In order for the death penalty to be an option for her sentencing, the jury must now find that the crime was aggravated by being especially cruel, depraved, or heinous.  Arias has famously said that she would choose to be put to death over life in prison, but convicted murders aren’t allowed to make that choice.

Prosecutor Juan Martinez made another hard-hitting argument against Arias:  “The last thing [Alexander] saw before he lapsed into unconsciousness…was that blade coming to his throat…And the last thing he felt before he left this earth was pain.”

Jodi Arias spent the weekend on suicide watch after last week’s conviction in Alexander’s bloody killing. His family sobbed, and Jodi Arias herself seemed to be fighting back tears.

Now the crowd is waiting for the jury to reach a decision. Some people wonder why it’s taking so long.

Here’s Kirstie Alley’s take on it:

Dear Jodi Arias, I hope you get your death row wish. Dreams can come true.:)Love, Every other woman who has not stabbed her man 37 times

— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) May 15, 2013

But she’s far from the only observer who is experiencing those emotions:

What is there to even discuss?! Of course he was killed in a cruel manner! #jodiarias

— Mallory Brasher (@mallorybrasher8) May 15, 2013

At the time of writing, the jury was still debating. We’ll update when they reach a decision.

Four jurors in #JodiArias trial just walked out and into elevators. Smoke break? #FOX10

— Troy Hayden (@troyhaydenfox10) May 15, 2013

The deliberations are taking too long. Someone’s not agreeing with something…. #JodiArias

— Gina Fletcher (@ginafletcher) May 15, 2013

This jury hasn’t been hurried in anything they do — including the Arias death penalty decision.

[crime scene photo by Fer Gregory via Shutterstock]

Arias Death Penalty Phase: Jury Deliberates, Kirstie Alley Tweets Pro-Death Message is a post from: The Inquisitr

Branislav Ivanovic scored at the death to give Chelsea a dramatic 2-1 win over Benfica in the Europa League final at the Amsterdam ArenA on Wednesday.

The Serbian defender headed home in the 92nd minute to secure the title for the Blues and break Benfica hearts in the process.

It was another cruel blow to the Portuguese club, who lost to rivals Porto in similar circumstances last Saturday, which saw them fall to second place with only one round remaining.

Chelsea can now add some Europa League silverware to its trophy case after winning the Champions League last season.

It was Benfica who fired the first warning shot in Amsterdam as Oscar Cardozo headed over the bar just two minutes into the encounter.

The Portuguese outfit dominated proceedings in the early going but could not find the opening goal they rightfully deserved.

Frank Lampard, who broke Chelsea’s scoring record last weekend, almost found the opener when his wicked shot was pushed over the bar by Artur.

Benfica must have been disappointed with the 0-0 scoreline heading into the half-time interval but it was still anybody’s game.

The Portuguese club picked up where they left off as Cardozo thought he had given his side the lead but his goal was ruled out for offside.

But it was Chelsea who scored first as Fernando Torres latched on to Juan Mata’s flick, held off his marker and found the back of the net from an acute angle.

It was 1-0 to Chelsea but Benfica was soon back on level terms as Cardozo made no mistake from the penalty spot after Cesar Azpilicueta was whistled for a handball.

Torres was making a nuisance of himself once more and had a strong penalty claim denied before Cech was forced to make a huge stop on Cardozo.

It was end to end stuff and wonderful viewing for the neutral with extra time looming. However, an extra 30 minutes was not needed as Ivanovic’s looping header from Mata’s corner sent the Chelsea fans into a frenzy in the 92nd minute.

It was a cruel blow to Benfica but Chelsea had won the Europa League thanks to Branislav Ivanovic’s last-gasp header in what was an enthralling contest.

Branislav Ivanovic Goal Wins Europa League For Chelsea is a post from: The Inquisitr

Barack Obama’s second cousin Dr. Milton Wolf claims the IRS mysteriously held up his tax refund and the White House might have even tried to get him fired from his newspaper job.

Wolf, a Kansas City radiologist, is an outspoken foe of Obamacare and a columnist for the Washington Times.

The IRS has admitted improperly targeting Tea Party and other right-of-center groups for extra scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status which has exploded into a huge scandal over the agency’s seemingly politicized practices. Other taxpayers and taxpayer groups are now coming forward now with horror stories about apparent IRS mistreatment that appears to be ideologically driven.

Dr. Wolf described his hassle with the federal bureaucracy for PJMedia: “They called my editor and feigned concern that the Washington Times was taking advantage of me… by publishing my op-eds critical of Barack Obama. Around the same time the IRS put a hold on our tax refund that required an arbitrator and several months to resolve. We finally received our refund (and interest) but never an explanation. The local IRS office and the arbitrator seemed genuinely confused by the ordeal using terms like ‘very strange’ and ‘unusual’ but never could explain why it happened. One wonders.”

Added Wolf: “I wondered at the time if the White House could possibly be behind it but I just couldn’t make that leap … But what before seemed implausible today seems possible.”

In his latest column about Obamacare, a.k.a. the Affordable Care Act, Wolf wrote this about the law’s affordability or lack thereof: “Obamacare unleashes the worst approach to those in need. It artificially hikes health care costs beyond their means and then provides welfare to families — even those earning up to $94,000 a year — that still won’t cover the new, higher rates. That’s a double disaster, since taxpayers who now have to pay for their own higher premiums also must cover the welfare, not only for the needy, but even for their affluent neighbors. This is a train with too many cabooses and not enough engines, which will come crashing down the hill. For far less, we could, for example, simply give cash to needy families so they can purchase their own market-based insurance.”

Coincidence? The same year the #IRS held up my tax refund for months w/o ever saying why, the WH urged the @washtimes to drop me. #tcot

— Milton Wolf (@miltonwolfmd) May 14, 2013

Another solution to #IRS enemies list scandal: Flat tax without any loopholes. #tcot #tlot #p2 #gop

— Milton Wolf (@miltonwolfmd) May 15, 2013

Given the ongoing IRS scandal, do you think that Dr. Milton Wolf has any basis for his concerns?

Added: President Obama makes statement on IRS scandal including that the IRS commissioner has resigned:

Obama Cousin: IRS Messed With Me Too is a post from: The Inquisitr

The battle for the starting quarterback position just got a little easier for Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith. David Garrard announced today that he was quitting the team due to a lingering knee injury.

Garrard,who had a chance at winning the starting position from Mark Sanchez, said today that his knee continued to swell up after practices and that he would not be able to continue his time with the Jets.

Garrard wrote in a text message to NFL.com’s Adam Schein: “Having to call it quits … My knee is not holding up. Continuing to swell after practices.”

An official announcement hasn’t been made yet by the New York Jets or David Garrard but the quarterback told NFL.com’s Jeff Darlington that announcement would come “tomorrow or the next day.”

The Jets have been looking for a way to rectify their abysmal quarterback situation. The team drafted Geno Smith and signed Garrard to a 1-year deal back on March 12. The Jets, who discarded Tim Tebow shortly after last season, also have Greg McElroy and Matt Simms on the bench for 2013.

Yahoo Sports notes that Garrard entered the NFL in 2002 and spent most of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He took over the starting position in 2006 and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2009. He played nine seasons with Jacksonville, passing for more than 16,000 yards and 89 touchdowns.

Garrard did not say if he would be retiring due to his injury.

hey @davidgarrard9 sorry to see it end this way.Tough guy.Good man.Best to you and your family.

— Mike Dempsey (@md_1010xl) May 15, 2013

David Garrard Quits, Leaves New York Jets Due To Knee Injury is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Jodi Arias’ death penalty decision may be closer after a stunning trial and jury deliberation over the convicted killer’s possible fate.

Weighing Jodi Arias’ death penalty vs. prison in the trial’s ultimate outcome is the legal saga’s latest phase, and a perhaps shocking decision has been reached by the jury in the ongoing case. Arias was found by the jurors to have acted cruelly in the killing of Travis Alexander — who was brutally murdered in his home back in June of 2008.

Now that Arias’ death penalty eligibility has been decided by jurors, the next phase of sentencing — the ultimate decision to sentence Jodi Arias to death — can be made in the case.

Prosecutor Juan Martinez argued forcefully for Arias’ death penalty eligibility, describing Travis Alexander’s presumable last moments as he fought for life after having been stabbed numerous times by his assailant:

“The last thing he saw before he lapsed into unconsciousness … was that blade coming to his throat. And the last thing he felt before he left this earth was pain.”

Arias’ death penalty decision was one that, immediately following last week’s verdict, seemed to be one favored by the convicted killer herself.

After the conviction was handed down, Arias said tearfully:

“Longevity runs in my family, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my natural life in one place … I believe death is the ultimate freedom, and I’d rather have my freedom as soon as I can get it.”

One Twitter account dedicated to advocating for Alexander tweeted that (perhaps indicating Arias would see her wish fulfilled) that the jury did not deliberate very long before reaching the decision:

After deliberating for an hour and 33 minutes, an Arizona jury has found Jodi Arias guilty of being “especially… fb.me/V0cy6jMe

— Justice4Travis(@Justice4TravisA) May 15, 2013

As jurors conclude the aggravation phase and settle upon Arias’ death penalty eligibility, friends and family of Alexander will speak to make a case for executing his killer.

Arias Death Penalty Decision Arrived At By Jury is a post from: The Inquisitr

Oprah’s Maui farm appears to be a gardener’s dream, with the massive farm boasting beautiful green vegetables — all organic, of course.

Along with close friend and fitness expert Bob Greene, Oprah showed off her little farm in Maui in the June issue of O magazine. This is the first time the media mogul has allowed the farm to be photographed.

In the interview, Oprah likened her Maui farm to a “full-circle moment” because her grandmother also had a farm when she was growing up. The media mogul recalled:

“Everything that we ate came from our own little one acre. To be able to have a full circle moment with that, not in Mississippi, but in Maui, is fantastic. It’s like … jewelry that comes from the earth. I love it, just love it.”

While we might not consider our veggies and fruits to be earth jewelry, we do enjoy eating fresh produce that’s locally grown. However, we have to note that Oprah’s Maui farm is certainly more than one acre. The $2.8 billion media mogul’s farm is about 780 acres.

Produce from the large farm is donated locally. In a video about the farm, Oprah and Bob Green talk about how the idea for the farm came to be. Bob explained, “We looked up on this hill and saw all these tiers. And both of us just love things that [in unison] come from the ground.”

Oprah added, “It felt like we were not using the land to its ultimate potential and purpose.” So, they tested the soil, enriched it, and started planting. All of the produce grown on Oprah’s Maui farm is currently donated, though the expect to start selling it at some point.

It was revealed last year that Oprah had trademarked “Oprah’s Organics” to be used for bath soaps, sunscreen, massage oils, hair products, and more.” Applications for “Oprah’s Farm” and “Oprah’s Harvest” have also been submitted.

What do you think of Oprah’s Maui farm?

[Image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]

Oprah’s Maui Farm Is Beautiful, Makes Us A Bit Jealous is a post from: The Inquisitr

A group of 20 Florida teenagers heading for their prom sprang into action to help rescue a family from a car accident Saturday.

The teenagers were bound for Fort Lauderdale when a van carrying a family of seven overturned in front of them on Interstate 595. The Western High School students helped pulled five adults and two children from the overturned Honda Odyssey.

The driver of the van was heading eastbound on I-595 when traffic slowed down, according to Sgt. Mark Wysocky of Florida Highway Patrol. The driver veered to the left and bounced off a divider, which resulted in the van turning over on its side.

Danny Izzi, president of Avanti Limousines and Airport Transportation, was driving the limo the teenagers were riding in when the van overturned.

“I almost hit them,” Izzi said. “I had to slam on my brakes, but with 20 kids in there it’s really [difficult] to put the brakes on.”

Football player Frank Tucker said, “We kind of reacted to it, ran out of the limo and did what we had to do.”

Peter Kim said said grabbed a 9-year-old boy from the van and tried to help calm his mother.

“We laid her down, and we tried to calm her down. She was just panicking, she was in shock,” Kim told NBC Miami. “She was screaming out, ‘Where’s my baby? Where’s my baby?’”

Kim added, “It felt great that we got to help someone out and that we didn’t just roll on by. I’m happy that I had my peers that actually helped out instead of just sitting there and doing nothing.”

The family was taken to the hospital in ambulances with minor injuries. However, the 2-year-old girl was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

The teenagers made it to their prom just 15 minutes late, even though some of them were bloodied from their impromptu rescue mission, which was captured on video.

Even with all that going on, “it was a good prom,” Krista Pulcini said.

What do you think of the teenagers who helped rescue a family from a car accident?

20 Prom-Bound Teenagers Help Rescue Family From Car Accident is a post from: The Inquisitr