Marmalade

Federal grand jury indicts Bonds

2007-11-15T17:55:00.000-05:00

Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday for perjury and obstruction of justice, charged with lying when he told a federal grand jury that he did not knowingly use performance-enhancing drugs.

The indictment unsealed Thursday against baseball's home-run king culminated a four-year investigation into steroid use by elite athletes.
"During the criminal investigation, evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing substances for Bonds and other athletes," the indictment read.

In August, the 43-year-old Bonds passed Hank Aaron to become baseball's career home run leader. Late in the season, the San Francisco Giants told the seven-time National League MVP they didn't want him back next year. He is currently a free agent.

While Bonds was chasing Aaron, the grand jury was working behind closed doors to complete the long-rumored indictment.

"I'm surprised," said John Burris, one of Bonds' attorneys, "but there's been an effort to get Barry for a long time. I'm curious what evidence they have now they didn't have before."

The indictment charged Bonds with lying when he said that he didn't knowingly take steroids given to him by his personal trainer, Greg Anderson. He also denied taking steroids at anytime in 2001 when he was pursuing the season home-run record.

He is also charged with lying that Anderson never injected him with steroids.

"Greg wouldn't do that," Bonds testified in December 2003 when asked if Anderson ever gave him any drugs that needed to be injected. "He knows I'm against that stuff."

O.J. Simpson investigated in alleged robbery at Vegas hotel room

2007-09-15T12:05:00.000-04:00

O.J. Simpson investigated in alleged robbery at Vegas hotel room
By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY and LINDA DEUTSCH Associated Press Writers
Article Launched: 09/14/2007 03:19:32 PM PDT

LAS VEGAS—O.J. Simpson was under investigation Friday in an alleged armed robbery at a casino hotel room involving his sports memorabilia, but the former football star said he went to recover items stolen from him and there were no guns.
"Nobody was roughed up," Simpson told The Associated Press by phone. "What I can't understand is these guys are in a room trying to fence stolen goods and I'm the story."

The incident at the Palace Station casino once again hurled Simpson into the headlines more than a decade after he was acquitted of murdering ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in the "Trial of the Century," only to be found civilly liable for their deaths and ordered to pay a $33.5 million judgment.

Police Capt. James Dillon stressed that the investigation was in its "infancy" and that "few facts" had been determined. Officers responded to a call from the hotel just before 8 p.m. Thursday, he said.

"The victim stated that one of the suspects involved in the robbery was O.J. Simpson," Dillon said.

Police said the 911 call was made by Alfred Beardsley, one of the men in the hotel room.

"We have (reports) from the victim that there were weapons involved," Dillon said, but he added that no firearms had been recovered, no charges had been filed and no one was in custody.

Police contacted Simpson after the initial report and talked to him again Friday at his hotel. Dillon said Simpson would not agree to a formal, recorded interview until his lawyer arrived, but did offer some statements about the incident. "We still consider that cooperating," Dillon said.
Simpson would not give police the names of the "three or four" men who accompanied him into the hotel room until his lawyer was present, Dillon said.

He said investigators were trying to untangle the web of ownership of the items in dispute.

"We do have some conflicting statements, there is legitimate information that part or all of the items possibly are the possessions of O.J. Simpson," Dillon said, adding that would not excuse a robbery.

Dillon said investigators had video surveillance tapes and still images from various locations at the hotel but he did not say what they showed.

Simpson told the AP there was no armed robbery and no guns were involved.

"There was no armed robbery here. It wasn't a robbery. They said take your stuff and go," said Simpson, who remained in Las Vegas at a local hotel casino.

Beardsley, a real estate agent and longtime collector of Simpson memorabilia, told the AP that Simpson's account of the incident was fairly accurate except that there were guns.

But in an unusual development, Simpson said he and Beardsley had a friendly phone conversation later Friday and they wanted to resolve the matter.

Of the weapons question, Simpson said: "I didn't see anybody with any guns."

Both Beardsley and Simpson indicated in separate interviews that the underlying issue was recovery of photos from Simpson's childhood.

Simpson was a Heisman Trophy winner in college and a star running back in the NFL. Many of his sports collectibles, including his Heisman Trophy, were seized under court order and auctioned to pay some of the $33.5 million awarded to the Goldman family and the estate of Nicole Brown Simpson.

Now a Miami resident, O.J. Simpson lives off a sizable pension that could not be seized under the civil judgment. But last year, during a scandal over payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars for his participation in a book about the murders, he said he needed the money to get out of debt and to "secure my homestead."

Simpson said that on Thursday he was conducting a sting operation to collect his belongings when he was led to the room.

He said that auction house owner Tom Riccio called him several weeks ago to alert him that collectors were quietly trying to peddle his belongings.

Simpson said he was in Las Vegas for a friend's wedding and arranged to meet Riccio, who set up a meeting with collectors under the guise that he had a private collector interested in buying Simpson's items.

"We walked into the room," Simpson said. "I'm the last one to go in and when they see me, it's all 'Oh God.'"

Simpson said he was accompanied by two men he met at a wedding cocktail party and they took the collectibles, including his Hall of Fame certificate and a picture of him with the late FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover.

Simpson said he wasn't sure where the items were taken. Dillon said some of the items had been recovered but did not specify which ones.

Beardsley said Riccio had contacted him and told him he had a buyer who was a big fan of Simpson and "wanted to buy very personal items and could I give him some very high-end items."

"I've always supported Simpson. When he walked in the room, Simpson said, 'Oh no, not you. I thought you were a good guy,'" Beardsley said.

Beardsley claimed that Riccio actually had found out that Beardsley was going to be involved in a private sale of the childhood photos "and got Simpson all worked up."

Beardsley said the pictures were not in the room but he intended to arrange to get the pictures to Simpson. "I will give him those pictures back, I feel bad about it," he said.

"I'd like to see it go away," Beardsley said of the incident. "We both feel this has gotten way out of control."

A message left for Riccio was not immediately returned.

Riccio told the Los Angeles Times he arranged the meeting after receiving a phone call about a month ago from a person who claimed to have personal items—including footballs, awards and personal photos—that had belonged to Simpson and wanted to sell them.

"Simpson was supposed to show up, identify the items and tell the men to either give the stuff back or he would call the police," Riccio told the newspaper.

The plan unraveled after Simpson showed up with about seven "intimidating looking guys," at least one of whom had a gun, he said.

"We tried to peacefully reacquire these personal items, not for their monetary value, but for their family value. O.J. wanted to be able to pass these things down to his kids," Riccio said.

"They (Simpson and his companions) took the stuff, and they left. What can I say? Things went haywire," he said.

Bruce Fromong, a sports memorabilia collector who testified at Simpson's civil trial, said he witnessed the incident and that Simpson broke into the hotel room and took several collectibles.

"It was home invasion-type thing," he told the Web siteTMZ.com. "Guys come busting through the door at the Palace casino, I mean, literally busting through it. He and some of his guys came in with the guns, hollering and screaming."

Fromong, who reportedly has tried to sell the suit Simpson wore when he was acquitted of murder, described him as at one time being a close friend.

On Thursday, the Goldman family published a book about the killings that Simpson had written under the title, "If I Did It," about how he would have committed the crime had he actually done it. After a deal for Simpson to publish it fell through, a federal bankruptcy judge awarded the book's rights to the Goldman family, who retitled it "If I Did It: The Confessions of a Killer."

Fred Goldman, Ron's Goldman's father, defended the family's decision to publish the book. He said he was stunned by the news from Las Vegas.

"I'm overwhelmed and amazed," Fred Goldman told The Associated Press. "If it turns out as it is currently being played, I think this shows more of who he is. He is proving over and over and over again that he thinks he can do anything and get away with it."

Goldman's lawyer, David Cook, said he would seek a court order on Tuesday to get whatever items Simpson took in Las Vegas.

———

AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch and Associated Press Writer Jeff Wilson contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_6896456?source=most_viewed

Chris Crocker Leave Britney Alone

2007-09-15T11:56:00.000-04:00

LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE! pt.1

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Leave Britney Alone!!

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Halo Videos

2007-09-15T11:36:00.000-04:00

Halo 2 - Red vs Blue Halo 3 Beta Episode

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Halo Red vs Blue episode 2

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halo

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US AMERICANS NEED MAPS

2007-09-06T18:10:00.000-04:00

Miss Teen South Carolina Flubs Her Answer

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Larry Craig Naughty Boy 1999

2007-09-06T17:30:00.000-04:00

Pavarotti Sings His Last Tune

2007-09-06T09:50:00.000-04:00

Tenor Pavarotti has died at age 71, his manager tells the AP
By ALESSANDRA RIZZO | Associated Press Writer
8:06 AM EDT, September 6, 2007

ROME - He was the son of a singing baker and became the king of the high C's. Luciano Pavarotti, opera's biggest superstar of the late 20th century, died Thursday. He was 71.

Pavarotti, who had been diagnosed last year with pancreatic cancer and underwent treatment last month, died at his home in his native Modena at 5 a.m., his manager told The Associated Press in an e-mailed statement.

His wife, Nicoletta, four daughters and sister were among family at friends at his side, manager Terri Robson said.

"The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer," Robson said. "In fitting with the approach that characterised his life and work, he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness."

Pavarotti's charismatic personna and ebullient showmanship _ but most of all his creamy and powerful voice _ made him the most beloved and celebrated tenor since the great Caruso and one of the few opera singers to win crossover fame as a popular superstar.

For serious fans, the unforced beauty and thrilling urgency of Pavarotti's voice made him the ideal interpreter of the Italian lyric repertory, especially in the 1960s and '70s when he first achieved stardom. For millions more, his thrilling performances of standards like "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's "Turandot" came to represent what opera is all about.

"Nessun Dorma" turned out to be Pavarotti's last aria, sung at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Turin in February 2006. His last full-scale concert was at Taipei in December 2005, and his farewell to opera was in Puccini's "Tosca" at New York's Metropolitan in March 2004.

Instantly recognizable from his charcoal black beard and tuxedo-busting girth, Pavarotti radiated an intangible magic that helped him win hearts in a way Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras _ his partners in the "Three Tenors" concerts _ never quite could.

"I always admired the God-given glory of his voice _ that unmistakable special timbre from the bottom up to the very top of the tenor range," Domingo said in a statement from Los Angeles.

Pavarotti, who seemed equally at ease singing with soprano Joan Sutherland as with the Spice Girls, scoffed at accusations that he was sacrificing his art in favor of commercialism.

"The word 'commercial' is exactly what we want," he said after appearing in the "Three Tenors" concerts. "We've reached 1.5 billion people with opera. If you want to use the word 'commercial,' or something more derogatory, we don't care. Use whatever you want."

In the annals of that rare and coddled breed, the operatic tenor, it may well be said the 20th century began with Enrico Caruso and ended with Pavarotti. Other tenors _ Domingo included _ may have drawn more praise from critics for their artistic range and insights, but none could equal the combination of natural talent and personal charm that so endeared Pavarotti to audiences.

"Pavarotti is the biggest superstar of all," the late New York Times music critic Harold Schonberg once said. "He's correspondingly more spoiled than anybody else. They think they can get away with anything. Thanks to the glory of his voice, he probably can."

In his heyday, he was known as the "King of the High C's" for the ease with which he tossed off difficult top notes. In fact it was his ability to hit nine glorious high C's in quick succession that turned him into an international superstar singing Tonio's aria "Ah! Mes amis," in Donizetti's "La Fille du Regiment" at the Met in 1972.

From Beijing to Buenos Aires, people immediately recognized his incandescent smile and lumbering bulk, clutching a white handkerchief as he sang arias and Neapolitan folk songs, pop numbers and Christmas carols for hundreds of thousands in outdoor concerts.

His name seemed to show up as much in gossip columns as serious music reviews, particularly after he split with Adua Veroni, his wife of 35 years and mother of their three daughters, and then took up with his 26-year-old secretary in 1996.

In late 2003, he married Nicoletta Mantovani in a lavish, star-studded ceremony. Pavarotti said their daughter, Alice, nearly a year old at the time of the wedding, was the main reason they finally wed after years together.

In the latter part of his career, he came under fire for canceling performances or pandering to the lowest common denominator in his choice of programs, or for the Three Tenors tours and their millions of dollars in fees.

He was criticized for lip-synching at a concert in Modena. An artist accused him of copying her works from a how-to-draw book and selling the paintings.

The son of a baker who was an amateur singer, Pavarotti was born Oct. 12, 1935. He had a meager upbringing, though he said it was rich with happiness.

"Our family had very little, but I couldn't imagine one could have any more," Pavarotti said.

As a boy, Pavarotti showed more interest in soccer than his studies, but he also was fond of listening to his father's recordings of tenor greats like Beniamino Gigli, Tito Schipa, Jussi Bjoerling and Giuseppe Di Stefano, his favorite.

Among his close childhood friends was Mirella Freni, who would eventually become a soprano and an opera great herself. The two studied singing together and years later ended up making records and concerts together.

In his teens, Pavarotti joined his father, also a tenor, in the church choir and local opera chorus. He was influenced by the American movie actor-singer Mario Lanza.

"In my teens I used to go to Mario Lanza movies and then come home and imitate him in the mirror," Pavarotti said.

Singing was still nothing more than a passion while Pavarotti trained to become a teacher and began working in a school.

But at 20, he traveled with his chorus to an international music competition in Wales. The Modena group won first place, and Pavarotti began to dedicate himself to singing.

With the encouragement of his then-fiancee, Adua, he started lessons, selling insurance to pay for them. He studied with Arrigo Pola and later Ettore Campogalliani.

In 1961, Pavarotti won a local competition and with it a debut as Rodolfo in Puccini's "La Boheme."

He followed with a series of successes in small opera houses throughout Europe before his 1963 debut at Covent Garden in London, where he stood in for Di Stefano as Rodolfo.

Having impressed conductor Richard Bonynge, Pavarotti was given a role opposite Bonynge's wife, Sutherland, in a Miami production of "Lucia di Lamermoor." They subsequently signed him for a 14-week tour of Australia.

It was the recognition Pavarotti needed to launch his career. He also credited Sutherland with teaching him how to breathe correctly.

Pavarotti's major debuts followed _ at La Scala in Milan in 1965, San Francisco in 1967 and New York's Metropolitan Opera House in 1968.

Throughout his career, Pavarotti struggled with a much-publicized weight problem. His love of food caused him to balloon to a reported 396 pounds in 1978.

"Maybe this time I'll really do it and keep it up," he said during one of his constant attempts at dieting.

Pavarotti, who had been trained as a lyric tenor, began taking on heavier dramatic roles, such as Manrico in Verdi's "Trovatore" and the title role in "Otello."

In the mid-1970s, Pavarotti became a true media star. He appeared in television commercials and began singing in hugely lucrative mega-concerts outdoors and in stadiums around the world. Soon came joint concerts with pop stars. A concert in New York's Central Park in 1993 drew 500,000 fans.

Pavarotti's recording of "Volare" went platinum in 1988.

In 1990, he appeared with Domingo and Carreras in a concert at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome for the end of soccer's World Cup. The concert was a huge success, and the record known as "The Three Tenors" was a best-seller and was nominated for two Grammy awards. The video sold over 750,000 copies.

The three-tenor extravaganza became a mini-industry and widely imitated. With a follow-up album recorded at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1994, the three have outsold every other performer of classical music. A 1996 tour earned each tenor an estimated $10 million.

Pavarotti liked to mingle with pop stars in his series of charity concerts, "Pavarotti & Friends," held annually in Modena. He performed with artists as varied as Ricky Martin, James Brown and the Spice Girls.

The performances raised some eyebrows but he always shrugged off the criticism.

Some say the "word 'pop' is a derogatory word to say 'not important' _ I do not accept that," Pavarotti said in a 2004 interview with the AP. "If the word 'classic' is the word to say 'boring,' I do not accept. There is good and bad music."

It was not just his annual extravaganza that saw Pavarotti involved in humanitarian work.

During the 1992-95 Bosnia war, he collected humanitarian aid along with U2 lead singer Bono, and after the war he financed and established the Pavarotti Music Center in the southern city of Mostar to offer Bosnia's artists the opportunity to develop their skills.

He performed at benefit concerts to raise money for victims of tragedies such as an earthquake in December 1988 that killed 25,000 people in northern Armenia.

Pavarotti was also dogged by accusations of tax evasion, and in 2000 he agreed to pay nearly roughly $12 million to the Italian state after he had unsuccessfully claimed that the tax haven of Monte Carlo rather than Italy was his official residence.

He had been accused in 1996 of filing false tax returns for 1989-91.

Pavarotti always denied wrongdoing, saying he paid taxes wherever he performed. But, upon agreeing to the settlement, he said: "I cannot live being thought not a good person."

Pavarotti was preparing to leave New York in July 2006 to resume a farewell tour when doctors discovered a malignant pancreatic mass. He underwent surgery in a New York hospital, and all his remaining 2006 concerts were canceled.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most dangerous forms of the disease, though doctors said the surgery offered improved hopes for survival.

"I was a fortunate and happy man," Pavarotti told Italian daily Corriere della Sera in an interview published about a month after the surgery. "After that, this blow arrived."

"And now I am paying the penalty for this fortune and happiness," he told the newspaper.

Fans were still waiting for a public appearance a year after his surgery. In the summer, Pavarotti taught a group of selected students and worked on a recording of sacred songs, a work expected to be released in early 2008, according to his manager. He mostly divided his time between Modena and his villa in the Adriatic seaside resort of Pesaro.

Just this week, the Italian government honored him with an award for "excellence in Italian culture," and La Scala and Modena's theater announced a joint Luciano Pavarotti award.

In his final statement, Pavarotti said the awards gave him "the opportunity to continue to celebrate the magic of a life dedicated to the arts and it fills me with pride and joy to have been able to promote my magnificent country abroad."

He will be remembered in Italy as "the last great Italian voice able to move the world," said Bruno Cagli, president of the Santa Cecilia National Academy in Rome.

The funeral will be held Saturday inside Modena's cathedral, Mayor Giorgio Pighi told SkyTG24.

Copyright © 2007, The Associated Press

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--pavarotti0906sep06,0,2097438.story

Catalina Loves Her Collar

2007-09-05T13:48:00.000-04:00

This is a damn good blog.....please check it out.

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Chicago trial shatters romantic view of mob

2007-09-04T21:40:00.000-04:00

Chicago trial shatters romantic view of mob

By Mike Robinson, Associated Press
CHICAGO — They have described becoming "made guys" in the mob by holding burning holy pictures in cupped hands while promising a lifetime of silence.
They've spoken of the arcane arts of "peeling" safes and selling bogus stock certificates.

And they've told stories that seem straight from the movies: bombing businesses, bloody hits on FBI informants, bodies stuffed in car trunks and an oil drum stuffed with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

But Hollywood's romantic view has been mainly missing over the last month as witnesses — from a defendant's brother to old-time crooks with rap sheets as long as bed sheets — took the stand at Chicago's biggest mob trial in years.

Vito Corleone and Tony Soprano look like tame old duffers compared to what prosecution witnesses have been saying about the alleged dons of the Chicago Outfit, as the city's organized crime family has named itself.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Chicago | Michael | Mike | Crime | Joey | Joseph | Tony Soprano | Frank Calabrese | Nicholas Calabrese | Paul Schiro | Spilotro
"They are not the romantic people who are often portrayed in the movies," says James Wagner, who fought the mob for decades as an FBI agent and now is president of the Chicago Crime Commission. "They are brutal."

Star witness Nicholas Calabrese told jurors he watched for decades as the bodies of his fellow mobsters piled up around him. He said he lived in dread that if he made just one misstep he would "end up in a car trunk."

His brother, Frank Calabrese, 69, is among the defendants along with Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, 78, James Marcello, 65, Paul Schiro, 70, and Anthony Doyle, 62. They are charged with taking part in a racketeering conspiracy that included gambling, extortion, loan sharking and murders.

Lombardo was convicted in the early 1980s of conspiring to bribe then Sen. Howard Cannon, D-Nev. Calabrese and Marcello have both served time for mob-related activity. Schiro is a convicted jewel thief and Doyle — the only one not alleged to have killed anyone — is a retired police officer.

All but Doyle could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

As prosecutors Mitchell A. Mars, John J. Scully and Markus Funk dredge up evidence going back to the 1970s, Chicago's police are not faring well.

Last week, old-time burglar Robert G. "Bobby the Beak" Siegel emerged from the witness protection program to accuse Chicago's former chief of detectives, William Hanhardt, of collecting $1,000 a week and a new car every two years in return for seeing to it that mobsters weren't caught.

"Most of the police were on the payroll" in the old days, he recalled.

Hanhardt is now serving 16 years after pleading guilty to leading a band of thieves that stole some $5 million in jewelry and fine watches.

Schiro pleaded guilty to serving as a member of Hanhardt's gang.

Nicholas Calabrese testified that onetime mob boss Joey Aiuppa personally presided over the ceremony at which he became a "made guy" in the Outfit, his finger cut in the ancient ceremonial manner and a burning holy picture placed in his hand while he recited the oath of silence.

"If I ever give up my brothers may I burn in hell like this holy picture," he remembered promising.

But DNA found on a bloody glove left at a murder scene was matched to his and he has agreed to testimony in return for a promise that he won't have to die in the execution chamber.

His testimony has been the most graphic of the trial.

He told how his brother, Frank, allegedly strangled victims like loan shark Michael "Hambone" Albergo with a rope and then cut their throats to make sure that they were dead. Albergo had threatened to talk to the FBI.

Frank Calabrese's attorney, Joseph Lopez, who loves a good wisecrack and sometimes wears pink socks to court, said before the trial that Nicholas Calabrese was lying about his brother.

Since then U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel has clamped a gag order on the attorneys.

Best known on the list of 18 murder victims in the indictment is Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, the Outfit's onetime man in Las Vegas who was found in a shallow grave in an Indiana cornfield along with his brother Michael.

Tony Spilotro inspired the Joe Pesci character in the movie Casino.

Nicholas Calabrese testified that mobsters were mad at Spilotro because he was "bringing too much heat" on them and having a romance with the wife of a casino executive.

"That's a no-no," he quoted brother Frank as saying.

He testified that in June 1986 the Spilotros were lured to the basement of a Bensenville home where they were told Tony would be dubbed a "capo," or mob captain, and Michael a "made guy."

Instead, they were beaten and strangled.

Calabrese said he pulled one end of a rope around Michael Spilotro's neck while a mobster known as Louie the Mooche tugged away on the other.

With Nicholas in tow, FBI agents drove up and down Bensenville's streets searching for the house where the Spilotros died — to no avail.

Such missing elements have been fodder for defense attorneys.

Marcello attorney Thomas M. Breen pounced on a claim that the Spilotro killers all wore gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, claiming that the story simply didn't sound realistic.

"Did Mike Spilotro, say, 'Hey, guys, how come everybody's wearing gloves? This looks like a hit,"' Breen asked during Nicholas Calabrese's days on the witness stand.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Posted 37d ago

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-07-29-chicagotrial_N.htm

Jury deliberates Chicago mob case

2007-09-04T21:30:00.000-04:00

Jury deliberates Chicago mob case

By Tara Burghart, Associated Press Writer
CHICAGO — Jurors in Chicago's biggest mob trial in years began deliberating the fate of five defendants Tuesday in a case described by defense attorneys as built on the testimony of "a walking piece of deception."
Prosecutors said the testimony of mob hit man Nicholas Calabrese -- who linked four of the five men to a murder scene -- matched up with physical evidence at the scene and with recorded jailhouse conversations with one of the defendants.

Jurors also heard from more than 100 witnesses, listened to hours of secretly recorded audio tapes, and saw dozens of photos of crime scenes, victims and suspected members of the Outfit, as the city's organized crime family is known.

Jurors left at 2 p.m. Tuesday, despite indicating last week that they planned to work from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office of U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel gave no explanation for the early departure.

The defendants are all in their 60s or 70s, and one alternated between using a cane and wheelchair in court. They are accused by prosecutors of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy, detailed in a 43-page indictment, that included illegal gambling, extortion, loan sharking and 18 murders between 1970 and 1986.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Chicago | Prosecutors | Jurors | Jury | Accused | Joseph | Frank Calabrese | Nicholas Calabrese | Outfit | Paul Schiro
The men on trial are reputed mobster Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, 78; convicted loan shark Frank Calabrese Sr., 70; convicted jewel thief Paul Schiro, 70; reputed mob boss James Marcello, 65; and retired Chicago policeman Anthony Doyle, 62. If convicted, all but Doyle could face life in prison.

Defense attorneys attacked the case as one built largely on the testimony of Nicholas Calabrese -- Frank Calabrese's brother -- who the defense said admitted lying to authorities in the past and was only cooperating with the government now to escape the death penalty.

Defense attorney Joseph Lopez labeled Nicholas Calabrese a "grim reaper," a "walking piece of deception" and a man who would "shoot you in the head over a cold ravioli."

Prosecutors said Nicholas Calabrese's testimony matched up with stories that his brother told his son Frank Calabrese Jr. while in prison. The younger man secretly wore a wire for the government.

Nicholas Calabrese linked all the defendants except Doyle to a murder scene. Doyle is not accused of killing anyone, but he is charged with being part of a racketeering conspiracy that included murder.

Taking the stand in his own defense, Doyle testified that during a secretly recorded conversation with Frank Calabrese Sr. in prison, he agreed with much of what the prisoner wanted without knowing what it was, and that the code words Calabrese used were "mind-boggling gibberish."

Lombardo lived up to his "clown" moniker by wisecracking on the stand. He told jurors he's not a member of the Outfit and learned everything he knows about the mob from James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson movies.

Frank Calabrese Sr. told jurors he did business with Outfit members but never took the oath of a made guy.

The prosecutors and witnesses detailed grisly killings, with so-called friends allegedly luring men to their deaths, and bodies buried at construction sites.

In one notorious case, Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, known as the mob's man in Las Vegas and the inspiration for Joe Pesci's character in the 1995 movie "Casino," was beaten to death and buried in an Indiana cornfield.

This is about "the history of organized crime in Chicago," Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Mars told the jurors in his closing arguments last week.

Prosecutors mocked many of the explanations offered by defense attorneys as unbelievable or ridiculous, and they asked jurors to disregard the claim by Lombardo's defense that he withdrew long ago from any criminal activity he might have been engaged in.

"Once you belong to the Outfit, you belong for life," Mars said. "These are people that cheat, steal and kill each other. They can make who they want, they can break who they want."

Lopez urged jurors to think of Frank Calabrese Sr.'s presumed innocence like the white cloak surrounding the cartoon character "Casper the Friendly Ghost."

"As you shut the (jury room) door," Lopez said, "he's still presumed innocent."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-09-04-3043193147_x.htm

Chicago mob trial opens with blood and gore details

2007-09-04T21:25:00.000-04:00

Marcello

Calabrese
Lombardo
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago's biggest mob trial in years started Thursday with a prosecutor urging the jury to forget what they know about movie mobsters and see the now-elderly defendants for who they are: men who "committed brutal crimes on behalf of the Chicago Outfit."
"This is not The Sopranos. This is not The Godfather. These are real people, very corrupt and without honor," Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully told the jury.

As Scully described a blood-drenched litany of murders, he showed the jury large photos of the victims.

He talked about Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, once the Chicago mob's man in Las Vegas and the inspiration for Joe Pesci's character in the movie Casino. Spilotro and his brother were allegedly lured into a basement and beaten to death, then buried in an Indiana cornfield.

The men on trial — reputed mob boss Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, 78, James Marcello, 65, Frank Calabrese Sr., 70, Paul Schiro, 69, and former Chicago police officer Anthony Doyle, 62 — are accused in a racketeering conspiracy that included 18 murders.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Chicago | Joseph | Scully | Frank Calabrese | Outfit | Paul Schiro
All have pleaded not guilty.

An anonymous jury is hearing the case, with the jurors being identified only by court-issued numbers to protect their identities.

"Four of the five defendants in this room committed brutal crimes on behalf of the Chicago Outfit," Scully told the jury in his opening statement. The fifth, Doyle, protected them, he said.

Scully described Calabrese as a violent loan shark who strangled witnesses with a rope and cut their throats to make sure they were dead.

Defense attorney Joseph Lopez painted a different picture for the jury, describing Calabrese as a much-maligned, deeply religious man "who believes in peace" and loved his family.

He ripped into Calabrese's son, Frank Jr., who is expected to be a key witness for the government against his father.

"He's going to say, 'My father is a rotten S.O.B., my father never loved me' — none of this is true," Lopez said. He said the jurors would see letters between the father and son "expressing love for one another."

"You're going to hear that Frank did slap his son around on numerous occasions," Lopez said. But he said that was only because the youngster was robbing the neighbors of their jewelry and taking cocaine.

He said Calabrese's brother, Nicholas, also expected to be a key witness, once stole a rifle with a silencer from Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs, where it had been used to shoot birds that congregated on the scoreboard.

Scully described Marcello as one of the top leaders of the Chicago Outfit. He said Lombardo was the boss of the mob's Grand Avenue crew. Schiro was jailed five years ago for taking part in a jewel theft ring led by the Chicago police department's one-time chief of detectives, William Hanhardt.

Doyle, the retired Chicago police officer, also worked as a loan shark under Calabrese, according to federal prosecutors. He is the one defendant in the case not directly accused of murdering anyone. But Scully said that he aided and abetted the others in their work.

Scully was graphic in describing the killings, but it was Lopez who offered the juiciest details.

He recounted how FBI agents, acting on an informant's tip, tore up concrete in a parking lot near U.S. Cellular Field, home of the White Sox, looking for the last remains of murdered loan shark Michael Albergo. He said they found "thousands of bones" under the parking lot.

But DNA testing couldn't tie any of the bones to Albergo, Lopez said, repeatedly referring to the victim by his mob nickname of "Hambone."

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Owen Wilson Suicide Crashers

2007-09-02T02:43:00.000-04:00

Wilson reportedly slit wrists, didn’t overdose
Attorney for the actor says Wilson had been taking antidepressants

Updated: 12:10 p.m. ET Aug 31, 2007

LOS ANGELES - Police were called to Owen Wilson’s house after the actor slit his wrists. However, contrary to other reports, there was no drug overdose, an attorney for Wilson told “Access Hollywood.”
The attorney also told “Access” that the actor did not have his stomach pumped. The attorney said Wilson had been taking antidepressants, but was not aware of any other drugs in his system at the time of the incident.
While rumors quickly swirled over what sent the actor to the hospital, police call logs confirmed on Tuesday it was an “attempted suicide.” However, the Santa Monica City Attorney’s office has announced it will not be releasing the 911 call made regarding Wilson.

“In reaching this decision the City believes that in many instances no person should have to worry about whether placing a call for emergency assistance will automatically make his or her medical request open to public review,” the City Attorney’s office said in a press release late Wednesday. “In balancing the competing interests, the City agencies outweigh the public interest served by disclosure of the emergency 911 call. In situation such as this, the City concludes that the public is best served if medical attention is promptly sought instead of being delayed because of a concern, real or imagined, of public attention, regardless of whether that publicity is sympathetic or not.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20503310/

When she heard about her longtime friend Owen Wilson's suicide attempt, producer Polly Platt said, "It's impossible. He's far too full of life and is at the prime of his career," PEOPLE reports in its new issue, on newsstands Friday. But another pal confirmed the worst about the crisis that landed Wilson, 38, at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: "Owen was very despondent. He slit his wrists. He almost did not make it." For now, Wilson's immediate well-being is the primary concern of friends such as Woody Harrelson, Wes Anderson, Samuel L. Jackson and Brad Garrett, who visited Wilson at the hospital, as well as the actor's close-knit family.

Brothers Luke, 35, who initially found Owen after the suicide attempt, and Andrew, 43, were by his side in the hours and days after the incident; his parents, Robert, 66, and Laura, 67, fought past anguish and exhaustion as they kept a revolving vigil. What drove Wilson to an act of self-destruction that one friend calls "the most out-of-character thing"?

Even Wilson's closest friends admit that he has a dark side and his share of demons, which have included drug addiction. One friend notes that his drug use in the past has ventured into "the hard stuff," and he landed in rehab twice in the 1990s. Still, when asked what brought him to the point of suicide, a good friend says, "It would be irresponsible to say it was any single thing. People are complicated. Owen is no different." One source tells PEOPLE that Wilson's pals became concerned over the summer when he "pulled away....He went MIA for awhile." But now Wilson's loved ones are standing with him. "He has a very tight-knit circle of friends," says one. "And we're all rooting for him." For more on this story, including Wilson's stints in rehab, his sense of being an outsider when he was young and his battles with his dark side, pick up this week's PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

http://www.people.com/people/archives/news/0,,,00.html

WWE 14 Suspended Wrestler's Names

2007-08-30T20:18:00.000-04:00

WWE Suspensions 10 Wrestlers: violations of steroids and drugs policy August 31st, 2007 by Daniel

According to The Star, there has been 10 WWE Suspensions and these Wrestlers are rumored to be Ken “Mr. Kennedy” Anderson and Chavo Guerrero, Darren “William Regal” Matthews, John “Johnny Nitro” Hennigan, Anthony Carelli, Mike Bucci, Shane Helms, Robert “Booker T” Huffman, Adam “Edge” Copeland, Charles Haas, Jr. and Randy Orton.
The Wrestlers names were apparently first posted on the New York Daily News site and the 10 WWE Suspensions are said to be due to “violations of a policy that tests for steroids and other drugs”.
They issued the suspension notices because of information that was given to them from the Albany County New York District Attorney’s Office.
They have been investigating illegal steroid sales, so this does seem bad news for the ten wrestlers and I wonder how much this will affect the WWE brand name.

http://www.product-reviews.net/2007/08/31/wwe-suspensions-10-wrestlers-violations-of-steroids-and-drugs-policy

Thursday, August 30, 2007

WWE Suspensions Explain SummerSlam, RAW, and Smackdown Spoilers
For those of you who are not the best at connecting dots, I will do it for you. These 14 suspensions explain all the weird and odd match endings at SummerSlam. Here is the list of who was suspended again, and I will do some more explaining.

Mike "Simon Dean" Bucci
Gregory Helms
Edge
Charlie Haas
Santino Marella
William Regal
King Booker
Chavo Guerrero
John Morrison
Mr. Kennedy
Randy Orton
Funkai
Chris Master
Batista

So, as I was saying, this all makes perfect sense. Although reading this list at first your jaw may be dropped so low it is now resting in your lap, trust me, this makes sense.Let's start at the top. The top 3 don't really matter, Simon Dean, Gregory Helms, and Edge, because they are not currently wrestling.

While Charlie Haas is somewhat irrelevant, and the Santino, Maria, and Ron Simmons angle was completely worked out of RAW last Monday.William Regal is a little harder to explain, but he wasn't involved in any feuds so he will slip out nicely. King Booker's angle with Triple H wasn't continued, so he'll slip out easily too.Now, I don't want to give away to much from the Smackdown Spoilers I read, but I will say Chavo wasn't in the show. So Chavo too, slips out nicely.

John Morrison is by far the toughest to explain. I think the fact that he kept the ECW title means that these suspensions are short. Also, ECW doesn't need him on TV. He could have shot some promos last Tuesday, and they could just air them in these coming weeks. So they don't really need him there.Mr. Kennedy makes sense too. This may be why he didn't win the IC Championship like many were expecting. Same goes for Randy Orton only with the WWE Title.

Funkai is irrelevant, and so is Chris Masters, for the most part. I will say that from the spoilers I read, his new angle could involve him being gone for a few weeks.Finally Batista. (Again, trying not to tell to much about Smackdown) All I will say is that the feud with The Great Khali isn't going to continue.See? Perfect sense.

http://www.wwegeek.blogspot.com/

(I have a pic of each of the 14,underneath is the charchter name they are best known by currently,as well as thier real names. Underneath each of the names,is a link/web address to the wikipedia page of that WWE Superstar.)

1 - Mr Kennedy (AKA) Kenneth Anderson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Kennedy

2 - Chavo Guerrero (AKA) Salvador Chavito Guerrero III

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chavo_Guerrero%2C_Jr.

3 - William Regal (AKA) Darren Kenneth Matthews

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darren_Matthews

4 - Johnny Nitro (AKA) John Randall Hennigan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hennigan

5 - Santino Marella (AKA) Anthony John Carelli

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santino_Marella

6 - Simon Dean (AKA) Mike Bucci

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bucci

7 - Shane Helms (AKA) Gregory Shane Helms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shane_Helms

8 - Booker T (AKA) Robert Booker Tio Huffman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_Huffman

9 - Edge (AKA) Adam Joseph Copeland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Copeland

10 - Charlie Haas Jr. (AKA) Charles David Haas Jr.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Haas

11 - Randy Orton (AKA) Randall Keith Orton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Orton

12 - Funaki (AKA) Shoichi Funaki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoichi_Funaki

13 - Chris Masters (AKA) Chris Mordetsky

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Mordetsky

14 - Batista (AKA) David Michael Bautista
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Bautista

More Hogan JR Crash stuff

2007-08-30T18:29:00.000-04:00

Police Interview Driver Of 2nd Car In Hogan Crash
Date Added: August 30, 2007Story By: Andy Steven[Source: TMZ]

TMZ are reporting that a driver of a silver Dodge Viper have been interviewed by Florida police as it may have contributed to Nick Hogan's car accident last Sunday night, which left Nick’s friend in critical condition.Witnesses have placed the silver Dodge Viper near Nick’s car and the crash scene moments before and after the accident. TMZ says that it may not be the only vehicle involved.A rep from the Clearwater Police Department told TMZ, "We suspect there may be other witnesses and we encourage them to come forward."Hulk Hogan owns a silver Viper, however the police have made it very clear that Nick’s father is not a suspect.TMZ are also reporting that in a worst case scenario, Nick Hogan could face charges of gross vehicular manslaughter, if proof of alcohol, excessive speeding or drag racing were involved. The maximum sentence for that offence is 15 years in prison.

http://www.prowrestling.com/article/news/6002

Police interview alleged Hogan racer, uncover new pre-crash details

By Christopher Rocchio, 08/30/2007

The driver of a silver Dodge Viper eyewitnesses alleged was racing Hogan Knows Best co-star Nick Hogan's Toyota Supra moments before it crashed Sunday evening has been interviewed by Clearwater police, the St. Petersburg Times reported Thursday.

While Clearwater police spokesman Wayne Shelor did not identify the Viper's driver, the Times reported Nick's father -- wrestling star Terrence "Hulk Hogan" Bollea -- was not behind the wheel.

Mr. Bollea was not in the car, was not driving the Viper and had no proximity to the wreck," Shelor said on Wednesday, according to the Times.

The statement was needed due to the fact that Florida state records show the elder Hogan owns three Vipers: a 1994 roadster, a 2003 roadster and a 2006 roadster coupe. Despite being cleared by police as the Viper's potential driver, the Times reported police have not said if the wrestler owns the vehicle involved in the crash. Pinellas County -- the Florida county that includes Clearwater -- has only about 130 registered Viper vehicles (many of them presumably not in silver), according to the Times.

Although police have not publicly identified who was driving the Viper at the time of Nick's crash, Rabih Cheaib -- a local resident who was one of the first eyewitnesses to speak with reporters following the crash -- told the Times he saw the vehicle return to the scene after Nick's Supra crashed. Cheaib told the newspaper that he he recognized the Viper's driver as Danny Jacobs, a nearby Dunedin resident that he knows through friends, but said he did not know if Jacobs was behind the Viper's wheel at the time of the crash. "He was upset," said Cheaib, who told the Times he saw the police interview Jacobs at the crash scene on Sunday. "His head was down most of the time." Police allege Nick was speeding in a Toyota Supra around 7:30PM on Sunday in Clearwater, FL when he lost control and hit a raised median, spinning the vehicle and causing its rear end to strike a palm tree.

While he was released from Bayfront Medical Center on Monday, his front-seat passenger -- 22-year-old U.S. Marine John Graziano -- is currently in a "medically-induced coma," according to the Times. "It's just a matter of time. It's going to take time," Ashley Berry, Graziano's longtime girlfriend, told a crowd of gatherers at a Wednesday night vigil, Tampa Bay's WTVT-TV Fox affiliate reported. "He's progressing little by little, and we just need everyone to keep praying. He is in critical condition. He is in ICU and we just need everyone to pray." "It's been rough. It's been restless," Berry said of her own bedside vigil. "We've had great people delivering food and stuff. I'm not leaving [the hospital], I'm sleeping on the chairs and stuff." Graziano "hasn't been responsive" since the crash, Barbara Cognetti, a Berry family neighbor who organized the vigil, told The Tampa Tribune. Earlier this week, Graziano's grandmother Catherine told the newspaper that her grandson may have suffered brain damage in the crash. Nick and his family have visited Graziano "several times" since his Sunday evening hospitalization, Tampa Bay's WFTF-TV ABC affiliate reported Thursday, however no Hogan family members attended Wednesday evening's vigil. Nick's whereabouts since being discharged from his own hospitalization on Monday are fairly well known, however what he was doing prior to the Sunday evening crash remained a public mystery until Thursday. Gerri Shephard -- manager at Clearwater Beach resort Shephard's -- told the Times that Nick, his father and at least one friend were at the establishment on Sunday between 5PM and 7PM, adding they stayed on a boat outside the tiki bar. In addition, she claimed Nick and a friend attempted to enter the tiki bar but were refused entrance because they lacked proper identification. On Wednesday J. Kevin Hayslett -- a Clearwater criminal defense specialist who also handles driving-under-the-influence cases -- confirmed the Hogan family had retained his services, but he has yet to comment on the ongoing investigation. Nick has received three speeding tickets in the last year, according to Florida state driving records. Last September, he was ticketed for driving 105 MPH in a 70 MPH zone in Collier County; in February, he was cited for driving 57 MPH in a 30 MPH zone in Dade County; and in April, he was ticketed for driving 106 MPH in a 70 MPH zone in Osceola County. According to the Times, Pinellas Park, FL police also cited Nick for a fourth speeding offense on August 10 -- a 82 MPH in a 45 MPH zone violation that, due to its pending court status, does not yet appear on his state record. He's reportedly due to appear in court on September 10 for the Pinellas Park offense, which took place in a construction zone that had workers present. Due to his speeding history, Nick's license had reportedly been restricted to daylight-only driving, according to WTVT, however it was still daylight when Sunday evening's crash occurred. "Let's just say I have a terrible driving record," Nick openly boasted to RIDES Magazine in an interview published in the magazine's September 2007 issue. During the interview -- which centered around the discusion of a nine-car collection that the 17-year-old presented as his own -- Nick also recounted a recent law-enforcement run-in that involved "his" silver Viper. "In my silver Viper, I was driving from Miami to Tampa," he told RIDES.

"I got pulled over going 107 [MPH] and the guy let me off. He's like, 'Hey, I know who you are, just keep going, ya know.' Dude, I got back on the road and two minutes later I get pulled over going 113 [MPH]. Another highway patrol from the same county said, 'I just heard on the radio that my buddy pulled you over and let you go. I'ma let you go this time. It's your second warning. You get pulled over again, you're probably going to go to jail.'" "Three minutes later, [I was] doing 123 [MPH] in a 50 [MPH zone]. The guy is like, 'Hey, I just heard you got pulled over twice in the last 10 minutes. I got to write you a ticket.'" Charges have yet to be filed from the Sunday night crash, the Times reported.

http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/police-interview-alleged-hogan-racer-uncover-new-pre-crash-details-5714.php

Nick Hogan -- My Supra Is "A P***y Magnet"
Posted Aug 30th 2007 11:00AM by TMZ StaffFiled under: Celebrity Justice
.home-page-only {display:none;}
Nick Hogan boasted to a magazine not long ago about how girls' panties "start dropping off" at the mere sight of his yellow Supra -- that is, of course, until it ended up in a hideous heap of metal after he totaled it last weekend, leaving his friend John Graziano in very serious condition.

What's more, in an interview in the upcoming Rides magazine, Hogan brags that he got let off not once, but twice by cops, after going over 100 mph in one of his other cars, a silver Viper, because he's a Hogan, and that he didn't get a ticket on the same trip until he was stopped doing 123 mph in a 50 mph zone. Cops said yesterday that a silver Viper was the other car involved in the accident.Elsewhere, Hogan boasts about "dusting" a Ferrari, "stomping out" a Lamborghini, and even racing his parents and sister in their rides. He also posed for a snap -- with his beloved Supra, which he called "the god of the import tuners."

http://www.tmz.com/2007/08/30/nick-hogan-my-supra-is-a-p-y-magnet/

Hulk Hogan JR Car Crash

2007-08-30T17:57:00.001-04:00

HOGAN'S SON WAS RACING DAY BEFORE CRASH: PICTURES

Hulk Hogan's son, Nick Bollea, 17, drives his yellow Toyota Celica Supra twenty-four hours before crashing and leaving best friend John Graziano, 22, fighting for his life.

Nick races other cars before losing control of his own and wrapping the vehicle around a tree.

Paramedics attempt to pull Nick and John from the wreckage.

The two friends were taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

John Graziano remains in critical condition at Bayfront.

A discharged Nick waits on the health of best friend.

Post Staff Report

August 30, 2007 -- Hulk Hogan's son was street racing the day before he was involved in a horrific crash that left one of his best friends clinging for life, new photos show.

Obtained by Splash News, the pictures taken by a motorist show Nick Bollea racing his yellow Toyota supra in Clearwater, Fla., on Saturday night.
Witnesses have told police that Bollea was racing a Silver Viper when his yellow Supra ploughed into a tree on Sunday evening, leaving his 22-year-old friend, U.S. Marine John J. Graziano, fighting for his life.
Frances Vitalis, a registered nurse from Plant City, saw Bollea's Supra and a silver Dodge Viper revving their engines and racing between traffic signals before the crash.
On Saturday, "He was acting like a jerk, racing the Viper and, at on stage, a Mustang, and probably doing speeds of 80 or 90 mph in an 45 mph limit," the motorist who saw Bollea Saturday night told Splash News.
"They were racing between lights for 10 minutes or more. Speeding off and weaving in and out of traffic. The driving was incredibly irresponsible."
Bollea's father, real name Terry Bollea, is the registered owner of the Viper that is seen in these photographs. But the car was being driven by a youth, aged in his late teens or early 20s, when the photographs were taken on Saturday in Clearwater, Florida.
Clearwater police spokesman Wayne Shelor also declined to comment Wednesday, citing an ongoing investigation. Police so far have said only that excessive speed contributed to the crash.
Shelor issued a statement Wednesday saying Hulk Hogan "was not driving a car beside or near the one his son, Nick, was driving when it crashed." Shelor said Hogan arrived at the scene minutes after the crash.
Bollea appears on VH1's "Hogan Knows Best" with his father, his mother and sister.
Post wire services contributed to this report.

Barney Frank 1980's Wild Man

2007-08-30T00:10:00.000-04:00

BARNEY FRANK:
GOOD POLITICS GONE BADStephen Gobie never did write his tell-all book, Capitol Offenses, but he still has a juicy story to tell. A male gigolo, in 1985 he placed an solicitous ad in Washington, D.C.'s weekly gay paper, the Washington Blade: "Exceptionally good-looking, personable, muscular athlete is available. Hot bottom plus large endowment equals a good time." That was all that U.S. Representative Barney Frank needed to hear. A powerful Democratic representative from Massachusetts and one of the few openly gay politicians at the time, Frank met with the hunky Gobie on April Fools' Day, 1985.
At first their (paid-for) relationship was all sunshine and twittering birds. Gobie and Frank became inseparable friends, with benefits. Gobie joined Frank's team in the Congressional Softball League and, according to him, became "the star player." He attended a bill signing at the White House with Frank and they all but skipped through the Rose Garden.
But a darker underside was about to surface. Gobie lived loose. He had a felony past with convictions for cocaine possession, oral sodomy and "production of obscene items involving a juvenile." Gobie also had a habit of not paying his parking tickets.
Frank did what he could to extricate Gobie from his legal troubles. Using his congressional position, he successfully urged the sheriff to dismiss at least 33 parking tickets for Gobie. He also went on to hire Gobie as his personal aide, housekeeper, and driver. Gobie later explained the job was a "cover" concocted for his probation officers.
Meanwhile, Gobie had settled comfortably into the congressman's Georgetown brownstone. One night while lounging around the home, he was watching The Mayflower Madam on TV, a movie about an upscale madam. That story inspired him to become a pimp. Over the next few months, he ran a prostitution ring from the congressman's home. In 1987, the Washington Post broke the story.
An attempt to expel Frank from the House of Representatives failed on a vote of 390-38, but he was censured with a vote of 408-18. Happily, Frank's political career has survived and he still serves in the House of Representatives. PHIL BUSSE

Riley Martin Upset

2007-08-25T19:22:00.000-04:00

07/17/07

Riley Martin came in to promote his show airing on Tuesday nights at midnight on Howard101. Howard noticed Riley was missing a tooth and speculated that he must've lost it as a result of his drinking. Howard said he thought Riley only sees aliens when he's drunk, and Riley responded that whenever he's drunk, he only sees “half-a-billion-dollar Jews.” Riley then repeated his demand for more compensation and accused Robin of smoking crack in order to lose weight. To Riley's surprise, Howard admitted that Riley deserved a raise.

Howard asked Riley about his jail time, and Riley claimed he did 2 and a half years because someone sneaked onto his property and planted “a couple acres” of marijuana. Dominic Barbara called in to say that Riley was also once found with enough marijuana to get all of Newark high. Riley said he was driving to the police precinct to turn in the pot, because he'd found 611lbs of it “planted” in his truck, but he'd ran out of gas and tried to sell a little of it for gas money.
A VICTIM OF “WHITE PEOPLE OF JEWISH EXTRACTION”
Riley said he never claimed to be the pope and declared he'd been screwed by “white people of Jewish extraction.” Wood-Yi called up to offer Riley a bucket of chicken for a handjob, but Riley asked if Wood-Yi would throw in fries as well. George wondered if Riley had ever thought of parlaying his knowledge into a job at NASA, but Riley responded that he didn't like George W. Bush, leading George (Takei) to speculate that Riley had a “victim mentality” instead of a “do-er mentality.”

Howard welcomed Riley's son, Victor Love, into the studio, and asked him if he'd seen aliens. Victor said he has not been abducted by aliens, but has seen their “ships.” Howard asked why Victor's last name was different than his father’s, and Riley answered that “name changes are sometimes necessary when you're on the run from the Feds.” Victor said he was a former military man, “book author”, and masseuse, revealing that he recently gave a massage to Andrew Dice Clay at the health club he works at in Georgia.

Howard asked Victor if a client had ever asked for a handjob, and Riley became upset, telling Howard to return to “the gutter from which you came.” Howard then brought in Eron, the co-host of Riley's show. Eron admitted that he had the hardest sidekick gig on Howard's channels, and reported that he even has to fetch beers for Riley during their show. Nino, Riley's manager, also came in to say that the sales of Riley Martin-brand “piss jars” have exceeded his expectations.

http://www.howardstern.com/rundown.hs?d=1184644800

(The following below is from the 08/22/07 show.)

WATERPIG, MEET SUCKALUFFAGUS
Howard started the show by playing some clips of Riley Martin complaining about his salary yet again. In one of the clips, Riley called Tim Sabean a “waterpig” and said Mel Karmazin was purposefully withholding his check. Riley also claimed that Howard, “the golden Jew suckaluffagus,” was trying to aggravate him. Howard said they did send Riley a check, but an error in the space-time continuum sent it back to 1954.

http://www.howardstern.com/rundown.hs?month=August&day=22&year=2007&x=69&y=11

Ducks' Offerman suspended after assault charges

2007-08-16T22:19:00.000-04:00

Ducks' Offerman suspended after assault charges

BY MARSHALL LUBIN marshall.lubin@newsday.com
8:58 PM EDT, August 15, 2007
Article Tools
E-mail Share this
Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Furl Google Reddit Spurl Yahoo Print Single page view Reprints Reader feedback text size: Jose Offerman has been suspended indefinitely by the Atlantic League after a wild bat-swinging incident Tuesday night in Bridgeport, Conn. The Long Island Ducks infielder was arrested after charging the mound and injuring two players with his bat in the second inning of the Ducks' 13-12 win.

Offerman had homered on the game's first pitch. He came to bat in the second inning and after a first-pitch strike, he was hit on the left calf by left-hander Matt Beech. Bat in hand, after initially taking a couple steps toward first base, he charged the mound, taking three swings at Beech and also hitting catcher John Nathans in the back of the head during his backswing. According to Bridgeport police, Beech broke the middle finger of his right hand and Nathans suffered a concussion. Offerman, Beech and Bluefish manager Tommy John were ejected after order was restored. Nathans remained in the game but upon returning to the dugout at the end of the inning, he passed out.

Police arrested Offerman in the visiting clubhouse, allowing him to dress before taking him from the stadium in handcuffs. He was charged with two counts of assault in the second degree and posted $10,000 bond. He will be arraigned Aug. 23. According to Connecticut assistant state's attorney Mark Durso, second-degree assault carries a maximum sentence of up to five years per charge.
Beech said the entire episode shocked him since he had faced Offerman many times before in the Atlantic League and Dominican Republic without incident.

"I had absolutely no intent to hit Jose Offerman," Beech said. "As soon as he got hit, he raised the bat over his head and ran toward me. He didn't say anything, just came running at me. My only thought was to get out of the way and try not to get hit with the bat. I've never been more surprised in my life."

While the initial concern was for Beech, Nathans turned out to be the more serious victim. Bluefish officials expect Nathans to miss the remainder of the season, while Beech expects to make his next start, pending the investigation.

"Everyone was fearful for Matt Beech because apparently something set Offerman off, because he's played a long time and nobody could believe what they were seeing," said Bluefish pitcher Mike Porzio. "Unfortunately, though, he got out to the mound before we could. Luckily for Matt Beech, he was agile enough to dodge a bat. But it may have only been John Nathans taking one on the backswing in the head to have saved Matt Beech from really taking one in the face."

The ultimate issue is the bat. Had Offerman charged the mound without a bat, the entire incident most likely would not have been the focus of the media and there wouldn't have been news conferences held in Central Islip and Bridgeport.

"This type of thing happens but you don't go toward the mound with a bat," said Frank Boulton, the Ducks' principal owner and chief executive of the league. "It was not unprovoked but in no way do the Long Island Ducks condone Jose Offerman's actions."

John said that a pitcher intentionally hitting a batter is part of the game but doubted that was the case here.

"If you're going to hit somebody, you're not going to hit him on the calf," John said on ESPN's "First Take." "If you're incensed and think the pitcher's throwing at you, you drop the bat."

Torii Hunter, who played with Offerman on the Minnesota Twins and has remained friends with him, was shocked. "There's demons in everybody," Hunter said.

It is unclear how police arrested Offerman immediately after the incident. Boulton wasn't sure who signed the complaint, while John said that Beech and Nathans filed charges. Bluefish chief executive Mary-Jan Foster immediately called for Offerman's ban from the league. Atlantic League executive director Joe Klein is in Bridgeport speaking with the umpires and all parties involved. At an afternoon news conference, he said he hadn't spoken with Offerman but expected to by day's end.

"The unwritten rule is like hockey, you drop the gloves," Klein said. "This is with the bat and we have to find the trigger that caused it to happen."

More articles

Copyright © 2007, Newsday Inc.

Al Gore III Update...GLOBAL SPEEDING PRIUS

2007-08-16T21:41:00.000-04:00

Published: July 31, 2007 06:57 am

Al Gore’s 24-year-old son pleads guilty to drug possession

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (AP) — Al Gore’s son pleaded guilty Monday to possessing marijuana and other drugs, but a judge said the plea could be withdrawn and the charges dropped if he successfully completes a drug diversion program.

Authorities have said they found drugs in Al Gore III’s car after the 24-year-old was pulled over July 4 for going 100 mph in his Toyota Prius.

He pleaded guilty to two felony counts of drug possession, two misdemeanor counts of drug possession without a prescription, and one misdemeanor count of marijuana possession, the district attorney’s office said.

Jaime Coulter, senior deputy district attorney, said Gore’s sentencing will be continued until Feb. 7. If he has complied with all the conditions of the diversion program, the sentencing will be continued again for another year, with charges possibly being dropped in 2009.

“At that point, he will be able to withdraw his guilty plea as if he never entered it,” Coulter said.

Gore has been at a live-in treatment center since his arrest, said Allan Stokke, his attorney.

“He’s actually doing more than what other people do as far as treatment goes,” Stokke said. “He’s got great family support.”

Gore’s parents did not attend the hearing at the request of their son, but they were in California to support him, Stokke said. The family had no comment, said Kalee Kreider, a spokeswoman.

Gore was treated the same as other defendants with no prior convictions for drug charges and no criminal record, according to a defense attorney not involved in the case.

“It passes the sniff test,” said lawyer Rosanne Faul, who specializes in DUI and drug cases. “As far as first-time offenders and drug diversion, it doesn’t sound like he’s getting special treatment.”

Deputies who pulled over Gore said they discovered less than an ounce of marijuana and a variety of medications, including Xanax, Valium, Vicodin and Adderall. Authorities said he did not have a prescription for any of those medications. Gore also was charged with a traffic infraction for speeding.

The son of the former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee was previously arrested for marijuana possession in Maryland in 2003, when he was a student at Harvard University. Gore completed substance abuse counseling to settle those charges.

He now lives in Los Angeles and is an associate publisher of GOOD, a magazine aimed at young people that is about philanthropy.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. — Al Gore's son was charged Friday with possessing marijuana and other drugs that authorities say were discovered in his car after he was pulled over this month for speeding.

Al Gore III, 24, is free on $20,000 bail and scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 1 in Superior Court in Laguna Niguel.

He faces two felony counts of drug possession, two misdemeanor counts of drug possession without a prescription and one misdemeanor count of marijuana possession, the district attorney's office said in a statement. Gore also was charged with a traffic infraction for allegedly driving faster than 100 miles per hour.

Prosecutors said he could be sentenced to a maximum of three years and eight months in prison if convicted on all counts, though he might be eligible for a drug treatment program instead of prison.

Kalee Kreider, a spokeswoman for Gore's parents, said the family had no comment. The charges stem from July 4, when Orange County sheriff's deputies say they pulled Gore over for speeding.

Gore was allegedly driving a 2006 blue Toyota Prius at about 100 mph. Upon searching the car, deputies say they discovered less than an ounce of marijuana and a variety of medications — including Xanax, Valium, Vicodin and Adderall. Authorities said Gore did not have a prescription for any of those medications.

The son of the former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee was previously arrested for marijuana possession in Maryland in 2003, when he was a student at Harvard University. Gore completed substance abuse counseling to settle those charges.

Gore is the youngest of Tipper and Al Gore's four children. He now lives in Los Angeles and is an associate publisher of GOOD, a magazine about philanthropy and aimed at young people.

Will ‘Three Strikes’ Law Earn Gore III a Life Sentence?
July 4th, 2007 · 8 Comments
UPDATE: Fox News is reporting today that Al Gore III faces up to three years in prison if convicted on felony drug-possession charges and lesser offenses related to the July 4 traffic stop described in the post below. According to People.com, he was found to be in possession of 140 Vicodin pills, among other items, at the time of his most-recent arrest.

***

According to news reports, Al Gore III (below right) was arrested in San Diego this morning on charges of driving under the influence after being clocked at 100 miles per hour in his Toyota Prius hybrid. In addition to the DUI charge, the 24-year-old son of the former vice president faces charges related to possession of marijuana as well as several medications — including Xanax, Valium and Vicodin – without prescriptions.

Today’s arrest of Gore III marks his third such encounter with law enforcement in recent years and prompts this blogger to speculate as to whether or not California’s “Three Strikes and You’re Out” Law, approved by Golden State voters in 1994, will earn him a life sentence in prison.

What I lack now are details as to whether Gore III’s previous two arrests resulted in felony convictions. If they did, and if today’s arrest results in a felony conviction(s), Al Gore Jr. might be forced to run for president — and win — in 2008 in order to be able to grant his law-breaking offspring a presidential pardon.

Please let this blogger know if you have details of Gore III’s previous convictions — in particular, whether or not they were recorded as misdemeanors or felonies.

Stay tuned!

Al Gore's son arrested, with pot, after doing 100 mph in a Prius
Posted Jul 4th 2007 8:38PM by Sebastian Blanco
Filed under: Etc., Hybrid

Guess the Tesla Roadster isn't the only green car that breaks the speed limit. Al Gore III, the son of Mr. Inconvenient Truth, was arrested this morning at 2 in the morning for having marijuana, as well as the medications including Xanax, Vicodin and Adderall without a prescription. The reason police found these drugs on him: they stopped him after he was going 100 mph in a blue Prius. This isn't the first time Gore the third has been in trouble with the law for drugs and illegal driving. The Independent reminds us that he was charged with marijuana possession in 2003 after being caught driving without headlights. He plea bargained that one away. The Daily News points out he was charged with reckless driving 94 back in 2000.

We would have been much more impressed had he been doing 100 mpG in a Prius, not mpH.

Al Gore's son charged with pot possession
Sunday, December 21, 2003 Posted: 12:57 PM EST (1757 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The son of former Vice President Al Gore was arrested Friday night on a marijuana possession charge after police stopped the car he was driving for not having its headlights on, according to a news release from the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Police Services.

Albert Gore III, 21, was behind the wheel of a Cadillac driving in downtown Bethesda at 11:30 p.m. EST Friday when it was spotted by a unit with the Montgomery County Police Holiday Task Force, the statement said.

After he pulled the car over, Officer Robert Cassels noticed all of its windows and the sunroof were opened despite the freezing temperature, and he "smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside the car," the statement said.

A search of the car found "a partial marijuana cigarette" and "a cardboard cigarette box with a baggie containing suspected marijuana," the police statement said.

In addition to Gore, police charged two male passengers in the car with a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana. The three were released from jail, pending trial.

Gore, a Harvard University student, has had previous brushes with the law. He was ticketed for reckless driving by North Carolina police in August 2000 when he was clocked going 94 mph. Military police arrested him for drunk driving near a military base in Virginia in September 2002.

Al Gore Jr Global Speeding

2007-08-15T22:14:00.000-04:00

Gore Jr Driving his Prius Hot Rod and getting HIGH

Al Gore Jr on drugs charges

Latest related coverage
VIDEO US: Al Gore's son arrested
..articleExtras-wrap-->
The 24-year-old son of former vice President Al Gore has been arrested for drug possession after being stopped for speeding in his hybrid Toyota Prius.

Al Gore III - whose father is a leading advocate of policies to fight global warming -- was driving his environmentally friendly car at about 160 km/h on a freeway south of Los Angeles when he was pulled over by an Orange County sheriff's deputy about 2.15am today.

The deputy smelled marijuana and searched the car, said sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino.

The search turned up a small amount of marijuana, along with prescription drugs including Valium, Xanax, Vicodin, Adderall and Soma. There were no prescriptions found, he said.

Gore was arrested on suspicion of drug possession and booked into the Inmate Reception Centre in Santa Ana, about 55 km south of Los Angeles, on $US20,000 ($A23,500) bail.

Although he quickly identified himself as the son of the former vice president, Amormino said Gore received no special privileges.

Gore made bail and was released at 2pm, Amormino said. He will receive notice of a court date within 30 days.

The youngest child and only son of the former vice president, Gore has had previous brushes with the law. He was arrested in 2003 for marijuana possession and in 2002 for suspected drunken-driving.

In 1989, aged six, Gore almost died when he was hit by a car, and required extensive surgery and physical therapy.

A spokesman for the elder Gore said he was travelling and could not immediately be reached for comment.

The one-time presidential candidate is one of the organisers of the Live Earth concerts taking place around the world on July 7. The concerts are designed to raise awareness of global warming.

Reuters

****(PLEASE NOTE)**** The above story is the same old story from a few months ago! At the time of this post,Gore Jr has not had an encore.....not that I am aware of anyways. (If he has,pls let me know & I will post something.....or you can defenitely also copy & paste any new stories as a comment to this posting.)

SLED arrests former deputy

2007-08-15T20:32:00.000-04:00

SLED arrests former deputy
By Noah Haglund (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Accused of using unnecessary force

The State Law Enforcement Division arrested a former Charleston County deputy Tuesday on charges that he kicked a handcuffed suspect and delivered knee strikes to the head of a mentally ill man during separate incidents in June, warrants state.

Christopher M. Lanoue, 24, of Charleston, was charged with two counts of official misconduct.

The Sheriff's Office fired Lanoue on June 26 shortly after allegations of misconduct arose, sheriff's spokesman Maj. John Clark said.

An internal investigation led the agency to refer the matter to SLED, said Clark, who declined to discuss some details of the firing, calling it a personnel matter.

Deputy Sheriff Lanoue patrolled the western area of the county that includes West Ashley, James Island and Johns Island, Clark said. He joined the agency about three years ago.

One arrest warrant affidavit accuses the deputy of using excessive force by twice kicking a driver involved in a high-speed chase that ended on Sam Rittenberg Boulevard at Orleans Road around 1 a.m. June 21. The driver clearly was restrained in handcuffs, the document states. A VHS recording from a deputy's patrol vehicle captured the incident.

Another affidavit accuses Lanoue of delivering several unnecessary "knee strikes to the head and face area of a mentally ill person" around 8:30 p.m. the same day on Honeyhill Road.

The affidavit does not identify either person Lanoue encountered. Lanoue left the Charleston County jail Tuesday on $20,000 bond, court documents show.

Reach Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or nhaglund@postandcourier.com.

Free Adult pics Online for Adults

2007-08-09T02:53:00.001-04:00

Ok,well I guess everyone knows how to do this by now.....but mabey not!
I meen ,I by no meens am a computer whiz.....rather when I bring this up to
soemone they are usually like "Oh,wow,really?".
Ok here is a very basic technique for finding thiose free pics.

Ya go to say any of these search engines......any will do....
I have listed a few for example purposes only. I defenitely recomend
Google or Yahoo...but some others may work better for certain types of pics.
I only say some may work better for certain pics....because I have not tried to
look for every type of sex pic there is......but overall
Google and Yahoo will work 99.9% of the time/and I would bet on
100% of the time if ya wanna be technical.

A few suggestions:

http://www.google.com

http://www.yahoo.com

http://www.webcrawler.com

http://www.altavista.com

http://www.ask.com

Ok,so ya go to whatever search engine ya dig....then before ya search.....
make SURE that your search prefernces are set to
"Do Not Filter Search Results".

Once you have that set...you select images as what you are searching for
(this is done by clicking once on Images,which for example is towards
the top of the page next to things like News,Web,etc.).

***NOTE*** You may or may not be able to apply this to video,news
etc,etc,etc. I am only saying this works very well for Images as that
is the only type of search I have used extensively for Adult Content.

Ok,then put in whatever kinda pics ya wanna see!

Like some examples are:

Sluts
Threesomes
Transexual
Bisexual
Milf
Milf Hunter

.....and so on!

The key is to describe what you want as accurately as possible...using
as few words as possible. There's no special number of words to use,just
try not to use words that are not relevant to the pics you seek.
Just type in whatever...have fun. You may not get the right
search phrase the 1st time.....so do not give up. Play
with it a little and you will get it,its not hard at all!

Why the fuck did I have to type all this shit then?

Again most people have just not thought of this.....
just pointing out a cool way to enjoy the internet!:

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fire It UP

2007-08-09T02:45:00.000-04:00

Cigarette that is. Yes I am smoking again,but fuck it ya know?

I meen ,also with this Blog no one is reading anyways.....at least
not commenting on / I have thusfar posted well posts that where just
basic news shit.
Now I am not going to delete the posts I have made thusfar.
Nor am I saying this is the start of a new fucking direction
for my Blog.
Rather.....I dunno I can have some fun with this shit. Mabey like
post an article then Blog on that so ya know the subject matter.
I am not going to tell ya about every little thing aBOUT ME
either.....which what can I say anyways?
I meen,like my day from morning to night,bla,bla,bla.
Nope.
Hmmm,now the post I will make right after this one though.....
you can defenitely use.....or just pass it on.
I just tell you how to find dirty pics online for free. If all you want is pics,you do not have to join a website. Now it may take some time online....yes.....
but free pics are cool.
Read my next post for further info.

Bonds hits 755th HR, ties Aaron's record

2007-08-05T10:34:00.000-04:00

SAN DIEGO (AP) - With a short swing, a half stare and an emphatic clap of his hands, Barry Bonds rounded the bases. After so many days and so many tries, he had finally caught Hammerin' Hank.

FOX Bite
Videos

Bonds reflects on 755
Barry Bonds talks about tying Hank Aaron and hitting career home run 755.

"The hard part is over right now," Bonds said.
High above the field in a private box, baseball commissioner Bud Selig was a reluctant witness to history. Choosing to overlook the steroid allegations that have dogged the San Francisco slugger, Selig watched Bonds tie Hank Aaron's home run record — his mouth agape, hands stuffed in pockets and nary a cheer on his lips.

No. 755 was a strong shot for all the doubters, an opposite-field drive of 382 feet to left-center, moving Bonds within one swing of having baseball's pinnacle of power all to himself. It came on a 2-1, 91 mph fastball Saturday night.

"This is the hardest thing I've had to do in my entire career," he said. "I had rashes on my head, I felt like I was getting sick at times."

And it was a long time coming.

It had been eight days and 28 plate appearances since Bonds hit his 754th home run, and he came out for early batting practice Saturday, hoping to break his slump. He did it quickly, leading off the second inning.

Also...

VIDEO: Watch historic homer

PHOTOS: Bonds hits No. 755

"No matter what anybody thinks of the controversy surrounding this event, Mr. Bonds' achievement is noteworthy and remarkable," Selig said in a statement.

Selig said either he or a representative would attend the Giants' next few games "out of respect for the tradition of the game, the magnitude of the record and the fact that all citizens in this country are innocent until proven guilty."

Bonds said he hadn't spoken to Selig, but welcomed him anytime.

Aaron was not in attendance. The Hall of Famer had previously said he would not follow the chase in person.

"We as baseball players, especially as African-American ballplayers, have so much respect for Hank Aaron and all our fellow African-American athletes as well. They have paved the road for what we're doing now," Bonds said.

Bonds drew a mixed reaction from the crowd at Petco Park after he homered off Clay Hensley. Several fans held up asterisk signs and the San Francisco slugger was booed as he headed to left field at the end of the inning.

"I want to thank the fans. They have been outstanding," Bonds said. "It's been a fun ride. I really appreciate the way San Diego handled it and the way their fans handled it."

Bonds walked his next three times up and left the game in the eighth for a pinch-runner. He raised his helmet with his left hand, then his right, and drew a standing ovation from many fans who chanted his name.

The Padres won 3-2 in 12 innings.

MLB Roundup

Saturday's action:

Bonds slugs No. 755, ties Aaron...

...but Padres win in 12

A-Rod joins 500-homer club

Brewers rally past Phils

D-backs extend NL West lead

Big Hurt hits 504th, 505th HRs

Cubs rough up Maine, Mets

Twins bullpen shuts down Indians

Blanton, A's beat Angels

Dice-K, BoSox beat M's

Kazmir wins again for D-Rays

Zimmerman, Nats crush Cards

Wild pitches help Marlins prevail

Hudson rights Braves' ship again

ChiSox smack slumping Tigers

Dunn's HR in 10th beats Bucs

Full MLB scoreboard
More MLB:

Kriegel: Please Barry, end this
Finn: Let Santana bidding begin
Power rankings: Cubs moving up
Rosenthal: Win-win situation
Photo gallery:

Bonds hits No. 755

Bonds said he would not start Sunday, which would give him a chance to break the record at home beginning Monday night.

Bonds hit the tying homer off a former Giants draft pick who was suspended in 2005 for violating baseball's minor league steroids policy.

"I don't think we're here to discuss those matters," Bonds said.

Earlier in the day, Alex Rodriguez hit his 500th home run and spoke with Selig, who reportedly has not spoken with Bonds in several years.

Bonds had been closely monitoring A-Rod's quest in the past week — like Bonds, Rodriguez took advantage of his first opportunity of the game, connecting at Yankee Stadium.

Both Bonds and Rodriguez gave their batting helmets to the Hall of Fame.

Bonds' milestone shot clunked off an advertising sign on the facade and fell into the navy blue bleachers below — right under the main scoreboard featuring a giant photo of the smiling slugger.

A fan sitting in that area threw back a ball onto the field, but that was not the historic one. Instead, the prized souvenir wound up in the hands of 33-year-old Adam Hughes of La Jolla, and he was whisked to a secure area so the specially marked ball could be authenticated.

Bonds walked a half-dozen steps after connecting, clapped his hands and rounded the bases with no hint of a smile.

After Bonds crossed the plate, he lifted his batboy son, Nikolai, and carried him several steps in an embrace.

The 43-year-old star got a hug from teammate Ryan Klesko, and Bonds slowly walked through a greeting line of other Giants. Moments later, he walked over to the field-level seats and kissed 8-year-old daughter Aisha and wife, Liz, through the screen.

Bonds then lifted his cap before going to the far end of the dugout and hugging Sue Burns, the wife of late Giants ownership partner Harmon Burns.

The home run came at 7:29 p.m. PDT as much of the country was getting ready to head to bed. By the time Bonds did postgame interviews, most fans surely were asleep.

Only two other major league games were being played when Bonds connected. The news was met with scattered boos at Dodger Stadium and Seattle.

"It's nice to see Barry get it over with. Now, let's see how many more he hits," Boston star David Ortiz said.

Mariners hitting instructor Jeff Pentland coached Bonds at Arizona State.

"I think he is probably the best hitter since Babe Ruth, but that's my opinion. I think the things he's done, the records he's broken. He's stood out amongst the players of today and been way above them, head and shoulders above them for his career," he said.

The godson of Willie Mays and the son of an All-Star outfielder, Bonds seemed destined for greatness from the start. Funny thing, his speed drew a lot more attention than his strength when he broke into the majors as a lanky leadoff hitter.

Even when Bonds became a threat to Aaron's record, many fans thought age would slow him down. Instead, his power numbers surged — as did speculation about steroid use.

Bonds steadfastly denied that he knowingly used performance-enhancing drugs and let the allegations bounce off him, the same way fastballs deflected off his bulky body armor.

Choking up an inch or so on his favorite maple bats, No. 25 became the No. 1 target for boobirds outside the Bay Area. He has remained beloved back home through all of the off-field issues, refusals to sign autographs and his own surly behavior.

Bonds was constantly shadowed by doubts rather than showered in affection the way Mark McGwire was nearly a decade ago.

The whole baseball world — the whole country, really — joined the celebration when McGwire broke Roger Maris' season home run record in 1998. After Big Mac launched No. 62, he pointed to heaven, hoisted his son and hugged Sammy Sosa.

Yet that story did not have a happy ending. Disgraced by a poor performance in front of a congressional panel looking into steroids, McGwire basically became a recluse and didn't come close in his first bid to make the Hall of Fame.

Bonds broke McGwire's mark of 70, hitting 73 homers in 2001. Ever since, he's been on a path toward Aaron, a journey that hasn't been full of joy. Bonds has been hobbled by bad knees and bickered with Giants management, and his chase was hardly backed by Selig.

The commissioner is a close friend of Aaron's, who began and ended his career in Selig's native Milwaukee.

A lot of fans, in fact, are already rooting for the day when Bonds' record falls. While Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr. and Frank Thomas are next up among active players, Rodriguez is considered the most likely successor. The Yankees star just turned 32 and is well ahead of Bonds' pace at the same age.

That said, Bonds' quest was the main reason Giants owner Peter Magowan brought Bonds back for a 15th season in San Francisco, signing the slugger to a $15.8 million, one-year contract right before spring training

Even with Bonds at 755, there is bound to be a split among many fans over who is the real home run champ.

There will be some who always consider Babe Ruth as the best — those old films of him wearing a crown will last forever. Others will give that honor to Aaron, as much for his slugging as his quiet dignity in breaking Ruth's record in 1974.

While steroids tinged Bonds' chase, race was the predominant issue when Aaron took aim at Ruth's mark of 714.

Aaron dealt with hate mail and death threats from racist fans who thought a black man was not worthy of breaking the record set by a white hero, the beloved Babe. Bonds, too, has said he deals with racial issues and that threats have been made on his life at times.

Plumber and San Diego Padres fan catches Barry Bonds' record-tying home run ball

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A self-proclaimed San Diego Padres fan scooped up Barry Bonds' record-tying home run ball by standing behind the scrum of fans diving for a piece of history.

"I'm pretty ecstatic," said Adam Hughes, a 33-year-old plumber from suburban La Jolla. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Did he ever.

Bonds hit No. 755 Saturday, tying him with Hank Aaron as baseball's most prolific home run hitter. He sent a fastball from Kansas City's Clay Hensley the opposite way into the lower left-field seats at Petco Park to lead off the second inning.

"I was kind of rooting for it," Hughes said. "As Barry Bonds said, records are made to be broken. It was quite an accomplishment."

The ball clanged off an advertising sign attached to the upper deck and fell into the seats below.
"I saw it hit above me and came down on the ground," a still dazed Hughes said. "I was at the back of the pile. I pretty much jumped up and said, 'I got it!"'

The ball traveled an estimated 382 feet (118 meters) in the direction of Hughes, who was in the front row with his cousin Justin Marquardt. They got the tickets through Hughes' mother, who bought them from a friend.

The specially marked ball was immediately authenticated by major league officials.

Bonds and Hughes didn't speak when they crossed paths at a post-game news conference.

"He's probably anxious to go out and celebrate with his family," Hughes said.

And Hughes' plans?

"Just go home and lay awake for hours thinking, 'Why me? How did I get so lucky?"'

Liberals And The War

2007-08-04T18:59:00.000-04:00

Date:
Aug 1, 2007 6:29 PM
Subject:
Not Even a Contest - Liberals and The War in Iraq
Body:
Not Even a Contest - Liberals and The War in IraqI’m a soldier; haven’t been in uniform in forty years but the six years of active duty I did serve and the ensuing thirty-plus years I’ve spent working with the U.S. military, instilled in me certain qualities and beliefs that have grown and persisted within me all these decades and provide me with the basis for my stance on the war on terror. I may now be only an armchair warrior, but I’m still a soldier. As such, I understand the value of a rapid counterattack when your enemy has struck and badly hurt you. I say this as a brief, prefatory explanation of why I believe the Bush Administration has done the right thing in carrying the war on terror into the heart of terrorism itself. Yes, I know there are legions of liberals, so blinded by their certainty that the Supreme Court cheated Al Gore out of the presidency that they actually profess to believe that there were no ties between Al Qaeda and Iraq. To them I would say consider this: Syria had ties to Al Qaeda; Jordan had ties to Al Qaeda; Egypt had ties to Al Qaeda; Yemen had ties to Al Qaeda; Somalia had ties to Al Qaeda; Saudi Arabia had ties to Al Qaeda; the various Gulf monarchies had ties to Al Qaeda; Iran had ties to Al Qaeda; Pakistan had ties to Al Qaeda; Indonesia, the Philippines, North Korea and several of the former Soviet satellites under Muslim rule had ties to Al Qaeda.But not Iraq.That’s right, according to Democrat politicians and the liberal Left in America and Europe, only one country in the Middle East, Iraq, a country under the iron-fisted control of an absolute dictator who had reason to hate the American government far more bitterly than any of the leaders of the above nations, and yep, sitting smack dab in the middle of all these other terrorist harboring countries, only America-hating Iraq, was lily white clean according to liberal Democrats when it came to affiliation with Al Qaeda.Excuse me folks, but Old Sarge’s bullshit detector is going off like a Geiger counter at ground zero in Chernobyl.Now, of all the countries listed above, one of you Democrats, real quick, tell me which of them is absolutely known to have used weapons of mass destruction against a foreign enemy and dissident elements within its own borders. Hmmm, only one? Really? Only Iraq? Imagine that…chemical weapons used in conjunction with modern weapons delivery systems against Iranian forces and rebellious Kurds? Trust me folks, Old Sarge’s specialty in the Army was chemical, biological and radiological warfare and he knows quite well that the use of lethal, disabling and disfiguring gases in bombs, rockets and artillery warheads constitutes the use of weapons of mass destruction under the rules of land warfare. Never mind that Saddam Hussein blew the world a huge raspberry as he was gassing his enemies without and within. Nah…this guy didn’t have any weapons of mass destruction. Ask any Bush-hating Democrat.So, contrary to all these liberals, whose only chance of seeing the light is when some proctologist’s probing proctoscope finally manages to locate their deeply-embedded eyes, this old grunt sees the value in hitting our enemies smack-dab in the middle of the threat; and that central target, folks, in this war on terror, just happened to be Iraq. And yes, Iraq has become a killing field, but far more so for radical Jihadists than for America and her allies. Potential bombers of Western cities flock like flies to the flypaper of a martyr’s death, not in New York or London, but on the killing field we have created for them. Remember one thing very well, Senators Reid, Durbin and Schumer: every single jihadist who dies in Iraq will never have the opportunity to die in one of our cities taking hundreds if not thousands of your potential voters with him.And for all you armchair, liberal strategists who continue to throw up that canard that our military efforts should be entirely focused on capturing or killing the Al Qaeda leadership, Osama bin Laden and Zayman Al Zawahiri, in Afghanistan and Pakistan; may I inquire as to where you obtained your advanced degrees in military science? Madam Chair, would perhaps that have been at Berkeley’s famed War College? We know Congressman Murtha obtained his multiple military degrees from a rural Pennsylvania diploma mill, established and funded entirely by earmarks in federal legislation, but that’s a topic for another essay.So, a simple question: did George Washington seek to capture King George? Did Abraham Lincoln focus all his military strategies on the capture or elimination of Jefferson Davis? In WWI, if we were hell-bent on capturing the Kaiser, why did we spend so many months in the hellish, intransigence of those trenches? Why on earth did MacArthur spend all that time and those American boys’ lives to move systematically up the Pacific archipelago in WWII if all we had to do was focus on capturing Emperor Hirohito? Would modern-day Democrat strategists label Eisenhower a fool and a loser for moving indirectly through Africa, Italy and the soft underbelly of Europe, Southern France, when all he had to do was attack Berlin directly and put Hitler in chains?The truth is, all you Democrat military geniuses, is that none of those enemy leaders was captured until the fighting was over and the respective war was won; truth is, most of them never suffered any ill effects other than the ignominy of losing. Hell, if we did capture Osama, you liberal turkeys would be clamoring for the Bush administration to give him a fair and speedy trial, afforded all the rights of a U.S. citizen, and the ACLU would be appealing his conviction long beyond his natural death.So what does this show America about its Democrat leadership? Well, it shows this old combat infantryman that you liberal wienies don’t know jack about fighting wars. It’s a far cry from forging voters’ registration certificates, stuffing ballot boxes and buying minority votes to standing solid under fire and defeating a lethal enemy on the battlefield. But since so very few of you have ever even worn the uniform, much less served in combat, you wouldn’t have any way of knowing that would you, ladies? I’ll make a wager right now: the average, enlisted, American military volunteer has more courage, integrity and patriotism than the U.S. congressman who supposedly represents him.Hell, forget the bet; that’s not even a contest.Russ Vaughn2d Bn, 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment101st Airborne DivisionVietnam 65-66Submitted 7-29-07

Boba Fett Costume

2007-08-04T18:30:00.000-04:00

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com

The above web address is to that of a website that
that is a collection of formus that tell you how to make
a Boba Fett or Jango Fett Costume.
There are also lots of other links on the website!
Enjoy!

Sal The Stockbroker

2007-08-04T17:37:00.000-04:00

The Smoking Gun usually takes aim at bigger fish than Salvatore Governale, but the Howard Stern Show regular is such a pompous, colossal ass that he merits our special attention. Known on-air as "Sal the Stockbroker," the 29-year-old Governale delights in ridiculing and harassing Stern producer Gary "Bababooey" Dell'Abate via a barrage of prank phone calls and parody songs. And while Dell'Abate doesn't need us defending him, well, we just can't help ourselves.
So, Sal, this is your life:

*Before he became the odious "Sal the Stockbroker," Governale was "Sal the Sandwich Maker" and "Sal the Paperboy." Those are just a couple of the amusing entries on Governale's resume, according to documents he has filed with the National Association of Security Dealers. Because Sal works for a brokerage firm (Millennium Security Co., 150 E. 58th Street, NYC), NASD regulations require him to disclose his prior employment history (10 years' worth). Click here for Governale's sorry resume, so that you can marvel at: Sal's stellar education (Suffolk County Community College); his work as a waiter (Houlihan's in Smithtown and Gilbert & Robinson in Lake Grove); his paperboy position with the Daily News; and his stint making subs (J&J Heros in West Islip).

But we are interested in three of his more recent gigs, all of which surely involved Sal's highly refined telephone talents:

*According to the NASD records, Governale worked for almost four years (January 1990 to October 1993) at American Interconnect, a notorious Long Island telemarketing firm. He claims that his employment there ended on October 1, 1993. A month later, in November 1993, American Interconnect's offices were raided by federal agents as part of a large telephone fraud investigation. As this search warrant excerpt shows, criminal probers charged that American Interconnect ran a fraudulent "boiler room" operation where employees solicited donations by falsely claiming they were DEA agents and police officers.

Governale was not charged in the probe, which led to the criminal conviction of American Interconnect's six top officials (the scam's two ringleaders were found guilty at trial in late-1998, according to New York federal court records). We'd wager that Sal was still working at American Interconnect when the feds kicked in the door. But that wouldn't look so hot on his resume. And we're sure Sal claims that he had no idea that the firm was engaged in such rampant criminality--all of which involved duplicitous telephone tactics.

*Not long after Sal left American Interconnect, he landed at Investors Associates, Inc., a sleazy stock brokerage. The now-defunct firm was charged with improper sales practices by several states (Florida and New York to name a few) and was sanctioned by the NASD. We're sure Sal had no idea what was going on at Investors Associates. And he would never have used the kind of deceptive telephone script described in this December 1998 Harper's Magazine story. Poor Sal must have been an innocent bystander as telephone scams flourished around him--again.

*Governale then landed at Duke & Co., a New York brokerage firm that--amazingly!!--was also involved in a wide variety of questionable business practices, including high-pressure telephone sales. Some guys just have the worst luck. After fining a Duke principal $5 million in 1997, the NASD last year suspended the brokerage company.

*Sure, that's a tawdry employment trail. But here's something even more troubling: Sal turns 30 on October 8th and remains a proud member of the Kiss Army (we're not sure if he wears makeup to shows). Click here or here for some pathetic Governale prose on two Kiss performances. But if you want some real douche chills, check out this bizarre game Sally Boy invented.

*Finally, Governale is running a side business selling rock video bootlegs on eBay, the online auction site. Sal, that shit is illegal! Frankly, we think Kiss and Beastie Boys would be mighty pissed were they to find out. Click here to check out Sal's eBay offerings (his handle is salstkbkr@aol.com).

Eric The Midget

2007-08-04T17:18:00.000-04:00

Eric the Midget
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This article is about the Wack Pack member. For the poker player, see Eric Lynch.
Eric Lynch

Born: March 11, 1975 (1975-03-11) (age 32)
Rodeo, California
Occupation: Actor, Radio personality
Website: myspace.com/erictheactorlynch
Eric Lynch (born March 11, 1975), better known as Eric the Midget Or Eric the Idol Expert, is a frequent caller of The Howard Stern Show. He is a popular, albeit reluctant, member of The Wack Pack. Lynch's small lungs often prevent him from completing a sentence or speaking long words without pausing to take a breath. Lynch suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disease of the connective tissue and states that he has outlived every doctor's life expectancy.[1] Lynch is 3 ft 5 in (1.04 m) tall and weighs 85 lb (39 kg). He uses a motorized wheelchair to get around.[2] A self-styled "expert" on American Idol, Lynch is known for his fandom of the show, specifically winners Kelly Clarkson, and Carrie Underwood, as well as runner-ups Diana DeGarmo and Katharine McPhee. Lynch has repeatedly asked Howard Stern to use his influence to get him dates with Clarkson or Underwood, despite the fact that Stern has only a limited relationship with the show and its cast.

Stern did however once help Lynch land a guest starring role on one of his favorite television shows, American Dreams. Lynch was prodded on the Stern Show for expressing only limited gratitude for the favor at first. Because of the guest role, Lynch is known, by his own request, as "Eric the Actor," although he is rarely referred to as such. This is because he finds the word "midget" offensive to a "little person", equating it to referring to an African American as a "nigger".[3] He was also for a brief time jokingly referred to as "Eric the Astronaut," because he is as much of an astronaut as he is an actor. Lynch has countered this nickname with "Eric the Idol Expert".

In 2007, Lynch was listed at #3 on Something Awful's Big Ten List of Little People, finishing ahead of such notable little persons as Verne Troyer and Jason Acuña.[4]

Contents [hide]
1 Pre-Stern show and Initial appearances
2 Memorable Stern Show moments
2.1 His own Sirius show and subsequent feud
2.2 Lynch's inches, Wackipedia, and Katherine McPhee
2.3 Balloon stunt
2.4 Eric leaving the Stern Show
3 Footnotes and References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Pre-Stern show and Initial appearances
Lynch was born and raised in Rodeo, California, where he went to school with future Green Day members Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt. Lynch attended high school at John Swett High School, graduating in 1994.[5] While in his late 20's, Lynch moved to his own apartment in Sacramento, California with a roommate named Jan. Lynch initially called in on September 19, 2002 to discuss American Idol[2]. Lynch had called to respond to Stern's statements that Kelly Clarkson[6] was not overly attractive[2]. Stern initially talked to Lynch with mild enthusiasm, but after an extended discussion regarding Lynch's unique voice and speaking style Lynch revealed that he was 3 ft 5 in (1.04 m) tall, which piqued Stern's interest and led to further discussion[2].

[edit] Memorable Stern Show moments

[edit] His own Sirius show and subsequent feud
After many back and forth negotiations, Lynch performed a tryout American Idol recap show on Sirius. The show aired on March 8, 2006 and featured Brian Dunkleman, a former co-host of American Idol as a guest. Dunkleman usurped control from Lynch early in the show and began acting as the show's host. Some highlights of the show included Richard Christy calling in and asking, "How big is your midget cock?", and a phony Leslie Moonves congratulating Lynch on a great show. Afterwards, Lynch expressed that he felt "set up" due to the quantity of negative calls put through to his show and blamed segment producer Will Murray for this and vowed to never call in to the Stern Show again. Stern and his fans were skeptical, however, because Lynch's final message was "Bye for no-GOODBYE".

On April 6, 2006 Howard Stern noted that Lynch had been sending emails to the show discussing American Idol, but Stern wouldn't read them on the air due to Lynch's self-imposed ban. Lynch was interviewed by the Howard 100 News during the Stern Show's April 2006 vacation and stated that he would only return to the show if Will Murray is fired.[7]

Lynch called in to the Stern Show on May 10, 2006 to make a plea to be included on the show without being called a "midget", having his voice made fun of, or being associated with the Wack Pack. Lynch no longer demanded that Murray be fired, as Murray had since apologized to him. Lynch also asked to be a West Coast correspondent for Howard 100 News. Stern deduced that the real reason for the call was to get tickets to the American Idol finale and teased Lynch by suggesting that Gary the Retard should cover the event instead, as he is a real "Wack Packer".[8]

In May 2006, Lynch began calling the show with increasing frequency, despite none of his demands being met. It was during this time that Lynch coined his trademark sign off of "Bye for now", which is greeted with chuckles from the Stern staff at the end of each phone call. During that same period, Lynch called the show to turn down an offer from adult film star Tabitha Stevens to have sex with her.[9][10]

[edit] Lynch's inches, Wackipedia, and Katherine McPhee
On May 22, 2006, Lynch called the Stern Show and measured his penis in exchange for American Idol contestant Katharine McPhee's phone number. Lynch claimed to measure at just over five inches, and was given McPhee's phone number off air. Lynch was also insulted by "Derek the Midget" voiced by Howard 100 News Staffer Shuli, as well as a frequently played bit by Sal and Richard featuring a fanciful sexual encounter between Lynch and Tabitha Stevens.[11]

McPhee reportedly hates the Stern show now because Lynch had called her too many times, according to Howard Stern, who told Lynch this news during the January 31, 2007, show. (Lynch claimed he only called her three times.)[citation needed]

As a result, McPhee refused to record a message for either the Stern show or Lynch when she visited Sirius headquarters on January 30, 2007, according to Howard 100 News.

On June 5, 2006, Lynch called the Stern Show and complained that his parents had read about him measuring his penis on Wikipedia (which he called "Wackipedia") in the article on The Wack Pack. Stern read a paragraph of the article, regarding penis measuring, verbatim on the air. Also, Stern Show producer Gary Dell'Abate commented on the air he and the Stern Show staff enjoy the picture of Lynch in the article. Flustered, Lynch refused to perform any strange tasks to meet Katharine McPhee, including urinating or defecating in a diaper, inserting a ruler or a Sirius satellite receiver into his rectum, submitting to a proctological exam, wearing Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf's old bunny outfit, being vomited on by Richard Christy, being flushed down a toilet, being sent in the mail or holding seven-hundred and fifty helium balloons to see if he would fly (via cluster ballooning).[12]

An individual flying via cluster ballooning. Photo by omnibus
[edit] Balloon stunt
On June 6, 2006, Lynch agreed to sit in a lawn chair while he was lifted up by balloons.[13] Stern told Lynch that either he attach the balloons to his body (not a chair) or he would not be able to meet Katharine McPhee.[14] Stern then noted that perhaps Lynch would be hit by lightning, which could result in the merging of Lynch and the balloon, creating a new superhero, Balloon! [15]

On the next day, Lynch backed out due to new bits being played about him which he found insulting, including a song parody, "Fly Me with Balloons" (to the tune of "Fly Me to the Moon", sung by Sal The Stockbroker with a digital "midget" voice effect) and a prank phone call using recordings of Lynch's voice to a balloon shop. When Stern said one of the bits was great, Lynch responded, "That was not great you big-nosed retard!"[16]

Lynch has continued to call in and be put on the air regularly since his feud fizzled out in May 2006. On June 7, 2006, Stern commented that Lynch might be the "King of the Wack Pack".[17]

On June 7, 2006, Howard Stern played a voice mail message on the air indicating that Lynch is "at war" (see His own Sirius show and subsequent feud above) with Stern yet again, due to the constant mockery he had endured on the air recently. Lynch threatened to call Katharine McPhee to warn her not to do the Stern Show. Stern expressed his belief that Lynch will be back and will perform the balloon stunt.[18]

After not calling in for perhaps a handful of days during one of his feuds, Lynch began calling several shows on Howard 100 and Howard 101. In the week beginning with June 18, 2006, Lynch called The Intern Show, Superfan Roundtable and The Friday Show in addition to the Stern Show. He had expressed concern over whether the Little People of America would accept him if he was to perform the "balloon stunt" or a similar stunt. On June 26, 2006 Lynch called the Stern Show, angered by Stern's calm assurance that Lynch would perform the stunt.[19][20]

On May 14, 2007, when Jimmy Kimmel was a guest on the Stern show, he told Eric he could get him in to the American Idol finale, if Eric would do the balloon stunt on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Eric agreed to the deal, but some of the Stern show cast seemed skeptical, and didn't trust him.[21] The following Tuesday it was announced Eric had emailed Jimmy Kimmel Live saying he was unable to follow through with this promise because his handler could not get off work. It was speculated he was afraid to fly with balloons and caused many to want Eric banned from the show, and even from listening to Sirius by canceling his subscription.

[edit] Eric leaving the Stern Show
On June 26, 2007, Eric wrote a letter to Howard Stern detailing reasons why he will never call into the show again. His main topic of offense was Howard's "mockery" of the Chris Benoit murder-suicide. Eric took this as highly offensive and vowed never to ever call the Howard Stern Show again. In reaction to this, Howard then banned Eric forever from calling in to either of Howard's Sirius channels. In a myspace blog entry Eric vowed to continue to stay in the public eye by posting blogs to myspace and videos on Youtube.com instead of calling in to the show.

On July 2nd, 2007 Howard 100 news reporter Shuli revealed that Lynch broke his promise to refrain from calling the show and contacted the news department in regards to a photograph of him posted on Shuli's Myspace account. Lynch was outraged at that fact that the picture was made public (and his picture on Wikipedia) and that Stern Fan Network members were manipulating it using Adobe Photoshop.

[edit] Footnotes and References
^ http://www.howardstern.com/rundown.hs?d=1140757200
^ a b c d Mercer, Mark. "Goofing On Rosie O'Donnell And Eric The Midget. 9/19/02. 7:55am", Howard Stern Show News Archives, Mark's Friggin, 2002-09-20. Retrieved on 2007-04-12.
^ This has also led to Artie Lange of the Stern Show to refer to Lynch as "Eric the Freakishly small actor", which Lynch considered equally offensive.
^ Zack Parsons (2007-03-19). The Big Ten List of Little People. SomethingAwful.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-22.
^ In high school Lynch also garnered the nickname of Speed Racer from his speeding through the hallways in his electric wheelchair.[citation needed]
^ Clarkson was a contestant on the current season of American Idol
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-04-06). The Rundown. HowardStern.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-05-10). The Rundown. HowardStern.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-05-17). The Rundown. HowardStern.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Daily Highlights/News Archives For the week of 05/15/2006 to 05/19/2006 (2006-12-18 18:57:45). Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-05-22). The Rundown. HowardStern.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-06-05). The Rundown. HowardStern.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Stern mentions the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson as inspiring the idea, although it may also be inspired by lawnchair Larry
^ This has led to Lynch being called balloon boy on numerous occasions.
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-06-06). The Rundown. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-06-07). The Rundown. HowardStern.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-06-07). The Rundown. HowardStern.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Mark Mercer (2006-06-07). Eric the Midget Angry Again. MarksFriggin.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-22.
^ Kaplan, Jason; Thomas Panasci (2006-06-26). Staying Put on the Ground. HowardStern.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
^ Mark Mercer (2006-06-26). Eric the Midget Calls in, Hangs up on "Stern". MarksFriggin.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-22.
^ http://www.marksfriggin.com/news.htm#mon

[edit] See also
The Howard Stern Show
The Wack Pack

[edit] External links
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Eric the MidgetEric Lynch at the Internet Movie Database
Eric Lynch at MySpace
Eric's first ever call to the Howard Stern Show
Eric Flies With Balloons Cartoon
The Howard Stern Show
Staff Howard Stern • Robin Quivers • Artie Lange • Fred Norris • Gary Dell'Abate • Benjy Bronk • Richard Christy • Sal the Stockbroker • Scott Salem • George Takei
Former staff Billy West • Jackie Martling • Stuttering John • K. C. Armstrong • A. J. Benza
The Wack Pack Beetlejuice • Captain Janks • Daniel Carver • Eric the Midget • Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf • Nicole Bass • Riley Martin • More...
Howard Channels Bubba the Love Sponge Show • Scott Ferrall • The Wrap-Up Show • Howard 100 News • Superfan Roundtable • More...
See Also Fartman • NYRE • Show Celebrity Guests • Show Games and Bits • Private Parts (book) • Private Parts (1997 film) • Sirius Satellite Radio • Sirius Canada • Supertwink

. Eric the Midget 41 up, 9 down

Eric Lynch (born March 11, 1975), better known as Eric the Midget, is a frequent caller of the Howard Stern Radio Show and a reluctant member of "The Wack Pack."

Eric suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disease of the connective tissue. He says that he has outlived every doctor's predictions. He is 3' 5" tall and weighs 85 pounds and uses a motorized wheelchair to get around.

http://allaboutmidgets.typepad.com/news_photos_and_gossip_th/2007/03/index.html

http://briandunkleman.com/

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Eric_the_Midget

NO FLYING, NO FOOTBALL

Eric the Midget called in to ask if he could participate in the show’s football pool, but Howard told him they had already decided to have Elegant Elliot Offen do that. When Eric asked what prompted the decision, Howard informed him it was because he didn’t agree to fly with balloons in the studio. Although Eric insisted flying wouldn’t have been good for his body, Howard responded that, after seeing what happened to the stars of “Jackass: Number Two,” he didn’t think Eric would suffer merely from having balloons attached to his body.

When Howard pointed out that David Letterman was able to fly Paul Newman using balloons on “Late Show” earlier in the summer, Eric told him that Paul was flown while sitting in a chair, which he felt made the stunt different. Upon hearing that, Robin told Eric she didn’t want to see him fly in his wheelchair, so the deal was off the table.

MAJOR BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN MINNEAPOLIS

2007-08-01T22:02:00.000-04:00

Minneapolis bridge collapses during rush hour
Estimated 50 vehicles involved; at least 1 drowns in river; 28 reported hurt

MINNEAPOLIS - A busy highway bridge that spans the Mississippi River just northeast of Minneapolis collapsed during rush hour Wednesday, sending a school bus, other vehicles and tons of concrete crashing into the water.
The entire span of the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed about 6:05 p.m. A tractor-trailer caught fire, and flame and black smoke billowed into the sky.
An estimated 50 vehicles plunged into the water and onto the land below, the Star Tribune reported.

At least one person drowned, and at least 28 people reportedly were injured.
Six of those hurt were children, said officials from the Hennepin County Medical Center. Six individuals being treated were in critical condition, Dr. Joseph Clinton said.
A Twin Cities radio station reported that a body covered with a blue sheet was taken from the scene of the collapse. It was not known if these two victims were the same person.
NBC News reported that every Minneapolis ambulance had been requested to the scene.
A freight train was passing under the bridge when it collapsed and was cut in two, WCCO television reported.
A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security said there is no reason to think that terrorism was involved in the collapse, NBC News' Pete Williams reported.
"We continue to monitor the situation. At this time, there's no indication of a nexus to terrorism," department spokesman Russ Knocke said in Washington.
School bus involvedA burning truck and a school bus clung to one slanted slab after the collapse. The school bus reportedly had just crossed the bridge before the bridge crumpled into pieces, and local broadcast reports indicated the children, none of whom were injured, exited out the back door of the bus.
Local television stations captured video of injured people being carried up the riverbank. Divers were also in the water.
Some people were stranded on parts of the bridge that aren't completely in the water.
A nursing supervisor at Hennepin County Medical Center interviewed by local WCCO radio said, "We have multiple patients. Some critical, some non-critical.”
Click for related content

Police set up floodlights to continue their rescue work into the night.
911 caller reactsWorkers have been repairing the 40-year-old bridge's surface all summer along that stretch of the interstate, StarTribune.com reported. The arched bridge rises about 64 feet above the river.

One 911 caller said she could see the construction workers using a jackhammers when the bridge collapsed close to her car.
"She saw it and she said she just gunned it and just made it out of there," Tashia Brown, a 911 operator, told the StarTribune.com.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation told local media that 200,000 cars a day use the bridge.
'It shook the ground'Ritha Boyle, 22, who said she lives about 200 yards from the bridge, witnessed the collapse.
"At first I just heard a big bang and I thought it was thunderstorms," Boyle told MSNBC.com. "Then I looked outside I noticed there was dust coming up from the bridge, and then I saw it go down and hit a train. I saw some cars trying to hit their brakes and stuff like that, and a whole bunch of cars went down."
Ramon Houge of St. Paul was on his way home from work at Wells Fargo and was driving on the bridge when heard a rumbling noise, saw the ground collapse and cars go down, StarTribune.com reported.

MSNBC
“It didn’t seem like it was real,” he said. Traffic was bumper to bumper and hundreds of people would have been involved, he told the Star Tribune, adding that he saw kids on a bus with blood on their faces.
Baseball events postponed Sarah Fahnhorst, who lives in an apartment a block away from the bridge, heard a huge thud and then “the entire building shook. It shook the ground,” she told the Star Tribune.
StarTribune.com reported that many vehicles were trying to get to the 7:10 p.m. CT Twins game at the nearby Metrodome. Wednesday's game was continuing.
The team postponed Thursday night's game against the Kansas City Royals in response to the incident.
The Minnesota Ballpark Authority also postponed a groundbreaking ceremony for a new stadium that was scheduled for Thursday evening.
MSNBC.com, NBC News, The Star Tribune, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Nike more about money than morals

2007-07-30T22:27:00.000-04:00

Nike more about money than morals

Nike more about money than morals

Editor's note: Hours after Mark Kriegel's column was written and posted, Nike announced that it was suspending the release of its Air Zoom Vick V shoe.
When asked for comment on Michael Vick's indictment as the alleged owner and impresario of a merciless dogfighting operation, Nike e-mailed the Associated Press a statement, saying that it is "reviewing the information."

In other words, Nike said nothing, did nothing. In cases like these, this is what the sneaker giant usually does. So don't be surprised. Be disappointed.
Even the NFL, which paid proper homage to due process, came out with a statement saying that the league was "disappointed that Michael Vick has put himself in a position where a federal grand jury has returned an indictment against him ... The activities alleged are cruel, degrading and illegal ..."
The Falcons, for their part, acknowledged that the organization was "disturbed by the news."
Feeling the pressure?
Nike appears to have felt some heat on the Michael Vick issue. And as a result, the company has decided to suspend the release of its Air Zoom Vick V shoe this summer.
But with the launch of the Zoom Vick V — which your kids can buy for a mere $100 — a month away, Nike is studying the situation. All of a sudden, the company that made cool a corporate art form sounds like the Pentagon. Did you really expect different?
It's not about the dogs.
It's about the shoes.
Actually, this being Nike, it's also about image. And whether Nike wants to realize it or not, Vick's has been irreparably harmed.
Not so long ago, Michael Vick was projected as the ballplayer for his time, a star whose gifts were ideally suited for the digital age. In the post-Jordan era, he played the hot position in the hot sport. There had never been a quarterback like Vick, who just may be the best athlete ever to take a snap.
One doesn't need to be a great athlete to be a great quarterback, of course. But in this age of computer-generated special effects, he had that most precious commodity: the capacity to thrill. So, after only three pro seasons, with his completion percentage at a mere 52 percent, Vick earned simulated gridiron's highest honor. His likeness was featured on the cover of Madden NFL 2004.

Michael Vick indicted
News:
Co-defendant: Vick paid for fights
NAACP urges public restraint
Mora not sure how to feel
Upper Deck pulls Vick cards
Nike suspends Vick contract
Vick pleads not guilty to charges
Activists, fans swarm courthouse
NASCAR driver wants Vick in jail
Blank wanted to suspend Vick
Goodell tells Vick to skip camp
Vick to face no-nonsense judge
Vick indicted on dog fight charges
Read the indictment (.pdf)
Analysis:
Becker: More legal trouble ahead?
Kriegel: Goodell changing the rules
Czar: Vick should take year off
Kriegel: Just blew it
Video:
Vick's radio interview
Lastest on Vick's legal troubles
Will NFL sack Vick?
Vick might have taken to calling himself Superman, but Nike — whose imprimatur remains the gold standard among athletic endorsements — knew even better. Nike called him money. You may recall one of the most spectacularly produced commercials — The Michael Vick Experience — in which a young fan is strapped into a ride through which he sees, feels and hears the game through the quarterback's perspective, finally and miraculously somersaulting into the end zone.
Now Michael Vick's experience — real, not simulated — will include arraignment, a possible perpwalk, perhaps even jail time. I'm not saying Vick will do time, just that there's a chance. The case against him seems stronger than say, the sexual assault case against another Nike endorser, Kobe Bryant. That was his word against hers in a state court. And when the alleged victim backed off, the case collapsed.
This is a federal case. The feds would not go digging around Vick's property at 1915 Moonlight Road, Smithfield, Va., to make a case against Larry, Moe and Curley. Image means a lot to them, too. The feds want a star quarterback. And they wouldn't have brought the indictment if they didn't think the case against him was a very good bet.
It's a conspiracy case, though. They're generally much easier to charge than to prove. The indictment speaks of three informants. They will not be good guys; they will be vulnerable on the stand — the cruelest, most vicious dog being infinitely more sympathetic than a rat.
Still, the fact is, there is no way for Vick to win here. Even if he wins in court, the damage will be severe. A bar fight, a substance abuse problem, all of that can be dealt with. But in the public's mind, dogfighting is somewhere between wife-beating and the ultimate sin, point-shaving.

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It's bad enough that Vick's career completion percentage remains at 53.8 percent, and that he finished last season out of the playoffs with the league's 20th best quarterback rating. But cruelty to dogs? That's not going to fly. That's an irredeemable sin in a country where Marley and Me has been a bestseller for the last nine-and-a-half years.
The indictment says Vick bet large sums on dogs, and that he had losers killed — electrocuted, shot, drowned, smashed against the ground. He may have even killed some himself.
More than a month ago, Vick told an Atlanta TV station: "Everywhere I go, all around the world, people still support Mike Vick. So regardless of what I go through people gonna love me."
That's the Michael Vick Experience right there, as out of touch as his biggest corporate sponsor.

South Carolina Sex Offenders

2007-07-30T17:56:00.001-04:00

The overwelming majority of sex offenders in South Carolina are Child Molesters.You can check to see if there are any convicted child molesters near you inyour South Carolina neighborhood!Just please go this web address below.*****(One side note,I was having some problems with the Bold Type,which is why I typed some things in Bold and some are not. Everything on this page is equally important,the Bold Type does not indicate higher importance. Thanks.)*****http://services.sled.sc.gov/sor/I found the above link by going to Google & I used "South Carolina Sex Offenders" as mysearch text.Here are some more links for you!(Please do keep in mind that while most of the websites serve the same purpose.....they may or may not function in the same way...........as most of the websites here are not directly associated with one another.)

North Carolina:http://ncfindoffender.com/

Georgia:http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbisor/disclaim.html

Sex Offenders Search:http://www.ancestorhunt.com/sex_offenders_search.htm

Predator Search:http://www.sexualpredators.com/spc/

Sex Offender:http://www.sexoffender.com/

(1996,from then President) Clinton Calls For National Sex Offnder Registry:http://edition.cnn.com/US/9606/22/clinton.radio/

Parents For Megan's Law:http://www.parentsformeganslaw.com/html/links.lasso

MA Sex Offender Registry Board:http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsagencylanding&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Public+Safety+Agencies&L2=Sex+Offender+Registry+Board+(SORB)&sid=Eeops

ABOUT.COM Crime & Punishment:http://crime.about.com/b/a/187731.htm

Canadian Sex Offender Registry:http://www.ps-sp.gc.ca/prg/cor/tls/soir-en.asp

Maine Sex Offender Registry:http://sor.informe.org/sor/

VA State Police:http://www.vsp.state.va.us/

WV State Police Sex Offender
Registry:http://www.wvstatepolice.com/sexoff/websearchform.cfm

NJ Sex Offender Registry:http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/info/reg_sexoffend.html

Vermont Sex Offender Registry:http://170.222.137.2:8080/sor/

North Dakota:http://www.sexoffender.nd.gov/

South Dakota:http://www.sor.sd.gov/disclaimer.asp?page=search&nav=2

Hawaii:http://hawaii.gov/ag/hcjdc/main/sex_off_info/

Arizona:https://az.gov/webapp/offender/main.do

evada:http://www.nvsexoffenders.gov/

New Mexico:http://www.nmsexoffender.dps.state.nm.us/

Washignton:http://ml.waspc.org/

regon:http://sexoffenders.oregon.gov/

Texas:http://www.ci.dallas.tx.us/dpd/sexoffendersrequest.htm https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/DPS_WEB/Portal/index.aspx

Alaska:http://www.dps.state.ak.us/sorweb/Sorweb.aspx

Arkansas:http://www.acic.org/Registration/index.htm

California:http://www.meganslaw.ca.gov/

Rhode Island:http://www.criminalwatch.com/states/ri.asp

ALL STATES:http://www.sexoffender.com/state.html
Again,all of this info was obtained from google. If you prefer a search engine other than google,you can also find this & other similiar information on the search engines I have listed for you below.Thank You!You.

http://www.webcrawler.com/

http://www.ask.com/

http://www.yahoo.com/

http://www.altavista.com/

http://www.looksmart.com/

http://www.excite.com/

Konstantinos

2007-07-29T20:53:00.001-04:00

Konstantinos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Konstantinos is the author of six spiritual and occultist books, all published by Llewellyn Worldwide. He has been practicing occultist and paranormal research for over fifteen years. He is a highly recognized expert in the occult and media world, he has been a guest on various shows and documentaries and other than his books he has written numerous articles over the years.
His books are:
1. Nocturnicon: Calling Dark Forces and Powers
2. Gothic Grimoire: The companion to Nocturnal Witchcraft
3. Nocturnal Witchcraft: Magick After Dark
4. Vampires: The Occult Truth
5. Summoning Spirits: The Art of Magical Evocation
6. Speak with the Dead: Seven Methods for Spirit Communication
You can find his books and contact information on his website: http://www.konstantinos.com/about.htm

Bad Newz Kennels

2007-07-26T23:22:00.000-04:00

The Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation began in April 2007 with a search of property in Surry County, Virginia owned by Michael Vick, and discovery of evidence of the operations of dog fighting. On July 2, 2007, agents of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) filed court documents describing a 5 year operation of an interstate dog fighting ring which called itself "Bad Newz Kennels", and had been based at Vick's property. The "Bad Newz" name is a local nickname for Newport News, Vick's hometown [1].
Vick, along with three others, were indicted by a federal grand jury on July 17 for "conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting venture".[2] [3] The 18 page federal indictment [4] outlines an extensive operation which included not only unlawful fighting, but violence against dogs which did not perform well including executions by electrocution, hanging, and shooting, and well as involving tens of thousands of dollars in gambling activity. The four face $350,000 in fines and six years in prison if convicted of the federal charges. The operation was allegedly based at Vick's 15-acre property near Smithfield, Virginia, valued at over $700,000, which could conceivably be forfeited to the government, as the indictment also puts them on notice that the government intends to take possession of property used in the illegal operations and any proceeds.
Possible additional state charges are still under investigation. Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter and Sheriff Harold D. Brown said they are continuing to cooperate with federal authorities and that they were taken aback by the level of detail in the federal indictments issued on July 17, especially mention of dogs allegedly being executed by hanging, drowning and electrocution. Brown stated on July 24 that he felt certain state indictments would be returned by the Surry County grand jury during its September session.
In the early 21st century, police and animal control law enforcement task forces of primarily local and state authorities have been formed in many parts of the country to combat dog fighting in the United States, a highly illegal and controversial criminal activity. Not only objectionable to animal rights interests, it has been linked to many other crimes and social problems. Even within a normally brutal activity, the extreme violence alleged to have been perpetrated directly by Vick himself and his codefendents in the Bad Newz Kennels case has drawn extensive negative publicity and expressions of public outrage.
On July 23, after days of public statements, protests, and demands for suspension of Vick from NFL play pending the resolution of the pending criminal charges, including a request by U.S. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, (the 2004 Democratic Party's presidential nominee), NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Vick and ordered him not to report to the Falcons training camp.[5] Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback: "While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy." [6]
During the furor arising around the Bad Newz Kennels investigation and prosecutions, even such diverse notables as hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and the Reverend Al Sharpton joined with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals {PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in calling for strong stands against animal cruelty, jointly stating:
"Today, we sound a clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Dogfighting is unacceptable. Hurting animals for human pleasure or gain is despicable. Cruelty is just plain wrong." [7]
On July 26, detention hearings and arraignments were held for the four defendents. After receiving "Not Guilty" pleas, a November 26 trial date was set for all four. USA Today reported that Vick was released without bond, but among the pre-trial conditions imposed on Vick was that he surrender any dog breeding or kennel licenses he may have. All defendants were required to be under active supervision of the court, surrender their passports, and stay away from dogs, guns, and each other. Peace, Phillips and Taylor must undergo random drug tests, but not Vick, as he has no prior convictions. Two of Vick's co-defendants were also required to submit to electronic monitoring via ankle bracelets. [8] [9]
Contents[hide]
1 Initial searches
2 Vick's response
3 Business associates in kennel business at Surry County property
4 Local investigation, April 25 search challenged by cousin
5 Federal investigation assisted by state police revealed
6 New federal dog fighting laws, recent investigations elsewhere also
7 Federal court filings and additional search
8 Status of investigations
8.1 Federal, indictments
8.2 Local (State)
9 Timeline
10 See also
11 References
//

[edit] Initial searches
Beginning on April 25, 2007, a large house and surrounding 15-acre property Michael Vick owned in rural Surry County, Virginia where his 26-year old cousin Davon T. Boddie had been residing became part of a continuing police investigation for possible operation of an illegal dog fighting ring. The action came after police executing a search warrant following two narcotics arrests of Boddie within a week in the Virginia Peninsula cities of Newport News and Hampton (each about 20 miles away from the Surry County property) earlier in April. Boddie had given the address of Vick's property in Surry County as his home address when arrested. Earlier, in February 2007, Boddie was convicted in the City of Norfolk of disorderly conduct. At that time, he was carrying a Georgia driver's license giving his address as house in Duluth, Georgia which was once owned by Vick. [10]
According to ESPN, during the April 25 narcotics-related search of Vick's home and property at 1915 Moonlight Drive in the southeastern portion of Surry County, police discovered a large number of animals, and evidence which they felt indicated dog fighting.[11] They called animal-control officers, who saw what they said was evidence that dogfights had taken place there. Police obtained another search warrant[12], and, with the help of animal control officials from several localities, removed 66 dogs, 55 of them pit bulls, and seized equipment and some physical evidence that could be associated with dog fighting.[11] WAVY-TV reported that detectives also seized guns, illegal ammunition magazines, suspected marijuana and paperwork on dog fighting.[13]

[edit] Vick's response
In late April, Vick told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution "I'm never at the house...I left the house with my family...They just haven't been doing the right thing... It's unfortunate I have to take the heat behind it. If I'm not there, I don't know whats going on"[13]

[edit] Business associates in kennel business at Surry County property
In the following several months, various media sources revealed that Vick has close ties and business relationships with three other men who are apparently not his relatives, but were involved with the Surry County property and/or his activities with pit bulls prior to April 25. Tony Taylor, Quanis L. Phillips, and Charles W. Reamon, Jr. Both Taylor and Phillips have had drug-related brushes with the law; Reamon has had multiple firearms incidents.
A business named "Vicks' K9 Kennels" apparently operated from the Vick property. The web site said it bred pit bulls but "was not involved with dogfighting." That website, no longer active, was linked to MV7 LLC, a company affiliated with Vick (7 is Vick's uniform number with the Falcons). [14]
Tony Taylor was listed as the registered agent for MV7 LLC when it organized in June 2002 at the Moonlight Road address.[15] ESPN reported that the Treasurer of Surry County had issued a license which was valid in April for a kennel and for the breeding of dogs on Vick's property to Tony Taylor. Taylor was arrested in Newport News on a cocaine possession charge in 1996; it was dismissed after he completed a substance-abuse program and following one year of good behavior.[14] In 2000, a City of Suffolk judge issued bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear on charges of reckless driving and driving on suspended license. In 2004, a veterinary clinic in Smithfield obtained a $145.50 civil judgment against Taylor in Isle of Wight County General District Court.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution identified Phillips, who played football with Vick in high school in Newport News, as one of Vick's employees with MV7 LLC.[16] On the now-defunct website, Phillips was listed as the person to contact about purchasing dogs. His criminal background includes a 1997 arrest for possession of stolen property and a guilty plea in 1999 to misdemeanor possession with intent to distribute marijuana. In October 2000, he was convicted in Newport News of violating drug control act, sentenced to one month in jail and fined, and also convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to five days in jail. In May 2001, he was convicted in Newport News of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and fined.[17][10]
The third man, Charles W. ("C.J.") Reamon, Jr., is the nephew of Vick's former high school coach, Tommy Reamon. It was reported that in January 2006 he paid the $50 fee to renew the Moonlight Road kennel license which is listed in Taylor's name with Surry County. Reamon's uncle, Tommy Reamon, who coached Vick during his high school football career in Newport News, described his nephew as "a good boy who works for Vick." Coach Reamon has recently accused the news media of "trying to destroy" Vick, which Newport News Daily Press columnist David Teel described as a "tired, transparent and bogus claim." [18]
"C.J." Reamon has three convictions related to illegal firearms or airport security, including being caught for lying about his criminal record when he was employed in security work at Norfolk International Airport (discovered during a "sting" investigation), and an incident in August 2006 when he was caught carrying a loaded .357 SIG Glock into the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport terminal. In February 2007, "C.J." Reamon and Vick were together when Vick was charged with a minor fishing boat sticker violation in Norfolk's Western Branch Reservoir by a Virginia game warden.[14]
ESPN reported that, very shortly after the initial raid in late April, Vick "threw Taylor off the Surry property" and listed it with real estate agents for sale. The 15-acre property includes a large brick house painted white, a small swimming pool, and a basketball court. Four outbuildings painted black are located in the woods. It was reported by the local news media as under a sales contract for approximately 50% of its assessed value with a day or so of listing. However, according to published reports, as of July 6 no transfer papers had been filed with the county clerk where deeds are recorded. [19] [20]

[edit] Local investigation, April 25 search challenged by cousin
During the subsequent weeks, Surry County Sheriff Harold D. Brown and Commonwealth's Attorney (local prosecutor) Gerald G. Poindexter, repeatedly responded to media inquiries with assurances that they were proceeding carefully with the investigation and any prosecutions and that any one "whoever they are" who evidence indicates had acted unlawfully will be charged. According to the Code of Virginia (3.1-796.124), illegal activities relating to dog fighting (or supporting it) are felony offenses under Virginia laws.[21] Other Virginia criminal statutes also prohibit gambling, which has also been alleged against Vick by a ESPN source who claimed to have seen Vick bet as much as $40,000 on the outcome of a single dog fight. On May 31, when asked by a news reporter for WAVY-TV whether there was evidence that placed Vick at dog fights, Poindexter replied "Yes". [22]
On June 7, Boddie, who had recently moved from Surry County to Newport News, conducted interviews with news reporters from local television stations and the Newport News Daily Press newspaper in front of the nightclub in Hampton where one of his arrests had taken place. He alleged a conspiracy by authorities dating from 2001, claiming the amount of marijuana he admits having on April 20 was not justification for the search warrant of his Surry County residence, an opinion local prosecutors from several different jurisdictions took strong exception to, according to the Daily Press on June 8. Boddie accused authorities of being dishonest regarding the quantity of drugs he had and whether he was in possession of a firearm when arrested on April 20, claiming that the authorities will do anything to make "him and his peeps [people] look bad."

[edit] Federal investigation assisted by state police revealed
Following weeks of increasing reports in the news media of Vick’s involvement and new evidence and witnesses reportedly coming forward to authorities, according to USA Today, on June 7, federal authorities, assisted by the Virginia State Police, revealed their own investigation, and began an additional search of the property. Surry County Commonwealth's Attorney Poindexter told USA Today that an official of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of the Inspector General notifying him by telephone about 3 PM EDT on June 7 also advised him that the local authorities were free to continue their own ongoing investigation. News media reports on WAVY-TV at 11 PM that evening placed Poindexter at the Vick home and property, apparently observing the search. Federal authorities, assisted by Virginia State Police, conducted an additional search on July 6, as reported by multiple news media sources. Federal and state police officials had not issued any public statements as of that time.

[edit] New federal dog fighting laws, recent investigations elsewhere also
Main article: Dog fighting in the United States
A story in the New York Daily News published on June 10 stated "dog fighting is a multi-million-dollar industry that is part of an underground subculture that holds its events in secret locations. It is extremely difficult for authorities to prove who has dogs for fighting purposes." Regarding dog fighting, which is unlawful in the United States, according to an attorney for the Humane Society, if convicted under the Virginia laws, Vick could face up to five years in prison and a fine of $2,500 on each count. In June, a circuit court judge in Richmond, Virginia imposed a four-year prison sentence and $20,000 in fines on a convicted dog fighter in an unrelated case. [23] The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, a new federal law, was enacted by the U.S. Congress earlier in 2007 and signed by President George W. Bush on May 3, making organizing a dog fight a felony. Using the provisions of the new law, which took effect immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is pursuing similar cases elsewhere with considerable support from humane societies and local police departments. The law provides a penalty of up to three years of jail time and up to a $250,000 fine for each offense of interstate or foreign transport of animals for fighting purposes. [24] [25]
In March 2007, a combined federal, state and local law enforcement team disrupted a large dog fighting network in Dayton, Ohio which was operating in Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan. That investigation had lasted a year. More than two dozen arrests were made and more than 60 dogs were seized. In May, 7 persons in Ohio submitted guilty pleas to state charges. Sentencing was pending at the time of a USDA news release in June 2007. [26] [27]

[edit] Federal court filings and additional search
Documents filed in federal court in Richmond on July 2 and obtained by the Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act outline an extensive multi-state dog fighting enterprise named "Bad Newz Kennels" which was allegedly operating from the Vick property since at least 2002. For the events, participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas and other states. At least three people are expected to be indicted. On July 7, the Fredericksburg Free-Lance newspaper based in Fredericksburg, Virginia noted that on Vick's website, he lists his birthplace as Newport News, "a.k.a. BadNews."[28] The same day, The Atlanta Constitution noted that the Urban Dictionary lists Bad Newz as the street name for Newport News. [29] WAVY-TV (Portsmouth, VA) posted a copy of one of the federal court document from July 2, and has made it available online at WAVY-TV online copy of July 2 document obtained under Freedom of Information request about the "Bad Newz Kennels" interstate dog fighting investigation.

[edit] Status of investigations

[edit] Federal, indictments
The court filings of July 2 allege that Vick's property was used as the "main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved in the dog fighting venture." A source close to the investigation told ESPN's Len Pasquarelli that the events of Friday [July 6] were "very helpful in the overall and ongoing investigation into an alleged dogfighting ring at that property. ... Remember, this is an investigation into what has been considered an enterprise involving many people... From our standpoint, it never has focused on an individual and it still doesn't." [30]
On July 17, a federal grand jury indicted Vick and 3 others on multiple counts, stating that Vick and co-defendants Pernell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor spent six years "knowingly sponsoring and exhibiting in an animal fighting venture." Specific allegations of cruelty made in the July 17 indictment, and speculation about how the case might affect Vick's football career, are discussed in some detail in George Dohrmann's Sports Illustrated column. [31]
The grand jury also charged the men with establishing a kennel to represent dogfighting competitions, purchase and train pitbulls in dogfighting competitions and "destroying or otherwise disposing of dogs not selected to stay with the ongoing animal fighting venture." Vick faces $350,000 in fines and six years in prison if convicted of the federal charges. [32] The indictment also puts the defendants on notice that the government intends to take possession of any property and proceeds used in the operation.

[edit] Local (State)
According to an ESPN attorney, under Virginia law, Vick can be prosecuted if the authorities can show that he was "aware" of dogfighting activities on his property. According to that attorney, "If it is proved that the fighting took place, it will be difficult for Vick to persuade anyone that he didn't know about it."[33] According to other news media reports, Surry County investigators have spoken to as many as 30 people. Sheriff's Department Deputy W.R. Brinkman, the lead local investigator, said he has more people to talk to. Sheriff Harold D. Brown stated in an interview published on June 28 ..."we need to find out, if he's one of the big players or not." The county grand jury, the group which would typically consider felony indictments presented by a local prosecutor under state laws, is scheduled for a regular session to begin on July 24. Brown said they "possibly might be looking at something" when the county's grand jury meets July 24."[34]
Following the federal indictments of July 17, local authorities in Surry said they could possibly prosecute different crimes than those charged in the federal indictment. Commonwealth's Attorney Gerald G. Poindexter and Sheriff Harold D. Brown said they are continuing to cooperate with federal authorities. Both Brown and Poindexter told news media that they were taken aback by the level of detail in the indictments, especially mention of dogs allegedly being executed by hanging, drowning and electrocution. "That's revealing to me. I didn't know anything about that," said Poindexter, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. [35]

[edit] Timeline
2007
April 20 - Vick's cousin, Davon T. Boddie, 26, is arrested for narcotics in Hampton on charges of distribution of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute outside a nightclub. He gave Vick’s property address in Surry County as his residence.[14]
April 25 - Police conducted a search of home and land at 1915 Moonlight Road in southeastern Surry County. In the area of the outbuildings that law enforcement officials discovered evidence of a possible dog fighting operation. Potential evidence included blood splatters on the second floor of one of the outbuildings, dog treadmills and scales, a pry bar used to open a dog's mouth and a rape stand used for breeding.[19] With the help of animal control officials from several localities called to the scene, they removed 66 dogs, 55 of them pit bulls, and seized equipment and some physical evidence. [11]
April 27 - ESPN reports that, even though Vick denies this, neighbors have reported seeing Vick in town from time to time and clerks at a nearby store have reported Vick buying nutritional supplies for dogs.[36] Authorities told the news media that, although some equipment could be used in legitimate dog-breeding, there also was a "pry bar" used to pry apart a dog's jaws in dog fighting, and bloodstained carpeting on the floor of a room inside the home above the garage.[11]
Appearing at a news conference to announce his participation in the NFL Quarterback Challenge, Vick described himself as an unwitting victim of family. [37]
Late April/early May - Vick listed the house and property with a real estate brokerage at approximately 50% of the assessed value. Within a few days, the house was under a sales contract.[38] As of June 8, no sale had been made official, according to the county clerk's office where deeds and transfers of real estate are recorded.[19]
May 3 - The Humane Society of the United States called upon the NFL in a letter to take a serious look at the problem of players' involvement with dog fighting. [39]
May 24 - Poindexter said he still didn't have solid evidence linking Vick to dog fighting because there were no eyewitnesses who say they saw dog fighting at the home.[40] He said he was proceeding very carefully with this case; Poindexter had another dog fighting case a few years back and lost it because of an illegal search.
May 25 - Poindexter said he was confident charges will be brought in the case but can't yet say who will be charged.[11]
May 27 - ESPN reported that a confidential source, identified as a man who has been involved in dog fighting for over 30 years, claimed that Vick was one of the "heavyweights" in the dog fighting world, and was poised to tell ESPN's Outside the Lines about the time in 2000 when his dog squared off against a dog owned by Vick.[41] The man claimed that Vick would bet large dollar amounts on fights, up to $40,000.
May 31 - Poindexter told ESPN that he recently received a call from a person he deemed credible and that the informant gave him information regarding the ongoing investigation. "We have people who are volunteering to make those allegations," Poindexter said. Asked whether there was evidence that placed Vick at dog fights, Poindexter said, "Yes...If he did anything, he won't get away with it, if we can prove it. But it's not easy," Poindexter said. ..."we're moving carefully, slowly...to build a strong case."[22]
In the same news item, it was reported that ESPN's sources, said to be close to law enforcement, cautioned that, based on the current evidence, it might be difficult to successfully prosecute Vick. "There is probably enough there to bring a bill [of indictment]," one source said, "but how some of [the evidence] would play out at trial, or if it even reached a trial ... I just don't know. These kinds of prosecutions are tough. There are some holes, definitely, and that's why [investigators] are digging for more information. You want more than just smoke. You're always looking for the smoking gun."[22]
June 6 - Newport News Daily Press newspaper reported that Sheriff H.D. Brown had an investigator (deputy) interviewing additional witnesses who had come forward and determination of credibility was in progress. Brown, a 28 year veteran of law enforcement in Surry County, 16 years as sheriff, repeated prior statements that he felt pressure to rush, but "doing it right" was his priority.[42]
June 7 - Boddie states in interviews with television and newspaper reporters that he was the victim of a conspiracy by authorities, and that his fourth amendment rights were violated by the search of the Surry property after his arrest on April 20 in Hampton (and another several days earlier in Newport News) because of the smaller amount of drugs he admits having [than claimed by authorities].[43] Speaking to the Newport News Daily Press, Boddie also apologized for his role in the dog fighting investigation.[44] Boddie wants NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to know it was his fault, not his cousin's, for everything going on at the Surry County home. "I want him to know that everything going on is really my fault," Boddie told the paper. "They're just making Michael look like something he's not. I want to apologize to Atlanta Falcons fans for what's going on. It's a lot of drama."
The same day, USA Today and WAVY-TV each reported the federal officials and Virginia State Police were executing a federal search warrant at the Surry County property, apparently seeking the buried bodies of dogs which may have been killed during dog fighting activities.[44]
June 8 - Poindexter said he was "absolutely floored" that federal officials got involved, and that he believes he and Sheriff Brown handled the investigation properly.[44] "What is foreign to me is the federal government getting into a dogfighting case," Poindexter said. "I know it's been done, but what's driving this? Is it this boy's celebrity? Would they have done this if it wasn't Michael Vick?" He went on to say "There's a larger thing here, and it has nothing to do with any breach of protocol." "There's something awful going on here. I don't know if it's racial. I don't know what it is."
Also on June 8, Boddie interview of June 7 published in Daily Press alleges he thinks conspiracy by authorities may date to when Vick's house was built in 2001. In the same article, local prosecutors from several jurisdictions disagreed with Boddie's contention that a smaller amount of marijuana he alleges he had during his April 20 arrest would have invalidated the search warrant executed on April 25. Boddie indicated that he had retained an attorney. However, no attorney appeared to be present as he admitted to reporters from the news media (television and print) his possession of narcotics, pledged his loyalty to cousin Vick, who he stated he has not recently spoken with directly, and denied any knowledge of the 66 dogs found at his home, with the exception of his French poodle.[45]
Contacted by the Daily Press, Hampton Senior Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Anton Bell stated that dog fighting evidence turned up during the search following the narcotics arrest was obtained legitimately, a position Surry County prosecutor Poindexter had earlier taken.[45]
June 15 - ESPN reports that the case investigation involving Vick’s property in Virginia is one of many investigations currently underway around the United States by the agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) using a new federal law enacted by the U.S. Congress earlier in 2007 making organizing a dog fight a felony. The agency is pursuing similar cases elsewhere with considerable support from humane societies and local police departments. So far, that new law has been used less than a dozen times; according to the ESPN attorney, as the courts apply it, more precise definitions of "sponsoring" and "promoting" will develop. ."[46]
July 2 - Federal authorities file documents in U.S. District Court in Richmond outlining an alleged interstate dog fighting operation at the property owned by Vick, the Associated Press reported after filing an inquiry under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. Vick is not named in the documents, which listed the address of his property at 1915 Moonlight Road in Surry County as the ""main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved in the dog fighting venture," according to the filings, which also claims "For the events, participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas and other states." It is also alleged that "members of 'Bad Newz Kennels' also sponsored and exhibited fights in other parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and other states," the filings said. Unlawful gambling was also described, AP reported. The winning dog would win from "100's up to 1,000's of dollars," and participants and spectators also would place bets on the fight.[47] The federal papers also state "If an admission fee was charged for a particular event, the proceeds were generally used to supplement the funding of the 'Bad Newz Kennels' kennel operation." [48]
July 6 - Federal authorities, assisted by the Virginia State Police, conduct an additional search of the Surry County location. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, WAVY-TV (Portsmouth) was observing from a news helicopter, and reported that fifteen vehicles were on the property, including a rental truck and a Virginia State Police evidence collections truck. In a video broadcast, investigators could be seen working under a blue tarp on a wooded portion of the property near the black-painted outbuildings. They were sifting dirt collected in white buckets and clearing brush.[49] Investigators removed more than 10 carcasses buried in shallow graves, a source close to the investigation said. "They found what they were looking for," he said.[50]
The same day, according to information gathered by the NFL and Atlanta Falcons, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Vick is unlikely to be indicted on federal charges as a result of the dog fighting investigation. The authorities have told the Falcons and league that there has not been any evidence that tied to Vick the alleged dog fighting ring, the sources said. The law enforcement authorities have privately told league and team officials that at least three people are expected to be indicted but the identities of those individuals were unknown.[51]
July 17 - Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips, Tony Taylor, and Michael Vick were indicted by a federal grand jury for "conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting venture".[2][4] The federal grand jury alleged Peace, Phillips, Taylor and Vick spent six years "knowingly sponsoring and exhibiting in an animal fighting venture." The grand jury also charged the men with establishing a kennel to represent dogfighting competitions, purchase and train pitbulls in dogfighting competitions and "destroying or otherwise disposing of dogs not selected to stay with the ongoing animal fighting venture." The four codefendants each faces $350,000 in fines and six years in prison if convicted of the federal charges. [52]
July 17 - The Humane Society of the United States called upon the NFL to suspend Vick under its disciplinary code. [53]
July 18 - The U.S. District Court in Richmond announced that Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach; Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta; and Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton; and Michael Vick, 27, of Atlanta; have been ordered to appear in court on July 26 for a detention hearing and arraignment. [54]
July 19 - U.S. Senator Robert Byrd, 89, of West Virginia, a well-known dog lover, gave a passionate speech in the U.S. Senate about the practice of dog fighting in response to the Vick indictment.
“
Dog fighting is a brutal, sadistic event motivated by barbarism of the worst sort and cruelty of the worst, worst, worst sadistic kind. One is left wondering, who are real the animals...the creatures inside the ring, or the creatures outside the ring?
”
The same day, Nike announced it has suspended plans to release a fifth Vick signature shoe. However, it has not terminated its contract with the quarterback. [55]
July 20 - PETA staged protests outside the NFL headquarters in New York City calling for the firing of Michael Vick by the Atlanta Falcons and the NFL. More than 75 protesters attended, holding signs saying "NFL: Sack Vick" and chanting .[56]
The same day. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts said he had sent a letter to Goodell calling for Vick to be suspended. He wrote:
“
"I urge you to treat this issue with the utmost seriousness as the case progresses. In light of the seriousness of the charges, I believe that Mr. Vick should be suspended from the League, effective immediately."
”
[57]
July 23 - About fifty people, organized by PETA, protest at the Atlanta Falcons training camp. The team had no comment on these protests, or others held recently at the NFL headquarters in New York City.[58]
Also on July 23, ESPN reported that Vick has retained the services of former federal prosecutor Billy Martin, an attorney with the Washington, D.C.-based legal firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP for his defense against the federal criminal charges. [59] Martin joined the firm in February 2007. His notable past clients have included NBA stars Allen Iverson and Jayson Williams, Monica Lewinsky's mother, and Chandra Levy's parents. [60] He also represented former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell on racketeering, bribery and wire fraud charges; Campbell was convicted of three counts of tax fraud, but acquitted on racketeering charges and taking thousands of dollars in bribes. [61]
Also on July 23, it was reported that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had sent Vick a letter ordering him not to report to the first Atlanta Falcons training camp.[5] Goodell said in a letter to the quarterback:
“
"While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the National Football League to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the Personal Conduct Policy."
”
[62]
[edit] See also
National Football League player conduct controversy
Dog fighting in the United States

[edit] References
^ http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-now-vickindictment,0,7988632.story
^ a b Falcons' Vick indicted by grand jury in dogfighting probe. ESPN (2007-07-17). Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/17/sportsline/main3067633.shtml
^ a b The Smoking Gun (2007-07-17). Sources: Vick and three others indicted in feds dogfighting investigation. The Smoking Gun. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.
^ a b
^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/07/23/vick.punishment.ap/index.html?cnn=yes.
^ http://www.localtechwire.com/sports/football/nfl/story/1608124/
^ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/falcons/2007-07-26-vick-hearing_N.htm
^ http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/26/vick.dogfighting/index.html#cnnSTCText
^ a b Greg Moore (2007-05-30). If Vick Is Involved, How Many Others Are With Him?. BlackAthlete Sports Network. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ a b c d e Associated Press (2007-05-25). Prosecutor says dog fighting investigation at Vick's property 'moving forward'. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
^ Bill Geroux (2007-07-03). Dogfighting: The Vick case. inRich. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ a b UPDATE - Vick claims no knowledge of situation on his property. WAVY-TV (2007-03-28). Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ a b c d Dave Forster, Bill Burke and Kyle Tucker (2007-05-26). Conflicting images. The Roanoke Times. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
^ Dave Forster and Bill Burke (2007-05-12). Vick sells Surry property involved in dog-fighting investigation. PilotOnline.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ 'That's my shoe'. 'That's my shoe'. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ Mark Maske and Sara Kehaulani (2005-03-13). A Commonplace Case Complicated by Fame. The Washington Post. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ David Teel (2007-06-11). Vick Case: Silence is Golden. The Daily Press. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
^ a b c Ohm Youngmisuk (2007-06-10). Dog daze. NY Daily News. Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
^ '7-state dogfight center detailed'. [http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/07/06/0706vick.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab '7-state dogfight center detailed ']. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
^ § 3.1-796.124. Dogfighting; penalty.. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
^ a b c Len Pasquarelli (2007-05-31). Source: Vick probe receiving increased attention from feds. ESPN.
^ The growth of dogfighting. inRich (2007-07-03). Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
^ Lester Munson (2007-06-15). Federal involvement is not good news for Vick. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ http://www.nhes.org/articles.asp?article_id=476§ion_id=83
^ http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/massive_law_enforcement_raid.html
^ http://www.usda.gov/oig/webdocs/InvPosting070601.pdf
^ Hank Kurz Jr. and Michael Felberbaum (2007-07-07). Charges Coming In Surry Federal Officials Allege Dogfighting At Vick's Former Property, But The Falcon Is Not Named In Court Papers. Fredericksburg.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ '7-state dogfight center detailed'. [http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/07/06/0706vick.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab '7-state dogfight center detailed ']. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2928795
^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/07/17/dohrmann.vick/index.html?cnn=yes
^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/17/sportsline/main3067633.shtml
^ Lester Munson (2007-06-15). Federal involvement is not good news for Vick. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ Dave Forster (2007-06-18). Surry prepares for grand jury hearing into dogfighting. PilotOnline.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-07-18-0200.html
^ Interview with lead reporter investigating the Dog angle in Virginia
^ Associated Press (2007-04-27). Vick blames family for neglected dogs at Virginia home. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
^ UPDATE: Surry County Commonwealth Attorney denies evidence in Michael Vick investigation. WAVY (2007-05-12). Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
^ http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/nfl_animal_fighting.html
^ Associated Press (2007-05-24). Prosecutor lacks solid evidence to charge Vick. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-05-28.
^ Kelly Naqi (2007-05-27). Source: Vick 'one of the heavyweights' in dogfighting. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-05-27.
^ Veronica Gorley Chufo (2007-06-06). Surry sheriff awaits more dogfighting info. Daily Press, Newport News, VA. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
^ WAVY News 10 (2007-06-07). Exclusive interview with Devon Boddie. WAVY-TV. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
^ a b c ESPN.com news services (2007-06-08). Federal agents serve search warrant at Vick home. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
^ a b Veronica Gorley Chufo (2007-06-08). Probe called 'a conspiracy'. Daily Press, Newport News, VA. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
^ Lester Munson (2007-06-15). Federal involvement is not good news for Vick. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ Hank Kurz Jr. and Michael Felberbaum (2007-07-06). Feds Detail Dogfighting on Vick Property. Forbes. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ http://profootballtalk.com/VickInvestigation.htm
^ Hank Kurz Jr. (2007-07-06). U.S. investigators return to Vick's Va. property. inRich. Retrieved on 2007-07-06.
^ Dave Forster (2007-07-07). Feds detail alleged dogfighting at Vick property in Surry. PilotOnline.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
^ ESPN.com news services (2007-07-06). Sources: Vick unlikely to be indicted in feds dogfighting investigation. ESPN. Retrieved on 2007-07-06.
^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/17/sportsline/main3067633.shtml
^ http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/vick_indicted_071707.html ,
^ http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-07-18-0200.html
^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2942391
^ http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2007/07/20/2007-07-20_the_blitz_is_on_vick.html
^ http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=3b01334d-087f-4a77-ad6d-b8147659bb0a
^ Protesters begin anti-Vick demonstrations at Falcons camp
^ ESPN
^ http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/atlanta/campbelltrial/theplayers.html#martin
^ http://www.ajc.com/atlanta/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/07/13/campbell_0713.html
^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/07/23/vick.punishment.ap/index.html?cnn=yes.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Newz_Kennels_dog_fighting_investigation"

Ron Mexico

2007-07-26T22:20:00.000-04:00

Michael Vick IndictedFeds: Falcons QB, cohorts executed pit bulls that failed fight testsJULY 17--NFL star Michael Vick was indicted today on a federal conspiracy charge for his alleged role in a dog fighting venture that operated from a Virginia property owned by the Atlanta Falcons quarterback. A copy of the indictment, filed today in U.S. District Court in Richmond, can be found below. The 27-year-old Vick, whose nickname is listed as "Ookie" in the indictment, allegedly established the Bad Newz Kennels in early-2001 in Smithfield, Virginia. It was this property, for which Vick paid $34,000, that the star athlete and his codefendants used as the "main staging area for housing and training the pit bulls involved in the dog fighting venture and hosting dog fights." According to prosecutors, Vick and his cohorts began purchasing pit bull puppies in late-2001 and would eventually "sponsor" individual dog fights with purses as high as $26,000. In the indictment's most harrowing parts, federal investigators describe what happened to some Bad Newz Kennels dogs that either lost matches or did not perform well in test fights. After a March 2003 loss by a female pit bull, codefendant Purnell Peace, "after consulting with Vick," electrocuted the animal. In April, prosecutors allege, Vick, Peace, and Quanis Phillips, "executed approximately 8 dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions." These animals, the indictment claims, were killed "by various methods, including hanging, drowning, and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground." (18 pages)Vick indictment details dogfighting plansJuly 18, 2007By Saheed Ahmed Cox News ServiceATLANTA — A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for his alleged role in a dogfighting operation in Virginia.In addition to Vick, 27, the 18-page federal indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, also names three other defendants: Purnell A. Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach; Quanis L. Phillips, 28, of Atlanta; and Tony Taylor, 34, of Hampton, Va.The grand jury charged that the four purchased a parcel of land to serve as the main staging area to house and train pit bulls and to host fights.The indictment said the four established a kennel, purchased pitbulls, trained and bred them and went to several locations to engage them in fights. The location also played host to several dog fights attended by competitors from several states.And when the dogs didn't perform well in initial testing, they met a cruel fate. The indictment says "In or about April 2007, Peace, Phillips and Vick executed approximately 8 dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging, drowning, and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."If convicted on the travel portion of the charges, each of the four face a maximum of five years in prison. If convicted on the animal fighting charge, each face one year in prison.Starting the ventureAccording to prosecutors, Vick paid $34,000 to purchase a property in Smithfield, Va., in June 2001, and the four men formed a dog fighting enterprise that they named "Bad News Kennels."They set about purchasing dogs and puppies from several sellers, paying — in one case — about $1,000 for four pit bull puppies.The men, aided by others, then set about making alterations to the property, such as erecting a fence to shield the back of the compound from public view. Also included in the alterations: "kennels and buried car axles with chains for the pit bulls. The buried car axles allow the dog chains to pivot, allowing the pit bulls to avoid getting tangled in the chains."Testing the dogsThe following year, Peace and Vick "rolled" or tested some of the fighting dogs, the indictment said.The men placed the dog in a short fighting match to see how well it fared.That February, Peace killed a poor-performing pit bull by shooting it with a 0.22 caliber pistol. And as the months went on, various defendants are accused of shooting dogs that didn't live up to fighting standards.The fights beginAt this point, page after page of the indictment details several fights that the defendants either hosted at the property or took their dogs to. The fights involved dogs with names such as "Seal," "Maniac," and "Zebro."The men hosted dog fighting competitions at the location where participants and dogs traveled from South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Texas, Alabama and elsewhere.The purse for each fight would range into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and each bout would last until one of the dogs died or surrendered. A purse for one such fight was established at $10,000 per side, meaning that the winner stood to win $20,000.The losing dog would be put to death by drowning, hanging, gunshot, electrocution or a different method, the indictment alleged."In or about March of 2003, Peace, after consulting with Vick about the losing female pit bull's condition, executed the losing dog by wetting the dog down with water and electrocuting the animal," the indictment said.The situation this yearAs late as April of 2007, the four men continued fighting the dogs — "approximately 54 American Pit Bull Terriers, some of which had scars and injuries appearing to be related to dog fighting; a 'rape stand,' a device in which a female dog who is too aggressive to submit to males for breeding is strapped down with her head held in place by a restraint," and more.Vick's denialsVick, one of the highest-paid players in the National Football League, has denied any involvement in dogfighting. In his one statement on the issue, speaking from New York before the NFL Draft, Vick told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he was not involved in dogfighting and claimed relatives were responsible for his trouble.Vick has bred and sold pitbulls and other breeds through two companies: Mike Vick K-9 Kennels and MV7 Inc. (named for his initials and his football jersey number). The companies' Web site — recently taken offline — described their animals as "family pets.""We do not promote, support or raise dogs for fighting, " the Web site said, "and will not knowingly sell, give or trade any dog that may be used for fighting."http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0717072vick1.html(The above link will take you to the Indictment itself online.)

http://alt.cimedia.com/ajc/pdf/vick0717.pdf

Chris Benoit Murders & News

2007-07-12T18:24:00.000-04:00

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Scripted story lines don't reveal reasons for Benoit tragedy
, Ga. -- The house, by most appearances, is immaculate and perfect. The fireplace, the wooden deck, the private staircase climbing up to a little boy's room. The circle driveway and the red Hummer.
When fact blurred to fantasy, Nancy Benoit never told people this, that in high school, all she really wanted to be was a housewife. Now her house is where the story ends and the spectacle begins.
It takes a good navigational system to get to the Benoit home, past a gravel road, through a narrow two-lane spin with tall Georgia trees on both sides. Gawkers have inched by for days, peering through the metal gate for answers. A woman rolled in from North Carolina the other night, reeking of alcohol, firing a volley of "why's" as a neighbor went to get his mail. She allegedly pelted him with rocks and wound up in jail.

Elizabeth Merrill/ESPN.com
The Benoits' house in Fayetteville, Ga., where wrestling star Chris Benoit allegedly killed his wife, Nancy, and 7-year-old Daniel, then later hanged himself."It's certainly surreal," says Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard. "I've used the word bizarre. There are so many bizarre things about it."
The why might never be answered -- why Chris Benoit, wrestling superstar, alleged family man, apparently murdered his wife on a Friday, strangled his son on a Saturday then wrapped a cord from his weight machine around his neck and hanged himself on a Sunday.
Because they lived in a world of scripted story lines, flying clotheslines and outlandish ring names, it took nearly a day for some WWE fans to believe that Benoit and his family were actually dead. Some still can't swallow it.
But fiction, those close to the case will say, could not trump the reality on Green Meadow Lane.
Ballard sits in his office across town at 5:30 p.m., after office hours because the Benoit case has evolved into a round-the-clock, breaking-news buffet of Geraldo and Greta proportions. Before Monday, Ballard had no idea who Benoit was. Maybe, he says, nobody really did.
He's describing how rigormortis had set in by the time they found Nancy, whose skin was marbleized as she lay face-down on the floor. He's remembering his walk into Daniel's room -- the 7-year-old boy's body was gone, but posters of his dad still hung on the wall, and two toy wrestling belts sat on a shelf.
There was every indication, Ballard says, that Daniel Benoit adored his father.
"I pray for two things," Ballard says. "That he didn't know about his mother's death and he was asleep when he was strangled.
"I don't think anybody can give me a why for that little boy being strangled that would satisfy me. I will never understand that."
Jim Daus was headed out to dinner Monday night when a call pierced his steeply planted world.
Nancy was dead.
Before she was "Woman," before she graced the covers of wrestling magazines and was drooled over by teenage boys, Nancy Benoit was Nancy Daus, a Florida girl who dropped out of high school to marry her boyfriend Jim.
They were high school sweethearts, kids with no money and little to do, and on Sunday nights, Jim grabbed his girl and whisked her to Orlando to watch wrestling. It was new for Nancy, whose protective parents didn't let her go at first. But he had front-row seats, and the couple was lured by the drama, the machismo, the circus.
"How would I describe it? Male soap opera," Daus says. "You follow the story lines like you'd watch a soap opera on TV. It builds, and you have to wait 'til Monday to find out the next chapter."
He used to call it fate, being in the right place at the right time. One night a wrestler grabbed Jim's chair, heaved it into the crowd and a camera clicked away at Nancy's surprised expression. She was discovered that night, joined wrestler Kevin Sullivan's entourage, and her life as a valet/diva/manager put her in leather and chains and took her everywhere from Texas to Hawaii.
For a while, Daus was a happy part of the ride. They grew up fast and owned their first house as teenagers. Eventually, there was no room for him on the tour.
On New Year's Day -- Daus isn't sure what year -- he picked her up from the airport, heard all the places she was booked for and said they were drifting in different directions. He suggested a divorce. Within days, they were seeing the same lawyer.
"We cried a lot that day," he says. "It was very hard on me. That was the toughest year of my life, the year I got divorced."
He stopped watching wrestling. It was too painful. Nancy's career skyrocketed, and she married Sullivan, a booker/wrestler known for his satanic references in the ring. If the entourage ultimately pulled Nancy away from Jim, it almost seemed fitting that another wrestling saga eventually pried her away from Sullivan.

AP Photo/WWE, HO
Authorities are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Chris Benoit, above, his wife and child.By the mid-1990s, Sullivan was on the outs with Nancy, and scripted an angle that had her canoodling with Benoit. Wrestling fans knew her as "Woman." Benoit called her Nancy. In a life-imitates-art moment, they fell in love.
Some people thought it was an odd combination -- Chris the quiet workmanlike wrestler, Nancy the headstrong, career-savvy manager. Some also wondered why she gave it all up, left the business to be a stay-at-home wife and mother.
She disappeared from the spotlight, showing up occasionally at her husband's side. In the flurry of video clips of the past week, she's seen hugging Chris while confetti rains down on another wrestling victory. He's shown kissing his little boy as the emotions seep from his sweaty, sculpted body.
How much did anyone know about what went on with the Benoits? She filed a divorce petition in 2003, and withdrew it a few months later. She also filed a temporary protection order from domestic abuse, and later dropped that, too.
Richard Decker, an attorney for Nancy's parents, Paul and Maureen Toffoloni, said the family had no reason to believe there was turmoil on those 8.6 acres in Fayetteville.
"None. Zero," Decker says. "They had a normal son-in-law relationship with Chris. They didn't treat him as a superstar, and he didn't want to be treated as a superstar. He took out the trash and they treated him as anyone would treat a son in law. [The couple] had a close and loving relationship as far as they knew."
The testimonials for Chris Benoit, pre- and post-death, are almost prerecorded from those close to him. Hard worker, they say. Loyal, polite and quiet. Passionate.

Elizabeth Merrill/ESPN.com
In the week since the apparent murder-suicide, fans have left flowers, notes, photos and action figurines on the wall outside the Benoits' home.Nearly everybody in the wrestling business has a story of how they saw Benoit within the past couple of weeks, and he seemed like the same man who crawled through the ropes and into fantasy more than two decades ago.
One close friend, who declined to be named, says he vacillates from wanting to block the whole thing out to gluing himself to the Internet in search of the latest developments. One morsel of information might crack this thing, and explain the invisible demons.
It's one thing to grieve the death of a good friend. But how do you mourn a monster?
"Do I still love this guy or do I walk away hating this guy who's so out there that he could actually kill his wife and son," the friend says. "It's hard to distinguish, and you can't meet them both halfway."
When wrestling fans wanted to be marveled by gimmicks, they followed any number of spandex-wearing musclemen. When they wanted a good show, they watched Benoit. He was old-school, he was intense, and his gimmick was that he really didn't have one.
"People looked forward to his matches," says Mike Mooneyham, co-author of "Sex, Lies, and Headlocks," a book about the WWE. "He was believable, realistic and probably one of the greatest workers over the last 10 or 15 years. If it was a bad show, Chris could save it in his match."
Reality has never been a staple of professional wrestling. Its stars are cut from granite; its canned drama could cause the most gullible to collectively roll their eyes. And then there's the schedule. In the old days, Russ Hart says, they'd bond on eight- or nine-hour bus trips together, riding from show to show, taking chairs to the head until the next stop.
The average professional wrestler today spends between 200 and 250 days of the year on the road. Some jokingly call "Marriott" their home address. Others become caught up in their make-believe lives in the ring. Flyin' Brian Pillman wrestled with a loose-cannon gimmick that eventually led to him being fired by the WCW. He crashed his Hummer into a tree, slipped into a coma, and became addicted to painkillers. He died in a Minnesota hotel room, at the age of 35, of an undetected heart ailment.
Benoit's secrets -- and not-so-little-secrets -- have unraveled in the week since his death. The office of his friend, Dr. Phil Astin, was raided last week. Authorities want to know what might have been in Benoit's system at the time of the apparent murder-suicide. Friends of Benoit's say it was obvious long before last weekend that the wrestler was using performance-enhancing drugs.
"I don't think anybody had any illusions about whether he was on steroids," Hart says. " … just by looking at his physique and the muscle mass he had."
And then there were the statements by a WWE attorney this week who said the Benoits had recently been arguing over the care of Daniel, who reportedly had Fragile X Syndrome. Many people close to Benoit, including his in-laws, said they were unaware of any mental ailment.
That was typical Chris -- keeping to himself, hiding.
"You've got to realize that athletes generally handle their problems physically, so we're probably not the best with relationships," says Bill Watts, a former wrestler and promoter. "But here's the problem with athletes: It's not the fear of hope or reward that guides you, it's the fear of loss. You're always trying to look for the edge, to do whatever you can to maintain it so you push all the parameters.
"You can't live this persona and turn it off when you go home and read the newspaper or watch the news. It becomes you."
By all accounts, Chris Benoit was just being Chris Benoit on the afternoon of June 22. He visited Astin's office, took the hour-plus ride to Carrollton, Ga., through at least two construction zones and handfuls of stops, and smiled for a fan in a picture that has been plastered all over the national media. He made plans to fly to a WWE event over the weekend.
And then Benoit bound his wife's wrists and feet and strangled her.
Interviews have given Ballard a better idea of who the Benoits were. But they haven't answered most of the questions.
"A lot of people who knew him are very complimentary of him," Ballard says.
He pauses.
"I wonder how well they knew him."
Dinah Lawrence is a blond-haired mother from Social Circle, Ga., who carries a metal casket on her keychain and a love of wrestling in her heart. She's made the hour-long trip here, to the Benoit house, with her 20-year-old son Chris.

Elizabeth Merrill/ESPN.com
Wrestling fans Dinah Lawrence and son Chris, 20, drove to pay their respects to the Benoits. They met Chris Benoit last year during an appearance at the Mall of Georgia in Buford. They met Benoit more than a year ago, at the Mall of Georgia, when their hero was on a publicity stop. Most wrestlers shake a few hands and go on their way, Lawrence says. Benoit was different. He spent 30 minutes with her, talking about everything from her studies to become a funeral director to the fact that her son shared his name.
It was one of Benoit's first public appearances since the death of his good friend Eddie Guerrero, who died in another Minnesota hotel room, at 38, of heart failure. Benoit told the complete strangers about his friend, and mugged for a picture. Lawrence brought a copy of the photo to the Benoit house on Thursday, along with a hand-written note that she placed near an action figure of Benoit.
"This is what I want to remember," Lawrence says as she stares at the picture. "The guy who was just … the guy next door."
When police discovered the bodies on Monday, it touched off tears, finger pointing and general confusion among wrestling fans. Monday night's WWE "Raw" broadcast was supposed to focus on the fictitious death of chairman Vince McMahon, whose limousine exploded in a television scene a few weeks ago. Could the grisly stories emanating from the Atlanta area be make-believe, too?
"I probably had 50 or 60 messages Monday," Mooneyham says, "and most of them weren't convinced.
"That line between fact and fiction is so blurred that fans don't even know."
The Benoit house is remote enough that cell phones spin from roaming to no service, but his fans keep coming. They leave potted plants, a smashed-up guitar, a baggie of uncooked macaroni. Near the gate is a note that says, "I love you."
Lawrence's note fills an entire page.
"I'm so sorry you felt this was [the] solution to your problems …" it says.
Every couple of minutes, a man is seen through one of the first-floor windows. It's an investigator trying to piece together last weekend.
"He was like your best friend," Lawrence says. "It's hard to equate what happened in there with what we saw."
The first three nights after Nancy Benoit's body was found, Jim Daus couldn't sleep.
He's been remarried for nearly 20 years now, and has a job in the real world marketing propane and natural-gas products. His work takes him on the road a lot. It almost seems strange -- years after Nancy was going places he couldn't, Jim's job takes him everywhere.
Nine years ago, scrambling to catch a flight in Chicago, he found a seat in the back of the plane, looked up and saw a familiar face. It was Nancy. They talked for three or four hours and reminisced. They had that kind of relationship, no bad blood, just laughs and memories and a little sadness. Jim has been to two wrestling matches since their divorce, and took his son there once. He hated it, and they've never gone back.
Now, wrestling is keeping him awake, bringing him more pain.
"For years, I told everybody [her discovery] was the right place at the right time," he says. "What happened to Nancy … it kind of feels like the wrong place at the wrong time.
"That's why I feel bad. I pushed her into this whole thing."
He wonders why she stayed and what happened in that big house on Green Meadow Lane. Maybe, he says, Nancy tried too hard to make it work. She was stubborn like that.
He knew at some point, she was happy. The last time they communicated was by e-mail seven years ago, when Daniel was born.
He congratulated her and remembered how they didn't want kids. But that was fantasy. This was reality.
"Congratulations on your son, too," she wrote back. "I guess some things change."
Elizabeth Merrill is a senior writer for ESPN.com. She can be reached at merrill2323@hotmail.com.
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Head-trauma researchers want to study Benoit's brainBy Peter Keating and Shaun AssaelESPN The MagazineUpdated: June 30, 2007, 9:57 AM ETCommentEmailPrintThe double-murder and suicide involving pro wrestler Chris Benoit, already marked by a series of bizarre developments, is taking another macabre turn. Researchers involved with the study of brain trauma in deceased NFL players are seeking permission to look at Benoit's brain to try to learn whether head trauma might have played a role in Benoit's condition. "We don't know, but we would like to find out," said Julian Bailes, chairman of neurosurgery at the University of West Virginia and medical director of the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes. "We could be talking about the effects of head trauma, or the effects of head trauma in conjunction with substance abuse, or something else. AP Photo/WWE, HOBrain-trauma researchers believe Chris Benoit might have suffered the kind of concussion-related dementia that marked some NFL players' declines."We have seen repeated concussions associated with changes in the brain. These are abnormal changes in former football players who behaved in extreme and destructive ways. We need to ask if this is part of the same syndrome." The researchers -- the same group who conducted postmortems on former NFL players Andre Waters and Justin Strzelczyk -- believe it is possible Benoit suffered the kind of concussion-related dementia that marked the other athletes' declines. A source told ESPN.com, however, that even if the researchers' request is granted, the brain might be too damaged to examine. By the time police found Benoit's body on Monday, it had been lying in the 93-degree heat for at least a day. According to a source familiar with the local coroner's exam, it was virtually "liquefied." Still, the researchers hope they can obtain enough tissue to determine whether repeated concussions damaged Benoit's brain and perhaps played a role in his behavior. Early reports in the Benoit case focused on the possibility that anabolic steroids, which were found in Benoit's home in Fayetteville, Ga., might have contributed to the tragedy by causing "roid rage" in the veteran wrestler known as "The Canadian Crippler." On Wednesday night, federal agents raided the office of Dr. Phil Astin, a Carrollton, Ga., physician who reportedly had prescribed testosterone for Benoit. Benoit committed suicide on Sunday, the day he was supposed to wrestle a pay-per-view event in Houston. He already had strangled his wife, Nancy, and son, Daniel, and placed Bibles next to each victim. Police were notified when Benoit sent a series of cryptic text messages telling co-workers about his location and where they could find his dogs. Despite speculation about his steroid use, Benoit was never one of the bulkiest wrestlers in the business. In fact, his gimmick was his workmanship. Benoit's signature move was an aerial leap off the top of the ring post, which sent him airborne toward his opponent, who invariably was lying on the mat. It was designed to look as if he were spearing his rival. But Benoit pulled up just before impact, absorbing most of the stress himself. That caused his neck to become so fragile that he underwent surgery in 2001 to fuse his vertebrae. It kept him out of wrestling for nearly a year. When he returned, he resumed the move and continued to take repeated shots to the head with chairs, said Mike Mooneyham, co-author of "Sex, Lies, and Headlocks," a book about the WWE. "His friends told him to lay off, but that wasn't Chris," Mooneyham says. Scientists are still trying to piece together the links between blows to the head, physical changes to the brain and cognitive impairment, which can lead to depression, memory loss and abnormal behavior. Doctors affiliated with the NFL have heatedly denied a connection between football-related concussions and full-blown chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the dementia seen in punch-drunk boxers. Bennet Omalu, a Pittsburgh pathologist, examined Waters' brain after the former NFL player committed suicide in November. Omalu found that Waters' brain looked as if it belonged to an 85-year-old man with signs of Alzheimer's disease. Omalu also found unusual tangles in the brain and concluded that multiple concussions had caused, or severely worsened, Waters' neurological problems. Last month, Omalu also examined Strzelczyk, who died in a massive car wreck in 2004, and found the same tangles he had seen in Waters. Now, Bailes, Omalu and Christopher Nowinski, a former professional wrestler who obtained permission to examine Waters' brain and who worked with Benoit, have formed the Sports Legacy Institute to formalize the postmortem study of athletes' brains. If samples from Benoit become available, the group will get a chance to see where one wrestler's brain fits into the overall spectrum of the long-term effects of concussions. "The first reports were that it was in no condition to be looked at," said a source familiar with the group's request, "but there's still a possibility a sample could be retrieved." Peter Keating and Shaun Assael are senior writers for ESPN The Magazine. Assael is also the co-author of "Sex, Lies, and Headlocks: The Real Story of Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment," which is available here.
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ATLANTA -- Pro wrestler Chris Benoit's father said Friday that he was eager to see whether chemical tests can help explain why Benoit killed his wife and son and committed suicide, acts that the wrestler's father said he had no clue were coming. Michael Benoit said by phone from his home in Alberta, Canada, that his family is shocked and in disbelief over the slayings. Brain StudyThe same group of researchers who studied the brains of deceased NFL players want to know if head trauma played a role in Chris Benoit's behavior, according to ESPN The Magazine's Peter Keating and Shaun Assael. Story "We have no understanding of why it happened," he said. "We need some time to gather our thoughts and wait and see. There's still more information that's going to come out from toxicology tests that will give us some understanding of why this happened." Steroids were found in Benoit's home, leading officials to wonder whether the drugs played a role in the killings, which took place last weekend. Some experts believe steroids cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage." The New York Daily News, citing anonymous sources, reported Sunday that GHB, known as the "date-rape drug", also was found in Benoit's home. "Benoit was a GHB user and he did it with [now-deceased wrestler] Chris Adams," a source told the newspaper. "The question is, does GHB use play into what happened [in Fayetteville]?" Chris Benoit strangled his wife Nancy and 7-year-old son Daniel, placing Bibles next to their bodies, before hanging himself on the cable of a weight-machine in his home, authorities said. No motive was offered for the killings. Michael Benoit, who lives near Edmonton in Ardrossan, said the test results, which could take several weeks to be completed, "could give us closure." He said his son had seemed fine when they spoke on Father's Day, and had even said he regretted having to work instead of spending the day with his family. "That really wouldn't give you an indication of someone who would do what he did a week later," the father said. Law enforcement officials also want to know what might have been in Benoit's system at the time of the apparent murder-suicide. On Thursday, federal drug agents said they had raided the west Georgia office of a doctor who prescribed testosterone to Benoit. The raid at Dr. Phil Astin's office in Carrollton began Wednesday night and concluded early Thursday, said agent Chuvalo Truesdell, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration. No arrests were made. Hours before the raid, Astin told The Associated Press he had treated Benoit for low testosterone levels, which he said likely originated from previous steroid use. But he would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office Friday. Among other things, investigators were looking for Benoit's medical records to see whether he had been prescribed steroids and, if so, whether that prescription was appropriate, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because records in the case remain sealed.Meanwhile, the parents of Nancy Benoit were contesting a widely-reported aspect of the case -- that Daniel Benoit had an inherted genetic developmental disability. On Friday, Nancy Benoit's parents said through their attorney that they were unaware that their grandson had a rare medical condition called Fragile X Syndrome, an inherited form of mental retardation often accompanied by autism.On Thursday, Jerry McDevitt, an attorney for Chris Benoit's employer, World Wrestling Entertainment, said Daniel Benoit had the condition, and added that Chris and Nancy Benoit had argued over whether he should stay home more to take care of their son. But Atlanta-based lawyer Richard Decker, who represents Paul and Maureen Toffoloni, told ESPN.com's Elizabeth Merrill that the grandparents babysat often for Daniel and noticed no medical issues. "To them, he's always been a normal, healthy, happy child with no signs of illness," Decker said. "And that's not from a distance. That's from day-to-day contact. "There has been a lot of speculation and rumor in the media that is doing nothing to advance the investigation and doing everything to cause the Toffolonis intense pain." The Toffolonis, Decker told Merrill, are "grieving and trying to keep a low profile." They have asked Decker to investigate a possible civil lawsuit, and he is waiting for the investigation to conclude. "We're trying to stay out of their way right now," Decker said. "In the meantime, Maureen and Paul and Sandra [Nancy's sister] have asked me to ask members of the media and public to remember that this is an investigation of the death of their daughter and only grandchild. And even though Chris and Nancy led public lives, the family, specifically Daniel, did not lead a public life." In a related development, an anonymous user with the same IP address as the person who edited Benoit's Wikipedia entry to report his wife's death -- hours before authorities discovered the bodies of the couple and their 7-year-old son -- confessed early Friday on an online discussion page attached to the Web site, saying the changes were based on rumors and speculation, not hard evidence. The authenticity of the posting could not immediately be confirmed, though Wikinews, an online news source connected to Wikipedia, said that the Internet protocol address of the individual is identical to that of the user who edited Benoit's profile early Monday morning. An IP address is a unique series of numbers carried by every machine connected to the Internet. "I just can't believe what I wrote was actually the case, I've remained stunned and saddened over it," the user wrote. Investigators are looking into who altered the entry early Monday to say that the wrestler had missed a match two days earlier because of his wife's death. A Wikipedia official, Cary Bass, said Thursday that the entry was made by someone using an Internet protocol address registered in Stamford, Conn., where the WWE is based. An IP address does not necessarily have to be broadcast from where it is registered. It is not known where the posting was sent from, Bass said. Benoit's page on Wikipedia, a reference site that allows users to add and edit information, was updated at 12:01 a.m. Monday, about 14 hours before authorities say the bodies were found. The posting, according to ABCNews.com, contained the following information: "Chris Benoit was replaced by Johnny Nitro for the ECW Championship match at Vengeance, as Benoit was not there due to personal issues, stemming from the death of his wife Nancy." McDevitt said that to his knowledge, no one at the WWE knew Nancy Benoit was dead before her body was found Monday afternoon. Text messages released by officials show that messages from Chris Benoit's cell phone were being sent to co-workers a few hours after the Wikipedia posting. WWE employees are given WWE e-mail addresses, McDevitt said, though he did not know whether Chris Benoit had one. On Thursday afternoon, the Wikipedia page about Benoit carried a note stating that editing by unregistered or newly registered users was disabled until July 8 because of vandalism. Information from The Associated Press, ABCNews.com and ESPN.com's Liz Merrill was used in this report.
Posted by pussinboots on Sunday, July 01, 2007 at 5:58 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]
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Attorney: Couple argued over care of mentally retarded 7-year-old sonESPN.com news servicesUpdated: June 28, 2007, 10:38 AM ETCommentEmailPrintATLANTA -- In the days before pro wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife and child and hanged himself, the couple argued over whether he should stay home more to take care of their mentally retarded 7-year-old son, an attorney for the wrestling league said Wednesday.AP Photo/WWE, HOAuthorities are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Chris Benoit, above, his wife and child."I think it's fair to say that the subject of caring for that child was part of what made their relationship complicated and difficult, and it's something they were both constantly struggling with," said Jerry McDevitt, an attorney for World Wrestling Entertainment. "We do know it was a source of stress and consternation."McDevitt said the wrestling organization learned from the couple's friends and relatives that the Benoits were struggling with where to send the boy to school since he had recently finished kindergarten.He also said Benoit's wife didn't want him to quit wrestling, but she "wanted him to be at home more to care for the kid. She'd say she can't take care of him by herself when he was on the road."The child suffered from a rare medical condition called Fragile X Syndrome, an inherited form of mental retardation often accompanied by autism, McDevitt said.Over the past weekend, authorities said, Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with a weight-machine cable in the couple's suburban home. No motive was offered for the killings, which were discovered Monday.Anabolic steroids were found in Benoit's home, leading officials to wonder whether the drugs played a role in the slayings. Some experts believe steroids cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."Recent Pro Wrestler DeathsChris Benoit's death in a murder-suicide is the latest in a string of professional wrestlers who died relatively young. Here is a list of some prominent performers and how they died: Date Name Age Cause of Death 2005 Eddie Guerrero 38 Heart failure * 2003 Curt Hennig 44 Acute cocaine intoxication** 2002 David Smith 39 Heart attack*** 1999 Owen Hart 34 Accidental fall 1999 Rick Rude 40 Heart failure believed caused by overdose of GHB, steroids 1997 Brian Pillman 35 Heart attack**** * Guerrero had not used illicit drugs and alcohol in four years prior to his death, but his prior lifestyle was widely blamed as a contributing factor.** Hennig's father said a combination of steroids and painkillers contributed to his death.*** Smith's autopsy said steroid use may have played a role in his death. His brother-in-law Bruce Hart said Smith "paid the price" for using.**** Pillman, a former NFL player, had a prior history of abusing steroids and painkillers. The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., issued a news release Tuesday saying steroids "were not and could not be related to the cause of death" and that the findings indicate "deliberation, not rage." It also added that Benoit tested negative April 10, the last time he was tested for drugs.Also Wednesday, Benoit's personal physician said the wrestler did not give any indication he was troubled when he met with the doctor hours before the start of the weekend.Benoit had been under the care of Dr. Phil Astin, a longtime friend, for treatment of low testosterone levels. Astin said the condition likely originated from previous steroid use.Astin prescribed testosterone for Benoit in the past but would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed the day of their meeting."He was in my office on Friday to stop by just to see my staff," Astin said. "He certainly didn't show any signs of any distress or rage or anything.""I'm still very surprised and shocked, especially with his child Daniel involved," Astin said. "He worshipped his child."District Attorney Scott Ballard said the autopsy indicated that there were no bruise marks on the child's neck, so authorities are now assuming he could have been killed using a choke hold. "It's a process of elimination," he said.The boy had old needle marks in his arms, Ballard said. He said he had been told the parents considered him undersized and had given him growth hormones."The boy was very small, even dwarfed," Ballard said.The Benoits' argument over their son was not the only friction in their marriage. Nancy Benoit had filed for a divorce in 2003, saying the couple's three-year marriage was irrevocably broken and alleging "cruel treatment." She later dropped the complaint.Meanwhile, authorities in Georgia were investigating a link between Benoit and a Florida business that may have supplied him with steroids.Prosecutors in upstate New York who have been investigating the company's drug sales said Benoit received deliveries from Signature Pharmacy and MedXLife.com, which sold steroids, human growth hormone and testosterone on the Internet.Six people, including two of the pharmacy's owners, have pleaded guilty in the investigation, and 20 more have been arrested, including doctors and pharmacists."That's something that sounds like we ought to be investigating," Ballard told the AP on Wednesday.A lawyer for MedXLife co-owner Dr. Gary Brandwein scoffed at allegations that his client's company sold steroids to Benoit."I've only read that in the paper. I have no direct information about that whatsoever," Terence Kindlon said Wednesday, adding that prosecutors in Albany County, N.Y., were trying to "distract everyone's attention from the fact that their case is disintegrating."Brandwein, a 44-year-old osteopath from Boca Raton, Fla., has pleaded not guilty to six counts in New York state court related to the criminal sale of a controlled substance. He was accused of signing and sending prescriptions without ever seeing patients.Telephone messages left for attorneys for Brian Schafler and Greg Trotta -- two other co-owners of MedXLife -- were not immediately returned Wednesday. The two men have pleaded guilty to felony third-degree diversion of prescription medications and prescriptions, admitting they helped get drugs in 2006 for customers in upstate New York who had no medical need for them.McDevitt said the drugs found in Benoit's house were legitimately prescribed. "There's no question, none of these drugs are out there, none of these drugs came from Internet pharmacies," he said.In addition to causing paranoia and explosive outbursts, steroids can also contribute to deep depression, according to experts."Just as you have the extreme high of when you're on steroids, you can get the opposite," said Dr. Todd Schlifstein, a clinical assistant professor at the New York University School of Medicine. "You can have a dramatic difference in mood swings. You can feel there's no hope, there's no future."Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Posted by pussinboots on Sunday, July 01, 2007 at 5:59 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]
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WWE says speculation linking Benoit killings, steroids 'sensationalistic'ESPN.com news servicesUpdated: June 27, 2007, 4:25 PM ETCommentEmailPrintThe WWE says reports speculating that steroids played a role in the apparent murder-suicide of professional wrestler Chris Benoit, whom police say killed his wife and son before taking his own life, are "sensationalistic" and are not supported by evidence in the case. AP Photo/WWE, HOAuthorities are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Chris Benoit, above, his wife and child.But a link emerged connecting Benoit to a Florida company charged with selling performance-enhancing drugs, as the Albany County, N.Y., district attorney's office said Benoit had received deliveries from the pharmacy. And prosecutors, lacking a suicide note and lacking a motive, still want to know if side effects from performance-enhancing drugs could possibly explain what might have caused Benoit to kill two members of his family and take his own life.Toxicology test results may not be available to investigators for weeks. As for whether steroids played a role in the crime, Fayette County, Ga. District Attorney Scott Ballard said: "We don't know yet. That's one of the things we'll be looking at." The WWE, in a news release on its Web site, pointed out that according to police, the steroids found in Benoit's suburban Atlana home were from legal prescriptions; that in the absence of toxicology tests, there was no evidence that Benoit had steroids in his body; that Benoit tested negative for steroids in April; and that the physical evidence from the home and the time that passed between the two killings and Benoit's suicide suggest deliberate acts, rather than an act of rage. The WWE "strongly suggests that it is entirely wrong for speculators to suggest that steroids had anything to do with these senseless acts, especially when the authorities plainly stated that there is no evidence that Benoit had steroids in his body, pending the toxicological reports, and that they had no evidence at this time as to the motive for these acts," the Stamford, Conn.-based company said. Benoit strangled his wife Nancy, 43, suffocated his 7-year-old son Daniel and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with a weight-machine pulley, authorities said Tuesday. Recent Pro Wrestler DeathsChris Benoit's death in a murder-suicide is the latest in a string of professional wrestlers who died relatively young. Here is a list of some prominent performers and how they died: Date Name Age Cause of Death 2005 Eddie Guerrero 38 Heart failure * 2003 Curt Hennig 44 Acute cocaine intoxication** 2002 David Smith 39 Heart attack*** 1999 Owen Hart 34 Accidental fall 1999 Rick Rude 40 Heart failure believed caused by overdose of GHB, steroids 1997 Brian Pillman 35 Heart attack**** * Guerrero had not used illicit drugs and alcohol in four years prior to his death, but his prior lifestyle was widely blamed as a contributing factor.** Hennig's father said a combination of steroids and painkillers contributed to his death.*** Smith's autopsy said steroid use may have played a role in his death. His brother-in-law Bruce Hart said Smith "paid the price" for using.**** Pillman, a former NFL player, had a prior history of abusing steroids and painkillers. Investigators said they found steroids in the house and want to know whether the muscle man nicknamed "The Canadian Crippler" was unhinged by the bodybuilding drugs, which can cause paranoia, depression and explosive outbursts known as "roid rage." Steroids have been linked to the deaths of several professional wrestlers in recent years. Benoit's personal physician said he saw him hours before he allegedly killed his wife and he showed no signs of distress or range. Dr. Phil Astin said Benoit was in his office on Friday -- just to stop by and to see his staff. Astin said he was Benoit's longtime friend and physician. He said he had prescribed testosterone to Benoit because he suffered from low amounts of the hormone. He said the condition likely originated from previous steroid use. He would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed the day of the meeting. Benoit received drug deliveries from a Florida business that sold steroids, human growth hormone and testosterone on the Internet, according to the Albany County, N.Y., District Attorney's Office, which is investigating the business, MedXLife.com. Six people, including two of the pharmacy's owners, have pleaded guilty in the investigation, and 20 more have been arrested, including doctors and pharmacists. On Saturday, Benoit called a co-worker to say he had missed a flight and would be late for a wrestling event in Texas, WWE said in a timeline posted Tuesday on its Web site. The co-worker said Benoit sounded tired and groggy and said "I love you," which the co-worker found "out of context," WWE said. When a co-worker who usually travels with Benoit called him later from the Houston airport, Benoit told the co-worker his wife, Nancy, was throwing up blood and that his son, Daniel, also was throwing up. Benoit said he thought it was food poisoning, according to WWE. After Benoit talked to a WWE Talent Relations representative, the representative suggested Benoit try to make it to a pay-per-view event in Houston since he would not be able to make it to the live event in Beaumont, Texas. But early Sunday, two co-workers received a series of text messages from the cell phones of Benoit and his wife. Most stated his home address in Fayetteville, about 20 miles south of Atlanta. One message from Benoit's phone said: "The dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open," according to WWE. The text messages led WWE to ask authorities to check on Benoit and his family. Ballard said the messages appeared to be an attempt by Benoit to get someone to the home to find the bodies after his suicide. "In a community like this it's bizarre to have a murder-suicide, especially involving the death of a 7-year-old," Ballard said. "I don't think we'll ever be able to wrap our minds around this." He said Benoit's 43-year-old wife was killed Friday in an upstairs family room, and her feet and wrists were bound and there was blood under her head, indicating a possible struggle. Daniel was probably killed late Saturday or early Sunday, and his body was found in his bed, the district attorney said. Benoit, 40, apparently hanged himself hours later, Ballard said. His body was found in a downstairs weight room hanging from the pulley of a piece of exercise equipment. The prosecutor said it appeared the wrestler remained in the house for up to a day with the bodies. The boy had old needle marks in his arms, Ballard said. He said he had been told the parents considered him undersized and had given him growth hormones. "The boy was very small, even dwarfed," Ballard said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Posted by pussinboots on Sunday, July 01, 2007 at 6:00 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]
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Steroids discovered in probe of slayings, suicideESPN.com news servicesUpdated: June 27, 2007, 10:05 AM ETCommentEmailPrintFAYETTEVILLE, Ga. -- Pro wrestler Chris Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his 7-year-old son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with the pulley of a weight machine, authorities said Tuesday.Investigators found prescription anabolic steroids in the house and want to know whether the muscle man nicknamed "The Canadian Crippler" was unhinged by the bodybuilding drugs, which can cause paranoia, depression and explosive outbursts known as "roid rage."AP Photo/WWE, HOAuthorities are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Chris Benoit, above, his wife and child.Authorities offered no motive for the killings, which were spread out over a weekend, and would not discuss Benoit's state of mind. No suicide note was found."In a community like this it's bizarre to have a murder-suicide, especially involving the death of a 7-year-old," District Attorney Scott Ballard said. "I don't think we'll ever be able to wrap our minds around this."In an interview with ESPN.com on Tuesday, Ballard indicated that the boy had needle marks in his arms. The district attorney said he believed that the boy had been given growth hormones for some time because the family considered him undersized.That was only one of the strange facts that Ballard revealed. He said that two text messages of note caused authorities to investigate the house. In one, Benoit told somebody he knew that his wife and son were sick."Of course, they were dead," Ballard told ESPN.com.In a second message to a neighbor, Benoit said that the door of the house was open and the pets were outside."And our assumption is that that was an effort to try and get somebody to come find the bodies after the suicide," Ballard said. "That is our assumption." Recent Pro Wrestler DeathsChris Benoit's death in a murder-suicide is the latest in a string of professional wrestlers who died relatively young. Here is a list of some prominent performers and how they died: Date Name Age Cause of Death 2005 Eddie Guerrero 38 Heart failure * 2003 Curt Hennig 44 Acute cocaine intoxication** 2002 David Smith 39 Heart attack*** 1999 Owen Hart 34 Accidental fall 1999 Rick Rude 40 Heart failure believed caused by overdose of GHB, steroids 1997 Brian Pillman 35 Heart attack**** * Guerrero had not used illicit drugs and alcohol in four years prior to his death, but his prior lifestyle was widely blamed as a contributing factor.** Hennig's father said a combination of steroids and painkillers contributed to his death.*** Smith's autopsy said steroid use may have played a role in his death. His brother-in-law Bruce Hart said Smith "paid the price" for using.**** Pillman, a former NFL player, had a prior history of abusing steroids and painkillers. The Montreal-born Benoit was one of the stars of the World Wrestling Entertainment circuit and was known for his wholesome family man image. His wife, Nancy, was a wrestling stage manager who worked under the name "Woman." They met and fell in love when their wrestling story lines intertwined.When he won the world heavyweight championship in 2004, Benoit (pronounced ben-WAH) hoisted the belt over his head and invited his wife and child into the ring to celebrate. Asked by the Calgary Sun that same year to name his worst vice: Benoit replied: "Quality time with my family is a big vice. It's something I'll fight for and crave."Nevertheless, Nancy Benoit filed for a divorce in 2003, saying the couple's three-year marriage was irrevocably broken and alleging "cruel treatment."She later dropped the complaint, as well as a request for a restraining order in which she charged that the 5-foot-10, 220-pound Benoit had threatened her and had broken furniture in their home.In the divorce filing, she said Benoit made more than $500,000 a year as a professional wrestler and asked for permanent custody of Daniel and child support. In his response, Benoit sought joint custody.The bodies were found Monday afternoon in three rooms of the house, off a gravel road.Ballard said that Benoit's wife, 43, was killed Friday in an upstairs family room, her feet and wrists were bound and there was blood under her head, indicating a possible struggle. Ballard told ESPN.com that it appeared that she had been pinned to the floor and asphyxiated with some sort of cable. The son, Daniel, was probably killed late Saturday or early Sunday, the body found in his bed, Ballard said. The district attorney indicated that he had been choked to death.Benoit, 40, apparently killed himself several hours and as long as a day later, Ballard said. His body was found in a downstairs weight room, his body found hanging from the pulley of a piece of exercise equipment. Ballard said that he had used weights, the pulley and cable to choke himself to death.The prosecutor said he found it "bizarre" that the WWE wrestling star spread out the killings over a weekend and appeared to remain in the house for up to a day with the bodies. Ballard told ESPN.com that investigators smelled what they ascertained to be decomposing bodies when they entered the home. The varying degrees of decomposition between the bodies helped indicate the staggered times of death.Toxicology test results may not be available for weeks or even months, he said. As for whether steroids played a role in the crime, he said: "We don't know yet. That's one of the things we'll be looking at."Benoit received drug deliveries from a Florida business that sold steroids, human growth hormone and testosterone on the Internet, according to the Albany County, N.Y., District Attorney's Office, which is investigating the business, MedXLife.com.Six people, including two of the pharmacy's owners, have pleaded guilty in the Albany investigation, and 20 more have been arrested, including doctors and pharmacists.Steroids have been linked to the deaths of several professional wrestlers in recent years. Eddie Guerrero, one of Benoit's best friends, died in 2005 from heart failure linked to long-term steroid use.The father of Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig blamed steroids and painkillers for Hennig's drug overdose death in 2003. Davey Boy Smith, the "British Bulldog," died in 2002 from heart failure that a coroner said was probably caused by steroids.The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., issued a statement Tuesday evening saying steroids "were not and could not be related to the cause of death.""The physical findings announced by authorities indicate deliberation, not rage," the company said, adding that Benoit tested negative April 10, the last time he was tested for drugs.Benoit was a quiet, roughhewn figure amid the glitz and bluster of pro wrestling. He performed under his real name, eschewed scripted personas and didn't bother to fix a gap where he had lost one of his front teeth. (According to the WWE Web site, he lost the tooth while roughhousing with his pet Rottweiler.)His signature move was the "Crippler Crossface," in which he would lock his hands around an opponent's face and stretch his neck."You always rooted for him, because he was a good guy and he overcame the odds," said Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer, a weekly news letter. "It's like if you watched 'Rocky,' and in the end it comes out that Rocky killed his wife and his son."He met his wife in the 1990s when she was married to rival wrestler Kevin Sullivan. As part of the scripted rivalry, Benoit and Nancy were supposed to act as if they were having an affair. A real romance blossomed, and she left Sullivan for Benoit.Neighbors said the Benoits led a low-key lifestyle."We would see Chris walking in his yard from time to time. He wasn't rude, but he wasn't really outwardly warm," said Alaina Jones, who lives across the street.Jimmy Baswell, who was Benoit's driver for more than five years, placed a white wreath at the Benoits' gate. "They always seemed like they were the happiest people," he said.WWE said on its Web site that it asked authorities to check on Benoit and his family after being alerted by friends who received "several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning."On Saturday, Benoit was slated to appear at a WWE live event in Beaumont, Texas. According to a release from the WWE, Benoit contacted WWE that afternoon to inform them that his wife and child were ill, and that he would not be able to attend the show. The release also stated that WWE executives rebooked Benoit's flight for the following morning, making arrangements for Benoit to attend the pay-per-view event in Houston on Sunday. Employees attempted to confirm his travel plans but were unable to contact him. The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., said authorities asked that it not release further information on the deaths."WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the company said in a statement on its Web site."He was like a family member to me, and everyone in my family is taking it real hard," said fellow Canadian Bret Hart, a five-time champion with the World Wrestling Federation. The federation has since changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment.Benoit had maintained a home in Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling. The Fayette County Tax Assessors Office lists the value of the house, on more than 8.5 acres, at nearly $900,000.The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, after the bodies were discovered.Monday's show was supposed to be a memorial service for WWE owner Vince McMahon. In a storyline concocted by the WWE, McMahon was supposedly "assassinated" in a limousine explosion two weeks earlier. McMahon appeared at the beginning of Monday's telecast and acknowledged the bombing was made up.The McMahon storyline has been dropped.Benoit had two other children from a prior relationship.Mike Fish of ESPN.com contributed to this report. Information from The Associated Press was also used.
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Police say they will investigate Benoit deaths as possible murder-suicideESPN.com news servicesUpdated: June 26, 2007, 12:42 PM ETCommentEmailPrintFAYETTEVILLE, Ga. -- WWE wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and son were found dead Monday, and police said they were investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide.AP Photo/WWE, HOAuthorities are investigating whether steroids may have been a factor in the deaths of Chris Benoit, above, his wife and child.Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department said the three were found at their home about 2:30 p.m.Pope said autopsies on Benoit, his wife Nancy, and 7-year-old son Daniel were scheduled for Tuesday. It could be weeks before there is a result.Benoit had missed several appointments over the weekend, leading some concerned parties to ask police to do a "welfare check," Pope told ABC News. The WWE reported on its Web site on Monday night that friends received several curious text messages sent by Benoit early Sunday morning, prompting VP of Government Relations for WWE, Inc. Richard Hering to contact Fayette County sheriffs on Monday and request they check on Benoit and his family. When sheriffs arrived at the home, they found the wrestler, his wife and their son dead. Detective Bo Turner told television station WAGA that the case was being treated as a murder-suicide, but he said that couldn't be confirmed until evidence was examined by a crime lab.The station said that investigators believe the 40-year-old Benoit killed Nancy, 43, and Daniel over the weekend, then himself on Monday. The bodies were found in three rooms.According to Pope, there were no signs of gunshot wounds or stabbing. Authorities are not ruling out other causes, such as poisoning, suffocation or strangulation."The details, when they come out are going to prove a little bizarre," said Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard, according to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.Pope told ABC News "the instruments of death were located on scene," but would not specify what those instruments are or where in the house the bodies were found. Pope added the department is "not actively searching for any suspects outside of the house."Authorities also declined to say whether drugs or steroids were found inside the house. "We're not releasing any information as far as what was located inside the house," sheriff's Sgt. Keith Whiteside said Tuesday.Asked about the condition of the interior of the house, Whiteside said investigators found "nothing really out of the ordinary." He said Benoit was found in the home's weight room, his wife in an office and the son in an upstairs bedroom.Whiteside said toxicology tests could take up to a week or longer to complete.Neighbors said the Benoits led a low-key lifestyle."They were nice," said Lorre Jones, who lives across the street. Her daughter Alaina said: "We would see Chris walking in his yard from time to time. He wasn't rude, but he wasn't really outwardly warm."Jimmy Baswell, who was Benoit's driver for more than five years, placed a white wreath at the Benoits' gate Tuesday."I saw him with his family all the time," said Baswell. "They always seemed like they were the happiest people."The house is in a secluded neighborhood set back about 60 yards off a gravel road, surrounded by stacked stone wall and a double-iron gate. On Monday night, the house was dark except for a few outside lights. There was a police car in front, along with two uniformed officers.Benoit was a former world heavyweight champion, Intercontinental champion and held several tag-team titles over his career."WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the federation said in a statement on its Web site.Benoit was scheduled to perform at the "Vengeance" pay-per-view event Sunday night in Houston, but was replaced at the last minute because of what announcer Jim Ross called "personal reasons."Benoit had maintained a home in metro Atlanta from the time he wrestled for the defunct World Championship Wrestling. The Fayette County Tax Assessors Office lists the value of the house, situated on more than 8.5 acres, at nearly $900,000.The WWE canceled its live "Monday Night RAW" card in Corpus Christi, Texas, and USA Network aired a three-hour tribute to Benoit in place of the scheduled wrestling telecast."My relationship with Chris has extended many years and I consider him a great friend," Carl DeMarco, the president of WWE Canada, said in a statement. "Chris was always first-class -- warm, friendly, caring and professional -- one of the best in our business."Benoit's wife managed several wrestlers and went by the stage name "Woman."They met when her then-husband drew up a script that had them involved in a relationship as part of an ongoing story line on World Championship Wrestling, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.Benoit became a standout at an early age among wrestling prospects who trained in the dungeon basement of the house where fellow Canadians and professional wrestlers Owen and Bret Hart trained. Owen Hart was killed during a wrestling event in 1999."He was like a family member to me, and everyone in my family is taking it real hard," said Bret Hart, a five-time WWE champion.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.632 comments on "Police say they will investigate Benoit deaths as possible murder-suicide"RockBeast666 (6/26/2007 at 12:26 AM)In a business were most of the players are viewed as bad actors rather than men with real athletic ability, Chris Benoit far surpassed the rest. Unlike allot guys in any pro sport, Benoit did it for the fans and the sport itself, not the money. He was truly one of the most hard working, most dedicated men that any sport has ever known and it's truly tragic that his life and career ended in such a horrible way. Once I got old enough to lose my interest in pro wrestling, I still never lost my respect for what an incredible athlete and hard worker Chris Benoit was. My deepest sympathys go out to he and his wife and child's family and friends. mmayes211 (6/26/2007 at 12:27 AM)Is it not weird the fact all these public wrestling figures have died and no one is talking to Vince?? Think of your job, collegiate sports, a circus, etc. If that many people had mysteriously died in the past 10-15 years, wouldn't authorities be a BIT interested in talking to you or the boss. Food for thought.Traditionrichjayhawk (6/26/2007 at 12:31 AM)Well guys we don't know all the facts we are just assuming but this is really terrible. When I watching wrestling, this guy as more intense, and tougher than anybody I've ever seen. Chris Beniot just HAD IT! He had that confidence, that swagger, etc. His rivalries with Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, and The Rock produced some of the most classic matches in the history of the WWE. May you rest in peace Daniel, Nancy, and Chris Beniot!ESPN Top HeadlinesBye, Buffalo: Flyers land big free agent Briere Report: Carter agrees to 4-year contract with Nets Reds fall to Cardinals despite Griffey's 585th HR Nextel Cup racing in New Hampshire Kerr takes 1-shot lead; Ochoa falters in U.S. Open Inside ESPN.comFree agency is here, and soon the millions will fly. Who deserves the biggest bump? We rank the top 25 available play- ers. Insider: Chris Sheridan When the clock struck midnight, the Bucks weren't racing to find a slipper for Chauncey. So what's the early word in free agency? Marc Stein The fantasy world of wrestling seemingly gave Nancy Benoit a dream life, but it ended tragically. Did anyone know Chris Benoit? Liz Merrill Usama Young, the 66th pick in the NFL draft, is the highest pick to sign with his team. But compared to last year, the ink is flying. Len PasquarelliWe know Roger Federer is the big favorite at Wimbledon. But weather woes and a Sunday off have combined to make his job much easier. Todd MartinNot long ago, talk in tennis circles had the doubles game on a path to extinction. But it's blazing along; just ask the Williams sisters. Greg Garber
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Sunday, July 01, 2007 Steroids In Wrestling Commentary Pro wrestling has more problems than steroidsBy Jemele HillPage 2(Archive Contact).. promo plug --> .. end promo plug --> .. end story header -->.. begin left column --> .. begin page tools --> Updated: June 28, 2007, 1:18 PM ETComment Email Print .. end page tools -->.. begin story body --> .. template inline --> You could say what's happened in pro wrestling recently is very Tupac-esque. Tupac foreshadowed his own death in his 1996 video for "I Ain't Mad At Cha," which was released a few days after he was shot and killed in Las Vegas. Peter Cramer/GettyHopefully the Chris Benoit tragedy will open some eyes in the world of professional wrestling.The WWE was in the middle of an elaborate, fake-death story line involving chairman Vince McMahon -- going as far as to put out a press release about it and declare a day of mourning -- when life decided it could trump art. The WWE got its wish, all right. The pro wrestling world was indeed leveled by a major death, creating the nationwide buzz it so desperately sought. Only this death wasn't staged, it wasn't McMahon's and it pointed to a much more significant problem in the "sport." The bodies of legendary wrestler Chris Benoit, wife Nancy and 7-year-old son Daniel were discovered Monday after a gruesome murder-suicide. Initially, all three were thought to be victims -- the WWE and USA Network even aired a three-hour tribute to the 22-year wrestling vet -- but it soon became apparent the deaths were executed by Benoit, who strangled his wife and suffocated his child before hanging himself on the portable weight machine in the family's home. I realize we're supposed to look at pro wrestling as a high-flying version of "The Young and the Restless." But it is inconceivable that, given the appalling number of real wrestling deaths, there would ever be any plot lines involving fake deaths. The real lives of pro wrestlers, as the Benoit tragedy illustrates, are far more disturbing than anything they could act out in the ring. Two years ago, Eddie Guerrero was found dead in his Minneapolis hotel room -- medical examiners ruled Guerrero had an enlarged heart, a result of the anabolic steroids he had abused. In 2003, Miss Elizabeth -- the girlfriend of former WCW champion Lex Luger and a one-time fixture in the sport -- overdosed on a combination of pain pills and alcohol. That same year, Curt "Mr. Perfect" Henning died of a cocaine overdose. And in 1999, Owen Hart died while trying to perform a stunt during a pay-per-view event -- the show went on, and because pro wrestling is always full of theatrics, the viewing audience had no idea the mishap it had just witnessed resulted in a real death. "Personally, I thought the [McMahon] story line was in extremely poor taste from the start," said Phil Lowe, editor of WrestleMag.com, the largest wrestling Web site in the United Kingdom. "I'd like to think a story line such as this should never even be considered again and that the company now focuses on wrestling over far-fetched story lines, as well as paying more attention to the well-being of those who play a massive role in ensuring that the company is such a massive success." Although pro wrestling makes no illusions about its purpose, the countless deaths suggest it's time to scrutinize what goes on there with the same seriousness as in the NBA or NFL. Pro wrestling is still sports entertainment, which doesn't make it all that different from the sports leagues that don't have predetermined outcomes. It took Jose Canseco's book, "Juiced," and the BALCO scandal to get Congress to question officials from the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball. How many more pro wrestlers have to die before Congress gives McMahon, who was charged with conspiring to distribute steroids to his wrestlers, a phone call? "Depending on what comes out from [Benoit's] toxicology reports, we could see changes implemented or at least changes called for," Lowe said. Although steroids are poised to be the banner issue that emerges from the Benoit tragedy, the changes that need to be implemented should go further than just drug testing, which WWE already has. As we've seen with the retired NFL players who have taken their plight to the government, the mental strain that comes from competing in brutal sports -- and despite its being programmed, you could argue pro wrestling is as physically taxing as professional football -- can be debilitating, whether steroids are involved or not. Many pro wrestlers, as shown in the stunning 1999 documentary "Beyond the Mat," lead lives that are demoralizing, not glamorous. In that documentary, we learn that Jake "The Snake" Roberts -- whose signature "DDT" move I tried many times as a kid -- is just a lonely cocaine addict estranged from his family. Based on the things in "Beyond the Mat," we should almost be surprised when a pro wrestler doesn't die tragically. "Ultimately, every guy is responsible for his or her own actions," Lowe said. "That said, some of these guys -- especially those at the top of the tree -- are under huge pressure to keep in shape and maintain their physical condition while burning themselves out on the road 200-plus days a year." It seems the drama in pro wrestling isn't as fake as we'd like to believe. Page 2 columnist Jemele Hill can be reached at jemeleespn@gmail.com. .. end story body -->.. begin sp links -->
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Friday, June 29, 2007 Benoits' Family Funerals Benoit to have service in Canada, wife and child in FloridaBy Kevin DuffyThe Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 06/28/07Professional wrestler Chris Benoit will have a private service in Canada, separate from the services for his wife and son, his father said Thursday.Benoit's parents, Michael and Margaret Benoit, live in Ardrossan in the Canadian province of Alberta.The bodies of Benoit, his wife Nancy Benoit and their 7-year-old son, Daniel, are at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab.Benoit killed his wife and his mentally handicapped son last weekend and then hanged himself at their exclusive Fayette County home near Peachtree City."It's a horrible, horrible event that's happened," Michael Benoit, the wrestling star's father said, speaking softly on the phone. "We have no understanding why it happened. It's going to take us a long time to come to terms with this, and we may never come to terms with it."Nancy Benoit's parents, Paul and Maureen Toffoloni, live in Daytona Beach, Fla., where services for Nancy Benoit and Daniel probably will be held, Benoit said. They could not be reached Thursday for comment.The plan is to cremate the mother and child in Georgia, according to Bee Huddleston of Carl J. Mowell and Sons Funeral Home in Peachtree City, which is assisting the families.Mowell and Sons was scheduled to pick up the bodies of the mother and son late Thursday from the G.B.I. medical examiner's office in Decatur."Our thoughts and prayers are with Nancy's family," Benoit said. "We're very concerned about the long-term affects on her family."There are no words to describe the loss we feel."
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Wrestler and Wife Argued Over Child CarePro Wrestler Chris Benoit and Wife Argued Over Care of Mentally Retarded 7-Year-Old Son..IE--> In this March 29, 2004 file photo, provided by World Wrestling Entertainment Chris Benoit is shown. Pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and 7-year-old son were found slain Monday, June 25, 2007 at their Fayette County home, authorities said. Sheriff's Lt. Tommy Pope said the three were found about 2:30 p.m., but he would release no other details about the deaths at the house near White Water Country Club. (AP Photo/WWE, HO) The Associated Press By GREG BLUESTEIN Associated Press WriterATLANTA Jun 28, 2007 (AP) Font SizeE-mailPrint.. AddThis Bookmark Button BEGIN --> Share .. type=text/javascript>var addthis_pub = 'abcnews';..> .. src="http://s9.addthis.com/js/widget.php?v=10" type=text/javascript>..> In the days before pro wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife and child and hanged himself, the couple argued over whether he should stay home more to take care of their mentally retarded 7-year-old son, an attorney for the wrestling league said Wednesday. "I think it's fair to say that the subject of caring for that child was part of what made their relationship complicated and difficult, and it's something they were both constantly struggling with," said Jerry McDevitt, an attorney for World Wrestling Entertainment. "We do know it was a source of stress and consternation.".. -related- --> ..empty-->McDevitt said the wrestling organization learned from the couple's friends and relatives that the Benoits were struggling with where to send the boy to school since he had recently finished kindergarten.He also said Benoit's wife didn't want him to quit wrestling, but she "wanted him to be at home more to care for the kid. She'd say she can't take care of him by herself when he was on the road."The child suffered from a rare medical condition called Fragile X Syndrome, an inherited form of mental retardation often accompanied by autism, McDevitt said.Over the past weekend, authorities said, Benoit strangled his wife, suffocated his son and placed a Bible next to their bodies before hanging himself with a weight-machine cable in the couple's suburban home. No motive was offered for the killings, which were discovered Monday.Anabolic steroids were found in Benoit's home, leading officials to wonder whether the drugs played a role in the slayings. Some experts believe steroids cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."The WWE, based in Stamford, Conn., issued a news release Tuesday saying steroids "were not and could not be related to the cause of death" and that the findings indicate "deliberation, not rage." It also added that Benoit tested negative April 10, the last time he was tested for drugs.Also Wednesday, Benoit's personal physician said the wrestler did not give any indication he was troubled when he met with the doctor hours before the start of the weekend.Wrestler and Wife Argued Over Child Care 123Next Comment on This Story Wrestler and Wife Argued Over Child CarePro Wrestler Chris Benoit and Wife Argued Over Care of Mentally Retarded 7-Year-Old SonFont SizeE-mailPrint.. AddThis Bookmark Button BEGIN --> Share .. type=text/javascript>var addthis_pub = 'abcnews';..> .. src="http://s9.addthis.com/js/widget.php?v=10" type=text/javascript>..> Benoit had been under the care of Dr. Phil Astin, a longtime friend, for treatment of low testosterone levels. Astin said the condition likely originated from previous steroid use... -related- --> ..empty-->Astin prescribed testosterone for Benoit in the past but would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed the day of their meeting."He was in my office on Friday to stop by just to see my staff," Astin said. "He certainly didn't show any signs of any distress or rage or anything.""I'm still very surprised and shocked, especially with his child Daniel involved," Astin said. "He worshipped his child."District Attorney Scott Ballard said the autopsy indicated that there were no bruise marks on the child's neck, so authorities are now assuming he could have been killed using a choke hold. "It's a process of elimination," he said.The Benoits' argument over their son was not the only friction in their marriage. Nancy Benoit had filed for a divorce in 2003, saying the couple's three-year marriage was irrevocably broken and alleging "cruel treatment." She later dropped the complaint.Meanwhile, authorities in Georgia were investigating a link between Benoit and a Florida business that may have supplied him with steroids.Prosecutors in upstate New York who have been investigating the company's drug sales said Benoit received deliveries from Signature Pharmacy and MedXLife.com, which sold steroids, human growth hormone and testosterone on the Internet.Six people, including two of the pharmacy's owners, have pleaded guilty in the investigation, and 20 more have been arrested, including doctors and pharmacists."That's something that sounds like we ought to be investigating," Ballard told the AP on Wednesday.A lawyer for MedXLife co-owner Dr. Gary Brandwein scoffed at allegations that his client's company sold steroids to Benoit."I've only read that in the paper. I have no direct information about that whatsoever," Terence Kindlon said Wednesday, adding that prosecutors in Albany County, N.Y., were trying to "distract everyone's attention from the fact that their case is disintegrating."Wrestler and Wife Argued Over Child Care - Continued Previous123Next Comment on This Story .. type=text/javascript>adsonar_placementId=1280487;adsonar_pid=43749;adsonar_ps=-1;adsonar_zw=398;adsonar_zh=250;adsonar_jv='ads.adsonar.com';..> .. language=JavaScript src="http://js.adsonar.com/js/adsonar.js">..> Wrestler and Wife Argued Over Child CarePro Wrestler Chris Benoit and Wife Argued Over Care of Mentally Retarded 7-Year-Old SonFont SizeE-mailPrint.. AddThis Bookmark Button BEGIN --> Share .. type=text/javascript>var addthis_pub = 'abcnews';..> .. src="http://s9.addthis.com/js/widget.php?v=10" type=text/javascript>..> Brandwein, a 44-year-old osteopath from Boca Raton, Fla., has pleaded not guilty to six counts in New York state court related to the criminal sale of a controlled substance. He was accused of signing and sending prescriptions without ever seeing patients... -related- --> ..empty-->Telephone messages left for attorneys for Brian Schafler and Greg Trotta two other co-owners of MedXLife were not immediately returned Wednesday. The two men have pleaded guilty to felony third-degree diversion of prescription medications and prescriptions, admitting they helped get drugs in 2006 for customers in upstate New York who had no medical need for them.McDevitt said the drugs found in Benoit's house were legitimately prescribed. "There's no question, none of these drugs are out there, none of these drugs came from Internet pharmacies," he said.In addition to causing paranoia and explosive outbursts, steroids can also contribute to deep depression, according to experts."Just as you have the extreme high of when you're on steroids, you can get the opposite," said Dr. Todd Schlifstein, a clinical assistant professor at the New York University School of Medicine. "You can have a dramatic difference in mood swings. You can feel there's no hope, there's no future."Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.Wrestler and Wife Argued Over Child Care - Continued Previous123 Comment on This Story 5:52 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - RemovePosted by pussinboots on Sunday, July 01, 2007 at 5:49 PM [Remove] [Reply to this]
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Friday, June 29, 2007 CHRIS BENOIT foxnews.com http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287194,00.htmlWeb Time Stamps Indicate Nancy Benoit's Death Reported on Web at Least 13 Hours Before Police Found Bodies in Her HomeThursday, June 28, 2007By Blane BachelorE-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION An anonymous user operating a computer traced to Stamford, Conn. — home to World Wrestling Entertainment — posted an entry to pro wrestler Chris Benoit's biography on Wikipedia.org announcing the death of his wife Nancy at least 13 hours before police in suburban Atlanta said they found her body along with her husband's and that of their 7-year-old son, FOXNews.com has learned.Reporters informed the Fayette County district attorney's office of the posting Thursday, and the agency forwarded the information to sheriff's investigators, who are looking into it, a legal assistant said in an e-mail to the AP.WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt said that to his knowledge, no one at the WWE knew Nancy Benoit was dead before her body was found Monday afternoon. Text messages released by officials show that messages from Chris Benoit's cell phone were being sent to co-workers a few hours after the Wikipedia posting.WWE employees are given WWE e-mail addresses, McDevitt said, though he did not know whether Chris Benoit had one."I have no idea who posted this," McDevitt said. "It's at least possible Chris may have sent some other text message to someone that we're unaware of. We don't know if he did. The phone is in the possession of authorities."Employees at Wikipedia.org said the posting went live on their site on Monday at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Police, however, said they found the bodies Monday at 2:30 p.m. EDT.StoriesDrug Agents Raid Offices of Pro Wrestler Chris Benoit's Personal Physician WWE's McMahon: Don't Assume That 'Roid Rage' Caused Benoit Murder-Suicide FOX Facts: Famous Wrestling Deaths Wrestler Chris Benoit Double Murder-Suicide: Was It 'Roid Rage'? Pro Wrestler Chris Benoit Told Friends Family Was Ill Nancy Benoit: A Career Woman in Wrestling Chris Benoit: Professional Wrestler, Murderer, Suicide Officials: Wrestler Strangled Wife, Suffocated Son, Hanged Self Cops Suspect Murder-Suicide in Killings of Pro Wrestler Chris Benoit and His Family Photo EssaysNancy-Daus Benoit Chris Benoit Dead at 40 The posting reads: "Chris Benoit was replaced by [Johnny Nitro] for the ECW Championship match at Vengeance, as Benoit was not there due to personal issues, stemming from the death of his wife Nancy." According to a Wikipedia.org report published after FOXNews.com made inquiries, the edit was reversed just under one hour later with the comment:"Need a reliable source. Saying that his wife died is a pretty big statement, you need to back it up with something."The posting apparently was made in reference to Benoit's scheduled appearance on Sunday night at an Extreme Championship Wrestling event in Texas.An employee from Wikipedia.org told FOXNews.com that he called and left a message with investigative authorities in Fayetteville, Ga., at around 11 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, after the posting was brought to the attention of the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Web site."I chat with other editors on IRC — Internet relay chat — and somebody pointed it out to me on a relay chat and that it came from a Stamford connection, and that it took place at midnight Eastern Standard Time on Monday morning," said Wikipedia.org volunteer coordinator Cary Bass. "I called and left a message with the police department."The computer-generated time and date stamp of the Benoit entry are listed as 4:01, 25 June 2007. Wikipedia.org lists its entries according to Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time.Further investigation, according to Wikipedia.com, shows that one hour after the first edit reversion, another anonymous edit by 125.63.148.173 using unwiredAustralia.com.au, a wireless Internet service provider, was made adding about the aforementioned personal issues: "which according to several pro wrestling websites is attributed to the passing of Benoit's wife, Nancy."That edit was reverted less than 20 minutes later, with the following comment: "Saying 'several pro wrestling websites' is still not reliable information." The second edit was made by a computer in Australia from a wireless network, according to Wikipedia.org.A message left by FOXNews.com with Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Department was not immediately returned.Investigators so far have ruled the Benoit killings as a double homicide-suicide.Wikipedia.org claims to be one of the largest reference Web sites, and is written collaboratively by users from around the world. Approved users can make submissions and change entries that are posted on the site almost immediately. Bass said the site is constantly monitored to correct inaccuracies.Bass said when there is a high-profile case, such as the Benoit killlings, Wikipedia.org limits postings to registered users, which is now indicated at the top of the Benoit entry. According to the listed history on the Benoit entry, the computer used to post the 12:01 a.m. entry had a Stamford, Conn., Internet Protocol — or IP — address, a numeric designation that is assigned to every computer with an Internet connection, and that same address has been used to post about a dozen other messages on the site, dating back to May 16, 2007.In related news, FOXNews.com also has learned, through widely posted Web reports, that former pro wrestler Sherri Martel, who was found dead on June 15, was linked to former wrestler Kevin Sullivan — ex-husband of Nancy Benoit.Click here to read more about the death of Sherri Martel.Martel, who had a reputation as one of the top managers in pro wrestling, was found dead at her mother's home in near Birmingham, Ala., on June 15. She was 49.Investigators, who have not yet determined Martel's cause of death, say foul play is not suspected but that Martel did not die of natural causes.The Associated Press contributed to this report.10:29 AM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove
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Links To Benoit Headlines World Wrestling Entertainment Incorporated videos0 results foundWorld Wrestling Entertainment Incorporated featuresPage 1 of 6 Wrestler Saw His Doctor the Day He Killed His WifeWWE Lawyer Says Son's Rare Illness Was a 'Stressor' for BenoitsJun. 27, 2007WWE: Benoit Told Others Family Was IllWrestler Who Strangled Wife, Smothered Son Said He'd Be Late to Event Because Family Was IllJun. 27, 2007 Greg Bluestein Associated Press WriterWrestler and Wife Argued Over Child CarePro Wrestler Chris Benoit and Wife Argued Over Care of Mentally Retarded 7-Year-Old SonJun. 27, 2007 Greg Bluestein Associated Press WriterLogging On and Letting it Out: Grieving OnlineInternet Surfers Share Emotions With Strangers on Blogs and ForumsJun. 26, 2007 Emily FriedmanPHOTOS: The Career of Wrestler Chris BenoitWorld Wrestling Entertainment's Chris Benoit, his wife and 7-year-old son were found dead Monday afternoon, and authorities are investigating the deaths as murder-suicide. Sheriff's Lt.Jun. 26, 2007Search for Answers in Wrestlers Murder-SuicideSteroids and Food Poisoning are Among Clues Found in Chris Benoits HomeJun. 26, 2007 Greg Bluestein Associated Press WriterPro wrestler Benoit kills family then himselfMIAMI (Reuters) - Professional wrestling superstar Chris Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son before hanging himself from his weight machine, authorities said on Tuesday.Jun. 26, 2007Wrestler Benoit dead in apparent murder-suicideMIAMI (Reuters) - Professional wrestling superstar Chris Benoit was found dead along with his wife and 7-year-old son in what police believe was a murder-suicide,Jun. 26, 2007More Results:« prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 next »6:04 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - RemovePosted by pussinboots on Sunday, July 01, 2007 at 5:47 PM
Posted by pussinboots on Thursday, July 05, 2007 at 3:35 AM [Remove] [Reply to this]