Category: Opinion

Just hours after being sentenced to prison Thursday, for the death of her 11-month-old daughter, Angel Vanduker gave birth to another child.

Chief Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Johnson said Vanduker went into labor late Friday night and gave birth en route to UnityPoint Health-Methodist.

The Illinois Department of Family and Child Services took the infant into protective custody shortly after the birth.

Vanduker, 21, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in November in Tazewell County Circuit Court in connection with Nova Tucker’s death on Sept. 24, 2020. The plea was “blind,” meaning there was no agreement on a sentence and she could have received anywhere from probation up to 14 years behind bars.

Rescue workers responded to Vanduker’s home on Sept. 21, 2020, on a report of an unresponsive baby. The baby girl was taken off life support three days later and pronounced dead. Initially, the mother told police the child had choked on a waffle, according to court records.

After the child’s death and upon learning that rescue workers found no evidence of food, Vanduker admitted to police that she had grown “frustrated and tired” with trying to get the baby to lie down with her on the couch.

She put a blanket around the little girl and held her head tightly to her chest until the baby stopped squirming, according to court records. Vanduker claimed that she dozed off and awoke a short time later to find the infant unresponsive.

Vanduker is required to serve at least half of her sentence as the charge of involuntary manslaughter allows for day-for-day “good-time” credit to apply if an inmate complies with all the rules.

Friday’s hearing was moved up a week to accommodate for her pregnancy, Johnson said. She had been free on bond until March when she was charged with aggravated battery for striking a medical worker. That case is set for a review on Aug. 22.

A church in Oakland, California, that incorporates ritualistic use of controlled psychedelic mushrooms and marijuana is suing the city, the police department, and one of its officers for violating its First- and 14th Amendment rights in connection with a raid that seized substances from its facility.

Oakland police raided Zide Door Church of Entheogenic Plants in 2020, taking cash and approximately $200,000 in mushrooms and cannabis following reports that the church was running an unpermitted cannabis dispensary. The church is accusing authorities and one particular officer of discriminating against its religious beliefs.

Zide Door Church claims to be founded on the idea that psychedelic mushrooms induce complex human communication and religion. The church claims cannabis enables people “to understand life, the world and the teachings from the spirits that communicate through mushrooms and other entheogens” by using a focused “inner eye.”

The church’s founder Dave Hodges told Vice that those who consider it a religiously cloaked drug dispensary “just don’t understand that we truly believe in this.”

Hodges said the 2020 police raid caused at least $50,000 in building damage. “We’re really hoping in any way possible to hold the Oakland police department accountable for what they did,” he commented to Vice.

“The Oakland Police Department does not comment on pending litigation,” a representative said. Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parker said her office had not yet been with the lawsuit.

Recently-leaked video footage shows Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin partying like a wild woman … and now politicians are calling on her to take a drug test, claiming her behavior is a red flag.

The clips show the 36-year-old prime minister partying like a rock star with Finnish musicians, TV stars, and fellow politicians — the video was “found” on an unknown, private Instagram account.

Finnish Member of Parliament Mikko Karna called her out when the video was leaked …demanding that she take a drug test — and for her to put the results on display for all to see.

The Prime Minister addressed the rant Thursday during a press conference, saying that she was drinking, but never took drugs … and would have no problem taking a test, but added, “I also think it’s quite special that something like this is required.”

She admitted that she knew that she was being filmed, but believed the clips would remain private –saying that it “feels bad” that it’s out there now.

Marin, who’s been called “the coolest Prime Minister in the world” by Bild, a publication company in Germany, has been in hot water before for having a good time.

She hung out at a nightclub last year after coming in close contact with someone that had COVID … in her apology, she claimed she had missed the text telling her to self-isolate.

A man was injured Tuesday night when he fell from an upper level of Lucas Oil Stadium during Mötley Crüe’s performance, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

According to a police report, “an intoxicated male stumbled over the railing at Lucas Oil Stadium and was transported to Eskenazi Hospital in stable condition” around 10 p.m. Tuesday.

On Wednesday, public information officer Samone Burris said the man was “awake and breathing” when police reached him at the concert. “Additional information I have received is the adult male was extremely intoxicated and leaned over the railing, at which point he fell,” Burris said.

Spokeswoman Monica Whitfield Brase said in a statement that Lucas Oil Stadium was “made aware that a person was injured as the result of a fall during the Stadium Tour.”

“The person was assessed by on-site paramedics and transported by ambulance to an area hospital,” the statement reads. “Although we do not know the extent of the person’s injuries, the individual appeared to be communicating with paramedics on site prior to leaving the stadium. At this time we do not believe other guests or employees in the stadium were involved in the incident.”

Brase said the stadiums and its contractors “work tirelessly to maintain the highest safety standards and best practices with regard to the physical structure and operations of the stadium.” All employees and volunteers with Sodexo Live!, the venue’s food service provider, are trained on food and alcohol service standards, she added.

“We seen a figure, at first we didn’t think it was a person, we thought it, you know, they had been tossing volleyballs and different stuff around the crowd. But when you heard the thud twice, then we knew it was a person,” witness Steven Neeley said. “You could hear the audible gasps over the music playing.”

The Stadium Tour drew tens of thousands of people to Lucas Oil and featured Def Leppard, Poison, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, all of whom performed before Mötley Crüe. The show had originally been planned for 2020 but was postponed multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Florida college student was shot and killed in Alabama on Sunday trying to protect himself and his girlfriend after they were held at gunpoint by a woman who claimed to be having trouble with her car, according to the Clay County (Alabama) Sheriff’s Office.

Adam Simjee and his girlfriend, Mikayla Paulus, both hail from Apopka, Florida, and attended the University of Central Florida. They were driving along a road when “flagged down” by Yasmine Hider, who “asked the couple if they could give her some assistance to help get her car started.”

“When the couple attempted to assist Hider, she produced a gun and made the couple walk back into the woods,” the news release said. While in the woods, Simjee pulled out a gun, and “there was an exchange of gunfire.”

Simjee was shot and killed, authorities said. Hider was shot multiple times and taken to the hospital. Paulus, Simjee’s girlfriend was not injured.

The Sheriff’s Office said at some point after the shooting, Paulus noticed another woman “standing in the woods nearby observing what was going on.” The woman was later identified as Krystal Diane Pinkins.

Deputies said Hider asked Pinkins for help, but she ran away. It was at this point that Paulus was able to get her cell phone and call 911. When first responders arrived at the scene, they found Paulus performing CPR on her boyfriend.

Paulus said Hider began asking for their bank account numbers shortly after they stopped to help her. She said Hider shot Simjee in the stomach.

She described her boyfriend as a “hero” who protected her at the cost of his own life.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said it received information that there may be a group of people who were “living off the grid” nearby in the Talladega National Forest, and described the group as “armed and potentially violent.”

Deputies and a dog tracking team found a “base camp” and a large group of tents about a half-mile from where the couple was robbed, according to the news release.

There, deputies found Pinkins and a young child, who was holding a “loaded shotgun.” The child put down the weapon, and Pinkins was arrested. The child was placed in state custody.

CCSO said Pinkins was arrested on charges of endangering the welfare of a child, murder, kidnapping, and robbery. Hider, who remains at the hospital, faces charges of murder, kidnappings, and robbery.

A fast food employee was charged with second-degree murder Monday after striking a 67-year-old man in Arizona.

Antoine Kendrick, 35, was working at a Wendy’s in Prescott Valley in late July when the elderly man made a complaint about his order, which started a squabble. Restaurant surveillance footage shows the man eating his frosty when Kendrick came out from behind the counter and struck him in the head. The man fell and hit his head on the floor and was knocked unconscious.

The elderly man was flown to a local hospital in critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries.

“Oh, wow that was a pretty hard hit. That was a Mike Tyson hit,” one customer said. “The customer didn’t touch him, so he had no right to touch the customer, period, end of story. I just think that’s horrible and wish it didn’t happen. It puts a bad light on our entire society.”

Kendrick was taken into custody and was originally facing charges of aggravated assault, but due to the assault victim’s death, those charges have been updated to second-degree murder, according to the outlet.

A woman who shared a kiss with a Tennesse inmate during a visit was charged with murder after the prisoner died shortly after their exchange.

Rachel Dollard was taken into custody over the weekend by special agents from the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) and the Dickson County Sheriff’s Department. She is accused of smuggling drugs into the Turney Center Industrial Complex.

Dollard is facing charges of second-degree murder and introduction of contraband into a penal facility and is currently being held in the Hickman County jail, the TDOC said.

The charges come after the death of Joshua Brown, who was serving an 11-year sentence on drug-related charges. His sentence was set to expire in 2029.

Authorities say that Dollard passed drugs to Brown during a visitation in February, “as the two exchanged a kiss during visitation at the Turney Center Industrial Complex.” Dollard was allegedly hiding half an ounce of methamphetamine in her mouth and was able to pass it to Brown orally.

He swallowed the balloon pellet containing the drug but died later of an overdose at a local hospital.

Dollard was charged on a warrant from a sealed indictment in Hickman County.

“This incident points to the real dangers of introducing contraband into prisons and the consequences that follow,” said David Imhof, director of TDOC’s Office of Investigations and Conduct.

“Our agency will pursue prosecution against any individual who threatens the safety and security of our staff, the men and women in our custody, and our facilities.”

The Department of Correction stressed that it uses “a variety of tools to try to prevent the introduction of contraband into Tennessee prisons including pat searches of anyone entering a facility, vehicle and cell searches, and drug detection dogs.”

Body scanners are also being placed in all facilities.

An Italian athlete placed last in his 400-meter race at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships – after deciding to go commando and having to run with his penis falling out of his shorts. Decathlete Alberto Nonino was off to a great start, even passing two rivals on the last bend.

But video footage shows him falling back in the final straight while grabbing his crotch several times and ultimately finishing at the back of the pack.

Sports journalist David Sanchez de Castro revealed in a tweet alongside footage of Nonino’s embarrassing moment: “World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali. Colombia.

“Last series of the 400 meters decathlon. The Italian Alberto Nonino in lane five begins very well but crosses the finishing line last. He had his p***k out, literally.” He added in a follow-up explanation to followers who didn’t immediately understand what he was getting at: “Perhaps I’ve explained myself poorly.

“His penis escaped out of the side of his shorts and he had to hold it because it wasn’t allowing him to run properly which is normal when your dongle is swinging from side to side.” Spanish-speaking press were quick to claim Nonino’s slow 51.57 second 400 meters was the result of him opting to run without underpants.

https://youtu.be/NdlzWCyCyR8

Nonino took also took to social media following the race: “I just want to talk to you a little bit about the rumpus there’s been on blogs and social media in general.

“I’m conscious it was obviously an accident and I’d like to tell you I’m aware of the reaction and you don’t need to send me the links to the blogs out there. I’m trying to laugh about it now but immediately afterwards I felt terrible and I’m thankful to my friends and family for helping me get over what happened a few hours later.”

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office formally charged rapper A$AP Rocky on Monday concerning a 2021 shooting.

A$AP Rocky is facing two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm after months of investigation into the incident. The charges stem from a previous altercation with a former friend that ended in gunfire.

Allegedly an A$AP Mob member, known to fans as A$AP Relli, was called to the location by Rocky, and the two exchanged words. When the conversation between the two former friends became heated, the argument escalated to the point that A$AP Rocky fired multiple shots, wounding A$AP Relli.

After months of maintaining anonymity, A$AP Relli recently revealed he was the shooting victim. The former A$AP Mob member claims he sustained injuries to his hand after being hit with bullet fragments during this incident. He filed a lawsuit against A$AP Rocky, claiming he has been unable to work due to his injury and is demanding financial compensation for emotional distress and lost income.

A$AP Rocky was arrested for the shooting when he got off his private jet in LAX in April, after vacationing with his then-pregnant girlfriend, Rihanna. Police obtained a warrant to search Rocky’s home, where they located several firearms inside the residence that were all registered. Police did not find the gun used in the shooting.

A community is mourning the loss of Mike Hickmon, a Little League coach who many called a pillar of the Lancaster community.

“They took a great, a great person who wanted to help the community and wanted to better us as people,” friend and fellow coach Heith Mayes said.

Friends and family officially confirmed that Hickmon was the man killed during a Little League football game in Lancaster Saturday evening.

“I been knowing him, he’s a good guy,” Mayes said. “Always happy, upbeat, good father, good husband, always stood up for what’s right. It’s just very tragic.”

Police are looking for suspect Yaqub Salik Talib, who is the brother of former NFL player Aquib Talib.

There was a fight on the field following a disagreement between the coaching staff and the officiating crew. Police said that’s when Talib pulled out a gun and began shooting.

“It was too extreme, I wasn’t expecting that,” Mayes said. “I was so close I thought I was shot.”

The incident unfolded in front of the young kids – some younger than 9 years old – who were playing and watching the game. Another coach said many of the kids are now scarred from this.

“Half of them couldn’t sleep,” Mayes said. “They’ve been crying, worried, don’t want to play football. I mean what can you expect they nine, they babies?”

Friends of Hickmon said he coached football for years and that they now feel lost without him.

“He was very loved in the community,” Hickmon’s friend Glenn Richie said. “Everybody loved him and his son. Everybody looked up to him as a good father… We learned a lot of things from him.”