Criminal

Charges Dropped in “Weekend at Bernie’s” Case

New York prosecutors dropped charges today against two men who had been charged with a number of offenses resulting from an attempt to cash a Social Security check in January.  The problem, as you may recall, was the body they…




Escaped Prisoner Mocks Police, Insists They Recapture Him

A 31-year-old Estonian thief who escaped from a Finnish prison on February 29 was "recaptured" a week later, but only after going to some trouble to arrange it.  It’s not entirely clear whether Martin Vaiksaar had decided he wanted to…


A Doughnut Drama in Three Acts

Act One.A small town in Oregon.  Two men in "cowboy garb," Adam and Vincent, are eating doughnuts.  Enter two sheriff’s deputies. DEPUTY ONE:   A burglary has been reported.DEPUTY TWO:  Yes, we must hurry to the scene of it.VINCENT:       …


Japanese Bikini Model Uses Self as Exhibit

Serena Kozakura was convicted last year of property destruction, after a man accused her of kicking a hole in the door of his room so she could get inside.  Since Kozakura is a well-known pin-up and bikini model in Japan,…



Police Stop of Ax-Wielding Bike Rider Found Justified

In a classic opinion of which I have just learned, the California Court of Appeal ruled in 1998 that police were in fact justified in detaining a man they saw on a bicycle at 3:00 in the morning, primarily because…



What Not to Use as a Disguise, #3: Drywall Compound

I think we have enough failed-disguise posts now to consider starting a new category, or at least a sub-category of The Criminal Mind.  This does not quite rise to the level of What Not to Use as a Disguise #1…