Attorneys for Ariel Castro, the man accused of kidnapping and imprisoning three women and a child for periods ranging from six to eleven years, say he will plead not guilty to the kidnapping and rape charges he faces. Strangely, they also seem to admit that Castro fathered the six-year-old child found with Amanda Berry and two other women last week, telling WKYC-TV that Castro loves his child “dearly.” (Photo via The Guardian) source
» Backstory: Shibin was arrested last year after he, and three other Somali pirates, seized a German merchant ship and an American-owned yacht. All four U.S. citizens onboard the yacht were killed, and crew members from the German ship were tortured in an effort to increase the demanded ransom. While Shibin did not kill the Americans himself, and did not face murder/manslaughter charges, he was found guilty of 15 charges including piracy and kidnapping.
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If my uncle gets 50 years (in prison), they will stay with me for 50 years. If they release him, I will release them. Tomorrow I will kidnap other nationalities and their embassies will be notified for the whole world to know.Kidnapper Jirmy Abu-Masuh • In a statement given to the Associated Press, explaining why he has abducted and threatened to kill 61-year-old pastor Michel Louis, 39-year-old Lisa Alphonse, and 28-year-old Haytham Ragab. Abu-Masuh forced the two Americans off a tour bus at gun point on Friday, and decided to kidnap Ragab as well to translate when necessary. While officials believe they will be able to negotiate a peaceful end to the situation, time may not be on their side. According to Louis’ son Jean, Michel has diabetes and could need medical attention very soon. “We’re in good spirits because we know the God that we serve is in control of the matter,” Jean Louis said in a press conference on the matter. source (via • follow)
Noted sleazeball Joe Francis is in trouble with the law again. This time, the “Girls Gone Wild” founder and accused rapist is charged with false imprisonment and assault, and could serve five years in jail if convicted (it wouldn’t be his first time). The allegation: Three women entered Francis’ limo, believing he was giving them a ride to their car. When it became clear that they were actually headed to Francis’ home, they tried to get out, but Francis’ bodyguard, posing as a sheriff, prevented them from leaving. Once they arrived at the gated compound, Francis tried to pull one women away from her friends; when she resisted, he grabbed her by the throat and started slamming her head against a tile floor. This seems to be Francis’ modus operandi; two years ago, he was caught on video grabbing a woman by the hair and dragging her through a night club after she accidentally spilled a drink on him. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images) source
Leiby Kletzky’s body was found today. The eight-year-old had been missing for two days, and it turns out he was kidnapped walking home from day camp. His parents were waiting outside to meet him — but he got lost on the way home. This video shows him a few blocks off course, walking near a hardware store (he walks by after about 15 seconds in this video). Apparently, a short while after this video was recorded, someone offered to take Kletzky home, but kidnapped him instead. A massive search was launched, and when the suspect learned of how extensive the search was, he reportedly killed Leiby. His dismembered body was found in the suspect’s refrigerator and in a trashcan on a street. Horrific story. (via jvbrewer) source
The accused abductor of Jaycee Lee Dugard will plead guilty on Thursday, The Sacramento Bee reported Monday afternoon.
Garrido is accused of kidnapping and imprisoning Dugard for 18 years. Garrido’s repeated sexual assault of Dugard during that time resulted in the birth of two daughters.
The attorney for Garrido’s wife Nancy Garrido said a deal had been reached that would prevent Dugard from testifying against him. The deal, considered to be a compassion deal by the Bee, would imprison Garrido for life.
Nancy Garrido is also facing trial on suspicion of kidnapping and imprisonment.
Jaycee Lee Dugard was discovered in August 2009 after the woman was spotted handing out leaflets with Garrido on a California university campus. The woman was abducted from her South Lake Tahoe home as a child in 1991.
These are real thugs. They’re really people who shoot first and ask questions later…there was so little organization and absolutely no command structure going on.Tyler Hicks, one of the reporters kidnapped by the Libyan military • Reflecting on the nature of his captors. Hicks and three others were held for six days by Gaddafi’s forces before being released. source (via • follow)
Jaycee Lee Dugard’s captors: We confess to everything: Phillip Garrido and his wife, Nancy, who reportedly kept Dugard in captivity for almost two decades, chose to confess partly to ensure a lighter sentence for Nancy. source
Look, there has been a lot of sadness in the news this weekend. The whole uplifting thing with golden-voiced Ted Williams seems like a long-ago memory, which is unfortunate. And now, more sadness. In Niger, two French men – a groom and a best man – were kidnapped before a wedding could take place. Antoine de Léocour, a 25-year-old aid worker, had planned to marry a local woman, but the two men were instead kidnapped by people reportedly part of al-Qaeda’s North African operation. A day later, they were found killed in the desert. French president Nicolas Sarkozy called the situation a ”cowardly and barbaric act.” Like we haven’t had many of those this weekend. Sigh. source
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