Jeff Lacy Brother Shooted Police Officer

Jeff Lacy: Brother Shooted Two 2 Florida Officers, Suspect Killed in Shootout

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Authorities and a fugitive holed up in an attic fired more than 100 shots at each other Monday in a firefight that killed two officers, wounded a deputy U.S. marshal and led to an hourslong standoff that ended when the suspect was found dead inside the home.

St. Petersburg Police spokesman Michael Puetz said the suspect was found dead when officers went into the home Monday afternoon, about six hours after the shootout, the latest in a recent rash of shootings across the nation that have killed or wounded law enforcement officers.

Law enforcement had been at the home to arrest Hydra Lacy Jr., 39, around 7 a.m. on an aggravated battery charge, and investigators believe he is the one who opened fire on the officers, Puetz said.

He said Lacy had a long record that includes convictions for armed robbery and sexual battery.

He had been listed as a sex offender with the state since 1996 and failed to register in December with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department, which he was required to do four times a year.

Deputies had been looking for him since then, and local officers on Friday had been told to be on the lookout for Lacy.

"He was somebody we wanted to get off the streets, " Police Chief Chuck Harmon said. "Who expects to walk into a house and get gunfire from the attic?"

The marshal was shot twice but was doing fine, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Tom Figmik said.
One officer, the marshal and a Pinellas County Sheriff's deputy were the first ones at the house and were told by a woman that Lacy was in the attic. The three called for backup, and soon after

Jeffrey Yaslowitz, 39, and Tom Baitinger, 48, arrived. Police had initially said they were among the first three to arrive.

The chief said Yaslowitz and the marshal, who was not identified, went up to the attic and exchanged fire with the suspect. Both were hit. Yaslowitz went down in the attic, while the marshal tumbled to the first floor after being hit in his bulletproof vest and lower torso.

Baitinger was one of several officers who came to rescue the other two and was hit when Lacy fired through the attic floor.

Hostage negotiators arrived, and the SWAT team exchanged more gunfire with the suspect. The SWAT team eventually got Yaslowitz out of the house, destroying about a third of the home in the process. He was later pronounced dead. Authorities had tried to force out the gunman by cutting off the home's electricity and water before discovering he was dead.

Baitinger had worked with the department since 1996 and is survived by his wife. Yaslowitz started his career there in 1999, working with a K-9 unit and his dog partner, Ace. He is survived by his wife and three children.

"In my mind as a police officer, this crook, this criminal, this murderer, cop-killer, whatever you would like to call him, did a terrible injustice to two of my people today and two of the people that served this community," Harmon said during an afternoon press conference.

The home, situated in a middle-class neighborhood on the south side of St. Petersburg, was listed in Lacy's name, according to property records.

Court records show Lacy failed to show for his scheduled trial Nov. 1 on the aggravated battery charge, and an arrest warrant was issued the next day.

State records show Lacy was convicted in 1989 of armed burglary, resisting arrest with violence and other charges. He was released from prison 1991. In 1992, he was convicted of sexual battery with a weapon or force and false imprisonment of a child. He was released in from prison 2001.

Monday's shooting comes four days after two Miami-Dade County detectives were killed by a murder suspect they were trying to arrest. That suspect was killed by another detective.

The officers were being remembered Monday at a funeral, where news of Monday's shooting added to the grief already palpable among the thousands gathered at American Airlines Arena in downtown Miami.

On Sunday, a man opened fire inside a Detroit police precinct, wounding four officers including a commander before he was shot and killed by police. The officers' injuries were not considered life-threatening, said Police Chief Ralph Godbee.

And on Monday, a Lincoln City, Ore., police officer was critically wounded when he was shot during a traffic stop.

Newws From:www.foxnews.com

Florida Officers Shot Suspect Dead

Two St. Petersburg, Florida Officers Shot, Killed, Suspect Dead

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (CBS/WTSP/AP) Two St. Petersburg police officers were shot and killed, and an agent with the U.S. Marshals Service was injured during a firefight in the city's south side.

PICTURES: Fallen Heroes

The suspect was found dead in his home after an hourlong standoff.

Police Chief Chuck Harmon confirmed both officers died from their injuries, while the U.S. Marshal is in stable condition, reports CBS affiliate WTSP. According to the Saint Petersburg Times, the Suncoast Benevolent Association President Mark Marland confirmed the fallen officers as Tom Baitinger and Jeffrey Yaslowitz.

St. Petersburg Police spokesman Michael Puetz said the suspect was found dead when officers went into the home Monday afternoon, about six hours after the shootout. The suspect is believed to be 39-year-old Hydra Lacy, but authorities have not yet made a positive identification.

Much of the house was demolished by authorities in their search for the suspect.

Police say they came to the home searching for Hydra Lacy shortly before 8 a.m. Lacy is reportedly the brother of championship boxer Jeff Lacy.

Police say the shooting happened as St. Petersburg Police were investigating Lacy - a fugitive wanted for aggravated battery - and requested assistance from a regional task force. That task force provided one St. Petersburg Police officer, one U.S. Marshal, and one Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputy to the effort.

Court records show Lacy failed to appear for a scheduled trial on an aggravated battery charge in November. State records show Lacy has a lengthy record that includes convictions for sexual battery and other violent crimes.

Investigators said they were at the home to interview a woman with ties to Lacy, and did not expect the suspect to be there at the time. St. Petersburg Police spokesman Michael Puetz says Lacy was hiding in the attic and opened fire on the officers.

Officials say during the initial confrontation, the U.S. Marshals agent and one police officer were shot. Backup officers went in and managed to pull the two wounded men out, but a member of the backup group - another St. Petersburg Police officer - was shot in the attic.

That officer reportedly continued to engage with the suspect while still holed up in the attic. A tactical team was able to punch a hole into the building with an armored vehicle and pull the officer out.

A woman who was inside the house at the time is safe and is currently being questioned by investigators.

The shooting comes four days after two Miami-Dade County detectives were killed by a murder suspect they were trying to arrest. That suspect was killed by another detective.

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio issued a statement saying, "On behalf of the City of Tampa, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the officers, the larger family of the St. Petersburg Police Department, and to all the citizens of our sister city."

News From: www.cbsnews.com

Iggy Pop drummer Alex Kirst killed

Iggy Pop drummer Alex Kirst killed aged 47

Iggy Pop's former drummer and The Nymphs musician Alex Kirst has been killed in a hit-and-run accident in the US, aged 47.

Police say the musician was walking along a desert road in California when he was struck. Officers said there was no evidence the vehicle had braked.

The Nymphs disbanded after their only album release in 1991.

Kirst and his brother Whitey joined Pete Marshal to form The Trolls, backing Iggy Pop on some of his albums.















News From: www.bbc.co.uk

Two Miami-Dade killed police officers Aarrest

Two Miami-Dade police officers killed in attempted arrest

For the first time in decades, two Miami-Dade police officers were killed in the same incident.

Two Miami-Dade police officers were shot and killed in a gunfight with suspects as they tried to serve a warrant for a violent fugitive in a Miami home Thursday morning.

It was the first time in decades two law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty.

The dead male officer was identified as Roger Castillo, of Davie, a 21-year-veteran. The female officer was identified as Amanda Holworth, 44, of Miramar, a 23-year veteran. Both had been wearing bullet-proof vests.

``Two angels from our police department were murdered today and I'm angry about it,'' said Miami-Dade Police Director James Loftus, who held an emotional afternoon news conference. ``Our worse nightmare has visited upon us again.''

The suspect, identified as Johnny Simms, 23, was killed in the gun battle. He was shot by officer Oscar Pasencia, one of the four officers at the scene. Another suspect was taken into custody, said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez.

Investigators say they're not looking for any other suspects. Late Thursday, investigators were questioning as many as four other persons who were inside the home at the time of the shooting.

``It's shocking. It's hurtful,'' said explained Alvarez, who rushed to the scene. ``Really, I can't put it into words. Needless to say, I'm taking it extremely personally. They were professionals working in a professional, elite unit. Their mission was to go after violent career criminals.''

Commander Nancy Perez, who broke down when she announced the news of the first officer's death shortly before 12:30 p.m. Thursday said: ``We're asking for the community's prayers.''

The county detectives were attempting to arrest Simms on a murder warrant for a slaying that happened in October in Miami, Loftus said.

Simms, according to state corrections records, was released from prison in September on probation. He had been imprisoned for armed robbery and selling cocaine and had a long rap sheet, police said.

Simms was wanted for the Oct. 16 murder of Cornelious Larry, 27, who was shot to death in a parking lot at an Overtown apartment complex at 1535 NW First Pl. According to Miami police, Simms shot Larry to death after the man began yelling and cursing at Simms' sister.

Details were sketchy about Simm's deadly encounter with police on Thursday, but this much was known: The shooting erupted between a suspect and police at a home near Northwest Seventh Avenue and 69th Street.

A total of four officer had knocked on the door when the firing began. Also injured was Officer Diedra Beecher, who sustained a knee injury. The fourth officer, Pasencia opened fire, killing Simms, Loftus said.

``He was shot at -- he shot back,'' Loftus said.

Castillo died at the scene. Haworth was pronounced dead during surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center.

Later Thursday, the bodies of the officers were brought to the Miami Dade Medical Examiner's office, their stretchers covered with an American flag. Officers formed a double line - their hands covering their hearts - as the bodies were rolled in.

Haworth is one of a handful of women officers killed in the line of duty in South Florida, and is the first shot and killed by a suspect in Miami-Dade. She was a single mother raising her 13-year-old son, according to her mother.

Miami-Dade Police Officer Cheryl Seiden was killed in 1982 during a robbery in a parking lot outside her Kendall apartment complex. She was off-duty at the time of her death.

News From: www.miamiherald.com

Nelson Mandela's Zenani Dead

Zenani Mandela Dead: Nelson Mandela's Great-Granddaughter Killed After World Cup Concert

JOHANNESBURG — It should have been a moment of triumph – Nelson Mandela, basking in the cheers as Africa's first World Cup opened.

Instead, South Africa's beloved anti-apartheid icon stayed at home with his family Friday in northern Johannesburg during the opening ceremony and game, mourning his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani, who died in a car crash on the way home from a tournament-eve concert in Soweto.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation said the tragedy "made it inappropriate" for the former president, who is 91, to attend the opening ceremony in Johannesburg.

"We are sure that South Africans and people all over the world will stand in solidarity with Mr. Mandela and his family in the aftermath of this tragedy," the foundation said, adding that Mandela "will be there with you in spirit today."

Johannesburg Metro police spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said the driver of the car had been arrested and charged with drunk driving. Mamonyane said the driver, whom police didn't identify, could also face homicide charges.

"The Metro police found that he was drunk," Mamonyane said. "He lost control of the vehicle and it collided with a barricade."

Police spokesman Govindsamy Mariemuthoo, who earlier said the driver would appear in court for a preliminary hearing Friday, said that had been postponed for further investigations, and that the driver was not being held. Mariemuthoo said that was not unusual.

"It's a decision of the prosecutor," he said.

The Mandela foundation denied reports that the former president's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was in the car, but said she was treated in a hospital for shock after being told of the fatal accident. She was discharged after a few hours.

S

he was on the VIP list for the opening ceremony, and a press box official confirmed she was at Soccer City, but the foundation said later that Madikizela-Mandela did not attend.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who was in South Africa to lead his country's delegation to the opening ceremony, were among those who offered condolences.

South African President Jacob Zuma, calling Mandela by his clan name Madiba – a term of affection – referred to the death in the Mandela family in an address to the crowd before the Mexico-South Africa game started.

He said Mandela had wanted to be there, "but unfortunately there was a tragedy in the Mandela family."

"But he said the game must start. You must enjoy the game," Zuma added.

Mandela has achieved glory as a politician and human rights campaigner, but suffered many personal tragedies.

In 1969, three years after arriving on Robben Island to serve a life sentence for sabotage, Mandela received a telegram from his younger son, Makgatho, informing him that his eldest son, Madiba Thembekile, died in a car crash.

Prison authorities refused to allow Mandela to attend the funeral.

"I do not have words to express the sorrow, or the loss I felt," Mandela wrote in his autobiography. "It left a hole in my heart that can never be filled."

Thirty-six years later, Makgatho died. Mandela announced his last surviving son died of AIDS-related complications, saying the only way to fight the disease's stigma was to speak openly.

Mandela's family life suffered during years devoted to politics, as an underground anti-apartheid fighter and in prison. Two marriages fell apart, the second to Winnie. He began his 27-year imprisonment only four years after marrying her.

Mandela was freed in 1990. Four years later, his lifelong battle over apartheid won, he became South Africa's first black president. He served just one term, then devoted himself to international causes, including fighting AIDS.

He has announced his retirement and desire to devote time to his family several times. Increasingly, those close to him and other South Africans have said the reward for all he has done for his country should now be freedom from the public's demands.

On his 80th birthday July 18, 1998, he married Graca Machel, a veteran of the anti-colonial struggle in her native Mozambique, former education minister, noted international child rights advocate and widow of Mozambique's first president, Samora Machel.

Graca Machel once told a television interviewer she helped Mandela reconnect with his family. Family photos released by his foundation Friday showed a relaxed and smiling Mandela with Zenani and other great-grandchildren.

Zenani was one of the anti-apartheid icon's nine great-grandchildren.

Sabarimala stampede

104 pilgrims killed in Sabarimala stampede

Stampede Means

Stampede Means In Urdu بھگدڑ
...............In Hindi भगदड़
A stampede sparked by a night-time road accident in dense forest has killed more than 100 Hindu pilgrims in Sabarimala, Kerala, police and officials said on Saturday.

Kerala’s deputy general of police told reporters that 102 people had been killed on Friday night. Officials at a Hindu temple estimated the death toll at around 100, Kerala Temple Affairs Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally said by telephone.

Kerala's chief minister has called for an emergency meeting of the state government, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged up to 100,000 rupees compensation to each of the families of those killed, the Press Trust of India reported.

"It is an unfortunate incident. The Prime Minister has called us and assured that all measures will be taken. My government will decide on a suitable compensation amount," V.S Achuthanandan, Kerala Chief Minister, told CNN-IBN.

Hundreds of thousands had gathered at the hilltop shrine of Sabarimala on Friday evening, the last day of an annual two-month religious festival.

A bus carrying pilgrims back to the neighbouring state of Karnataka collided with a jeep and went out of control, crushing people walking nearby, Kadannappally said. Panicked pilgrims rushed forward, triggering a stampede.

"The rescue operations are extremely difficult as the incident occurred in a dense forest where the roads are very narrow," he said.

"They came down the hillside... this happened primarily because the area was totally dark," Jacob Punnoose, Kerala Deputy General of Police told Times Now TV channel.

Stampedes at large public gatherings are common in India, especially at popular places of worship. Large numbers throng congested areas with few or no safety regulations and inadequate crowd management measures.

Fifty-two pilgrims were killed in an almost identical stampede at Sabarimala in 1999. An investigation into the deaths found the state government guilty of negligence in ensuring public safety.
News From: www.reuters.com

John Roll Federal Judge Killed In Arizona

Federal Judge John Roll Killed In Arizona Shooting

Arizona Shooting Victims: Gabrielle Giffords Shot, Federal Judge & 9-Year-Old Child Among Those Killed

A federal judge was killed in the same incident in which Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot on Saturday morning.

A federal law enforcement official first confirmed to TPM that a federal judge was shot. The U.S. Marshals Service is on the scene of the shooting, the federal official told TPM. The Marshals Service employees responded to the scene after the shooting, the official said.

WNBC reporter Jonathan Dienst confirmed Roll was killed. A statement from Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a statement that Roll had been attacked.

Roll faced death threats in 2009 after presiding over a $32 million civil-rights lawsuit, the Arizona Republic reported:
When Roll ruled the case could go forward, Gonzales said talk-radio shows cranked up the controversy and spurred audiences into making threats.

In one afternoon, Roll logged more than 200 phone calls. Callers threatened the judge and his family. They posted personal information about Roll online.

"They said, 'We should kill him. He should be dead,' " Gonzales said.
Roll, who is the chief federal judge in Arizona, said both he and his wife were given a protection detail for about a month.

"It was unnerving and invasive. . . . By its nature it has to be," Roll said, adding that they were encouraged to live their lives as normally as possible. "It was handled very professionally by the Marshals Service."

At the end of the month, Roll said four key men had been identified as threat makers.

The Marshals Service left to him the decision to press charges but recommended against it. Roll said he had no qualms about following their advice.

The recommendation was based on the intent of those making the threats.

"I have a very strong belief that there is nothing wrong with criticizing a judicial decision," he said. "But when it comes to threats, that is an entirely different matter."

no one killed jessica review

 

To reconstruct on celluloid a true occurrence that is oven fresh in public reminiscence is not a trouble-free mission, but Gupta takes up this colossal challenge of placing together the controversial and litigious story of Jessica Lal's murder case on celluloid. However, having sensitive and explosive material on hand is not enough. The execution of the subject is of paramount importance. Fortunately, the one-film-old director interprets the events of the murder case in remarkable style and form and makes it a cinematic experience that haunts you even after the film has concluded. Gupta does complete justice to the spirit of the story, which had created headlines and still remains well etched in our memory to this day.

A few monsoons ago, Rajkumar Santoshi's Halla Bol commenced with a shootout sequence at a party. Of course, Halla Bol wasn't about this incident alone, it was just a tiny segment in the narrative. No One Killed Jessica focuses on this true-life incident [with no deviations] and its strength lies in the fact that it sucks you into the world of dirty politics and power games as soon as it unfolds.

No One Killed Jessica is not Gupta's first and foremost endeavor at illustrating a real incident that shook the nation. Even in his directorial debut Aamir, Gupta depicted a common man's [Rajeev Khandelwal] hard try at combating terrorism and violence. However, that was a work of fiction. But No One Killed Jessica is a different ballgame altogether because reams of paper and hours of television footage have been devoted to this case. Thankfully, Gupta makes it an engaging thriller rather than relying on the docu-drama format.

No One Killed Jessica belongs to the unique hard-hitting, gut-wrenching genre of cinema. Script-wise, the director has tried to remain faithful to the episode that occurred during that fateful night and also what transpired subsequently, but besides depicting reality on celluloid, he adds the thrill element to the plotline, which makes it very viewer-friendly. The events have been chronologically put forth and the daring story of two women who challenged the system hits you like a ton of bricks. The film truly celebrates the human spirit and also reflects a vital change in the society and in the attitudes of people.

Final word? This gutsy film deserves a standing ovation!

New Delhi, 1999. The guns at Kargil are still blazing when another one goes off, this time in the nation's capital. Jessica [Myra], a young attractive model, trying her hand at bartending, is shot dead at a celebrity party. Her crime - refusing to serve a drink after closing hours. The culprit Manish [Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub], son of a prominent politician, inebriated by a deadly cocktail of alcohol and a sense of entitlement, pulls the trigger in a fit of rage.

With 300 of Delhi's swish set present at the party, many of whom are witnesses to the murder, Manish looks all set to go to the gallows. Except that it doesn't quite turn out that way. But two women, Jessica's sister Sabrina [Vidya Balan] and the feisty TV reporter Meera [Rani Mukherjee], decide to outwit Manish and his politician-father [Shireesh Sharma] at their game. Over the course of seven years, the case goes through several stages of legal complications. Witnesses turn hostile one after another and the few who don't, became inconsistent with their versions.

Manish is acquitted, leading to a fierce public uproar and a relentless campaign by the media, which eventually leads to a life sentence for Manish.

A film like No One Killed Jessica pricks your conscience and makes you think. In fact, it's the kind of film that will lead to debates and discussions. What was more appalling - the model's slaying or the slapdash method in which the suspected assassins were brought to justice? What's even more scandalous is that almost immediately after the killing, the police identified the slaughterer and it seemed like an open-and-shut case. But it wasn't.

Gupta deserves kudos for choosing a thorny and contentious story to interpret on celluloid, but he deserves a few extra brownie points for handling the material with aplomb. His prowess and competence is visible all through the film, but more specifically in the electrifying courtroom sequences and also when Rani decides to take up this issue. The candle light protest at India Gate in particular is simply overwhelming.

Since it is based on a real story that occurred in Delhi, Gupta has shot the entire film in the city. The characters are real and so are the locations and that's what makes the goings-on very identifiable, besides bestowing an authentic feel to the film. Like his earlier film AAMIR, No One Killed Jessica has been shot in guerrilla style and that makes the viewer feel that he's actually watching the drama unfold in front of his eyes, that he's a spectator in the proceedings. Gupta also ensures that the two pivotal parts remain true to their respective characters.

Any shortcoming? Yes, if Gupta would've trimmed the film by at least 10 minutes, the impact would've been much stronger.

A hard-hitting drama, generally, doesn't have scope for music. But Amit Trivedi joins hands with Amitabh Bhattacharya, the wordsmith with whom he delivered the fabulous soundtrack of Dev D, and together they deliver a solid soundtrack. 'Dilli Dilli' has already won hearts of audiences and the remaining songs too leave an impact. Anay Goswami's cinematography is first-rate. Dialogue, also penned by Gupta, are realistic to the core.

Gupta may be young and relatively new to the fray, but that does not deter him from getting the best and most appropriate cast for his second outing and I am sure, it's only thanks to a potent and persuasive script. Vidya has been basking in the glory of films like Paa and Ishqiya lately, which gave her ample opportunity to prove her dexterity. She gets a wonderful opportunity to prove her prowess yet again. Vidya plays the iconic Sabrina Lall brilliantly, reliving some very stressful and arduous chapters of Sabrina's life. Balan is poignant yet controlled and projects an imposing figure of maturity, refinement and veracity. This film completes a hat-trick of her commendable performances.

In the role of a spirited and audacious journo, Rani, who smokes non-stop, flings swear words every now and then and who rebuffs being a voiceless spectator when the culprits go scot-free, is simply exceptional. She sinks her teeth into the character, giving it the much required pragmatism that it necessitates. Her performance is bound to be talked-about in days to come. In fact, it would be unfair if I do not acknowledge the fact that she appears very much at ease mouthing abusive words and lurid language.

Neil Bhoopalam, the key witness, is fantastic. Especially in the sequence when he comes for an audition of a film role and blurts out the truth unsuspectingly. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, the main accused, is very good. Myra, as Jessica, is natural. Rajesh Sharma, the investigating police officer, is excellent. Satyadeep Misra, as Rani's boss, gives a fine account of himself. Shireesh Sharma, the politician-father, is perfect.

On the whole, No One Killed Jessica is a poignant story of two women's resolve for justice. It's a remarkable blend of facts and fiction inspired by a series of real-life episodes, which has thankfully not been presented as a tedious biography or in a mind-numbing docu-drama format. It's more of an engaging thriller which has the right doses of histrionics, tautness, anguish and thrills. The emotional and disturbing journey, the strength of the common man and the relentless endeavor of the media have all been most compellingly put together on moving picture. In times of yore, a lot of films have been attempted on real-life incidents, but haven't struck a chord so effectively. No One Killed Jessica should shatter this jinx. This heroic and daring film truly deserves a prolonged applause.

Director: Rajkumar Gupta
Cast: Rani Mukherjee, Vidya Balan