Articles
Charles Ramsey's turbulent 15 minutes of fame
Category: National Written by Associated Press

Charles Ramsey speaks to media near the home where missing women were rescued in Cleveland. (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Scott Shaw/File)
by David Bauder
NEW YORK (AP) — Helping to free three women from nearly a decade in captivity would seem to be enough. Neighbor Charles Ramsey has also become a star, offering moments of levity in an unspeakably horrible story, free publicity for a restaurant chain and unexpected lessons in race relations.
Last Updated on Sunday, 12 May 2013 16:11
Hits: 826
Va. woman has no regrets over role in bombing suspect burial
Category: National Written by Associated Press

Martha Mullen, right, of Richmond, Va., prepares to arm wrestle an opponent, in Richmond, Va. Mullen offered to help in the burial of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev in a rural cemetery in Virginia, after seeing news reports about the refusals. (AP Photo/http://www.chrisowensphoto.com, Chris Owens)
by Larry O'Dell and Bob Lewis
DOSWELL, Va. (AP) — The Virginia woman whose actions led to Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev being buried about 30 miles north of her Richmond home said the angry backlash from local officials, some cemetery neighbors and online critics has been unpleasant, but she has no regrets.
Last Updated on Sunday, 12 May 2013 01:29
Hits: 651
A look at key moments in Jackson trial and what's expected at court in the week ahead
Category: National Written by Associated Press

In this April 27, 2005 photo, Michael Jackson arrives at the Santa Barbara County courthouse in Santa Maria, Calif. Jackson's longtime makeup artist Karen Faye testified before a Los Angeles jury on May 9 – 10, 2013, while breaking down in tears as she described how Jackson trusted his doctors, but became more dependent on prescription medications in the early 1990s when he was on his “Dangerous” tour and facing his first bout of child molestation allegations. (AP Photo/Michael Mariant, Pool, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A look at key moments this past week in the wrongful death trial in Los Angeles between Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, and concert giant AEG Live, and what is expected at court in the week ahead:
THE CASE
Jackson's mother wants a jury to determine that the promoter of Jackson's planned comeback concerts didn't properly investigate Dr. Conrad Murray, who a criminal jury convicted of involuntary manslaughter for Jackson's June 2009 death. AEG's attorney says the case is about personal choice, namely Jackson's decision to have Murray serve as his doctor and give him doses of a powerful anesthetic as a sleep aid. Millions, possibly billions, of dollars are at stake.
WHAT HAPPENED
— Jurors heard about Jackson in life and death from a pair of women who knew him and from coroner's officials who pieced together how he died. Jackson's mother skipped morbid testimony about Jackson's autopsy, but listened as her son's friend and makeup artist told jurors about watching him perform, and gradually become more dependent on prescription drugs.
— Jackson's longtime makeup artist Karen Faye testified that she overheard AEG co-CEO Paul Gongaware tell the singer's assistant to do "whatever it takes" to get the superstar out of a locked bathroom and to a rehearsal. Faye said Gongaware and another AEG official pushed Jackson to perform despite his emaciated appearance and signs of paranoia.
WHAT THE JURY SAW
— A black-and-white photo of Jackson's lifeless body lying on a table before his autopsy. The image was shown in open court for less than a minute.
— Faye repeatedly break down in tears as she described how Jackson trusted his doctors but became more dependent on prescription medications in the early 1990s when he was on his "Dangerous" tour and facing his first bout of child molestation allegations.
QUOTABLE MOMENTS
— "Michael would do five songs to the dancers' one. I never saw anything like it." (Makeup artist and hair stylist Karen Faye, describing Jackson's stamina and ability to put all pain aside while he was performing.)
— "When I hugged him, he just felt like marble. But when I hugged, when I saw him briefly in 2006, he didn't feel like that anymore. He felt thin." (Dancer and choreographer Alif Sankey, who contrasted Jackson's appearance and build when she met him while shooting the "Smooth Criminal" video with the final years of his life.)
OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM
— Wade Robson, a choreographer who testified in Jackson's defense at his child molestation
trial, filed court paperwork stating that he was abused by Jackson over a seven-year period, according to his attorney. He has not stated how much he is seeking from Jackson's estate.
— A 20-minute preview of the Cirque du Soleil show "Immortal" based on Jackson's career and music was previewed at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay hotel-casino. The show is scheduled to open June 29.
WHAT'S NEXT
— Jurors will hear from AEG Live's first witnesses, a pair of choreographers who worked with Jackson and who will be called out of order to accommodate their touring schedule.
— Deputy Medical Examiner Christopher Rogers is expected to resume testifying and may offer an estimate of how long Jackson would have lived if he hadn't received an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.
Last Updated on Saturday, 11 May 2013 16:06
Hits: 1098
Stop-and-Frisk trial is about more than New York City
Category: National Written by Dion Rabouin

by Dion Rabouin
As the class-action lawsuit known as Floyd v. New York begins to wind down after more than 30 days of testimony, citizens throughout New York City are waiting with baited breath for the outcome. It has attracted far fewer headlines in Atlanta, but the final outcome of the case could affect the way police do business in every city in the country, particularly in communities of color where departments could assert the right to search Black and Latino youth simply for being Black and Latino youth.
Last Updated on Friday, 10 May 2013 10:34
Hits: 565
More Articles...
Subcategories
Trending Topics
Digital Daily Signup
Sign up now for the New Pittsburgh Courier Digital Daily newsletter!

