| An entire year of missteps in the life of Britney Spears
She is taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for 72 hours of observation, and according to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman, appears to be under the influence of some substance and seems to not have eaten or slept in days. Reports say, however, that Spears tests clean for drugs and alcohol. But Friday afternoon, a judge gave full custody of the boys to their father and completely suspended Spears' visitation rights. DEC. 4, 2007: Child welfare investigators investigate ''multiple child abuse and neglect'' allegations in the custody battle between Spears and ex-husband Kevin Federline. OCT. 30, 2007: A Los Angeles court commissioner grants Spears three weekly monitored visits with Sean Preston and Jayden James. OCT. 25, 2007: Spears avoids a criminal hit-and-run trial by paying for damages in a fender-bender.
Ex High-Flying UK Banker Launches TV For Addicts
A former London banker whose cocaine addiction cost him his high-flying job and nearly destroyed his marriage has created Britain's first television channel to help addicts and their families. Dan Butcher, 34, from Berkshire, developed an addiction that left him suicidal while running a foreign exchange trading desk at a firm in London's financial district known as the "City." "If I didn't have a wife and children I would have killed myself," he told Reuters in an interview. "If they weren't around, I wouldn't be here." At his lowest point, he was taking up to 300 pounds worth of cocaine a day and was arrested for possession after visiting his dealer. The last few days before he sought help were spent alone in a hotel room, drinking vodka and taking cocaine around the clock without sleeping or eating.
By Kate Leckie News-Post Staff
Charles James Williams is out of work. Nonetheless, he's a grateful man this holiday season. Newly free after spending about six months in jail for burglarizing churches to support a crack cocaine habit, Williams, 55, has been welcomed into the Frederick County Drug Treatment Court. To be accepted into the program, Williams had to admit guilt for his crimes -- and the eight local churches he burglarized had to go along with the plea agreement reached by the defense and the prosecution. "I attribute it to God," Williams said. "It's nothing short of a miracle." The incentive to abide by the rules of drug court is great -- failure to do so could result in a 30-year prison sentence on burglary charges. "At 55, that would be a life sentence," Williams said. The father of two sons ages 13 and 25, wants to warn young people not to get sucked into addiction through peer pressure.
Police Violence and Abuses in Detention
GUATEMALA'S FORGOTTEN CHILDREN Police Violence and Abuses in Detention Human Rights Watch / Americas Human Rights Watch Children's Rights Project Copyright © July 1997 by Human Rights Watch.
All rights reserved.
Printed in th United States of America.
ISBN 1-56432-213-0
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 97-73213
Listserv address: To subscribe to the list, send an e-mail message to majordomo@igc.apc.org with "subscribe hrw-news" in the body of the message (leave the subject line blank). ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report was written by Lee Tucker, counsel to the Human Rights Watch Children's Rights Project. It is based on research conducted by Ms. Tucker in August and September 1996 in Guatemala. The report was edited by Lois Whitman, director of the Human Rights Watch Children's Rights Project, and Anne Manuel, deputy director of Human Rights Watch/Americas.
Attorney general warns of widespread banking scam
A new identity theft scheme is targeting Texans and their financial institutions, according to the Texas Attorney General's Office. Spoof e-mails are directing Amarillo National Bank customers — who have been one of the biggest targets of this latest scam — to call a telephone number and confirm their personal information. Customers who make the call do not actually reach their hometown banker, but instead end up on the telephone with a scam artist who wants to steal their identity.This type of scam, also known as "phishing," typically involves e-mails that falsely appear to have been sent by trusted and well-known institutions, such as large banks or popular Internet-based merchants, such as eBay and PayPal. In the latest twist, however, identity thieves are clearly targeting Texans by posing as trusted local institutions.The Office of the Attorney General first learned of the Amarillo National Bank scam when its own employees received a series of e-mails with the subject line: "New Message From Amarillo National Bank." The e-mails read, in part:We recently reviewed your account, and we suspect an unauthorized ATM based transaction.
In county of 5,336 lawyers, one made headlines
The ex-American Idol hopeful, pregnant and jailed for violating her probation, got a break when a Tampa judge sent her to drug rehab instead of prison. Fitzgibbons said the treatment will save her life. The suspended University of South Florida student, fighting federal explosives charges, tried to fire Fitzgibbons. He said the attorney accepted $750,000 just to push for a guilty plea. "Pure fantasy," Fitzgibbons said. One judge scolded Sierra for talking to reporters and another went easy on teacher-turned-sex offender Lafave, accused of getting too friendly with a teenage co-worker. Fitzgibbons said, "It was a busy week." John Fitzgibbons juggled court hearings last week for famous clients. A look at his calendar: THURSDAY 10 Jessica Sierra (again) and Debra Lafave WEDNESDAY 9 Ahmed Mohamed MONDAY 7 Jessica Sierra .
The CNN Wire: Wednesday, Oct. 10
He was receiving follow-up treatment in a hospital emergency department, was in stable condition and could be released Wednesday night or Thursday. Also injured were a 17-year-old male, Darnell Rodgers, who was treated and released after being shot in the elbow; a 15-year-old male shot in the left side, who may be released from a hospital Wednesday night; and a 15-year-old female who suffered a knee injury, and likely will be released Wednesday night, Eckart said. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said earlier the teenage female hurt her knee in the chaos following the shootings. (Posted 9:02 p.m.) Former mayor who dropped out of sight was in rehab, lawyer says (CNN) -- Former Atlantic City Mayor Robert Levy, who resigned Wednesday after mysteriously dropping out of sight for two weeks, had checked into an inpatient rehabilitation facility to receive treatment for a dependence on prescription drugs, his attorney said.
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