ReportWire

Tag: criminal law

  • Police/Fire

    Police/Fire

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    In news taken from the logs of Cape Ann’s police and fire departments:

    GLOUCESTER

    Friday, April 12

    7:28 p.m.: Debris in the roadway was reported on Washington Street.

    6:35 p.m.: No action was required for a report of a hold-up alarm at the Market Basket on Gloucester Crossing Road.

    5:35 p.m.: Larceny was reported on Granite Street.

    4:57 p.m.: A caller reported the theft of a computer delivered to his home on on Bayfield Road. The report states the driver took a picture of the box when it was delivered, but when the person went to grab the box, it was not there. The resident suspected the driver took it and he planned to follow up with the FedEx fraud division.

    3:36 p.m.: A burglary/past break-in was reported on Nashua Avenue.

    3:04 p.m.: Police planned to file a criminal complaint against a 16-year-old on a charge of assault and battery on Pleasant Street.

    2:17 p.m.: A crash with property damage only was reported at 129 Prospect St.

    12:47: Police took a report of fraud on Prospect Street.

    Thursday, April 11

    8:07 p.m.: After a traffic stop on Eastern Avenue at Webster Street for a car without any tail lights on, police filed a criminal complaint against a 22-year-old Gloucester resident on charges of a motor-vehicle lights violation and driving without a license. The driver produced a registration but not a license when stopped. Using a translation service, the man provided the officer with a passport. Dispatch confirmed the man had no license status, only a learner’s permit. The driver contacted his boss who translated for them both. The driver was told he was going to be summonsed to court for unlicensed driving and a licensed driver arrived to take the SUV away.

    6:36 p.m.: A 29-year-old Gloucester resident was arrested on two counts of breaking and entering into a vehicle/boat in the daytime to commit a felony, resisting arrest and larceny under $1,200. A witness reported seeing a man rummaging through the passenger seat of his father’s car as it was parked on Elwell Street. The witness contacted his brother who was at home and called police. The brother went outside and saw the 29-year-old going through the vehicle from the passenger seat. He asked the suspect what he was doing, and he said he thought the vehicle belonged to his cousin. The brother said he did not believe the suspect and asked him to empty his pockets, but he did not recognize any of the belongings. The father then came out and checked his car, telling police he left his doors unlocked. He did not notice anything missing, with items from the center console strewn about, including a plastic change holder that had been removed and discarded on the floor. The suspect repeated that he thought the car belonged to his cousin, but refused to say what he was doing, what he was looking for, or who his cousin was. He could not describe the vehicle his cousin owned. The man said he had come from a local establishment and police said they could smell an odor of alcohol about him. Police went to arrest the man, but he resisted. One of the officers drew his stun gun and ordered the suspect to stop resisting and the man complied. The man was searched and police found miscellaneous property in his pockets. During booking, officers learned from dispatch there was a second report of a car break in the area, with the owner of a 2010 Toyota Corolla, reporting loose change, a half a roll of quarters and a Zippo lighter missing from his vehicle, consistent to what was found in the suspect’s possession. Police later obtained security camera footage showing the suspect walking onto Elwell Street and checking the driver’s side door of a 2020 Chevrolet before walking down the street and getting into the passenger side of the father’s car.

    Debris in the roadway was reported on Route 128 north at 2:21 p.m. and between Grant Circle and A. Piatt Andrew bridge on Route 128 south at 2:03 p.m..

    6:16 a.m.: An unwelcome guest was reported on Sheedy Park at Pleasant Street.

    Wednesday, April 10

    Crashes with property damage only at 5:16 p.m. on Grant Circle, and at 6:11 p.m. on Elm Avenue. 

    5:22 p.m.: Vandalism to a car was reported on Rockland Street. During the night, someone took a blow torch to the Ford Escape and damaged it. There were no suspects in the incident.

    5:20 p.m.: An assault as a result of a landlord/tenant dispute was reported on Centennial Avenue.

    4:59 p.m.: A hit-and-run crash with property damage only at 178 Washington St. resulted in police planning to file a criminal complaint against a 49-year-old Gloucester man on charges of driving with a revoked license as a habitual traffic offender, leaving the scene of property damage and negligent driving. Police came upon the scene and found a parked rented 2023 Nissan on the northbound side of Washington Street with damage to the driver’s side rear quarter panel. The other car, a 2018 Jeep Compass, had fled the scene. The red Jeep could be seen on video provided by a nearby restaurant fleeing to the intersection of Grove Street and turning right. The video showed the crash, with the Jeep traveling at a high rate of speed, crossing the white fog line, striking the parked car, and pushing it forward one foot. The Jeep crossed the double yellow center line nearly striking an oncoming vehicle. The driver of the oncoming vehicle told police he turned around on Washington Street and attempted to follow the Jeep on Grove Street but lost it as it sped away. Police eventually located the Jeep matching the description given in a driveway on East Main Street. The Jeep was found with a jack under the passenger side and the damaged front tire was raised in the air. Police spoke with the driver who eventually admitted to driving the Jeep, which he did not own. He told police he fled because his license was revoked.

    3:32 p.m.: Police responded to a report of trespassing on Atlantic Street.

    2:59 p.m.: A disabled vehicle was reported on Grant Circle.

    12:45 p.m.: Police took a report of stolen property.

    12:30 p.m.: Police took a report of drug activity.

    10:12 a.m.: Police took a report of fraud, identity theft. A resident reported she had contacted Xfinity after her cell phone stopped working a couple of days before. After speaking with the Xfinity fraud department and obtaining a new SIM card, the resident noticed an attempt to withdraw $2,500 from her bank account and attempted charges to her Amazon account. Both of these were stopped. The resident has since contacted her bank and changed all of her passwords linked to her phone.

    ESSEX

    Friday, April 19

    3:15 a.m.: An individual was assisted at a John Wise Avenue address.

    Thursday, April 18

    Assistance was given to individuals on John Wise Avenue  at, 4:36, 5:05 and 5:19 p.m. and on Martin Street at 5:18 p.m.

    Medical emergencies: Taken to a hospital by medical ambulance was person having difficulty breathing on Lufkin Point Road at 12:56 p.m. and a person who had fallen on Grove Street at 4:07 p.m.

    MANCHESTER

    Thursday, April 18

    Traffic stops were made at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Old Essex Road at 7:52 p.m., at the intersection of Bridge Street and Highland Avenue at 9:39 p.m., and on Lincoln Street at 10:41 p.m. Officers issued a written warning and two verbal warnings, respectively.

    Investigations were conducted by police on School Street at 3:23 p.m. and Tucks Point Road at 9:53 p.m.

    3:11 p.m.: An individual was aided at a Central Street address.

    Complaints about animals on Beach Street at 10:26 a.m., The Plains at 11:17 a.m. and Smiths Point Road at 2:15 p.m.

    10:05 a.m.: A report was made about a motor vehicle crash at a University Lane address.

    9:36 a.m.: The Manchester-by-the-Sea Fire Department doused a fire in a red dump truck in the vicinity of 129 Pine St. According to a post on Facebook, the North Shore Regional 911 Center alerted the Fire and Police departments to a reported vehicle fire. Engine 1 and C1 responded and crews using a single line quickly extinguished the flames. There were no injuries.  

    1:05 a.m.: Police issued a verbal warning to an. individual on Beach Street.

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  • Former harbormaster says he was ‘wrongfully terminated

    Former harbormaster says he was ‘wrongfully terminated

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    Former Harbormaster Thomas “T.J.” Ciarametaro says he was “wrongfully terminated” in the wake of revelations by Mayor Greg Verga of “wrongdoing” by the harbormaster’s office regarding forged signatures on standard contracts for two grant programs from the state Division of Marine Fisheries totaling $24,000.

    “Regretfully, I have to report that I was wrongfully terminated from my position as Gloucester Harbormaster after seven years of superb service,” said Ciarametaro, a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, in a prepared statement. “I have been unjustly dismissed following baseless accusations of misconduct, which have since been proven to be false.”

    “The events leading to my termination began when I discovered discrepancies in city funds and equipment within the department,” said Ciarametaro, who credited the Waterways Board and harbormaster staff for accomplishments in the office, including digitizing operations, earning recognition from Marinas.com for creating a more welcoming port and collaborating with the Army Corps of Engineers on a project to dredge the Annisquam River.

    Ciarametaro wrote he was fired by the city after catching one of his employees stealing cash from a locked drawer on camera, and turning him over to police under the city’s Whistleblower Protection Policy. He said he was broadsided by “retaliatory accusations” from this “disgruntled employee who had engaged in theft.” The allegations against him were quickly disproven, Ciarametaro said.

    Ciarametaro did not name the employee but his statement came on the same day Gloucester District Court confirmed a criminal complaint had been issued by the Police Department against former Shellfish Warden Peter Seminara, charging him with larceny from a building after being caught on camera in February stealing $71 in cash from a locked drawer in the harbormaster’s office at 19 Harbor Loop, according to a police report and Ciarametaro’s report to Human Resources Director Holly Dougwillo.

    On advice of police after a pattern of items and cash going missing from the office, Ciarametaro installed the cameras.

    “I can’t respond to anything regarding my case as I have retained legal (counsel) beyond the representation afforded me by my union representatives,” Seminara said in an email.

    No date has been scheduled for Seminara’s arraignment as the court clerk’s office said the case may be transferred to a different venue. This may be because the former shellfish warden and former harbormaster have appeared before the court in their official duties which have a law enforcement component. Seminara’s employment with the city ended last month.

    Ciarametaro in his statement urged the administration to reconsider its decision and reinstate him.

    “A claim surfaced regarding the forgery of a signature on a Department of Marine Fisheries Grant application that had already been approved by the Commonwealth,” he said. “I was not involved in such matter and denied any involvement in any such matter. Nonetheless, the mayor suspended me, unpaid, from my position.”

    The city’s deputy harbormaster admitted to the forgery during a meeting at City Hall, Ciarametaro said. Even though the deputy harbormaster made clear Ciarametaro had no knowledge or involvement in the forgery, the mayor immediately fired him, the former harbormaster said.

    In the statement, Ciarametaro does not name the deputy harbormaster, Chad Johnson, who has previously said he had been put on leave and said he had taken part in the forgery.

    “There is no question he made a mistake,” Ciarametaro said.

    The deputy harbormaster did not receive any of the money or seek to benefit personally from the grant, nor did anyone inside or outside the department, and the money went to the city’s sewage pump-out boat capabilities, Ciarametaro said of a $11,000 Clean Vessel Act grant.

    “Nonetheless, I had no idea that the forgery had occurred and therefore had no ability to prevent it, let alone recognize it,” he said.

    The harbormaster’s statement criticizes the Verga administration for the handling of his case, saying his one regret was “placing my full support behind the current mayor and his administrative staff, believing promises of transparency and accountability that have not come to fruition. I truly believed Mayor Verga would help Gloucester turn the page from the vacuum of accountability and transparency that infected the prior administration.”

    In response to Ciarametaro’s statement, the mayor’s director of communications and constituent services, Pam Tobey, wrote in an email “We cannot comment on personnel matters.”

    She said interim Harbormaster John McCarthy is preparing for the summer boating season with the harbormaster office’s staff.

    “The mayor feels confident in former police Chief and City Councilor John McCarthy’s ability to step in as interim harbormaster for the city of Gloucester,” Tobey said. “John’s extensive experience as a city department head, background in public safety, and knowledge of maritime operations is the perfect combination to keep the ship moving forward.”

    Verga had previously written to the City Council saying the city has been working closely with the state Division of Marine Fisheries to maintain the city’s good standing, and that he had “taken action and held the responsible parties within the Harbormaster’s Office accountable.”

    Verga has also called for a management audit of the Harbormaster’s Office.

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    By Ethan Forman | Staff Writer

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  • Family fighting teen killer’s possible parole board release

    Family fighting teen killer’s possible parole board release

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    GROVELAND — Sean Aylward lost his sister more than three decades ago. It still bothers him that he never got to see her go to the prom, graduate high school, attend college, get married or have children.

    Beth Brodie, who was murdered at age 15, also didn’t get a chance to be an aunt to Aylward’s son, who is now 30.

    “We didn’t get to experience all of that,” Aylward said.

    Brodie, a Pentucket High School cheerleader, was murdered in 1992 by Peabody resident Richard Baldwin, a then-16-year-old boy she had briefly dated. He beat her to death with an aluminum baseball bat.

    Baldwin in 1994 was sentenced to life in prison without parole for Brodie’s murder.

    But in 2013, a controversial state Supreme Judicial Court ruling allowed teen killers once sentenced to life without parole to seek release. The ruling expanded upon a 2011 United States Supreme Court decision holding that because the brains of juveniles were not fully developed, a sentence that forecloses all possibility of rehabilitation is unconstitutional.

    On May 16, Baldwin has a hearing scheduled before the parole board in Natick. Aylward and his family are “adamantly opposed” to any consideration of Baldwin’s release.

    “Our pain and suffering has not subsided since Beth was taken from us. It has in fact increased more pain, suffering and tears for us and Beth’s large circle of friends. The impending threat of parole is re-traumatizing and cannot be mitigated by the mere passage of time,” the Brodie family wrote in a statement posted on social media.

    “Granting parole would only serve to undermine justice and disregard the severity of the crime committed. Releasing this offender, without a doubt, would pose a continued threat to society. We urge the parole board to uphold the original sentencing and deny any requests for parole,” Brodie’s family continued.

    It was unclear what attorney would be representing Baldwin before the parole board.

    Aylward, who lives in Atkinson, New Hampshire, and is a manager at Commonwealth Motors in Lawrence, became an activist after the 2013 SJC decision.

    He, along with other family members and Beth’s friends, maintain social media posts in her memory and dedicated to justice for Brodie on social media. They’re hoping others will join a letter-writing campaign and ask the parole board to deny Baldwin’s release.

    “We need to get people thinking about it,” Aylward said last week. He said he wants the parole board not to view the hearing as “just another day at work.

    “This is a first degree killer,” he said, noting the board may be acquainted with the law “but they didn’t know Beth.”

    Another teen killer is Jamie Fuller, 16, who was convicted of murdering Amy Carnevale, 14, in Beverly in 1991. Fuller is scheduled for a hearing before the parole board on April 25.

    The parole board hearings, at 12 Mercer Road, Natick, are open to the public.

    In 2019, Baldwin had a parole board hearing scheduled. However, the hearing request was subsequently withdrawn.

    Aylward said he will be prepared to fight parole for as long as Baldwin lives.

    “It’s our job to bring Beth back to the story,” he has said.

    Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.

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    By Jill Harmacinski | Staff Writer

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  • 40 years later, Carver still seeking new trial in deadly Elliott Chambers fire

    40 years later, Carver still seeking new trial in deadly Elliott Chambers fire

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    BEVERLY — For most people, their last image of James Carver is from a black-and-white photo from 1989, the year he was convicted of setting a fire that killed 15 people at the Elliott Chambers rooming house in Beverly.

    For four days last week, a different version of Carver appeared in a courthouse in Lawrence — in a wheelchair, in handcuffs, wearing court-provided headphones so he could hear the legal arguments over his latest effort to gain freedom.

    Carver, now 60, is asking for a new trial, the fifth time he has done so since he was sentenced to life in prison for the notorious Elliott Chambers fire on July 4, 1984. His attorneys say there is new evidence in the case due to advances in fire science and eyewitness identification, and that a new jury should hear that evidence.

    “It is overwhelmingly clear that justice was not done and that Mr. Carver is entitled to a new trial,” attorney Lisa Kavanaugh told Judge Jeffrey Karp on Friday in Lawrence Superior Court.

    The fire at Elliott Chambers, now the location of a CVS on Rantoul Street, was one of the deadliest in the state’s history. A jury found that Carver, who lived in Danvers at the time, set the fire in a fit of jealousy over his former fiancée dating a man who lived there. Fifteen people died, including a 9-year-old boy who was visiting his grandmother, the rooming house manager.

    Carver’s previous requests for a new trial have been denied four times. But the legal team representing him now, which includes attorneys from the state public defender’s Innocence Program and the Boston College Innocence Program, says that advances in fire science and eyewitness identification principles provides new evidence that merits a new trial.

    Craig Beyler, a fire science expert for the defense, said investigators at the time of the 1984 fire relied on “myths and misconceptions” about fire science that were common at the time. The investigators concluded the fire was started by someone using an accelerant, such as gasoline, to ignite a stack of newspapers on the floor of an alcove in the building.

    Investigators relied on the “myth” that fire does not burn down, and that the fire actually started in the overhead area of the alcove and could have been caused by an electrical problem, Beyler said.

    Carver’s attorneys also question the reliability of eyewitness accounts that either placed Carver at the scene of the fire or said he later confessed to setting it. They said a “vast body of scientific research” has emerged since Carver’s trial that bears on the reliability of a witness’ identification of Carver.

    Nancy Franklin, a psychologist who specializes in cognition and memory, including eyewitness identification, testified that the witness who identified Carver at the scene had limited time to observe him, in unreliable lighting conditions at night. The witness was a taxi driver who made his observations while stopped at a traffic light at the corner of Rantoul and Elliott streets.

    There are also questions about how “police feedback” influenced the witness, saying his descriptions of Carver became more detailed as the police continued to develop more evidence against Carver, Franklin said.

    Carver’s lawyers have also submitted evidence suggesting that Carver did not get proper representation from his original defense lawyer due to the lawyer’s “personal and criminal misconduct,” including substance abuse.

    In a court filing opposing Carver’s request for a new trial, prosecutors in the Essex County District Attorney’s office said the new evidence is not strong enough to “cast real doubt” on the justice of Carver’s convictions. They said the original investigators did consider whether the fire could have started overhead and “dropped down” to the floor of the alcove, but dismissed that possibility.

    As for the new science that might be used to challenge a witness’ identification of Carver being at the scene of the fire, prosecutors said that same science could also be used to revisit testimony from other witnesses who did not identify Carver as the suspect they saw that night.

    The new science “constitutes a double-edged sword, and would be as likely to harm the defendant’s case as to help it,” prosecutors said.

    They also said there was plenty of evidence beyond the fire investigation and eyewitness accounts that led to Carver’s conviction — including threats and confessions made by Carver himself.

    “We had a lot of evidence from the defendant’s own mouth,” Assistant District Attorney Catherine Semel told Karp at Friday’s hearing.

    Another hearing in the motion for a new trial is scheduled for May 29. Karp’s ruling is not expected for months and will be subject to appeal.

    Karp called the matter a “significant case,” saying, “The defense is asking me to vacate a 40-year-old conviction in a 40-year-old case where 15 people died.”

    Carver, who is serving time at Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, was transported to the courthouse in Lawrence each day for the hearing. His daughter attended the hearing on Thursday, sitting in the front row. She declined to comment for this story.

    Staff Writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2535, by email at pleighton@salemnews.com, or on Twitter at @heardinbeverly.

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    By Paul Leighton | Staff Writer

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  • O.J. Simpson Fast Facts | CNN

    O.J. Simpson Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here is a look at the life of former NFL star O.J. Simpson.

    Birth date: July 9, 1947

    Birth place: San Francisco, California

    Birth name: Orenthal James Simpson

    Father: Jimmie Lee Simpson, custodian and cook

    Mother: Eunice Simpson, nurse’s aide

    Marriages: Nicole (Brown) Simpson (February 2, 1985-1992, divorced); Marguerite (Whitley) Simpson (June 24, 1967-1979, divorced)

    Children: with Nicole (Brown) Simpson: Justin (August 6, 1988) and Sydney (October 17, 1985); with Marguerite (Whitley) Simpson: Aaren (September 24, 1977-August 18, 1979); Jason (April 21, 1970) and Arnelle (December 4, 1968)

    Education: City College of San Francisco (1965-1967); University of Southern California (1967-1969)

    Heisman Trophy winner, Pro Football Hall of Fame member, former sports commentator and actor.

    1968 – Receives the Heisman Trophy at the New York Downtown Athletic Club.

    1969-1977 – Plays halfback for the Buffalo Bills.

    1970 – Voted college football player of the decade by ABC Sports.

    1972-1976 – Makes the NFL Pro Bowl team each year.

    1974 – Appears in his first big budget film, “The Towering Inferno.”

    1978-1979 – Plays halfback for the San Francisco 49ers.

    1979-1986 – Sports commentator for ABC Sports.

    1984-1985 – Commentator for ABC Monday Night Football.

    1985 – Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

    1988 – Portrays an accident-prone detective in the cop movie spoof, “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” Simpson later costars in two sequels: “The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear” and “Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult.”

    June 12, 1994 – Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, 35, and Ronald Lyle Goldman, 25, are stabbed to death.

    June 13, 1994 – Simpson is questioned by the LAPD for three hours and released.

    June 17, 1994 – Simpson is charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances. He does not surrender and is declared a fugitive. A suicide letter is found shortly before Simpson is spotted riding in friend Al Cowlings’ white Ford Bronco. With Cowlings driving, they lead police on a 60-mile slow speed chase and end up at Simpson’s Brentwood mansion. Simpson surrenders to police at his home.

    July 22, 1994 – Simpson pleads not guilty.

    November 3, 1994 – The jury is selected. It consists of four men and eight women: eight are African American, one is Hispanic, one is White and two are multiracial.

    January 24, 1995 – Simpson’s criminal trial begins.

    May 4, 1995 – The Goldmans file a wrongful death suit against Simpson.

    June 15, 1995 – In court, Simpson tries on leather gloves connected to the case, and says they do not fit.

    July 6, 1995 – The prosecution rests.

    September 27, 1995 – Defense lawyer Johnnie Cochran reminds the jury about the glove, “If it doesn’t fit; you must acquit.”

    September 29, 1995 – The defense rests, and the case goes to the jury to reach a verdict.

    October 3, 1995 – The jury returns a not guilty verdict after less than four hours of deliberations.

    October 23, 1996 – The civil trial begins in the wrongful death suit brought against Simpson by the victims’ families. The jury is made up of five men and seven women: nine are Whites, one is Hispanic, one is African American and one is of Asian and African descent.

    November 22, 1996 – Simpson, for the first time, testifies before a jury and denies the murder of his ex-wife and Goldman.

    December 20, 1996 – Simpson is awarded custody of his children.

    February 4, 1997 – The jury finds Simpson liable in the civil wrongful death suit brought by the victims’ families and awards the plaintiffs $8.5 million in damages.

    February 6, 1997 – Testimony in the punitive phase of the civil trial begins.

    February 10, 1997 – Simpson is ordered to pay $25 million in punitive damages to the victims’ families.

    March 26, 1997 – The court orders Simpson to turn over his assets, including a set of golf clubs, his 1968 Heisman Trophy and a Warhol painting.

    November 20, 2006 – News Corp announces the cancellation of Simpson’s book and two-part FOX TV interview, called “If I Did It.” The book was promoted as a hypothetical account of the murders.

    March 13, 2007 – A California judge rules that the rights to Simpson’s book will be publicly auctioned so that Goldman’s family can receive the future proceeds. The auction is canceled in early April 2007 when the holding company Lorraine Brook Associates declares bankruptcy.

    June 15, 2007 – A bankruptcy judge in Miami orders a new auction of the book rights to “If I Did It,” with all proceeds going to Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman’s father.

    July 11, 2007 – The family of Nicole Brown Simpson files court papers in connection to the auction of the book rights to “If I Did It.” The family believes it is entitled to 40% of any proceeds from the book, based on the $24.7 million civil judgment it won against Simpson.

    July 30, 2007 – A federal bankruptcy court awards Goldman’s family 90% of the proceeds from the sale of the publishing rights to “If I Did It.” The rest will go to Simpson’s creditors.

    September 16, 2007- Is arrested in connection with a robbery at a Las Vegas hotel room on September 13, 2007. Simpson contends that he was retrieving personal items that had been stolen from him and were being sold as memorabilia. Police announce they have booked him on six counts of robbery, assault, burglary and conspiracy.

    November 14, 2007 – Clark County Judge Joe M. Bonaventure rules that Simpson will stand trial on charges including kidnapping, robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.

    November 28, 2007 – Simpson pleads not guilty.

    January 10, 2008 – Simpson is arrested in Florida and is to be extradited to Nevada for violating the terms of his bail by contacting individuals involved in the trial.

    September 8, 2008 – Jury selection begins in Simpson’s trial.

    September 15, 2008 – Trial begins.

    October 3, 2008 – Simpson is found guilty on 12 counts, including kidnapping and armed robbery.

    December 5, 2008 – Simpson is sentenced to up to 33 years in jail but will be eligible for parole after nine years.

    July 20, 2017 – A Nevada parole board grants Simpson parole. On October 1, Simpson is released from prison.

    January 30, 2018 – A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge rules that Simpson doesn’t have to hand over money he gets from selling autographs or for making public appearances to pay the civil judgment, now at more than $70 million, in the deaths of his ex-wife and Goldman.

    June 14, 2019 – Simpson launches his new Twitter account with a video saying he’s “got a little getting even to do.” He adds that he plans to use his new Twitter account to “set the record straight,” as well as to talk sports, fantasy football and even some politics.

    December 6, 2021 – Simpson is granted early discharge from his parole in Nevada.

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  • Dominique Strauss-Kahn Fast Facts | CNN

    Dominique Strauss-Kahn Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here is a look at the life of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former International Monetary Fund (IMF) Director.

    Birth date: April 25, 1949

    Birth place: Neuilly-sur-Seine, France

    Birth name: Dominique Gaston Andre Strauss-Kahn

    Father: Gilbert Strauss-Kahn, a legal and tax advisor

    Mother: Jacqueline Fellus, a journalist

    Marriages: Myriam L’Aouffir (October 2017-present); Anne Sinclair (1991-2013, divorced); Brigitte Guillemette (1984-date unavailable publicly, divorced); Helene Dumas (1967-date unavailable publicly, divorced)

    Children: with Brigitte Guillemette: Camille; with Helene Dumas: Vanessa, Marine and Laurin

    Education: HEC Paris (École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Paris), Public Law, 1971; Paris Institute of Political Studies (Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris), Political Science, 1972; University of Paris, Ph.D., Economics, 1977

    His 2010 IMF salary was tax free, amounting to more than $500,000 with perks.

    Taught economics at the prestigious Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, commonly known as Sciences Po, and at Stanford University in California.

    Was considered to be the leading contender to run against Nicolas Sarkozy for the 2012 presidency of France.

    1981-1986 – Deputy Commissioner of the Economic Planning Agency.

    1986 – Wins election to France’s National Assembly – the lower house of parliament.

    1988-1991 – Chairs the Finance Commission.

    1991- 1993 – Minister of Industry and International Trade under President Francois Mitterrand.

    1997-1999 – Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry. Resigns amid allegations that as a practicing lawyer he was involved in party campaign funding irregularities. Strauss-Kahn is later cleared of the charges.

    2001-2007 – Elected three times to the French National Assembly.

    2006 – Loses to Segolene Royal for the Socialist Party’s presidential nomination.

    November 1, 2007-May 18, 2011 – IMF Managing Director.

    2008 – Is reprimanded by the IMF for a relationship with a subordinate, Piroska Nagy.

    May 14, 2011 – Is escorted off an Air France flight headed to Paris and taken to a New York police station for questioning about the alleged sexual assault of a Sofitel Hotel housekeeping employee. The hotel employee says that Strauss-Kahn attempted to force himself on her when she came to clean his room. By the time police officers arrived, Strauss-Kahn had already left the Manhattan hotel.

    May 14, 2011 – Is charged with attempted rape and imprisonment of the hotel employee.

    May 16, 2011 – Is denied bail and transferred to New York’s Rikers Island jail.

    May 18, 2011 – Resigns his position with IMF. His 2007 contract includes a severance package with a $250,000 one-time payout and a smaller annual pension.

    May 19, 2011 – Is indicted on seven counts: two counts of a criminal sexual act, two counts of sexual abuse, and one count each of attempt to commit rape, unlawful imprisonment and forcible touching.

    May 19, 2011 – Is granted bail based on these conditions: home confinement, the surrender of his travel documents, and the posting of $1 million in cash bail and a $5 million bond.

    June 6, 2011 – Pleads not guilty to all seven charges.

    July 1, 2011 – Is released from house arrest after prosecutors disclose that the accuser admitted to lying about certain details.

    July 4, 2011 – French journalist Tristane Banon’s lawyer says that Banon will be filing a complaint claiming Strauss-Kahn attempted to rape her in 2003. In anticipation of the filing, Strauss-Kahn files a counterclaim against Banon for “false declarations.”

    July 5, 2011 – Banon files a criminal complaint against Strauss-Kahn, alleging attempted rape.

    August 8, 2011 – Nafissatou Diallo, the Manhattan maid who accused Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault, files a civil lawsuit against him.

    August 23, 2011 – All sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn, related to Diallo, are dismissed at the request of the prosecutor.

    September 3, 2011 – Leaves New York to return to France.

    September 18, 2011 – In an interview with French television station TF1, Strauss-Kahn says the incident at the Sofitel Hotel was “not only an inappropriate relationship, but more than that – an error, a mistake, a mistake concerning my wife, my children, my friends, but also a mistake that the French people placed their hope in change on me.”

    October 13, 2011 – French prosecutors announce that charges will not be filed against Strauss-Kahn for the alleged sexual assault of Banon due to a lack of sufficient evidence and a statute of limitations that applies to the case.

    February 21-22, 2012 – Is questioned by French police about an alleged prostitution ring possibly operated out of luxury hotels.

    March 26, 2012 – Strauss-Kahn is warned that he is under investigation for “aggravated pimping” for his alleged participation in a prostitution ring.

    May 14, 2012 – Files a countersuit for at least $1 million against Diallo, the Manhattan maid who accused him of sexual assault.

    May 21, 2012 – A French investigation into Strauss-Kahn’s alleged involvement in a prostitution ring widens. Authorities say that police will open a preliminary inquiry into acts that allegedly took place in Washington, DC, in December 2010, which they believe could constitute gang rape.

    October 2, 2012 – A French prosecutor drops the investigation connecting Strauss-Kahn to a possible gang rape in Washington, DC. The testimony on which the investigation is based has been withdrawn and the woman is declining to press charges.

    December 10, 2012 – Diallo and Strauss-Kahn reach a settlement in her civil lawsuit against him. Terms of the settlement are not released.

    July 26, 2013 – Prosecutors announce that Strauss-Kahn will be tried on charges of “aggravated pimping” for his alleged participation in a prostitution ring.

    September 17, 2013 – It is announced that Strauss-Kahn has been appointed as an economic adviser to the Serbian government.

    February 2, 2015 – The trial concerning “aggravated pimping” charges against Strauss-Kahn begins.

    February 17, 2015 – A prosecutor tells a French criminal court that Strauss-Kahn should be acquitted of aggravated pimping charges because of insufficient evidence. The Lille prosecutor’s office said in 2013 that evidence didn’t support the charges, but investigative magistrates nevertheless pursued the case to trial.

    June 12, 2015 – Strauss-Kahn is acquitted of charges of aggravated pimping.

    February 2016 – Is named to the supervisory board of Ukrainian bank Credit Dnepr.

    June 2016 – Strauss-Kahn and seven others are fined in civil court after the anti-prostitution group Mouvement du Nid appeals the June 2015 acquittal. Strauss-Kahn is ordered to pay more than $11,000 in damages to the group.

    December 7, 2020 – Netflix releases “Room 2806: The Accusation,” a documentary series covering the 2011 sexual assault case involving Strauss-Kahn and Diallo.

    December 15, 2022 – Le Monde reports that French authorities are investigating Strauss-Kahn for potential tax fraud related to his consulting activities in Morocco. Strauss-Kahn was one of dozens whose financial secrets and offshore dealings were released in the “Pandora Papers” by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) in 2021.

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  • After year of hoaxes, real bomb targets Satanic Temple

    After year of hoaxes, real bomb targets Satanic Temple

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    SALEM — Police say an actual explosive device was used against the Satanic Temple this week, following numerous hoax threats over the past year as well as an arrest of a man in January who had planned an attack.

    Salem police were called to the Satanic Temple around 4 p.m. Monday as staff arrived to find a previously activated explosive device on the property at 64 Bridge St. The incident was traced back to 4:14 a.m., when cameras captured a person throwing “an explosive device onto the porch of the Satanic Temple,” a police press release Monday night said.

    “No one was present in the building at the time,” the release read, “and the device and damage it caused were not discovered until staff arrived at approximately 4 p.m.”

    Addressing the matter Tuesday morning, Salem police Chief Lucas Miller said the Satanic Temple is “a target on a scale much larger than Salem, and I do think that we need to really examine security there.”

    “The Temple is very cooperative with the Police Department, and they’re receptive to any ideas we have about improving security, so that’s something we’ll be looking at very closely,” Miller said. “The FBI has joined this investigation, and they’re the big kids when it comes to law enforcement. They have really talented investigators and resources that a small police department doesn’t really have, so they’re a very welcome addition.”

    The Satanic Temple has been a regular target of hoax threats in recent years, with many of those threats also impacting the nearby Carlton Innovation School and in at least one case resulting in an evacuation of the school to Salem High. (tinyurl.com/2s4cc5f2)

    There had been two arrests, however, in separate incidents in the past two years. A Chelsea man was arrested in June 2022 for arson at the Satanic Temple after he set fire to the front porch, and earlier this year a Michigan man was arrested and charged in that state with planning to bomb the building. Authorities have not linked any of the incidents at this time.

    “Salem detectives have worked closely with Temple staff on investigating these threats and incidents,” the news release read. “The bombing is currently under investigation by detectives from the Salem Police Criminal Investigation Division, along with the Joint Terrorism Task Force.”

    Monday morning’s bombing could have been worse, Miller explained.

    “The device failed to cause as much damage as we believed the person who threw it intended, but it did cause damage and did ignite,” he said. “But it didn’t have nearly as powerful an effect as the perpetrator intended.”

    The Carlton School was operating normally Tuesday morning, Miller said. The Police Department has “spread out both our school resource officers and our regular beat officers to pay specific attention to schools today,” he added.

    “The schools weren’t the target here. The Satanic Temple was,” Miller said. “With Carlton’s proximity, while concerning, there’s no indication the device was powerful enough to impact the school.”

    Mayor Dominick Pangallo also addressed the incident in a statement, saying “while I am glad no one was injured in this attack, I nevertheless condemn this action in the strongest possible way.

    “Salem is a welcoming place and violent attacks like this are utterly reprehensible,” Pangallo wrote. “On behalf of the city, I want to extend our support for the staff and members at the Temple and the residents of the neighborhood who have been impacted by this crime. We’ll continue working to identify ways to improve the security of the area, to help ensure the safety of all our community members.”

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    By Dustin Luca | Staff Writer

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  • Police accuse Essex driver in hit-run that left woman seriously hurt

    Police accuse Essex driver in hit-run that left woman seriously hurt

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    BEVERLY — Police have arrested an Essex man who appears to have been the driver in a Sunday night a hit-and-run crash that left an Ipswich woman seriously injured.

    On Monday, police arrested Diego Mattos-Vazualdo, 47, of Essex, charging him with negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.

    Officers responded to 375 Rantoul St. about 10:15 p.m. on the report of a female pedestrian who had been struck by a vehicle. The victim was identified as a 27-year-old Ipswich resident.

    Upon locating the woman, police immediately began treating her and tried to make her comfortable. The woman, whose ID has not yet been released, was transported by ambulance to Beverly Hospital to stabilize her injuries — which were believed to be serious — before being Medflighted to Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston.

    At this time her condition has not been updated.

    A preliminary investigation revealed the victim had walked into the street and was first struck by a vehicle moving traveling southbound.

    The operator of that vehicle remained on the scene and is cooperating with police.

    The woman was then struck by the second vehicle, operated by Mattos-Vazualdo, who was traveling northbound. He stopped for a matter of seconds, then fled the scene.

    Based on witness statements, an accurate description of the fleeing vehicle was obtained and relayed to surrounding areas.

    Essex police were able to stop a vehicle matching that description, and the operator, identified as Mattos-Vazualdo, told Essex officers he thought he may have struck something.

    He was transported by Beverly Officers back to police headquarters where he was charged. He was expected to be arraigned in court later Monday.

    The investigation remains ongoing with Beverly police and the assistance of the State Police Crash Recon team.

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    By Buck Anderson | Staff Writer

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  • NH man arraigned on gun, assault charges in brewery incident

    NH man arraigned on gun, assault charges in brewery incident

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    NEWBURYPORT — Donald Terenzoni, 35, of Newton, New Hampshire, was arraigned Friday on multiple gun and assault charges, stemming from an incident at True North Ale Brewery in Ipswich last week when his gun fired accidentally, injuring himself and three others.

    Terenzoni appeared in Ipswich District Court (which meets in Newburyport) and pleaded not guilty to charges of carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card, and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

    He is accused of accidentally or negligently discharging a firearm inside the brewery at 116 County Road on March 29.

    Terenzoni suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police, and three other individuals — including a juvenile — were left with minor injuries as well. A subsequent investigation determined Terenzoni was not licensed to possess a firearm in Massachusetts, according to police.

    Ipswich police had said they responded to the scene around 5:17 p.m. on a report of a gunshot. They discovered that Terenzoni accidentally fired a gun inside the dining area, suffering a self-inflicted gunshot wound as a result. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment and released the same day.

    Police had originally said there were two victims — a juvenile in the dining area who was grazed by a piece of shrapnel and another individual — who both suffered minor injuries. In court Friday, a third victim was added to that list.

    The judge imposed conditions that Terenzoni stay away from the brewery, have no direct or indirect contact with the alleged victims, not possess any firearms, destructive devices, or dangerous weapons, and set cash bail at $500.

    As of 2017, it is no longer necessary to have a license to carry a concealed pistol or revolver in New Hampshire.

    Terenzoni is originally from Peabody, but has lived in Newton with his wife and four children for the past seven years, according to court records. While he lives out of state, he is in Massachusetts on a daily basis as he works in Salisbury as a construction foreman for SPS New England.

    “He came to court today voluntarily from New Hampshire and has submitted himself to the jurisdiction of the court,” said Terenzoni’s attorney. “He has absolutely no reason to show up, and he looks forward to defending these charges in court. He has very viable defenses to these charges.”

    A pretrial date was set for May 13.

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    By Michael McHugh | Staff Writer

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  • Boston Marathon Fast Facts | CNN

    Boston Marathon Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here’s a look at the Boston Marathon, run from Hopkinton to Boston. The finish line is in front of the Boston Public Library on Boylston Street.

    April 15, 2024 – The 128th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place.

    April 17, 2023 – The 127th Boston Marathon takes place. The winners are Evans Chebet of Kenya in the men’s division and Hellen Obiri of Kenya in the women’s division.

    The race is organized by the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.), and the principal sponsor is John Hancock Financial Services.

    Runners are categorized by gender, then by age. Qualifying times depend on the age of the participant on the day of the race.

    Participants must be 18 years of age on the day of the race and must meet certain time standards to qualify for their age group.

    Visually impaired runners are allowed to participate, but they must have a five hour qualifying time. There are also categories for wheelchairs and handcycles.

    Runners come from all over the world to participate.

    Best Men’s Open time – 2:03:02 – Geoffrey Mutai, Kenya – (2011)
    Best Women’s Open time – 2:19:59 – Buzunesh Deba, Ethiopia – (2014)
    Best Men’s Wheelchair time – Marcel Hug, Switzerland, 1:18:04 (2017)
    Best Women’s Wheelchair time – Manuela Schar, Switzerland – 1:28:17 (2017)

    April 19, 1897 – The first marathon is run and is 24.8 miles. The winner is John J. McDermott of New York, with a time of 2:55:10. There are 18 entrants, 15 starters and 10 finishers.

    1897-1968 – The race is run on April 19, Patriots’ Day, a holiday commemorating the start of the Revolutionary War only recognized in Massachusetts and Maine. In those years that April 19 falls on a Sunday, the race is held the next day, Monday the 20th.

    1918 – A military relay is held instead of the marathon due to the United States’ involvement in World War I.

    April 19, 1924 – The race is lengthened to 26.2 miles to conform to Olympic standards.

    April 17, 1967 – Kathrine Switzer becomes the first woman to receive a number to run in the Boston Marathon. She enters the race under the name K.V. Switzer and wears baggy clothes to disguise herself. Females are not officially allowed to enter until 1972.

    1969 – Patriots’ Day is changed to the third Monday in April, so the date of the race is also changed.

    1975 – A wheelchair division is added to the marathon. Bob Hall finishes the race in two hours and 58 minutes in a wheelchair.

    April 15, 1996 – The 100th Boston Marathon is run. There are a record 35,868 finishers.

    April 15, 2013 – Two bombs explode near the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring at least 264 others.

    May 15, 2015 – Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is sentenced to death for his role in the 2013 marathon bombings. In July 2020, an appeals court vacates Tsarnaev’s death sentence and rules he should be given a new penalty trial. In March 2021, the Supreme Court agrees to review the lower court opinion that vacated Tsarnaev’s death sentence. The Supreme Court upholds his death sentence in March 2022. In January 2023, attorneys for Tsarnaev request his death sentence be vacated during a federal appeals court hearing.

    October 26, 2016 – Three-time winner Rita Jeptoo of Kenya, loses her 2014 title and record for the fastest women’s finish ever (2:18:57), as part of a ruling on her two-year ban for doping.

    May 28, 2020 – Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announces that the 2020 marathon is canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A virtual event, in which participants can earn their finisher’s medal by verifying that they ran 26.2 miles on their own within a six-hour time period, will take place September 7-14.

    October 28, 2020 – The B.A.A. announces that the 2021 marathon will be postponed until the fall of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    April 7, 2022 – Sixty-three entrants living in Russia and Belarus are banned from participating in the 2022 Boston Marathon and Boston Athletic Association 5K. After the invasion of Ukraine, various sports teams from Russia and Belarus have been banned entirely from competition as part of a sanctions package.

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  • Oklahoma City Bombing Fast Facts | CNN

    Oklahoma City Bombing Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here is some background information about the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995.

    The blast killed 168 people, including 19 children, and injured several hundred more.

    Timothy J. McVeigh and Terry L. Nichols were convicted of the attack.

    The federal building was later razed and a park and memorial were built on the site.

    The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum has 168 stone and glass chairs placed in rows on a lawn, one for each victim.

    Both McVeigh and Nichols were former US Army soldiers and were associated with the extreme right-wing and militant Patriot movement.

    The Patriot movement rejects the legitimacy of the federal government and law enforcement.

    April 19 marked two anniversaries. Patriots’ Day is the anniversary of the American rebellion against British authority at Lexington, Massachusetts, in 1775. It is also the date that federal agents raided the compound of a religious sect in Waco, Texas, after a 51-day standoff in 1993. At least 75 members of the Branch Davidian sect died in a fire that began during the raid.

    McVeigh claimed he targeted the building in Oklahoma City to avenge the raid on Waco.

    April 19, 1995 – At 9:02 a.m. CT, a rental truck filled with explosives is detonated outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.

    April 19, 1995 – Near Perry, Oklahoma, Army veteran McVeigh is arrested during a traffic stop for driving a vehicle without a license plate.

    April 21, 1995 – McVeigh’s alleged co-conspirator Nichols turns himself in.

    May 23, 1995 – The remaining parts of the Murrah federal building are imploded.

    August 11, 1995 – McVeigh and Nichols are indicted on murder and conspiracy charges.

    April 24, 1997 – McVeigh’s trial begins in Denver.

    June 2, 1997 – McVeigh is convicted on 11 counts of murder, conspiracy and using a weapon of mass destruction. He is later sentenced to death.

    November 2, 1997 – Nichols’ trial begins in McAlester, Oklahoma.

    December 23, 1997 – Nichols is convicted on federal charges of conspiracy and eight counts of involuntary manslaughter. He is later sentenced to life in prison. He is serving his sentence at USP Florence ADMAX federal prison, nicknamed “Supermax,” in Florence, Colorado.

    June 11, 2001 – McVeigh is executed by lethal injection. He is the first person executed for a federal crime in the United States since 1963.

    May 26, 2004 – Nichols is found guilty in Oklahoma state court on 161 counts of murder. The jury spends five hours deliberating before announcing the verdict.

    August 9, 2004 – District Judge Steven Taylor sentences Nichols to 161 consecutive life terms, without the possibility of parole.

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  • Police/Fire

    Police/Fire

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    In news taken from the logs of Cape Ann’s police and fire departments:

    GLOUCESTER

    Sunday, March 24

    6:23 p.m.: Fireworks were reported on Macomber Road.

    4:13 p.m.: A crash with property damage only was reported at Market Basket on Gloucester Crossing Road.

    3:30 p.m.: A resident came into the police station lobby to report identity theft. The resident explained someone used his Social Security number to create an account under his name. The account showed a balance of $1.01. Police said the resident contacted the company to report the fraudulent activity and the company canceled the account. The residentreported a separate incident in October 2023 in which someone tried to initiate a purchase using his credit card and the transaction was denied, and that reported that recently, his email was logged in from Vietnam, but his account has since been secured.

    Noon: A person reported the theft of approximately $100 in cash and a check that had been placed in the car’s visor after she went to Addison Gilbert Hospital on Washington Street and parked at the nearby Seacoast Nursing Home. She parked at 10 a.m. and noticed the money was missing around 10:50 a.m. on March 21. The bank put an immediate stop on the check to keep it from being cashed.

    11:32 a.m.: Police were called to help the Fire Department make entry into a residence on Sayward Street due to a person who fell and was home alone. The person refused medical treatment.

    10:27 a.m.: A caller from a vacant lot on Main Street reported someone was spitting on him. The indiviuals were separated and police cleared the scene.

    10:17 a.m.: A caller from Granite Street reported a carbon monoxide detector had activated. The caller was advised to step outside and the Fire Department was dispatched.

    8:15 a.m.: A resident reported someone tried to get into her shed. Police saw the shed door had a piece broken off and the door handle was found on the ground nearby. Police said it did not appear anyone got into the shed because the door was frozen shut due to the rain and falling temperatures overnight.

    Saturday, March 23

    Crashes with property damage only: at 11:36 a.m. on Blackburn Circle with a person reportedly taken to the hospital; at 9:03 p.m. on Grant Circle, Washington Street and Ashland Place.

    Disturbances were reported on Poplar Street at 12:38 p.m. and Sayward Street at 2:26 p.m.

    11:11 a.m.: Smoke alarms were reported sounding at 264 Main St. Gloucester Fire Department was dispatched.

    11 a.m.: Police on Friday, March 22, learned a man had two fully extraditable warrants issued in Texas against him and that he might be living in Gloucester at his parents’ house. The offenses included making terroristic threats against a police officer/judge and multiple warrants out of Collin County, Texas. On Saturday, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the warrant service was active and fully extraditable. Police requested a warrant against the man on a charge of being a fugitive from justice. The 36-year-old was arrested at a residence on Essex Avenue on a straight arrest warrant Monday, March 25, by a detective, a deputy from the U.S. Marshals Service and a trooper from the State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section. The man was placed into custody without incident and taken to the Rockport Police Department for booking. He was later taken to court.

    ROCKPORT

    Sunday, March 31

    Traffic stops were conducted on Broadway at 6:33 and 6:56 p.m. Both drivers were given verbal warnings.

    9:58 a.m.: After an alarm was reported, the Fire Department was dispatched to a Beach Street address.

    9:52 a.m.: A police wellness check made at a Main Street address.

    7:58 a.m.: After a report was received at High Street address, a verbal warning was issued.

    Saturday March 30

    6:42 p.m.: A noise complaint was made at a Sandy Bay Terrace address.

    Medical alarms were activated on Curtis Street at 12:03 p.m. and High Street Court at 6:06 p.m. Both later proved to be false.

    5:38 p.m.: A report was made about lost and found property at a Granite Street address.

    2:08 p.m.: A report was made about road conditions on Main Street.

    1:26 p.m.: A motor vehicle crash was reported on Blue Gate Lane.

    12:09 p.m.: After a well-being check at a South Street address, an ambulance transport was conducted.

    12:04 p.m.: A report was made about a neighbor dispute on Granite Street.

    12:04 p.m.: After a motor vehicle stop on Thatcher Road, a verbal warning was issued.

    9:19 a.m.: After an alarm was reported, the Fire Department was dispatched to a Beach Street address.

    8:08 a.m.: A medical emergency ambulance transport was conducted at a Main Street address.

    Friday, March 29

    Medical emergencies: Ambulance transport to a hospital was made from South Street at 1:56 a.m. and Sandy bay Terrace at 3:38 a.m. while services were provided at a Rowe Avenue address at 7:22 p.m.

    2:13 p.m.: A motor vehicle crash was reported on Railroad Avenue.

    7:14 a.m.: After a motor vehicle stop on Thatcher Road, a verbal warning was issued.

    ESSEX

    Sunday, March 31

    Citizens were assisted on John Wise Avenue at 11:04 a.m. and 8:31 p.m., and Main Street at 11:04 a.m.

    8:11 p.m.: Suspicious activity was reported at a Water Street address.

    Disturbances were reported on Choate Street at 7:08 p.m. and Western Avenue at 7:46 p.m.

    Ambulance transport was refused by an individual who fell at a Western Avenue address at 11:02 a.m. and a patient who suffered a diabetic episode at a Main Street address at 4:52 p.m.

    4:23 p.m.: A motor vehicle crash on Lebaron Road was reported.

    10:27 a.m.: A report was made after a police investigation was conducted at a John Wise Avenue address.

    Saturday, March 30

    7:07 p.m.: A report was made after a motor vehicle complaint at a Martin Street address.

    9:04 a.m.: A welfare check was conducted at a Main Street address.

    8:54 a.m.: Assistance was provided during a community policing call at a Shepard Memorial Drive address.

    7:57 a.m.: After a report of a fall at a Southern Avenue address, a patient refused a medical ambulance transport.

    MANCHESTER

    Sunday March 31

    Traffic stops were conducted at the intersection of the northbound lanes of Route 128 and School Street at 12:41 a.m. and 1:12 a.m., when written warnings were issued, and on the northbound lanes of Route 128 at 6:09 p.m. when a verbal warning was given.

    12:13 a.m.: Suspicious activity at White Beach was reported.

    Friday, March 29

    2:54 p.m.: Community policing was provided at a Lincoln Street address.

    Traffic stops were made on at the intersection of Route 128 and School Street at 1:59 a.m., when no action was taken, and on the northbound lanes of Route 128 at 2:40 p.m., when a verbal warning was issued.

    Citizens were assisted on Central Street at 9:28 a.m. and 2:15 a.m.

    1:59 a.m.: After a motor vehicle stop at the intersection of Route 128 and School Street, no action was taken.

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  • Money flowing into jails for opioid treatment

    Money flowing into jails for opioid treatment

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    BOSTON — Money is flowing into state and county correctional facilities to help treat substance abuse disorders, putting sheriffs and jail wardens on the front lines of the state’s battle against opioid addiction.

    A first-of-its-kind report on funding for the 14 sheriffs offices across the state shows that a sizable chunk of more than $23.5 million in state and federal grants they received last year was earmarked for jail-based, medication-assisted treatment programs.

    The Essex County Sheriff’s Office received more than $2.7 million in federal and state grants for programs in the previous fiscal year, much of which was devoted to medication-assisted treatment and other substance abuse programs.

    The money was provided through grants from the U.S. Department of Justice and the state Department of Public Health, among other funding sources.

    Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger said about two-thirds of the inmate population is struggling with some kind of substance use disorder, and the demand for drug treatment is increasing.

    He has an average of about 170 inmates on medication-assisted treatment and other programs at Middleton Jail and other locations.

    The efforts are crucial to prepare inmates for reentry into the community and reduce recidivism by breaking the cycle of incarceration, he said.

    “When people get released we don’t want them to end up back in the criminal justice system,” Coppinger said. “We want to get them out of here and keep them on the straight and narrow.”

    Essex County was one of the first in the state to set up a detox inside the jail, and has expanded its substance abuse treatments over the years. It has been approved for a license to administer medication-assisted treatments.

    In some cases, inmates request medication-assisted treatment to get clean while they are incarcerated. In others, people committed to the jail are already in a community-based program receiving medication and are able to continue their treatment while they do their time, Coppinger said.

    He said the Sheriff’s Office is building a new dispensary for opioid-related drug treatments at its prerelease center in Lawrence – known as the “farm” – which also will have the authority dispense treatments without transporting inmates to an outside facility.

    “Because we have a license, we can do this now, which is going to help us substantially,” he said. “Securitywise, it’s a no-brainer. We can dispense it in-house now.”

    Sheriffs see spike in need

    In Middlesex County, the Sheriff’s Office received more than $815,000 in grants in the previous fiscal year with the majority of the money devoted to opioid and other substance abuse programs, according to the report.

    The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office received more than $3.7 million in the previous fiscal year, with more than $520,000 devoted for medication-assisted treatment and reentry services, the report noted.

    The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office reported a nearly $900,000 grant from the Department of Public Health for medication-assisted treatment programs.

    Sheriffs say while the inmate population in state and county correctional facilities has been declining for years, the demand for substance use and mental health treatment in county jails has been spiking, putting a strain on resources. The grants are intended to offset those costs, but more funding is needed, sheriffs said.

    “It’s never enough money,” Coppinger said. “But I think it’s working based on feedback I’ve received from former inmates and the community.”

    Treatment drugs, costs

    There are three types of medication-assisted treatment in use in state prisons and county jails around the state, to varying degrees.

    Methadone, which is usually dispensed to addicts who visit clinics for a daily dose, has been used for decades to treat heroin addiction. Until recently, it was one of the only options for medication-assisted therapy. Methadone, which acts to block opioid receptors in the brain, can ease withdrawal symptoms that may trigger a relapse.

    Buprenorphine, which is sold by its brand name Suboxone and typically prescribed by a doctor, has become a preferred treatment.

    There’s also naltrexone, a non-narcotic drug often known by its brand name Vivitrol, which is injected monthly.

    None of the drug treatments come cheap. While methadone treatments can cost up to $3,500 a year per patient, even the generic form of Suboxone costs two to three times as much, according to the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors. Vivitrol costs about $1,300 per shot, according to the group.

    Opioid-related overdoses killed 2,357 people in Massachusetts last year, setting a new record high fatality rate of 33.5 per 100,000 people – an increase of 2.5% from the previous year, according to public health data.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Driver charged after Lawrence crash knocks out utility poles

    Driver charged after Lawrence crash knocks out utility poles

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    LAWRENCE — A man was arrested and charged with drunken driving and related charges after crashing into a utility pole at Lawrence Street near Erving Avenue late Wednesday night.

    The driver of a sedan hit a utility pole which caused others in the area to snap, knocking out power in the area, police said.

    Efren Alvarez, 36, of Lawrence was arrested and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, destruction of property, operating to endanger, speeding, marked lanes violations, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, attaching plates and driving an unregistered motor vehicle.

    After crashing at 11:20 p.m., Alvarez attempted to flee, but was immediately taken into custody. He was treated on scene by paramedics and EMTs from Lawrence General Hospital and then transported by ambulance to the hospital.

    Police asked motorists to avoid the area because of the ongoing work to replace the utility poles.

    More were reported earlier but only a handful of National Grid customers were without power early Thursday afternoon.

    A restoration time of 2:45 p.m. was listed on the National Grid website.

    Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter/X @EagleTribJill.

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    By Jill Harmacinski jharmacinski@eagletribune.com

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  • Jacob Zuma Fast Facts | CNN

    Jacob Zuma Fast Facts | CNN

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    Here’s a look at the life of Jacob Zuma, former president of South Africa. Zuma survived at least half a dozen no-confidence votes during his presidency.

    Birth date: April 12, 1942

    Birth place: Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

    Birth name: Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma

    Father: Gcinamazwi Zuma, police officer

    Mother: Nobhekisisa Bessie, domestic worker

    Marriages: Bongi Ngema (2012-present); Thobeka Stacy Mabhija (2010-present); Nompumelelo Ntuli (2008-present); Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini (1982-1998, divorced); Kate Mantsho Zuma (1976-2000, her death); Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo Zuma (1973-present)

    Children: Reportedly has more than 20 children

    ANC Work and Exile

    1958 – Joins the African National Congress (ANC).

    1962 – Becomes a member of the Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the military arm of the ANC.

    1963 – Arrested with other Spear of the Nation members and convicted of conspiring to overthrow the South African government. Zuma spends 10 years in prison on Robben Island.

    1975 – Flees South Africa and lives in exile for 15 years in Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia and several other African countries, while continuing his work with the ANC.

    February 1990 – President F. W. de Klerk lifts the ban on the ANC and other opposition groups. Zuma returns to South Africa.

    ANC Leadership and Corruption Charges

    1990 – At the ANC’s first Regional Congress in KwaZulu-Natal province, Zuma is elected chairperson of the Southern Natal region and takes a leading role in fighting violence in the region. This results in peace accords between the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party.

    December 1994 – Is elected as the national chairperson of the ANC.

    1997-2007 – Deputy president of the ANC.

    October 1998 – Receives the Nelson Mandela Award for Outstanding Leadership.

    1999-2005 – Deputy president of South Africa.

    June 2, 2005 – A South African court finds businessman Schabir Shaik guilty of bribing Zuma between 1995 and 2002.

    June 14, 2005 – President Thabo Mbeki fires Zuma over his alleged involvement in the Shaik bribery scandal.

    December 6, 2005 – Charged with raping a young female family friend; he claims the sex was consensual. He is acquitted on May 8, 2006.

    September 5, 2006 – Brought to trial and charged with corruption for allegedly accepting bribes from French arms company Thint Holdings. On September 20, the charges are dismissed by the court after numerous extensions by prosecutors to build the state’s case.

    2007-2017 – President of the ANC.

    December 28, 2007 – New corruption charges are brought against Zuma, along with counts of racketeering and money laundering. The corruption charges are tossed by the court in September 2008.

    May 1, 2008 – Named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.

    January 12, 2009 – The Supreme Court of Appeal overturns the lower court ruling that threw out corruption charges against Zuma, stating that the ruling was riddled with errors. This new ruling means that the National Prosecuting Authority can press new charges against Zuma.

    April 6, 2009 – Prosecutors drop all corruption charges against Zuma.

    Presidency and Resignation

    April 26, 2009 – The ANC wins a majority of votes in South African elections, ensuring that Zuma will be the country’s next president.

    May 9, 2009 – Inaugurated as president.

    February 2010 – Zuma admits to fathering a child out of wedlock with the daughter of the head of South Africa’s World Cup organizing committee.

    December 2010 – Zuma files a $700,000 defamation lawsuit over a 2008 political cartoon which portrays him raping a female figure symbolizing justice.

    March 20, 2012 – The Supreme Court of Appeal rules that the Democratic Alliance (an opposition party) can challenge a previous court’s decision to drop corruption charges against Zuma.

    May 7, 2014 – Zuma secures a second term as president, with the ANC winning a majority of votes.

    March 31, 2016 – The South African Constitutional Court rules that Zuma defied the constitution when he used 246 million rand ($15 million) in state funds to upgrade his private home. The court says Zuma must repay money spent on renovations unrelated to security.

    April 29, 2016 – A South African court rules that prosecutors acted “irrationally” when they decided to drop more than 700 corruption and fraud charges against Zuma in 2009. The court says the decision should be set aside and reviewed. It remains up to prosecutors whether to reinstate the charges.

    November 2, 2016 – A report containing corruption allegations against Zuma is published. The 355-page “State of Capture” report contains allegations, and in some instances evidence, of cronyism, questionable business deals and ministerial appointments, and other possible large-scale corruption at the very top of government. Zuma denies any wrongdoing.

    November 10, 2016 – Zuma avoids a vote of no-confidence in parliament, with 214 votes against the motion, 126 for and 58 abstentions. It’s the third time Zuma has faced such a vote in less than a year. The Democratic Alliance brought the motion of no confidence to parliament in an attempt to remove the president amid charges of corruption.

    November 29, 2016 – Members of the ANC say that Zuma will not step down as president, despite calls from people within his own party to resign.

    August 8, 2017 – A motion of no-confidence in Zuma is defeated, 198 votes to 177.

    October 13, 2017 – South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal upholds an April 2016 ruling by the High Court to reinstate corruption charges against Zuma.

    February 13, 2018 – The ANC announces a “recall” of Zuma, demanding that he resign. He resigns the next day.

    Charges and Prison Sentence

    March 16, 2018 – South Africa’s national prosecuting authority announces that Zuma will be charged with 16 counts of corruption, money laundering and racketeering.

    February 4, 2020 – A South African judge issues Zuma an arrest warrant after he fails to appear to face charges in his long-running corruption case.

    February 2021 – A South African inquiry into corruption during Zuma’s time in power is seeking the former president’s imprisonment for two years, after he defied a summons and court order to appear and give evidence. In an application in the constitutional court seen by Reuters, the “state capture” inquiry is seeking an order that Zuma is guilty of contempt of court. Zuma has denied wrongdoing and refuses to cooperate with the inquiry.

    June 29, 2021 – South Africa’s highest court finds Zuma guilty of contempt of court and sentences him to 15 months in prison. On July 3, the court agrees to hear Zuma’s application for a review of their decision. In the application, Zuma and his lawyers claim that the 15-month prison sentence threatens his life and that the constitutional court’s decision is unfair.

    July 4, 2021 – At a press conference at his homestead in Nkandla, Zuma likens his treatment to Apartheid-era detention without trial, saying, “Things like detention without trial should never again see the light of day in South Africa. The struggle for a free South Africa was a struggle for justice that everyone was treated equally before the law.”

    July 7, 2021 – Zuma hands himself over to police to begin serving his 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court.

    August 6, 2021 – Is admitted to an outside hospital where he undergoes surgeries for an undisclosed ailment, according to prison authorities.

    September 5, 2021 – The government’s correctional services department says Zuma has been released from prison on medical parole due to ill health.

    December 15, 2021 – The Gauteng High Court in South Africa rules that the decision to place Zuma on medical parole was unlawful and that Zuma needs to be returned into custody to serve the remainder of his sentence. Zuma appeals and remains on parole.

    October 7, 2022 – South Africa’s Correctional Services department announces Zuma has been released from the correctional services system.

    November 21, 2022 – South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal rules Zuma should return to prison, saying the decision to release Zuma on medical parole was unlawful.

    August 11, 2023 – Zuma is returned to prison to comply with a ruling that his release on ill health was unlawful – but is freed after just an hour under a remission process to address overcrowding in jail.

    January 29, 2024 – The ANC announces it has suspended Zuma’s membership. In December 2023, Zuma announced his support for a rival political party.

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  • Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Fast Facts | CNN

    Hillsborough Stadium Disaster Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here is a look at the Hillsborough Disaster, a 1989 tragedy at a British soccer stadium. Overcrowding in the stands led to the deaths of 97 fans in a crush. Another 162 were hospitalized with injuries. It was the worst sports disaster in British history, according to the BBC.

    On April 15, 1989, more than 50,000 people gathered at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England, for the FA Cup Semi-Final football (soccer) match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. In order to relieve a bottleneck of Liverpool fans trying to enter the venue before kickoff, police opened an exit gate and people rushed to get inside. More than 3,000 fans were funneled into a standing-room-only area with a safe capacity of just 1,600. The obvious crush in the stands prompted organizers to stop the game after six minutes.

    Police initially concluded the crush was an attempt by rowdy fans to surge onto the field, according to the Taylor Interim Report, a 1989 government investigation led by Justice Peter Taylor. As officers approached the stands, it became apparent people were suffocating and trying to escape by climbing the fence.

    The Taylor Interim Report describes the scene: “The dead, the dying and the desperate became interwoven in the sump at the front of the pens, especially by the gates. Those with strength left clambered over others submerged in the human heap and tried to climb out over the fence…The victims were blue…incontinent; their mouths open, vomiting; their eyes staring. A pile of dead bodies lay and grew outside gate 3.”

    The emergency response was slow, according to the Hillsborough Independent Panel, a 2012 follow-up investigation. The problems were rooted in poor communication between police and ambulance dispatchers, according to the panel.

    Fans tried to help each other by tearing up pieces of advertising hoardings, creating improvised stretchers and carrying injured spectators away from the throngs, according to the Taylor Interim Report. People who had no first aid training attempted to revive the fallen. From the report: “Mouth to mouth respiration and cardiac massage were applied by the skilled and the unskilled but usually in vain. Those capable of survival mostly came round of their own accord. The rest were mostly doomed before they could be brought out and treated.” It took nearly 30 minutes for organizers to call for doctors and nurses via the public address system.

    South Yorkshire Police Supervisor David Duckenfield was in charge of public safety at the event. He was promoted to match commander weeks before the game and was unfamiliar with the venue, according to his testimony at a hearing in 2015. He acknowledged that he did not initiate the police department’s major incident plan for mass casualty disasters, even as the situation spiraled out of control. Duckenfield had originally blamed Liverpool fans for forcing the exit gate open, a crucial detail that he later admitted was a lie. He retired in 1990, conceding he was probably “not the best man for the job on the day.”

    August 1989 – The Taylor Interim Report is released, offering a detailed overview of how the tragedy unfolded. The report is named for Justice Peter Taylor, who is leading the investigation.

    January 1990 – The Taylor Final Report is published, proposing a number of reforms for soccer venues. Among the recommendations: football stadiums should replace standing room terraces with seated areas to prevent overcrowding.

    August 1990 – Although the Taylor Interim Report faulted police for poor planning and an inadequate response, the Director of Public Prosecutions announces that no officers will face criminal charges.

    1991 – The deaths of the fans are ruled accidental by a jury during an inquest. The members of the jury could have returned a verdict of unlawful killing, faulting the police for acting recklessly and compromising the safety of fans. Their other option was an open verdict, an inconclusive ruling.

    August 1998 – A group of victims’ families files civil manslaughter charges against South Yorkshire Police supervisors Duckenfield and Bernard Murray.

    2000 – The case goes to trial. The jury deadlocks on Duckenfield and finds Murray not guilty of manslaughter. Murray dies of cancer in 2006.

    April 2009 – As England observes the 20th anniversary of the tragedy, a new investigation is launched by a group called the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

    September 2012 – The panel releases its findings, detailing the numerous failings of authorities on the day of the tragedy and a subsequent cover up that shifted the blame from police to fans. The panel also proclaims that 41 of 96 victims could have been saved if police responded to the crisis more rapidly. The findings prompt Prime Minister David Cameron to issue an apology to the victims’ families.

    December 2012 – The High Court quashes the accidental death ruling for the victims, setting the stage for a new investigation and possible criminal charges.

    March 31, 2014 – A new round of inquests begins in a courtroom in Warrington, England, built specifically for the case. There are nine members of the jury. They will consider a number of issues relating to the incident, including whether Duckenfield was responsible for manslaughter by gross negligence.

    April 2016 – After hearing testimony from more than 800 witnesses, the jury retires to deliberate.

    April 26, 2016 – The verdict is delivered, in what is called the longest case heard by a jury in British legal history. The jury finds, by a 7-2 vote, 96 fans were unlawfully killed due to crushing, following the admission of a large number of fans through an exit gate. It is decided Duckenfield’s actions amounted to “gross negligence,” and both the police and the ambulance service caused or contributed to the loss of life by error or omission after the crush began. Criminal charges will now be considered.

    June 28, 2017 – Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service announces that it has charged six people, including Duckenfield, with criminal offenses related to the disaster.

    March 14, 2018 – The BBC and other British media report that police officers would not be charged who were alleged to have submitted a misleading or incomplete report on the disaster to prosecutors in 1990.

    September 10, 2018 – Duckenfield pleads not guilty to the charges of manslaughter by gross negligence.

    January 14, 2019 – Duckenfield’s trial begins. Graham Mackrell, a safety officer at the time of the disaster, also stands trial.

    March 13, 2019 – The BBC and other media report that Duckenfield will not be called to present evidence during his trial.

    November 28, 2019 – Duckenfield is found not guilty of gross negligence manslaughter.

    July 27, 2021 – Andrew Devine, a fan injured in the Hillsborough disaster, dies. A coroner confirms Devine as the 97th victim of the disaster and rules he was unlawfully killed.

    January 31, 2023 – Britain’s National Police Chiefs Council and College of Policing apologize to families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster. They also publish a response to a report published in 2017 that detailed the experiences of the Hillsborough families.

    December 6, 2023 – UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden announces that the UK government has signed the Hillsborough Charter, acknowledging “multiple injustices” and vowing that no families will suffer the same fates as the relatives of the victims.

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  • David Letterman Fast Facts | CNN

    David Letterman Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here is a look at the life of former late-night talk show host David Letterman.

    Birth date: April 12, 1947

    Birth place: Indianapolis, Indiana

    Birth name: David Michael Letterman

    Father: Harry Letterman, florist

    Mother: Dorothy (Hofert) Letterman Mengering

    Marriages: Regina Lasko (March 19, 2009-present); Michelle Cook (divorced)

    Children: with Regina Lasko: Harry Joseph

    Education: Ball State University, B.A., 1969

    Letterman is the founder of the production company Worldwide Pants, which produced “Late Show with David Letterman.”

    Is a co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

    Letterman has been nominated for 50 Emmy Awards and won five.

    “Late Night with David Letterman” was nominated for 25 Emmy Awards and won three.

    “Late Show with David Letterman” was nominated for 76 Emmy Awards and won nine.

    “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman” has been nominated for four Emmy Awards.

    1969 – Begins working as an announcer and weekend weatherman at WLWI (now WTHR), an ABC affiliate in Indianapolis, Indiana.

    1975 – Moves to Los Angeles and begins performing stand-up at the Comedy Store. Later he is hired by Jimmie Walker, star of the CBS sitcom “Good Times,” as a writer.

    1978 – Appears on Mary Tyler Moore’s variety show, “Mary.”

    November 1978 – Makes the first of 22 appearances on “The Tonight Show” hosted by Johnny Carson. Letterman also serves as a guest host on “The Tonight Show” several times.

    June 23, 1980-October 24, 1980 – Hosts “The David Letterman Show,” a daytime talk show on NBC.

    February 1, 1982-June 25, 1993 – Hosts “Late Night with David Letterman” on NBC.

    September 23, 1984 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

    September 18, 1985 – Premiere of the “Top Ten” list.

    September 22, 1985 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

    September 21, 1986 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

    September 20, 1987 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

    May 1992 – Carson announces his retirement and speculation begins that Letterman will replace him.

    January 1993 – After it is announced that Jay Leno will take Carson’s place, Letterman announces he will be leaving NBC for CBS, and expresses anger over what he regards as NBC’s poor treatment of him.

    August 30, 1993-May 20, 2015 – Host of “Late Show with David Letterman.”

    September 11, 1994 – Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series.

    March 27, 1995 – Hosts the Academy Awards.

    January 14, 2000 – Letterman undergoes quintuple bypass surgery.

    September 17, 2001 – Is the first late-night talk show host to return to air after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Instead of starting the show with a humorous monologue, Letterman mourns those lost and praises the city’s firefighters and police officers. His first guest, CBS anchor Dan Rather, breaks down in tears during the broadcast.

    March 31, 2003 – Letterman returns to his show after being out for nearly a month due to shingles.

    March 17, 2005 – Kelly Frank, a house painter who worked on Letterman’s Montana ranch, is charged with plotting to kidnap Letterman’s son for ransom. In September, Frank pleads guilty to a lesser charge and is sentenced to 10 years in prison. In 2007, he escapes, but is later recaptured.

    October 1, 2009 – Letterman admits on air that he has had sexual relationships with female staff members and that someone has been attempting to blackmail him over the affairs.

    October 5, 2009 – Letterman apologizes to his wife and female staffers in front of a live studio audience.

    March 9, 2010 – Robert “Joe” Halderman, a former CBS News producer accused of trying to blackmail Letterman, pleads guilty to attempted second-degree grand larceny and is sentenced to six months in jail, five years’ probation and 1,000 hours of community service. In September, Halderman is released after serving four months of his six-month prison sentence.

    April 2012 – Extends his contract with CBS through 2014.

    December 2, 2012 – Is honored at the Kennedy Center Honors gala along with Buddy Guy, Dustin Hoffman, Natalia Makarova and the musical group Led Zeppelin.

    October 4, 2013 – Extends his contract with CBS through 2015.

    April 3, 2014 – During a taping of “The Late Show,” Letterman announces that he will be retiring in 2015.

    May 20, 2015 – Tapes his final show. Counting his work on both NBC and CBS, this is show number 6,028 for Letterman.

    October 30, 2016 – Letterman’s segment on climate change for the “Years of Living Dangerously” series airs on the National Geographic Channel. The episode follows Letterman as he travels around India discussing India’s zealous renewable energy plan.

    October 22, 2017 – Is awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

    January 12, 2018 – In the debut of his new Netflix series “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” Letterman interviews former US President Barack Obama. Guests scheduled for the rest of Letterman’s shows include George Clooney, Malala Yousafzai, Jay-Z, Tina Fey and Howard Stern.

    February 1, 2022 – “Late Night” host Seth Meyers welcomes Letterman to help celebrate the show’s 40th anniversary.

    December 12, 2022 – Letterman’s interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” debuts on Netflix. Letterman traveled to Kyiv for the wartime interview, which took place in an underground subway station.

    ‘Late Show with David Letterman’: Our top 10 moments

    November 20, 2023 – Returns to his former studio for the first time as a guest on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

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  • Area police news

    Area police news

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    In news taken from the logs of North Shore police departments:

    Peabody

    Thursday, March 21

    A Raylen Avenue resident called police at 7:46 a.m. to say his ex-wife is violating her restraining order. He said she is trying to bait him into violating the order.

    Bishop Fenwick High School, 99 Margin St., notified the school resource officer at 8:21 p.m. of an assault. A 15-year-old was arrested and will be summonsed to court for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon — scissors.

    Police arrested a 31-year-old Peabody man and summonsed a 28-year-old female of the same address to court after stopping a motor vehicle at 10:15 a.m. at the intersection of Central and Tremont Streets. The man was arrested for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and the woman was summonsed to court to face charges of a number plate violation to conceal ID, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

    An officer was sent to Treadwell’s Ice Cream Stand, 46 Margin St., at 10:32 a.m. after calling to advise police employees had a suspicious item they wished to turn in. Police secured the item and will dispose of it accordingly.

    A Pierpont Street apartment resident notified police at 11:22 a.m. about receiving online threats and harassment. The officer documented the case and advised the caller on filing for a harassment order.

    Police were called to Petco Pet Superstore, 10 Sylvan St., to check on the wellbeing of its axolotyls. The axolotl is a large, extremely rare Mexican salamander with feathery external gills that spends most of its life underwater.

    A Foxwood Circle resident came into the station at 2:33 p.m. to report an online fraud attempt that was stopped by the bank.

    Police stopped a vehicle at 2:21 p.m. in the vicinity of 114 Lynn St. and arrested the driver. In addition to an outstanding other-department warrant, the 21-year-old Peabody driver was charged with possessing an open container of alcohol in the vehicle, a number plate violation, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle with his license not in possession.

    Police were sent to a Raylen Avenue residence at 2:51 p.m. and served the 44-year-old Peabody resident with an outstanding Peabody warrant and transported him directly to Peabody District Court,

    Police were called to Starbuck’s Coffee, 240 Andover St., at 4 p.m. after the manager called to report a male wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with a black vest attempted to pass a counterfeit $100 bill. He was last seen walking in the parking lot in an unknown direction.

    Police were called to Haven From Hunger, 71 Wallis St., at 5:37 p.m. for a male threatening to harm another community member. The officer was off with that person by the cemetery and requested an additional officer. After subduing the 41-year-old homeless Peabody male, police arrested him. He was charged with threatening to commit a crime, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a police officer and with disorderly conduct.

    Friday, March 22

    Police were called to the vicinity of 20 Keys Drive at 12:06 a.m., for a suspicious male hiding in the bushes. He was gone when the officer arrived.

    A resident of Preserve North Apartments, 50 Warren Court, reported to police at 7:35 a.m., that someone had broken into her apartment while she was at home sometime overnight. The officer documented.

    Police were called to Long’s Jewelers, 35 Cross St., at 10:41 a.m., to speak to security regarding a vehicle with Mass. plate #5PLF79 in the lot when employees arrive.

    The school resource officer checked at 11:16 a.m., on a Garden Road student who had not shown up for school. The officer spoke with the student’s mother, and all is in order.

    Danvers

    Wednesday, March 20

    Police were sent to 100 Burley St., at 4:38 p.m., to follow up on an emergency 911 call.  They found a child playing with an iWatch.

    Police were sent to Dick’s Sporting Goods, 96 Commonwealth Ave., at 6:20 p.m., for a male shoplifter. They arrested a 38-year-old Bridgeport, Connecticut, man on charges of shoplifting merchandise valued at more than $250 and possession of a theft-detection device deactivator or remover.

    Police were sent to the vicinity of 104 Andover St., at 7:39 p.m., for a motor vehicle accident involving a bicycle. The accident took place after dark, in the rain, and the driver failed to see the cyclist who was dressed in black. The driver stopped and spoke with the cyclist, who was not injured, and went on his way.

    Thursday, March 21

    An officer was sent to Brentwood Rehab and Healthcare, 56 Liberty St., for money stolen from a patient.

    Salem

    Wednesday, March 20

    Police were sent to 40 Phillips St., at 4:37 p.m., to report on a past assault.

    The report of a larceny brought police to 40 Phillips St. at 4:37 p.m.

    Officers were called to Brothers Taverna, 283 Derby St., at 7:08 p.m., for a disturbance at a liquor establishment.

    A reported fraud or a scam brought an officer to 8 Winthrop St. at 5:33 p.m.

    Police were called to 15 Skerry St., at 6:39   p.m., to report on a fraud or a scam.

    A larceny report brought an officer to 11 Oak St., at 6:52 p.m.

    Police were called to 100 Colby St. at 6:56 p.m. to settle a dispute.

    An officer was sent to 139 Loring Ave. at 7 p.m. to report on a fraud or a scam.

    Police were called to 272 Jefferson Ave., at 7:35 p.m. for a motor vehicle accident with airbag deployment and possible injury.

    A 19 Ward St. resident called police at 8:04 p.m., to report a case of harassment.

    Thursday, March 21

    An officer was sent to 12 Pope St. at 7:16 a.m., to maintain order for a private repossession tow.

    Police were called to 288 Highland Ave. at 8:34 a.m., for a motor vehicle accident with airbag deployment and possible injury.

    Officers went to Steve’s Quality Market, 36 Margin St., at 8:48 a.m., to report on a larceny.

    A report of vandalism or graffiti brought police to 10 Congress St., at 10:19 a.m.

    Police were sent to 15 Jackson St. at 10:51 a.m. and to 45 Traders Way at 11:09 a.m., to report on two separate cases of fraud or scam.

    A 296 Highland Ave. party called police at 1:26 p.m. to report the theft of a motor vehicle or a motor vehicle license plate.

    Officers were sent to 93 Washington St., at 3:39 p.m., to settle a dispute.

    Beverly

    Wednesday, March 20

    Officers were sent to a Broadway location at 4:56 p.m. to and a disturbance.

    Thursday, March 21

    Police were called to the intersection of Reservoir and Sohier roads at 7:53 a.m. for a motor vehicle accident with property damage only. The vehicle was towed.

    Another property-damage-only accident brought police to the intersection Elliott Street and County way at 8:09 a.m. That vehicle, also, was towed.

    Police were called to Cabot Street at 3:48 p.m., to end a disturbance. Peace was restored.

    Marblehead

    Thursday, March 21

    An officer was called to Broughton Road at 11:51 a.m. to investigate a larceny, forgery or a fraud.

    Two officers were called to Pleasant Street at 7:34 p.m., to settle a disturbance.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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  • Senate approves ‘revenge porn’ ban

    Senate approves ‘revenge porn’ ban

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    BOSTON — The state Senate approved a proposal Thursday to make it a crime to post sexually explicit images on the internet to harass or embarrass another person.

    The legislation, approved unanimously, creates a new felony offense for people charged with distributing a sexually explicit image “for purposes of revenge or embarrassment,” and gives judges the authority to ensure explicit images are destroyed. Violators could face up to 2½ years in prison and fines of $10,000.

    Massachusetts is one of only two states – the other is South Carolina – that does not have laws against so-called “revenge porn,” which involves adults posting sexually explicit images of former spouses or ex-partners on the internet to harass them. Lawmakers said the state cannot wait any longer to approve the criminal sanctions.

    “It’s morally reprehensible, ethically unconscionable, and with the action we take today, it will finally also be criminal,” state Sen. Paul Feeney, D-Foxborough, said in remarks ahead of the bill’s passage. “Justice will be delivered.”

    The proposal, filed by Sen. John Keenan, D-Quincy, focuses on “coercive control” against abuse victims and bans the posting of sexually explicit “deepfakes” or a computer-generated manipulation of a person’s voice or likeness using artificial intelligence programs.

    It would also ease criminal sanctions for minors caught sending illicit materials to one another who under current state law are subject to felony charges of distributing or possession of child pornography.

    During the debate Thursday, senators slogged through about two dozen amendments to the measure, many of which were either rejected or withdrawn before they voted on the bill’s final version.

    Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican, won approval for an amendment giving state prosecutors discretion to seek tougher penalties – including the possibility of jail time – for offenders who target minors.

    Domestic violence victims have packed public hearings on Beacon Hill in support of the proposed law, many recalling stories of ex-partners posting lewd pictures of them on the internet to embarrass and harass them. Several victims attended the Senate session Thursday, watching the debate from the chamber gallery.

    The state House of Representatives approved a similar proposal in February, and any differences between the two bills will need to be worked out before heading to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk for consideration.

    Then-Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, filed similar proposals during his eight years in office that also called for toughening rules aimed at keeping “dangerous” suspects locked up while awaiting trial. None were approved.

    The House approved a revenge porn bill in 2022, but the Senate didn’t take it up before the end of the legislative session.

    Tarr said the exploitation of victims by posting sexually explicit materials online is a problem that has been “crying out for a legislative response” for years.

    “It’s unfortunate that it took us so long to get here,” he said. “This is not a situation that should be tolerated for one more minute.”

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Lawmakers seek to finalize gun control bill

    Lawmakers seek to finalize gun control bill

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    BOSTON — House and Senate lawmakers huddled on Wednesday to begin negotiations on a gun control proposal that calls for updating the state’s bans on “assault” weapons and setting new restrictions on the open carry of firearms.

    Both the state Senate and House of Representatives have approved legislation banning untraceable firearms or so-called “ghost” guns, authorizing tracking systems for handguns, and setting tougher firearm licensing requirements.

    But differences between the bills must be worked out by House and Senate negotiators before a final version heads to Gov. Maura Healey’s desk for consideration.

    On Wednesday, a six-member committee that includes Sens. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, and Joan Lovely, D-Salem, held its first meeting to kick off the negotiations. The panel voted to close the meeting to the press and public to conduct deliberations behind closed doors.

    A key sticking point in the talks is likely to be differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill dealing with where lawfully owned firearms can be carried.

    The House’s bill drew strong opposition from the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, which cited concerns that include provisions which limit where gun owners may bring their weapons. But the association has backed the Senate’s plan and voiced support for the changes.

    Republicans, led by Senate Minority Leader Tarr, sought to amend the bill by increasing criminal penalties for gun-related crimes and improving reporting on illegal gun seizures. Most were withdrawn or rejected.

    But Democrats joined with Tarr and other Republicans in supporting a bipartisan amendment “grandfathering-in” firearms and long rifles that would be added to the “assault” weapons ban under the proposed legislation.

    Under the amendment, if the owners lawfully purchased the firearms before the bill’s passage, they would not be subject to enforcement of the ban. Tarr is likely to push for that provision to be included in the final bill.

    A key provision of both bills would update the “assault” weapons ban by outlawing untraceable guns that can be assembled using parts manufactured on 3D printers. The plan also adds dozens of long rifles and firearm components to the ban, first approved in 1998.

    Both proposals would expand the state’s “red flag” law, which allows a judge to suspend the gun license of someone deemed at risk to themselves or others.

    The law, approved in 2018, allows police, friends or relatives of a legal gun owner to seek an order if they believe that person poses a risk to themselves or others. The changes would expand that list to include physicians, nurses, psychiatrists and other health care professionals.

    Massachusetts already has some of the toughest gun control laws in the country, including real-time license checks for private gun sales and stiff penalties for gun-based crimes.

    Last year, Democrats pushed through changes to the state’s gun licensing laws in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling guaranteeing a constitutional right of people to carry firearms in public places.

    Democrats cite mass shootings across the country and argue the high court’s ruling in the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen case weakened the state’s firearm protections.

    Gun control advocates argue the strict requirements have given the largely urban state one of the lowest gun-death rates in the nation, while not infringing on people’s right to bear arms.

    But Second Amendment groups argue that tougher gun control laws are unnecessary, and punish law-abiding gun owners while sidestepping the issue of illegal firearms.

    The Gun Owners Action League of Massachusetts, has dubbed both proposals the “Lawful Citizen’s Imprisonment Act” and urged its members to contact conference committee members and urge them not to approve the firearm restrictions.

    “There is nothing in any of the language that will reduce violent crime or address the mental health epidemic,” the group said in a statement.

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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