California Supreme Court tosses death sentences

After upholding nearly 50 death sentences in a row, the California Supreme Court on Monday broke its pattern by overturning the convictions of a reputed gang leader in Los Angeles and his alleged accomplice in two killings that sent both men to death row for 15 years.


The state high court unanimously ruled that Cleamon Johnson and Michael Allen, convicted of killing rival gang members Peyton Beroit and Donald Loggins in 1991, were denied a fair trial when a judge removed a juror who appeared to be critical of the prosecution's case.


The court had upheld 46 consecutive death sentences before the unanimous ruling that overturned both the sentences and murder convictions of Cleamon Johnson and Michael Allen for two 1991 gang killings, said Johnson's lawyer, Andrew Love, an assistant state public defender. Prosecutors must now decide whether to retry them.


Even before the most recent two-year period, California's high court typically upheld more than 90 percent of the death sentences it considered each year, one of the nation's highest affirmance rates.


Although the court has a 6-1 majority of Republican appointees, its record on social issues has been moderate and occasionally liberal, but when it comes to death sentences, said Love, a longtime defense lawyer, "this is by far the most conservative court" in the nation.


Prosecutors in the Los Angeles case said Johnson, a leader of the 89 Family Bloods, ordered Allen to fire the shots that killed Peyton Beroit and Donald Loggins in a parked car in August 1991.


Police have said Johnson is responsible for many homicides, but this was his only conviction, and he could go free if he is not retried. Allen has been convicted of another murder and will remain in prison regardless of the outcome of this case.


During jury deliberations at their trial in 1997, Superior Court Judge Charles Horan concluded that a juror had prejudged the case and replaced him with an alternate. According to statements from fellow panel members, that juror had told them early in deliberations that he didn't think the prosecutor had a case when she ended her presentation of evidence against Johnson and Allen.


The juror denied prejudging the case, and voted "undecided" on guilt in the first jury poll. But Horan questioned each juror separately and found that the juror had made up his mind before deliberations. The reconstituted jury deadlocked briefly but then voted unanimously for convictions and death sentences.

Albert Pujols

José Alberto Pujols Alcántara, born January 16, 1980, better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. A first baseman, Pujols is considered one of the top players in Major League Baseball, and was the most feared hitter in baseball in 2008, according to a poll of all 30 MLB managers.
He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2001, and has since been selected as an All-Star nine times, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award three times. He has also twice won the National League Hank Aaron Award, and has two World Series rings from the Cardinals' 2006 and 2011 titles.
At the end of the 2011 season, he led all active players in batting average (.328), slugging percentage (.617), and OPS (1.037), and ranked 37th in number of home runs in Major League Baseball history. He was selected by ESPN.com as the greatest player of the decade from 2000–09. He stands 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) tall, weighs 230 pounds (100 kg), and bats and throws right-handed.


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Bianca Jones:Volunteers in Detroit join search for 2-year-old girl

Bianca Jones has been missing since last week after she disappeared from her father's car. The child was strapped into the child seat when the car was stolen. The child has not been seen since. The father was questioned by police and despite some people thinking he should be the prime suspect, a sketch of one of two carjackers have been released.


Now, Bianca's parents are speaking out and they are hoping that whoever has their daughter will return her safe and sound. According to KWTX, Bianca's mother Banika Jones "begged whoever has her daughter to drop the child off somewhere safe." Although some speculate that Bianca is dead, it is clear that her family has not given up hope that the child is still alive.


In addition, Bianca Jones's mother also addressed all volunteers who are taking the time to search for her daughter. "I just want to say thank you so much," Banika said to volunteers. "I appreciate you so much. There are so many people that have come out to be strong for us."


Bianca Jones' mother is not a primary suspect in her disappearance and her involvement in the search for the daughter could have something to do with that. Unlike Deborah Bradley, Lisa Irwin's mother, Banika is out there to say 'thank you' to those who are wanting her daughter home alive.


Despite steady rain and cold temperatures, Johnson said she signed up as soon as she heard police were seeking volunteers to search for the toddler. Bianca has been missing since Friday.


"Because I'm a mother, this story has touched my heart," said Johnson, 37, of Oak Park. "Ever since the story broke, I've been holding out hope, but the days continue to go by."


More than 75 volunteers arrived at Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Detroit throughout the day to assist police by going block by block, house by house and searching trash bins for anything that would assist police in their investigation.


Gordon Jones, who took a day off work as a contractor to join the effort, walked through a lot with overgrown weeds and debris and came out covered in burrs.


"I wanted to do whatever I could to search for this little girl," said Jones, 45, of Detroit, who is not related to Bianca. "People in the entire city should go out of the front door and check their own block until this child is found."


Tasha Harris walked with her four-prong cane down Philadelphia Street. She used her cane to rifle through debris found in a few lots with overgrown grass and brush.


"When I heard about this little girl, my heart went to my stomach," said Harris, 29, of Detroit, founder of the Detroit Housewives Foundation.


Bianca's mother, Banika Jones, greeted volunteers at the church before they were split into groups to search for her daughter.


"I just want to say thank you so much," Jones said. "I appreciate you so much. There are so many people that have come out to be strong for us."


The FBI searched the home of Bianca's father, D'Andre Lane, during the weekend, according to a Free Press source. The FBI would not comment on the investigation.


Detroit police investigators using two bloodhounds searched around the Jones home as well as the neighborhood around the house Monday afternoon.


A marked Detroit police SUV and three dark unmarked vehicles followed an officer and his dog east on side streets to the southbound Chrysler service drive along I-75, across the pedestrian walkway that crosses I-75 just south of Holbrook, stopping along northbound I-75 service drive.


Police Sgt. Eren Stephens said Monday there were no further updates in the investigation.


Police have not said whether Lane was a suspect in the girl's disappearance.


Lane, 32, told police he was driving his silver Mercury Grand Marquis with Bianca in the backseat when he was carjacked near East Grand Boulevard and Brush Street. He said the girl was taken with the car.


Police found the car 10 minutes later at Beaubien and Philadelphia, but Bianca was missing.


Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee Jr. issued a statement Sunday saying the credibility of Lane's account is "under intense scrutiny by our investigative team."


Godbee said Saturday that Lane was being held for warrants on an unrelated matter. Lane was released from police custody Monday. Police have not identified any suspects.


Wayne County Jail staff said Sunday that Lane was an inmate in 2003 after being convicted on charges of possession of a controlled substance and firearm possession by a felon. Oakland County Court records also show Lane had a personal protection order filed against him this year.

Jeneen Dunn

Police have identified the two victims shot and killed outside of the Arundel Mills Mall last Friday night.

Investigators say 30-year-old Chonsay Laquez Green of Capitol Heights and 25-year-old Jeneen Desiree Dunn of Greenbelt were shot and killed by James Edward Coleman of District Heights.

Coleman was later killed at a home in District Heights after an exchange of gunfire with police.

Using information from witnesses, Anne Arundel County Police tracked Coleman's vehicle from Arundel Mills to a house in the 8100 block of Rydal Road in District Heights, Md., on Saturday morning. They then called for backup from Prince George's County Police.

Cpl. Henry Tippett, a police spokesman, says 22-year-old James Coleman was killed today after emerging from a District Heights home with two guns. He says Coleman shot one officer in the torso with a shotgun, but the officer is expected to survive. Six officers are believed to have opened fire.

Tippett says Coleman was suspected in the fatal shooting hours earlier of two people in the parking lot of the Arundel Mills Mall. The motive in those shootings wasn’t immediately clear.

Tippett says Prince George’s police went to the home based on information and tips received by the Anne Arundel police.

Powerball Winners Donate $1 Million To Charity

GREENWICH, Conn. -- A trio of Connecticut money managers who split a $254 million Powerball jackpot say their new charitable trust is giving $1 million to five organizations that support veterans and military members who recently returned from deployments.


A spokesman for the Putnam Avenue Family Trust says the donations, announced Sunday, are the first of many they expect to make using lottery winnings they claimed Nov. 28.


The trust created by Greg Skidmore, Brandon Lacoff and Tim Davidson took in a $103.5 million lump sum after taxes. They say they hope the trust's donations will become an example for other lottery winners.


Greg Skidmore, Brandon Lacoff and Tim Davidson created the Putnam Avenue Family Trust after scoring the windfall on a $1 ticket bought at a gas station. They claimed $104 million in a lump sum after taxes.
Five organizations -- the Bob Woodruff Foundation, Building Homes for Heroes, Services for the Under Served, Operation First Response and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund -- which will each receive $200,000, according to WTNH.
"These grant awards reflect the beginning of a process that allows us to leverage lottery winnings into materially helping our society," the trio said in a statement.
Reports that the three men -- all colleagues at Belpointe Asset Management in Greenwich, Conn. -- had won the jackpot sparked an immediate controversy, with some claiming they had collected the winnings on behalf of an anonymous wealthy client.
A spokesperson for the men denied the story and said they would give much of their windfall to charity.
Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection, which oversees the lottery operation, has said it believes the rules were followed.