Crime and Punishment - TheTrenchcoat Chronicles

Dustin Howard officially avoids jail

20 Jun 2008, 09:55 PM

Teen Sentenced After Classmate's Death:
It's now official that 16-year-old Dustin Howard will spend no time in jail for the death of Dakota DeRemus. A judge approved the plea deal that would only give Howard 18 months of probation with the possibility of ending probation after 12 months.

Meanwhile Dakota DeRemus is still serving out his death sentence that he didn't have the luxury of a trial for.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (0)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: dakota deremus, dustin howard

Dustin Howard avoids jail

16 Jun 2008, 10:05 PM

Gardner teen pleads no contest in death of classmate:
Dustin Howard pleaded no contest in the death of Dakota Deremus. As you'll recall Dakota collapsed and died from a congenital heart defect after getting into a fight with Dustin Howard. Dakota's father claims that Howard was bullying Dakota.

Howard pleaded no contest to charges of aggravated battery. Under the plea Howard will have no jail time and will receive 12-15 months of intensive probation. The judge does have the option of rejecting the plea deal.

Dakota has no option other than the death sentence he received.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (2)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: dakota deremus, dustin howard

DNA doesn't clear Echols

14 Jun 2008, 01:16 PM

State: Latest DNA doesn’t clear Echols:
The Arkansas state Attorney General's office is saying that the DNA of Terry Hobbs does not clear the West Memphis 3 of the murders they've been convicted of. Something that I said almost a year ago. Or should I say it doesn't clear Damien Echols because let's be honest, that's who this is really about. But that's a rant that I've gone on before.

“Those unremarkable results do not (and cannot ) demonstrate his actual innocence,” state the court documents, filed May 30 in Craighead County Circuit Court by Assistant Attorney General Kent Holt and Craighead County prosecutors.

The article then goes on to recant the WM3's defense team's ludicrous fish theory. You know the one. It said that aquatic life caused the post-mortem trauma and genital mutilation of the eight-year-old victims. But yet they refuse to accept the theory of how the water could have possibly washed away the rest of the DNA that more than likely belonged to their victims.

That's what happens when you become a zealot. You lose all sense of perspective.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comment (1)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: damien echols, kent holt, terry hobbs, west memphis 3

Mecklenburg, NC County Commissioner Bill James' on Crime

12 Jun 2008, 11:02 PM

Crime in Charlotte has an excellent post about an e-mail that was sent from county commissioner Bill James to the family of a murder victim on why the county commission screwed up the proposed $5M crime budget.

Commissioner James tells it like it is.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (0)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: bill james, crime in charlotte, mecklenburg county

Hans Reiser tries to make deal

09 Jun 2008, 09:46 PM

Hans Reiser Offers To Lead Cops to Nina's Body:
I love how a metric assload of people said that there was no way they could convict Hans Reiser because there was no body. I love how they said how that he didn't do it. I love how they said that he was convicted solely because he's a geek.

Now they're all silent because their hero is now trying to make a deal to get his sentence reduced if he shows them his wife's body.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (0)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: Hans Reiser, Nina Reiser

Three inept murderers (with a fourth to come)

09 Jun 2008, 09:17 PM

1934: Three inept murderers (with a fourth to come):
The Headsman from ExecutedToday.com has posted a great story about a group of New York insurance scammers who picked a victim who just wouldn't die no matter how hard they tried.

If you're a fan of historic crime this is a great blog to put on your subscription list.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (2)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: death penalty, executedtoday.com, historic crime

Happy Anniversary TSG Mugshots

07 Jun 2008, 09:44 PM

Mugsapalooza LIII:
The Smoking Gun is celebrating one year of their weekly mugshot round ups. And as always the accompanying FARK thread has all the epic fail and would hit it goodness you crave.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (0)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: fark, mugshots, the smoking gun

Another Houston Strip Club Raided

04 Jun 2008, 08:03 PM

Another Houston Strip Club Raided:
We have a rare treat as The Smoking Gun has posted a mid week mugshot round up. This time however all the subjects are from the recently raided strip club St. James Cabaret in Houston, Texas.

And as always the only thing better than the mugshots themselves is the thread on FARK making fun of them.

It shows you why it's always so dark in a strip club.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comment (1)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: fark, mugshots, prostitution, st. james cabaret, the smoking gun

BANK ROBBERY TERRORISM Up-Date 6-2-08

03 Jun 2008, 06:58 PM

BANK ROBBERY TERRORISM Up-Date 6-2-08:
Mike from Bank Terrorism has another update of bank robberies for us including such locales as California, Texas, Rhode Island, Florida, and North Carolina.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (0)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: bank robbery

Bullying testimony denied in Dustin Howard's trial

23 May 2008, 08:35 PM

Jury won't hear testimony about whether teen who died after fight was bullied:
A judge ruled recently that the jury in the trial of Dustin Howard will not hear testimony about the alleged bullying of Dakota Deremus by Howard.

The defense attorney for Dustin Howard argued that there's no evidence of Dakota being bullied.

The jury will hear about how Howard and his buddies trying to get their stories straight even though Howard eventually confessed and comments made about Dakota's heart condition after the fight.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (5)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: dakota deremus, dustin howard

Draper's reduced sentence request denied

14 Apr 2008, 10:41 PM

Convicted Teen Killer Tried to Have Sentence Reduced:
When Torey Adamcik had his reduced sentence request denied in the murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart I knew his cohort would have his request denied too.

Brian Draper tried to get his life without parole sentence changed to where he would be eligible for parole in 25 years. That request was denied with extreme prejudice...

In the end, Judge McDermott said Brian Draper can live - Cassie can't. He went on to say she had the worst punishment compared to the teens.

Bravo. Justice for once.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (0)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: brian draper, cassie jo stoddart, torey adamcik

Dustin Howard charged as a juvenile

04 Apr 2008, 01:23 PM

Ruling Upsets Mom Of Teen Who Died In Fight:
I've previously posted about the bullying/beating death of Dakota DeRemus and how his killer, 16-year-old Dustin Howard, should be charged as an adult. Unfortunately that has not come to fruition and Howard is being charged as a juvenile.

Dakota's mom had this to say about it...

"As a juvenile, he's going to be able to clear his name and it's never going to follow him once he's done. As an adult, it would have affected him for the rest of his life. And this is going to affect myself, our family, for the rest of our lives," said Angie Meireis, DeRemus' mother. "He cannot get off with a slap on the wrist. This is too serious."

It would be fair if we could give Dakota DeRemus a new start on life but we can't. He's dead, and his killer will walk free at the latest by the age of 19 and any existence of the murder will be wiped off the face of the earth.

There's justice for you.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comment (1)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: bullying, dakota deremus, dustin howard

Adamicik's reduced sentence request denied

11 Mar 2008, 11:33 AM

Pocatello Teen Denied Reduced Life Sentence:
17-year-old Torey Adamcik is one of the teens convicted in the brutal murder of 16-year-old Cassie Jo Stoddart. Along with his mutant buddy Brian Draper, the pair was sentenced to life without parole. Adamcik's attorney requested a reduced sentence. Let's hear from the attorney in question, Aaron Thompson...

"He is just a boy. A 17-year-old boy. A boy with absolutely no hope. A boy with absolutely no future," said Aaron Thompson, Torey Adamcik's Attorney.

He's got a hell of a lot more future than Cassie Jo Stoddart has.

"So what if Torey is in a tiny little room? My granddaughter will never leave her casket," said Paul Cisneros, Cassie Jo Stoddart's grandfather.

Anyway, the request for reduced sentencing was denied and the judge laid the ol' legal smackdown...

"He is guilty. He was found guilty. And he's guilty as conduct. They jury has spoken. I don't believe Mr. Adamcik should ever be released from prison. I'm going to deny your motion," said Judge Peter McDermott, Bannock County.

It's so refreshing to see a judge tell it like it is.

Adamcik's cohort Draper will be in court on a similar request in 2 weeks. I'd be surprised if the scenario didn't repeat itself.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (3)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: brian draper, cassie jo stoddart, torey adamcik

Bullying death was recorded

09 Feb 2008, 08:41 PM

Police: 4 Witnessed, One Recorded Attack:
Yesterday I posted about the bullying death of Dakota DeRemus and about how his tormentor Dustin Howard should be charged as an adult.

Here's 4 more people that I think should be charged with crimes. The 4 kids who witnessed Dakota's beating at the hands of Howard and did nothing to stop it. Not only that but one of them actually recorded the beating on their cell phone.

any one or more of them could have stepped in and saved Dakota's life. Instead they were enablers and in my eyes accessories to his death.

Dakota's father, Scott DeRemus echoed similar sentiments...

"You're no more than a murderer yourself when you're a witness to something like that and you let somebody die because you're afraid you'll get in a little bit of trouble and get grounded. I think it's sick.

Johnson County' Kansas officials have said that charges could be filed against the four.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (23)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: bullying, dakota deremus, dustin howard

Brain exam allowed for one of Cassie Jo Stoddart's killers

07 Feb 2008, 08:08 PM

Judge Allows Brain Exam on Adamcik:
Congratulations to the citizens of Idaho. You're now footing the bill for a neurological exam for an already convicted killer.

Torey Adamcik and his mutant buddy Brian Draper were both sentenced to life without parole in the brutal murder of 16-year-old Cassie Jo Stoddart. Don't forget they also videotaped the murder.

Now Judge Peter McDermott has allowed the request of Adamcik's attorney for the state to pay for a brain scan because his lawyer claims that Adamcik has a 'brain deficiency'.

In his ruling Judge McDumbass stated...

"Mr. Adamcik is a needy person... He is being detained under a conviction of a serious crime, since he has been sentenced to a fixed life term without the possibility of parole. Mr. Adamcik does not have the funds, or the ability to generate the funds necessary to conduct the neuropsychological examination requested by his attorney."

So how is that the state's responsibility? The state has already proved Adamcik's role in Cassie Jo Stoddart's murder. Why should state now have to foot the bill for a ploy by his attorney to get his sentence reduced. If McDermott wants the test done so bad why doesn't he pay for it out of his own pocket. Better yet why don't all the people who think that he shouldn't have been tried as an adult chip in. Oh that's right, they don't put their money where their mouth is.

Posted by Trench Reynolds in Crime and Punishment

Comments (5)

Trackbacks (0)

Defined tags for this entry: brian draper, cassie jo stoddart, judge peter mcdermott, torey adamcik

(Page 1 of 19, totaling 271 entries) » next page