A Lexington man accused of a 2010 beating death was convicted of manslaughter Tuesday.

Patrick Ragland, 38, was originally charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence and being a persistent felony offender, in the death of Sam Mitchell.

Police say Mitchell’s body was found in his apartment near the corner of Fifth Street and Jefferson Street on December 28, 2010, but investigators said he had been dead for several days.

http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html

Tuesday was the second trial for Ragland; the first ended in a mistrial. Commonwealth’s Attorney Ray Larson said the mistrial occurred because the testimony of the the first four witnesses in the trial was not recorded.

Ragland’s sentencing is schedule for April 24.

Baton Rouge police have arrested two men in the fatal hit-and-run of a 45-year-old man Sunday night.

Cpl. Don Coppola Jr. tells The Advocate (http://bit.ly/1ltLj1H ) 21-year-old Carl McKnight and 29-year-old Eric Abrams, both of Baton Rouge, were arrested in the death of Troy Jacobson.

Jacobson, who police think may have been homeless, was struck by a car at 10:14 p.m. Sunday while crossing the eastbound Interstate 10/College Drive exit ramp.

http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html

Coppola says Abrams, who owns the car, brought the vehicle to a body shop Monday for repairs.

McKnight was booked with felony hit-and-run, reckless operation, driver’s license required, insurance fraud and obstruction of justice.

Abrams faces counts of accessory after the fact of felony hit-and-run, obstruction of justice and insurance fraud.

It was unclear whether McKnight and Abrams have attorneys.

Cops arrested a registered sex offender in Astoria for trying to lure a child into his car, authorities said.

Houshang Hamiki, 69, allegedly tried to coax a 12-year-old girl into a light-colored SUV at 49th Street and Ditmars Avenue on March 5 at 4:15 p.m., cops said.

The victim refused just as her baby sitter approached the man — who then fled.

Police later caught up with Hamiki, who never updated his address, in Nassau County.

http://liarcatchers.com/pedophile_tracking.html

He has several prior arrests, including collars for forcible touching in Nassau County and endangering the welfare of a child in Queens.

Hamiki was arrested Tuesday and slapped with charges of failure to report his current address as a registered sex offender and acting in a manner injuring a child less than 17 years old, cops said.

Pullman police were asking for the public to help them find a missing person on Monday. Police said the woman was last seen in Pullman on February 27, 2014.

The woman, 58-year-old Paula M. Bowers, is described as white, 5’8”, 217 pounds with brown, graying hair and brown eyes.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Police said Bowers walks with difficulty and may be utilizing taxis or other forms of transportation. They added Bowers is homeless with no relatives in the immediate vicinity.

If you have seen Paula you are asked to call the Pullman Police Department at 509-334-0802.

Authorities are hoping a $20,000 reward will bring in the tip they need to locate a missing Camden toddler, who disappeared March 1.

At a news conference Monday, the Clarion-Ledger reports (http://on.thec-l.com/1ivlfpo ) FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen said the money might encourage someone who knows the whereabouts of Myra Lewis to come forward.

Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker says they’re still conducting the investigation with the belief that the 2-year-old is alive. McMullen says the FBI is also keeping a positive outlook.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

McMullen asked that anyone who might have information leading to the child’s location contact the FBI at (601) 948-5000, or the Madison County Sheriff’s Department at (601) 859-2345.

The woman charged in connection to a burglary that turned fatal in 2010 in Scott County has pleaded not guilty in the case.

Ciji Jefferson pleaded not guilty to burglary charges in court Tuesday in the case of retired school bus driver Sue Jones, who was killed in her home in 2010 after a burglary police say was set up by Jefferson.

http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html

Police say Jefferson put Nicholas Willinger up to breaking into Jones’ home, after telling him Jones had money in the house and wouldn’t be there at a certain time.

Police believe Willinger beat Jones to death when he realized she was home.

Nicholas Willinger also entered a not guilty plea in the case earlier this month. Willinger has been indicted on all charges against him – murder, robbery and burglary.

It is possible others will face charges in the case, too. Police have not released any other details about those other possible charges.

The Spearfish Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a missing person.

Robert Keith Johnson was last seen on Friday, March 7 around 10 p.m. at his home in Spearfish.

Johnson, 26, is described as a white male with brown eyes and brown hair. He is 5’11” and weighs around 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing jeans, a green jacket, a white long-sleeve undershirt and tan
slippers. Johnson does not own a vehicle, but his red Giant brand mountain bike was later reported missing.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Johnson’s destination is not known, and his nearest relative is his father, who lives in Huron. Johnson is on parole, but at this time he is only being sought to check his welfare.

Anyone with information regarding Johnson’s whereabouts should contact Officer Alexandra Lux or the on-duty shift supervisor at the Spearfish Police Department at 605-642-1305.

Lexington police say they arrested two burglary suspects after the duo cased the wrong car early Tuesday morning.

Police say an off-duty detective was parked on Cutters Hill Court, a cluster of businesses off Athens-Boonesboro Road, around 3 a.m., when he was surprised by a bright light coming through the back window. Moments later, he saw two men peering into his car. When the duo saw somebody was inside the vehicle, they took off running, and the detective called for backup.

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Officers pulled the suspects’ car over nearby. Police say they found the trunk was loaded with items and confirmed at least some of them were taken from cars in the area.

Police arrested both men and say at least one will face a receiving stolen property charge. Officers did not identify the two men, and did not say what other charges they might face.

A woman who was out of jail on bond awaiting a murder trial for her alleged role in a deadly DUI crash, has crashed under the influence again, according to officials.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office says Holly Britz crashed under the influence on March 6 on Irvine Road. She was taken to UK Hospital following the one-vehicle wreck.

Britz was booked into the Clark County Detention Center Monday night charged with DUI and violating the conditions of her bond. According to a citation, she admitted she was on Percocet.

http://liarcatchers.com/contact.php

The original murder charge against Britz stems from February 2013 when she’s accused of being under the influence of prescription drugs, and slamming her car head-on into a vehicle driven by 25-year-old Britta Richmond on Boonesboro Road, also in Clark County.

Richmond died.

Britz’s murder trial was recently delayed until May 12 to give her attorney more time to prepare.

The exact situations in which such citizen arrest is permissible can vary in different jurisdictions.

A CrimeFighter, when making an arrest, must tell the suspect being arrested of the intention to arrest and the cause of the arrest. That’s not necessary if the suspect is engaged in the commission of an offense, is chased after its commission, after an escape, or forcibly resists before the CrimeFighter has opportunity to inform the person. After making an arrest a citizen must, without unnecessary delay, deliver the suspect to a police officer, or take them to a magistrate or police station.

LiarCatchers recommends that you first be aware of the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor in your state (and ostensibly, the differences between the two in any states where you plan to vacation and possibly fight crime while on vacation). Citizens’ arrests protections (where they do exist) don’t extend to misdemeanors

A misdemeanor is generally a crime that is punishable for a year or less in prison, or only in a county or local jail.

http://liarcatchers.com/civil_investigations.html

Some crimes can be either a felony or a misdemeanor based on an additional element or aggravating characteristic. For example, simply punching someone in a bar fight might be misdemeanor battery, but punching them while using brass knuckles might be a felony based on the use of a weapon. Or, possession of a small personal amount of marijuana might be a misdemeanor, while possessing twenty pounds of pot might lead to felony charges based on the volume of the drug.

There are not many differences in the procedural prosecution of felonies and misdemeanors. All require that the government bring some sort of formal charges against you, and accord you due process of law. However, the state needs to follow more formal procedures to prosecute you for a felony. For example, an accused can be prosecuted for a misdemeanor in court without an indictment or a preliminary hearing. The difference might also affect how a person appeals the conviction. For example, in California, a person convicted of a misdemeanor appeals to a different court than a person convicted of a felony.

Being convicted of a felony, as opposed to a misdemeanor, can have serious consequences. In addition to the longer punishment, a person convicted of a felony loses the right to possess firearms or obtain certain licenses, such as a hunting or a fishing license. In some states, a convicted felon loses the right to vote. A felon is required to disclose his status when applying for jobs. A repeat felon can face much harsher punishments, especially in states that maintain three-strikes laws.