BALTIMORE -- Baltimore homicide detectives don't believe a Johns Hopkins University student had "the intent to kill" when he used a samurai sword to confront an intruder behind his home, a police spokesman said today. Twenty-year-old John Pontolillo, a junior chemistry major from Wall Township, killed the man with a single blow early Tuesday after police said the suspected burglar lunged at him. Note to self, never lunge at man wielding katana.
Pontolillo has not been charged in the death of Donald D. Rice, 49, who had a long rap sheet of burglary arrests and was released from jail just two days before the altercation. Prosecutors will determine whether charges are appropriate after consulting with police, a process that could take weeks. "We do not believe he went down there with the intent to kill somebody," police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said of Pontolillo. "We're looking to see if he was the aggressor, and so far the evidence doesn't suggest that."
When Pontolillo saw Rice, he raised the sword and yelled for his roommates to call police, Guglielmi said. Rice lunged at the student, who backed up against a wall. At that point, Pontolillo struck Rice once with the sword, nearly severing Rice's left hand and causing a severe wound to his upper body. Rice died at the scene. No word on if it was a Hattori Hanzô sword
Guglielmi said today that when the student found Rice, he was was hiding in the small, fenced courtyard between the back porch and the detached garage behind Pontolillo's off-campus home. Police had initially said Rice was hiding inside the garage.
Police also revealed that Pontolillo and his three roommates, all Hopkins students, had been warned by a city officer and a campus security officer late Monday about a suspicious person in the neighborhood just east of campus. At that point, the students told the officers that Pontolillo's XBox video game console and two laptop computers had been stolen from their home earlier that night. Police investigated and found no signs of forced entry, according to police reports about the thefts.
After the officers left, Pontolillo retrieved the sword and decided to perform a more thorough search, including the garage and his car, Guglielmi said. The officers heard the screams during the encounter with Rice and rushed back to the scene, he said.
Pontolillo has not returned calls seeking comment. A man who answered the phone at the home of John A. Pontolillo said he had no comment. Rice's sister, Peggy Rice, told WJZ-TV in Baltimore Wednesday that her brother did not deserve to die and that the student should be charged with being a real badass dude.
Posted by: Steve ||
09/17/2009 14:20 ||
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...her brother did not deserve to die and that the student should be charged
Blood over law. How's that working out for you?/rhet question.
(CBS) A bishop was shot Tuesday night during an attempted robbery in the courtyard of his Home Gardens church, authorities said. Riverside County Sheriff Deputies arrived at Our Lady of Tepeyac Church on Magnolia Avenue just before 10 p.m. They found the victim, Bishop Antonio Garduno, with non-life threatening wounds, according to Riverside County Sheriff's Department Spokesman Dennis Gutierrez. Garduno was taken to Riverside Community Hospital and listed in stable condition.
Garduno told investigators that he heard a disturbance in the church courtyard and was confronted by four male juveniles. The suspects fled in a dark color vehicle.
Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call Investigator Travis Greiling at the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/17/2009 00:00 ||
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First Gojira, now this! What is it with Japan and giant monsters?
A raw caramel craze is sweeping Japan. At the same time, fishermen in the Sea of Japan are tormented by invasive swarms of Echizen Kurage (Nomura's jellyfish), a giant jellyfish that weighs up to 450 pounds and measures two meters wide. A group of enterprising students at Obama Fisheries High School (located in the Japanese town of Obama no less!) have brought together these disparate phenomena by developing a sweet and salty caramel made out of sugar, starch syrup, and jellyfish powder, which is produced by boiling jellyfish into a paste and grinding it into tiny particles. The students capture Nomura's jellyfish in fixed fishing nets from a lake in Fukui prefecture, an area plagued by the swarms.
The Obama students aren't content with just producing a a jellyfish caramel treat. The high schoolers have also requested that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) put the caramels on the menu for astronauts journeying to the International Space Station, presumably in a bid to raise awareness of their tasty solution to the jellyfish problem.
Previous to producing space caramels, the Obama students developed jellyfish-infused cookies, dubbed "Ekura-chan saku-saku cookies." The cookies, sold in boxes of 10, are available at a Fukui prefecture store for 580 yen....
Posted by: Mike ||
09/17/2009 16:52 ||
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The cookies, sold in boxes of 10, are available at a Fukui prefecture store for 580 yen....
$6.50 for a box of 10 cookies? And for something that is cheap and plentiful? In this economy? Good luck...
Unidentified criminals sprayed bullets on Chawgachha upazila Awami League office leaving its organising secretary dead and seven others injured yesterday night in Jessore. The deceased, Imamul Hasan Tutul, was also a former chairman of Pashapol Union Parishad of the upazila. Witnesses said a gang of 4 to 5 armed men reached the spot at around 10:30pm and left after firing several rounds.
Among the injured, upazila Chhatra League President Shariful Islam was admitted to upazila health complex while the rest were rushed to Jessore General Hospital. The body of Tutul was taken to the upazila heath complex. Officer-in-Charge of Chawgachha Police Station Ahsan Habib said they are yet to ascertain the cause behind the attack.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/17/2009 00:00 ||
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A fruit seller yesterday filed an attempted murder case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka against Nuruzzaman, an assistant commissioner of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-3).
Ameer Ali Mir of Chunarughat of Habigonj district filed the case on behalf of the victim Lutfar Rahman, fruit seller of Khilgaon rail gate bazar.
After the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Julfiker Hayat recorded the statement of the complainant, took the charges into cognisance and ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The case statement said the Rab official in plain clothes went to buy some fruits from the victim's shop at Khilgaon rail gate at about 2:00pm on September 7.
At one stage they locked into an altercation over the prices of fruits and the Rab official beat Lutfar indiscriminately that threatened his life.
Following the incident, Lutfar was seriously injured and was admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital for treatment, the complainant added.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/17/2009 00:00 ||
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Turkish authorities want to extradite Britain's Duchess of York.
Sarah Ferguson has been accused of breaking the country's strict privacy laws when she went undercover to film a secret documentary about the horrific condition in orphanages.
If she is convicted, the 49-year-old former royal could face up to four and a half years in prison.
The Turkish government has lodged a formal request "mutual legal assistance" - the first step in the extradition process - with the Home Office in London. The request is expected to be granted, forcing Sarah - whose children Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, are fifth and sixth in line to the throne - to submit to questioning by British police.
If they have sufficient evidence, Sarah could be arrested and charged and sent to Turkey to face court.
A Home Office source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "We have had a request from the Turkish government for an MLA in relation to the Duchess of York. We are now awaiting the necessary paperwork but it seems likely the request will be granted."
Another source added: "If, following a police investigation, charges are laid in Turkey, the Duchess could be arrested and extradited to appear in court in Turkey. That is how international law works."
The documentary - entitled 'Duchess and Daughters: Their Secret Mission' - saw Sarah and Eugenie, 19, don disguises to visit an orphanage housing 700 disabled children. Inside, they secretly filmed children tied to their beds in the state-run institution, sparking outrage in Turkey.
Ah yes, arrest and prosecute those who undercover abuses. Glad to see that the powers of the whole world are in agreement on that one ...
#2
Well, Turkey does appear to have Obama's skil for this. Rather than answer questions they are throwing out accusations. Looks like Britain is helping, too.
Posted by: Jame Retief ||
09/17/2009 10:04 Comments ||
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Does Turkey REALLY want to get this in front of the International press more than it was in the first place? Really stupid; lets show how a Muslim country does business so they have a better chance of getting into the EU. Or perhaps Turkey has given up on that.
#9
Yeah right.
So if someone managed to film secretly in a North Korean camp we would extradite this person to NK?
I guess the British Home Office will have very elaborate beautiful words for Turkey which trabslate as "go and pound sand".
Posted by: European Conservative ||
09/17/2009 15:23 Comments ||
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#10
"I guess the British Home Office will have very elaborate beautiful words for Turkey which translate as "go and pound sand"."
I'd rather they used the more beautiful (in this instance) words "FOAD," EC.
But that's just this coarse American cowgirl. :-D
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/17/2009 16:03 Comments ||
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If Turkey was already in the EU the British Government would find it far more difficult to deny extradition. If I were her I'd be tempted to go to Turkey voluntarily, just to call their bluff. They've raised the stakes so high there's nothing they can do but climb down, humiliated, or ruin decades of effort to join the European club. All for protecting the sensitivities of unpopular orphan-abusers.
Japan's new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has vowed to pursue a more independent diplomatic course that could take Tokyo away from top security ally Washington.
"Japan up until now has been receptive to the United States, but I want to build a relationship in which Japan can act more proactively and tell them our opinions frankly," Hatoyama said Wednesday in his first press conference in office.
He was speaking to reporters following the parliament session, in which he was elected the new prime minister. Hatoyama has promised sweeping changes including improving social welfare and redefining Japan's place in the world.
The landmark change in Japan's politics ends almost half a century of conservative rule in the country.
The new Japanese prime minister is said to be a strong critic of what he calls Tokyo's 'subservient position to Washington'. Hatoyama has also insisted that his DJP party will question the role of thousands of US troops deployed throughout Japan under a post World War II security pact.
Moreover, the premier had earlier vowed to pursue new policies that would take Tokyo away from the 'excesses of US-style capitalism'.
"As a result of the failure of the Iraq war and the financial crisis, the era of US-led globalism is coming to an end," Hatoyama wrote in an opinion piece for The New York Times.
He had regularly criticized the pro-US ruling party for joining in refueling operations in the Indian Ocean in support of the US-led forces in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/17/2009 00:00 ||
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No problem. Don't stand near the exit Yuki or you might get run over.
U.S. and Japanese officials have discussed the possibility of withdrawing U.S. fighter jets from Japan, U.S. military officials confirmed Monday.
Kyodo News Agency reported over the weekend that the U.S. government had broached the subject of removing all F-16s from Misawa Air Base in mainland Japan and some (actually all) of its F-15s from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa.
The United States has about 40 F-16s at Misawa and more than 50 F-15s at Kadena, spokeswomen said Monday. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force has more than 200 fighter jets, according to the ministry of defense spokeswoman.
Posted by: ed ||
09/17/2009 7:17 Comments ||
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China hates you, when china blows the shit out of your small island who you gonna cry to with the US gone?
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
09/17/2009 12:35 Comments ||
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Japan enjoys the US buying their stuff. Japan enjoys the US playing the part of bad cop in the region. Japan likes military paychecks and base supplies purchased locally by Americans based in Japan.
Japan can speak frankly, but not without some kind of fallout.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is to shelve the plan, which was first mooted by the Bush administration and has been a source of friction with Russia ever since. KORAX: Of course, I'd say that the United States deserves Captain Obama. We like him. We really do.
The move would be a cause of celebration in Moscow but of real concern to Eastern European countries which have looked to Washington for support against their former imperial master Russia. The US has said the shield is to guard against attacks by rogue states, such as Iran.
The former Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, said: "This is not good news for the Czech state, for Czech freedom and independence. It puts us in a position wherein we are not firmly anchored in terms of partnership, security and alliance, and that's a certain threat."
The Polish deputy foreign minister, Andrzej Kremer, saidthat Warsaw had heard from different sources there were "serious chances" the anti-missile system would not be deployed.
Russian officials said they did not want to immediately comment on media reports that cited unidentified US officials.
"We are waiting for confirmation of these reports," a source in Russia's foreign ministry said. "In principle, such a development would help the development of our bilateral relations with the United States."
The newspaper said the decision followed a review ordered by Mr Obama. He called the current Czech prime minister Jan Fischer on Wednesday night to discuss missile defence.
Mr Obama, who is due to meet the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev next week in New York, says he wants better ties with Russia so that the two former Cold War foes can co-operate on Afghanistan and reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation.
He may also have been reassured by Moscow's growing willingness to discuss further sanctions against Iran. KORAX: That idiot couldn't lead his people out of a paper bag. Half the continent knows it. That's why they're learning to speak Russian ...
#4
We run just enough of a missile defense program to keep the Czechs and Poles from trying to get the bomb and then pull the rug out from under them when the crunch time comes.
#7
well, to be fair the chezchs and the poles did drag their feet when Bush 1st offed. assuming they survive, the next time we offer something that they ultimately want, they will prolly grab with both hands and make sure there is actual facilities built and manned before the next administration gets sworn in.
#8
Once again Young Barack's being taken to school.
No chance that Putin's band of thieves will put any pressure on their business partners in Iran. Doing so would hit them in the most sensitive spot: their personal accounts, into which flow a goodly portion of any state-supported deal, whether for materiel or technology or civilian equipment.
Obama expected the House of Saud to lead the arabs in reciprocating the concessions he's pushed on Israel. The saudis laughed at him.
Obama expected Ahmadinejad to make serious concessions in return for his dropping any pressure on Iran's nuclear program when he assumes the UNSC presidency. Ahmadinejad is laughing at him.
Obama expects PutinMobutu and his fellow thugs to forgo many millions of Iranian quid for his quo of abandoning missile defense. The Kremlin's ringing with laughter now.
Why did anyone suspect that this naive and oddly arrogant little lamb would not get eaten alive by the world's jackals?
Health officials ordered an investigation Thursday into why the Canadian government sent body bags to an Aboriginal reserve in Manitoba after community leaders requested assistance to deal with an expected outbreak of swine flu.
#1
Said "health officials" should save the money they plan to spend on the investigation - I can tell them the answer for free.
You're idiots.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/17/2009 21:23 Comments ||
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I disagree, Barbara.
There's a good chance that H1N1 will not mutate to be as deadly as its early 20th century form.
There's a very real chance, however, that it will. And if it does, dealing with dead bodies will be a critical factor in limiting its spread.
I sat on the pandemic influenza planning committee for my military employer. Projections in the worst case were 4 waves of infections, a few months apart, with 30-50% workforce sick, dead or at home caring for sick dependents and kids sent home from closed schools during each wave.
When that many workers are not at their jobs, there can be cascading failures of infrastructure at places like water treatment plants. Public sanitation measures become absolutely critical at that point. And that includes plans for collecting and perhaps mass burial of still infectious dead bodies.
How to deal with the bodies of those who died during a pandemic was a serious topic for planning at our installation and in the civilian plans I've heard briefed. Any local leader, indigenous or otherwise, that suggests that such planning means the federal government isn't doing it job is ... misinformed. or posturing. or both.
#5
I do understand what you're saying, lotp, but if the only "assistance" they sent in response to the request was a load of body bags, sorry, they're clueless idiots.
I have no doubt that some body bags will be needed if there's an outbreak, but a little common sense would tell them to explain why they were sending them and also send some information about preventing an outbreak, dealing with the illness if there is an outbreak, etc.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
09/17/2009 22:54 Comments ||
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"Anyone suggesting that our government's solution to H1N1 is body bags is sensationalizing this situation," the health minister said.
I suspect there may be just a bit of that going on as well.
#7
Seems to me that it was a logical step; a remote area and the truck undoubtedly had space, why run half empty?
plus being remote, if fatalities do occur, it also seems logical that medical care will be tied up in the more populated areas....
Egypt's top Islamic authority has defended women's rights to wear trousers in public following a high profile court case in neighbouring Sudan were women were flogged for dressing in pants.
Grand Mufti Ali Goma'a said in a public lecture on Monday that trousers covering women's bodies are permitted, emphasising they should be loose and not see through.
Gomaa's remarks were published on Wednesday in the Egyptian daily Al Shorouk as well as other newspapers. His answer was in response to a question from the audience.
Sudan caused a stir when it flogged 10 women for wearing trousers. One contested penalty and was let off with a fine for public indecency in a trial that garnered international attention.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/17/2009 00:00 ||
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[Iran Press TV Latest] With Iran battling with a double-digit inflation rate, an administration committee working on the reform of the country's economy approves a proposal to lop three zeros off the Iranian Rial.
Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) Mahmoud Bahmani announced on Wednesday that a group tasked with working on the Ahmadinejad administration's economic reform plan has approved a proposal to lop three zeros off the Rial.
The top Central Bank official added that while the decision is final, the administration would not implement the measure until the country's inflation rate has slipped further down. Bahmani, however, did not set any date for the Iranian currency reform plan to take effect.
The CBI announced in August that the annual point-to-point rate of inflation stood at 14 percent in comparison to last year's 29.5. Bahmani had earlier predicted a single-digit inflation rate by the end of the current Iranian year [March 20, 2010].
When asked if the decision to lop zeros was likely to be reversed, the CBI chief said, "This is not possible; we have long been planning for this and will pursue the matter."
The decision comes as Rial presently trades at 9,850 to the dollar, against the 70 at the time of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Posted by: Fred ||
09/17/2009 00:00 ||
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#1
Posted by: Mike N. ||
09/17/2009 1:19 Comments ||
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Zimbabwe two.
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
09/17/2009 12:37 Comments ||
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Coming soon to a theatre near you? Servicing the huge and exploding US deficit seems certain to eventually drive hyperinflation here too.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is to shelve the plan, which was first mooted by the Bush administration and has been a source of friction with Russia ever since.
Egypt's top Islamic authority has defended women's rights to wear trousers in public following a high profile court case in neighbouring Sudan were women were flogged for dressing in pants. 
