New Facts We’ve Learned Since George Zimmerman’s Trial Began Day three of the murder trial of self-proclaimed neighborhood watchdog George Zimmerman , who fatally gunned down unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in February of 2012 has just come to a close. While there was a very limited amount of seemingly recycled information available about the details of the fatal shooting before the trial began, there is now plenty of information that the public is hearing for the first or second time. A combination of witness testimony , including that of Trayvon’s friend Rachel who was on the phone with him as the altercation with Zimmerman began, along with statements presented from attorneys on both sides have revealed a slew of new facts from the case. Just in case you missed anything over the course of the last three days, we’ve pulled a handful of new facts together. Take a look.
We miss you Michael. Jackson Brothers Still Grieve Michael Jackson The best way the Jackson brothers can honor MJ is by keeping Paris on a leash so she doesn’t grow up to be addicted to drugs like her dad. Mj is rolling in his grave. SMH. According to TMZ Michael Jackson’s death anniversary is a particularly hard day for members of his family, especially his brothers, who tell TMZ … he is still loved and missed everyday. Jackie, Marlon, Tito and Jermaine tell TMZ … “Four years ago today we lost one of the greatest musicians, entertainers, and icons the world has ever known. But to us, Michael was first and foremost our brother. We carry his spirit with us always, and we love and miss him every day.” Michael’s youngest brother Randy Jackson tweeted, “Thinking about my brother on this day. Thank U everyone 4 your love and support and 4 the beautiful display of flowers at Forest Lawn.” As we reported earlier, fans have been leaving flowers at MJ’s mausoleum by the thousands. Michael died on June 25, 2009 from a fatal dose of Propofol. RIP. We will pray the Jackson family gets it together. Continue reading →
Prepare to pay a little more for your Tall Nonfat Iced Macchiato. Starbucks spokesman Jim Olson tells CNN that the chain will soon hike prices on its brewed coffee, tea, latte and espresso beverages by an average of 1%. Fewer than one-third of all drinks will be affected, Olson said , as prices will remain stagnant on all Frappuccinos, for instance. Olson added that this is the first price increase in nearly two years for the franchise and that tall brewed coffees will go up by approximately 10 cents. The reason for this increase? A rising cost of labor, raw materials and rent. But it’s not all bad news: This Starbucks Chocolate Cinnamon Bread Recipe can still be made from the comfort of your own home!
Richard Matheson, a prolific and influential writer of fantasy, horror and science fiction novels, has died at the age of 87, according to news reports. Many of his works have been adapted for TV and cinema, and Stephen King has often cited him as the single biggest influence on his own work. Like King, Matheson sent shivers down the spines of readers and viewers for decades with stories like The Incredible Shrinking Man and I Am Legend . He also penned the story and screenplay for one of Steven Spielberg’s most effective films, Duel , and 16 installments of TV’s The Twilight Zone . For Richard Matheson, horror was to be found potentially everywhere: battlefields, suburban streets, a cellar, an aircraft cabin. Even a library. Matheson was born in Allendale, N.J., to Norwegian parents, and raised up in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he first set his heart on a musical career. An avid appetite for fantasy soon sparked his imagination and fired his creativity: he was only eight when his stories appeared in a local newspaper. Among other influences, he was transfixed by seeing Dracula at a local cinema and by his teens had the idea for the vampire story I Am Legend . R.I.P.
Registered Sex Offender Kills 8-Year-Old Girl There’s just so many things wrong with this story ….Like what kind of mom exposes her daughter to some random azz man from the Dollar Store??? According to NY Daily News: A registered sex offender recently released from jail was charged Saturday with murder in the death of an 8-year-old Florida girl abducted while shopping with her mother. Donald James Smith of Jacksonville was taken into custody after police cornered his white van on Interstate 95, said Mike Williams, director of investigations at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Authorities had put out an Amber Alert with details of Smith’s van early Saturday, hours after receiving a 911 call from Charish Perriwinkle’s mother about the missing girl. Prior to the alleged abduction Friday night, Smith, 56, befriended Charish and her mother at a dollar store, and “offered to take them to Wal-Mart and buy her family some clothes,” Williams said. “They appeared to be down on their luck and he could help them out.” After spending a couple hours inside the Wal-Mart together, Smith offered to buy hamburgers and walked with Charish to the front of the store, Williams said. Instead of stopping to buy the snack, Smith walked Charish outside and the two of them got into his van, Williams said. The girl’s mother called 911 when she realized Charish and Smith were missing. An Amber Alert was issued, and a tip about a suspicious van spotted in the woods near a church led investigators to Charish’s body Saturday morning. Smith has been a registered sex offender since a 1993 conviction in Duval County for attempted kidnapping and selling obscene materials. He has been arrested several times since then, most recently in 2009 on a charge of child abuse after making obscene phone calls to a 10-year-old girl, making verbal threats, and impersonating a social worker with the Florida Department of Children and Families who claimed to be investigating the girl’s family. Smith pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in that case and was released from jail May 31. So sad. R.I.P. to little Charish. Continue reading →
Registered Sex Offender Kills 8-Year-Old Girl There’s just so many things wrong with this story ….Like what kind of mom exposes her daughter to some random azz man from the Dollar Store??? According to NY Daily News: A registered sex offender recently released from jail was charged Saturday with murder in the death of an 8-year-old Florida girl abducted while shopping with her mother. Donald James Smith of Jacksonville was taken into custody after police cornered his white van on Interstate 95, said Mike Williams, director of investigations at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Authorities had put out an Amber Alert with details of Smith’s van early Saturday, hours after receiving a 911 call from Charish Perriwinkle’s mother about the missing girl. Prior to the alleged abduction Friday night, Smith, 56, befriended Charish and her mother at a dollar store, and “offered to take them to Wal-Mart and buy her family some clothes,” Williams said. “They appeared to be down on their luck and he could help them out.” After spending a couple hours inside the Wal-Mart together, Smith offered to buy hamburgers and walked with Charish to the front of the store, Williams said. Instead of stopping to buy the snack, Smith walked Charish outside and the two of them got into his van, Williams said. The girl’s mother called 911 when she realized Charish and Smith were missing. An Amber Alert was issued, and a tip about a suspicious van spotted in the woods near a church led investigators to Charish’s body Saturday morning. Smith has been a registered sex offender since a 1993 conviction in Duval County for attempted kidnapping and selling obscene materials. He has been arrested several times since then, most recently in 2009 on a charge of child abuse after making obscene phone calls to a 10-year-old girl, making verbal threats, and impersonating a social worker with the Florida Department of Children and Families who claimed to be investigating the girl’s family. Smith pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in that case and was released from jail May 31. So sad. R.I.P. to little Charish. Continue reading →
Come ON! SMMFH 3 Dead 14 Shot In Chicago’s First Day Of Summer Via ChicagoTribune At least three people were killed and 10 others wounded in shootings in Chicago Friday, the first day of summer. At least two other people suffered gunshot wounds early today, for a total of three shot to death and 12 others wounded in shootings since Friday afternoon. About 8 p.m., four people were found shot in the 2900 block of North Kilpatrick Avenue. The man died later at Stroger Hospital and the three others were in critical condition, authorities said. In the 2800 block of North Spaulding Avenue a little after 8 p.m., two people were reported shot, according to the Fire Department. A 36-year-old man died and a 61-year-old was wounded. Police had few immediate details, but confirmed that at 8:08 p.m. two men were wounded on Spaulding. The two were outside when someone came out from between two parked cars and fired at them. One man shot in the chest was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center with a serious wound, according to police. The other man, who police said was wounded in the lower leg and with a graze wound to the head, was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in serious-to-critical condition, according to the Fire Department. B-b-but wait it gets worse! About 5 a.m., a man suffered a graze wound to the back of his head near 5000 South Winchester Avenue, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli. The man was on the street when he heard shots and felt he had been hit. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment. Just before 3 a.m. a 24-year-old man was shot in the arm in the 1600 block of South Christiana Avenue in the Lawndale neighborhood. He’s in good condition at Mount Sinai Hospital. A 19-year-old was shot about a half hour earlier on 61st Street just west of Ashland Avenue in the West Englewood neighborhood. The teen is in stable condition at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County with wounds to his arm arm and abdomen. A 14-year-old boy was shot in the 4000 block of West Fillmore Street in the Lawndale neighborhood about 10:10 p.m., police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to his ankle and a graze wound to the head. Police said he ran home after getting shot. Someone inside a dark car or truck shot a 28-year-old man about 11:15 p.m. Friday in the Galewood neighborhood. The drive-by shooting left the man in stable condition at West Suburban Medical Center with a wound to his thigh. In the South Chicago neighborhood about 11 p.m., a 23-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to the leg. He had been shot in the 8800 block of South Exchange Avenue and was found in a front yard. About 7 p.m., a 22-year-old man walked into the University of Illinois Hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand. He told police he had been shot in the 2300 block of West Roosevelt Road in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood. About 6:30 p.m., a 37-year-old woman was shot in the ankle in the 8100 block of South Drexel Avenue and was taken to Jackson Park Hospital in good condition, Zala said. A man was shot to death in the West Garfield Park neighborhood this afternoon, wounded in the head and abdomen in the 4400 block of West Adams Street about 1:31 p.m., said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala. To all our Chicago readers, please be safe out there. There are some real savages living amongst you. Prayers up to all those families affected by the sad and overwhelming gun violence in the Chi. Image via Shutterstock
Come ON! SMMFH 3 Dead 14 Shot In Chicago’s First Day Of Summer Via ChicagoTribune At least three people were killed and 10 others wounded in shootings in Chicago Friday, the first day of summer. At least two other people suffered gunshot wounds early today, for a total of three shot to death and 12 others wounded in shootings since Friday afternoon. About 8 p.m., four people were found shot in the 2900 block of North Kilpatrick Avenue. The man died later at Stroger Hospital and the three others were in critical condition, authorities said. In the 2800 block of North Spaulding Avenue a little after 8 p.m., two people were reported shot, according to the Fire Department. A 36-year-old man died and a 61-year-old was wounded. Police had few immediate details, but confirmed that at 8:08 p.m. two men were wounded on Spaulding. The two were outside when someone came out from between two parked cars and fired at them. One man shot in the chest was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center with a serious wound, according to police. The other man, who police said was wounded in the lower leg and with a graze wound to the head, was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in serious-to-critical condition, according to the Fire Department. B-b-but wait it gets worse! About 5 a.m., a man suffered a graze wound to the back of his head near 5000 South Winchester Avenue, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli. The man was on the street when he heard shots and felt he had been hit. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment. Just before 3 a.m. a 24-year-old man was shot in the arm in the 1600 block of South Christiana Avenue in the Lawndale neighborhood. He’s in good condition at Mount Sinai Hospital. A 19-year-old was shot about a half hour earlier on 61st Street just west of Ashland Avenue in the West Englewood neighborhood. The teen is in stable condition at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County with wounds to his arm arm and abdomen. A 14-year-old boy was shot in the 4000 block of West Fillmore Street in the Lawndale neighborhood about 10:10 p.m., police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to his ankle and a graze wound to the head. Police said he ran home after getting shot. Someone inside a dark car or truck shot a 28-year-old man about 11:15 p.m. Friday in the Galewood neighborhood. The drive-by shooting left the man in stable condition at West Suburban Medical Center with a wound to his thigh. In the South Chicago neighborhood about 11 p.m., a 23-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to the leg. He had been shot in the 8800 block of South Exchange Avenue and was found in a front yard. About 7 p.m., a 22-year-old man walked into the University of Illinois Hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand. He told police he had been shot in the 2300 block of West Roosevelt Road in the Tri-Taylor neighborhood. About 6:30 p.m., a 37-year-old woman was shot in the ankle in the 8100 block of South Drexel Avenue and was taken to Jackson Park Hospital in good condition, Zala said. A man was shot to death in the West Garfield Park neighborhood this afternoon, wounded in the head and abdomen in the 4400 block of West Adams Street about 1:31 p.m., said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala. To all our Chicago readers, please be safe out there. There are some real savages living amongst you. Prayers up to all those families affected by the sad and overwhelming gun violence in the Chi. Image via Shutterstock
Vince Flynn, the prolific and best-selling author of many political thriller novels, has died. He succumbed to prostate cancer after a two-year battle. Flynn was just 47 years old. Flynn announced in 2011 that he was fighting Stage 3 metastatic prostate cancer. A statement from Flynn’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, Inc., said he died Wednesday . Flynn self-published his first book, Term Limits , in 1997, then got a publishing deal. Term Limits became a New York Times bestseller, as did other works of his, many centering around the character Mitch Rapp, a counterterrorism operative. His long-time agent Sloan Harris, the co-head of publications at ICM, said, “Vince Flynn was an incredibly talented storyteller and a true pioneer in publishing.” “Despite his extraordinary talent and success, Vince never lost his common touch. He was a warm, generous and charismatic friend to everyone.” Motion picture rights to the Mitch Rapp character have been optioned by CBS Films with the intention of making an action-thriller movie franchise. Bruce Willis had signed on to an adaptation of American Assassin to play Rapp’s mentor and the hope had been to get Chris Hemsworth to play Rapp. He often rooted Rapp in real events. Rapp’s motivation for fighting terrorism originally sprang from the death of his high school sweetheart in the 1988 bombing of the Pan Am flight 103. One year later, the character was recruited into the CIA as an unconventional operative who is willing to push the envelope to accomplish his goals. Flynn’s novels have been praised for their extensive research and prescient warnings about the rise of Islamic radical fundamentalism and terrorism. His books have been read by current and former presidents, heads of state and intelligence professionals and are admired for their verisimilitude and imagination. R.I.P.
We are so sad to hear this. Actor James Gandolfini Dead At 51 We loved him as Tony Soprano. You will be missed. According to TMZ 4:48 PM PT — The celebrity tributes have begun … we just spoke with Joseph R. Gannascoli — aka Vito on “The Sopranos” — who tells us. “James is one guy who never turned his back on me. He was the most humble and gifted actor and person I have ever worked with.” He adds, “He was a great man and I will forever be indebted to him. “ James Gandolfini — who famously played Tony Soprano on “The Sopranos” — died earlier today in Italy … TMZ has learned. Gandolfini is believed to have suffered a heart attack. He was 51. Gandolfini was in Italy to attend the 59th Taormina Film Festival in Sicily — and he was scheduled to participate in a festival event this weekend with Italian director Gabriele Muccino. Gandolfini shot to fame playing a hitman in the 1993 hit “True Romance” … and quickly became a Hollywood legend when he was cast as Tony Soprano in 1999. He won 3 Emmy awards for the role during the show’s 6 season run. Gandolfini also appeared in a ton of huge movies including “Get Shorty,” “The Mexican” and “Zero Dark Thirty.” We last spoke to Gandolfini in May in L.A. — he was in great spirits, making funny faces and joking about a “Sopranos” movie. Gandolfini is survived by his wife Deborah Lin, who gave birth to the couple’s daughter in October 2012. He also has a teenage son from a previous marriage. R.I.P. R.I.P. big homie. Wenn
