Ex-Boyfriend of Sister Arrested, Indicted in Murder of Teenager Phylicia Barnes

By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

Michael Johnson, 28, the former boyfriend of the older sister of a teen found dead in Maryland last year has learned that a Baltimore grand jury indicted him on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of 16-year-old  Phylicia Barnes.

Charlotte Teen Shot Dead at School Bus Stop

BY Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

Theblackurbantimes

A North Carolina bus stop became the scene of a murder this morning when a pregnant teen was shot in the head as she waited to board her school bus.

15-year-old Tiffany Wright was 32 weeks into her pregnancy. Her baby was delivered by emergency cesearean at Carolina's Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina and is in critical condition, but not expected to survive.

According to police records, Tiffany Wright's 36 year old step-brother turned himself in earlier today on a charge of statutory rape against the murdered teen.

Wright is being questioned in the shooting of his step-sister, but has not been named as a suspect at this time. As of this evening, Mecklenburg County has stated that the shooting is "domestic related". Wright attended Hawthorne High School, an alternative school with a special program for pregnant teens. Charlotte police initially believed the shooting to be a random act of violence.

Breaking News in Eastern Carolina

Woman found dead in Hubert Trailer Park

Thursday Update
6:07 PM - - The Onslow County Sheriff's Department has said that they are searching for 23 year-old Justin Smith as a person of interest in the murder of a Hubert woman. The woman has yet to be identified by deputies and the person of interest is a family member. Sheriff Ed Brown has declined to say how this man is related to the victim, but added that Smith has "a long history of violence." A neighbor of the victim, Krstyle McKenzie, told WITN7 News that she's heard and seen a lot of arguing and yelling coming from the home of the victim for months. Stay tuned for updates.



12Nonn - -Theblackurbantimes has learned a woman has been murdered in Hubert, North Carolina this morning. The victim lived on Queens Road in a trailer park. Sheriff Ed Brown has stated to the press that the murder suspect is a family member, either the victim's son or grandson. Neighbors reportedly heard screams, and then the Onslow County deputies showed up. Theblackurbantimes will update this story as it becomes available.

Heard of a Traveling Nurse? Well, Read About Traveling Hookers!

By Alicia Cruz
Senior writer
The Black Urban Times
A Queen City undercover investigation has led to the arrests of fifteen people: online prostitutes. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department focused their investigation on the infamous craigslist.com, which has made headlines the past year over their sex ads. One personal ad placed on craigslist.com for a relationship led to the death of a young man in New York City. Another ad led to the horrific death of a young woman who worked as a masseuse.

Most of the arrests occurred last week at motels along the Interstate 77 corridor. Officers say many of the women arrested are traveling hookers. They go from town-to-town, only staying a week or so. In addition to the prositution rings, the department is also working on solving crimes where johns have been robbed by the traveling prositutes.

Alabama Woman Pleads Guilty in Overdose Case

By LINDELL KAY
Daily News Staff
An Alabama woman pleaded guilty to manslaughter Thursday in the 2006 drug overdose death of a Camp Lejeune Marine.
Belinda McDonald pleaded guilty to the charges of involuntary manslaughter, trafficking in opium and selling Oxicotin in connection with the death of Pvt. Jason Beaird. McDonald was sentenced to 7ﾽ to 9 years in prison by Senior Resident Onslow County Superior Court Judge Charles Henry.
Prosecutors said Beaird was found unresponsive in his barracks and later died at the Naval Hospital on Dec. 9, 2006.
Beairds manner of death was ruled accidental due to drug toxicity due to excess fentanyl, according to autopsy reports.
Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents received confidential reliable information that McDonald was involved in the death of Beaird. Members of the Jacksonville Police Department Special Operations Division assisted NCIS with making three controlled buys of painkillers from McDonald, prosecutors said.
McDonald was arrested in January 2007 on drug charges. She admitted to NCIS that she sold three fentanyl patches to Beaird a few hours before he died, said Assistant District Attorney Rene Reilly.
Toxicology reports later confirmed Beaird died of a fentanyl overdose.
McDonalds defense attorney, Wally Paramore of Jacksonville, told the court that his client was brought to Onslow County from a small Alabama town by a husband who later abandoned her, and she became a drug addict who sold narcotics to support her habit.
It is really a terrible series of events that gets us here, he said.
Paramore complimented NCIS on their investigation, calling it overwhelming.
McDonald told the court she had no one to blame but herself for what happened.
I made my own decisions, she said. Im not putting it off on anybody.

Time For Smokers To Air Their Feelings: Opinion Piece

To the editor:
It's time for smokers to speak up. We are not low-life scum who deserve to pay more taxes than any non-smokers because of our choice to smoke.
They say that it's because smokers are higher health risks. Then why don't they over-tax everyone with higher health risks? Why not add a dollar candy bar tax? Obesity is a high health risk. That candy bar could also hurt diabetics.
Add a dollar to every fast-food burger sold. Let's tax all health risks. Let's add a dollar tax to every sexual enhancement toy, pill or video because that could lead to unprotected sex and increase risks of sexually transmitted diseases.

Let's add a dollar a pill to the drug companies -every drug they advertise has possible side-effects that are health risks. While we are at it, let's tax the elderly; they are a high health risk. Let's kick up the taxes on skydiving, motorcycles, guns... the list goes on!
This should be obvious that targeting anyone to pay more is wrong.
I thought America was a free country. Smoking has been around far longer than the United States has been a country. Do you think the pilgrims smoked a peace pipe with an Indian thinking, aha, we can tax what they smoke?
If you remember your history, you will remember Prohibition. Alcohol never disappeared when it was banned; it just went underground to the bootleggers. I realize we are not banning tobacco, but if it's taxed beyond the average American's ability to buy it, it will go the same route. Where will that extra tax money go? It won't go to health care. That tax money will end up funding additional law enforcement. Stores that sell cigarettes will be robbed far more often.

Underground tobacco "bootleggers" will have to be found and stopped. It will get to the point that it's cheaper to go buy illegal drugs than legal tobacco because law enforcement is too busy to do much else.
I can understand protecting non-smokers, children, etc. You also have to let businesses make their own decision. Do they want to allow smoking? If they do, it's the non-smokers' choice whether or not to patronize that business.
America, the land of the free? Well, that is, unless our government decides they can hit you up for more taxes because they are bailing out millionaires on Wall Street. They can keep the measly $300 kickback if it means I don't pay five times that in excess taxes targeted only at smokers.
As I write, 21 percent of Americans smoke and 32 percent of Americans are obese. All of them are health risks, why should only some of them pay more taxes?
Tobacco should be taxed no differently than a bottle of wine; a bottle of aspirin; a candy bar; a super-sized, grease-dripping bacon cheeseburger; a video game; or even a drug that has any possible side-effects.
Targeting smokers is wrong and unconstitutional. Our country has worked so hard for so many years to make everyone equal, and now they pick on smokers. Where is it going to end? People need to write the governor and the president and let them know this is just not right.
Don Watts
Jacksonville, North Carolina

Cpl. Cesar Laurean Back in U.S.; Made First Appearence in Court Today

By Alicia Cruz
Senior writer
theblackurbantimes.com
Camp LeJeune Marine, Cesar Armando Laurean, arrived back in the United States from Mexico shortly after 7 p.m. at the Wilmington, North Carolina International Airport on Friday.
Laurean fled the United States back in January 2008 after police found the body of pregnant Marine Maria Laterbach buried in Laurean's backyard. Details emerged accusing Laurean of raping Lauterbach and that the child she was carrying was possibly Laurean's child.
Laurean was later captured in central Mexico in April 2008 and held. His return to the United States began to take shape after Laurean lost his fight against extradition earlier this year.
Upon his arrival back to Jacksonville, Laurean was booked into the Onslow County Detention Center around 9 p.m. and was held without bond pending his first court appearance today. Though bond is a possibility, it is unlikely, considering the serious charges he is facing, that Laurean will be offered a bond.
According to WCTI-TV 12 reporter, Mike Luquia, Laurean has made his first court appearance, but there is no word whether he received a bond. A defendant charged with a felony must be brought to a district court judge within 96 hours after the defendant is taken into custody.
According to the N.C. Court System web site, during a defendants first appearance the District Court Judge warns the defendant of the right against self incrimination; ensures the defendant’s right to counsel, reviews the charging documents to determine the sufficiency of the charge, informs the defendant of the charges against him, ensures that the defendant or his counsel has been furnished a copy of the charging documents, and determines or reviews the defendant's eligibility for pre-trial release."
Cpl. Laurean has been charged with first degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, obtaining property by false pretenses, financial transaction card theft and financial transaction card fraud.
UPDATE 12:30 p.m.
At a 12:20 p.m. press conference held at the Onslow County Courthouse in Jacksonville, NC, Onlsow County Sheriff, Ed Brown, District Attorney Dewey Hudson spoke about everything from a change of venue,to jury selection, to when the trial of Cesar Laurean might occur.
Sheriff Brown stated that Laurean is one of 13 inmates being held at the Onslow County jail who have been charged with First Degree Murder and that Laurean will be treated with respect "just as any other inmate would be." Sheriff Brown added that upon speaking with Laurean's attorney, Dick McNeil, he would like to meet Cpl Laurean so that "he can see my face and know who the Sheriff is."
McNeil stated that while he "disagreed with most of what Sherriff Brown said" during the press conference, he was "comfortable" Laurean would, indeed, "be safe at the Onslow County jail." He added that he did not foresee a trial happening "anytime soon" as he has several other murder trails to prepare for in addition to Laurean's trail. McNeil said he expects to get 6,000 pages of case documents this week. He said he doesn't expect a trial until next year.
McNeil also said that he has spoken with military officials concerning Laurean's status with the Marines. and that they have informed him that Cpl. Laurean will be administratively separated from the Marine Corp and receive an other than honorable discharge. At today's hearing, Laurean appeared before the honorable Judge Paul Hardison. Laurean was not given a bond and his next court date has been set for May 18, 2009.

Operation Shark Attack Nets More Arrests in North Carolina

By Lindell Kay

More than a dozen active-duty military members have been charged with selling drugs on and around Camp Lejeune since September, according to local and federal authorities.
Eight more arrests March 31 - the most recent wave of Operation Shark Attack - came after authorities raided three houses in Pender County, according to information released over the weekend.
Charges in the eight arrests ranged from trafficking cocaine to possession of marijuana, said Surf City Police Chief Mike Halstead.
So far, 182 felony charges have been made against 43 people - 28 civilians and 15 members of the active-duty military. Six arrests for military personnel are still pending. Authorities refused to release the names of the most recent arrestees, citing an ongoing investigation.
Operation Shark Attack was "created to disrupt narcotics distribution in the communities which have a direct affect on Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River," Halstead said.
Shark Attack began in September with the Surf City Police Department, the Holly Ridge Police Department and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service combining forces to conduct controlled drug buys and gather intelligence, said Kevin Marks, a NCIS supervisory special agent.
As the operation progressed, the assistance of several other agencies was required, Halstead said.
The operation grew to include participation from the Jacksonville Police Department, the Pender County Sheriff's Department, the National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, the North Topsail Beach Police Department, the Wilmington Police Department and the 15th Judicial Circuit Drug Enforcement Unit.
So far authorities have seized:
852.71 grams of marijuana,
265 dosage units of Ecstasy,
121 dosage units of prescription medications,
39 grams of crack cocaine,
and 461.7 grams of powdered cocaine.
Law enforcement estimates the combined street value of the drugs to be $81,516.20.
"This operation is a tremendous example of interagency cooperation," Halstead said. "I cannot brag enough on the teamwork displayed by every agency involved. From the military to federal and local law enforcement, every agency had one singular goal: rid our streets of illicit illegal narcotics that affect military, citizens and children alike. We accomplished much, and we plan to keep it that way."

She Tried To Pay Bail Bond...With Fake Money

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

theblackurbantimes

She Had A Bail Bond Blonde Moment
Karen Lawson Garrett, pictured left, earns theblackurbantime ding dong move of the week award. Ms. Garrett was attempting to bail someone out of the Davidson County jail in Lexington, NC. No harm there, right? Well, according to employees of Shell Bonding Company Garrett tried to post the bond using two counterfeit $100 bills.
Not a smart move on Garrett's part. No word on if she actually bailed the person out, but now she's got to find someone to bail her out.
After an investigation, Garrett, 43, of 300 Nascar Fan Alley, was arrested at her home on Thursday and charged with obtaining property by false pretenses and misdemeanor passing an unauthorized substitute for cash. She was being held in the Davidson County Jail on a $1,000 bond. Her first court appearence is set for April 22.

‘Bomb’ planted at courthouse disrupts traffic

New Hanover County Courthouse area declared safe after bomb threat

By Ana Ribeiro Staff Writer
Authorities were looking for a suspect Monday in a bomb threat that diverted traffic around the New Hanover County courthouse on Princess Street.
The threat came in at 5:16 a.m. to New Hanover County Dispatch, according to dispatch supervisor Debbie Broyles.
About three hours later, a bomb team had removed an undisclosed device from the steps of the judicial building, and the area was declared safe.
“We don’t have reason to believe there will be a further threat right now,” said Deputy Charles Smith with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. The threat was made from a pay phone at the Handee Hugo at 820 N. College Road, Smith said. The caller advised there was a bomb on the steps of the building and then hung up.
Authorities believe the caller was a man driving an older-model pickup truck, possibly white or tan, Smith added. The deputy said the caller is suspected of putting the device on the steps, and an investigation shows no indication others were involved.

Full story here

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