Kimberly McCarthy, Texas Inmate, Set To Be First Woman Executed In U.S. Since 2010

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Texas is set to execute Kimberly McCarthy by lethal injection on Tuesday, the first woman to be put to death in the United States in more than two years.

The execution is scheduled to be carried out at the state prison in Huntsville, Texas after 6 p.m. local time.

Women are rarely executed in the United States. Only 12 female inmates were put to death since capital punishment was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

The last woman executed was Teresa Lewis in Virginia on Sept. 23, 2010, the information center said.

"Although women commit about 10 percent of murders, capital cases also require some aggravating factor like rape, robbery, or physical abuse," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the information center, adding that women usually have not committed a long list of prior felonies.

"It's unclear whether jurors or prosecutors may be more lenient in potential prosecutions of women, since there are relatively few," said Dieter.

McCarthy, 51, was convicted of entering the Lancaster, Texas home of her 71-year-old neighbor, Dorothy Booth, on July 21, 1997, under the pretense of borrowing some sugar. She then stabbed Booth five times, according to the Texas attorney general's summary of the case.

She also cut off Booth's left ring finger in order to take her diamond ring, which she later pawned.

McCarthy also was believed to be responsible for the murders of two other elderly women, one using a meat tenderizer as a weapon and another using a claw hammer, according to the Attorney General's summary.

McCarthy was found guilty in 1998 by a Dallas County jury of murdering Booth and sentenced to death. Her conviction was overturned by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2001 because no attorney was present when she was questioned after the crime even though she had requested a lawyer, court documents show. She was tried a second time in 2002, was again found guilty by a Dallas County jury, and again sentenced to death.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2004 agreed with the second conviction.

McCarthy would be the second person executed in the United States so far this year. Forty-three inmates were put to death in 2012. (Reporting by Corrie MacLaggan; Writing by Greg McCune)
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Five arrested with huge quantities of fake local and foreign currencies

The suspects with printing machines

Five men were on Monday paraded by the Lagos State Police Command for printing local and foreign currencies.

Two of the suspects, Femi Jacob and Ramon Adeoye, were arrested at Ogunlana Street, Alagbado with eight printing machines and a large quantity of printed fake notes in Naira, Dollars, Pounds, Euros and Cedis totalling N8m.

Isaka Usman and Akeem Ayobado were also arrested at Ikorodu with 14 printing machines, one cutting machine and N100m fake notes. The fifth suspect, Onyeka Ibe, was allegedly an Anambra-based buyer, who usually comes to Lagos to buy fake currencies.

The state Command’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, said, “This syndicate has been in operation for over five years. Their customers are spread across several African countries like the Republic of Benin, Mali, Ghana, Togo, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

“The Officer-in-Charge of SARS, Superintendent of Police Abba Kyari, got a tip-off about the operations of the syndicate some weeks ago and mounted surveillance at Jacob’s Alagbado residence. It was Jacob’s confessional statement after his arrest that led to the arrest of Ayodabo who is the leader of the syndicate.

“This case will eventually be handed over to operatives of Interpol because of the negative implications the fake currencies outflow might have had on the economies of the West African countries.”

The CP said the cutting machine was owned by Ayodabo and procured from the Republic of Benin

One of the suspects, Ibe said, “I often come down to Oluwole Street in Lagos Island. That is where Ayodabo has his shop. I would spend N5,000 to get currency worth N100,000. I usually buy currency worth between N500,000 and N700,000.”

The fake notes which were on display during the parade looked real enough to have kept the syndicate in business for five years with customers spread across the continent.

Adeoye told PUNCH METRO that he was arrested at Iyana Ipaja, adding, “I am just an errand boy, my duty was to deliver fake currencies to buyers. I was on my way to deliver fake notes worth N700,000 to one Ibrahim when I was arrested.”

 

punch

Mother Bundles Daughter To Psychiatric Hospital For Attending "An Unconventional" Church

An elderly woman, Mrs. Florence Omotehinwa, has been accused of bundling her 40-year-old daughter, Mrs. Toyin Ndiomu, in a psychiatric hospital for attending “an unconventional” church.

According to Punch, the victim, who attends Jordan Ministries, Opebi, Lagos, was abducted on January 12, 2013, at 25 Joel Ogunnaike Street, while she was celebrating her 40th birthday.

A legal consultant with Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Mr. Benjamin Odeh, told our correspondent that the victim was a mother of two and had been separated from her husband because of domestic violence.

Odeh said on the day the victim was abducted, her mother stormed her party with naval operatives and policemen.

He said, “On that day, Mrs. Omotehinwa and Ndiomu’s estranged husband came with two women, naval personnel and two armed policemen. They seized the victim, pushed her into a vehicle and sped off.”

He said the victim was taken to Farri Psychiatric Hospital, where she was being kept incommunicado.

When Punch Metro visited the hospital located on Gbaja Street, Surulere, the matron denied our correspondent access to Ndiomu, saying that she had been given strict orders by her mother not to allow visitors to have access to her.

The matron, who did not identify herself, said, “This is not a conventional hospital, it is a hospital for patients with mental illnesses and as such we cannot allow just anybody to see her.

“Her mother said no one should be allowed to see her and we are standing by that instruction. We don’t know anything about abduction; our own responsibility is to treat patients.”

Boko Haram Declares Ceasefire

The commander who identified himself as Sheikh Muhammed Abdulazeez spoke to journalists Monday in Maiduguri, where the Islamist sect known as Boko Haram got its start.

Abdulazeez described himself as a second-in-command to sect leader Abubakar Shekau and said there would be a ceasefire as the Borno government had promised to release some sect members.

Abdulazeez reportedly met with Governor Kashim Shettima today.

While a government official later welcomed the announcement, it came as soldiers and police still hold Boko Haram members and violence continued unabated in the region.

A local resident of Gajiganna, a nearby village, said he saw eight bodies — some decapitated — after an attack, that bore the violent trademark of Boko Haram.

Boko Haram had offered unilateral ceasefire in the past, which it never kept, choosing instead to launch brutal attacks on the Nigerian state.

pmnews

Katie Price offered a full refund by Sandals resort after complaining over her wedding

Katie Price... My honeymoon from hell

Smiles ... but Katie Price says her third wedding was almost ruined

FURIOUS Katie Price has told how her wedding was almost ruined by a series of disasters at her hotel — including a butler who asked: “Are you a porn star?”

Katie Price A.K.A. Jordan, 34, hit out after returning from Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort and Spa with third hubby, builder Kieran Hayler, 25.
She said her wedding snaps showed a beach — “but if you looked the other way there were ugly skyscrapers”.
The sunbeds were plastic, their wedding tent “looked like it came out of B&Q” and the atmosphere was “more 18-30” than royal.

'Sandals was more like a sweaty flip-flop' ... Katie Price has hit out at resort after disastrous big day

 

Model Katie said: “Sandals, my a*** — it was more like a smelly old flip-flop.”
Sandals said it was “disappointed Ms Price was not happy with her stay” and that the butler denied making any derogatory remarks.
It added: “As a gesture of goodwill we are willing to offer her a refund on condition she does not choose our resorts for any future weddings or stays.”

SANDALS RESORTS' FULL STATEMENT


Sandals Resorts are surprised by the allegations made by Ms Price. Without an international profile, the resort team were oblivious of Ms Price’s fame and welcomed her with the award-winning service given to all its guests.

Once at the resort Ms Price did identify herself to her dedicated Wedding Manager and explained her profile in the UK.

The team were thoroughly understanding and accommodating of Ms Price’s request for privacy, offering use of the resort’s private offshore island, Sandals Cay, for her wedding ceremony and the duration of her stay.

However, Ms Price declined this offer, and against the Sandals team’s advice opted instead to hold the ceremony on the public beach where she was photographed by paparazzi.

As with all Butler Suite guests, Ms Price was assigned a dedicated butler who are all trained by the “Guild of Professional English Butlers”.

Part of this service includes serving gourmet meals from a choice of ten on property restaurants in suite at no additional cost. The resort also offers private candle lit dining in a variety of discreet locations for all its guests.

Her dedicated butler, who is used to dealing with VIP’s denies making any derogatory remarks.

Sandals Resorts is disappointed that Ms Price was not happy with her stay and as a gesture of goodwill are willing to offer her a refund on condition that she does not chose our resorts for any future weddings or stays.

Sandals has been welcoming guests through its doors for over three decades and prides itself on excellent service, award winning product and has one of the highest returning guest rates in the industry.

Sandals has been awarded some of the industry’s top accolades and awards including the ‘World’s Leading All-Inclusive’ at the World Travel Awards and ‘Top All Inclusive Brand for Honeymooners’ by Brides Magazines.


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