Browsing: Crime

A Brief History On June 20, 2001, a Texas mother of 5, former high school valedictorian and swim team captain, decided she had to save her children from Satan.  Her solution to the “problem” was to drown all 5 of the unfortunate youngsters in the family bathtub. Digging Deeper Almost 37 years old at the time of the tragedy, Andrea Yates suffered from bulimia and depression as a teen despite her academic and athletic success.  Going to nursing school and getting a job as an RN, Yates seemed on course to have a decent life when she married in 1993. …

A Brief History On June 19, 2009, during the Shishou Riot, Chinese authorities reminded their people that China is not a democracy.  When the body of Tu Yuangao was found outside of the Yonglong Hotel where he worked as a chef, the authorities immediately pronounced the death a suicide and sent for an ambulance to take the body away.  (Note: Our website features numerous articles about riots, including “Sports Riots Go Back Farther than You Think!,” “10 Goofy Named Riots,” “Brown Dog Riots rock London!,” “Good Grief! Another Idiotic Riot! (The Astor Place Riot),” “Peekskill Riots Follow Concert by Remarkable…

A Brief History On June 19, 2012, Julian Assange, founder of the Internet sensation Wikileaks, sought political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, England.  Assange was the target of a criminal espionage investigation by the United States in conjunction with his publishing a massive quantity of US intelligence gathering secrets that he received from a disaffected US Army soldier (Bradley Manning, now known as Chelsea Manning). Digging Deeper Meanwhile, Assange was also the target of a sexual assault investigation by Sweeden and was being sought for extradition, which is the reason he pursued political asylum.  Assange claims the sex…

A Brief History On June 16, 2010, the nation of Bhutan became the first nation in the world to outlaw tobacco.  Growing and otherwise producing tobacco products and the sale of any tobacco product was outlawed.  Harsh penalties were put in place, but within a couple years things eased up a bit.  The actual use and possession of tobacco was not outlawed, just the production and sale.  The government was also mandated to provide anti-tobacco counseling and education. Digging Deeper Not Banned 5.  Tax Revenue. In 2013, the government collected $43.9 billion in tobacco tax revenue, and over half a…

A Brief History On June 16, 1944, 14 year old George Stinney was executed in the electric chair by the State of South Carolina, giving him the distinction of being the youngest American executed in the 20th Century.  Stinney had been convicted of murdering 2 girls, age 11 and 8. Digging Deeper Not surprisingly, the murderer was an African-American boy and the victims were Caucasian girls.  No physical evidence was presented implicating the young man, and his conviction rested only on the fact that he had spoken to the girls shortly before their murders.  In 2014, 70 years after his…