Eastern Iowa student suspended after anti-Obama racist remark? Others’ talk of shotguns? November 19, 2008
Posted by John in Crime/Courts, Education, Political.Tags: barack obama, guns, K-12 students, Kennedy assassination, Letts (Iowa), presidential assassinations, racism, schools, threats
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From student e-mail excerpt, posted by Editor & Publisher:
“I’m not sure who to email on this, but there have been several derogatory things said about Obama in our school, and one of them got a student suspended. I go to a school in a little town called Letts, Iowa. We are pretty down home, country road farm kids out here. But never, in my 11 years at the school, have I ever heard the conversation take such a negative turn.
“The remark that the student was suspended for was this, “Well, it’s called the White House for a reason. We need to get that God damn N—– out of there.”
“There were other remarks, mostly by students who hunt. They were discussing how far a shotgun could shoot, and decided that they could get to a high enough vantage-point to shoot Obama from at least 2 miles away, without anyone ever knowing where the shot came from. ‘Another Kennedy’ they were saying.” …
Texas execution scheduled tomorrow for man who raped, murdered, robbed UNI grad November 12, 2008
Posted by John in Crime/Courts.Tags: capital punishment, death row, Denard Sha Manns, executions, Greg Abbott, homicide, Michele Robson, Michelle Robson Wellenstein, murder, robbery, sexual assault, University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls Iowa)
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Case details available from Texas Attorney General:
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott offers the following information about Denard Sha Manns, who is scheduled to be executed after 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 13, 2008. …
On November 19, 1998, Michelle Robson was found dead in a bathtub in her Killeen home. She had been shot five times with a .22 caliber gun. …
From Associated Press via Houston Chronicle:
On Thursday, Denard Manns, 42, faced execution for the 1998 fatal shooting of Michelle Robson, 26, at her apartment in Killeen. Robson, from Iowa, was a Fort Hood soldier living off the base. …
And from Utica, NY, Observer-Dispatch:
Man awaits execution of wife’s murderer
“She was sweet, passionate, caring … she was wonderful,” Clay Wellenstein of West Winfield said. “She was athletic, smart, had a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She was outgoing, very involved and active. She was social.” …
On Nov. 18, 1998, Wellenstein’s wife was sexually assaulted, robbed and shot five times with a .22-caliber, according to the Austin Chronicle newspaper. Manns took cash, credit cards and Michelle Wellenstein’s car. …
Ex-U of I grad student files suit against music professor and University of Iowa; Alleges inappropriate sexual remarks, humor, touching, relationship November 8, 2008
Posted by John in Crime/Courts, Education.Tags: Colleges & Universities, higher education, Iowa City (Iowa), lawsuits, Mark Weiger, Melissa Milligan, musicians, oboe, professors, sexual harassment, teaching assistants, University of Iowa
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UI Professor Mark Weiger
From THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA-DAVENPORT DIVISION:
MELISSA ROSE WALDING MILLIGAN,
Plaintiff,
v.
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA and MARK WEIGER,
Defendants. …III. BACKGROUND FACTS
10. Milligan was a graduate student enrolled at the University in the Doctorate of Music Arts (“D.M.A.”) program during the 2006-7 academic year.
11. Milligan obtained student loans to finance her studies and living expenses at the University
12. Milligan’s major field was the oboe, and she sought to complete the three-year course of study in the D.M.A. program, culminating in a doctoral degree.
13. Milligan was enrolled in graduate music classes and was also a teaching assistant in her major field.
14. Milligan was assigned to study under Weiger, a tenured music professor in her major field who taught oboe and chamber music at the University.
15. During the course of her classroom and private instruction, Milligan was regularly subject to Weiger’s inappropriate sexual remarks and crude sexual humor.
16. Milligan also observed at least one act of inappropriate sexual touching by Weiger with another female student during instructional class time.
17. Weiger regularly engaged in inappropriate behavior during classes and instructional sessions, including telling jokes of a sexual nature and using inappropriate sexual language, much of which was directed towards Milligan.
18. Weiger was engaged in a sexual relationship with another student, which interfered with Milligan’s class time as it diverted Weiger’s attention from instruction as he focused on his sexual relationship instead.
19. In addition to the inappropriate sexual behavior, Weiger verbally harassed and subjected Milligan to personal character assaults, referring to her using derogatory terms and insults in the presence of other students on numerous occasions.
20. All of said actions interfered with Milligan’s reasonable expectation of instruction and education at the University, hindered her completing her doctoral degree, and caused her emotional distress. …
Related article from 1994 Gazette archives, Ex-U of I grad student files harassment suit:
IOWA CITY – A former graduate student is suing three University of Iowa faculty members claiming she was sexually harassed and discriminated against when she came here two years ago.
Debra Hawk-Burt of Columbus, Ohio, filed a lawsuit in Johnson County District Court Monday against three faculty members in the School of Music: Mark Weiger , assistant professor in the woodwind division; John Hill, associate director; and David Nelson, director.
According to the suit, Hawk-Burt applied for admission as a doctoral candidate in the school in February 1992 and was told she was eligible for a teaching assistantship and a $10,000 scholarship. Ultimately, she received no financial aid and withdrew from the university.
Soon after she applied for admission, the suit states, Weiger called Hawk-Burt and made inappropriate comments about her marital status.
When Hawk-Burt visited the campus and was interviewed by Weiger in March 1992, Hawk-Burt claims he inappropriately described to her the sexual activities of a female student.
When Hawk-Burt moved to Iowa City, Weiger told her she did not qualify for the scholarship but that she would work for him that summer teaching his students, the suit states.
Hawk-Burt also claims Weiger repeatedly made offensive remarks to her, telling her dirty jokes, using offensive language and swearing at her. He also allegedly told her he was involved in a sexual relationship with a graduate student who was a member of Hawk-Burt’s woodwind group.
According to the suit, Weiger made repeated, offensive sexual or demeaning comments to this student in Hawk-Burt’s presence. When Hawk-Burt objected, her financial aid was withdrawn and she received a barely passing grade from Weiger .
She reported the incident to Hill, who has supervisory responsibilities for the faculty in the school.
Hawk-Burt then appealed to Nelson in a written statement.
Vice President for University Relations Ann Rhodes said she had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment.
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Wellman man charged with felony home repair fraud in Mississippi; Alleged work after Hurricane Katrina needed redone November 5, 2008
Posted by John in Crime/Courts.Tags: Washington County (Iowa), Wellman (Iowa)
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From The Clarion-Ledger (Mississippi):
The charge against Andrew James Blauvelt of Wellman, Iowa, stems from a complaint filed by a Pass Christian resident regarding repair and renovation work on his home, Attorney General Jim Hood said in a news release today. …
Blauvelt was arrested Friday by the Washington County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office on a Mississippi warrant signed by Harrison County Justice Court Judge Louise D. Ladner. He is free on a $20,000 bond. …
Iowa fugitive charged in Illinois with possession with intent to deliver cannibis October 23, 2008
Posted by John in Crime/Courts, Drugs.Tags: cannibis, Champaign County (Illinois), Crime, Drugs, Frederick Levy, Marijuana
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From News-Gazette:
URBANA – Three Mississippi men were charged Monday in Champaign County Circuit Court with having about 20 pounds of cannabis plants in their car.
Charged with possession with intent to deliver cannabis were Frederick Levy, 40, Darius Davis, 28, and H.B. Hudson, 52, all of Pickens, Miss. …
Levy was also charged with being a fugitive from justice for fleeing Iowa, where he had been convicted of theft and possession of a controlled substance. …
According to Iowa Courts Online, it looks like Levy may have lived in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area.
RAPE-MURDER CASE: 1st Nebraska inmate ever freed by DNA; Killer’s profile by Cedar Rapids FBI agent to be used again October 17, 2008
Posted by John in Crime/Courts, Law Enforcement.Tags: Beatrice (Nebraska), Bruce Lang, Cedar Rapids (Iowa), FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Gage County Sheriff’s Office (Nebraska), Helen Wilson, Nebraska State Patrol, Randall Ritnour
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From Beatrice Daily Sun:
[In 1985, after 68-year-old Helen Wilson was raped and murdered,] the Beatrice Police Department sought help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A special agent from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with help from the Behavioral Science Unit at Quantico, Va., reviewed the case and came up with a profile of the killer.
The 10-page report paints a portrait of pathetic evil. …
[Randall] Ritnour, the county’s top prosecutor, said he is aware of the FBI profile. It will be used again, he said. …
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US COURTS: Record companies accuse Fayette County man of illegally distributing 1,150 audio files through Gnutella LimeWire October 10, 2008
Posted by John in Crime/Courts.Tags: BMG MUSIC, Copyright Infringement, EMI, Fayette County (Iowa), file sharing, P2P, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group, Willie Stewman
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From United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa – “Complaint for Copyright Infringement”:
SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT,
a Delaware general partnership; WARNER
BROS. RECORDS INC., a Delaware
corporation; MOTOWN RECORD
COMPANY, L.P., a California limited
partnership; UMG RECORDINGS, INC., a
Delaware corporation; BMG MUSIC, a
New York general partnership; and
ATLANTIC RECORDING
CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation,
Plaintiffs,
vs.
WILLIE D. STEWMAN,
Defendant. …Plaintiffs identified an individual using LimeWire on the P2P network Gnutella at
IP address 71.32.75.68 on March 2, 2007 at 08:10:01 EST distributing 1150 audio files over the
Internet. The Defendant was identified as the individual responsible for that IP address at that
date and time. Plaintiffs are informed and believe that as of March 2, 2007, Defendant, without
the permission or consent of Plaintiffs, had continuously used, and continued to use, a P2P
network to download and/or distribute to the public the Copyrighted Recordings. Exhibit A
identifies the date and time of capture and a list of Copyrighted Recordings that Defendant has,
without the permission or consent of Plaintiffs, downloaded and/or distributed to the public.
Through Defendant’s continuous and ongoing acts of downloading and/or distributing to the
public the Copyrighted Recordings, which acts Plaintiffs believe to have been ongoing for some
time, Defendant has violated Plaintiffs’ exclusive rights of reproduction and distribution.
Defendant’s actions constitute infringement of Plaintiffs’ copyrights and exclusive rights under
copyright. …EXHIBIT A: …
Michael Jackson – Rock With You
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Sade – No Ordinary Love
Linkin Park – Crawling
Boyz II Men – I’ll Make Love to You
98 Degrees – Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)
Eve 6 – Inside Out
SWV – Rain
Jewel – Hands
Alabama – Mountain Music
Convicted Iowa mink farm saboteur offers $2,500 defense fund September 30, 2008
Posted by John in Agriculture, Crime/Courts.Tags: Animal Liberation Front, animal-rights activism, minks, Peter Daniel Young, prison
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From modified Associated Press story via KUTV:
Animal-rights activist Peter Daniel Young, 30, says he’ll contribute $2,500 to the defense of anybody caught for Utah’s Sept. 21 raid in Kaysville, where thousands of mink were released from the Utah farm.
Young spent two years in federal prison for breaking into mink farms in Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa in 1997, cutting fences and freeing the animals from their cages. …
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Former Cedar Rapids man who later lived in a cave receives 23-year sentence for child-porn charges September 28, 2008
Posted by John in Children, Crime/Courts.Tags: caves, Cedar Rapids (Iowa), Child Pornography, Heber City (Utah), Ken Wallentine, Marion (Iowa), Ottumwa (Iowa), Polk City (Iowa), prison sentences, Russell Blessman, Salt Lake City (Utah), sexual abuse, US Marshals
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From Deseret News Saturday:
A man convicted on child pornography charges has been sentenced to serve 23 years in federal prison. Russell Eugene Blessman, 52, was sentenced in federal court in Salt Lake City earlier this week to serve 276 months in federal prison, and a lifetime of probation when he is released. …
October 2007 Gazette article:
Cedar Rapids native arrested in Utah on sexual abuse chargesThe GazetteA former resident of Cedar Rapids and Marion was arrested Wednesday in Utah on sexual abuse charges, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Acting on a tip, U.S. Marshals from Salt Lake City arrested Russell E. Blessman at a motel in Heber City, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake, said Deputy Michael Powell, spokesman for the U.S. Marshals in Iowa’s Southern District.
Blessman, 51, of Polk City, fled Iowa in June, after the Polk County Attorney charged him with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse involving an 8-year-old girl and one count of contempt of court for violating a no-contact order.
Police also seized several computers and computer storage devices from Blessman’s motel room. Ken Wallentine, chief of law enforcement at the Utah Attorney General’s Office, told the Deseret News in Salt Lake City that he was “virtually certain” Blessman will face additional child exploitation charges for child pornography found on those devices.
Wallentine said Blessman arrived in Utah in June and lived in a cave for a period.
Gazette archives show Blessman lived in Cedar Rapids and Marion, most recently in northeast Cedar Rapids 1998.
Additional details from October Deseret News, including:
Capture of Iowa sex suspect has bizarre twist
… While in Iowa, Wallentine said, Blessman paid someone a “substantial amount of money” to convert him into a Cherokee Indian. He then encouraged Blessman to go to Utah to hide out with a group near Green River that claims to be an Indian tribe.
Blessman traveled to Utah approximately four months ago and actually lived in a cave for some time, Wallentine said. He claims he was ordained a tribal police officer for the group. …
Online record for Pierre Pierce disappears from Iowa Sex Offender Registry September 26, 2008
Posted by John in Crime/Courts, Sports.Tags: Alfredo Parrish, basketball, Bob Brammer, France, Iowa Attorney General, Iowa City (Iowa), Iowa Supreme Court, Pierre Pierce, sex offenders
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Page for Pierce’s information now just a question mark (as of this writing):
(?)
We could not find information about the person you are looking for.
The person may have been removed and is no longer viewable,
or the site may have made a mistake.
Here’s what the page used to look like.
Could this be a gap between page updates for approved travel to France, or just a site glitch?
Pierre Pierce allowed to travel to France
Earlier Tuesday, a three judge panel of the Iowa Supreme Court upheld a Dallas County District Court ruling that Pierce could travel to France. …
Pierce has signed a $120,000 contract with a team in France’s top professional basketball league. He is on probation for a January 2005 incident at the West Des Moines home of a former girlfriend. …
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