All Blog Posts from Crimesider

LOS ANGELES - Samantha Geimer, the woman who Roman Polanski raped as a 13-year-old girl in 1977, is now fighting in a California court to set the embattled director free.

Geimer's attorney, Lawrence Silver, argued in front of California’s Second District Court of Appeal for an end to the 32-year-old case, Thursday Dec. 10, saying Geimer has repeatedly said she wants it dropped, and citing a recently adopted law allowing victims to have a say in cases.

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NEW YORK - As a child of thirteen, Sanford Clark was sent from his home in Canada to live with his uncle, Gordon Stewart Northcott, on a chicken ranch in Wineville, California. It was there that Sanford discovered that his uncle was evil and a rapist and murderer.

Written by acclaimed crime writer Anthony Flacco, with Jerry Clark, Sanford Clark’s son, providing a primary resource, The Road Out of Hell reveals the untold story of the Wineville murders that are featured in the Clint Eastwood and Angelina Jolie film, Changeling.

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LOS ANGELES - Documentary filmmaker Keya Morgan has uncovered a never-before-seen home movie clip of the late Marilyn Monroe, which according to the person who shot it, shows the siren smoking pot.

It's difficult to confirm the claim from watching the film in which Monroe appears to be smoking a cigarette in the conventional way.

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NEW YORK - According to crime statistics from the Department of Justice, 67 percent of sexual assault victims in 2008 were juveniles and an astonishing 93 percent of these victims knew their attackers. When Robin Sax worked as a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County specializing in sex crimes against children, she personally reviewed at least five new cases every day.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A man who allegedly robbed a Charlotte, N.C. bank took Highway Patrol troopers on a high speed chase Tuesday afternoon.

Turns out the suspect, 29-year-old Carlos DeShawn Burns, had a prior conviction for a more serious offense.

The Tuesday incident started just before 2 p.m. when a Wachovia Bank on West Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte was robbed and Burns took off, according to the FBI.

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LOS ANGELES - It is safe to say that when Tom Sparks signed up to be a contestant on the game show "Wipeout" he had no idea what would follow his participation in the ABC primetime show.

The former radio disc jockey was hospitalized after competing in the first segment of an obstacle course Oct. 19, and ultimately died two weeks later of a stroke apparently caused by a rare condition, according to his father.

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LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) Embattled ex-boxing champion Mike Tyson has a fresh legal fight on his hands.

California police are investigating conflicting accounts of an airport confrontation between the former heavyweight champ and photographer Tony Echevarria, in which the shutterbug says he was attacked and Tyson claims he was protecting his family.

The scuffle resulted in both men being booked and released on suspicion of misdemeanor battery, with both wanting to press charges, police said.

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LOS ANGELES - Did the legal battle between former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean and pageant organizers suddenly conclude because organizers presented Prejean with a sex tape starring the religiously devout beauty queen?

Celebrity site TMZ says yes and CNN, last night, said a source with knowledge of the settlement confirmed it. Crimesider has no independent verification of the story at this time.

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LOS ANGELES - A former Miss California, Carrie Prejean, and organizers of the state beauty pageant, have settled dueling lawsuits surrounding Prejean's high-profile stand on gay marriage, and her much-remarked-upon breast implants.

Now, everyone can stand down.

A joint statement released Tuesday says Prejean and pageant organizers reached a confidential settlement on both legal fronts.

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NEW YORK - Who among us can resist the shiny white smile and perfectly coiffed hair belonging to Ryan Seacrest?

Not Army reservist Chidi Benjamin Uzomah Jr., say police.

Uzomah has allegedly stalked the American Idol star several times, and even attacked one of Seacrest's bodyguards.

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