The Odd Truth, Jan. 11, 2005

The Odd Truth is a collection of strange but factual news stories from around the world compiled by CBSNews.com's Joey Arak.

Not-So-Daring Courtroom Escape

EAST BROOKFIELD, Mass. - While jurors deliberated the fate of a man accused of selling a stolen gun to a pawn shop, the defendant went out for a cup of coffee.

A week later, Peter J. Leo, 32, of Worcester is still is on the run.

After listening to closing arguments, jurors left to begin their deliberations. Leo and his girlfriend also left the courtroom, saying they were going for coffee, a court officer told The Telegram & Gazette of Worcester.

The jurors returned to the courtroom a short time later to deliver their verdict, but Leo was not there to hear he had been found guilty.

Court officials told the newspaper that Leo had been free to come and go from the courtroom.

Besides the mandatory one-year prison sentence on the theft charges, Leo could face two more years in jail because of the latest charge, court officials said.

Mouthwash Mistake Costing Millions

NEW YORK - It's a financial decision that probably doesn't taste too good, but the makers of Listerine say they're spending millions to correct an advertising claim on their bottles.

A judge has ruled that Listerine is wrong to say that the mouthwash is as effective as dental floss. So now the Pfizer drug company, which makes Listerine, is laying out $2 million to make the claim disappear.

The company's sending out a small army of 4,000 workers to personally put the stickers over the claim on each bottle and to make sure there aren't any paper ads on the shelves.

Pfizer is also pulling TV and print ads that make the claim.

The company isn't saying how many bottles of Listerine are affected, simply describing it as "a lot."

Beware The Ghost Drivers

VIENNA, Austria - Austrian police and motorists had to deal with 550 wrong-way drivers in 2004, authorities said Tuesday, calling it the worst tally since the country began keeping such records a decade ago.

Officials offered no explanation for the increase of what the Austrians call "ghost drivers," who end up on the wrong side of major highways because of old age, intoxication or simple confusion.

Most of the incidents happened on the key A1 east-west highway, officials said.

Ghost drivers are blamed for many high-speed collisions. Radio stations regularly break into programming with urgent announcements warning drivers that a wrong-way motorist has been spotted and warning them not to pass other vehicles.

A Home For "Roo?"

MADISON, Wis. - A kangaroo that went on a walkabout of frigid Wisconsin just might settle down in the Midwest after all.

The red-haired marsupial, now known as "Roo," was captured in a snowstorm outside of Dodgeville last week. Sheriff's deputies cornered the 150-pound critter in a barn after receiving calls for days from shocked residents who had seen it.

Kangaroos can be purchased for about $1,000 or more in the United States, but no one has reported him missing.

Roo remains under quarantine at the Henry Vilas Zoo, and if no one claims it, zoo officials plan to introduce it to their other kangaroos to see if they get along.

But if things don't work out, Margaret Suter said she has room at her home near Madison, where she already keeps six kangaroos and a wallaby.

"I worried for that kangaroo. It lost its caregiver," Suter said. "And if you own one of these animals, you shouldn't turn your back on it."

Beer Run ... Literally

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - There could be a lot more drunks on the streets of Jacksonville, Florida, come Super Bowl time. Just about a month before the big game, a county judge has tossed out the city ordinance banning drinking in public. The judge ruled the alcohol ban was selectively enforced and gives too much power to the mayor to make exceptions. The decision comes in the case of three homeless men who were charged for drinking in a park. Public defender Tyler McKinney successfully argued that superstars and celebrities attracted to the Super Bowl wouldn't be subjected to the same restrictions on public boozing.

Saved By His Undies

ROGERS, Ark. - You never know when a clean pair of skivvies will help you out of jam. An Arkansas attorney has been rescued thanks to his tighty whities. Ben Lipscomb got lost while duck hunting. A state police helicopter was looking for him, but the Rogers city attorney knew he would be tough to spot in his camouflage hunting gear. Lipscomb had to do something to make himself more visible. So, he tied his white briefs to the barrel of his gun and starting waving. He was rescued after spending a cold 12 hours in the woods. He even ate a raw duck.

Jail Food Downgraded

DURANT, Okla. - The chow at one Oklahoma jail is going to become more like -- well -- jail food. Officials at the Bryan County Jail weren't amused when they learned an inmate chef had gourmet tastes. According to authorities, the prisoner was spending more than twice as much on groceries as was budgeted. One official says the inmate cook went a little wild ordering food. So, now it's chicken patties instead of chicken breasts. Officials say the prisoners aren't very happy about going back to the usual lock-up menu.