Records: Cleveland suspect faced prior complaints

• 

  FILE - This undated file photo provided by Cuyahoga County Jail shows Ariel Castro. Cleveland officials are trying to keep Castro's house, where three women were imprisoned for a decade, intact until his trial is concluded. (AP Photo/Cuyahoga County Jail, File)The Associated Press

CLEVELAND –  A man charged with holding three women captive for about a decade had been accused of threatening his neighbors, attacking his common-law wife and committing violations during his career as a school bus driver, according to records released Monday.

The Cleveland police reports correspond with accounts provided by relatives of suspect Ariel Castro last week that portrayed a man prone to violent outbursts, especially when it came to the mother of his children and incursions onto his property.

Castro, 52, is charged with kidnapping and rape, but prosecutors expect to file more charges. The three women whom he is accused of holding captive disappeared between August 2002 and April 2004. They were rescued last week when one of them escaped the home.

The records released Monday were produced by police officers investigating complaints against Castro. They do not track what happened to the complaints after they were taken.

Several of Castro's relatives and acquaintances have said allegations of violence are at odds with the man they knew, whom they described as polite, a "cool" bass player and a "sweet, happy person."

A veteran defense attorney now representing Castro, Craig Weintraub, did not respond to phone and email messages Monday seeking comment on the current and prior allegations. A public defender had represented Castro at his initial court appearance but said she couldn't speak to his guilt or innocence.

SEPT. 30, 1989:

Grimilda Figueroa called police and reported that Castro, her "common-law husband of nine years," attacked her after she asked him where he was going with one of his brothers. After slapping Figueroa several times, "he then grabbed her and slammed her several times against the wall and several times against the washing machine," according to the report.

Figueroa, who died of cancer last year, was treated at a hospital for a bruised right shoulder, the report said. She told police she had been assaulted by Castro several other times but didn't report it.

Figueroa was referred to the prosecutor's office, according to the report. There is no court record of any charge having been filed.

------

MARCH 10, 1993:

Two parents tried to board Castro's school bus because their son had been getting assaulted, records show.

The parents told police they had begun accompanying him to the bus stop in the morning. On that day, "another such incident occurred in their presence," the report said.

"At which time, they got on the bus to stop it. However were shoved by the driver," the report said. Castro claimed that the parent shoved him back into his seat.

There were no injuries reported, according to the report, which said the case was turned over to the Cleveland city schools. There's no court record of any charges.

------

DEC. 26, 1993:

Figueroa again reported Castro, telling police he threw her to the ground, hit her about the head and face and kicked her body. Her son then fled out the front door and Castro chased him, according to the report, which said Figueroa locked the door and Castro couldn't get back in. He ran away when police arrived, and was chased by officers through a neighboring yard and arrested, the report said.

Figueroa told police that she had brain surgery a month before the attack and was prone to seizures, but then refused medical attention.

Although Figueroa told police the next day she didn't want to pursue charges, a city prosecutor filed charges of domestic violence and disorderly conduct. Records show Castro pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct on Dec. 28; a grand jury declined to charge him with domestic violence, county records show.

------

NOV. 29, 1994:

A man was checking on rental property near Castro's house and noticed his chain-link fence was missing, according to the records. He went to Castro's home to inquire about it, and Castro became upset, the report said. Castro picked up a shovel and attempted to hit the man with it, then told him that "he was going to take care of him," according to the report.

The incident was referred to prosecutors, the report said, but there is no record of charges being filed.

------

MAY 16, 1996

A man who relatives have described as Figueroa's boyfriend after she left Castro was dropping her children off at school when, the man said, Castro pulled up behind him and threatened him.

Castro drove off after the man tried to get out of his car and talk to him, the man told police, adding: "He believes that named suspect would have ran him over if he did not get out of his way."

The situation, described as "an ongoing problem," was referred to prosecutors. There is no record of any charges.

------

AUG. 17, 1996

In a 1996 report, a woman who described Castro as her ex-neighbor told police he pulled in front of her driveway and screamed a threat before driving away.

Police referred the woman to prosecutors; there is no record of charges.

------

JAN. 26, 2004

Castro was arrested for abduction and child endangerment after he drove around town with a child on the bus, according to a police report.

The report says Castro told the boy, "Lay down b----," then went inside a fast-food restaurant and ate lunch, leaving the child alone on the bus. Afterward, he drove around for a while and parked the vehicle at a bus parking lot. It wasn't until about 2 p.m. that he returned the child to his home, the report said.

The child was examined at MetroHealth Hospital and released.

Castro told police he noticed the boy in his seat and took the child home after consulting with the teacher by phone, the report said.

The Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services investigated the complaint of child abuse and neglect and found it to be "unsubstantiated."

The police investigation showed there was no criminal intent in the abandoned child case, city Safety Director Martin Flask has said. Police went to Castro's home to question him, but no one came to the door, Flask said. They later interviewed Castro elsewhere, authorities have said.

In a letter dated Oct. 9, 2012, the school district's transportation director, Ann Carlson, recommended that Castro be terminated because he left his bus unattended for four hours the month before.

"Mr. Castro's explanation was that his preschool route was cancelled that day and since he only lives two blocks away, he went home," the letter said.

View the original article here

Records: Wis. mom was warned about leaving kids

MILWAUKEE –  A Wisconsin mom accused of locking three of her small children in a bedroom and leaving them unattended hours before they died in a fire had twice been warned by authorities not to leave them alone, according to court documents.

Angelica D. Belen, 24, made an initial court appearance Wednesday on three felony charges of child neglect resulting in death. A Milwaukee County court commissioner imposed a cash bond of $500,000.

Her 5-year-old daughter, Nayeli Colon, and 4-year-old twin sons, Adrian and Alexis Colon, died in a fire Thursday at their West Allis home. Belen told investigators she left the kids alone to start a new job and that she bolted their bedroom door shut because she didn't want them wrecking the house or getting outside where neighbors could see they were unattended.

She said she knew she wasn't supposed to leave the kids alone but she needed to go to work and couldn't find a babysitter, the criminal complaint said.

Belen's public defender, Reyna Morales, declined to comment on the case.

Prosecutors say Belen was first warned on Feb. 26, when a child-welfare worker was driving to Belen's home for a scheduled visit. The worker spotted Belen driving directly in front of her. The worker watched Belen and Nayeli get out of the car, and all three walked inside to find Adrian and Alexis crying and Belen's 1-year-old son in a high chair.

"There was a decision made to allow the defendant to keep her children in the house, but she was told not to leave them alone," the complaint said.

The child-welfare worker, identified as Jami Katarincic of the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare, declined to comment Wednesday to The Associated Press.

The Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare referred calls to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, which released a statement saying confidentiality issues prevented it from confirming or denying that the children were known to the child-welfare system.

"An official assessment of this case is ongoing and the Department does not have any further comment at this time," the statement said.

The second time Belen was warned about leaving her children unattended was on March 13, when she went to a store with Nayeli and left her twin sons and 1-year-old Wilfredo Belen alone in the car. A witness told investigators the twins got out of the car and started running around, and one was almost hit by a car. A second witness saw a car door open and the 1-year-old crying inside.

A responding officer said the twins were dirty and smelled of feces.

The children again were allowed to stay with their mother. She was given another warning not to leave them alone, the complaint said.

Based on the two incidents, Belen was charged last month with six counts of misdemeanor child neglect. The charges carry a maximum combined penalty of 4½ years in prison and a $60,000 fine.

Authorities say Thursday's fire began when a faulty electrical connection ignited in the kitchen. The three charges of child neglect resulting in death are felonies, each carrying a maximum prison sentence of 25 years.

___

Dinesh Ramde can be reached at dramde(at)ap.org.

View the original article here

Private prison admits to false staffing records

Published April 11, 2013

Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho –  The private company that operates Idaho's largest prison admitted Thursday that it falsified nearly 4,800 hours of staffing records over seven months last year in violation of its annual contract with the state.

The admission by the Nashville, Tenn.-based Corrections Corporation of America is the latest in a string of staffing problems alleged or being investigated at the Idaho Correctional Center south of Boise. Earlier this year, the Idaho Department of Correction asked state police to investigate staffing discrepancies at the lockup.

The company on Thursday confirmed its internal review concluded some employees at the prison falsified the number of hours worked last year, starting in May and running through November. Those workers will be reprimanded, and the company told the Department of Correction it will reimburse the state for the falsified hours.

Department spokesman Jeff Ray said the agency intends to do a separate review of the Corrections Corporation of America's findings. He said it's too soon to determine how the state will proceed or act on the contract violation. The company's annual $29 million contract expires in June 2014 but could be renewed another two years.

"I think the focus right now has been figuring out how many hours were lost and who was involved," Ray said. "Later we'll certainly explore how to go forward from there."

Telephone messages left by The Associated Press to company spokesman Steve Owen were not immediately returned Thursday.

The Corrections Corporation of America, which operates prisons across the nation, has contracted with the state to run the Idaho Correctional Center for more than a decade.

The contract details how the company must run the prison. It includes minimum staffing requirements that also have been spelled out in a legal settlement the company reached with the American Civil Liberties Union-Idaho after inmates sued in federal court.

Idaho corrections officials asked state police to begin investigating the company's records earlier this year after finding some staffing discrepancies through an audit. Around that time, the AP filed public records requests for shift logs at the prison that showed guards listed as working 24, 36 and 48 hours consecutively without time off.

Ray said state police will decide whether to probe the company's staffing and payroll records prior to May 2012.

View the original article here

New Jersey's Brodeur records goal in return

Published March 21, 2013

Sports Network

Raleigh, NC –  New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur was credited with his NHL-record third career goal during Thursday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.

Brodeur, who had missed the last 13 games with back soreness, made a stick save on Jeff Skinner's breakaway attempt early in the first period, but New Jersey defenseman Marek Zidlicky was whistled for hooking.

Carolina netminder Dan Ellis then left his net because of the delayed penalty call, and Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal fired a pass toward the left point that banked off the boards and traveled the length of the ice into the empty net.

Brodeur was the last New Jersey player to touch the puck and was credited with the power-play marker at the 3:54 mark.

View the original article here

On the Blackhawks, NHL records and obvious misinformation

Philadelphia, PA –  What the Chicago Blackhawks accomplished until last Friday night, recording at least one point in 24 straight games (21-0-3) from the start of this truncated 2013 season, cannot be denied. It is a marvelous undertaking to navigate a tough in-conference schedule, in an era of parity, with virtually no time to properly assemble lines and assess health with a shotgun start due to a lockout.

What can be disputed, is that it stands as an NHL record.

If you've tuned into various cable outlets in the United States which purport to bring you all the latest hockey news over the last three weeks, you've heard the following:

1) The streak eclipsed the Edmonton Oilers' memorable run of 15 games from the start of the 1984-85 season and the Anaheim Ducks' pace of 16 straight from the beginning of the 2006-07 season for longest without a loss in regulation.

2) That the 24-game run is about to be etched into the record book as a single-season milestone.

3) You've also seen and heard ad nauseam that the Blackhawks' 30-game regular- season streak with at least one point dating back to last season is the second longest in NHL history -- eclipsing the Montreal Canadiens' string of 28 straight in the 1977-78 campaign, and only falling short of the Philadelphia Flyers' 35-game run in 1979-80.

Except it's false on all accounts.

Nothing sends me into a frothing mess, a combination of George Carlin, Lewis Black and Angry of Mayfair, like lazy and incorrect reporting on obvious facts by sources which are supposedly trusted to inform fans of what's going on.

All attempts by various media personalities on screen and in social media to combine and conflate what Chicago accomplished with its other NHL member clubs as the streak grew in number fails a simple test of scrutiny.

Crack open the Official NHL Guide and Record Book for 2013 (for Philadelphia fans who may be in denial, it's the one featuring the bearded, smiling faces of LA Kings and ex-Flyers Justin Williams, Simon Gagne, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter but try to get past that, OK?), flip through until you arrive at Page 158, and you'll find the section filled with various league records.

Under the section marked "Team Records," in huge print, there's a heading "Undefeated Streaks." Here you'll find the very first sub-heading "Longest Undefeated Streak, One Season" which is the 35 games by the Flyers from Oct. 14, 1979-Jan. 6, 1980 (25-0-10), and the Habs' streak (22-0-6) from Dec. 18, 1977-Feb. 23, 1978 immediately underneath.

An additional sub-heading "Longest Undefeated Streak from Start of Season," turns up the Oilers' 12-0-3 stretch in October and November of 1984.

In neither place will you find "Longest Consecutive Point Streak from Start of Season," which presumably would feature Chicago and then Anaheim, and in neither place is there an asterisk for the Blackhawks and Ducks feats taking place in the era where points are awarded like Halloween candy. However, you will find records related to the shootout, which extend only as far as 2005, when the extra round was introduced.

There's another important distinction to remember when addressing the nature of NHL records, and that the league has never, and does not, recognize streaks which are continuous from one year to the next. There are several which combine regular-season and playoff runs, but those are all within the confines of a single year.

If it were true that the Blackhawks set an NHL record by notching at least one point in 30 straight games from last March until this one, then there are a whole mess of memorable feats which need to be reconsidered.

One of the best individual runs is Wayne Gretzky's tear of 51 straight games with at least one point, done from October of 1983 until January of 1984 -- during which he racked up a mind-boggling 153 points. In fact, Gretzky ended his 1982-83 season with a point in the Oilers' last nine games (if his own recollection is correct), so the record would have to be amended to 60 if we're to believe what TV told us about Chicago -- but it isn't, so the point???s moot.

The same rules apply in Major League Baseball about hitting streaks which end officially one season and begin the next. There wasn't as big a campaign of misinformation from MLB sources when Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit safely in 38 straight between the end of the 2005 and start of the 2006 season in pursuit of Joe DiMaggio's immortal streak of 56 -- only a debate over whether it should count in full.

Clouding the issue further was Flyers GM Paul Holmgren's assertion late last week to NHL.com that the Blackhawks' run to glory was tougher to accomplish than the Flyers all-time North American professional record for games without a loss.

As a member of that 1980 Patrick Division champion and Stanley Cup finalist, Holmgren certainly should be heard on the subject, but by no means is his opinion to be taken as validation.

In fact, anyone who believes that the Blackhawks or Ducks came anywhere close to the Flyers and Oilers magnificence does an injustice to what the latter teams had to experience.

Those who may argue that the Oilers' record came with a crutch because, unlike the Flyers, they had the benefit of winning in a five-minute overtime misses the point; the extension of the game for another five minutes in 1983 did not fundamentally change the structure of how points were awarded like the addition of the overtime loss point did in 1999 and the addition of the shootout loss point did in 2005.

Until the end of the 1998-99 season, only three choices confronted teams: two points for a win, one for a tie and zero for a loss. That was the case in 1979-80 for Philadelphia and in 1984 for Edmonton, where neither had the benefit of crutch points for losing like Chicago and Anaheim has now.

The Ducks eventually lost in regulation in their 17th contest of 2006, and the Blackhawks in their 25th of 2013 -- but Anaheim was defeated four times beyond regulation and Chicago three. No matter how points are awarded, losses are losses. Neither the Flyers nor the Oilers suffered a loss of any kind during their respective record-setting performances.

No amount of graphics or studio analysts repeating talking points can reverse those facts, and it doesn't take much investigating to see the truth. Any opinion leader who tries to equivocate is doing a disservice to the teams which weren't rewarded at all with a crooked number in the only loss column that existed.

So, take heed that the Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers respective places in league history are secure. Know that the Chicago Blackhawks' memorable run during this truncated season will find a place in the hearts and minds of those who were lucky enough to witness it.

Just don't call it an NHL record -- and most importantly, don't let anyone else tell you that either.

View the original article here

Technicality keeping traveler's 201-nation trek out of Guinness Book of World Records

Graham Hughes spent the last four years traveling to all 201 countries in the world without flying, a feat that cost him his girlfriend and his job, landed him in jail twice and prevented him from being at the side of his dying sister -- all in order to earn a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

But when the 33-year-old resident of Liverpool, England, wrapped up his record-breaking voyage in January, he learned that a technicality could cost him place in the record books. He entered one of the countries -- Russia -- illegally, and since the keepers of the record book can't be seen as encouraging any law breaking, Hughes' feat doesn't count in their eyes.

Hughes freely acknowledges that he waded across a river to enter Russia, knowing it was "a bit dodgy." But he has gone back to retrace his steps and is hoping the Guinness folks will allow it to count.

"What really caused problems were the governments. The people were all great.”

- Graham Hughes, world traveler

“I was a little annoyed that it happened to be Russia, which is so easy and not a big deal to get into, compared to the island nations,” Hughes told FoxNews.com.

Rules are rules, according to Jamie Panas, spokesman for Guinness World Records, which published its first record book in 1955.

“Guinness World Records does not encourage anyone to engage in illegal activity in order to achieve a record,” Panas told Foxnews.com. “Regardless of the illegal activity involved, we do not currently even have a record designation for the record in question.”

Documenting his travels was a painstaking endeavor, even without the screwup at the Russian border. Proving he was in a certain place at a particular time requires GPS coordinates, visas, a copy of his passport showing customs stamps, photos and videos. Hughes had one advantage, though. He completed much of his adventure on a NatGeo program called “Graham’s World,” and many pictures of his travels can be found on his website.

Hughes is dutifully working to resubmit his record bid and said Guinness has kept in touch with him.

“It’s honestly a pain, but it’s understandable,” Hughes said. “I do think it is fair. You don’t want to encourage putting people in danger [with illegal activity].”

Along the way, Hughes collected enough stories for a book of his own. His first scrapes with the law came in Africa, where he said police in several West African nations would pull him over and subtly demand a bribe. Not paying the bribe would mean jail time, and the amount being sought “really depended on their mood,” he said.

When he tried to enter Cape Verde, the tiny island nation off the coast of West Africa, he was arrested, had his phone confiscated and was brought to a police station. Unable to contact anyone, Hughes was held for two days before a police officer loaned him his cellphone. Hughes text-messaged the British Embassy and, two days later, was free and back on his mission. A generous sailor gave him a ride to the mainland, he said.

A more harrowing situation occurred in the Republic of Congo. During a diesel-choked, three-hour ride to the border in the back of a cramped truck, Hughes and his fellow passengers passed through several military checkpoints. Only later would Hughes realize that he got through the checkpoints on the word of a Congolese soldier who followed the truck and repeatedly vouched for him. When the soldier disappeared, problems began.

“The police at this place were very obviously drunk,” Hughes said.

They began asking to check his bag, and asked why he had so many videotapes. After viewing the tapes, the police suspected Hughes was a journalist and that he had been lying to them about being a traveler. As the tension mounted, his captors commandeered the car of a passerby and drove him to a police station, where he was kept overnight, he recalled. The next day, Hughes said, he was taken to a run-down concrete building in an isolated area where he was permitted to go online on a laptop and tell friends and family what was happening.

Later that evening, while chatting with his girlfriend on Skype, 10 police officers barged in, forced him to strip him down to just his jeans and locked him in a small cell with a hole in the ground for a toilet.

“I had absolutely no intention of using that squat toilet, so I stopped eating.” Hughes told Foxnews.com.

Once they were convinced of his intentions, police seemed mostly concerned with what he would tell the world about the Republic of Congo, Hughes said. Still, he remained in the tiny cell, yelling out in frustration from the window. Eventually, with the help of a British consul, he won his freedom.

“It was such a relief. I remember walking out of the station, putting on my hat, taking a deep breath, and away I was on my journey again!”

Back home, the Congo incident made news and Hughes was proud to learn that his father told a local reporter that the ordeal would not end his quest, saying, “My son’s no quitter!” But another news dispatch from home brought sadness. Hughes’ sister died of cancer in 2011, and had a dying wish for her brother: “Don’t give up because of me,” she said.

Hughes said the adventure brought him a lifetime's worth of memories and friends.

“I did many great things that are unforgettable, but it was even better to just meet all of these people, and now I have friends around the world,” Hughes said. “I’ve found that the world really is not this big scary place. Not once for this entire trip was I robbed, beaten or anything. What really caused problems were the governments. The people were all great.”

Hughes is hoping to hear soon from Guinness about whether his global trek makes the record book.

View the original article here

Records: Neb. dad kept alive by young son has died

LINCOLN, Neb. –  Court records show the father of a 10-year-old Nebraska boy has died, days after he fell in their home and was found being cared for by his son.

An amended petition filed in court Monday says 45-year-old Bienvenu Asumani died Sunday. Additional information about his death wasn't available.

Lincoln police say an investigator went to the home Friday after a principal reported the boy had missed four days of school. An affidavit says the boy told police his father fell on a wet floor more than a week before, striking his head. The boy says he gave his father fluids and food.

Asumani was taken to a hospital, while his son was put in state custody.

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Dan Zieg, who filed the petition, couldn't immediately be reached.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

A 10-year-old Nebraska boy cared for and kept his father alive for more than a week after the man slipped on a wet floor in their Lincoln home, struck his head and became unresponsive.

Peter Asumani told a police investigator that he fed his father, 45-year-old Bienvenu Asumani, and gave him liquids, investigator Cynthia Koenig-Warnke said in affidavit filed in Lancaster County Juvenile Court. The investigator went to the family's home Friday after the boy's principal called police to report that he hadn't been in school for four days, Lincoln police spokeswoman Katie Flood said.

Asumani was breathing and his eyes were open, but he didn't respond to any questions, Koenig-Warnke said in the affidavit.

He was taken to Bryan Medical Center West hospital, while his son was placed in state custody. Hospital spokeswoman Lori Lee said Monday that she had no information on Asumani.

Peter said he couldn't communicate with his father during the ordeal. The two lived alone in the house. Flood said it wasn't clear whether the boy knew about the 911 phone system that he could have used to summon help or whether he tried to contact a neighbor or anyone else for help.

Russ Reno, a spokesman, for the Nebraska Health and Human Services Department would confirm only that the boy was in foster care on Monday. Reno wouldn't comment directly on the case but said it was routine in such cases for the department to immediately begin searching for a child's relatives.

The boy told Koenig-Warnke he had relatives in Arizona and his mother was in Africa, according to the affidavit.

View the original article here