Robbie and Allisa Parker took the mound for the ceremonial first pitch.
A 12-year-old girl says she bit a man who tried to abduct her outside her...
Two Terrell men accused of threatening county officials in unrelated cases both...
Grand Prairie police are searching for a bank robber who targeted the Grand...
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Longtime Texas Rangers fan Robbie Parker, who lost his daughter Emilie in the the mass school shooting in Newtown, Conn. threw out the first pitch at the Texas Rangers home opener at the Ballpark in Arlington. (Video courtesy MLB and Texas Rangers)
The parents of a 6-year-old Texas Rangers fan who was killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shooting threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day.
The Rangers lost one of their biggest fans in the shooting, when 26 children and adults were killed on Dec. 15. Emilie Parker was only 6, but she watched the Rangers with her father and even got to see them play in person at Fenway Park.
During batting practice at that game, Emilie caught a home run ball from David Murphy, who immediately became her favorite player.
On Friday, Murphy accompanied Emilie's parents and sister to the mound for the ceremonial first pitch.
As Robbie and Allisa Parker headed to the pitcher's mound, there were plenty of cheers, but those cheers quickly turned to tears in one of the more emotional moments in the history of Rangers Ballpark at Arlington.
"It was really tough to keep my emotions under control out there," Robbie Parker said. "It was pretty amazing."
Parker and his family have not accepted appearance requests since the shooting. They said they didn't think it was appropriate, but said Friday was different because of all the support they've gotten from Texans and Rangers fans.
"We just really thought that this would be a really neat way to express our gratitude and sincere appreciation for everyone who has supported us and with everything you've done with prayers and cards and kind words and gestures," he said.
Twice on the mound, there were moments where even the stadium itself seemed to shed a tear -- first when there Allisa Parker received a hug from her daughter's favorite player and then during the hug between Robbie Parker and Rangers legend Pudge Rodriguez.
Parker said he told him, "'I just want you to know how much I love you and your daughter. She is a great example to so many people.'"
"And he pointed to the crowd and said, 'all these people are here for you and here because of her,'" he said.
Parker said he hopes that kind of moment -- the hope people feel at the start of a season and the love they share with his hurting family -- can keep his daughter's legacy alive.
"My daughter is an amazing person and what she was able to do in my life and change the way I look at the world and the way my wife and I look at the world and treat each other -- I just want to make sure she continues to inspire other people to do that," he said. "She's an amazing person, and she's going to continue to do great things."
The Parkers have started a charity, the Emilie Parker Art Connection. Art was a way that Emilie expressed herself they decided to give back to local and school art programs.
Two Terrell men accused of threatening county officials in unrelated cases both say they are upstanding citizens who would never hurt anyone.
Investigators say Nick Morale, 56, phoned in a threat to a tip line established for the investigation into the deaths of the Kaufman County district attorney and his wife.
Morale told NBC 5 that he called the Crime Stoppers tip line with a warning, not a threat. He said he wanted to report a conversation he had with a member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Paris, Texas, but ended up leaving a partial message because his dog knocked his phone from his hand.
He said the gang member told him that a judge and Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland were the targets of the Jan. 31 shooting that killed Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse. Morale said he chalked up the conversation to boastful ranting until McLelland and his wife were found shot to death in their home.
Morale said he then decided to call Crime Stoppers to tell someone what he had heard. He said he called the tip line and said, "The next victim is judge" before his dog knocked the phone out of his hand. The phone fell two stories and broke, he said.
Robert Miller, 52, was arrested Thursday on a charge of a terroristic threat in connection with a Facebook posting and an email. Investigators said the posting made a threat to the safety of an assistant district attorney.
Miller said he sent what he called an op-ed of the Kaufman County courthouse and members of the district attorney's office to news media, including NBC 5. In an interview, he denied that the post was a threat of any kind.
The Facebook post contains harsh words for courthouse employees and warns that a specific assistant district attorney could be the next prosecutor targeted.
Miller said he only referred to the prosecutor by name because the person was listed third on the Kaufman County District Attorney's Office's website, beneath the names of McLelland and Hasse.
In the post, Miller suggested that the assistant district attorney seek other employment, perhaps in another state.
He said the post was his opinion and that interactions at the courthouse prompted him to write the post. It was only intended to be an expression of his First Amendment rights, he said.
Neither Miller nor Morale are suspects in the McLellands' deaths or are connected to them in any way, say authorities investigating the case.
Both say that the current climate of fear and a zero-tolerance stance for anything that can be construed as a threat against the courthouse is what landed them behind bars.
Miller and Morale are each being held on a single count of making a terroristic threat, which can carry state and federal penalties. Bond for each was set at $1 million.
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La Salle University in Philadelphia has offered counseling services to a student who reported being abducted and raped on Easter Sunday.
The school is also defending its decision not to notify students of the off-campus assault when it happened, saying administrators did not view it as an ongoing threat to their campus community.
"This case is still very active," said Captain John Darby, who heads up the Special Victims Unit (SVU) of the Philadelphia police department.
The attack happened about a mile away from the school. The 20-year-old woman told police she was walking on the 4800 block of 10th Street around 10 p.m. She said a black van pulled up beside her and four men jumped out, grabbed her and forced her inside. Police are not revealing where the men took her, but the woman told detectives she was sexually assaulted several times before the attackers dropped her off in an unknown location and fled.
Police say the men are between the ages of 20 and 25. One had "MM" tattooed on his face.
"We here at SVU take these reports very seriously. We have a very good working relationship with the University and we're in constant communication with them," Darby said.
As news of the incident spread around campus, students like sophomore Karla Fernandez were concerned. "It couldv'e been anyone," she said.
Some students complained that the school didn't notify them about the attack. Federal law requires universities to issue safety alerts and advisories when there are serious or ongoing threats to the student or staff. This specific case, did not fit those guidelines, according to the school.
"Based on what we know, (which we cannot detail) it was decided a safety alert/advisory was not required, as we believed there was no serious or ongoing threat to our students or employees as a result of the reported incident," said Jon Caroulis, La Salle's Director of Media Relations.
Four days later, the school sent out a Safety Reminder to students, notifying them of the attack and offering the following tips:
"This is a very pro-active approach," said Capt. Darby. "They took this opportunity to remind folks of the steps that could be taken to minimize risk."
The latest crime statistics from La Salle are complete through the year 2011.
They show that on the main campus, a total of 4 on-campus sex assaults were reported in 2011, none in 2010 and two in 2009.
The bulk of student offenses are drinking and drug-related and most of that behavior goes on in the school's residence halls, according to the statistics.
The 10-year trend is down for drinking, and up for drug-related cases where students were disciplined:
La Salle University is located in the northwestern section of Philadelphia, on the edge of Germantown. According to the school website, the total student body is made up of over 7,300 students.
Two men in Terrell, Texas accused of threatening county officials in unrelated cases both say they are upstanding citizens who would never hurt anyone.
Investigators say Nick Morale, 56, phoned in a threat to a tip line established for the investigation into the deaths of the Kaufman County district attorney and his wife.
Morale told NBC 5 that he called the Crime Stoppers tip line with a warning, not a threat. He said he wanted to report a conversation he had with a member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Paris, Texas, but ended up leaving a partial message because his dog knocked his phone from his hand.
He said the gang member told him that a judge and Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland were the targets of the Jan. 31 shooting that killed Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse. Morale said he chalked up the conversation to boastful ranting until McLelland and his wife were found shot to death in their home.
Morale said he then decided to call Crime Stoppers to tell someone what he had heard. He said he called the tip line and said, "The next victim is judge" before his dog knocked the phone out of his hand. The phone fell two stories and broke, he said.
Robert Miller, 52, was arrested Thursday on a charge of a terroristic threat in connection with a Facebook posting and an email. Investigators said the posting made a threat to the safety of an assistant district attorney.
Miller said he sent what he called an op-ed of the Kaufman County courthouse and members of the district attorney's office to news media, including NBC 5. In an interview, he denied that the post was a threat of any kind.
The Facebook post contains harsh words for courthouse employees and warns that a specific assistant district attorney could be the next prosecutor targeted.
Miller said he only referred to the prosecutor by name because the person was listed third on the Kaufman County District Attorney's Office's website, beneath the names of McLelland and Hasse.
In the post, Miller suggested that the assistant district attorney seek other employment, perhaps in another state.
He said the post was his opinion and that interactions at the courthouse prompted him to write the post. It was only intended to be an expression of his First Amendment rights, he said.
Neither Miller nor Morale are suspects in the McLellands' deaths or are connected to them in any way, say authorities investigating the case.
Both say that the current climate of fear and a zero-tolerance stance for anything that can be construed as a threat against the courthouse is what landed them behind bars.
Miller and Morale are each being held on a single count of making a terroristic threat, which can carry state and federal penalties. Bond for each was set at $1 million.
Two boys missing from Tampa and the people they re believed to be with may be heading to or already in South Florida, the FBI said Friday.
Boys Missing From Tampa May Be Heading to O...
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Reactions Mixed to New Amber Alert Alarm Phone Message
The state Department of Law Enforcement sent out wireless alerts at about 1:45 a.m. Monday to thousands of Floridians about a missing 2-year-old in Collier County. The little girl was found safe Monday morning, but plenty of people were left wondering how their phones got the message in the first place. Christian Tavares, Chauntel James, Nicholas Perez and Michael Bernardoni spoke about the blaring alarm in Broward County.
Amber Alert Canceled After Margate Girl Found
Megan Williams, 12 was found safe in a car with 31-year-old Dana Broberg. Her mother, Melissa Ford, says the pre-teen met the Texas man online.
Two boys missing from Tampa, Fla. and the people they're believed to be with may be heading to or already in South Florida, the FBI said Friday.
An Amber Alert was re-issued for Cole Hakken, 4, and Chase Hakken, 2, who were last seen in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.
They may be with their father Joshua Hakken, 35, and his wife Sharyn Hakken, 34, and they may be traveling in a 25-foot, 1972 Morgan sailboat, according to the FDLE. The vessel has a registration number of FL3717BK.
The boat has a blue hull, the name "Salty" with a picture of a paw near the back of the hull on each side, a blue Bimini top and a white sail with blue trim, the FDLE said.
Authorities urge anyone with information on the location of the children to call the FBI's Miami office at 305-944-9101, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department at 813-247-8200, or 911.
Stay with NBC6.com and NBC 6 South Florida for updates.
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Roger Ebert, the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic and television personality who invented the thumbs-up, thumbs-down reviewing style, died Thursday after a years-long battle with cancer. He was 70.
Ebert's death, first reported by the Sun-Times, came two days after he marked his 46th anniversary of becoming the newspaper's movie reviewer with a note on his website in which he vowed to keep working through a recurrence of cancer.
Producer Recalls Pairing Siskel & Ebert
Thea Flaum was the original producer and creator of what would become, according to Television Week, "the highest-rated entertainment show in the history of public broadcasting."
Roeper on Ebert, His Legacy
Richard Roeper joined Roger Ebert on the popular film review show in 2000.
He leaves behind a wife, Chaz Hammelsmith, along with millions of fans who devoured his newspaper reviews, watched his groundbreaking television show and followed his blog.
To many of those fans, he'll be the guy who shared their love of movies, and helped them understand how they could enrich their lives.
"If it's a great movie, it lets you understand a little bit more what it's like to be a different gender, a different race, a different age, a different economic class," Ebert once told an audience in 2005, according to NPR. "It helps us to identify with the people who are sharing this journey with us. And that to me is the most noble thing that good movies can do—and it's a reason to encourage them and to support them and to go to them."
An indefatigable worker and unabashed fan of the movie business, Ebert lost part of his jaw to cancer in 2006. The surgery left him unable to speak or eat, but he never stopped writing. His 2011 autobiography, "Life Itself," one of 17 books he wrote, earned widespread praise, and is now being made into a documentary by his friend Martin Scorcese.
Ebert was hospitalized last fall with a broken hip, which his wife tweeted was caused by "tricky disco dance moves." Last May, he unveiled plans to reinvent "Roger Ebert Presents at the Movies" on PBS, and Tuesday he said he planned to launch a fund-raising campaign via Kickstarter.
Roger Ebert was born on June 18, 1942 in Urbana, Ill., where he also saw his first movie, the Marx Brothers' "A Day at the Races." As a child, he wrote and published the Washington Street News, which he delivered to his neighbors. He continued his journalism pursuits in high school and at the University of Illinois, where he edited the student newspaper.
Ebert joined the Chicago Sun-Times in 1966. After six months as a part-timer, the paper's film critic retired, and an editor told him the job was his.
"I didn't know the job was open until the day I was given it," Mr. Ebert recalled later, according to the Sun-Times. "I had no idea. Bob Zonka, the features editor, called me into the conference room and said, 'We're gonna make you the movie critic.' It fell out of the sky."
Reviewing movies back then was not considered serious journalism. But Ebert's career coincided with a dynamic era in American film-making, as old Hollywood conventions fell away and edgy, creative narratives burst forth. Ebert chronicled the evolution. He also wrote two screenplays for B-movie "sexploitation" director Russ Meyer.
He worked on other scripts until his editor demanded he choose between screenwriting and newspaper writing, according to the Sun-Times.
He chose the latter.
"My newspaper job is my identity," he later said, according to the Sun-Times.
In some years he wrote nearly 300 reviews.
In 1975, Ebert won the Pulitzer Prize, making him the first film critic to win journalism's most coveted award.
Soon afterward, Ebert joined his rival at the Chicago Tribune, Gene Siskel, on a public television criticism program called "Opening Soon at a Theater Near You." The name was changed to "Sneak Previews" in 1978, and it reached national syndication. At the program's height, it was seen in 180 public television markets and was, according to Television Week, "the highest-rated entertainment show in the history of public broadcasting." The show coined the terms "thumbs up" and "thumbs down," to sum up the reviews.
Siskel and Ebert fought and argued like brothers. It was part of their charm, and got them parodied on "Saturday Night Live." But when Siskel died of cancer in 1999, Ebert wept. "I miss him all the time," he said.
The program continued with Richard Roeper, but like any good film, an unexpected twist was about to occur: Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid and salivary gland cancer.
A 2006 operation left him speechless, and a portion of his chin was removed.
Undaunted, Ebert never shrank from public view, often accompanied by his wife, Chaz. He continued to act as a champion of good movies, and an enemy of bad ones. He also devoted a film festival to movies he thought were under-appreciated classics.
He continued to write. He embraced the Internet, starting a blog, and gathering more than 800,000 followers on Twitter.
For more than five decades, Ebert's reviews were weekly reading in as many as 250 papers across the country.
He earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, ensuring his memory among the legends he wrote about.
Now, as Roger Ebert might say, the script is complete.
In addition to his wife, Ebert is survived by a step-daughter and two step-grandchildren, the Sun-Times reported.
NBC 5
Bacon Cotton Candy? Jackalope Sausage? Or how about a "Kid's Favorite" hot dog topped with mac and cheese and Fritos? Texas Motor Speedway's new menu items are just as decadent as they sound.
Texas Motor Speedway Unveils New Menu...
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Texas Motor Speedway will have several new menu options available for NASCAR fans at the upcoming NRA 500 race in Fort Worth and the dishes are just as decadent as they sound.
The new items include glazed donuts and a brisket combination dubbed the "Smokin' Hubcaps," a "Jackalope Sausage" featuring a blend of pork, rabbit and antelope.
Young race fans can also get their fill with the "Kid's Favorite" hot dog - an all beef hot dog topped with creamy mac and cheese and a crunchy layer of Frito topping.
And if that's not enough, adults can wash it all down with a specially concocted "Bacon Cotton Candy Martini," a spin off of the "Hawg Heaven Bacon Cotton Candy" debuted during the offseason. The bacon-topped cocktail features citrus vodka infused with bacon flavored cotton candy that gives it a bright pink color. The glass is also topped with two strips of candied bacon and will be available for just $12 in The Speedway Club.
Race weekend starts Friday, April 12, with the O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 followed by the NRA 500 Saturday night.
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Ben Russell, NBC 5 News
DNA evidence links the suspect Dallas police have in custody to three attacks on women in the Lake Highlands area, according to investigators.
DNA Match Links Benitez to Lake...
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DNA evidence links a man Dallas police have in custody to three attacks on women in the Lake Highlands area, investigators say.
Officers arrested Cesar Benitez Tuesday, charging him with aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault in the first two incidents.
Charges are still pending in the third attack, police said.
Upon his arrest, Benitez admitted to all three incidents, police said, and his palm print had been found at one of the scenes.
On Thursday, police confirmed that a DNA sample provided by Benitez matches with DNA evidence collected from each of the three victims.
"I'm so relieved. My shoulders have dropped. I'm not crying at night. I'm just so happy that he's been found," said Lea Papanicolu, who told NBC 5 she lives five houses down from where one of the attacks happened.
Papanicolu was out celebrating her birthday Thursday night at a restaurant with her family when she spoke with NBC 5. Seated two tables away, Noel Walling said she and her family were breathing a sigh of relief since the arrest. Walling said the DNA match confirms that feeling even more.
"Everyone's feeling a little bit of relief," Walling said. "And [we're] obviously just so happy that the police acted so quickly."
Benitez is being held on $4.5 million bond.
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AP
Target spokesperson Joshua Thomas, pointed out that many of Target's products across a range of categories, are labeled "manatee gray," including towels, rain boots and T-shirts.
Target has apologized for unintentionally comparing its plus-sized customers to a super-sized mammal.
A shopper browsing Target's online store Wednesday spotted a label on a plus-size maxi dress that described its grey hue as "manatee gray." Manatees are large, gray marine mammals.
The same kind of dress available in a standard size was labeled "dark heather gray."
Susan Clemens, a self described "Digital Maven," tweeted the discrepancy to Target, and fast received tons of retweets.
On Thursday, Target spokeswoman Jessica Deede called the incident an "unintended oversight."
"We never want to offend any of our guests. We apologize for any discomfort that we may have caused," she told NBC's TODAY.com.
Another Target spokesperson Joshua Thomas, pointed out that many of Target's products across a range of categories, are labeled "manatee gray," including towels, rain boots and T-shirts, some of them in women's regular and even petite sizes, according to Forbes magazine.
In the case of the dress, Thomas told Forbes there were two different teams of buyers responsible for the regular and plus-size product lines, and the teams didn't coordinate when they entered the product description for the site. One team, he said appeared to used the color's official name, and the other chose to use a different one.
Still shoppers found the dresses' labeling offensive. "It is insulting — they should have known better," Claudia Belisle, who was at the Atlantic Terminal Mall Target in Brooklyn, told The New York Post.
The "manatee gray" Mossimo Women's Plus-Size Kimono Maxi Dress is no longer available on Target's website.
Deede told Today.com Target was "in the process of fixing the discrepancy and updating Target.com so the gray dress will be available in all styles. We're working on updating our systems right now."
"We'll use this instance as a learning experience so we can do better moving forward," Deede added.
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Wendy and Randall Casey don't talk much over breakfast these days. Or lunch. Or even dinner.
Truth be known, even though the mother and son share a home in Dixmoor, a village south of Chicago, they usually just pass each other in the night. After all, one doesn't want to reveal too much campaign strategy to your opponent.
The two Caseys are running against each other for Village President in Dixmoor. Although Randall said he prefers to put it this way: "I'm not running against my mom. I'm running for the people of Dixmoor."
"Our relationship hasn't been as strong as it normally was," Wendy Casey conceded, in a room festooned with family photos of Randall at a much younger age. "We just interact, saying, 'Good morning,' and 'Good evening' when he comes in from work."
By all counts, the very poor south suburban community could use some help. Abandoned buildings stand like rotting trees citywide. The elder Casey says a fire engine was recently repossessed. The community famously missed payroll for city employees not once, but twice.
Against that backdrop, mother and son say they both want the job. And they both want to win.
"I feel, in my honest opinion, that he is not mature mentally to take on the responsibility of running a community," she says. "If I win, I think he will be very supportive."
Randall prefers not to talk about the contest against his mother, saying he doesn't want what some might perceive as a humorous sideshow to detract from the genuine problems Dixmoor faces.
"I don't want to embarrass the people of Dixmoor," he said. "The people of Dixmoor have had enough embarrassment."
Indeed, Dixmoor seems almost comically at odds with itself. Incumbent mayor Keevan Grimmett was thrown off the ballot earlier this year after he was accused of being effectively homeless and living in his city hall office.
"He has no gas, no electricity, and no running water," the elder Casey said.
Grimmett denies that, and after an appeal managed to get reinstated to the ballot.
"I have all the amenities that anyone would have," he said. "And I guess the biggest thing I have is a lot of electricity for the Village of Dixmoor."
The town could use more than electricity. Stories of unpaid bills are legendary. A would-be community center, started with a federal grant, sits half finished and open to the elements, seemingly abandoned. Per capita income for the town's 3,500 residents is just under $13,000. Warring factions have led to walkouts by trustees during village board meetings.
"The town is split," agrees write-in candidate David McWilliams, a local merchant. "I'm here to pull both sides together."
At times, it's difficult to tell the players without a scorecard. Trustee Dorothy Armstrong is also seeking the post. Michael Smith, a former trustee, is running for his old job on the village council. He lost it after he was accused of stealing gasoline, and it was Smith who initiated the investigation of the mayor's residency.
Even Randall Casey brings a complicated linage. His father, Donald Luster, is a former mayor who was forced to step down after he was convicted of fraud. Luster has endorsed his son.
Wendy Casey says if her son wins, she will be respectful.
"I will hold him accountable," she says.
For now, that accountability includes collecting rent from her son, once a month.
"Of course," she says. "I can't let him live here rent free. I wouldn't be a good mother if I did that."
Randy McIlwain, NBC 5 News
The Kaufman County Sheriff's Department has arrested 56-year-old Nick Morale of Terrell, they say left a threatening message on a tipline.
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The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office has arrested a man they say left a threatening message on a tipline.
Lt. Justin Lewis said Nick Morale, 56, of Terrell, was taken into custody Tuesday by Texas Rangers on a charge of terroristic threat. He was arraigned Wednesday morning and is being held in the Kaufman County Jail on a $1 million bond.
"During the course of the investigation into the murders of Mike and Cynthia McLelland, a threat against the safety of a county official was received," Lewis said. "The threat was then investigated, leading to the arrest of Mr. Morale at a location in Kaufman County."
Lewis said the threat was phoned in to the tipline established for the case.
Specific details of the threat were not revealed, but a complaint affidavit released to the media said "the caller stated [name redacted] would be the next victim."
Investigators tracked the number to Morale and said he had attempted to block his number when calling the tipline in an effort to conceal his identity.
Police said threats against officials come with state and federal criminal penalties and that all threats would be taken seriously, investigated and prosecuted to ensure the safety of citizens and public officials.
Investigators have not found any evidence that suggests Morale had anything to do with the McLelland or Hasse murders.
Officials have revealed no persons of interest or suspects in connection with the killings of the McLellands or Hasse. They also have not said if the slayings, which came nearly two months apart, are connected.
The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Rangers and the FBI are jointly investigating both cases.
Anyone with information on the cases is asked to call 877-847-7522. Tips can also be left online at KaufmanCountyCrimeStoppers.org.
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The brother of a Terrell man accused of threatening a Kaufman County official says he is embarrassed by his brother's arrest but does not think he would harm anyone.
Nick Morale, 56, was arrested Tuesday on a terroristic threat charge. Kaufman County sheriff's deputies say Morale called in a threat to a tip line established for the investigation into the deaths of the district attorney and his wife.
Morale is not suspected in the deaths.
His brother, David Morale, said he is disappointed by his older brother's arrest.
"It's a big embarrassment," he said. "The family has no ill will towards anyone, anything. I feel bad for the people."
Specific details of the threat were not revealed, but a complaint affidavit released to the media said "the caller stated [name redacted] would be the next victim."
When asked if thought his brother was capable of carrying out such a threat, David Morale said, "No, no. I certainly hope not."
When asked why his brother might make such a threat, David Morale said, "To feel important? I don't know."
David Morale said he and his brother have not spoken in years.
"I haven't seen him in five years," he said. "I don't know his mental state is. I don't know if he's got worse."
But he said his brother was always known to tell lies.
"His lies have gotten him in trouble before -- not in this kind of trouble, but he's lost jobs over it," he said.
David Morale said his brother, who ran for Kaufman County commissioner several years ago, always liked attention. He said he believes his brother's call to the tip line was less of a threat and more of a call for help.
"It's a call for help," he said. "He needed help 30 years ago."
Nick Morale is being held in the Kaufman County Jail on a $1 million bond.
David Morale said he did not think he would visit his brother in jail.
NBC 5's Frank Heinz contributed to this report.
Reilly Explains Police Protection Proposal
With the city budget stretched, Ald. Brendan Reilly wants to make it possible for philanthropists and businesses to sponsor beats and put off-duty cops on the streets.
Emanuel, McCarthy Respond To Weekend Mob Violence
It was a good news-bad news day for City Hall as Chicago announced improved homicide numbers but saw them overshadowed by the weekend melee on Michigan Avenue over the weekend. Phil Rogers reports.
A philanthropist or business could sponsor a police beat and put more off-duty cops on the streets under a plan being put forth by a downtown Chicago lawmaker on the City Council.
Alderman Brendan Reilly originally pitched the idea last October but is pushing it again following weekend incidents of teen mob activity on the Magnificent Mile, an upscale area of the city.
Under his plan, off-duty officers would work minimum six-hour shifts and make $30 an hour. The money would be paid by businesses, civic groups and churches at a time when city finances are stretched thin. The officers would be in full uniform and under the command of police supervisors.
"This is a way to make use of well-trained police officers who are moonlighting doing other things, bringing them back on the street to do what they do best, which is great police work," Reilly said.
And he said his plan wouldn't just apply to the city's more affluent neighborhoods. There would be nothing in his proposal preventing an organization from sponsoring police protection anywhere in the city.
"You don't need to live in the ZIP code where you want to provide some additional stability and public safety," he said.
Still, he pressed that his plan is little more than a "creative tool" and isn't a long-term solution to the department's and the city's woes.
"This is a stop-gap measure," he said."A long-term solution is we need to add more on-duty cops to the police department."
More than two dozen teens were arrested Saturday night after dozens of mob groups began attacking pedestrians.
One community activist told NBC Chicago 300 to 400 teens were involved, with some of them "jumping" on people.
Supt. Garry McCarthy said incidents of mob activity like the ones that happened over the weekend occur every year as the weather gets warmer. But Reilly says police presence makes a difference.
"This is something that, unfortunately, the city's had to struggle with on a seasonal basis for the last several years. But you'll notice that those headlines went away just like that as soon as we saw a surge in police visibility," Reilly said.
He said he hopes the budget committee will pass his bill and put it before the full Chicago City Council in an upcoming meeting.
Keaton Fox, NBC 5
The search for two escapees from the Hopkins County Jail enters its third day Thursday morning with no new sightings.
Hopkins Escapee Search Enters Third Day
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The search for two escapees from the Hopkins County Jail enters its third day Thursday morning with no new sightings.
Brian Allen Tucker and John Marlin King escaped from the jail Tuesday morning by slipping through a hole in a fence. They were only in a t-shirt and boxers after leaving their jail clothes near railroad tracks close to the jail.
Overnight, police continued to look for a 2010 Saturn VUE that was stolen Wednesday from a home about two miles from the jail. Inside the SUV was a .22 caliber handgun.
There's no direct evidence that the two escapees are responsible for the theft, but the department is very interested in finding that car, said Hopkins County Sheriff's Deputy Sergeant Brad Cummings.
The SUV has Texas license plates CR6-D425.
Manhunt Continues for Two Escapees
The hunt continues for Brian Allen Tucker and John Marlin King, the men escaped from the Hopkins County jail Tuesday morning.
Escapee Search Focuses on Stolen SUV
Authorities searching for John King (left) and Brian Tucker (right) and are looking for an SUV with a gun inside that was stolen from a home near the Hopkins County Jail.
Dozens of tips about the stolen car came in overnight, but none have panned out so far, Cummings said.
The department continues to invite and tips from citizens.
Cummings emphasized that if anyone is helping the pair, they face a third degree felony and will go to jail.
The search will resume, despite wet conditions. Several agencies are involved, including the Department of Public Safety and a number of area police departments.
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NBC 5 News
People who knew Mike and Cynthia McLelland say the two were not only great citizens in Kaufman County but strong leaders in their faith.
Texas governor Rick Perry and law enforcement officers from as far away as Britain are expected to attend a public memorial for the Texas prosecutor and his wife gunned down at their home last weekend.
Officials with The Honor Network say an overflow crowd is expected in a suburban Dallas church for the ceremony to honor Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia.
The public memorial will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church of Sunnyvale. The funeral will be 10 a.m. Friday at First Baptist Church in Wortham. Burial will be at Wortham Cemetery.
Wortham, where McLelland grew up, is 75 miles south of Dallas.
Authorities are still forming theories related to the deaths of McLelland and his wife. Both were found shot to death Saturday in their house near Forney, about 20 miles east of Dallas.
Former Judge Says He Was Questioned in DA's Murder
A former Kaufman County judge says he was questioned by agents just hours after the slain district attorney and his wife were found but insists he had nothing to do with it and doesn't even own a gun.
Man Arrested After Threat Left on Murder Tipline
The Kaufman County Sheriff's Department has arrested 56-year-old Nick Morale of Terrell, they say left a threatening message on a tipline.
Authorities do not have a suspect in custody and are not ruling any possibility out. No arrests have been made.
Some investigators that spoke to NBC 5 DFW are downplaying earlier theories of a connection between the killings and the Aryan Brotherhood gang. One theory believes the suspect could be described as a "lone wolf" with a "grudge" against the their victims.
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Escaped Dallas County inmate Donald Greenlee was recaptured on April 4, 2013.
The Dallas County Sheriff's Department says an inmate that escaped from the Lew Sterrit Jail on Wednesday has been caught.
Donald Greenlee, 38, was re-booked into the Dallas County Jail at 1:42 a.m. Thursday morning.
Greenlee jumped over a fence and escaped while taking out trash around 2:40 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The sheriff's office says they plan to release more information on Greenlee's capture later Thursday.
He is being held in jail on a $500,000 bond for the escape and faces charges of burglary of a habitation and burglary of a building, according to jail records.
Greenlee has been previously convicted of burglary, fraud, and evading arrest.
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Rescued Teenage Hiker in Serious Condition After Spending 3 Days in Canyon
Nicholas Cendoya, 19, was found alive in Cleveland National Forest late Wednesday. He was discovered weak, severely dehydrated and slightly confused, according to Orange County Fire Authority s Kris Concepcion. As Cendoya was being treated, crews continued to search his 18-year-old companion Kyndall Jack. Robert Kovacik reports from Mission Viejo for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on April 3, 2013.
Experienced Hikers Join Search for Teens in Trabuco Canyon
Dave Ward prepared to go deep into the brush of Trabuco Canyon in search of the two missing Orange County teens Wednesday. Even for experienced hikers, the trail may be difficult to navigate. Hetty Chang reports from Trabuco Canyon for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on April 3, 2013.
A 19-year-old hiker who along with a friend has been missing in southern California's Cleveland National Forest for three days was found alive late Wednesday, Orange County Sheriff's Lt. Jason Park said.
Rescue crews ratcheted up their search of the rugged terrain about 7:50 p.m. after receiving a tip from a hiker who said he had spotted Nicholas Cendoya. The whereabouts of Cendoya's hiking companion Kyndall Jack, 18, were not immediately known, Park said.
As the search continued for Jack, Cendoya was airlifted from the canyon and taken to a hospital where he was listed in serious condition. Hospital officials told NBCLA Cendoya was "forging for food off the land" to survive.
"He is weak, severely dehydrated and slightly confused," OC Fire Authority's Kris Concepcion said.
Waiting at the Trabuco Canyon Fire Station, a command post during the search, Cendoya's friends and family erupted in cheers when they were told the teen had been found alive.
The young hikers, both from Costa Mesa and pictured below, had called 911 at 8:30 p.m. Easter Sunday to say they were lost, but their cell phone batteries died and authorities could not locate them.
Since Monday, searchers on foot, dogs and helicopters have been combing over a network of trails in the Holy Jim Canyon area, trying to find the two teens.
On Wednesday, dozens of volunteers joined official search crews that began work at 6 a.m. -- so many extra searchers that some were turned away.
A couple of volunteer searchers had gotten lost in afternoon and were in cell phone communication with authorities, who had not been able to track them down as of 6 p.m., according to authorities on scene.
And in a separate incident in a nearby canyon, a hiker unrelated to the search was also being airlifted out -- as shown below at right -- of the area after one had injured his back after slipping and falling near a waterfall.
Russ Jack, Kyndall Jack's father, begged volunteers to stay away from the search area unless they're experience hikers. He called the scene a "modern-day circus," but assured volunteers he was grateful for their efforts.
"We don't need lookey-loos up here just hanging out and not helping. If you're not an experienced hiker or a mountain biker, then please stay home," Russ Jack said. "There's just too many people and it's hurting the efforts that the authroties have put into this right now."
Dawn Jack, Kyndall's mom, teared up in front of news cameras when the pair spoke.
"We just need our children to come home safely," Dawn Jack said. "We need for everybody else to leave here safe, so please help us out now by not coming up just to hang out … we know you love us and are supporting us."
Officials with the Orange County Sheriff's Department said enough personnel had been scheduled to continue the search through the weekend.
"We're going to increase the number of our ground searches. We're going to commence with air operations in strategic areas with high terrain that's difficult to traverse," said Orange County Fire Authority spokesman Capt. Jon Muir. "It's going to be a combined effort, and we're not going to stop until we have a good resolution."
Authorities have said the fairly mild conditions in the area are survivable, even when temperatures drop overnight. But the terrain off-trail can be difficult, and it's possible one or both of the hikers were injured, search officials said.
Russ Jack, father to 18-year-old Kyndall, had spent two nights near the search area and was clearly emotional Wednesday. He said he thought he had seen sparks of light on the hillside, but the searchers found nothing.
"After three days, you gotta say no water. The kids are dehydrated. Hopefully none of them are hurt," Russ Jack said. "At this point, everybody is still upbeat, optimistic about finding the kids in good shape and alive."
Megan Shounia, a clerk in the Trabuco Canyon general store that on Sunday sold the pair a National Forest Adventure Pass needed for parking at the trailhead, said she warned them about conditions.
"They were excited about going out. I told them to take it slow because the road is a little rocky," Shounia said. "I remember looking at their car -- it was like a green BMW. I told them to take it slow. He said he was worried about scraping up his car a little bit."
She said Cendoya wore tank top and Jack, a V-neck T-shirt.
"From what was on them, they just had the clothes on their back and a small water bottle," Shounia said.
The OC Hiking Club, which has some 2,700 fans on its Facebook page, called for "strong hikers" among its members to join in a noontime search in the Trabuco Canyon area Wednesday.
Updates were being posted Wednesday on another Facebook event page that had organized friends to search for the hikers the previous day.
Overnight Tuesday, Cendoya's car was towed under the family's direction.
A message had been drawn into the dust on the car's rear window, reading "Kyndall – we r looking, won't stop. Love you, mom."
Grief counselors were at Costa Mesa High School -- the pair's alma mater -- for the first time on Wednesday. Cendoya played football, while Jack was known as "the jackhammer" on the volleyball team.
On Tuesday, the Sheriff's Department had cautioned the many volunteers -- family, friends and others who wanted to help -- to be prepared for the search with extra food, water, clothing and navigation tools.
Authorities had said fresh spring growth was making it difficult to search off-trail through dense brush -- and to spot people from helicopters searching overhead.
"If you get off trail, you will quickly be between waist- and head-high brush...It's very difficult travel. It's hard and it's exhausting," sheriff's reserve Lt. Chuck Williams said Tuesday.
NBC4's Vikki Vargas contributed to this report.
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It's like happy hour with added fire power: "Open Carry Wednesday" at the Cajun Experience in Leesburg, Va., means patrons who pack heat get a 10 percent discount on their bills.
Owner Bryan Crosswhite said it's less about the discount and more about the statement.
"It's not about packing heat, he said. "We send a message that this is America and this is our constitutional right."
Crosswhite says patrons came up with the idea for the promotion. He said there have been no incidents in the restaurant since the deal began four weeks ago.
Many diners, including some who visit with their children, appreciate both the deal and the message, Crosswhite said.
"Right now I feel like I'm in safest place in Leesburg, Virginia," said Sterling resident Dana Quirk.
She said she was "absolutely" OK with having her son there.
"Because if someone [threatening] comes through that door, good luck!" she said, laughing.
While it's perfectly legal to openly carry guns in Virignia, some in Leesburg are leery of the dining discount.
"You're not going to hunt for your dinner," said Leesburg resident Anne Meyers. "So I don't know why you'd need a gun in a restaurant."
Lessburg Police Chief Joseph Price agrees, especially since Crosswhite's restaurant serves beer and wine.
"No, sir, I don't plan to go [to the restaurant]," he said, "and having carried a firearm for better part of my adult life, I clearly know alcohol and firearms do not mix."
Not to worry, says Crosswhite. Anyone carrying a weapon and over-imbibing will be cut off.
Dallas County officials confirmed Monday they will add new security precautions after the slaying of the Kaufman County district attorney and his wife.
Mike and Cynthia McLelland were found dead in their Forney home on Saturday.
"I'm dumbfounded," said First Assistant Dallas County District Attorney Heath Harris. "I can't believe that the Kaufman County district attorney and his wife are dead. I can't believe it. I can't believe that someone would have that kind of audacity to commit that type of offense."
The killings come two months after Mark Hasse, a Kaufman County assistant district attorney, was gunned down outside the county courthouse.
"All prosecutors are now going to have to question what we do," Harris said.
Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins, the first black in Texas to be elected to that position, has reported receiving anonymous threats since taking office seven years ago.
He suggested security improvements for himself after Hasse's slaying but Sunday, County Judge Clay Jenkins, Sheriff Lupe Valdez and other county officials began planning immediate improvements.
The Dallas County changes will include better protection for Watkins, safer parking arrangements for all prosecutors and other measures that officials declined to reveal.
Harris said Dallas County prosecutors are already encouraged to become licensed to carry a concealed handgun.
"Nothing that's happened in Kaufman County or anywhere else is going to prevent us from doing our jobs," Harris said.
A.J. Irwin, a security expert with Yarbrough Strategic Advisors and former federal agent who worked on the Oklahoma City bombing case, said prosecutors should also be cautious in their daily routine.
"For instance, don't take the same route to work," he said. "Don't establish a routine where someone who may be watching you or casing you can figure out those patterns and take an opportunity to hurt you."
Irwin said the team of agencies working on the Kaufman County cases would consider insiders who might have better access to the victims, as well as organized criminal groups that might have a motive to kill prosecutors.
"The thing that strikes me is there seems to be a pattern," he said. "Typically, murders are violent, but they're not so brazen."
Oliver "Buck" Revell, former Dallas FBI special agent in charge, said public officials should be concerned about the Kaufman County slayings.
"If law enforcement can't do its job, then the citizens are at further risk," he said.
Revell said he believes the killings are the work of an organized group.
"These occurred within a very short period of time within the same office, a very small office which had been going after the organized criminal element, particularly the meth traffickers, and the DA had been very outspoken," he said.
Revell said investigators would not rest until arrests are made in the killings targeting law enforcement.
"Every available tool will be used," he said. "These guys aren't going to get away with it."
Christine Lee, NBC 5 Irving and Grand Prairie Reporter
Irving School board members are looking over a controversial proposal that would allow teachers and staff to bring guns on campus.
Irving ISD Considers Proposal to Allow Guns...
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The Irving school board unanimously voted to table a proposal to allow teachers and staff members to bring concealed weapons to school but leave them secured in their vehicles during the school day.
School district trustees voted 7-0 to table the measure, saying they felt they needed more information before approving the policy.
No date has been set to consider the proposal again.
Board members discussed the pros and cons of the proposed policy change during a work session Monday.
"I still just have a lot of questions both pros and cons," said Larry Stipes, the board member who suggested the change.
Jerry Christian, chair of the board's policy committee said teachers and staff members would leave their guns stored securely in the vehicle, not allowing it to be seen. He also suggested that they not even talk about the guns being there.
The proposal was not intended to change school security but would give employees the option of having additional safety while commuting to and from work.
"I'm concerned that we don't have a purpose for the safety of the campus," Board President Ronda Huffstetler said. "It's for the safety of someone coming to and from, and that is not my responsibility."
Superintendent Dana Bedden said he also had concerned about the proposal.
"I have grave concerns about keeping a list because of Freedom of Information requests that could come in," he said.
Board member Gwen Craig also expressed wariness, saying teachers' cars can become prime targets.
"Teachers are always concerned about getting things stolen," she said. "They don't bring money to school. Teachers don't bring money, because they don't want it to be stolen."
Christian said discussion would continue Monday night before board members make their decisions.
"I think I can argue it either way," he said. "Unless it is shown that it would really deteriorate security on campus, then I don't see why we shouldn't allow employees to do that," he said.
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The Texas Department of Public Safety has made big changes since last summer's NBC 5 investigation showed customers waiting three hours or more in line; and revealed that the DPS wasn't even counting and reporting the full amount of time people spend waiting.
This winter, DPS opened two new license Mega Centers in the DFW area, one in Garland and another in Fort Worth. During the typically busy spring break week of March 11-15, NBC 5 Investigates visited area offices and found customers pleased with their experiences at the Mega Centers.
"My experience was excellent," said John Jackson, a Dallas attorney who recently got in and out of the Garland Mega Center in 30 minutes.
"I'm still shocked that I just got in and out of there as fast as I did," said Ronald Phillips, who was taken care of in about five minutes.
But on the same day - not far away – NBC 5 Investigates found people still waiting for hours at old license offices.
George Martinez waited two hours at the Dallas Northwest Highway location. And at the office on Red Bird Lane, Marckus Scott said he waited about 1 hour and 25 minutes.
NBC 5 also sent staff members needing to apply for a Texas license, or renew an old one, into both traditional and DPS Mega Center license offices to see firsthand how long the waits were.
At the Fort Worth Mega Center it took one staffer only about 20 minutes.
The DPS said the average wait at the Fort Worth Mega Center from March 11-15 was just 12 minutes and 53 seconds. At the Garland Mega Center the average was 17 minutes and 8 seconds.
Meanwhile, at the old Red Bird Lane office, one of our staffers waited about 30 minutes during the same week.
At the old Garland office off Northwest Highway, NBC 5 investigative reporter Scott Friedman waited a little more than an hour.
The two busiest days at the Mega Centers, since they first opened, were on Dec. 27 and 28, when people flooded license offices after the Christmas holiday.
A DPS database obtained by NBC 5 Investigates shows some of the Mega Centers didn't do as well on those days, with the average wait time being 1 hour and 15 minutes at the four Mega Centers that were open statewide. More than 1,500 people waited an hour or more at the Mega Centers on Dec. 27 and 28. More than 600 people waited for two hours or more at the two Houston-area Mega Centers.
Mega Centers in Fort Worth and Leon Valley didn't open until January.
The long wait times on those days raise questions about what to expect when the summer rush hits this year. In a written statement, DPS spokesman Tom Vinger said, "Given their performance thus far, we believe the Mega Centers will continue to be effective in processing customers during the peak summer months, and the addition of these six new offices position the department to serve customers in those metropolitan areas with substantially more capacity that simply was not available last summer. "
In a January interview, DPS director Steve McCraw recently said the Mega Centers are just one step in fixing the problem.
"We're not declaring victory yet. Keep in mind right, we've got a long ways to go," said McCraw.
It will take more staff, new technology and money to improve the old offices. Right now, funding is up in the air. The Senate appropriations committee has funded a $50 million request to improve license offices, but the House committee has approved only $10 million, one-fifth of what DPS said it needs.
In one budget document NBC 5 Investigates discovered, DPS said that with current baseline funding only 38 percent of customers will be able to renew licenses in 30 minutes or less by 2015.
That means that without additional money more people could be waiting in line instead of celebrating a quick trip to the DPS.
DPS stats obtained show improvement at some of the older offices too, when compared to last year. But, as NBC 5 Investigates reported last summer, those stats are not very reliable because at the old offices the state doesn't count the amount of time people spend waiting in line to get into the building to the check in desk. That time is defined by the DPS as "pre-wait."
State budget documents also show the Texas population is expected to grow by 7 million people over the next 20 years, further adding to the challenge of keeping up with demand at license offices.
There are currently six DPS Mega Centers in Texas, four in the Houston area, two in DFW, one in Austin and one in San Antonio.
AP
In this March 28, 2012 photo provided by Apple, Inc., Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, visits the iPhone production line at the newly-built manufacturing facility Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park, which employs 120,000 people.
Apple's CEO Tim Cook apologized to customers in China on Monday after an investigative report slammed the company for the way it treated its customers.
China's state-run media outlet China Central Television chastised Apple for giving customers a one year warranty on the iPhone when Chinese law requires two years, according to The New York Times. The Communist Party newspaper The People's Daily and other state publications jumped in the fray with a series of articles, including one entitled "Defeat Apple's Incomaprable Arrogance," the Times reported.
The government news broadcasts suggested that Apple does not treat its Chinese customers as equals to, say, iPhone users in Europe or the United States.
Cook apologized for any such cavalier appearances towards China and promised to shore up warranty information and repair policies for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S.
Apple stock has lost nearly 40 percent of its value since September, when the iPhone 5 was released and also when Cook was forced to apologize for replacing iPhones' Google Map with an Apple product deemed "inferior."
Apple stock is down from $705.07 per share at its peak to $435.03 on Monday. Apple saw a 67 percent growth in sales in China in 2012.
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The biker dressed as a giant, white Easter bunny and pulled over this past weekend in southern California has been unmasked.
Ed Bell, was found by an NBC 7 San Diego news crew at a BMW motorcycle shop Monday, hours after photos swept the Internet showing the bunny pulled over on a freeway for not wearing a helmet.
The man behind the mask would only publicly admit that he may have an alter ego that involves that red bike.
"I was kind of taken aback by the huge response it's gotten," he said.
Bell said the bunny was simply on the way to a charity event Saturday to cheer up a sick friend. He attached a bungee cord to the helmet to it could fit on the costume's head.
"If we felt it was an unsafe action, we wouldn't have done it in the first place," he said. "Because the last thing anyone needed was a wounded Easter bunny the day before Easter."
While Bell was riding down a freeway he was stopped by a California Highway Patrol officer. Fortunately for him, the CHP had some holiday spirit and gave him a written warning.
"So, the Easter bunny pulled over, straightened his ears out so he could hear the officer," Bell said. "They were all professional, polite, courteous. They got into the mood real quick. Gave him a stern warning."
Bell said the reason he donned the costume was purely comical.
"There's a lot of bad stuff going on this was something people could point to and get a good laugh," he said.
As for whether this will become a holiday tradition, he says never lose faith in the Easter Bunny.
"Never say never to the Easter Bunny," he said. "If the Easter bunny does come back, they'll probably have a better helmet, or one more recognizable."
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Beaver County Times
Elsie Thompson died just eight days short of her 114th birthday.
The oldest living person in the U.S. has died at the age of 113, just weeks before her 114th birthday.
Elsie Thompson, who was from Beaver Falls, Pa., became the nation's oldest living person in January.
"She was always happy," her longtime caretaker, Susie Harper, told the Beaver County Times. "She always had a very positive attitude."
She died March 21, according to a spokeswoman from her church in Clearwater, Fla.
A memorial service for Thompson was held at Skycrest United Methodist Church on March 26.
Thompson was born on April 5, 1899.
Her husband, Ronald Thompson, was a Republican state senator in Pennsylvania and in 1971, the couple moved to Clearwater, Fla.
Mr. Thompson died in 1986.
Mrs. Thompson is survived by her son, who is in California, and four grandchildren.
She said that the secret to her longevity was the fact that she loved people and greeted each new day with a smile.
"I know everyone that knew her will have her happy spirit in their hearts forever," Harper said.
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Jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday in the trial for a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Michael Jackson's family against the concert promoter behind the pop star's concert tour that claims the company is liable for his June 2009 death.
The civil trial in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom comes more than one year after the King of Pop's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the case's criminal trial. Jackson's death from acute Propofol -- a surgical anesthetic -- intoxication at his rented home in Holmby Hills occurred hours after a rehearsal for the 50-year-old entertainer's 50-show tour called "This Is It."
Katherine Jackson, the singer's 82-year-old mother, filed the lawsuit in September 2010 on behalf of herself and her son's three children. The lawsuit claims AEG Live was responsible for choosing Dr. Murray to be Jackson's personal physician -- a decision that ultimately led to Jackson's death, according to the lawsuit.
"People are going to feel like this is a re-run because we lived through the Conrad Murray trial," said NBC4 legal analyst Royal Oakes. "The question then was, 'Who killed Michael Jackson.' The jury said it was Dr. Murray.
"Now, it's essentially the same question, but the focus since it's a civil case -- not a criminal case -- is on whether AEG was pushing Dr. Murray to make it unsafe for Michael."
Jackson family members are seeking millions of dollars they say the superstar would have earned.
The trial could require several months of testimony, including statements from Jackson's children about their father's final days. Jackson's two oldest children were present when emergency teams responded to 911 calls June 25, 2009 from the Holmby Hills mansion at which prosecutors said Murray delivered the fatal Propofol dose.
Some of the testimony might involve Jackson's prescription drug use and the child molestation case in which he was acquitted as attorneys for AEG Live attempt to show Jackson created the conditions for his own demise. AEG Live attorneys have maintained the company never hired Murray, but that he had been one of several doctors treating the entertainer long before he agreed to the 50-concert tour.
Murray, serving four years in Los Angeles County men's jail for the November 2011 involuntary manslaughter conviction, provided Jackson with the drug Propofol to help him sleep. Katherine Jackson's attorneys allege that the concert promoter should have considered red flags regarding Murray.
Murray did not testify at the criminal trial. It is unlikely he will testify in the civil matter with an appeal pending for the criminal case conviction.
AEG Live is owned by Denver-based billionaire Philip Anschutz. AEG Inc.'s former president and chief executive officer, and that company -- which has a significant Southern California presence -- were dismissed as defendants. AEG, a subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, owns the NHL's LA Kings, Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy and Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.
AEG is behind plans to build an NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles in an effort to attract a professional football franchise.
A prominent Democratic New York state senator and a Republican city councilman were arrested Tuesday in an alleged plot to get the senator onto the New York City mayoral ballot by paying off GOP county chairmen, authorities said.
Democratic State Sen. Malcolm Smith, City Councilman Dan Halloran and four others were arrested by the FBI Tuesday morning.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said Smith "tried to bribe his way to a shot at Gracie Mansion."
Bharara said Smith conceived the plot and Halloran "quarterbacked that drive by finding party chairmen who were wide open to receiving bribes." The charges include conspiracy to bribe, wire fraud and extortion.
NBC 4 New York's calls and emails to offices and attorneys of those arrested were not immediately returned.
The Democratic field in this year's mayoral race is crowded with several candidates, and getting on the GOP ballot would be a way to sidestep that battle in heavily Democratic New York City. Smith has indicated his interest in running in the Republican primary, but because he is a registered Democrat, he would need to be approved by three of the five county chairmen to get on the primary ballot.
Two Republican county chairmen -- Joseph Savino, of the Bronx, and Vincent Tabone, of Queens -- were among those arrested Tuesday.
Court papers say Smith arranged for a wealthy real estate developer, who was actually an undercover FBI agent, to fund the bribes, and Halloran negotiated the payments to be $40,000, plus promises for $40,000 more.
In one discussion, according to court papers, Smith is accused of saying "Look, talk to me before you close it. But it's worth it. Because you know how big a deal it is."
Prosecutors say as part of the bribery scheme, Smith also agreed to use his influence to help get state funds for a road construction project that would benefit the fake real estate developer.
FBI New York Director George Venizelos said in a statement that "public service is not supposed to be a shortcut to self-enrichment. .... As alleged, these defendants did not obey the law; they broke the law and the public trust."
Smith was elected to the State Senate in 2000 in a special election. He was elected minority leader in 2007, succeeding David Paterson. He served as leader of the Senate Democrats until 2009 when he was forced out amid an Albany coup.
Halloran assumed office in 2010 and represents the 19th district in Queens, succeeding Tony Avella.
"That's politics, that's politics, it's all about how much," Halloran is accused of saying in a meeting with the witness. "Not about whether or will, it's about how much, and that's our politicians in New York, they're all like that, all like that."
At a later meeting with the witness, Halloran is accused of telling the witness to get him a tax identification number, name and address of an organization and an application for funding "so that there's no questions, it raises no flags, and everybody's got it the way it's gotta be."
Halloran garnered widespread attention after the Christmas 2010 blizzard when he said five municipal employees told him that workers had engaged in a deliberate slowdown in clearing snow.
Federal officials announced other arrests Tuesday; those expected to be charged are Democrat Noramie Jasmin, mayor of Spring Valley in Rockland County, and her deputy mayor, Joseph Desmaret.
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Two prisoners, including one awaiting trial on a capital murder charge, have broken out of an East Texas jail.
The Hopkins County Sheriff's Office said 44-year-old Brian Allen Tucker of Sulphur Springs and 39-year-old John Marlin King of Cumby escaped from the Hopkins County Jail on Tuesday morning.
Nine schools in Sulphur Springs have been locked down while the search for the pair is under way.
Dispatcher Beth Renfro said both apparently fled through a recreation yard used by female inmates at the jail in Sulphur Springs, about 75 miles northeast of Dallas.
NBC 5 has learned the pair squeezed through a gate and headed east before shedding their prison clothing near railroad tracks behind the sheriff's office. Police said they do not know what the pair are wearing now, but they are believed to be in a wooded area east of the jail.
Tucker was being held on $1 million bond in the 2011 death of Bobby Riley of Mahoney. Riley was strangled in his home and some music instruments and firearms had been stolen.
King was being held on an evading arrest charge. Further details weren't immediately available.
We will update this story with more information as soon as it's available. As this story is developing, elements may change.
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Catherine Ross, NBC 5 News
Tonya Ratcliff shares lasting memories of Kaufman County DA Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia, found murdered at their home Saturday night.
Family, Friends Remember the McLellands
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The evening after the bodies of the Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia were discovered in their home in Forney, family and friends are sharing fond memories of the couple.
Tonya Ratcliff, the Kaufman County Tax Assessor and McLelland family friend of nearly a decade, said there is an enormous sense of loss in the area.
"They lose a very strong agent for justice and they lose a woman who wouldn't step on a bug," Ratcliff said.
"Cynthia and Mike were a lot of fun," she added.
"They were funny people, they were witty. They had lots of stories."
Ratcliff said the McLellands were welcoming and hospitable, opening their home for a massive party every December.
She said both were very involved in county political clubs, adding Mike McLelland was also a member of the Lions Club and Cynthia McLelland, a psychiatric nurse at the Terrell State Hospital, spent much of her time with the Kaufman Quilt Guild.
She added that after Mike McLelland's election to district attorney, he began "making a difference" for the county.
"His office handled a lot of cases that came out on the guilty side. We were winning cases with him as our district attorney."
However, what Ratcliff said was most apparent about the McLellands was their devotion to each other.
"They were deeply, deeply in love and so attached to each other," she said.
"Not just in front of each other, but apart from each other. You would never hear one of them say an ugly word about the other one."
"They were just a wonderful couple and it was a pleasure to be around them – and I will miss them."
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