By H. Nelson Goodson
May 21, 2013

Munich, Germany – On Tuesday, the German Nature Conversation agency confirmed that Justin Bieber, 19, failed to produce proper vaccination and documents of exotic animal health authorization permits to import his Capuchin monkey named Mally into the country. Mally, a 20 week old monkey will be taken to a German Zoo.
Bieber has up to six weeks to appeal the agency’s decision to strip Bieber’s ownership. The agency will also bill Bieber for more than $2,000 for taking care of the monkey, according to the Nature Conservation agency.
Mally was seized on March 29 by German customs after Bieber was caught attempting to smuggle Mally into Germany without the proper documents. Bieber flew from Los Angeles to Germany and landed at Munich’s Franz Josef Strauss Airport where authorities discovered the monkey in Bieber’s possession.
Bieber is facing up to $15,000 in fines.

Justin Bieber and Mally

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 22, 2013

Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on an vote of 13-5 approved the bipartisan Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 (S.744) with a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country.
The bill, which kept most of its amendments, including a key provision allowing for millions of undocumented immigrants and their children to apply for citizenship. The full Senate will begin hearing debate over S. 744 in June.
An amendment introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) denying citizenship for anyone who over stayed their visas, crossed the border into the U.S. Illegally and those who were deported was rejected by the committee. Sen. Cruz told the committee members that he believes that a path to citizenship in the bill will only attract future illegal immigration into the U.S. and the House of Representatives would reject S. 744 for allowing a path to citizenship.
A total of 48 Republican amendments were adopted by the Judiciary Committee.
Anti-immigrant groups were disappointed with Tuesday’s passage of S. 744 and are claiming, if the bill is passed it will allow more than 50 million immigrants to legally enter the U.S., which will cost the U.S. 6.3 trillion in a 10-year period. None of the anti-immigrant groups claiming the exaggerated numbers justified their findings.

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 22, 2013

Paris, France – On Tuesday, police confirmed that Dominique Venner, 78, a far right historian walked into the crowed Norte-Dame Cathedral and committed suicide in front of more than 1,500 people. Venner killed himself next to the main altar shortly after 4:00 p.m.
He pulled out a sawed-off shotgun, placed it his mouth and then pulled the trigger, according to police. A note was found next to him, but police hasn’t released what it said.
Venner was known to oppose same-sex marriage.

Dominique Venner

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 21, 2013

Milwaukee, WI – On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued several citations for safety violations and for withholding information about certain safety incidents against Palermo Villa, Inc. totalling $38,500 in fines. Voces de la Frontera (VDLF) who made the announcement through a news release says, the OSHA fines comes after a 22-year-old man had three fingers amputated by a Palermo’s pizza machine on May 7.
VDLF states, the new citations issued by OSHA carry fines totaling $38,500. These include seven “serious” violations and one “Other-than-serious” violation for process safety violations surrounding the ammonia refrigeration system. Ammonia is a deadly gas that in large quantities can cause mass casualties. OSHA defines a “serious” violation as existing “when the workplace hazard could cause an accident or illness that would most likely result in death or serious physical harm.”
In addition to the numerous citations, OSHA claimed that Palermo Villa, Inc. hid information about injuries that should have been reported. In a cover letter dated May 17, 2013, OSHA criticized Giacomo Fallucca, Palermo’s president and CEO for redacting injury details from a federally required injury log for the period between 2008 and 2011.
OSHA also ordered Fallucca to “immediately provide the original requester copies of the un-redacted OSHA logs.”
OSHA is now the second federal agency to find Palermo Villa guilty of violating federal law. The National Labor Relations Board found in November 2012 that Palermo’s management threatened and retaliated against workers who sought union recognition and ordered 11 workers reinstated with back-pay, but Palermo Villa has yet to comply with this order, according to VDLF.

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 20, 2013

Washington, D.C. – On Monday, multiple immigration reform activists staged a small scale march near the White House and displayed a huge banner demanding for President Obama and Congress to stop deportations that lead to the separation of families, according to a Facebook posting by Reform Immigration for America. The activists are also pushing for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to allow amendments that would provide a path to citizenship for 11 million of undocumented immigrants, including their children residing in the country.
On Monday afternoon, the Committee began to hear Title II debates, which includes amendments dealing with the path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
This is the last week that the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider any of the more than 300 amendments that have been submitted to be debated and approved to be included in the latest immigration reform bill before the full Senate gets it.

Photo: Courtesy of Reform Immigration For America

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 18, 2013

Mexico City, Mexico – On Friday, both Jesús Murillo Karam from the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) and Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, the Secretary of Government (Segob) announced during a press conference that they will create a federal missing persons investigative police joint unit (FMPIPJU) composed of members from the Segob and PGR to investigate more than 26,000 registered missing reports of Mexican nationals. Both Karam and Chong didn’t confirm, if the specialized police unit will also investigate missing reports of at least 70,000 of undocumented immigrants from Central and South America.
Shortly after the decision was made to create the FMPIPJU, hundreds of mothers from Mexico City, the states of Mexico, Oaxaca, Jalisco, Tamaulipas and Veracruz ended their hunger strike that began on May 9, to bring awareness of the thousands of sons and daughters that have been reported missing in Mexico.
The Mexican government reported that at least 26,000 missing persons reports are filed since 2006, but those reports get lost or ignored in different Mexican federal government agencies. The new FMPIPJU (Segob/PGR) will now be in charge of investigating those reported disappearances.
In 2011, the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) in a press release reported that more than 5,000 people had disappeared between 2006 to 2011. Of those, 3,457 or 79 percent were men and 1,885 were women.
The NCHR also reported that 8,898 deceased victims have not been identified. The PGR reported that between 2006 to the end of 2010, at least 34,612 deaths were caused by violent crimes.
Some of the missing undocumented immigrants traveling through Mexico have also become victims of criminal organizations and drug cartel feuds, murder, kidnappings for ransom, prostitution rings, drug trafficking, human organ trafficking and extortions.
In the last six years, at least 70,000 of undocumented immigrants from Central and South America have been reported missing in Mexico by their families. More than 140,000 immigrants, including women and children make their way every year through Mexico on their way to the U.S. border.

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 16, 2013

New Orleans, LA – On Thursday, New Orleans police confirmed that they arrested Akein Scott, 19, on Wednesday night in connection with the Mother Day’s mass shooting that left more than 19 people, including two 10-year-olds, a boy and girl injured. He was taken into custody at the Little Woods section of eastern part of the city, according to police.
His brother, Shawn Scott, 24, was taken into custody on Thursday in New Orleans. Both of the Scott brothers were charged each with 20 felony counts of 2nd-degree attempted murder. They are both being held on a $10,000,000 dollar bond. The brothers are alleged members of the “Frenchmen and Derbigny Boys” gang.
Four other suspects were also arrested for haboring the Scott brothers. They are Nekia Youngblood, 32, Bionca Hickerson, 22, Brandy George, 28, and Justin Alexander, 19. All four suspects were charged with accessory after the fact of 2nd-degree attempted murder and relative to obstruction of justice by harboring a fugitive, according to the criminal complaint.
Akein was out on a $15,000 bond for a charge of possession of an illegal weapon and a control of substance. Shawn had four outstanding warrants for Illegal carrying of a weapon, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled, dangerous substance and traffic attachments. He was currently on parole for possession with the intent to distribute heroin and possession of cocaine until 12/2015.
Police on Monday had released video surveillance images showing the shooting suspect aiming at the parade crowd and shooting at them. More than 400 people participated on Sunday’s parade.

Akein Scott and Shawn Scott

Photos: Orleans Parish Prison

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 16, 2013

Houston, TX – On Tuesday, Grammy-winner La Mafia Tejano group announced that their Atlanta, Georgia concert for May 18, has been cancel due to multiple injuries that its lead vocalist Oscar de la Rosa suffered on early Monday after an alleged fan attacked him. An unruly fan wanted to take a photo with De la Rosa inside the gay and lesbian mix clientele Blur nightclub in Montrose, but Osar refused and the fan was kicked out of a bar. The fan later confronted De la Rosa by surprise around 1:30 a.m. outside the bar and attacked both Oscar and his driver before they could react to the attack. De la Rosa was punched several times to the face by the fan, according to police. Police are looking for the suspect.
De la Rosa suffered an injury to his right eye and has lost about 50% of his vision, lost two teeth and had cuts to his nose and face. He was hospitalized at Memorial Hermann Hospital and is now recovering.
A police report has been filed and the the identity of the assailant has been confirmed and assault charges will be filed as soon he is located, according to La Mafia’s Facebook posting.

Oscar de la Rosa

Photos courtesy of La Mafia

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 16, 2013

New Orleans, LA – On Wednesday, New Orleans police arrested Akein Scott, 19, in connection with a Mother Day’s mass shooting of more than 19 people, including two 10-year-olds, a boy and girl. He was taken into custody at the Little Woods section of eastern part of the city, according to police.
Scott was out on a $15,000 bond for a charge of possession of an illegal weapon and a control of substance.
Police on Monday had released video surveillance images showing the shooting suspect aiming at the parade crowd and shooting at them. More than 400 people participated on Sunday’s parade.
A $10,000 dollar reward was being offered for any information leading to Scott’s arrest.

Akein Scott

By H. Nelson Goodson
May 15, 2013

Milwaukee, WI – On Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O’Neil decided to dismiss federal charges “without prejudice” against Milwaukee Police Detective Willie Huerta, 39, who was accused of providing police inside information and protection services to his cousin, Julio Cruz, 42, a suspected drug dealer. O’Neil can re-file charges at a later time against Huerta.
Huerta remains under paid suspension from the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
An informant alleged that Cruz bragged that he had an inside MPD source who provided him with vital police operations intelligence and protected him from getting busted for drugs.
Cruz, his drug supplier and another suspect have been indicted for cocaine trafficking.
Det. Huerta was previously charged by the feds with obstruction of justice for helping to prevent several police officers in early 2011 from using a K-9 dog to search Cruz’ tow-truck for drugs, which the truck had an ounce of cocaine and marijuana hidden, according to an informant.

Willie Huerta