Page 36 - 200812 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - December 2008

36 Top 10 Crimes of 2008 36 Top 10 Crimes of 2008 TOP 10 CRIMES OF Darnell's home. A third victim, Hudson's In sentencing Simpson, Clark County TOP 10 CRIMES OF 2008 nephew, Julian King, 7, was found dead roughly District Court Judge Jackie Glass said that it 2008 three days later in a vehicle on Chicago's West was against the law in the state of Nevada to Continued from Page 35 Side. take back property by force. Continued from Page 35 On Dec. 1, 2008, Chicago police "It's much more than stupidity," Glass announced that the estranged husband of said. "You went to the room took guns, meaning No. 04 - Anne Pressly Hudson's sister, Julia, 27-year-old William you and the group, you used force, you took Balfour, was a prime suspect in the case. Police property whether yours or someone else's. That Anne Pressly, a news anchor for KATV Channel 7 in Little Rock, Ark., was brutally arrested Balfour and charged him with three amounts to robbery." counts of first-degree murder and one count of Glass sentenced Simpson to a total of 33 attacked in her home in October 2008. She never regained consciousness, and died less home invasion. years in prison. Simpson will have to serve at Balfour has a previous criminal record, least nine years behind bars before he is eligible than a week later. According to police, they were called to which includes a seven-year prison stint for for parole. Simpson's lead attorney, Yale Galanter, Anne's home on the morning of Oct. 20, after attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and is appealing the conviction. possession of a stolen vehicle. her mother found her in her bed, beaten and Balfour maintains his innocence in the unresponsive. Upon being transported to a local case. He is currently being held without bail. A No. 01 - Caylee Anthony hospital, doctors determined that Anna had been trial date has not yet been set. raped. Her left hand was broken and her face The case of Casey Anthony and her was beaten so badly that she was unrecognizable. No. 02 - Orenthal James "O. J." Simpson missing 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, has captured the attention of the nation as no other During a search of her home, O.J. Simpson is a man of many hats -- investigators discovered that Anne's laptop, retired professional football player, commercial in recent history. Is 22-year-old Anthony a habitual liar purse and credit cards were missing. Later that same day, her credit card company reported that spokesman, business owner, actor and who is purposely misleading Florida investigators in their search for her daughter? convicted felon. The latter of those personas has her card had been used at a gas station not far from her home. caused him to go from "hero" to "zero" in recent On the other hand, is she secretly protecting her daughter, as her family claims? Whichever is years. Just five days after the attack, on Oct. Simpson's downfall dates back to 1989, 25, Anne Pressly died as a result of her injuries. when he separated from his wife, Nicole Brown the case, no one has seen Caylee since June 2008, and her mother has been unable to That same day, her parents released a statement Simpson, and pled no contest to a domestic provide investigators with any solid information to the media, which read in part: violence charge. Roughly five years later, on as to her daughter’s whereabouts. "It was our hope, as was yours, that June 12, 1994, Nicole and a friend, Ronald According to police, Caylee was last Anne would overcome the injuries inflicted Goldman, were found dead outside Brown's seen by her grandparents on June 15. Over the upon her in the brutal attack at her home. We condominium. Simpson was arrested and course of the next month, Anthony reportedly were with her in her last moments, and although our hearts are broken, we are at the same time charged with the murders, in what became one made several excuses to explain her daughter's absence, including telling friends and family of the most widely publicized criminal cases in comforted by our faith knowing that Anne is now with our Heavenly Father." American history. The case went to trial; on Oct. members that Caylee was with her "nanny." 3, 1995, a jury found Simpson "not guilty" of The stories allegedly varied, with Anthony On Nov. 26, 2008, police named Curtis Lavelle Vance, 28, a suspect in Anne's murder. committing the murders. Although Simpson did claiming that her daughter was at various was found not guilty of the felony, he was not as locations with the nanny, including Disneyland, He was subsequently arrested that same day. lucky when the case went to civil trial for Universal Studios and the beach. Investigators say that Vance's DNA connects wrongful death, where he was found liable. As a When confronted about her daughter's him to Anne's murder, as well as to the April result of that ruling, Simpson was ordered to whereabouts, in July 2008, Anthony claimed 2008 rape of an eastern Arkansas school pay $33.5 million in damages to the families of that the nanny had kidnapped her some 31 days teacher. Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. prior and that she had been busy conducting her Vance has been charged with rape and Simpson has continued to make residential burglary in connection with the April headlines in recent years, including his own investigation. Since that time, investigators have uncovered a bizarre web of lies, which has incident, and he faces capital murder charges in involvement in a book entitled If I Did It, along led them to believe that Anthony is responsible Anne's death. with alleged confessions, which were published for her daughter's disappearance. If convicted, Vance could face the death penalty. in a book by Simpson's former friend, Mike In October 2008, a Florida grand jury Gilbert. passed down a seven-count indictment against The most recent downfall for Simpson Casey Anthony for first-degree murder, No. 03 - Jennifer Hudson Family Murders came in September 2007, when he and three aggravated manslaughter of a child, aggravated other men went to a hotel-casino in Nevada and child abuse, and four counts of providing false Jennifer Kate Hudson's rise to fame came about quickly in 2004, after she became took sports memorabilia at gunpoint. Simpson information to a law enforcement officer. On Dec. 11, 2008, an Orange County later told the police that he was only retrieving one of the finalists on the third season of the stolen items; however investigators disagreed water-meter reader discovered child skeletal FOX television series American Idol. Hudson's with that story, and Simpson was arrested and remains inside a black plastic garbage bag near celebrity quickly increased, and she landed a charged with multiple felony counts, including Chickasaw Trail and Suburban Drive in Orlando starring role in the 2006 motion picture kidnapping, assault, robbery, criminal -- approximately three-tenths of a mile from the Dreamgirls. Her appearance in that film won her numerous awards, including an Academy conspiracy and using a deadly weapon. home of Casey Anthony. The worker immediately notified police, and the area was Simpson pled not guilty to the charges; Award for best supporting actress and a Golden Globe Award. Hudson's numerous successes led however, his lackluster defense did little to cordoned off as a crime scene. The FBI is currently conducting DNA tests on the remains sway the jury, and, on Oct. 10, 2008, he was to her signing a record deal with Arista Records, with whom she recently released her debut found guilty on all counts. so that they can positively identify them. The sentencing aspect of the case took According to the Orange County Sheriff's album. Hudson's dreams became a reality and, place Dec. 5, 2008. Prior to sentencing, Office, they are operating under the belief that for all intents and purposes, she was well on her Simpson addressed the court, apologizing for the remains are that of Caylee Anthony. Anthony proclaims her innocence in the way to having everything she wanted from life. his actions. case, maintaining that her daughter has been "In no way did I mean to hurt anybody Unfortunately, many of those dreams were and to steal anything from anyone," Simpson kidnapped. She has not yet been tried on any of shattered in October 2008, when Hudson's said. "I didn’t think that I was doing anything the charges and is scheduled to go to court early mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and her brother, illegal. I thought I was retrieving my things. So next year. [] Jason Hudson, 29, were found shot to death in I am sorry."