Criminal Law Blog on Lawyers.com

New York City has seen its share of high profile crimes over the years. The following are a few of the cases most recently making headlines.

Drug Possession

The son of Run-DMC founding member Joseph Simmons, Jojo Simmons, was arrested for buying marijuana from a dealer in Washington Heights. He attempted to escape by shifting his car into reverse and trying to flee after the police knocked on his car window. After slamming into two parked cars, he exited his car and fought with police. He was charged with attempted reckless endangerment, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and criminal possession of marijuana.

Sexual Assault

Parents in some of the city's swankiest neighborhoods were in a panic Friday night after a "Manhattan Manny" who called himself an "amazing big brother figure" was charged with molesting four boys. The 21-year-old suspect, Jonathan Then, also worked as a volunteer classroom aide with second- and third-graders at two elite private schools and at several camps. He was first arrested on April 20 and charged with molesting a Brooklyn boy. He was released on bail soon after. Later, he was arrested on charges of molesting three Manhattan boys and was charged with five counts of sexual assault against a child, 14 counts of sexual abuse, possession of child pornography, and other charges. He faces life imprisonment if convicted. According to the prosecution, Then has admitted to sexually abusing all three boys.

Murder

Longtime New York radio newsman George Weber was found stabbed to death in his Brooklyn apartment after he didn’t show up to deliver his morning news report at WABC radio. He was found stabbed to death in bed. His accused killer, 16-year-old John Katehis, later told New York City homicide detectives that he had answered Weber’s Craig’s List ad for “kinky sex.” He pleaded not guilty to charges, claiming that Weber sexually assaulted him with a knife and he was simply trying to defend himself. However, this contradicts Katehis’ earlier description of events, which appear in a signed confession. It admits binding Weber with duct tape and, after Weber showed him a small knife, grabbed the weapon and “accidentally” killed Weber with it. Police say Weber was stabbed 50 times.

Terroristic Threat

A Harlem man who made a video in which he claimed to have spiked millions of jars of Gerber-brand baby food with cyanide in order to kill black babies claimed that he was “just joking around.” His YouTube video showed Anton Dunn, 43, in a ski mask, calling himself “Trashman” as he made threats that led several parents to call Gerber, who in turn contacted federal authorities. Dunn was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to one year in prison, three years probation, and court-ordered mental health counseling.

Article presented courtesy of the New York City criminal defense law firm of Richard P. Lawson, 866-224-0380.