40 plus shot and 5 wounded in Chicago over the weekend

The death toll continues to rise in Chicago. After we reported on the shooting spree that occurred 4th of July weekend, another violent filled weekend in Chi-town leaving over 40 wounded and 5 dead. NBC Chicago reports:

Violence continued to strike the Chicago area this weekend with at least 18 people shot in a little more than 12 hours overnight, bringing the number of people shot since Friday to 40.

Four people, including an 11-year-old girl at a sleepover with friends, have been killed, police said.

Family members said the young girl was at a sleepover and was preparing to make s’mores with her friends when she was shot.

She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was listed in critical condition.

She was later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed the girl had died.

At least 11 others were wounded in shootings Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Editor’s Note: NBC Chicago includes shootings that took place between 6 p.m. Friday and 12 a.m. Monday in the weekend violence report.

Woman shoots boyfriend over too little ejaculation

Wow, now I know sex is a serious issue in relationship but I didn't think it was serious enough to shoot someone. Apparently, Sadie Bell believes so. She believed her 60-something year old boyfriend because he didn't produce enough semen after sex. Crooks and Liars reports:

Southfield police officers responded to a report of domestic violence on July 28, 2013, and found 58-year-old Sadie Bell and her boyfriend, 60-year-old Edward Lee, according to The Detroit News.

Bell later stated that she had shot Lee in the stomach when she noticed that he had not produced enough ejaculate during their sexual encounter.

“She was pretty graphic about why she had shot him,” Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Paul Walton recalled. “She was convinced he was having an affair. She reached this conclusion by the fact that he didn’t produce enough ejaculate. So she shot him in the stomach.”

Due to the shooting, Lee had surgeries on his pancreas, colon, liver and kidney during a five-week hospital stay.

Bell was sentenced on June 26. She appealed the sentencing, and was released after posting a $10,000 bond on Thursday.

Walton described the bond as unusual since Bell had also shot her husband in 1991. But that case was dropped because the husband refused to cooperate.

“She appealed to the district court for an appeal bond,” Walton said. “We have a state court ruling that says that after a conviction for an offense, especially a violent offense, the court shall remand that person into custody while they await sentencing. Our position is that she had already received her sentence, she wasn’t awaiting.”

Man kills wife after he was caught in affair with another man

This is a story of how life can spiral out of control once one gets caught up in a web of deception. A man is suspected of killing his wife after she discovered him having an affair with another man, Hip Hop Wired reports:

A doomed vacation for a Florida married couple has resulted in the wife turning up dead after she reportedly saw her husband doing the unthinkable.

Michael Doster, 49, was arrested last Friday for attacking his wife, Pamela while they were riding nude on a jet ski together. According to police, Michael threw Pamela off the jet-ski multiple times with the final incident causing her to land on her head.

The argument stemmed from Mrs. Doster catching her husband in a 69 oral sex position with another man after they had been drinking and partying.

Unfortunately, Pamela died in the hospital after being treated for days and her husband is now the prime suspect in a potential manslaughter case.

NBC News reached Doster by phone and while he refused to go into detail, he told them he “heard” about his wife’s death.

Deputies are asking witnesses who saw the event take place come forward and testify.

Ma$e FINALLY decides to leave church for rap career

If you listen to the Vincent Tucker Radio Show, then you know I've taken a few shots at the M-A-Dollar-Sign-E over the past few months. Despite popular opinion, I don't care if Ma$e wanted to be both a rapper and a pastor. My problem was with the contradictory messages. The Bible says a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, which Ma$e clearly appeared to be over the past few years. Well, now he has made his decision and people can stop worrying. TMZ reports:

On-again, off-again rapper/pastor Mase has officially left his parishioners of the El Elyon International Church high and dry … and has run back to the rap game full time.

TMZ broke the story … and it’s sensational in every way.

Mase, who “retired” from rap in 1999 to pursue a career in the ministry, built up thousands of followers split into two churches in Atlanta and Phoenix … preaching the virtues of marriage and family values.

That all came crashing down earlier this year when Mase and his wife divorced, causing most of his flock to flee in anger. As for those stalwart loyalists, well Mase says … screw them.

He’s dropped all ties with both churches and is playing regular rap gigs around L.A., jumping back into his former lifestyle hardcore.

Kobe Bryant, Nipsey Hu$$le and more demand more responsibilty from celebrities

I wish I could report on more stories where we have celebrities stepping up to ask counterparts for more involvement in community affairs. But, for now I would like to salute Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hu$$le for their involvement in a Crenshaw rally. Hip Hop Wired reports:

Over two years after the wrongful death of Trayvon Martin, NBA legend Kobe Bryant meets with parents Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, and delivers a heartfelt speech about “responsibility” at a rally in Crenshaw.

“Players such as myself and others that have kind of a platform, our responsibility is more than just putting a ball in the basket […] but helping Trayvon’s parents have a platform,” he said to a crowd of 200 over the weekend.

Alongside Nipsey Hu$$le and Karen Civil, Bryant –– whose sense of responsibility comes after realizing what he can do for a family who’s had to overcome “true adversity” –– eloquently expressed the need for celebrities to do more with their wealth and status.

NYPD strips Staten Island office of gun and badge after killing Eric Garner

While we're all waiting to find out what will happen in the case of the senseless death of Eric Garner at the hands of a Staten Island police officer, the NYPD has at least taken some action. They have stripped the officer responsible, who has a history of complaints for police brutality, of his gun and badge. But he has yet to face any formal charges. The Gothamist reports:

The police issued a statement, “Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo has been place on Modified Assignment pending further investigation into the July 17, 2014 incident involving Eric Garner in the 120 Precinct.”

Previously, it was announced that Pantaleo, an eight-year veteran, would be placed on desk duty along with Police Officer Justin Damico, a four-year veteran.

Police claim that Eric Garner, 43, was selling untaxed cigarettes and that the officers attempted to handcuff him around 4:45 p.m. on Thursday outside 202 Bay Street in Tompkinsville. A disturbing video obtained by the Daily News shows Garner arguing with the police: “I was just minding my own business. Every time you see me you want to mess with me. I’m tired of it. It stops today!” When a number of cops try to subdue him, Garner, who weighed 350 pounds, is seen swatting their hands away and saying, “Don’t touch me, please.”

As Pantaleo puts him in a chokehold, other officers struggle to pull him to the ground and get his arms behind his back. Garner, an asthmatic, can be heard repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe.” The NYPD says he went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at Richmond University Medical Center.

Father says his son saved the life of his own rapist

I'm sure by now you've all heard about the Florida father that walked in on an 18 year old sexually assaulting his son and battered the man until he looked like Rihanna after the Chris Brown incident. Not only will the father not face any charges, but the father says the only reason he didn't kill the guy was because his son stopped him. CNN reports:

A Volusia County father who beat up his son's alleged rapist has been hailed as a hero by many, but he says his son is the one who is a true hero.

The father, who did not want to be identified, beat the suspect, 18-year-old Raymond Frolander, and knocked him out.

He then called police.

"My immediate feeling was to kill him, so he will never hurt anyone again," the father said.

The father believes Frolander's bloody and bruised face is getting too much publicity. He said he doesn't regret his reaction, but he isn't bragging about it either. He is, however, bragging about his son.

"My son saved Raymond. Raymond was motionless on our floor. I went to the kitchen to grab a butcher knife and my son stopped me. My son came in front of me and saved his attacker's life," said the father.

The father says he treated Frolander like one of his own and says police reports that Frolander was abusing the boy for the last three years are wrong.

He claims there was an attempt three years ago, but then Frolander left town and only recently returned.

The victim never told anyone about the attempt, so the father knew nothing until he walked in on an alleged sexual battery.

Dispatcher: You said the person who assaulted, you beat him up?
Caller: Oh yeah, send him an ambulance. He's going to need one.

The beating was brutal, but not life-threatening, and the father says that's because of his 11-year-old who he thinks forgives Frolander.

"I think he must have because of, he saved his life," said the father.

"You don't forgive Raymond, but your son does?" WESH 2's Claire Metz asked."It's going to be a long time before I ever forgive that, if I can," said the father.

Frolander remains in jail without bond.

Shootings devastate Chicago over 4th of July weekend

The Fourth of July weekend wasn't enough to stop the violence raging in Chicago. Though the number wasn't as severe as the shooting that happened last year, still more than 20 were injured in this shooting. The Chicago Tribune reports:

Chicago was hit with a burst of gun violence on the Fourth of July, with at least 21 people shot, one of them fatally, during an 11-hour stretch from Friday evening into Saturday morning, according to police.

That brought to 36 the number of people who have been shot in the city since the long holiday weekend began Thursday afternoon, when two women were hit by gunfire as they sat on a porch just a block from Garfield Park on the West Side.

A 30-year-old man was fatally shot in the Clearking neighborhood about 1 a.m.

Joel Bentley was pronounced dead at 5:46 a.m. at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn after being shot in the parking lot of a Walgreen’s at 63rd Street and Austin Avenue about 1 a.m.

The man was shot in the stomach and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, police said. Police believe the man was throwing gang signs and taking pictures when he was shot. Bentley lived in the 5000 block of South Keating Avenue, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The holiday shootings have stretched across the city but have been concentrated in the South and West sides. The Englewood and Harrison districts have both seen a handful of people shot over the last two days, and there have been shootings as far south as the Altgeld Gardens neighborhood at the edge of the city to the Rogers Park neighborhood bordering Evanston.

Salute to DJ Skee, who delivered a very inspirational call to action during his broadcast about the drastic need for a solution to the violence in the city:

FTC accuses T-Mobile of charging hidden fees

A few months back we reported that T-Mobile could be acquired by AT&T. Well the Federal Trade Commission is going after the company claiming they have been charging customers hidden fees. A claim that T-Mobile disputes, obviously. Hip Hop Wired reports:

The Federal Trade Commission is accusing T-Mobile of overbilling customers to collect hundreds of millions in bogus fees, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday (July 1). The FTC claims the mobile phone giant continued tacking on extra charges even after customers opted out.

T-Mobile hid the charges behind “premium” text messages — disguised as horoscopes, jokes, flirting tips, and other messages — that run customers close to $10 per month. The company pocketed 35% to 4o% percent of the profits, the FTF said. “It’s wrong for a company like T-Mobile to profit from scams against its customers when there were clear warning signs the charges it was imposing were fraudulent,” noted FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “The FTC’s goal is to ensure that T-Mobile repays all its customers for these crammed charges.”

For their part, T-Mobile called the accusations are “unfounded and without merit” and claims to have stopped billing customers hidden fees.

“T-Mobile stopped billing for these Premium SMS service last year and launched a proactive program to provide full refunds for any customer that feel that they were charged for something they do not want,” said T-Mobile CEO John Legere. “T-Mobile is fighting harder than any of the carriers to change the way the wireless industry operated and we are disappointed that the FTC has chosen to file this action against the most pro-consumer company in the industry rather than the real bad actors.”

The FTC says it tried to settle with T-Mobile out of court but could not come to an agreement.

Hi-Five singer arrested for allegedly killing wife

If you're a R&B enthusiast like I am, then you remember the 5 man band, Hi-Five. Though they were a big hit during their time, the group has always been one of the more troubled groups in R&B. Well now, one of the group's members Russel Neal is being held on $100k after being charged with the stabbing death of his wife. TMZ reports:

Hi-Five singer Russell Neal‘s wife was killed after being stabbed multiple times and he’s now been charged with murder.

Cops say Catherine Martinez died from blunt force trauma and stab wounds.

The victim was a hot, 24-year-old fitness model. She was also an aspiring boxer who went by the name Brasilia.

The 40-year-old Neal went to the police station Wednesday and told cops his wife was dead in their apartment and he needed a lawyer.

The couple has 2 kids. Law enforcement sources say there were no witnesses to the murder so it appears the children were not in the apartment when their mom was killed.

If you don't remember who Hi-Five is, maybe one of these joints can jog your memory:

Christian artists attempting to sue Katy Perry over Dark Horse

Christian rappers Flame and Lecrae will apparently be entangled in a lawsuit with pop-star Katy Perry over her hit song "Dark Horse" featuring Juicy J. Apparently, the song contains some similarities that didn't sit well with the artists, especially after viewing the video which contains some imagery that can be associated as black magic or witchcraft. Rapzilla reports:

Katy Perry’s defense attorneys can blame some Flame fans for the lawsuit against their client.

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Flame, along with Lecrae and Da’ T.R.U.T.H., are suing Perry for infringing the copyright of their song “Joyful Noise” on her song “Dark Horse.” The suit also claims that their track has been “irreparably tarnished by its association with the witchcraft, paganism, black magic and Illuminati imagery evoked by the same music in ‘Dark Horse’.”

Making Flame aware of this tarnishing were his fans. Driving from a concert, Flame’s DJ, Cho’zyn Boy, noticed an “influx" of tweets to Flame and Lecrae asking them about the new Katy Perry song. Flame doesn’t listen to Katy Perry, so he had no idea why his opinion of her music mattered.

Cho’zyn Boy searched for and listened to the song out of curiosity, which turned into shock.

“Wow,” Cho’zyn Boy said, telling Flame, “You got to hear this. It sounds like ‘Joyful Noise.’”

Cho’zyn Boy then turned on the djay 2 app on his computer and made a side-by-side comparison of the tracks. Here’s the audio he created to show Flame how similar “Joyful Noise” and "Dark Horse” are and a breakdown of how he did it.



· 0:00-0:25 Joyful Noise (original song)

· 0:25-0:40 Dark Horse (original song)

· 0:40-0:53 Speeds up tempo from 66 BPM to 76 BPM

· 0:53-1:07 Takes pitch down one decimal from Db to C

· 1:07-1:17 Mixes in Joyful Noise

· 1:17-1:23 Side-by-side, both at 72 BPM

· 1:23-1:30 Joyful Noise by itself

· 1:30-1:48 Dark Horse by itself

Cho’zyn Boy explained the difference to Rapzilla.

“What listeners are hearing is Katy Perry’s ‘Dark Horse’ at 66 beats per minute and they’re hearing Flame’s “Joyful Noise” at 76 beats per minute,” he said. “When they’re separated, they seem a bit different, but when you bring them to the same tempo and you just change her pitch down one octave, they’re identical … When things are that similar, it’s hard to dispute.”