NEW YORK (AP) -- Police combed through surveillance video, tested blood for DNA, took fingerprints and went door-to-door Thursday as they tried to find the man who hacked a psychologist to death in her office with a meat cleaver.
Among the unanswered questions: Did the balding, middle-age suspect know his way around the building? Was he a patient? And where did he go after the killing?
CNN affiliate WABC in New York is reporting that a suspect is being questioned in Pennsylvania.
Police released a detailed sketch and grainy surveillance footage of him entering and leaving the Upper East Side building where Kathryn Faughey was killed Tuesday evening.
Faughey's office was in shambles, with furniture overturned, shades torn and blood sprayed on the walls and pooled on the floor.
The suspect left behind a roller suitcase filled with adult diapers and women's clothing -- including blouses and slippers -- and a smaller second bag containing knives, rope and duct tape that were not apparently used in the attack, police said.
The killing shocked the mental health care community and raised questions about safety protections at therapists' offices. It also rattled residents of the affluent Manhattan neighborhood around Faughey's office.
"Everyone in the building is very nervous, because we know that this person is loose. It's very frightening," said Linda Elliott, who lives in the East 79th Street building where the attack occurred. It is in a bustling neighborhood just blocks from a major hospital complex.
Carrying the two bags and dressed in a three-quarter-length green coat, knit cap and gloves, the attacker breezed past the building's doorman, saying he had an appointment with Dr. Kent Shinbach, a 70-year-old geriatric psychiatrist who worked in the same office suite as Faughey, according to police.
Shinbach had office hours into the evening, police said, but it wasn't clear whether Shinbach or Faughey was the intended target.
The man walked into the suite's waiting room, where a female patient was waiting to see Shinbach, and at some point went into Faughey's office and attacked her, police said. Shinbach heard Faughey's screams and ran to help.
The attacker apparently didn't recognize Shinbach when he opened the door and said "she's dead," referring to Faughey, police said. He then attacked the psychiatrist, stabbing at Shinbach and pinning him to the wall with a chair before stealing $90 and escaping through a basement door, according to police.
Shinbach screamed out to the street from Faughey's office for help, and the building doorman called 911 around 9 p.m. By then, the attacker had escaped.
Shinbach had slash wounds on his head, face and hands. Police, believing the killer may have been injured in the attack, issued alerts to area hospitals.
Police have said the suspect may have been familiar with the building because his exit route through the basement wasn't very obvious. Surveillance tapes show him deliberately leaving the luggage by the basement door before walking out.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The check's in the mail...
This was released 2 hours ago EST.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush has signed a multibillion-dollar economic rescue package that means $300 to $1,200 rebates for many American households.
Bush called the measure "a booster shot for our economy" to stave off a recession.
Several dozen members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, stood on the stage behind Bush as he signed the bill.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush has signed a multibillion-dollar economic rescue package that means $300 to $1,200 rebates for many American households.
Bush called the measure "a booster shot for our economy" to stave off a recession.
Several dozen members of Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, stood on the stage behind Bush as he signed the bill.
The Motivator
"Only the curious will learn and only the resolute overcome the obstacles to learning."
-- Eugene S. Wilson
-- Eugene S. Wilson
Officer Suspended After Skateboarder Rant in Baltimore
Weigh In With Your Thoughts. Was Officer Rivieri Out of Line?
A veteran Baltimore police officer was suspended after a video appeared on YouTube showing him manhandling a 14-year-old skateboarder.
The video, which was reportedly shot during the summer and just recently appeared on YouTube, begins with Officer Salvatore Rivieri approaching a group of teens on skateboards.
"You're not allowed to ride your skateboards here," Rivieri tells two teenage skateboarders.
"We were just rolling by. … I didn't hear him because I had my iPod on," said Eric Bush, the teen who bore the brunt of Rivieri's wrath.
Don't Say 'Dude'
On the video, Bush is seen referring to Rivieri as "dude," and the officer responds with force, shoving Bush to the ground.
"I was scared. I didn't know if he was going to punch me," said Bush.
He wasn't scared speechless though, as Bush continued to refer to Rivieri as "dude."
"I didn't do anything dude," Bush says again on the video, this time inciting a rant from Rivieri.
"Obviously your parents don't put your foot in your butt quite enough, because you don't understand the meaning of the word respect. You better learn how to speak. I'm not 'man,' I'm not 'dude.' I am Officer Rivieri!" he shouts.
Reactions
"I was very upset," Bush's mother, Peggy Miller, said of watching the video.
Although skateboarding in the area wasn't allowed, she says the officer was out of line. "If I were to go to my job and I were to get upset with someone who called me dude three times and tackled [them], I'd be terminated immediately."
The Baltimore Police Department partially agreed. Rivieri, who has no complaints on his record, was suspended with pay.
"We don't know what happened before the video clip. We don't know what happened after. But there are obviously some things to be concerned about there," said Sterling Clifford, a spokesman for the Baltimore police.
<span style="font-weight:bold;">Was Rivieri's Complaint Fair?
ABC News showed the video to Harris Stratyner, a psychologist who deals with confrontation.
"You watch the video and you say, 'Gee that kid was disrespectful.' And then you see the police officer and you forget all about the kid calling him dude, because his actions were so outrageous," Stratyner said.
s for his actions, Bush says this could have all been avoided. "I would have left if he had been nice to me, but he just kept on going and yelling at me."
It is not clear why the video has surfaced now, but it raises some important questions. Was Rivieri's response out of line? Was Bush wrong to speak that way to a police officer?
What do you think? Weigh in with your comments on our message board.
A veteran Baltimore police officer was suspended after a video appeared on YouTube showing him manhandling a 14-year-old skateboarder.
The video, which was reportedly shot during the summer and just recently appeared on YouTube, begins with Officer Salvatore Rivieri approaching a group of teens on skateboards.
"You're not allowed to ride your skateboards here," Rivieri tells two teenage skateboarders.
"We were just rolling by. … I didn't hear him because I had my iPod on," said Eric Bush, the teen who bore the brunt of Rivieri's wrath.
Don't Say 'Dude'
On the video, Bush is seen referring to Rivieri as "dude," and the officer responds with force, shoving Bush to the ground.
"I was scared. I didn't know if he was going to punch me," said Bush.
He wasn't scared speechless though, as Bush continued to refer to Rivieri as "dude."
"I didn't do anything dude," Bush says again on the video, this time inciting a rant from Rivieri.
"Obviously your parents don't put your foot in your butt quite enough, because you don't understand the meaning of the word respect. You better learn how to speak. I'm not 'man,' I'm not 'dude.' I am Officer Rivieri!" he shouts.
Reactions
"I was very upset," Bush's mother, Peggy Miller, said of watching the video.
Although skateboarding in the area wasn't allowed, she says the officer was out of line. "If I were to go to my job and I were to get upset with someone who called me dude three times and tackled [them], I'd be terminated immediately."
The Baltimore Police Department partially agreed. Rivieri, who has no complaints on his record, was suspended with pay.
"We don't know what happened before the video clip. We don't know what happened after. But there are obviously some things to be concerned about there," said Sterling Clifford, a spokesman for the Baltimore police.
<span style="font-weight:bold;">Was Rivieri's Complaint Fair?
ABC News showed the video to Harris Stratyner, a psychologist who deals with confrontation.
"You watch the video and you say, 'Gee that kid was disrespectful.' And then you see the police officer and you forget all about the kid calling him dude, because his actions were so outrageous," Stratyner said.
s for his actions, Bush says this could have all been avoided. "I would have left if he had been nice to me, but he just kept on going and yelling at me."
It is not clear why the video has surfaced now, but it raises some important questions. Was Rivieri's response out of line? Was Bush wrong to speak that way to a police officer?
What do you think? Weigh in with your comments on our message board.
Man Sought in Psychologist’s Stabbing
Armed with a suitcase full of knives, an unidentified middle-aged man unleashed a rampage of violence inside the offices of an Upper East Side psychiatry practice on Tuesday night, fatally stabbing and slashing a well-known psychologist before wounding her colleague when he tried to come to her aid, officials said on Wednesday.
The assailant had not been identified as of Wednesday afternoon, the police said, though investigators were pursuing a theory that he was either a patient at the suite of offices, at 440 East 79th Street, or that he had some kind of ties to the establishment or the services it provided.
Originally, the assailant had arrived at the offices, about five seconds after 8 p.m. on Tuesday, asking to visit Dr. Kent T. Shinbach, 70, a psychiatrist there, the police said.
But at some point he disappeared inside the office of another counselor there, Kathryn Faughey, 56, the police said.
There, he unleashed a barrage of violence, fatally stabbing Dr. Faughey. At some point, when Dr. Shinbach heard the attack and went to the office of his colleague, the assailant turned on him and Dr. Shinbach was seriously injured, officials said.
The scene was marked by blood and upended furniture, the police and neighbors said.
“We could see in the office where the blinds had been ripped off and were hanging at a strange angle and the entire office was in disarray,” said Alexandra Pike, 20, a student who could see into the office where the attack occurred from the window of her apartment across the street. “Papers were strewn around and there was overturned furniture. And it was clear there was some kind of scuffle.”
It is unclear what the man’s motive was, and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly released a sketch of the suspect after a news conference at 1 Police Plaza on Wednesday, saying detectives were seeking him. The sketch was based on descriptions provided to detectives of those who saw the man in the moments before the attack — including the surviving victim — but who could not identify him by name.
“Obviously there is a forensic evidence aspect to this case,” Mr. Kelly said. “We’re getting information from the doctor and other medical professionals in the suite to determine if they have any information to add as the investigation goes forward.”
He added: “We’re fully engaged on several fronts.”
Mr. Kelly described the assailant as a man in his 40’s, about 5 feet 9 inches, with brownish or blond hair. He was wearing a three-quarter length green coat, with sneakers and a baseball cap, said Mr. Kelly, as he held up the sketch before a bank of television cameras.
The first sign of the man’s entrance at the building was captured on videotape —as he walked in the front door about five seconds after 8 p.m., passed by a doorman and went into the counselors’ suite of offices, the police said. He was inside for about an hour: A videotape showed him leaving through a basement door about 8:54 p.m., the police said, and it showed a view of him from his back.
Blood was found on the door — a panic door that locks on its own when it shuts — indicating the assailant might have been wounded.
Before he fled, the assailant left two suitcases in the basement. Inside one was assorted women’s clothing — some shoes, a top, as well as diapers for adults. He other had about eight knives, the police said. Upstairs in the room of Ms. Faughey, investigators found three other weapons, including two knives and a cleaver with a broken handle, the police said.
A female patient was in the lobby of the counselors’ suite when the assailant showed up, the police said. She apparently left before the attack on Dr. Faughey became known, but detectives tracked her down and interviewed her, the police said. Dr. Shinbach was also interviewed after undergoing surgery at New York Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
The assailant had not been identified as of Wednesday afternoon, the police said, though investigators were pursuing a theory that he was either a patient at the suite of offices, at 440 East 79th Street, or that he had some kind of ties to the establishment or the services it provided.
Originally, the assailant had arrived at the offices, about five seconds after 8 p.m. on Tuesday, asking to visit Dr. Kent T. Shinbach, 70, a psychiatrist there, the police said.
But at some point he disappeared inside the office of another counselor there, Kathryn Faughey, 56, the police said.
There, he unleashed a barrage of violence, fatally stabbing Dr. Faughey. At some point, when Dr. Shinbach heard the attack and went to the office of his colleague, the assailant turned on him and Dr. Shinbach was seriously injured, officials said.
The scene was marked by blood and upended furniture, the police and neighbors said.
“We could see in the office where the blinds had been ripped off and were hanging at a strange angle and the entire office was in disarray,” said Alexandra Pike, 20, a student who could see into the office where the attack occurred from the window of her apartment across the street. “Papers were strewn around and there was overturned furniture. And it was clear there was some kind of scuffle.”
It is unclear what the man’s motive was, and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly released a sketch of the suspect after a news conference at 1 Police Plaza on Wednesday, saying detectives were seeking him. The sketch was based on descriptions provided to detectives of those who saw the man in the moments before the attack — including the surviving victim — but who could not identify him by name.
“Obviously there is a forensic evidence aspect to this case,” Mr. Kelly said. “We’re getting information from the doctor and other medical professionals in the suite to determine if they have any information to add as the investigation goes forward.”
He added: “We’re fully engaged on several fronts.”
Mr. Kelly described the assailant as a man in his 40’s, about 5 feet 9 inches, with brownish or blond hair. He was wearing a three-quarter length green coat, with sneakers and a baseball cap, said Mr. Kelly, as he held up the sketch before a bank of television cameras.
The first sign of the man’s entrance at the building was captured on videotape —as he walked in the front door about five seconds after 8 p.m., passed by a doorman and went into the counselors’ suite of offices, the police said. He was inside for about an hour: A videotape showed him leaving through a basement door about 8:54 p.m., the police said, and it showed a view of him from his back.
Blood was found on the door — a panic door that locks on its own when it shuts — indicating the assailant might have been wounded.
Before he fled, the assailant left two suitcases in the basement. Inside one was assorted women’s clothing — some shoes, a top, as well as diapers for adults. He other had about eight knives, the police said. Upstairs in the room of Ms. Faughey, investigators found three other weapons, including two knives and a cleaver with a broken handle, the police said.
A female patient was in the lobby of the counselors’ suite when the assailant showed up, the police said. She apparently left before the attack on Dr. Faughey became known, but detectives tracked her down and interviewed her, the police said. Dr. Shinbach was also interviewed after undergoing surgery at New York Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Clemens says Pettitte 'misremembered' him; McNamee grilled
WASHINGTON -- Under oath and sometimes blistering questioning, Roger Clemens stuck to his story Wednesday. So did his chief accuser and former personal trainer, Brian McNamee.
And after a 4½-hour hearing, Congress settled for a draw in the he-said, he-said between the two men over whether the seven-time Cy Young Award winner used performance-enhancing drugs. Ultimately, the matter may be referred to the Justice Department for a resolution -- and, possibly, criminal charges.
"I haven't reached any conclusions at this point," said California Democrat Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
But, as ranking Republican Tom Davis of Virginia, put it: "Both can't be telling the truth."
Clemens' reputation and legacy were on the line, and there was the possibility that criminal charges could follow after the seven-time Cy Young Award winner testified.
"I have never taken steroids or HGH," Clemens said under oath, his voice rising. "No matter what we discuss here today, I am never going to have my name restored."
For many, his denials rang hollow.
"It's hard to believe you, sir. I hate to say that," said Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat. "You're one of my heroes, but it's hard to believe."
McNamee's answers were generally quick and concise. His credibility also came under scrutiny.
"You're here under oath, and yet we have lie after lie after lie after lie," said Rep. Dan Burton, an Indiana Republican.
When it was over, Clemens left the hearing room through a back door. Just before exiting, he paused to shake hands with Davis. Clemens later spoke briefly to reporters, saying: "I'm very thankful and very grateful for this day to come. I'm glad for the opportunity finally. And, you know, I hope I get -- and I know I will have -- the opportunity to come here to Washington again under different terms."
Early in the session, Clemens struggled to find the right words as he denied new accounts new accounts of drug use made against him by former teammate and close friend Andy Pettitte.
Using words like "misremembered" and mispronouncing McNamee's last name, Clemens rambled and stumbled at times.
Roger Clemens was grilled over inconstistencies between his testimony and statements made under oath by his teammate and friend Andy Pettitte.
It seemed clear nearly from the start of the session that the committee would not treat Clemens with kid gloves, despite all the face-to-face sit-downs he did with representatives in recent days -- sometimes posing for photos or signing autographs for staff members.
In fact, after Clemens interrupted Waxman at the end, the chairman pounded the gavel and said: "Excuse me, but this is not your time to argue with me."
When it was over, Clemens avoided reporters by leaving the hearing room through a back door. Just before exiting, he paused to shake hands with Davis.
Exactly two months after the Mitchell report was released, Clemens and McNamee were separated by one seat in the same wood-paneled room where Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro saw their careers tarnished during a hearing in March 2005. In a reference to McGwire's evasions that day, Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., admonished Wednesday's witnesses by saying: "It's better not to talk about the past than to lie about the past."
Clemens briefly stared at McNamee, his former employee, during his accuser's opening statement and later pointed several times at his former personal trainer. For the most part, they did not look at each other.
Members of Congress questioned the credibility of both.
Waxman pointed out inconsistencies in Clemens' comments and accused him of possibly attempting to influence statements to the committee by the pitcher's former nanny.
Burton repeatedly read remarks McNamee had made, and each time the former trainer was forced to admit they were untrue.
"This is really disgusting. You're here as a sworn witness. You're here to tell the truth," he said. "I don't know what to believe. I know one thing I don't believe and that's you."
The hearing seemed to split the committee along party lines, with the Democrats reserving their most pointed queries for Clemens, and the Republicans giving McNamee a rougher time. Chris Shays, a Connecticut Republican, likened the hearing to a "Roman Circus" featuring gladiators.
Cummings set the tone within minutes, repeatedly reminding Clemens he was under oath and admonishing the pitcher to "keep your voice up." McNamee also was asked to pull his microphone closer.
Brian McNamee came under intense scrutiny for not being fully forthright with federal agents about the number of injections he gave and the physical evidence in his possession.
The hearing started about an hour after several teams opened spring training. This was far from the sunny settings of Florida and Arizona.
Debbie Clemens, the pitcher's wife, sat behind her husband and listened as Waxman implicated her in HGH use, citing statements by Pettitte. Later, Clemens read a statement from his wife and said she "has been broken up over this."
IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky, a key member of the federal prosecution team against Barry Bonds, watched from a second-row seat. Asked why by a reporter, he declined comment.
In addition, ABC News reported that at least six FBI agents were in attendance at the hearing. While the Department of Justice will wait to see if the committee refers the matter for investigation, the agency can also open a probe on its own without a referral.
Bonds, baseball's home run king, was indicted in November on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice stemming from his 2003 testimony to a grand jury in which he denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. Because of his denials under oath, Clemens could be subjected to a similar criminal probe.
Pettitte, who was excused from testifying, said in a statement to the committee that Clemens admitted to him as long as 10 years ago that he used HGH. Waxman read from affidavits by Pettitte and Pettitte's wife, Laura, supporting the accusations.
"Andy Pettitte is my friend. He was my friend before this. He will be my friend after this and again. I think Andy has misheard," Clemens said. "I think he misremembers."
McNamee told former Senate majority leader George Mitchell that he injected Clemens 16 to 21 times with steroids and human growth hormone from 1998-01, and that Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch used HGH. In his opening statement, McNamee said he might have injected Clemens and Knoblauch more than that.
"I have helped taint our national pastime," McNamee said. "Make no mistake: When I told Sen. Mitchell that I injected Roger Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, I told the truth."
McNamee was also asked about why he saved what he claims to be physical evidence connecting Clements to steroid use, including bloodied gauze and used medical needles.
In 2005, a source associated with McNamee told ESPN The Magazine's Shaun Assael that McNamee saved a blood sample from Clemens that would show steroid use. The sample was never shown to Assael.
Waxman said McNamee, a former New York City police officer, lied to police seven years ago during an investigation of a possible rape. He also was tough on Clemens.
"We have found conflicts and inconsistencies in Mr. Clemens' account. During his deposition, he made statements that we know are untrue," Waxman said.
In the affidavit, Pettitte said Clemens backtracked when the subject of HGH came up again in conversation in 2005, before the same House committee held the first hearing on steroids in baseball.
Pettitte said in the affidavit that he asked Clemens in 2005 what he would do if asked about performance-enhancing substances. Pettitte said Clemens responded by saying Pettitte misunderstood the previous exchange in 1999 or 2000 and that, in fact, Clemens had been talking about HGH use by his wife in the original conversation.
Clemens read a statement from his wife in which she acknowledged using HGH once, without his knowledge.
"She has been broken up over this for a long time," Clemens said. "She feels like a pawn."
And after a 4½-hour hearing, Congress settled for a draw in the he-said, he-said between the two men over whether the seven-time Cy Young Award winner used performance-enhancing drugs. Ultimately, the matter may be referred to the Justice Department for a resolution -- and, possibly, criminal charges.
"I haven't reached any conclusions at this point," said California Democrat Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
But, as ranking Republican Tom Davis of Virginia, put it: "Both can't be telling the truth."
Clemens' reputation and legacy were on the line, and there was the possibility that criminal charges could follow after the seven-time Cy Young Award winner testified.
"I have never taken steroids or HGH," Clemens said under oath, his voice rising. "No matter what we discuss here today, I am never going to have my name restored."
For many, his denials rang hollow.
"It's hard to believe you, sir. I hate to say that," said Rep. Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat. "You're one of my heroes, but it's hard to believe."
McNamee's answers were generally quick and concise. His credibility also came under scrutiny.
"You're here under oath, and yet we have lie after lie after lie after lie," said Rep. Dan Burton, an Indiana Republican.
When it was over, Clemens left the hearing room through a back door. Just before exiting, he paused to shake hands with Davis. Clemens later spoke briefly to reporters, saying: "I'm very thankful and very grateful for this day to come. I'm glad for the opportunity finally. And, you know, I hope I get -- and I know I will have -- the opportunity to come here to Washington again under different terms."
Early in the session, Clemens struggled to find the right words as he denied new accounts new accounts of drug use made against him by former teammate and close friend Andy Pettitte.
Using words like "misremembered" and mispronouncing McNamee's last name, Clemens rambled and stumbled at times.
Roger Clemens was grilled over inconstistencies between his testimony and statements made under oath by his teammate and friend Andy Pettitte.
It seemed clear nearly from the start of the session that the committee would not treat Clemens with kid gloves, despite all the face-to-face sit-downs he did with representatives in recent days -- sometimes posing for photos or signing autographs for staff members.
In fact, after Clemens interrupted Waxman at the end, the chairman pounded the gavel and said: "Excuse me, but this is not your time to argue with me."
When it was over, Clemens avoided reporters by leaving the hearing room through a back door. Just before exiting, he paused to shake hands with Davis.
Exactly two months after the Mitchell report was released, Clemens and McNamee were separated by one seat in the same wood-paneled room where Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro saw their careers tarnished during a hearing in March 2005. In a reference to McGwire's evasions that day, Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., admonished Wednesday's witnesses by saying: "It's better not to talk about the past than to lie about the past."
Clemens briefly stared at McNamee, his former employee, during his accuser's opening statement and later pointed several times at his former personal trainer. For the most part, they did not look at each other.
Members of Congress questioned the credibility of both.
Waxman pointed out inconsistencies in Clemens' comments and accused him of possibly attempting to influence statements to the committee by the pitcher's former nanny.
Burton repeatedly read remarks McNamee had made, and each time the former trainer was forced to admit they were untrue.
"This is really disgusting. You're here as a sworn witness. You're here to tell the truth," he said. "I don't know what to believe. I know one thing I don't believe and that's you."
The hearing seemed to split the committee along party lines, with the Democrats reserving their most pointed queries for Clemens, and the Republicans giving McNamee a rougher time. Chris Shays, a Connecticut Republican, likened the hearing to a "Roman Circus" featuring gladiators.
Cummings set the tone within minutes, repeatedly reminding Clemens he was under oath and admonishing the pitcher to "keep your voice up." McNamee also was asked to pull his microphone closer.
Brian McNamee came under intense scrutiny for not being fully forthright with federal agents about the number of injections he gave and the physical evidence in his possession.
The hearing started about an hour after several teams opened spring training. This was far from the sunny settings of Florida and Arizona.
Debbie Clemens, the pitcher's wife, sat behind her husband and listened as Waxman implicated her in HGH use, citing statements by Pettitte. Later, Clemens read a statement from his wife and said she "has been broken up over this."
IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky, a key member of the federal prosecution team against Barry Bonds, watched from a second-row seat. Asked why by a reporter, he declined comment.
In addition, ABC News reported that at least six FBI agents were in attendance at the hearing. While the Department of Justice will wait to see if the committee refers the matter for investigation, the agency can also open a probe on its own without a referral.
Bonds, baseball's home run king, was indicted in November on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice stemming from his 2003 testimony to a grand jury in which he denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs. Because of his denials under oath, Clemens could be subjected to a similar criminal probe.
Pettitte, who was excused from testifying, said in a statement to the committee that Clemens admitted to him as long as 10 years ago that he used HGH. Waxman read from affidavits by Pettitte and Pettitte's wife, Laura, supporting the accusations.
"Andy Pettitte is my friend. He was my friend before this. He will be my friend after this and again. I think Andy has misheard," Clemens said. "I think he misremembers."
McNamee told former Senate majority leader George Mitchell that he injected Clemens 16 to 21 times with steroids and human growth hormone from 1998-01, and that Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch used HGH. In his opening statement, McNamee said he might have injected Clemens and Knoblauch more than that.
"I have helped taint our national pastime," McNamee said. "Make no mistake: When I told Sen. Mitchell that I injected Roger Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, I told the truth."
McNamee was also asked about why he saved what he claims to be physical evidence connecting Clements to steroid use, including bloodied gauze and used medical needles.
In 2005, a source associated with McNamee told ESPN The Magazine's Shaun Assael that McNamee saved a blood sample from Clemens that would show steroid use. The sample was never shown to Assael.
Waxman said McNamee, a former New York City police officer, lied to police seven years ago during an investigation of a possible rape. He also was tough on Clemens.
"We have found conflicts and inconsistencies in Mr. Clemens' account. During his deposition, he made statements that we know are untrue," Waxman said.
In the affidavit, Pettitte said Clemens backtracked when the subject of HGH came up again in conversation in 2005, before the same House committee held the first hearing on steroids in baseball.
Pettitte said in the affidavit that he asked Clemens in 2005 what he would do if asked about performance-enhancing substances. Pettitte said Clemens responded by saying Pettitte misunderstood the previous exchange in 1999 or 2000 and that, in fact, Clemens had been talking about HGH use by his wife in the original conversation.
Clemens read a statement from his wife in which she acknowledged using HGH once, without his knowledge.
"She has been broken up over this for a long time," Clemens said. "She feels like a pawn."
Monday, February 11, 2008
The Motivator
"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel"
-Carl W. Buechner
-Carl W. Buechner
Ex cop: 'I didn't mean to hurt her'
CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- A former police officer accused of killing his pregnant lover sobbed on the witness stand Monday that he accidentally struck her when she wouldn't let him out of her house.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," Bobby Cutts Jr. testified, clutching a handful of white tissues.
Cutts, 30, said he was at Jessie Davis' home to pick up his 2½-year-old son, Blake and was telling her to hurry.
He said that when she didn't move quicker to get her son ready, he started to go but Davis grabbed him and told him he couldn't leave.
He said he pulled his arm away and threw his elbow back, striking her in the throat and causing her to fall.
Cutts could receive the death penalty if convicted of killing Davis, who was nearly full term with a female fetus when she died last June.
Cutts said he performed CPR, then tried to use bleach to revive her -- a large bleach stain was found in her room.
"She wasn't responding and I knew she was dead," Cutts testified.
He said he recalled thinking: "No way this is happening, this is not happening."
He said he went home, took a shower and "washed and washed and washed." Then, he said, he called Davis, hoping she'd pick up the phone. "This is not real," he said repeatedly.
Under questioning from his own attorney, Fernando Mack, Cutts said he didn't know why he failed to call police.
"How do you explain that?" he said raising his voice. "I just wanted to go get my son. I didn't want anybody to get hurt."
Cutts testified that he didn't want Blake to see his mother, so he put Davis' body in the bed of her truck and went to a friend's house while the boy slept.
Later, he said he drove around in a panic, not knowing what to do.
"I can't keep driving around with her body in the back of this truck," he said -- so when he saw a dirt road leading to a park, he pulled in.
"Did you leave Jessie at that location?" Mack said.
"Yeah," Cutts said between sobs.
After more than two hours of testimony, Cutts sat sniffling on the stand as assistant prosecutor Dennis Barr began his cross-examination.
"Mr. Cutts, do you have a cold? Because I don't see any tears," Barr said.
Defense attorneys objected.
"Did you cry this much when you dumped Jessie's body in the park?" Barr asked.
"After I dumped her body, yes I did cry," Cutts said.
Thousands searched for the 26-year-old Davis for more than a week, until Cutts led authorities to the body wrapped in a comforter in the park.
Prosecutors said Cutts was feeling the pressure of his crumbling marriage, financial debt and supporting several children. The state rested its case Friday, with closing arguments scheduled for Tuesday.
The former police officer in Canton is on trial on aggravated murder and other charges.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," Bobby Cutts Jr. testified, clutching a handful of white tissues.
Cutts, 30, said he was at Jessie Davis' home to pick up his 2½-year-old son, Blake and was telling her to hurry.
He said that when she didn't move quicker to get her son ready, he started to go but Davis grabbed him and told him he couldn't leave.
He said he pulled his arm away and threw his elbow back, striking her in the throat and causing her to fall.
Cutts could receive the death penalty if convicted of killing Davis, who was nearly full term with a female fetus when she died last June.
Cutts said he performed CPR, then tried to use bleach to revive her -- a large bleach stain was found in her room.
"She wasn't responding and I knew she was dead," Cutts testified.
He said he recalled thinking: "No way this is happening, this is not happening."
He said he went home, took a shower and "washed and washed and washed." Then, he said, he called Davis, hoping she'd pick up the phone. "This is not real," he said repeatedly.
Under questioning from his own attorney, Fernando Mack, Cutts said he didn't know why he failed to call police.
"How do you explain that?" he said raising his voice. "I just wanted to go get my son. I didn't want anybody to get hurt."
Cutts testified that he didn't want Blake to see his mother, so he put Davis' body in the bed of her truck and went to a friend's house while the boy slept.
Later, he said he drove around in a panic, not knowing what to do.
"I can't keep driving around with her body in the back of this truck," he said -- so when he saw a dirt road leading to a park, he pulled in.
"Did you leave Jessie at that location?" Mack said.
"Yeah," Cutts said between sobs.
After more than two hours of testimony, Cutts sat sniffling on the stand as assistant prosecutor Dennis Barr began his cross-examination.
"Mr. Cutts, do you have a cold? Because I don't see any tears," Barr said.
Defense attorneys objected.
"Did you cry this much when you dumped Jessie's body in the park?" Barr asked.
"After I dumped her body, yes I did cry," Cutts said.
Thousands searched for the 26-year-old Davis for more than a week, until Cutts led authorities to the body wrapped in a comforter in the park.
Prosecutors said Cutts was feeling the pressure of his crumbling marriage, financial debt and supporting several children. The state rested its case Friday, with closing arguments scheduled for Tuesday.
The former police officer in Canton is on trial on aggravated murder and other charges.
John Rocker points finger at Selig,Major League Baseball
BRISTOL, Conn. - With Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee set to plead their cases before Congress on Wednesday, Major League Baseball has a new problem to deal with - John Rocker.
Rocker appeared on two separate Atlanta radio shows Monday and suggested that the league and the players association not only knew that he was on steroids, but that doctors for both parties advised him and several teammates how to effectively use the performance-enhancing drugs, according to a report on ESPN.com.
Rocker said Monday that commissioner Bud Selig knew that he failed a drug test in 2000. No stranger to controversy, Rocker made those comments on Atlanta radio station Rock 100.5, according to the report.
Later Monday, Rocker appeared on Atlanta sports talk radio station 680 The Fan and said that "between 40 to 50 percent of baseball players are on steroids" and "in 2000, Bud Selig knew John Rocker was taking the juice."
The comments are a departure from Rocker's position last March, when he told ESPN radio that, by his own guess, "less than 10 percent" of players were using illegal performance enhancing substances while he was in the majors.
"Basically it's a lot of media propaganda," Rocker told ESPN radio in March 2007. "It's a great scandal to drive ratings and sell newspapers."
Rocker was a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2000. He appeared in 59 games, compiling a 1-2 record with a 2.89 ERA and 24 saves. A year earlier, he had a career-high 38 saves for the Braves.
Rocker played in 30 games for the Texas Rangers in 2002, throwing 24 1/3 innings.
Rangers executive vice president of communications Jim Sundberg said the Rangers will have no comment. The Rangers will leave it to MLB and the players' association to respond, according to ESPN.com.
Rocker appeared on two separate Atlanta radio shows Monday and suggested that the league and the players association not only knew that he was on steroids, but that doctors for both parties advised him and several teammates how to effectively use the performance-enhancing drugs, according to a report on ESPN.com.
Rocker said Monday that commissioner Bud Selig knew that he failed a drug test in 2000. No stranger to controversy, Rocker made those comments on Atlanta radio station Rock 100.5, according to the report.
Later Monday, Rocker appeared on Atlanta sports talk radio station 680 The Fan and said that "between 40 to 50 percent of baseball players are on steroids" and "in 2000, Bud Selig knew John Rocker was taking the juice."
The comments are a departure from Rocker's position last March, when he told ESPN radio that, by his own guess, "less than 10 percent" of players were using illegal performance enhancing substances while he was in the majors.
"Basically it's a lot of media propaganda," Rocker told ESPN radio in March 2007. "It's a great scandal to drive ratings and sell newspapers."
Rocker was a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2000. He appeared in 59 games, compiling a 1-2 record with a 2.89 ERA and 24 saves. A year earlier, he had a career-high 38 saves for the Braves.
Rocker played in 30 games for the Texas Rangers in 2002, throwing 24 1/3 innings.
Rangers executive vice president of communications Jim Sundberg said the Rangers will have no comment. The Rangers will leave it to MLB and the players' association to respond, according to ESPN.com.
Florida Panther's Zednick has throat slashed by skate
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik required lifesaving surgery after severing his carotid artery, his agent told The Associated Press on Monday.
Zednik had surgery Sunday night and was in stable condition at a Buffalo hospital after losing a significant amount of blood during the game at Buffalo earlier in the day, agent David Schatia said. Schatia didn't have further details because he had just arrived in Montreal following a trip oversees.
Zednik was sliced across the right side of the throat by teammate Olli Jokinen's skate in a frightening accident midway through the third period of Buffalo's 5-3 victory.
Canada's Sportsnet cable-TV network reported on its Web site that the skate blade just missed cutting the jugular vein.
The Panthers returned home to South Florida following the game. They did not have an immediate update on the player's condition or details of the severity of the injury.
Zednik was circling the net behind the play and skating into the corner just when Jokinen was upended by Sabres forward Clarke MacArthur. Jokinen fell headfirst to the ice, and his right leg and skate flew up and struck Zednik directly on the side of the neck.
Clutching his neck, Zednik left a trail of blood as he somehow had the capacity to race three-quarters the length of the ice to the Panthers bench. He nearly fell into the arms of trainer Dave Zenobi, who immediately placed a towel on the player's throat. With the help of defenseman Jassen Cullimore, Zednik was escorted up the tunnel behind the bench and loaded into an ambulance.
Zednik, a 12-year veteran, is in his first season with the Panthers. The team made arrangements to have his wife, Jessica, fly from South Florida to Buffalo by a charter flight Sunday night. Zenobi and assistant general manager Randy Sexton also stayed behind to be with Zednik, the Panthers said.
When Zednik was with Montreal he sustained a severe concussion, broken nose, bruised throat and cut eyelid following a vicious blow to the face by Boston's Kyle McLaren during the 2002 playoffs.
Zednik was knocked cold, had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher and spent the night in intensive care.
McLaren was suspended by the NHL for the rest of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, missing the final two games of the series, which Montreal won in six games.
Zednik returned the following season to score a career-high 31 goals and match a career high with 50 points.
"I saw him when they carted him to the hospital and said, 'Oh, my god. I'd be surprised if this guy ever walks again,"' Schatia said. "He's a tough guy."
Zednik signed with the Panthers as a free agent last summer. After a two-month slump, he has been playing well. He entered the game on a four-game point streak, in which he had six goals and three assists, giving him 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 54 games this season.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
