Twenty years ago, Kristine Cushing shot and killed her two daughters in their sleep.
Cushing was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity, but her action 20 years ago has Trish Conlon fearing the safety of her two teenage sons today. Conlon is the ex-wife of former Marine fighter pilot Lt. Col. John P. Cushing Jr., who was married to Kristine Cushing when she killed their daughters — and who is remarried to her today.
Accompanied by her attorney, Todd DeVallance, Trisha Conlon spoke exclusively with TODAY’s Matt Lauer on Tuesday about her worries concerning her sons living with a woman who once shot and killed her own daughters.
“I am not willing to risk my kids’ lives on speculation,’’ Conlon told NBC News. “When a person is capable, they’re capable.’’
A convoluted custody dispute has resulted in the two boys living with the Cushings at their home on Vashon Island, south of Seattle. They were dropped off on Sunday after a court ruled against Conlon attaining full custody of her boys. Another hearing is set for Aug. 25.
“It wasn’t easy,’’ Conlon, who lives in Silverton, Ore., told Lauer about dropping the boys off at the Cushings’ home. “It was gut-wrenching. I don’t even have words to describe it.’’
Two deaths
In 1991, Kristine Cushing used a .38-caliber handgun to shoot and kill her two daughters, ages 4 and 8. The killings stunned the affluent community of Laguna Niguel, Calif., where neighbors thought of Kristine as a “super-mom,’’ who shepherded her daughters to various activities while her husband was overseas on tours of duty. The killings were blamed on the convergence of Cushing’s use of the antidepressant Prozac, a debilitating heart condition, and the impending dissolution of her 17-year marriage to John.
Once Conlon determined in 2007 that Kristine had returned to her ex-husband’s home, she immediately went to court to try to alter the parenting plan regarding the two sons she had with John. The boys are currently 13 and 14.
“I came to realize that my ex-husband’s first wife was back in the home, so that caused concern for me due to the fact that she killed their two children,’’ Conlon told NBC News.
“This is not an allegation,’’ Conlon’s lawyer, Todd DeVallance told Lauer Tuesday. “These are facts. They are undisputed facts from the record. This woman has harmed children in the past. She has killed children in the past.’’
The Cushings did not respond to NBC’s interview requests for this story. In court documents, John has said that Kristine’s sanity has been “restored” and that “she is busy, enjoys life and loves me and my sons."
Bizarre case
For three years, Conlon said, she was unaware that Kristine was living with her boys. The boys were instructed to use a false name for Kristine and lie to Conlon about her presence in the home, Conlon told Lauer. Conlon and DeVallance hired a private investigator who determined that Kristine was back living in John’s home.
Conlon went to court in mid-June and was awarded full custody of her sons for 30 days. However, in a recent hearing about whether the parenting plan should be modified, the court ruled against Conlon.
“What was said was that [Kristine] hasn’t hurt anybody since 2008, and so they didn’t allow a change in the plan at this point,’’ Conlon told Lauer.
Commissioner Leonid Ponomarchuk ruled that since the boys had been spending time with Kristine for three years without incident, even though it was unbeknownst to Conlon, she did not pose a threat that warranted a change in the parenting plan.
“Despite the serious history in this case, there is no presentation of a current threat to the children,’’ Ponomarchuk stated.
However, Ponomarchuk also acknowledged the bizarre nature of the case.
"I have to look at this dispassionately," Ponomarchuk said. "Would I ever want my children around her? I would say no. But that is an emotional reaction coming from a parent."
Kristine Cushing spent four years in a mental institution. After a subsequent decade of psychiatric monitoring, it was determined that she posed no risk.
“First of all, this is not a criminal case, this is a family law matter,’’ DeVallance told Lauer Tuesday. “What Trish is asking the court to do is make sure her children are safe. That is, to impose adequate safeguards, limitations and restrictions in the existing parenting plan. The commissioner actually dismissed Trish’s case, saying Trish’s case had no merit.’’
In 2007, Conlon was contacted by a Washington state Child Protective Services worker who informed her that Kristine’s therapist had contacted CPS to inform them that Kristine was living with children again. The fact that the situation was reported by CPS indicates more recent behavior that is cause for concern, according to Conlon.
“Her psychiatrist felt that there was a need to report this situation, and so there is recency, there is currency,’’ Conlon told Lauer. “It’s not something that just happened 20 years ago.’’
As for her children, 14-year-old Stephen and 13-year-old Sam, Conlon is hoping to shield them from being caught up in the public nature of the custody fight.
“I’m trying as much as I can to keep them out of this, away from this,’’ she said. “This should be an easy custody battle between adults, and I’d rather not talk about what their thoughts are.’’
Conlon was also asked by Lauer about whether her ex-husband would allow the current parenting situation if he believed it was unsafe because of Kristine’s history.
“I’ve spoken with it to folks, even folks in the mental health profession,,’’ Conlon said. “The words ‘guilt’ and ‘denial’ come up. To believe that she’s OK, to believe that it was the fault of Prozac and the fault of medical events coming together — I’m sure helps him to deal with it as well.’’
Conlon and DeVallance are now looking for a more favorable ruling regarding alteration of the parenting plan in the hearing on Aug. 25.
“We’re hopeful, we’re optimistic the judge will overturn the ruling,’’ DeVallance said.
Jul 27, 2011
Let your balls hang somewhere else
BONNEAU, S.C. (AP) - A Berkeley County woman will get a jury trial for a ticket she was given by police for displaying big plastic testicles on the back of her pickup truck.
Virginia Tice of Bonneau was given a $445 ticket July 5 that accuses her of violating the state's obscene bumper sticker law.
Police Chief Franco Fuda asked for a jury trial, saying questions of obscenity should be determined by community standards.
Tice's attorney, Scott Bischoff, expects a trial next month. A relative said Tice didn't want to talk about the case before the trial.
She was ticketed after pulling into a gas station in her truck with big red fake testicles hanging from the trailer hitch.
Virginia Tice of Bonneau was given a $445 ticket July 5 that accuses her of violating the state's obscene bumper sticker law.
Police Chief Franco Fuda asked for a jury trial, saying questions of obscenity should be determined by community standards.
Tice's attorney, Scott Bischoff, expects a trial next month. A relative said Tice didn't want to talk about the case before the trial.
She was ticketed after pulling into a gas station in her truck with big red fake testicles hanging from the trailer hitch.
Your basic Thia hooker turned Rhino horn smugler story
JOHANNESBURG - A smuggler paid Thai hookers to take poached rhino horns out of South Africa and into the lucrative Asian market, the Mail and Guardian reported Friday.
Thai national Chumlong Lemtongthai was arrested last week outside Johannesburg on suspicion of being part of a syndicate that sold at least 40 rhino horns.
The poached horns were taken to a taxidermist and made to look like hunting trophies, but to get around a lack of hunters, Lemtongthai found a creative solution.
He paid Thai hookers and strippers 5,000 rand ($740) each to pose as hunters and take the horns back to Thailand.
Lemtongthai reportedly made a profit of $8.9 million before he was caught.
Read more: AFP
Thai national Chumlong Lemtongthai was arrested last week outside Johannesburg on suspicion of being part of a syndicate that sold at least 40 rhino horns.
The poached horns were taken to a taxidermist and made to look like hunting trophies, but to get around a lack of hunters, Lemtongthai found a creative solution.
He paid Thai hookers and strippers 5,000 rand ($740) each to pose as hunters and take the horns back to Thailand.
Lemtongthai reportedly made a profit of $8.9 million before he was caught.
Read more: AFP
Jul 17, 2011
Dog Bites Shark
Sharks are the undisputed kings of the shallows, voracious predators who, with one flash of a fin, can send crowds of paddlers fleeing for the safety of the shore.
But one plucky pooch showed a group of these fierce fish just how handy man's best friend can be when he rounds them up like a flock of timid lambs.
These incredible pictures show the moment a dog rounds on a group of sharks, and even dives under the water and gives one a nip.
But one plucky pooch showed a group of these fierce fish just how handy man's best friend can be when he rounds them up like a flock of timid lambs.
These incredible pictures show the moment a dog rounds on a group of sharks, and even dives under the water and gives one a nip.
May 13, 2011
FDA: FAKE HERBAL SEX PILLS CONTAIN REAL VIAGRA...
Federal drug safety officials are warning consumers about counterfeit sex-enhancement pills being sold without a prescription but containing the drugs used in Viagra and a similar medication.
The bogus pills are sold as ExtenZe, an herbal supplement, and resemble real ExtenZe pills, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
Yet they contain tadalafil and sildenafil, the active ingredients in Cialis and Viagra, the agency said. Both drugs require a doctor's prescription.
The counterfeit products are marked with lot numbers 1110075 and F050899, the FDA said. It said consumers should stop taking questionable pills and contact their doctors about any side effects.
ExtenZe is manufactured by Biotab Nutraceuticals Inc., according to the company's website. FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess confirmed that the fake pills were not manufactured by Biotab.
This is the latest in a string of cases where real drugs for erectile dysfunction and other conditions appeared in herbal supplements that were marketed to treat those conditions.
In February, Biotab voluntarily recalled two lots of counterfeit ExtenZe that contained tadalafil, sildenafil and sibutramine, a weight-loss pill that is not approved for sale in the U.S.
At the time, Biotab said that other counterfeit products might still be on store shelves.
"This incident is an example of a growing trend of products marketed as dietary supplements or conventional foods with hidden drugs and chemicals," said Ilisa Bernstein, deputy director of the Office of Compliance in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
"These types of products are typically promoted for sexual enhancement, weight loss, and body building, and are often represented as being `all natural.' Consumers should exercise caution before purchasing products promoted for these uses," she said in a statement.
The FDA said in December that it is cracking down on supplements containing prescription ingredients.
From 2007 to 2010, the FDA pressured companies to recall nearly 200 inappropriately formulated products, the agency said in December. The recalled products were linked to reports of stroke, kidney failure, liver injury and death.
With the exception of infant formula, the FDA does not have the authority to order a recall of a food or dietary supplement. It usually issues warning letters to draw attention to illegal products.
Dietary supplements can slip through the regulatory cracks because they can be marketed without FDA approval. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that the products are safe.
In a letter to the supplement industry, the agency said that manufacturers who distribute tainted products could face criminal prosecution.
The FDA did not identify the maker of the fake ExtenZe pills. Citing agency policy, FDA spokeswoman Burgess declined to say whether the agency is pursuing criminal charges.
--
Jan 18, 2011
94-Year-Old Found With Vacuum On Pants - Phoenix News Story - KPHO Phoenix
A 94-year-old Payson man was arrested last Thursday after being charged with public sexual indecency, aggravated assault and the molestation of several children.The investigation began three weeks ago after a public indecency report was filed. Police said Dale Warren Graham was found in someone else’s garage with a running vacuum cleaner attached to the front of his pants.As the investigation continued, police said they determined Graham had contact with children and discovered he had inappropriately touched at least two of them.The Payson Police Department would like the help of the public in identifying any other victims that may have come in contact with the suspect.
Jan 10, 2011
Horny Old Chineese People
When you think about horned creatures, a few come to mind instantly: rhinos, bulls, unicorns, the devil. Amazingly, humans are part of that group more often than you might think.
Huang Yuanfan, 84, of Ziyuan, China, is the latest person to report an unusual growth protruding from the head. His horn began growing two years ago and has reached a length of 3 inches, according to Metro.co.uk and other British news sites.
When it began as a small bump, Huang said he tried picking at it and even filing it, but the horn persevered and kept growing.
You don't have to be devilish to have a horn on your head. China's Huang Yuanfan, 84, says that over the past two years, a small bump on the back of his head has turned into a horn that's nearly 3 inches long. "Doctors say they don't know what caused it, but if they try to take it off it will just come back," he told the press. "I try to hide it beneath a hat, but if it gets much longer it will be sticking out the top."
"Doctors say they don't know what caused it, but if they try to take it off it will just come back," Huang told the press. "I try to hide it beneath a hat, but if it gets much longer it will be sticking out the top."
Last year, Zhang Ruifang, a 101-year-old from China, made news when a second horn began emerging from her head. Her first horn had already grown 2 1/2 inches.
Zhang Ruifang, 101, of China's Henan province is actually growing two horns on her head.
Zhang embraced her new look and told reporters that she was eager for the second
horn to match the first in size. She refused offers to remove the horns.
China has produced a number of other elderly horny folks in recent years. In 2007, 93-year-old Ma Zhong Nan flaunted a 4-inch horn growing atop his head. He paid little attention to it until it became itchy, at which point he sought help.
That same year, 95-year-old Xiou Ling made headlines for a 6 1/2-inch horn that jutted out of her forehead and curled downward over her face. It had been growing for four years.
And in 2006, Zhang Yuncai of China's Xingyang county felt what he thought was a pimple on his head. Eventually that "pimple" got bigger and bigger until it developed into a 2-inch horn-shaped bump. Doctors removed the strange growth free of charge.
Of course, human horns extend beyond China's borders.
For example, in February 2007, the Yemen Observer reported on the case of Saleh Talib Saleh, a 102-year-old man whose horn started growing on the left side of his head at the age of 78.
"One day, as I was touching the surface of my head, I felt a very thick and hard layer of substance on my head," Saleh told the Observer. "At that time we didn't have the medical institutions like we have today, so I ignored it and did not focus too much on it because it didn't bother me at all. Every week, it seemed to grow bigger and harder."
He said it reached a length of 19 inches before breaking off in 2006. But just days later it started growing right back.
"I have had hundreds of visitors who come from around the country and feel surprised and in awe when they see the greatness of God and his creation," Saleh said.
These types of horns are typically cutaneous horns, which are composed of the same substance found in our fingernails, called keratin. While bizarre, they are usually harmless.
Huang Yuanfan, 84, of Ziyuan, China, is the latest person to report an unusual growth protruding from the head. His horn began growing two years ago and has reached a length of 3 inches, according to Metro.co.uk and other British news sites.
When it began as a small bump, Huang said he tried picking at it and even filing it, but the horn persevered and kept growing.
You don't have to be devilish to have a horn on your head. China's Huang Yuanfan, 84, says that over the past two years, a small bump on the back of his head has turned into a horn that's nearly 3 inches long. "Doctors say they don't know what caused it, but if they try to take it off it will just come back," he told the press. "I try to hide it beneath a hat, but if it gets much longer it will be sticking out the top."
"Doctors say they don't know what caused it, but if they try to take it off it will just come back," Huang told the press. "I try to hide it beneath a hat, but if it gets much longer it will be sticking out the top."
Last year, Zhang Ruifang, a 101-year-old from China, made news when a second horn began emerging from her head. Her first horn had already grown 2 1/2 inches.
Zhang Ruifang, 101, of China's Henan province is actually growing two horns on her head.
Zhang embraced her new look and told reporters that she was eager for the second
horn to match the first in size. She refused offers to remove the horns.
China has produced a number of other elderly horny folks in recent years. In 2007, 93-year-old Ma Zhong Nan flaunted a 4-inch horn growing atop his head. He paid little attention to it until it became itchy, at which point he sought help.
That same year, 95-year-old Xiou Ling made headlines for a 6 1/2-inch horn that jutted out of her forehead and curled downward over her face. It had been growing for four years.
And in 2006, Zhang Yuncai of China's Xingyang county felt what he thought was a pimple on his head. Eventually that "pimple" got bigger and bigger until it developed into a 2-inch horn-shaped bump. Doctors removed the strange growth free of charge.
Of course, human horns extend beyond China's borders.
For example, in February 2007, the Yemen Observer reported on the case of Saleh Talib Saleh, a 102-year-old man whose horn started growing on the left side of his head at the age of 78.
"One day, as I was touching the surface of my head, I felt a very thick and hard layer of substance on my head," Saleh told the Observer. "At that time we didn't have the medical institutions like we have today, so I ignored it and did not focus too much on it because it didn't bother me at all. Every week, it seemed to grow bigger and harder."
He said it reached a length of 19 inches before breaking off in 2006. But just days later it started growing right back.
"I have had hundreds of visitors who come from around the country and feel surprised and in awe when they see the greatness of God and his creation," Saleh said.
These types of horns are typically cutaneous horns, which are composed of the same substance found in our fingernails, called keratin. While bizarre, they are usually harmless.
Jan 6, 2011
"Suspicious" Bagel on a Plane
That "suspicious package" turned out to be keys, a bagel with cream cheese and a hat.
Ognjen Milatovic, 35, was flying from Boston to Washington D.C. on US Airways when he was escorted off the plane for disorderly conduct following the incident.
Monday's incident is another example of other passengers essentially becoming the authority on terrorist activity on planes.
Recently, passenger complaints have resulted authorities taking action against innocent passengers who went to the bathroom too often on a flight and who were just being annoying.
In the hyper-sensitive world of flying, sneezing too often could get you kicked off a flight and questioned by the FBI.
Milatovic, who is a mathematics and statistics professor at the University of North Florida, was minding his business when other passengers turned into super sleuths.
Passengers reported hearing strange noises coming from a plastic bag. State police said later that the bag contained a set of keys,
a bagel with cream cheese, some other small food items, a hat and a wallet.
When confronted by the US Airways crew about his "suspicious package," Milatovic got on his cell phone. The crew asked him to hang it up and sit down. When he refused, he was cuffed.
Milatovic was also charged with interfering with the operation of an aircraft.
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