A compilation of brief news reports for Sunday, January 10, 2010.
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Outgoing Croatian president Stjepan Mesi? pardoned 36-year-old Siniša Rimac, a convicted war criminal, jailed for eight years for participating in executions of Serb civilians back in 1991, when Croatia was at war with Serb forces. Among other crimes, he is guilty of killing a 12-year old girl. At that time he was part of a military unit led by Tomislav Mer?ep, who was never prosecuted.
Rimac’s jail term was shortened by one year, following president Mesi?’s decision.
Serbian president Boris Tadi? described the act as “anti-european” and “anti-civilisational” that cannot be justified.
- Sources
- “Mesic pardoned man convicted for murder of Serbian civilians” — Blic, January 8, 2010
- “Tadi?: Pomilovanje ratnog zlo?inca anticivilizacijski ?in” — Jutarnji List, January 8, 2010
- “Mesi? pomilovao ubojicu Rimca iz Pakra?ke poljane” — Jutarnji List, January 6, 2010
Mohamed Kohail, a Canadian resident convicted after a deadly school fight in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia will not be executed as originally sentenced. The country’s highest court, the Supreme Council, cancelled the death sentence but ordered that Kohail face retrial in the case. The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade confirmed this development on Saturday.
Kohail’s younger brother Sultan is also charged in this case and could also be sentenced to death as his case was moved from the youth court to the adult system. Both brothers deny that they had caused the death of Munzer Haraki during the 2007 brawl.
- Sources
- “Saudi court revokes Montrealer’s death sentence” — CBC News, January 9, 2010
- Linda Nguyen. “Montreal man spared beheading for fatal school fight in Saudi Arabia” — Canwest News Service, January 9, 2010
- Richard Deschamps. “Mohammed Kohail’s death sentence revoked” — CJAD, January 9, 2010
More than 4,000 police officers attended the funeral of Constable Ireneusz “Eric” Czapnik in Ottawa, Ontario on Thursday. Czapnik was stabbed to death outside the Ottawa Hospital‘s Civic campus the previous Tuesday while completing paperwork at his vehicle. He was the first Ottawa police officer to be killed on duty since 1983.
Kevin Gregson, a suspended RCMP officer, is charged in connection with Czapnik’s murder.
Sources
- “Slain officer honoured at massive funeral” — CBC News, January 7, 2010
- “Thousands gather to honour slain Ottawa cop” — Ottawa Citizen, January 7, 2010
- Joanna Smith. “Thousands gather to honour slain Ottawa constable” — Toronto Star, January 7, 2010
At 6:30a.m. Friday local time (1230 UTC) a gunman entered an ABB factory in St. Louis, Missouri, and began shooting. At this time it appears that he had killed three and injured five others, then himself. St. Louis Police Chief Dan Isom says, “”We are very confident that this is the shooter.” Reports say that there were two bodies found on the outside of the factory and two bodies, including that of the shooter, found on the interior.
Sources
- “Gunman on rampage at Missouri factory” — BBC News Online, January 7, 2010
- “ABB Has Received Reports Of A Shooting At Its St Louis Site” — Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2010
- “8 people shot, 3 fatally, at St. Louis factory, police say” — CNN, January 7, 2010
- Kim Bell. “Worker goes on rampage, shoots 8, kills 3 co-workers” — St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 7, 2010
A French court ruled in favor of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in a fraud case where fraudsters stole money from his bank accounts. He was awarded one Euro (US$1.43, ?0.89) in damages.
Sources
- “Sarkozy awarded €1 in fraud case” — Independent.ie, January 9, 2010
- “France’s Sarkozy Awarded One Euro In Fraud Case” — New York Times, January 8, 2010
File:Gumby and Pokey – Bendable Figures.jpg
Art Clokey, a pioneer in the field of claymation, died Friday due to chronic disease. Clokey was well know for one of the characters he created, Gumby.
Sources
- Jason Felch. “Art Clokey dies at 88; creator of Gumby” — Los Angeles Times, January 9, 2010
- “Gumby creator pases away” — The Sydney Morning Herald, January 9, 2010