My next novel, PARTY TO A CRIME, is on the market

PARTY TO A CRIME is the first-person account of Roland Dole, a burned-out former teacher who serves as jury foreman in a crack-fueled carjacking trial. The case doesn’t end with the jury’s expedient verdict, however. Thanks to a delinquent son, a half-trained attack dog, and his own faulty memory, Dole finds himself locked in a life-and-death struggle with one of the parties in the case. Written with realism and dry (sometimes grim) humor, PARTY TO A CRIME tells the story of one man’s “ordeal by trial” and ultimate redemption against the backdrop of a dysfunctional justice system—where guilt and innocence are cheap commodities, traded in backroom deals. Read more.

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Bail revoked: Judge orders George Zimmerman to jail for lying about finances

George Zimmerman has been ordered back to jail after the judge learned he’d been lying about his finances during his bond hearing. Zimmerman faces second-degree murder charges in the death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman already knew he’d collected more than $100,000 through PayPal contributions to his website, but he told the court he had only limited resources. After the hearing, he was released on a $150,000 bond. Now he may have to spend the next year or two in jail while his trial proceeds. And now his credibility has been punctured. And by the way, Zimmerman has two passports, and had only surrendered one of them to authorities, as was required under the terms of his bond. The Washington Post reports: The judge questioning…

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A “birther” issue in Forsyth County sheriff’s race?

They had a bit of a “birther” issue in Forsyth County recently when it turned out that none of the three Republican candidates for sheriff bothered to submit birth certificates or high-school diplomas to party officials during the qualifying period.  The Republican Party went ahead and qualified them, anyway. County elections officials have been working to straighten the mess out and say that the issue has been cleared up after all three men submitted the necessary documentation. Any voter in the county has until June 8 to file a challenge to the candidacies of Lauren McDonald, Duane Piper and incumbent Ted Paxton. There may be no further repercussions, however, since no Democrat qualified to run for sheriff in Forsyth, Georgia’s most staunchly Republican county. Read more.

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Forsyth County gambling operations busted

This isn’t like the old days. Demographics have changed. Six people have been arrested on commercial gambling charges at two Forsyth County, Georgia convenience stores. Three people were arrested at  the Quick Stop Convenience Store, 2383 Canton Highway—Srinivas Varaganti, 44, assistant store manager Prakashbhai Patel, 51, and 38-year-old Maria De Leon—and about $6,500 in cash was seized. In a separate probe, the owner and employees of Country Corner Shell Station at 601 Dahlonega Street, Cumming were arrested after allegedly paying out winnings from video poker machines in cash, alcohol, and lottery tickets. Owner Allauddin Panjwani, 57, his son, manager Javed Panjwani, 32, and clerk Manuel Ramirez have been charged in the case All are out on bond. Court appearances are scheduled for…

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