News Story
Witness in ‘Whitey’ Bulger Case Found Dead under Suspicious Circumstances
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Stephen “Stippo” Rakes waited decades to testify against accused mobster James “Whitey” Bulger. Rakes will never get the chance because he was found dead in what is being described as a suspicious death, the Boston Globe reports. Rakes, who had accused Bulger of stealing ownership of his South Boston liquor store, was…
NSA Takes Steps to Strengthen Security of Sensitive Information Following Leak
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Hoping to strengthen its security to avoid another leak, the NSA is examining how former contractor Edward Snowden was able to access and remove sensitive information, The Los Angeles Times reports. “This failure originated from two practices that we need to reverse,” Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said at a security forum…
FBI Advises Local Police to Keep George Zimmerman’s Gun, Evidence
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The Sanford Police won’t return to George Zimmerman his gun and other evidence used at his murder trial after the FBI urged against giving back the weapon, The Orlando Sentinel reports. It’s a sign that the Justice Department is moving forward with an investigation into whether Zimmerman violated the civil rights of…
Transgender Woman Wins Discrimination Suit Against ATF
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com A woman who was denied a job after ATF officials discovered she was transgender won a lawsuit this week in which she claimed she was the victim of unlawful discrimination, the Transgender Law Center reports. Mia Macy, an experienced police detective who has worked with the ATF on ballistics, said she was…
Senate Committee Approves Comey As Next FBI Director; Full Senate Vote Next
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com James Comey is closer to being the next FBI director. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday unanimously approved Comey, Obama’s choice to replace Robert Mueller, the USA Today reports. Now the Senate must approve the nomination of the former senior Justice Department official. The USA Today wrote that Comey is almost guaranteed…
Drug Dealer Says Accused Mobster ‘Whitey’ Bulger Forced Him to Play Russian Roulette
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Accused Boston mobster James “Whitey” Bulger forced a former drug kingpin to play Russian roulette in the back room of a nightclub in 1983, according to testimony at the racketeering and murder trial, Reuters reports. “The conversation wasn’t going too well… But I wasn’t going to pay him $1 million. I just…
NSA Leaker Snowden May Be Granted Temporary Asylum in Russia
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com NSA leader Edward Snowden issued a hand-scrawled application for temporary asylum in Russia, and his lawyer said he could soon walk out of Sheremetyevo airport, The Christian Science Monitor reports. “The question of giving him temporary asylum won’t take more than a week. I think that in the near future he will…
NYPD Commissioner Kelly Seems Open to Head Department of Homeland Security
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly appears to be open to considering the top job at the Department of Homeland Security, the New York Daily News reports. Rep. Pete King said the city’s top cop is “not saying no” to the possibility of taking the job. The comment follows President Obama’s comments about Kelly…