Posts by Alena Rehberger
Maryland prison system releasing violent criminals early after completing work and education programs
After Gregg Thomas pleaded guilty in 2004 to killing a teenager, a Baltimore judge ordered him to serve 15 years in prison. He was out in less than 10, and by last week he had been charged in the shooting ambush of off-duty Baltimore Police Sgt. Keith Mcneill. The shooting, which left Mcneill in critical…
Read MoreJared Remy took advantage of court system
Jared Remy had glided through his first five criminal cases, but prosecutors thought the sixth one would be different. Compared to what he had been charged with in the past — beating and choking his ex-girlfriend while she held their baby, cracking a friend over the head with a beer bottle in a jealous fit,…
Read MoreParents sending children to schools outside of Rochester School District
Whether for infestations of insects or crime or simply for convenience, parents in the Rochester School District overwhelmingly send their children to schools other than the ones within walking distance. The median neighborhood elementary school in Rochester enrolls only 15 percent of its local children, even without counting those who attend the district’s citywide schools,…
Read MoreFlorida law allowed dangerous driver back on roads
Nancy Chancey, 59, was killed after she hit another car and was thrown from her vehicle. Two days later, a resident nearby found the body of 60-year-old Art Stroud in the brush near his home. Stroud was struck by the airborne car and thrown out of sight of the police who responded to the crash.…
Read MoreNew York gas mains installed in 40s leaking, prone to explosions
It is a danger hidden beneath the streets of New York City, unseen and rarely noticed: 6,302 miles of pipes transporting natural gas. Leaks, like the one that is believed to have led to the explosion that killed eight people in East Harlem this month, are startlingly common, numbering in the thousands every year, federal…
Read MoreMichelle Byrom could become first woman executed in Mississippi since 1944
Unless courts or the governor intervene, the state of Mississippi will execute a woman whose son repeatedly confessed to the killing she is slated to die for — evidence the jury never heard.
Read MoreFresh water stolen in California during drought
It’s amazingly easy to steal water from a California stream. Even in this epic drought, the state has no way of monitoring exactly who is tapping into its freshwater supplies and how much they take. And those who do get caught taking water they have no right to often are allowed to keep taking it…
Read MoreUntested rape kits helped serial rapist elude police
Untested rape kits allowed serial rapist Anthony Alliano to continue his violent attacks on young girls and women in Cordova.
Read MoreSunshine Week audio playlist, tipsheets and more
All week long we’ve been celebrating Sunshine Week by sharing some of our best tips, tricks and techniques for filing successful Freedom of Information Act requests. Deborah Nelson, Kirsten Mitchell, Mike Ravnitzky and Kate Willson talked about the importance of using documents and offered ideas for beefing up your records requests. The crew from FOIA…
Read MoreJoin IRE at Meetups in Chicago, San Francisco
Come see old friends, make new ones, network and exchange your favorite tools for investigative reporting at two IRE Meetups next month. IRE Bay Area: Tuesday, April 22 from 7-9 p.m. at Comal IRE Chicago: Thursday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. at BlackFinn Ameripub You don’t need to be an IRE member to attend, but…
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