The IRE office will be closed from December 25th to January 5th.
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DNA test suggests Ohio inmate not linked to rape
Geoff Dutton and Mike Wagner, of The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, report that DNA results recently returned show that Robert McClendon, an Ohio inmate who has served 18 years for rape, is not a match for the semen found on the underwear of the 10-year-old victim. “McClendon’s case was highlighted in ‘Test of Convictions,’ a five-day…
Read MoreMapping the mortgage crisis in Minnesota
Using Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data, Kristi Piehl, Nicole Muehlhausen and Mike Maybay of KSTP evaluated the housing market in Minnesota. They analyzed 16 years of data to see how the mortgage crisis has impacted the state. In some counties, foreclosure rates have increased by over 400 percent over the last three years. Interactive…
Read MoreMillions in debt for fraud, Oregon businessman still generous to GOP
Nigel Jaquiss of Willamette Week reported that Craig Berkman, a former Oregon Republican Party chairman, was found in a civil lawsuit to have defrauded some of Portland’s wealthiest investors out of millions of dollars and was ordered to repay $28 million. Despite the lawsuit and ailing personal finances, Berkman continued to give generous political contributions…
Read MoreQuestions raised about use of DNA in identifying suspects
Jason Felch and Maura Dolan of The Los Angeles Times reported on findings that raised questions about the reliability of DNA testing to identify suspects. An Arizona state lab analyst found several instances where people shared several of the 13 markers used to distinguish individuals, findings that defied the odds estimated by the FBI. “As…
Read MoreDeadly Denial series
An investigation by the Rocky Mountain News examined the federal program to compensate the people who became sick building the nation’s nuclear weapons. The paper found that the agencies running the program, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Human Services, have derailed aid to workers by keeping reports secret from…
Read MoreBorrowers Betrayed
An eight-month investigation by Miami Herald reporters Jack Dolan, Matt Haggman and Rob Barry found the Florida agency in charge of regulating mortgage professionals broke down at every level, allowing thousands of people with criminal records to get licenses — many who went on to steal millions from borrowers and banks. The newspaper also found…
Read MoreFive years later, bankrupt company’s bills continue to mount
Adam Bell of The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer analyzed several years of records from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to detail how five years after Pillowtek, a major textile company, abruptly closed — leaving 7,650 people out of work — the bills for lawyers and other professionals handling the case have topped $33 million, and continue to…
Read MoreCrime & Punishment series
An investigation by The (Toronto) Star explores the state of crime and punishment in Canada. A new law increasing mandatory minimum sentencing was passed even though Canada’s crime rate has dropped over 25 percent in the last 15 years. The series looks at the monetary and social costs of the a tougher approach to crime,…
Read MoreAirbag recalibration may be linked to some accident fatalities
The recalibration of airbags in some 2005 Chrysler minivans meant to prevent potentially dangerous late deployments may be responsible for some fatalities when airbags fail to deploy, reports Mike Casey of The Kansas City Star. The family of the late Brooke Katz is suing the automaker because the airbag in her 2005 Dodge Caravan failed…
Read MoreRepossession business booms as economy struggles
The current credit crisis and rising fuel costs mean an increase in business for repo men according to a report by Jaweed Kaleem in The Miami Herald. For National Liquidators, a boat repossessor and auctioneer, “business has tripled in the last 18 months as higher maintenance fees, fuel and docking costs — as well as…
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