# Anybody ever known someone that did something so wrong it made the news? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 21, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339 "2001-08-21T14:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![EristicKallistic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85e7bf/32.png) [@EristicKallistic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EristicKallistic)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/81 "2010-08-18T20:20:02Z")
The woman who lived next door to us and babysat my younger brother and I (I was maybe very early teens or just before, my brother 5 years under that) ended up faking a kidnapping of her own infant son, we heard she had Munchausen by Proxy. Anyway the local news did a short bit on it, I think I remember my mom getting interviewed. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/82 "2010-08-18T20:30:58Z")
A short-time roommate of mine recently got arrested for kiddy porn on his computer. A fraternity brother got arrested for throwing mercury all over his mother’s house in a psychotic fit. A friend of mine built a pipe bomb and the other friend blew up a phone booth with it (decades ago). No one was hurt and they never got caught, but it hit the papers. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/83 "2010-08-18T20:54:43Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > > [@Skammer](#): > > > > Is that frowned upon? I have to claim ignorance.. if anyone had told me I shouldn’t have sex with my public defender… > > From Washington State’s Professional Responsibility rules: > > > [@](#): > > > > Client-Lawyer Sexual Relationships > > > > The relationship between lawyer and client is a fiduciary one in which the lawyer > > occupies the highest position of trust and confidence. The relationship is almost always unequal; thus, a sexual relationship between lawyer and client can involve unfair exploitation of the lawyer’s fiduciary role, in violation of the lawyer’s basic ethical obligation not to use the trust of the client to the client’s disadvantage. In addition, such a relationship presents a significant danger that, because of the lawyer’s emotional involvement, the lawyer will be unable to represent the > > client without impairment of the exercise of independent professional judgment. Moreover, a blurred line between the professional and personal relationships may make it difficult to predict to what extent client confidences will be protected by the attorney-client evidentiary privilege, sinceclient confidences are protected by privilege only when they are imparted in the context of the client-lawyer relationship. Because of the significant danger of harm to client interests and because the client’s own emotional involvement renders it unlikely that the client could give adequate informed consent, **this Rule prohibits the lawyer from having sexual relations with a client regardless of whether the relationship is consensual and regardless of the absence of prejudice to the client**. **Procustus** …psst, over [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RvNS7JfcMM). ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/84 "2010-08-18T21:59:57Z")
Not only the news; there was a [made for TV movie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109847/) about two of my high school classmates. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/85 "2010-08-18T22:20:09Z")
Just the local news. I just found my daughter’s father in jail in Nevada by a news blurb online. My brother did something so good it was in the news. He pulled a woman from a burning building. She died but it was still heroic what he did. Local media was all over it when my SO’s best friend was murdered but they got every detail wrong except names and the fact that he died. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/86 "2010-08-18T22:57:06Z")
Sadly, too many times. The first was a classmate at college who killed his ex-fiancee with an axe. The second was a CEO who shot 32 head of buffalo - that were being raised by his neighbor as livestock - but they jumped the fence trampled his lawn. The third may not be wrong legally, but was a guy who collected a $25 million severance after 3 months of work. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/87 "2010-08-18T23:15:56Z")
When I was in high school, a friend of ours once introduced us to her cousin and his wife (or was the wife the cousin - I can’t remember). A year or two later, the guy murdered his wife, fairly messily. The papers were full of it at the time. Come to think of it, the papers are still full of it… ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/88 "2010-08-19T01:57:02Z")
I had a high school classmate who is now in a federal pen for selling classified information to Cuba. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/89 "2010-08-19T13:56:32Z")
My old neighbor was murdered execution style by his own son and the sons drug buddy for not coughing up cash for their habit. Made the papers and the son is still locked away for life. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/90 "2010-08-19T14:02:28Z")
I knew [Dawn Breedon](http://dawnbreedon.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/HopeandHealingstorywpictures.pdf) for about 15 years before this nightmare happened, knew her son in utuero, and knew the monster that did it. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/91 "2010-08-19T17:02:02Z")
It was just in our local paper, but a couple decades ago one of the teachers in our local high school was arrested, together with his live-in girlfriend, for possession with intent to distribute either cocaine or heroin. He was the health/drivers’ education teacher. At least it provided a good teaching moment to my daughters. This guy had a tenured teaching position, and this was one of the few things he could have done to lose his job and his state teaching license, regardless of how much time he eventually did or didn’t do. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/92 "2010-08-19T17:06:04Z")
This is just a friend’s story, but it’s cool anyway. My friend lived in the general neighborhood where the infamous Son of Sam murders were happening, and she had a resemblance to the usual victim type (brown hair, for example). She was late finishing her shopping one day and was anxious about walking home alone. A neighbor offered to escort her and was especially amused that she though she could be a potential Son of Sam victim. Her escort was David Berkowitz, later identified and convicted of all the murders. His next (and final) victim was blonde. ---
**Author:** ![TheInternalCadet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@TheInternalCadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInternalCadet)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/93 "2014-04-14T07:27:41Z")
> [@Patch\_1](#): > > The victim of J.P. Remsen - Tristan Jensen was not a runaway. > They were classmates, J.P. was a bully & was jealous that girls like Tristan. > J.P. attempted to eliminate the competition. Bringing up an old thread, I realize. But, yeah. This is right. Apparently this guy’s looking for a partner for his possible 2017 parole, as well: [http://www.writeaprisoner.com/template.aspx?i=z-p85248](http://www.writeaprisoner.com/template.aspx?i=z-p85248) I’m all about reform, but as a local, I can tell you; this murder was brutal. Stabbed his victim twice with an eighteen inch long knife, stripped off his clothes, burned them, and threw him over the brick wall dividing his backyard from the street. Possible dismemberment. (blood spatter analysts believe it to be the case) He then threw him down into the sewer system through a manhole in the middle of the street. Parents encouraged (or had themselves) an obsession with explosives. (1,000 lbs found in their home and garage during the murder investigation). Evidence of animal torture in the garage as well (a bloody hacksaw with animal blood on it). I'm really hoping this man is denied parole (at least) until old age. ---
**Author:** ![delsina363](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@delsina363](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delsina363)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/94 "2014-04-14T15:15:53Z")
I have known many people who have made the local news. The big ones are: 15 years ago I was in my apartment watching the news about a local bank robbery. They had a picture, and asked anyone who knew this man to contact FBI. Then, they show a very clear picture of my Brother-in-Law. I became hysterical!! I was so scared I went outside to use a pay phone to call my sister. It was a crazy few weeks after that. He did get caught, and will be paroled this year. He currently resides in a prison that is also home to the Boston Marathon bomber. My husbands niece was on t.v. a few weeks ago, as on of MA Most Wanted. She is accused of going into office buildings and taking credit cards, cash, etc. from bags not being watched. At least I heard it was her, the picture is kind of grainy and she has yet to be arrested. A friend of my sisters was arrested in a very large drug bust here in Boston, that made national news. I am sure I can probably think of another half dozen, but the three above come to mind. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/95 "2014-04-14T15:43:55Z")
When I was growing up in Astoria, Queens, my favorite pizza joint was (unknown to me) owned by a very bad guy with serious Mob ties. He was never anything but jocular and friendly to me. > **[Jury Rules One Way, Judge Another in Mob Killing (Published 2007)](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/15/nyregion/15mob.html?_r=0)** > > The fate of two men tried together in a mafia killing diverged when one elected to have a jury issue a verdict and the other asked the judge to decide his case. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/96 "2014-04-14T15:47:54Z")
Back in the '70s when I was little, there was a newly ordained priest in my mom’s parish (St Johns/Holy Angels, Newark, DE) – everyone loved him because he was young, handsome and hip. Popular with the kids, beloved by the little old ladies. Turns out he also had a taste for the geegees – he may or may not still be in prison for hornswoggling over $350,000 out of the little old ladies as well as swiping from the collection plates. He was sentenced to ten years, but apparently it was to be suspended after one year. [http://thedialog.org/?tag=father-michael-angeloni](http://thedialog.org/?tag=father-michael-angeloni) My mother, who is militantly Catholic, was gobsmacked to think that this nice young man (even at 62, he still is, relative to her, as she’s 85 now) could have ever done such a nasty thing. She’s exactly the kind of little old lady who would turn over all her cash to the church if not for my brother keeping a close eye on her – before he started keeping an eye on mum, she’d given her former pastor $5000 for a car (for himself, not for the parish). I’m sure the bookies at Delaware Park are also grieving as well. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/97 "2014-04-14T16:04:20Z")
One of my brothers was recently tried and jailed for fraud and I first knew about it by reading the Metro, a Lonndon newspaper quite far from where he lives. My GF texted me and asked if that was my brother. No link because we share a surname and also I know a little more than the newspapers do, and they made it sound much worse than it really was. I mean, really, if I’d posted it on here with all the details I knew most people on here would have been saying he should have had a low sentence and his wife should have had none, not custodial time anyway. He got sent down for three years, she (with no previous record) got sent down for five and the person they “defrauded” ended up much the worse off for them being sent away. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/98 "2014-04-14T16:05:27Z")
I stood silently at the school bus stop every morning with the girl who [Diane Zamora](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Zamora) and her boyfriend killed. (They killed her because she was the boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, and he needed to prove his loyalty to Diane.) It not only made the news, it was a made-for-TV movie as well. Weird fact: I happened to miss the bus the day after she was killed, and walked to school. When I got there, I got an extremely eerie feeling and thought to myself “did somebody die?” There were no clues that would have led me to think this–everything was just as it would have been had nothing happened. (No one was in the lobby or halls, because classes were in session, so it’s not like I picked up on subtle body language cues or anything.) I explain it as coincidence–how many times do I get the same feeling, and forget all about it because nothing comes about to “substantiate” the feeling? Another one that’s not so bad that made the news was a friend of mine whose wife (whom none of us like and all of us had called “The Crazy” at one point or another) had an affair with her boss (a city comptroller), helped her boss steal money from the city, and was caught and arrested. They’re not married anymore. ETA: Oh yes, and when I was living with my mother-in-law, her next door neighbor, who was very friendly and who I had vaguely positive feelings towards, was arrested along with his own father-in-law for, apparently, _stealing cattle_. They got some crazy number of years for it, like they’re in prison for life now. It was apparently a multi-million dollar crime. His wife was (and AFAIK still is) dying of cancer. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/99 "2014-04-14T16:42:06Z")
When I was 18 my then-boyfriend and I knew this gentleman and his then-wife: > **[Latest News - Breaking News Stories | Simcoe.com](https://www.simcoe.com)** > > Stay informed with the latest news updates from the Simcoe County news website. Breaking news, top stories, politics, business, sports, & more. The event he was involved in took place many years later and ended up being “Canada’s longest running jury trial.” I also knew this guy to say hi. I saw him a few weeks before his arrest and he was taking flowers to his grandmother: > **[CBC documentary focuses on Barrie murders](https://www.muskokaregion.com/news/cbc-documentary-focuses-on-barrie-murders/article_13b634cc-05ee-5c4b-b080-c9c931dab8f6.html?)** > > CBC dusts off the story of four killings that took place in 1993. I also knew the girlfriend of the cab driver he murdered. One time Mr. Ross was at our house with some mutual friends. He saw our black cat and said “Hey! You’re black like me!” and petted her. Mr. Vanderheyden and his then-wife visited us a few times also. I used to say that my cat had been petted by not one, but two later convicted murderers. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339/100 "2014-04-14T16:53:18Z")
I had business connections with Nigel Gale, a VP at Southwest Research Institute. In 2010 [he was sentenced to 8 years in prison for possession of the largest collection of child porn ever seen in San Antonio.](http://www.kens5.com/news/Man-sentenced-in-largest-child-porn-possession-case-in-San-Antonio-history-101554733.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-ever-known-someone-that-did-something-so-wrong-it-made-the-news/77339.md?page=6)