Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Sean Combs Celebrates Birthday Behind Bars | Crime Alert Weekend Recap Sunday 11.10.24

Episode Date: November 10, 2024

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert Here's one of our top stories this week. Sean "Diddy" Combs marked his 55th birthday behind bars at the MDC, receiving a call from his children and enjoying a "breakfast cake" as his first meal of the day, followed by a choice of pizza, salad, or pasta for dinner. Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. including a spirited rendition of Happy Birthday sung over the phone. But his birthday comes amid a storm of legal troubles, more damaging allegations resurfacing from his past acquaintances, while Combs' legal team battles a swirl of claims in court. In a full family moment, Combs' children cheerfully wished him a happy birthday from afar. They sang and joked with their father. Christian Combs opened with, quote, All right, sing happy birthday to daddy. Amid the laughter, Diddy expressed gratitude, telling his children, quote, I love y'all so much. Thank y'all for being strong.

I got the best family in the world. But beneath this familial bond, legal battles are intensifying. Reporter Dave Mack sheds light on Diddy's stark birthday scene, describing the restrained celebrations Combs had at the MDC, describing the restrained celebration Combs had at the MDC. In addition to a call from his children, Combs enjoyed a breakfast cake for his first meal of the day and had a choice of pizza, salad, or pasta for dinner. The disgraced mogul turned a year older amidst a desperate battle to instate a gag order as more damaging claims emerged from complainants and witnesses. The latest allegation? That a grand jury witness is in possession of at least eight of Diddy's sex tapes with A-list celebrities, some of them minors.

The mounting accusations paint an increasingly troubling picture. Courtney Burgess, a longtime friend of the late Kim Porter, has emerged as a crucial figure in the unfolding narrative. He claims that Porter, before her death, entrusted him with flash drives containing sensitive content. Burgess also reported to investigators that some of these tapes allegedly involved high-profile celebrities having sex, including individuals he considers victims, appearing to be minors. Crime Online's Holden Zappel has more. Two days after Courtney Burgess publicly discusses his testimony, Sean Combs' legal team submits a letter to Judge Subramanian demanding, with urgency that he establish a gag order. The defense attorneys specifically cite Courtney Burgess' eagerness to speak with the media and a New York Post article

using a federal agent as a source as improper pretrial publicity. That is making it impossible for Combs to have a fair trial. Combs' attorneys say the complainants are motivated to tarnish his image, especially as civil cases loom. Judge Subramanian has not yet ruled on a gag order. The judge is acknowledging concerns over pretrial publicity. He reminded everyone to uphold confidentiality but did not find sufficient evidence of intentional misconduct. I'm Nicole Parton. Karen Reed is challenging a decision made by a lower court that rejected her request to dismiss two charges as she prepares for retrial. Her legal team is appealing to the Massachusetts Supreme Court,

arguing that retrying her for these charges related to the 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend constitutes double jeopardy. On Wednesday, Reed and her attorneys presented their case before the Massachusetts Supreme Court in Boston, contesting the ruling made by a superior court judge. How do we factor in that you've got to know that that's going to be on the table? Is that a mistrial and and what obligation is there on counsel to say hey before you declare a mistrial let's talk about alternatives to that. The appeal is timely as Reed's retrial is scheduled to commence in January following a previous trial that concluded in July with a hung jury. Prosecutors allege that Reed ran over John O'Keefe

with her SUV after a night of drinking on January 29, 2022, and left him behind. O'Keefe, 46, was discovered hours later, severely injured and covered in snow in the front yard of a retired police officer, Brian Albert, where Reed had dropped him off after a late-night gathering. The medical examiner attributed O'Keefe's death to blunt impact injuries of the head and hypothermia, but could not definitely determine if his death was accidental or homicide. Reed faced charges including second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of a fatal crash. She pleaded not guilty. During her three-month trial, her defense argued that she did not run over her boyfriend, that she did not realize that he was left alone to die.

After five days of deliberation, the jury could not reach a verdict, leading the judge to declare a mistrial. Following that trial, some jurors reportedly expressed to Reed's attorneys that they had unanimously agreed in private to acquit her of the second-degree murder charges, but struggled to communicate this to the judge. In light of that information, Reed's attorneys filed a motion to have these two charges dismissed to prevent double jeopardy. However, in August, a judge denied this motion, stating that since Reed had not been acquitted of all charges and consented to a mistrial, the double jeopardy clause did not apply. I'm Jennifer Gould. A parolee in Kentucky who was recently released from prison is back behind bars. Dustin Cottle, a man who served 27 years

for murdering his mother and brother when he was a teen, has been arrested for allegedly committing another horrific act of violence. Just four months after his release from prison, Caudill, now 43, stands accused of a double homicide and arson. The violent crimes of Caudill's past echoed throughout the courtroom at his recent hearing. Take a listen. Considering his history, I'm asking for at least a million dollars, Judge. I think that's appropriate, and I'm going to set your bond at $1 million cash. It was just before 5 a.m. when Elizabethtown Fire Department responded to the 500 block of Hennon Lane for a residential fire. However, when firefighters entered the home, they made a gruesome discovery.

The bodies of Blake France, 41, and Anthony Garrett, 43, were found shot to death inside the home. Witnesses reported seeing a gold pickup truck fleeing the scene before the flames started leading investigators straight to Caudill. He was taken into custody at a nearby motel where police discovered incriminating evidence on him, including the victim's belongings. According to authorities, Caudill readily confessed to the crimes. He admitted to fatally shooting both France and Garrett, then setting the house on fire to cover up the crime. The motive for this brutal act remains unclear. Back in 1994, at the tender age of 15, Caudill committed a similar act of violence, taking the lives of his own mother and brother. He claimed his actions were fueled by arguments and a tumultuous family environment. Caudill now faces a multitude of

charges, including two counts of murder, first degree arson, tampering with physical evidence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was released on parole in April of 2020. He reportedly violated his parole and was sent back to prison in May of 2023 until July of 2024. And finally, a classic case of pizza-induced rage unfolded in Florida, where a woman's discontent over a less-than-ideal pizza delivery

leads to a bizarre and destructive outburst. Rikki Hawley, 22, found herself on the wrong side of the law after a late-night altercation at a local Domino's pizza joint. The incident, which occurred around 1.30 in the morning, was sparked by Hawley's dissatisfaction with her pizza order, which she reportedly found to be both cold and uncut. Instead of calmly addressing the issue with the delivery driver or even contacting the store directly, Holly took matters into her own hands. She stormed into the Domino's, confronted a bewildered employee and started unleashing a tirade of verbal abuse. The heated argument escalated quickly, culminated in Holly hurling the offending pizza and damaging the store's telephone.

Local authorities responded to the disturbance and arrested Holly on charges of criminal mischief. After a brief stint in jail, she was released on her own recognizance, but with a strict order to stay away from the Domino's location. Hmm. Want a pizza, me? For the latest crime and justice news, follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app.

With this Crime Alert, I'm Jennifer Gould. This is an iHeart Podcast.