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Thread: Busted MMA fighters and fights

  1. #196
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    Joseph R. Whearty

    Another case of female battery. At least she had some skills apparently.
    Dispute in Chehalis Between Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Lands One in Jail
    Posted: Wednesday, January 28, 2015 4:43 pm | Updated: 7:37 pm, Wed Jan 28, 2015.
    By The Chronicle

    A Lewis County Superior Court judge set bail at $100,000 for a 33-year-old Chehalis man accused of assaulting a 29-year-old woman Wednesday.

    Both the victim and the suspect, Joseph R. Whearty, are mixed martial arts fighters, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Stacy Brown said.

    Whearty faces one count of second-degree assault and one count of unlawful imprisonment.

    Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello requested bail be set at $500,000. Defense attorney Joely O’Rourke argued for $10,000 bail.

    Deputies responded to the 100 block of Carlisle Avenue in Onalaska on Tuesday to investigate the assault. The victim reported that she and Whearty were arguing at their home in the 1200 block of Koontz Road in Chehalis.

    The victim told deputies she had asked Whearty to move out of the home, and she left to give him time to pack.

    When she returned at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, she found Whearty intoxicated at the Chehalis residence. She told deputies he put her in a choke hold and she feared for her life. He allegedly threw her on a bed and punched her. The victim tried to escape through a window, but it would not break, Brown said.

    Brown said children were at the home during the assault and the woman tried to get herself and the kids outside and into a car. Whearty followed them outside and put the victim in a choke hold again, trying to get her keys and purse. She screamed and Whearty ran into the house, Brown said.

    The victim and children got into the car, but before she could drive away, Whearty got down behind the car. The woman maneuvered around him, but then he jumped on the car. He then allegedly punched the windshield and cracked it. He jumped off, and the woman drove to Onalaska and called 911.

    Whearty was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail for second-degree assault, domestic violence.

    Second-degree assault carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail and a $20,000 fine. Unlawful imprisonment carries a maximum sentence of five years and a $10,000 fine.

    Arraignment and trial setting is scheduled for today.
    Gene Ching
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  2. #197
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    threatened to use mixed martial arts

    People who threaten to use martial arts - especially on cops - are silly. Remember the ol' 'warning - my hands are registered as a deadly weapon' bluff?

    Marion County releases video of confrontation with 'mixed martial arts' man who claimed wife was kidnapped
    The Oregonian/OregonLive By Joseph Rose | The Oregonian/OregonLive
    on February 07, 2015 at 8:50 PM, updated February 07, 2015 at 11:15 PM

    Attachment 9305

    Marion County Corrections

    A muscle-bound man who screamed that his wife had been kidnapped and threatened to use mixed martial arts on Marion County sheriff's deputies who surrounded him is undergoing a mental health evaluation, police said.

    Joshua Shepherd's confrontation with deputies in a shopping mall parking lot near Salem began Friday after he crashed his car into a another vehicle and ran from the scene, yelling about the FBI and claiming his wife had been kidnapped, said Marion County Sgt. Chris Baldridge.

    While running down Lancaster Drive Northeast, Shepard, 41, who deputies described as someone who "had that mixed martial arts build to him," stripped of his clothes. Baldridge said deputies found the man on the ground and wearing only his fighting-style shorts.

    "When the lone deputy first arrived, Mr. Shepherd would only lay down on the ground and refused to follow the command to place his hands behind his back," Baldridge said. "The deputy stated that he felt as though Mr. Shepherd was attempting to bait him into coming closer."

    Three deputies and a Salem K-9 unit were eventually called to the scene to help take Shepard into custody. As the officers approached, the man reportedly said he would kill them.

    Sheperd was "lifting himself in a plank style approximately one inch off of the ground and holding himself in that position," Baldridge said.

    Two deputies used their feet to touch one of Sheperd's feet, Baldridge said. "Mr. Shepherd immediately attempted to spin and attack the deputies," he said.

    In response, the K-9 dog attacked Shepherd, allowing the officers to take him into custody. Even after being handcuffed and loaded onto an ambulance, the man continued to threaten deputies and medics as they attempted to treat him for the dog bite, police said.

    Marion County sheriff's have released a video of Sheperd making the threats inside the ambulance. Warning: The video contains profanity.

    A witness has also posted a video from the confrontation outside the shopping mall. Warning: The video contains profanity.

    Sheperd's wife was not kidnapped, Baldridge said.

    -- Joseph Rose
    503-221-8029
    jrose@oregonian.com
    @pdxcommute

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  3. #198
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    High heel weapon

    MMA event at Family Arena spawns fight in parking lot; 3 officers injured
    6 hours ago • By Susan Weich


    Carla Y. Garrett, of East St. Louis, was arrested after police say she tried to run down three officers in the parking lot of the Family Arena.

    Five men charged in fatal shooting at St. Charles apartment

    Man killed was not a target of the robbers Read more

    ST. CHARLES COUNTY • An argument in the stands at a mixed martial arts event at the Family Arena spilled onto the parking lot, police say, and nearly resulted in serious injuries to three officers.

    Charged with three felony counts of second-degree assault and one count of resisting arrest is Carla Y. Garrett, 32, of the 800 block of North 70th Street in East St. Louis.

    The incident happened Saturday at the sold-out Fight Hard MMA event, police say.

    Police became involved when one of the parties involved in the fight reported that Garrett flourished a weapon at them.

    When three separate officers tried to stop Garrett from leaving the crowded parking lot, she allegedly rapidly accelerated her car in their direction. None of the officers were seriously injured, although one officer rolled over the top of Garrett's car hood to avoid being struck, police said.

    Garrett stopped after nearly striking the officer, police said.

    Police never recovered a weapon; Garrett told them she had pointed only her high heel at the others. It is unclear what led to the argument.

    Garrett's bail was set at $50,000 cash only.
    There's something about the fact that this happened at the 'Family Arena' that amuses me.
    Gene Ching
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  4. #199
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    Whitney Fetters

    Fetters? Hefner Middle School? The mind reels with potential puns.

    At least this is a change of pace for this thread.

    Posted: February 14, 2015
    Valentine’s Day Sex Plans Foiled For Teacher Whitney Fetters And Her 14-Year-Old Boy Toy



    Some women are hellbent on not spending Valentine’s Day weekend alone, even if it means having sex with a 14-year-old boy. That’s what police say Whitney Fetters had planned for this Valentine’s Day weekend, which included wearing sexy lingerie and getting high on marijuana with her boy toy.

    Fetters, a Spanish teacher at Hefner Middle School in the Putnam City School District in Oklahoma, turned herself into police after a warrant was issued for her arrest. The New York Daily News is reporting that the arrest warrant affidavit states that the 28-year-old Spanish teacher had been involved in an online texting relationship with the 14-year-old student for two years. She is charged with indecent exposure, lewd proposal with a child, and solicitation of sex with a minor.

    Law enforcement officials say the relationship with the boy started when he was in the seventh and eighth grade. He was only 12-years-old at that time. The text messages between the teacher and student had non-sexual content, but that changed when the boy got to high school. According to the Daily Mail, the unidentified boy sent the first sexual message to Whitney Fetters, which stated that he thought she was “hot.” The message was accompanied by a photo of himself, showing him partially nude.

    The sexy message and the partially nude photo stirred up such an intense desire in the teacher that she decided that she was going to have the boy physically. From there, the two exchange many messages that included raunchy sexual talk, nude photos of the teacher and the boy, and some explicit snap chat related videos.

    The inappropriate relationship was discovered once the boy’s parents saw the pictures in his iPad. When they investigated further, they realized that their underage son was involved with a grown woman. Even more appalling, the teacher had made plans to have Valentine’s Day sex with him this weekend, stating that she was house sitting and wanted him to come over to spend the night so they could “get high” and “have sex.”

    The Valentine’s Day sex plans were foiled after police intervened before the sexual connection could be made between the couple. During the police investigation and search of Whitney Fetters’ home, detectives found marijuana and sexy lingerie, as well as various nude photos in her cell phone matching texts that were sent to the teen. The police also confiscated the teen’s phone and were able to recover the messages from Fetters that he had already deleted.

    According to Bloody Elbow, Whitney Fetters was also a former Jiu-Jitsu instructor.

    Here is a statement from the Redline Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school.

    “No one could have predicted anything like this happening. She’s only assisted a few kids classes in the past (spring 2014), but hasn’t been an instructor of any kind at our facility in over 8 months. This incident did not take place at Redline & we have no connection to the boy or his family. We give our deepest condolences to him, his & her family, & everyone affected. We are deeply saddened & shocked just like the rest of the jiu-jitsu community, but we know this shall pass.”

    [Photo Credit: Twitter]
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  5. #200
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    Shane B. Streater

    This stuff really annoys me. One of my best friends is struggling to get disability because of his severe chronic pain due to a spinal injury, and then there are these people that somehow get approval and milk the system.

    Ex-Camden firefighter allegedly stole $82,000 in disability pension payments while teaching martial arts
    Greg Adomaitis | South Jersey Times By Greg Adomaitis | South Jersey Times
    Follow on Twitter
    on March 18, 2015 at 11:32 AM, updated March 18, 2015 at 11:57 AM


    Ex-Camden firefighter Shane Streater appears in this screenshot from video footage taken at the June 2010 Grapplers Quest Mixed Martial Arts Tournament. Investigators cited this video as part of their investigation into Streater's disability pension collection. Photo source: YouTube.com

    A former Camden firefighter was charged Tuesday with stealing more than $82,000 by fraudulently collecting a disability pension from the New Jersey Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), according to the state attorney general's office.

    What's more, city resident Shane B. Streater, 40, was allegedly collecting the pension payments while working as a martial arts instructor and participating in competitive mixed martial arts, the state attorney general's office says.

    Streater was charged by complaint with second-degree theft by deception. He was served with a summons; he was not arrested, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman noted in a press release issued Wednesday.

    The charge is the result of an investigation by the state Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau. The matter was referred to the state Attorney General's Office by the state PFRS board.

    Streater applied for an accidental disability pension in February 2009, claiming he was disabled as the result of two accidents while on duty. The first accident took place in December 2007 when a car struck the fire truck he was riding. The second incident occurred in March 2008 when his fire truck hit a pothole.

    In each incident, he claimed to have injured his back and/or neck. Based on statements regarding his inability to engage in physical activity, an independent doctor found Streater had a total and permanent disability. The doctor also found that his disability was from a pre-existing condition and not work related.

    The PFRS board awarded Streater an ordinary disability pension on Jan. 9, 2010. Streater appealed to the state Office of Administrative Law, claiming his disability was work related and an accidental disability pension was applicable.

    The accidental disability pension is untaxed and pays two-thirds of the beneficiary's salary. An ordinary disability pension pays 40 percent of salary and is taxed, the attorney general's office noted.

    A deputy attorney general and investigator handling the appeal for the PFRS board later learned that Streater was apparently teaching jiu jitsu two or more times a week at a mixed martial arts academy, the attorney general's office said in a release.

    Investigators also found a YouTube video of Streater participating in the Grapplers Quest Mixed Martial Arts Tournament in June 2010. He won a bronze medal during the contest.

    Further investigation revealed that Streater was awarded his black belt in jiu jitsu in 2010 while collecting the PFRS disability pension. The PFRS Board revoked Streater's disability pension on April 9, 2012, but he already had collected a total of $82,488 in benefits.

    Second-degree crimes carry a sentence state prison sentence of five to 10 years and a criminal fine of up to $150,000. Because the charge is an indictable offense, the case will be presented to a grand jury for potential indictment.

    The Division of Criminal Justice has established a toll-free tip line -- which can be reached by calling 1-866-TIPS-4CJ -- for the public to confidentially report fraud, corruption and other illegal activities. The public also can log on to the division's webpage at www.njdcj.org to report suspected wrongdoing confidentially.

    ---
    Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@southjerseymedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.


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  6. #201
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    Fetters? Hefner Middle School? The mind reels with potential puns.

    At least this is a change of pace for this thread.
    Triangle choke....
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  7. #202
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    Robert Buddenhagen

    This is slightly OT as he wasn't really an MMA fighter, but just trained a little. Heck, I trained a little Muay Thai in Thailand, but far be it for me to claim being a 'muay thai fighter'. It's more like the media taking an angle against MMA.

    Birmingham man convicted in Southside beating death
    Kent Faulk | kfaulk@al.com By Kent Faulk | kfaulk@al.com
    on May 12, 2015 at 8:13 AM, updated May 12, 2015 at 10:11 AM


    Robert Buddenhagen

    A 30-year-old man, who prosecutors said had trained in mixed martial arts fighting, was convicted last week in the 2013 beating death of a 54-year-old Southside man.

    Robert Buddenhagen had been charged with murder in the September 2013 death of James Belyeu. But the jury, at the end of a three-day trial last week, found Buddenhagen guilty of the lesser charge of reckless manslaughter.

    Jefferson County Circuit Judge Teresa Pulliam is to sentence Buddenhagen on June 19. She also revoked his bond after the verdict and he was placed in the Jefferson County Jail.

    Buddenhagen was staying at a studio apartment at the Skyview Flats apartment complex at 1407 17th Avenue South with Belyeu and his roommate when the beating occurred.

    The roommate told investigators that he saw the other two men on Sept. 14, 2013 as he was leaving the apartment, but he didn't return and discover Belyeu had been beaten until two days later. Belyeu was unconscious but died later at UAB Hospital. Police charged Buddenhagen with murder.

    Deputy Jefferson County District Attorney Natalie Vann in opening statements had described Buddenhagen as a trained MMA fighter who beat Belyeu "from the top of his head to his toes."

    Buddenhagen's attorney, Frankie Lee, told jurors that Buddenhagen was "fighting for his life" after Belyeu brandished a knife.

    Lee said that Belyeu was in a relationship with Buddenhagen and "totally obsessed" with him, but was also dating his roommate.

    Buddenhagen was trying to leave but they began arguing after Belyeu tried to convince him to stay, Lee said. Buddenhagen grabbed Belyeu by the shoulders and pushed him, and Belyeu grabbed a large knife, he said.

    Buddenhagen isn't an MMA fighter, but has occasionally sparred with people involved in the sport, Lee said. Having been stabbed 18 times before, Buddenhagen felt threatened and reacted.

    Deputy District Attorney John Camp also prosecuted the case.
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  8. #203
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    Shaun McNeil - NOT guilty

    More on McNeil

    Martial arts fighter Shaun McNeil found not guilty of one-punch murder of teenager Daniel Christie on New Year's Eve

    Shaun McNeil, 26, found not guilty of murdering teenager Daniel Christie
    Christie, 18, was killed after one punch to the head on New Year's Eve, 2013
    McNeil broke down when found guilty of lesser charge of manslaughter
    The jury reached their verdict after six hours of deliberations
    It's alleged Mr McNeil assaulted three men before he approached Mr Christie and his brother punching him to the face

    By Lucy Thackray for Daily Mail Australia and Aap
    Published: 22:17 EST, 10 June 2015 | Updated: 03:29 EST, 11 June 2015

    Shaun McNeil has been found not guilty of the one-punch murder of teenager Daniel Christie in Sydney's King Cross, but will be sentenced for manslaughter.

    McNeil, who had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, broke down in the dock on Thursday after the Supreme Court jury handed down its verdict after about six hours of deliberations.

    Daniel's father Michael Christie, who sat in the gallery taking notes throughout the trial, was not in court for the verdict.

    The crown argued McNeil delivered a 'large swinging punch' to Daniel, causing his body to stiffen and his head to hit the pavement with an audible crack.


    Shaun McNeil has been found not guilty of the one-punch murder of Sydney teenager Daniel Christie on New Year's Eve 2013


    Daniel Christie, 18, knocked his head after receiving a single blow. He died more than a week later

    They said he intended to cause the 18-year-old grievous bodily harm when he delivered the blow on New Year's Eve 2013.

    McNeil, 27, has always maintained he lacked the requisite intent, later describing the punch as a 'jab'.

    The trial heard McNeil had been walking along Darlinghurst Rd with his girlfriend, Sonya Walker, about 9pm when three teenagers approached and asked the pair if they wanted to buy drugs.

    They also commented that Ms Walker was 'hot', sparking a confrontation in which McNeil was punched in the face and one of the teens was punched to the ground.

    Daniel's brother Peter Christie told the trial that the 9pm fireworks had just gone off when they saw a chubby teenager lying in the middle of a pedestrian crossing.

    He said another teen approached him and Daniel and said: 'This dude hit all of us.'

    A tall, 'kind of muscly' man in a white shirt then walked towards them, he said.


    McNeil (pictured) broke down in the dock after the Supreme Court jury handed down its verdict, finding him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter after around six hours of deliberations

    'He had an aggressive sort of manner, sort of like beefing himself up to look big,' Peter explained from the witness box.

    'I heard him say `I'm an MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter'.'

    As McNeil approached within about a metre-and-a-half, Peter said his brother took a slight step back, raised his palms 'in dismissal' and said 'no, no, no, no'.

    It was then that Daniel was hit, his brother said.

    McNeil's barrister Craig Smith said his client thought the Christie brothers were part of the same group as the teenagers.

    McNeil is expected to return to court for sentencing on August 21.

    The attack on Daniel happened just metres from where Thomas Kelly, 18, was fatally punched by Kieran Loveridge on July 7, 2012.

    The teens' deaths sparked intense media coverage of alcohol-fuelled violence and prompted the introduction of controversial lock-out laws in Kings Cross and central Sydney, as well as mandatory sentencing for fatal one-punch assaults if alcohol or drugs are involved.


    Mr Christie's death was one of several attacks that sparked new laws introduced to help curb alcohol-fueled attacks

    There's a vid too. It's the victim's dad speaking about this.
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  9. #204
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    Logan Pederson

    Wrestling hold breaks leg of N.C. sheriff; man charged


    Among other charges, Logan Pederson faces three counts of felony assault,

    By Jeff Hampton
    The Virginian-Pilot
    June 10, 2015

    GATESVILLE, N.C.

    A man with mixed-martial arts training was charged after emergency responders were hit and the leg of the Gates County, N.C., sheriff was broken with a wrestling hold.

    Logan Pederson, 21, of Corapeake, N.C., was charged June 2 with three counts of felony assault, in addition to driving under the influence, reckless driving, disorderly conduct, communicating threats and destruction of government property.

    Sheriff Ed Webb could be out three months and awaits an MRI to know the extent of the damage.

    "He was just plumb nasty," Webb said from his home Tuesday. "Anything he could do to be hateful, he did it."

    Emergency personnel responded to a wreck on Hazelton Road in Gates County late June 1. When a paramedic attempted to treat Pederson, the driver of the wrecked truck, authorities say, he hit her. He also is accused of striking a firefighter with an elbow to the head.

    He also threatened and spit on officers, authorities said.

    Later, as Webb led Pederson in handcuffs to be tested for an alcohol test, authorities said, he got the sheriff into a wrestling hold. Webb heard his leg snap, he said. Another officer struck Pederson with a clipboard to get him to release the hold, authorities said.
    I guess the officer didn't tap.
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  10. #205
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    Slightly OT

    Well, maybe not that OT actually. Certainly different for this thread.

    Privately Owned Armored Trucks Raise Eyebrows After Attack on Dallas Police
    By MANNY FERNANDEZJUNE 17, 2015


    Jeff Funicello in his armored vehicle in Mesa, Ariz. He has used the truck as a kind of traveling billboard for his mixed martial arts gym. Credit Nick Cote for The New York Times

    HOUSTON — Jeff Funicello is selling his black 1975 GMC truck on Craigslist. It would be perfect for a thrifty bank. Or a low-budget SWAT team.

    The body is armored, and the windows are bulletproof. It has sliding portholes to point rifles from and a sprinkler system inside. Long ago, it transported money, and it was once the target of a shootout in the 1980s. But now it sits, pockmarked from splotches of automotive-repair putty, on the driveway of Mr. Funicello’s home in Mesa, Ariz.

    Why does he own it? Mr. Funicello, who runs a mixed martial arts gym called the Spartan Academy, said the question should be: Why not?

    “This is America,” he said. “I should be able to have a howitzer or a bazooka if I want one. If I wanted to buy a fire truck, I could.”

    Mr. Funicello said he had never been pulled over by the police in the 10 years he owned the truck. “I had current plates,” he said. “My tags were correct. I wasn’t swerving like a drunk. They had no reason to pull me over.”

    As Mr. Funicello’s vehicle illustrates — and the attack on the Dallas Police Headquarters last weekend by a man in an armored van that was apparently bought on eBay makes clear — anyone can buy virtually anything online and drive virtually anything on the road. The Ford van in the Dallas attack resembled a vehicle used by the police or money-transporting companies, with gun portholes, armor plating and outer running boards along the sides to stand on.


    Mr. Funicello's armored truck, which he is selling for $11,000. Scores of reinforced vehicles are listed for sale on Craigslist and eBay. Credit Nick Cote for The New York Times

    It was one of scores of military and police-style vans, trucks and cars offered for sale on Craigslist and eBay, vehicles the owners defend as novelties that are driven for fun, not for assaults. Particularly after the Dallas attack, the vehicles have raised concerns for some law enforcement officials, but they say the vehicles appear to be legal for the most part, so there is little they can do.

    An armored Ford van selling for $9,900 on Craigslist in the Atlanta area is not only bulletproof but “bombproof,” as a seller describes it online.

    In Southern California, someone is selling a 1993 Humvee on eBay and Craigslist that looks ready for overseas action — the beefy, diesel, tan-colored armored vehicle comes with a CB radio and a gun turret. The price is real, at $40,000, but the .50-caliber machine gun mounted on top is fake, the person selling it writes in the descriptions. The Humvee appeared to have a new starter and power steering gear, but the age of the smoke grenade launcher was unclear.

    “I am an active duty U.S. military member,” the seller wrote on Craiglist. “I do not have time for tire kickers or dreamers without money.”

    Online, one can buy a camouflaged Humvee with an enclosed rear shelter unit or a 1997 armored SWAT van for $5,000 that, the seller claims, was used by the City of Southlake, outside Fort Worth.

    It was unclear how often the suspect in the Dallas attack, James L. Boulware, 35, drove his armored van. Mr. Boulware’s father said his son referred to the van as an R.V. and often slept inside it. Though numerous similar vehicles were available for purchase online, several of them were not in driving condition — like Mr. Funicello’s armored truck — and it was impossible to determine how many others like it were on the roads.

    Officer David Tilley, a spokesman for the police in the Dallas suburb of Plano, said he was not aware, in his 18 years with the department, of officers having any contact with anyone driving a similar armored van.

    “Had we run across something of that nature that wasn’t commercially operated, such as armored vehicle services that collect money from banks or businesses,” he said, “I am certain we would have put out an officer safety bulletin on it.”

    Officer Tilley and other police officials said, however, that they were not aware of any violations for which an armored van such as Mr. Boulware’s might be cited. There are size and weight limits for vehicles in most states, but many armored vans and other military-style vehicles like Humvees do not exceed them. In California, Mr. Boulware would have needed a license issued by the commissioner of the California Highway Patrol to drive a privately owned armored car on a highway.

    A number of those selling military and police-style vehicles on Craigslist and eBay emphasize in their ads that the cars are “street legal.”

    John Warren is selling his 1973 Pinzgauer, a green, all-terrain Swiss Army vehicle he bought on eBay, for $21,400 on Craigslist in the San Francisco Bay Area. He said that in the 10 years he drove it, he was pulled over twice by officers. Each time, the officer did so out of curiosity, not to hand him a ticket.

    “People who buy these types of vehicles to pursue their hobbies, whether it be four-wheeling or rock-crawling or parades, or are military collectors, they’re a whole lot different from somebody who would buy an armored car,” said Mr. Warren, 57, a retired fire battalion chief. “I had originally bought it to sort of turn into a camper that I could take into the middle of nowhere and do photography projects.”

    People have been driving reinforced cars long before the Dallas attack. But the celebrities and executives who install bulletproof windows and other types of armor on their vehicles often do not want it noticed. Those who buy and sell armored vans like the kind Mr. Boulware purchased want people to look.

    And the popularity of apocalyptic movies and television shows — the Facebook listing for the van Mr. Boulware appeared to have bought trumpeted its “convenient gun ports so no zombie juice touches you” — has put a new twist and maybe added a macabre cachet to such vehicles.

    “There is a trend for the super-wealthy to get what I call a ‘get out of Dodge’ vehicle for kind of a doomsday prep-type person,” said Trent Kimball, the president and chief executive of Texas Armoring, which declines requests to install flame-shooting devices and gun ports but has put electrified door handles on vehicles to shock would-be attackers.

    A majority of the 100 vehicles the company armors each year leave the United States for overseas clients. The costs exceed the $8,250 Mr. Boulware apparently paid for his van. Depending on the level of armor — whether it offers protection from bullets from a handgun or a high-powered machine gun — the price for Texas Armoring to convert a vehicle is $55,000 to $500,000, the company said.

    Mr. Funicello used his armored truck as a kind of traveling billboard for his mixed martial arts gym, but it has sat outside his home about two years after someone stole the truck’s master cylinder. He is asking $11,000.

    “We were taking it to tournaments and we would have our ring girls in bikinis piling out of it and handing out fliers,” Mr. Funicello said. But it had its limitations, he added: “It’s just not convenient to drive it to the store.”
    Gene Ching
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  11. #206
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    Jayson Mahlangu

    Jury discharged in mixed martial arts fighter's harassment case
    By North Devon Journal | Posted: July 01, 2015



    The jury have been discharged in the case of a kick boxer who was accused of bullying and attacking his ex girlfriend.

    The jury at Exeter Crown Court were unable to reach verdicts on mixed martial arts fighter Jayson Mahlangu.

    He had denied biting his ex girlfriend on the forehead and claimed she had invented her allegations out of jealousy.

    Mahlangu, aged 21, had been in a volatile relationship with Natalie Hamlyn which ended with him punching his fist through the wall of the bathroom of her Exeter home.

    Miss Hamlyn, also aged 21, alleged Mahlangu was controlling and threatening during their relationship and attacked her when it ended.

    Mahlangu, of Alpha Street, Exeter, denied harassment and causing fear of violence. He was bailed pending a decision by the prosecution whether to seek a retrial.

    During the short case at Exeter Crown Court Miss Hamlyn said there had been difficulties in their relationship leading up to the incident last October in which he assaulted her in the hallway of her home in Blackboy Road, Exeter.

    She initially refused him entry but then allowed him in and an angry argument ensued. She said:"He was angry and packing his stuff. He threw me to the floor and put his hand around my throat and bit me on the forehead.

    "He was leaning on top of me and I was trying to scream. I promised to be quiet because I was so scared. He told me if I went to the police he would kill me, and I believed him."

    She said she finally called 999 the next day when she saw bruises on her body and claimed Mahlangu threatened to inflict more.

    She said:"I was so scared. I loved him but he hurt me and I was frightened of him and of going out of the house. I thought he was going to come after me again."

    Mahlangu said he is training as a mixed martial arts fighter and coach but had never used violence towards Natalie because he is aware of his own strength.

    He said the tensions within the relationship arose from her jealousy and she became violent after accusing him of seeing other women.

    He also said she had abused alcohol and drugs and on the day of the alleged attack he had gone to her home to retrieve his belongings.

    He said she had refused to let him in until he called the police but had then done so before starting an argument in which he vented his anger by hitting a wall with his fist.

    He denied hitting Miss Hamlyn and said any injuries she suffered must have been caused by her falling down drunk.
    "falling down' is a tired excuse, however there's surely more to this case than the article reveals for it to be discharged.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  12. #207
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    ******! Mohammed Youssef Abdulazeez

    Another horrific murderer connected to the martial arts.

    Mohammed Youssef Abdulazeez Was An Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Fighter. Here is Video of His Only Fight
    By Benny Johnson (16 hours ago)

    Mohammed Youssef Abdulazeez, the 24-year-old behind the massacre of four U.S. Marines earlier today, was also enrolled in a local Mixed Martial Arts league: Chattanooga XFN.


    He had a 1-0 record, according to the local MMA website.




    Shelly Bradbury
    ‏@ShellyBradbury

    Here's an older, undated photo of Abdulazeez, provided by a former coach. Photo likely 5 years old or so

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    4:41 PM - 16 Jul 2015
    Here is an undated boxing photo provided to the Times Free Press by a former coach:

    Here is video clip of his only bout.
    Chattanooga shooter straddled worlds
    Rick Jervis, USA TODAY 10:56 a.m. EDT July 17, 2015

    The FBI identified Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez, 24, as the shooter in the attack that left four Marines dead. Police haven't said whether the gunman was killed by officers or shot himself. Abdulazeez was a naturalized American citizen from Kuwait. USA TODAY


    (Photo: HAMILTON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)

    The Chattanooga mayor says police are pursuing an active shooter after reports of a shooting at a military reserve center. (July 16) AP

    The shooting suspect in the deadly Chattanooga rampage was a talented mixed-martial arts fighter of Arab descent who embraced American ideals, but increasingly struggled to balance his Muslim and American worlds, his former trainer said.

    The FBI identified Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez 24, as the shooter in the Thursday afternoon attack that left four Marines dead. Police haven't said whether the gunman was killed by officers or shot himself.

    Federal prosecutors said on Thursday they were investigating the incident as possible "domestic terrorism." Federal law enforcement officials said it appeared the shooter acted alone, but investigators were still looking for any possible associates who may have helped inspire the incident or helped him acquire the weapon, said the officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly.


    In the shaded, quiet neighborhood where Abdulazeez lived with his family, about seven miles from the Naval Reserve Center where the killings occurred, neighbors were stunned by the developments.

    "I didn't find anything wrong with the kid," neighbor Dean McDaniel said. "He just intermingled with the kids in the neighborhood."


    Police guard a street in a Hixson, Tenn., where Mohammod Youssef Abdulazeez, the alleged gunman in a Chattanooga shooting, may have lived. (Photo: Matt Slovin, The Tennessean)

    Abdulazeez attended Red Bank High School in Chattanooga and went on to acquire a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, according to an online resume.

    A page in his Red Bank High School yearbook shows a clean-cut Abdulazeez dressed in a tuxedo and smiling next to the quote: "My name causes national security alerts. What does yours do?"

    Abdulazeez also had a sporting side. He trained at the Chattanooga Fight Factory, a mixed-martial arts gym, for more than a year when he was 17 and 18 years old, said Scott Schrader, the gym's owner and Abdulazeez's trainer. Abdulazeez worked out three to five days a week at the gym and quickly grew into an aspiring young fighter, he said.

    Promptly each evening at 6 p.m., Abdulazeez would interrupt his workout and unfurl his prayer rug in the gym's offices to conduct evening prayers, Schrader said. He would also hang out with Schrader and other friends from the gym at local restaurants and bars, where they would watch mixed-martial art matches.

    "You could see he was trying to become more Americanized," he said. "But his family disapproved (of the fighting)."

    Abdulazeez had several friends at the gym, but one in particular, a former Chattanooga police officer, would constantly exhort militant Islamic views and threatened anyone who bad-mouthed the faith, Schrader said. The man was the one who introduced Abdulazeez to the Fight Factory and became the young fighter's closest mentor, he said.

    In 2010, Schrader drove Abdulazeez more than 100 miles south to compete in the North American Grappling Championships in Atlanta. Grappling is a wrestling-like form of martial arts that doesn't allow striking an opponent. Abdulazeez won a silver medal in his division at the tournament.

    "He was a good grappler, a good wrestler," Schrader said. "He was a good, respectful kid. I never had a problem out of him."

    A few months after the tournament, Abdulazeez competed in a mixed-martial arts fight. After the fight, his father, who was waiting for him outside the ring, berated him loudly for taking part in the sport, Schrader said. "He was really furious," he said.

    Abdulazeez worked out at the gym a few more times after the incident, but showed up less and less, and finally stopped coming altogether. A 2009 caged-in fight between him and fighter Timmy Hall posted on YouTube shows Abdulazeez taking down his opponent and landing several blows, before the two-minute video ends.

    But the clean-cut sport fighter was increasingly turning his attention to other things. He maintained an Islam-focused blog that explored the sacrifices Muslims should make in the name of their religion, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online terrorist activity.

    Three days before the shooting, Abdulazeez published a series of posts stating that "life is short and bitter" and that Muslims should not let "the opportunity to submit to allah…pass you by," according to SITE. He also stressed the sacrifice of the Sahaba (companions of the Prophet) with mention that they "fought Jihad for the sake of Allah," according to the group.

    "Every one of them had to make sacrifices in their lives and some even left all their wealth to make hijrah (migration) to Medina," Abdulazeez wrote.

    USA TODAY

    Contributing: Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY and Matt Slovin, The Tennesean
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  13. #208
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    The other shoe drops...

    I was wondering when the media would make the Tsarnaev cage-fighting connection. There are more too, if anyone mines our 'busted' threads.

    There's a vid if you follow the link.

    Chattanooga Gunman Was Avid Cage Fighter, Practiced Martial Arts, Blogged Before Death: 'Life Is Short and Bitter'
    11:56 AM EDT, July 17, 2015

    Intriguing new details are emerging about the domestic terrorist who killed four Marines in Chattanooga.

    Bullet holes could be seen at a Marine recruiting office, where the first of the two shootings took place. The crazed gunman, Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, was born in Kuwait, but moved to the U.S. with his family when he was five.

    Here he lived an all-American life. He would visit a Tennessee swimming hole with friends. In high school, he looked like any other student - in his senior year yearbook, he even wore a tuxedo.

    But, ominously, his yearbook quote was: "My name causes national security alerts. What does yours do?"

    Abdulazeez was a mixed martial arts fighter. There's an eerie similarity between this photo and Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was also into martial arts. He also was into cage-fighting. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with an engineering degree.

    INSIDE EDITION has obtained his resume and it shows that, intriguingly, he interned for the Tennessee Valley Authority - the federal corporation that runs dams and electrical power systems.

    The Abdulazeez family are devout Muslims. In 2010, his sister, who wears a headscarf, complained to the local paper about being harassed over her religion.

    In April, Abdulazeez was busted for a DUI. Gone was the clean-cut look – he grew a full beard. Just four days before the shooting, Abdulazeez wrote on his blog: "Life is short and bitter," and "don't let the society we live in deviate you from the task at hand."

    A video posted on Facebook shows the final showdown between Abdulazeez and local police. Officers used a slow-moving cop car as a shield as they approach the killer. Abdulazeez was found dead.

    Two of the slain Marines were identified Friday. One is Thomas Sullivan, a Purple Heart winner who survived two tours of duty in Iraq, only to be gunned down here at home.

    And Skip Wells was 21 and had just completed boot camp. He studied history at Georgia Southern Universtiy and joined the marines because of a "call to serve."

    Now, security at military recruiting stations all across the nation have been beefed up in the wake of the Chattanooga shooting.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  14. #209
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    Slightly OT

    A busted politician related to MMA

    Town supervisor admits extorting $7,500 to lobby for mixed martial arts
    John O'Brien | jobrien@syracuse.com By John O'Brien | jobrien@syracuse.com
    on August 10, 2015 at 3:33 PM, updated August 11, 2015 at 10:36 AM

    ALBANY, N.Y. -- A former Saratoga County official admitted Monday she extorted $7,500 in return for asking New York lawmakers to legalize mixed martial arts.

    Former Halfmoon Town Supervisor Melinda Wormuth pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Albany to two felony counts charging her with extortion and making a false statement, according to U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian.

    Wormuth admitted she accepted $7,500 in cash, which was characterized as "consulting fees," in return for using her official position as supervisor and as a member of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors to lobby for the legalization of mixed martial arts in 2013.

    The payments came from undercover FBI agents posing as people promoting mixed martial arts, according to federal prosecutors.

    Wormuth sent letters on her official letterhead to state legislators, requesting legislative action in favor of professional mixed martial arts, Hartunian said. She performed no legitimate consulting work for the money.

    Wormuth also admitted she lied to FBI agents during an interview in 2013 by claiming she had consulted with a former town justice before taking the payments.

    Wormuth's efforts on behalf of mixed martial arts were unsuccessful. New York remains the only state where professional mixed martial arts bouts are illegal.

    Wormuth could be sentenced to up to one year in prison and fined up to $7,500. Her sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 10.

    "The defendant accepted money for taking official actions, and then lied to federal agents by claiming she had obtained prior approval for her corrupt conduct," Hartunian said. "This is yet another instance of an elected official who put her own interest ahead of the public's. That is unacceptable at any level of government, whether in our state Capitol or in the counties and towns within the Northern District of New York."
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  15. #210
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