Lab worker Ross McCullam who murdered colleague Megan Newborough branded 'a monster' by her sister - Sky News

nnnindonesia.blogspot.com

A lab worker who strangled and slashed the throat of a colleague he had been dating for less than a month has been branded a "monster" by the victim's sister, who told him: "I hope she haunts you".

Claire Newborough told Ross McCullam as he sat weeping in the dock that he was "an unpredictable menace" who had "tricked, murdered and brutalised" her younger sibling.

The porn-obsessed 30-year-old was jailed for life with a minimum term of 23 years in front of Megan Newborough's family at Leicester Crown Court on Friday.

Image: Ross McCullam and Megan Newborough worked at the same brickmaking firm

McCullam had admitted manslaughter but was convicted of murder following a six-week trial, during which he was branded a "sadistic killer".

Police described him as a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and believed he would have "gone on to kill again".

McCullam and Ms Newborough, 23, had been seeing each other for about a month when he murdered her last year.

He throttled her then cut her throat with a carving knife, later telling police he did so "to make sure Megan was dead".

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

1:04

Megan Newborough's brother speaks after Ross McCullam is sentenced for her murder

He then dumped Ms Newborough's body in undergrowth next to a country lane in Leicestershire before trying to cover his tracks by changing his clothes and leaving a voicemail on her phone telling her that he loved her.

Sentencing McCullam for a "truly dreadful" crime, Judge Philip Head said of "stellar" Ms Newborough: "It was her dreadful misfortune to become involved in a relationship with you."

Advertisement

The victim's older sister, Claire Newborough, said in her impact statement read to the court: "She was cruelly dumped, topless, in a cold, dark field, where the defendant thought she would never be found.

"The thing Megan hated most was feeling cold, and as her big sister, the very thought of her so cold and alone for all those hours, has destroyed me."

Image: Ms Newborough was last seen alive in footage from a doorbell camera at her home

Turning to McCullam, who was sitting crying a few yards away, she said: "The definition of a monster is cruel, frightening and evil - and it is to my relief the defendant has been recognised as a monster.

"You are an unpredictable menace, a danger to women, obsessed with serial killers."

Ms Newborough added: "She always thought she could fix people, but fixing evil people is not possible.

"You tricked her, murdered her, brutalised her and left her in such an undignified way.

"I hope she haunts you."

Image: The 23-year-old was described as 'stellar' by the judge

Her father, Anthony Newborough, wept as he said the family had lost their "beautiful treasured daughter Megan, in such horrific circumstances".

He added: "We are a large and close family who have been ripped apart by one evil human being.

"It is like a horror film, but it is a true story, Megan's story, our story.

"These events have caused us so much pain and anguish we struggle that Megan, in her last moments, would have been so frightened.

"She was loved by so many and touched so many lives for those she met and left a great gaping hole that can never be filled.

"She was our princess and the defendant with his evil hands, his strength, together with his evil mind has taken her away from us forever."

McCullam, who met Ms Newborough at the brickmaking firm Ibstock where they both worked, claimed he had killed her in a "blind rage" as a result of undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by unreported childhood sexual abuse.

Image: Ms Newborough's family have released pictures of them enjoying time together

But the prosecution dismissed his as a "pack of lies" and said McCullam murdered Ms Newborough because of his anger at being sexually impotent immediately prior to the attack.

Prosecutors pointed to his having ordered tadalafil pills off the internet, used to treat erectile dysfunction.

He searched the internet for pornography and looked up details of serial killers including Levi Bellfield, Ian Huntley and Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, in the hours after he disposed of Ms Newborough's body.

Knowing she was dead, he called Ms Newborough's phone and left a voice message saying: "I had a fun time earlier."

On remand, McCullam had also bragged to a cellmate about using the knife, and suggested he would use his mental health as a "tool" at trial.

In another incident, he was overheard on a prison landing by a guard laughing as he told other inmates "If you carry on like this, you'll end up like Megan".

Another prison warder also heard him joking openly with other inmates about the killing, telling them "if I had gone a bit further I'd have taken her head off".

Adblock test (Why?)

"colleague" - Google News
December 16, 2022 at 09:02PM
https://ift.tt/abXhfJq

Lab worker Ross McCullam who murdered colleague Megan Newborough branded 'a monster' by her sister - Sky News
"colleague" - Google News
https://ift.tt/12SGxvO
https://ift.tt/34c81ft

Jury acquits former St. Louis police officer of raping a colleague - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

nnnindonesia.blogspot.com

Katie Kull

ST. LOUIS — A jury on Thursday acquitted a former St. Louis police officer of raping his colleague while she was unconscious after a night out at a strip club over a decade ago. 

After roughly an hour of deliberation, jurors ruled in favor of Torey Phelps, 39, whose attorney argued the woman made up the rape allegations because she was facing a vicious rumor mill at the police department and hoped she could cash in on a potential lawsuit. 

"At the end of the day, this is what honesty looks like," Phelps said after the verdict, gesturing to the defense's side of the courtroom, "and this is what deception looks like," he said, gesturing toward the prosecution.

The woman's case relied almost entirely on her testimony and people to whom she confided after the incident. 

She testified that she blacked out one night in either 2009 or 2010 after having just one or two drinks with Phelps and another colleague, Lafeal Lawshea, 39, at the Bottoms Up strip club in Brooklyn, Illinois. 

People are also reading…

She said she came-to briefly when she was in a car on the way back to Lawshea's house. Then she woke up with Phelps on top of her in a guest room, she said. Lawshea was also there, she said. 

"Why are you going to let him do this to me?" the woman said she asked Lawshea. 

The next morning, she said she woke up naked in bed with Lawshea. She was angry and embarrassed, she said, so she didn't go to the hospital or report the incident. 

But Phelps' attorney, Scott Rosenblum, questioned the woman's narrative and motive, pointing out several discrepancies between her court testimony, previous depositions and an interview with detectives. 

He also noted his client, Phelps, had been consistent in his own statements. He said he'd gone to the club that night and the woman hit on him. They went back to the house, and she came in the bedroom where he was sleeping and performed sex acts. 

Rosenblum said the woman became embarrassed after rumors started swirling at the police department, so she made up a new narrative. 

She reported the crime to an investigator in 2020 and started receiving counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder. She said she faced animosity and was called a "snitch" by her fellow officers for reporting the incident.

In 2021, Phelps was charged alongside Lawshea, who is facing his own accusations of raping two women, sexually assaulting a civilian police officer in 2019 and contacting one of the victims after an investigation began.

Prosecutor Jeremy Crowley argued jurors should believe the woman, who was telling the story of the most traumatic moment of her life.

Rosenblum pointed to a lack of physical evidence and discrepancies in the woman's statements in making their decision. 

"I think we exposed the case for what it was, which was a bunch of lies," Rosenblum said as he left the courtroom on Thursday. 

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch tracks the data behind reported homicides on an interactive map that allows readers to explore information in various ways.

Explore the homicide tracker.

Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors.

Adblock test (Why?)

"colleague" - Google News
December 16, 2022 at 02:45AM
https://ift.tt/AbyrRYo

Jury acquits former St. Louis police officer of raping a colleague - St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"colleague" - Google News
https://ift.tt/9CpgYhL
https://ift.tt/hlZe2iE

Amazon worker shot, colleague returns fire killing suspect outside facility: Police - WTVD-TV

nnnindonesia.blogspot.com

An Amazon contract worker was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a gunman allegedly opened fire at an Amazon facility in Arizona Wednesday, according to police.

The alleged gunman was shot and killed by a second Amazon contract worker who returned fire, investigators said.

The incident occurred in the parking lot of an Amazon Flex facility in Chandler, Arizona, around 9:30 a.m. local time, police said.

The suspect, identified as Jacob Murphy, 29, who allegedly fired multiple rounds at one of the contracted workers before a second contract worker returned fire, Sgt. Jason McClimans of the Chandler Police Department told reporters at a news conference.

The unidentified wounded worker was taken to a local hospital in "life-threatening condition," according to McClimans. Murphy was not employed by Amazon and was declared dead at the scene, police said.

"At this time, police cannot determine if the actions of the third male resulted in Murphy's death or if Murphy took his own life," the police said in a statement.

The second unidentified contracted worker who fired at the suspect was cooperating with the investigation, McClimans said.

The investigation was ongoing.

"We do not know what led up to this," he said. "We believe this was confined to one suspect only."

The Amazon facility and local schools were locked down when the shooting took place, according to police.

"We weren't sure if this was an active shooter, but within 20 minutes, we were able to lift those lockdowns," McClimans said.

Bryton Bobbitt, a contracted Amazon worker, told ABC affiliate KNXV he was getting ready for a normal workday when the shooting occurred.

"All of a sudden, just hear pop, pop, pop. [I] start looking around, like where did that come from? A few of our other workers started running," he told the affiliate. "I was already in my work van, I put it in gear and tried to find a safe place and got out of here."

A spokesman from Amazon told ABC News that operations at the facility were suspended following the incident and all employees and partners were sent home with pay.

"We're deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence in our parking lot. We're working closely with law enforcement as they investigate and are focused on supporting our team during this difficult time," Richard Rocha, an Amazon spokesperson, said in a statement.

Copyright © 2022 ABC News Internet Ventures.

Adblock test (Why?)

"colleague" - Google News
December 15, 2022 at 07:34AM
https://ift.tt/MUJmaiK

Amazon worker shot, colleague returns fire killing suspect outside facility: Police - WTVD-TV
"colleague" - Google News
https://ift.tt/9CpgYhL
https://ift.tt/hlZe2iE

Los Angeles City Councilperson Calls for Colleague’s Resignation Following Physical Conflict with Protestor - The People’s Vanguard of Davis

nnnindonesia.blogspot.com

PC: pbs.org

By Jack Sandmeyer

LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles City Councilperson Nithya Raman has called for the resignation of her colleague, Councilmember Kevin de León, after the former influential state lawmaker’s recent physical conflict with a protester last Friday evening.

While participating in local toy giveaway in Lincoln Heights, de León was approached by political activist, Jason Reedy, who urged the council member to resign his position because of his now public comments of homophobic and racist nature.

The 10-second video that has spiraled through social media shows the encounter between the two men which resulted in de León apparently pulling Reedy down onto a table before forcing him into the side of a wall, according to some witnesses.

However, another video appears to show the activist with his arms up in the direction of the local lawmaker. De León claims Reedy swung at him.

Police took battery complaints from both individuals but no one was arrested.

Following the actions of de León, Councilperson Raman expressed genuine concern regarding the lawfulness of the Los Angeles City Council official “first by his racist and homophobic rhetoric, then his ignoring calls to resign from the city and leaders nationwide, and now his engaging in a violent conflict with a protestor.”

Councilmember Raman and political activists in Los Angeles have made it clear that de León’s recent comments coupled with this new incident should warrant his removal from office. 

“Protestors are not elected officials. “Those of us who are endowed with the public trust, especially in a city where that trust has been devastated, have an inviolable responsibility to de-escalate dangerous situations — and to never lash out with violence,” argued Raman.

In response to calls for resignation, de León’s office maintains that Reedy and his supporters were the sole initiators of the conflict and that de Leon still has no plans to resign anytime soon.

Despite the councilperson’s claim, Raman has made her thoughts clear, charging, “I have said that Kevin de León should resign immediately from the day the recording of his racist conversation was released. This incident only deepens that conviction.”

Following the incident, De Leon attended an LA City Council meeting Saturday morning, his first appearance since the release of his controversial conversation between fellow city council members Nury Martinez and Gil Sedillo.davisvanguard.networkforgood.com”

Adblock test (Why?)

"colleague" - Google News
December 14, 2022 at 10:20AM
https://ift.tt/VDzL9lt

Los Angeles City Councilperson Calls for Colleague’s Resignation Following Physical Conflict with Protestor - The People’s Vanguard of Davis
"colleague" - Google News
https://ift.tt/GusxIVZ
https://ift.tt/Sa8eyLR

Woman Explaining Why Colleague's Relationship Rule Is 'Stupid' Cheered - Newsweek

nnnindonesia.blogspot.com

A 29-year-old female employee has found herself in hot water at work over a comment made to another employee. User u/wolfeye1985 has asked the r/AmItheA****** subreddit if she is an a****** "for using a joke about sexuality to imply my co-workers 'boundary' with her boyfriend is stupid?"

She updated the post to reveal that she has been called in for an HR meeting.

A 2021 study by engagement platform Ten Spot found that 70 percent of all workers and 86 percent of Gen-Z say they have experienced bullying or prejudice at work.

The original poster (OP), who describes herself as bisexual and "femme and straight," explains that she has only recently got to know her fellow employees because of restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. She explains how a co-worker was talking about a 'girls trip' she was planning, to which the OP replied by talking about her plans to go away with a male friend.

This stock image shows a woman being ostracised at work. An employee has found herself in hot water at work over a comment made to another employee. Prostock-Studio/Getty Images

"She immediately raised her eyebrows and said, 'wow that's wild that your boyfriend would let you go on a trip alone with another guy,'" the OP wrote. "The colleague then revealed that she and her boyfriend don't allow each other to be friends with the opposite sex, and it means 'they have a deeper level of trust.'"

The OP wrote that she responded by saying: "'Huh I wouldn't understand—that would be tough for my girlfriend and I since we are bisexual. I guess we wouldn't be able to have any friends at all,' I said it in a teasing tone and laughed."

The OP describes how her colleague then "started to look more angry than embarrassed" and said, "to be honest, I don't really think the workplace is somewhere to be discussing sexuality at all."

The OP explains that she feels conflicted about the disagreement.

"On the one hand, I don't think I'm the a****** at all, and that it's her fault for assuming my sexuality in the first place and that she was telling me about her relationship which means it was perfectly acceptable for me to talk about mine.

"On the other hand, my girlfriend said I was out of line to make that joke and I clearly embarrassed her and she was just being defensive—as anyone would if they felt their relationship was attacked."

Newsweek spoke about the awkward interaction with Amanda Rue, consent expert and founder of The Shift Work Shop, a human resource consultancy offering sexual harassment prevention and anti-sexist training.

"As we are rebuilding our relationships with in-person workplaces it's vital that we remember our best practices for connecting with co-workers in the office," she says. "We know friendship can strengthen employee morale, but it's important to remember that we can easily cross lines of comfortability in an attempt to form these relationships.

"For the most part, conversations around private relationships, including sharing judgments around other's relationships should be kept out of the office. We are there to focus on the work at hand and can find other shared interests and conversation points that exclude our personal approach to sex and relationships.

"It's important to note that sexual harassment, including hostile workplace, is based on the complainants perspective and you may not know what could make somebody feel uncomfortable regarding [their] private lives. It's best to have consent to engage in this conversation, first and foremost, to ensure all parties are comfortable regarding the conversation, but best case is to change the topic and refrain from sexualized conversations in the workplace."

Reddit users backed the OP.

NidorinoBeano said: "She already disclosed her sexuality to you by talking about her BF and you're right, her boundary is stupid, it's not a deeper level of trust it's a lack of trust they have."

User Revolutionary-Heat10 wrote: "She was the first one to judge your relationship by saying that it was wild that your bf would let you go on a trip with another man. So she can judge but you cannot?"

Right_unreasonable commented: "'I trust you so much that you can never be alone with a woman. Except your mother. Because I TRUST you'—OP's co-worker."

Newsweek has reached out to u/wolfeye1985 for comment.

Have you had a similar workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured in Newsweek.

Adblock test (Why?)

"colleague" - Google News
December 12, 2022 at 03:49PM
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiRGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm5ld3N3ZWVrLmNvbS93b21hbi1kZWZlbmRzLXNleHVhbGl0eS13b3JrLXJlZGRpdC0xNzY1OTk20gFKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3c3dlZWsuY29tL3dvbWFuLWRlZmVuZHMtc2V4dWFsaXR5LXdvcmstcmVkZGl0LTE3NjU5OTY_YW1wPTE?oc=5

Woman Explaining Why Colleague's Relationship Rule Is 'Stupid' Cheered - Newsweek
"colleague" - Google News
https://ift.tt/7v5nt9Y
https://ift.tt/7rWeDBp

Grant Wahl was a dedicated colleague and friend to so many at FOX Sports - FOX Sports

nnnindonesia.blogspot.com

Grant Wahl was a dedicated colleague and friend to so many at FOX Sports. We remain shocked and saddened by his passing, and extend our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to his wife, family, friends and colleagues. 

6 HOURS AGO・Soccer・1:01

Adblock test (Why?)

"colleague" - Google News
December 10, 2022 at 09:20PM
https://ift.tt/Bgo9xCs

Grant Wahl was a dedicated colleague and friend to so many at FOX Sports - FOX Sports
"colleague" - Google News
https://ift.tt/orBRlnx
https://ift.tt/OCXEUuJ

Man Getting Disabled Female Colleague Suspended Cheered: 'Not a Free Pass' - Newsweek

nnnindonesia.blogspot.com

A Reddit user has been voted "not the a**hole" "for telling a colleague their disability is not a free pass to be an a****** and getting them suspended."

User niffedofficeworker describes themselves as a 29-year-old male who has recently started "a new position at the beginning of November with a decent sized law firm in my city." They explain that despite enjoying their job, they began hearing "horror stories around a member of the office we will call 'J.' I've heard that the last two people that took this position were basically bullied out of the post by J and that anybody who makes any complaints to HR basically get told to put up and shut up for two reasons."

A study from March 2022 conducted by Quality Logo Products found that 90 percent of American employees report having a co-worker that annoys them. Fifty-seven percent of workers say they have considered quitting their job because of a co-worker, and 55 percent report that even while working remotely, co-workers are still annoying them.

The Reddit user explained: "Firstly J, despite not being the most popular person in the office, is very good at what she does to the point the company sees her as invaluable and secondly, J is a wheelchair user and is apparently very quick to throw the discrimination card around as soon as something doesn't go her way. Another key point to this tale is that I use a stoma bag and have done since I was a baby."

Stressed at work. Stock image. According to a recent study, 90 percent of American workers have reported having a co-worker that annoys them. SIphotography/Getty Images

They go on to describe their first interaction with J when they used the disabled bathroom to empty their stoma bag.

They wrote: "I started hearing a loud banging on the door. I said one moment and opened the door to a lady in a wheelchair, the infamous J. I was berated for about five minutes things such as 'why is a healthy young man using a disabled bathroom I should be ashamed, etc' drawing the attention of everyone in the nearby vicinity before she even let me speak. I eventually got a word in, reminded her that not all disabilities are blatantly obvious and lifted my shirt up to show her my bag. She went bright red and I got on with my day."

The next day, the user reported that there was a sign on the bathroom saying "wheelchair users only." After commenting to another member of staff, "have you seen J's latest stunt," they then received an email from HR and a verbal warning.

The Reddit user then describes how they lost their cool with J and told her "that the only reason she is still in a job is because of how long she had been with the business and that she isn't going to bully me out of my position like she had my two predecessors."

J was then suspended, according to the user, for "gross misconduct" and their verbal warning was "expunged."

"Whilst nobody is openly celebrating J's departure as would be a bit classless there certainly seems to be a better atmosphere around the office so I guess that's a positive," the user said.

Frustrated employee. Stock image. According to our expert, this employees behavior is classed as a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act which bans employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), and religion when it comes to: recruiting, hiring, promoting or demoting. golfcphoto/Getty Images

Newsweek spoke to Jared Pope, a HR law specialist and founder of Work Shield, about the controversial post, he said: "Situations like these, including any Title VII incident (a section of the Civil Rights Act which bans employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex including pregnancy, and religion) that occurs in the workplace, can be sticky-drama situations that have to be handled with care, expertise and, most importantly, ensuring everyone has a voice to be truly heard.

"Without understanding the proverbial 'other side of the coin,' one thing can be stated clearly: incidents related to discrimination and harassment, as well as any workplace misconduct, is best handled by a third-party to ensure the removal of any bias, whether conscious or not, as well as maintaining an objective and concrete framework in which these investigations are handled. To handle otherwise allows for processes to be overlooked, skipped, side tracked or disregarded which in turn allows voices to not be truly heard and decisions to be made on limited understanding."

On Reddit, other users supported the original poster.

User melkesjokolade89 said: "Ambulatory wheelchair user here and 100 percent agree. I also have invisible disabilities and had to use the accessible toilet before I got my wheelchair. Never assume all disability is visible, most isn't."

User Blurgas wrote: "You'd think someone who works at a law firm, disabled or not, would know better than to screw with ADA compliance."

User IntoTheSinBinForYou commented: "NTA Not all heroes wear capes. My disabilities are not external and someone like J would never be able to understand."

Newsweek has reached out to user niffedofficeworker for comment.

Have you had a similar workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

Adblock test (Why?)

"colleague" - Google News
December 09, 2022 at 10:29PM
https://ift.tt/T3FP49N

Man Getting Disabled Female Colleague Suspended Cheered: 'Not a Free Pass' - Newsweek
"colleague" - Google News
https://ift.tt/qK82ofm
https://ift.tt/1mWNin9