Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Criminal.
Murder Kiss
All I had was just us, and perhaps, I at times took it for granted. Before my sister turned into a public scorn and was called a lunatic and a murder, she was just an ordinary young ambitious woman. The girl I know differs from the one who you think you know. I know her as the sister who always made it a point to protect me. She loved and respected her family. The one you now know as Karabo Hazeek—the so-called “blood thirsty murderer”—who you all say should be sentenced, never to strike again, and read all the news headlines that month.
By BlacQ Tales Bopape7 years ago in Criminal
Hoop Where Is He?
Rico Harris always made an impression. If not for his athletic ability, he was recruited by the NBA after he graduated high school, then for his sheer size. At 6'9", Rico would tower over most people. The gentle giant also had some big issues though, including an addiction problem that would taint most of his adult life. Things seemed to be looking up before Rico disappeared altogether.
By Edward Anderson7 years ago in Criminal
Paycheck
I lie in bed waiting for a voice automated call to disclose the next location of my target. I start to ponder the different career choices that others have, and my previous targets. If I were to be in a different field of work, there would certainly be more people on the planet. I could be a banker, a bartender, maybe even a dancer. Instead, I'm an assassin.
By Elijah Taylor7 years ago in Criminal
Is Society Punishing R. Kelly?
For decades, the business of music and media as a whole have been fueled by the secular and the profane or the grand and the coarse or God and sex, drugs, and nowadays, hiphop. Seemingly, it would be because most acts grew up in homes espousing faithful values in America. The late, great Prince Rogers Nelson built up an entire career based on the ideals of trying to coalesce the notions of some alleged floating consciousness outside the bounds of reality with the urges of the flesh. Corporeal thoughts and actions meant greater dollar signs to the companies that produce everything from music to pornography and everything in between. The recognition that some mystical force would one day save the makers and consumers of such fair through the blood of the son continues to resonate with audiences. R. Kelly is just a pawn, a freak that has only brought upon himself the indignation of a nation.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Criminal
Last Meal
"Everyone's in place?" "Affirmative," said a voice in his ear piece. Detective Salazar stared into the transparent walls of the diner while standing across the street underneath a blinking street light. The air was unbearably cold, but his focus was fixed on the man sitting by himself at the booth in the middle of the diner.
By Jonathan Miciano7 years ago in Criminal
The (Almost) Perfect Murder
“Have you checked out John’s ex-girlfriend, the lady cop?” Nels Rasmussen would ask the cops time after time about his daughter's murderer. Those investigating the death blew him off as a kook, a grieving father who would blame anyone for the death of his beloved daughter. As time would prove though, he was on the right track, and because (or perhaps in spite) of his persistence, Stephanie Lazarus was finally brought to justice, despite an alleged attempt by the LAPD to cover up the crime for one of their own.
By Edward Anderson7 years ago in Criminal
Is Jussie Smollett the Spokesman for Millennials?
Tupac Amaru Shakur was a revolutionary figure, a prophet, and one of the foremost legends ever to be produced by the hip hop genre. His outspokenness mixed with his ability to cater to street sensibilities and the THUG LIFE (“The Hatred U Give Little Infants F–– Everyone”) movement solidified his place as one of the most controversial, poetic, and timely figures of his day. Jussie Smollett is a marginal actor who claims that he is the “Gay Tupac.” This is offensive to the estate of Mr. Shakur and the LGBTQ community. But both Mr. Smollett and the representatives of this faction of the world are in error for propagating the notion of an anti-concept, the “hate crime.” Even if (which appears to be doubtful based on the facts) Smollett had been attacked for his being a gay African American man, it would not mean that his chemical makeup or life as a gay person grants him special privileges before the law. Smollett brings the thought of a scared little boy in a man’s frame. Sensing that he would lose face over the whole debacle, he hid behind both the Pan-African and the rainbow flags.
By Skyler Saunders7 years ago in Criminal
The Forsaken Victims of a Handsome Monster
Look at these pictures. What words come to mind? What thoughts or feelings do they provoke? For many, fleeting mixed emotions of sadness and anxiety because they are dead and remain voiceless. Many with bright futures ahead. When these women and girls unknowingly got into a car with a man they assumed was harmless because he was good looking and well-spoken. He often wore a sling or a cast on his arm to lure unsuspecting young women and girls. They pitied him, so at that moment the psyche of the women and girls remained frozen, thus letting the instinct to help take over and not run.
By Janelle Ouellet7 years ago in Criminal
The Mysterious Death of Superman
Kryptonite is the only weakness that Superman has. Sadly, the same could not be said for the first man to portray him on TV, George Reeves. While he was beloved for the iconic role, there were many secrets that the former Man of Steel kept from the adoring public that came to light after his mysterious death. Once they did, the belief that there was a conspiracy to get rid of any investigation into his death became almost undeniable. One of those things was that his body was found naked, sprawled across his bed. A bullet had gone through his skull and lodged itself in the ceiling, and two more were located in the floor. That led to the belief that George Reeves was murdered.
By Edward Anderson7 years ago in Criminal
Jeffrey Dahmer
Lack of remorse. Impulsivity. Superficial charm. Pathological lying. These are all signs of psychopathic tendencies. But what makes someone a psychopath? What causes someone to one day just snap and do the unspeakable? We honestly may never know, but studies are constantly being done to observe what goes on in someone's life to cause them to have these sort of tendencies. Not all psychopaths are criminals; it is a personality disorder that many people actually use to increase their success. Although not everyone with psychopathic traits are criminals, they are more likely to commit crimes than the general population because they have no remorse and are guiltless. They also have a lack of impulse control, so when they have a desire to do something, even if it is illegal, they have to do it.
By Olivia Parker7 years ago in Criminal
A Victim of Her Own Lies
“They think because I am young, they think I have all this money,” Anna Delvey sobbed to her life coach during one session. Perhaps she forgot that she tossed money around like it was a water balloon. Funding the kind of life that Anna Delvey was living, something that was talked about in the first part of this series, "The Magician of Manhattan," was not an easy task. With no job and no assets to speak of, Delvey faced an uphill battle creating the kind of life that she wanted for herself.
By Edward Anderson7 years ago in Criminal
The Bloody Truth (Pt. 2)
Ted Calvin Cole was born on July 27, 1956 to an alcoholic mother, Nancy, and a father, Charles, who was enlisted in the Air Force. His childhood was a tough one, with his father eventually finding himself in prison after attempting to rob a liquor store. His mother took him, his younger brother, Keith, and baby sister, Kathy, to live with her parents after his father left the family completely when Ted was just five years old. His grandparents lived in Sunray Village, just south of Duncan, Oklahoma. Because the home was in the middle of the oil fields and eight miles out of town, there were no bus routes to take Ted to school. His grandparents refused to allow Nancy to use their car to take him to school. Instead of going to kindergarten with the rest of the children his age, Ted was taken to a children's home at the tender age of five. Left to fend for himself and raised for the next five years in a stifling, affectionless environment, Ted developed his view of the world. of. Nancy visited him a total of twice during that time, and Charles never showed. Ted eventually rejoined his mother with her new husband, Paul, and baby sister, Kathy, when he was 10. A stepbrother, Michael, would join the family 22 years later.
By Phoenixx Fyre Dean7 years ago in Criminal
