No Verdict on First Day of 'Rockefeller' Deliberations

Gerhartsreiter will faces charges he murdered his landlord in 1985

(NEWSER) - Christian Gerhartsreiter, the German immigrant whose many fake identities included blueblood heir Clark Rockefeller, has a new role this week: murder defendant. The 50-year-old has been taken from the Massachusetts prison where he was serving time for kidnapping his daughter and moved to California for trial on charges that he murdered his landlord in 1985 , reports the Boston Herald . More»

Calif. authorities seeking to extradite con man Christian Gerhartsreiter

(NEWSER) - A German immigrant who conned his way into American high society by pretending to be a member of the Rockefeller clan has been charged with the murder of a California man. Christian Gerhartsreiter—currently serving time in Massachusetts for kidnapping his daughter and assaulting a social worker—was renting a room in a Los Angeles suburb from John and Linda Sohus when they disappeared in 1985. He became a person of interest to the investigation after his kidnapping arrest in 2008, ABC News reports. More»

Witness testifies he was controlling, not delusional

(NEWSER) - Trial resumed in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case today, with jurors hearing testimony that Brian David Mitchell was not delusional, but rather deliberately controlling and intimidating, reports the Salt Lake Tribune. Mitchell "has a personality that is much larger than I’ve ever encountered," testified a former cop who ran into Mitchell, his wife, and Smart on the street. "He gave me a look that was so intimidating, so encompassed, he stopped me before I could say hello." More»

Jury showing signs of strain after 19 Weeks

(NEWSER) - After a 5-month trial, the jury deciding the fate of Brooke Astor’s son may be at the breaking point. One juror wants out because she fears for her personal safety, the judge revealed today, a day after he felt compelled to deliver a pep talk in court urging jurors to "hang in there a bit longer." If Justice A. Kirke Bartley has to dismiss the juror, it would mean a mistrial. The jury is in its 10th day of deliberations. More»

(NEWSER) - Street artist Shephard Fairey plead guilty today to three counts of vandalism for displaying stickers and posters around Boston without permission, the Globe reports. He must pay a fine and is prohibited from carrying the tools of his trade—like wheat paste and brushes—in the county for 2 years. Fairey is most famous for his Obama “Hope” poster, though his trademark image is a stenciled likeness of wrestler Andre the Giant and the word “Obey.” More»