It's a four-letter word that evokes a variety of responses. A plea might be puzzling, perturbing, pathetic or - perhaps - pretty lucky for a person facing prison time. ...more

March 7, 2010

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., won't face a perjury charge over statements he made to state lawmakers investigating how he got his job, but the junior senator still faces the task of salvaging his political future and shaking the stigma of his link to the disgraced former governor who put him in office. ...more

June 20, 2009

A man arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer had all charges dropped against him. ...more

April 11, 2009

Developers want a second chance to persuade a county hearing officer that their plans for a suburban village off Balm Road are sound. ...more

January 14, 2009

POTSDAM, Germany (AP) -- Germany is dropping its pursuit of a ban on Scientology after finding insufficient evidence of illegal activity, security officials said Friday. Domestic intelligence services will continue to monitor the group, officials said. The German branch of the Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology has been under observation by domestic intelligence services for more than a decade. Top security officials asked state governments in December to begin gathering information on whether they had sufficient grounds to seek a ban. ...more

November 21, 2008

When Carlos Bello takes his medication, no one questions his mental competence. ...more

September 27, 2008

Prosecutors were unable to persuade Hillsborough Circuit Judge Ronald Ficarrotta today to proceed with imposing punishment on Carlos Bello for killing a Tampa policeman, continuing more than 20 years of legal yo-yoing. ...more

September 26, 2008

A grand jury formally charged a Brooksville man with two counts of first-degree murder Tuesday in connection with a brutal Masaryktown slaying. ...more

August 7, 2008

A 21-year-old man is the suspect in the fatal stabbing of his father and the serious injuries suffered by his mother and teenage sister, Hillsborough County deputies say. ...more

July 23, 2008

Charges have been dropped against three of the eight teenagers accused of attacking a 16-year-old girl in Lakeland in March and recording the incident. ...more

June 14, 2008