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Fake Verizon Worker Sexually Assaults Teen, Police Say

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Police are on the hunt for a man who they say pretended to be a Verizon worker and then sexually assaulted an 18-year-old woman inside a Philadelphia home.

The victim told police she was inside a home on the 4900 block of Mulberry Street Monday around 11:45 a.m. when an unidentified man knocked on her door. When she answered the door, the man claimed he was with Verizon.

After the teen told the man her mother wasn't home, he entered the house, exposed himself and then sexually assaulted her, police said.

The teen escaped the man's grasp, found a weapon and demanded that he leave, according to investigators. He fled in an unknown direction after saying that he would return once her mother was home, police said.

The suspect is described as being around 25 years old, standing 6-feet tall. He also had a tattoo of an unknown symbol on the left side of his face and was wearing a navy blue windbreaker, light blue undershirt and denim jeans, police said. 

If you have any information about this crime or this suspect, please call the Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3252.


Mayor Moves to Take Back Philly Schools

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UPDATE: Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney revealed his plan Thursday to wrestle back control of Philadelphia schools.

Philadelphia is moving one step closer to taking back control of the city’s struggling school district, which is facing a $1 billion deficit.

After years of political tug-of-war, Mayor Jim Kenney is backing a plan to dissolve the School Reform Commission (SRC). Dismantling the commission would mean regaining local control of Philadelphia’s school district since a state takeover more than 15 years ago.

On Thursday morning, Kenney addressed a packed session of Philadelphia City Council to discuss the plan.

"Again, and again, we've told the people of Philadelphia the state of their schools is someone else's responsibility, that ends today," Kenney told council.

Created in 2001, the SRC oversees the city’s public and charter schools, makes major policy and budgetary decisions for the school district and appoints the superintendent.

The SRC is currently comprised of three members appointed by the governor who serve five years each and two members appointed by the mayor who serve four years each. There is no limit to the number of terms a member can serve.

Opponents of the SRC have called for the creation of a local-controlled school board.

Under the plan, the SRC must recommend its dissolution by a majority vote on Nov. 16. The Pennsylvania Secretary of Education must then certify the vote by issuing a declaration dissolving the SRC by Dec. 31.

Even if the dissolution is granted, it won't go into effect until June 30 — the end of the fiscal year. During the six-month period, the SRC will continue to oversee the district while the new school board is appointed.

The new school board will be comprised of nine people appointed by Kenney. Before that occurs however, there will be a 13-member nominating committee who will receive nominations and make a short list of 27 names for Kenney to consider. Kenney is expected to announce the nominating committee at the end of this year and nine of the best people will be chosen. 

Unlike traditional school boards, the members will not represent specific districts or geographic locations to ensure "equitable representation," officials said.

Officials say Philadelphia City Council is expected to pass a measure that would require them to approve the school board and by February or March of next year the school board will be appointed. They won't have any official power until July 1, 2018 however.

Officials say the board members will serve at the pleasure of Kenney for the remainder of his term. When a new mayor is elected however, the new mayor will have the opportunity to appoint a new board and get rid of anyone.

Existing SRC members will be instructed to reapply if interested in serving on the new school board.

Catch Up Quickly: Family Searches for Missing Service Dog

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Here are the top news stories you need to know to start your day from your friends at NBC10.


TODAY'S TOP STORY 

Camden Officer Shot in the Leg During Struggle: The Camden County Police Chief praised an officer who was shot in the leg while struggling with a suspect in Camden, New Jersey Wednesday night. Officials say the ordeal began shortly after 10 p.m. when the first-year officer, who has not yet been identified, approached three men he believed were suspicious on the 900 block of Chelton Avenue during an investigation that was taking place. As the officer walked towards them, one of the men began to flee, according to investigators. After the officer caught up to him, the man allegedly pulled out a gun and the two men began to struggle over the weapon. The suspect then opened fire, shooting the officer in the leg, police said. Responding officers took the suspect into custody and tended to the wounded officer. The officer was taken to Cooper University Hospital where he is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries and is in stable condition. Thomson said the bullet went through the officer's upper right thigh. He praised the officers who rushed him to the hospital. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was not injured during the incident. Police say the officer never opened fire during the struggle.

    WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY

    Arrest Made in Possible Road Rage Killing: A man accused of killing another driver in a possible road rage incident and then leading police on a chase through Allentown was arrested Wednesday, according to investigators. Curtis Thomas, 36, is charged with criminal homicide, certain persons not to possess a weapon, possession with intent to sell a controlled substance and attempting to elude police. A witness told NBC10 that a man, identified by police as Thomas, was involved in an argument with another driver on the 800 block of Wyoming Street in Allentown shortly before noon Wednesday. The witness claimed the two men were standing near a pickup truck and car that appeared to have been involved in an accident. Thomas grabbed a shotgun from the pickup truck and opened fire, striking the other man, according to the witness. He then fled the scene in his pickup truck, the witness said. The 32-year-old victim, identified by Lehigh County Coronor Scott Grim as Charles Hughes III, later died from his injuries. After a witness described the vehicle, police tracked Thomas down to 6th and Walnut streets in Allentown later in the day, according to investigators. As police attempted to pull him over, Thomas allegedly fled the scene before crashing at 5th and Turner streets where he was arrested and taken into custody.

    YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST  

    Fog will start Thursday morning off as warmer temperatures are expected to return. Sun, clouds and 70 degree temperatures are expexted for Thursday and Friday. Saturday and Sunday could see temperatures return to the 60s. Saturday is expected to be sunny. But there is a chance of rain for Sunday and Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday are also likely to see rain and cooler temperatures. Get your full NBC10 First Alert forecast here.

        TODAY'S TALKER                

        National Guard Vet Searches for Missing Service Dog: A Delaware veteran and her family are searching for her missing service dog. Lori Bilyou told NBC10 her service dog Ozzy suffered a seizure and ran off from her Newark, Delaware home two weeks ago. Bilyou is a National Guard veteran who served in Afghanistan. She suffered a brain injury and has PTSD as well as balance issues and needs Ozzy for help. Lori placed surveillance cameras on trees throughout her neighborhood and missing dog fliers were passed around the community Halloween night. Local pizza delivery drivers and mail carriers are also on the lookout. The couple says Ozzy has been spotted a few times not far from their home but each time the dog was scared away. Lori says she doesn’t want anyone to call for him or try to catch him. She just wants people to call her.

        AROUND THE WORLD

        NYC Rampage Suspect Chose Halloween to Target Crowds: The truck driver suspected of mowing people down on a riverfront bike path near the World Trade Center, killing eight people and injuring a dozen others, chose the attack date to target Halloween crowds, according to the criminal complaint. Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, 29, told the FBI in his interviews that he planned the attack for a year and had decided to carry it out on Halloween; investigators told them he picked the day because he knew the streets would be crowded. He was charged in federal court Wednesday evening. Saipov entered court in a wheelchair, handcuffed and with his feet shackled, to face terrorism charges. He did not enter a plea. He used headphones to listen to a Russian translation of court proceedings, but answered the judge in English, saying, "Thanks." His attorney David Patton said they were not seeking bail. A judge set his next court date for Nov. 15.


        That's what you need to know to Catch Up Quickly, but we've got more stories worthy of your time. Click here to check them out

        Emerging Details About Terror in Manhattan Victims

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        We're learning more about the victims who lost their lives in the Manhattan terror attack that unfolded Tuesday; as well as the police officer who shot the suspect.

        Looking to End Elementary School Suspensions

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        The Philadelphia School District is considering a plan that would end elementary school suspensions. NBC10's Pamela Osborne shares some of the data backing ending the practice for first to fifth graders.



        Photo Credit: NBC10

        City Plans to Wrestle Back Control of Philly Schools

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        Philadelphia city officials announced plans to wrestle control of the city school district from the state, which would end a 16-year experiment that gave the governor more say than local leaders.

        Mayor Jim Kenney is asking the five-member School Reform Commission (SRC) to vote to dissolve itself when the governing body meets on Nov. 16.

        “Ultimately, our children’s success and Philadelphia’s success depends on the quality of our schools,” Kenney said in a speech before city council on Thursday. “And, right now, we are leaving our city’s fate largely in someone else’s hands.”

        The SRC oversees the city’s public and charter schools, makes major policy and budgetary decisions for the school district and appoints the superintendent.

        The SRC currently comprises three members appointed by the governor who serve five years each and two members appointed by the mayor who serve four years each. There is no limit to the number of terms a member can serve.

        About 130,000 students are currently enrolled in traditional public schools and another 60,000 students attend charter schools.

        Kenney hopes to reverse some of the perceptions and troubling realities facing the city’s education system by adding AP classes, free standardized testing, boosting libraries, adding more teachers, repairing old buildings and “ensuring no student’s fate is determined by their zip code.”

        A line spilled into the sidewalk as teachers, educators and other community members clamored to get a seat at Thursday’s announcement. Supporters of the plan held up signs that read "A people's school board: No more profits off our kids."

        "We are the experts. We are in these schools," parent Sheila Armstrong said. "We want to ensure the people's voice is heard."

        SRC Chair Joyce Wilkerson also added to the outpouring support for the mayor's request to disband the SRC. 

        "As a result of progress and stability, we have the opportunity to reexamine the governance structure including the restoration of local control," she said.

        "Strong public education is the most significant factor in the welfare of our city and the future of our children. It is time for Philadelphia to take ownership of that future.”

        On Wednesday evening, council members unveiled plans to replace the SRC with a nine-member board appointed by the mayor. Those appointments would be recommended by a nominating panel, which would include four members of the public at-large and nine community leaders.

        Kenney painted a somber picture of what could happen if the city’s education system does not undergo drastic changes.

        “If we do not have quality schools in every neighborhood, the people who have helped to reverse the city’s decades of population loss will not stay. The children whose families cannot afford to leave will be unprepared to compete in the 21st century economy," he said. "Businesses will not come to Philadelphia, and those that are here won’t have the local talent pool to grow, and the City’s poverty and crime rates will remain stagnant or worsen."

        Superintendent William Hite signaled a willingness for change.

        “I will continue to advocate for the resources that will increase the successes, stability and positive momentum we have been able to achieve as a School District. I am optimistic and excited about the future of the School District of Philadelphia and about our work to improve academic outcomes,” he said.

        Since its creation, the school district has closed more than 24 schools and laid off 4,000 teachers, Kenney said. At the current rate, two schools per year stand to shut down.



        Photo Credit: Samantha Madera/City of Philadelphia

        How to Apply a Tourniquet

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        The vast majority of gunshot deaths are not from the injury itself but from the loss of blood. Knowing how to apply a tourniquet could help save someone’s life. The Medical Director of Trauma at Hahnemann University Hospital helps teach people this important skill.

        4 Police Officers Charged After Kicking Burning Bystander

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        Four Jersey City police officers have been indicted on charges ranging from aggravated assault to attempted murder, prosecutors said Thursday, months after shocking video emerged showing them kicking and dragging a flaming bystander following a car chase and fiery crash.

        Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said that a grand jury had returned an indictment against Lt. Keith Ludwig, MD Khan and officers Eric Kosinski and Francisco Rodriguez in the case of the June 4 beatdown.

        All are charged with aggravated assault and official misconduct. All but Ludwig are accused of possessing a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and Kosinski and Khan face charges of attempted murder.

        Officers had been trying to stop a vehicle near Ocean and Cator avenues in Jersey City late that night; the driver, Leo Pinkston, fled and the cops gave chase. Pinkston was involved in a number of crashes during the pursuit, and multiple shots were fired. Eventually, he crashed into a vehicle on Tonnelle Avenue, leading to a collision with a utility pole that sparked a major fire and injured the driver of the other vehicle, bystander Miguel Feliz. 

        When Feliz got out of his car, the four Jersey City officers descended on him, kicking and dragging him in apparent belief he was the man they had been chasing. The June 4 video showed Miguel Feliz, on fire, exiting his car before being kicked by the officers. Feliz was hospitalized in critical condition with severe burns and broken ribs after the encounter, his family said. 

        The four officers were suspended in late June, then had their jobs reinstated, though they were on administrative duty, not active patrol. Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill told NorthJersey.com at the time that federal investigators had asked the department not to bring departmental charges against the men pending a federal investigation. 

        Attorney information for the officers wasn't immediately available. Previously, a union representative had said they were trying to put the flames out and pull Feliz to safety. At the time, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said the video appeared to contradict that claim and demanded he be fired. 

        Pinkston also faces a number of charges in connection with the pursuit. 



        Photo Credit: Erik Roberto

        Body Unearthed, Legend of Mass Murderer H.H. Holmes Persists

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        Whiskers of a 121-year-old mustache came into view of the Penn Museum archaeologists once they finally reached 10 feet deep.

        Then, stunningly, the dead man’s tie could be seen amid the soupy ooze of the coffin. Outlines of a suit somehow survived being buried for more than a century.

        The mystery surrounding who wore that suit into the grave has remained as resilient with the passage of time — and despite the overwhelming evidence those Penn scientists have gathered in the last few months.

        It is H.H. Holmes, if the DNA evidence pulled from the remains is to be believed, lead archaeologist Samantha Cox said.

        For the first time, Cox and her team shared photographs from inside the grave and throughout the exhuming process. The pictures provide a fascinating look at what happens to a body after 120 years underground, and are the first glimpses of what remains of the man often described as America's first serial killer.

        Holmes reputedly killed dozens at the “Murder Castle Hotel” in Chicago. He built the hotel equipped with secret rooms, chambers and a spot for dissections in the basement. With visitors from around the globe visiting the city’s World’s Fair in 1893, Holmes’ unwitting guests checked in but some never left.

        He was eventually imprisoned at Moyamensing Prison in South Philadelphia, put on trial, and hanged in 1896 for his mass murder spree. Or so the news reports at the time say.

        The legend of Holmes is a different story. His great-great-grandson, Jeff Mudgett, has long believed that his ancestor, whose real name was Herman Mudgett, faked his death and escaped the hangman’s noose.

        Mudgett’s search for truth led to an eight-part television series this summer on the History Channel. As part of that show, Cox and her team led the exhumation of Holmes’ grave site at Holy Cross Cemetery in Delaware County.

        NBC10 Investigators were first to unearth the growing mystery in April of the Holmes conspiracy that he escaped death. Then, in July, NBC10 exclusively reported that a search for the truth was underway — with Holy Cross Cemetery in Delaware County as the epicenter. Over the following months, fascinating findings emerged about the fate of Holmes.


        The DNA evidence was sent to a laboratory at King’s College in London, England. Analysts there compared remains from the skull in the grave to DNA from Jeff Mudgett.

        “The best that they can tell us is that the DNA is related, is a person who is related, to the living Mudgett,” Cox said.

        In addition to the genetic testing, investigative research by Cox and her team found that medical records from the late 1800s matched up the serial killer with the remains in the grave.

        “From a scientific standpoint, to us, there’s no doubt,” Cox said.

        The archaeologists documented their dig in numerous photographs that they shared with NBC10. Those pictures show surprises along the way even beyond the incredibly preserved remains: a partially hardened layer of concrete requested by Holmes; an empty coffin; a wooden placard with an etching that read “H H Holmes.”

        Finally, there were the skeletal and oozy remains 10 feet down.

        The History Channel’s “American Ripper” series, which starred Mudgett, also chronicled the dig and the resulting tests that ultimately concluded Holmes hanged and was buried at Holy Cross.

        Mudgett, however, isn’t convinced. He wants another DNA test done.

        “The lab had a bias, which in a court of law, would result in the evidence being excluded,” Mudgett said.

        The head of DNA analysis at King’s College, Professor Denise Syndercombe Court, said in a statement to NBC10 that bias has nothing to do with sample-testing.

        Here is the full statement from Court:

        "We are an accredited laboratory that follows ISO17025 guidelines.  Analysed profiles are provided electronically from the molecular analyser and are produced independently by different analysts.  No personal identifiers are given to the samples, only unique numbers, so analysts will not be aware of what samples are being run.  Although the person reporting the results would be aware of the source of the material and indeed would have selected the appropriate analytical technique in order to answer the question at issue, their interpretation will only be based on the output from the analyser.  As professional forensic geneticists they are used to dealing with forensic evidence and presenting the results of the analysis in an objective and unbiased way.”


        How to Apply a Tourniquet: Step-By-Step

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        The vast majority of gunshot deaths are not from the injury itself but from the loss of blood. Knowing how to apply a tourniquet could help save someone’s life. A program at Hahnemann University Hospital helps teach people this important skill.

        Hospitals Educating Masses on Tourniquet Use

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        As gun violence in Philadelphia continues and mass shootings make headlines, a new kit could make it easier for regular people to become lifesavers in emergency situations. NBC10's George Spencer explains.

        For Trauma Victims, Emotional Toll Lingers After Injuries

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        Jermaine McCorey works as an intervention specialist for a program called "Healing Hurt People," which is run by the Drexel University College of Medicine at Hahnemann University Hospital. McCorey's job is simple yet very difficult: help trauma patients emotionally deal with their injuries and their future. His firsthand experience is unsurpassed: the Philadelphia man has been shot on two separate occasions.

        What You Should Know About Philly's Public School Takeover

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        Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney drew applause from a packed room of local residents and lawmakers Thursday morning when he announced plans to dissolve the School Reform Commission.

        His plan puts into motion the beginning of the end for the governing body, which oversees Philadelphia’s school district. The SRC will vote on whether to disband at its next meeting on Nov. 16. From there, the floodgates will open for local control of schools to be returned to the mayor’s office.

        So what does this mean for you?

        Majority control of the SRC rests in the hands of Pennsylvania’s governor, who appoints three of the five seats. Philadelphia’s mayor appoints the remaining two. By turning the reins back to the city, local officials can now be held accountable for the local school district.

        In short, if the city wants to make any changes to the school curriculum or code, it doesn’t need to lobby so-described outsiders. More importantly, residents will now have more control over the school district by exercising their right to vote a mayor in and out of office.

        What does Kenney’s plan look like?

        Assuming everything goes according to plan, the SRC will vote to disband on Nov. 16. The Pennsylvania Secretary of Education must then certify the vote by issuing a declaration dissolving the SRC by Dec. 31.

        Even if the dissolution is granted, it won't go into effect until June 30, 2018 — the end of the fiscal year. During the six-month period, the SRC will continue to oversee the district while the new school board is appointed.

        The new school board will be composed of nine people appointed by Kenney. Before that happens, however, there will be a 13-member committee who will receive nominations and make a short list of 27 names for Kenney to consider.

        Kenney is expected to announce the nominating committee at the end of this year.

        Why so much power in the mayor’s hands?

        Prior to the creation of the SRC, a charter amendment introduced by then-Councilman Michael Nutter in 1999 gave the mayor power to appoint a local school board. 

        “That’s the way it’s always been,” Kenney told NBC10 in an interview Thursday. “What’s good about that is that the mayor is accountable, I will be accountable and future mayors will be accountable. It’s none of this finger-pointing.”

        In 2016, a Pew Charitable Trust report found that school districts under mayoral control - Boston, New York City and D.C. - saw substantial improvement in student performance.

        What is the SRC anyway?

        Created in 2001, the SRC oversees the city’s public and charter schools, makes major policy and budgetary decisions for the school district and appoints the superintendent.

        A similar body was originally proposed in 1998 by former Gov. Tom Ridge. It was founded three years later when the school district faced teacher strikes and a crumbling infrastructure. City leaders hoped for a state bailout, and the state demanded more oversight in exchange.

        The current SRC has three members appointed by the governor who serve five years each and two members appointed by the mayor who serve four years each. There is no limit to the number of terms a member can serve.

        What does the city propose to do once it regains control of the school district?

        Philadelphia aims to create 25 community schools by 2020. These institutions are public schools with a full-time coordinator who works with students, parents, teachers, administrators and service providers to identify a neighborhood’s most pressing needs.

        • Improve school facilities, plan safer transportation
        • Offering college prep classes and training
        • A capital improvement program that will begin to address our schools’ many physical building needs
        • A 9th grade academy which provides academic supports and counseling to new students in order to decrease the dropout rate
        • Modernizing our CTE programs and expanding access to them so that our students are prepared to compete
        • Expanding college access through continued free PSAT and SAT testing for all students, more AP classes, and the first middle-college program in Pennsylvania, where high-school students can earn an associate's degree
        • Hiring specialized reading coaches for every school and improving training and instructional support for K-3 teachers
        • Equipping every K-3 classroom with new libraries full of books, and remodeling K-3 classrooms in schools with the lowest literacy rates
        • Increasing the number of bilingual counseling assistants, filling all teacher vacancies and continuing to increase the diversity of our teaching workforce, so our teachers look like the City they serve

        How will the city raise money to cover the projected $1 billion deficit?

        Taxes, most likely. In his statement, Kenney said the city cannot rely on the state and budget cuts to close the gap.

        “The final plan we will propose to meet the district’s needs will be difficult, and it will require everyone to pitch in - but the alternative is far worse,” he said.



        Photo Credit: NBC Boston

        Body Unearthed, Legend of Mass Murderer H.H. Holmes Persists

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        0

        Whiskers of a 121-year-old mustache came into view of the Penn Museum archaeologists once they finally reached 10 feet deep.

        Then, stunningly, the dead man’s tie could be seen amid the soupy ooze of the coffin. Outlines of a suit somehow survived being buried for more than a century.

        The mystery surrounding who wore that suit into the grave has remained as resilient with the passage of time — and despite the overwhelming evidence those Penn scientists have gathered in the last few months.

        It is H.H. Holmes, if the DNA evidence pulled from the remains is to be believed, lead archaeologist Samantha Cox said.

        For the first time, Cox and her team shared photographs from inside the grave and throughout the exhuming process. The pictures provide a fascinating look at what happens to a body after 120 years underground, and are the first glimpses of what remains of the man often described as America's first serial killer.

        Holmes reputedly killed dozens at the “Murder Castle Hotel” in Chicago. He built the hotel equipped with secret rooms, chambers and a spot for dissections in the basement. With visitors from around the globe visiting the city’s World’s Fair in 1893, Holmes’ unwitting guests checked in but some never left.

        He was eventually imprisoned at Moyamensing Prison in South Philadelphia, put on trial, and hanged in 1896 for his mass murder spree. Or so the news reports at the time say.

        The legend of Holmes is a different story. His great-great-grandson, Jeff Mudgett, has long believed that his ancestor, whose real name was Herman Mudgett, faked his death and escaped the hangman’s noose.

        Mudgett’s search for truth led to an eight-part television series this summer on the History Channel. As part of that show, Cox and her team led the exhumation of Holmes’ grave site at Holy Cross Cemetery in Delaware County.

        NBC10 Investigators were first to unearth the growing mystery in April of the Holmes conspiracy that he escaped death. Then, in July, NBC10 exclusively reported that a search for the truth was underway — with Holy Cross Cemetery in Delaware County as the epicenter. Over the following months, fascinating findings emerged about the fate of Holmes.


        The DNA evidence was sent to a laboratory at King’s College in London, England. Analysts there compared remains from the skull in the grave to DNA from Jeff Mudgett.

        “The best that they can tell us is that the DNA is related, is a person who is related, to the living Mudgett,” Cox said.

        In addition to the genetic testing, investigative research by Cox and her team found that medical records from the late 1800s matched up the serial killer with the remains in the grave.

        “From a scientific standpoint, to us, there’s no doubt,” Cox said.

        The archaeologists documented their dig in numerous photographs that they shared with NBC10. Those pictures show surprises along the way even beyond the incredibly preserved remains: a partially hardened layer of concrete requested by Holmes; an empty coffin; a wooden placard with an etching that read “H H Holmes.”

        Finally, there were the skeletal and oozy remains 10 feet down.

        The History Channel’s “American Ripper” series, which starred Mudgett, also chronicled the dig and the resulting tests that ultimately concluded Holmes hanged and was buried at Holy Cross.

        Mudgett, however, isn’t convinced. He wants another DNA test done.

        “The lab had a bias, which in a court of law, would result in the evidence being excluded,” Mudgett said.

        The head of DNA analysis at King’s College, Professor Denise Syndercombe Court, said in a statement to NBC10 that bias has nothing to do with sample-testing.

        Here is the full statement from Court:

        "We are an accredited laboratory that follows ISO17025 guidelines.  Analysed profiles are provided electronically from the molecular analyser and are produced independently by different analysts.  No personal identifiers are given to the samples, only unique numbers, so analysts will not be aware of what samples are being run.  Although the person reporting the results would be aware of the source of the material and indeed would have selected the appropriate analytical technique in order to answer the question at issue, their interpretation will only be based on the output from the analyser.  As professional forensic geneticists they are used to dealing with forensic evidence and presenting the results of the analysis in an objective and unbiased way.”


        Good Samaritan Attacked on Route 40

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        After some good samaritans tried to intervene on a domestic dispute at a bus stop, one of those samaritans was attacked. The attack caused a chain reaction along Route 40. NBC10's Ted Greenberg reports.


        Fire Extinguishers Recalled

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        Check your fire extinguishers! Millions of extinguishers have been recalled, and could fail when you need them most. NBC10's Mitch Blacher explains the issue.

        Good Samaritan Critically Hurt Trying to Help Woman Being Beaten

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        A man trying to intervene in a domestic assault at a Hamilton Township bus stop suffered critical injuries when the suspect punched him in the head, police said.

        Several people pulled off busy Route 40 near Cantillon Boulevard Thursday morning after seeing 24-year-old Calvin Wiggins of Sicklerville, New Jersey beating his girlfriend, police said.

        The passersby tried to intervene, but witness George Sluker, who lives across the street at a condo complex, said Wiggins threatened them.

        "The fella doing the beating was yelling at the people trying to stop him that he was going to shoot them," Sluker said.

        Sluker and another witness said that's when he turned and punched one of the men.

        "This guy just cold clocked him," Sluker said.

        [[454807443, C]]

        The man dropped to the ground and hit his head with such force people standing across the road could hear the impact.

        "You could hear his head crack all the way over here. I was like 'Oh my God,'" witness Mary Wickliff said.

        The good Samaritan was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police said he suffered critical injuries.

        Wiggins waited for police to respond and was arrested. He's been charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and possession of marijuana.

        A driver distracted by the incident crashed into a sign, springing a fuel leak that forced the road to be shut down for cleanup.



        Photo Credit: NBC10
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        Saving Lives Nightside at a Philadelphia Trauma Center

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        A woman's voice blurts out over the loudspeaker with words requiring immediate action.

        "Level one trauma has been called. Level one trauma."

        Shanna Hobson bolts from her chair, and hurries down a corridor of the emergency room at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia. 

        "What is it?" the trauma unit nurse asks a colleague as an assembling group of medical personnel prep for an incoming patient. They put on aprons and latex gloves and face masks.

        Within five minutes, Hobson and everyone else find out what kind of injury requires the highest level of response. A man with a gunshot wound to the neck arrives in the back seat of a police SUV.

        Once the man is taken a short distance from the ambulance entrance on Vine Street to the trauma bay of Hahnemann's ER, the real work begins. It's the other side of the sirens that the newspapers and TV broadcasts don't often report on. Yet it's where a patient often lives or dies. 

        NBC10 spent three weekends inside Hahnemann's trauma bay in Center City, watching the dozens of doctors and nurses and social services staffers handle incoming patients during the busy overnight hours.

        The bustling environment is more than just a medical response to wounds. It's a place where emotional healing begins almost as immediately as the trauma surgeons treat the serious injuries.

        That's where Jermaine McCorey, an intervention peer specialist with a program called Helping Hurt People, comes in. He comforts patients while they're still on the operating table. When those patients are taken upstairs to wait for additional surgery or begin their recuperation, McCorey will be there too.

        "Trauma, it cripples you emotionally," McCorey said, standing near the trauma bay on a recent weekend night. "One minute you're standing outside your house, or you're driving, having a normal day. The next thing you know, you're on a table with these lights in your eyes and 10 or 15 people standing over you."

        As Dr. Marcin Jankowski sees it, the hospital is more than just a place to stop bleeding and close up wounds. Patients should also get treatment that makes the healing process easier, according to Jankowski, the hospital's director of trauma and surgical critical care.

        But that type of healing can only take place if his team of surgeons and nurses do their job first.

        That team is big. As many as 10 to 15 nurses and surgeons fill up the trauma bay while working on a patient. He said they each have a specific role.

        "Everyone in the room needs to act as one," Jankowski said.

        In the case of the young man shot in the neck, he survives. But Jankowski's night is far from over. The patient is stabilized, but he'll likely need more surgery. Some of the doctors and nurses take him upstairs to the intensive care unit.

        No one recovers quickly from a bullet to the neck. On this night, a man survived a very serious wound, but he likely faces months of rehabilitation and recovery.

        There are no certainties inside trauma units.

        "Some days are bad. Some days are good," Jankowski said before heading upstairs. "It's the uncertainty that keeps you motivated and fresh."

        From 2014 through 2016, Philadelphia's five hospitals certified to handle the most seriously injured patients treated a combined more than 28,000 traumas. They are Einstein Medical Center, Hahnemann University Hospital, Jefferson University Hospital, The Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and Temple University Medical Center.

        That's an average of 25 a day.

        Of all the traumas, 3,845 were treated for gunshot wounds.

        In addition to programs like Healing Hurt People, Hahnemann also participates in an initiative to train people in workplaces and schools how to use a tourniquet. The growing effort follows years of research that concluded blood loss is most crucial to saving a trauma patient's life.

        It's why Philadelphia police officers and cops in other departments across the country are authorized to "scoop-and-run" — transporting gunshot victims to hospitals in police vehicles instead of waiting for an ambulance. 

        The idea of stopping blood loss first when treating trauma patients actually has its roots in Philadelphia, NBC10.com reported in October. 

        In 1993 at HUP, trauma surgeon Michael Rotondo co-authored a study on the changing approach to treating gunshot wounds and coined a phrase that reached trauma bays around the world, "damage control surgery."

        Jankowski believes hospitals should be pro-active when dealing with trauma. They can help prevent it as well as treat it, and everyone, not just doctors and nurses, can save lives if properly trained.

        Not everyone, however, could work overnights in a Philadelphia trauma unit. Hobson still can recall how powerful the emotions are that come with treating a patient.

        "Especially if they're awake and moaning and maybe they're a little scared, it can be a little traumatic, you know, because a lot of times it can be someone on the brink of life or death," she said. "And you know the actions, the things, that you do can make a difference. And it can be a little overwhelming. Once you've seen it and done it, you're able to sort of remove that emotion from it so you can focus on the work."


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