Timothy West, the man who was accused of raping a 21-year-old waitress and then later texting her for a date, was reportedly found not guilty of all charges today, according to the Post. After the jury acquitted West on all five charges of rape and burglary, the Judge scolded him for hugging his lawyer, who was held in contempt of court earlier this week. Considering that West was caught having a phone conversation with the waitress in which he admitted on tape to the crime, it is quite hard to understand what happened. We have a sinking suspicion that a prosecutor really bombed this one though. more ›

Last week, Timothy West was accused of breaking into the home of a 21-year-old Applebee's waitress, raping her at knife-point, and texting her later for a second date. West was caught on tape apologizing to the waitress and asking to see her again, and the details of that awkward, incriminating conversation have been plastered in local papers. So, naturally, the most appropriate outlet for West's lawyer's frustration at handling his questionable behavior would be to lash out at the judge in the case. more ›

The NFL is reportedly fast tracking their probe concerning allegations that Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Brett Favre sent sexually inappropriate text messages and photos to former Jets sideline reporter Jenn Sterger and other female employees. Sterger has not yet agreed to speak to the NFL, but last week Deadspin published a video including voice message audio and photos of a penis that Favre allegedly sent Sterger while on the Jets in 2008. Now, the Jets are counting their blessings that Favre isn't on the team anymore. more ›

Since the Mets' season is effectively over, pitcher Francisco Rodriguez headed to court today to surrender on charges of violating an order of protection for his girlfriend. See, a judge orders you not to contact your girlfriend after (allegedly) punching her dad, contact includes text messages like "Your parents are manipulating you like a marionette." more ›

Yesterday morning, firefighters responded to a suspicious fire in a two-story house in the West Farms section of the Bronx which left eight people injured, including a 22 -year-old woman and her 2-year-old son who were found unconscious in a basement apartment. Now it turns out the woman was being threatened by a former tenant, who allegedly sent a text message saying the victim "better sleep with one eye open." more ›

The Queens cop who shot her girlfriend twice in their Harlem apartment Monday morning is claiming self-defense, and it looks like prosecutors believe her. Ekeythia Dunston, an eight-year NYPD veteran, was beaten with a clothing iron on the head by her girlfriend Erica LeGall during the fracas, which erupted when Dunston received a "racy" text message from another woman. Dunston's lawyer tells the Daily News, "Her head was almost split open. It was a domestic dispute that escalated, and she had to defend herself. I think it is safe to say this relationship is over." Tell that to Hiram and Karla! more ›

Since everyone loves the online database that maps and gives rap sheets for rapists and pedophiles, the state of New York is taking it one step further. Now, you can sign up (at this website) to be contacted by text message, email, fax or phone when one of NY's high- or moderate-risk sex offenders moves within striking distance. (Then you can set special ring tones to go along with the notifications!) The sex-offender alerts are a new feature of the Emergency Management System, which also lets New Yorkers know about road closures, storms and—conveniently for the pedophiles—missing children, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal. The AP says there are more than 30,000 registered sex offenders in the state. more ›

What’s worse than texting while driving? Texting at all! Doctors (not just one) have named a new affliction caused by constant mobile messaging: it’s called text neck. According to WCBSTV, symptoms of text neck can include headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, gastrointestinal issues, loss of lung capacity, pinched nerves, and spine degeneration. "I personally feel that this is going to be the next epidemic, because mobile technology is advancing and everybody, from the youngest to the oldest, is using some sort of handheld device," said Dr. Dean Fishman. To avoid neck stain lift your phone to eye level, and only text for five-minute interval (as if!). Or try using a pay phone. more ›

Even though texting while driving is now illegal, government agencies continue to send text messages to motorists. In what the Daily News calls "an ironic communication breakdown," thousands of New York drivers receive texts about traffic and road conditions from government agencies despite a statewide ban on checking and sending texts while behind the wheel. more ›

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on Tuesday, former Fugees star Wyclef Jean has emerged as one of the most prominent advocates for charitable giving in his home country. His nonprofit, Yele Haiti Foundation, has already netted more than $2 million in contributions via text messages. But that charity has a "lackluster history of accounting for its finances," and it has paid at least $410,000 to businesses tied to Jean in past years, The Smoking Gun reports. more ›

According to the issue of People magazine out tomorrow, Elin Nordegren will probably stay married to her apparently straying husband Tiger Woods. A friend says that divorce is "not something she’s likely going to want to do to [her children with Woods] Sam and Charlie. She really believes in the importance of parents staying together." more ›

Hunky firefighter who not only posed shirtless for an FDNY calendar but was also in a Guys Gone Wild video? Check. Reality show participant who stabbed husband in arm? Check. Sexy text messages between firefighter and participant, including "I want to let you know just how f---ing bad I wanna f--- you right now!!!!"? Check check check! more ›

Yesterday, Thomas Paolino admitted to killing his ex-girlfriend—concocting a plan to cover it up in the process—and dumping her body in NJ's Pine Barrens. Paolino, a 20-year-old who lived in Staten Island's Tottenville section, has been in custody since being arrested in April 2008 for the murder of Jessica Tush. Though Tush and Paolino had broken up, police suspected that Paolino lured her into his car by offering to drive her to the site where a friend recently died in a car crash. After killing Tush, Paolino used her phone to text one of her friends with "A black man is following me." However, the friend was suspicious, because the text message addressed her by her full name, not a nickname. The Staten Island Advance says Paolino apparently agreed to a plea deal—23.5 years in prison— because of the weight of the evidence. Tush's mother said, "I'm not happy with the 23 and one-half years. He'll only be 39 years old when he can get out," but appreciated the work of NJ prosecutors. She added, "The outcome doesn't change for us. My daughter is dead, so it didn't matter whether we went to trial or not. I just didn't want to see him walking." more ›

Check it out, the State Senate did something! Look at them go up there in Albany, passing bills and not locking each other out of the Senate chambers: Just yesterday they voted 57-1, all by themselves, to pass a bill prohibiting drivers from text messaging or using any electronic devices—including iPods—while their cars are in motion. The bill's been a long time coming (a similar version was passed by the Assembly a while ago) and it will become law in November once Governor Paterson lowers his head to paper and signs it. Drivers caught violating the law will be hit with a $150 fine, but it could only be imposed as a secondary offense, when a driver gets pulled over for another violation. Still, some motorists approve; Dave St. Bernard tells the Post, "Sometimes I text and drive. I'm sure it is dangerous, but you get complacent sometimes as a driver. You think you can handle anything on the roads that comes your way." Lawmakers were motivated to pass the bill in part by a horrible accident in 2007, when an SUV driven by a texting teen collided with a tractor trailer in Ontario County. But when will government do something about texting while walking? more ›

A Boston trolley operator who rear-ended another trolley Friday night because he was text-messaging his girlfriend has ruined cell-phone chatting for everyone at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which has now instructed workers to leave their cell phones at home. 49 people were injured in the collision, which is just the latest example of train wrecks caused by distracted operators—last September a Union Pacific Freight train engineer in California was found to have sent his last text message about a minute before killing 25 people, including himself, in a horrible accident. Now LIRR officials here in New York say they're considering a ban on employees' cell phones, too. Currently, LIRR engineers, who operate the trains, are permitted to bring their personal cell phones on board, but they must be shut off and stowed in a bag. A simpler alternative to an outright ban would be for the LIRR to just hire John Clifford, the famous LIRR cell phone scold, to crack some skulls. more ›

In what has to be a new contender for the most contemporary crime story, a young man was arrested for making graffiti and three other charges after another rider on the N train in Astoria snapped shots of him on her cellphone scratching a window on the train and sending them into Crime Stoppers via text. The vandalism task force was able to connect the cellphone pics to 18-year-old Andrew Morello, who had previously been arrested this summer for tagging "Shelly" on a commercial vehicle in Queens. The NYPD delegated a Crime Stoppers line over the summer specifically for text messages and had previously arrested a driver whose license plate was captured after he hit a cyclist and left the scene of the accident. more ›

The things you see when you leave the New York City limits! This photo was taken on Grove Street in Jersey City last weekend en route to the PATH station after All Points West. Hung on a fence surrounding a vacant lot, the banner speaks volumes about the Garden State's famed anarcho-syndicalism, which has succeeding in directly carrying out the collective will through cutting-edge technology like text messaging. If only New York City developers would let Blackberry-toting urbanites decide their plans, maybe there'd be fewer "fabulous lofts" and more bars with Jalapeño poppers and backyard beer pong!... On second thought, let's go with the giant nail salon. more ›

Hey kids, you can forget all about that square old NYPD that used to bodyslam cyclists and racially profile. New York City’s now got a hip and stylish police department, with a commissioner who doesn’t need a warrant to kill roaches and a brand new text messaging tips system. OMFG LMFAO @ u 4 calling 911. more ›

Colin Leahy, who never made it past the audition round during the third season of American Idol, is accused of having "inappropriate interaction with students" at P.S. 236 in Brooklyn. Leahy, a 23-year-old school volunteer, was charged with two counts of child endangerment. more ›

Over a thousand people visited an Ettingville funeral home to pay their respects to 19-year-old Jessica Tush. Her ex-boyfriend Thomas Paolino was officially charged with her murder, as well as desecrating her body, and his bail was set at $1 million. more ›