Whipped Cream Difficulties

Our pals at the NYT have an interesting update on the “Rebecca” front. (Previously. Previously.)

It is starting to look like a certain gentleman basically invented four investors, and the $4.5 million they were supposed to put into the show, from scratch. This gentleman has not been charged with a crime as of yet, but has a colorful history that includes bankruptcy, civil suits, and an unrelated federal investigation.

But why would he do this? What’s his motivation?

Mr. Hotton was to receive commissions of 6 percent on money he raised for “Rebecca,” according to the person with knowledge of the matter. It is unclear why anyone who had agreed to raise money in exchange for commissions might want to fabricate investors and the false promise of $4.5 million in investments when the commissions would not be paid until the funds were turned over.

In other news, the Pine Ridge reservation is considering legalizing alcohol, because prohibition isn’t working. I missed the fact that the reservation’s suit against the beer dealers in Whiteclay had been dismissed. (Previously.)

Noted:

Abraham Joseph, 28, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual assault.

Mr. Joseph was a Houston police department officer at the time he raped the woman, who was a waitress (and, for the record, was an illegal alien at the time; she since has been granted asylum).

The aggravated sexual assault charge required the jury to find that a weapon was used during the rape. Joseph was in uniform and had his Glock .40 on a belt during the January 2011 attack but did not remove it. The jury did not choose the lower charges to sexual assault or improper sexual activity with a person in custody.

I’m not convinced the Austin nightclub trial is going well for the prosecution, though I only have the Statesman‘s account to rely on. The government’s primary witness is a cousin of the two brothers who are on trial. The feds have paid him $340,000 to date, and he seems to be having memory troubles.