Crime Time

New York grandmother sentenced to three years prison for her role in ritual burning of a child

The Associated Press reports that a New York City grandmother was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison after pleading guilty for her role in the ritual burning of her 6-year-old granddaughter.

Queens resident Sylvenie Thessier pleaded guilty to one count of endangering the welfare of a child after prosecutors say the child's mother, Marie Lauradin, sprayed the child with rum and set her on fire in June 2009 to get rid of the girl's evil spirits.

Thessier allegedly extinguished the flames with water and put the girl to bed without seeking medical help for her severe burns.

The girl's mother is also set to go on trial for counts of endangering the welfare of a child and assault.

-Chance Welch

Lawyer: Saudis won't behead man convicted of sorcery

Apparently a Lebanese TV psychic will get to keep his head.

The lawyer for TV host Ali Sibat -- who was convicted of sorcery -- said he's been assured that the Saudi government will not behead his client after all.  The Lebanese justice minister told the lawyer that he had received assurances from the Saudi government that Sibat will not be beheaded.

Sibat was arrested while on a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, tried in a religious court and sentenced to death by beheading.

-- Lance Murray

'Sorcerer's' wife asks Saudis for mercy; beheading still scheduled

Mercy.

That's what the wife of a Lebanese man convicted of "sorcery" and sentenced to be beheaded Friday by a court in Saudi Arabia is asking.

Ali Hussain Sibat, who hosted a television show in Beirut on which he predicted the future and gave advice, was arrested while on a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia last year.

A religious court tried him and sentenced Sibat to death.

"All I ask is for the Saudi king and the Saudi government to show him mercy -- let him come back to his country and his family," Samira Rahmoon said, according to CNN.

-- Lance Murray

Saudi Arabia to behead TV presenter for sorcery

Here's a capital crime you don't hear about very often -- sorcery.

CNN reports that a Lebanese TV presenter convicted of sorcery in Saudi Arabia will be beheaded on Friday.

Ali Hussain Sibat was convicted by a Saudi religious court while visiting that country in November for a religious pilgrimage.  He hosted a television show broadcast from Beirut in which he predicted the future and gave advice to his audience.

His lawyer appealed the death sentence, but the appeals court sent it back to the trial court, which upheld its earlier decision, CNN reported.

-- Lance Murray