HOUSTON (AP) -- Three Texas teens have been arrested after police say one told them that they had dug up a skull and fashioned it into a bong to smoke pot.

Houston Police were interviewing one of the teens about a stolen debit card when he allegedly blurted out the story.

Authorities say the teens dug up Willie Simms' grave in what is most likely a 19th century veterans grave yard, broke off the skull and smoked marijuana from it.

Police were led to the grave site where they found a knocked over headstone and a water-filled hole more than four-feet deep. Two of the teens, who are each 17, are charged with misdemeanor abuse of a corpse. A third, who is 16, is in the juvenile justice system.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

What do you think? It's your turn to Speak Up! Memphis.

Click Here To Watch The Video.

Menomonee Falls, WI (CNN/WTMJ) - Police in Wisconsin have released disturbing cell phone video of a toddler who appears to be smoking pot.  And the little boy's mom was in the room!

Authorities say the cell phone video shows friends of the boy’s mother teaching the two year-old how to smoke marijuana.  The boy’s mother, Krystle Webber, can be heard on the tape saying “I swear to God, I better not get in trouble for all of this”, investigators say.

Police say Webber and her two friends, Sean Held and Dane Ashley were charged and plead guilty to giving pot to the boy.  But investigators also say the child was given a drug test and no marijuana was found in the toddler’s system.

Seven months after the incident, Webber has custody of her son and is taking parenting classes, according to authorities.  Webber’s attorney told WTMJ-TV, “She is gainfully employed and has been doing everything in her power to better her life and the life of her son.”

(Information from: CNN/WTMJ-TV)

Memphis, TN - Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union say Daphne Beasley, the principal of Hollis F. Price Middle College High School in South Memphis, went way beyond her role as educator.

The ACLU says in September 2007, Beasley asked her staff to give her the names of students who were couples, heterosexual and homosexual, because she wanted to keep an eye on them to cut down on public displays of affection.

She's accused of publicly posting the names of those students, including two boys, Andrew and Nicholas, who had just started dating.   The ACLU says that in doing so, Beasley revealed their relationship to other students, teachers and even their parents.

In a letter sent Tuesday, April 29, 2008 to Memphis City Schools, the ACLU says the principal's actions violated the students' constitutional rights to equal protection, freedom of expression and association, due process and privacy.

"Our first reaction was wow, this is unbelievable that a principal has gone this far," says ACLU attorney Christine Sun.   "The constitution protects all of us from the government intruding in our private lives when there isn't a reason to do that.  This was morally and legally wrong."

One of the young men, Nicholas, an 11th grader who just made the Dean's List, spoke with Eyewitness News Everywhere.

"It was actually frightening," he says, "to see a list with my name on it where not just other teachers could see but students as well."

Nicholas says his teachers and other students treat him differently as a result of Principal Beasley's decision and that he and Andrew have both had to deal with verbal assaults.   Nicholas was also not allowed to go on a trip to New Orleans to help rebuild homes because, as one of his teacher's explained, he would "embarrass" the school by engaging in gay affection.

"I really feel that my personal privacy was invaded," Nicholas says.  "I mean, Principal Beasley called my mother and outed me to my mother!"

The ACLU wants the school district to create new policies that would prevent these types of acts from happening again.   The group is also asking for compensation for Andrew and Nicholas and for an apology from the principal.

And the final demand from the ACLU says attorney Sun:  "Some sort of reprimand to the principal because this type of thing should not be happening at any school."

Eyewitness News Everywhere requested a response from MCS.   Van Davis Turner Jr., the associate general counsel for the Memphis City Schools Board of Education, released the following statement:  "We take all allegations of invasion of privacy and discrimination seriously.  At this time, we have not completed our internal investigation of this matter.   Once we have completed our investigation, we will submit a formal response to the ACLU, directly addressing the issue.  We look forward to working with the ACLU to amicably resolve this matter, if possible."

The ACLU wants a reply from MCS by Friday, May 9th or legal action will be pursued.

Hollis F. Price Middle College High School opened in 2004 in a collaborative effort with LeMoyne Owen College.  Students can earn a high school diploma and two years of college credit.   About 150 kids are enrolled right now in grades 9 through 12.

Click here to visit the ACLU website and to read the letter sent to Memphis City School board members.

UPDATE: Memphis City Schools released a statement via school attorneys regarding the situation on Thursday, May 1, 2008:

“Memphis City Schools is committed to providing its students with the best possible learning environment.  Hollis F. Price Middle College is an accelerated high school, which is located on the historically black LeMoyne-Owen College campus.  Eligible students may enroll in college classes in pursuit of completing the first two years of college while attending this high school.

Because we have high school students on a college campus, we have to carefully monitor the activities of our students.  We are at all times
proactive in assuring that our students are provided a safe, nurturing and disciplined learning climate.  Unfortunately, in fall 2007, we received numerous complaints from LeMoyne-Owen College faculty and staff that some of our student couples were involved in explicit sexual behavior in public view on the college campus.

In light of this information from LeMoyne-Owen faculty and staff, the principal of Hollis F. Price made several general announcements to the student body that this behavior would not be tolerated.  Regrettably, the improper behavior continued.  Therefore, the principal felt it appropriate to notify the parents of those children she knew to be involved romantically.  This was done in an effort to gain the support of the parents in reinforcing the message that such behavior is in violation of Memphis City Schools’ Student Code of Conduct.  The principal did not list any information other than students’ names on her personal call list, and she certainly did not specify the sexual orientation of any student. Additionally, the list was never posted publicly anywhere at the school.

It is the position of Memphis City Schools that the principal did act in an appropriate manner in order to correct a serious issue at the school and that Memphis City Schools has not subjected either of these students to
discriminatory treatment.

In the coming days, we will submit a formal response to the ACLU.  We look forward to working with them to amicably resolve this matter.”

What do you think? It's your turn to Speak Up! Memphis.

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- DNA evidence from a 1992 murder could not have come from the man who was found guilty of the killing and is serving a 60-year sentence.
  
The Southeast Missourian reports that tests on blood samples taken from the murder scene of Angela "Mischelle" Lawless have found they are not from Joshua Kezer. Kezer has been in prison nearly 15 years for the crime.
  
Lawless was killed in her car at a highway exit ramp in November 1992.
  
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

MEMPHIS, TN - Veterinarians say a 4 month-old puppy, who was found stabbed in a North Memphis driveway, is now eating on his own, and gaining feeling in his back legs.

The shepherd mix, who is now being called "Mac" was found Wednesday in North Memphis with a steak knife in his back. He had been beaten and spray-painted in the face, then put in a plastic bag. Mac was able to chew through the plastic and get out.

Veterinarians performed surgery on Mac and he is now in a special chamber, designed to help him breathe, at Gentle Care Animal Hospital in Raleigh. Veterinarians say is ate his first meal on his own Friday, and although he is unable to move them, he does have feeling in his back legs.

Stay with Eyewitness News Everywhere and MyEyewitnessNews.com for more updates on Mac's condition. If you would like to donate to the Memphis Humane Society, or get information on pet adoptions, call (901) 937-3943.

What do you think? It's your turn to Speak Up! Memphis.

MEMPHIS, TN - Dozens of prostitutes were taken down early Thursday morning, April 24 after police say they agreed to some dirty deeds. One of those arrested was 14 year-old girl. The undercover operation was part of the MPD Blue C.R.U.S.H. initiative, called Operation Fallen Angel. Undercover officers with the MPD Organized Crime Unit hit the streets to arrest and serve warrants to prostitutes and their pimps.

Several women were put into the back of an MPD processing van after being arrested for prostitution, drugs and various other crimes. Two women were found working the Wonderbread parking lot on Jackson Avenue.

Eyewitness News Everywhere spoke to some of the women accused of hooking. When asked why she got into a car with a man, one of the women picked up in the Wonderbread lot said because she was tired of walking in her house shoes.

"Why are you standing here bothering me?" she asked reporter Tenikka Smith.

Tenikka: "So you weren't prostituting?
Woman: "There was a man, he offered me something. I didn't agree and told him no. So, therefore, I guess not."
Tenikka: "Are you a prostitute?"
Woman: "Are you?"
Tenikka: "No."
Woman: "Okay then... do you give out your p----?"

Police say they found a crackpipe in the woman's coat.

"You can't keep doing this, you are living a dangerous life," said MPD Detective Monique Martin. "You saw females get into cars. They don't know these people. They don't know where they are going or being taken to. That's a risk that they're taking just to make a quick buck."

Police say on any given day, especially a day of good weather, hundreds of prostitutes work Memphis streets.

Eyewitness News Everywhere also spoke with a woman who calls herself "Carolyn".

Tenikka: "Is this what you do to survive?"
Carolyn: "No ma'am. I do everything. I'm an entrepreneur."
Tenikka: "Are you trying to get out of it?"
Carolyn: "No ma'am."
Tenikka: "Are you going to continue to prostitute?"
Carolyn: "If I stop selling it, I'd be a damn fool if I gave it away."

Det. Martin says many of the women who were picked up in the undercover sting are repeat offenders with long rap sheets. One woman, Nancy Escobar, was recently arrested for prostitution and her record includes one felony and 124 misdemeanor convictions from crimes ranging from robbery and possession, to credit card fraud.

"Different officers over ten to twelve years have run across the same prostitutes," Martin said.

One woman said she has been arrested 120 times on the same charge.

"They steady picking me up for the same thing and I already beat the case."

As for claims of entrapment, or prostitutes who say the undercover officers engaged in inappropriate activity?

"There's no truth to any physical involvement with the undercover officer and the suspect," Martin said. "Everything is recorded... what happens in the vehicle, and as soon as they are picked up, they are in the car no longer than two or three minutes."

Police also say any time a person is charged with prostitution, they receive a summons to report to the Memphis-Shelby County Health Department to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases. If they refuse to do so, a warrant is issued in their name for violating the Tennessee Venereal Diseases Control Law, which is designed to prevent the negligent or willful spread of STDs.

Det. Martin also says officers will often find weapons, such as knives and razor blades, on the women arrested. She says the weapons are for protection, and in some cases, to commit other crimes.

"A lot of times, they will approach a person to make a deal offering sex for money or drugs and once that deal goes down, they may have a third party involved, that's going to rob the victim."

"They have pimps, they have enablers that are putting these girls out on the streets to commit these crimes."

Martin says many of the women are offered help, but refuse to take it.

"They figure they can get what they need out on the streets. Get the money and the drugs... whatever to support their habit."

Memphis Police say social workers and counselors work in the jails and are provided to the women who are arrested for prostitution. Officers say most of the women have typical stories of abuse, neglect and abandonment.

"They don't have family. They're not from this area, they're from a different part of the world. They stop here and their point is to make a quick buck," Martin said.

Martin also says, often, some of the women are angry when arrested.

"We hear it quite often, of their anger of basically disrupting what they believe to be their job. What they believe to be their routine behavior everyday out in the street."

Accused prostitute Carolyn says she knows how to beat the system.

"Whatever they put on the affidavit, we got no other choice but to plead guilty, because if we plead not guilty, we got to go to trial and we got to sit there even longer. So we just say we guilty and we out in thirty days."

"At the same time," Carolyn continued, "that gives them no right to enjoy us. Treat us like s---, then lock us up, just because they know what we do."

What do you think? It's your turn to Speak Up! Memphis.

CHICAGO (AP) - Snips and snails and puppydog tails ... and cereal and bananas?

That could be what little boys are made of, according to surprising new research suggesting that what a woman eats before pregnancy influences the gender of her baby.

Having a hearty appetite, eating potassium-rich foods including bananas, and not skipping breakfast all seemed to raise the odds of having a boy.

The British research is billed as the first in humans to show a link between a woman's diet and whether she has a boy or girl.

It is not proof, but it fits with evidence from test tube fertilization that male embryos thrive best with longer exposure to nutrient-rich lab cultures, said Dr. Tarun Jain. He is a fertility specialist at University of Illinois at Chicago who wasn't involved in the study.

It just might be that it takes more nutrients to build boys than girls, he said

University of Exeter researcher Fiona Mathews, the study's lead author, said the findings also fit with fertility research showing that male embryos aren't likely to survive in lab cultures with low sugar levels. Skipping meals can result in low blood sugar levels.

Jain said he was skeptical when he first heard about the research. But he said the study was well-done and merits follow-up study to see if the theory proves true.

It's not necessarily as far-fetched as it sounds. While men's sperm determine a baby's gender, it could be that certain nutrients or eating patterns make women's bodies more hospitable to sperm carrying the male chromosome, Jain said.

"It's an interesting question. I'm not aware of anyone else looking at it in this manner," he said.

The study was published Wednesday in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a British medical journal.

The research involved about 700 first-time pregnant women in the United Kingdom who didn't know the sex of their fetuses. They were asked about their eating habits in the year before getting pregnant.

Among women with the highest calorie intake before pregnancy (but still within a normal, healthy range), 56 percent had boys, versus 45 percent of the women with the lowest calorie intake.

Women who ate at least one bowl of breakfast cereal daily were 87 percent more likely to have boys than those who ate no more than one bowlful per week. Cereal is a typical breakfast in Britain and in the study, eating very little cereal was considered a possible sign of skipping breakfast, Mathews said.

Compared with the women who had girls, those who had boys ate an additional 300 milligrams of potassium daily on average, "which links quite nicely with the old wives' tale that if you eat bananas you'll have a boy," Mathews said.

Women who had boys also ate about 400 calories more daily than those who had girls, on average, she said.

Still, no one's recommending pigging out if you really want a boy or starving yourself if you'd prefer a girl.

Neither style of eating is healthy, and besides all the health risks linked with excess weight, other research suggests obese women have a harder time getting pregnant.

The study results reflect women at opposite ends of a normal eating pattern, not those with extreme habits, Mathews said.

Professor Stuart West of the University of Edinburgh said the results echo research in some animals.

And Dr. Michael Lu, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and public health at the University of California at Los Angeles, said the results "are certainly plausible from an evolutionary biology perspective." In other words, since boys tend to be bigger, it would make sense that it would take more calories to create them, Lu said.

Still, Lu said a woman's diet before pregnancy may be a marker for other factors in their lives that could influence their baby's gender, including timing of intercourse.

"The bottom line is, we still don't know how to advise patients in how to make boys," he said.