British loyalist Michael Stone still claims it was all a misunderstanding — that he did not intend to assassinate Irish Republican Army political leaders in 2006, despite being arrested at the Northern Ireland legislature carrying knives, an ax, a garotte, and a bag of explosives that included flammable liquids, gas canisters and fuses.
He was later convicted, based on his having detonated one explosive in the foyer and then carrying the other devices into the hall to confront the leaders, but he continued to insist that he was merely engaged in “performance art.”
In January, the Northern Ireland court of appeal rejected his claim.
Hey, can’t you
cut a guy
(or ‘guys’)
a break? 
Phyllis Stevens, 59, said she had no idea she had embezzled nearly $6 million until her employer, Aviva USA, of Des Moines, Iowa, showed her the evidence.
She said it must have been done by the “hundreds” of personalities created by her dissociative identity disorder — including “Robin,” who was caught trying to spend Stevens’ remaining money in Las Vegas just hours after the showdown with Aviva.
Stevens and her spouse had been spending lavishly, buying properties, and contributing generously to political causes.
As the “core person,” Stevens said she will accept responsibility but asked a federal judge for leniency.
The prosecutor said Stevens is simply a thief.
(Send your Weird News to Chuck Shepherd, P.O. Box 18737, Tampa Fla. 33679 or go to www.newsoftheweird.com.)