When his 38-caliber revolver failed to fire at its intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California, would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder: 

He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.

An American teenager was in the hospital yesterday recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. 

When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.

A man who shovelled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. 

Understandably, he shot her.

Colorado Springs: 

A guy walked into a little corner store with a shotgun and demanded all the cash from the cash drawer. 

After the cashier put the cash in a bag, the robber saw a bottle of scotch that he wanted behind the counter on the shelf. He told the cashier to put it in the bag as well, but he refused and said "Because I don't believe you are over 21." 

The robber said he was, but the clerk still refused to give it to him because he didn't believe him. At this point the robber took his drivers license out of his wallet and gave it to the clerk. 

The clerk looked it over, and agreed that the man was in fact over 21 and he put the scotch in the bag. 

The robber then ran from the store with his loot. The cashier promptly called the police and gave the name and address of the robber that he got off the license. 

They arrested the robber two hours later.

A motorist was unknowingly caught in an automated speed trap that measured his speed using radar and photographed his car. 

He later received in the mail a ticket for $40 and a photo of his car. Instead of payment, he sent the police department a photograph of $40. 

Several days later, he received a letter from the police that contained another picture... of handcuffs. 

The motorist promptly sent the money for the fine.

Drug possession defendant Christopher Jansen, on trial in March in Pontiac, Michigan, said he had been searched without a warrant. 

The prosecutor said the officer didn't need a warrant because a "bulge" in Christopher's jacket could have been a gun. 

Nonsense, said Christopher, who happened to be wearing the same jacket that day in court. He handed it over so the judge could see it. 

The judge discovered a packet of cocaine in the pocket and laughed so hard he required a five minute recess to compose himself.

Oklahoma City: 

Dennis Newton was on trial for the armed robbery of a convenience store in a district court when he fired his lawyer. 

Assistant district attorney Larry Jones said Newton, 47, was doing a fair job of defending himself until the store manager testified that Newton was the robber. 

Newton jumped up, accused the woman of lying and then said, "I should of blown your (expletive) head off." The defendant paused, then quickly added, "if I'd been the one that was there." 

The jury took 20 minutes to convict Newton and recommended a 30-year sentence.