A Macon attorney is accused of misusing money, not showing up for hearings. He has been disbarred.

A Macon attorney has been ordered to stop practicing law after Georgia Supreme Court justices determined on Tuesday that he had violated multiple Georgia Bar rules, according to court documents.

The justices at the state's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that lawyer Melvin Raines II should be disbarred from practicing law in Georgia because he violated the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct with three of his clients, according to court records.

The state Bar filed three complaints against Raines on April 25, 2024, accusing him of:

• Not abiding by a client's decision regarding representation
• Not acting with diligence and promptness in representing a client
• Not consulting the client on how to accomplish the client's objectives
• Not keeping the client informed about the status of their case
• Not complying with requests for information
• Not holding funds or other client property in an account separate from his personal account
• Not keeping records of account funds and other property by the lawyer
• Withdrawing clients' funds for his personal use
• Not making a reasonable effort to expedite litigation consistent with the client's interest
• Being dishonest, fraudulent, deceitful or misrepresenting a client

Court documents show that because Raines never responded to the complaints when they were filed, the Supreme Court ruled that he admitted to the allegations by default.

Raines told The Telegraph that he could not speak on the matter as he is appealing the decision from the justices. He has been an attorney since 2006.

Macon lawyer wrongly used $5,000 in client money, justices say

Raines represented a client indicted in September 2021 on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. Raines told the suspect's mother he was working on a plea deal in the case and needed $5,000, according to court documents.

She provided the $5,000 in a check to Raines on March 9, 2022, according to supreme court records. He deposited the check into his account with Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts, which is intended for "raising money for charitable purposes, primarily the provision of civil legal services to indigent persons," according to the American Bar Association.

Raines proceeded to write four checks from that account later that month, totaling $7,150, according to court records. Over the next few months, the balance in his account dropped to less than $10.

The justices wrote in court records that Raines spent the money on personal expenses.

In that case, his client entered a guilty plea on May 5, 2022, but the court "did not accept a plea deal of a fine in lieu of time served and sentenced the son to two years in confinement," the justices said in a court document.

The client's mother asked Raines to return the $5,000 she had given him, but he told the mother that the money was given to the superior court clerk. Court records state that when the mother contacted the clerk, they said they could not accept money without a court order. Raines told the mother he would personally pay her back, but "he failed to return the money by this date," justices said in court documents.

He returned the money in cash in September 2022, but not until after she filed a complaint with the state Bar.

Macon lawyer held in contempt multiple times

In another case that Raines worked on, his client's trial was set for August 2022 and rescheduled so they could "hire other legal counsel to replace Raines," Georgia Supreme Court justices wrote in court records.

In that case, Raines failed to appear at a status hearing on December 1, 2022. He provided notice but dated the notice incorrectly, and the judge in the case scheduled a hearing to determine if Raines should be held in contempt, court records say.

The judge wanted Raines to explain "why, after previously being warned and admonished, he should not be found in contempt for his unexcused failure," justices said.

Raines was held in contempt, according to court documents. That was the fourth time he had faced a contempt hearing related to his attendance and notice issues.

After failing to appear in several cases in the Southwestern Judicial Circuit, he was removed from assigned pending cases, court records say.

Lawyer accused of ignoring client in lead-up to trial

Court records state that Raines was appointed to take over another attorney's client when they retired in a case set to go to trial in April 2022. The attorney told the court that Raines had been given information about the case.

When the trial time arrived, Raines had not inspected the evidence, visited his client, or responded to prosecutors trying to get in touch with him.

The trial was rescheduled several times, until November 2022, when the client asked the judge to remove Raines from his case because he could not communicate with him.

"During Raines's representation, he did not communicate with the client, did not respond to the client's requests for information and updates in his case, did not file anything on the client's behalf after entering an appearance and did not prepare for trial," the justices said.

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Prisoners in Cuba forced to work for exports to Europe, report claims

In Cuban prisons, tens of thousands of inmates are reportedly subjected to forced labor to produce consumer goods intended not only for the national economy, but also for export, particularly to Europe.

The NGO Prisoners' Defenders revealed its findings in a detailed report published Monday, based on official Cuban documents verified by the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research at Birkbeck University in London, field research and testimonies from former and current inmates.

Of the 90,000 inmates and 37,458 people serving open prison sentences identified on the island, the report estimates that 60,000 inmates - including political prisoners - are subjected to forced labor in Cuba, in conditions akin to slavery.

The report provides a detailed overview of a large-scale forced labour system organized within a network of 242 penal institutions, including traditional prisons, but also so-called "correctional centers," "camps" and "farms".

The tasks imposed on prisoners varied, ranging from agricultural, industrial, and construction work to garbage collection and cleaning streets, hospitals, and police stations.

The testimonies collected in the report describe harsh working conditions and a daily life filled with deprivation, harassment, and violence, all under close surveillance.

"They force us to work from morning to night, under the scorching sun, without sufficient food or water. If you refuse, the violence is immediate. Several of my colleagues collapsed from exhaustion, others were locked in solitary confinement for days, just for speaking out," recalled Jorge, a former political prisoner.

"Working barefoot in the sugarcane fields, in the rain and heat, is like being a slave," said Maria, a former prisoner of ordinary law. "No compensation, no respect. It's a life of suffering where you wonder every day if you'll make it."

In addition to the lack of adequate tools and minimal safety conditions, which lead to numerous injuries, a large majority of witnesses report serious deterioration in their health as a result of forced labor and the lack of medical care.

The production of sugarcane and especially charcoal from marabu wood, the main agricultural product produced by inmates, is among the most arduous activities. imposed on prisoners , according to the report.

"To produce charcoal, we sleep in the fields, without a bed or a roof. We have to build makeshift huts and can only sleep on bales of straw ... We can only drink dirty water from a trough or from the cows on the neighboring farm," confided one inmate.

Coal and cigars, an opaque prison business

The research indicates that the production of these establishments is largely intended for export.

According to the Prisoners Defenders report, citing data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OCE) and the World Bank, in 2023, "charcoal produced by slave labor was Cuba's sixth most exported product," making it the ninth largest charcoal exporter in the world.

The main destinations are Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy and Turkey, with Cuban charcoal produced in prisons being present in all European countries, according to the report's findings.

Another lucrative sector of the prison trade involves tobacco, and more specifically the production of the iconic Habanos cigars.

"Forced labour affects the Cuban tobacco and Havana cigar production sector, controlled by Tabacuba, in a mixed form of specialised civilians and prisoners subjected to forced labour," said Prisoners Defenders, based on numerous testimonies and an audit of seven Cuban prisons.

The report cites the example of the cigar factory at the Quivican maximum-security prison, where 40 inmates work, supervised by two specialized civilians.

Prisoners work up to 15 hours a day, except Sunday afternoons, without breaks or snacks. They are paid a little over €6 per month, compared to around €100 for workers outside the prison.

According to information gathered by the NGO, cigar factories located in many Cuban prisons account for a large portion of Cuban cigar production for export.

The prisoners work up to 15 hours a day, except Sunday afternoons, without breaks or snacks. They are paid just over €6 per month, compared to around €100 for civilians.

The cigar factories located in many Cuban prisons account for a large proportion of Cuban cigar production for foreign markets, whose margins on exports to Europe are nearly 100%, representing a very lucrative business for the government in Havana, according to the report.

End the international silence

It is also a profitable business for foreign distributors and importers, particularly European ones, who benefit directly or indirectly from the labor of Cuban prisoners.

The opaqueness of supply chains and distribution channels, which sometimes pass through local subsidiaries or commercial partners, hinders product traceability and, consequently, the accountability of foreign companies.

Prisoners Defenders has called on the international community to take action to end forced labor, which is prohibited by the United Nations Human Rights Council, the International Labour Organization, and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Concrete measures recommended by the NGO include the imposition of a targeted embargo on products made with forced labor, particularly those exported to Europe, and the suspension of any trade or cooperation agreement with Cuba as long as forced labor persists.

Related

• Moscow revives gunboat diplomacy with nuclear submarine visit to Cuba
• Cuba starts releasing prisoners after US says it will remove the terrorism designation

However, in the absence of this, the lines have shifted within European institutions. Last November, the European Council adopted a regulation prohibiting the placing on the market, import, and export to the EU of products manufactured using forced labour, regardless of their country of origin.

This regulation, which will enter into force in December 2024, is far from being concretized. EU member states have until December 2027 to begin implementing it.

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Israel's Alleged Genocide in Gaza: U.N. Commission Report

T the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has determined that Israel "is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza."

A report published Tuesday stated that Israel committed four of the five genocidal acts in Gaza outlined by the 1948 U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

These acts include "killing Palestinians, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of the Palestinians, and imposing measures intended to prevent births," according to the Commission .

Israel has strongly rejected the report's findings and called for the Commission to be abolished.

"Israel categorically rejects this distorted and false report and calls for the immediate abolition of this Commission of Inquiry," said the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, claiming that those who published the report are "Hamas proxies."

Daniel Meron, Israel's representative to the U.N., also rejected the report, arguing that it "relies solely on Hamas falsehoods" and "cherry-picked data."

"Israel remains committed to international law, and as stated many times in the news, aims to dismantle Hamas, and invests many efforts and resources in minimizing harm to the civilian population, as well as in allowing and facilitating many humanitarian efforts," said Meron.

Read More : Israel's Policies and Actions in Gaza 'Meet the Legal Definition of Genocide,' Says Association of Scholars

The U.N. Commission of Inquiry report concluded "on reasonable grounds that the Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have committed and are continuing to commit" acts of genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The Commission also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of incitement to genocide.

Netanyahu and Gallant currently have arrest warrants issued against them by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2024 for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Israel is also facing an ongoing case accusing the state of committing genocide, first submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by South Africa in December 2023.

Israel has repeatedly denied that its actions in Gaza constitute genocide, citing its right to defend itself.

A statement from Netanyahu's office called allegations of genocide "ridiculous" and a "blatant falsehood" during an address on Aug. 13.

On August 31, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) passed a resolution stating that Israel's "policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide."

Citing "Article II of the United Nations Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide" within its findings, the resolution argued that Israel's actions in response to the terrorist attack committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, have not only been directed against Hamas "but have also targeted the entire Gazan population."

A spokesperson for Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the resolution, calling it an "embarrassment to the legal profession and to any academic standard."

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Tuesday that troops are expanding ground operations in Gaza City as part of a new phase of war approved in early August which has drawn international condemnation .

The update from the IDF, shared via social media, was accompanied by a map of Gaza showing extensive military presence in the Strip.

At a situational assessment in Gaza on Tuesday, IDF Chief Eyal Zamir said The operation in Gaza City is a significant step to carry out our highest moral and important duty - to return all the hostages home and to dismantle the military and governing capabilities of the Hamas terrorist organization.

The U.N. has said that almost one million Palestinians in Gaza City "are facing daily bombardment and compromised access to means of survival" following IDF displacement orders .

According to the U.N., an estimated 82% of Gaza is now under Israeli military occupation or displacement orders. There are also growing concerns about the malnutrition crisis in Gaza .

Read More : World Leaders React as U.N.-Backed Report Confirms Famine in Gaza

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) concluded in a report published on August 22 that famine is taking place in Gaza City , with the areas of Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis expected to reach the classification of famine by the end of September.

The Israel-Hamas war started after Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, including 428 adults and 146 children who have died from starvation and malnutrition, according to Gaza's Health Ministry .

In the absence of independent monitoring on the ground, the ministry is the primary source for casualty data relied upon by humanitarian groups, journalists, and international bodies. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants and cannot be independently verified by newsrealtime. Data from the IDF suggests a Palestinian civilian death rate of 83% .

Contact us at letters@newsrealtime .

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Judge rules state terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione dismissed in UnitedHealthcare CEO's murder

State terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson , were dismissed on Tuesday, as he appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing in New York City.

Mangione walked into Manhattan Criminal Court, shackled and wearing tan prison clothing, shortly before 9:30 a.m. for the hearing on several pre-trial motions Members of the press and the public filled the courtroom, while crowds of his supporters held signs and chanted outside.

When he entered, he seemed to look briefly at the rows of the public in the back, then stared straight ahead. As he left, he raised his eyebrows in acknowledgment—once at the first row of the defense in the gallery, and then again as he walked past the press and public.

His supporters were later seen following his attorneys down the street as they left court.

Terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione dismissed

The 27-year-old faces both state and federal charges in the killing of Thompson, a husband and father of two , last December outside a Manhattan hotel . The 11 state charges included murder and terrorism , and the federal ones carry the possibility of the death penalty .

His lawyers have been fighting to get the state charges dismissed entirely, arguing that the parallel cases amount to double jeopardy. In his written decision Tuesday, Judge Gregory Carro ruled against their request.

The defense had also asked for the two terrorism charges to be dropped , arguing they do not apply. Prosecutors, however, alleged Mangione's intent was to "violently broadcast a" social and political message to the general public.

The judge ruled to dismiss both terrorism charges -- murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism -- writing they were "legally insufficient."

"There was no evidence presented of a desire to terrorize the public, inspire widespread fear, engage in a broader campaign of violence, or to conspire with organized terrorist groups," Carro wrote. "Here, the crime - the heinous, but targeted and discrete killing of one person -- is very different from the examples of terrorism set forth in the statute."

Mangione still faces 9 other state charges

Mangione will still face second-degree murder and eight weapons-related charges in the state case. If convicted of the top count, it carries a sentence of 25 years to life. He has pleaded not guilty.

"We respect the Court's decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree," said the Manhattan District Attorney's office in a statement after the ruling.

The defense also wants to suppress evidence from Mangione's backpack , including a gun and notebook , claiming it was obtained without a search warrant Prosecutors deny the allegations and have asked the judge to force Mangione's lawyers to say whether they will pursue an insanity defense or introduce psychiatric evidence.

The judge did not rule on either of those issues Tuesday, but said hearings in the case will begin on December 1. The hearings will determine whether statements he made to police and the physical evidence they obtained will be allowed and whether a non-witness can testify.

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Madeleine McCann Suspect Christian Brueckner '100 Percent' Kidnapped Toddler, Former Associate Insists Ahead of Rapist's Release From Prison

Christian Brueckner is just days away from his prison release — and an ex-associate is insisting he is the man behind the 2007 disappearance of a 3-year-old toddler Madeleine McCann .

Brueckner has been named a prime suspect in McCann's famous missing person case, although he was never formally charged in connection with her kidnapping.

While the convicted criminal has been serving a seven-year sentence for raping a 72-year-old woman in Portugal — near where McCann went missing — he is set to be released this week after completing his time in prison.

Madeleine McCann Prime Suspect to Be Released From Prison

Ahead of Brueckner's release from jail , a former associate of the rapist spoke out during an interview with British ITV News, urging authorities to somehow not let the inmate out of prison.

"I want Christian behind bars for this, for the Madeleine McCann case. This was him, I am 100 percent sure," fellow criminal and ex-associate Helge Busching declared to a reporter from an undisclosed location in Europe. "He can say I am innocent. I know what he was doing, I saw it with my own eyes. I know he's a dangerous man."

Busching made it a point to note that he and Brueckner were never personal friends, but ran a "business" together for some time in the Algarve region of Portugal - participating in things like stealing solar panels, diesel and drug dealing.

Christian Brueckner Is a 'Very Dangerous Man'

Busching said he is now a changed man who has left his criminal past behind and become a key witness for the German authorities in McCann's disappearance.

"He's a dangerous man. A really dangerous man," Busching emphasized days before the convicted pedophile is set to walk free.

During his interview, Busching chillingly recalled a conversation he had with Brueckner while attending a festival in Spain one year after McCann vanished from her family's holiday villa in Portugal.

"I told him I don't understand how somebody can rob little children from a hotel," Busching recounted, though it was Brueckner's alleged response that was concerning.

According to Busching, Brueckner replied: " She was not screaming ."

The comment made Busching wonder, "How do you know this... yeah he has something to do with this," though he was too afraid to question Brueckner further before the rapist abruptly left the festival that night.

"He took Maddie out from this hotel. He is involved, sure," Busching claimed.

Police have never found enough evidence formally Charge Brueckner with McCann's kidnapping , although he was first named as a prime suspect by German authorities in 2020.

At the time, law enforcement officials said McCann was assumed dead and Brueckner was likely the one responsible .

The convicted child abuser, however, has vehemently denied any involvement in McCann's disappearance and alleged murder.

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Hope Fellowship Church founding pastor John McKinzie resigns over "sexual sin and moral failure"

The founding pastor of Hope Fellowship Church , which draws thousands of worshippers each week, has resigned after confessing to what church leaders described as "sexual sin and moral failure," according to an email sent to the church community.

In the email sent on Tuesday morning, leaders announced the departure of John McKinzie. According to the letter, McKinzie confessed during a meeting with church leadership on Sunday and offered his resignation on Monday, which the board accepted.

The letter did not provide details on his admission. An attached FAQ stated, "John admitted to sexual sin and to a pattern of consensual behavior that made him unfit to continue in his role as pastor."

The FAQ also stated that the "Directional Leadership Team, Board, Elders and Pastoral Lead Team" will oversee the church until a new lead pastor is named.

As of Thursday morning, Hope Fellowship's website no longer mentioned McKinzie and instead listed Angela Linz and Aaron Alexander as co-interim lead pastors. An archived version of the site indicated that McKinzie and his wife have four children.

John McKinzie and the stabbing of Austin Metcalf

CBS News Texas spoke with McKinzie in April following the death of Austin Metcalf, a Frisco high school student who was fatally stabbed at a district track meet. Karmelo Anthony, another Frisco ISD student, is charged with Metcalf's murder. A trial is currently scheduled for next summer .

McKinzie offered a trauma workshop for members of the Hope Fellowship congregation, which includes the Metcalf family. A number of other congregants were at the scene, including other students, teachers, and first responders.

"I can't speak for the whole community, but I certainly speak to our church. And I just felt like it was important to help us focus in the right direction," he said.

McKinzie also spoke about the harms of social media, at a time when misinformation and vitriol were spreading about the case online.

He urged the church to pray for the Metcalf family, as well as Anthony and his family.

"Everyone matters to God. And if they matter to God, they matter to me. They matter to us. And I'm praying for him daily, praying for his family, praying for my friends, the Metcalf family, praying for our students, praying for our community," McKinzie said.

Hope Fellowship student pastor removed earlier this year

McKinzie's resignation is the second instance of a Hope Fellowship pastor being dismissed for sexual misconduct this year.

In January, the church announced it had fired student pastor Jerry Nickerson after he admitted to having "inappropriate contact with a minor" a decade earlier.

Nickerson told church leadership that it happened while volunteering in a youth leader role at another church. In an email sent to the congregation at the time, McKinzie wrote that Nickerson came forward with the information on Monday after being confronted about "past incidents" over the weekend.

"We believe that this behavior is disqualifying for those in pastoral and leadership positions, and Hope Fellowship is committed to supporting and advocating for victims of abuse," McKinzie wrote in the email.

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91-Year-Old Pennsylvania Woman With Dementia Loses $247,000 Home Over a $14,000 Tax Debt

In yet another example of what is colloquially known as home equity theft, a 91-year-old Pennsylvania woman has lost her home—and all of its worth—over a small tax debt. But the case just outside of Philadelphia is a particularly vivid illustration of a predatory and gruesome practice that the Supreme Court broadly ruled unconstitutional in 2023.

In 2020, Gloria Gaynor (not the disco queen) skipped her annual trip to the tax office during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Jackie Davis, her daughter, to the local ABC affiliate for its excellent report on the story. Gaynor's faculties noticeably declined around then, according to Davis. Even still, the Upper Darby resident returned in 2021 to pay her property taxes, her attorney said, under the impression that the pause in enforcement meant the government would apply her money toward the previous year. Instead, it went to 2021, and her debt from 2020 remained intact.

As these things go, it continued to grow. Her $3,500 bill ultimately reached $14,419 with penalties, interest, and fees. The government sold that debt to a real estate firm, the CJD Group, which then acquired the deed to the home.

The rub is that the home is worth more than 17 times that. Yet Gaynor—who had nearly paid off the mortgage—will not see a penny in equity, despite the fact that she owed the government $232,000 less than what the home is ultimately worth.

Regular news real-time readers may be familiar with Tyler v. Hennepin County , the 2023 Supreme Court case that ruled home equity theft is illegal. The plaintiff, 94-year-old Geraldine Tyler, fell behind on her property taxes after some disturbing neighborhood incidents prompted her move from her Minneapolis condominium to a retirement home. She then had difficulty paying both her rent and her property taxes. Therefore, the local government seized the condo, sold it for $40,000, and kept the $25,000 in excess of her tax debt, which included steep penalties, interest, and fees.

"A taxpayer who loses her $40,000 house to the State to fulfill a $15,000 tax debt has made a far greater contribution to the public fisc than she owed," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. "The taxpayer must render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, but no more."

It was a good decision. But Gaynor's plight highlights one way governments are getting around it: by selling properties for the value of the debt—instead of putting them on the market or selling them at auction—so that there is no excess equity to speak of.

That doesn't mean, of course, that the equity doesn't exist. It does. It is just now in the hands of a private company, as opposed to the elderly woman who spent the last 25 or so years paying off the mortgage, and nearly finishing.

Gaynor is not even close to being alone here—CJD Group, according to 6abc Philadelphia, has acquired 62 deeds from Delaware County tax sales since 2011 (and it is not the only company doing so).

The issue is also not limited to Pennsylvania. For example, a woman from Michigan, Tawanda Hall, owed the government $22,642 in taxes (including penalties, interest, and fees). Oakland County responded by selling her home for the value of her debt to the city of Southfield, which transferred the deed to the Southfield Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative. That city-managed nonprofit then enriched itself when it sold the home for $308,000 and kept the profit. In July, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled That workaround is unconstitutional.

Gaynor, for her part, has had no such luck. The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled in January that the price at which the home was sold was not "grossly inadequate compared to the actual sale price." The case has, however, drawn the attention of state Rep. Gina Curry (D–Upper Darby), who told the local ABC affiliate that she hopes will make these stories a thing of the past.

She and other interested legislators may possibly look to Oregon, which recently passed a law requiring, among other things, that the government enlist a real estate agent to sell off foreclosed properties, helping ensure that a $247,000 home is not sold for, say, about 94 percent less than its value.

The post 91-Year-Old Pennsylvania Woman With Dementia Loses $247,000 Home Over a $14,000 Tax Debt appeared first on newsrealtime .

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ICE detains green card holder father with tumor after 30 years in the US - Attorney

Paramjit Singh, a green card holder who immigrated to the United States from India more than 30 years ago, has been in federal custody for over a month after being detained by immigration agents in Chicago on July 30, according to his attorney.

Singh's attorney Luis Angeles said newsrealtime The detention has been "nothing short of horrific" for him and his family.

newsrealtime also reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment via email.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump Campaigned on mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, specifically targeting those with violent criminal records, and his administration increased immigration enforcement since his return to office in January. However, Many Americans have been critical of his immigration policy. As individuals with misdemeanors, decades-old infractions, or in some cases no criminal records at all have been swept up in the heightened enforcement.

Singh's case highlights the concerns raised by many immigration advocates about the administration's approach to border security and deportations.

What to Know

Singh, a lawful permanent resident who runs a business in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was detained at Chicago O'Hare Airport on July 30 after he returned from a trip to India, his family and attorney told local news station WPTA. His family said he makes this trip several times per year.

Singh has a brain tumor and a heart condition, and was kept inside the airport for five days. His condition deteriorated to the point where he had to be taken to the emergency room, reported the news station.

His family was not notified of the ER visit until they received a bill for his medical stay, Angeles said. newsrealtime.

Angeles said the alleged offense stems from an incident involving the use of a pay phone without payment, which he said is a "minor infraction for which he has already taken full accountability, served his time, and paid his debt to society."

"Efforts to secure his release have been 'exhaustive but frustrating,' " Angeles said.

"We filed for a bond redetermination and successfully won the bond hearing. However, DHS has continued to employ what I would describe as legal—yet arguably unethical—tactics to prolong his detention, despite being fully aware of his severe medical condition, which requires emergency surgery. The government is holding him without justifiable cause, exacerbating his health risks and causing immense distress to his family," he said.

Several green card holders have been detained based on decades-old legal issues. A similar case that garnered national attention was that of Jemmy Jimenez Rosa , a Massachusetts mother who was held for 10 days based on a decades-old marijuana conviction. She was also taken to the hospital while being held at the airport without access to medication.

What People Are Saying

Angels also told newsrealtime : As a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), Mr. Singh should never have been detained in the first place, as he has always followed the rules to the letter. We often hear the mantra of 'follow the rules' to achieve legal status in this country. Well, that's exactly what he did: he entered the United States lawfully, adjusted his status properly, built his American dream through hard work, and has been a significant contributor to his community.

Singh's brother, Charanjit Singh, told WPTA: We're just trying to post the bond, we're just trying to speak to someone, trying to communicate with someone. We're lost.

A Customs and Border Patrol spokesperson previously told newsrealtime : "A green card is a privilege, not a right, and under our nation's laws, our government has the authority to revoke a green card if our laws are broken and abused. Lawful Permanent Residents presenting at a U.S. port of entry with previous criminal convictions may be subject to mandatory detention and/or may be asked to provide additional documentation to be set up for an immigration hearing."

What Happens Next

WPTA reported that Singh's legal team filed an appeal and planned to seek immediate federal court review to challenge DHS's continued detention decision, and that the family aimed to post bond while the federal challenge proceeded.

Related Articles

• "Alarmed and Dismayed" Judge Powerless to Stop Trump Deportations
• Green Card-Holding Boyfriend of New York Official Detained by ICE
• Husband With Approved Green Card Self-Deports After Months in ICE Detention
• Trump Administration Promotes Charlie Kirk's Assassination to Reinforce Deportation Efforts

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Judge Dismisses Some Charges Against Luigi Mangione in UnitedHealthcare CEO's Death

NEW YORK CITY — A judge has dismissed two terrorism-related charges in the New York state case against Maryland native Luigi Mangione, who is awaiting trial in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Judge Gregory Carro dismissed on Tuesday the charges of first-degree murder as an act of terrorism and second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism. Mangione is still charged with second-degree murder, but no longer faces the possibility of life without parole.

In a written decision, Carro said that although there is no doubt the killing was not an ordinary street crime, New York law doesn't consider something terrorism simply because it was motivated by ideology.

"While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC, and the health care industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to 'intimidate and coerce a civilian population,' and indeed, there was no evidence presented of such a goal," Carro wrote.

• RELATED : MD Man Charged With Murder In Health Care CEO's Killing

The 27-year-old Towson native is accused of murdering Thompson in Manhattan last December before leading police on a five-day manhunt, newsrealtimepreviously reported Mangione was also indicted on four federal charges in connection with Thompson's death. He has pleaded not guilty.

In addition to the two New York cases, Mangione has a case in Pennsylvania for possessing an illegal gun and providing a fake ID to police.

Prosecutors issued a statement after the hearing saying, "We respect the Court's decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts."

The judge scheduled pretrial hearings in the case for December 1, which is days before Mangione is next due in court in the federal case against him.

Tuesday marked Mangione's first court appearance in the state case since February, and he wore beige prison clothes, handcuffs and shackles.

Mangione has attracted a cult following as a stand-in for frustrations with the health insurance industry. Supporters of Mangione took up three rows in the courtroom gallery. As was the case at his last hearing, a few dozen supporters, mostly women, showed up to Tuesday's proceedings. Some were dressed in green — the color worn by the Mario Bros. video game character Luigi — as a symbol of solidarity, and one woman sported a "FREE LUIGI" T-shirt.

Mangione is a 2016 graduate of Gilman School in Baltimore, an elite all-boys prep school where he was class valedictorian. Mangione comes from an affluent business family, who said he seemed to struggle after back surgery.

• RELATED : From Privileged And Popular To An Accused Killer: The Story Of Luigi Mangione

Family and friends said Mangione lost contact with them in the months leading up to Thompson's shooting, and Mangione's social media accounts reflected a shift from posts about books he read, workout routines and his travels to a person in pain who was unhappy with the healthcare system.

Thomas J. Maronick Jr., a lawyer and radio host who knows several members of the Mangione family "Luigi Mangione was just the last person you would suspect of committing a homicide," said [someone].

"It is just such a well-respected family and such a prominent family within Baltimore County," Maronick said.

Freddie Leatherbury, a Catonsville resident graduated with Mangione from Gilman School. Leatherby told NewsNation in December that those who know Mangione were stunned by the criminal accusations.

Leatherbury said he hadn't spoken to Mangione in recent years, but followed him on social media, and saw no warning signs of potential trouble.

It doesn't seem thinkable that this is the same person," Leatherbury said. "It just goes so against everything I knew about Luigi. None of us can come up with any leads or any history of inclination to do anything.

• RELATED : Luigi Mangione: Murder Suspect's Family Donates Millions To Charity

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The article Judge Dismisses Some Charges Against Luigi Mangione in UnitedHealthcare CEO's Death appeared first on Towson news real time .

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GOP explodes over Dem running for attorney general in red state after profanity-laden Charlie Kirk post

A Democrat running to be the top law enforcement official in the state of Ohio is facing backlash for a series of social media posts that disparage Charlie Kirk in the days after the conservative activist was assassinated.

"F*** Charlie Kirk," Elliot Forhan, Ohio Democratic candidate for attorney general and former state representative, posted on Facebook on Monday, days after Kirk was shot while speaking to a large gathering of students at a Utah university.

"Charlie Kirk was a champion of tyranny, not democracy," Forhan said in another post. "We should not pretend otherwise."

In another Facebook post, Forhan shared an article with the headline, "Charlie Kirk was a champion of tyranny, not democracy. We should not pretend otherwise."

TOP UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATOR CALLS CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION 'FAIR' DUE TO GUN VIEWS: 'NO PRAYERS'

Fox News Digital contacted the Forhan campaign for comment.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Forhan's social media posts have triggered significant backlash, both online and from Republicans in the state, with many calling on him to withdraw from the race.

No public servant should say that about any human being, much less someone who had just been assassinated," Ohio's current attorney general, Republican Dave Yost, told Fox News Digital. "He just proved himself to be a petulant and undisciplined child, ill-suited for public office.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, told Fox News Digital that Forhan's posts are "probably demented publicity designed to get attention" and "score cheap political points."

LaRose added that "this kind of rhetoric" is becoming more "mainstream" in today's Democratic Party.

YOUNG PEOPLE RESTORE CHARLIE KIRK MEMORIAL MURAL WITH BIBLE VERSES AFTER VANDALS DEFACE TRIBUTE

But this kind of rhetoric is becoming all too mainstream in the Democratic Party, and this is coming from a person seeking to become their nominee for a top statewide office," LaRose continued. "This guy was literally the target of a law enforcement investigation that called his behavior 'a credible risk of escalating to violence or violent conduct.' He should be watched carefully and denounced aggressively. Elliot Forhan and people like him are quickly becoming the face of the Democratic Party.

Fox News Digital also spoke to Ohio attorney and Republican National Committee (RNC) spokesperson Mehek Cooke, who said Forhan "must immediately withdraw" from the attorney general race.

Ohio's top law enforcement officer must serve as a guardian and defender of justice, not a cheerleader for violence," Cooke said. "A man who celebrates murder cannot lecture anyone on equality, fairness, or justice, let alone serve Ohioans. This is moral rot that we won't tolerate.

In the wake of Kirk's death, numerous individuals both in government and the private sector have been publicly called out on social media for posting comments mocking or celebrating the death of the conservative activist.

The White House is seeking additional security funds from Congress for the executive and judicial branches as it deals with the aftermath of the assassination, Fox News Digital reported this week.

Original article source: GOP explodes over Democrat running for attorney general in red state after profanity-laden Charlie Kirk post

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New York judge drops terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, allows murder count to remain

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge on Tuesday dismissed terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione in the case of New York state regarding the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but he kept the state's second-degree murder charges against him.

In a written decision released as Mangione appeared in court, Judge Gregory Carro said that although there is no doubt that the killing was not an ordinary street crime, New York law does not consider something terrorism simply because it was motivated by ideology.

"While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC, and the health care industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to 'intimidate and coerce a civilian population,' and indeed, there was no evidence presented of such a goal," Carro wrote.

The judge also said there was insufficient evidence that Mangione intended to influence or affect government policy by intimidation or coercion — another element of the terrorism charges — and noted that federal prosecutors chose not to charge Mangione with terrorism offenses even though the federal terrorism statute served as a model for the state law.

But by maintaining the second-degree murder charge, Carro ruled there was sufficient evidence that Mangione "murdered Brian Thompson in a premeditated and calculated execution."

Mangione's lawyers did not comment after the hearing.

The Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office issued a brief statement, saying, "We respect the Court's decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts."

The judge scheduled pretrial hearings in the case for December 1, which is days before Mangione is next due in court in the federal case against him.

Mangione handcuffed and shackled for court appearance

It was Mangione's first court appearance in the state case since February. Wearing beige prison clothes, he was handcuffed and his ankles were shackled as police officers escorted him into and out of the courtroom. He was mostly silent, only talking with his lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo. While leaving the courtroom, he appeared in good spirits and raised his eyebrow at the gallery crowd.

The 27-year-old Ivy League graduate has attracted a cult following as a substitute for frustrations with the health insurance industry. Supporters of Mangione took up three rows in the courtroom gallery. As was the case at his last hearing , a few dozen supporters, mostly women, showed up to Tuesday's proceedings. Some were dressed in green—the color the Mario Bros. video game character Luigi wears—as a symbol of solidarity, and one woman sported a "FREE LUIGI" T-shirt.

Outside, some supporters who gathered across the street from the courthouse cheered and clapped as news of the dropped terrorism charges spread.

Mangione previously pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism , in the December 4, 2024, killing. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind as he arrived for an investor conference at the New York Hilton Midtown. Police say "delay," "deny" and "depose" were scrawled on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase commonly used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims .

Mangione was arrested five days later after he was spotted eating breakfast at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City. Since then, he has been held at the same Brooklyn federal jail where Sean "Diddy" Combs is locked up.

Judge rejects 'double jeopardy' argument

Mangione's lawyers argued that the New York case and a parallel federal death penalty prosecution constituted double jeopardy. However, Carro rejected that argument, stating it would be premature to make such a determination.

Bragg's office argued that there are no double jeopardy issues because neither of Mangione's cases has gone to trial, and because the state and federal prosecutions involve different legal theories.

Mangione's lawyers said the conflicting cases have created a "legal quagmire" that makes it "legally and logistically impossible to defend against them simultaneously."

The second-degree murder charge carries a potential penalty of 15 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years. The federal charges allege that Mangione stalked Thompson and do not involve terrorism allegations.

Diary writings a basis for terrorism charges

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in April that she was directing federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for "an act of political violence" and a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America."

Bragg's office quoted extensively from Mangione's handwritten diary in a court filing seeking to uphold his state murder charges. They highlighted his desire to kill an insurance executive and his praise for Ted Kaczynski, the late terrorist known as the Unabomber.

In the writings, prosecutors said, Mangione mused about rebelling against "the deadly, greed-fueled health insurance cartel" and said killing an industry executive "conveys a greedy bastard that had it coming." They also cited a confession they say he penned "To the feds," in which he wrote that "it had to be done."

Mangione's intentions were obvious from his acts, but his writings serve to make those intentions explicit," prosecutors said in the June filing. The writings, which they sometimes described as a manifesto, "convey one clear message: that the murder of Brian Thompson was intended to bring about revolutionary change in the healthcare industry.

In Tuesday's ruling, Carro noted that terrorism "has been famously difficult to define." He was critical of state prosecutors for emphasizing the phrase "revolutionary anarchism" in Mangione's diary when they accused him of intending to influence government by intimidation or coercion.

"Not only does this stretch the import of a two-word phrase beyond what it can carry, but it ignores other, more explicit excerpts from defendant's writings in which he states that his goal is to spread a 'message' and 'win public support' about 'everything wrong with our health system'," the judge wrote.

___

Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.

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Mariska Hargitay Makes Hilarious Joke at "SVU" Costar Christopher Meloni: 'You'll Never Have That' Emmy

The pair starred in 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' together for several seasons and later reunited on 'Law & Order: Organized Crime'

NEED TO KNOW

• Mariska Hargitay has plenty of jokes for her longtime costar Christopher Meloni as they attend the Emmy Awards
• In a video shared to Meloni's Instagram on Sunday, September 14, the actor could be seen filming a table full of Emmy Awards before Hargitay tells him from off-camera: "You'll never have that"
• The pair starred in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit together for several seasons and later reunited on Law & Order: Organized Crime

Mariska Hargitay has plenty of jokes for her longtime co-star Christopher Meloni .

In an Instagram post shared to Meloni's account after the 77th annual Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 14, the 64-year-old Law & Order: Organized Crime star showed off footage of himself and Hargitay, 61, celebrating the ceremony together.

"Shenanigans and special news real time at @theemmys.tv with @therealmariskahargitay @jennifercoolidge," Meloni captioned the post, which included a selfie of him and Hargitay, along with another photo of the duo with White Lotus alum Jennifer Coolidge .

Another video in the post showed the pair goofing around backstage, as Meloni filmed a table full of Emmy Awards ready to be handed out. Hargitay is heard telling him from off-camera: "You'll never have that."

He quickly reveals that he's filming, and Hargitay bursts out laughing.

You see what I go through?" Meloni jokes as Hargitay continues laughing, adding an "Oh sh---.

Meloni then quips, "And she curses!"

Meloni and Hargitay also appeared on stage at the annual award ceremony to present the award for Outstanding Drama Series.

Stepping out alongside their co-stars Ice T , Tony Goldwyn and S. Epatha Merkerson , the group teased each other as they celebrated 35 years of the franchise.

We are your Law and Order " Dream team, icons, veterans, survivors of so many rooftop chases," Meloni began.

And we're all here tonight with one clear mission," said Merkerson, 72, before Goldwyn continued, "To remind you that Mariska Hargitay has literally solved more fictional crimes than most actual precincts.

She's been on SVU "for 27 years," Merkerson noted. "That's longer than some of you have been in therapy because of SVU !"

Goldwyn then quipped about Hargitay's character, "And don't let the compassion fool you. Olivia Benson will hug a victim and knock out a perp all before lunch."

Alright, alright, alright. Everyone settle down, that's enough," Hargitay chimed in. "I love you all. I seriously do. But this isn't the Mariska Lifetime Achievement roast.

"Wait a minute — this isn't the Mariska Lifetime Achievement roast?" Ice-T, 67, joked.

The duo first met on an audition for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit , where they played partners Olivia Benson (Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Meloni). Although Meloni left the series in 2011, he later returned to the franchise with his spinoff series Law & Order: Organized Crime .

Over the decades, the two have become close friends and reunited on SVU and Organized Crime for crossover episodes. Hargitay is even the godmother of Meloni's daughters .

Hargitay recently spoke about her relationship with her former co-star in a June episode of Call Her Daddy .

We are just connected," she said about her friendship with the actor. "We are so close. It's like we've been through the battle together. We know each other so well. We love each other so much. We respect each other so much.

Hargitay said the pair of actors have "a very similar sense of humor" and a "shared perspective" that gives them "shorthand" with each other.

We are so comfortable with each other, we deeply trust each other ... Whatever he needs, I will always be there for him, and that's mutual. And we have grown together, We have known each other for 27 years ," she said.

Read the original article on newsrealtime

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North Texas man loses money in new 'cash-trapping' scam -- police warn you could be a victim and not even know it. Here's what to look for

Everything seems to be digital these days — even the scams.

The news is filled with stories of identity theft, data breaches, and new, sophisticated phishing techniques on a near-daily basis.

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So when Jonathan Hogue from Plano, Texas, went to get some cash from the ATM, the last thing he expected was that he'd be a victim of a pre-digital, brick-and-mortar scam.

It just really made me angry that I got stolen from," Hogue told ABC News in Dallas [1]. "It's just an example of somebody out there not caring about other people.

Hogue was a victim of a crude form of financial crime known as "cash-trapping."

It's a wake-up call for all Americans: despite the digital-first world we live in, scammers aren't giving up on tried-and-true in-person stealing.

ATM scheme plan cost him hundreds of dollars

Hogue went to withdraw money from a Bank of America ATM on Preston Road in Plano on July 20. But after he inserted his card and followed the instructions on the machine, he never got his cash.

Yes, he could hear the whir of the machinery working, but the money never came out.

He tried a second time to make the withdrawal before he left the ATM in frustration. Altogether, he had $700 out of pocket.

Hogue was later encouraged by his boss to file a police report, which he did.

How cash-trapping works

The Plano police arrested Ionut Aurel Iova, a Romanian national with a long criminal record, as the suspected perpetrator.

Police allege that Iova Iova had attached a device to the ATM's money dispenser, blocking cash from reaching Hogue's hands.

The devices [fit] perfectly over the dispenser mechanism of the ATM," said Det. Jerry Minton of the Plano police department. "It is attached by double-sided tape or a similar substance, and it has a special tool that is handmade by the perpetrator to remove the device.

I'm ecstatic he was caught," said Hogue. "This guy does not deserve to be walking around on the streets.

According to officers, Iova staked out the ATM, hoping to quickly pocket the stolen money.

He was waiting for the victims to leave," said Minton. "Then he would come in behind them, take the device off, remove the cash and either put the device back on or walk away.

Iova has an extensive criminal record, according to police, including previous arrests in Plano and Lewisville, Texas, and is wanted in Maryland, Hungary and Canada, where he has a total of 56 outstanding warrants [2].

Another Plano victim, Ray McCormick, lost $100 to the scheme.

The cash didn't come out," he told NBC 5 Dallas. "I was bewildered and surprised as well.

Read more: Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you?

How can you protect yourself

Cash-trapping is similar to, but different from, two other popular ATM scams: skimming and shimming.

These schemes involve a device installed over (or into) the card reading slot to capture data from the victim's card's magnetic stripe and chip.

In general, to avoid ATM scams like the one Jonathan Hogue encountered in Plano, follow the S.A.F.E. protocol.

• Select ATMs located in well-lit, high-traffic areas and avoid machines with graffiti, dirt or grime.
• Always shield your PIN while entering and inspect the ATM for loose parts near the card reader or skimmers. Alert store security or personnel if you see something suspicious.
• Focus on your surroundings and avoid accepting assistance from strangers.
• Enable transaction alerts to stay notified of all transactions made on your card, and ensure your card is in your possession at all times [3].

Remember: if you see something - say something. Inform the store or bank staff, or contact your local police department, to report the incident.

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Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of newsrealtimesent straight to your inbox every week for free. Subscribe now.

Article sources

At newsrealtime, we consider it our responsibility to produce accurate and trustworthy content that people can rely on to inform their financial decisions. We rely on vetted sources such as government data, financial records and expert interviews, and highlight credible third-party reporting when appropriate.

We are committed to transparency and accountability, correcting errors openly and adhering to the best practices of the journalism industry. For more details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines .

[1]. WFAA Dallas North Texas man loses money to cash trapping scheme

[2]. 5 NBC DFW . "ATM 'cash trapping' fraud in Plano leads to arrest of international fugitive"

[3]. The Statement . "Don't fall victim to ATM fraud"

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

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Former FBI Agent Tells Fox News That Biden Administration Created 'Factories of Indoctrination' That Killed Charlie Kirk

A former FBI agent told Fox News host Trey Gowdy on Sunday that the Biden administration may be partially responsible for inspiring the assassin of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

Kirk was participating in a "Prove Me Wrong" event sponsored by TPUSA at Utah Valley University on Wednesday when an assassin fatally shot him, authorities say. Former FBI agent Stuart Kaplan said indicting the accused assassin , 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, would be the easy part.

Let's be honest, the formality of charging Tyler Robinson is going to be easy. There is an old saying, 'You can indict a ham sandwich,'" Kaplan said. "Really, I think the overwhelming concern will be when it comes time to have the rubber meet the road and selecting a qualified pool of jurors and to see 12 people that, quite frankly, will leave out their bias and their notions of what side they sit on. Can we get a fair and impartial jury to just judge this case on what seems to be the overwhelming amount of evidence?

READ: Florida's Open Carry Ban Struck Down, Marking a New Era for Gun Rights

But, Trey, I also want to address something that I think is much more important and at the forefront of the FBI," Kaplan continued. "I think the FBI is very concerned right now that the previous administration, quite frankly, allowed our classrooms to become factories of indoctrination of extreme ideology, and these kids have been fed nonsense, they're lying in wait in isolation on social media platforms, on video games. And Tyler Robinson is not alone.

Republican Governor Spencer Cox of Utah told "This Week" host Martha Raddatz that Robinson was in romantic relationship with a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman — and Robinson's reported boyfriend is cooperating with authorities, while Robinson is not cooperating.

As this case moves further away from just a few days ago, because this case is not good to be tried in a week, in a month, and probably sometime next year, you're going to get those people who will be empathetic and sympathetic and say, you know, he is a 22-year-old child who was brainwashed or indoctrinated, and quite frankly, there is some truth [to that]," Kaplan said. "The problem in our society is that our politicians, and certainly the former administration, laid the groundwork that we no longer have the standard of what moral fiber should look like.

READ: NY Times Reporter: President Trump and Staff 'Struggling' After Charlie Kirk's Assassination

We've taken faith out of the classroom. We have allowed people to desecrate our country, desecrate our flag," Kaplan continued. "We allowed kids in the highest institutions, Ivy League institutions, to tear them down and destroy them and burn them with anti-Semitic behavior that in my time you could never imagine that that would've ever been condoned and tolerated.

Biden's representatives did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Pro-Hamas demonstrations since October 7, 2023, at multiple universities and colleges attack by the radical Islamic terrorist group that killed over 1,200 people in Israel have seen anti-Israel protesters occupy buildings, chant a slogan that has connotations of wiping out Israel and block Jewish students from parts of campus.

"So we're living in this kind of cesspool, and quite frankly, we need to figure out how we're going to turn the corner and clean this mess up," Kaplan said.

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Epstein accuser memoir to be published posthumously

( The Hill ) - One of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent accusers , the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre, wrote a memoir before her death that is scheduled to be published this fall, announced the publishing house Alfred A. Knopf.

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The 400-page book, "Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice," is scheduled to be released on Oct. 21.

"Giuffre offers an unsparing account of her time with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell—from Epstein's Palm Beach mansion to his Upper East Side townhouse to his private jets and island, from meeting politicians and CEOs at a sprawling New Mexico ranch to spending a now-infamous evening with Prince Andrew in London," the publisher said in a statement.

"Giuffre shares intimate, disturbing, and heartbreaking new details about her time with Epstein, Maxwell, and their many well-known friends, including Prince Andrew, about whom she speaks publicly for the first time since their out-of-court settlement in 2022," it added.

Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in 2021, after alleging that he sexually abused her when she was a teenager. Giuffre said Epstein introduced her to Prince Andrew in London in 2001 and said Epstein's longtime partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew.

Prince Andrew has denied meeting Giuffre, saying it "didn't happen." They reached a settlement " In principle " in early 2022.

Giuffre collaborated over the course of four years with author and journalist Amy Wallace to write the memoir before the Epstein accuser died by suicide on April 25.

In late March, Giuffre was struck by a school bus and said she was given four days to live after going into renal failure.

Days after the crash, Giuffre wrote an email expressing her "heartfelt wish that this work be published, regardless of my circumstances at the time," according to the publisher, which included the email in its statement.

"The content of this book is crucial, as it aims to shed light on the systemic failures that allow the trafficking of vulnerable individuals across borders. It is imperative that the truth is understood and that the issues surrounding this topic are addressed, both for the sake of justice and awareness," Giuffre wrote in the email.

"In the event of my passing, I would like to ensure that NOBODY'S GIRL is still released. I believe it has the potential to impact many lives and foster necessary discussions about these grave injustices," Giuffre, who came out publicly with her accusation in 2015 and became an advocate for sex trafficking survivors, added.

She has said Epstein and Maxwell, his longtime partner, hired her as a masseuse after their introduction at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in the early 2000s when she was a teenager.

Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in jail for soliciting prostitution in 2009 and died in prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell is serving a sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, visit KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.

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Person arrested for burning US flag near White House after Trump's order

A person was arrested near the White House on Tuesday after setting fire to an American flag, just hours after the President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to punish people who burn the flag.

The U.S. Secret Service confirmed the initial detention in a statement to newsrealtime.

Why It Matters

The arrest sets the stage for a legal battle because Trump's executive order, which he signed Monday, is in opposition to a legal precedent set by the Supreme Court in 1989 when it reached a 5-4 decision in Texas vs. Johnson Justice William Brennan wrote that the government could not prohibit expressive conduct merely because society found it offensive.

The ruling stated that burning the flag is protected by the First Amendment because it constitutes symbolic and political speech.

What To Know

A video clip posted on social media shows a man in Lafayette Park outside the White House speaking to passersby through a bullhorn before setting fire to a U.S. flag soaked in some kind of accelerant on the ground.

The man said he was a 20-year combat veteran and identified himself as Jay Carey.

He said he was protesting to defend the right to burn the flag under the First Amendment.

"I fought for every single one of your rights to express yourself in however you feel that you may want to express yourself. It is a First Amendment right to burn the American flag," the man said.

He said no president, or anyone else, can make a law that infringes on First Amendment rights.

"We burn this flag in protest to that president who feels that it's his right to do whatever he wants, make whatever law he wants, regardless if it's legal or illegal."

The video clip did not show the man being detained, but the Secret Service confirmed he had been taken into custody.

"On August 25 at approximately 6:15 p.m., the U.S. Secret Service detained an individual in Lafayette Park for igniting an object," the agency said. "The individual was subsequently turned over to U.S. Park Police as they have jurisdiction. We'd refer you to U.S. Park Police for any charges or additional questions."

The Park Police confirmed that the individual was arrested after being contacted for comment by newsrealtime , saying, "At about 6:30 p.m., the United States Park Police arrested one person in Lafayette Park for a violation of 36 CFR 2.13(a)(1), prohibited fire. All units have cleared the scene."

Earlier, Trump acknowledged that while burning the flag was protected by the court, doing so was an open door to violence.

"When you burn the American flag, it incites riots at levels that we've never seen before," Trump said.

The order states that those who burn an American flag, whether in the U.S. or other countries, will be subject to prosecution and penalties.

In the order, penalties were outlined, including those for non-citizens that could range from the revocation of visas or immigration benefits, and even the possibility of removal from the country.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said newsrealtime after the flag burning, "President Trump will not allow the American Flag—a special symbol of our country's greatness—to be used as a tool to incite violence and riots that jeopardize the safety of everyday Americans."

What People Are Saying

President Donald Trump said while signing the order: They burn the American flag. They call it freedom of speech. When you burn a flag, the area goes crazy. If you have hundreds of people, they go crazy. You can do other things... but when you burn the American flag, it incites riots at levels we've never seen before.

The executive order reads in part: Despite the Supreme Court's rulings on First Amendment protections, the court has never held that American flag desecration conducted in a manner likely to incite imminent lawless action or that constitutes 'fighting words' is constitutionally protected.

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said: President Trump will always protect the First Amendment, while simultaneously implementing common-sense, tough-on-crime policies to prevent violence and chaos.

The man who set fire to the flag said: "Nobody will enforce those illegal laws that that president tried to make."

What Happens Next

A legal battle is likely to unfold in court if legal proceedings are pursued against the flag burner.

Correction: 8/26/25, 6:58 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to name the arrested veteran as Jay Carey, not Dave Perry as originally reported.

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Murder of Etan Patz, one of the first missing children on milk cartons, raises questions about confession after reversal

The man imprisoned for kidnapping and murdering a six-year-old boy in New York City Nearly 45 years ago, his conviction was overturned.

64-year-old Pedro Hernandez has been serving a 25-years-to-life sentence in prison after being convicted in 2017. of killing Etan Patz in 1979.

Patz vanished on the first day he was allowed to walk to the school bus stop by himself on May 25, 1979. He was one of the first missing children to be pictured on milk cartons in a case that drew national attention.

President Ronald Reagan later declared May 25, 1983, the first National Day for Missing Children in memory of Patz.

COURT OVERTURNS CONVICTION, ORDERS NEW TRIAL OF MAN CONVICTED IN 1979 ETAN PATZ MURDER

On the morning of May 25, 1979, the first-grader was granted permission from his parents to walk alone to the bus stop, located just a block and a half away from where the family lived. His mother took him downstairs and watched him walk into the distance – he was never seen again.

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At the time of Patz's disappearance , Hernandez was working at a convenience store as a teenager in the child's downtown Manhattan neighborhood. He initially spoke with authorities as they were canvassing for the child, but he did not become a suspect until police received a 2012 tip revealing that Hernandez had previously made remarks about killing a child in New York, but had not mentioned Patz by name.

Hernandez was arrested in 2012 and ultimately confessed to the crime after seven hours of questioning, telling investigators he had lured Patz into the store's basement with the promise of giving him a soda. Once inside, Hernandez said he had choked the child because "something just took over me," before putting Patz – who Hernandez said was still alive – inside a box and leaving it alongside a pile of trash.

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However, Hernandez's lawyers insisted the confession was the result of a mental illness that caused their client to misinterpret his imagination as reality. The attorneys also pointed to Hernandez's very low IQ.

Several factors likely contributed to his confession, including low IQ, mental illness, and heightened suggestibility," Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist and author of "Therapy Nation," told Fox News Digital. "These make someone more prone to internalizing guilt or fabricating details to meet perceived expectations.

Alpert has not treated any of the individuals involved in the case.

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Hernandez was initially tried in New York state court twice - with the first trial ending in a jury deadlock in 2015 - before an appeal transferred the case into federal court.

At the time, prosecutors claimed that Hernandez was faking or exaggerating his illness , pointing to Hernandez reportedly admitting to the crimes before police read him his rights and began recording their interview in 2012. He went on to repeat his confession at least twice while being recorded.

The confession ultimately led to questions from jurors during their nine days of deliberations, with their final inquiry revolving around whether they were required to rule out the two recorded confessions if they were to determine that the first one was invalid – with the judge telling them they were not.

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Later, an appeals court ruled that the judge should have provided a better explanation to the jury regarding their options, which could have included not taking into account all three of Hernandez's confessions.

Referring to a jury note during the trial, the appeals court said the judge had provided a "clearly wrong" and "manifestly prejudicial" response to the question posed.

The court's decision to overturn Hernandez's conviction and grant him a new trial raises questions regarding mental health and confessions in court cases, as Alpert points out the frequent susceptibility of individuals with mental health disorders to "have an intense need to gain approval from authority figures."

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"When interrogators suggest a narrative, these individuals can absorb and repeat it, not out of deceit, but out of compliance. Over time, they may even start to believe it themselves, especially when under stress or exhaustion."

While a new trial could bring additional clarity for a case that has spanned decades, Alpert warns that it could also lead to misunderstandings regarding testimony and evidence years later.

"A retrial has the potential to bring clarity, especially if new psychological insights or evidence are introduced," Alpert told Fox News Digital. "But it could just as easily create more confusion, particularly if the case continues to rely heavily on interpretation rather than hard facts."

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The case attracted national attention, with Patz's photo being one of the first to be circulated on milk cartons throughout the country. His parents lived in the same home and used the same phone number for decades, in hopes their son would eventually return to them.

The child's family worked to help establish a national missing-children hotline and pioneered a new way for law enforcement agencies throughout the country to distribute information regarding such cases.

"They waited and persevered for 35 years for justice for Etan, which today, sadly, may have been lost," said former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. to The Associated Press after learning about the reversal.

The court ordered Hernandez's release unless he receives a new trial within "a reasonable time period."

For more than 13 years, Pedro Hernandez has been in prison for a crime he did not commit and based on a conviction that the Second Circuit has now made clear was obtained in clear violation of law," said Hernandez's lawyer, Harvey Fishbein, in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We are grateful the Court has now given Pedro a chance to get his life back, and we call upon the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to drop these misguided charges and focus their efforts where they belong – on finding those actually responsible for the disappearance of Etan Patz.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

"This case highlights a broader issue in the legal system," Alpert said. "Confessions are not always reliable. Mental illness, coercion or desperation can all lead someone to admit guilt falsely. Without physical evidence to support a confession, courts must proceed with extreme caution. Understanding the psychology behind a confession is essential before treating it as fact."

Original article source: Murder of Etan Patz, one of the first missing children on milk cartons, raises questions about confession after reversal

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Lost Security Footage Helps Police Solve College Student's 2020 Disappearance from LA Dispensary

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a college student disappeared from his place of work. For investigators in Los Angeles County, manipulated security footage might have held the clues as to who killed. Juan Hernandez and who made him disappear.

His mother, Yajaira Hernandez, spoke with Buried in the Backyard — airing Saturdays at 8/7c on Oxygen — about life as a mom to three sons. The family of four lived together and shared a love of running marathons, bonding as a family "connected."

I love all my three kids, and we all have a great bond, but the bond that Juan and I had was different," said the mother. "He was always closer to me.

Who was Juan Hernandez?

Juan Hernandez, 21, was the middle son of Yajaira Hernandez, a young man with "hopes and dreams" of becoming an electrical engineer one day after completing his courses at El Camino College in Los Angeles County. In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, the beloved son found work at a local marijuana dispensary, working the 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. shift just 20 minutes from home, according to his mother.

It wasn't an ideal job; I wasn't the happiest of moms, but he had to work," she said. "He was trying to save up for school, so all I could do was support him.

Yajaira Hernandez last saw Juan Hernandez around 2:00 p.m. on September 22, 2020, as he was getting ready to go to work, taking his mother's car to get there. He texted "I'll see you soon" at 10:00 p.m., as he usually did after work, although the mother fell asleep shortly after.

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The next morning, there was no sign of the college student.

I think the world stopped for me in that moment," said the grieving mother. "He'd never not come home, never leave me stranded. We share locations on our cell phones; his location is off. This is not normal.

When authorities told Yajaira Hernandez she had to wait 72 hours to file an official missing persons report, the mother started taking action to conduct her own investigation.

A mother's search for Juan Hernandez

Juan Hernandez.

Photo: Oxygen

Yajaira Hernandez visited the dispensary and found a security guard who knew the shop's manager, later identified as Ethan Astaphan, though at that time only known as "E." Through the guard, the mother got Astaphan on the phone, and she requested access to the security cameras throughout the business.

Astaphan told her they were live feed only and, therefore, would be of no use in her ongoing search for her son.

Yajaira Hernandez took her case to social media, resulting in thousands of shares and, most importantly, attention from the LAPD, namely Detectives Daniel Jaramillo and Jennifer Hammer.

Reports of Juan Hernandez's captivity

In the days following Juan Hernandez's disappearance, Yajaira Hernandez received ransom notes by text from multiple numbers. The alleged kidnappers demanded $7,000 in exchange for Juan Hernandez's safe return.

Detectives Jaramillo and Hammer recognized "a potential that his life could be in danger," prompting them to obtain warrants to search Juan Hernandez's phone, bank, and social media records.

As digital investigations continued into the possible ransom, Det. Hammer told Buried in the Backyard that it was "concerning and suspicious" that Juan Hernandez's phone was turned off near the dispensary soon after his last shift ended. Days later, their most prominent lead came when Yajaira Hernandez's missing vehicle popped up out of the blue.

Ms. Hernandez's car was found two to three miles from the dispensary, and that area, where it was located, is a very high crime, prostitution, gang area," said Jaramillo. "It's a rougher part of town.

But searches of the car yielded nothing, and the same was true for the alleged ransom notes to Yajaira Hernandez's phone. Police said digital records proved the messages were part of an elaborate extortion scheme, in which scammers from other continents obtained her phone number from missing poster ads and tried to take the panicked mother's money.

Yajaira Hernandez was no closer to finding her son.

On Sept. 29, 2020, authorities used a search warrant to investigate the dispensary. They collected the security footage, which, contrary to what Astaphan claimed to Yajaira Hernandez, was not at all live-feed only.

There's no video before September 22nd; it starts on the 23rd," Hammer said. "Obviously, that's suspicious. Why is there no video before the 22nd?

Surveillance footage offers new clues

On the morning of Sept. 23, security footage showed three people cleaning the shop's floor, two of whom were identified by the security guard as Astaphan and dispensary owner Weijia "James" Peng.

The third person was later identified as Peng's girlfriend, Sonita Heng.

But by then, Peng had flown from LAX airport to Turkey, and detectives had to build their case. They enlisted the help of the Glendale Police Department’s crime lab, since they had the technology to recover the lost surveillance footage.

"There were over one million files that were recovered, but only one to two frames from one clip captured on September 22, when Juan went missing, just less than a second of movement," crime lab detective Juan Giraldo told. Buried in the Backyard .

According to Giraldo, the camera pointing to the dispensary's display case showed someone resembling Juan Hernandez "being taken down to the ground" by two individuals, soon after the missing man's shift ended. He said he felt "confident" the clip had been purposefully deleted from the security system.

But there was no way of knowing whether Juan Hernandez was dead in the video.

"While Ethan Astaphan is choking Juan Hernandez, you see James Peng lean down, and there's something weird in his hand," said Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Ethan Milius.

Investigators theorized it could have been a cell phone.

Detectives investigate Astaphan, Peng, and Heng

Ethan Astaphan and James Peng.

Photo: Oxygen

In October 2020, detectives executed search warrants for phones belonging to Ethan Astaphan, James Peng, and Sonita Heng. The results returned the following month painted a clear picture of their movements on the night of Juan Hernandez's disappearance.

Records showed them heading to the Mojave Desert, where the odds of narrowing down a location within a 10-mile radius were "minimal to zero," Det. Jaramillo said.

Searches in the vast desert began on November 13, 2020, focusing on a grid between two cell phone towers. The search widened the next day, comprising dozens of investigators, ATVs, and helicopter crews. Search and rescue dogs from San Bernardino County helped home in on the nearly skeletal remains of Juan Hernandez, close to a fallen barbed wire fence and partially buried in the sand.

Two months had passed since Juan Hernandez disappeared, and animals had gotten to the decomposed remains.

It destroyed us," said the victim's mother. "As individuals, and it destroyed us as a family.

Detectives make arrests

On Nov. 19, 2020, following the discovery of Juan Hernandez's body, investigators secured arrest warrants for Astaphan and Heng. James Peng, however, was still in Turkey.

According to Prosecutor Habib Balian, a search through Astaphan's phone messages offered "a glimpse into the plan that he and James Peng had been formulating."

"In their minds, they believed that Juan was stealing from them," Balian told Buried in the Backyard .

However, the police said there was no evidence to support that any theft had taken place.

On December 16, 2020, Sonita Heng - through her attorney - requested a meeting with detectives, agreeing to talk in exchange for a lighter conviction. In a recorded interview obtained by Buried in the Backyard , Heng tearfully said she feared for her life, which was why she went along with the men's devious plans.

Heng told detectives that Peng - her boyfriend - used a syringe to inject Hernandez with ketamine, which explained the unknown object seen in the suspect's hand during the Sept. 22 attack.

She said Peng injected more after Hernandez had died during the two-and-a-half-hour drive to the desert.

He injected [it] into Juan's eyeball," Heng cried on tape. "Ethan was making fun of it. He said, 'I was trying to inject it into his eyeball to see if his eyeball changed.'

When Hernandez was found in the desert, a San Bernardino County coroner was unable to determine the cause of death. However, with Heng's information, a reexamination confirmed the presence of ketamine in Hernandez's toxicology, a drug for which testing had not been conducted initially.

The report was later amended to show Hernandez died from both strangulation and ketamine toxicity, according to Hammer.

Authorities believed Peng was still in Turkey, waiting for the right time to enter China. It would take two years to arrest and extradite him to the United States to face a judge, with the help of Turkish authorities and the U.S. Marshals.

The murder trial of Astaphan and Peng

The trial began on February 9, 2024, when the court heard about the men killing Hernandez, and Heng helping them try to cover up their crimes.

Ethan got into Juan's car and he left it in a high-prostitution area," Det. Hammer said. "The next day, they took Juan's belongings, went to Newport Beach, and they burned Juan's items.

It took a jury only a few hours to find Astaphan and Peng guilty of first-degree murder.

Astaphan is currently serving a 25-to-life sentence; Peng is currently serving a 26-to-life sentence, according to prison records reviewed by Oxygen.com .

For her testimony and cooperation, Sonita Heng was sentenced to probation and spent 112 days in jail.

We remember Juan being kind and always being there for his loved ones," said Yajaira Hernandez. "We honor his life by trying to be better because [these] individuals took his body. But his spirit, and his love, all of that remains in my heart.

Don't miss all-new episodes of Buried in the Backyard airing Saturdays at 8/7c on Oxygen.

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