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.

Read More

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.

Read more at OK!

Get OK!'s biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now .

FOLLOW OK! ON WHATSAPP HERE : Stay across all the latest in celebrity, entertainment, and pop culture via our WhatsApp channel . No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.

Read More

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.

Read More

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 .

Read More

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 .

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

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.

MENENDEZ BROTHERS COUNT ON NEW TRIAL AS BACKUP IF PAROLE APPLICATION FAILS

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.

MENENDEZ BROTHERS SCORE CRUCIAL LEGAL VICTORY IN DECADES-LONG FIGHT AS THEY AWAIT POTENTIAL FREEDOM

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.

EXPERT WARNS IDAHO MURDERER'S PLEA DEAL STRATEGY IS A DANGEROUS CALCULATED 'LONG GAME'

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."

SCOTT PETERSON'S 'STRONGEST ARGUMENT' FOR MURDER CONVICTION APPEAL IS A LONG SHOT: CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER

"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."

GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

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

Read More

"‘TikTok Cult’ Pastor's L.A. Home Searched After Sex Trafficking Warrant Served

( KTLA ) - Federal and local law enforcement served a search warrant for alleged sex trafficking on Friday morning at a Los Angeles home owned by a controversial pastor and subject of the Netflix docuseries "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult."

El Monte Police Department officials confirmed to Nexstar's KTLA that authorities served the search warrant around 6 a.m. at a home located in the city's Tujunga neighborhood.

Death investigator saves life of a person wrongly believed to be dead in Knoxville

In addition to allegations of sex trafficking, the warrant was also issued for alleged tax evasion, mail fraud, money laundering and COVID-19 pandemic-related accusations, which were not specified by law enforcement.

KTLA's Sky5 helicopter was overhead around 6:45 a.m., when FBI personnel were seen investigating the large residence and speaking with people at the scene, including possible victims or witnesses.

At least six people were seen detained with handcuffs, including an older woman who, unlike the other detainees on the ground, was sitting in a chair with her legs under a blanket. Another woman was seen sitting on an outdoor couch, wiping her eyes while holding a child wrapped in a blanket on her lap.

Police did not immediately say whether anyone was arrested during the execution of this warrant.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

A property records search for the home listed under six current owners, including Robert Shinn, the subject of Netflix's "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult." A source involved in the series confirmed to KTLA that the property involved in this search warrant was the same property at the center of the series.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Shinn, founder and pastor of Shekinah Church, also founded a company called 7M Films in 2021 "to help social media stars and TikTok dancers find jobs in L.A."

The 2024 miniseries examines the story, lawsuits, and abusive cult allegations surrounding the Shekinah Church and 7M Films. The media focus was largely brought forth by two different sets of sisters who worked with Shinn: influencers Melanie Wilking and Miranda Derrick (formerly Wilking), and Melanie and Priscylla Lee.

A summary from 2024 Time article described the series as revealing "claims from multiple former 7M members about how Shinn abused and manipulated them and created a cult-like environment." No sexual assault charges were brought against him.

Although Shinn did not personally respond to the Netflix series, the L.A. Times noted that his company, 7M, responded through an Instagram post calling the docuseries a "slanderous work of fiction, born from a failed extortion attempt." The post concluded by saying, "We will continue to pursue all legal remedies available to stop the spread of salacious lies and expect to be fully vindicated in court."

SpaceX launch spotted over Kodak

According to CNN , Shinn filed a defamation lawsuit against several former church members, claiming they made "false statements" referring to his organization as a cult, and that they launched a campaign to "cancel" him. The defendants then filed a cross-complaint with other former church members against Shinn, his wife and others, alleging "fraud, forced labor and human trafficking."

In addition, the L.A. Times reported that this countersuit against Shinn alleges "brainwashing, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, manipulation and exploitation."

The case was scheduled to go to trial on July 7 in Los Angeles, however, the defendants' attorney group has since confirmed to KTLA that the trial is now set to begin on October 27.

"Regarding the search warrant, we are gratified that the federal government is investigating Robert Shinn and look forward to our clients and his victims receiving the justice they deserve," stated a partner with Brown Neri Smith & Khan, LLP.

Authorities did not state any connections between Friday's search warrant operation and the docuseries controversy.

Nidia Becerra , Alexis Lewis, Alberto Mendez and Jennifer Thang contributed to this report.

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 WATE 6 On Your Side.

Read More

Day in court: Man accused of threatening a girl to have sex with him pleads guilty to a lesser charge

The wheels of justice turn daily in Laredo's district courts, where felony charges — some years old, others newly filed — move through the system. Here's a look at some of the cases that were recently on the docket.

Ruben Enrique Garza

Charges: Attempted sexual assault of a child , a second-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.

Date filed: October 18, 2023.

Latest information: On July 9, in the 406th District Court presided over by Judge Monica Z. Notzon, Ruben Enrique Garza pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of attempted sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony with a prison sentence ranging from 2-20 years, instead of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony that could carry a sentence of 25-99 years. He waived his right to a jury trial, and the court ordered a pre-sentence investigation report. Sentencing is scheduled for September 30.

Background

Garza was served with arrest warrants on October 13, 2023, charging him with two counts of sexual assault of a child, both second degree felonies, for threatening a girl into having sex with him, saying that something would happen to her parents if she did not want to meet with him, according to Laredo police.

The case dates back to April 24, 2023. At about 2:54 p.m., officers responded to a sexual offense in the 10600 block of Patron Loop. A woman stated that her daughter cried out about being raped about three years ago, according to an arrest affidavit.

Her father had discovered sexual text messages on her phone between her and a male later identified as Garza, according to police.

The girl said that about three years ago, her friend added a guy who went by the name of Ruben on Snapchat.

Ruben was later determined to be Garza. Her friend told her to sneak out of the house to meet up with Garza. She stated that Garza picked them up around the corner of her house and took them to North Central Park.

Two weeks later, her friend contacted her again and told her that Garza wants to meet up with her but does not want to go alone. She decided to go with her friend. Garza picked them up around the corner and took them to the park.

When the girl was dropped off, Garza was supposed to take her friend home. She did not hear from her friend. Days later, the friend called the girl, saying that Garza had raped her that night but did not want anyone to know, states the affidavit.

Later on, Garza added the girl on Snapchat and asked her to hang out. The girl did not want to meet Garza. She was scared of his actions if she did not meet him. Garza threatened her by saying he would tell her parents that she had sneaked out to meet him at the park, according to court documents.

Garza told her that nothing was going to happen and that they were going to watch movies. When they were watching a show, Garza "began to get touchy." She would push his hands away, but he kept trying to put his hands down her shorts. He then sexually assaulted her, the affidavit states.

After the incident, he dropped her off where he had picked her up. She stated she blocked him, but he continues to find a way to communicate with her through social media, authorities said.

"(The girl) states she continued to see him up to two weeks ago due to fear for her parent's safety because he told her if she stops seeing him, something would happen to her parents. She stated through these years she has been seeing him, she has had intercourse with him," states the affidavit.

Ricardo Contreras

Charges: Aggravated sexual assault of a child (6 counts), first-degree felonies, punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison.

Indecency with a child through sexual contact, second-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.

Date filed: September 25, 2024.

Latest info: On July 10, in the 341st District Court before Associate Judge Joe Maldonado, the defense presented a counteroffer and requested additional time to negotiate. The court signed an order for expert-witness disclosure, requiring documentation 20 days before trial. Final pretrial is scheduled for September 16 and jury selection is set for October 20.

Alexander Lopez

Charges: Murder, a first-degree felony, punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison.

Date filed: May 10, 2023.

Latest info: On July 10, in the 341st District Court with Associate Judge Joe Maldonado presiding, a Spanish-speaking psychologist completed an evaluation of Alexander Lopez, with the report still pending. The defense requested a September trial date to allow time for the report. The court scheduled the next final pretrial for August 12, with jury selection reset for September 22.

Karla Marelyn Perez

Charges: Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon , a second-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison; criminal mischief between $2,500 and $30,000, a state jail felony, punishable by 180 days to 2 years in a state jail facility.

Date filed: July 25, 2024.

Latest info: On July 10, in the 341st District Court with Associate Judge Joe Maldonado presiding, Perez appeared for a final pretrial setting. The defense cited a companion immigration case and requested additional time. The state objected, referencing Perez's prior immigration issues. The court scheduled the next plea setting for August 12 and final pretrial for September 16, with jury selection slated for October 20.

Arnulfo Alvarez

Charges: Aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison; interference with an emergency call, a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a fine not exceeding $4,000.

Date filed: April 2, 2025.

Latest info: On July 10, in the 341st District Court with Associate Judge Joe Maldonado presiding, Arnulfo Alvarez entered a plea of not guilty, waived the reading of the indictment, and requested pretrial settings. The court scheduled the next pretrial hearing for September 16, with a final pretrial set for January 20 and jury selection scheduled for February 9.

Manuel Belisario Ortiz

Charges: Injury to a child, elderly, or disabled individual with intent to cause bodily injury (2 counts), both third-degree felonies, each punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison.

Date filed: April 2, 2025.

Latest information: On July 10, in the 341st District Court with Associate Judge Joe Maldonado presiding, Ortiz entered a plea of not guilty, waived the reading of the indictment, and requested pretrial settings. An informal pretrial was held on July 17, with the next pretrial hearing scheduled for September 16, followed by a final pretrial on November 13 and jury selection set for December 15.

Cesar Atzael Marquez

Charges: Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.

Date filed: April 9, 2025.

Latest information: On July 10, in the 341st District Court, with Associate Judge Joe Maldonado presiding, Marquez pleaded not guilty, waived the reading of the indictment, and requested pretrial arrangements. An informal pretrial was scheduled but later canceled. The next pretrial is set for September 16, followed by another on November 13, a final pretrial on January 20, and jury selection on February 9.

Francisco Jesus Cardenas

Charges: Aggravated assault against a security officer (4 counts), each a first-degree felony, punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison.

Date filed: April 9, 2925.

Latest info: On July 10, in the 341st District Court with Associate Judge Joe Maldonado presiding, Cardenas appeared via Zoom and pleaded not guilty. He waived the reading of the indictment and requested pretrial settings. Although an informal pretrial was scheduled for July 17, it was later canceled. The next pretrial is set for September 16, followed by another on November 13, a final pretrial on January 20, and jury selection on February 9.

Lorenzo Rafael Cortez III

Charges: Aggravated robbery , a first-degree felony, punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison.

Date filed: July 24, 2024.

Latest info: On July 10, in the 341st District Court with Associate Judge Joe Maldonado presiding, Cortez appeared in custody and the court granted a defense motion for continuance. A final pretrial is now scheduled for September 16, with jury selection set for October 20.

Rogelio Rivera

Charges: Robbery, a second-degree felony, punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.

Date filed: April 9, 2025.

Latest info: On July 10, in the 341st District Court with Associate Judge Joe Maldonado presiding, Rivera appeared in custody and pleaded not guilty. He waived the reading of the indictment and requested pretrial dates. Although an informal pretrial was scheduled for July 17, it was canceled. The next pretrial is scheduled for September 16, followed by one on November 13, a final pretrial on January 20, and jury selection on February 9.

Read More

"Doomsday mom" Lori Vallow Daybell sentenced to 2 more life sentences

July 25 (UPI) -- Lori Vallow Daybell, known as the Doomsday Mom, was on Friday sentenced to two more life sentences for conspiring with her brother to kill her fourth husband and her niece's former husband in Arizona.

The terms are life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years to be served consecutively.

Daybell, 51, is already serving several life sentences after being convicted in 2023 of murdering two of her children in 2019 in Idaho with Chad Daybell, and conspiring to commit murder in the death of Tammy Daybell, the former wife of Chad Daybell, who later married Lori Daybell.

On April 22, the jury in Maricopa County Superior Court found her guilty Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder on July 11, 2019. Charles Vallow, her husband of 13 years, was executed.

On June 12, she was convicted of plotting to kill Brandon Boudreaux, the former husband of her niece, in a targeted shooting on Oct. 2, 2019, that failed.

She did not testify in either trial.

I want everyone to know that I mourn with all of you," Daybell said. "I am sorry for your pain. Losing those close to you is painful, and I acknowledge all of the pain, and I do empathize, I feel it too. If I was accountable for these crimes I would acknowledge it.

She claims she did not get a fair trial.

Judge Justin Beresky, who presided over both trials in Phoenix, denied it.

"You have not victimized just a single victim but many. You've shattered lives. You've undermined trust," Beresky said before the sentences. "In the face of such profound damage, a long prison sentence is not merely a punishment, it is a necessary affirmation that our society values justice, protection and the sanctity of human life."

During the sentencing hearing, family members of Vallow Daybell's victims testified for more than one hour. That included her only surviving child, Coly Ryab, who described when he found out his father was shot and killed, and then her two siblings were murdered.

"I had to do something I've never done, and that was fight to stay alive after the pain," Ryan said in court .

Vallow Daybell, who represented herself in court, has maintained that her brother, Alex Cox — who died from a pulmonary embolism before he could be charged — killed her estranged husband in self-defense at her home in Chandler.

Prosecutors, however, argued that Vallow Daybell wanted her then-husband of 13 years dead so she could claim a $1 million life insurance policy on him and marry Chad Daybell, which she did months after Charles Vallow was killed.

A family tragedy does not involve the intentional killing of a person," said Maricopa County Prosecuting Attorney Treena Kay before sentencing. "A family tragedy does not involve working with an accomplice to commit first-degree premeditated murder. And a family tragedy does not involve conspiring with others to kill.

They met at a religious conference in Utah.

In the case involving her children, prosecutors argued that she and Chad Daybell thought the children were possessed zombies and they were murdered so they could be together.

Also, she was convicted of stealing Social Security benefits for their care after they went missing.

In the two instances in Arizona, prosecutors said she also invoked the "twisted" religious beliefs. They thought he was possessed by an evil spirit referred to as "Ned."

In the second case, Boudreaux called 911 saying that someone driving by in a Jeep shot at his vehicle outside his home in Gilbert, missing his head by inches.

Prosecutors said Boudreaux lived in fear because he would "return to finish the job." Cox died in December 2019.

Joshua "J.J. Vallow was 7 and Tylee Rose, 16. Their remains were found on property owned by Chad Dayball in June 2020.

Chad Daybell, a Mormon author of apocalyptic fiction and cult leader, was sentenced to death on June 1, 2024, by an Idaho jury.

Read More

Emilie Kiser's Husband Brady Will Not Be Charged with Felony Child Abuse in Son's Drowning, Despite Police Recommendation

Brady was home at the time of his 3-year-old son Trigg's fatal drowning accident.

Emilie Kiser's husband Brady will not face child abuse charges. in the death of their 3-year-old son, Trigg .

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office announced the decision in a statement on Friday, July 25, and said that there is "no likelihood of conviction" against Brady.

Every case submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is evaluated using the same standard: whether there is a 'reasonable likelihood of conviction,' " the MCAO continued in part. "After careful review of the evidence submitted by Chandler PD, it was determined this case does not meet that standard. MCAO’s review of the case involved the attorneys assigned to it, along with highly experienced senior attorneys and the County Attorney herself.

We are grateful to law enforcement and the county attorney for conducting a thorough investigation and confirming that this was a tragic accident," says Flynn Carey, Kiser's attorney, in a statement shared with newsrealtime. "Brady remains in the midst of the grieving process and is thankful to be with his family as they heal together. We appreciate the compassion and support shown during this difficult time.

On May 18, a spokesperson for the Chandler Police Department (CPD) confirmed to newsrealtime that Trigg died six days after He was hospitalized due to a drowning accident. In the Kisers' backyard. Authorities responded to a drowning call on May 12. The toddler died on May 18, according to the statement.

On Tuesday, July 15, Chandler police announced that their investigation into Trigg's death was completed. The department shared an update to X , which also detailed investigators' recommendation that Brady be tried for a class 4 felony charge of child abuse .

The referral came nearly two months after AZ Central reported that Brady told the police he was at home with Trigg and their newborn son, Theodore, when the older child fell into the pool. Emilie was out with friends at the time of the tragedy, Brady stated.

He said he lost sight of Trigg for three to five minutes; upon returning to their yard, he discovered the toddler floating in the pool, according to CPD search warrant applications.

Emilie - who has 1.7 million Instagram followers - filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, May 27, in Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa County to keep records about Trigg's death from public view, according to court documents .

https://newsrealtimeapp.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf

The filing stated that the City of Chandler and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office have received over 100 requests for access to public records related to the incident.

On June 3, the Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa County ruled in the influencer's favor on a separate motion, she filed to keep her personal declaration private. The court order granted Kiser temporary confidentiality on both her declaration and her larger request for privacy while the court reviews evidence to make a final ruling.

A source told newsrealtime exclusively that Kiser's personal declaration "reflects an intensely personal account of her grief and trauma, submitted to help the court understand her perspective — not for public consumption."

Read the original article on newsrealtime

Read More

Travis Decker seen on police dashcam footage from car accident 3 days before allegedly killing his daughters: report

Fugitive dad Travis Decker was filmed on a police dashboard camera just three days before he allegedly killed his three young daughters, according to a report.

Decker, 32, crashed into a car at a red light in Wenatchee, Washington, on May 27, and begged the motorist he crashed into "not to call the police," local King 5 reported.

The nearly 20-minute dash cam video showed Decker leaning against his pickup truck and staring at the responding officer as he completed the police report.

The unidentified motorist told the outlet that Decker, a homeless Army veteran, "looked almost intimidating to me" when he told the soon-to-be fugitive that he had called the police.

STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST NEWS BY SUBSCRIBING TO MORNING REPORT NEWSLETTER

"I could tell he was not in his full senses," the driver added, noting that Decker asked odd questions during the accident report.

Police said Decker was also involved in a traffic accident on May 4, in which the accused killer rear-ended a Honda CRV and fled.

The driver of the Honda followed Decker's truck and provided his license plate number to the police, according to the report.

The May 27 encounter with Decker ended with a visibly uncomfortable nine-second-long handshake during which the motorist attempted to wrestle his hand away from the fugitive dad.

Decker reportedly repeatedly asked the man if he was "going to be OK" during that awkward exchange, the report stated.

The other driver was shocked when he recognized Decker's face three days later, plastered across the news.

"I had to stop what I was doing and sit down," he told King 5.

On May 30, Decker is alleged to have zip-tied plastic bags over the heads of his daughters Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, suffocating them to death just hours after picking them up for a scheduled visitation, according to authorities.

The girls' bodies were found on June 2 — bound at the wrists and necks with zip ties near Rock Island Campground not far from Decker's abandoned truck.

"I truly hope that the legacy of the girls' lives lives on in everyone's heart forever," said grieving mom Whitney Decker at an event held on their behalf last month.

"They were incredible," she added through tears.

Authorities are still searching for Decker — and are not certain that the accused fiend is still breathing.

"At this time, there is no certain evidence that Decker remains alive or in this area," said the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office in a statement last month.

"Seemingly strong early leads gave way to less convincing proofs over the last two weeks of searching. Still, we can't and won't quit this search; Paityn, Evelyn, and Olivia Decker deserve justice. And Decker remains a danger to the public as long as he's at large," the statement said.

US Marshals called off the hunt in Idaho after a false-alarm sighting in Sawtooth National Forest - where a man who looked like Decker was reportedly "exhibiting odd behavior" on an ATV trail on the Fourth of July weekend.

Read More

Survivors' lawyers say Illinois has one of the worst records in the nation on sex abuse in juvenile detention.

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois has one of the nation's worst problems with Child sexual abuse at juvenile detention centers, attorneys representing more than 900 survivors who have filed lawsuits said Wednesday.

Dozens of complaints, including several filed this week in Chicago, allege decades of systemic abuse of children by employees of detention facilities. Similar lawsuits have emerged in states including Pennsylvania , New Jersey , Maryland But Illinois stands out for the large number of cases that started piling up last year and the weak response from state leaders, according to attorneys.

"The scale and the magnitude and the severity of these cases are some of the worst we've seen all over the United States," said Jerome Block, an attorney who has filed lawsuits nationwide, at a news conference.

The latest Illinois complaints, filed on Tuesday, involve 107 people who experienced abuse as children at 10 centers across the state. Some have since closed. The lawsuits allege abuse from the mid-1990s to 2018, including rape, forced masturbation and beatings by chaplains, counselors, officers and kitchen supervisors.

The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they consent to being identified or decide to tell their stories publicly, as some who have filed lawsuits have done. Most plaintiffs are identified by initials in the lawsuits.

Survivor Kate-Lynn, who appeared at a Chicago press conference, said she only felt comfortable speaking publicly using her first name. The Illinois woman, now 26, said she was held in solitary confinement at a suburban Chicago facility for a year when she was 14. She said she was sexually and physically abused by at least five staff members who came into her cell and stripped her naked.

As she spoke, a fellow survivor who also planned to speak became overwhelmed with emotion and left the room. He did not return.

Kate-Lynn said she has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.

Going to public places is very hard for me," she said, wiping tears at times. "I feel like I'm going to be attacked when dealing with authority figures.

The lawsuits, first filed in May 2024, and they are slowly making their way through the courts.

Two lawsuits against the state — representing 83 people — were filed in the Illinois Court of Claims and seek damages of roughly $2 million per plaintiff, the most allowed under law. Separate lawsuits representing 24 people held as children at a Chicago center, were filed in Cook County and seek more than $100,000 per plaintiff.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who represents the state, has tried to dismiss the cases in court.

Raoul, whose office has investigated Church sex abuse cases, officials declined to comment on Wednesday, as did officials with the Department of Juvenile Justice and Cook County. The lawsuits also name the state of Illinois and the Department of Corrections. Officials from the governor's office and Corrections did not return messages on Wednesday.

While the number of lawsuits grows, few cases have gone to trial or resulted in settlements .Arrests are infrequent .

Many alleged offenders are not named in the lawsuits, represented by initials or physical descriptions as the plaintiffs remembered them. There are several alleged repeat offenders, including a corrections officer who currently serves as a small-town Illinois mayor and was separately accused by 15 people. He has denied the allegations.

Attorneys have called for legislative hearings, outside monitors, victim input, and criminal charges by local authorities. Block has also harshly criticized Illinois leaders, including Raoul, saying there is a double standard for abuse victims in juvenile detention centers versus church abuse victims.

"When it's the state that perpetrated the abuse, when it's state employees that perpetrated the abuse rather than Catholic priests, the attorney general doesn't want to support the survivors," he said.

Horrific accounts are detailed in the hundreds of pages of complaints. Many plaintiffs said their abusers threatened them with violence, solitary confinement and longer sentences if they reported the abuse. Others were given fast food, candy, cigarettes or the chance to play video games if they kept quiet.

Another survivor, a 40-year-old man from Texas identified in the lawsuit by the initials J.B. 2, said he was abused when he was 14 years old and staying at a facility in St. Charles, which is outside Chicago. He issued a statement through his attorneys.

I want to let my fellow survivors know that we are not alone in this," he wrote. "Speaking your truth, no matter how gruesome it is, can help to set you free from yourself and all the hurt that's been bottled up.

Read More

"Straight out of a drama": Valedictorian's mother caught breaking into school to steal exams

A teacher, who faces arrest on charges including unlawful entry into a school building during the exam period, leaves the Andong Branch of the Daegu District Court on July 14 after attending a pretrial detention hearing. [YONHAP]

A high school teacher and mother were arrested after breaking into a girls' school in Andong, North Gyeongsang, to steal exams — a scheme authorities believe had been running for years and ultimately led to the expulsion of the mother's daughter, who had been ranked first in her class.

Around 1:20 a.m. on July 4, a 31-year-old teacher entered the school by scanning her fingerprint at the entrance. With her was a 48-year-old woman whose daughter is a third-year student at the school. The two headed to the third-floor faculty office where final exams were stored. Although the teacher had left the school in February 2024, her fingerprint data remained active in the school's security system, allowing her to open the office door.

Related Article

• Police launch probe into leaking of U.S. college entrance exam answers

• Court orders state to compensate students for ringing bell early during college entrance exam

• 249 teachers caught illegally selling mock exam questions to private academies, auditors say

As they tried to steal the tests, the school's security alarm went off. They fled the scene but were arrested the next day. Authorities believe the teacher was able to enter because her fingerprint data remained in the school's security system.

The suspect currently teaches at another high school in Gyeonggi. Investigators suspect she deliberately targeted surplus printed copies of the exam, being familiar with the building.

Although she correctly entered the passcode, a system error likely triggered the alarm, according to the police. Without the malfunction, the pair might have succeeded in stealing the documents unnoticed.

Security camera footage shows the two entering and leaving the faculty office within a span of two to three minutes, according to the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education.

Investigators suspect the mother had been receiving test papers from the teacher in exchange for money over a two-year period.

She allegedly sent 2 million won ($1,440) during each exam period, totaling around 20 million won. The two first met in 2020 when the teacher taught the woman's older child.

When her daughter entered high school in 2023, the teacher served as her homeroom teacher. She is also accused of privately tutoring the student, an act prohibited by Korean law, which the police are also investigating.

The school's Academic Performance Committee decided on Monday to expel the student and invalidate all her previous test scores. The student had consistently ranked first in her class.

The Andong Branch of the Daegu District Court ordered on Tuesday that the teacher be detained. The mother was remanded the following day. Police also plan to question the daughter on suspicion of obstructing business.

A sign at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul [YONHAP]

The school confirmed that the teacher accessed the premises at least seven times after resigning in February last year, mostly during exam periods — raising suspicions that this was not her first offense.

The incident has sparked outrage among parents.

It's shocking to think that something like this, which feels straight out of a drama, happened in our community," said Kim Su-jeong, the mother of a middle school student. "There are rumors that the mother did this to get her daughter into medical school.

The school has continued to receive a wave of complaints from parents.

Police are investigating the pair on charges including unlawful entry into a special facility and obstruction of business. They are also reviewing the number and timing of past leaks and whether financial transactions occurred.

A school facilities manager in their 30s was also arrested and detained for allegedly allowing the break-in and later shortening or deleting security footage.

The Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education is examining whether there were broader issues in the school's grade management.

Once the police investigation concludes, the office plans to launch a formal audit and recommend disciplinary action for relevant staff to the school's foundation.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY KIM JUNG-SEOK [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]

Read More