Month: September 2020

The city of Louisville agreed to pay $12 million to the family of Breonna Taylor and reform police practices as part of a settlement announced Tuesday, months after Taylor’s slaying by police.

Taylor’s death sparked months of protests in Louisville and calls nationwide for the officers to be criminally charged. The state’s attorney general, Daniel Cameron, is investigating police actions in the March 13 fatal shooting. “I cannot begin to imagine Ms. Palmer’s pain, and I am deeply, deeply sorry for Breonna’s death,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer in announcing the terms of the lawsuit settlement.

“Please continue to say her name,” Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, declared at a news conference. “We must not lose focus on what the real job is, and with that being said, it’s time to move forward with the criminal charges, because she deserves that and much more,” Palmer said. “As significant as today is, it’s only the beginning of getting full justice for Breonna.”‘s death. Palmer’s lawsuit accuses three Louisville police officers of blindly firing into Taylor’s apartment the night of the raid, striking Taylor several times. 

Louisville to pay $12 million settlement over Breonna Taylor’s death in botched police raid

Via news.yahoo.com

The settlement appears to be one of the largest of its kind in the United States, where police…

09/15/2020 8:21 PM

 

Editorial credit: David Mucker / Shutterstock.com

The U.S. Justice Department has launched an internal inquiry into circumstances surrounding the decision to ease sentencing recommendations for President Donald Trump’s long-time friend Roger Stone. The review by the department’s inspector general comes after Aaron Zelinsky, a career prosecutor, told lawmakers during a congressional hearing in June that his office received “heavy pressure from the highest levels of the Department of Justice” to ease its sentencing recommendation for Stone, a political ally of the president.

Stone, 67, was convicted of obstruction, witness tampering and lying to Congress during its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. In July, Trump commuted Stone’s sentence and proclaimed that Stone had been targeted by “an illegal witch hunt.”

A spokeswoman for the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General said she can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation.

Justice Department internal watchdog is investigating Roger Stone’s sentencing, say sources

Via news.yahoo.com

Prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky told Congress the U.S. Attorney’s office in D.C. told him to recommend…

09/14/2020 4:21 PM

 

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Tropical Storm Sally strengthened Monday afternoon and was upgraded to a category 2 hurricane, making its way across the Gulf of Mexico toward Mississippi and Alabama with 100 mph sustained winds. Sally s forecast to make landfall late Tuesday or Wednesday and bring life-threatening storm surges, strong winds and flash floods to the Northern Gulf Coast.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey ordered the state’s beaches to close Monday afternoon in preparation for the storm. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Saturday. On Monday, the Hurricane Warning area included metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

Sally is not expected to bring as intense surges and winds as Hurricane Laura,  but storm surges levels could reach as high as 11 feet at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Sally will also bring heavy rain to parts of the Gulf Coast, the hurricane center said.

Hurricane Sally strengthens to Category 2 as it moves toward the US Gulf Coast

Via www.msn.com

Hurricane Sally formed Monday morning and appeared to shift east, placing Mississippi’s and…

09/14/2020 6:50 PM

 

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg announced on Sunday he is pleding at least $100 million to help Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the crucial state of Florida against President Donald Trump.

Bloomberg, whose net worth is estimated at more than $50 billion, spent about $1 billion on his own failed Democratic primary bid before dropping out and endorsing Biden. He vowed to “do whatever it takes to defeat Trump” and has contributed millions to help Democratic candidates in 2020. He transferred $18 million from his presidential campaign to the Democratic National Committee.

It has been nearly 100 years since a Republican won a presidential election without Florida.  A Biden victory there would hurt Trump’s path towards winning the Electoral College and would require the president to win states such as Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. 

Most polls found Biden with a strong lead in Florida through July, before dropping to less than half that by the end of August. Most of Bloomberg’s contribution will go toward television and digital advertising in the state where Republicans are outspending Democrats by about $8 million, according to The Associated Press. The ads will be in both English and Spanish as polls show Biden trailing Trump among Latino voters in the state. 

Michael Bloomberg pledges $100 million to help Biden in Florida

Via www.cbsnews.com

The $100 million injection of cash will be used to turn out voters for Biden in Florida, a…

09/13/2020 5:02 PM

 

Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

On Sunday, authorities announced a $100,000 reward in connection with the manhunt of a lone gunman responsible for shooting two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in an apparent ambush.The deputies were shot multiple times as they sat in their patrol vehicle in Compton. Surveillance video shows the suspect approach the patrol car, and open fire, then fleeing on foot. 

On Saturday night, both victims – identified as a 31-year-old female deputy and 24-year-old male deputy- underwent surgery. The female victim was shot in the jaw and arms and is listed in critical but stable condition, according to the senior sheriff’s officials. Her 24-year-old partner suffered gunshot wounds to his forehead, arms and a hand, but was alert, the official said.=

The gunman was only described as a dark-skinned male, between the age of 28-30, wearing dark clothing. The deputies were able to radio for help, and the department released surveillance video of the shooting via Twitter.  Anyone with information about the suspect or this crime was encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Anonymous tips can be left for L.A. Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477) to at http://lacrimestoppers.org.

$100,000 reward offered in ambush shooting of 2 LA sheriff’s deputies

Via abcnews.go.com

The deputies were fighting for their lives, according to police.

09/13/2020 5:08 PM

 

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