All articles tagged with #grand jury
Federal prosecutors admitted misconduct in the grand jury proceedings in the Operation Midway Blitz case against Broadview protesters, prompting U.S. District Judge April Perry to drop all charges against four defendants and pause the trial, with sanctions for misconduct to be considered later; two other defendants had charges dropped earlier in March as the case shifted from felony conspiracy to misdemeanor.
Federal prosecutors dropped all remaining charges against four Broadview Six protesters indicted in October for demonstrating outside a Chicago-area immigration detention center, after revelations of redacted grand jury transcripts that Judge April Perry called improper. The case, tied to Operation Midway Blitz, had seen conspiracy charges dropped earlier and the four now faced only misdemeanor counts of impeding a federal officer, which were dismissed with prejudice. The decision marks a setback for the government and underscores First Amendment protections for protest; sanctions discussions for the U.S. attorney’s office were also raised by the judge.
Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges against four activists who protested outside a Broadview federal facility during last year’s immigration crackdown after revelations of grand jury misconduct by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including a prosecutor meeting with a juror outside proceedings. The charges—including a felony conspiracy count and misdemeanor counts for impeding a federal agent—were dismissed with prejudice and won’t be refiled, with defense lawyers arguing the case violated First Amendment rights and highlighted prosecutorial overreach in politically charged crackdown cases.
Federal prosecutors dropped all charges against the remaining Broadview Six protesters outside the Broadview ICE facility after revelations of significant grand jury misconduct, with the case dismissed without prejudice and potential sanctions and legal-fee remedies anticipated by the defense.
A New Jersey judge denied defense requests to dismiss charges against Sean Higgins in the fatal Gaudreau brothers crash, ruling that the BAC evidence (0.087%) was properly presented to the grand jury despite defense complaints about blood handling and testing methods. Higgins faces two counts each of reckless vehicular homicide, aggravated manslaughter, evidence tampering, and leaving the scene for the August 2024 crash that killed NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew. The judge did not dismiss the indictment; the next pretrial date is June 16, with potential exposure up to 70 years in prison if convicted.
Facing a Monday deadline, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro appears to abandon plans to appeal Judge Boasberg’s ruling in her criminal probe of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and will instead file a motion to vacate, signaling a strategic shift away from demanding Fed documents on cost overruns as she weighs next steps and awaits Inspector General Horowitz’s report.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Comey indictment isn’t about the Instagram seashell photo alone but a broader body of evidence gathered over about 11 months and presented to a grand jury; prosecutors say more evidence exists but can’t be disclosed, and the full case will be revealed at a public trial, while critics question the focus on the “86 47” seashells and related rhetoric.
A federal grand jury indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of making a threat against President Donald Trump and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, tied to a seashell photo he posted last year.
An 11-count indictment accuses the Southern Poverty Law Center of wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering tied to paid confidential sources who provided information on right-wing extremist groups; SPLC says federal officials were aware of the informants and argues the case seeks to criminalize routine investigative tools, filing motions for grand jury disclosures and to counter prejudicial public statements, with the DOJ ordered to respond by May 5 amid political reaction.
Friends of USF doctoral students Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon, both from Bangladesh, describe them as family away from home as authorities charge Limon’s roommate Hisham Abugharbieh with first-degree murder. Limon’s remains were found and additional remains were identified later; a grand jury will decide whether to pursue the death penalty. The Bangladeshi and Muslim student communities are rallying to support the victims’ families and coordinate appropriate rites at the university.
Los Angeles prosecutors charged alt-pop singer d4vd with first-degree murder, mutilation of human remains, and continuous sexual abuse of a minor in connection with 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death. Investigators say the months-long delay stemmed from severely decomposed remains, complex digital and forensic evidence, and a secret grand jury process. The defense pleads not guilty, while analysts caution that the severity of the charges and required witnesses justified a careful, thorough investigation.
Los Angeles police arrested 21-year-old David Burke, known as D4vd, on suspicion of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez after her dismembered remains were found in a Tesla registered to Burke; he is held without bail as detectives prepare to present the case to prosecutors, with a prior grand-jury probe and autopsy findings not yet released to the public.
Former Trump campaign lawyer Joseph diGenova was named counselor to the attorney general to lead the DOJ inquiry into potential crimes by Trump foes, with a Fort Pierce grand jury overseen by Judge Aileen Cannon; he will split time between Miami and Fort Pierce, a setup that could shape upcoming indictments in the Trump-related investigations.
LA authorities arrested 21-year-old singer d4vd on suspicion of killing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez; her body was found in the trunk of a Tesla registered to him at a tow yard, and he’s being held without bail as prosecutors say a grand jury is weighing charges. No indictment has been filed yet, and prosecutors will decide whether to charge him as the investigation continues, amid months of links between the teen and the artist and renewed scrutiny following the arrest.
The Justice Department has requested records from the House Intelligence Committee on former CIA Director John Brennan. The committee voted to forward several classified Brennan hearing transcripts to DOJ at the department’s request, signaling ongoing scrutiny tied to the Trump-era Russia inquiry. Brennan’s lawyers have said prosecutors indicated he is a target of a grand jury investigation related to a 2017 intelligence assessment, while Republican lawmakers argue the move serves accountability in investigations.