All articles tagged with #police and courts
Three people, including the shooter, were killed in a shooting at Tucson's Venture-N gay bar. Police say they are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime; the victims were Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, and the suspect, Ousman Ceesay, died later. Authorities report no known active threat and say officers will increase presence around LGBTQ-friendly venues as the community plans vigils.
Opening statements begin in Las Vegas for Duane “Keffe D” Davis, charged with murder in Tupac Shakur’s 1996 killing; prosecutors say he orchestrated the drive-by and faces life if convicted, while Davis pleads not guilty. The revived case relies in part on his book and interviews, and the trial could span weeks with dozens of witnesses as Shakur’s family seeks accountability for the iconic rapper’s death.
A New Mexico court ruled Meta created a public nuisance harming children and ordered the company to pay $567 million into a teen mental health fund and implement five-year youth-safety measures on Facebook and Instagram, including monthly usage limits for teens, reduced notifications, tighter controls on adult-minor contact, safeguards for AI chatbots, and improved review of child sexual abuse reports; Meta said it will appeal.
Bryan Kohberger filed a handwritten petition from prison asking a court to withdraw his guilty plea to the four University of Idaho student murders, alleging his lawyers manipulated him with promises and threats; the plea deal spared him the death penalty in exchange for four consecutive life sentences, and Kohberger argues the plea was not entered knowingly or voluntarily. Idaho law requires manifest injustice to withdraw a plea, a high bar, and Kohberger’s team notes that a 2025 proceeding already established the plea was voluntary.
A Los Angeles judge will decide if there is enough evidence to move singer D4vd (David Burke) to trial on murder, continuous sexual abuse of a minor and unlawful mutilation charges related to the death and dismemberment of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 13-year-old with whom prosecutors say he had a relationship. Prosecutors showed body camera footage and DNA linking Burke to the crime; authorities found the dismembered body in the trunk of a Tesla registered to him. Burke, then 18, has pleaded not guilty; the four-day preliminary hearing will determine whether probable cause exists to proceed, with the death penalty decision still undecided by prosecutors.
Bricks and Minifigs, a Utah Lego reseller, and YouTuber Reckless Ben (Ben Schneider) have agreed to mediate their civil defamation dispute in Utah County after Schneider’s viral videos accused the company of stealing a Star Wars collection. The parties filed an agreement to pause a hearing on temporary orders and relax a prior posting ban, while outlining restraints against threats, stalking, trespass and doxxing; the court must still sign the new order, and Schneider says he intends to file a claim against Bricks and Minifigs as the case progresses. He has also faced criminal charges tied to his video series.
A Utah County attorney spokesman was found in civil contempt for discussing evidence in the Robinson case on national television in violation of a pretrial publicity order, but Judge Tony Graf rejected removing the death penalty as a possible sanction. The ruling expands jury screening to reduce bias, keeping the death penalty on the table if Robinson is convicted, while decisions on courtroom media access and further appeals continue.
Utah’s Fifth District Court Judge Jay Winward dismissed the rape charge against Parker Kingston, a former BYU football player, after denying prosecutors’ bid to push the July 6–10 jury trial back; the case was dismissed without prejudice, allowing it to be refiled. Kingston’s defense argued that further delay would harm his education and life, while the alleged victim’s family said the ruling jeopardizes justice and indicated charges would be refiled. The judge said there is no constitutional right to a delayed trial when a speedy-trial right exists, noting Kingston’s life disruption and that the presumption of innocence remains.
Michael Gledhill, the son of Handy's girlfriend, has been charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of actor James Handy in Los Angeles.
Viral videos escalate a $200,000 Star Wars Lego dispute involving YouTuber Reckless Ben, Bricks and Minifigs, and a former Oregon store owner. American Fork Police say they responded to calls and arrested Ben for stalking and targeted residential picketing; Bricks and Minifigs filed defamation and related lawsuits against Schneider, Mansell, and others amid ongoing civil conflicts. The company contends the collection was overvalued and much inventory was sold or stored, while a fundraiser for Mansell has surpassed $250,000. The matter continues in court, with a July 1 hearing noted in filings.
In Provo, a fourth‑district judge denied a bid to close Tyler Robinson’s capital‑murder preliminary hearing, keeping it public. Robinson’s defense is asking the Utah Supreme Court to review the use of cameras in the courtroom and to pause all proceedings while that appeal is considered. Judge Tony Graf also granted an evidentiary hearing on a contempt‑of‑court issue and will weigh whether hearsay evidence will be allowed at the preliminary hearing, potentially impacting the July 6‑10 session.
A federal judge in Washington blocked the enforcement of a law requiring priests to report child abuse disclosed in confession, citing First Amendment rights and religious freedom concerns, while allowing other mandatory reporting laws to stand.