All articles tagged with #us news
A six-passenger aircraft crashed in the Town of Dellona, Wisconsin, on Tuesday night, killing all six people on board, including one child. The incident occurred near Park Lane and Lake Delton, prompting a joint investigation by the FAA and NTSB.
The federal trial of former Massachusetts police officer Matthew Farwell has entered its testimony phase, with the jury reviewing graphic crime scene photos of Sandra Birchmore. Prosecutors allege Farwell strangled the 23-year-old in 2021 to cover up a years-long sexual relationship that began when she was a minor. Defense attorneys maintain Birchmore died by suicide after Farwell ended their affair. Key witnesses testified that Birchmore was excited about her pregnancy, contradicting the initial suicide ruling, while surveillance footage shows Farwell entering her apartment the night she died.
Newly released audio from the night of Christa Pike's failed execution reveals that 911 dispatchers initially treated emergency calls as a prank. Pike, who survived two lethal doses of pentobarbital at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution on Sept. 30, faced a 30-minute delay in receiving medical aid due to verification code issues. While Pike has since returned to prison, legal experts debate whether a second execution attempt would violate double jeopardy protections, and her attorneys are preparing for a protracted legal battle.
Jury selection began Tuesday in Buffalo for the federal trial of Payton Gendron, who faces the death penalty for the 2022 Tops Friendly Market shooting that killed 10 Black people. Gendron, already serving life in state prison, has pleaded not guilty to 27 federal charges, though his defense team does not dispute his guilt. The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.
Retired San Francisco Police Department Deputy Chief Ann Mannix, her 24-year-old daughter, and her husband, retired Sergeant Kevin Mannix, were found dead at their home in Mill Valley, California, on Sunday. Investigators classify the incident as a suspected double-murder suicide, with no motive yet determined. Ann Mannix was a pioneering officer who served for 35 years and was the first woman to lead the department's SWAT team.
Duane 'Keffe D' Davis, a former gang leader, was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. The case, which remained unsolved for decades, was resolved through Davis's own admissions in interviews and a memoir. Davis plans to appeal the verdict.
James Robertson, 63, was executed by lethal injection in Florida on Tuesday, less than two weeks after a botched attempt in Tennessee. Robertson, who admitted killing his cellmate to secure a death sentence, was pronounced dead at 12:32 p.m. at Florida State Prison. This was Florida’s 17th execution of 2026 under Gov. Ron DeSantis, who recently withdrew a warrant for another inmate due to health concerns.
Bryan Seaver, the late singer's nephew and former security chief, filed an affidavit denying allegations of violent threats. He claims the disputed messages were private communications regarding a $251,000 unpaid invoice. A hearing to determine if the temporary restraining order becomes permanent is scheduled for October 20.
Actress Selma Blair pleaded not guilty to two state assault charges following a violent incident on a Delta flight to New York. Her lawyers argued she suffered a medical emergency due to missed medication and exhaustion, but the judge rejected their plea for leniency based on her celebrity status. Blair was released on $20,000 bail and faces potential federal charges.
The University of Maryland (UMD) indefinitely suspended its club tennis team after members circulated a tournament program containing racist imagery targeting Black and African American people. The graphic, which included symbols associated with the Ku Klux Klan, was shared via email with other university teams ahead of a fall tournament in College Park. UMD Recreation and Wellness discovered the content on Saturday and immediately suspended the entire team, not just the individuals who sent the emails, pending an investigation by the Office of Student Conduct. The team forfeited its matches, and student leaders issued apologies to rival teams. The incident has been referred to the UMD Police Department, and Howard University’s team has demanded formal accountability and sensitivity training.
Christa Pike’s survival of a lethal injection in Tennessee has triggered a crisis in capital punishment, exposing the method’s procedural failures and ethical contradictions. While the state paused executions and its prison commissioner resigned, legal battles over a potential second attempt and a proposed public firing squad have intensified national debate.
James Robertson, 63, is scheduled for execution by lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Tuesday, nearly 18 years after strangling his cellmate, Frank Hart, in 2008. Robertson admitted to the killing, stating he did it to be moved to death row rather than serve a life sentence. He waived all appeals and is set to die via a three-drug injection. This execution follows a rare reprieve for another inmate, William Lee Thompson, whose death warrant Governor Ron DeSantis withdrew last week. Robertson’s case highlights ongoing debates about the death penalty’s deterrent effect, with opponents arguing that the existence of capital punishment may incentivize such crimes.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a comprehensive review of NYPD use-of-force policies, the first in ten years, alongside new accountability measures. The move follows the 2024 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Win Rozario and a scandal where an involved officer retired to avoid a disciplinary trial. While the administration added funding for oversight, critics argue the reforms fall short of campaign promises to disband specific units, and police unions condemned the initiative as biased.
Miguel Parra-Hernandez, a 48-year-old man in Houston, requires additional reconstructive surgery after being struck by an unmarked ICE vehicle during a pursuit on Saturday. While ICE states he ran in front of the vehicle, his advocates argue he fled because the car lacked sirens and markings. Parra, who has lived in the U.S. for 34 years, remains in ICE custody despite having no criminal record.
US actress Selma Blair was arrested on Sunday at John F. Kennedy International Airport after allegedly assaulting two flight attendants on a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles. The 54-year-old was taken into custody and hospitalized, with officials citing injuries to crew members. Her representatives described the incident as a medical emergency, while the FBI is investigating the assault within federal jurisdiction.