Seven fourth-grade students at Central Elementary School in Amherst County, Virginia experienced a reaction after eating gummy bears from a bag that tested positive for fentanyl. Five of the students were taken to the hospital for medical attention, and two people have been arrested in connection with the incident. The Amherst County Sheriff's Office is urging parents to be aware of what their children are bringing to school and to talk to them about the dangers of consuming unknown substances.
Posts published in “Crime”
Michael Manual Jackson-Bolanos, a 28-year-old Detroit man, has been charged with the murder of Detroit synagogue president Samantha Woll. Chief James White of the Detroit Police Department said that Jackson-Bolanos was taken into custody on Sunday and there is no evidence to suggest that the murder was a hate crime. Woll was found dead in her home in October due to a fatal stabbing and Jackson-Bolanos is currently being held in custody and is awaiting trial.
A federal judge has halted proceedings in the criminal case against former President Donald Trump, who is facing charges related to the 2020 election, while his appeal arguing presidential immunity is heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. All pending deadlines and court dates in the case have been put on pause, but not vacated, and if jurisdiction is returned to the judge, she will consider whether to retain or continue the dates of any still-future deadlines and proceedings, including the trial scheduled for March 4, 2024. The appeals court is expected to hear arguments in the case in the coming weeks, with the outcome of the case having major implications for Trump and the future of presidential immunity.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from Joseph Fischer, who is charged with offenses related to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Fischer is seeking to dismiss a charge accusing him of obstructing an official proceeding, which could have major implications for the criminal prosecution of former President Donald Trump. The justices will consider the breadth of the federal obstruction law and the outcome of the case could have major implications for the future of the obstruction statute and the prosecution of those charged in connection with the Jan. 6 assault.
Current and former inmates in Alabama are suing the state and private companies for allegedly profiting from a "modern-day form of slavery" in the form of prison labor. The lawsuit claims that inmates are forced to work for little or no pay in inhumane conditions, and seeks to abolish the state's "captive labor source" and award damages to prisoners. The lawsuit comes at a time when the Alabama Department of Corrections is already facing scrutiny for its treatment of inmates, and highlights the need for reform in the prison system.
Three Washington state police officers are on trial for the 2020 death of a Black man, with defense lawyers arguing that his death was due to drug use and not excessive force. The officers are accused of choking, shocking, and holding him facedown, and Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards has called for them to be fired. A verdict is expected soon, with the officers facing up to life in prison if convicted.
The Sarasota County School Board in Florida voted to recommend the resignation of one of its members, Bridget Ziegler, due to her husband's involvement in rape and sexual battery allegations. The resolution passed on a 4-1 vote with Ziegler in opposition, and some board members expressed interest in sending a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis asking for her removal. The resolution is nonbinding, but it is a strong statement from the board, and it remains to be seen if Ziegler will step down.
Charles Adelson was sentenced to life in prison for the 2014 murder of his former brother-in-law, Daniel Markel, after being found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation. Evidence of wiretaps and secretly recorded conversations implicated Adelson in the crime, and the judge also sentenced him to 30 consecutive years on the lesser counts. Adelson maintained his innocence during the sentencing, and the case has highlighted the tragedy of Markel's two children being left without a father.