Key takeaways: The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has determined that there is insufficient evidence to charge actor Armie Hammer with a crime in…
Posts published in “Crime”
House Oversight Chair James Comer and Sen. Chuck Grassley have subpoenaed the FBI for a FD-1023 form that they claim contains information about an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden. FBI Director Christopher Wray has offered to allow them to view the document at FBI headquarters, but Comer and Grassley are pushing for the document to be in their office. The FBI has declined to provide the document, prompting Comer to move forward with a vote to hold Wray in criminal contempt of Congress.
Alex Murdaugh, a former attorney, was arraigned Wednesday on federal money laundering and wire fraud charges for allegedly stealing money from his clients. He pleaded not guilty, but his lawyer said that might change soon. State prosecutors have also indicted Murdaugh on similar charges, and his lawyers have said he has been cooperating with federal investigators. The case is ongoing and it is unclear what the outcome will be.
Danny Masterson, best known for his role in the sitcom “That ’70s Show”, has been found guilty of two counts of rape in a Los Angeles retrial. After more than six days of deliberation, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the third count. The Church of Scientology played a central role in the trial, with Masterson's wife, actor and model Bijou Phillips, present in court and weeping as he was led away. He faces up to 30 years in prison and will be sentenced at a later date.
On Wednesday morning, a boiler explosion at the Oak Grove Power Plant in Franklin, Texas resulted in the death of one contractor. There was no fire and no danger to the public, and the cause of the explosion is under investigation. The plant is still in operation and generating power, and Luminant, the plant's owner, has not released any further details about the incident.
The body of Dr. John Forsyth, a Missouri emergency room doctor, has been found in northwest Arkansas after he had been missing for more than a week. His family is devastated by the news and asking for privacy as they grieve. The cause of death is unknown, but the Cassville community is mourning the loss of a well-respected doctor who had worked at Mercy Hospital for over a decade.
Dr. Morris Wortman, a New York fertility doctor accused of using his own sperm to impregnate patients without their knowledge or consent, died in a plane crash on Sunday. The aircraft, identified as a Wittman W-5 Buttercup, crashed in a pasture in Orleans County and the cause of the crash is still under investigation. The lawsuit filed against Dr. Wortman is still ongoing and it is unclear how his death will affect the case.
A federal appeals court has approved a deal granting immunity to the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, from civil claims related to the opioid crisis. The plan will see Purdue Pharma become a new company, Knoa, with profits going to a fund to prevent and treat addiction. The family will contribute $5.5-$6 billion in cash over time, or around half of their collective fortune. This settlement is the latest development in the opioid crisis, and is hoped to help fund much-needed addiction programs.