Five men were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to six years for their involvement in the theft of 21 pieces of jewelry containing over 4,300 diamonds from the Green Vault Museum in Dresden, Germany. The theft is one of the largest art heists in recent history, and the investigation is ongoing.
Posts published in “Crime”
The Supreme Court has rejected Alabama's bid to execute death row inmate Kenneth Smith by lethal injection, leaving in place a lower court ruling that his preference for lethal gas is a viable alternative method. This marks the first time an inmate has been allowed to choose an execution method other than lethal injection, as the state has authorized nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled for Smith in November, allowing him to choose nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative to lethal injection.
Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City and attorney for former President Donald Trump, is facing a $10 million lawsuit from a former employee for alleged sexual assault, failure to pay wages, and offering pardons for $2 million. The lawsuit includes phrases such as "This conversation was recorded" which could be a problem for Giuliani, and mentions three potential federal crimes. Giuliani has denied all of the allegations.
At least six people have been killed in a devastating fire that ripped through a hostel in Wellington, New Zealand overnight, with 11 people still unaccounted for. Firefighters responded to the blaze at Loafers Lodge hostel late Monday night, forcing 52 people to flee the four-story building. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed that the number of fatalities is likely to rise, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
13-year-old Ella Reed from Fort Pierce, Florida, bravely fought off a shark attack in the waters off the coast, leaving her with 19 stitches and bites on her torso, arm, finger and knee. After the shark latched onto her stomach, she fought it off with her arm and yelled for her nearby friend to head for safety. Reed is now grateful for the support of her family and friends and is looking forward to getting back in the water.
On Monday, a shooting in Farmington, New Mexico left four people dead, including a suspect who was "confronted and killed on scene", and two police officers wounded. Schools citywide were put on lockdown in response, and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham thanked police for their quick response. The incident is a reminder of the dangers of gun violence and the need for increased gun control measures.
Attorney General William Barr has granted special counsel status to John Durham, the prosecutor he appointed to investigate the origins of the Russia investigation. Durham's report concluded that the Justice Department and FBI had "failed to uphold their important mission of strict fidelity to the law" in their investigation, though much of the information disclosed in the report had already been made public. This special counsel status gives Durham the authority to complete his work without being easily fired, and his report is likely to be the last major report from the Trump-era Justice Department.
On Monday morning, two staff members at Rep. Gerry Connolly’s (D-VA) district office in Fairfax were attacked by a person armed with a baseball bat. The suspect is now in police custody and both members of Connolly’s team were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Connolly praised his staff as “the best team in Congress” and the Fairfax Police Department is currently investigating the incident.