Alex Murdaugh is on trial for the cold-blooded murder of his wife and youngest son, with prosecutors alleging he used a shotgun and rifle to kill them at close range. State prosecutor Creighton Waters said Murdaugh called his wife twice after she had been killed while he was a third of a mile away, and described the injuries as horrific. The trial is expected to last several weeks, with the outcome still uncertain.
Posts published in “Crime”
In the last 44 hours, California has experienced three mass shootings, leaving 24 people dead and prompting Governor Gavin Newsom to call for action to address the gun violence epidemic. The suspect in the Half Moon Bay shooting, Zhao, is facing seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The Gun Violence Archive reports that there have been 40 mass shootings in the US so far in 2021, more than at this point in any year on record.
Two former Arkansas law enforcement officers have been charged with civil rights violations for using excessive force during the arrest of Randal Worcester, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media. The incident has sparked a national conversation about police brutality and the use of excessive force by law enforcement officers. The findings of the investigation have been given to a special prosecutor, and it is unclear what the outcome of the case will be.
On Saturday, 11 people were killed and nine injured in a mass shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio in Monterey Park, California. The gunman, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, was an elderly loner who had recently sold his property and had few close friends. A vigil was held at Monterey Park City Hall overnight for the victims, and the city's large Asian American community is standing together in the wake of the tragedy, searching for answers.
After spending more than 20 years in prison for a 1991 murder, kidnapping and sexual assault, Albert "Ian" Schweitzer was released on Tuesday after a Hawaii judge ordered his immediate release. His attorneys presented new evidence, including DNA testing of evidence collected from the crime scene, which showed that Schweitzer was not the perpetrator, as well as evidence that the victim had been seen with another man shortly before her death. Schweitzer's attorneys from the Innocence Project have argued that he was wrongfully convicted and have been fighting for his release for years. He is now reunited with his family and looking forward to starting a new life.
A federal jury in New York has convicted gynecologist Robert Hadden of sex trafficking charges, bringing a sense of justice to hundreds of former patients who were molested by the doctor during a decades-long career. Nine former patients testified about how he had sexually abused them during examinations, and the jury deliberated for less than a day before returning the verdict. Hadden now faces up to life in prison, and sentencing is scheduled for June 18.
Four people have been arrested in connection with the alleged rape of Madison Brooks, a Louisiana State University student, who was then fatally hit by a car. Kaivon Washington, 18, and an unnamed 17-year-old juvenile have been charged with third-degree rape, while two other suspects, Casen Carver, 18, and Everett Lee, 28, have been charged with principal to third-degree rape. The four suspects are currently being held in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and the investigation is ongoing.
On Monday afternoon, four people were killed in a workplace shooting in Half Moon Bay, California. The suspect, 66-year-old Chunli Zhao, was an employee of the business and had legal possession of a semi-automatic weapon. The motive for the shooting remains unknown, and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information to come forward. The Half Moon Bay community is in shock and mourning, and local officials are urging people to come together in this difficult time.