Former Philadelphia police officer Mark Dial has been charged with murder and aggravated assault in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry last month. District Attorney Larry Krasner released body camera footage of the incident, which showed Dial and his partner pulling up in a police vehicle next to Irizarry before Dial fatally shot him. Krasner said the investigation was conducted with "the utmost seriousness and care" and that he will continue to seek justice for Irizarry and his family.
Posts published in “US”
Justice Alito Responds to Criticism from Senate Democrats Over Interview with Right-Wing Commentator
Justice Alito Responds to Criticism from Senate Democrats Over Interview with Right-Wing Commentator
Justice Samuel Alito of the Supreme Court issued a statement on Friday in response to criticism from Senate Democrats over his decision to grant two interviews to a right-wing commentator and attorney with a case before the court. Alito argued that the critics fail to understand “the circumstances under which Supreme Court Justices must work” and that the interview he gave violated no ethical standards. This statement is a reminder of the ongoing debate over ethical standards for Supreme Court Justices, as the court has yet to adopt an official ethics code.
Joseph Ruddy, a federal narcotics prosecutor from Tampa, Florida, was recently arrested and charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage. Body-worn camera footage showed Ruddy attempting to leverage his position to blunt the fallout from the crash, and he was waiting with his U.S. Justice Department business card in hand. The incident has caused a stir in the Tampa community and the consequences for Ruddy are still unclear.
House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is attempting to launch an investigation into the Fulton County District Attorney's office responsible for indicting former President Donald Trump on charges of racketeering. In response, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis sent a nine-page letter to Jordan, telling him to stay in his lane. Jordan had asked for documents related to Willis' investigation into allegations of election interference, but the media largely covered the story as an earnest investigation. It remains to be seen if Jordan's investigation will have any tangible results.
A federal appeals court has temporarily paused a lower court's ruling that would have required Texas to remove its controversial floating river barriers from the Rio Grande. The barriers, which are intended to deter migrants from crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, were installed by the state of Texas and will remain in place for the time being. The Justice Department had argued that the barrier was a violation of the U.S. Constitution and the International Boundary and Water Commission Treaty of 1970, while Texas argued that the barrier was necessary to protect the state from illegal immigration. The appeals court's decision is only temporary, and the case will continue to be litigated in the courts.
The U.S.-Mexico border wall constructed during former President Donald Trump's administration has caused significant damage and destruction to the environment and cultural sites, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. The report outlines the environmental and cultural impacts of the wall, including desecration of Indigenous cultural sites, disruption of wildlife, destruction of vegetation, and erosion of mountain slopes. The report calls for the U.S. government to assess the impacts, develop a plan to address them, and provide resources to help Indigenous communities restore and protect their cultural sites.
Reza "Ray" Baluchi, a Florida ultra-marathoner and peace activist, was arrested last week by the U.S. Coast Guard after attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a homemade "human-powered hamster wheel". Baluchi had refused to get off the vessel and had threatened to harm himself or the crew when the Coast Guard attempted to board the vessel. This is reportedly the fourth time Baluchi has attempted to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a homemade vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard said they take "all maritime threats seriously" and will use all available resources to ensure the safety of life at sea.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has accused House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of attempting to obstruct the prosecution of the racketeering case against former President Donald Trump. In a letter sent Thursday, Willis argued that Jordan's requests for information were an "unjustified and illegal intrusion" into a state criminal matter. Jordan has yet to respond to Willis' letter, leaving it unclear if he will continue to pursue his investigation or heed her warning.