The U.S. Department of Justice has released a report finding that the Minneapolis Police Department has engaged in a pattern of unconstitutional and unlawful conduct, including excessive force and discrimination against Black and Native American people. The report calls for the City of Minneapolis to take immediate steps to address the issues and enter into a court-enforceable agreement to ensure that the MPD reforms its practices and policies. The findings of the report are a reminder that the fight for justice and equality is far from over.
Posts tagged as “the U.S. Department of Justice”
Ted Kaczynski, the infamous "Unabomber", was found unresponsive in his prison cell on Saturday morning and was transported to a local hospital. He had been serving a life sentence since 1998 and was transferred to a Federal Medical Facility in December 2021 due to poor health. News outlets have reported that he took his own life, though the U.S. Department of Justice has not officially released a cause or manner of death.
Joran van der Sloot, the prime suspect in the 2005 disappearance of American Natalee Holloway, has been transferred to the United States to face charges of extortion and wire fraud. He was taken from a Peruvian prison to the U.S. where he will face charges related to promises he allegedly made to Holloway's family. The U.S. Department of Justice has not yet released details of the charges, and it is unclear what information he may have provided about Holloway's disappearance.
Man Who Propped His Foot on Nancy Pelosi’s Desk During Capitol Riot Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Prison
Man Who Propped His Foot on Nancy Pelosi’s Desk During Capitol Riot Sentenced to 4.5 Years in Prison
Richard “Bigo” Barnett, who gained notoriety for propping his foot on a desk in Nancy Pelosi’s office during the Capitol insurrection, was sentenced to 54 months in prison on Wednesday. Judge Christopher Cooper noted that Barnett had “not shown any acceptance of responsibility” and ordered him to serve 4.5 years behind bars. Barnett’s sentence is the longest so far to any of the hundreds of people charged in connection with the Capitol riot, and the Justice Department is prioritizing cases involving violence, destruction of property and threats to law enforcement.
David Chou, 69, of Las Vegas, has been charged with 98 counts, including weapons and explosives charges and forcefully obstructing the free exercise of religion, in connection with the fatal shooting of one person and wounding of five others at a Southern California church luncheon in May 2022.
Joran van der Sloot, the suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway, will be temporarily extradited to the U.S. to face charges of extortion and wire fraud related to Holloway's mother. Van der Sloot is currently serving a 28-year sentence in Peru for the 2010 killing of a college student, and it is unclear how long he will remain in the U.S. or if he will be returned to Peru to serve out the remainder of his sentence.
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Dalaneo Martin by U.S. Park Police in D.C. on March 18th. The incident began with officers attempting to arrest Martin, which led to a physical altercation and the discharge of a firearm. The Martin family has called for the officers to be charged and the U.S. Attorney's Office has committed to conducting a thorough investigation and urged anyone with information to contact them.
Roberto Lugardo Moreno has been arrested in Texas after admitting to purchasing firearms for a Mexican drug cartel, one of which was linked to the kidnapping of four Americans in Matamoros, Mexico. Moreno has been charged with conspiring to illegally export a firearm and is currently awaiting trial. The U.S. government is working to strengthen border security and crack down on illegal firearms smuggling in order to combat gun trafficking between the U.S. and Mexico.