On Saturday evening, a woman in Minneapolis, Minnesota called 911 to report what she believed might be a sexual assault taking place in an alley close to her home. But when police arrived, an officer fatally shot her. Police have not explained what happened and the officers’ body cameras were turned off at the time. The woman, Justine Damond, was originally from Australia and lived in Minneapolis with her fiancé Don Damond.

Don Damond’s son, Zach, called Justine his best friend in a video posted on Facebook. He said that she called the police because she thought something bad was happening to someone else. “And then the next thing I know they take my best friend’s life,” he said. “I’m so done with all this violence. It’s so much bullsh*t. America sucks.”

Minneapolis Police said the shooting was not captured by the officers’ dashboard cameras and no one seems to know why the body cameras were turned off. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is investigating the incident, but the investigation is only in its early stages. On Monday night, the county medical examiner said that the cause of death was a gunshot to the abdomen.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the officer who shot Justine Damond is named Mohamed Noor. Three sources who spoke to the Star Tribune said that Justine Damond was outside in her pajamas talking to the officer in the driver’s seat of the police car, when Noor, who was sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly drew his weapon and shot her. No weapon was found at the scene.

Justine Damond planned to marry Don Damond next month. Her maiden name was Justine Ruszczyk, but she went as Justine Damond. She reportedly held dual citizenship in both the United States and Australia, as her father is a U.S. citizen.

On Sunday night, neighbors and others held a vigil at the scene of the shooting.

Vigil crowd swelled to 200 strong, all praying for Justine – the woman neighbors identified as who a MPD officer killed last night. @WCCO pic.twitter.com/uVOM61gRhD

— Jeff Wagner (@Jeff_Wagner4) July 16, 2017

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that it has been assisting Justine Damond’s family in Sydney and released a statement on behalf of her family members. “This is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened,” it said.

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges demanded answers from the police on Sunday. “As mayor of our city, a wife, and a grandmother, I am heartsick and deeply disturbed by what occurred last night,” she said. “There are still many questions about what took place, and while the investigation is still in its early stages, I am asking the BCA to release as much information, as quickly as they are able to.”

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Minneapolis Police Officer Killed an Australian Woman After She Called 911 appeared first on Law Street.

President Trump Under Investigation for Obstruction of Justice

Special counsel Robert Mueller is now reportedly investigating President Trump for obstruction of justice regarding former FBI Director James Comey’s investigation into Russia. Comey said in his Senate testimony last week that he told Trump three times earlier this year that he was not personally under investigation for the alleged Russia collusion. But Trump still fired Comey, and later said that he had “that Russia thing” on his mind when doing so.

Mueller will reportedly also look at other issues in the investigation, such as possible financial crimes. Some officials from the NSA will be interviewed as early as this week.

Reposting: Don’t rule out the possibility of Trump trying to remove Mueller. This is now more relevant: https://t.co/dBEXKZWDV4 https://t.co/tIim9xqQys

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) June 14, 2017

Spokespeople for Mueller declined to comment after the news broke, but Trump’s team was quick to denounce it, calling the FBI’s “leaking” of information about the president “outrageous, inexcusable and illegal.” However, it’s not clear why they thought the information came from the FBI, given that no source has been released. This morning at 4 a.m., Trump commented on Twitter and called it a “phony story.”

They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: June 15, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Update 2/23/2017: Despite earlier reports, Abu Izzadeen was not the attacker. Izzadeen is still in prison on unrelated matters. The identity of the attacker is still unknown. 

It’s unclear if it was the same car, but moments later, witnesses said a vehicle rammed the gates of Parliament. It was reported that the driver got out and stabbed a police officer. Witnesses said the officer was still moving when the assailant took off running, as other police officers shouted at him to stop. When he didn’t comply, several shots rang out and the attacker was killed.

Inside the building, the House of Commons was meeting; everyone was instructed to remain inside. Prime Minister Theresa May was quickly reported as unharmed. Witnesses outside described the situation as confused and panicked, with people running in all directions and officers giving contradictory orders.

Emergency services treat the injured outside Parliament in London.

Police are treating the Westminster attack as a “terrorist incident.” pic.twitter.com/XZ4Xioh8JK

— AJ+ (@ajplus) March 22, 2017

What made the incident even more haunting is that it occurred on the anniversary of the suicide bombings in Brussels that killed more than 30 people and injured at least 260. London has recently been spared from terror attacks–the last major attack in the city was the 2005 subway bombings that killed 52 people and injured more than 700. Now, London joins the list of European capitals that have recently been targets of terrorism. And there are similarities between some of the recent attacks–a vehicle was used as a weapon just like in France, Germany and Israel.

Eyewitnesses describe a chaotic scene after London terror attack: “I just can’t believe what I just saw.” https://t.co/EuQPjRFizI pic.twitter.com/SMzX6Gp9cf

— ABC News (@ABC) March 22, 2017

According to the Metropolitan Police in London, a “full counter terrorism investigation is already underway.” Police asked people to stay away from public areas in central London and to report any suspicious activities. Police also urged people to send in photos they took of the attacks. The head of counter terrorism, Mark Rowley, confirmed that four people are dead. “That includes the police officer that was protecting parliament and one man believed to be the attacker who was shot by a police firearms officer,” he said.

Four dead and at least 20 people injured in London terror attack, Metropolitan Police confirm pic.twitter.com/rXXqMU8Q36

— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 22, 2017

Some of the injured victims were a woman who either fell or jumped into the River Thames when the car crashed into the people on the bridge, and a group of visiting French students. Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood tried to revive the stabbed police officer outside of the parliament, but was unsuccessful. Lawmakers inside the House of Commons stayed on lockdown for two hours while police searched the whole building for any additional threats.

Andrew Bone was on a bus that was stopped on the bridge after the car had rammed into people and said, “I am of the generation who remembers I.R.A. bombs in London during The Troubles,” referring to the conflicts in Northern Ireland that lasted from 1968 to 1998. “We are not indifferent, but police have reacted with calm. I saw no panic.”

By Wednesday afternoon, police said the the attacker was Abu Izzadeen, who was born in London as Trevor Brooks. He was well known by authorities for his links to Islamic terrorism and had been to prison for funding, inciting, and praising terror acts. Reportedly he called for the killing of police officers and said he saw members of Parliament as infidels.

My thoughts are with the victims of the Westminster attack. Europe stands firm with the UK against terror and ready to help.

— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) March 22, 2017

World leaders expressed their solidarity with London on Twitter, although President Donald Trump has yet to make a statement. The NYPD increased security at some high-profile locations around New York City, like the British Consulate, United Nations Mission, and Grand Central Terminal.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post London Terror Attack: Four Dead After Assailant Drives into Crowd appeared first on Law Street.

Startling viral video footage of an off-duty LAPD cop firing his gun during an altercation with teens prompted about 300 outraged demonstrators to protest in the streets of Anaheim, California late Wednesday night.

What Happened?

The confrontation erupted Tuesday outside of the cop’s home. Cellphone footage captured the unnamed officer grabbing onto 13-year-old Christian Dorscht, as a group made up mostly of young boys wearing backpacks stood nearby.

A physical scuffle ensued as a few of the teens attempted to fight back, until the cop dragged the boy over a hedge before pulling out his weapon and firing it. No one was injured by the gunfire.

JUST IN: Hundreds protest in Anaheim after an off-duty LAPD cop grabbed a teenager and fired his weapon during a scuffle on his lawn. pic.twitter.com/ry6W56fkh1

— Fusion (@Fusion) February 23, 2017

The LAPD officer was not arrested, but the 13-year-old boy and another 15-year-old boy were taken into custody and later released. Some early reports said they have been charged, but the details are unclear at this point. Photographs of Christian taken after he was released show bruises on his wrists and other markings on his neck from the cop pulling and dragging him.

LAPD Launches Investigation

The cop is on administrative leave while the LAPD launches an internal investigation into the officer’s actions. The department is insisting that it “began over ongoing issues with juveniles walking across the officer’s property.”

Christian’s father, Johnny Dorscht, says the scuffle actually began after the cop began swearing at one of Christian’s female friends for walking on his yard.

“My son defended her and said, ‘don’t talk to a lady like that,’” Johnny told Fusion. “That’s when the cop got mad and confronted my son, and threw him on the floor. The cop was choking him out. He got away, the cop pulled him back, and that’s when the video started.”

In one part of the uncut video, Christian is heard pleading “stop grabbing me” and “I didn’t do anything to hurt you, all I said was respect a girl.” The cop responds, “You shouldn’t have said you were going to shoot me.” Christian protests, “I didn’t say that, I said I’m going to sue you,” as he’s dragged across the lawn.

It may be some time before the LAPD announces its findings, and whether or not the officer involved will be charged with a crime.

Protesters Take to the Streets

About 300 marchers began protesting late Wednesday night. They began in the west Anaheim neighborhood where the shooting took place, before moving into the streets.

Video of hundreds protesting in #Anaheim overnight after video of #LAPD off-duty officer’s altercation with teen surfaces. @WPTV pic.twitter.com/dJssQGUXJO

— Chris Stewart (@CStewartWPTV) February 23, 2017

Protesters kneel with their hands up, in front of the police formation on Palais and Euclid in Anaheim. pic.twitter.com/RAjhJKwarl

— Marcus Yam (@yamphoto) February 23, 2017

A young demonstrator in #Anaheim wraps an American flag around himself as police stand nearby #anaheimprotest pic.twitter.com/X3CBHcl3Ok

— Melissa Etehad اتحاد (@melissaetehad) February 23, 2017

Police reported several acts of vandalism, including broken windows and anti-police graffiti. Authorities arrested 24 people–10 men, eight women and six juveniles.

Social Media Reacts

Many people also posted about the incident on social media

Keep in mind this all started cuz an off-duty cop was ready to shoot children over walking in his yard. https://t.co/Efm3d4bssc

— X (@XLNB) February 23, 2017

Yet they ask why Blacks and Latinx don’t trust the system? They’re shown at an early age that police can’t be trusted. #Anaheim

— Nathan Mousa (@nathanmousa) February 23, 2017

When I’m feeling “threatened” I always hold a kid hostage, pull out my gun, & literally drag them back to my property like prey. #Anaheim

— NaijaKingCharles (@ChuckAkpan) February 23, 2017

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Protests Erupt in Anaheim After Off-Duty Cop Fires Gun in Altercation With Teens appeared first on Law Street.

At least five people were killed and at least eight were injured when a gunman opened fire inside the Fort Lauderdale International Airport in Florida on Friday afternoon, the Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed via Twitter.

Update: 5 ppl dead; 8 injured were taken to an area hospital.

— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) January 6, 2017

The office said it got the initial 911 call around 12:55 p.m., and around 2 p.m., it tweeted that a suspect was taken into custody. But even after that, closer to 3 p.m., additional shots were heard inside the airport and the search for more perpetrators was ongoing.

Active search: Unconfirmed reports of addt’l shots fired on airport property.

— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) January 6, 2017

Everyone evacuated off neighboring plane after reported shooting in baggage. We’re sitting on tarmac. Florida! pic.twitter.com/4h5kRTECso

— Stephen Falk (@stephenfalk) January 6, 2017

Photos and videos shared on social media showed injured people bleeding and general confusion about what was going on.

Shots fired at FLL airport. Guy is bleeding profusely. Supposedly others are shot on the lower level at Delta Term 2. pic.twitter.com/UcL73Y8yGx

— Maxwill Solutions (@MxWllSolutions) January 6, 2017

People started running across the tarmac as CNN tried to figure out what the current situation was.

JUST IN: Passengers at Fort Lauderdale airport seen running across the tarmac https://t.co/mSBYzuRvC5 https://t.co/UsnVix6kjc

— CNN (@CNN) January 6, 2017

Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer was there during the shooting and reported via Twitter that no one was let out of the airport.

All seems calm now but the police aren’t letting anyone out of the airport – at least not the area where I am.

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) January 6, 2017

Andrea Ruiz is the daughter of an airport worker and told Buzzfeed News that her mother didn’t know what was going on and it seemed like the situation was not safe yet. “SWAT and police ran into parking garage in front of Terminal 2. My mother and coworkers are back in office hiding. No one knows what is happening…something else has happened,” she said.

According to CNN, the FBI and ATF are at the scene. MSNBC reported that the shooter in custody had been identified as Esteban Santiago, a man born in 1990 with a U.S. military ID. It is unclear whether the ID is genuine.

Senator Bill Nelson on MSNBC right now. Says shooter has been identified as Esteban Santiago – carrying a military ID #FortLauderdale

— Stewart Moore (@Stewartmoore) January 6, 2017

Additional threat? After suspect arrested, police now running w weapons drawn & another terminal at Ft Lauderdale airport being evacuated.

— Lisa Fletcher (@lisa_fletch) January 6, 2017

As of Friday afternoon, the situation is still ongoing and the story is developing.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post At Least Five People Dead After Gunman Opens Fire at Fort Lauderdale Airport appeared first on Law Street.

When NFL player Joe McKnight was shot to death in an apparent case of road rage last Thursday, the suspect was not charged immediately, despite reportedly telling the police officers that he was the shooter. The incident caused an uproar; many drew parallels between McKnight’s shooter–a white man–and the numerous instances of white police officers or individuals killing black people. On Tuesday, almost a week later, Sheriff Newell Normand announced that he had charged Ronald Gasser with with manslaughter. He also defended the delayed arrest, explaining that the police wanted to wait until they found reliable witnesses before moving forward.

Sheriff Normand held a news conference on Tuesday in Louisiana to explain the circumstances of Gasser’s arrest. Gasser is a 54-year-old white man who had an altercation with McKnight on a bridge while they were both driving. The two men kept racing each other and shouting, driving into a New Orleans suburb, until they both came to a stop. McKnight allegedly exited his car and walked up to Gasser, who took out his gun and shot the 28-year-old football player three times. He confessed immediately when police arrived at the scene, but initially told officers that he feared for his life and that the shooting was an act of self defense. Gasser was taken into custody but released after hours of questioning.

the craziest thing about the mcknight case is it’s being treated as if the outcome should be in any sort of doubt.

— El Flaco (@bomani_jones) December 6, 2016

When he announced the arrest at the news conference on Tuesday, Sheriff Normand seemed agitated and defensive, slamming his fists on the podium repeatedly and emphasizing that the department had done nothing wrong. “This isn’t about race. Not a single witness has said… a single racial slur was uttered,” he said. Despite the lack of racial slurs, the incident could have easily been about race. But at this point, the evidence does point to a case of plain road rage.

Says they didn’t charge Gasser Thursday night bc not enough evidence & he was cooperating without atty. Got consent to search Gasser’s home.

— T.J. Quinn (@TJQuinnESPN) December 6, 2016

The sheriff read aloud some of the racist and foul-mouthed verbal attacks that he, other officers, and lawmakers have received on social media and via email for not dealing with the case fast enough. He read a few out loud that were offensive enough that MSNBC cut away from the live broadcast and apologized for the language. The sheriff said that had they made an arrest right away, witnesses might have been hesitant to come forward. They’ve now found 250 possible witnesses based on license plates placed in the surrounding area.

Gasser’s temperament is certainly at issue–he had a similar fight with another man ten years ago at the exact same intersection. In 2006, he was driving a truck, when a fellow motorist called a number printed on the side of the truck to say that the driver was driving erratically. The number actually went to Gasser’s phone. The two men got into a fight over the phone and Gasser followed the man to a gas station where he confronted him and beat him up. The only consequence for Gasser was a misdemeanor summons that was later dismissed.

McKnight played three seasons for the New York Jets and one for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Jets held a moment of silence in his honor on Monday night before playing a game in New York.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Man Who Allegedly Killed NFL Player Joe McKnight Charged with Manslaughter appeared first on Law Street.

A weeklong manhunt came to a close Sunday night after an Oklahoma fugitive ended his killing spree in a final act of violence–a shootout with police officers that left him dead.

What Happened

Michael Vance, 38, faced accusations of shooting two Wellston police officers and killing his aunt and uncle inside their Oklahoma home. Vance’s rampage unfolded on October 23 and he posted two Facebook Live videos while on the run.

Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel indicated that the “rage killings” were linked to a pending sexual assault case. Vance had been scheduled to appear in court on November 7 to face felony child sex abuse charges after a 15-year-old girl accused him of sexual assault.

According to emergency officials in Lincoln County, Vance’s crime spree started after a disturbance call. The two responding officers were shot and wounded–Vance managed to flee the scene in a stolen patrol car.

Documenting the events, Vance posted a video to Facebook.

“This is more intense than I thought it would be, to say the least,” he said. “This truck is about dead … I’m about to steal another car. Like right now.”

Investigators believe Vance then shot a woman while trying to steal a Lincoln Town Car.

Authorities later spotted the car in Luther, just northeast of Oklahoma City. There, police found the bodies of Robert and Valerie Kay Wilkson, who were Vance’s aunt and uncle. Both showed signs of attempted dismemberment.

The manhunt continued as Oklahoma Highway Patrol warned that Vance had a “medical condition and may try to spread disease,” specifically “a communicable disease that can be transmitted by blood.”

PLEASE RT!#WANTED!ARMED AND DANGEROUS!Michael D Vance Jr pic.twitter.com/yZOSA67I38

— KS Missing&Unsolved (@KansasMissing) October 24, 2016

The Final Hours

Sunday night, around 9:30 PM, Vance shot and wounded Dewey County Sheriff Clay Sander after Sander stopped a flatbed truck to warn the driver about a chain dragging behind it, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesman Jessica Brown said in a statement.

The sheriff was injured in an ensuing exchange of gunfire and Vance got away, triggering a 20-25-minute car chase.

Vance faced his demise in a second shootout with Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers–ending  an intense statewide manhunt for an accused killer and child abuser.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol Chief Ricky Adams later tweeted: “The manhunt is over.”

The manhunt is over. pic.twitter.com/pw8Zoy4Uqk

— Ricky Adams (@OHP_CHIEF) October 31, 2016

Bryan White

Bryan is an editorial intern at Law Street Media from Stratford, NJ. He is a sophomore at American University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism. When he is not reading up on the news, you can find him curled up with an iced chai and a good book. Contact Bryan at BWhite@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Oklahoma Manhunt Concludes with Final Shootout appeared first on Law Street.

San Francisco police are currently looking for four male suspects involved in the shooting of four students outside of the June Jordan School for Equity.

Three of the victims–all teenage males–are said to have been treated for non-life threatening injuries, while a 15-year-old female remains in critical condition with an upper-body gunshot wound at San Francisco General Hospital.

#SFPD investigating shots fired @ Brazil & La Grande. 1 Confirmed victim. Shelter in place. SFPD searching for suspect. pic.twitter.com/8gYb9Vi3q7

— San Francisco Police (@SFPD) October 18, 2016

The shots rang out in the parking lot outside of the school shortly after the school let out at approximately 3:15 PM Tuesday, terrifying students. According to KRON 4, the police believe the teen girl who was shot may have been the intended target.

Four male suspects dressed in dark hoodies and dark jeans fled the scene of the shooting, but it is unclear if a getaway car was used. SFUSD Interim Superintendent Myong Leigh said the suspects were not students.

“Our understanding at this time is that a small group of outsiders unaffiliated with the school came to campus around the time of school dismissal, targeting a particular student for reasons that are presently unclear,” the superintendent wrote in a statement released Wednesday. “Sadly, four students were injured during the incident.”

A manhunt is underway to locate the four suspects still at large.

Students at the school were extremely shaken and confused by the violence. Student Nia Gastinell told CNN that she had hidden with fellow classmates underneath desks, and was instructed by a school administrator to stay away from the windows.

You don’t know if somebody’s going to die the next day,” Gastinell said. “Or come back and shoot again into our school.”

Some students responded Wednesday to the violence with messages written in chalk in the parking lot where the shooting took place.

Students at June Jordan school for equity write messages in parking lot. 4 students shot. San Francisco @kron4news pic.twitter.com/75HzYtaMXR

— Will Tran (@KRON4WTran) October 19, 2016

Classes resumed Wednesday at June Jordan with added support available for students and staff.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Suspects on the Loose After San Francisco Shooting That Injured Four appeared first on Law Street.

Over the weekend two police officers were shot and killed in Palm Springs, California. The suspect is 26-year-old John Felix who was taken into custody early Sunday morning after a standoff with police that lasted for several hours. The officers were responding to a disturbance call when the suspect allegedly started firing at the officers.

One of the officers killed was 63-year-old Jose Vega who had been in the force for 35 years and was two months away from retirement. The other was 27-year-old Lesley Zerebny who had just come back from maternity leave after giving birth to a daughter four months earlier. A third officer was injured but released from the hospital the same day.

According to a neighbor who spoke with the Associated Press, Felix’s father told her, “My son is inside and we’re scared, he’s acting crazy.” He added that they had called the police and that the son said he was going to shoot them. According to Police Chief Bryan Reyes, Felix refused to open the door for the officers and threatened to shoot through it. As they tried to speak to him he opened fire. More officers in tactical gear and an armored vehicle arrived and Felix barricaded himself inside the house. After a failed attempt to try to locate his exact position using robots, officers sent in a chemical agent that finally made him surrender. When he came out, he was wearing light body armor and carrying ammunition.

John Felix was a gang member who lived with his parents. He previously spent four years in prison for a gang-related murder attempt in 2009, for which he took a plea deal and admitted to assault with a firearm and connections to a gang. Felix was arrested three years ago at the same house as the one where the incident on Saturday occurred. He will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder as well as several additional felony counts.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a statement on Sunday:

Our nation’s heart is broken yet again by the appalling act of violence that claimed two brave law enforcement officers on Saturday. Officers Jose Gilbert Vega and Lesley Zerebny were at opposite ends of their careers, but they shared a steadfast devotion to the people they had sworn to serve.

According to AP, it had been 54 years since the last uniformed police officer killing in Palm Springs. Officer Vega was supposed to have the Saturday off but worked anyway. Officer Zerebny had returned early from maternity leave. It was just a matter of bad timing and bad luck that made the difference between life and death.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Father of Suspect in California Police Killings: He Wanted to Shoot the Police appeared first on Law Street.

Another mall shooting took place on Monday morning, this time in Houston, Texas. Nine people were wounded before police took the suspect down. Police officers initially responded to a 911 call at 6:30 a.m. after reports of a shooting victim close to a strip mall, but realized that the shooter was still active when they got there.

Officers soon tracked down and killed the gunman, who was firing shots at moving traffic from the parking lot of the mall. The nine wounded people, one in critical condition, initially believed to be six, were inside their own vehicles when they were injured. Police did not release the suspect’s identity, but did say that he is a lawyer, and “there were issues concerning his law firm.”

Active shooter at Weslayan & Bissonnet has been shot by our officers; no reports of other suspects at this time #hounews

— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) September 26, 2016

One witness, Eduardo Andrade, said he heard an explosion when he was driving by the scene of the attack:

As I was driving by Law Street I suddenly heard a big explosion. I covered myself, accelerated and tried to get out of there. I did not know if someone was following me or trying to shoot me.

It is unclear whether this had anything to do with terrorism. According to authorities, they were investigating the suspect’s car for possible bombs.

Houston gunman injures six at US mall before being shot https://t.co/aubyR3pVbM

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 26, 2016

The shooting in Houston comes only three days after a shooting at a mall in Burlington, Washington, which left five people dead. Police arrested that shooter, Arcan Cetin, who was reportedly found unarmed in a zombie-like state after a daylong search on Saturday evening. Cetin had a history of domestic abuse against his stepfather. His ex-girlfriend used to work at the store in which he opened fire. A judge had previously ordered him to not possess a firearm.

Cetin is expected to appear in court on Monday to be formally charged with five counts of first-degree murder. Authorities first described Cetin as being Hispanic, but later changed that to Turkish. No details have been released about the Houston shooter’s ethnicity.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Lawyer Wounds 9 in Houston Parking Lot Before Being Killed by Police appeared first on Law Street.

The movie theater chain Cinemark will no longer pursue the $700,000 in legal fees that four surviving victims of the shooting were to pay after they lost a lawsuit to the theater. Four years after the mass shooting at the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, this particular case is finally closed after the remaining plaintiffs reached a deal.

Attorneys for the theater chain on Tuesday said:

All plaintiffs in this matter have now waived appeal of the jury’s verdict and the case can now be deemed completely over. Defendants’ goal has always been to resolve this matter fully and completely without an award of costs of any kind to any party.

Surviving victims initially sued Cinemark for not having sufficient security at its theaters, hoping to raise the bar for other theaters across the country. They brought up the lack of security cameras, guards, and silent alarms on the emergency exit doors.

However, Cinemark’s lawyers concluded the theater could have done nothing to prevent the shooting and that the ultimate responsibility lay with the shooter. Cinemark was entitled to ask the plaintiffs to pay for its litigation costs, a bill that amounted to $699,187.13. But now they’ve reached an agreement, which means that any appeals will be dropped and Cinemark will not demand any legal fees from the victims.

The shooting in 2012 left 12 people dead and over 70 injured, including children and an unborn baby. The assailant James Holmes entered the movie theater during a screening of the Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises,” dressed in a long black coat, a gas mask, throat protector, and leggings. He carried an assault rifle, a shotgun, and two handguns and allegedly said something like “I am the Joker” before he started his shooting rampage. He also had dyed his hair shock orange.

Holmes’ mother spoke out about the event in May this year and urged people to be more open about mental health issues. She didn’t know her son suffered from schizophrenia until she was in court.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Cinemark Drops Claim of $700,000 in Legal Fees from Theater Shooting Survivors appeared first on Law Street.

An attempted robbery led to a fatal shooting in a Walmart parking lot in Kansas on Sunday, and one shopper’s initial reaction was to film a video with her cellphone and publish it on Facebook, calling the shooting “interesting.”

When Wendy Russell Macrorie came back out to the parking lot after buying lightbulbs, the shooting had just happened. In the video she is seen smiling and chewing gum while saying, “So this is interesting, I’m at Walmart, which I hate going to, and this is happening in front of my car.” She then filmed two men with gunshot wounds on the ground while medical professionals tended to them. She ended the video by saying, “Gross, gross, don’t come to Walmart.”

Mom Posts Bizarre Live Video Of ‘Interesting’ Fatal Shooting Outside Walmart https://t.co/hNlKvUQWhj pic.twitter.com/HilKQwVPH9

— Elite Daily (@EliteDaily) September 12, 2016

Her under-reaction to people being severely injured was criticized on Facebook and Twitter.

Between this video by #WendyRussellMacrorie and the Bs heckling #Solange I’m so upset. We need to do better #whitegirls #getittogether

— Amelia Merritt (@oneinamelia) September 12, 2016

The shooting happened around 1:30 PM on Sunday, according to KMBC. A woman was putting her infant in the car outside of Walmart when two men approached her and hit her in the head. A man got out of his car to help the woman but one of the robbers shot him multiple times. Then another man stepped out from his car, and shot one of the assailants. He was identified as John W. Simmons III.

On Tuesday the second suspect, named Arthur Fred Wyatt III, was arrested. He was released from the Kansas Department of Corrections in July after serving a sentence for a 2009 involuntary manslaughter conviction. The man who first tried to help the woman and was shot as a result was a 33-year-old Iraq war veteran who is still in critical condition. The woman that the men tried to rob has been released from the hospital.

Since the dramatic Kansas shooting, bizarrely, two more Walmart shootings have happened. On Tuesday, a non-fatal shooting occurred in St. Paul, Minnesota. Early Wednesday morning, a Walmart employee fatally shot a man who tried to rob him in Sunrise, Florida.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Woman Posts Bizarre Video From Fatal Kansas Walmart Shooting appeared first on Law Street.

Donald Trump’s reaction to the fatal shooting of NBA player Dwyane Wade’s cousin on Friday sparked heated condemnation from actor Don Cheadle and others on Twitter. Nykea Aldridge, 32, was shot and killed in Chicago while pushing her toddler in a stroller on her way to register her kids for school on Friday.

Two men fired shots at another man but accidentally hit Aldridge in the arm and the head. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Aldrige was a full-time mother of four: 12-year old Summer, 10-year-old Sincere, 8-year-old Shavae, and Da’Kota, the infant who was with her at the time of the shooting but was not injured.

Dwyane Wade announced his cousin’s death on Twitter, expressing grief and anger over the senseless gun violence that is plaguing Chicago:

My cousin was killed today in Chicago. Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough

— DWade (@DwyaneWade) August 27, 2016

On Saturday, Donald Trump tweeted three separate times about the incident. His first tweet misspelled Dwyane Wade’s name and was deleted. He later sent out the same tweet but corrected the spelling:

Dwyane Wade’s cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2016

Trump sought to use Aldridge’s death to underscore his recent claims about safety in black communities. But many were quick to denounce Trump’s response as inappropriate. Actor Don Cheadle responded forcefully:

You are truly a POS https://t.co/cyTwxgxwDh

— Don Cheadle (@DonCheadle) August 27, 2016

Cheadle quickly tweeted again, this time referencing Trump’s initial misspelling of Wade’s name.

Sorry. I misspelled “die in a grease fire.” https://t.co/16K2iq1pF4

— Don Cheadle (@DonCheadle) August 27, 2016

Hours later, Trump sent his condolences:

My condolences to Dwyane Wade and his family, on the loss of Nykea Aldridge. They are in my thoughts and prayers.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2016

Two brothers in their twenties were arrested for the fatal shooting and appeared in court on Monday. Both Darwin Sorrells Jr. and Derren Sorrells are convicted felons who were on parole at the time of the shooting. They are also both documented gang members.

The Sorrells were quickly arrested thanks to surveillance footage and help from the public, according to Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. At a news conference on Sunday he said:

This tragedy isn’t just noteworthy because Ms. Aldridge has a famous family member. Rather, it shows that the cycle of arrests, convictions and parole isn’t changing the behavior of those who repeatedly commit crimes.

He finished by saying, “They’re going to keep doing it until we show them we’re serious.”

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trump’s Response to Nykea Aldridge’s Death Sparks Fury from Don Cheadle appeared first on Law Street.

A standoff with the police ended in the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old woman in Baltimore on Monday. Now authorities say she tried to live stream the event to Facebook and Instagram as it was happening. Her 5-year-old son was shot in the arm and is being treated at hospital.

Three police officers arrived at the apartment of Korryn Gaines and her boyfriend Kareem Courtney on Monday to serve them warrants–Gaines for failing to appear in court over a traffic violation, and Courtney for an assault case. But when the officers entered the apartment, Gaines threatened them with a shotgun while holding her son, Baltimore police Chief Jim Johnson told CNN on Tuesday.

What Happened

According to Johnson, the police retreated to the hallway. During the standoff, Courtney left the apartment with a 1-year-old toddler and was arrested. After that, the standoff with Gaines continued for a couple of hours, as Gaines captured and streamed the exchange on Facebook. She then said she would kill the police officers unless they left. Gunfire erupted between both sides and Gaines was fatally shot. It is unclear why the police fired the first shots instead of backing off or waiting for backup.

The question is why there is no body camera footage from the cops, since police officers in Baltimore have been equipped with body cams since May.

The Background

According to NBC, Gaines was pulled over in March for having a piece of cardboard fixated on her license plate that read: “Any government official who compromises this pursuit to happiness and right to travel, will be held criminally responsible and fined, as this is a natural right to freedom.”

She failed to appear in court for the March incident, which is why police came to her home on Monday. However, it is also questionable why three police officers would be required for a non-violent intervention like this.

Supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement reacted strongly on social media.

Police had at least 10 non lethal options they could've used with #KorrynGaines.

Guess how many they used before shooting her?

ZERO.

— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) August 3, 2016

But critics have questioned why Gaines should be labeled a hero when she threatened police officers with a gun while having her 5-year-old by her side.

Black privilege: the ability to use a 5 year old as a human shield against the police and still be labeled a hero by CNN.#KorrynGaines

— Right Wing Raven (@KazeSkyz) August 3, 2016

For those of you who claim the police had no other choice, but to shoot. #KorrynGaines https://t.co/UAYuNICQoU

— Sharhonda Bossier (@BossierS) August 2, 2016

Police asked Facebook and Instagram to deactivate Gaines’s accounts during the standoff to facilitate the negotiating. Reportedly, her followers asked her to not comply with the officers. The Facebook video was removed, but the short videos she posted before that on her Instagram account are still online.

The spokeswoman for Baltimore County Police Elise Armacost told reporters that she didn’t think the shooting had anything to do with race.

“There was every attempt by the negotiators to calm her and encourage her to leave the apartment peacefully,” she said. “I think if the same situation evolved with a person of any race or ethnicity we would have the same outcome.”

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Police Standoff in Baltimore Kills Mother, Wounds 5-Year-Old Son appeared first on Law Street.

By now you’ve seen the video of a black man lying in the street with both hands firmly in the air pleading with police, “don’t shoot me!” The man is Charles Kinsey, a 47-year-old behavioral therapist from North Miami, Florida,  and he was shot in the leg by police while trying to help his autistic patient.

Police were responding to reports that a man was suicidal and had a gun. Cellphone footage captured Kinsey lying on the ground trying to explain to police that the man sitting next to him was autistic and was holding a toy car–not a gun. But it didn’t matter that his hands were in the air, or that he was lying on his back, or that he wasn’t even the individual suspected of having a gun–he was still shot.

Watch the Video Below

“As long as I’ve got my hands up, they’re not gonna shoot me, that’s what I’m thinking,” Kinsey told reporters. “Wow, was I wrong.”

Kinsey was shot Monday, but his attorney released the video filmed by witnesses to the public Wednesday afternoon. While the video does not show Kinsey being shot, it clearly shows him on the ground complying with police. Versions of the footage have been viewed collectively over a million times already on YouTube.

Kinsey has been released from the hospital and is expected to fully recover. Before leaving the hospital he told WSVN, a CNN affiliate, that he asked the officer for an explanation after the shooting. “I’m like, ‘Sir, why did you shoot me?'” Kinsey recalled. “He said to me, ‘I don’t know.'”

It appeared to the officers that the white male was trying to do harm to Mr. Kinsey. In fearing for Mr. Kinsey’s life, the officer discharged his firearm trying to save Mr. Kinsey’s life and he missed.

The shooting comes after the recent police shootings of Alton Sterling and Phillando Castile rocked the nation. After the video went viral Thursday, Twitter quickly exploded with people condemning the shooting.

“Sir, why did you shoot me?”
“I don’t know…”
is 400 years of American history wrapped into one conversation #CharlesKinsey

— AHill (@al3x_hill) July 21, 2016

Officer says he “thought” #CharlesKinsey was in danger. Doesn’t explain why he handcuffed him after he shot him.

— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) July 21, 2016

Until police officers are routinely held accountable for shooting unarmed civilians, especially of color, it won’t end. #CharlesKinsey

— Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) July 21, 2016

I’ve been thinking about this all morning.
“Sir, why did you shoot me?”
“I don’t know.”

This is insanity. #CharlesKinsey

— Johnetta Elzie (@Nettaaaaaaaa) July 21, 2016

Plot twist: Even if you surrender completely with both hands in the air lying down, you will still get shot by a cop. #CharlesKinsey

— NUFF$AID (@nuffsaidNY) July 21, 2016

So is this #CharlesKinsey silence the “he’s no angel” portion of the game? Where y’all check his 8th school reports & his driving records?

— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) July 21, 2016

Don’t swim. Don’t listen to loud music. Don’t walk home. Don’t ask for help. Don’t sell CDs. Don’t breathe. Don’t be black. #CharlesKinsey

— Black Magic Woman (@jananamirah) July 21, 2016

The unidentified officer, who is described as being a 30-year-old Hispanic, was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Kinsey’s attorney Hilton Napoleon II told CNN,

The reality is that he believed … that if you comply with the police and you lay on the ground with your hands up, and if you speak to them like my client was speaking to them, as Americans, we try to believe that that will not result in you getting shot.

[…]

Physically, he will recover, but mentally, he felt like he did everything he could possibly do and that wasn’t good enough.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Charles Kinsey’s Hands Were Up and He Was Still Shot By Police appeared first on Law Street.

It happened again–a cellphone video circulating on social media shows police shooting a black man at close range, only hours after Independence Day celebrations ebbed. Early Tuesday morning Alton Sterling, 37, was shot and killed when pinned to the ground by two police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

According to reports from Louisiana police an anonymous person called 911 and said that a man selling CDs outside the grocery store had threatened him with a gun. Police arrived at the scene, tasered Sterling and wrestled him to the ground.

The cellphone video shows how seconds later someone says, “He’s got a gun.” This led the officers to shoot Sterling even though he was already lying on the ground. It was later confirmed he was shot multiple times in the chest and the back, sparking outrage on social media and protests in Baton Rouge.

This is the video.

Executed in cold blood https://t.co/BWJVRQr1qU #AltonSterling

— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) July 6, 2016

A Man, a Father, a Husband, a Black Man, an American, shot while laying on his back. Tell me why Again? Heaven Help us All #AltonSterling

— LeVelle Moton (@LeVelleMoton) July 6, 2016

According to local media, residents who took to the streets accepted the fact that the same civil unrest and race-focused protests that have grown in other cities have now arrived in Baton Rouge. In Baton Rouge the African-American population is divided from the white, in many cases living in separate neighborhoods and under the poverty line.

Even though protesters stopped traffic and no police officers were in sight, the protests were largely non-violent and controlled.

The #AltonSterling aftermath pic.twitter.com/PPvSuiEtaz

— Avi (@RecklessAvi_) July 6, 2016

Alton Sterling was a father of three and sold his CDs in front of the convenience store. The owner Abdullah Muflahi told CNN that they had known each other for six years and that he never saw any argument between Sterling and someone else. He also never saw the gun-waving incident that allegedly was called in to 911.

“Pretty much everybody who knows him knows he’s a sweet person,” Sterling’s sister, Mignon Chambers, said to WVLA-TV.

Sterling’s family spoke at a press conference about the shooting:

This must stop. Enough!RT @CNN: "I want my daddy": #AltonSterling’s 15-year-old son in tears https://t.co/6PcxaxmfXC https://t.co/pP1CgsU3Mq

— Kristin Diable (@kristindiable) July 6, 2016

The shooting comes a little more than a week after the actor Jesse Williams gave a speech at the BET Awards on racism, and urged listeners to not accept police brutality. According to CNN, the police officers involved in Sterling’s death are now on administrative leave.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Police Shooting of Alton Sterling Sparks Protests in Baton Rouge appeared first on Law Street.

The murder of British politician and Member of Parliament Jo Cox, 41, shocked Britain on Thursday. Now police are investigating whether the assailant was a white supremacist, supporter of an anti-Islam right wing group Britain First, or just a mentally disturbed loner.

What happened?

Jo Cox of the British opposition Labour party was leaving a meeting with constituents in northern England on Thursday, when a man armed with what has been described as an antique or handmade gun and a knife attacked her. She later died in the hospital. The killing came as a shock in a country where attacks on politicians are very rare, and gun laws very strict. She leaves behind her husband and two small children.

Remembering Jo Cox https://t.co/Ww6WO5DpzW pic.twitter.com/bOsGyg6ucr

— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) June 17, 2016

Britain First

The suspect Thomas Mair, 52, was arrested a few blocks from the crime scene. Early witnesses reported hearing the assailant shout “Britain First” as he shot and repeatedly stabbed Cox. This is the name of a far right wing group that wants to ban Islam, stop immigration, abolish the human rights act, and advocates for Britain to leave the EU.

Jo Cox was an active advocate for Syrian immigrants, known for her passion for human rights and refugees, as well as her campaigning against Brexit. Britain First released a video denying all involvement with the attack.

JO COX SHOOTING: Britain First official statement – https://t.co/S7etYC2Mmh pic.twitter.com/s2UlWZgxiA

— Britain First (@BritainFirst) June 16, 2016

American White Supremacists

Now reports from the Southern Poverty Law Center, a US based organization that tracks hate groups, claim that Mair bought a book about how to make a homemade gun. He reportedly bought the manual online in 1999 from the American Neo-Nazi group National Alliance, and subscribed to the group’s magazine and an apartheid magazine from South Africa.

Mair also bought a copy of the Nazi handbook “Ich Kampfe,” which is a reference to the infamous “Mein Kampf” by Adolf Hitler and was handed out to new members of the Nazi Party in 1940’s Germany.

British Prime Minister David Cameron expressed his condolences on Twitter.

As a mark of respect for Jo Cox MP our flag is flying at half-mast over Number 10 today pic.twitter.com/vpiOEBXOKH

— UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) June 17, 2016

A Quiet Man

But neighbors and family describe Mair as a quiet gardener who’s never been in trouble. His half-brother told ITV News “he wouldn’t hurt a fly”. This raises questions of whether Mair was deeply mentally ill, and whether the attack could have prevented with proper mental care. Mair spoke to a local newspaper in 2011 about how his volunteer work for a county park helped him with mental issues:

I can honestly say it has done me more good than all the psychotherapy and medication in the world. Many people who suffer from mental illness are socially isolated and disconnected from society, feelings of worthlessness are also common mainly caused by long-term unemployment.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn paid a tribute to Cox on Friday.

Today I travelled to Birstall to pay tribute to Jo Cox along with her colleagues, friends & the community she servedhttps://t.co/rnBoaCFif0

— Jeremy Corbyn MP (@jeremycorbyn) June 17, 2016

Neighbor David Pickles also described Mair as a peaceful man who kept to himself.

He’s just quiet. He kept himself to himself. He lived by himself. He’s been on his own for about 20 years. I’ve never seen a lot of people visiting or anything like that, but he likes gardening. He did a lot of people’s gardens round here. But he did it quietly.

In the wake of the murder of Jo Cox, the campaigning for the referendum on Brexit is suspended, but the voting will take place as planned on June 23.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Suspect in Murder of British MP Jo Cox Had Ties With Neo-Nazis appeared first on Law Street.

Orlando gunman Omar Mateen’s wife feared he would do something drastic and violent when he left their home on Saturday night, but he assured her he was just going to meet his friends. Authorities are now investigating how much 30-year old Noor Zahi Salman actually knew about her husband’s plans to attack the gay nightclub Pulse. Whether she will face any criminal charges is still unclear.

Both “Scoped Out” Orlando Locations

According to recent reports, Mateen had his wife drive him to Pulse nightclub in Orlando earlier in June to “scope it out.” They lived two hours away, in Port St. Lucie. They also looked into other locations, such as Disney World and the shopping complex Disney Springs. Salman was also with Mateen when he bought ammunition and a holster. Investigators said it’s unclear whether she knew of his eventual intentions at the time, though an anonymous law enforcement source told Reuters that she did. She could face criminal charges as early as Wednesday.

Gay Pride, Ramadan, and Solidarity After Orlando… https://t.co/VX4UwUW2m1 pic.twitter.com/w9Bk3heK2H

— LGBT NYC (@lgbtnyc015) June 15, 2016

Responding to speculation over whether or not Mateen was secretly gay, his father Seddique Mateen said that his son’s marriage was good and that if he were gay his wife of three and a half years would have known about it. He also said that Mateen was really upset when he once saw two men kissing. However, regulars at Pulse nightclub said Mateen came there frequently to meet men.

Mateen was married twice, and his ex-wife described their five-month marriage in 2009 as violent and abusive, calling him bipolar and emotionally disturbed. He would beat her, pull her hair, and keep her from seeing her family. She also told TIME that he had some behaviors that “most straight men don’t”, such as spending a long time in front of the mirror and “little movements with his body.”

ISIS Twitter accounts hacked to show support for gay pride message https://t.co/m42lYrURSK pic.twitter.com/rig116zlHt

— Dennis Jansen (@dennisjansen) June 15, 2016

A Complicated Picture

The motive for the shootings is still unclear. Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS when he called 911 during the attack at Pulse, but according to authorities he was self-radicalized over the Internet and there are no signs of a connection to the organization. Opinions about his personal life differ, with his father calling him homophobic, and his ex-wife thought he wasn’t “totally straight.” Neighbors described him as a completely normal man, while gay men he met at Pulse said he was “strange.”

The mass shooting in Orlando is the largest in US history and killed 49 people and leaving 53 injured. Even though FBI investigated the shooter in 2013 and 2014, he was legally able to buy weapons and ammunition. He was killed after a three-hour standoff with police.

Read Law Street’s original post about the Pulse attack here.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Orlando Shooter’s Wife Knew About Attack, Could Face Charges appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to the RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through the top five controversial and crazy stories in the world of law and policy each day. So who is ranting and who is raving today? Check it out below:

Gay Blood Donors Barred From Giving To Orlando Shooting Victims

Today hundreds lined up at blood banks all over Orlando in support of the injured victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. Many do-gooders, however, will be turned away due to a ban the FDA has enforced on the gay community. Gay and bisexual men who have had sex with another man in the past 12 months are not permitted to give blood. This has outraged some in the community who simply want to support their LGBT “brothers and sisters” who were injured in the massacre. Sunday’s attack is said to be the worst mass shooting in American history, leaving forty-nine people dead and many grieving.

Blood banks in Orlando are overwhelmed by people queuing for hours. – but many gay man cannot donate blood.https://t.co/C1AA8BI61R

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 13, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: June 13, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

It was a very dark weekend for Orlando, Florida. On Friday night, singer Christina Grimmie was shot to death following her concert, after which the gunman took his own life. Police have now identified the man as Kevin James Loibl, 27, but his motives are still unknown.

Grimmie opened for the band Before You Exit at the Plaza Live in Orlando, and then spent some time meeting fans and writing autographs. That’s when Loibl seized his opportunity and shot her with a small handgun. Grimmie’s brother immediately rushed to tackle the shooter to the ground, which prevented more people from being harmed, said the Orlando police in a statement. Loibl then shot himself. Grimmie later died in the hospital from her injuries.

OPD can confirm 27 year old Kevin James Loibl, suspect who shot Christina Grimmie, is from St Petersburg, FL pic.twitter.com/iN6RUi3VRx

— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) June 11, 2016

Why Loibl shot Grimmie is still a mystery and the police have been searching his computer and phone to try and determine whether they knew each other, or if he had any other reason to want her dead. What we do know is that he lived in St. Petersburg, but traveled the two hours to Orlando carrying two handguns and a big hunting knife, just to kill Grimmie, and was planning on returning home afterwards. Reports say he went by public transportation, and that he had no previous criminal record.

This is a note posted to the door of Loibl’s family home in St. Petersburg:

Here is the note on the door of home where Kevin Loibl lived. #ChristinaGrimmie @FOX13News pic.twitter.com/dMDqtfELcb

— Evan Lambert FOX 13 (@EvanLambertTV) June 11, 2016

Twenty-two-year-old Grimmie had her breakthrough in the sixth season of the “Voice” that aired on NBC two years ago. She was coached by Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, who has offered to pay for the funeral. Social media was filled with tributes to Grimmie by Levine and others in the music industry over the weekend.

Behati and I are absolutely devastated and heartbroken by Christina Grimmie’s death. Our hearts go out to her family pic.twitter.com/y4OMkm0uXu

— Adam Levine (@adamlevine) June 11, 2016

Before You Exit, the band she was touring with, tweeted this message:

Today we lost an angel, sister, and a beloved friend. #RipChristina pic.twitter.com/EkwTKsaLFr

— Before You Exit⇞ (@beforeyouexit) June 11, 2016

NBC’s Carson Daly is the host of “The Voice” and told TODAY: “Christina really was, she was special. She would walk in a room and have an infectious laugh. She was determined; she was confident. But she was so incredibly sweet.”

My heart is absolutely broken. I miss you Christina pic.twitter.com/KWGwZZlj4t

— Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) June 11, 2016

Grimmie was a personal friend of Selena Gomez and her family. Gomez’s stepdad, who was also Grimmie’s manager, started a fundraiser to help Grimmie’s family out and has so far raised over $120,000.

Grimmie’s killing was followed early Sunday morning by the deadliest mass shooting in American history at a gay nightclub, also in Orlando.

See Law Street’s piece on whether mass shootings could actually lead to looser gun laws.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Police Identifies Gunman Who Killed Singer Christina Grimmie appeared first on Law Street.

Last night, in a tragic turn of events, more than 50 people were killed and more than 50 others wounded in a late night shooting and hostage situation in Orlando, Florida. Now considered the deadliest mass shooting in American history, the tragedy took place in a gay Orlando nightclub called Pulse.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has now declared a state of emergency in the city. The shooter has been identified as Omar Mateen, 29, of Port St. Lucie, which is roughly 12o miles from Orlando. He was killed by police. He brought multiple weapons into the club, including an AR-15 and a handgun–Orlando’s police chief John Mina said that: “it appears he was organized and well-prepared.”

It is unclear at this point exactly what Mateen’s motivation was, but sources are reporting that he swore ISIS alliance.

As of right now, many survivors are being treated at local hospitals, and there is an urgent need for blood donations in the area.

County fire officials @Local2057IAFF say Orlando has a “urgent need” for blood donations following mass shooting pic.twitter.com/IdTQCPoWk7

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) June 12, 2016

June is pride month in the United States, and pride celebrations occurred in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, and other cities this weekend. Many of those events took some time to recognize last night’s victims–it was announced that the LA Pride Parade today began with a moment of silence for the victims in Orlando.

D.C.’s Capital Pride Festival also held a moment of silence.

From the US Capitol,our thoughts are with the people of Orlando. 1pm moment of silence at today’s Pride Concert. pic.twitter.com/ct4Y4uxQ69

— Capital Pride (@CapitalPrideDC) June 12, 2016

Some of the pride celebrations this weekend, like the one in Philadelphia, announced that they will be adding additional security to the venues.

The FBI and other officials have warned that a lengthy investigation into the shooting a the Orlando nightclub will be conducted–more details are sure to come as the investigation proceeds.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Horrific Orlando Nightclub Shooting Leaves More than 50 Dead appeared first on Law Street.

An innocent evening at a busy chocolate bar in Tel Aviv turned deadly Wednesday night when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire killing two Israelis—reigniting terrorism fears in the country. Another nine people suffered gunshot wounds, and four people are still being treated at the hospital, including one suspect, according to Israel’s national emergency medical service.

The Israeli  military quickly responded Thursday morning, announcing it will deploy hundreds of troops to the West Bank, including soldiers from infantry and special forces units. In Tel Aviv, extra police units were sent to monitor public places like train and bus stations. Thousands of Israeli police will also be deployed to Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque for tonight’s Ramadan prayers, which tens of thousands of people usually attend.

Video footage from nearby shops show customers fleeing in panic, knocking over tables, rushing to escape the violence.

VIDEO: People running away after shooting in central #TelAviv #Israel – @AmichaiStein1 pic.twitter.com/A1HPYcEfbc

— Conflict News (@Conflicts) June 8, 2016

“People were having coffee. I saw a birthday cake on one of the tables,” said one witness. “And then you see the chairs upside down and glass shattered and blood all over.”

One of the attackers was shot by police and the other surrendered, but their names cannot be released because Israeli authorities have issued a gag order on details that could identify them. However, police did say that the attackers are cousins, both in their twenties.

PHOTO: Shooter being arrested. Caught on a nearby streat. Reports of 5-7 wounded #TelAviv #Israel – @AAhronheim pic.twitter.com/m6tNIRlM2p

— Conflict News (@Conflicts) June 8, 2016

The military froze work permits for 204 of the attackers’ family members, and plans are underway to demolish the family home of one of the gunmen–a tactic common in Israel to punish terrorists.

Other Palestinians are also being penalized for the terrorists’ actions. Israel has frozen nearly 83,000 Palestinians’ permits, barring them from entering Israel. Special Ramadan permits were also suspended for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to visit relatives in Israel, travel abroad, and attend prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque, according to the Israeli defense organization, COGAT.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the shooting “a savage crime, murder in the heart of Tel Aviv. We will take the necessary steps to attack the attackers and defend those who need to be defended.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement condemning violence against civilians, although he did not directly reference the Tel Aviv shootings.

“The presidency has repeatedly emphasized that it stands against attacks on civilians, regardless of their sources or justifications,” the statement said. “Achieving just peace and creating a positive atmosphere is the way to ease tension and end violence.”

The mayor of Tel Aviv took to Twitter to express his thoughts:

“We will continue to live in this city of #TelAviv. We will continue to build, create and enjoy the city. #Terror will not defeat us…”

— Mayor of Tel Aviv (@MayorOfTelAviv) June 8, 2016

Hamas, the Palestinian government arm of the Gaza Strip that has been deemed a terrorist organization by the West, and Islamic Jihadists, a militant group in Israel, both praised the attacks, but neither claimed responsibility for it.

The attack took place at one of Tel Aviv’s most popular spots, Sarona, home to dozens of shops, restaurants, and cafes. It is also located across the street from Israel’s Defense Ministry and main army headquarters. Being as busy as it is, it is nearly impossible to secure, according to CNN law enforcement analyst Steve Moore.

“It’s a classic soft terror target,” he said. “It is really indefensible. It is a mall. You are not going to set up a system whereby, absent body searches, you are going to stop these things.”

In the past nine months, Palestinians have killed 32 Israelis and two Americans in dozens of attacks against civilians and security forces. Israelis have killed about 200 Palestinians during the same time frame.

U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner issued a statement condemning the attacks:

“These cowardly attacks against innocent civilians can never be justified,” he said. “We are in touch with Israeli authorities to express our support and concern.”

Inez Nicholson

Inez is an editorial intern at Law Street from Raleigh, NC. She will be a junior at North Carolina State University and is studying political science and communication media. When she’s not in the newsroom, you can find her in the weight room. Contact Inez at INicholson@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Israel Intensifies Troop Presence After Tel Aviv Shooting appeared first on Law Street.

Jamie Gilt is not having a great month: the Florida mom and pro-gun activist, who was shot by her four-year-old son on March 9, now may be facing charges for allowing her son access to firearms. Police are recommending that Gilt face a misdemeanor charge, which could carry a sentence of up to 180 days. Ironically, the same day that the incident took place, Gilt had bragged on Facebook that her son “gets jacked up to target shoot,” according to The Washington Post.

The shooting occurred while Gilt was driving, when her loaded gun slid out from underneath the front seat into the backseat where her son Lane was sitting. To add to Gilt’s bad luck, Lane had also apparently just learned how to unbuckle himself out of his booster seat, so he was able to pick up the gun and shoot it through the seat into his mother’s back.

Her Facebook page, “Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense,” has since been taken down, but was apparently flooded with criticism after the incident went public. Her posts included “pro-gun messages, Second Amendment memes, and posts supporting the NRA, as well as photos of her posing with weapons.” Her Twitter account also appears to have been deactivated.

Jamie Gilt bragged about how her son gets “pumped” about guns …

Her 4 yr old shot her in the back.

* sigh * pic.twitter.com/Qg7Iww0lJg

— SuperSoulSistah (@ctv556) March 9, 2016

Under Florida law, it is a second degree misdemeanor if a firearm is not safely stored, and a minor is able to gain access to it as a result. Gilt’s gun was loaded and unholstered under the front seat, which authorities allege could be a violation of this law.

What may be the biggest irony here: the woman who was a strong advocate for gun rights can now be an example for why stricter gun control measures are beneficial.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Pro-Gun Activist Shot By 4-Year-Old Son to Face Charges appeared first on Law Street.

The Uber driver who claimed responsibility for the shooting rampage in Kalamazoo, Michigan that left six people dead and two wounded is now blaming the app for his murderous spree.

Man charged with killing six in Kalamazoo shootings says Uber app made him do it https://t.co/DznSXCIMhD pic.twitter.com/MeNYgetOUd

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 14, 2016

Jason Dalton told investigators that he felt as if the app took him over “like artificial intelligence that can tap into you body,” according to police documents.

Dalton was working as an Uber driver when he allegedly began his shooting rampage. For hours, the married father of two is said to have fired upon pedestrians at random, stopping intermittently to pick up unsuspecting fares.

According to the arresting officer’s report, Dalton told investigators during a video interview shortly after the shootings that the Uber app made him “feel like a puppet”  and would “literally take over” his whole body.

At first he was reluctant to explain what had happened because he “[didn’t] want to come across as a crazy person.”

Dalton explained to investigators that all of his problems started after he opened the driver app. According to the report, when he would log into the app a symbol that resembled an Eastern Star would appear and a horned devil would pop up on his screen. When the symbol was black, the devil take over his body and give him assignments, but when the symbol turned from black to red he would regain control.

The report reads,

Dalton explained how you can drive over 100mph and go through stop signs and you can just get places.

[…]

It starts out that you have to follow the navigation, but it gets to the point where you don’t have to drive at all, the car just goes.

Dalton also told investigators that he was seeing himself from outside of his body.

Police have stated that Dalton has no prior history of mental illness. However, earlier this month he was ordered to undergo a mental competency exam to determine whether or not he is fit to stand trial.

If found competent he faces charges for murder and attempted murder in the multiple shootings that occurred outside of an apartment complex, a restaurant, and at a car lot.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Kalamazoo Shooter Claims Uber App Possessed Him to Shoot People appeared first on Law Street.

The city of Kalamazoo, Michigan was terrorized Saturday night when a man, believed to be 45-year-old Jason Brian Dalton, went on a shooting spree for hours that left six people dead, and two wounded. Police have yet to pinpoint a motive that would explain why a married father of two would shoot people of different ages, genders, and ethnicities at random.

Jason Brian Dalton had no criminal record. Police are baffled as to why he may have killed: https://t.co/K8NypwUHJn pic.twitter.com/AgufCvcyDK

— CNN (@CNN) February 22, 2016

We do know that Dalton was operating as an Uber driver during the time of the murders, and even picked up fares in between shootings. In fact so much attention has been placed on Dalton’s profession that “Uber” is currently the main identifier being used in the media to describe him. Now the popular ride sharing app is facing scrutiny, as people question how its hiring practices failed to pinpoint Dalton as a possible liability.

But is Uber really to blame?

Uber regularly runs background checks on all prospective new drivers before allowing them to join its driver fleet. Third parties run each candidate’s name through databases and then flag anything suspicious. However, some say this system is less thorough than ones used by taxi and limo companies, which require candidates have their fingerprints taken to be submitted to law enforcement.

But even with fingerprint analysis, Dalton would have passed. According to Uber, Dalton passed all of his background checks and police said he had no criminal history. Another surprising fact is that Dalton had a 4.7 out of 5 rating on the app, and received mostly positive feedback from people he picked up.

However, Uber did admit that it failed to act on a report that claimed Dalton was driving erratically and endangering passengers, about an hour before cops say he went on his shooting rampage.

According to the New York Post, a passenger by the name of Matt Mellen called the police and complained to Uber that he was forced to jump out Dalton’s car around 4:30pm because Dalton was “speeding, driving on lawns and medians, and running stop signs.”

Uber said it only takes action over allegations of “bad driving” after first speaking with the driver. Therefore Mellen’s complaint was filed away into a pile of similar ones, instead of indicating a possible imminent threat.

So to answer our question “is Uber to blame?” the answer is not exactly.

Uber followed its typical hiring procedures and background checks, and had no reason to suspect Dalton would carry out such horrific crimes. Uber also relied on feedback from more than 100 riders that were picked up by Dalton during his time with the company, most of which were positive. It did, however, drop the ball when it came to the complaint submitted the day of the shooting. But even if Uber had disciplined Dalton, we can’t say that would have prevented his violent attacks.

Uber definitely has room for improvement, but continuing to refer to Dalton as the “Uber driver that shot people,” will only continue to draw negative attention to the company that ultimately isn’t responsible for this man’s crimes.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Attention on Uber After Kalamazoo, Michigan Shooting Rampage appeared first on Law Street.

After more than a year of investigating, a grand jury in Cleveland, Ohio, declined Wednesday to charge two officers who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice on November 22, 2014.

Rice was killed outside of a recreational center after officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback mistook his toy pellet gun for a real weapon.

In an afternoon press conference announcing the verdict, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty called the shooting a “perfect storm of human error.” McGinty credited a recent enhancement of the surveillance video of the shooting with the jury’s decision, claiming the close up was “indisputable evidence” that Tamir was drawing the toy gun from his waistband as officer Loman exited the police car.

The initial surveillance footage showing officer Loman shooting Rice just seconds after arriving on scene became a major rallying point for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Further investigation into the 911 call also revealed that the caller told the dispatcher that the gun was “probably fake” and held by a “juvenile.”

Both the verdict and McGiny’s explantation of the ruling offended many users on social media who were seeking justice for the slain child. Under the trending hashtag #TamirRice thousands of people began publicly voicing their disapproval.

We’re told the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. So who stops a bad cop with a gun? #TamirRice

— seasonal spice (@goldengateblond) December 28, 2015

“land of the free” if you’re a straight white non Muslim male. That’s in the small print guys. what kind of system murders kids. #TamirRice — Moneer Elmasseek (@Pharaohofhearts) December 28, 2015

McGinty asked the community to “respect the process” – a process which does not, and has never, respected them. #TamirRice

— laura louise (@LauraLBishop) December 28, 2015

This #TamirRice case needs 2 go 2 the #SupremeCourt. Ohio is an OPEN CARRY state. White ppl walking around with guns & they don’t get killed — Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) December 28, 2015

I’m exhausted… #TamirRice

— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) December 28, 2015

It’s easy to see where their outrage comes from, when an institutional bias toward black men makes them statistically more likely to be killed by police.

Research has shown that police shootings are disproportionately skewed towards young black males. Movements like #BlackLivesMatter have helped to educate the public on this disgustingly inhumane trend, but still each month more black men are killed by those sworn to serve and protect them.

Accidents do happen, but making these officers accountable for their actions is a necessary step in fixing the problem.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Grand Jury Declines Criminal Charges for Officers in Tamir Rice Shooting appeared first on Law Street.

MSNBC and CNN reporters, among others, just entered the apartment of Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, the alleged San Bernardino shooters, and rifled through their belongings on live TV. Not only is this a gross violation of ethics, it’s also a big problem for the police and FBI.

It’s unclear exactly what happened. According to the news networks, the landlord of the building where Farook and Malik lived allowed them in. According to the landlord, they all rushed past him without permission. The news crews then proceeded to look through the shooters’ personal possessions, showing things like friends’ photos and identifying documents to the cameras.

Screenshots from MSNBC. I added the redout pic.twitter.com/Ttu3zJ0Fjj

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) December 4, 2015

MSNBC just doxed Rafia Farook, mother of a terrorist, on live television. I’ve blurred the important bits. pic.twitter.com/VqPwT60yVY

— David Boles (@DavidBoles) December 4, 2015

There are so, so many issues with what just happened that I don’t even know where to begin. For one, these news crews potentially just put the family, friends, and acquaintances of Farook and Malik in serious danger. By releasing things like pictures of drivers’ licenses and other personal information, they could be subject to violence. While I have no sympathy for the shooters, there’s no reason to endanger their families and friends, who may have absolutely no connection to the attacks.

Additionally, this is a big problem for law enforcement–the fact that they didn’t appear to have control over the crime scene is incredibly worrisome. The FBI appears to have had jurisdiction over the apartment at the time that the journalists entered. As CNN’s own panelists, legal analyst Paul Callan, and law enforcement analyst Jonathan Gilliam commented, the fact that the journalists were either allowed in, or not stopped by some form of law enforcement is a huge problem from a legal issue. Even if the two alleged shooters are dead, the scene still needed to be preserved in case they had accomplices, but it’s now been contaminated. Gilliam went so far as to call the incident: “the biggest visible screw-up in investigative history that I think has ever occurred.”

Apparently there were also other media outlets in the area, including FOX News, and at least one reporter from The Sunday Times, but it’s unclear who exactly was inside at any given time. Additionally, there were civilians mulling around–at one point it was reported that someone brought a child into the apartment, and another woman brought a dog.

Twitter users also broadcasted their outrage with CNN and MSNBC’s actions, as well as the lapse in security by law enforcement:

So FBI now investigating as terrorism. They’ll undoubtedly find some CNN and MSNBC fingerprints on the walls. Go get them, guys. — Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) December 4, 2015

Bang up job reporting from a crime scene by CNN & MSNBC. pic.twitter.com/kmwyMKIbCK

— Gord Macey (@GordMacey) December 4, 2015

Every reporter for @MSNBC, @CNN and other organizations that went in that apartment should be out of work before the day ends.

— Dan Jurgens (@thedanjurgens) December 4, 2015

Overall, it was a pretty shocking show of incompetence, from multiple different sources. Details on how this was allowed to happen was still unclear, but we should all expect some heads to roll.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Too Far: CNN and MSNBC Crews Rifle Through San Bernardino Shooters’ Apartment appeared first on Law Street.

When Snapchat first burst onto the social media scene in late 2011, it was widely viewed as a limited and silly app with few practical uses. While news outlets pushed splashy headlines about it being a “sexting app,” most thought that sending temporary pictures to friends was a fad that would run its course. But Snapchat has grown by leaps and bounds, and has become so much more than just a portal for nude photos and silly videos. And yesterday, during its coverage of the San Bernardino shooting, it became a breaking news platform.

Details are still being unraveled about the tragic events in San Bernardino, California yesterday that led 14 dead and many injured. But as with almost every mass shooting or highly publicized tragedy since the dawn of the internet age, viewers from across the country and world checked news sites and social media platforms for the latest explanation on what was happening. Snapchat joined that fray by creating a “California Shooting” live story that allowed users to upload the photos and videos they had to the app. The Snapchat team then selected which ones to feature in order to create a full picture for viewers, in addition to writing news commentary that appeared over the pictures and informed viewers even further.

Interesting to watch how @Snapchat has become a gatekeeper of the news. #SanBernardino pic.twitter.com/Akctc8fwnr

— Josh Solomon (@therealjsolo) December 3, 2015

Snapchat’s story of #SanBernardino pulls you in close and suggests the potential of stitched real-time documentary. pic.twitter.com/i3HbeSH4Kh

— Hamza Shaban (@hshaban) December 3, 2015

People are tweeting about @Snapchat‘s special #sanbernardino news roundup for good reason. Very compelling. pic.twitter.com/K8oPM7xoB3. — Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) December 3, 2015

This isn’t the first time that Snapchat has featured live coverage of an event. It covered the Pope’s highly publicized visit to the United States this fall, as well as the GOP debates. But this is the first time that Snapchat has really extended its coverage to breaking news, especially with such a somber and serious subject.

While many have applauded Snapchat for its breakthrough and revolutionary approach to covering real time news, others have expressed concern. After all, despite what Snapchat is evolving into, many still use it for purely entertainment purposes. Advertising coverage of a mass shooting may be disturbing to some browsing the app and unaware of the situation. Others have posited that it’s disrespectful to the victims.

While those are all incredibly valid points, real time coverage of breaking news stories isn’t going to end any time soon. Whether or not Snapchat is the appropriate vehicle for that coverage is certainly a fair discussion, but Snapchat’s drive to continue monetizing its app, and Americans’ vociferous appetite for breaking news probably mean that this new feature is here to stay.    

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Snapchat Covers San Bernardino Shooting, Becomes Serious News App appeared first on Law Street.

Just two days after the horrific mass shooting at Umpqua Community College, where nine people were killed and nine were injured, four California high school students were arrested after their detailed plan to shoot students and faculty members at Summerville High School in Tuolumne, California was uncovered.

Officials say the plot was revealed on Wednesday when a group of students alerted a teacher that they overheard several students discussing a plan to open fire on the school at an upcoming event. The sheriff’s department was contacted by Summerville High School administrators regarding the students who were making threats. The high school officials reported to authorities that three students were planning to carry out an attack on them. During their investigation, detectives discovered that a fourth student was involved in the plot as well.

Authorities found a list of names that the students had of who they planned to kill. Tuolumne County Sheriff Jim Mele said the students confessed “that they were going to come on campus and shoot and kill as many people as possible.” The students were taken into custody on Saturday. Police officials say that the students’ plan was in its beginning stages and they were in the process of obtaining the weapons that they wanted to use. The sheriff’s department said in a Facebook post:

The suspects plan was very detailed in nature and included names of would be victims, locations and the methods in which the plan was to be carried out.

Because the students are juveniles, their names will not be released, but they were identified as all male. The four students have been arrested for conspiracy to commit an assault with deadly weapons. This is a very terrifying time for the students and faculty at Summerville. Parents are terrified as well for the safety of their children. Kristin Wilson, who has a daughter attending Summerville High, stated,  “I can’t imagine getting a phone call that something like that had happened at that school.” Luckily the plot was caught in its beginning phase and no one was harmed.

Summerville High parents, however, are still unhappy about the situation because they were not notified of the incident until the following day. Shannon Duckworth has two children who attend Summerville High and only knew about the incident because her son told her through a text message. Duckworth stated, “I got a text from my son who lives in Washington asking me what’s going on about this shooting plot. What shooting plot?…We should’ve had full disclosure.” Other parents expressed similar concerns.

A motive for the shooting at Summerville has not yet been determined. Authorities plan to talk more with the teens who created the plot to get further information. Eric Hovatter, an assistant district attorney, stated,

It is clear from past history such as Columbine and Sandy Hook, as well as other recent events in Oregon, that children are willing and capable of planning and carrying out acts of violence against students and teachers on school grounds. While it is easy to say that could never happen in Tuolomne County, the public and local law enforcement must remain vigilant, as they did here. That the suspects are young does not minimize the gravity of the conduct nor the potential for great harm to many innocent people.

There have been 45 school shootings in 2015 alone, many of which didn’t make the news. Gun violence is affecting students everywhere–thankfully this story didn’t end in tragedy.

Taelor Bentley

Taelor is a member of the Hampton University Class of 2017 and was a Law Street Media Fellow for the Summer of 2015. Contact Taelor at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post School Shooting Plot Discovered: Four California High School Students Arrested appeared first on Law Street.

ICYMI, here are Law Street’s top stories of the week. The number one story involves Ellen Page and Ted Cruz battling over gay rights in Iowa. The number two story covered two reporters who were shot by a disgruntled former coworker in Virginia. Finally, number three involved Kanye West’s declaration of presidency for 2020. Check out all three below:

#1 Ted Cruz vs. Ellen Page: Argument Over Religious Freedom and LGBTQ Rights

Republican Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz got into a back-and-forth with actress and LGBTQ rights advocate Ellen Page on Friday. She confronted him at a barbecue he was hosting before a religious freedom rally in Iowa as part of a show she’s working on with Vice. Page was clad in a hat and oversize sunglasses, so Cruz clearly didn’t recognize her as the actress who starred in hits like “Inception” and “Juno.” Read the full story here.

#2 Disgruntled Employee Kills Virginia Reporter and Cameraman on Live TV

A television reporter and cameraman were shot dead during a live news broadcast for WDBJ-TV, a Roanoke-Lynchburg CBS affiliate, this morning in Moneta, Virginia. Alison Parker, 24, and photojournalist Adam Ward, 27 were in the middle of filming a segment on tourism at the Bridgewater Plaza when several shots rang out at 6:45 am. Read the full story here.

#3 Is Kanye West Really Running for President?

Last night’s MTV Video Music Awards went much like you’d expect. Miley attempted to shock viewers with nipple skimming outfits and weed references, none of the jokes were funny, Taylor Swift won most of the awards, and Kanye managed to steal the show–but this time without stealing a mic from Swift. During a bizarre 11-minute-long acceptance speech for the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, Yeezy talked about everything from how fatherhood changed him to fighting for artists…and a possible presidential run in 2020? Read the full story here.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

James Holmes was sentenced to life in prison yesterday by Judge Carlos A Samour, without possibility of parole. He will be serving 12 consecutive life sentences, and an additional 3,318 years in prison. While that’s obviously an incredibly restrictive and grave sentence, many were surprised that the perpetrator of one of the bloodiest mass shootings in history didn’t receive the death penalty, and questioned the motives of the single juror who voted against it.

Aurora theater gunman sentenced to life without parole http://t.co/WVytelb7bz pic.twitter.com/Hlw4CPhCNp

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) August 26, 2015

On July 20, 2012, Holmes opened fire in a theater in Aurora, Colorado, during a showing of the “The Dark Knight Rises.” He killed 12 people and injured 70 others before being detained. In court, his lawyers claimed that he wasn’t guilty by reason of insanity, but that defense was ultimately unsuccessful, given that he had clearly put thought into his assault beforehand. He had spent months accumulating weapons and body armor, and had purchased his ticket beforehand.

In Colorado, in order for a defendant to be sentenced to the death penalty, the jurors had to vote unanimously for the death penalty. In this case, there was one juror who would not vote for that sentence, ensuring that the death penalty could not be used. Instead, Holmes was sentenced to 12 consecutive life sentences by the jurors–as is custom in Colorado the judge formally sentenced him today and was bound by the jury’s decision.

The fact that it was just one person who stood between Holmes and the death penalty received mixed reactions. For Judge Samour, it was an act that represented compassion in the face of the horrible evil that Holmes committed. Judge Samour stated: ““At least one juror showed the defendant the mercy that he refused the victims that day when he went into that theater.”

However for others, the fact that Holmes didn’t receive the death penalty was deeply problematic. Robert Sullivan, grandfather to six-year-old Rebecca Moser-Sullivan who was killed, and father to Ashley Moser, who was paralyzed, explained his frustrations to CNN. The sticking point appeared to be the one juror who voted against the death penalty; Sullivan called him a “stealth juror.” In order to be on a jury trying a death penalty case, you have to be willing to vote for the death penalty. A stealth juror is someone who is secretly anti-death penalty, but is still able to convince the attorneys during jury selection that they’re alright with the death penalty.

When the jury was being selected, there were concerns that a stealth juror would make it on. Legal experts voiced those concerns during the original jury selection process this winter. David Lane, a longtime Denver criminal defense attorney, told Yahoo about the difficulties of finding a stealth juror:

They are sworn to tell the truth, but a good liar can slip by. The only remedy for prevention is extensive questioning. Probing jurors about their attitudes about other things which would tend to out them as either liberal or conservative are helpful.

Whether or not the juror who voted not to give Holmes the death penalty was a true “stealth juror” or someone who genuinely thought that it was not an appropriate punishment for this case will probably never be known. However, the fact that Holmes received life sentences as opposed to the death penalty means that he, and his surviving victims, won’t be locked in years of appeals, hopefully finally bringing some closure.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Was There a Stealth Juror in the James Holmes Case? appeared first on Law Street.

America has a race problem. America has a gun problem. America has a violence problem. America has a problem with racially motivated gun violence.

A massacre occurred Wednesday at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina when nine black people were fatally shot during their weekly bible study. Twenty-one-year-old Dylann Roof confessed to shooting and killing these nine people. The massacre is being reviewed as a hate crime and was almost certainly racially motivated.

Dylann Roof has been charged with 9 counts of murder and one weapon possession charge in the #CharlestonShooting: http://t.co/l3EcsDWT1I

— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) June 19, 2015

Several interviews with former friends of Roof have raised a concern that I simply can’t disregard. One of Roof’s friends said in an interview in response to the massacre on Wednesday:

It was a race thing because he had told me that black people was taking over the country…that he wanted it to be segregation[…]white with the white, black with the black[…]I mean he was drunk one night and he was just talking about him wanting to hurt a whole bunch of people. And whenever he was saying he was wanting to do something crazy, I just blew it off and didn’t really pay attention to him because he was intoxicated.

The fact that one of Roof’s friends didn’t think anything of his seemingly constant racial slurs, threats of violence against black people, or the plans he revealed to him about the massacre is horribly disconcerting. What Roof did is obviously not this friend’s fault. But the reality is that in 2015, a young man can get drunk and spout off plans to murder people because of their race and his friends can brush it off. They’re desensitized to racist banter, to threats of violence, to prejudice, and to xenophobia. The American society that Dylann Roof lives in brushed off and “didn’t really pay attention” to his grossly discriminatory views because, unfortunately, they aren’t uncommon.

From politicians to a young man from South Carolina, animosity toward minorities in America is a systemic, institutionalized, and far-too-accepted issue that is somehow only discussed in depth when we encounter a tragedy. I couldn’t help but notice the us-versus-them narrative present in both Roof’s remarks to the people in the church at the time of the shooting and in Donald Trump’s presidential announcement from earlier this week. It has been reported that Roof said to the victims, “I have to do it… You rape our women and you’re taking over our country, and you have to go.” Just a few days ago, Trump made similarly racist remarks against Mexicans as he announced his candidacy:

When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you… They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.

Both Roof and Trump use “you” collectively, grouping an entire race in Roof’s case and an entire country in Trump’s, in an attempt to justify their disgusting prejudices. Both men use rape as a tool–a justification for their hatred–even though these beliefs are completely unfounded. Roof alleged that black people are taking over the country, and Trump declared that Mexico is “killing us economically.”

Summary of #DonaldTrump's speech: "I'm white & rich and I only like other white rich people… & all Mexicans are drug dealers & thugs, bye"

— Neighborhood Queer (@MartyredWisdom) June 16, 2015

While I seriously doubt that Donald Trump’s presidential campaign speech was anywhere on Dylann Roof’s radar, the point I’m trying to make is that the roots of racism run deep in this country’s core and we overlook them far too often. Whether this problem arises out of ignorance or out of naivety I’m not quite certain, but either way, it needs to stop.

Emily Dalgo

Emily Dalgo is a member of the American University Class of 2017 and a Law Street Media Fellow during the Summer of 2015. Contact Emily at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post America Has a Huge Racism Problem appeared first on Law Street.

On August 11, 2014 Dillon Taylor was shot dead by Officer Bron Cruz. Cruz claimed that Taylor had a weapon and that he felt threatened by the situation because he was “100 percent convinced” it would end up in a gunfight. But no weapon was ever found on Taylor and only the first minute of the body cam footage on Cruz was released at the time of the court prosecution. Prosecutors in Utah declared the killing of Taylor justified in October 2014. But now the entire eight minute video of the shooting has been released. The video pretty convincingly demonstrates Taylor’s innocence, and continues to raise questions about the force used by police officers in the United States.

In the video, Cruz yells “Get your hands up, now!” Originally, it was reported that Taylor’s response was “No, fool” before turning around to face Cruz. Cruz said he believed that Taylor was holding a gun because when he turned around he briefly lifted his shirt, a movement that often indicates a person is reaching for a gun, and that he was going to attack Cruz. As a result of this information, the court ruled Cruz’s actions as justified. Another factor that allowed the judge to clear Cruz of any charges was that he was responding to a report of a man brandishing a gun in the area. When Cruz came across Taylor and the two men with him, he believed that they were the men that the report was referring to.

Contrarily, the full video that has now been released ten months later shows Taylor wearing headphones, explaining why he did not respond to Cruz’s command to put up his hands. The remainder of the graphic video shows Cruz bending over Taylor’s body and placing him in handcuffs instead of calling for medical attention. Cruz also does not attempt to slow the bleeding of Taylor’s wounds.

Taylor’s death falls into the larger pattern of police brutality that particularly became a national conversation last fall and has continued to be a controversial issue ever since. In 2015 alone, there have been 472 people killed by the police. While many of these victims were armed and many officers probably felt threatened, the number of deaths at police hands is directly contributing to the environment of heightened anxiety and fear.

This problem is going to keep coming back again and again. While body cameras are one proposed solution and numerous counties, cities, and states have implemented them into their police departments, that one solution is not enough. The entire footage from Cruz’s body camera should have been released at the time he was being prosecuted. Instead, only the first minute of the video was used as evidence during the court process.

Police brutality is not an issue that is going to disappear, and it shouldn’t disappear if there isn’t any reform. Police officers should not be trained solely to kill and police departments should not be so militarized. These steps towards reformation will reduce the anxiety and fear that permeates so many communities.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated the date of Dillon’s death as August 11, 2015; Taylor’s death occurred on August 11, 2014.

Sarina Neote

Sarina Neote is a member of the American University Class of 2017. Contact Sarina at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Dillon Taylor: Revisiting Police Brutality Through Body Camera Footage appeared first on Law Street.

A man who was under terror surveillance in Boston was shot and killed by a police officer and an FBI agent earlier this afternoon. This man was a part of a broader terrorism investigation involving suspected Islamist extremists. This man was identified as Usaama Rahim by a spokesperson for the Council of American-Islamic Relations.

The justification for the officials’ actions resulting in this man’s death focuses on their perceptions that Rahim was a threat to public safety, since he allegedly wielded a large, black knife at the time of the incident. According to CNN, Rahim was asked numerous times to drop his weapon but because he refused to do so both the police officer and FBI agent opened fire.

Police Commissioner William Evans claimed that “he came at the officers and, you know, they do what they were trained to do and, unfortunately, they had to take a life.”

This statement begs the question, both to Evans and to police departments everywhere, what type of situation justifies any police officers actions’ that result in the death of a man who hasn’t been proven guilty? This man was under terror surveillance, but considering the United States’ disputable track record on finding evidence regarding terrorist efforts, these actions could still be unconstitutional.

The Model Penal Code is normally used to guide the actions of police officers in assessing whether or not resorting to deadly force is the appropriate response in dangerous circumstances. According to the code, officers should only use force when the action will not endanger innocent bystanders, the suspect used deadly force in committing the crime, or the officers believe a delay in the arrest may harm other people. Deadly force is considered acceptable when it is believed to be the only solution to resolving a dangerous situation that could harm innocent bystanders.

In this particular shooting, killing Rahim could be justified by the police because he was wielding a large, black knife, forcing the officers to open fire. But is waving a knife, with no hostages and no bystanders in the immediate vicinity, a valid enough rationale to take someone’s life? Commissioner Evans claimed that Rahim came “within the proximity” for the officers to use deadly force. But what distance is considered within the proximity to kill? These are all questions that demand answers.

In addition to these questionable circumstances, Rahim was a suspected Islamic extremist under terror surveillance. The FBI agent who participated in the shooting was surely aware of this fact, but the same cannot be said for the Boston police officer. Rahim’s identity as a Muslim cannot be ignored when evaluating the police officer and FBI agent’s justifications for their actions. The lethal combination of Rahim’s Muslim faith and questionable terrorist ties could easily work in the police department’s favor. At the time of his death, Rahim had not been convicted of any terrorist actions, so his death at the hands of Boston and federal officials should not be considered constitutional.

Racial or ethnic profiling may have been a factor in this shooting as well. It is also noteworthy that this case occurred just over two years after the Boston Bombing, which has had a lasting (and justified) impact on perceptions of terrorist attacks throughout the U.S. Although news sources have not yet revealed why Rahim was under surveillance, a mere suspicion that he was involved with terrorist activity does not legitimize his death.

One of the most prevalent issues in holding the police officer and FBI agent accountable in this situation is the complex relationship between the police department and judicial court system. In the 1930 Iowa case of Klinkel v. Saddler, a sheriff faced a lawsuit because he had killed a misdemeanor suspect during an arrest. His defense was that he had used deadly force “to defend himself.” The court ruled in his favor. This case set precedent for lax rulings in favor of police officers, despite the officer’s controversial actions.

This storyline coincides with other court cases of police officers claiming self defense after having killed a subject of an arrest, such as Tamir Rice and Michael Brown. All of these incidents speak to the larger problem of police officers abusing their position of authority and power at the expense of civilians.

Police departments need to undergo reformation, especially regarding their veracious use of deadly force. Regardless of whether or not Rahim was guilty of the things he was suspected of doing, there were presumably ways to detain him without taking his life. Whether it be using a gun, rough rides, or chokeholds, police departments must develop new tactics that put deadly force at the bottom of the totem pole, thereby protecting citizens instead of victimizing them.

Emily Dalgo also contributed to this story.

Sarina Neote

Sarina Neote is a member of the American University Class of 2017. Contact Sarina at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Boston Police Shooting of Usaama Rahim: Protection or Victimization? appeared first on Law Street.

George Zimmerman is in the news again after suffering minor injuries in a road rage incident Monday that ended with a shooting. This marks yet another in a long series of run-ins with the law for the former neighborhood watchman since his fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012.

According to CNN, accounts detailing exactly what happened Monday afternoon in Lake May, Florida between Zimmerman and the shooter, Matthew Apperson, differ depending on who you talk to. It’s hard to know which story to believe, especially when both men have a history of confrontations with one another.

Zimmerman’s attorney Don West claims that his client was flagged down by Apperman honking and yelling obscenities at him. When he recognized Apperman, he rolled up his windows and tried to get away, but was followed. That’s when Apperman reportedly pulled up to Zimmerman’s pickup truck window and shot a bullet through it–barely missing his head. Zimmerman was apparently hit by glass from the window, but not the bullet, and only suffered minor injuries.

Man involved in shooting with George Zimmerman acted in “self-defense,” lawyer says http://t.co/vuMHStFkb4 pic.twitter.com/XqBKUUd7Q1

— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 12, 2015

Apperman’s account of what happened is much different. His lawyer claims that his client acted entirely out of self-defense after Zimmerman waved a gun at him first. After shooting through the window he apparently asked a bystander to phone the police for him. This is hardly the first time Zimmerman has been involved in an incident requiring police intervention. So far Zimmerman has amassed a collection of six mugshots, and the reasons for his arrests include shoving an undercover alcohol-control agent, threatening his girlfriend with a shotgun, and throwing a wine bottle at his ex-girlfriend’s head. 

George Zimmerman Mugshot Calendar? http://t.co/mCqOtuQH57 @BlueNationRev It could happen #GeorgeZimmerman #BNRNews pic.twitter.com/Q3aLHjD5OJ — Jill E Bond (@JillEBond) January 13, 2015

When Twitter got word of Zimmerman’s latest police involvement, the reactions to the possibility of him getting shot were unsympathetic at best.

I wish George Zimmerman was shot in his eyes & went blind. Then he couldn’t judge anyone on their color.

— Gary Owen (@garyowencomedy) May 12, 2015

Does anyone know who shot at Zimmerman yet? Was he arrested? Is there a bail fund? Can we throw him a parade? — Cassandra (@CassandraRules) May 12, 2015

George Zimmerman: “I got shot!” Black people: pic.twitter.com/gNBVhH7uSt

— Alex English (@alex3nglish) May 11, 2015

Zimmerman is clearly hurting when it comes to supporters. So far it seems like most people are speculating that the confrontation which led to the incident stemmed from a dispute about the Trayvon Martin case, but neither party wants to fess up. Lake Mary police are continuing to investigate the incident, but as of now neither man has been arrested or charged with any crime.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Road Rage and George Zimmerman: That Can’t End Well appeared first on Law Street.

I spent all of last week in Costa Rica, so I had a lot of catching up to do when I returned. And when I went to check my news feed for weird legal stories to write about here, it did not disappoint. A man shot both an armadillo (or an armadilla, as it is pronounced in the South) and his mother-in-law (I feel as if there is a good mother-in-law joke in there somewhere), and a 70-year-old woman was arrested for smuggling cocaine in her girdle – though for me, the real crime there is that someone still wears a girdle in this day and age.

The Shot Heard Round the Yard

The expression kill two birds with one stone recently took on a whole new meaning. A Georgia man was out shooting armadillos with his pistol. It is, apparently, encouraged in his town to shoot armadillos in general, but pistols are not the gun of choice in such a situation. Why? Because if you shoot an armadillo with a pistol, here is what might happen:

• The bullet ricochets off the animal’s sturdy back;
• The bullet then hits a fence;
• The bullet ricochets off the fence;
• The bullet flies through the back door of your mother-in-law’s mobile home;
• The bullet goes through the recliner where your mother-in-law is sitting; and,
• The bullet finally stops … after hitting your mother-in-law in the back.

The lady in question walked away just fine and is not pressing charges; however, I would not recommend any of you mom-in-law haters out there try this at home. It might not work out so well for you.

Granny’s Got a Drug Cartel

It’s not often that we hear of a story where people are trying to find out what’s inside a 70-year-old woman’s underwear, but recently at JFK airport TSA officials did just that. Olive Fowler is not your average little, old lady. Sure, she wears girdles and granny panties just like everyone else, but her Victoria’s Secret is a little darker than most of the others.

Sweet lil’ Olive was spotted at JFK sweating profusely – wait! As anyone of her generation could tell you, women don’t sweat, they glisten – and avoiding the eyes of cops. So she was taken away for additional screening. The TSA officials found more under her girdle than they had bargained for, in the form of $73,000 worth of cocaine. She was taken away by the authorities and will likely face jail time.

The moral of this story is that you should not judge a book by its cover. Even the dusty ones that look old and boring can be a gold mine (which now gives new meaning to the expression digging for gold).

Ashley Shaw

Ashley Shaw is an Alabama native and current New Jersey resident. A graduate of both Kennesaw State University and Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, she spends her free time reading, writing, boxing, horseback riding, playing trivia, flying helicopters, playing sports, and a whole lot else. So maybe she has too much spare time. Contact Ashley at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Granny Arrested For Smuggling Cocaine in Her Girdle at JFK appeared first on Law Street.

On April 4, Feidin Santana started recording as an unarmed black male, now identified as Walter Scott, attempted to get away from a North Charleston, South Carolina police officer. In a matter of seconds his footage captured Officer Michael Slager firing at Scott’s back eight times, killing him. After turning the video over to Scott’s family, Santana’s graphic footage was broadcast across the country by all major news networks. The resulting media outrage ended with Officer Slager being charged with murder. However if news outlets want to continue running the footage, Santana’s publicist claims they should now expect a $10,000 fee.

Feidin Santana, bystander who recorded Walter Scott shooting: ‘I’m still scared’ http://t.co/poD0pB3Zwi pic.twitter.com/RAiFktwrNl

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 9, 2015

According to the New York Times, cease-and-desist letters were sent to various news outlets around the world from Markson Sparks, a publicity and celebrity management company based in Sydney, Australia.

The dispute over whether or not Santana should be compensated for the video boils down to interpretations of “fair use” clauses, which allow news agencies to use copyrighted material for news purposes. Despite the video being unequivocally newsworthy, high-profile celebrity agent and chief executive of Markson Sparks Max Markson told Buzzfeed that news outlets are now just using it for revenue purposes, saying,

Fair usage for video exists and networks can still use it for a certain amount of time like with footage from the Olympics, but the fair usage fee is for people who want to use it again. And in the lead-up to the trial we expect there will be more requests for licensing.

Markson also reportedly told the New York Times over the phone that the fee amount would be negotiable, but another anonymous source familiar with the negotiations said news media outlets would be charged a one-time fee of $10,000.

The Times made sure to mention that it has used the video with the family’s permission and has not received a cease-and-desist letter.

Santana has been praised for his bravery in capturing and sharing the video with the public. After all, without his footage the cop may not have ever been charged with Scott’s murder. However a $10,000 licensing fee smells a little like greed. Santana does own rights to the video, making his entrepreneurial claims legit, but that still doesn’t make a licensing fee sound any better. Then again, it’s always going to be kind of unsettling when an individual attempts to profit from someone else’s death. Moreover, the media companies who received cease-and-desist letters will likely try anything to avoid handing over the cash, leaving Santana’s attempts to profit up in the air.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Will News Outlets Have to Pay to Show the Walter Scott Shooting Video? appeared first on Law Street.

Logic tells us that if two wrongs don’t make a right, then many, many wrongs can’t possibly make any sort of right either. That’s all I could think about when I saw the coverage of the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri Wednesday night.

It’s the latest event in a saga that in some ways began this August with the police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, and in some ways has been happening for years. It’s sparked conversations on police brutality and militarization, racism, systemic biases against young black men in our society, the justice system, and so much more. But even though those conversations are happening on a national level, what’s happening on the ground isn’t quite as academic or theoretical. It’s real, it’s scary, and honestly, last night’s events show that it probably isn’t going to get better anytime soon.

Ferguson’s police chief Tom Jackson resigned. That was probably inevitable after the release of a pretty damning Department of Justice report that highlighted serious racial biases and constitutional breaks in Ferguson. For a more extensive look at the main takeaways of that report, check out fellow Law Streeter Alexis Evans’ article here.

After Jackson resigned, a rally started at the Ferguson police department. While the protesters were obviously pleased that the head of the Ferguson police department had resigned, they didn’t think it was enough to stem clear instances of racial profiling, bias, and intimidation within the force. Protesters actually advocated for the mayor of Ferguson, James Knowles III, to step down as well. Around midnight, those protests took a turn when gunshots rang out. Witnesses say there were four in all. Two found targets–one in the shoulder of a 41-year-old St. Louis County officer, and another in the face of a 32-year-old officer from the nearby town of Webster Groves. Both were in serious condition, but were recently released from the hospital.

Details of who exactly fired those shots remain a little fuzzy. Police have stated that they came from the cluster of protesters, but the protesters themselves are saying that they came from further away on a nearby hill. Police are saying that they have leads, but other than that, what will happen seems up in the air.

In light of the incident, St. Louis County Police and the Mississippi Highway Patrol are going to be taking over controlling the protests in the hopes that things don’t become more violent.

Many around the country have condemned the actions of the shooter. Attorney General Eric Holder, for example, stated:

This heinous assault on two brave law enforcement officers was inexcusable and repugnant. I condemn violence against any public safety officials in the strongest terms, and the Department of Justice will never accept any threats or violence directed at those who serve and protect our communities. … Such senseless acts of violence threaten the very reforms that nonviolent protesters in Ferguson and around the country have been working towards for the past several months.

Despite the fact that new forces are being brought in, I’m not sure it’s safe to say that issues in Ferguson are going to get any better. This is turmoil that has been stewing for years, and Michael Brown’s death just set it boiling. While the protesters have been mostly peaceful, there are always people who do bad things–people who commit those wrongs that can never add up to a right. Hopefully, real dialogue and reform will start happening soon.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Police Officers Shot in Ferguson Show Tensions Haven’t Abated appeared first on Law Street.

Update: 3:40 pm
Update: 1:30 pm
Update: 12:28 pm

As Paris is still reeling from the tragedy at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday, and the manhunt is still on to find the brothers believed to responsible, a second incident has unfolded within the city limits themselves.

There were two hostage situations in France today. One was Northeast of Paris in Dammartin-en-Goële where it was believed that the Kouachi brothers are holed up. They ended up in an industrial estate, and they took a hostage.

Meanwhile, another shooting and hostage situation occurred in eastern Paris, inside a Kosher market. The suspect in that case is believed to have shot a policewoman yesterday, and is linked to the Kouachi brothers. The suspect in that case is named Amedy Coulibaly, and reports say he has a female accomplice Hayat Boumeddiene. Boumeddiene is Coulibaly’s girlfriend, and it is believed that Coulibaly may have shared a mentor with Cherif Kouachi, explaining the link between the two situations.

#PHOTO These police images show Hayat Boumeddiene (L) and Amedy Coulibaly (R), suspects in the death of a policewoman pic.twitter.com/qZXyEXlqnv

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) January 9, 2015

It seems very clear that these two incidents are linked, according to the AP:

A police official told the Associated Press the gunman is threatening to kill hostages if authorities launch an assault on the small printing warehouse northeast of the citywhere the two brothers suspected in the shooting on Charlie Hebdo are holed up in the second hostage standoff in France on Friday.

In response to these two separate hostage situations, the police moved  to save the hostages. At the same time, they attacked, sending in explosives. Le Monde and Reuters are reporting that the Kouachi brothers are dead, although that is not confirmed, and the status of the hostages are unknown. There are also reports from the grocery store that the “hostage-taker,” presumably Coulibaly, is also dead, although Boumeddiene’s status appears to be unknown.

The status of the hostages from both standoffs appear to be unknown as well, although there are reports of emergency vehicles arriving at the scene of the market.

Update: 3:40 PM: The hostage situation in Montpellier does not appear to be related to the earlier situations in Paris, but rather a robbery gone wrong. Montpellier Prosecutor Christophe Barrett has confirmed that this is a wholly separate situation, and it’s under control.

Meanwhile, French cops continue their search for Hayat Boumeddiene, the Kosher market hostage-taker’s accomplice.

Update: 1:30 PM: There are currently reports of a hostage situation in a jewelry store in Montpellier, France. Montpellier is located in the south of France. There’s no word yet if there’s any connection to the terrorist attacks or earlier hostage situations in Paris and northeast of Paris that ended with the hostage takers killed earlier today. However, there are believed to be two people held in the jewelry store.

FRANCE: A hostage situation is being reported right now inside a jewelry store in Montpellier, France. PHOTOS – pic.twitter.com/x2jDkxNd1X

— KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) January 9, 2015

Update: 12:28 PM: Multiple news sources are now reporting that at least four of the hostages taken at the supermarket are dead. Two cops are also being reported as injured. In addition, some reports are saying that Hayat Boumeddiene escaped the supermarket, although that remains unconfirmed.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Two Hostage Situations in France: Suspects Reported Killed appeared first on Law Street.

Tucson. Aurora. Newtown. What did these shootings have in common? The weapon and the ammunition. Or the types at least. Semi-automatic firearms allow the shooter to fire as fast as his finger can pull the trigger. Pair one of those with oversized ammunition magazines and he is capable of causing unthinkable damage in a matter of minutes. Rachel Maddow highlighted the correlation between the capacity of the ammunition magazine with the duration of the shooting spree and how many people are shot. But New Jersey Governor Chris Christie doesn’t seem to understand this correlation in the gun debate — that’s why he vetoed a bill that would limit the size of magazines.

For that, I am furious. Personally, I choose not to remember the names of the monsters who committed these acts because they should not be granted notoriety for their crimes — that would only make their twisted dreams come to fruition. We must pay attention to and deal with the issue at hand: mental illness and access to weaponry. I am no cheerleader for the NRA but I do believe in the right to bear arms. For self protection and even *shudder* hunting, we cannot deny our fellow countrymen (the sane ones) these rights.

Can we compromise?

Both sides are extreme, but I think we could come to an agreeable compromise. But not Gov. Christie, he’s definitely not on board with that. In his eyes we either abolish the Second Amendment entirely, or we continue allowing 15-round magazines to be produced and accessible to the armed public. Last week Christie vetoed a bill that would limit the size of gun magazines to ten rounds. This bill was petitioned by two families who lost children at the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. Christie avoided them, even when they personally delivered the petition to the governor’s office. He denied them, point blank, period. And this was his weak defense:

So are we saying then that the ten children on the clip that they advocate for, that their lives are less valuable? If you take the logical conclusion of their argument, you go to zero. Because every life is valuable. And so why ten? Why not six, why not two, why not zero? Why not just ban guns completely?

This is a joke…right? I mean, if we can’t save five people in the next shooting, we should just let all 15 victims get shot because everyone’s life is equally valuable. Yeah, that totally makes sense. What’s the big deal about five bullets?

Size matters

The heroine of the Tucson story is a woman who bravely tackled the shooter in the moments when he ceased fire. He was equipped with a magazine that held more than double the standard amount of rounds (15). When the shooter paused to refill his Glock with another 33-round magazine, Patricia Maisch, then 61, wrestled the ammo from him while a few men threw the shooter to the ground. The number of victims from that shooting could have been fewer if he had had to reload sooner.

The same goes for the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting. That shooter had a drum magazine capable of carrying 100 rounds attached to his AR-15 rifle. Could you imagine how the number of victims from that massacre could have been reduced if he were forced to reload about six times? Christie obviously cannot because that would be favoritism, or something.

Most importantly, I’d like to point out the difference this would have made at the Newtown shooting. The shooter in this case was armed with three different weapons and unfathomable amounts of ammunition, which he carried on his body. This guy came from a family with a long history of love for guns. He grew up with that whole culture and was granted access to guns, despite his Aspergers. The Daily Beast described the frightening amount of weaponry the shooter was armed with that day:

At the school, he emptied three magazines completely, leaving his 26 victims with as many as 11 gunshot wounds. Either because his weapon jammed or because he was overexcited, he ejected three more magazines when they still had 10, 11, and 13 rounds, respectively.

All told, he expended 154 rounds, killing 20 small children and 6 adults. The Bushmaster had one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine when he took his own life with one of two handguns he carried. A shotgun with two magazines containing 70 rounds was found in the black Honda he parked in the fire lane at the school entrance.

All that gore occurred in about five minutes. He could not have caused that many deaths in so little time with smaller magazines. How can Christie try to defend his veto with such illogical banter, to the parents of the victims of this shooting? Christie says it’s just a fundamental disagreement, though how his argument could be valid in any reality I do not understand. If the decision were up to you and you could choose between the hypothetical death of 15 children or 10 children, what would you do?

—

Natasha Paulmeno (@natashapaulmeno) 

Featured image courtesy of [Eugene Smith via Flickr]

Natasha Paulmeno

Natasha Paulmeno is an aspiring PR professional studying at the University of Maryland. She is learning to speak Spanish fluently through travel, music, and school. In her spare time she enjoys Bachata music, playing with her dog, and exploring social media trends. Contact Natasha at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Thanks to Governor Christie the Gun Debate Just Reached a New Low appeared first on Law Street.

Hey y’all!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! For me it is always a low-key weekend that usually ends up in quality time with my family, celebrating the holiday honoring the men and women who have died serving in the armed forces protecting our freedom. This weekend also calls for a celebration of my birthday — my actual birthday is today.

Monday was like every other Memorial Day where a small group of my family members get together to have some sort of meal and talk about anything and everything. This time, no surprise, the subject matter of the young man who murdered six people and injured 13 before killing himself near Santa Barbara over the weekend was brought up. A tragedy that is hard to understand but something that has become increasingly normal in our society.

It’s no secret that I have conservative views, as do most of my family members. I was raised with guns around the house, unavoidable when your father is in the military and a gun enthusiast from the South. I was taught early on in life what guns can do, how to handle them but also how to respect them. Shooting a rifle in the backwoods of Mississippi was a summer pastime with my brother under the supervision of our father. I am not a member of the NRA but I certainly support the organization.

As my family and I sat down for lunch, my aunt brought up this news and the press conference where the father of one of the victims, Christopher Martinez, age 20, had made a statement blaming not only politicians but also the NRA for his son’s death.

I cannot imagine the pain that a parent goes through when losing a child to such a heinous act and I understand that with grief comes anger and the need to blame someone for the loss of his child. I have lost friends in the past to guns, either self-inflicted or at the hand of someone else, but never have I once needed to blame anyone except the person who pulled that trigger.

The NRA promotes safety, responsibility, respect, and education toward guns. The NRA did not put that gun into the hands of this obviously disturbed man. Not to mention that in later reports police have discovered that three people were stabbed to death by the same person. Who do we blame then? Victorinox Swiss Army? Spyderco Knives? How about Crate & Barrel for selling cutlery? A knife can be just as deadly as a gun. It is not the method being used but rather the person behind that tool that we should blame.

The scariest part of this whole tragedy is that in some way it could have been avoided. The shooter’s father even contacted police a month ago due to the disturbing YouTube videos his son was posting. Let’s take a step back and think about why the police were unable to do anything about it before all of this occurred. Hindsight is always 20/20 and we can always play the “what if” game, but there were warning signs and nothing was done about them. This is not the fault of the NRA or anyone who supports the Second Amendment. This is the fault of a disturbed young man who felt that he was dealt a bad hand in life and blamed everyone but himself.

With that said, we should all take a minute to pay our respects to those who lost their lives in this tragic event. They are the ones who deserve the attention from the media — not the soulless creature who took them from this earth.

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Allison Dawson (@AllyD528) Born in Germany, raised in Mississippi and Texas. Graduate of Texas Tech University and Arizona State University. Currently dedicating her life to studying for the LSAT. Twitter junkie. Conservative.

Featured image courtesy of [Ted Eytan via Flickr]

Allison Dawson

Allison Dawson was born in Germany and raised in Mississippi and Texas. A graduate of Texas Tech University and Arizona State University, she’s currently dedicating her life to studying for the LSAT. Twitter junkie. Conservative. Get in touch with Allison at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Shooter Alone is to Blame for Santa Barbara Slayings appeared first on Law Street.

The parents of Robert J. Thomas have received a $7.5 million jury award. Police shot the 21 year old seven times outside of a Los Angeles County party with more than 60 other attendees. The parents claim that police assumed assumed their son and the other attendees to be members of the Crips gang.

The deputies arrived at the party and frisked Thomas as he stood outside. When Thomas fled he was shot seven times when the officers believed he was reaching for a gun. The police department says Thomas was a known gang member. After two days a deliberation, a 7 person jury, of which five were female, found that Thomas had been unarmed at the time of the shooting despite the fact that sheriffs department showed the jury the gun that they said was recovered from Thomas’ pocket.

After the verdict Thomas’ father, Robert Sr., said “it feels great for it to be proven that my son was never a gang member.” The family’s attorney said that the deputies believed they were arriving at a gang party, however, Thomas was simply working security and showed no signs of any involvement with the gang.

[Full Article: JDSupra]

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Featured image courtesy of [Steve Devol via Flickr]

Davis Truslow

Davis Truslow is a founding member of Law Street Media and a graduate of The George Washington University. Contact Davis at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Parents of Son Shot Dead by Police Win $7.5 Million appeared first on Law Street.