UN court rejects Nicaragua claims in Colombia sea row
The UN's top court dismissed Nicaragua's claims against Colombia Thursday in a decades-long Latin American legal battle over an oil- and fish-rich...
2023-07-14 00:57
Mysterious injury of 16-year-old Iranian girl not wearing a headscarf in Tehran's Metro sparks anger
A mysterious injury suffered by a 16-year-old girl not wearing a headscarf while boarding a Metro train in Iran’s capital has reignited anger just after the one-year anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini and the nationwide protests it sparked
2023-10-05 19:46
Thai election winner set to make last stand in contentious bid to become prime minister
The leader of Thailand’s Move Forward Party is expected to get a last chance to win parliament's confirmation as the country’s next prime minister
2023-07-19 03:52
Factbox-Amgen-Horizon deal joins mega mergers facing regulatory heat
A U.S. antitrust regulator said on Tuesday it will sue to stop Amgen's $27.8 billion deal for Horizon
2023-05-16 23:49
Uber sued after mother-of-four driver was shot in head by rider while pleading for her life
A year after an Uber driver was shot in the head, the mother of the victim has filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against the ride-share company. Christina “Christi” Spicuzza, 38, is alleged to have been murdered by Calvin Anthony Crew, 24, after he pulled a gun on her as she was driving him as part of an Uber taxi service. Cindy Spicuzza, the mother of the victim, has now filed a federal civil lawsuit against Uber for the wrongful death of her daughter. The ride began on 10 February; Mr Crew called his girlfriend Tanaya Mullen to order him an Uber using her Apple Pay account, Allegheny County Police say. Spicuzza accepted the ride and picked up Mr Crew around 9.11pm. Spicuzza, a mother of four, was found dead around midday on 12 February 2022. She was left lying face-down wearing a “Covid face mask” in a wooded area in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. Mr Crew was known to authorities as already “adjudicated for a robbery” he committed at the age of 14. The lawsuit relays that Uber failed to protect Spicuzza in three different ways: Uber should have verified Mr Crew’s identity before he entered Spicuzza’s vehicle, that Mr Crew’s previous criminal convictions should have been notified to Spicuzza and finally that Uber should have provided her with basic safety features. Distressing dashcam footage released by the court shows the moment that Mr Crew, who was wearing a balaclava to try and hide his identity, pushed a gun to the back of Spicuzza’s neck while holding her ponytail. In the background, the Uber app is heard saying to “drop off Tanaya”, meaning the journey was supposed to end there. The probable cause affidavit confirmed that the suspect told Spicuzza to keep on driving while holding the gun to her head. “Come on, I have a family,” Spicuzza said. “I got a family too, now drive,” Mr Crew replied. “I’m begging you, I have four kids,” Spicuzza said. “Please take that off of me,” asking him to put down the gun. The suspect allegedly said, “Do what I say and everything will be alright.” According to the affidavit, Mr Crew had been texting and calling his girlfriend Ms Mullen throughout the ride, possibly talking about picking up cannabis. “Whatever you doing tonight be careful,” Ms Mullen allegedly said to Mr Crew during the Uber ride. The night after the murder of Spicuzza, Ms Mullen allegedly texted Mr Crew, “I’m not going to jail if we get caught.” Mr Crew made the victim drive for an hour while going through her banking apps, and then eventually killed her, detectives say. “Had Uber applied its driver background check procedures to passengers, used its massive data analysis capabilities to screen out dangerous passengers, permitted drivers to cancel suspicious fares without penalty, or simply provided basic safety features in Ms Spicuzza’s Uber-approved rental car, these simple and effective measures—all readily available to Uber—could have saved Ms Spicuzza’s life,” the lawsuit said. “Unfortunately, however, Uber knew the dangers its drivers faced from dangerous, unverified passengers like Mr. Crew, and chose to do nothing, evincing a conscious corporate attitude for ‘profits over people,’ leaving behind Ms. Spicuzza’s family to grieve her tragic and preventable death.” The lawsuit states that Uber “could easily fulfil” its duty to protect their drivers “by applying the same screening standards it currently applies to its drivers to its passengers, as well as verifying who is ordering the ride.” In a statement to Law&Crime, an Uber spokesperson said that “No family should have to suffer such an unimaginable loss.” “While we cannot comment on pending litigation, we are committed to the safety of drivers who utilize the Uber app. Over the years, we’ve introduced features and policies, designed with safety in mind, like the in-app Safety Toolkit, the ability to freeze rider accounts with fake names and requiring ID from riders in some circumstances,” the Uber spokesperson said. “The safety of drivers is a high priority, and we’ll continue investing in safety features to raise the bar.” The lawsuit seeks a jury trial in the civil case. Mr Crew was arrested several days after the murder of Spicuzza. CBS News reported in March this year that a jury selection is set to begin his trial, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty. Read More Uber raises minimum age for most California drivers to 25, saying insurance costs are too high Woman escapes alleged kidnapper posing as an Uber driver by passing secret note to gas station customer Danelo Cavalcante - live: Homeowner ‘opened fire’ on fugitive after he stole rifle, locals told to lock doors
2023-09-12 21:26
Jets are sticking with Zach Wilson despite the quarterback's struggles
Zach Wilson couldn’t do much against the New England Patriots in a 15-10 loss that was filled with missed opportunities, not enough plays and plenty of boos
2023-09-25 06:57
Top US military officer General Mark Milley retires
General Mark Milley steps down on Friday after a tumultuous term as the top US military officer that saw him face repeated...
2023-09-29 20:19
MLB Rumors: Grading the top-3 items on the Philadelphia Phillies offseason wish list
The Phillies are less than 24 hours removed from a stunning NLCS collapse, and here are the top-3 items on their off-season wish list.
2023-10-26 11:48
Hyundai rushing to open Georgia plant because of law rewarding domestic electric vehicle production
Hyundai is rushing to start electric vehicle and battery production at a $7.6 billion complex in coastal Georgia, spurred by federal electric vehicle incentives that reward domestic production
2023-09-20 03:56
Biden and the first lady head to District of Columbia public middle school to welcome back students
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are visiting a District of Columbia public middle school to welcome students back for the new year
2023-08-28 18:25
Why was Weiss named special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden? It's complicated.
Attorney General Merrick Garland did not provide a robust explanation on Friday for why he needed to give US attorney David Weiss special counsel status for the Hunter Biden probe, or why it was necessary five years after the investigation began.
2023-08-12 05:49
Andrew Tate takes dig at women, implies they falsely 'accuse' men of 'human trafficking'
Andrew Tate also targeted Sophie, a women who accused him of abuse, by suggesting she did not exist
2023-06-12 17:57
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