Election officials reject calls to unilaterally block Trump from ballot using 14th Amendment but will defer to courts
Election officials in key states have recently rejected calls to unilaterally remove former President Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot and are saying courts should decide whether he's disqualified by the 14th Amendment's "insurrectionist ban."
2023-09-15 06:17
School district agrees to pay $27 million to family of 13-year-old in fatal bullying case
A California school district agreed to pay $27 million to the legal guardians of a 13-year-old boy who was fatally beaten at school in what the family's attorneys say is the "the largest bullying settlement in the United States."
2023-09-15 05:18
Alex Murdaugh’s financial trial date set as he appears in court for first time since murder conviction – live
A smiling Alex Murdaugh appeared in court on Thursday to face a string of financial fraud charges – in what marks his first court appearance since he was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul. The convicted killer attended a status conference before Judge Clifton Newman in Beaufort County on Thursday morning where his financial crimes trial date was set for 27 November. The case will focus on the millions of dollars he stole from the family of his dead housekeeper Gloria Satterfield – part of the 101 state charges over his alleged financial crimes. Two former friends and alleged co-conspirators in his financial crimes also appeared in court on Thursday – former Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte and former attorney Cory Fleming The court appearance comes as the deadline is looming for the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office to respond to a bombshell motion filed by Murdaugh’s attorneys last week in which they demanded a new trial and accused Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill of pressuring jurors to return a guilty verdict. The AG’s office had 10 days to respond to this motion – giving them until Friday. Read More Smiling Alex Murdaugh appears in court in shackles as trial date set in financial fraud case An Alex Murdaugh juror gained infamy with a dozen eggs. Now she’s at the centre of his bid for a new trial Will Alex Murdaugh be granted a new trial? Legal expert weighs in Alex Murdaugh accuses ‘fame seeking’ court clerk of jury tampering at his murder trial
2023-09-15 04:56
Alex Murdaugh’s longtime friend and alleged accomplice is sentenced to 10 years for financial fraud crimes
Former attorney Corey Fleming was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges that he conspired with his longtime friend Alex Murdaugh to steal millions of dollars from trusting clients. Fleming previously pleaded guilty to the financial fraud charges that stem from Murdaugh’s alleged scheme to steal money from the estate of his dead housekeeper Gloria Satterfield. Satterfield died in a fall on the Murdaugh property in 2018. He was also involved in stealing money from the family of Hakeem Pinckney – a man whose family Murdaugh represented after he was killed in a car crash in 2009. While Fleming knew Murdaugh was asking him to do wrong, he previously said he didn’t realise the depth of his old friend’s depravity. The sentencing was handed down on the same day Fleming’s longtime friend Murdaugh appeared in court for his own hearing on financial fraud charges for the first time since he was sentenced to life in prison in the murders of of his wife Maggie and son Paul. Judge Clifton Newman set a trial date for 27 November. On 15 August, Fleming pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges and was sentenced to nearly four years (46 months) in federal prison. He is housed at the Charleston County jail awaiting a prison assignment. On 23 August, he pleaded guilty to all state charges. Judge Newman scheduled Fleming’s sentencing for today in Beaufort so that the court could hear from friends and family members, as well as victims. At the hearing on Thursday, prosecutor Creighton Waters urged the judge to not be fooled by Fleming’s claims that he was “recruited” by Murdaugh into stealing from the families of Satterfield and Pinckney. Mr Waters argued that Fleming, who was an attorney at the time, was hired to represent the families but then “behind the scenes colluded with the defendant”. “What Mr Fleming wants the court to believe is… that he was tricked and fooled by Mr Murdaugh like everyone else,” Mr Waters said. The prosecutor then pointed to the fake Forge scheme in which Murdaugh allegedly set up a firm called Forge - a fake company with the name of a real one, which was used to siphon off money from clients. Murduagh and Fleming are accused of securing payouts from insurance companies in Satterfield’s case and then sending nearly $4m in stolen money to the fake company. “It was a shakedown, plain and simple,” Mr Waters said of Fleming and Murdaugh’s treatment of the Satterfield family. At the hearing on Thursday, several people addressed the court on behalf of the victims. Tony Satterfield, the son of Gloria Satterfield, told the court, “I still forgive Mr Fleming.” Satterfield’s sister also addressed the court and said that the family forgives Fleming. “Gloria did not die in vain as her case brought out other corruption and dishonest misdeeds being done to others,” she said, adding that it brought corruption “to light”. Attorney Eric Bland, who represents the Satterfield family, spoke at the hearing and said the law profession is “stained” by Fleming’s crimes. Fleming surrendered his license to practice law in both Georgia and South Carolina, saying he dishonored the profession. “The profession we love has been stained,” he said. “Mr Fleming knew exactly what he was doing. He is a plaintiff lawyer... it is impossible.” He said the debacle involving Murdaugh, Fleming and Laffitte, has “stained our state.” Mr Bland said the judge and court will hear how Fleming is a good guy, but that “good guys can still do criminal things.” “I’ve been suing other lawyers for 30 years. Never seen a case where the lawyers took every single dollar. But that’s what Fleming and Murdaugh did. Every single dollar.” Mr Bland also went over several examples of violations and irregularities in how Fleming handled and filed the Satterfield case to show the depth of the conspiracy and the criminal behaviour. He says Fleming and Murdaugh sat on the $4.3m settlements knowing that Gloria Satterfield’s son Brian, a vulnerable adult, was being put out on the street because his mom’s trailer was being foreclosed on. Mr Bland called it “blatant thievery”. Fleming is the second Murdaugh associate ordered to prison since investigators began scrutinising every aspect of Murdaugh’s life in June 2021 after his wife and son were shot to death at their South Carolina home. Russell Laffitte, who was convicted of federal charges in November, appeared for a status conference on Thursday in his state case. One of his attorneys, South Carolina State Rep Todd Rutherford, asked the judge to delay a trial until the fall of 2024. Judge Newman said that he would make a ruling at a later date. Last month, Laffitte was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to helping Murdaugh steal money from settlements for clients after vehicle wrecks or work injuries. Laffitte is appealing his conviction and sentence. Read More Smiling Alex Murdaugh appears in court in shackles as trial date set in financial fraud case Outrage as South Carolina lawmaker stands to shake hands with convicted killer Alex Murdaugh in court Alex Murdaugh’s friend pleads guilty to helping steal from dead maid’s family
2023-09-15 04:28
NBA rumors: Tyrese Maxey is the hang-up in the Damian Lillard-James Harden trade
According to an NBA insider, Philly is not looking to trade Maxey in a Harden deal for Lillard. What should Philly do with an uncertain roster going forward?
2023-09-15 03:21
Disney holds talks with Nexstar on ABC sale - Bloomberg News
(Reuters) -Walt Disney has held initial talks on the sale of its ABC network to U.S. local TV station owner
2023-09-15 02:59
Wisconsin Senate votes to remove state's top elections official, setting the stage for legal dispute
The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate voted Thursday to fire the state's top elections administrator, Meagan Wolfe -- a move that is all but certain to trigger a legal battle over who will oversee voting in one of the nation's most important presidential swing states as the 2024 election approaches.
2023-09-15 02:55
Hunter Biden indicted on federal gun charges following special counsel probe
Federal prosecutors have indicted President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden on three charges stemming from allegedly false statements in the purchase of a firearm following a special counsel investigation. The indictment – the first ever against a sitting president’s son – follows a failed plea agreement on tax and gun charges that collapsed in July under scrutiny from a federal judge. Charges announced on 14 September follow a multi-year investigation from David Weiss, who was appointed by Donald Trump and remained as US attorney for Delaware under the current administration in an apparent effort to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Mr Weiss, whose investigation preceded the Biden administration and Biden campaign, was appointed as special counsel in August. Hunter Biden was set to plead guilty to misdemeanour tax charges and enter a diversion agreement related to a felony gun charge in July, but the agreement appeared to hit a snag during a federal court hearing, and the judge presiding over the case ultimately rejected the arrangement. Congressional Republicans, meanwhile, continue to investigate the younger Biden and prepare an impeachment inquiry against the president, fuelled by GOP allegations that he was involved with and profited from his son’s business dealings. House Republicans have not provided any evidence that the president was influenced by or profited from such dealings while in office. A Delaware grand jury’s indictment charges Hunter Biden with illegally owning a gun as a drug user, and for allegedly lying on a form when he bought the firearm. The charges are expected to draw right-wing outrage and fuel Republican campaigns against the Biden family, as the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination for president faces four criminal indictments spanning dozens of charges, including for crimes allegedly committed while in office. The day before the indictment was announced, attorneys for Hunter Biden sued a former Trump-era White House official accused of launching a “sustained, unhinged and obsessed campaign” against him and the Biden family, including hacking the alleged contents of a laptop that were central to political campaigns surrounding the 2020 presidential election, federal investigations and Republican-led congressional probes. This is a developing story Read More Why Trump’s DOJ could help Biden with House Republicans’ impeachment inquiry Hunter Biden sues former Trump aide tied to laptop hack Why do Republicans want to impeach Joe Biden?
2023-09-15 02:28
NBA rumors: LeBron loosely linked to PED scandal, why the Hawks couldn't get Siakam, Brandon Ingram extension buzz
In today's NBA rumors — the link between LeBron James and a Miami biogenesis clinic, why Pascal Siakam wasn't traded to the Hawks, and Brandon Ingram's looming extension.
2023-09-15 02:27
Biden administration asks Supreme Court to block ruling that limits its communication with social media companies
The Biden administration on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to pause an appeals court ruling that limits the ability of the White House and key agencies to communicate with social media companies about content related to Covid-19 and elections the government views as misinformation.
2023-09-15 01:29
Boston Red Sox shockingly fire Chaim Bloom, but it comes days too late
The Boston Red Sox have fired lead front office executive Chaim Bloom in a shocking decision.
2023-09-15 00:54
Biden administration asks US Supreme Court block order curbing social media contacts
By Nate Raymond WASHINGTON President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to put on
2023-09-15 00:29