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Vancouver officers involved in beating death should be fired, victim’s sister says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

BURNABY, B.C. — The family of a man beaten to death during a confrontation with Vancouver police says the officers involved should lose their jobs, while others should be better trained to respond to people experiencing mental health challenges.Melissa Gray said the death of her only sibling, Myles, has devastated their family and they’ve been waiting for accountability from police for more than seven years.Myles Gray, 33, died on Aug. 13, 2015, following a beating involving seven officers that sent him into cardiac arrest and left him with a broken eye socket, a crushed voice box, a ruptured testicle and other injuries. His sister told media on Monday before the start of the coroner’s inquest into his death that the officers stole her brother’s life and don’t deserve to continue their jobs in policing.The British Columbia Prosecution Service declined to approve criminal charges against the officers in 2020, saying there were no civilian witnesses, or any vid...

Federal judge halts Colorado ban on ‘abortion pill reversal’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

DENVER (AP) — A judge has temporarily halted enforcement of a Colorado ban on what experts consider unproven treatments to reverse medical abortions at a religious clinic that alleged in a lawsuit that the newly signed law violated its Constitutional rights.Judge Daniel Domenico, who noted that Colorado is the only state to ban the treatment, issued the temporary restraining order over the weekend after Bella Health and Wellness argued that barring them from prescribing the so-called “abortion pill reversal” treatment violates their First Amendment right to free speech and religious exercise.The idea of reversing a medical abortion has become a flashpoint in the clash over reproductive rights nationwide after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving abortion up to the states. Roughly a dozen states have passed laws in the preceding years compelling abortion providers to inform their patients about the “reversal” treatment.A Republican proposal to do that in Colorado t...

Lawsuit seeking to revoke West Virginia abortion ban dropped

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — An abortion provider on Monday dropped a two-month-old federal lawsuit seeking to overturn West Virginia’s near-total ban.The Women’s Health Center of West Virginia said in a court filing that its primary physician determined he will be unable to resume providing abortion care in the state “due to intervening professional obligations.” Another physician who provided abortion care at West Virginia’s only abortion clinic prior to the passage of a law last year is no longer available, the filing said.While the developments have not necessarily rendered the case moot, the plaintiffs “have determined that it is in their best interests and the interests of judicial economy to voluntarily dismiss this case without prejudice at this time,” according to the filing in federal court in Charleston.The lawsuit filed Feb. 1 named the West Virginia Board of Medicine’s president and secretary as defendants. It claimed the law was unconstitutional, irrational and...

Man on trial denies charges of kidnapping woman, her son

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont man on trial for kidnapping a New Hampshire woman and her 4-year-old child more than four years ago testified Monday in his federal court trial that he took the two vehicles he is accused of stealing and taking across state lines, but he denied kidnapping the woman or her son.Everett Simpson, who is representing himself in the trial, wrote the questions that were asked by his standby attorney. U.S. District Court Judge William Sessions told the jury that Simpson had provided the questions that were being asked of him.After the day’s testimony, Sessions said closing arguments would be held on Tuesday, after which the case would be given to the jury. If convicted of the kidnapping charges, Simpson could be sentenced to life in prison. Simpson answered “I do,” several times after Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher asked questions, including whether he had taken the alleged victim and her son from New Hampshire to Vermont and whether...

Police shooting of Jayland Walker might face more scrutiny

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

The deadly police shooting of Jayland Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, by eight officers last summer sparked protests in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, and led to calls for a federal investigation. Ohio’s attorney general announced Monday that a grand jury had declined to indict the officers and said that Walker fired at least one shot at police during a pursuit.Walker’s family called it a brutal and senseless shooting. A police union official said the officers thought there was an immediate threat and that their actions were in line with their training.WHY DID POLICE CHASE WALKER?Police said the chase began when they tried to pull Walker over for minor equipment violations on June 27 and he failed to stop. They said he then fired a shot from his car 40 seconds into the pursuit. The chase began on a city street, continued onto a freeway and ended on a street where police had set up a roadblock.Less than 24 hours before the pursuit, an officer in a nearby township had tried...

Rep. George Santos announces reelection bid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. Rep. George Santos, the New York Republican whose lies about his background and wealth helped propel him into office, announced Monday that he’s running for reelection.More than perhaps any incumbent, Santos enters the race as an underdog — abandoned by many fellow Republicans while facing investigations over a myriad of allegations about falsehoods during his last campaign.During that race, Santos portrayed himself as a graduate of prestigious colleges who had gone on to have a successful career on Wall Street while amassing a real estate investment portfolio. In reality, he didn’t go to college, didn’t work for the Wall Street firms where he claimed to have made big deals and had struggled in recent years to pay his rent.In his campaign announcement, Santos didn’t mention any of that and instead highlighted his zeal in fighting for conservative principals in Washington and his background as “a poor boy of immigrant parents in Queens.”“W...

South Elgin man charged after allegedly stabbing mother to death in front of shared home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

SOUTH ELGIN, Ill. — A South Elgin man appeared in Kane County bond court Monday, and was charged in the stabbing death of his mother.Michal Wybraniec, 30.Michal Wybraniec, 30, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed violence, all of which are Class X felonies in the state of Illinois.According to the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, Wybraniec allegedly stabbed his 53-year-old mother, Beata Wybraniec, multiple times inside the South Elgin residence they shared Sunday.The state's attorney's office said Beata Wybraniec then attempted to flee from her son, but he caught her outside and resumed stabbing her, leading to her death.Home security footage obtained by WGN captured a black truck stopping in the road as the incident happened, shortly before the driver of the black truck hits the suspect to stop him from getting away.The home security footage then shows the driver get out of the truck with his own knife, telling the suspect to wait there un...

Mundelein PD and Working Bikes, bringing smiles to kids from Chicago to Lesotho

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

MUNDELEIN, Ill. — What was old is about to be new for hundreds of kids, as a shipping crate packed with generosity and a little love is making its way from the Chicagoland-area all the way to Africa.The shipping crate — stuffed with bikes gathered in Mundelein — is off to its target destination of Lesotho, but one might ask, what does Mundelein have to do with Lesotho?More than you might imagine at first. ‘Adopt a Grandparent’ helps bring sunshine to seniors It all began years ago at the Mundelein Police Department where, over time, abandoned or turned-in bicycles would accumulate in their evidence garage."We used to send the bikes to auction," said Jason Seeley, Deputy Chief of Operations at Mundelein PD. "But then COVID hit, the auction shut down and we were trying to find a way that the bikes could be useful."That's when their wheels started turning and a special idea began to culminate, leading to a partnership in the community."Bikes are great, right? Because [what] they do i...

Blackhawks have 1 more thing to look forward to this spring

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

CHICAGO — At the end of the day, the goal was to finish as low in the standings as possible.Well, the Blackhawks did finish near the bottom of the NHL, but not as far down as they ideally would have hoped. It puts even more stress on a very important day for the franchise in early May.With the season coming to a close on Friday, the Blackhawks officially finished third-to-last in the league. In other words, they have the third-best chance to get the No. 1 overall pick, also known as the chance to select center Connor Bedard, one of the best draft prospects in years. Getting to the bottom was the goal for general manager Kyle Davidson as he continues in the early stage of the Blackhawks rebuild, and he almost was able to do that. Their 59 points were tied for the franchise's lowest in an 82-game season, yet it wasn't enough to secure the best odds to get Bedard. The Ducks got that with 58 points, as a win by the Blackhawks over the Penguins in the second-to-last game of the year alon...

Kansas City teen out of hospital after shooting, homeowner charged

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:51 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Clay County prosecutor has charged an 84-year-old man in the shooting of a Kansas City 16-year-old who went to the wrong address to pick up his siblings last week. Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson announced Andrew Lester has been charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. A warrant has been issued for the man's arrest; his bond has been set at $200,000. The news came shortly after the Kansas City Police Department said it has submitted its case file on the shooting of Ralph Yarl to the Clay County Prosecutor's Office to review for possible charges. Paul Yarl confirmed to FOX4 earlier Monday that his son Ralph is out of the hospital Monday and on the road to recovery.Lester allegedly shot Ralph Yarl Thursday night after the teen went to the wrong home to pick up his younger siblings. Kansas City police said just before 10 p.m. April 13, Ralph meant to go to a home on N.E. 115th Terrace when he mistakenly went to a house on N.E. 115th S...