courthousenews--2020-06-26--Texan Who Slapped County Judge and Refused to Wear Mask Has Felony Charge Reduced

SAN ANTONIO ( CN ) – A Texan caught on video slapping the hand of a county judge over Covid-19 face mask orders turned himself in Thursday and had his felony assault charged reduced to misdemeanor disorderly contact .
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez identified the man as Terry Toller , 47 .
Toller was seen wearing a face mask as he left the Bexar County Jail .
He was held less than three hours and was not booked in , according to county officials .
An unmasked Toller was checking out Wednesday with a cashier at a Lowe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in northwest San Antonio when he allegedly became angry and verbally abusive when the cashier told him to wear a face mask .
In a 22-second-long security camera video that has been widely shared on social media , Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff is standing next to Toller waiting for another cashier and attempted to hand Toller a business card .
Toller is seen slapping Wolff ’ s hand and the video ends with Wolff bending down to pick up the card from the ground .
The two Lowe ’ s employees in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customer in line are all shown wearing masks .
Wolff claimed he was trying to calm the situation and get Toller to call his office to discuss the order .
Wolff was the first local official in Texas to order businesses to require face masks in areas where 6-foot social distancing is not possible or face a $ 1,000 fine .
Enacted on June 17 , the order has been copied by other jurisdictions in the state that have struggled to find a way around Republican Governor Greg Abbott ’ s refusal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public .
County judges in Texas are elected chief executives of the county — they have no judicial duties .
Gonzalez declined to comment on the specifics of the case against Toller , but said his office reduced – at Judge Wolff ’ s request – the felony charge of assault on a public servant to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly contact for using profanity in a public place .
“ At the request of Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff , that charge was rejected at magistration by the Bexar County District Attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
“ Wearing a face covering is a sign of respect to the people around you .
While this issue has become divisive and political , it is my hope that everyone will follow the order voluntarily.
” Wolff said he asked for the reduced charge because he “ did not want this to be a distraction ” from the main goal of “ requiring businesses to have customers wear masks ” and to protect everyone in the community .
“ We are experiencing a drastic rise in cases and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those numbers will go up exponentially today , ” the judge said in a statement Thursday .
Texas has so far reported 131,917 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 2,296 deaths , according to the Department of State Health Services late Thursday .
Toller ’ s attorney – Nico LaHood in San Antonio – praised the reduction of the charge to a misdemeanor .
He deemed the original felony charge “ overreaching from the beginning.
” He criticized Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar for “ way overreacting ” to the incident .
Salazar said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the slap and left the phone on speakerphone as the confrontation continued .
“ I could hear the suspect berating the judge , ” Salazar said at the time .
“ He knew exactly who he was ; he knew exactly who he was dealing with , and he knew that he was in violation of the judge ’ s order.
” LaHood says his client maintains he did nothing wrong .
“ The video speaks for itself , ” the attorney said .
“ There are other aspects that happened in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This was taken way out of context .
At the very least , it was mishandled very irresponsibly .
At the worst , it was deceptive .
I don ’ t know , we will have to fill in the blanks as time goes on.
” Toller ’ s release from jail came hours after Tarrant County officials in Fort Worth issued a nearly-identical order to businesses to mandate masks for employees and customers or face a $ 1,000 fine .

A Texan caught on video slapping the hand of a county judge over Covid-19 face mask orders turned himself in Thursday and had his felony assault charged reduced to misdemeanor disorderly contact.
SAN ANTONIO (CN) — A Texan caught on video slapping the hand of a county judge over Covid-19 face mask orders turned himself in Thursday and had his felony assault charged reduced to misdemeanor disorderly contact.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez identified the man as Terry Toller, 47. Toller was seen wearing a face mask as he left the Bexar County Jail. He was held less than three hours and was not booked in, according to county officials.
An unmasked Toller was checking out Wednesday with a cashier at a Lowe’s hardware store on Callaghan Road in northwest San Antonio when he allegedly became angry and verbally abusive when the cashier told him to wear a face mask.
In a 22-second-long security camera video that has been widely shared on social media, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff is standing next to Toller waiting for another cashier and attempted to hand Toller a business card.
Toller is seen slapping Wolff’s hand and the video ends with Wolff bending down to pick up the card from the ground. The two Lowe’s employees in the video, Wolff and a third customer in line are all shown wearing masks. Wolff claimed he was trying to calm the situation and get Toller to call his office to discuss the order.
Wolff was the first local official in Texas to order businesses to require face masks in areas where 6-foot social distancing is not possible or face a $1,000 fine. Enacted on June 17, the order has been copied by other jurisdictions in the state that have struggled to find a way around Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s refusal to order people to wear face masks in public.
County judges in Texas are elected chief executives of the county — they have no judicial duties.
Gonzalez declined to comment on the specifics of the case against Toller, but said his office reduced — at Judge Wolff’s request — the felony charge of assault on a public servant to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly contact for using profanity in a public place.
“At the request of Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, that charge was rejected at magistration by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office,” Gonzalez said in a statement. “Wearing a face covering is a sign of respect to the people around you. While this issue has become divisive and political, it is my hope that everyone will follow the order voluntarily.”
Wolff said he asked for the reduced charge because he “did not want this to be a distraction” from the main goal of “requiring businesses to have customers wear masks” and to protect everyone in the community.
“We are experiencing a drastic rise in cases and hospitalizations and it is my understanding that those numbers will go up exponentially today,” the judge said in a statement Thursday.
Texas has so far reported 131,917 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 2,296 deaths, according to the Department of State Health Services late Thursday.
Toller’s attorney — Nico LaHood in San Antonio — praised the reduction of the charge to a misdemeanor. He deemed the original felony charge “overreaching from the beginning.” He criticized Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar for “way overreacting” to the incident.
Salazar said Wednesday that Wolff called him immediately after the slap and left the phone on speakerphone as the confrontation continued.
“I could hear the suspect berating the judge,” Salazar said at the time. “He knew exactly who he was; he knew exactly who he was dealing with, and he knew that he was in violation of the judge’s order.”
LaHood says his client maintains he did nothing wrong.
“The video speaks for itself,” the attorney said. “There are other aspects that happened in the incident that people are not getting. This was taken way out of context. At the very least, it was mishandled very irresponsibly. At the worst, it was deceptive. I don’t know, we will have to fill in the blanks as time goes on.”
Toller’s release from jail came hours after Tarrant County officials in Fort Worth issued a nearly identical order to businesses to mandate masks for employees and customers or face a $1,000 fine.


courthousenews--2020-06-26--Judge Denies Gun Rights Advocates’ Attempt to Block State’s One-Gun-a-Month Law

GOOCHLAND , Va. ( CN ) — Finding a new state law limiting the purchase of handguns to one a month does not violate the Constitution , a rural judge on Thursday denied an injunction hoping to block it from going into effect .
It ’ s one of two challenges to a wave of new gun laws passed by the state ’ s newly elected Democrat majority earlier this year .
“ The government has a substantial interest in limiting gun trafficking , ” said Goochland County Judge Timothy Sanner from the bench just under a week before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He pointed to the state ’ s history as a depot for guns used in crime as among the reasons for his decision .
“ These laws are legal , constitutional and they ’ re important , ” said Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring from the steps of the courthouse .
“ We have seen too much gun violence in communities across the state and the problem of gun trafficking is real.
” “ The status quo is not acceptable and they want the Legislature to take bold action to keep our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During oral arguments , attorney David Browne , who represented local gun enthusiast Valerie Trojan in the lawsuit against Col. Gary Settle , Superintendent of the Virginia State Police , said the handgun purchase limit violated both the U.S. and Virginia Constitution under the right to bear arms .
He further suggested the limit was an arbitrary numerical limit and compared it to limiting the purchase of a bible to once a month .
“ It ’ s the right to bear arms : plural , ” Browne , who works for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Toby Heytens , Solicitor General for the state , argued the law , which allows additional purchases under certain conditions , amounted more to an enhanced background check .
He also noted the lack of court intervention in similar laws , saying “ no other court in the country ” had considered ruling on such purchase limits .
And the nature of the purchase makes a difference as well , he argued .
Heytens said it was not a prohibition limiting access to firearms , but rather a “ modest restriction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit was filed against Settle by Trojan and other state gun groups , including the Virginia Citizens Defense League .
Once a fringe group based in the state ’ s rural west , VCDL has grown in popularity as the NRA has fallen on hard times .
The group , fronted by activist Philip Van Cleave , brought several thousand gun activists to the state ’ s capital during the 2020 legislative sessions to oppose the new gun limit as well as other gun restrictions which were eventually passed .
Notably , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this isn ’ t the first time Virginia limited handgun purchases to once a month through the Legislature .
A similar limit was put in place in the early 90s and remained until it was repealed in 2012 under former Governor Bob McDonnell .
The gun control advocacy group The Virginia Center for Public Safety said the law helped limit out-of-state buyers from snatching up guns in Virginia only to bring them to other states “ impeding the volume of handguns that traffickers can resell illegally on the secondary market.
” Van Cleave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite today ’ s loss , questioned the accuracy of the state ’ s link to crime guns .
He also stressed the loss was due to the high threshold needed for an injunction and the same result wouldn ’ t play out as the case continues .
“ This doesn ’ t mean we don ’ t have merit [ in our argument ] , ” he said in an interview following the hearing .
Van Cleave is also involved in a second lawsuit that aims to block a new universal background @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rural Lynchburg County Circuit Court , the challenge is still awaiting a hearing date .
A call to the courthouse Wednesday suggested the case might not get heard before the law goes into effect next week , but a judge has since been assigned : Judge Patrick Yeatts .
Van Cleave and friends already know Yeatts to be an ally ; the judge granted an injunction blocking Governor Ralph Northam ’ s executive order which closed gun ranges during the early days of the outbreak of Covid-19 .
Herring dismissed that ruling as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has since allowed gun ranges to reopen as the state continues to see virus cases drop off .
“ All unconstitutional laws were passed at one time by a Legislature , ” Van Cleave said looking optimistically toward the background check fight .
“ It happens all the time.
” No matter the outcome of the background check dispute , evidence on the impact of such laws is up for debate .
The RAND Center for Gun Policy said earlier this year that there were some statistical drops associated with mandated background checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of April 2020 .
“ The cumulative evidence is puzzling , as overall effects of background checks appear to be uncertain , but some components of background checks appear to significantly reduce homicides or violent crime , ” wrote Andrew Morral , senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation , leader of Gun Policy in America , in the report .
While the first challenge fell and the second is yet to be decided , there ’ s still plenty of new gun laws on tap for the state once known for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a red flag law as well as stiffer penalties for failing to report stolen guns or allowing guns to get into the hands of children .
Localities will also be able to limit the carrying of guns on city-owned land .
“ No matter where the law is challenged , if it ’ s challenged or how many there are , this is important to Virginians , ” said Herring of the new measures .
“ I ’ m going to continue to defend them in court and we ’ re going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no other suits challenging the remaining laws , all set to go into effect next week , were filed in the state .

Finding a new Virginia law limiting the purchase of handguns to one a month does not violate the Constitution, a rural judge on Thursday denied an injunction that would block it from taking effect.
GOOCHLAND, Va. (CN) — Finding a new Virginia law limiting the purchase of handguns to one a month does not violate the Constitution, a rural judge on Thursday denied an injunction that would block it from taking effect. It’s one of two challenges to a wave of new gun laws passed by the state’s newly elected Democrat majority earlier this year.
“The government has a substantial interest in limiting gun trafficking,” said Goochland County Judge Timothy Sanner from the bench, just under a week before the law goes live. Sanner pointed to the state’s history as a depot for guns used in crime as among the reasons for his decision.
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring praised the outcome from the steps of the courthouse. “These laws are legal, constitutional and they’re important,” he said. “We have seen too much gun violence in communities across the state and the problem of gun trafficking is real.
“The status quo is not acceptable and they want the Legislature to take bold action to keep our communities safer,” he added.
Representing local gun enthusiast Valerie Trojan in the lawsuit against Colonel Gary Settle, superintendent of the Virginia State Police, attorney David Browne said during oral arguments that the handgun-purchase limit violated both the U.S. and Virginia Constitution under the right to bear arms. Browne further suggested the limit was an arbitrary numerical limit and equated it with limiting the purchase of a Bible to once a month.
“It’s the right to bear arms: plural,” said Browne, who works for the firm Spiro and Browne in Richmond.
But Toby Heytens, the state solicitor general, argued the law, which allows additional purchases under certain conditions, amounted more to an enhanced background check. He also noted the lack of court intervention in similar laws, saying “no other court in the country” had considered ruling on such purchase limits.
And the nature of the purchase makes a difference as well, he argued. Heytens said it was not a prohibition limiting access to firearms, but rather a “modest restriction on commercial sales of firearms.”
State gun groups that joined Trojan's suit included the Virginia Citizens Defense League. Once a fringe group based in the state’s rural west, VCDL has grown in popularity as the National Rifle Association has fallen on hard times.
The group, fronted by activist Philip Van Cleave, brought several thousand gun activists to the state’s capital during the 2020 legislative sessions to oppose the new gun limit as well as other gun restrictions that were eventually passed.
Notably, both parties in Thursday’s dispute have acknowledged that this isn’t the first time Virginia limited handgun purchases to once a month through the Legislature. A similar limit was put in place in the early '90s and remained until former Governor Bob McDonnell repealed it in 2012.
The gun-control advocacy group The Virginia Center for Public Safety said the law helped limit out-of-state buyers from snatching up guns in Virginia and bringing them to other states, “impeding the volume of handguns that traffickers can resell illegally on the secondary market.”
Van Cleave, who promised to continue the case despite today’s loss, questioned the accuracy of the state’s link to crime guns. He also stressed the loss was due to the high threshold needed for an injunction and the same result wouldn’t play out as the case continues.
“This doesn’t mean we don’t have merit [in our argument],” he said in an interview following the hearing.
Van Cleave is also involved in a second lawsuit that aims to block a new universal background-check law. Filed in the similarly rural Lynchburg County Circuit Court, the challenge is still awaiting a hearing date.
A call to the courthouse Wednesday suggested the case might not get heard before the law goes into effect next week, but a judge has since been assigned: Judge Patrick Yeatts.
Van Cleave and friends already know Yeatts to be an ally; the judge granted an injunction blocking Governor Ralph Northam’s executive order that closed gun ranges during the early days of the outbreak of Covid-19.
Herring dismissed that ruling as specific to executive orders, and Northam has since allowed gun ranges to reopen as the state continues to see virus cases drop off.
“All unconstitutional laws were passed at one time by a Legislature,” Van Cleave said, looking optimistically toward the background-check fight. “It happens all the time.”
No matter the outcome of the background check dispute, evidence on the impact of such laws is up for debate. The RAND Center for Gun Policy said earlier this year that there were some statistical drops associated with mandated background checks, however the data was inconclusive as of April 2020.
“The cumulative evidence is puzzling, as overall effects of background checks appear to be uncertain, but some components of background checks appear to significantly reduce homicides or violent crime,” Andrew Morral, senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation, leader of Gun Policy in America, wrote in the report.
While the first challenge fell and the second is yet to be decided, there’s still plenty of new gun laws on tap for the state once known for its freewheeling attitude toward firearms. They include a red-flag law as well as stiffer penalties for failing to report stolen guns or allowing guns to get into the hands of children. Localities will also be able to limit the carrying of guns on city-owned land.
“No matter where the law is challenged, if it's challenged or how many there are, this is important to Virginians,” Herring said of the new measures. “I’m going to continue to defend them in court and we’re going to win.”
As of press time, no other suits challenging the remaining laws, all set to go into effect next week, were filed in the state.


courthousenews--2020-06-26--County DAs Can Enforce Consumer Protection Laws Statewide in California

( CN ) – County district attorneys in California can sue companies for violating the state ’ s unfair competition law for conduct that occurred anywhere in the state , the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday .
Reversing a Fourth Appellate District decision , the high court found no evidence in the written statute or legislative history that state lawmakers intended to geographically constrain county prosecutors ’ power to enforce consumer protection laws .
“ We see no indication that in an enforcement action brought by a district attorney , the Legislature intended to limit civil penalties or restitution to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s county , ” Justice Goodwin Liu wrote for the court .
The opinion stems from a 2016 lawsuit filed against Abbott Laboratories and other pharmaceutical companies by former Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas .
Suing on behalf of the people of California , Rackauckas claimed the drug companies engaged in a “ pay-for-delay ” scheme to postpone generic versions of the cholesterol drug Niaspan from hitting the market .
In 2018 , the Fourth Appellate District overruled a trial court ’ s decision and granted Abbott ’ s motion to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct that occurred outside of Orange County .
The appeals court held that a district attorney is a county officer whose jurisdiction and power is limited to that county ’ s physical borders .
The state ’ s high court rejected that reasoning in a 27-page opinion Thursday , finding no evidence that lawmakers intended to limit local prosecutor ’ s power to enforce the law .
“ There is no specific indication in the voluminous legislative record of the UCL that the Legislature intended to grant statewide enforcement authority to district attorneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Liu wrote .
“ But what the record does reveal is a clear trajectory toward greater and overlapping public enforcement at all levels of government.
” Addressing concerns that such a holding might usurp the California Attorney General ’ s role of enforcing laws on behalf of the entire state , the court pointed out that the attorney general can still intervene or take control of any district attorney ’ s civil enforcement action if the AG finds it does not adequately serve the public interest .
In an amicus brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Xavier Becerra took no position on the drug company ’ s arguments but noted that the Orange County DA ’ s position could present “ conflicts of interest ” for local prosecutors , who would be representing the interests of statewide victims but might have an incentive to secure a better outcome for local constituents .
Responding to that argument , the court noted that such concerns were presented to the state Legislature when it repeatedly enacted legislation to expand authority for district attorneys to enforce the law .
The court concluded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Legislature to consider amending the UCL to add procedures to minimize the risks of conflicting enforcement efforts.
” In a 4-page concurring opinion , Justice Leondra Kruger suggested one way the Legislature could address those concerns is by requiring DAs to notify the Attorney General ’ s Office when they file a lawsuit seeking to enforce the unfair competition law for violations occurring outside their borders .
Kruger wrote that would be a significant step “ toward facilitating coordination and collaboration between different enforcing authorities in the future.
” Justices Kruger , Ming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joined Liu joined Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and Carin Fujisaki , a First Appellate District Justice assigned to the case , in concurring with Liu ’ s opinion .
Todd Spitzer defeated Rackauckas in a 2018 election and now serves as Orange County ’ s District Attorney .
Sptizer ’ s office and Abbott Laboratories did not immediately return emails requesting comment Thursday .

County prosecutors can sue companies under unfair-competition law for conduct that occurred anywhere in California, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
(CN) — County prosecutors can sue companies under unfair-competition law for conduct that occurred anywhere in California, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
Reversing a Fourth Appellate District decision, the high court found no evidence in the written statute or legislative history that state lawmakers intended to geographically constrain county prosecutors’ power to enforce consumer protection laws.
“We see no indication that in an enforcement action brought by a district attorney, the Legislature intended to limit civil penalties or restitution to the geographic boundaries of the district attorney’s county,” Justice Goodwin Liu wrote for the court.
The opinion stems from a 2016 lawsuit filed against Abbott Laboratories and other pharmaceutical companies by former Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. Suing on behalf of the people of California, Rackauckas claimed the drug companies engaged in a “pay-for-delay” scheme to postpone generic versions of the cholesterol drug Niaspan from hitting the market.
In 2018, the Fourth Appellate District overruled a trial court’s decision and granted Abbott’s motion to strike claims in the lawsuit based on conduct that occurred outside of Orange County. The appeals court held that a district attorney is a county officer whose jurisdiction and power is limited to that county’s physical borders.
The state’s high court rejected that reasoning in a 27-page opinion Thursday, finding no evidence that lawmakers intended to limit local prosecutor’s power to enforce the law.
“There is no specific indication in the voluminous legislative record of the UCL that the Legislature intended to grant statewide enforcement authority to district attorneys or to withhold such authority from them,” Liu wrote. “But what the record does reveal is a clear trajectory toward greater and overlapping public enforcement at all levels of government.”
Addressing concerns that such a holding might usurp the California Attorney General’s role of enforcing laws on behalf of the entire state, the court pointed out that the attorney general can still intervene or take control of any district attorney’s civil enforcement action if the AG finds it does not adequately serve the public interest.
In an amicus brief filed in the case, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra took no position on the drug company’s arguments but noted that the Orange County DA’s position could present “conflicts of interest” for local prosecutors, who would be representing the interests of statewide victims but might have an incentive to secure a better outcome for local constituents.
Responding to that argument, the court noted that such concerns were presented to the state Legislature when it repeatedly enacted legislation to expand authority for district attorneys to enforce the law.
The court concluded that such concerns “may induce the Legislature to consider amending the UCL to add procedures to minimize the risks of conflicting enforcement efforts.”
In a 4-page concurring opinion, Justice Leondra Kruger suggested one way the Legislature could address those concerns is by requiring DAs to notify the Attorney General’s Office when they file a lawsuit seeking to enforce the unfair-competition law for violations occurring outside their borders.
Kruger wrote that would be a significant step “toward facilitating coordination and collaboration between different enforcing authorities in the future.”
Justices Kruger, Ming Chin, Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar, Carol Corrigan joined Liu joined Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and Carin Fujisaki, a First Appellate District Justice assigned to the case, in concurring with Liu’s opinion.
Todd Spitzer defeated Rackauckas in a 2018 election and now serves as Orange County’s District Attorney.
Sptizer’s office and Abbott Laboratories did not immediately return emails requesting comment Thursday.


Covid Commutations

SALEM , Ore. — Oregon Governor Kate Brown commuted 57 sentences Thursday due to the inmates ’ “ risk for @ @ @ @ @ contract Covid-19 .
”

The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.


courthousenews--2020-06-26--House Passes Broad Police Reform Bill

House Passes Broad Police Reform Bill

WASHINGTON ( CN ) — George Floyd ’ s death sparked international protest , rocking the consciousness of millions who watched his life evaporate under the knee of a police officer , but in the throes of national outrage and despair , the House of Representatives took up the mantle to address racial inequities in policing and passed a sweeping reform bill that is not expected to survive in the Senate .
Passed by a vote of 236-181 and sponsored by Karen Bass , a California Democrat and chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus , the George Floyd Justice in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by House Republicans .
GOP lawmakers took issue with the legislation ’ s key platforms , including its outright ban on carotid holds , its prohibition of no knock warrants in drug cases and its creation of a national registry for police misconduct — an initiative that would make it harder for problematic officers to jump jurisdictions without comprehensive tracing of their work history .
From the steps of Capitol Hill Thursday morning , exactly one month since Floyd was killed , chairwoman Bass underlined why the House was adamant the bill retain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 , 2020 , our world changed , ” Bass said .
“ This time was different .
This time the video just couldn ’ t be questioned .
The slow murder of George Floyd that took place over eight minutes and 46 seconds was just not up for speculation.
” Amid the tragedy of Floyd ’ s death and the subsequent outcry , it put front and center the pain and the “ private ritual ” of “ the talk , ” Bass said , noting the shared experience among black families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ do whatever they are told , no matter how humiliating.
” “ Because if you don ’ t , you might not survive , ” Bass remarked .
The legislation seeks to end that ritual and reshape the way police protect and serve .
While it is not expected to pass in the Senate where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a day earlier relegated it as the product of partisanship “ elevated to an art form , ” the bill has 36 Senate cosponsors .
The passage of the Floyd Act leaves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the House Nancy Pelosi said : “ To honor George Floyd ’ s life or do nothing.
” Tension between the congressional bodies stems from a fundamental dispute over the path forward to equitable and safe policing .
Senate Democrats blocked the GOP ’ s proposed Justice Act , but a parliamentary procedure invoked by McConnell kept the chance to debate the law ’ s merits alive and it could still be reanimated in some form on the Senate floor .
Republicans on Thursday focused largely on procedural issues related to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stages , pointing to a contested Judiciary Committee hearing last week where they offered 12 amendments , all of which were defeated .
When arguments for procedures ceased , Republicans like Tom McClintock of California , Louie Gohmert of Texas and Debbie Lesko of Arizona dismissed the Floyd Act as an infeasible Democratic wish list .
“ There are racists of every color , of every society .
It ’ s the baser society of human nature .
No one has tried harder to ostracize their racists than Americans , ” McClintock said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all lives matter ” from the floor before Gohmert railed against “ Marxist crimewaves.
” Others , like Texas Republican Will Hurd , who will retire next year , said by passing the Floyd Act instead of negotiating amendments , America was “ missing its opportunity to do their part from preventing another black person from dying in police custody.
” “ Whether your skin is black or your uniform is blue , you should not feel targeted in this country , ” Hurd said .
The lawmaker would eventually vote in favor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Republicans , Rep. Fred Upton and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick .
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler contended that Republican amendments or stand-alone bills would not have produced the substantial change needed for true reform .
The Justice Act , sponsored by the Senate ’ s sole black Republican member Tim Scott of South Carolina , contains provisions directly contrary to those in the Floyd Act , chief among them , a difference over the namesake legislation ’ s centerpiece .
Instead of blocking chokeholds , the Justice Act incentivizes police not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have already banned specific types of neck restraints , like the New York Police Department which first banned chokeholds in 1993 , the exception being when an officer ’ s life was in danger — Chicago ’ s police department followed suit in 2012 .
The ban alone however did not stop Eric Garner from being choked to death by Officer Daniel Pantaleo .
Pantaleo was fired but never indicted .
“ That bill has about as much teeth as a newborn baby , ” the Louisiana Democrat said .
“ They don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of blind loyalty to a self-absorbed leader who lacks the character or concern to care .
America is not just burning , she is weeping .
She is crying for American leadership to man up , to write in the laws in this country once and for all that black lives do matter.
” President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week focused on reforming chokeholds , but it carved out an exception for their use during life-endangering encounters .
Another breaking point between lawmakers was qualified immunity .
In its passage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for government officials and police , a legal doctrine that first emerged in 1967 when Mississippi police arrested black clergymen who entered – they said mistakenly – a whites-only rest area .
When the Supreme Court faced the question of whether the white officers who arrested the black clergy members were liable for violating their rights , the justices came to a conclusion that would take over 20 years to be modified .
Since police were government employees , they were not liable , particularly if they were acting “ in good faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That deeply-subjective position shifted in 1982 when the high court reconsidered qualified immunity and determined that one official ’ s “ good faith ” was not sufficient .
Instead , immunity turned on whether a person ’ s rights were clearly violated under established law .
For proponents , qualified immunity is a welcome contingency , giving law enforcement the right to due process , as the White House suggested this week .
For others , like the 233 Democrats and three Republicans who support the Floyd Act , hundreds of civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who continue to demonstrate , it is little better than a shield protecting corrupt officers and a barrier to meaningful legal recourse for victims of excessive and deadly force .
In cases examining use of force and justifiable qualified immunity defenses between 2017-2019 , courts ruled in favor of police more than half of the time , according to a Reuters study .
“ Right now , if it ’ s willful intent ; we ’ re talking about what ’ s in somebody ’ s mind , ” Bass told Courthouse News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examining what ’ s in someone ’ s mind .
That ’ s one of the reasons why it never happens because a police officer always says , ‘ I didn ’ t intend to , but I was in fear of my life.
’ But you choked somebody for eight minutes and 46 seconds , you couldn ’ t have been in fear of your life .
That ’ s the difference.
” With its passage in the House , the Floyd Act is left to a bitterly embroiled Senate — but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of negotiations to reform police departments , not the end .
Representative Sheila Jackson Lee , a Texas Democrat , sent opposed senators a message from the mothers of Eric Garner and Tamir Rice and the father of John Crawford III , all killed by police chokehold or shooting .
“ The unjust killing of a loved one , especially at the hands of a law enforcement officer is a pain too many families are forced to endure , ” they said .
As the sun beat down on the Capitol steps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be denied equality and that all are created equal under the law .
“ Gianna Floyd said in the aftermath of the death of her father , ‘ Daddy has changed the world , ’ ” Jackson Lee said .
“ So as I stand here today , let me proclaim… that the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is not a figment of our imagination , it ’ s not an idea that we just wanted to exhibit our proudness of the law .
This legislation is America ’ s legislation .
@

George Floyd’s death sparked international protest, rocking the consciousness of millions who watched his life evaporate under the knee of a police officer, but in the throes of national outrage and despair, the House of Representatives took up the mantle to address racial inequities in policing and passed a sweeping reform bill that is not expected to survive in the Senate.
WASHINGTON (CN) — George Floyd’s death sparked international protest, rocking the consciousness of millions who watched his life evaporate under the knee of a police officer, but in the throes of national outrage and despair, the House of Representatives took up the mantle to address racial inequities in policing and passed a sweeping reform bill that is not expected to survive in the Senate.
Passed by a vote of 236-181 and sponsored by Karen Bass, a California Democrat and chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was met with fierce resistance by House Republicans.
GOP lawmakers took issue with the legislation’s key platforms, including its outright ban on carotid holds, its prohibition of no knock warrants in drug cases and its creation of a national registry for police misconduct — an initiative that would make it harder for problematic officers to jump jurisdictions without comprehensive tracing of their work history.
From the steps of Capitol Hill Thursday morning, exactly one month since Floyd was killed, chairwoman Bass underlined why the House was adamant the bill retain its current provisions.
“On May 25, 2020, our world changed,” Bass said. “This time was different. This time the video just couldn't be questioned. The slow murder of George Floyd that took place over eight minutes and 46 seconds was just not up for speculation.”
Amid the tragedy of Floyd’s death and the subsequent outcry, it put front and center the pain and the “private ritual” of “the talk," Bass said, noting the shared experience among black families warning each other to mind their behavior and “do whatever they are told, no matter how humiliating.”
“Because if you don’t, you might not survive,” Bass remarked.
Representative Sheila Jackson, a Texas Democrat, when announcing the vote on the historic George Floyd Justice in Policing Act on Thursday invoked the words of Floyd’s daughter, Gianna Floyd who remarked after her father’s death that he “changed the world.” (Courthouse News photo/Brandi Buchman and Jack Rodgers)
The legislation seeks to end that ritual and reshape the way police protect and serve.
While it is not expected to pass in the Senate where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a day earlier relegated it as the product of partisanship “elevated to an art form,” the bill has 36 Senate cosponsors.
The passage of the Floyd Act leaves the Senate with two choices, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said: “To honor George Floyd’s life or do nothing.”
Tension between the congressional bodies stems from a fundamental dispute over the path forward to equitable and safe policing.
Senate Democrats blocked the GOP’s proposed Justice Act, but a parliamentary procedure invoked by McConnell kept the chance to debate the law’s merits alive and it could still be reanimated in some form on the Senate floor.
Republicans on Thursday focused largely on procedural issues related to the drafting of the bill in its early stages, pointing to a contested Judiciary Committee hearing last week where they offered 12 amendments, all of which were defeated.
When arguments for procedures ceased, Republicans like Tom McClintock of California, Louie Gohmert of Texas and Debbie Lesko of Arizona dismissed the Floyd Act as an infeasible Democratic wish list.
“There are racists of every color, of every society. It’s the baser society of human nature. No one has tried harder to ostracize their racists than Americans,” McClintock said.
Lesko echoed similar sentiments saying “all lives matter” from the floor before Gohmert railed against “Marxist crimewaves.”
Others, like Texas Republican Will Hurd, who will retire next year, said by passing the Floyd Act instead of negotiating amendments, America was “missing its opportunity to do their part from preventing another black person from dying in police custody.”
“Whether your skin is black or your uniform is blue, you should not feel targeted in this country,” Hurd said.
The lawmaker would eventually vote in favor of the bill, along with two other Republicans, Congressmen Fred Upton and Brian Fitzpatrick.


courthousenews--2020-06-27--Facebook Will Label Rule-Breaking Posts, Including Trump’s

( CN ) — In a reversal , Facebook says it will label all “ newsworthy ” content that violates its policies , including statements from President Donald Trump .
“ We ’ ll allow people to share this content to condemn it , just like we do with other problematic content , because this is an important part of how we discuss what ’ s acceptable in our society — but we ’ ll add a prompt to tell people that the content they ’ re sharing may violate our policies , ” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flag problematic messages from Trump , claiming such statements are in the public interest .
Without naming Trump , Zuckerberg also indicated the social media giant would begin removing content that “ incites violence or suppresses voting.
” “ If we determine that content may lead to violence or deprive people of their right to vote , we will take that content down , ” Zuckerberg noted , adding “ there are no exceptions for politicians.
” Facebook intends to partner with state election authorities “ to help determine the accuracy of information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company also will display its “ Voting Information Center ” at the top of the Facebook and Instagram apps .
Other changes Facebook is making in the runup to the national election include a voter information campaign to help 4 million people register to vote , as well as monitoring hateful content in ads .
The new policies are among measures Facebook says it is taking to combat voter suppression and hate speech .
The company says it has invested in both artificial intelligence and human review teams to identify most hate speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re expanding our ads policy to prohibit claims that people from a specific race , ethnicity , national origin , religious affiliation , caste , sexual orientation , gender identity or immigration status are a threat to the physical safety , health or survival of others , ” Zuckerberg said .
“ We ’ re also expanding our policies to better protect immigrants , migrants , refugees and asylum seekers from ads suggesting these groups are inferior or expressing contempt , dismissal or disgust directed at them.
” Zuckerberg said the changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil rights community and reflect months of work with our civil rights auditors.
” He pledged to keep working with outside experts and civil rights organizations “ to adjust our approach as new risks emerge.
” Facebook has faced growing criticism in recent weeks as other social media platforms have taken a more aggressive approach to labeling and removing content that violates their policies .
Twitter has begun labeling Trump ’ s tweets for “ abusive behavior , ” and on May 26 added fact-checking notifications on his tweets and began hiding some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later .
Several prominent retail companies had pulled advertising from Facebook and Instagram to protest the company ’ s policies .
In response , Trump threatened to muzzle social media companies , signing an executive order attempting to restrict their liability protections , in conflict with Federal Communications Commission policies .
The order has since been challenged in court .

In a reversal, Facebook says it will label all “newsworthy” content that violates its policies, including statements from President Donald Trump.
(CN) — In a reversal, Facebook says it will label all “newsworthy” content that violates its policies, including statements from President Donald Trump.
“We'll allow people to share this content to condemn it, just like we do with other problematic content, because this is an important part of how we discuss what's acceptable in our society — but we'll add a prompt to tell people that the content they're sharing may violate our policies,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Friday.
Previously, Facebook had refused to flag problematic messages from Trump, claiming such statements are in the public interest.
Without naming Trump, Zuckerberg also indicated the social media giant would begin removing content that “incites violence or suppresses voting.”
“If we determine that content may lead to violence or deprive people of their right to vote, we will take that content down,” Zuckerberg noted, adding “there are no exceptions for politicians.”
Facebook intends to partner with state election authorities “to help determine the accuracy of information and what is potentially dangerous.” The company also will display its “Voting Information Center” at the top of the Facebook and Instagram apps.
Other changes Facebook is making in the runup to the national election include a voter information campaign to help 4 million people register to vote, as well as monitoring hateful content in ads.
The new policies are among measures Facebook says it is taking to combat voter suppression and hate speech. The company says it has invested in both artificial intelligence and human review teams to identify most hate speech before anyone reports it.
“We're expanding our ads policy to prohibit claims that people from a specific race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status are a threat to the physical safety, health or survival of others,” Zuckerberg said. “We're also expanding our policies to better protect immigrants, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers from ads suggesting these groups are inferior or expressing contempt, dismissal or disgust directed at them.”
Zuckerberg said the changes “come directly from feedback from the civil rights community and reflect months of work with our civil rights auditors.”He pledged to keep working with outside experts and civil rights organizations “to adjust our approach as new risks emerge.”
Facebook has faced growing criticism in recent weeks as other social media platforms have taken a more aggressive approach to labeling and removing content that violates their policies. Twitter has begun labeling Trump’s tweets for “abusive behavior,” and on May 26 added fact-checking notifications on his tweets and began hiding some Trump tweets behind a warning two days later.
Several prominent retail companies had pulled advertising from Facebook and Instagram to protest the company’s policies.
In response, Trump threatened to muzzle social media companies, signing an executive order attempting to restrict their liability protections, in conflict with Federal Communications Commission policies. The order has since been challenged in court.


courthousenews--2020-06-27--Florida Orders Bars Closed as Covid Cases Hit New Record

( CN ) — Florida ’ s cases of Covid-19 surged exponentially Friday , setting a new daily record and prompting officials to close bars across the state .
The Florida Department of Health ’ s latest report shows 8,942 people tested positive for the coronavirus , skyrocketing past Wednesday ’ s record 5,511 new positives .
The upward trend over the last few weeks , seemingly fueled by a younger demographic , led Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears to suspend the on-site consumption of alcohol at bars .
The state has no plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspects of its phase two opening , Gov .
Ron DeSantis told reporters on Friday .
“ We ’ re going to trust people to make good decisions , ” DeSantis said during a press conference held at Lee Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers .
The governor said the spike in coronavirus cases is mostly attributed to young people socializing with each other and not reopening the state too quickly .
“ People want to be sociable , they want to interact , ” DeSantis said .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The median age of those infected with the virus has gone from over 60 years old to 34 , the governor said .
Hospitalizations have not risen dramatically , he said , because younger people are less at risk to face serious complications from the disease .
He scoffed at the idea of ordering people statewide to wear masks in public .
“ To police and fine people is probably something that would backfire , ” DeSantis said .
“ Young people , if they are partying at someone ’ s house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He added , “ The idea that you are going to mandate and successfully prosecute people isn ’ t going to work.
” As cases began to spike last week , local governments around Florida quickly passed orders requiring face masks in public places and businesses .
The rules prompted two lawsuits brought by prominent Republicans in the state .
DeSantis has been reluctant to reverse reopening plans , though hinted that the second phase of reopening may last longer than anticipated .
On June 5 , the governor loosened restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operate at 50 % capacity .
Restaurants were already allowed to open at half capacity during the first phase of reopening .
DeSantis said the move to suspend alcohol sales in bars on Friday came after so many establishments did not follow the 50 % capacity guidelines .
Earlier in the week , the Department of Business and Professional Regulation suspended the alcohol license of an Orlando-area bar after an outbreak infected 28 patrons and 13 employees .
“ When people are following the guidelines , we ’ re good , ” DeSantis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t following it.
” Hours before the directive , Tom Rockhill voluntarily closed his arcade bar , Right Around the Corner , in St. Petersburg .
“ Just with all the spikes , this thing seems to be ripping through the hospitality industry right now , ” Rockhill explained .
“ We decided it ’ s not even worth it to open .
Let ’ s just close the doors.
” Rockhill said even after opening , bar owners in the area were taking heat on social media as the socially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nightlife .
“ We can ’ t do anything right now without people saying , ‘ There ’ s too many people in there , I can ’ t believe your open , ’ or if you take it on the safe side people will , for lack of a better word , call you a pussy , ” he said .
“ It seems like anything we do we ’ re pissing somebody off.
” He continued , “ The hard part being an owner is now I feel like it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing ] happens and it ’ s my fault if it doesn ’ t .
I can ’ t run around with a tape measure and ask people how they know each other and if they are in the same group.
” But for now , Rockhill just worries about how long the suspension will last .
He and his business partner weathered the last shutdown , but another one could be devastating .
“ Financially , I ’ m obviously taking a huge hit , ” Rockhill said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t sell beer , I don ’ t get paid .
”

Florida’s cases of Covid-19 surged exponentially Friday, setting a new daily record and prompting officials to close bars across the state.
(CN) — Florida’s cases of Covid-19 surged exponentially Friday, setting a new daily record and prompting officials to close bars across the state.
The Florida Department of Health’s latest report shows 8,942 people tested positive for the coronavirus, skyrocketing past Wednesday’s record 5,511 new positives.
The upward trend over the last few weeks, seemingly fueled by a younger demographic, led Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Secretary Halsey Beshears to suspend the on-site consumption of alcohol at bars.
The state has no plans to mandate masks or roll back any other aspects of its phase two opening, Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters on Friday.
“We’re going to trust people to make good decisions,” DeSantis said during a press conference held at Lee Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers.
The governor said the spike in coronavirus cases is mostly attributed to young people socializing with each other and not reopening the state too quickly.
“People want to be sociable, they want to interact,” DeSantis said. “It’s less businesses than it is social interaction.”
The median age of those infected with the virus has gone from over 60 years old to 34, the governor said. Hospitalizations have not risen dramatically, he said, because younger people are less at risk to face serious complications from the disease.
He scoffed at the idea of ordering people statewide to wear masks in public.
“To police and fine people is probably something that would backfire,” DeSantis said. “Young people, if they are partying at someone’s house, they are probably not wearing masks.”
He added, “The idea that you are going to mandate and successfully prosecute people isn’t going to work.”
As cases began to spike last week, local governments around Florida quickly passed orders requiring face masks in public places and businesses. The rules prompted two lawsuits brought by prominent Republicans in the state.
DeSantis has been reluctant to reverse reopening plans, though hinted that the second phase of reopening may last longer than anticipated.
On June 5, the governor loosened restrictions on bars and nightclubs, allowing them to operate at 50% capacity. Restaurants were already allowed to open at half capacity during the first phase of reopening.
DeSantis said the move to suspend alcohol sales in bars on Friday came after so many establishments did not follow the 50% capacity guidelines. Earlier in the week, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation suspended the alcohol license of an Orlando-area bar after an outbreak infected 28 patrons and 13 employees.
“When people are following the guidelines, we’re good,” DeSantis said. “You had people that weren’t following it.”
Hours before the directive, Tom Rockhill voluntarily closed his arcade bar, Right Around the Corner, in St. Petersburg.
“Just with all the spikes, this thing seems to be ripping through the hospitality industry right now,” Rockhill explained. “We decided it’s not even worth it to open. Let’s just close the doors.”
Rockhill said even after opening, bar owners in the area were taking heat on social media as the socially isolated populace began heading back to downtown nightlife.
“We can’t do anything right now without people saying, ‘There’s too many people in there, I can’t believe your open,’ or if you take it on the safe side people will, for lack of a better word, call you a pussy,” he said. “It seems like anything we do we’re pissing somebody off.”
He continued, “The hard part being an owner is now I feel like it’s my job to make sure [social distancing] happens and it’s my fault if it doesn’t. I can’t run around with a tape measure and ask people how they know each other and if they are in the same group.”
But for now, Rockhill just worries about how long the suspension will last. He and his business partner weathered the last shutdown, but another one could be devastating.
“Financially, I’m obviously taking a huge hit,” Rockhill said. “I own the place so if I don’t sell beer, I don’t get paid.”


courthousenews--2020-06-26--Ninth Circuit Stands By Decision to Let ‘Fairbanks 4’ Sue for Malicious Prosecution

( CN ) — The Ninth Circuit on Friday refused to reconsider a decision that will allow four men who spent 18 years in prison for a murder they didn ’ t commit to sue the city of Fairbanks , Alaska , for malicious prosecution .
Four Alaskan natives and one Native American from the lower 48 states were convicted for the 1997 murder of John Hartman , a 15-year-old who was beaten to death on the streets of Fairbanks .
Several years after their conviction , another man confessed to the crime and evidence came to light of manipulated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the four men — Marvin Roberts , George Frese , Kevin Pease and Eugene Vent — remained in prison as a judge delayed ruling on their request for release and prosecutors vowed to appeal any ruling that would free them .
To secure their liberty , the men agreed to settle with the city in 2015 .
The settlement forbade them from suing the city and stipulated that their convictions were “ properly and validly entered based on proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
” Despite that deal , the four men sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led the case against them in 2018 .
They requested damages based on a dozen claims including malicious prosecution , Brady violations and civil rights conspiracy and asked that the settlement be declared unenforceable .
But U.S. District Judge H. Russel Holland dismissed the lawsuit , finding it was barred by precedent from the 1994 U.S. Supreme Court case Heck v. Humphrey , which requires that convictions be invalidated before prosecutors or police can be sued for constitutional violations related to wrongful convictions .
In January , a divided three-judge Ninth Circuit panel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the four men from suing the city .
Writing for the majority , U.S .
Circuit Judge Richard C. Tallman , a Bill Clinton appointee , found nothing was left to invalidate because the state court had effectively declared the men ’ s convictions invalid by tossing them .
On Friday , the Ninth Circuit denied the city of Fairbanks ’ petition for an en banc rehearing .
The decision was opposed by two Ninth Circuit judges , including George W. Bush appointee Sandra Ikuta , who dissented from the three-judge panel ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dissent , U.S .
Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke , a Donald Trump appointee , noted that the plaintiffs agreed in a 2015 settlement that their convictions were “ properly and validly ” secured .
“ This concession by the plaintiffs that their convictions were valid can not mean that their convictions were invalidated—it means the opposite , ” VanDyke wrote .
The Trump appointee complained the majority ’ s ruling will create a new exception to the bar on wrongful conviction-related claims in nine states and two protected island territories under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , in every situation where a criminal defendant ’ s conviction is ministerially vacated without any judicial determination that the conviction was actually ‘ invalid , ’ this new exception casts into doubt the Heck bar ’ s applicability , ” VanDyke wrote .
The judge noted that several states in the Ninth Circuit have laws that automatically vacate some convictions after a defendant has served his or her sentence .
This opinion could eliminate the bar on suing for constitutional violations related to those convictions , he complained .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before cementing it as binding precedent in our circuit , ” VanDyke wrote .
Reached by email , plaintiffs ’ attorney Anna Benvenutti Hoffmann faulted Fairbanks for spending the last two and half years fighting to dismiss this lawsuit on a technicality , rather than confronting the “ shocking and pervasive police misconduct ” that led four innocent men to be wrongly imprisoned for a collective 72 years .
“ We look forward to proving at trial how Fairbanks police officers railroaded four innocent men , ” Hoffman said .
Fairbanks ’ attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anchorage , Alaska , did not immediately return a request for comment Friday .

The Ninth Circuit on Friday refused to reconsider a decision that will allow four men who spent 18 years in prison for a murder they didn’t commit to sue the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, for malicious prosecution.
(CN) — The Ninth Circuit refused Friday to reconsider a decision that lets four men sue the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, for malicious prosecution after they spent 18 years in prison for a murder they didn’t commit.
Four Alaskan natives and one Native American from the lower 48 states were convicted for the 1997 murder of John Hartman, a 15-year-old who was beaten to death on the streets of Fairbanks. Several years after their conviction, another man confessed to the crime and evidence came to light of manipulated interview recordings and coerced confessions.
Still, the four men — Marvin Roberts, George Frese, Kevin Pease and Eugene Vent — remained in prison as a judge delayed ruling on their request for release and prosecutors vowed to appeal any ruling that would free them.
To secure their liberty, the men agreed to settle with the city in 2015. The settlement forbade them from suing the city and stipulated that their convictions were “properly and validly entered based on proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Despite that deal, the four men sued Fairbanks and the four police detectives who led the case against them in 2018. They requested damages based on a dozen claims including malicious prosecution, Brady violations and civil rights conspiracy and asked that the settlement be declared unenforceable.
But U.S. District Judge H. Russel Holland dismissed the lawsuit, finding it was barred by precedent from the 1994 U.S. Supreme Court case Heck v. Humphrey, which requires that convictions be invalidated before prosecutors or police can be sued for constitutional violations related to wrongful convictions.
In January, a divided three-judge Ninth Circuit panel concluded the 2015 settlement does not bar the four men from suing the city. Writing for the majority, U.S. Circuit Judge Richard C. Tallman, a Bill Clinton appointee, found nothing was left to invalidate because the state court had effectively declared the men’s convictions invalid by tossing them.
On Friday, the Ninth Circuit denied the city of Fairbanks’ petition for an en banc rehearing. The decision was opposed by two Ninth Circuit judges, including George W. Bush appointee Sandra Ikuta, who dissented from the three-judge panel’s decision in January.
Writing for the dissent, U.S. Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke, a Donald Trump appointee, noted that the plaintiffs agreed in a 2015 settlement that their convictions were “properly and validly” secured.
“This concession by the plaintiffs that their convictions were valid cannot mean that their convictions were invalidated—it means the opposite,” VanDyke wrote.
The Trump appointee complained the majority’s ruling will create a new exception to the bar on wrongful conviction-related claims in nine states and two protected island territories under the Ninth Circuit’s jurisdiction.
“Now, in every situation where a criminal defendant’s conviction is ministerially vacated without any judicial determination that the conviction was actually ‘invalid,’ this new exception casts into doubt the Heck bar’s applicability,” VanDyke wrote.
The judge noted that several states in the Ninth Circuit have laws that automatically vacate some convictions after a defendant has served his or her sentence. This opinion could eliminate the bar on suing for constitutional violations related to those convictions, he complained.
“We should have considered this inconsistency en banc before cementing it as binding precedent in our circuit,” VanDyke wrote.
Reached by email, plaintiffs’ attorney Anna Benvenutti Hoffmann faulted Fairbanks for spending the last two and half years fighting to dismiss this lawsuit on a technicality, rather than confronting the “shocking and pervasive police misconduct” that led four innocent men to be wrongly imprisoned for a collective 72 years.
“We look forward to proving at trial how Fairbanks police officers railroaded four innocent men,” Hoffman said.
Fairbanks’ attorney Matthew Singer of Holland & Knight in Anchorage, Alaska, did not immediately return a request for comment Friday.


courthousenews--2020-06-26--California Lawmakers Send $202 Billion Covid-Era Budget to Newsom’s Desk

SACRAMENTO , Calif. ( CN ) — Democratic lawmakers on Friday sent California Governor Gavin Newsom a budget that replaces education and social services funding depleted by the pandemic by pulling billions from the state ’ s once-healthy reserves , slashing state workers ’ pay and halting business tax breaks .
Approved on party-line votes in both the Democratic-controlled state Senate and Assembly , the proposal now goes to Newsom .
The governor has until July 1 to sign or make changes to the $ 202 billion blueprint intended to patch the state ’ s record deficit .
Assembly Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related trailer bills cast the package as a reasoned , compassionate approach and a win for schoolchildren and the state ’ s vulnerable populations .
“ With this budget we could have done something that was better for Wall Street , but in the end we wanted to make sure the money got to Main Street , ” said Phil Ting , chair of the Assembly Budget Committee .
The spending plan amends the placeholder version lawmakers approved to maintain their paychecks and caps a hectic stretch of negotiations between the Legislature and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fend off an estimated $ 54 billion shortfall .
Rather than across-the-board cuts Newsom called for in May , Friday ’ s version fills the mammoth gap by deferring state funding intended for schools to future years and allowing districts to dip into their own reserves or borrow for the 2020-2021 session .
While funding for K-12 and community colleges won ’ t be reduced , public universities and colleges stand to lose nearly $ 1 billion .
Lawmakers also hope to raise over $ 4 billion in new taxes by suspending a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ net operating losses .
The agreement additionally slashes , $ 150 million for the judiciary budget and nearly $ 3 billion in delayed raises or salary reductions for state employees .
The closure of two yet to-be-determined prisons are also outlined in the spending plan .
The budget includes a provision that allows for most the cuts to be restored if additional pandemic relief is approved this summer by the federal government .
The Senate passed the main budget bill late Thursday , 29-10 .
Senate President Toni Atkins called the plan “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to craft it thanks to wise budgeting decisions made during the last several years when the state ’ s finances were in healthy shape .
“ This budget reflects compromise on all sides , but protects critical priorities , such as education and health and human services programs , while maintaining significant reserves , ” said Atkins , D-San Diego .
Like most states , California fell off a fiscal cliff due to efforts taken to stem the spread of Covid-19 .
The rapid job losses and mandated business closures have taken a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main sources of revenue in corporate , sales and personal income taxes .
“ Numbers like this haven ’ t been felt like this since the Great Depression , ” Newsom said in May of spiking unemployment and tax revenue decreases .
To shield what his office believes is a record-high $ 54 billion hole , Newsom initially proposed cutting billions to social programs and education if federal funding didn ’ t come by July .
The proposal assumed a 22 % drop in revenue compared to the rough draft he introduced in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the word “ Covid-19.
” But the governor ’ s proposal drew immediate criticism within his own party as two weeks later the Democratic-controlled state Senate responded with a vastly different spending plan .
Lawmakers ’ counteroffer delayed cuts until Oct. 1 and included new spending on a variety of social and anti-homelessness programs .
Their bargaining over the last two weeks appears to have paid off , as the bill headed to Newsom ’ s desk is similar to the placeholder passed on June 15 .
The 2020-21 budget includes $ 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with $ 550 million to bolster ongoing efforts to lease hotel rooms for homeless people .
Meanwhile the state will reinstate a $ 330 million homeowner mortgage relief program it nixed during the last recession , after a state appeals court in 2019 found the money was “ unlawfully diverted.
” San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo , chair of the state ’ s Big City Mayors Coalition , praised Newsom and lawmakers for “ approving a budget that demonstrates their commitment to partner with our cities to confront the urgent needs of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s disabled residents are spared in the latest deal and will be paid for in part by dipping into the state ’ s coffers .
On Thursday , Newsom declared a budget emergency to clear the way for lawmakers to take $ 8 billion from the state ’ s rainy-day reserves .
“ We had to bridge two versions , ” said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty , D-Sacramento .
“ The governor ’ s May revise would have been a disaster for us reopening our state.
” The state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and claimed they were left out of negotiations .
Republicans , who hold less than a third of seats in both the Senate and Assembly , warned the budget was built on flimsy ground and would bite taxpayers down the line .
“ This budget is still structurally irresponsible and it ’ s something that we ’ re going to have to deal with on Main Street as well as Wall Street in the future , ” said Jay Obernolte , Republican and vice chair of the Assembly Budget Committee .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but our failure to make those difficult decisions this year will have dire consequences in future years.
” Assembly Democrats carried the main budget bill and approved it by a 57-16 margin , without a single Republican yes vote .
More than a dozen remaining so-called “ trailer bills ” were scheduled to be voted on late Friday .

Democratic lawmakers on Friday sent California Governor Gavin Newsom a budget that replaces education and social services funding depleted by the pandemic by pulling billions from the state’s once-healthy reserves, slashing state workers’ pay and halting business tax breaks.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Democratic lawmakers on Friday sent California Governor Gavin Newsom a budget that replaces education and social services funding depleted by the pandemic by pulling billions from the state’s once-healthy reserves, slashing state workers’ pay and halting business tax breaks.
Approved on party-line votes in both the Democratic-controlled state Senate and Assembly, the proposal now goes to Newsom. The governor has until July 1 to sign or make changes to the $202 billion blueprint intended to patch the state’s record deficit.
Assembly Democrats who voted for the budget and the related trailer bills cast the package as a reasoned, compassionate approach and a win for schoolchildren and the state’s vulnerable populations.
“With this budget we could have done something that was better for Wall Street, but in the end we wanted to make sure the money got to Main Street,” said Phil Ting, chair of the Assembly Budget Committee.
The spending plan amends the placeholder version lawmakers approved to maintain their paychecks and caps a hectic stretch of negotiations between the Legislature and the Democratic governor as how to best fend off an estimated $54 billion shortfall.
Rather than across-the-board cuts Newsom called for in May, Friday’s version fills the mammoth gap by deferring state funding intended for schools to future years and allowing districts to dip into their own reserves or borrow for the 2020-2021 session. While funding for K-12 and community colleges won’t be reduced, public universities and colleges stand to lose nearly $1 billion.
Lawmakers also hope to raise over $4 billion in new taxes by suspending a popular program allowing qualifying businesses to claim net operating losses. The agreement additionally slashes, $150 million for the judiciary budget and nearly $3 billion in delayed raises or salary reductions for state employees. The closure of two yet to-be-determined prisons are also outlined in the spending plan.
The budget includes a provision that allows for most the cuts to be restored if additional pandemic relief is approved this summer by the federal government.
The Senate passed the main budget bill late Thursday, 29-10. Senate President Toni Atkins called the plan “pragmatic” and said lawmakers were able to craft it thanks to wise budgeting decisions made during the last several years when the state’s finances were in healthy shape.
“This budget reflects compromise on all sides, but protects critical priorities, such as education and health and human services programs, while maintaining significant reserves,” said Atkins, D-San Diego.
Like most states, California fell off a fiscal cliff due to efforts taken to stem the spread of Covid-19. The rapid job losses and mandated business closures have taken a major toll on the state’s main sources of revenue in corporate, sales and personal income taxes.
“Numbers like this haven’t been felt like this since the Great Depression,” Newsom said in May of spiking unemployment and tax revenue decreases.
To shield what his office believes is a record-high $54 billion hole, Newsom initially proposed cutting billions to social programs and education if federal funding didn’t come by July. The proposal assumed a 22% drop in revenue compared to the rough draft he introduced in January before most Californians had never heard the word “Covid-19.”
But the governor’s proposal drew immediate criticism within his own party as two weeks later the Democratic-controlled state Senate responded with a vastly different spending plan.
Lawmakers’ counteroffer delayed cuts until Oct. 1 and included new spending on a variety of social and anti-homelessness programs. Their bargaining over the last two weeks appears to have paid off, as the bill headed to Newsom’s desk is similar to the placeholder passed on June 15.
The 2020-21 budget includes $300 million for cities to fight homelessness along with $550 million to bolster ongoing efforts to lease hotel rooms for homeless people. Meanwhile the state will reinstate a $330 million homeowner mortgage relief program it nixed during the last recession, after a state appeals court in 2019 found the money was “unlawfully diverted.”
San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, chair of the state's Big City Mayors Coalition, praised Newsom and lawmakers for "approving a budget that demonstrates their commitment to partner with our cities to confront the urgent needs of our unhoused residents."
Programs benefitting seniors and the state’s disabled residents are spared in the latest deal and will be paid for in part by dipping into the state’s coffers. On Thursday, Newsom declared a budget emergency to clear the way for lawmakers to take $8 billion from the state’s rainy-day reserves.
“We had to bridge two versions,” said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento. “The governor’s May revise would have been a disaster for us reopening our state.”
The state’s minority party united against the budget package and claimed they were left out of negotiations. Republicans, who hold less than a third of seats in both the Senate and Assembly, warned the budget was built on flimsy ground and would bite taxpayers down the line.
“This budget is still structurally irresponsible and it’s something that we’re going to have to deal with on Main Street as well as Wall Street in the future,” said Jay Obernolte, Republican and vice chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. “I know that cuts are painful to make, but our failure to make those difficult decisions this year will have dire consequences in future years.”
Assembly Democrats carried the main budget bill and approved it by a 57-16 margin, without a single Republican yes vote. More than a dozen remaining so-called “trailer bills” were scheduled to be voted on late Friday.


courthousenews--2020-06-26--Supreme Court Won’t Force Texas to Expand Mail-In Voting

( CN ) — Texas Democrats ’ months-long battle to expand access to absentee ballots faced yet another obstacle Friday when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to force the state to let all eligible Texans vote by mail .
“ This application raises weighty but seemingly novel questions regarding the Twenty-Sixth Amendment , ” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the court ’ s single-page order .
“ I do not disagree with the decision to refrain from addressing them for the first time here , in the context of an emergency application to vacate a stay of an injunction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Appeals will consider the merits of the legal issues in this case well in advance of the November election.
” The high court ’ s decision comes nine days after the Texas Democratic Party asked the justices to reverse the Fifth Circuit ’ s stay of a San Antonio federal judge ’ s order that would have let any eligible voter qualify for a mail-in ballot during the Covid-19 pandemic .
Texas ’ election law reserves mail-in ballots for voters who have a sickness or physical condition , including pregnancy , “ that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling place on election day.
” Additionally , voters who will be out of their registered county during the voting period , those 65 or older , and eligible voters who are jailed may lawfully apply for an absentee ballot .
Fearing that the novel coronavirus may spread quickly at election booths , and that the pandemic would deter voters from turning out to the polls , Texas Democrats took to state and federal courts to argue that a voter ’ s lack of immunity to Covid-19 constitutes a disability preventing them from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court sided against the Democrats in late May .
“ ‘ Disabled ’ normally means ‘ incapacitated by or as if by illness , injury , or wounds , ’ ” Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote for the majority .
“ In no sense can a lack of immunity be said to be such an incapacity.
” The chair of the Texas Democratic Party , Gilberto Hinojosa , expressed his dismay at the U.S. Supreme Court ’ s decision in a statement Friday .
“ We are disappointed that the Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed relief and clarity for voters ahead of the primary runoff , ” he said .
“ We will not stop fighting for the rights of voters.
” Ken Paxton , the state ’ s Republican attorney general , approved of the decision .
“ I applaud the Supreme Court for following the law and refusing to order mail-in balloting that the Texas Legislature has forbidden .
Universal mail-in ballots , which are notoriously vulnerable to fraud , would only lead to greater election fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters , ” Abbott said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue to fight for safe , free and fair elections.
” With Friday ’ s Supreme Court ruling , the restrictions on absentee ballots remain the law of the land in Texas , where the state ’ s Republican governor has rolled back his efforts to reopen the state for business .
Texas has recorded 137,624 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 2,324 deaths as of Friday afternoon , according to the Department of State Health Services .
The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalized has risen every day since June 11 .
In response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abbott ordered bars to close and reduced restaurant capacity to 50 % Friday at noon .
He cited the state ’ s rising positivity rate and shrinking supply of hospital beds .
“ As I said from the start , if the positivity rate rose above 10 % , the state of Texas would take further action to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 , ” Abbott said .
“ We want this to be as limited in duration as possible .
However , we can only slow the spread if everyone in Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a responsibility to themselves and their loved ones to wear a mask , wash their hands , stay six feet apart from others in public , and stay home if they can.
” Though the Supreme Court declined to order an expansion of mail-in voting eligibility in Texas , the Texas Democrats ’ request for the high court to take up their case remains pending .
Texas primary runoffs will be held July 14 .
Eligible voters who hope to send an absentee ballot must ensure their applications are received by county election @ @ @ @ @

Texas Democrats’ months-long battle to expand access to absentee ballots faced yet another obstacle Friday when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to force the state to let all eligible Texans vote by mail.
(CN) — Texas Democrats’ months-long battle to expand access to absentee ballots faced yet another obstacle Friday when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to force the state to let all eligible Texans vote by mail.
“This application raises weighty but seemingly novel questions regarding the Twenty-Sixth Amendment,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in the court’s single-page order. “I do not disagree with the decision to refrain from addressing them for the first time here, in the context of an emergency application to vacate a stay of an injunction. But I hope that the Court of Appeals will consider the merits of the legal issues in this case well in advance of the November election.”
The high court’s decision comes nine days after the Texas Democratic Party asked the justices to reverse the Fifth Circuit’s stay of a San Antonio federal judge’s order that would have let any eligible voter qualify for a mail-in ballot during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Texas’ election law reserves mail-in ballots for voters who have a sickness or physical condition, including pregnancy, “that prevents the voter from appearing at the polling place on election day.”
Additionally, voters who will be out of their registered county during the voting period, those 65 or older, and eligible voters who are jailed may lawfully apply for an absentee ballot.
Fearing that the novel coronavirus may spread quickly at election booths, and that the pandemic would deter voters from turning out to the polls, Texas Democrats took to state and federal courts to argue that a voter’s lack of immunity to Covid-19 constitutes a disability preventing them from appearing at polling places.
The Texas Supreme Court sided against the Democrats in late May.
“‘Disabled’ normally means ‘incapacitated by or as if by illness, injury, or wounds,’” Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote for the majority. “In no sense can a lack of immunity be said to be such an incapacity.”
The chair of the Texas Democratic Party, Gilberto Hinojosa, expressed his dismay at the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in a statement Friday.
“We are disappointed that the Supreme Court did not weigh in now and provide needed relief and clarity for voters ahead of the primary runoff,” he said. “We will not stop fighting for the rights of voters.”
Ken Paxton, the state’s Republican attorney general, approved of the decision.
“I applaud the Supreme Court for following the law and refusing to order mail-in balloting that the Texas Legislature has forbidden. Universal mail-in ballots, which are notoriously vulnerable to fraud, would only lead to greater election fraud and disenfranchise lawful voters,” Abbott said in a statement. “My office will continue to fight for safe, free and fair elections.”
With Friday’s Supreme Court ruling, the restrictions on absentee ballots remain the law of the land in Texas, where the state’s Republican governor has rolled back his efforts to reopen the state for business.
Texas has recorded 137,624 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 2,324 deaths as of Friday afternoon, according to the Department of State Health Services. The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalized has risen every day since June 11.
In response to the surging numbers, Governor Greg Abbott ordered bars to close and reduced restaurant capacity to 50% Friday at noon. He cited the state’s rising positivity rate and shrinking supply of hospital beds.
“As I said from the start, if the positivity rate rose above 10%, the state of Texas would take further action to mitigate the spread of Covid-19,” Abbott said. “We want this to be as limited in duration as possible. However, we can only slow the spread if everyone in Texas does their part. Every Texan has a responsibility to themselves and their loved ones to wear a mask, wash their hands, stay six feet apart from others in public, and stay home if they can.”
Though the Supreme Court declined to order an expansion of mail-in voting eligibility in Texas, the Texas Democrats’ request for the high court to take up their case remains pending.
Texas primary runoffs will be held July 14. Eligible voters who hope to send an absentee ballot must ensure their applications are received by county election officials by July 2.


Top Eight

Your Friday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News Top eight CNS stories for today including the Ninth Circuit ruled that President Donald Trump illegally circumvented Congress ’ “ power of the purse ” by transferring $ 2.5 billion to construct portions of the border wall ; California Governor Gavin Newsom asked Imperial County officials to reimpose stay-at-home orders as coronavirus cases spike ; Europeans are letting their guard down despite experts and leaders sounding the alarm about a potential resurgence of the virus , and more .
Sign up for CNS Top Eight , a roundup of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to your email Monday through Friday .
1 . )
President Donald Trump illegally circumvented Congress ’ “ power of the purse ” by transferring $ 2.5 billion in Department of Defense funds to construct portions of the border wall in California , Arizona and New Mexico , the Ninth Circuit found Friday in a pair of rulings .
2 . )
A federal judge in Virginia awarded $ 2 million in attorney fees against two Virginia court clerks in a First Amendment action brought by Courthouse News on behalf of the press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new Covid-19 cases has forced once-optimistic governors to once again shutter economies , and Wall Street ’ s jitters have turned to real worries about the economic ramifications .
4 . )
California Governor Gavin Newsom asked Imperial County officials to reimpose stay-at-home orders Friday , after the Southern California border county saw a 23 % positivity rate in Covid-19 testing in the past two weeks .
5 . )
The Minneapolis City Council took an early step toward its promised reimagining of the city ’ s police department Friday morning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change the city charter .
6 . )
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday ordered bars closed and reduced restaurant capacity back down to 50 % , in an about-face from his push to reopen the state as Covid-19 cases have spiraled out of control .
7 . )
Europeans are letting their guard down despite experts and leaders sounding the alarm about a potential resurgence of the new coronavirus .
8 . )
With Covid-19 cases increasing in El Salvador after the supreme court and Legislative Assembly overturned President Nayib Bukele @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Salvadoran army is delivering emergency care packages to remote villages , where landless people rent land to gamble on the corn harvest .

Top eight CNS stories for today including the Ninth Circuit ruled that President Donald Trump illegally circumvented Congress’ “power of the purse” by transferring $2.5 billion to construct portions of the border wall; California Governor Gavin Newsom asked Imperial County officials to reimpose stay-at-home orders as coronavirus cases spike; Europeans are letting their guard down despite experts and leaders sounding the alarm about a potential resurgence of the virus, and more.
Your Friday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News
Top eight CNS stories for today including the Ninth Circuit ruled that President Donald Trump illegally circumvented Congress’ “power of the purse” by transferring $2.5 billion to construct portions of the border wall; California Governor Gavin Newsom asked Imperial County officials to reimpose stay-at-home orders as coronavirus cases spike; Europeans are letting their guard down despite experts and leaders sounding the alarm about a potential resurgence of the virus, and more.
Sign up for CNS Top Eight, a roundup of the day’s top stories delivered directly to your email Monday through Friday.
National
1.) President Donald Trump illegally circumvented Congress’ “power of the purse” by transferring $2.5 billion in Department of Defense funds to construct portions of the border wall in California, Arizona and New Mexico, the Ninth Circuit found Friday in a pair of rulings.
FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2019 file photo, government contractors erect a section of Pentagon-funded border wall along the Colorado River in Yuma, Ariz. The White House says construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall will move forward after a federal appeals court ruling that frees up construction money. The 2-1 ruling on Wednesday halted a federal judge’s ruling in December that had prevented the government from spending $3.6 billion diverted from 127 military construction projects to pay for 175 miles of border wall. (AP Photo/Matt York)
2.) A federal judge in Virginia awarded $2 million in attorney fees against two Virginia court clerks in a First Amendment action brought by Courthouse News on behalf of the press corps.
(AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, File)
3.) The surge of new Covid-19 cases has forced once-optimistic governors to once again shutter economies, and Wall Street’s jitters have turned to real worries about the economic ramifications.
NYPD officers walk along a sparsely populated Wall Street, Friday, May 1, 2020, in the Manhattan borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Regional
4.) California Governor Gavin Newsom asked Imperial County officials to reimpose stay-at-home orders Friday, after the Southern California border county saw a 23% positivity rate in Covid-19 testing in the past two weeks.
FILE - In this June 9, 2020, file photo, California Gov. Gavin Newsom wears a protective mask on his face while speaking to reporters at Miss Ollie's restaurant during the coronavirus outbreak in Oakland, Calif. Gov. Newsom's administration on Thursday, June 18, 2020, mandated that Californians wear masks in most indoor settings as the state continues to battle the coronavirus.(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, Pool, File)
5.) The Minneapolis City Council took an early step toward its promised reimagining of the city’s police department Friday morning, voting unanimously in favor of a proposal to change the city charter.
EDS NOTE: OBSCENITY - A police vehicle passes a building on East Lake Street that was destroyed during protests two days prior, Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
6.) Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday ordered bars closed and reduced restaurant capacity back down to 50%, in an about-face from his push to reopen the state as Covid-19 cases have spiraled out of control.
Tubers float the Comal River despite the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, Thursday, June 25, 2020, in New Braunfels, Texas. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that the state is facing a "massive outbreak" in the coronavirus pandemic and that some new local restrictions may be needed to protect hospital space for new patients. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
International
7.) Europeans are letting their guard down despite experts and leaders sounding the alarm about a potential resurgence of the new coronavirus.
Crowds gather on the beach in Bournemouth as the UK experience a heat wave, in Bournemouth, England, Thursday, June 25, 2020. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
8.) With Covid-19 cases increasing in El Salvador after the supreme court and Legislative Assembly overturned President Nayib Bukele’s strict quarantine orders, the Salvadoran army is delivering emergency care packages to remote villages, where landless people rent land to gamble on the corn harvest.