courthousenews--2020-07-14--2019 Jolts May Have Boosted Risk of ‘Big One’ on San Andreas Fault

( CN ) — The 2019 earthquakes in the small desert town of Ridgecrest , California , may have been the first domino to fall ahead of a devasting earthquake on the San Andreas Fault near Los Angeles and other metropolitan hubs in Southern California , according to a study released Monday .
Published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America , the study finds the likelihood of an earthquake on the 800-mile San Andreas Fault within the next year tripled from 0.35 % to 1.15 % .
The likelihood of an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 or higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garlock fault , which runs along the Mojave Desert where the 7.1 and 6.4 temblors jolted Ridgecrest in July 2019 , has also increased 100 fold from 0.023 % to 2.3 % .
If the Garlock Fault ruptures within 30 miles of its juncture with the San Andreas Fault , it has a 50/50 chance of triggering a rupture in the Mojave Desert section of the larger fault — up to five times higher than the normal probability , according to the study .
While the numbers may still seem paltry , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a devasting earthquake impacting California , triggered by previous seismic activity .
Researchers Ross Stein and Shinji Toda , the co-founder and developer of catastrophe modeling company Temblor , found stress caused by four magnitude 7.0+ earthquakes within 90 miles of Ridgecrest in the 150 years before the 2019 quakes didn ’ t directly cause the jolts .
But they may have promoted it .
The four large earthquakes may not have only “ influenced ” the Ridgecrest quakes , but the pattern of seismicity in Southern California .
Stein , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said in an interview that earthquakes “ communicate ” with each other by transferring stress .
The four large earthquakes may have caused enough stress to bring the Garlock fault closer to failure but not enough to actually cause the Ridgecrest quakes last year .
Three major faults form a “ Z ” pattern , Stein said , with Ridgecrest at the top of the “ Z ” , causing stress to the Garlock Fault at the diagonal of the “ Z ” and the San Andreas Fault at the bottom of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50/50 potential of a “ big one ” on the San Andreas triggered by a quake on the Garlock Fault , Stein said it would be “ an unusual situation ” if there wasn ’ t an immediate domino effect causing multiple earthquakes and Southern California residents were forced to “ wait and see ” when the earthquake would hit .
“ Do people evacuate , is there time to retrofit , insurance would immediately stop selling policies , ” Stein said .
“ We would really be out there naked , waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope we wouldn ’ t be in that situation , but if Covid has taught us anything , it ’ s that chain reactions can occur , ” he added .
And if a San Andreas Fault earthquake was triggered by one on the Garlock Fault , Stein said it would be the ideal scenario since the earthquake would start far enough away from Los Angeles that early warning systems could give residents the chance to duck and cover .
“ The best scenario is the earthquake starts way off in the distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you the maximum amount of time to prepare , ” Stein said .
“ Earthquake early warning , if successful , has the chance to save lives , that ’ s why this is a uniquely helpful situation to envision , ” he added .
The researchers developed a new method to forecast future seismicity based on past seismicity , stress imparted by recent large and moderate earthquakes and the equations which govern how fault friction varies in time and space to estimate the future likelihood of earthquakes of different sizes .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next year finds the areas with the highest earthquake potential are close to the Ridgecrest rupture .
The two largest shocks to have struck since last July — a 5.8 magnitude earthquake June 24 and 5.5 magnitude earthquake June 4 — fall within the most stressed areas predicted to experience quaking following Ridgecrest , according to the study .

The 2019 earthquakes in the small desert town of Ridgecrest, California, may have been the first domino to fall ahead of a devastating earthquake on the San Andreas Fault near Los Angeles and other metropolitan hubs in Southern California, according to a study released Monday.
(CN) — The 2019 earthquakes in the small desert town of Ridgecrest, California, may have been the first domino to fall ahead of a devastating earthquake on the San Andreas Fault near Los Angeles and other metropolitan hubs in Southern California, according to a study released Monday.
Published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, the study finds the likelihood of an earthquake on the 800-mile San Andreas Fault within the next year tripled from 0.35% to 1.15%.
The likelihood of an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 or higher in the next year on the 160-mile Garlock fault, which runs along the Mojave Desert where the 7.1 and 6.4 temblors jolted Ridgecrest in July 2019, has also increased 100 fold from 0.023% to 2.3%.
If the Garlock Fault ruptures within 30 miles of its juncture with the San Andreas Fault, it has a 50/50 chance of triggering a rupture in the Mojave Desert section of the larger fault — up to five times higher than the normal probability, according to the study.
While the numbers may still seem paltry, they represent a substantial jump in the likelihood of a devasting earthquake impacting California, triggered by previous seismic activity.
Researchers Ross Stein and Shinji Toda, the co-founder and developer of catastrophe modeling company Temblor, found stress caused by four magnitude 7.0+ earthquakes within 90 miles of Ridgecrest in the 150 years before the 2019 quakes didn’t directly cause the jolts. But they may have promoted it.
The four large earthquakes may not have only “influenced” the Ridgecrest quakes, but the pattern of seismicity in Southern California.
Stein, an adjunct professor of geophysics at Stanford University, said in an interview that earthquakes “communicate” with each other by transferring stress. The four large earthquakes may have caused enough stress to bring the Garlock fault closer to failure but not enough to actually cause the Ridgecrest quakes last year.
Three major faults form a “Z” pattern, Stein said, with Ridgecrest at the top of the “Z”, causing stress to the Garlock Fault at the diagonal of the “Z” and the San Andreas Fault at the bottom of the “Z.”
As for the 50/50 potential of a “big one” on the San Andreas triggered by a quake on the Garlock Fault, Stein said it would be “an unusual situation” if there wasn’t an immediate domino effect causing multiple earthquakes and Southern California residents were forced to “wait and see” when the earthquake would hit.
“Do people evacuate, is there time to retrofit, insurance would immediately stop selling policies,” Stein said.
“We would really be out there naked, waiting for that shoe to drop, we hope we wouldn’t be in that situation, but if Covid has taught us anything, it’s that chain reactions can occur,” he added.
And if a San Andreas Fault earthquake was triggered by one on the Garlock Fault, Stein said it would be the ideal scenario since the earthquake would start far enough away from Los Angeles that early warning systems could give residents the chance to duck and cover.
“The best scenario is the earthquake starts way off in the distance and comes your way slowly, giving you the maximum amount of time to prepare,” Stein said.
“Earthquake early warning, if successful, has the chance to save lives, that’s why this is a uniquely helpful situation to envision,” he added.
The researchers developed a new method to forecast future seismicity based on past seismicity, stress imparted by recent large and moderate earthquakes and the equations which govern how fault friction varies in time and space to estimate the future likelihood of earthquakes of different sizes.
The forecast for earthquakes in Southern California over the next year finds the areas with the highest earthquake potential are close to the Ridgecrest rupture.
The two largest shocks to have struck since last July — a 5.8 magnitude earthquake June 24 and 5.5 magnitude earthquake June 4 — fall within the most stressed areas predicted to experience quaking following Ridgecrest, according to the study.


courthousenews--2020-07-13--Socially Distant Surgery: Doctor Uses 5G to Perform Remote Operation

( CN ) — In the midst of a pandemic , millions of patients have become familiar with telemedicine .
But a doctor in Italy just completed a procedure that could inspire the next wave of futuristic medicine : telesurgery .
In the first public demonstration of remote surgery over a 5G network , an expert otorhinolaryngologist in Milan used robotic technology and 5G to operate on a cadaver located nine miles away .
The low latency and high bandwidth of 5G allowed the surgeon to operate as if he were in the operating room with the patient .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicine presented a feasibility demonstration where robotic telemicrosurgery was performed on the cadaver patient ’ s vocal cords with both sides of the system on wireless 5G networks .
According to the authors , from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genoa , Italy , this demonstration showed the feasibility of remote surgery both in everyday and in emergency situations , such as those involving temporary field hospitals and the need for physical distancing between surgeons and patients ( e.g .
during Covid-19 pandemic , or after natural disasters ) .
“ This type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adoption , revolutionizing health care and surgical treatments around the globe , ” according to the authors .
The first telesurgery involving a human patient was done in 2001 , when a surgeon in New York completed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a patient in Strasbourg , France .
“ This pioneering experience showed the potential of telehealth technology , but safe , reliable reproduction of this feat proved problematic for many years because of the limited availability of surgical robots and the lack of fast and reliable network connections , ” write the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Robotic Vocal Cord 5G Telesurgery on a Cadaver.
” Now , surgical robots are becoming increasingly common and accepted in operating rooms , and the next generation of mobile networks is quickly being adopted , delivering ultrafast , stable , and reliable transmission of data .
“ This could affect the health care of hundreds of millions of patients ; its estimated economic impact by 2035 is up to $ 3.5 trillion and 22 million jobs.
” In a previous experience with 5G “ telementoring , ” doctors demonstrated that a remote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving instructions to the local surgeon on the patient side .
“ Here , we present a 5G ‘ telesurgery ’ experience , showing that the remote surgeon can directly operate on the patient using a surgical robotic system and appropriate teleoperation interfaces , ” the authors wrote .
Using a robotic telemicrosurgery system that allowed direct surgical interaction with the patient , the Italian surgeon successfully performed a transoral laser microsurgery , a form of minimally invasive surgery used to remove tumors through the mouth .
“ This 5G telesurgery experiment showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the surgical robot , forceps , and laser and could confidently perform high-precision laser cordectomies on the cadaver ’ s vocal cords , ” the study found .
Because both the surgeon and the robot operated over the mobile network , the authors conclude the experiment proves the feasibility of field hospitals in remote communities or disaster scenarios .
“ Technology and medicine are evolving rapidly , with artificial intelligence , robotic assistance , and now 5G telecommunications set to play a critical role in enabling not only robotic telesurgery but also teleassistance @ @ @ @

In the midst of a pandemic, millions of patients have become familiar with telemedicine. But a doctor in Italy just completed a procedure that could inspire the next wave of futuristic medicine: telesurgery.
(CN) — In the midst of a pandemic, millions of patients have become familiar with telemedicine. But a doctor in Italy just completed a procedure that could inspire the next wave of futuristic medicine: telesurgery.
In the first public demonstration of remote surgery over a 5G network, an expert otorhinolaryngologist in Milan used robotic technology and 5G to operate on a cadaver located nine miles away. The low latency and high bandwidth of 5G allowed the surgeon to operate as if he were in the operating room with the patient.
A research report published in Annals of Internal Medicine presented a feasibility demonstration where robotic telemicrosurgery was performed on the cadaver patient's vocal cords with both sides of the system on wireless 5G networks. According to the authors, from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genoa, Italy, this demonstration showed the feasibility of remote surgery both in everyday and in emergency situations, such as those involving temporary field hospitals and the need for physical distancing between surgeons and patients (e.g. during Covid-19 pandemic, or after natural disasters).
“This type of surgery has the potential for large-scale adoption, revolutionizing health care and surgical treatments around the globe,” according to the authors.
The first telesurgery involving a human patient was done in 2001, when a surgeon in New York completed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a patient in Strasbourg, France.
“This pioneering experience showed the potential of telehealth technology, but safe, reliable reproduction of this feat proved problematic for many years because of the limited availability of surgical robots and the lack of fast and reliable network connections,” write the authors of “Operating From a Distance: Robotic Vocal Cord 5G Telesurgery on a Cadaver.”
Now, surgical robots are becoming increasingly common and accepted in operating rooms, and the next generation of mobile networks is quickly being adopted, delivering ultrafast, stable, and reliable transmission of data.
“This could affect the health care of hundreds of millions of patients; its estimated economic impact by 2035 is up to $3.5 trillion and 22 million jobs.”
In a previous experience with 5G “telementoring,” doctors demonstrated that a remote expert surgeon could guide a surgery, giving instructions to the local surgeon on the patient side.
“Here, we present a 5G ‘telesurgery’ experience, showing that the remote surgeon can directly operate on the patient using a surgical robotic system and appropriate teleoperation interfaces,” the authors wrote.
Using a robotic telemicrosurgery system that allowed direct surgical interaction with the patient, the Italian surgeon successfully performed a transoral laser microsurgery, a form of minimally invasive surgery used to remove tumors through the mouth.
“This 5G telesurgery experiment showed that the surgeon had effective control of the surgical robot, forceps, and laser and could confidently perform high-precision laser cordectomies on the cadaver's vocal cords,” the study found.
Because both the surgeon and the robot operated over the mobile network, the authors conclude the experiment proves the feasibility of field hospitals in remote communities or disaster scenarios.
“Technology and medicine are evolving rapidly, with artificial intelligence, robotic assistance, and now 5G telecommunications set to play a critical role in enabling not only robotic telesurgery but also teleassistance and telementoring.”


courthousenews--2020-07-13--Ungagged and Unbound, Mary Trump Wins Court Fight Over Tell-All on President

( CN ) — Already the subject of countless news reports and book reviews , Mary Trump ’ s memoir “ Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World ’ s Most Dangerous Man ” has been blessed for publication on the eve of its release .
“ The court got it right in rejecting the Trump family ’ s effort to squelch Mary Trump ’ s core political speech on important issues of public concern , ” Mary Trump ’ s attorney Ted Boutrous of the firm Gibson Dunn said in a statement .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are intolerable infringements on the right to participate in democracy .
Tomorrow , the American public will be able to read Mary ’ s important words for themselves.
” Publisher Simon & Schuster described itself as “ delighted ” with the outcome .
“ The unfettered right to publish is a sacred American freedom and a founding principle of our republic , and we applaud the court for affirming well-established precedents against prior restraint and pre-publication injunctions , ” the publisher wrote .
“ ‘ Too Much and Never Enough ’ is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very real implications for our national discourse , and we look forward to bringing it to a public that is clearly eager to read it.
” Unfettered by the now-lifted temporary restraining order , Mary Trump will be free to promote and speak to the press about her book .
Her spokesman Chris Bastardi gave a wry preview of those looking forward to hearing the president ’ s niece unbound .
“ Now that the unconstitutional gag order has finally been lifted , we are sure the White House and America are looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say , ” Bastardi said in a statement .
Weeks ago , Simon & Schuster warned blocking the memoirs would have led to an “ unprecedented ” outcome .
“ Mr .
Trump believes that simply because he alleges that Ms. Trump violated a nondisclosure agreement , one that Simon & Schuster did not know about and was not a party to , he may force Simon & Schuster to stop the presses and throw the brakes on the delivery trucks , halting publication of the book , ” the publisher ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 .
New York Supreme Court Justice Hal Greenwald , a judge in Dutchess County , agreed such an outcome would not have been warranted .
“ The real possibility here is for S & S and the public to be irreparably harmed if the book was enjoined , ” Greenwald wrote .
“ Certainly , there would be immense costs associated with the retrieval and confiscation of several thousand ( hundred thousand ) copies of the book by [ Simon & Schuster ] from a wide variety of book sellers .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undertaking if such an injunction were to ensue ?
” Mary Trump , the daughter of President Trump ’ s late brother Fred “ Freddy ” Trump , Jr. , had been expecting to see her hotly anticipated memoirs in bookstores Tuesday .
Courthouse News was among the news organizations that obtained an advance copy a week early , sifting through the president niece ’ s compelling account of family infighting , cruelty and dysfunction .
The reason for the fear the book struck in the heart of the Trump family quickly becomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary Trump accuses her aunt Maryanne Barry , a former federal judge , and her uncles Donald and Robert of having defrauded her during a sordid inheritance battle .
It paints a portrait of an abusive family patriarch , Fred Trump Sr. , as a cause of a U.S. president ’ s sociopathy and the early disintegration and death of the author ’ s father .
The book was made available to the press , and bumped up its release date to Bastille Day , after a New York State appellate court partially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocking publication , a decision skewered by First Amendment experts as an unconstitutional prior restraint .
Since the release of the Pentagon Papers , the Supreme Court kept an extraordinarily high bar for government censorship in advance of publication .
The Trump family has tried to sidestep that landmark New York Times precedent , first with the president ’ s offensive against former Secretary of State John Bolton ’ s “ The Room Where It Happened ” and then with brother Robert Trump ’ s lawsuit against Mary Trump ’ s book .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , both efforts failed , and the stakes were higher in Bolton ’ s case .
“ Bolton was dealing with information pertaining to national security , not 20-year-old family history , ” Greenwald ’ s ruling states .
The president ’ s brother Robert Trump claimed a nondisclosure agreement that his niece signed in 2001 prevented her from telling all , or even anything , of the sordid saga .
But the judge noted much has changed since the original attempt at gagging her .
“ What about the public right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Trumps were local in 2001 .
The leader of the Trump family in 2020 is global.
” As in the Nixon era , the Times looms large over this free-expression fight .
Mary Trump revealed herself in the book as the source of the paper ’ s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation from 2018 , which reported the president committed tax fraud to maximize his enormous inheritance and manufacture a bogus image as a self-made man .
Toward the book ’ s coda , Mary Trump ’ s narrative reveals itself to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is a memoir and psychological analysis of the world ’ s most powerful man .
The first-time author holds a doctorate from the Derner Institute of Advance Psychological Studies , which she puts to frequent use starting with the book ’ s prologue .
In her professional estimation , diagnosing President Trump with “ malignant narcissism ” or suffering from “ narcissistic personality disorder ” does not go far enough .
“ A case could be made that he also meets the criteria for antisocial personality disorder , which in its most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also can refer to chronic criminality , arrogance , and disregard for the rights of others , ” she writes .
Robert Trump ’ s attorney Charles Harder , who also represents the president , did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment .

Already the subject of countless news reports and book reviews, Mary Trump’s memoir “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” has been blessed for publication on the eve of its release.
(CN) — Already the subject of countless news reports and book reviews, Mary Trump’s memoir “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” has been blessed for publication on the eve of its release.
“The court got it right in rejecting the Trump family’s effort to squelch Mary Trump’s core political speech on important issues of public concern,” Mary Trump’s attorney Ted Boutrous of the firm Gibson Dunn said in a statement. “The First Amendment forbids prior restraints because they are intolerable infringements on the right to participate in democracy. Tomorrow, the American public will be able to read Mary’s important words for themselves.”
Publisher Simon & Schuster described itself as “delighted” with the outcome.
“The unfettered right to publish is a sacred American freedom and a founding principle of our republic, and we applaud the court for affirming well-established precedents against prior restraint and pre-publication injunctions,” the publisher wrote. “‘Too Much and Never Enough’ is a work of great significance, with very real implications for our national discourse, and we look forward to bringing it to a public that is clearly eager to read it.”
Unfettered by the now-lifted temporary restraining order, Mary Trump will be free to promote and speak to the press about her book. Her spokesman Chris Bastardi gave a wry preview of those looking forward to hearing the president's niece unbound.
“Now that the unconstitutional gag order has finally been lifted, we are sure the White House and America are looking forward to finally hearing what Mary has to say,” Bastardi said in a statement.
Weeks ago, Simon & Schuster warned blocking the memoirs would have led to an “unprecedented” outcome.
“Mr. Trump believes that simply because he alleges that Ms. Trump violated a nondisclosure agreement, one that Simon & Schuster did not know about and was not a party to, he may force Simon & Schuster to stop the presses and throw the brakes on the delivery trucks, halting publication of the book,” the publisher’s attorney Elizabeth McNamara wrote on June 30.
New York Supreme Court Justice Hal Greenwald, a judge in Dutchess County, agreed such an outcome would not have been warranted.
“The real possibility here is for S&S and the public to be irreparably harmed if the book was enjoined,” Greenwald wrote. “Certainly, there would be immense costs associated with the retrieval and confiscation of several thousand (hundred thousand) copies of the book by [Simon & Schuster] from a wide variety of book sellers. What would be the proposed cost of an undertaking if such an injunction were to ensue?”
Mary Trump, the daughter of President Trump’s late brother Fred “Freddy” Trump, Jr., had been expecting to see her hotly anticipated memoirs in bookstores Tuesday.
Courthouse News was among the news organizations that obtained an advance copy a week early, sifting through the president niece’s compelling account of family infighting, cruelty and dysfunction.
Jacket art for Mary Trump's book "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man." (Simon & Schuster via Courthouse News)
The reason for the fear the book struck in the heart of the Trump family quickly becomes evident upon reading. In it, Mary Trump accuses her aunt Maryanne Barry, a former federal judge, and her uncles Donald and Robert of having defrauded her during a sordid inheritance battle. It paints a portrait of an abusive family patriarch, Fred Trump Sr., as a cause of a U.S. president’s sociopathy and the early disintegration and death of the author’s father.
The book was made available to the press, and bumped up its release date to Bastille Day, after a New York State appellate court partially overturned Justice Greenwald’s initial ruling blocking publication, a decision skewered by First Amendment experts as an unconstitutional prior restraint.
Since the release of the Pentagon Papers, the Supreme Court kept an extraordinarily high bar for government censorship in advance of publication. The Trump family has tried to sidestep that landmark New York Times precedent, first with the president’s offensive against former national security adviser John Bolton’s “The Room Where It Happened” and then with brother Robert Trump’s lawsuit against Mary Trump’s book.
As noted in Monday’s ruling, both efforts failed, and the stakes were higher in Bolton’s case.
“Bolton was dealing with information pertaining to national security, not 20-year-old family history,” Greenwald’s ruling states.
The president’s brother Robert Trump claimed a nondisclosure agreement that his niece signed in 2001 prevented her from telling all, or even anything, of the sordid saga. But the judge noted much has changed since the original attempt at gagging her.
“What about the public right to know?” the judge asked. “The Trumps were local in 2001. The leader of the Trump family in 2020 is global.”
As in the Nixon era, the Times looms large over this free-expression fight. Mary Trump revealed herself in the book as the source of the paper’s Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation from 2018, which reported the president committed tax fraud to maximize his enormous inheritance and manufacture a bogus image as a self-made man.
Toward the book’s coda, Mary Trump’s narrative reveals itself to be an alleged crime drama as much as it is a memoir and psychological analysis of the world’s most powerful man. The first-time author holds a doctorate from the Derner Institute of Advance Psychological Studies, which she puts to frequent use starting with the book’s prologue.
In her professional estimation, diagnosing President Trump with “malignant narcissism” or suffering from “narcissistic personality disorder” does not go far enough.
“A case could be made that he also meets the criteria for antisocial personality disorder, which in its most severe form is generally considered sociopathy but also can refer to chronic criminality, arrogance, and disregard for the rights of others,” she writes.
Robert Trump’s attorney Charles Harder, who also represents the president, did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.


Top Eight

Your Monday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News Top eight CNS stories for today including Governor Gavin Newsom ordered much of California to shut down again as the novel coronavirus wreaks havoc across the Golden State ; A federal appeals court that President Trump flipped last year cleared the way for the Justice Department to withhold grant money from sanctuary jurisdictions ; Polish voters narrowly re-elected a nationalist conservative president and delivered a bitter blow to liberals in Europe , and more .
Sign up for CNS Top Eight , a roundup of the day ’ s top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through Friday .
1 . )
Breaking apart from every other U.S. circuit court , a federal appeals court that President Trump flipped last year cleared the way Monday for the Justice Department to withhold grant money from sanctuary jurisdictions .
2 . )
Hours before Daniel Lewis Lee was scheduled to go to the lethal injection chamber , a federal judge on Monday stopped the Trump administration from carrying out the first federal execution in 17 years .
3 . )
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia brought a massive federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s new rule requiring foreign students to take classes in person , not just online , to stay in the country during the coronavirus pandemic .
4 . )
Governor Gavin Newsom ordered much of California to shut down again , including indoor service at restaurants statewide and churches and hair salons in 30 hard-hit counties as the novel coronavirus wreaks havoc across the Golden State .
5 . )
The Texas Supreme Court on Monday rejected the state Republican Party ’ s petition for an order to let it hold its in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in coronavirus cases .
6 . )
Florida ’ s coronavirus cases swelled again Monday , a day after the state reported a record-breaking number of new cases , prompting Democratic lawmakers to criticize Republican Governor Ron DeSantis ’ response to the public health crisis .
7 . )
As the Democratic Party fights for control of the U.S. Senate in November , Tuesday ’ s Maine primary could give some valuable clues on what to expect .
8 . )
Polish voters narrowly re-elected a nationalist conservative president and delivered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear that Poland is drifting away from democracy and becoming a threat to the stability of the European Union .

Top eight CNS stories for today including Governor Gavin Newsom ordered much of California to shut down again as the novel coronavirus wreaks havoc across the Golden State; A federal appeals court that President Trump flipped last year cleared the way for the Justice Department to withhold grant money from sanctuary jurisdictions; Polish voters narrowly re-elected a nationalist conservative president and delivered a bitter blow to liberals in Europe, and more.
Your Monday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News
Top eight CNS stories for today including Governor Gavin Newsom ordered much of California to shut down again as the novel coronavirus wreaks havoc across the Golden State; A federal appeals court that President Trump flipped last year cleared the way for the Justice Department to withhold grant money from sanctuary jurisdictions; Polish voters narrowly re-elected a nationalist conservative president and delivered a bitter blow to liberals in Europe, 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.) Breaking apart from every other U.S. circuit court, a federal appeals court that President Trump flipped last year cleared the way Monday for the Justice Department to withhold grant money from sanctuary jurisdictions.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer looks on during an operation in Escondido, Calif., in July 2019. (Gregory Bull/AP)
2.) Hours before Daniel Lewis Lee was scheduled to go to the lethal injection chamber, a federal judge on Monday stopped the Trump administration from carrying out the first federal execution in 17 years.
Daniel Lewis Lee waits for his Oct. 31, 1997, arraignment hearing for murder in the Pope County Detention Center in Russellville, Ark. Today Lee is 47 and sentenced to die by lethal injection after he was convicted of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell. (Dan Pierce/The Courier via AP)
3.) Seventeen states and the District of Columbia brought a massive federal complaint Monday over the Trump administration’s new rule requiring foreign students to take classes in person, not just online, to stay in the country during the coronavirus pandemic.
Students walk near the Widener Library in Harvard Yard at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., in 2019. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
Regional
4.) Governor Gavin Newsom ordered much of California to shut down again, including indoor service at restaurants statewide and churches and hair salons in 30 hard-hit counties as the novel coronavirus wreaks havoc across the Golden State.
A line streams outside of Mike's Taco Club in Ocean Beach, which is restricting capacity to prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus as San Diego restaurants reopened in time for Memorial Day weekend. (Courthouse News photo/Barbara Leonard)
5.) The Texas Supreme Court on Monday rejected the state Republican Party’s petition for an order to let it hold its in-person convention this week in Houston despite a surge in coronavirus cases.
File - In this June 15, 2018 file photo, Confetti falls as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, center, greets supporters after speaking at the Texas GOP Convention, in San Antonio. The Texas Supreme Court has upheld Houston's refusal to allow the state Republican convention to hold in-person events in the city due to the coronavirus pandemic. The court on Monday, July 13, 2020, dismissed an appeal of a state district judge's denial of a temporary restraining order sought by the state Republican Party. The state GOP convention was scheduled to begin Thursday at Houston's downtown convention center. (AP Photo/Eric Gay File)
6.) Florida’s coronavirus cases swelled again Monday, a day after the state reported a record-breaking number of new cases, prompting Democratic lawmakers to criticize Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ response to the public health crisis.
Guests wear masks as required to attend the official reopening day of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2020. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
7.) As the Democratic Party fights for control of the U.S. Senate in November, Tuesday’s Maine primary could give some valuable clues on what to expect.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is followed by members of the media as she walks to the Capitol before a vote to advance Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, on Capitol Hill, Friday, Oct. 5, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
International
8.) Polish voters narrowly re-elected a nationalist conservative president and delivered a bitter blow to liberals in Europe who fear that Poland is drifting away from democracy and becoming a threat to the stability of the European Union.


courthousenews--2020-07-13--Long-Running Arizona School Segregation Fight Returns to Ninth Circuit

TUCSON , Ariz. ( CN ) — The lingering effects of school segregation , which largely ended in Arizona in the 1950s , still echo through the courts more than four decades after a Hispanic mother claimed Tucson ’ s school district was “ tri-ethnic , ” offering a very different experiences for Black , Hispanic and white students .
Maria Mendoza ’ s 1974 lawsuit , later combined with others , eventually led to a court-ordered Unitary Status Plan that Tucson Unified School District must follow to escape court oversight .
On Monday , Mendoza ’ s attorneys asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reverse a 2018 court order they say removes federal oversight of parts the district ’ s plan .
In that order , U.S. District Judge David C. Bury granted “ partial unitary status ” to the district ’ s transportation and student school assignment plans , meaning those areas are integrated .
“ What we understand the district court to be saying is , ‘ Hey district , you ’ ve satisfied your burden as to non-magnate school integration , and you can focus on other areas , and there is no mechanism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans will actually be implemented , ’ ” Mendoza ’ s attorney Juan Rodriguez told the three-judge panel .
The school district ’ s attorney Bennett Cooper called partial unitary status “ window dressing ” that doesn ’ t change anything , because the overarching Unitary Status Plan still requires oversight , including annual reports to the court , until the district has met all the requirements in the overall plan .
“ This is an interim assessment .
It ’ s like a gold star on the report card , ” Cooper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specifically that the court would retain jurisdiction and that the purpose of the order was only to inform the community that progress was being made and to allow the district to focus on problem areas , Cooper said .
Another attorney for the plaintiffs , Ruben Salter , Jr. , said Bury was “ premature ” in granting partial unitary status to the transportation and student assignment areas .
Both are linked to quality of education and might require further changes to reach the overall unitary status .
Locking in those areas with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said .
“ My point is that we ’ ll never complete the rest of it , ” Salter told the panel .
Until 1951 , Arizona law required school districts to segregate Black students .
In 1951 , when state law changed to allow but not require segregation , the Tucson district closed its one school for Black elementary students and sent those kids to neighborhood schools , according to a brief filed by TUSD in January .
In 1974 , Mendoza filed a class action on behalf of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , claiming the district was still intentionally discriminating against minority students .
That lawsuit was later combined with other parents ’ lawsuits , and the U.S. government joined as a plaintiff .
“ Defendants have maintained their tri-ethnic school system by means of discriminatory construction policies , segregatory zone lines , racially imbalanced feeder patterns , free transfer policies , tracking , and discriminatory staff assignments , ” Mendoza claimed .
The district was also discriminating via curriculum , offering four years of foreign language and other college preparatory classes at Anglo schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lawsuit claimed .
In 1978 , District Judge William C. Frey found that although some of the practices in Mendoza ’ s complaint were valid civil rights violations dating to the 1950s and 1960s , the district was not discriminating in 1978 .
He noted most of the effects of those policies had been relieved over time and that any lingering racial imbalance in the school system was not because of those policies , TUSD noted .
The plaintiffs and the district then filed a stipulated settlement order that included targets for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district court found that the school district had eliminated the vestiges of segregation and was fully unified racially , according to the brief .
The plaintiffs appealed , and the Ninth Circuit reversed that ruling in 2011 , citing a lack of plans to monitor racial imbalance .
The appeals court remanded the case to the lower court and appointed a special master , Willis Hawley , to oversee creation of a plan to ensure that the district is maintaining a unified district .
Monday ’ s appeal of the 2018 court order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim McClane Wardlaw , a Bill Clinton appointee ; Sandra Segal Ikuta , appointed by George W. Bush ; and U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle , also a Clinton appointee sitting by designation from the Southern District of Texas .

The lingering effects of school segregation, which largely ended in Arizona in the 1950s, still echo through the courts more than four decades after a Hispanic mother claimed Tucson’s school district was “tri-ethnic,” offering a very different experience for Black, Hispanic and white students.
TUCSON, Ariz. (CN) — The lingering effects of school segregation, which largely ended in Arizona in the 1950s, still echo through the courts more than four decades after a Hispanic mother claimed Tucson’s school district was “tri-ethnic,” offering a very different experience for Black, Hispanic and white students.
Maria Mendoza’s 1974 lawsuit, later combined with others, eventually led to a court-ordered Unitary Status Plan that Tucson Unified School District must follow to escape court oversight.
On Monday, Mendoza’s attorneys asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a 2018 court order they say removes federal oversight of parts the district’s plan. In that order, U.S. District Judge David C. Bury granted “partial unitary status” to the district’s transportation and student school assignment plans, meaning those areas are integrated.
“What we understand the district court to be saying is, ‘Hey district, you’ve satisfied your burden as to non-magnate school integration, and you can focus on other areas, and there is no mechanism for me to ensure that these completion plans will actually be implemented,’” Mendoza’s attorney Juan Rodriguez told the three-judge panel.
The school district’s attorney Bennett Cooper called partial unitary status “window dressing” that doesn’t change anything, because the overarching Unitary Status Plan still requires oversight, including annual reports to the court, until the district has met all the requirements in the overall plan.
“This is an interim assessment. It’s like a gold star on the report card,” Cooper said.
Bury’s order said specifically that the court would retain jurisdiction and that the purpose of the order was only to inform the community that progress was being made and to allow the district to focus on problem areas, Cooper said.
Another attorney for the plaintiffs, Ruben Salter, Jr., said Bury was “premature” in granting partial unitary status to the transportation and student assignment areas. Both are linked to quality of education and might require further changes to reach the overall unitary status.
Locking in those areas with unitary status could endanger the overall goal, he said.
“My point is that we’ll never complete the rest of it,” Salter told the panel.
Until 1951, Arizona law required school districts to segregate Black students. In 1951, when state law changed to allow but not require segregation, the Tucson district closed its one school for Black elementary students and sent those kids to neighborhood schools, according to a brief filed by TUSD in January.
In 1974, Mendoza filed a class action on behalf of her son, then a junior high student, claiming the district was still intentionally discriminating against minority students. That lawsuit was later combined with other parents’ lawsuits, and the U.S. government joined as a plaintiff.
“Defendants have maintained their tri-ethnic school system by means of discriminatory construction policies, segregatory zone lines, racially imbalanced feeder patterns, free transfer policies, tracking, and discriminatory staff assignments,” Mendoza claimed.
The district was also discriminating via curriculum, offering four years of foreign language and other college preparatory classes at Anglo schools but not at predominantly Hispanic schools, the lawsuit claimed.
In 1978, District Judge William C. Frey found that although some of the practices in Mendoza’s complaint were valid civil rights violations dating to the 1950s and 1960s, the district was not discriminating in 1978. He noted most of the effects of those policies had been relieved over time and that any lingering racial imbalance in the school system was not because of those policies, TUSD noted.
The plaintiffs and the district then filed a stipulated settlement order that included targets for the district. By 2008, the district court found that the school district had eliminated the vestiges of segregation and was fully unified racially, according to the brief.
The plaintiffs appealed, and the Ninth Circuit reversed that ruling in 2011, citing a lack of plans to monitor racial imbalance. The appeals court remanded the case to the lower court and appointed a special master, Willis Hawley, to oversee creation of a plan to ensure that the district is maintaining a unified district.
Monday’s appeal of the 2018 court order was heard by U.S. Circuit Judges Kim McClane Wardlaw, a Bill Clinton appointee; Sandra Segal Ikuta, appointed by George W. Bush; and U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle, also a Clinton appointee sitting by designation from the Southern District of Texas.


courthousenews--2020-07-13--Monthly Budget Deficit Soars to Record High of $864 Billion

The overall deficit from the first nine months of the fiscal year stands at more than $ 2.7 trillion .
WASHINGTON ( CN ) — The U.S. budget deficit hit a historic high of $ 864 billion in June , in large part due to a surge in federal spending aimed at stabilizing the economy during the coronavirus pandemic .
New data released by the Treasury Department on Monday shows a nearly $ 856 billion increase in the deficit as compared to last June , thanks to more than $ 1.1 trillion in government spending added during the month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ government brought in $ 240 billion , a figure somewhat in line with revenue from recent months , though lower than last year ’ s $ 333 billion total for June .
Federal receipts have been significantly lower than the same period the year before in every month since April , an impact of the government pushing the tax filing deadline into July .
The Treasury Department reported a similarly large $ 738 billion deficit in its April report , a figure that at the time was itself a monthly record .
Overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of the fiscal year stands at more than $ 2.7 trillion .
Much of the new spending came from the Small Business Administration , which saw $ 511 billion from pandemic relief initiatives , including the Paycheck Protection Program , hit the ledger for the first time .
Loans made under the program can be forgiven for businesses that use the money to meet payroll , rent and certain other expenses and it is anticipated most of the $ 517 billion in loans approved through the end of last week will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government ’ s books .
The data the Treasury Department released on Monday is comparable to an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office last week , which pinned the deficit at $ 863 billion .
Congress has already authorized $ 3.6 trillion in federal spending in response to the pandemic , according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget , and lawmakers are expected to push for a new round of spending as cases soar again .
But the details of any such legislation remain unclear , as Republicans have expressed reservations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sums remain unspent from earlier congressional action .
One pressing deadline is July 31 , when the expanded unemployment insurance benefit that was part of the first coronavirus relief package is set to expire .
Many Republicans have expressed reservations about extending the benefit , at least at current levels , saying it could tamp down employment and arrest an economic recovery .
Democrats have been adamant about extending the benefit , calling it necessary in a virtually unprecedented economic slowdown .

The U.S. budget deficit hit a historic high of $864 billion in June, in large part due to a surge in federal spending aimed at stabilizing the economy during the coronavirus pandemic.
WASHINGTON (CN) — The U.S. budget deficit hit a historic high of $864 billion in June, in large part due to a surge in federal spending aimed at stabilizing the economy during the coronavirus pandemic.
New data released by the Treasury Department on Monday shows a nearly $856 billion increase in the deficit as compared to last June, thanks to more than $1.1 trillion in government spending added during the month. At the same time, the federal government brought in $240 billion, a figure somewhat in line with revenue from recent months, though lower than last year’s $333 billion total for June.
Federal receipts have been significantly lower than the same period the year before in every month since April, an impact of the government pushing the tax filing deadline into July.
The Treasury Department reported a similarly large $738 billion deficit in its April report, a figure that at the time was itself a monthly record.
Overall, the deficit from the first nine months of the fiscal year stands at more than $2.7 trillion.
Much of the new spending came from the Small Business Administration, which saw $511 billion from pandemic relief initiatives, including the Paycheck Protection Program, hit the ledger for the first time.
Loans made under the program can be forgiven for businesses that use the money to meet payroll, rent and certain other expenses and it is anticipated most of the $517 billion in loans approved through the end of last week will be forgiven and end up on the federal government’s books.
The data the Treasury Department released on Monday is comparable to an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office last week, which pinned the deficit at $863 billion.
Congress has already authorized $3.6 trillion in federal spending in response to the pandemic, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, and lawmakers are expected to push for a new round of spending as cases soar again.
But the details of any such legislation remain unclear, as Republicans have expressed reservations about another massive spending deal when large sums remain unspent from earlier congressional action.
One pressing deadline is July 31, when the expanded unemployment insurance benefit that was part of the first coronavirus relief package is set to expire. Many Republicans have expressed reservations about extending the benefit, at least at current levels, saying it could tamp down employment and arrest an economic recovery.
Democrats have been adamant about extending the benefit, calling it necessary in a virtually unprecedented economic slowdown.


courthousenews--2020-07-13--Ex-Cops in George Floyd Case Challenge Gag Order

MINNEAPOLIS ( CN ) — Attorneys for the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd ’ s death objected to a gag order Monday , arguing that one attorney ’ s comments to the media about evidence he thought should be made public were harmless .
An attorney for Derek Chauvin filed an objection to the order , saying it was unfairly hurting his client by preventing favorable information from entering the public sphere .
Attorneys for Thomas Lane and Tou Thao , meanwhile , filed motions to lift the order on similar grounds .
A lawyer for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , filed his own objection later Monday afternoon .
“ If anything , the gag order should apply only to the state and county prosecutors , who have enjoyed a lengthy , unrestricted media honeymoon , during which to comment and posit and discuss this case at length—likely in violation of their ethical duties , ” Chauvin ’ s attorney Eric Nelson wrote .
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill issued the gag order on Thursday .
He found that comments to the Minneapolis Star Tribune by attorneys Earl Gray and Thomas Plunkett , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , risked tainting a potential jury pool .
Cahill warned at a June 29 hearing that he wouldn ’ t hesitate to issue a gag order or change venues if leaks and potentially prejudicial comments continued , instructing Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank to ensure that state officials and Floyd ’ s family avoid publicly discussing the case .
Gray spoke to the Star Tribune after he and Plunkett filed motions to dismiss the cases against their clients on Wednesday .
Those motions came with transcripts of Lane and Kueng ’ s body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension .
Also filed , but not made public , was the actual body camera footage – an omission Gray objected to .
“ I think the public should see it , ” he told the Star Tribune .
“ That shows the whole picture .
If they watch the whole thing , people… couldn ’ t cherry-pick parts of it.
” The attorney argued that the footage should be public because Attorney General Keith Ellison , who is prosecuting the case , “ has come out and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued the gag order the next day , asserting that “ two or more attorneys ” had discussed the merits or other aspects of the case with the media after Lane ’ s motion to dismiss was filed .
Plunkett , who was quoted in the Star Tribune story , said in his objection that his only comments to the paper had been to say he was considering a similar motion .
“ That is hardly expounding on merits or commenting on aspects of the case , ” he wrote , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notice or a hearing .
Defense counsel for all four officers have pushed to keep court proceedings in the public eye since the beginning of the case .
They called for audiovisual coverage inside the courtroom early in June , which Cahill also denied .
In his objection to the order , Chauvin ’ s attorney lamented media coverage and officials ’ comments on the officer ’ s case after a video of the now-fired Minneapolis police officer kneeling on George Floyd ’ s neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25 sparked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country and then across the world .
“ For more than a month , the press , popular figures , high ranking politicians , and the attorney leading this prosecution—as well as his city councilman son—have all rendered their verdicts in this case publicly and on the most public stages possible .
And they have all deemed the defendant guilty , ” Nelson wrote .
Among the notables impacting the case , he said , were Jeremiah Ellison , the aforementioned son who has been heavily involved in the Minneapolis City Council ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety ” ; Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ; and Jon Bon Jovi , who released a song about Floyd ’ s death last week .
Those and other comments , Nelson argued , tarnished his client ’ s public image ahead of time , and a gag order prevented him from presenting the other side to the same audience .
Plunkett declined to comment Monday , and Gray and Nelson did not respond to requests for comment .
Robert Paule , who represents Thao , could not be reached .
Attorneys for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for more open proceedings .
A coalition of media outlets including the Star Tribune , Associated Press , American Public Media and a variety of TV networks filed a motion Monday seeking easier public access to the body camera footage .
The footage has been accessible only in person at the Hennepin County Government Center through a court media contact , which the outlets argue is not enough for effective coverage .
“ A written transcript can capture only what someone said .
A transcript does not begin to capture what someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lane ’ s alleged lack of criminal conduct that is the basis for his motion to dismiss , ” attorney Leita Walker of Minneapolis-based firm Ballard Spahr wrote .
“ There is no reason to believe that making the BWC footage itself easily accessible to the press and public would materially impact the fairness of trial , ” she added .
“ Indeed , releasing the transcripts without the accompanying footage is the sort of piecemeal disclosure that threatens not only to mislead the public , including potential jurors , but also to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the judicial system.
” Attorney General Ellison , meanwhile , announced the addition of four new attorneys to the case on a pro-bono basis on Monday , including former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal , former U.S. Attorney ’ s Office prosecutors Lola Velazquez-Aguilu and Seteven Schleicher and Jerry Blackwell of Minneapolis firm Blackwell Burke .
All four were named special assistant attorneys general .
“ Out of respect for Judge Cahill ’ s gag order , I will say simply that I ’ ve put together an exceptional team with experience and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ united in our responsibility to pursue justice in this case , ” Ellison said in a statement .
If the cases against them are not dismissed , all four officers ’ trials are scheduled for next spring .
Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder , third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
Thao , Lane and Kueng have all been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .

Attorneys for the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death objected to a gag order Monday, arguing that one attorney’s comments to the media about evidence he thought should be made public were harmless.
MINNEAPOLIS (CN) — Attorneys for the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death objected to a gag order Monday, arguing that one attorney’s comments to the media about evidence he thought should be made public were harmless.
An attorney for Derek Chauvin filed an objection to the order, saying it was unfairly hurting his client by preventing favorable information from entering the public sphere. Attorneys for Thomas Lane and Tou Thao, meanwhile, filed motions to lift the order on similar grounds. A lawyer for the fourth officer, J. Alexander Kueng, filed his own objection later Monday afternoon.
“If anything, the gag order should apply only to the state and county prosecutors, who have enjoyed a lengthy, unrestricted media honeymoon, during which to comment and posit and discuss this case at length — likely in violation of their ethical duties,” Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson wrote.
Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill issued the gag order on Thursday. He found that comments to the Minneapolis Star Tribune by attorneys Earl Gray and Thomas Plunkett, who represent Lane and Kueng, respectively, risked tainting a potential jury pool.
Cahill warned at a June 29 hearing that he wouldn’t hesitate to issue a gag order or change venues if leaks and potentially prejudicial comments continued, instructing Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank to ensure that state officials and Floyd’s family avoid publicly discussing the case.
Gray spoke to the Star Tribune after he and Plunkett filed motions to dismiss the cases against their clients on Wednesday. Those motions came with transcripts of Lane and Kueng’s body camera footage and of a Lane interview the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Also filed, but not made public, was the actual body camera footage — an omission to which Gray objected.
“I think the public should see it,” he told the Star Tribune. “That shows the whole picture. If they watch the whole thing, people… couldn’t cherry-pick parts of it.”
The attorney argued that the footage should be public because Attorney General Keith Ellison, who is prosecuting the case, “has come out and said my client committed murder.”
Cahill issued the gag order the next day, asserting that “two or more attorneys” had discussed the merits or other aspects of the case with the media after Lane’s motion to dismiss was filed.
Plunkett, who was quoted in the Star Tribune story, said in his objection that his only comments to the paper had been to say he was considering a similar motion.
“That is hardly expounding on merits or commenting on aspects of the case,” he wrote, adding that the gag order had been issued without notice or a hearing.
Defense counsel for all four officers have pushed to keep court proceedings in the public eye since the beginning of the case. They called for audiovisual coverage inside the courtroom early in June, which Cahill also denied.
In his objection to the order, Chauvin’s attorney lamented media coverage and officials’ comments on the officer’s case after a video of the now-fired Minneapolis police officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25 sparked civil unrest in Minneapolis, around the country and then across the world.
“For more than a month, the press, popular figures, high ranking politicians, and the attorney leading this prosecution—as well as his city councilman son—have all rendered their verdicts in this case publicly and on the most public stages possible. And they have all deemed the defendant guilty,” Nelson wrote.
Among the notables impacting the case, he said, were Jeremiah Ellison, the aforementioned son who has been heavily involved in the Minneapolis City Council’s recent push to “reimagine public safety”; Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz; and Jon Bon Jovi, who released a song about Floyd’s death last week.
Those and other comments, Nelson argued, tarnished his client’s public image ahead of time, and a gag order prevented him from presenting the other side to the same audience.
Plunkett declined to comment Monday, and Gray and Nelson did not respond to requests for comment. Robert Paule, who represents Thao, could not be reached.
Attorneys for the officers were not the only ones calling for more open proceedings. A coalition of media outlets including the Star Tribune, Associated Press, American Public Media and a variety of TV networks filed a motion Monday seeking easier public access to the body camera footage. The footage has been accessible only in person at the Hennepin County Government Center through a court media contact, which the outlets argue is not enough for effective coverage.
“A written transcript can capture only what someone said. A transcript does not begin to capture what someone did—and it is, after all, Lane’s alleged lack of criminal conduct that is the basis for his motion to dismiss,” attorney Leita Walker of Minneapolis-based firm Ballard Spahr wrote.
“There is no reason to believe that making the BWC footage itself easily accessible to the press and public would materially impact the fairness of trial,” she added. “Indeed, releasing the transcripts without the accompanying footage is the sort of piecemeal disclosure that threatens not only to mislead the public, including potential jurors, but also to destroy the public’s trust in the judicial system.”
Attorney General Ellison, meanwhile, announced the addition of four new attorneys to the case on a pro-bono basis on Monday, including former acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal, former U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutors Lola Velazquez-Aguilu and Seteven Schleicher and Jerry Blackwell of Minneapolis firm Blackwell Burke. All four were named special assistant attorneys general.
“Out of respect for Judge Cahill’s gag order, I will say simply that I’ve put together an exceptional team with experience and expertise across many disciplines. We are united in our responsibility to pursue justice in this case,” Ellison said in a statement.
If the cases against them are not dismissed, all four officers’ trials are scheduled for next spring. Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Thao, Lane and Kueng have all been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.


courthousenews--2020-07-13--Florida Quickly Becoming Virus Epicenter After Single-Day Record

Even as coronavirus cases approach the 300,000 mark , Florida marches toward reopening .
MIAMI ( CN ) — Florida ’ s coronavirus cases swelled again Monday , a day after the state reported a record-breaking number of new cases , prompting Democratic lawmakers to criticize Republican Governor Ron DeSantis ’ response to the public health crisis .
The Florida Department of Health ’ s latest update reported 12,351 people tested positive for the coronavirus , a slight drop from Sunday ’ s record of 15,283 cases , which smashed any state ’ s single-day total since the pandemic began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths Monday .
More than 4,200 Floridians have died from Covid-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus , state records show , and about 280,000 have contracted it .
The Sunshine State also reported more than 600 new virus hospitalizations as hospital capacity rapidly diminishes in the state ’ s metro areas .
There are more than 8,000 infected people in hospitals around the state .
State officials recently asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send 1,500 nurses to Florida ’ s hospitals .
At a press conference Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeSantis continued to stress the rise in cases correlates with expanded testing .
Indeed , the following day saw a record number of tests : 142,972 .
More than 2.4 million people in Florida have been tested since March , according to state health officials .
But the state ’ s positivity rate of 11.5 % remains much higher the World Health Organization ’ s target of 5 % or less , though the rate has lowered from 18 % last week .
DeSantis said the positivity rate has “ plateaued.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governor said .
“ We ’ d rather be plateaued at 4 % , but we didn ’ t want to see it go up and up.
” The dramatic rise in cases — nearly each week brings a new single-day record – directly followed the state ’ s second phase of reopening on June 5 .
Even after DeSantis closed all bars two weeks ago , the state ’ s high number of cases persists .
Miami-Dade , the state ’ s most populous county , continues to see the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of Florida , and a much higher positivity rate of 16 % .
In virtual press conference with reporters on Monday , a group of Democratic lawmakers from Miami-Dade County slammed the Republican governor ’ s response to the growing number of cases .
“ Florida is breaking all the wrong records , ” said Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell , pointing to the lack of a statewide mask ban , not enough contact tracing and long wait times for test results .
“ The longer we wait , ” she said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Testing sites usually require preregistration online or by phone .
Once registered , the wait in line can take hours and providers run out of tests early .
If someone does receive a test , results can take a week or more .
State Senator Annette Taddeo , who represents part of Miami , said her daughter began showing symptoms recently but she could not get a test .
“ We have as a state and as a country been running after the virus instead of getting ahead of it , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen schools in a month despite pleas from some parents and teachers .
“ We ’ re proud of our distance learning in the state of Florida , ” DeSantis said on Saturday .
“ As much as we ’ re proud of that , there ’ s an achievement gap that ’ s developed , there ’ s no doubt about it .
That will only be exacerbated as long as this happens.
” He characterized the risk for students as “ incredibly low ” and said children “ aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ They usually get infected by the parents , ” the governor added .
“ They ’ re usually not infecting adults.
” “ There is a problem with public perception on the risk of this virus , ” Florida International University epidemiologist Dr. Aileen Marty said in an interview .
“ Just because they don ’ t feel symptoms does not mean they don ’ t have symptoms .
We can see the damage in their lungs.
” That includes children , said Marty , who is advising the Miami-Dade School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies that their viral load is the same as anyone else , ” she said .
“ That means they are just as good as transmitting the virus as any adult .
You ’ re going to have an increased transmission to the community.
” Even as Florida ’ s coronavirus cases approach 300,000 , the state marches toward reopening .
On Saturday , Disney ’ s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom theme parks opened to the public .
Employees wore masks and some attractions remain closed .
Disney did not provide customer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online show the parks sparsely populated .
Bars are still shuttered across the Florida , but any wider shutdown seems unlikely statewide .
Individual counties , though , could roll back the reopening of restaurants and other public venues .
Earlier this month , Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced an executive order closing all restaurants , except for takeout and delivery , along with party venues and short-term rentals .
That followed a face mask mandate for indoor establishments and an overnight curfew .
During a virtual press conference on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the table , ” but blamed the explosion of coronavirus cases on residents for not following face mask mandates and social distancing guidelines .
“ We keep looking for a boogeyman , ” Gimenez said .
“ We keep looking for this reason why we have this high contagion .
‘ Well , we didn ’ t have enough contact traces .
Well , we don ’ t have enough testing.
’ The reason is us .
The reason is us , okay ?
There is no boogeyman , it ’ s us @ @

Florida’s coronavirus cases swelled again Monday, a day after the state reported a record-breaking number of new cases, prompting Democratic lawmakers to criticize Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ response to the public health crisis.
MIAMI (CN) — Florida’s coronavirus cases swelled again Monday, a day after the state reported a record-breaking number of new cases, prompting Democratic lawmakers to criticize Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ response to the public health crisis.
The Florida Department of Health’s latest update reported 12,351 people tested positive for the coronavirus, a slight drop from Sunday’s record of 15,283 cases, which smashed any state’s single-day total since the pandemic began.
Health officials also recorded 35 more deaths Monday. More than 4,200 Floridians have died from Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus, state records show, and about 280,000 have contracted it.
The Sunshine State also reported more than 600 new virus hospitalizations as hospital capacity rapidly diminishes in the state’s metro areas. There are more than 8,000 infected people in hospitals around the state.
State officials recently asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to send 1,500 nurses to Florida’s hospitals.
At a press conference Saturday at Blake Medical Center in Bradenton, DeSantis continued to stress the rise in cases correlates with expanded testing.
Indeed, the following day saw a record number of tests: 142,972. More than 2.4 million people in Florida have been tested since March, according to state health officials.
But the state’s positivity rate of 11.5% remains much higher the World Health Organization’s target of 5% or less, though the rate has lowered from 18% last week.
An employee at the Clevelander bar and restaurant on Ocean Drive stacks chairs as they have shut down due to public health concerns caused by COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic, Monday, July 13, 2020, in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
DeSantis said the positivity rate has “plateaued.”
“Which is a good sign,” the governor said. “We’d rather be plateaued at 4%, but we didn’t want to see it go up and up.”
The dramatic rise in cases — nearly each week brings a new single-day record – directly followed the state’s second phase of reopening on June 5. Even after DeSantis closed all bars two weeks ago, the state’s high number of cases persists.
Miami-Dade, the state’s most populous county, continues to see the most cases, despite a slower reopening than the rest of Florida, and a much higher positivity rate of 16%.
In virtual press conference with reporters on Monday, a group of Democratic lawmakers from Miami-Dade County slammed the Republican governor’s response to the growing number of cases.
“Florida is breaking all the wrong records,” said Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, pointing to the lack of a statewide mask ban, not enough contact tracing and long wait times for test results.
“The longer we wait,” she said, “the more the virus will spread.”
Testing sites usually require preregistration online or by phone. Once registered, the wait in line can take hours and providers run out of tests early. If someone does receive a test, results can take a week or more.
State Senator Annette Taddeo, who represents part of Miami, said her daughter began showing symptoms recently but she could not get a test.
“And I’m a state senator,” Taddeo said.
“We have as a state and as a country been running after the virus instead of getting ahead of it,” she added.
DeSantis still plans to reopen schools in a month despite pleas from some parents and teachers.
“We’re proud of our distance learning in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said on Saturday. “As much as we’re proud of that, there’s an achievement gap that’s developed, there’s no doubt about it. That will only be exacerbated as long as this happens.”
He characterized the risk for students as “incredibly low” and said children “aren’t vectors for this, for whatever reason.”
“They usually get infected by the parents,” the governor added. “They’re usually not infecting adults.”
But some health experts disagree.
“There is a problem with public perception on the risk of this virus,” Florida International University epidemiologist Dr. Aileen Marty said in an interview. “Just because they don’t feel symptoms does not mean they don’t have symptoms. We can see the damage in their lungs.”
That includes children, said Marty, who is advising the Miami-Dade School District.
“We know from several studies that their viral load is the same as anyone else,” she said. “That means they are just as good as transmitting the virus as any adult. You’re going to have an increased transmission to the community.”
Even as Florida’s coronavirus cases approach 300,000, the state marches toward reopening.
On Saturday, Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom theme parks opened to the public. Employees wore masks and some attractions remain closed. Disney did not provide customer numbers over the weekend, videos posted online show the parks sparsely populated.
Bars are still shuttered across the Florida, but any wider shutdown seems unlikely statewide.
Individual counties, though, could roll back the reopening of restaurants and other public venues.
Earlier this month, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced an executive order closing all restaurants, except for takeout and delivery, along with party venues and short-term rentals. That followed a face mask mandate for indoor establishments and an overnight curfew.
During a virtual press conference on Monday, Gimenez said more restrictions are “on the table,” but blamed the explosion of coronavirus cases on residents for not following face mask mandates and social distancing guidelines.
“We keep looking for a boogeyman,” Gimenez said. “We keep looking for this reason why we have this high contagion. ‘Well, we didn’t have enough contact traces. Well, we don’t have enough testing.’ The reason is us. The reason is us, okay? There is no boogeyman, it’s us.”


courthousenews--2020-07-14--New Mexico Sues Armed Paramilitary Group

ALBUQUERQUE ( CN ) — New Mexico has sued the New Mexico Civil Guard and 14 of its members in state court , claiming the militia group helped incite a shooting at a peaceful protest in June .
Protesters gathered in front of the Albuquerque Museum on June 15 to protest the sculpture “ La Jornada ” , which includes a statue of 16th century Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate .
Oñate , founder of the Spanish colony of New Mexico , was also responsible for the 1599 Acoma Massacre , a punitive expedition at Acoma Pueblo that killed around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children .
In the June incident that made international news , tensions escalated between protesters and counter-protesters , and 39-year-old Scott Williams was shot multiple times by Steven Ray Baca , with the shooting captured on cell phone video .
Baca has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon , misdemeanor battery against other protesters and carrying a firearm without a concealed carry permit .
Baca ’ s attorney called the shooting a “ completely lawful exercise of self-defense.
” Also at the protest were members of the New Mexico Civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission is to “ provide rapid local lawful response to emergency and dangerous situations , including Natural disaster , humanitarian crisis , civil disturbances , and civil defence.
” ( Sic . )
According to the 39-page complaint filed Monday in Bernalillo County Court , “ Numerous members of the NMCG attended the protest as a private vigilante or paramilitary unit wearing matching camouflage attire and sporting assault rifles and other military-style gear .
Their professed purpose was to ‘ protect ’ the Oñate statue from defacement .
In the tense atmosphere exacerbated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an individual who apparently is not affiliated with the paramilitary group battered several female protesters before he ultimately shot and injured another protester.
” In the days after the shooting , Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham released a statement drawing attention to the NMCG ’ s involvement in the incident .
“ I am horrified and disgusted beyond words by the reports of violence at a protest Monday night in Albuquerque , ” Lujan Grisham said .
“ The heavily armed individuals who flaunted themselves at the protest , calling themselves a ‘ civil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason : To menace protesters , to present an unsanctioned show of unregulated force .
To menace the people of New Mexico with weaponry — with an implicit threat of violence — is on its face unacceptable ; that violence did indeed occur is unspeakable.
” The complaint also places some responsibility for the shooting on the militia group .
“ NMCG ’ s presence fostered and encouraged violence by counter-protesters unaffiliated with NMCG .
The armed presence simultaneously intimidated protesters and established an environment in which counter-protesters resorted to violence over words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baca , who does not appear to be a member of NMCG , joined with NMCG in attempting to keep protesters away from the statue .
But with the backdrop of a heavily armed presence seemingly on his side , Baca was not content to express his viewpoint or even to simply restrain protesters .
Instead , he began his agitation of the crowd by using a bullhorn and pepper spray , graduated to a battery on a woman with her back turned , escalated his violence further to an aggravated battery against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing away from Baca , and finally finished what he began by shooting an unarmed man.
” The lawsuit challenges the NMCG ’ s rights to operate as a militia under New Mexico law .
“ New Mexico has carefully regulated the circumstances under which organized force can be exercised by officials and persons who may lawfully maintain the peace in the state .
Peace officers are ‘ vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for crime.
’ [ … ] These duties are expressly reserved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorized to do so by the Governor during ‘ times of riot or unusual disturbance , ’ ‘ [ n ] o person shall assume or exercise the functions , powers , duties and privileges incident and belonging to the office of special deputy sheriff , marshal , policeman or other peace officer without first having received an appointment in writing from a person authorized by law to appoint special deputy sheriffs , marshals , policemen or other peace officers ’ .
… ] It is a crime to ‘ exercis [ e @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the functions of a peace officer ’ without due authority.
” Civil Guard members told the Albuquerque Journal they take no responsibility for the way the situation played out .
They said Baca was “ justified ” in shooting Williams and say their armed presence stopped more bloodshed .
But according to the complaint filed by Deputy District Attorney James Grayson , the NMCG lacks any authority as an unorganized militia under New Mexico law .
“ NMCG attempts to cloak its activities with a guise of lawful authority,43 invoking NMSA 1978 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defines New Mexico ’ s “ unorganized militia ” as “ all able-bodied male citizens ” between the ages of 18 and 45 .
But NMCG ’ s communications ignore that New Mexico ’ s constitutional and statutory provisions do not give the ‘ unorganized militia ’ the power to activate itself .
Rather , the authority to activate the unorganized militia belongs exclusively to the Governor of New Mexico as commander-in-chief of New Mexico ’ s military forces .
Id .
Neither the Governor nor any of her designees has activated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s paramilitary activity is wholly outside New Mexico ’ s carefully circumscribed regime regulating the use of organized force.
” The state seeks declaratory judgment against the NMCG for operating as a military unit in violation of the New Mexico Constitution , and abatement of a public nuisance , claiming that “ [ d ] efendants ’ ongoing paramilitary activity independent of any civil authority substantially interferes with public health , safety , morals , and welfare and the exercise and enjoyment of public rights and property.
” The state also seeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a military unit independent of civil authority , and from assuming law-enforcement functions at public gatherings .
The district attorney ’ s office could not be reached for comment after business hours on Monday .
The New Mexico Civil Guard ’ s Facebook page posted an update on Monday night stating : “ The Governor is again falsely accusing the NMCG , and threatening charges .
She could not label us as racists and terrorists or tie us to the shooter who none of us knew and is now trying another tactic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that on her watch and Mayor Keller ’ s police were told to stand down and a man was shot .
More individuals would have been hurt if we had not been there to do what APD wanted to do but the mayor and deputy chief ordered them not to .
By ordering police to let protesters tear down statues and destroy property they made that situation violent if one cruiser would have been there there would have been no blood on the streets that day .
”

New Mexico has sued the New Mexico Civil Guard and 14 of its members in state court, claiming the militia group helped incite a shooting at a peaceful protest in June.
ALBUQUERQUE (CN) — New Mexico has sued the New Mexico Civil Guard and 14 of its members in state court, claiming the militia group helped incite a shooting at a peaceful protest in June.
Protesters gathered in front of the Albuquerque Museum on June 15 to protest the sculpture La Jornada, which includes a statue of 16th century Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate. Oñate, founder of the Spanish colony of New Mexico, was also responsible for the 1599 Acoma Massacre, a punitive expedition at Acoma Pueblo that killed around 500 Acoma men and 300 women and children.
In the June incident that made international news, tensions escalated between protesters and counter-protesters, and 39-year-old Scott Williams was shot multiple times by Steven Ray Baca, with the shooting captured on cell phone video. Baca has been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, misdemeanor battery against other protesters and carrying a firearm without a concealed carry permit. Baca’s attorney called the shooting a “completely lawful exercise of self-defense.”
Also at the protest were members of the New Mexico Civil Guard, a militia group whose stated mission is to “provide rapid local lawful response to emergency and dangerous situations, including Natural disaster, humanitarian crisis, civil disturbances, and civil defence.” (Sic.)
According to the 39-page complaint filed Monday in Bernalillo County Court: “Numerous members of the NMCG attended the protest as a private vigilante or paramilitary unit wearing matching camouflage attire and sporting assault rifles and other military-style gear. Their professed purpose was to ‘protect’ the Oñate statue from defacement. In the tense atmosphere exacerbated by NMCG's heavily armed presence an individual who apparently is not affiliated with the paramilitary group battered several female protesters before he ultimately shot and injured another protester.”
In the days after the shooting, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham released a statement drawing attention to the NMCG’s involvement in the incident. “I am horrified and disgusted beyond words by the reports of violence at a protest Monday night in Albuquerque,” Lujan Grisham said.
“The heavily armed individuals who flaunted themselves at the protest, calling themselves a ‘civil guard,’ were there for one reason: To menace protesters, to present an unsanctioned show of unregulated force. To menace the people of New Mexico with weaponry — with an implicit threat of violence — is on its face unacceptable; that violence did indeed occur is unspeakable.”
The complaint also places some responsibility for the shooting on the militia group.
“NMCG's presence fostered and encouraged violence by counter-protesters unaffiliated with NMCG. The armed presence simultaneously intimidated protesters and established an environment in which counter-protesters resorted to violence over words to convey their message. Steven Ray Baca, who does not appear to be a member of NMCG, joined with NMCG in attempting to keep protesters away from the statue. But with the backdrop of a heavily armed presence seemingly on his side, Baca was not content to express his viewpoint or even to simply restrain protesters. Instead, he began his agitation of the crowd by using a bullhorn and pepper spray, graduated to a battery on a woman with her back turned, escalated his violence further to an aggravated battery against another woman in the defenseless position of facing away from Baca, and finally finished what he began by shooting an unarmed man.”
The lawsuit challenges the NMCG’s rights to operate as a militia under New Mexico law. “New Mexico has carefully regulated the circumstances under which organized force can be exercised by officials and persons who may lawfully maintain the peace in the state. Peace officers are ‘vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for crime.’ [...] These duties are expressly reserved for peace officers. Except when specifically authorized to do so by the Governor during ‘times of riot or unusual disturbance,’ ‘[n]o person shall assume or exercise the functions, powers, duties and privileges incident and belonging to the office of special deputy sheriff, marshal, policeman or other peace officer without first having received an appointment in writing from a person authorized by law to appoint special deputy sheriffs, marshals, policemen or other peace officers’. ...] It is a crime to ‘exercis[e] or attempt[] to exercise the functions of a peace officer’ without due authority.”
Civil Guard members told the Albuquerque Journal they take no responsibility for the way the situation played out. They said Baca was “justified” in shooting Williams and say their armed presence stopped more bloodshed.
But according to the complaint filed by Deputy District Attorney James Grayson, the NMCG lacks any authority as an unorganized militia under New Mexico law. “NMCG attempts to cloak its activities with a guise of lawful authority,43 invoking NMSA 1978, Section 20-2-2 (2017), which defines New Mexico's 'unorganized militia' as 'all able-bodied male citizens' between the ages of 18 and 45. But NMCG's communications ignore that New Mexico's constitutional and statutory provisions do not give the ‘unorganized militia’ the power to activate itself. Rather, the authority to activate the unorganized militia belongs exclusively to the Governor of New Mexico as commander-in-chief of New Mexico's military forces. Id. Neither the Governor nor any of her designees has activated the members of NMCG. Accordingly, NMCG's paramilitary activity is wholly outside New Mexico's carefully circumscribed regime regulating the use of organized force.”
The state seeks declaratory judgment against the NMCG for operating as a military unit in violation of the New Mexico Constitution, and abatement of a public nuisance, claiming that “[d]efendants' ongoing paramilitary activity independent of any civil authority substantially interferes with public health, safety, morals, and welfare and the exercise and enjoyment of public rights and property.”
The state also seeks an injunction preventing the group from operating as a military unit independent of civil authority, and from assuming law-enforcement functions at public gatherings.
The district attorney’s office could not be reached for comment after business hours on Monday.
The New Mexico Civil Guard’s Facebook page posted an update on Monday night stating: “The Governor is again falsely accusing the NMCG, and threatening charges. She could not label us as racists and terrorists or tie us to the shooter who none of us knew and is now trying another tactic. She is trying to deflect from the fact that on her watch and Mayor Keller’s police were told to stand down and a man was shot. More individuals would have been hurt if we had not been there to do what APD wanted to do but the mayor and deputy chief ordered them not to. By ordering police to let protesters tear down statues and destroy property they made that situation violent if one cruiser would have been there there would have been no blood on the streets that day.”


Mobile Video Tech

LOS ANGELES — A federal court in California denied technology company Eko ’ s motion for a preliminary injunction in @ @ @ @ @ infringement suit against Quibi over the short-form video streaming company ’ s “ Turnstyle ” @ @ @ @ @ to flip between vertical and horizontal framing .

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.


Pill Mill

CINCINNATI — The Sixth Circuit upheld the convictions of a Michigan doctor whose clinic , Compassionate Doctors , collected millions @ @ @ @ @ kickbacks for fraudulent prescriptions written to fake patients , who were “ generally small-time criminals @ @ @ @ @ according to the court .


Chicken Plant

NEW ORLEANS — The Fifth Circuit denied Sanderson Farms ’ petition for a review of a decision that found its @ @ @ @ @ , Texas , did not comply with all of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration @ @ @ @ @ managing highly hazardous chemicals .
The plant uses more than 10 thousand pounds of ammonia @


Cancer Drug

NEW YORK — A class in a securities fraud dispute plausibly pleaded that some of cancer drug company NewLink ’ @ @ @ @ @ and the design of their clinical trial may have amounted to material misrepresentations , the @ @ @ @


courthousenews--2020-07-14--Former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Charged With Murder After Fatal Shooting

( CN ) — A former San Diego County Sheriff ’ s Department officer was arrested and charged with murder Monday for fatally shooting an unarmed man with a mental illness who had fled from a police vehicle outside a downtown jail .
The San Diego County District Attorney ’ s Office charged former officer Aaron Russell , 23 , with one count of second-degree murder in connection to shooting outside San Diego Central Jail .
In the May 1 incident , Nicholas Bils , 36 , had escaped from a California State Parks officer ’ s car and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot him , according to the district attorney ’ s office .
Bils was putting golf balls at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park when California State Parks rangers arrested him for having his dog off-leash and being in the park that was closed due to Covid-19 safety restrictions , according to the San Diego Police Department , which is investigating the shooting .
Bils had schizophrenia , a serious mental illness , according to statements made to the media by his mother , Kathleen Bils , who also told reporters detectives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times , including once in the back .
Russell had been with the department for a little over a year and resigned days after the shooting .
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement Monday the decision to criminally charge Russell came after an “ objective ” review of the facts in the case .
“ When a life is taken , we must make decisions based in facts and law , and not ones that are influenced by the status of the accused as a peace officer nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephan said .
“ These decisions must be made solely in the interest of justice and not based on favoritism nor public opinion .
Every person must be accountable under the law.
” If convicted on the second-degree murder charge , Russell could face 15 years to life in prison , according the district attorney .
Stephan ’ s office said the May 1 fatal shooting was reviewed under new , stricter deadly use of force standards laid out in California Assembly Bill 392 , adding “ the new law provides that deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or another person.
” While video of the fatal shooting does exist , Stephan ’ s office said it will not release it at this time since it is now evidence in the pending criminal case .
“ Video is expected to be entered into evidence during open court proceedings , ” the district attorney ’ s office said in the statement .
On Monday , San Diego County law enforcement executed an arrest warrant for Russell , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The former sheriff ’ s deputy is expected to be arraigned Tuesday at 9 a.m. in Department 2002 of San Diego Superior Court .

A former San Diego County Sheriff’s Department officer was arrested and charged with murder Monday for fatally shooting an unarmed man with a mental illness who had fled from a police vehicle outside a downtown jail.
(CN) — A former San Diego County Sheriff’s Department officer was arrested and charged with murder Monday for fatally shooting an unarmed man with a mental illness who had fled from a police vehicle outside a downtown jail.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office charged former officer Aaron Russell, 23, with one count of second-degree murder in connection to shooting outside San Diego Central Jail.
In the May 1 incident, Nicholas Bils, 36, had escaped from a California State Parks officer’s car and was running away, unarmed, when Russell shot him, according to the district attorney’s office.
Bils was putting golf balls at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park when California State Parks rangers arrested him for having his dog off-leash and being in the park that was closed due to Covid-19 safety restrictions, according to the San Diego Police Department, which is investigating the shooting.
Bils had schizophrenia, a serious mental illness, according to statements made to the media by his mother, Kathleen Bils, who also told reporters detectives explained that her son was shot multiple times, including once in the back.
Russell had been with the department for a little over a year and resigned days after the shooting.
San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a statement Monday the decision to criminally charge Russell came after an “objective” review of the facts in the case.
“When a life is taken, we must make decisions based in facts and law, and not ones that are influenced by the status of the accused as a peace officer nor the status of the victim,” Stephan said. “These decisions must be made solely in the interest of justice and not based on favoritism nor public opinion. Every person must be accountable under the law.”
If convicted on the second-degree murder charge, Russell could face 15 years to life in prison, according the district attorney.
Stephan’s office said the May 1 fatal shooting was reviewed under new, stricter deadly use of force standards laid out in California Assembly Bill 392, adding “the new law provides that deadly force is only justified when necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or another person.”
While video of the fatal shooting does exist, Stephan’s office said it will not release it at this time since it is now evidence in the pending criminal case.
“Video is expected to be entered into evidence during open court proceedings,” the district attorney’s office said in the statement.
On Monday, San Diego County law enforcement executed an arrest warrant for Russell, whose bail is set at $1 million.
The former sheriff’s deputy is expected to be arraigned Tuesday at 9 a.m. in Department 2002 of San Diego Superior Court.