newyorkpost--2020-02-05--We fell in love on Twitter

We fell in love on Twitter

Sometimes , the blue jay is a lovebird .
For most people , logging onto Twitter is like stepping into a digital combat zone .
( The trolls !
The threads !
The all-caps missives ! )
The social media platform , which launched in 2006 , was certainly never meant to serve as a dating service .
But for a lucky few among Twitter ’ s 330 million worldwide users — including a few fortunate New Yorkers — the micro-blogging site provided ideal conditions for courtship .
The talk-to-anyone nature of the platform emboldened a NY1 viewer to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 140-character cap ( now 280 ) encouraged pithy — and ultimately , flirtatious — banter for another , and the unifying power of hashtags drew a pair of strangers toward each other .
Naturally , there ’ s a hashtag for this digital-age tweet-cute , too : # WeMetOnTwitter .
Here , three local couples tell The Post how they turned “ likes ” into love .
NY1 reporter Roger Clark wasn ’ t having much luck on dates .
“ One woman told me , ‘ You seemed cooler on TV , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 52 and from Forest Hills , tells The Post .
But NY1 viewer Jenny Gill thought Clark was cool off-screen , too — especially on Twitter , where they first connected .
When she saw that Clark and his colleague , Pat Kiernan , had gone bowling together at the Gutter in Williamsburg , she couldn ’ t resist pinging Clark with a “ Wish I was there !
” tweet .
“ I believe I said something like , ‘ I ’ d have gone out to Gutter , but figured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says the 44-year-old NY1 superfan , who ’ s an actress and an executive assistant .
Soon , Gill and Clark were bantering back and forth about New York-y things : coffee , Mets vs. Yankees , bagel schmear ( he prefers butter ; she ’ s a cream cheese gal ) .
Although dating apps hadn ’ t struck it big yet , some old-school dating sites were already in play , and Clark had given some a whirl .
But flirting on Twitter , he says , “ was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just me.
” After two weeks of very public courtship , NY1 fans were ready for them to push past foreplay .
“ When are you going to meet ?
” tweeted one impatient voyeur .
“ We were like , ‘ SIMMER DOWN , WE ’ RE WORKING ON IT !
’ ” says Gill , who had no experience with online dating .
They switched over to DMs to set up drinks at the Blind Tiger ale house in Greenwich Village .
Gill brought along a male friend , just in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When I saw her eyes , I was like , ‘ Oh , boy , ’ ” says Clark .
“ Something magical was happening.
” The pair snapped a photo together and tweeted it out to their nosy following .
Two years later , the couple wed , and today , they live on the Upper East Side with their 9-year-old son .
But they agree that they ’ re not sure they would have connected on the platform in 2020 .
Tweets “ were more lighthearted ” back then , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ definitely had more real conversations on Twitter 10 years ago.
” But , she adds , “ I ’ ve found that if you reach out , people will still talk.
” Their advice ?
If you have a Twitter crush , reach out .
“ If you have 100 followers , ” says Clark , “ and there ’ s one person who likes what you say , maybe you ’ ll get together and fall in love.
” When NYC native Tatianna Surun , 32 , moved to San Diego in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find local fellow Dominicans .
She used the hashtag # DeLoMio — a saying that loosely means , “ you are of my people and we are family , ” Surun says .
Bless the internet : Her tweet attracted Juan C. Batista II , 31 , who lived 2,800 miles away — in Kew Gardens , Queens .
Surun , he learned scrolling through her feed , was an artist and a chef .
He was intrigued .
“ As a foodie and a lover of all things art , it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in , ” says Batista .
He started commenting and leave GIFs under her photos .
Soon , they were off to the races .
“ We talked about everything — music , life , children — basically , whatever we were tweeting about , ” says Surun .
She wasn ’ t surprised when Batista , who works for the city and is an amateur photographer , DMed her .
“ He wasn ’ t the first , nor the last , to DM .
But he was the only one that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep it , ” says Surun , cheekily , adding that neither of them had ever used dating apps .
After a couple of weeks , they were ready to meet — on FaceTime , given their geographical constraints .
The chemistry , Surun says , was palpable .
“ To be honest , we fell in love before ever physically meeting , ” says Surun .
They even introduced their kids over the app .
Two months later , Surun ’ s heart raced as she flew to NYC for their first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We hugged then kissed like we ’ d been together for years , ” she says .
Surun moved back to the city in July 2018 .
The couple and their three kids moved into an apartment in Flushing together last year .
“ Sometimes you ’ ll find love in the most unlikely of places , ” says Batista , reflecting on his luck .
“ Love is possible if you ’ re willing to channel your thoughts and desires into words and GIFs.
” After hitting the Tomorrowland electronic dance-music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Island-native Meghan Maloof Berdellans , 28 , was excited to chat about all things EDM .
She scouted around for some sites and began following Albert Maloof Berdellans III , 30 , who had a popular blog and EDM following on Twitter .
Meghan , a digital and social media consultant , stood out among his 30,000 plus followers — but not for romantic reasons .
“ Meg ’ s first interactions were mostly tweeting at me and telling me how wrong I was , ” says Albert , who lived in Miami @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firing back .
We started out not liking each other.
” If you ’ ve ever seen a rom-com , you can guess what happens next : Through DMs ( Meghan made the first move ) , their sniping segued into playful banter , then meaningful talks .
That led to FaceTime dates — six months of them , for the busy , long-distance lovebirds .
Albert , who does marketing for an events production company , “ would order the same food he was eating to my place , via GrubHub or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date on video chat , ” says Meghan .
“ It was truly a 21st-century phenomenon.
” After half a year of digital dating , Meghan decided to take their romance off-screen : She flew out to Miami during Art Basel to meet Albert .
He picked her up at the airport and took her for a sunset walk on the beach .
“ It felt so natural , like we ’ d known each other for years , ” she says .
“ We both felt something was very special there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give the relationship a shot.
” After three years of long-distance love , Meghan moved closer to Albert — to Jupiter , Fla. — in 2016 .
The two tied the knot in 2019 .
Today , the lovebirds are snowbirds , who bounce between Miami and Malverne , Long Island , in Nassau County .
They also have an influencer dog @ ceilithepuppy , who stays in New York with Meghan ’ s parents .
And all thanks to some angry tweets !
“ It was an organic way to meet , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things we cared about , ” Meghan says .

Sometimes, the blue jay is a lovebird.
For most people, logging onto Twitter is like stepping into a digital combat zone. (The trolls! The threads! The all-caps missives!) The social media platform, which launched in 2006, was certainly never meant to serve as a dating service.
But for a lucky few among Twitter’s 330 million worldwide users — including a few fortunate New Yorkers — the micro-blogging site provided ideal conditions for courtship. The talk-to-anyone nature of the platform emboldened a NY1 viewer to reach out to her on-screen crush, a 140-character cap (now 280) encouraged pithy — and ultimately, flirtatious — banter for another, and the unifying power of hashtags drew a pair of strangers toward each other. Naturally, there’s a hashtag for this digital-age tweet-cute, too: #WeMetOnTwitter.
Here, three local couples tell The Post how they turned “likes” into love.
Jenny Gill & Roger Clark: #WeMetOnTwitter in 2009
NY1 reporter Roger Clark wasn’t having much luck on dates.
“One woman told me, ‘You seemed cooler on TV,’ ” the newsman, who’s 52 and from Forest Hills, tells The Post.
But NY1 viewer Jenny Gill thought Clark was cool off-screen, too — especially on Twitter, where they first connected. When she saw that Clark and his colleague, Pat Kiernan, had gone bowling together at the Gutter in Williamsburg, she couldn’t resist pinging Clark with a “Wish I was there!” tweet.
“I believe I said something like, ‘I’d have gone out to Gutter, but figured that might be too stalker-ish,’ ” says the 44-year-old NY1 superfan, who’s an actress and an executive assistant.
Soon, Gill and Clark were bantering back and forth about New York-y things: coffee, Mets vs. Yankees, bagel schmear (he prefers butter; she’s a cream cheese gal).
Although dating apps hadn’t struck it big yet, some old-school dating sites were already in play, and Clark had given some a whirl. But flirting on Twitter, he says, “was a lot easier, because I was already just me.”
“When I saw her eyes, I was like, ‘Oh, boy.’ Something magical was happening.”
After two weeks of very public courtship, NY1 fans were ready for them to push past foreplay.
“When are you going to meet?” tweeted one impatient voyeur.
“We were like, ‘SIMMER DOWN, WE’RE WORKING ON IT!’ ” says Gill, who had no experience with online dating.
They switched over to DMs to set up drinks at the Blind Tiger ale house in Greenwich Village. Gill brought along a male friend, just in case Clark was a jerk.
“When I saw her eyes, I was like, ‘Oh, boy,’ ” says Clark. “Something magical was happening.” The pair snapped a photo together and tweeted it out to their nosy following.
Two years later, the couple wed, and today, they live on the Upper East Side with their 9-year-old son. But they agree that they’re not sure they would have connected on the platform in 2020.
Tweets “were more lighthearted” back then, says Clark.
Gill agrees: “People definitely had more real conversations on Twitter 10 years ago.” But, she adds, “I’ve found that if you reach out, people will still talk.”
Their advice? If you have a Twitter crush, reach out.
“If you have 100 followers,” says Clark, “and there’s one person who likes what you say, maybe you’ll get together and fall in love.”
Tatianna Surun & Juan Batista II: #WeMetOnTwitter in 2017
When NYC native Tatianna Surun, 32, moved to San Diego in 2017, she turned to Twitter to find local fellow Dominicans. She used the hashtag #DeLoMio — a saying that loosely means, “you are of my people and we are family,” Surun says.
Bless the internet: Her tweet attracted Juan C. Batista II, 31, who lived 2,800 miles away — in Kew Gardens, Queens. Surun, he learned scrolling through her feed, was an artist and a chef. He was intrigued.
“As a foodie and a lover of all things art, it was her food tweets that always drew me in,” says Batista.
He started commenting and leave GIFs under her photos. Soon, they were off to the races.
“We talked about everything — music, life, children — basically, whatever we were tweeting about,” says Surun.
She wasn’t surprised when Batista, who works for the city and is an amateur photographer, DMed her.
“To be honest, we fell in love before ever physically meeting.”
“He wasn’t the first, nor the last, to DM. But he was the only one that was able to capture my attention and keep it,” says Surun, cheekily, adding that neither of them had ever used dating apps.
After a couple of weeks, they were ready to meet — on FaceTime, given their geographical constraints. The chemistry, Surun says, was palpable.
“To be honest, we fell in love before ever physically meeting,” says Surun. They even introduced their kids over the app.
Two months later, Surun’s heart raced as she flew to NYC for their first real-life rendezvous. When she landed, “We hugged then kissed like we’d been together for years,” she says.
Surun moved back to the city in July 2018. The couple and their three kids moved into an apartment in Flushing together last year.
“Sometimes you’ll find love in the most unlikely of places,” says Batista, reflecting on his luck. “Love is possible if you’re willing to channel your thoughts and desires into words and GIFs.”
Meghan & Albert Maloof Berdellans: #WeMetOnTwitter in 2013
After hitting the Tomorrowland electronic dance-music festival in Belgium in 2013, Long Island-native Meghan Maloof Berdellans, 28, was excited to chat about all things EDM. She scouted around for some sites and began following Albert Maloof Berdellans III, 30, who had a popular blog and EDM following on Twitter.
Meghan, a digital and social media consultant, stood out among his 30,000 plus followers — but not for romantic reasons.
“Meg’s first interactions were mostly tweeting at me and telling me how wrong I was,” says Albert, who lived in Miami at the time. “I started firing back. We started out not liking each other.”
If you’ve ever seen a rom-com, you can guess what happens next: Through DMs (Meghan made the first move), their sniping segued into playful banter, then meaningful talks. That led to FaceTime dates — six months of them, for the busy, long-distance lovebirds.
Albert, who does marketing for an events production company, “would order the same food he was eating to my place, via GrubHub or UberEats, and we would have a date on video chat,” says Meghan. “It was truly a 21st-century phenomenon.”
“It felt so natural, like we’d known each other for years.”
After half a year of digital dating, Meghan decided to take their romance off-screen: She flew out to Miami during Art Basel to meet Albert. He picked her up at the airport and took her for a sunset walk on the beach.
“It felt so natural, like we’d known each other for years,” she says. “We both felt something was very special there, and we knew that we had to give the relationship a shot.”
After three years of long-distance love, Meghan moved closer to Albert — to Jupiter, Fla. — in 2016. The two tied the knot in 2019. Today, the lovebirds are snowbirds, who bounce between Miami and Malverne, Long Island, in Nassau County. They also have an influencer dog @ceilithepuppy, who stays in New York with Meghan’s parents.
And all thanks to some angry tweets!
“It was an organic way to meet, since it involved us being passionate about things we cared about,” Meghan says.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--49ers defender Earl Mitchell snaps up Fort Lauderdale condo

Super Bowl LIV contender and San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Earl Mitchell has bought new digs at 100 Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale .
Mitchell , a 10-year NFL veteran , tells The Post he became enamored with the area when he played for the Miami Dolphins from 2014 to 2017 .
“ I fell in love with the city , ” he says .
“ I wanted to live right on Las Olas in the middle of a district where there ’ s a lot of activity .
It ’ s an exciting area.
” Mitchell played for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and came out of retirement on Jan. 1 , 2020 , to rejoin the team for the Super Bowl .
Last week , New York Academy of Art hosted a party at 108 Leonard St. , the 19th-century landmarked condo conversion in Tribeca .
Celeb guests celebrating the opening of the Academy ’ s winter show , “ Collectouples , ” included Helena Christensen , KAWS , Architectural Digest ’ s Amy Astley , Jeffrey Deitch , Brooke Shields , Eric Fischl and April Gornik .
Esther Muller is celebrating the 25th Anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This year ’ s symposiums are Feb. 26 , March 4 and March 11 .

Super Bowl LIV contender and San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Earl Mitchell has bought new digs at 100 Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale.
The three-bedroom, 3½-bath unit sold for $1.6 million.
Mitchell, a 10-year NFL veteran, tells The Post he became enamored with the area when he played for the Miami Dolphins from 2014 to 2017.
“I fell in love with the city,” he says. “I wanted to live right on Las Olas in the middle of a district where there’s a lot of activity. It’s an exciting area.”
Mitchell played for the San Francisco 49ers from 2017 to 2018 and came out of retirement on Jan. 1, 2020, to rejoin the team for the Super Bowl.
Previous 1 of 5 Next Advertisement The Fort Lauderdale building, called 100 Las Olas, where 49ers defensive tackle Earl Mitchell bought a condo. 100 Las Olas 100 Las Olas Advertisement 100 Las Olas Advertisement
Last week, New York Academy of Art hosted a party at 108 Leonard St., the 19th-century landmarked condo conversion in Tribeca.
Celeb guests celebrating the opening of the Academy’s winter show, “Collectouples,” included Helena Christensen, KAWS, Architectural Digest’s Amy Astley, Jeffrey Deitch, Brooke Shields, Eric Fischl and April Gornik.
Esther Muller is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of her Academy for Continuing Education. This year’s symposiums are Feb. 26, March 4 and March 11.
Top brokers teaching classes include Leonard Steinberg and Adam Modlin.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--SMU coach Travis Mays told us to ‘commit suicide’: players

Southern Methodist University women ’ s basketball coach Travis Mays is in hot water after eight players cited an abusive culture instilled by the four year-head coach , whom the players allege told them to kill themselves if they weren ’ t going to compete during a practice in the 2017-18 season , according to the Dallas Morning News .
The report also said that Mays , who started his first head coaching gig with SMU in 2016 , was “ needlessly cutting players from the roster , threatening to speak negatively to future employers and taking issue with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While there were different recollections of Mays ’ exact wording when he said his players should kill themselves , SMU athletic director Rick Hart confirmed to the Morning News that these conversations did take place .
A blog post published in late January by former player Klara Bradshaw offered her first-hand account .
“ If y ’ all don ’ t want to get it together , if y ’ all don ’ t get together and get connected , you might as well go and commit suicide , ” Bradshaw wrote of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a practice that he wasn ’ t happy with .
Bradshaw , who was a senior at the time , recalled how she immediately burst into tears because it had been just two years since her father had committed suicide .
The team and coaching staff apparently were aware of her father ’ s suicide .
Mays reportedly asked Bradshaw , in front of the entire team , why she started crying before a team trainer took her away from the gathering so she could collect herself .
The Morning News reported that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message .
“ Excuse the poor judgment of words , ” he wrote , according to the Morning News .
“ Sorry to upset you .
That wasn ’ t my intention.
” Another former player , McKenzie Adams , spoke out in solidarity with Bradshaw after the blog post was published .
On Twitter , Adams described her senior season at SMU to be “ one of the most mentally traumatic experiences ever.
” A spokesperson representing Mays declined to comment to the Morning News , however , he did address the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home game .
“ It ’ s one of those things where sometimes you can push , ” Mays said as part of the statement .
“ And it ’ s our job to push people outside of their comfort zones .
And sometimes you can say things , whether it ’ s using the wrong verbiage or at the wrong time when you don ’ t need to express some of that.
” Hart , who has been SMU ’ s AD since 2012 , admitted that several players met with him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017-18 season , per the Morning News .
“ Any time we get feedback , we follow up on it , we discuss it , we share it , ” Hart told the Morning News .
“ We try to figure out what ’ s going on , what we need to do differently — whether it ’ s communication or process or structural .
”

Southern Methodist University women’s basketball coach Travis Mays is in hot water after eight players cited an abusive culture instilled by the four year-head coach, whom the players allege told them to kill themselves if they weren’t going to compete during a practice in the 2017-18 season, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The report also said that Mays, who started his first head coaching gig with SMU in 2016, was “needlessly cutting players from the roster, threatening to speak negatively to future employers and taking issue with a player not running due to injury.”
While there were different recollections of Mays’ exact wording when he said his players should kill themselves, SMU athletic director Rick Hart confirmed to the Morning News that these conversations did take place.
A blog post published in late January by former player Klara Bradshaw offered her first-hand account.
“If y’all don’t want to get it together, if y’all don’t get together and get connected, you might as well go and commit suicide,” Bradshaw wrote of Mays’ message to his players following a practice that he wasn’t happy with.
Bradshaw, who was a senior at the time, recalled how she immediately burst into tears because it had been just two years since her father had committed suicide.
The team and coaching staff apparently were aware of her father’s suicide.
Mays reportedly asked Bradshaw, in front of the entire team, why she started crying before a team trainer took her away from the gathering so she could collect herself.
The Morning News reported that Mays later apologized to Bradshaw via text message.
“Excuse the poor judgment of words,” he wrote, according to the Morning News. “Sorry to upset you. That wasn’t my intention.”
Another former player, McKenzie Adams, spoke out in solidarity with Bradshaw after the blog post was published. On Twitter, Adams described her senior season at SMU to be “one of the most mentally traumatic experiences ever.”
A spokesperson representing Mays declined to comment to the Morning News, however, he did address the incident after SMU’s most recent home game.
“It’s one of those things where sometimes you can push,” Mays said as part of the statement. “And it’s our job to push people outside of their comfort zones. And sometimes you can say things, whether it’s using the wrong verbiage or at the wrong time when you don’t need to express some of that.”
Hart, who has been SMU’s AD since 2012, admitted that several players met with him to report Mays’ behavior during the 2017-18 season, per the Morning News.
“Any time we get feedback, we follow up on it, we discuss it, we share it,” Hart told the Morning News. “We try to figure out what’s going on, what we need to do differently — whether it’s communication or process or structural.”


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Mining billionaire Eduardo Hochschild buys MoMA condo

Peruvian billionaire businessman Eduardo Hochschild just bought a 48th-floor unit at 53 West 53 — the Jean Nouvel-designed tower with the Museum of Modern Art ’ s expansion in its base — for $ 8.45 million .
The property was listed for $ 10.62 million .
Hochschild is the chairman of mining and industrial company Hochschild Group .
His great uncle , Moritz , who started the company in 1911 , was reportedly known as the “ Bolivian Oskar Schindler ” for helping 9,000 Jews leave Europe for South America .
In 1998 , at age 30 , Hochschild was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the life of his 71-year-old father , Luis .
Kidnappers freed him after six days .
The half-floor , three-bedroom unit Hochschild purchased is 3,484 square feet .
The new-construction home , with interiors by Thierry Despont , opens with a foyer and features floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Central Park , the Hudson River and the city skyline .
There ’ s also a windowed kitchen and a corner master bedroom suite .
The master bathroom has walls made of golden travertine from Hochschild ’ s native Peru .
One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 53 W. 53rd St. has 77 floors and reaches 1,050 feet .
Its amenities include a screening room , a 65-foot lap pool , a golf simulator and a double-height lounge with a private dining area that looks out to Central Park .
Corcoran Sunshine is handling sales and marketing at 53 West 53 ; Chris Fry of Elegran repped the buyer .

Peruvian billionaire businessman Eduardo Hochschild just bought a 48th-floor unit at 53 West 53 — the Jean Nouvel-designed tower with the Museum of Modern Art’s expansion in its base — for $8.45 million.
The property was listed for $10.62 million.
Hochschild is the chairman of mining and industrial company Hochschild Group. His great uncle, Moritz, who started the company in 1911, was reportedly known as the “Bolivian Oskar Schindler” for helping 9,000 Jews leave Europe for South America. In 1998, at age 30, Hochschild was abducted in a violent attack that claimed the life of his 71-year-old father, Luis. Kidnappers freed him after six days.
The half-floor, three-bedroom unit Hochschild purchased is 3,484 square feet. The new-construction home, with interiors by Thierry Despont, opens with a foyer and features floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Central Park, the Hudson River and the city skyline. There’s also a windowed kitchen and a corner master bedroom suite. The master bathroom has walls made of golden travertine from Hochschild’s native Peru.
One of the tallest residential buildings in New York City, 53 W. 53rd St. has 77 floors and reaches 1,050 feet. Its amenities include a screening room, a 65-foot lap pool, a golf simulator and a double-height lounge with a private dining area that looks out to Central Park.
Corcoran Sunshine is handling sales and marketing at 53 West 53; Chris Fry of Elegran repped the buyer.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Judge tosses corruption case botched by Manhattan prosecutor

Diana Florence , the former attorney-in-charge of the Construction Fraud Task ...

Larry Celona, Elizabeth Rosner, Jorge Fitz-Gibbon

A disgraced Manhattan prosecutor’s courtroom misdeeds forced her to quit her job — and has now cost the DAs office a major corruption case.
State Supreme Court Judge Michael Obus on Wednesday tossed out the bribery case against contractor Kyriacos Pierides, citing ex-Assistant District Attorney Diana Florence’s “troubling and inadequate” handling of the case.
Florence, former head of the office’s Construction Fraud Task Force, stepped down Jan. 21 amid allegations that she withheld evidence or waited months to turn it over to defense attorneys.
That includes a 38-minute recording of former city employee Ifeanyi “Manny” Madu telling investigators in 2015 —before he took a plea deal and began cooperating —that he “broke no laws” — part of a trove of evidence that wasn’t turned over until Jan. 6, nearly two years after the charges were filed.
The delays prompted defense lawyers to file a motion on Jan. 13 asking that the case be dismissed.
“Having concluded that the People did violate discovery orders, this court has the discretion to impose remedies and sanctions, including dismissal of some or all of the charges,” Obus ruled Wednesday.
“The court further concludes that dismissal, while drastic, is the appropriate sanction under the unique circumstances of this case,” the judge wrote.
Madu, a former mid-level employee in the city Department of Environmental Protection, was accused of taking bribes from Pierides and other contractors in exchange for confidential information.
In a statement Wednesday, Pierides’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, chided the DA’s office for failing “to disclose evidence of Mr. Pierides’ innocence and other discovery that were ordered to be disclosed over a year and a half ago.”
They said Pierides “had his professional life derailed by this prosecution.”
It was unclear if the DA’s office would try to re-file the case. Emily Tuttle, deputy director of communications for Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance, said: “We respect the judge’s decision and we are in the process of reviewing this matter and related cases.”


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--What to wear to NYFW 2020 if you want to get your pic snapped

Inside the mind of an Academy Award bean-spiller

New York Fashion Week is upon us, so it’s time to dress to impress. Whether you’re headed to the runway shows in NYC or just need some street style inspiration, here’s what to wear — from of-the-moment designers to the buzziest trends — so you can stand out in a sea of fab fashionistas.
Anything by Maisie Wilen
It’s hard to believe the LA-based brand launched just six months ago and has already been captured on the hourglass figures of Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Jorja Smith — of course, it helps to have Kanye West’s support. Chicago-native Maisie Schloss — a former Yeezy womenswear design assistant who just won a grant from West’s recently launched incubator program to start her own line — crafts eye-popping creations, such as updated body-con dresses, vinyl jackets and futuristic knits, currently available at Net-A-Porter.
Shoes from Amina Muaddi
What better way to step into Fashion Week than in the hottest shoes on the ‘gram? Footwear designer Amina Muaddi, who launched her eponymous label in summer 2018, has Rihanna as a fan and business partner. The two have joined forces on a line for Ri’s LVMH-parented Fenty label. Muaddi is known for her sculptural, sleek designs with martini glass-shaped heels that are the right balance of trendy and timeless — and worth the splurge.
Bottega Veneta everything
Instagram It girls have spoken: Bottega Veneta is the new “old Celine” for millennials and Gen Zers. Clutch influencer status with the Italian brand’s coveted accessories, including haute hand-held pouches, woven leather bags and pumps. Pair them with a tonal outfit (sporting different shades of the same hue) for maximum impact.
Souped-up suiting
This look isn’t all business! Rock the menswear-inspired vibe with an on-trend, oversized set (like this one from Zara!) — which is ideal for last-minute layering needs in oft-frigid February — demonstrated below by Danish blogger Josefine HJ. Boy.
Croissant bags
The early aughts are back, and this Bella Hadid-approved By Far hobo purse that mimics everyone’s favorite French pastry is a big oui from us. Just grab a cup of joe on your way to the shows — and voila! You’re a street-style snack.
Previous 1 of 3 Next Advertisement Bella Hadid is a big fan of By Far's croissant bag. GC Images By Far "Mara" suede shoulder bag, $562 at Bergdorf Goodman Bergdorf Goodman Advertisement
Novelty knits
Don’t be a knit wit and underdress for the season: Captivate the front-row fotogs by cozying up in a turtleneck or grandma cardigan (there are indeed sexy ways to wear ’em!) bedecked with bold, avant-garde prints.
Cool coats
One easy way to channel an on-point fashion editor or blogger is to blanket a basic ensemble with fabulous outerwear, such as a shearling masterpiece à la Saks Potts or an of-the-moment quilted style, such as this Rodebjer coat worn by @alyssainthecity.
Bags on bags
Now, you don’t have to choose between the mini and massive bag trend. Rock a tiny tote around your neck as a handy necklace (to store your AirPods, of course), while lugging around a giant carryall with all of your Fashion Week essentials, which @thebigbagclub highlights, is the easiest way to be mistaken for an influencer. Get the runway-inspired look: Medea leather mini-tote, $145 at Moda Operandi and Kassl Editions “Oil” tote, $450 at MatchesFashion.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Kirk Douglas, Hollywood icon best known for role in ‘Spartacus,’ dead at 103

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Kirk Douglas , the last great star of Hollywood ’ s Golden Age , who stared on screen in legendary films like “ Spartacus ” and off screen as one of Tinseltown ’ s greatest ladies men has died , his family announced Wednesday .
“ It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Michael , said in a statement posted to Facebook .
“ To the world , he was a legend , an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years , a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.
” Propelled by a powerhouse work ethic and marble-chiseled features , Douglas rose from the poorhouse to Hollywood royalty while starring in some 90 films and TV series over roughly 60 years — including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in “ Spartacus ” and the tortured artist Vincent van Gogh in “ Lust for Life.
” Along the way , the notorious flirt bedded a bevy of Hollywood beauties — and sired a showbiz dynasty with four sons including famed actor Michael Douglas .
But before he was Kirk Douglas , he was Issur Danielovitch — the son of dirt-poor Russian-Jewish immigrants born outside Albany in 1916 .
Douglas ’ father was a peddler whose station was one rung below the bottom of the social ladder — and Douglas ’ life was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poverty and earn his father ’ s approval .
The latter proved elusive for his whole life .
“ I never heard my father say , ‘ I ’ m proud of you , ’ ” he told Parade magazine in 1986 .
Douglas ’ s romantic and professional lives were entangled from the earliest — and his first taste of both came through a relationship with his high school English teacher .
At 14 , the woman , who he identified as Mrs. Livingston , seduced him as she introduced him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had been a ragamuffin kid of 15 coping with a neighborhood filled with gangs … under her guidance I became a different person , ” he wrote in his 2007 memoir “ Let ’ s Face It.
” “ I am eternally grateful .
By today ’ s standards she would have gone to jail.
” Their trysts continued through Douglas ’ s college years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts , but eventually they went their separate ways .
He lent his talents to a few minor Broadway productions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career to join the Navy in 1941 , serving on a sub-hunting ship in the Pacific before he was medically discharged in 1944 for injuries after his own crew accidentally set off a depth charge too close to their ship .
Though Douglas never got to battle Hitler in the European theater , he found other ways to combat anti-Semitism .
For instance , he once bedded a woman he knew to be an anti-Semite , just so he could shout , at the climactic moment : “ I ’ m a Jew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jew !
” according to his kiss-and-tell 1988 autobiography “ The Ragman ’ s Son.
” Douglas wedded actress Diana Dill in 1943 , and the couple produced two sons before their 1951 split : Actor Michael and producer Joel .
Following his discharge from the Navy in 1944 , Douglas landed his first big-screen gig opposite Barbara Stanwyck in 1946 ’ s “ The Strange Love of Martha Ivers ” a role that required the healthy-living thespian smoke cigarettes .
“ I got sick as a dog , ” he told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the on-screen act soon became a three-pack-a-day habit — which he miraculously kicked cold turkey two years later .
Not long after , he would deliver his breakthrough performance as a pugilist Midge Kelly in 1949 ’ s “ Champion ” — a role that would earn him his first of three Academy Award nominations for the Best Actor .
Some of his top roles came when he teamed up with a little-known director named Stanley Kubrick for 1957 ’ s “ Paths of Glory ” and 1960 ’ s “ Spartacus.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rival his extensive acting career is the list of starlets he romanced over the decades , which includes Joan Crawford , Linda Darnell , Marlene Dietrich , Rita Hayworth , Evelyn Keyes , Marilyn Maxwell , Patricia Neal , Ann Sothern and Gene Tierney , he wrote in his autobiography .
“ I ’ m a sonofabitch , plain and simple , ” he admitted in the book .
Following an ill-fated romance with Italian actress Pier Angeli , Douglas married his publicist Anne Buydens in 1954 .
The couple had two more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ironically , he spent his Vegas wedding night gambling with pal Warren Cowan and Sam Norton .
“ I never did get to bed on my wedding night , ” Buydens kvetched to the Saturday Evening Post in 1962 .
Douglas pivoted from leading man to Renaissance man in 1955 when he opened his own film shop , Bryna Productions — named for his dear mother .
“ What was interesting about him was that he also became an independent producer .
He was one actor who used their star status in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor William Simon told The Post in 2018 .
Unlike most leading men of his day , Douglas never tied himself to one movie studio — and instead worked as a free agent .
“ I was never part of Old Hollywood , ” Douglas bragged to The Post in a 1975 interview .
“ That gave Douglas a certain kind of freedom at a point when the Hollywood studio system was beginning to break down , ” according to Simon .
The company produced “ Spartacus , ” “ Paths to Glory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his best — and more than 20 other films through 1986 .
He used the company to combat jingoism when he insisted that Spartacus writer Dalton Trumbo received on-screen credit even though he had been blackballed during the “ red Scare ” for refusing to testify at a U.S. House investigation into communism in Hollywood .
But in the late ‘ 70s , Douglas got the itch and returned to acting .
“ I ’ m making my comeback as an actor .
I never left , but some people thought I did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1978 , following the release of 1977 ’ s “ The Chosen ” and ‘ 78 ’ s “ The Fury.
” Jimmy Carter awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 , and though a Best Actor Oscar eluded him his whole life , Douglas received a lifetime achievement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1996 .
It wasn ’ t until the mid-1980s that his prodigious output of two-three movies a year would slow to a humble one-flick-per-year .
And even as his shadow lengthened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even starring alongside his son Michael and grandson Cameron Douglas in 2003 ’ s appropriately titled “ It Runs in the Family.
” “ The first requirement for an actor is vitality , ” he told The Post .
“ Not only the physical kind — every kind .
You have to be able to do the jumping , the crawling and the running yourself .
”

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Kirk Douglas, the last great star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, who starred on screen in legendary films like “Spartacus” and off screen as one of Tinseltown’s greatest ladies men, has died, his family announced Wednesday.
He was 103.
“It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” his son, Michael, said in a statement posted to Facebook. “To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.”
Propelled by a powerhouse work ethic and marble-chiseled features, Douglas rose from the poorhouse to Hollywood royalty while starring in some 90 films and TV series over roughly 60 years — including career-defining roles as the sword-swinging gladiator lead in “Spartacus” and the tortured artist Vincent van Gogh in “Lust for Life.”
Along the way, the notorious flirt bedded a bevy of Hollywood beauties — and sired a showbiz dynasty with four sons including famed actor Michael Douglas.
But before he was Kirk Douglas, he was Issur Danielovitch — the son of dirt-poor Russian-Jewish immigrants born outside Albany in 1916.
Douglas’ father was a peddler whose station was one rung below the bottom of the social ladder — and Douglas’ life was defined by his desire to break from poverty and earn his father’s approval.
The latter proved elusive for his whole life.
“I never heard my father say, ‘I’m proud of you,’” he told Parade magazine in 1986.
Douglas’s romantic and professional lives were entangled from the earliest — and his first taste of both came through a relationship with his high school English teacher.
At 14, the woman, who he identified as Mrs. Livingston, seduced him as she introduced him to the world of romantic poetry.
“I had been a ragamuffin kid of 15 coping with a neighborhood filled with gangs … under her guidance I became a different person,” he wrote in his 2007 memoir “Let’s Face It.” “I am eternally grateful. By today’s standards she would have gone to jail.”
Their trysts continued through Douglas’s college years at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, but eventually they went their separate ways.
Douglas attended St. Lawrence University where he wrestled and buffed up his physique.
He got into the liberal arts school after hitchhiking to the campus as a teen and convincing the dean to approve a student loan.
After graduating, he lent his talents to a few minor Broadway productions, but he pushed pause on his acting career to join the Navy in 1941, serving on a sub-hunting ship in the Pacific before he was medically discharged in 1944 for injuries after his own crew accidentally set off a depth charge too close to their ship.
Though Douglas never got to battle Hitler in the European theater, he found other ways to combat anti-Semitism.
For instance, he once bedded a woman he knew to be an anti-Semite, just so he could shout, at the climactic moment: “I’m a Jew! You are being f—-d by a Jew!” according to his kiss-and-tell 1988 autobiography “The Ragman’s Son.”
Douglas wedded actress Diana Dill in 1943, and the couple produced two sons before their 1951 split: Actor Michael and producer Joel.
Following his discharge from the Navy in 1944, Douglas landed his first big-screen gig opposite Barbara Stanwyck in 1946’s “The Strange Love of Martha Ivers” a role that required the healthy-living thespian smoke cigarettes.
“I got sick as a dog,” he told The Post in 1978.
For Douglas, the on-screen act soon became a three-pack-a-day habit — which he miraculously kicked cold turkey two years later.
Not long after, he would deliver his breakthrough performance as a pugilist Midge Kelly in 1949’s “Champion” — a role that would earn him his first of three Academy Award nominations for the Best Actor.
Some of his top roles came when he teamed up with a little-known director named Stanley Kubrick for 1957’s “Paths of Glory” and 1960’s “Spartacus.”
The only catalogue to, perhaps, rival his extensive acting career is the list of starlets he romanced over the decades, which includes Joan Crawford, Linda Darnell, Marlene Dietrich, Rita Hayworth, Evelyn Keyes, Marilyn Maxwell, Patricia Neal, Ann Sothern and Gene Tierney, he wrote in his autobiography.
“I’m a sonofabitch, plain and simple,” he admitted in the book.
Following an ill-fated romance with Italian actress Pier Angeli, Douglas married his publicist Anne Buydens in 1954. The couple had two more sons: Producer Peter and actor Eric.
Ironically, he spent his Vegas wedding night gambling with pal Warren Cowan and Sam Norton.
“I never did get to bed on my wedding night,” Buydens kvetched to the Saturday Evening Post in 1962.
Douglas pivoted from leading man to Renaissance man in 1955 when he opened his own film shop, Bryna Productions — named for his dear mother.
“What was interesting about him was that he also became an independent producer. He was one actor who used their star status in some productive ways,” NYU film professor William Simon told The Post in 2018.
Unlike most leading men of his day, Douglas never tied himself to one movie studio — and instead worked as a free agent.
“I was never part of Old Hollywood,” Douglas bragged to The Post in a 1975 interview.
“That gave Douglas a certain kind of freedom at a point when the Hollywood studio system was beginning to break down,” according to Simon.
The company produced “Spartacus,” “Paths to Glory” — which Douglas considered one of his best — and more than 20 other films through 1986.
He used the company to combat jingoism when he insisted that Spartacus writer Dalton Trumbo received on-screen credit even though he had been blackballed during the “red Scare” for refusing to testify at a U.S. House investigation into communism in Hollywood.
But in the late ‘70s, Douglas got the itch and returned to acting.
“I’m making my comeback as an actor. I never left, but some people thought I did,” he proclaimed to The Post in 1978, following the release of 1977’s “The Chosen” and ‘78’s “The Fury.”
Jimmy Carter awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981, and though a Best Actor Oscar eluded him his whole life, Douglas received a lifetime achievement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1996.
It wasn’t until the mid-1980s that his prodigious output of two-three movies a year would slow to a humble one-flick-per-year.
And even as his shadow lengthened, Douglas continued to make magic, even starring alongside his son Michael and grandson Cameron Douglas in 2003’s appropriately titled “It Runs in the Family.”
“The first requirement for an actor is vitality,” he told The Post. “Not only the physical kind — every kind. You have to be able to do the jumping, the crawling and the running yourself.”


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--The Oscars’ most outspoken voter goes viral with ‘racist’ opinion

After reading the list of nominees , presenter Issa Rae said , ...

An anonymous Oscar voter has pulled the curtain back on her decision-making for this year’s awards. And not everyone is happy with what they see.
Ahead of this Sunday’s 2020 Academy Awards broadcast, the unnamed “female member of the Academy’s actors branch” spilled to the Hollywood Reporter her raw opinions on this year’s contenders, including the controversial view that Korean film “Parasite” should not be nominated with “regular” movies.
One Twitter user decried the woman’s thoughts as “horrifically racist.” Another expressed surprise over the fact that “people this stupid are allowed to vote in the academy.”
The story exposes the thespian’s thought process for each category and immediately sets the tone with rationales for Best Picture. She found that “ ’Little Women’ was badly acted;” she’s “unable to laugh at Hitler” (hence, “Jojo Rabbit” failed to make the cut); she believes foreign films should not be “nominated with regular films” (so long “Parasite”); and she believes that Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” only got a nomination nod because of the director’s longevity in the industry.”
Her pick for Sunday’s most coveted prize? Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood,” which, she says, was good out of the gate and improved on a second viewing.
For the Best Actor category, she found Adam Driver’s performance in “Marriage Story” to be unimpressive. Jonathan Pryce in “The Two Popes” was the opposite, according to this voter, but “I don’t know if I want to give it to the pope.”
Joaquin Phoenix in “Joker” “hit it out of the park.” Hence, she has a winner in the character who thought murder was, well, a joke. As for Best Actress, she says: Scarlett Johansson was “not truthful” in “Marriage Story,” an American actress should have played Harriet Tubman (buh bye, Cynthia Erivo for “Harriet”) and Charlize Theron in “Bombshell” portrayed a real-life person that this woman finds “irritating.” That left Renée Zellweger, whose “singing and everything” in “Judy” was “just great.”
The voter somehow even found a way to criticize America’s Dad. Tom Hanks might have gotten her Best Supporting Actor vote for “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” were his eyes not “calculating and judging” in a way that Fred Rogers’ were not. She declares that Al Pacino and Joe Pesci provided no revelations in “The Irishman.”
But her winner, Brad Pitt, in “Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood” exuded “presence that created fear.” For Best Supporting Actress, Florence Pugh shot herself in the foot by being “laughable” in “Little Women.” Laura Dern was “annoyingly over the top” in “Marriage Story” and Margot Robbie was a “caricature” in “Bombshell.”
Her dark-horse favorite in this category, from a movie she didn’t even like: Johansson in “Jojo Rabbit” because “she did something kind of different than I’ve ever seen her do before.”
In that regard, Johansson has something in common with our anonymous tea-spiller — to whom we’d give the vote for Best Loose-Cannon Academy Award Voter.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Kate Hudson hunts for NYC rental with boyfriend Danny Fujikawa

Actress and entrepreneur Kate Hudson and her partner Danny Fujikawa were spotted house hunting in the city .
One spot the two eyed was a maisonette at The Waverly Group ’ s 106 Franklin St. , a luxury rental building in Tribeca .
The 2,500-square-foot duplex , which has three bedrooms and a private garden , is on the market for $ 16,500 a month .
“ They pulled up in a chauffeur-driven SUV , dressed super casual , ” a spy tells Gim me Shelter .
“ She wore no makeup and looked great .
They are very keen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of four floor-through lofts , comes with a keyed elevator landing and features wide-plank white oak floors , custom closets , recessed lighting and oversize windows .
There ’ s an open chef ’ s kitchen , a master bedroom suite with a walk-in closet and a spa-like bathroom , and a split stairway that leads to a garden level .
The building , which dates to 1915 , has a virtual doorman and a common roof deck with an outdoor kitchen .
Hudson , 40 , and Fujikawa , 33 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has two sons , Ryder and Bingham , from previous relationships .
Hudson , the daughter of Goldie Hawn known for her role in “ Almost Famous , ” just added a men ’ s line to Fabletics , the activewear brand that she co-founded in 2013 .
She is also on a mission to lose 10 pounds of “ holiday eating and drinking ” weight that she is chronicling for WW , formerly known as Weight Watchers , for which she is a paid brand ambassador .

Previous 1 of 5 Next Advertisement Rock Hudson: Actress, Kate, and her partner, Danny Fujikawa, scoped out 106 Franklin St. Jon Nissenbaum/ Compass Jon Nissenbaum/ Compass Advertisement Jon Nissenbaum/ Compass Advertisement
Actress and entrepreneur Kate Hudson and her partner Danny Fujikawa were spotted house hunting in the city.
One spot the two eyed was a maisonette at The Waverly Group’s 106 Franklin St., a luxury rental building in Tribeca. The 2,500-square-foot duplex, which has three bedrooms and a private garden, is on the market for $16,500 a month.
“They pulled up in a chauffeur-driven SUV, dressed super casual,” a spy tells Gimme Shelter. “She wore no makeup and looked great. They are very keen on high-end rentals.”
The unit, one of four floor-through lofts, comes with a keyed elevator landing and features wide-plank white oak floors, custom closets, recessed lighting and oversize windows. There’s an open chef’s kitchen, a master bedroom suite with a walk-in closet and a spa-like bathroom, and a split stairway that leads to a garden level. The building, which dates to 1915, has a virtual doorman and a common roof deck with an outdoor kitchen.
Hudson, 40, and Fujikawa, 33, have one-year-old baby Rani, while Hudson has two sons, Ryder and Bingham, from previous relationships.
Hudson, the daughter of Goldie Hawn known for her role in “Almost Famous,” just added a men’s line to Fabletics, the activewear brand that she co-founded in 2013. She is also on a mission to lose 10 pounds of “holiday eating and drinking” weight that she is chronicling for WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, for which she is a paid brand ambassador.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Man who was supposed to testify against MS-13 gang members found dead

Long Island authorities on Wednesday implied that a man set to testify against MS-13 gang members was killed as a result of criminal-justice reforms requiring prosecutors share witnesses ’ identities with defendants .
Nassau County officials , including the police commissioner and county executive , announced the death of 36-year-old Wilmer Maldonado on Wednesday — while also decrying the discovery laws that took effect Jan. 1 .
“ The system failed , the system failed , ” Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a press conference .
“ This man is dead because we didn ’ t do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping us.
” Maldonado was discovered bludgeoned to death behind an abandoned home in New Cassel on Sunday , according to Nassau County police .
He was allegedly attacked by nine MS-13 members in October 2018 after intervening when the group threatened two boys .
The suspects allegedly beat all three victims , stabbing Maldonado several times and knocking him in the head with a bat , officials said .
Prosecutors last December revealed Maldonado ’ s identity to an arrested suspect ’ s defense team as a result of the recently enacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the names of witnesses in criminal cases .
Before then , Maldonado ’ s identity was concealed through a court-issued protective order obtained by prosecutors in December 2018 , according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas .
“ This case underscores the importance of safeguarding the identities of witnesses and victims of crime and our hearts are with Mr. Maldonado ’ s family and friends as we grieve his loss , ” Singas said in a statement .
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said : “ These new discovery requirements pose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of crimes.
” Ryder acknowledged that there was no proof defense lawyers handed over witness information to the defendants — who have all been jailed since 2018 — but “ what we do know that right after ” the information was shared “ we started [ seeing ] that pattern of intimidation , ” and ultimately Maldonado ’ s death .
The day before he was killed , Maldonado was “ beaten on , ” but escaped from the attack , Ryder said .
On Jan. 30 , one of the other victims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot at in New Cassel , the commissioner added .
The trial was set to begin on Jan. 6 , but did not begin on schedule , according to Ryder .

Long Island authorities on Wednesday implied that a man set to testify against MS-13 gang members was killed as a result of criminal-justice reforms requiring prosecutors share witnesses’ identities with defendants.
Nassau County officials, including the police commissioner and county executive, announced the death of 36-year-old Wilmer Maldonado on Wednesday — while also decrying the discovery laws that took effect Jan. 1.
“The system failed, the system failed,” Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at a press conference.
“This man is dead because we didn’t do enough … and this law is not helping us.”
Maldonado was discovered bludgeoned to death behind an abandoned home in New Cassel on Sunday, according to Nassau County police.
He was allegedly attacked by nine MS-13 members in October 2018 after intervening when the group threatened two boys.
The suspects allegedly beat all three victims, stabbing Maldonado several times and knocking him in the head with a bat, officials said.
Prosecutors last December revealed Maldonado’s identity to an arrested suspect’s defense team as a result of the recently enacted laws compelling the state to turn over the names of witnesses in criminal cases.
Before then, Maldonado’s identity was concealed through a court-issued protective order obtained by prosecutors in December 2018, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.
“This case underscores the importance of safeguarding the identities of witnesses and victims of crime and our hearts are with Mr. Maldonado’s family and friends as we grieve his loss,” Singas said in a statement.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said: “These new discovery requirements pose a threat to both the victims and witnesses of crimes.”
Ryder acknowledged that there was no proof defense lawyers handed over witness information to the defendants — who have all been jailed since 2018 — but “what we do know that right after” the information was shared “we started [seeing] that pattern of intimidation,” and ultimately Maldonado’s death.
Police believe Maldonado was killed by associates of the jailed MS-13 gang members.
The day before he was killed, Maldonado was “beaten on,” but escaped from the attack, Ryder said.
On Jan. 30, one of the other victims from the October 2018 attack, was shot at in New Cassel, the commissioner added.
The trial was set to begin on Jan. 6, but did not begin on schedule, according to Ryder.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Scott Perry’s message to players in wake of Knicks chaos

Knicks owner James Dolan is in a hurry .
According to ...

New interim Knicks president Scott Perry addressed the players before Wednesday’s practice with a simple message:
Despite the turmoil, carry on.
Team president Steve Mills was fired Tuesday morning, soon after the club returned from Cleveland — and after going 2-0 on the road trip. All that got them was more chaos.
Perry was promoted to run this latest version of Team Titanic on an interim basis, but he’s likely to be fired at season’s end. That’s probably why Perry, who doesn’t have a guaranteed pact for next season, was not permitted to talk to the media.
To add to the tension, the trade deadline is Thursday, and Perry is fielding offers with almost no untouchables on the roster — save for their 2019 No. 3-overall pick RJ Barrett.
The Knicks (15-36) return to action Thursday night versus Orlando, hours after the deadline, and “Sell the Knicks’’ chants could abound if the club falls well behind in the game.
“[Perry said] we’ve got to keep moving forward,’’ Julius Randle said. “We’ve had a lot of things happen throughout the year. We’ve just got to keep moving forward, keep doing our job, keep playing with passion and determination and all those type of things. So that’s all we can focus on. None of us can focus on anything that’s out of our control, honestly.
“I didn’t expect it, honestly, waking up. But I’m not surprised by anything. It’s the NBA. It’s my sixth year. I’ve seen a lot in my short six years. I don’t get surprised by anything anymore.
“I didn’t make the decision, so I can’t focus on it or dwell on it. Me and Steve are still going to have a great relationship. He said he’ll be here, we’ll get dinner, whatever it is. I’m extremely thankful for him bringing me here.’’
The players indicated Mills called all the players individually in the morning. The team has had to endure the firing of its head coach after just 22 games, heavy rumors about trades since many of them are on expiring contracts and now this oddly timed maneuver.
Too bad for Barrett, who is getting ready to return after a nine-game absence with a sprained ankle. He so badly wanted to be a Knick, and refused to work out for Memphis, which picked second, before last year’s draft.
“It’s sad,’’ Barrett said. “He was one of the main people that gave me the opportunity to be in the NBA. Just have to keep moving forward and I wish him nothing but the best. We all heard from him.’
“I try to do my job. We have great guys from the whole organization. Everybody’s great. So we’ve all been kind of sticking together through everything. It’s the NBA. Things are going to happen. I’m really sad that all these things happened, especially the people that really gave me this shot.”
Barrett’s desire to be a Knick hasn’t soured despite this mess.
“I definitely want to be here,’’ Barrett said. “I definitely want to be a Knick. That’s going to be my answer.”
Imagine Elfird Payton waking up from his triple-double in Cleveland (17 points 15 assists, 11 rebounds) and finding out the team president just got fired.
“It’s tough, you never want to see somebody you’ve been working with all year go,’’ Payton said. “He reached out to us. It’s tough when you lose somebody you’re in a foxhole with from the beginning of the season.’’
Knicks interim coach Mike Miller, whose record is 11-18 after taking over a 4-18 squad, said the players have been resilient.
“The message has been pretty consistent,’’ Miller said. “These guys are professionals. They’ve acted as professionals. This team has had so many things come up on a personal level, team level, things have happened this year and they’ve rallied around each other.’’
Randle said it’s unfair to lay the blame for Mills’ firing on the team’s current record. The Knicks are on pace to miss the playoffs a seventh straight time.
“I really think you can put it on one season,’’ Randle said. “I don’t think things were made or broken in one season. I don’t make those decisions and I can’t assume as well. Whatever decision was made was made by the people who made those decisions.’’
For more on the Knicks, listen to the latest episode of the “Big Apple Buckets” podcast:


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Humphrey Bogart’s family once owned this Queens house for sale

The Queens man who admitted to dumping his bound ex-girlfriend ...

This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
Late actor Humphrey Bogart once frequented this home at 140 Greenway North in Forest Hills Gardens when it was owned by his cousin, Mary Ruth Bogart.
There’s still a Bogart family crest on the home’s limestone fireplace, say sellers Margaret and Yungman Lee.
The eight-bedroom, 11,000-square-foot property was built in 1910 and is now on the market for $3.99 million.
Previous 1 of 9 Next Advertisement 140 Greenway North Douglas Elliman Douglas Elliman Advertisement Douglas Elliman Douglas Elliman Douglas Elliman Advertisement Douglas Elliman Advertisement
In 1943, Mary Ruth Bogart sold the home to Salvatore Giordano, an air conditioning pioneer who became president of Fedders Corporation — and was rumored to have stashed illicit cash behind paneling in the basement.
The house opens to a grand entry foyer with leaded glass windows and a spiral staircase. There’s also a music room with French doors that lead to the patio, and an eat-in chef’s kitchen with a butler’s pantry. Elsewhere, there’s a wood-paneled library comes with stained glass windows and a dining room has twin Juliet balconies
The listing broker is Douglas Elliman’s Rachel Borut.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Queens man who admitted to stuffing Valerie Reyes in suitcase pleads guilty

The Queens man who admitted to dumping his bound ex-girlfriend in a suitcase in Connecticut has pleaded guilty to kidnapping @ @ @ @ @ .
Javier Da Silva copped Wednesday to the single charge in connection with the murder @ @ @ @ @ was found dead inside a roadside suitcase in Greenwich on Feb. 5 , 2019 .
@ @ @ @ @ wrists and ankles , and died from a lack of oxygen , authorities determined .
@ @ @ @ @ behind bars at sentencing , which is currently set for May 21 .
Da Silva @ @ @ @ @ jailhouse interview that Reyes died as they “ fell together ” off the bed during @ @ @ @ @ of Venezuela and Portugal — who was in the country illegally after overstaying his visa @ @ @ @ @ revive her , but when that failed he “ put her in the suitcase and @ @ @ @ @ after trying to use Reyes ’ ATM card to withdraw cash from her bank accounts @

The Queens man who admitted to dumping his bound ex-girlfriend in a suitcase in Connecticut has pleaded guilty to kidnapping, according to court papers.
Javier Da Silva copped Wednesday to the single charge in connection with the murder of Valerie Reyes, who was found dead inside a roadside suitcase in Greenwich on Feb. 5, 2019.
She was bound at the wrists and ankles, and died from a lack of oxygen, authorities determined.
He faces up to life behind bars at sentencing, which is currently set for May 21.
Da Silva told The Post during a jailhouse interview that Reyes died as they “fell together” off the bed during sex.
The dual citizen of Venezuela and Portugal — who was in the country illegally after overstaying his visa — claimed he tried to revive her, but when that failed he “put her in the suitcase and ran.”
He was arrested after trying to use Reyes’ ATM card to withdraw cash from her bank accounts.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Oft-sued NYPD detective David Terrell declaring victory one suit at a time

A cop on Wednesday described the moment he found a ...

Eighteen down, two to go.
An NYPD detective hit with so many misconduct and brutality lawsuits that he was once described as a “monster cop” has now knocked off all but two of the 20 cases lodged against him.
Det. David Terrell, an 18-year veteran of the force, was cleared in the 18th claim against him on Tuesday when a federal judge threw out a lawsuit filed in 2017 by a Bronx man.
The only cases still pending is a claim by career criminal Pedro Hernandez, who sued in state Supreme Court after the case was tossed in federal court three times, and a suit that has sat dormant since it was filed three years ago by murder suspect Salim Wilson, who has been jailed awaiting trial since 2017.
“Thank God it’s over. That’s it,” Terrell told The Post Wednesday. “It put a damper on my career.”
“I was moving in the right direction to get promoted to second-grade but the former commissioner didn’t have my back at the time,” he said, referring to recently retired Commissioner James O’Neill.
At least five of the misconduct or brutality suits naming Terrell in state or federal court were settled before they went to trial, including a 2013 case in which he was one of 11 police defendants.
“As we’ve said from the beginning, these are nothing but a bunch of frivolous lawsuits,” Terrell’s lawyer, Eric Sanders, said Wednesday. “The department didn’t back him up. I have a whole long list of who should be held accountable, including fake media and the (Bronx) DA’s office. Who’s going to be held accountable for ruining this man’s reputation?”
In the case dismissed this week, Jerome Roman claimed that Terrell and a half-dozen other cops took him into custody three times without charging him in 2014 and 2015.
In one instance, Roman claimed Terrell and another cop “emerged from a marked police car, grabbed (Roman’s) arm, handcuffed him, and arrested him.”
Roman was charged with criminal trespass in July 2014, but the case was dismissed by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office in February 2015, according to court papers.
Roman’s lawsuit claimed Terrell and other cops took him in three other times in July and August 2014 and June 2015 — but never charged him with any crimes.
However, the officers’ lawyers said Roman was legally detained on a trespassing complaint in August 2014 and cited for possession of marijuana in the 2015 arrest — making that arrest legit.
They also argued that Roman’s July 2014 trespassing charge was dropped on “speedy trial” grounds, not on the merits.
US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn agreed and dismissed the complaint.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Harvey Weinstein’s defense pulls out dress accuser says she wore during attack

Harvey Weinstein ’ s defense attorney on Wednesday confronted one of the producer ’ s accusers with the lace dress she said she was wearing the night of her alleged sexual assault .
Damon Cheronis put on latex gloves before picking up an evidence bag in Manhattan Supreme Court , opening it up and pulling out the lace overlay Lauren Young said she had on over her slip when Weinstein allegedly attacked her at a Beverly Hills hotel in 2013 .
“ Does this appear to be the dress that you were wearing ?
” Cheronis asked after unfurling it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Young ’ s testimony , it was revealed that she ’ d recently found the garment , and that it would be sent to Los Angeles County prosecutors , who may test it for DNA .
Young testified that on the night of Feb. 19 , 2013 , Weinstein led her into the bathroom of his suite at the Montage Beverly Hills hotel , “ came behind me and unzipped ” her dress “ and started pulling it down.
” He then “ turned me around and he started masturbating while grasping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while jerking off with his right hand saying , ‘ How am I going to know you can act ?
, ’ ” Young said .
During cross-examination , Weinstein ’ s attorney asked questions that implied the garment would be difficult to remove .
“ You told members of the jury that Mr. Weinstein at some unzipped your dress [ and ] then pulled it down ?
” Cheronis asked .
He then asked detailed questions about the garment and how it opened , including whether there was a button at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beneath it .
Cheronis also asked whether Young had to pack the dress up with her when she moved two years ago .
“ It might have already been in a bag … I don ’ t remember packing that dress if that ’ s what you ’ re asking me , ” Young responded .
The attorney then put the garment away .
Jurors were also shown a drawing of Weinstein naked , holding his penis that Young made for police in Los Angeles when she reported the alleged assault .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Weinstein had “ deformed ” genitalia , saying that “ he had a disgusting-looking penis.
” “ It had looked like it had been cut and sewn back on — not a normal looking scar from circumcision , ” she said .
“ Something didn ’ t look normal .
I remember noticing I didn ’ t really see balls in the sack .
I just see like , you know , a penis.
” As he left court using a walker , reporters asked the the disgraced producer “ Mr .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ your genitals ?
” He ignored the question .
Young ’ s claims are not part of the Manhattan case against the disgraced moviemaker , but will be tried as part of the LA sex crimes case against Weinstein .
She took the stand on Wednesday in Manhattan to testify to prior alleged bad acts on the part of the defendant .
Her cross-examination was set to continue on Thursday .

Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Harvey Weinstein’s defense attorney on Wednesday confronted one of the producer’s accusers with the lace dress she said she was wearing the night of her alleged sexual assault.
Damon Cheronis put on latex gloves before picking up an evidence bag in Manhattan Supreme Court, opening it up and pulling out the lace overlay Lauren Young said she had on over her slip when Weinstein allegedly attacked her at a Beverly Hills hotel in 2013.
“Does this appear to be the dress that you were wearing?” Cheronis asked after unfurling it and presenting it to Young.
“Yes,” she replied.
Prior to Young’s testimony, it was revealed that she’d recently found the garment, and that it would be sent to Los Angeles County prosecutors, who may test it for DNA.
Young testified that on the night of Feb. 19, 2013, Weinstein led her into the bathroom of his suite at the Montage Beverly Hills hotel, “came behind me and unzipped” her dress “and started pulling it down.”
He then “turned me around and he started masturbating while grasping my right breast with his left hand while jerking off with his right hand saying, ‘How am I going to know you can act?,’” Young said.
During cross-examination, Weinstein’s attorney asked questions that implied the garment would be difficult to remove.
“You told members of the jury that Mr. Weinstein at some unzipped your dress [and] then pulled it down?” Cheronis asked.
“To my elbows,” she responded.
He then asked detailed questions about the garment and how it opened, including whether there was a button at the top that opened, with a zipper beneath it.
Cheronis also asked whether Young had to pack the dress up with her when she moved two years ago.
“It might have already been in a bag … I don’t remember packing that dress if that’s what you’re asking me,” Young responded.
The attorney then put the garment away.
Jurors were also shown a drawing of Weinstein naked, holding his penis that Young made for police in Los Angeles when she reported the alleged assault.
In her testimony, she corroborated prior claims that Weinstein had “deformed” genitalia, saying that “he had a disgusting-looking penis.”
“It had looked like it had been cut and sewn back on — not a normal looking scar from circumcision,” she said. “Something didn’t look normal. I remember noticing I didn’t really see balls in the sack. I just see like, you know, a penis.”
As he left court using a walker, reporters asked the the disgraced producer “Mr. Weinstein why do people keep talking about your genitals?”
He ignored the question.
Young’s claims are not part of the Manhattan case against the disgraced moviemaker, but will be tried as part of the LA sex crimes case against Weinstein.
She took the stand on Wednesday in Manhattan to testify to prior alleged bad acts on the part of the defendant.
Her cross-examination was set to continue on Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-02-05--Cop describes finding knife on Tessa Majors murder suspect

A cop on Wednesday described the moment he found a knife on the 13-year-old charged in the slaying of Barnard College student Tessa Majors when he was taken into custody the day after her killing .
Zyairr Davis was arrested for trespassing in a building near Morningside Park on Dec. 12 when NYPD officer Randy Ramos Luna searched his backpack and discovered a blue knife with a blue blade cover , Luna testified during a pretrial hearing in Manhattan Family Court .
“ What is this ?
” a sergeant in the room at the time asked , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the knife for a friend , ” Davis responded , according to the cop ’ s testimony .
When asked if he was allowed to take the knife to school , Davis repeated “ I ’ m holding the knife for a friend , ” the officer said .
Majors , 18 , was stabbed in Morningside Park on Dec. 11 , 2019 .
As prosecution submitted video evidence of the blue knife , Tessa ’ s dad , Inman Majors , hunched over in his seat and looked down at keepsake bracelet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — Tessa Rane Majors — flanked by two red peace signs .
Davis , who is charged with second-degree murder , said a classmate committed the killing .
His trial is set for March 16 .

A cop on Wednesday described the moment he found a knife on the 13-year-old charged in the slaying of Barnard College student Tessa Majors when he was taken into custody the day after her killing.
Zyairr Davis was arrested for trespassing in a building near Morningside Park on Dec. 12 when NYPD officer Randy Ramos Luna searched his backpack and discovered a blue knife with a blue blade cover, Luna testified during a pretrial hearing in Manhattan Family Court.
“What is this?” a sergeant in the room at the time asked, according to Luna.
“I’m holding the knife for a friend,” Davis responded, according to the cop’s testimony.
When asked if he was allowed to take the knife to school, Davis repeated “I’m holding the knife for a friend,” the officer said.
It was unclear whether the knife was the murder weapon.
Majors, 18, was stabbed in Morningside Park on Dec. 11, 2019.
As prosecution submitted video evidence of the blue knife, Tessa’s dad, Inman Majors, hunched over in his seat and looked down at keepsake bracelet emblazoned with his daughter’s name — Tessa Rane Majors — flanked by two red peace signs.
Davis, who is charged with second-degree murder, said a classmate committed the killing.
His trial is set for March 16.


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--High-speed train derails in Italy, two railworkers dead

MILAN — A high-speed passenger train derailed in northern Italy before dawn on Thursday on the heavily used Milan-Bologna line , with the motor car completely detaching and slamming into a railroad building , killing two railway workers and injuring 27 people , authorities said .
The state-railway Freccia Rossa train went off the rails while traveling at nearly 300 kph ( 180 mph ) , Civil Protection chief Angelo Borrelli told state radio .
State railways said the two fatalities were train engineers .
Authorities said the crash occurred about 5:30 a.m. ( 0430 GMT ) in the countryside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The engine car derailed , detached completely and kept going , ″ Girolamo Fabiano , a railroad police official told state radio .
” Then the second car derailed.
” Aboard the first passenger car , for business-class , which overturned , there was only one passenger , officials said .
The rest of the cars remained upright .
Given the early hour , the train was uncrowded , with only about 30 passengers in all aboard , police said .
Rescuers had to help some passengers out of the train .
Fabiano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that stretch of line during the night .
But he said it was unclear if that was a factor in the crash , whose cause was under investigation .
Borrelli said the high-speed state railways train had departed from Milan at 5:10 a.m. ( 0410 GMT ) and was headed south to Bologna when it derailed .
Borrelli said two of the injured were in serious condition , while the other 25 were less seriously injured .
The passenger train run is part of a popular high-speed rail service known as Freccia Rossa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Its southern destination was supposed to be Salerno , a port city south of Naples .
Rail traffic was diverted to local tracks , with delays of about an hour reported .

MILAN — A high-speed passenger train derailed in northern Italy before dawn on Thursday on the heavily used Milan-Bologna line, with the motor car completely detaching and slamming into a railroad building, killing two railway workers and injuring 27 people, authorities said.
The state-railway Freccia Rossa train went off the rails while traveling at nearly 300 kph (180 mph), Civil Protection chief Angelo Borrelli told state radio.
State railways said the two fatalities were train engineers.
Authorities said the crash occurred about 5:30 a.m. (0430 GMT) in the countryside outside the town of Lodi.
“The engine car derailed, detached completely and kept going,″ Girolamo Fabiano, a railroad police official told state radio. ”Then the second car derailed.”
Aboard the first passenger car, for business-class, which overturned, there was only one passenger, officials said.
The rest of the cars remained upright.
Given the early hour, the train was uncrowded, with only about 30 passengers in all aboard, police said.
Rescuers had to help some passengers out of the train.
Fabiano said that work had been done on that stretch of line during the night. But he said it was unclear if that was a factor in the crash, whose cause was under investigation.
Borrelli said the high-speed state railways train had departed from Milan at 5:10 a.m. (0410 GMT) and was headed south to Bologna when it derailed. Borrelli said two of the injured were in serious condition, while the other 25 were less seriously injured.
The passenger train run is part of a popular high-speed rail service known as Freccia Rossa, or the Red Arrow service. Its southern destination was supposed to be Salerno, a port city south of Naples.
Rail traffic was diverted to local tracks, with delays of about an hour reported.


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--Bicyclist pisses everyone off by ‘legally’ riding in the street

This New Jersey bicyclist proudly sticks to the middle .
Meet Ollie , a disgruntled bike rider raising awareness about @ @ @ @ @ — by dangerously pedaling into traffic .
In the Garden State ’ s second-most populated @ @ @ @ @ ride as near to the right roadside as practicable ” if there are no bike @ @ @ @ @ to the ER four times , Ollie refuses to give up on his two-wheeled mission @ @ @ @ @ threatened with a knife and nearly rammed by countless road-raging motorists , each heart-pounding bike @ @ @ @ @ s helmet cam .

This New Jersey bicyclist proudly sticks to the middle.
Meet Ollie, a disgruntled bike rider raising awareness about Jersey City’s laws — by dangerously pedaling into traffic. In the Garden State’s second-most populated city, cyclists can “ride as near to the right roadside as practicable” if there are no bike lanes.
Despite being sent to the ER four times, Ollie refuses to give up on his two-wheeled mission. He’s been threatened with a knife and nearly rammed by countless road-raging motorists, each heart-pounding bike ride filmed by Ollie’s helmet cam.
Subscribe to our YouTube!


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--LGBT rights icon Bayard Rustin posthumously pardoned for 70-year-old gay-sex conviction

A human rights icon known as an architect of the civil rights movement was posthumously pardoned for his conviction under outdated laws punishing homosexual activity , California ’ s governor announced Wednesday .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom pardoned Bayard Rustin for his conviction in 1953 after he was arrested for having sex with two men in a parked car in Pasadena .
He was in town as part of a lecture tour on anticolonial struggles in West Africa .
He served 50 days in Los Angeles County jail and had to register as a sex offender before returning to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died in 1987 .
Rustin was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a key organizer of the March on Washington in 1963 .
He also helped plan other nonviolent protests and boycotts to end legalized racial discrimination .
Newsom noted that police and prosecutors nationwide at the time used charges like vagrancy , loitering and sodomy to punish lesbian , gay , bisexual , transgender and queer ( LGBTQ ) people .
He issued an executive order creating what he called a new clemency initiative to identify those who might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those applications .
He encouraged Californians to apply for clemency for people they believe meet that criteria .
“ In California and across the country , many laws have been used as legal tools of oppression , and to stigmatize and punish LGBTQ people and communities and warn others what harm could await them for living authentically , ” Newsom said in a statement .
He thanked those who pushed for Rustin ’ s pardon and encouraged others in similar circumstances “ to seek a pardon to right this egregious wrong.
” Rustin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fellowship of Reconciliation , a pacifist organization involved in the civil rights movement , after U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina read Rustin ’ s arrest file into the Congressional Record .
California repealed the law against consensual sex between same-sex adults in 1975 , and in 1997 the state created a way for those individuals to be removed from the California Sex Offender Registry .
But neither step changed the original convictions .
President Barack Obama honored Rustin posthumously with a Presidential Medal of Freedom , the highest civilian award @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and King ’ s famous “ I Have a Dream ” speech .

A human rights icon known as an architect of the civil rights movement was posthumously pardoned for his conviction under outdated laws punishing homosexual activity, California’s governor announced Wednesday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom pardoned Bayard Rustin for his conviction in 1953 after he was arrested for having sex with two men in a parked car in Pasadena. He was in town as part of a lecture tour on anticolonial struggles in West Africa.
He served 50 days in Los Angeles County jail and had to register as a sex offender before returning to his home state of New York. He died in 1987.
Rustin was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a key organizer of the March on Washington in 1963. He also helped plan other nonviolent protests and boycotts to end legalized racial discrimination.
Newsom noted that police and prosecutors nationwide at the time used charges like vagrancy, loitering and sodomy to punish lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people.
He issued an executive order creating what he called a new clemency initiative to identify those who might be eligible for pardons and swiftly consider those applications. He encouraged Californians to apply for clemency for people they believe meet those criteria.
“In California and across the country, many laws have been used as legal tools of oppression, and to stigmatize and punish LGBTQ people and communities and warn others what harm could await them for living authentically,” Newsom said in a statement.
He thanked those who pushed for Rustin’s pardon and encouraged others in similar circumstances “to seek a pardon to right this egregious wrong.”
Rustin was stripped of his leadership post at the Fellowship of Reconciliation, a pacifist organization involved in the civil rights movement, after US Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina read Rustin’s arrest file into the Congressional Record.
California repealed the law against consensual sex between same-sex adults in 1975, and in 1997 the state created a way for those individuals to be removed from the California Sex Offender Registry. But neither step changed the original convictions.
President Barack Obama honored Rustin posthumously with a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in America, in 2013 for the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--Inside Jay-Z’s complicated relationship with the NFL

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) We discuss why Jay-Z and Beyoncé stayed seated during the National Anthem at the Super Bowl .
Rob Shuter , host of Naughty But Nice stops by to talk about his time as Jessica Simpson ’ s publicist during her most scandalous years , and Demi Lovato steps out with Machine Gun Kelly .
Jay-Z gives an explanation for sitting during Super Bowl national anthem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not making a statement when they sat during the national anthem at the Super Bowl .
He was just focused on his job as a producer .
At a Columbia University Q & A as part of a lecture series Tuesday night , a moderator asked the rapper — who co-produced the entertainment at this year ’ s Super Bowl — whether sitting when Demi Lovato sang the national anthem was “ meant to convey a signal ?
” “ It actually wasn ’ t — sorry , ” said the music mogul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ d wanted to make a political statement , “ I ’ d tell you … I ’ d say , ‘ Yes , that ’ s what I ’ ve done.
’ I think people know that about me.
” But he explained , “ What happened was , we got there , we were sitting , and now the show ’ s about to start .
My wife was with me and so she says to me , ‘ I know this feeling right here.
’ Like , she ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Super Bowls before .
I haven ’ t , ” he said to laughs from the audience .
“ So we get there and we immediately jump into artist mode … now I ’ m really just looking at the show .
Did the mic start ?
Was it too low to start ?
… I had to explain to them [ that ] as an artist , if you don ’ t feel the music , you can ’ t really reach that level.
” Jessica Simpson details the last time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ s no-holds-barred memoir includes details about her final hookup with Nick Lachey in 2006 , just before their divorce was finalized that June .
Simpson had just watched an MTV documentary about the making of Lachey ’ s album “ What ’ s Left of Me , ” which detailed the stars ’ 2005 split , as well as an episode of “ Making the Video ” about the titular song , which co-starred Lachey ’ s future second wife , Vanessa Minnillo .
“ I just wanted to know what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that point I had no idea , ” she writes in her new memoir , “ Open Book.
” “ I watched him portray himself as a victim , casting me as this selfish person.
” She added , “ I knew he did this to hurt me.
” Could Demi Lovato and Machine Gun Kelly be Hollywood ’ s newest couple ?
The pair were photographed leaving Soho House West Hollywood , a members-only club in Los Angeles , around 2 a.m. Wednesday .
Lovato , 27 , and Kelly , 29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got into separate cars .
However , a source told Page Six that MGK ’ s Aston Martin convertible was seen following Lovato ’ s SUV toward the pop star ’ s condo .
Reps for the stars did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
The stars have hung out in the past , and they were photographed together at an Emo Nite LA event back in 2017 .
Catch up on all episodes of “ We Hear ” by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come out every Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday .

We discuss why Jay-Z and Beyoncé stayed seated during the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.
Rob Shuter, host of the “Naughty But Nice” podcast stops by to talk about his time as Jessica Simpson’s publicist during her most scandalous years, and Demi Lovato steps out with Machine Gun Kelly.
Jay-Z gives an explanation for sitting during Super Bowl national anthem
Jay-Z says he and wife Beyoncé were not making a statement when they sat during the national anthem at the Super Bowl. He was just focused on his job as a producer.
At a Columbia University Q&A as part of a lecture series Tuesday night, a moderator asked the rapper — who co-produced the entertainment at this year’s Super Bowl — whether sitting when Demi Lovato sang the national anthem was “meant to convey a signal?”
“It actually wasn’t — sorry,” said the music mogul, 50. He said that if he’d wanted to make a political statement, “I’d tell you … I’d say, ‘Yes, that’s what I’ve done.’ I think people know that about me.”
But he explained, “What happened was, we got there, we were sitting, and now the show’s about to start. My wife was with me and so she says to me, ‘I know this feeling right here.’ Like, she’s super-nervous because she’s performed at Super Bowls before. I haven’t,” he said to laughs from the audience. “So we get there and we immediately jump into artist mode … now I’m really just looking at the show. Did the mic start? Was it too low to start? … I had to explain to them [that] as an artist, if you don’t feel the music, you can’t really reach that level.”
Jessica Simpson details the last time she slept with Nick Lachey
Jessica Simpson‘s no-holds-barred memoir includes details about her final hookup with Nick Lachey in 2006, just before their divorce was finalized that June.
Simpson had just watched an MTV documentary about the making of Lachey’s album “What’s Left of Me,” which detailed the stars’ 2005 split, as well as an episode of “Making the Video” about the titular song, which co-starred Lachey’s future second wife, Vanessa Minnillo.
“I just wanted to know what he thought of me now, because at that point I had no idea,” she writes in her new memoir, “Open Book.” “I watched him portray himself as a victim, casting me as this selfish person.”
She added, “I knew he did this to hurt me.”
Demi Lovato and Machine Gun Kelly spark romance rumors
Could Demi Lovato and Machine Gun Kelly be Hollywood’s newest couple?
The pair were photographed leaving Soho House West Hollywood, a members-only club in Los Angeles, around 2 a.m. Wednesday. Lovato, 27, and Kelly, 29, walked out together, but apparently got into separate cars.
However, a source told Page Six that MGK’s Aston Martin convertible was seen following Lovato’s SUV toward the pop star’s condo.
Reps for the stars did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The stars have hung out in the past, and they were photographed together at an Emo Nite LA event back in 2017.
Catch up on all episodes of “We Hear” by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes come out every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--Scotland finance minister Derek Mackay resigns after texts to ‘cute’ 16-year-old boy reported

LONDON — Scotland ’ s finance minister has resigned , hours before he was due to deliver his annual budget @ @ @ @ @ hundreds of messages to a 16-year-old boy on social media .
Derek Mackay quit Thursday @ @ @ @ @ behaved foolishly.
” The Scottish Sun newspaper reported that 42-year-old Mackay sent the teen more @ @ @ @ @ and Instagram , telling the boy he was “ cute ” and offering to take @ @ @ @ @ and to dinner .
Mackay is not accused of breaking the law .
“ Serving @ @ @ @ @ huge privilege and I am sorry to have let colleagues and supporters down , ” @ @ @ @ @ .
Mackay was a rising star in the Scottish National Party , which runs Scotland @ @ @ @ @ .
He had been seen as a potential successor to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as @ @ @ @ @ which advocates independence from the United Kingdom for the nation of 5.5 million

LONDON — Scotland’s finance minister has resigned, hours before he was due to deliver his annual budget, after he reportedly sent hundreds of messages to a 16-year-old boy on social media.
Derek Mackay quit Thursday, saying he had “behaved foolishly.”
The Scottish Sun newspaper reported that 42-year-old Mackay sent the teen more than 270 messages on Facebook and Instagram, telling the boy he was “cute” and offering to take him to a rugby match and to dinner. Mackay is not accused of breaking the law.
“Serving in government has been a huge privilege and I am sorry to have let colleagues and supporters down,” Mackay said in a statement.
Mackay was a rising star in the Scottish National Party, which runs Scotland’s semi-autonomous Edinburgh-based administration.
He had been seen as a potential successor to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the SNP, which advocates independence from the United Kingdom for the nation of 5.5 million.


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--Kristaps Porzingis breaks nose in Mavericks’ loss

Kristaps Porzingis has been on a roll , but he had to exit early in the Mavericks ’ 121-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night in Dallas .
Porzingis — who was traded from the Knicks a little more than a year ago — left briefly with 4:06 left in the third quarter when he suffered a bloody nose after being elbowed by Josh Jackson while going for a rebound .
He exited after Memphis broke a 71-all tie and rattled off 10 straight points .
The Grizzlies ’ run increased to 21-3 for a 92-74 lead with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they led by as many as 25 in the fourth quarter .
“ It ’ s broken , but it ’ s OK , ” said Porzingis , who still had 32 points and 12 rebounds for Dallas in his third straight 30-point game .
“ I really didn ’ t have a headache or anything.
” The former Knick ’ s impressive run has come while Dallas ’ other star , Luka Doncic has been out .
The Mavericks played their fourth straight game since Doncic , the second-year guard voted an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in practice last Thursday .
They are 2-2 in those games and 4-5 this season minus Doncic , including the Dec. 14 game vs. Miami in which he left two minutes in with a sprained ankle .
As for Porzingis , the numbers he put up in the previous two games also were impressive .
The 24-year-old , two years removed from tearing his ACL , entered Wednesday coming off back-to-back performances with at least 35 points and 10 rebounds for the first time in his career .
The broken nose he suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 10-rebound mark for the third consecutive game .
On Friday , Porzingis recorded 35 points , 12 rebounds , two steals and a block in a loss to Houston .
On Monday , he had 38 points and 12 rebounds in a win against the Pacers , hitting six 6-of-13 3-pointers and all 12 free throw attempts .
Porzingis had just one game of 35 points and 10 rebounds in his three seasons with the Knicks .

Kristaps Porzingis has been on a roll, but he had to exit early in the Mavericks’ 121-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night in Dallas.
Porzingis — who was traded from the Knicks a little more than a year ago — left briefly with 4:06 left in the third quarter when he suffered a bloody nose after being elbowed by Josh Jackson while going for a rebound.
He exited after Memphis broke a 71-all tie and rattled off 10 straight points. The Grizzlies’ run increased to 21-3 for a 92-74 lead with 1:22 left in the period, and they led by as many as 25 in the fourth quarter.
“It’s broken, but it’s OK,” said Porzingis, who still had 32 points and 12 rebounds for Dallas in his third straight 30-point game. “I really didn’t have a headache or anything.”
The former Knick’s impressive run has come while Dallas’ other star, Luka Doncic has been out. The Mavericks played their fourth straight game since Doncic, the second-year guard voted an All-Star starter, sprained his right ankle in practice last Thursday. They are 2-2 in those games and 4-5 this season minus Doncic, including the Dec. 14 game vs. Miami in which he left two minutes in with a sprained ankle.
As for Porzingis, the numbers he put up in the previous two games also were impressive.
The 24-year-old, two years removed from tearing his ACL, entered Wednesday coming off back-to-back performances with at least 35 points and 10 rebounds for the first time in his career. The broken nose he suffered likely stopped Porzingis from reaching the 35-point, 10-rebound mark for the third consecutive game.
On Friday, Porzingis recorded 35 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and a block in a loss to Houston. On Monday, he had 38 points and 12 rebounds in a win against the Pacers, hitting six 6-of-13 3-pointers and all 12 free throw attempts.
Porzingis had just one game of 35 points and 10 rebounds in his three seasons with the Knicks.
— with AP


newyorkpost--2020-02-06--How D’Angelo Russell is feeling about uncertain future

The Nets closed out arguably their most important stretch of ...

D’Angelo Russell has been traded twice before, so he insists he isn’t sweating Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
The Knicks are among the teams interested in the 23-year-old Russell, who scored 17 points Wednesday night in a 129-88 blowout loss to the Nets in his first game in Brooklyn following the blockbuster sign-and-trade with Golden State for Kevin Durant last summer.
“I have no idea what the talks are. There’s so much that’s going on. You never know what to believe,” Russell said after the game. “It is what it is. We’ll see.”
Still, the 2019 All-Star point guard also professed his love for New York fans. Russell received a warm ovation during introductions in his first trip back to Barclays Center, with fans chanting, “Thank you, D-Lo” during the first quarter. The Nets also played a video tribute between the first and second quarters.
“When you’ve been in this situation plenty of times you kind of know how to go about it,” said Russell, who also was traded from the Lakers to the Nets in 2017. “It’s not something you lose sleep over, because at the end of the day, you can’t really control it. It is what it is, it’s what you make it, as well.
The Post’s Marc Berman has reported the Knicks will not part with their 2020 first-round pick in any deal for Russell. The second overall selection in the 2015 draft has three years remaining on the four-year, $117 million deal he signed last summer.
As Warriors coach Steve Kerr noted, however, Russell “wasn’t the story for our team tonight despite the fact that this was his one return here.”
Minutes before tipoff, Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III were announced as inactive for the game, and they were later traded to the 76ers ahead of Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline. Kerr said his already injury-ravaged team was “definitely affected by the circumstances” and why he believed “we took it on the chin.”
“Oh, man, we were messed up as a team. Guys that’s been riding with us since training camp. You build up a bond in this league. When it goes like that, we’re human, so it’s hard to go out there and escape that,” Russell said. “It’s just low, it was a low moment.
“It’s part of the business of the league and we know as a team those are brothers, not just guys that get tossed around. No matter what the circumstances, you always enjoy being around guys that you bond with, win, lose, whatever it may be.”
Russell, who is averaging a career-best 23.6 points per game, played through his own trade rumors. But he definitely appreciated the multiple chants from the Brooklyn fans throughout the game.
“It was cool, man. Felt like home. You always can count on New York fans to be there,” Russell said. “It was dope. It was love. It felt like home again. The New York fans are amazing and I appreciated it.”