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New Brunswick judge apologizes to men for ‘miscarriage of justice’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

FREDERICTON — The chief justice of New Brunswick’s Court of King’s Bench today offered her “sincere apology” to two men who were acquitted after serving lengthy prison sentences for a 1983 murder.Chief Justice Tracey DeWare says the justice system failed Robert Mailman and Walter Gillespie, who were convicted in 1984 of second-degree murder and received life sentences in the killing of George Gilman Leeman in Saint John, N.B. In a four-page decision, DeWare says miscarriages of justice sometimes “regrettably” happen, and when they do, the reasonable response is to double down on efforts to improve the system.The judge says the justice system owes a debt of gratitude to the two men and their legal team for steadfastly pursuing the case over nearly four decades.DeWare declared Mailman and Gillespie not guilty on Thursday after Crown prosecutor Karen Lee informed the court she didn’t intend to enter any evidence against the two men.The hearing ...

Fight at Philadelphia train station ends with man being fatally struck by train

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A man involved in a fight at a Philadelphia train station was killed when he fell onto the tracks and was struck by a train, authorities said.The fight at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority station occurred around 4:30 p.m. Thursday when Chaz Wearing, 40, and another man began arguing. The dispute soon turned physical and Wearing punched the other man twice, city police said.The man — whose name has not been released — ended up on the tracks below the platform and was struck seconds later by an incoming SEPTA train. Authorities said it was not clear why the men were arguing.Wearing, who has no known address, left the scene but was captured at the next station stop, police said. He has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office announced Friday, and it was possible he could face further charges.It was not known Friday if Wearing has retained an attorney, prosecutors said.No other injuries were report...

61-year-old with schizophrenia still missing three weeks after St. Louis nursing home shut down

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A 61-year-old man with schizophrenia is still missing three weeks after the St. Louis nursing home where he lived abruptly closed.The Missouri State Highway Patrol on Wednesday issued an endangered silver advisory seeking the public’s help in finding Frederick Caruthers, who was among about 175 residents of Northview Village Nursing Home before it closed on Dec. 15.“Mr. Caruthers walked away from the Northview Nursing Home and has not been heard from since,” the advisory stated. “He is without needed medication.”Residents were shuttled to about a dozen other care facilities in the hours after the nursing home closed. Many patients left with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, creating confusion and spurring outrage among residents and their families.The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is investigating the circumstances surrounding the nursing home closure, spokeswoman Lisa Cox said. She declined further comment, citing the ongoing regu...

Azerbaijan names a former oil exec to lead climate talks. Activists have concerns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

Azerbaijan’s ecology minister has been named to lead the United Nations’ annual climate talks later this year, prompting concern from some climate activists over his former ties to the state oil company in a major oil-producing nation.Mukhtar Babayev’s appointment was announced on X by the United Arab Emirates, which hosted the climate talks that just ended in December, and confirmed Friday by the United Nations. Officials in Azerbaijan did not immediately respond to messages seeking to confirm the appointment.Babayev, 56, has been his country’s minister for ecology and natural resources since 2018. Before that, he worked at Azerbaijan’s state oil company for more than two decades.Similar concerns dogged Sultan al-Jaber, the head of the UAE’s national oil company, as he presided over the talks in Dubai known as COP28. The COP president is responsible for running talks and getting nearly 200 countries to agree on a deal to help limit global warming...

San Quentin project’s $360 million price tag should be slashed, governor’s advisory group says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — An advisory council hand-picked by California Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended Friday that the governor slash by at least a third the cost of a $360 million project to remake the San Quentin State Prison, and use the saved money to improve living conditions at the facility.The Democratic governor last year announced plans to transform San Quentin, where the state performed executions, into a model for preparing people for life on the outside — a shift from the state’s decadeslong focus on punishment. The ambitious vision includes a plan to tear down an old furniture factory on the prison grounds and replace it with a building more reminiscent of a college campus, with a student union and classrooms. Lawmakers greenlit the project without knowing its details during budget negotiations last year, and also relinquished any formal oversight of the planning process.The 21-member advisory council, headed by Newsom political ally and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinber...

US fugitive accused of faking his death to avoid rape charge in Utah is extradited from Scotland

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A U.S. fugitive known as Nicholas Rossi, who is accused of faking his own death to avoid a rape charge in Utah, has been extradited to the United States, British media reported Friday. Rossi, 36, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, is charged with sexually assaulting a former girlfriend in Orem, Utah, in 2008, according to the Utah County prosecutor’s office. He also faces multiple complaints against him in Rhode Island for alleged domestic violence.In response to an inquiry from The Associated Press about reports that Rossi had been returned to the U.S., Police Scotland would only confirm it assisted other law enforcement agencies to extradite a 36-year-old man. It was not immediately clear when Rossi left Scotland or where he was destined. Rossi’s run from the law took a bizarre turn when he was arrested in December 2021 after being recognized by someone at a Glasgow hospital while he was being treated for COVID-19. He insisted he was an Irish orphan name...

Accused Highland Park shooter no longer representing himself in trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

WAUKGEN, Ill. — The man accused of the mass shooting at the Highland Park Fourth of July Parade switched legal tactics on Friday.23-year-old Robert Crimo III reversed his course and filed a motion, saying he no longer wants to represent himself. He asked the judge to reappoint the public defenders he'd dismissed just last month.Crimo III, the accused gunman in the 2022 Highland Park massacre, is charged with murdering seven people and wounding dozens more. Trial for accused Highland Park shooter to begin in February; Crimo III to represent himself Judge Victoria Rossetti questioned the 23-year-old Friday morning, asking, "Do you still want to represent yourself in your upcoming trial?"Crimo III responded that he'd like the judge to reappoint his public defenders.Crimo III stunned the courtroom last month when he stated his decision to represent himself. He also invoked his right to a speedy trial. The judge set his court date to February 26, just six weeks away.

Suburban police issue warning over limited-edition Stanley Cup scams

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

MORTON GROVE, Ill. — The Morton Grove Police Department has issued a warning to shoppers looking to purchase Stanley cups online.The warning comes after Stanley released a collaboration with Starbucks: a “Winter Pink" tumbler sold exclusively at Target — causing a frenzy that had the insulated cups flying off the shelves. Starbucks pink Stanley Quencher release causes chaos at Target Well, the police department has a warning for people who are looking for the coveted cups online: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."Beware of tricky websites using the brand’s popularity. Shady websites pretending to offer discounts on Stanley cups have been found to be scamming shoppers. If you purchase a cup through a shady website, your personal information may be compromised and your money...gone," the department stated in a post on Facebook.The police department shared the following tips to avoid online scams:Only make purchases through verified, trusted sellers.Watch ou...

About 87,000 massage guns recalled due to fire, burn risks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

(WHTM) – Around 87,000 massage guns sold at major nationwide retailers are being recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced.The Homedics massagers — sold as Homedics Therapist Select Percussion Massagers — can potentially "overheat while charging," leading to possible fire or burns, according to a recall notice. As of Thursday, Homedics was aware of 17 instances of overheating, one of which resulted in a burned thumb.The massage guns, priced at around $100 each, were sold between September 2020 and November 2023 at retailers nationwide, including Macy's, BJ's, JCPenney, Lowe's and Home Depot. They were also sold online at many of the outlets' sites, as well as on Amazon.com.(Consumer Product Safety Commission)Only the massagers with the model number HHP-715, and only those manufactured in 2020, 2021 or 2022, are involved in the recall. Consumers can identify the manufacturing date via a sticker on the underside of the "barrel," which contains a four-digit...

7 weeks after train crash, CTA Yellow Line reopens early Friday morning; passengers express joy, relief

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:58:42 GMT

SKOKIE, Ill. — After a nearly two-month disruption, the "Skokie Swift" is back on its tracks, albeit a little less swift.Seven weeks after a CTA Yellow Line train crashed into a piece of snow-removal equipment, sending more than a dozen people to the hospital, scheduled train service for the line — called the "Skokie Swift" because it runs between Dempster St. in Skokie and Howard St. on Chicago's North Side — resumed Friday at 4:45 a.m.While it was closed, Yellow Line passengers have been riding shuttle buses.CTA passenger Sharon Reed let out a celebratory, "Whoooo!" when asked by WGN on Friday morning at Skokie's Oakton stop how it feels to be back on the Yellow Line again."I'm so excited!" Reed said. "When they said the Yellow Line was back to running, I didn't know what to do."I said, 'Thank you, Lord!'"While the National Transportation Safety Board has yet to determine what caused the crash, CTA has still worked with the NTSB to put several interim safety enhancements in place....