Judge allows resentencing hearing for Menendez brothers decades after brutal murders
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman on Frida announced LA County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic’s rejection of a request from the DA’s office to withdraw a resentencing motion for Lyle and Erik Menendez filed by former DA George Gascon.
A resentencing hearing will move forward on April 17 and 18.
“Our position remains clear: Until the Menendez brothers finally come clean with all their lies of self-defense and suborning and attempting to suborn perjury, they are not rehabilitated and pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety,” Hochman said.
The DA said there are two paths for the brothers to get a resentencing hearing: “The Court’s own initiated motion and the prior DA’s motion.”
“We have consistently stated that we are prepared to go forward with the Court’s own initiated motion for resentencing while requesting to withdraw the prior DA’s motion as deficiently considering a key aspect of rehabilitation, a full and complete insight and acceptance of responsibility for the entire breadth of one’s crime. As a result, the fact that we are going to have a resentencing hearing is not unexpected,” he explained.
Hochman added that the court “rejected the Menendez brothers’ argument that our request was based just ‘on the political winds,’ acknowledging that this Office has pursued an impartial, non-political agenda in this case grounded in the facts and the law.”
“In this case, after a thorough and extensive analysis of the facts and the law, we concluded that the case was not ripe for resentencing based on the Menendez brothers’ continuing failure to exhibit full insight and accept complete responsibility for the entire gamut of their criminal actions and cover-up, including the fabrications of their self-defense defense and their lies concerning their father being a violent rapist, their mother being a poisoner, and their trying to obtain a handgun for self-defense the day before the murder,” the DA said.
He further described Jose and Kitty Menendez’s 1989 murders as “calculated, premeditated, cold-blooded killings.”
Mark Geragos, defense attorney for the Menendez brothers, cheered a judge’s Friday decision to allow the brothers to move forward with a resentencing hearing next week.
Geragos said justice has been “a long time coming,” and he “couldn’t prouder for representing this family.”
He said Friday’s decision was “probably the biggest day since they’ve been in custody,” referring to Erik and Lyle, adding later that it was “an important day, a great day.”
Geragos condemned what he described as DA Nathan Hochman’s “performative” actions.
Anamaria Baralt, the brothers’ cousin, also celebrated Friday’s decision.
“Their conclusion wasn’t based on sympathy or politics. It was based on evidence,” Baralt said of the judge’s decision against withdrawing the brothers’ petition for a new trial.
“They applied the law exactly as it was intended,” she continued. “Erik and Lyle have taken full responsibility for what they did.”
Judge Michael Jesic on Friday afternoon handed down a win to the Menendez brothers, deciding against withdrawing their petition for a new trial.
The decision comes after District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters on March 10 that he was seeking to withdraw former District Attorney George Gascon’s motion for a resentencing hearing.
Resentencing proceedings will continue on April 17 and 18, Jesic said.
The Menendez brothers and their supporters have been pushing for a resentencing hearing, saying the brothers were unfairly convicted to life in prison in 1996 for murdering their two parents in Beverly Hills in 1989.
They have since come forward in documentaries and on social media saying their father sexually abused them, offering a different narrative of the killings than the story their attorneys told in the 1990s.
Mark Geragos, the defense attorney for Erik and Lyle Menendez, will present his case as to why the brothers deserve a resentencing hearing in a Los Angeles County courthouse Friday afternoon.
Geragos previously accused the LA County District Attorney’s Office of using tapes from the Menendez brothers’ first 1994 trial but omitting the fact that it ended in a mistrial.
Geragos also says the DA’s office did not bring up the brothers’ allegations of sexual abuse against their parents.
The defense attorney further argues that California law allows their case to be considered for resentencing.
“This is a show proceeding for a DA that was elected as a throwback to the 90s,” Geragos said, noting that the 90s were a time when many convictions ended in life sentences.
The defense attorney told the judge Friday afternoon the brothers “had such an outsize influence on the prison system.”
Gascon’s actions in pushing for the brothers’ resentencing were not political, Geragos argued, and the brothers’ lawyers had been doing work prior to the DA election with the habeas filing in May 2023.
“We were having a robust back and forth with the previous administration,” he said.
Geragos accused current DA Nathan Hochman of “pandering to a contingent in his office that was dissatisfied with George Gascon” and said he was trying to be a “hardass 90s Neanderthal.” He said Hochman’s presser announcing he was filing to withdraw repeatedly called for Gov. Gavin Newsom to take matters into his own hands.
Deputy DA Bailan continued to argue that Hochman’s team did an “exhaustive, complete review” of the evidence and determined the brothers “haven’t changed… they are the same people they were back then.”
Bailan played clips of Erik confessing to a psychiatrist before his arrest and argued that the jury never heard that their criminal defense attorney set up that meeting to mitigate a potential sentence.
“They hadn’t concocted their self-defense story yet,” Bailan said. “Most importantly, this was not mentioned in the people’s initial filing (under Gascon).”
Bailan argued that this showed a “criminal sophistication.”
“These are grown men,” he said. “Why are they sticking with the same lies today?”
Bailan then told the judge that he will need to decide if the Gascon motion was “legitimate or illegitimate” because there is “no doubt” the Hochman team’s review was legitimate.
The brothers again listened intently, occasionally inaudibly speaking to each other.
Actor Cooper Koch, who played Erik Menendez in Netflix’s “Monsters,” a dramatization of the brothers’ story, was pictured outside the Van Nuys courthouse, where Erik and his brother Lyle are remotely attending a hearing that could decide whether they are given an opportunity to argue for reduced sentences next week.
Criminal defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh and trial attorney Heather Hansen break down the Menendez brothers hearing and a potential resentencing of the case on ‘America Reports.’
The court is in recess for lunch until 1:30 p.m. PT.
Geragos accused the prosecution of trying to relitigate the first trial, which ended in a mistrial before the brothers were convicted at their second trial, and putting on a dog and pony show. He also accused DDA Bailon of traumatizing the family, some of whom were attending the hearing, by showing graphic crime scene photos.
“That displays exactly how political this is,” he said. “This presentation is argument. Talk about beating a horse to death.”
Judge Jesic says he’s giving both sides “a lot of latitude” and that it appears the prosecution is trying to show the facts suggest the brothers are not rehabilitated.
Bailon says during their trials, the brothers “sold the story their parents were violent and wanted to kill them.” He went on the recount testimony involving how they obtained shotguns instead of handguns, which he argued would make more sense for self-defense. Bailon says the original Gascon motion did not address this issue.
Fox News chief correspondent Jonathan Hunt joins ‘America Reports’ with an update on the hearing for the Menendez brothers, who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents.
The brothers’ Attorney Mark Geragos left the courthouse at around 12:12 p.m. He did not speak with reporters, but a woman walking with him said he would answer questions later.
When court returned from a brief recess, the brothers’ attorney Mark Geragos accused the prosecution of trying to drag today’s hearing out “Cory Booker-style” and adding that “they don’t want to finish today.”
The judge is allowing the prosecution to continue their presentation but is asking them to do so quickly.
Deputy District Attorney Habib Bailan begins the hearing by calling the initial move for reduced sentencing by ousted DA George Gascon, who lost re-election last year, politically motivated.
It came “two weeks before an election, when Mr. Gascon was down 30 points in the polls,” he said.
“No action was taken with the habeas for about a year,” he added, referring to a separate petition the brothers have filed that could also see them freed from prison or granted a new trial.
Bailan said that properly motivated resenting should reflect “rehabilitation and insight” in the defendants. While the brothers have behaved well behind bars, he said, that’s not the only thing they need to do.
“The question is did they learn the most important lesson of all: Did they learn the severity and depravity of their conduct?” he said. “You must take responsibility. If you don’t have insight…you might repeat the past.”
The brothers never admitted to the “lie” that they killed their parents in self-defense, he said.
They snuck up behind them while they were watching TV and unloaded so many rounds they had to get more from a car outside.
At one point, Judge Michael Jesic interrupted him when he began talking about how much time Hochman went into reviewing the original case file compared to Gascon.
“I get different attorneys have different approaches,” he said. “Some attorneys analyze differently.”
The question in this case, he said, is whether Gascon’s initial petition was “insufficient.”
Reporting from Fox News’ Melissa Chrise.
The push for freedom fro Erik and Lyle Menendez faces a new test today as a judge will consider Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman’s request to withdraw his predecessor George Gascon’s motion to resentence the brothers, who are serving life without parole for the shotgun murders of their parents in 1989. A formal resentencing hearing scheduled for next week hangs in the balance.
Tesla Supercharger attack may have backfired against suspect, police say
The FBI recently released video footage of a masked man the agency says is responsible for lighting a Washington state Tesla Supercharger station on fire, noting he may have injuries consistent with being near an “explosion.”
At about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, the man allegedly started a fire at a Tesla Supercharger located in the South Sound Center in Lacey.
Lacey Police Department officials confirmed in a statement it received multiple 911 calls reporting a loud noise in the area.
“The fire resulted in substantial damage to the station and surrounding area,” according to a statement from FBI Seattle.
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The man “may have” injuries consistent with being in proximity to an explosion or intense heat, such as a concussion, burns, or shrapnel injuries, according to the FBI.
However, officials did not specifically state the fire was caused by an explosion.
The suspect is described as a 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-2 White male, who was wearing a dark jacket with a hood, gray pants and a face covering at the time of the incident.
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FBI Seattle said the man walks with a “unique” gait, including a slight limp with his right leg kicking out and, at times, his right hand held behind his back.
He was seen in security footage carrying a white bag which may have been plastic, according to the FBI.
The incident comes after the FBI issued a notice stating Tesla vehicles, chargers and dealerships have been targeted in at least nine states since January.
TESLA VEHICLES, DEALERSHIPS TARGETED WITH ARSON, GUNFIRE AND VANDALISM IN AT LEAST 9 STATES: FBI
The incidents, which involved arson, gunfire and vandalism, came after nationwide backlash to Tesla CEO Elon Musk being appointed by President Donald Trump as policy advisor for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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Authorities are asking anyone near the Target and Kohl’s stores in the South Sound Center, as well as the Chehalis Western and Woodland Creek trails, to review any doorbell and security camera footage that may show the man getting into a car on Monday night or Tuesday morning.
Tesla and Target did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
The Lacey Police Department declined Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Prince Harry says his ‘worst fears have been confirmed’ in fight over police protection
Prince Harry’s security woes appear to be taking an emotional toll on the royal.
As the legal battle over his right to police protection in the U.K. intensifies, Harry’s concerns about his safety have been brought to the forefront.
The Duke of Sussex suggested that people would be stunned by some of the evidence in the court case.
PRINCE HARRY’S LIFE IS ‘AT STAKE’ AMID SECURITY BATTLE IN LONDON: LAWYER
“People would be shocked by what’s being held back,” he told The Telegraph, and added that his “worst fears have been confirmed by the whole legal disclosure in this case and that’s really sad.”
While the hearing came to a close, Harry made a vulnerable admission that he was “exhausted and overwhelmed” by the case that had loomed over him for years.
“[My] worst fears have been confirmed by the whole legal disclosure in this case and that’s really sad.”
According to the outlet, Harry believes that the removal of his security was a calculated effort to prevent him and his wife, Meghan Markle, from making their royal exit. He told The Telegraph that the decision to have his police protection withdrawn was “difficult to swallow.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex left England in 2020, two years after their wedding at Windsor. They now live in Montecito, California, with their two children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
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While Harry fought for security to protect his family in the U.K., his wife enjoyed a night out in New York City.
The Duchess of Sussex arrived in the Big Apple in a four-vehicle motorcade. An unmarked NYPD car accompanied Markle on her 1.5-mile journey, as she grabbed dinner at the Polo Bar in Midtown Manhattan with friends before heading to the Broadway production of “Gypsy” on Thursday night, according to the New York Post.
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Markle took to social media to rave about her Broadway visit, as she met six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald backstage.
“If you get a chance to see @gypsybway, you absolutely must. Congratulations to the tremendously talented cast and crew for creating magic on that stage. And meeting @audramcdonald for the first time last night…” Markle posted on Instagram alongside a photo carousel of her meeting the cast.
Earlier this week in court, Prince Harry’s lawyer warned that the royal’s “life is at stake” regarding his security detail in the country.
“One mustn’t forget the human dimension to this case. There is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security and whose life is at stake,” the Duke of Sussex’s attorney, Shaheed Fatima, said at the Royal Courts of Justice in an appeal over Britain’s Home Office decision against giving the royal the highest level of security protection when he is in the U.K., according to The Independent.
In February of last year, the 40-year-old lost a legal challenge over the government’s decision to take away his automatic right to high-level police protection after he stepped down as a senior royal in 2020.
The Home Office committee had ruled there was “no basis for publicly funded security support for the duke and duchess within Great Britain.”
The Duke of Sussex has been battling this issue in court for five years.
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Harry’s security woes come on the heels of his rift with his father, King Charles III.
He reportedly believes his father is the only person who could intervene in the security matter.
The king’s private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, is a member of the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC).
The sovereign has no governmental power in the U.K. or influence on RAVEC. While Buckingham Palace won’t comment on security matters, a palace source previously said that the idea that Charles could get involved in any capacity on behalf of his son is “wholly incorrect,” according to People.
Harry claimed he and his family are endangered when visiting his homeland because of hostility aimed at him and his wife on social media and through relentless hounding by news media.
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Fox News Digital reached out to reps for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Buckingham Palace for comment.
Report finds one staggering difference between Trump’s Cabinet meetings and Biden’s
A new report Thursday found that President Donald Trump dwarfs former President Joe Biden in the number of questions he’s taken from the media at Cabinet meetings.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt touted the clear distinction between the presidents as a sign of transparency as she spoke to reporters at Friday’s press briefing.
“As I’ve said before, and I will say it again today, everybody in this room has access to the most transparent and accessible president in American history,” she said. “The Cabinet meeting yesterday was further proof.”
Citing a report from The Washington Times, she said, “President Trump answered nearly 100 questions from the press, all of you, during his first three open press Cabinet meetings this year. That’s nearly 20 times the number answered by Joe Biden in Cabinet meetings during his entire four years in office.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP REPORTEDLY TOOK 1,009 QUESTIONS IN HIS FIRST MONTH, 7 TIMES MORE THAN BIDEN
Trump fielded about 20 questions during his third Cabinet meeting on Thursday, after taking 55 in the first Cabinet meeting of his new term and 15 questions last month, bringing the total to an estimated 90, according to the Washington Times’ count.
By contrast, Biden reportedly answered five press questions over nine Cabinet meetings in his entire term, in sessions lasting about 5 minutes each.
Trump held 25 Cabinet meetings in his first term, while then-President Barack Obama held 19 in his first four years.
The last time Biden met with his Cabinet raised eyebrows. In September, at his first Cabinet meeting in almost a year, the president turned the meeting over to his wife, Jill, who was seated at the head of the table, declaring, “It’s all yours, kid.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s staff and did not receive an immediate reply.
Pilot of doomed New York helicopter made call shortly before deadly crash
New details have emerged regarding the final moments of the helicopter that plunged into the Hudson River in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Thursday afternoon.
The pilot of the doomed aircraft reportedly radioed about needing to refuel minutes before the helicopter crashed into the chilly waters, according to New York Helicopter Tour CEO Michael Roth, whose company operated the helicopter.
“[The pilot] called in that he was landing and that he needed fuel, and it should have taken him about three minutes to arrive, but 20 minutes later, he didn’t arrive,” Roth told The Telegraph.
All six people on board – including five members of the same family – did not survive.
6 DEAD, INCLUDING 3 CHILDREN, AFTER HELICOPTER PLUMMETS IN HUDSON RIVER
“The only thing I know by watching a video of the helicopter falling down, that the main rotor blades weren’t on the helicopter,” Roth told the New York Post. “I haven’t seen anything like that in my 30 years being in business, in the helicopter business. The only thing I could guess – I got no clue – is that it either had a bird strike or the main rotor blades failed. I have no clue. I don’t know.”
The five passengers have been identified as Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, Mercé Camprubi Montal, an energy technology company global manager, and the couple’s three young children, according to The Associated Press.
The pilot’s identity had not been released as of Friday morning.
Photos posted on the helicopter operator’s website showed the family smiling inside the aircraft moments before it took off.
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The flight departed a Downtown Manhattan heliport at approximately 3 p.m. and was in the air for about 18 minutes. Bystander footage of the crash shows the aircraft’s rotor detaching from the cabin as it rapidly falls through the air before hitting the water near Jersey City.
Authorities began receiving 911 calls regarding a helicopter crash in the Hudson River around 3:17 p.m., New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference on Thursday. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the helicopter spinning uncontrollably before landing in the water.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the family was visiting from Spain, adding it is “heartbreaking” that a family traveling to the city became victims of such a tragic accident.
PLANE CRASH NEAR MINNEAPOLIS SENDS HOME UP IN FLAMES WITH NO SURVIVORS ON BOARD
“We had over 65 million people that visited our city last year, and just think about it, you’re on a vacation, you’re with your family, you want to experience New York from the sky, and something like this happens. It’s heartbreaking to everyone,” Adams said, in part.
Emergency personnel arrived at the scene within minutes, including divers from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and New York City Police Department (NYPD). NYPD drivers pulled four people from the wreckage, while the FDNY recovered two additional people, according to Tisch.
First responders attempted lifesaving efforts on an adjoining pier, but four people were pronounced dead at the scene and the others were pronounced dead at local hospitals.
The water temperature in the Hudson River at the time of the crash was in the mid-40s, according to FOX Weather.
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“The Coast Guard and Army Corps, along with local partners, continue to support the NTSB in their ongoing investigation and debris recovery efforts,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement.
The helicopter was salvaged hours later, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.
The incident occurred less than a mile from Manhattan and near the Holland Tunnel, where 15.8 million vehicles travel between New York City and New Jersey per year. Immediately following the crash, the Coast Guard implemented a safety zone around the Holland Tunnel and Hudson River, which remained in effect until 10 p.m. Thursday.
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Roth and New York Helicopter Tours did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The incident was the first helicopter crash the city has seen since 2019, after an aircraft struck the roof of a skyscraper, killing the pilot.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those who were onboard,” Adams said. “It’s almost reminiscent of the plane going down here on the Hudson River. Thank God we didn’t lose any lives back then. It’s still fresh and still new, the investigation is ongoing, and … the family members, we lift them up in prayer.”
Trump recaps annual physical and cognitive test before official results are released
President Trump said on Friday that the first physical examination of his second term went well, and overall he feels he’s in “very good shape.”
The president told reporters on board Air Force One while en route to his home in West Palm Beach Friday evening that the yearly presidential physical at Walter Reed Medical Center showed he has a “good heart, a good soul,” and “overall, I think I’m in very – I felt I was in very good shape.”
He also took a cognitive test.
“I don’t know what to tell you other than I got every answer right,” the president told reporters.
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He added, “I think it’s a pretty well-known test. Got it all right. I’ve taken the cognitive test, I think, four times and gotten nothing wrong. That’s what the American people want. Biden refused, Kamala refused.”
He also said that doctors gave him “a little bit” of advice on lifestyle changes that could improve his health without going into detail.
Biden’s yearly presidential exam at Walter Reed last year didn’t include a cognitive test.
The former president’s mental abilities became a concern during the presidential election last year after he struggled in a June debate against Trump, which led to former Vice President Kamala Harris taking over as the Democratic nominee.
Trump said he expected the report from the exam to be released by Sunday.
The president was at Walter Reed for five hours undergoing “every test you can imagine.”
TRUMP THREATENS TARIFFS AND SANCTIONS ON MEXICO FOR ‘STEALING’ WATER FROM TEXAS FARMERS
“I was there for a long time,” Trump said. “I think I did very well.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday that a readout of the exam would be released “as soon as we possibly can.”
The White House earlier this week promised to release the full results of Trump’s examination.
“I have never felt better, but nevertheless, these things must be done!” Trump wrote on Truth Social before the exam earlier this week.
The exam was also his first presidential physical since his ear was grazed by a bullet during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July.
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Both Biden and Trump’s health have come under increased scrutiny as they are the two oldest U.S. presidents to ever serve, and Trump became the oldest president to be sworn into office in January.
NFL great Terry Bradshaw wants to set record straight after he’s hailed hero on plane
Pro Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw’s recent trip to Pittsburgh lasted much longer than he anticipated, thanks to a jammed boarding door.
The plane departed from Dallas-Forth Worth. Bradshaw was traveling to Pittsburgh Thursday to attend a celebratory dinner Friday for former Steelers teammate Mel Blount, USA Today reported.
Bradshaw was seated near the front of the plane, according to reports. At some point during the trip, the door malfunctioned.
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Selah Holland, a passenger traveling on the same flight as Bradshaw, told KDKA 5 the pilot informed everyone onboard that the stuck door was eventually opened “thanks to the strength of one of our passengers.”
“The pilot announced, and you could kind of hear he was chuckling as he said it, but he said, ‘Thanks to the strength of one of our passengers, we were finally able to get the door open,’ and I think we all knew he was alluding to Mr. Bradshaw,” Holland said.
However, Bradshaw took to social media Friday to clarify the role he played.
“Just to set the record straight,” he wrote on an Instagram post, “I did nothing to open the door on the plane!”
The 76-year-old former quarterback then credited the maintenance personnel.
“The maintenance crew had it open in 15 [minutes].”
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Holland also noted that several Steelers fans were on board the flight, and comments were made in jest about Bradshaw getting out of his seat to potentially knock down the door.
“There were a lot of Steelers fans on board, of course, so it was kinda funny because I think people had been making jokes that he should help bust down the door,” Holland said.
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Bradshaw spent his entire storied NFL career with the Steelers, winning four Super Bowls in six seasons with the franchise. Bradshaw and Blount played for Pittsburgh from 1970-1983. Blount, who played cornerback, is also a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Actor details off-grid life ‘deep in the woods’ after leaving Hollywood
Hollywood star Josh Duhamel is living the good life.
Duhamel, 52, left Los Angeles behind to live off-grid in a Minnesota home he spent 15 years building.
“Part of the reason I built my place out in Minnesota, deep in the woods, is it’s removed from everything,” the “Safe Haven” star told Parade.
“The closest store is 40 miles away,” he explained. “Once we get there, it’s really about everybody taking care of each other – making memories, spending time with family and friends.”
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While it took years for Duhamel to build the off-the-grid spot for his family, he is grateful to have the opportunity to “get back to the basics.”
“You’re not consumed by all these other distractions,” he told the outlet. “When you’re out there, it’s really about having fun, making sure everybody’s warm, everybody’s got food and water.”
His Minnesota home is enjoyed by the actor plus his wife Audra Mari and their 1-year-old son Sheperd. The actor’s 11-year-old son with ex-wife Fergie also spends time at the home.
“My son is going to have memories of this place forever. He’s not on his iPad when he’s out there,” he said of his son Axl. “He’s out there in the boat with me, or he’s playing soccer on the beach, or he’s out there in the woods doing whatever I’m doing.”
“And then I have a little baby who’s going to experience the same thing. Someday, I hope to pass this on to them [so] they’re able to share it with their kids. It’s really important to me that they have this. It’s not just about having all the amenities and all the luxuries that we become so used to. It’s really about family. It’s about legacy,” he concluded.
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Duhamel opened up about his disinterest in Hollywood in a 2023 interview with “In Depth with Graham Bensinger.”
“I don’t think I ever really got comfortable with all of it. It was just a lot. I missed the simplicity of who I really am,” he said at the time. “I’m just not a guy who is comfortable doing red carpets, doing all the Hollywood stuff. I don’t hate it, I’m better at it now than I was, but it just took me a long time to really feel like I belong, like I fit in.”
“You know Hollywood and L.A., that whole lifestyle can suck the soul out of you if you’re not careful.”
Duhamel began his career modeling and later transitioned into acting with a role on “All My Children.” He became a household name while starring in “Las Vegas” for the show’s five-year run. The actor solidified his Hollywood status with his portrayal of Colonel William Lennox in the “Transformers” franchise.
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Duhamel explained his approach to fame differed from ex-wife Fergie, leading to the end of their eight-year marriage. The two married in 2009 before calling it quits in 2017. Fergie and Duhamel finalized their divorce in 2019.
“We had a great time, but I think we kind of just outgrew each other and had very different interests,” he said. “The older I got, the more I wanted to come back here … [but] this is not for her. But I’ve got no hard feelings for it. I truly don’t.”
“I’m very lucky that she’s a kind human, I really am.”
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Dems spar with whistleblower who exposed children’s hospital for trans surgeries
Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee grilled whistleblower Dr. Eithan Haim this week over his criticism of transgender medical treatments, months after the Biden Justice Department dropped criminal charges against him.
During a Wednesday hearing titled “Ending Lawfare Against Whistleblowers Who Protect Children,” Haim defended his decision to leak documents to the media, revealing that Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston performed transgender medical procedures on minors through May 2023.
“I wouldn’t want this to be done to anyone, not even liberals, even if they’re the craziest communists ever,” Haim said during the hearing. “There’s no one in this country who should be falsely accused and the entire power of the federal government be brought down on them.”
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At one point during the hearing, ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., questioned Haim’s lawyer, Mark Lytle, about the precedent behind Haim’s case, drawing a comparison to a hypothetical scenario involving vaccination records for measles.
“If I’m in Texas, and there’s a law requiring children to get measles vaccines, and I learn that another doctor’s patients aren’t vaccinated, does that give me the right to access their medical records and release them to the media or an ideological group?” Raskin asked.
“Dr. Haim didn’t break into any systems,” Lytle responded. “He was authorized to see these records by Texas Children’s Hospital, and the prosecutor knew that.”
“Was he authorized to release the information?” Raskin asked.
“He was because he was a whistleblower, and he was reporting wrongdoing,” Lytle said.
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Raskin asked Lytle to explain why Haim “did not follow Texas State law and go to the Department of Social Services or another medical authority or law enforcement authority” and instead “went to an ideological organization in the media.”
Lytle responded that Haim went to the Texas Attorney General’s office as well as the media, adding, “Congress favors going to the media for whistleblowers.”
Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va., asked Haim whether the charges against him were “a case of the administration using weaponizing law enforcement to intimidate you and other dissenters.”
“There has to be a certain standard with our justice system, where people can’t just bring these charges and power through the courts and send these people to prison, because that’s what was going to happen to me,” Haim said.
Cline also asked Lytle whether the federal government treats whistleblowers differently depending on who’s in office.
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“This case is an example of that,” Lytle said. “It’s extremely rare for anyone to be charged with criminal HIPAA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act] violations, let alone the maximum 10-year charge. It’s really outrageous, and the fact that he was charged in this way shows that the prosecutor was out to get him. He was biased.”
Later in the hearing, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., further pressed Haim about releasing the medical records, asking whether children and their families should worry about their private information being released.
“When children are being mutilated and sterilized,” Haim said, adding that personal information, like the names of the patients, was not included.
Haim, a surgeon formerly affiliated with Texas Children’s Hospital, was indicted on federal charges last year for allegedly accessing and sharing private medical records of minors receiving transgender medical procedures.
Haim’s whistleblower report occurred during a transitional period in Texas’ policies regarding transgender treatments for minors. In March 2022, Texas Children’s Hospital announced it would stop such services to children following Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive to investigate such treatments as potential child abuse. The hospital later resumed these services after determining compliance with existing laws. In June 2024, the Texas Supreme Court upheld Senate Bill 14, which prohibits gender-affirming care for transgender minors in the state, with the law taking effect on Sept. 1, 2024.
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DOJ prosecutors claimed Haim obtained these records under false pretenses, violating the HIPAA and providing them to the media to harm the hospital’s reputation. Facing up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, Haim pleaded not guilty, arguing that no personally identifiable information was disclosed and that he was blowing the whistle on “child abuse” in the hospital.
In January, the DOJ dismissed the case “with prejudice,” preventing future prosecution on the same grounds. Four days later, President Donald Trump signed the “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” executive order, suspending federal funds for gender-transition procedures for minors, including coverage under Medicaid.