Trump scores major win against Newsom in battle for National Guard control
In a unanimous ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday, President Donald Trump was allowed to keep control of National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles.
The ruling stays the lower court order that ordered command of the troops back to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
A president hasn’t made a decision about the deployment of a National Guard without the permission of the state’s governor since 1965.
TRUMP WEIGHS MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN AMID MOUNTING LEGAL CONCERNS
In the filing, the court stated that they believed the president had made a lawful decision.
“Affording the President that deference, we conclude that it is likely that the President lawfully exercised his statutory authority under § 12406(3), which authorizes federalization of the National Guard when the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States,” the court stated.
The court also stated they disagreed with Newsom’s argument that the president’s decision to federalize members of the California National Guard under 10 U.S.C. § 12406 is completely insulated from judicial review.
TRUMP AND NEWSOM ON COLLISION COURSE AS FIGHT OVER NATIONAL GUARD INTENSIFIES IN COURT
Trump, in a post to Truth Social on Thursday night, praised the Court of Appeals for their decision and said the decision was a win.
“BIG WIN in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the President’s core power to call in the National Guard! The Judges obviously realized that Gavin Newscum is incompetent and ill prepared, but this is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done. This is a Great Decision for our Country, and we will continue to protect and defend Law abiding Americans. Congratulations to the Ninth Circuit, America is proud of you tonight!,” he posted.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Even though the president failed to notify the governor before deploying the National Guard as required by law, the court cited that Newsom had no power to veto the president’s order.
Iran, Middle East moves by Trump have a hidden and brilliant strategy
President Donald Trump came back into office promising no new wars. So far, he’s kept that promise. But he’s also left much of Washington — and many of America’s allies — confused by a series of rapid, unexpected moves across the Middle East.
In just a few months, Trump has reopened backchannels with Iran, then turned around and threatened its regime with collapse. He’s kept Israel at arm’s length — skipping it on his regional tour — before signaling support once again. He lifted U.S. sanctions on Syria’s Islamist leader, a figure long treated as untouchable in Washington. And he made headlines by hosting Pakistan’s top general at the White House, even as India publicly objected.
For those watching closely, it’s been hard to pin down a clear doctrine. Critics see improvisation — sometimes even contradiction. But step back, and a pattern begins to emerge. It’s not about ideology, democracy promotion, or traditional alliances. It’s about access. Geography. Trade.
US MOBILIZES MILITARY ASSETS TO THE MIDDLE EAST AMID CONFLICT
More specifically, it may be about restarting a long-stalled infrastructure project meant to bypass China — and put the United States back at the center of a strategic economic corridor stretching from India to Europe.
The project is called the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor, or IMEC. Most Americans have never heard of it. It was launched in 2023 at the G20 summit in New Delhi, as a joint initiative among the U.S., India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the European Union. Its goal? To build a modern infrastructure link connecting South Asia to Europe — without passing through Chinese territory or relying on Chinese capital.
IMEC’s vision is bold but simple: Indian goods would travel west via rail and ports through the Gulf, across Israel, and on to European markets. Along the way, the corridor would connect not just trade routes, but energy pipelines, digital cables, and logistics hubs. It would be the first serious alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative — a way for the U.S. and its partners to build influence without boots on the ground.
FETTERMAN BREAKS RANKS, PRAISES TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST POLICIES: ‘DID THE RIGHT THING’
But before construction could begin, war broke out in Gaza.
The October 2023 Hamas attacks and Israel’s military response sent the region into crisis. Normalization talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel fell apart. The Red Sea became a warzone for shipping. And Gulf capital flows paused. The corridor — and the broader idea of using infrastructure to tie the region together — was quietly shelved.
That’s the backdrop for Trump’s current moves. Taken individually, they seem scattered. Taken together, they align with the logic of clearing obstacles to infrastructure. Trump may not be drawing maps in the Situation Room. But his instincts — for leverage, dealmaking and unpredictability — are removing the very roadblocks that halted IMEC in the first place.
His approach to Iran is a prime example. In April, backchannels were reopened on the nuclear front. In May, a Yemen truce was brokered — reducing attacks on Gulf shipping. In June, after Israeli strikes inside Iran, Trump escalated rhetorically, calling for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.” That combination of engagement and pressure may sound erratic. But it mirrors the approach that cleared a diplomatic path with North Korea: soften the edges, then apply public pressure.
TRUMP RESHAPES US FOREIGN POLICY WITH WILDLY SUCCESSFUL, BUSINESS-FIRST MIDDLE EAST TRIP
Meanwhile, Trump’s temporary distancing from Israel is harder to miss. He skipped it on his regional tour and avoided aligning with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s continued hard-line approach to Gaza. Instead, he praised Qatar — a U.S. military partner and quiet mediator in the Gaza talks — and signaled support for Gulf-led reconstruction plans. The message: if Israel refuses to engage in regional stabilization, it won’t control the map.
Trump also made the unexpected decision to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria’s new leader, President Ahmad al-Sharaa — a figure with a past in Islamist groups, now leading a transitional government backed by the UAE. Critics saw the move as legitimizing extremism. But in practice, it unlocked regional financing and access to transit corridors once blocked by U.S. policy.
Even the outreach to Pakistan — which angered India — fits a broader infrastructure lens. Pakistan borders Iran, influences Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and maintains ties with Gulf militaries. Welcoming Pakistan’s military chief was less about loyalty, and more about leverage. In corridor politics, geography often trumps alliances.
TRUMP WRAPS MOMENTOUS MIDDLE EAST TRIP WITH ECONOMIC DEALS, SYRIA SANCTIONS RELIEF AND WARNING TO IRAN
None of this means Trump has a master plan. There’s no confirmed strategy memo that links these moves to IMEC. And the region remains volatile. Iran’s internal stability is far from guaranteed. The Gaza conflict could reignite. Saudi and Qatari interests don’t always align. But there’s a growing logic underneath the diplomacy: de-escalate just enough conflict to make capital flow again — and make corridors investable.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
That logic may not be ideologically pure. It certainly isn’t about spreading democracy. But it reflects a real shift in U.S. foreign policy. Call it infrastructure-first geopolitics — where trade routes, ports and pipelines matter more than treaties and summits.
To be clear, the United States isn’t the only player thinking this way. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has been advancing the same model for over a decade. Turkey, Iran and Russia are also exploring new logistics and energy corridors. But what sets IMEC apart — and what makes Trump’s recent moves notable — is that it offers an opening for the U.S. to compete without large-scale military deployments or decades-long aid packages.
Even the outreach to Pakistan — which angered India — fits a broader infrastructure lens. Pakistan borders Iran, influences Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and maintains ties with Gulf militaries.
For all his unpredictability, Trump has always had a sense for economic leverage. That may be what we’re seeing here: less a doctrine than a direction. Less about grand visions, and more about unlocking chokepoints.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
There’s no guarantee it will work. The region could turn on a dime. And the corridor could remain, as it is now, a partially built concept waiting on political will. But Trump’s moves suggest he’s trying to build the conditions for it to restart — not by talking about peace, but by making peace a condition for investment.
In a region long shaped by wars over ideology and territory, that may be its own kind of strategy.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM TANVI RATNA
Minnesota manhunt ends as suspect’s disturbing alleged timeline comes to light
A Minnesota man is in custody after allegedly shooting two state lawmakers and their spouses, killing two Saturday morning.
Vance Luther Boelter, 57, was captured in Sibley County after a two-day manhunt and now faces state and federal murder charges, among other crimes.
He is accused of killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband, Mark, early Saturday morning at their Brooklyn Park home in Minneapolis. He also allegedly shot state Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, in their nearby Champlin home in a related attack.
The Sibley County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Boelter “verbally” identified himself to authorities searching for him in the area on Sunday evening.
MINNESOTA LAWMAKER HAPPENED TO BE ON VACATION WHEN MASKED SUSPECT KNOCKED ON DOOR
“The face of evil,” the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post Sunday, along with a photo of Boelter’s capture. “After relentless and determined police work, the killer is now in custody. Thanks to the dedication of multiple agencies working together along with support from the community, justice is one step closer.”
In the days since the shootings, officials have released more information in court records, establishing a clearer timeline of events:
June 14
2 a.m.
Authorities responded to a 911 call around 2:06 a.m. Saturday from the Hoffmans’ daughter reporting that her parents — John and Yvette — had been shot in their home in Champlin.
Both victims were transported to a nearby hospital and are expected to recover.
MINNESOTA SHOOTING SUSPECT VANCE BOELTER TO FACE FEDERAL CHARGES IN LAWMAKER ATTACKS
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., shared a message from Hoffman’s wife on Sunday, saying John was shot nine times and Yvette was struck eight times.
“John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,” Yvette wrote in a message to Klobuchar. “He took [nine] bullet hits. I took [eight] and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark. There is never a place for this kind of political hate.”
HEAR THE DISPATCH CALL:
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said “the heroic actions by the Hoffman family and their daughter Hope saved countless lives” during a news conference Sunday.
“The latest news is Sen. Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is moving toward that, toward recovery,” Walz said at Sunday night’s news conference.
2:24 a.m.
After the shooting at the Hoffmans’ home, Boelter traveled to the home of another Minnesota state representative in the Maple Grove neighborhood, according to court documents and acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson, who spoke during a news conference Monday announcing federal charges against Boelter.
MINNESOTA LAWMAKER SHOOTING SUSPECT HAD CACHE OF WEAPONS, HIT LIST IN VEHICLE, COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW
Around 2:24 a.m. Saturday, he knocked on the unnamed state lawmaker’s door, but no one answered. The lawmaker and his wife were on vacation. Thompson described security footage as “haunting” because the suspect still had on the silicon mask and police uniform worn at the Hoffmans’ shooting.
“Boelter planned his attack carefully.”
2:36 a.m.
Just minutes after knocking on the Maple Grove family’s door, Boelter allegedly traveled to another state senator’s home in New Hope, Minnesota. Boelter parked on the street in his black SUV. New Hope police dispatched an officer to the state senator’s home to conduct a wellness check. Upon arrival, an officer located Boelter’s SUV parked on the block with its lights on, according to the U.S. attorney.
“The New Hope police officer pulled up next to Boelter … rolled down her window and attempted to speak with him. Boelter did not respond,” Thompson said. “The New Hope police officer proceeded to the state senator’s home, and she waited for law enforcement to arrive. … By the time they did, Boelter had left the scene.”
SUSPECTED MINNESOTA LAWMAKER ASSASSIN VANCE BOELTER CAPTURED
3:35 a.m.
Boelter then traveled to the Hortmans’ home in Brooklyn Park, where he allegedly shot Melissa and Mark while wearing the same police uniform and mask.
Officials had been “proactively” dispatched to the Hortmans’ home in the Brooklyn Park neighborhood of Minneapolis after hearing what had happened at the Hoffmans’ home.
Upon arrival at around 3:35 a.m., officers witnessed the suspect shoot one of the victims through the open front door. Officers discovered both victims dead from gunshot wounds inside the house, according to a probable cause statement.
MINNESOTA OFFICIALS FIND CAR, HAT BELONGING TO ASSASSIN SUSPECT VANCE BOELTER ON HIGHWAY IN ‘FLUID’ SEARCH
Police exchanged gunfire with Boelter before he fled the area, court documents state.
“Question is, how important was it that the police officer stopped at Rep. Hortman’s house, which really foiled this entire plan?” Thompson asked during Monday’s press conference. “It’s incredibly important. That started with a sergeant who was actually off duty – was walking out of the building and had heard that there was a shooting in another community at Sen. Hoffman’s house, [and] being alert, said to officers and the police department, ‘Hey, drive by Melissa Hortman’s house and just check on the house, would you?’ And that’s essentially why they pulled up and found [him] in the drive.”
Thomspon added “the criminal act was occurring” when officers arrived at the Hortmans’ home.
“It’s no exaggeration to say this is the stuff of nightmares.”
“Had they not foiled the plan … essentially took his vehicle away from him, which involved all his maps, all his names, all his weaponry – I would be very scared what it would look like over the next few hours had [they] not done that,” the U.S. attorney said.
5:30 a.m.
The Brooklyn Park Police Department issued a shelter-in-place order for residents in the area, FOX 9 Minneapolis first reported.
SUSPECT IN SHOOTING OF MINNESOTA LAWMAKER CHARGED WITH MURDER, STALKING; FACES LIFE IN PRISON OR DEATH
6:18 a.m.
Boelter texted his family members at 6:18 a.m. Saturday after the shootings, according to court documents.
“Dad went to war last night… I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody,” the alleged text says.
Around the same time, Boelter allegedly sent a message to his wife stating, “Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation… there’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around.”
7 a.m.
Boelter meets a witness, identified only as Witness 1 in court documents, at a bus stop in north Minneapolis.
DRAMATIC PHOTOS SHOW MINNESOTA LAWMAKER’S HOME DAMAGED IN SHOOTING AS MANHUNT FOR SUSPECT CONTINUES
Witness 1 told police Boelter, whom he did not know, was carrying two duffel bags and asked to purchase an electric bike from the witness. The witness agreed, and they boarded the bus to the witness’ home. Once there, Boelter allegedly asked to purchase the witness’ Buick sedan, and the witness agreed, according to the probable cause statement.
Boelter then drove the sedan to a bank in Robinsdale and withdrew $2,000. Cameras captured him wearing a cowboy hat at the time. The suspect allegedly paid the witness $900 for the e-bike and sedan.
9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Officials host a news conference announcing the Hortmans were pronounced dead after officials were dispatched to their home that morning.
Gov. Tim Walz urged the public not to attend political rallies scheduled for that Saturday in Minneapolis.
Sometime Saturday morning, Boelter’s wife, Jennifer Boelter, “consented to a search of her car,” the probable cause statement states.
“From the car, law enforcement recovered two handguns, approximately $10,000 in cash, and passports for Mrs. Boelter and her children, who were in the car with Mrs. Boelter at the time,” the document states.
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The Associated Press first identified Vance Luther Boelter as a suspect in the related Saturday morning shootings. Local records show Gov. Walz and former Gov. Mark Dayton appointed the suspect to the nonpartisan workforce development board in 2019 and 2016, respectively. His term on the board expired in 2023.
Officials served a search warrant at a Minneapolis home where Boelter was renting a room with two other roommates. He stayed there some nights to be closer to work, while his family lived in a different home in Green Isle, the Star Tribune reported. Authorities set up a staging area near Boelter’s Green Isle home Saturday afternoon.
Around 3 p.m. Saturday, authorities officially named Boelter as a suspect in the shootings.
4 p.m.
The FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s arrest.
June 15
2:30 a.m.
Authorities received information about an individual riding an e-bike about two miles northeast of Boelter’s home in Green Isle.
7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The search for Boelter continued into Sunday morning, with Sibley County authorities issuing a be-on-the-lookout alert for Boelter to residents just before 11 a.m.
Officials located the suspect’s vehicle and cowboy hat off Highway 25 in Faxon Township Sunday morning, leading numerous law enforcement agencies and about 20 SWAT teams to respond to the area to search for Boelter in the rural suburban farming community.
Read the complaint:
Authorities uncovered a disturbing arsenal in Boelter’s possession, documents said. Inside his vehicle, registered to him, police found three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun and a list of names and addresses of other public officials.
5:30 p.m.
Minneosta authorities held a news conference early Sunday evening, calling the search for Boelter “fluid.”
9:10 p.m.
Law enforcement located Boelter “in a field” about a mile from his Green Isle home just after 9 p.m. Sunday.
The Sibley County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Boelter “verbally” identified himself to authorities searching for him in the area on Sunday evening.
Sibley County resident Kevin Effertz, who owns the property where Boelter was arrested, told Fox News Digital Monday that a friend who stopped by his home Sunday saw something suspicious.
“She saw this guy out in the field that was by himself, dressed in black, just with his back toward her,” Effertz said. “When she started coming down the driveway, he ducked down, which made her kind of suspicious.”
WATCH SIBLEY COUNTY RESIDENT’S INTERVIEW:
The friend then “waved down” a police officer nearby, who told her to go to a safe area.
“Within 20 minutes, she called me back and said they already had him,” Effertz said.
10:30 p.m.
Officials held a news conference announcing the suspect’s arrest.
Speaking at a news conference alongside other law enforcement officers after Boelter’s arrest, Brooklyn Park Police Department Chief Mark Bruley said there were more than 20 different SWAT teams involved in the search. He described it as “the largest manhunt in the state’s history.”
The manhunt included officers from multiple agencies on foot as well as the use of a helicopter.
The Hennepin County District Court issued a criminal complaint charging Boelter with four felony counts of second-degree murder with intent (not premeditated).
June 16
11 a.m.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced that it would be pursuing first-degree murder charges against Boelter.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
His bail was set at $5 million.
12 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson announced new federal charges against the suspect, including two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two counts of gun-related crimes related to the Saturday shootings.
Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ includes gun deregulation that Democrats vow to fight
Inside President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” are policy tweaks that would remove taxes and regulations on certain guns, but Senate Democrats aim to gut the changes from the bill.
Tucked into the Senate Finance Committee’s offering to the mammoth bill, which was unveiled earlier this week, are policy changes that would delist short-barrel rifles, shotguns and suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).
That means those particular guns and accessories would no longer be subject to a $200 federal tax and would no longer need to be registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
TOP TRUMP ALLY PREDICTS SENATE WILL BLOW PAST ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ DEADLINE
The changes come from the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act, a bill pushed by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., in the upper chamber, and Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., in the House.
Marshall told Fox News Digital he believed the gun language would make Trump’s megabill “even more beautiful,” while Clyde said in a statement the changes would “restore our Second Amendment rights.”
‘IT JUST BAFFLES ME’: SENATE REPUBLICANS SOUND ALARM OVER MEDICAID CHANGES, SPENDING IN TRUMP MEGABILL
However, Democrats have vowed to inflict as much pain as possible on their Republican colleagues through the “Byrd Bath” process, which is when lawmakers and their staff work behind the scenes to ensure the litany of policy within the “big, beautiful bill” comports with the Byrd Rule that governs reconciliation.
And the gun language is likely high on the chopping block for Senate Democrats.
“Taxation and registration of firearms under the draconian NFA are inseparably linked,” Clyde said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I’m confident our pro-2A provision will survive the Byrd Rule, and I look forward to delivering this constitutional victory for the American people.”
Marshall, similarly, wasn’t too concerned the provision would be scrubbed by Democrats in their Byrd Bath pursuit and noted, “That’s what reconciliation bills are supposed to deal with, is taxes.”
SENATE PANEL NAVIGATES DELICATE COMPROMISES ON MEDICAID, TAXES IN LATEST CHUNK OF TRUMP’S MEGABILL
He argued the Supreme Court upheld the NFA, which, despite being primarily a regulatory framework, does include an excise tax. The court upheld the NFA and the excise taxes it imposed as constitutional in the 1930s. More recently, the regulatory framework was upheld by the court in the Bruen decision in 2022.
Still, Marshall viewed the filibuster-proof budget reconciliation process, which allows Republicans to pass Trump’s mammoth bill with only 51 votes, as the only chance he and the GOP have to codify the changes to the NFA.
“I don’t see another way to do it,” he said. “I mean, obviously it would take 60 votes. And, you know, I don’t see any other way to make this actually happen.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Meanwhile, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., declined to get into detail on the exact strategy he and other Democratic lawmakers would use to go after provisions buried in the broader reconciliation text.
But he noted that the point of reconciliation is to focus on spending and budgetary effects and that “a lot of times you see Republicans, very conservative Republicans, try to convince the parliamentarian that something really is spending when it’s really an ideological trophy.”
“I can tell you this, the Byrd Bath is the legislative equivalent of prolonged root canal work,” Wyden told Fox News Digital. “It’s detailed, we’ve begun it, I’m practiced in it. I’ve worked in this area for some time, and my staff is expecting to spend the whole rest of next week digging into it.”
Ex-trooper defends himself after texts revealed in Karen Read murder case
Former Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor laughed at the notion that he tried to frame Karen Read in 2022 when John O’Keefe died, he said in a recent television interview.
In the interview which aired on Thursday night, Proctor responded to accusations that he’s corrupt and deliberately tried to frame Read in the death of her boyfriend, who was a Boston Police Department officer.
“I laugh because it’s such a ridiculous accusation,” Proctor said on NBC’s “Dateline.” “There’s not one piece of evidence or fact to support that, because it did not happen. I would never do something like that.”
When asked if he cracked the taillight on Read’s Lexus, Proctor responded “absolutely not.”
KAREN READ MURDER CASE VERDICT REACHED AFTER DEADLOCKED FIRST TRIAL
Proctor, who was the lead investigator in Read’s case, shared “derogatory texts” regarding the suspect, in addition to sharing “sensitive or confidential information,” an internal review found. The review found Proctor called Read a “wack job,” a “babe… with no a–” and a “c—.” He also wrote that he wished Read would kill herself in addition to joking about looking for nude selfies on Read’s phone.
Proctor told “Dateline” that he should get his job back.
“I’ve never had a single complaint. I’ve never been the subject of any disciplinary actions. All my employee evaluations are either outstanding or excellent. And I still love the job. I still want to be a trooper. And I’m fighting for it. You know, I’m going to the appeals process now,” Proctor said.
The former Massachusetts State Trooper also responded to accusations that his text messages about Read were inappropriate.
“What’s in your private phone, your personal phone?” Proctor asked. “Have you ever had a moment of…A poor lapse of judgment, when you’re just airing stuff out on your personal phone, you have an expectation of privacy in that little device.”
Proctor also told ABC’s “20/20” he allowed his emotions to get too involved when he sent those texts.
FINAL DEFENSE WITNESS IN KAREN READ TRIAL PUMPS BRAKES ON LEXUS COLLISION THEORY
“I expressed those emotions in a negative way, which I shouldn’t have. I shouldn’t have been texting my friends anyhow,” he said. “They are what they are. They don’t define me as a person. They’re regrettable.
In a statement posted to X, Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said new policies have been implemented following Read’s case.
“The events of the last three years have challenged our Department to thoroughly review our actions and take concrete steps to deliver advanced investigative training, ensure appropriate oversight, and enhance accountability. Under my direction as Colonel, the State Police has, and will continue to, improve in these regards. Our focus remains on delivering excellent police services that reflect the value of
professionalism and maintain public trust,” Noble said.
GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB
Jurors on Wednesday found Read not guilty of second-degree murder, but found her guilty of operating a vehicle while under the influence with a blood-alcohol level of .08% or greater.
Following the verdict, special prosecutor Hank Brennan requested Read undergo 1 year of probation in addition to a 24D outpatient program, which is routine for the first drunken driving offense.
The verdict came following 30 days of testimony and four days of jury deliberation. Prosecutors initially alleged Read killed her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe on Jan. 29, 2022 while she was driving her car drunk during a blizzard.
SIGN UP TO GET THE TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER
O’Keefe was found during the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2022, with his body lying in the snow. Kerry Roberts and Jennifer McCabe both testified against her, telling jurors that Read was panicked when she called them on the morning of Jan. 29, 2022 saying O’Keefe was missing.
McCabe alleged that Read repeated the phrase “I hit him” on the morning he went missing. Timothy Nuttall, a paramedic, also said in court that he heard Read saying “I hit him” three times.
Witnesses testified that Read and O’Keefe were drinking with friends, which included McCabe, in Canton and were invited to an after-party at Brian Albert’s house, but the couple didn’t attend.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Read’s defense team, however, maintained that Read never hit O’Keefe. Her lawyers blamed O’Keefe’s injuries on a dog attack as well as an altercation with men at the after-party.
According to witnesses who testified in court, while Read’s car was outside Albert’s house, she and O’Keefe weren’t seen at the after-party. Read told reporters that she saw O’Keefe enter the house prior to her driving away.
Florida AG defiant after contempt charge for enforcing immigration law: ‘So be it’
Florida officials are pushing back after a federal judge temporarily blocked the enforcement of a new state law targeting undocumented immigrants.
State Attorney General James Uthmeier was held in civil contempt earlier this year after sending a memo arguing that the judge’s order was legally flawed and did not prevent law enforcement from upholding the law, which was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
“She wanted me to direct all of our state law enforcement to stand down on enforcing Florida’s new state immigration law, and I was not [going to] do that,” Uthmeier said Thursday during an appearance on “America Reports.”
The DeSantis-signed statute makes it a misdemeanor for anyone in the U.S. illegally to enter or re-enter Florida. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams previously issued a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of the policy after a lawsuit was filed by the Florida Immigrant Coalition and other concerned groups.
FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL HELD IN CONTEMPT AFTER CHALLENGING COURT’S BLOCK ON IMMIGRATION LAW
Judge Williams claims Uthmeier violated that order when he sent out a message telling members of law enforcement that the judicial order did not restrain them from enforcing the immigration law.
STAY IN YOUR LANE: FLORIDA AG FIRES NEXT VOLLEY AGAINST JUDGE HALTING STATE IMMIGRATION LAW
Uthmeier claims the judge has “overstepped her bounds,” and he has not walked back his actions.
“If being held in contempt is the price to pay for standing on principle and standing on the law, then so be it,” he said.
FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO STOP ENFORCING NEW IMMIGRATION LAW
The state AG also framed the dispute as part of a broader pattern of judicial interference with the Trump administration’s immigration agenda, particularly on the national level.
This month, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled that the Trump administration must provide due process to hundreds of Venezuelan migrants deported under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. Earlier this week, a U.S. appeals court agreed to pause that order from Boasberg.
According to Uthmeier, judges across the country are overreaching their role, something he says would send the nation’s founding fathers “rolling over in their graves.”
FLORIDA HALTS MIGRANT ARRESTS AFTER JUDGE REBUKES STATE OVER IMMIGRATION LAW ENFORCEMENT
“So many of these judges across the country that start pushing policy and legislation, and that’s not the role of the judiciary” he said. “The federal government, the Trump administration, they’ve delegated authority to all of our state law enforcement officers to go out and use federal authorities to detain and deport, and we’re [going to] continue to do that.”
The court has ordered Uthmeier to submit bi-weekly reports detailing any arrests, detentions, or other law enforcement actions taken under the contested law. He must also immediately notify the court of any arrests under the law and provide full details.
JUDGE BOASBERG CANCELS PLANNED HEARING TO REVIEW TRUMP DEPORTATIONS
Despite the legal challenges, Uthmeier says Florida is prepared to take the case as far as the U.S. Supreme Court.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We believe the state should have its own law. For another era, where we might have a Biden or Obama administration, where there’s an open border, a state should be able to protect its sovereignty,” he said. “So, we will appeal the state law case up to the Supreme Court
Shark expert reveals surprising truth behind increased sightings as attacks continue
With Friday marking the 50th anniversary of the iconic film “Jaws,” many Americans are paying tribute to sharks even as reports of recent attacks grab headlines.
On Tuesday, a swimmer was bitten on the leg while in South Carolina, according to Hilton Head Fire and Rescue.
A nine-year-old girl was also recently bitten while snorkeling off Boca Grande, Florida.
DAREDEVIL TO SWIM SHARK-FILLED WATERS IN CELEBRATION OF ‘JAWS’ 50TH ANNIVERSARY
There have been 47 unprovoked shark bites globally in 2024, with 28 taking place in the U.S., according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF).
Florida beaches have logged the highest number of shark attacks, with 942 unprovoked bites since 1837.
Hawaii has 199, while California has 141, ISAF has noted.
Activist Julie Andersen, founder of the New York-based Shark Angels, told Fox News Digital that recent attacks do not indicate an increase in sharks in the oceans.
SHARKS SURROUND SNORKELING TOURIST DURING WILD ENCOUNTER: ‘THEY LOOKED TERRIFYING’
“The rise in sightings is due to a mix of factors: more people in the water, better technology, shifting ocean conditions, and in some cases, successful conservation,” she said.
“Today, more swimmers, surfers and beachgoers are capturing and sharing their experiences.”
She added, “With drones, GoPros and social media, encounters that once went unnoticed are now widely shared. Sharks have always been there. We’re just seeing them more often.”
Shark Angels is dedicated to shark conservation by transforming fear into fascination and promoting education to dispel myths about sharks, the group notes.
RARE 16TH-CENTURY SHIPWRECK FOUND AT RECORD DEPTH IN FRENCH WATERS: ‘REMARKABLE DISCOVERY’
Andersen said that in places like California or Cape Cod, Massachusetts, white shark populations are rebounding “thanks to decades of protection.” She said their return is a sign of healthier oceans.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science estimates about 274,000 sharks are killed globally each day.
Andersen said several beach communities are seeing higher numbers of sharks this summer.
“Based on trends over the past few years, shark behavior is clearly shifting,” she said.
“From the West Coast to the East Coast and even parts of Mexico, sightings are increasing in places like California, Cape Cod, the Carolinas, Florida, and Baja.”
Andersen said, “New Smyrna Beach in Florida holds the title of ‘shark bite capital of the world.’ Located in Volusia County, it consistently tops global charts for shark encounters.”
She also said that “most of these bites are minor, often from migrating small blacktip sharks mistaking toes and fingers for small bait fish. Many don’t even require stitches.”
One daring endurance athlete is paying a special tribute to “Jaws” by swimming 62 miles around the island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts — where the film was set.
Lewis Pugh said his goal is to raise awareness of the need to protect sharks and to change public perception of the mighty fish.
Pugh said the popular 1975 movie showcased sharks as “villains, as cold-blooded killers,” he told The Associated Press (AP).
“It was a film about sharks attacking humans and for 50 years, we have been attacking sharks … It’s completely unsustainable. It’s madness. We need to respect them,” Pugh told AP.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Not sure what to do if you encounter a shark in the water?
The folks at Shark Angels shared some insights to consider.
6 shark tips you must know this summer
1. “If a shark comes near you in the water, stay calm. Do not panic.”
2. “Make and maintain eye contact. Sharks are opportunistic predators and prefer an easy target. When they know you see them, they are much less likely to approach.”
3. “Avoid flailing, yelling or trying to hit the shark. Quick, erratic movements can trigger a response.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
4. “Instead, move slowly and steadily. Keep your eyes on the shark and calmly head toward shore or safety.”
5. “Do not act like prey. Just as you would not run from a lion or a bear, do not flee from a shark.”
6. “If you come across one in the wild, give it space and stay composed. Sharks are not looking for a human meal.”
Americans face vastly different retirement costs across states as Social Security cuts loom
Retirement remains top of mind for many Americans, whether they are approaching their so-called “golden years” or have many years to go before leaving the workforce.
How much money a person needs to have saved to retire without financial stress is an important consideration in the retirement preparation process, and that can vary depending on various factors, including where someone intends to live and their retirement income sources.
A study released this week by GOBankingRates calculated the amount of money that a “comfortable” retirement would require without income from Social Security factored in and the associated yearly expenses a retiree would face in each U.S. state.
RETIREMENT ACCOUNT BALANCES DIP IN THE 1ST QUARTER, BUT SAVERS KEEP CONTRIBUTING
The analysis comes as Social Security, a common source of retirement income, is looking at potential financing issues with its trust funds in the future. The trustees for Social Security and Medicare recently found that if Social Security’s Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance trust funds were combined, the trust funds would be able to pay 100% of scheduled benefits until 2034, one year earlier than reported last year. After that, the trust funds would be able to pay only 81% of scheduled benefits, meaning Social Security recipients would see a mandatory 19% cut automatically.
For the GOBankingRates study, the benchmark for a “comfortable” retirement was a person holding twice the amount of money as the cost of living expenses.
NEARLY HALF OF GENERATION X IS NOT CONFIDENT ABOUT RETIREMENT
Hawaii tops the list of where the most savings would be necessary to retire “comfortably” at 60 years old without Social Security, while West Virginia, nicknamed the Mountain State, required the least, it said.
GOBankingRates found the nest egg that a person would need to accommodate a comfortable retirement at 60 years old sans Social Security in each state.
Alabama ($70,492 cost of living per year): $1,409,839
Alaska ($110,457 cost of living per year): $2,209,137
Arizona ($100,281 cost of living per year): $2,005,627
Arkansas ($67,502 cost of living per year): $1,350,045
California ($155,117 cost of living per year): $3,102,333
Colorado ($114,744 cost of living per year): $2,294,882
Connecticut ($105,428 cost of living per year): $2,108,563
Delaware ($94,392 cost of living per year): $1,887,834
Florida ($97,119 cost of living per year): $1,942,374
Georgia ($86,005 cost of living per year): $1,720,096
Hawaii ($186,062 cost of living per year): $3,721,237
Idaho ($101,912 cost of living per year): $2,038,236
Illinois ($79,736 cost of living per year): $1,594,716
Indiana ($74,029 cost of living per year): $1,480,575
Iowa ($71,373 cost of living per year): $1,427,463
Kansas ($71,534 cost of living per year): $1,430,672
Kentucky ($71,410 cost of living per year): $1,428,204
Louisiana ($67,482 cost of living per year): $1,349,639
Maine ($98,612 cost of living per year): $1,972,231
Maryland ($101,991 cost of living per year): $2,039,812
Massachusetts ($136,626 cost of living): $2,732,517
Michigan ($73,780 cost of living per year): $1,475,595
Minnesota ($88,321 cost of living per year): $1,766,414
Mississippi ($65,523 cost of living per year): $1,310,451
Missouri ($73,667 cost of living per year): $1,473,335
Montana ($102,916 cost of living per year): $2,058,322
Nebraska ($76,792 cost of living per year): $1,535,846
Nevada ($103,661 cost of living per year): $2,073,215
New Hampshire ($110,761 cost of living per year): $2,215,216
New Jersey ($118,338 cost of living per year): $2,366,765
New Mexico ($81,627 cost of living per year): $1,632,542
New York ($105,619 cost of living per year): $2,112,384
North Carolina ($86,857 cost of living per year): $1,737,146
North Dakota ($78,734 cost of living per year): $1,574,682
Ohio ($73,120 cost of living per year): $1,462,391
Oklahoma ($69,161 cost of living per year): $1,383,214
Oregon ($111,541 cost of living per year): $2,230,814
Pennsylvania ($78,582 cost of living per year): $1,571,642
Rhode Island ($109,811 cost of living per year): $2,196,222
South Carolina ($81,586 cost of living per year): $1,631,721
South Dakota ($81,949 cost of living per year): $1,638,979
Tennessee ($81,474 cost of living per year): $1,629,482
Texas ($81,985 cost of living per year): $1,639,693
Utah ($110,623 cost of living per year): $2,212,458
Vermont ($97,999 cost of living per year): $1,959,971
Virginia ($96,141 cost of living per year): $1,922,813
Washington ($126,952 cost of living per year): $2,539,048
West Virginia ($64,715 cost of living per year): $1,294,300
Wisconsin ($84,485 cost of living per year): $1,689,700
Wyoming ($88,792 cost of living per year): $1,775,841
In early June, a Gallup survey found 50% of non-retired U.S. adults that own a retirement savings account felt they “expect to have enough to live comfortably in retirement.”
STUDY SHOWS HOW LONG SOCIAL SECURITY, $1.5M NEST EGG WOULD LAST IN 50 STATES
Confidence was lower among those that lacked a retirement savings account, with only 31% reporting they anticipated having sufficient funds for comfortable golden years.
Former college basketball player to testify as Diddy’s alleged ‘drug mule’ in trial
Jurors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial will hear from a close ally of the rapper when former Syracuse basketball player Brendan Paul takes the stand Friday.
Paul became embroiled in Diddy’s legal drama in April 2024, after he was named in a lawsuit filed by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones against the disgraced mogul. The music producer claimed Paul worked as a “mule” for Combs, procuring and distributing “drugs and guns.” The former college basketball star was then charged with felony cocaine possession, which was later dropped.
Paul was given immunity in exchange for his testimony in Diddy’s federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial.
Nicole Blank Becker explained that Paul may be a crucial witness to the government as it attempts to tie up loose ends and wrap its case against Diddy.
DIDDY’S SEX TRAFFICKING, RACKETEERING TRIAL FORCED INTO DELAY DUE TO JUROR ISSUE
“In this particular case, why [Brendan Paul] may be important is because he is allegedly one of the individuals who supplied the drugs,” Becker told Fox News Digital. “The distribution of drugs, giving other people drugs to make them intoxicated and possibly do more than they would do had they not been intoxicated – that’s a predicate felony.
“In other words, in order to prove this particular charge of racketeering, there’s got to be a number of other felonies that they can connect,” the attorney said. “Whether it’s the coercion of women and/or they indicated about how … [Diddy] brought [escorts] in. That’s one way to prove a predicate. You have to prove two of them. So, another way to prove a predicate felony is bring in the guy who supposedly is the one who was supplying P. Diddy and or his people with what [the government is] gonna say, the drugs that he used [on others.]”
DIDDY’S DEFENSE TEAM SIGNALS SHIFT IN TRIAL STRATEGY AS PROSECUTORS WRAP UP: EXPERT
Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy (RICO); sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution in a federal indictment unsealed Sept. 17.
Throughout two weeks of testimony, jurors heard allegations of “freak off” parties involving male escorts and Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. The “Me & U” singer testified that drugs, including ecstasy, ketamine and cocaine, were in regular circulation during the “freak offs” for her to disassociate during the sessions.
Cassie admitted ecstasy made her feel euphoric and aroused, while ketamine would make her dissociative. She said cocaine made her heart race, mushrooms made her see things and GHB, also known as the date rape drug, made her feel drunk.
Another ex, who testified under the pseudonym “Jane,” told prosecutors there were times she felt coerced into hotel nights with Diddy and that the Bad Boy Records founder still pays for both her legal fees and rent.
Jane recalled alleged instances of abuse while dating Diddy on and off for three years and up until the week before he was arrested in New York City on federal charges. Jane told the court Diddy asked her about coercion after he allegedly forced her to take drugs before having sex with a male escort. She testified about Diddy’s alleged violent behavior and said he once put her in a chokehold after kicking and punching her.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Diddy’s criminal defense lawyer, Teny Geragos, questioned Jane about her relationship with the rapper and her participation in the allegedly forced “hotel nights.”
Diddy paid Jane’s rent through their “love contract,” according to her testimony. The ex-girlfriend told the prosecution she felt obligated to perform at “hotel nights” for the rapper because he had threatened to stop paying for her home. For “hotel nights,” Jane claimed she was expected to dress in lingerie and have sex with other men in front of the rapper.
Audio released in Diddy’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial featured the rapper calling Jane a “crack pipe.” Jane claimed she was forced to continue having sex with multiple male escorts after becoming sick.
Becker, who works as R. Kelly’s defense attorney, explained why the government might offer immunity to witnesses the government wants to testify. In Diddy’s sex trafficking case, Paul was the fifth witness granted immunity.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
“It is very common, especially in federal cases, that immunity is given to witnesses if they have the information or the insight that they need for their case,” Becker said. “Oftentimes, those individuals who are given immunity, although they may have crimes that they are either facing or faced, they’re usually a lot less in the hierarchy of crimes.
“They’re usually lower crimes in which the government says, ‘You know what, this information that this particular person has is so important that we are willing to forego whatever you’ve got going on in the criminal section or division now here so that we can have you testify in this bigger case.’
WATCH: SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS ASSAULTS CASSIE VENTURA IN 2016 HOTEL INCIDENT
“Their goal, i.e. the government, is to get in as much possible information from anybody who knows anything.”
Nearly six weeks after the trial began, prosecutors indicated they’d rest their case by Friday. The rapper’s legal team recently told Judge Arun Subramanian it will need between two and five days to present its case, a stark contrast to its initial request of up to two weeks with witnesses on the stand.
Becker noted there were a lot of questions whether the government was “actually proving anything specific” to the charges Diddy faced.
WATCH: LEGAL EXPERT DISCUSSES DIFFICULTIES WITH DIDDY TRIAL
“Yes, there was domestic violence. Yes, there was some … relationships and physical violence happening, but does that rise to the level of what he’s actually charged with in the federal court?” Becker said. “I think at the beginning there were question marks everywhere. However, I think as time goes on, what does the government do?
“They just throw up witness after witness. Although those individual witnesses have their own story, together they form what they are trying to form, which is this step beneath P. Diddy, who’s up here. And these individuals, each individual person has a role in what they’re calling the enterprise.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Becker said this was the connection the government was attempting to prove to the 12 jurors.
“In a vacuum, if we just had the first witness or we just had Jane, who just testified, people, I think, would be a little confused, like, ‘Wait a minute.’ Maybe call him a bad boyfriend, a bad person, a bad husband for sure, based on what we see, for example, in the video,” Becker said. “But does that rise to the level that the government needs to get to in order for an ultimate verdict of guilty?
“I think, like I said, at the beginning, it was a little shaky. However, as time goes on, they are able to put in their different witnesses and really shape what they’re trying to shape, which is to basically, you know, this charge of RICO in the United States. This has not, it was not initially made for purposes of the way it’s being used now.”