ESPN analyst criticizes media’s alleged mischaracterization of Los Angeles riots
ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes criticized the media’s coverage of the anti-ICE riots that have taken place in parts of Los Angeles County over the last few days.
Stark images of burning vehicles, rioters spraying painting cars with expletives and the intense back and forth between President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom over how local law enforcement is handling the problems have been among the topics of conversation.
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“The disparity (between) what’s actually happening in Los Angeles and the way it’s being mischaracterized is one of the biggest stress tests of modern media in recent memory,” Kimes wrote on her BlueSky account. “Botted socials, AI, old clips, declining literacy—it’s like seeing a broken emergency response system hit by a storm.”
Videos and photos of looting have also taken the internet by storm and, because of it, businesses in the Los Angeles area have boarded up some of their shops in case of more chaos.
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Fox News Digital saw a T-Mobile store on the corner of 3rd Street and Broadway boarding up in case of another night of protests and rioting in the city. While a security guard protected the property, a repairer worked at the CVS store on the corner of 7th and Spring streets in downtown Los Angeles after several nights of rioting.
Attorney General Pam Bondi offered a blunt message to would-be robbers and looters in the deep-blue city on “Fox & Friends” Tuesday.
“If you loot a business in California during this, we’re charging you with robbery under the Hobbs Act. No longer are the days of non-prosecution for looting. It’s a criminal act,” she said.
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Los Angeles law enforcement has made dozens of arrests in the wake of days of protests and riots.
Waters’ controversial statements from past decades resurface after Trump standoff
Eighteen-term Democrat Rep. Maxine Waters resurfaced in the news after several run-ins with federal authorities during the ongoing illegal immigration riots in California, just as her House tenure began amid prior Angeleno unrest.
In 1992, as she was finishing her first term in Congress, the not-guilty verdict against White LAPD officers seen beating a Black motorist named Rodney King sparked a similar conflagration in Los Angeles, and Waters was in the midst of it then as well.
The riots greatly affected her South Los Angeles district, and Waters was quoted at the time as appearing to downplay the violence not as a “riot” but as “just a bunch of crazy people who went out and did bad things for no reason.”
“I maintain it was somewhat understandable, if not acceptable. So I call it a rebellion,” she said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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Waters had joined the Rev. Jesse Jackson in trying to convince the Justice Department to file civil rights charges against the acquitted officers, blaming the rioting on Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief Daryl Gates and President George H.W. Bush, according to famed journalist Robert Novak.
When Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., attempted to have Waters expelled from Congress in 2021 for “inciting violence and terrorism,” the Democrat claimed some of her past remarks were taken out of context.
“I am not worried that they’re going to continue to distort what I say,” she told The Grio after Greene led her resolution with Waters’ Rodney King-era statements.
Greene said Waters violated House Rule 23’s clause regarding conduct by members “at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.”
At a 2007 anti-war protest, Waters declared she was “not afraid of George Bush” and also pledged to “get rid of” then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
She later drew the ire of Greene and other Republicans when she told an LGBTQ gala, “I will go and take out Trump tonight.” Defenders said she was speaking rhetorically and politically and not threatening the mogul.
Later in Trump’s first administration, Waters was filmed on a California street corner shouting at supportive demonstrators and instructing them to be disruptive toward Trump allies.
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“If you see anybody … in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out, and you create a crowd, and you push back on them. And you tell them that they are not welcome.”
She later said she did not physically threaten Trump supporters, though then-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders had earlier been run out of a Lexington, Va., restaurant and then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was accosted at a Washington, D.C., eatery.
In April 2021, Waters rallied in Brooklyn Center, Minn., while ex-Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin was on trial for the murder of George Floyd.
Waters was recorded telling protesters to “stay” in the street and warned that if the jury delivered a not-guilty verdict, “We cannot go away … we’ve got to get more confrontational.”
The comments caught the attention of trial Judge Peter Cahill, suggesting the comments could lead to a defense appeal and also disrespected the judicial branch.
Waters later pushed back on some characterizations, saying, “I am nonviolent. I talk about confronting the justice system. … I’m talking about speaking up.”
In February, Waters appeared in front of the Department of Education building in Washington along with other House Democrats. A security guard was confronted as lawmakers tried to gain entry to voice concerns about Secretary Linda McMahon’s downsizing plans.
This week, while riots again raged in Los Angeles, Waters hurried toward a group of National Guardsmen entering the plywood-covered door of the Metropolitan Detention Center.
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“I just came to use my congressional authority to check on David Huerta,” she said, referring to the SEIU union leader arrested during an immigration raid.
A Guardsman told Waters to contact “public affairs” and slammed the door in her face.
She was later seen asking armed Guardsmen if they planned to shoot her, why they were there and that the conflict was President Donald Trump’s fault.
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital after that incident that instead of “taunting” Guardsmen, Waters should have been trying to assuage the unrest.
While some of her recent Republican challengers, like Joe Collins and Omar Navarro, have received hefty donations from around the country due to her polarizing comments, the 86-year-old has been re-elected with typically 70% of the vote.
Fox News Digital reached out to Waters for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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Air India flight bound for London crashes; all 242 on board are believed to be dead
An Air India passenger plane carrying more than 200 people crashed Thursday after taking off from an airport in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, with a police official saying it “appears there are no survivors.”
Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m. local time. There were 242 passengers and crew members onboard the flight.
“It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,” Ahmedabad’s city police commissioner, G.S. Malik, told the Associated Press. He also said to Reuters that 204 bodies have been retrieved from the crash site.
Malik added that with the plane crashing in a residential area with offices, “some locals would have also died.”
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Local media showed smoke billowing from the crash site near the airport in northwestern India. The plane issued a “mayday” call to air traffic control before plunging out of the sky, Reuters reported.
“With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran wrote on X.
“At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted,” Chandrasekaran added.
Air India said of those onboard the plane, 169 are from India, 53 are from Britain, 7 are from Portugal and 1 is from Canada. The injured are being taken to local hospitals.
“The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police officer told Reuters.
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The Federal Aviation Administration said “The FAA is in contact with the NTSB regarding Air India flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad (AMD) to London Gatwick (LGW), that was involved in an accident in India on Thursday, June 12.
“When an international incident occurs, that government leads the investigation. In the event assistance is requested, the NTSB is the official U.S. representative and the FAA provides technical support. We stand ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the NTSB,” it added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us.
“It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected,” he said.
“The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer added.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X that rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support at the site.
“We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation,” he said.
The 787 Dreamliner is a widebody, twin-engine plane. This is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
The aircraft was introduced in 2009 and more than 1,000 have been delivered to dozens of airlines, Flightradar24 reported.
“We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected,” Boeing said in a statement.
In August 2020 an Air India Express Boeing-737 skidded off a hilltop runway in southern India, killing 21 people.
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The worst air disaster in India was on Nov. 12, 1996, when a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight collided midair with a Kazakhastan Airlines Flight near Charki Dadri in Haryana state, killing all 349 on board the two planes.
Scam leaves restaurant waitress stunned as diners laugh in her face
A frustrated waitress recently went viral for venting about a refund fraud method that she said has become the norm.
The restaurant worker, who goes by @girlypopzonly on TikTok, said the grift began after she served two entrées and two drinks to a couple.
In a TikTok video recorded from the eatery’s kitchen, the waitress recalled that she got an unpleasant reaction when she checked on the pair.
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“The girl’s like, ‘This [burger] is nasty, I don’t want it,'” the waitress said in a video that got over 54,000 likes.
“Mind you, the burger’s half-eaten. All the fries are gone. So she gives me half [of] our burger back.”
She added, “I’m like, ‘You know what? That’s fine. She liked the fries.’ So I take it back. Take it off the bill.”
When the waitress politely asked her if she’d like anything else, the female customer said she wanted the shrimp pasta that the male customer was enjoying.
The waitress agreed, brought back the new dish and checked back in on the pair – and got another complaint, this time from the male customer.
“They paid 20 bucks in total, and they ate seven different meals.”
“And then the guy’s like, ‘I don’t like my shrimp pasta,'” the waitress said.
“Mind you, the shrimp pasta’s half gone. There’s three noodles on the [expletive] plate. And I’m, like, Oh, that’s weird, but OK. I’m going to obviously take it off the bill.”
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And then – making the story even more interesting – the female customer complained about her mostly-eaten shrimp pasta.
She vented, “I’m like, ‘OK, that’s weird. This is, like, the seventh plate you guys have ordered.’ They’ve returned every single plate, but they ate almost all of it. This is not a buffet, by the way.”
The waitress complied — and the manager also took the last dish off the bill.
“They’re sitting there laughing at me every time I pass by,” the TikTok creator said. “They paid, like, 20 bucks in total, and they ate seven different meals.”
She wrote on social media, “I’m just wondering, is that normal? When you guys go to restaurants, do you order a bunch of meals, then return [them]? Why is this the norm? This happens so much.”
The troubled service worker received an outpouring of sympathy and support in the video’s comments section, which drew over 1,600 reactions to the stunt.
“Restaurants aren’t tasting menus,” one user wrote.
“We have to stop allowing people to get away with stuff like that,” another remarked.
“If more than half of the meal is gone, no refund.”
The video also fueled a debate about whether restaurants should be refunding eaten food at all.
“If more than half of the meal is gone, no refund,” a commenter asserted.
“When I worked at restaurants, the rule was if it was cooked wrong or not as described/ordered – refund,” one former service worker said.
“Otherwise they got what they ordered. We’d maybe give a discount or free drink/dessert.”
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Others were firm that eaten food should never be refunded.
“Nothing should have been taken off the bill,” one person wrote.
Overall, a majority of commenters disapproved of the waitress being put into the situation and said the restaurant’s manager should have been more involved.
“That’s your manager’s fault,” someone wrote.
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“My manager would’ve had a field day with them,” another commenter said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the TikToker for comment.
Former Jets GM makes ‘bold prediction’ about Aaron Rodgers’ future with Steelers
Aaron Rodgers finally put pen to paper and agreed to a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers last week as he looks for one final run to a Super Bowl title before he inevitably calls it quits.
The schedule for the Steelers and the presumptive Week 1 starting quarterback isn’t easy. Rodgers will return to East Rutherford, New Jersey, to play the New York Jets in Week 1 followed by the home-opener against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 and a road matchup against Drake Maye and the new-look New England Patriots.
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The Steelers’ opponents for the 2025 season have a 2024 winning percentage of 52.6% and because of that, former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum made a “bold prediction” about Rodgers.
“I’ll make a bold prediction,” he said Wednesday on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “I think Aaron Rodgers is gonna be irrelevant by Thanksgiving. Irrelevant. A non-playoff team, a 42-year-old quarterback, who’s a legend, that’s going off into the sunset.”
His take was met with surprise.
“Tell me why they’re gonna be relevant?” Tannenbaum told the hosts. “They’re the third-best team in the division. They’re gonna have to find out about Will Howard, who they drafted from Ohio State, who I think is very intriguing.”
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The Steelers’ quarterback situation post-Ben Roethlisberger has been akin to what the Indianapolis Colts experienced after Andrew Luck retired in 2019.
Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season. Since then, the Steelers have used Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Through it all, head coach Mike Tomlin has persevered.
The Steelers, even though they haven’t made it out of the wild-card round, have only missed the postseason once since 2020. While the offense has sputtered, the defense has been proven to show up when necessary.
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While Tannenbaum could be right about Rodgers in particular, it doesn’t necessarily mean to count out Pittsburgh in 2025.
Modern ‘Flintstones’ home built into ancient rock formation hits Colorado market at $1M
A unique property that looks like it came straight out of “The Flintstones” has hit the market in Larkspur, Colorado — and it’s turning heads.
Priced at $1 million, the two-bedroom “rock house” is unlike anything else currently for sale, experts say. It’s built around Colorado’s beloved 200-million-year-old red rocks.
Nestled around a 45-foot-high section of ancient stone, the home offers what listing agent Phillip Booghier called “an unmatched blend of architectural creativity and natural beauty,” news agency SWNS reported.
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“It’s a property that captivates at every turn,” said Booghier, a global real estate adviser.
The house, listed by Booghier, isn’t just built next to the rock – it’s built directly into it.
“The dramatic rock wall isn’t a backdrop,” he said.
“It’s the centerpiece, rising through all three levels and anchoring each floor in natural grandeur.”
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The massive red rock is not only a striking feature but also a structural element that defines the home’s design, SWNS noted.
“It’s a property that captivates at every turn.”
“Every space is visually and physically connected to the monolith at its core,” Booghier noted.
The integration of the natural rock was carefully executed.
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“The integration was thoughtfully engineered, permitted and built to last,” Booghier said.
“Spray poly foam, epoxy and acrylic caulking [were used] to create a weatherproof, enduring bond.”
Inside, the home reflects its setting.
“The home’s design mirrors the drama of its setting,” Booghier said.
It features a floating staircase with custom iron railings, exposed beam ceilings, warm wood finishes, and “thoughtfully placed windows” that highlight natural light and expansive views.
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Beyond its interior, the property offers a variety of outdoor amenities.
SWNS reported that it includes private walking trails, a scenic picnic area, and Milky Way views from a private hot tub.
The setting provides “the kind of peace and serenity that feels worlds away.”
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“This residence transforms nature’s artistry into a one-of-a-kind architectural statement,” said Booghier.
The home was built in 2000 and has previously been on the market.
Juror issues threaten Diddy trial as judge to weigh possible dismissal: expert
Juror issues marred the 21st day of testimony in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial for sex crimes.
Before cross-examination continued Wednesday of Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, who testified using the pseudonym “Jane,” the defense told Judge Arun Subramanian that they’d like to respond to the government’s attempt to dismiss a Black juror from the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office allegedly told the court that while the situation was less than desirable, they were compelled to because of a lack of candor.
The judge told the court he would rule on the issue if there was any basis for removing a juror and once the defense submitted a letter.
New York attorney Nicole Brenecki told Fox News Digital that complications with the jury could lead to severe problems down the road, including a possible mistrial.
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“Every time that we engage in a jury trial, there’s a process called voir dire, which is a process that both attorneys engage in, under the supervision of a judge, where the attorneys have an opportunity to question the potential jurors and ask them questions to make sure that they are not biased, that they’re truthful, and that they are capable of adjudicating this case on its facts and not based on their individual biases or prejudice or whatever,” Brenecki said.
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“If there’s a letter discussing lack of candor, that means that maybe that juror just wanted to be on the jury because it’s a high-profile case or because it involves a celebrity or perhaps for other personal reasons, but the lack of candor has to go to the fact that that juror potentially is biased in one way or another.”
In court on Tuesday, Diddy’s lawyers objected to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s request to remove Juror No. 6 from the case.
“We object to ask Juror No. 6 being stricken, and I understand the colloquy is under seal, so I don’t want to explain further on the record now, but if the government is going to put in a letter … we’d like the opportunity to be heard either in writing or tomorrow morning,” Diddy attorney Alexandra Shapiro said.
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The judge said “everyone will be fully heard on this issue” once a letter is filed with the court.
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani highlighted the negative effects a tainted jury may have on a case.
“The big news of the day is that the judge is considering removing Juror 6 for lack of candor. That means he lied, in layman’s terms. … This request was made by the prosecution, and the defense is trying to keep him on. For what it’s worth, Juror 6 is a Black male and a ’90s hip-hop fan.”
On Wednesday, Jane continued testimony about “hotel nights,” where she claimed one time there were three entertainers at the party, and she allegedly did not take any drugs. She testified that while she agreed to the party, she also resented Diddy “for knowing how much I loved him and knowing how I couldn’t say no to him.”
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Under direct examination last week, the government asked Jane if she and Diddy experienced “hotel nights” without drugs. Jane explained that the former couple attempted the nights a handful of times, and it was at Diddy’s request in October 2023 that they tried a “sobriety party.”
“Around this time, I just really wanted my partner to get sober,” Jane testified. “I just really cared so much about Sean’s health, and I could see that he just, like, was excessively partying on top of just so many pills that he takes daily for I don’t know what. And I just really wanted him to get clean and just get better.”
She continued, “And he said, ‘OK, I’m going to do like 30 days without anything, and I’ll be sober. But let’s just have, like, one more, one more sobriety party, just one, like, sobriety party.'”
When asked what drugs Diddy used during the “sobriety party,” Jane replied, “I believe ecstasy and cocaine, I don’t know.” She also alleged the party lasted “too long,” claiming it was “close to 12 to 18 hours.”
Before cross-examination began Tuesday, Subramanian denied Diddy’s second request for a mistrial. Diddy’s legal team had argued that the prosecution knowingly presented false testimony to the court in a letter filed June 7 and obtained by Fox News Digital.
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In a federal indictment unsealed on Sept. 17, Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy (RICO); sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison.
He has maintained his innocence throughout the trial, in which witnesses have testified to alleged rape, sexual assault, severe physical abuse, forced labor and drug trafficking. The trial is expected to wrap by July 4.
Jane’s cross-examination is expected to finish Thursday morning, and the government indicated they will rest their case by next Friday, but as early as next Wednesday.
Karen Read defense praised for strategy as case nears close – jurors get a say soon
Karen Read’s defense saved her strongest witness for last, experts tell Fox News Digital, bringing in Dr. Andrew Rentschler to try to debunk the prosecution’s claims about how her boyfriend, Boston cop John O’Keefe, died.
Jurors have the day off Thursday and will begin deliberations after receiving instructions from the judge and listening to closing arguments Friday.
Read, 45, is accused of hitting O’Keefe, 46, with her 2021 Lexus LX 570 SUV on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die on the ground with a skull fracture during a blizzard.
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Her defense denies that her vehicle ever struck O’Keefe, and Rentschler spent two days on the stand explaining how he came to the conclusion that O’Keefe’s injuries were inconsistent with a vehicle strike on a pedestrian.
“I do not believe that injury is consistent with being struck by an SUV at approximately 24 miles an hour,” he testified.
O’Keefe had no broken bones on his right arm, only superficial abrasions, he testified. Based on his testing at ARCCA, a crash reconstruction firm, he said that the arm should have sustained more serious damage.
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Rentschler said he did not believe Read’s SUV could have struck O’Keefe based on his injuries and ARCCA testing.
But special prosecutor Hank Brennan grilled him on cross-examination, questioning how thorough his testing was and forcing him to concede that he did not take into account shattered pieces of taillight on the ground near O’Keefe and embedded in his clothes.
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“The prosecutor will definitely zero-in on this in closing,” said David Gelman, a Philadelphia-area criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor. “The closings will be key for both parties now. Brennan and [defense attorney Alan] Jackson are both strong personalities, so this is going to be big.”
Brennan also revealed Wednesday afternoon that he will not call a rebuttal witness to the stand before the case goes to jurors.
In what could boil down to a so-called battle of the experts, legal analysts say Rentschler was a solid choice to close out the case.
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“He methodically explained why the DA’s theory of an SUV-pedestrian strike doesn’t hold up,” said Mark Bederow, the New York City-based attorney representing Read ally and Canton blogger Aidan Kearney. “The lack of arm injuries, the lack of holes in the hoodie, which doesn’t come close to corresponding with the amount abrasions, the final location of John O’Keefe not making sense.”
He argued that Rentschler’s showing could have prompted Brennan to “wave the white flag” rather than call Dr. Judson Welcher back to the stand for rebuttal.
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Welcher drew the opposite conclusion from Rentschler – testifying that in his opinion, Read’s SUV clipped O’Keefe with a glancing blow, knocking him off-balance before he fell and cracked his skull.
“The defense could not have finished the trial any stronger than they did,” Bederow said.
Jack Lu, a retired Massachusetts judge and Boston College law professor, said having Rentschler go last was both a standard strategy and a good one.
“What stood out is that he was steadfast that Dr. Welcher’s testimony about simulating the contact was fallacious. Counterpoint: so was Rentschler’s,” Lu told Fox News Digital.
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He said both are part of a profit-based consulting industry and at points, their testing came across as absurd.
“You have a disembodied arm hitting a Lexus, versus a grease-painted expert getting hit at low speed by a Lexus,” he said.
Cannone gave jurors the day off Thursday so the sides can hold a charging conference. The panel returns Friday for jury instructions and closing arguments.