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Tag: Pennsylvania

  • Neighbours, colleagues of Trump shooter still in shock – All about “quiet and nice” Matthew Crooks

    Neighbours, colleagues of Trump shooter still in shock – All about “quiet and nice” Matthew Crooks

    The small Pittsburgh suburb of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, is in shock after the FBI identified a local resident, Thomas Matthew Crooks, as the shooter at Donald Trump’s recent campaign rally.

    The incident, which occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, left one audience member dead and two others critically wounded.

    Crooks, a 20-year-old kitchen worker, allegedly opened fire with an AR-style rifle while Trump was addressing the crowd. He was shot dead on the scene by a Secret Service sniper.

    Residents of Crooks’ quiet and affluent hometown are struggling to comprehend how a seemingly ordinary young man could be involved in such a violent act.

    The FBI has confirmed Crooks as the “subject involved in the assassination attempt on the former president” and stated that an active investigation is ongoing.

    Who shot at Donald Trump?

    The FBI used DNA to identify Thomas Crooks, who did not have ID on him at the time of the incident. Crooks hailed from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, approximately 70 km (43 miles) from where he attempted to assassinate Donald Trump.

    A 2022 graduate of Bethel Park High School, he had been awarded a $500 prize for excellence in math and science. Crooks worked in a local nursing home kitchen close to his residence.

    US media reported that Crooks was a registered Republican but had also donated $15 to the liberal campaign group ActBlue in 2021. On the day of the shooting, Crooks was wearing a T-shirt from Demolition Ranch, a YouTube channel popular for its gun and demolition content.

    Authorities believe the weapon used in the shooting was purchased by Crooks’ father at least six months prior. Law enforcement sources revealed that suspicious devices were found in Crooks’ vehicle, and bomb technicians were called in to investigate.

    These devices appeared to be capable of being initiated by commercially available equipment found in the vehicle.

    Having established Crooks’s identity, police and agencies are investigating his motive.

    “We do not currently have an identified motive,” said Kevin Rojek, FBI Pittsburgh special agent in charge, at a briefing on Saturday night.

    The inquiry into what took place could last for months and investigators would work “tirelessly” to identify what Crooks’ motive was, Mr Rojek said.

    Speaking to CNN, Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, said he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before speaking about his son.

    Police sealed off the road to the house where Crooks lived with his parents, CBS News reports.

    A neighbour told CBS that officers evacuated her in the middle of the night with no warning.

    Bethel Park Police said there was a bomb investigation surrounding Crooks’s home.

    Access to the area remains tightly controlled, with police vehicles blocking the roads. Only residents have been allowed in or out.
    Law enforcement sources told CBS that they believe there was some degree of planning ahead of the shooting.

    How much time was spent in that planning, however, remains the subject of an ongoing investigation.

    Police believe he acted alone but are continuing to investigate whether he was accompanied to the rally.

    Who was Thomas Matthew Crooks?

    So far, the image of Thomas Crooks as a person remains unclear and somewhat contradictory.

    Local news outlet KDKA reported that some young locals who attended school with Crooks described him as a loner who was often bullied and occasionally wore “hunting outfits to school.”

    In contrast, another former classmate, Summer Barkley, told the BBC that Crooks was “always getting good grades on tests” and was “very passionate about history.”

    “Anything about government and history he seemed to know about,” he said. “But it was nothing out of the ordinary. He was always nice.”
    Others simply remembered him as quiet.

    “He was there but I can’t think of anyone who knew him well,” one former classmate, who asked to remain nameless, told the BBC. “He’s just not a guy I really think about. But he seemed fine.

    Jameson Myers, a former member of the Bethel Park High School varsity rifle team who graduated alongside Crooks in 2022, told CBS that he did not make the team.

    “He did not even make the junior varsity team after trying out,” Mr Myers added.

    “He never returned to try-outs for the remainder of high school.”

    Mr Myers remembers Crooks as seemingly a “normal boy” who was “not particularly popular but never got picked on or anything.”

    “He was a nice kid who never talked poorly of anyone and I never thought him capable of anything I’ve seen him do in the last few days.”
    Other community members said simply that they were shocked that the alleged perpetrator of the shooting could have come from the quiet, green streets of Bethel Park.

    Among them was Jason Mackey, a 27-year-old local man who lives near the Crooks residence and worked at his school while he was a student.
    While Mr Mackey said that he did not know Crooks personally, he is still reeling from a sense of disbelief.

    “It’s just shocking. You wouldn’t think an event of this magnitude would come right out of your backyard,” he said. “It’s just a crazy situation.”

    Did he hit anyone?

    One person was killed and two others were injured in the shooting.

    All three victims are adult men and were audience members, CBS News reports.

    At a news conference on Sunday, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro identified the deceased victim at Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old volunteer fire chief who was killed when he “dived on his family” to protect them.

    He said that Comperatore “died a hero”.

    A GoFundMe page, organised by the Trump campaign’s national finance director, Meredith O’Rourke, was set up in the hours after the attack, with donations going to the families of the injured.

    It has so far raised more than $340,000 (£267,000).

    In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear” and said he felt the bullet “ripping through the skin.”.

    Blood was visible on Trump’s ear and face as protection officers rushed him away.

    Trump is “doing well” and is grateful to law enforcement officers, according to a statement published on the Republican National Committee (RNC) website.

  • Pennsylvania nurse who gave fatal insulin doses to patients receives life sentence in prison

    Pennsylvania nurse who gave fatal insulin doses to patients receives life sentence in prison

    A nurse from Pennsylvania who gave deadly doses of insulin to patients and admitted to killing three people, has been found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

    Heather Pressdee, who is 41 years old, has been sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison, and an additional 380 to 760 years. The sentencing took place in Butler, which is about 48 kilometers north of Pittsburgh. She caused the deaths of 17 patients in five different health facilities from 2020 to 2023, according to prosecutors.

    The 22 people who were hurt or killed were between 43 and 104 years old. Pressdee’s coworkers often asked about how she behaved and said she often showed dislike for her patients and made disrespectful comments about them, authorities said.

    Pressdee, who could have been sentenced to death, admitted to being guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and 19 counts of attempted murder. In May 2023, she was accused of killing two nursing home patients and hurting another. More looking into what happened showed that she is facing many more accusations. In February, she talked to her lawyers and said she wanted to admit she was guilty.

    Pressdee didn’t say much when she went into court and answered most questions with just one word. When her lawyer asked why she was saying she did it, Pressdee said, “Because I did it. ”

    The plea hearing was supposed to go on until Friday because many people wanted to talk about the impact the crime had on them, officials said. Some people in court on Thursday said to Pressdee that she was wrong to act like God. They said that even though some of the people she hurt were old or very sick, none of them wanted to die.

    Pressdee ignored the speakers and didn’t respond to their comments, even when one of them said a bad word that made people in the courtroom clap.

    Another person said in court: “She is not ill. ” She is not crazy. She is very evil. Please rewrite this text using simpler words. “I saw Satan’s face when she killed my dad in the morning. ”

    Prosecutors said that Pressdee from Harrison gave too much insulin to 22 patients, even some who didn’t have diabetes. She usually gave insulin during the night when there were fewer staff and emergencies did not require immediate hospital care. Many patients died shortly after getting the insulin, or later on.

    She wasn’t allowed to work as a nurse early last year because of some legal problems.

    Court papers show that Pressdee sent messages to her mom from April 2022 to May 2023 talking about being unhappy with her patients and coworkers, and mentioning the possibility of hurting them. She also said she had the same problems with people she met at restaurants and other places.

    Pressdee has a record of being in trouble for being mean to patients and/or staff at every job. This led to her either quitting or getting fired, according to prosecutors. Starting in 2018, Pressdee worked at a few nursing homes and facilities in western Pennsylvania for a short time, according to the records.

    Other people who work in healthcare have been found guilty of causing the death of patients. One of them is William Davis, a nurse from Texas. He was found guilty of killing four patients by injecting air into their arteries after they had heart surgery. He was found guilty and given the death penalty, but he is now trying to prove that he is not guilty. Another nurse named Charles Cullen murdered at least 29 nursing home patients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Some experts think he may have killed even more people.

  • Pennsylvania home explosion kills 5 including father and son

    Pennsylvania home explosion kills 5 including father and son

    During the weekend, a tragic house explosion in Plum, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, claimed the lives of five individuals, including a 38-year-old man and his 12-year-old son.

    The incident occurred on August 12th and also resulted in injuries to three others, with one person in critical condition.

    The blast devastated not only the house but also three other neighboring structures, while roughly a dozen others sustained damage.

    As investigators diligently work to ascertain the cause of this catastrophic explosion, the community remains in shock.

    Reports from Allegheny County officials in Pennsylvania reveal that an urgent emergency 911 call was received around 10:30 AM (15:30 BST) on Saturday. Rapid response from both police and firefighters ensued, and upon arrival, it was discovered that individuals were trapped beneath the debris.

    “It appeared as if one house had exploded, and two others were engulfed in fire. Multiple other homes were damaged with windows blown out,” they said in a Facebook post.

    Video footage captured by a doorbell camera, the authenticity of which the BBC has not independently confirmed, depicts a substantial explosion propelling smoke and debris high into the sky over the neighborhood.

    Subsequently, five bodies were retrieved from the location.

    Authorities are grappling with uncertainty regarding the occupants of the house and any potential visitors in the vicinity during the incident. This lack of clarity is posing challenges in the process of identifying the deceased individuals.

    “ID is expected to take some time as it will involve use of dental records, and potentially DNA, for formal identification,” Allegheny County said on X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter.

    Although authorities have refrained from disclosing the identities of the victims, relatives have come forward to identify two of the deceased. Casey Clontz, aged 38, and his 12-year-old son, Keegan, have been confirmed as among the five individuals tragically lost in the explosion.

    The Clontz family resided four houses away from the explosion’s epicenter. While the reasons for their presence at the location remain unclear, family members shared with the local news outlet TribLive that the two were likely visiting nearby neighbors.

    In a statement provided by the Clontz family, Keegan was described as Casey’s inseparable companion, often accompanying his father on fishing and hunting expeditions.

    Although authorities have refrained from disclosing the identities of the victims, relatives have come forward to identify two of the deceased. Casey Clontz, aged 38, and his 12-year-old son, Keegan, have been confirmed as among the five individuals tragically lost in the explosion.

    The Clontz family resided four houses away from the explosion’s epicenter. While the reasons for their presence at the location remain unclear, family members shared with the local news outlet TribLive that the two were likely visiting nearby neighbors.

    In a statement provided by the Clontz family, Keegan was described as Casey’s inseparable companion, often accompanying his father on fishing and hunting expeditions.

    Keegan, an active participant in a youth football program, was poised to commence junior high school in a mere week.

    Casey, who had been married to his wife Jen for 14 years, also left behind a 10-year-old daughter named Addie.

    Simultaneously, an online fundraiser has been established for the Oravitz family, proprietors of the property where the explosion transpired. It remains unclear whether any family members were among the casualties.

    The formidable fire required the combined efforts of no less than 18 local fire departments to quell. Over 50 firefighters were attended to at the scene for minor ailments, primarily stemming from heat exhaustion.

    Inquiries into the explosion’s cause are being led jointly by local law enforcement, fire officials, representatives from the local utility company, and the state public utilities commission.

    Officials informed CBS, the BBC’s partner in the United States, that the investigation is anticipated to be a gradual and protracted process. It might potentially span several months or even years before reaching a conclusion.

    Rafal Kolankowski, a resident, recounted to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the blast shattered windows within his home and caused both him and his wife to fall. He expressed the profound tragedy that has struck the neighborhood, likening it to a war-torn zone. The sudden and dramatic change from his interactions with neighbors the day before to the devastating incident is deeply disheartening, as he shared, “I was just with some of the neighbors yesterday, right, and now this happens.”

  • Uganda faces World Bank loan freeze over anti-LGBT law

    Uganda faces World Bank loan freeze over anti-LGBT law

    Uganda has been hit by a suspension of new loans from the World Bank, after the country passed a harsh law that criminalises same-sex relations and imposes the death penalty for some offences.

    The World Bank said on Tuesday that it would pause project financing to Uganda, pending a review of the impact of the new legislation on its programmes and beneficiaries. The bank said that the law “fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Group’s values”, which include respect for diversity and inclusion.

    The law, which was signed by President Yoweri Museveni in May, bans any form of sexual activity or expression of affection between people of the same sex. It also makes it a crime to “promote” homosexuality, and requires citizens to report anyone suspected of being gay to the authorities. Those found guilty of “aggravated homosexuality”, which includes having gay sex with a minor or while HIV-positive, face the death penalty.

    The law has sparked international condemnation and outrage from human rights groups, who say it violates the rights and dignity of LGBT people and exposes them to violence and discrimination. Several countries, including the US, have imposed sanctions on Uganda over the law, such as visa bans, aid cuts, and travel warnings.

    Uganda has dismissed the criticism as unfair and hypocritical, arguing that the law reflects the views and values of the majority of Ugandans, who consider homosexuality as unnatural and immoral. Uganda’s state minister for foreign affairs Okello Oryem accused the World Bank of double standards, saying that other countries with anti-gay laws did not face similar sanctions.

    “Why pick on Uganda? There are many Middle East countries who do not tolerate homosexuals, they actually hang and execute homosexuals. In the US many states have passed laws that are either against or restrict activities of homosexuality… so why pick on Uganda?” he told Reuters news agency.

    The World Bank had provided $5.4bn (£4.2bn) in development financing to Uganda by the end of 2022, mostly in health and education projects. The bank said that it would continue to support existing projects in Uganda, but would not present any new public financing to its board of executive directors until further notice.

    The suspension of new loans could have a significant impact on Uganda’s economy, which relies heavily on external funding for its budget and development needs. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also warned in June that it would impose stricter conditions on its lending to Uganda over the anti-LGBT law. The IMF approved the release of $120m to Uganda in June, but said that it would monitor the situation closely and assess the implications for its programmes.

  • Couple accused of killing their adopted 5-year-old son by assaulting him

    Couple accused of killing their adopted 5-year-old son by assaulting him

    A fundraiser was organised by two adoptive parents accused of killing their five-year-old son in order to pay for their legal representation.

    Jacob Maloberti, a prison guard, and his wife Lauren are charged with killing 5-year-old Landon by assaulting him.

    Police in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, accused the pair after they took the kid to the hospital on January 30 and said he had been “wobbly from Covid”; however, the boy actually suffered three brain bleeds.

    Lauren created a GoFundMe page two days later, requesting donations to cover their legal expenses.

    “Tragy struck our family when our precious baby boy went unresponsive,” she stated. He was intubated after I took him to the ER, and ever since then, he has been unresponsive. The result does not appear promising.

    CPS removed our parental rights while we were in the hospital while an investigation was being conducted.

    “I’m heartbroken.” We are heartbroken. We both require competent lawyers. I live for my children. As we negotiate life right now with our new uncertainty, any little amount helps.

    “Support our fight Without our kids, I couldn’t survive. Already, I’m losing my boy.

    In a later update, she wrote that her heart was “breaking in a million pieces” and that the parents needed to be prepared for the “most unimaginable outcome.”

    Due to head and neck injuries from severe force trauma, Landon passed away on February 7.

    The page had raised $5,350 before it was deleted when the mother later begged for more money to pay for burial expenses.

    Landon had a “very tough” life, Westmoreland district attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli said at a press conference.

    According to her, Landon suffered blunt force injuries to his head, neck, body, and extremities.

    His injuries resulted in significant pain at the moment they were sustained, as well as functional impairments like the inability to stand, eat, or drink, as well as unconsciousness.

    Tragically, Landon endured pain and abuse throughout his brief life. With the respect and regard due Landon, we aim to pursue this lawsuit.

    “Landon also had numerous bruises in various stages of healing prior to his death and prolonged and intensive medical interventions.”

    Police questioned the couple’s other five children, who claimed that Landon received a spanking because “he does not learn his lesson.”

    They claimed that while Lauren chastised Landon, they would hear him sob as she sent the kids upstairs, and that this made Lauren’more upset’ with him.

    Kathie Sheffler, Landon’s biological grandmother, told police that she had been forbidden from seeing her grandson since April of last year.

    T.J. Klobucar, the police chief in Delmont, claimed in a statement that he had “never faced an incident like this.”

    Jacob, a guard at the Fayette State Correctional Facility, is accused of one crime of criminal homicide, two charges of aggravated child abuse, endangering the welfare of children, criminal conspiracy, and endangering the life of a child.

    The same charges as well as one further count of first-degree murder are brought against Lauren.

    On August 8, the pair is scheduled to return to court.

  • Bryan Kohberger, the accused murderer in Idaho, fails to make a plea

    Bryan Kohberger, the accused murderer in Idaho, fails to make a plea

    Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four University of Idaho students, declined to take a position after he was charged.

    At his hearing on Monday morning at the Latah County Courthouse, Kohberger, 28, opted to “stand silent,” which prompted Judge John Judge to enter a “not guilty” plea on his behalf.

    After being detained in Pennsylvania in December and being returned to Idaho in January, the suspected quadruple murderer entered the courtroom shortly after 9.00 am for the much anticipated hearing.

    He wore an orange prison jumpsuit with what appeared to be a bulletproof vest underneath.

    Bryan Kohberger refused to enter a 'guilty' or 'not guilty' plea at his arraignment on Monday
    Bryan Kohberger refused to enter a ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ plea at his arraignment on Monday (Picture: Court TV)

    Last week, Kohberger was indicted for murder and burglary by a secret grand jury for the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, in November 2022.

    The four victims were found stabbed to death in an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho that they shared with two surviving roommates.

    The case went unsolved with no identifiable suspects for about two months before investigators identified Kohberger, a criminology PhD student at nearby Washington State University in late December 2022.

    Kohberger was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania before being extradited back to Idaho, where he has remained in jail since.

    At Monday’s hearing, Kohberger answered the judge’s questions with brief ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses.

    When asked to enter a plea, Kohberger remained silent. His attorney Anne Taylor informed the judge that her client intended to stand silent instead of pleading ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty.’

    His trial date was set for October 2, 2023. The judge also gave state prosecutors 60 days to decide if they would seek the death penalty if Kohberger is found guilty.

  • An explosion at a chocolate factory left two more people dead

    An explosion at a chocolate factory left two more people dead

    The two remains of those who were missing following an explosion at a chocolate factory in eastern Pennsylvania have been found, bringing the total number of fatalities to seven.

    At the RM Palmer Co. plant in West Reading, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia, an explosion occurred on Friday afternoon.

    The last two remains were found, according to mayor Samantha Kaag, who also stated that no names of the deceased will be released until authorities are assured that all families have been reached.

    “Please appreciate that this is a sad loss, but we are very grateful to bring closure to the families affected in the coming days,” she stated in response.

    Three buildings around the site will be condemned as a precaution, she said.

    She added: ‘This does not mean they are slated for demolition or uninhabitable.’

    ‘Simply that there will still be work happening around them as we proceed and they will need to be looked at further by structural engineers.’

    Moment chocolate factory explodes in Pennsylvania blast that killed seven people

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    One woman was pulled alive from the rubble on Saturday after being found by a search dog.

    Liz Soto witnessed the explosion and is desperately trying to find a friend who works at the plant.

    She told FOX 29: ’She went to work, she’s confirmed to have gone to work, but we don’t know anything about her.’

    Ms Soto also described a ‘loud noise, like a roaring sound’ in the seconds before the explosion.

    Reading Hospital said it received 10 patients and transferred two to other facilities, while two others were admitted in good and fair condition respectively and the others had been discharged.

    A statement from RM Palmer said everyone at the company was ‘devastated’ and it was reaching out to employees and their families through first responders and disaster recovery organisations because its communication systems were down.

    Governor Josh Shapiro vowed support from the state when he visited the scene on Saturday.

    Fire investigators are continuing to examine the scene to try to determine the cause of the blast.

  • Boy hospitalized after attempting suicide by hanging

    Boy hospitalized after attempting suicide by hanging

    After dangling by his neck from a rope ladder inside an amusement park, an 8-year-old child was taken to the hospital.

    Around 1.10 pm on Saturday, the ostensibly strange tragedy happened inside the King of Prussia retail center’s Thrillz High Flying Adventure Park.

    The child, according to Upper Merion police, was climbing a rope ladder when he became caught in it, hanging by his neck.

    NBC 10 quoted Thrillz owner Lisa Cannon as saying, “Following our investigation and examining video footage of today’s tragedy, we can say that the youngster was spotted descending headfirst down a rope ladder and became hooked.”

    The boy became unconscious. He was rescued from the rope by two off-duty police officers. Thrillz employees performed CPR on him at the scene.

    ‘Within 10 seconds, our safety monitors formed a response team along with off-duty police officers and a nurse who was also on site,’ said Cannon.

    ‘Our staff followed protocol and communicated via our internal radio system to our CPR and First Aid certified team members.’

    The boy later regained consciousness and was speaking with first responders. He was transported to Paoli Hospital.

    Elizabeth O’Reilly, who was at the amusement park, said her son and nephew who also witnessed the incident ‘were really upset’ and ‘just wanted to go’.

    ‘I mean my son was on the verge of tears,’ O’Reilly told the TV station. ‘A lot of children were crying. A lot of adults were crying.’

    Investigators ruled the incident accidental. The boy’s family was with him when he became entangled.

    ‘We are thankful to the KOP community for helping us respond in an effective and expeditious manner. We are told by police that the boy is okay and the injury is not serious,’ Cannon said. ‘Our thoughts are with the family and we will be contacting them soon.’

    Thrillz has another location in Connecticut which has an obstacle course similar to one in the TV show Wipeout. Videos of TikTok users playing at the park have garnered millions of views.

    The amusement park’s Pennsylvania location opened earlier this month.

  • Nigerian professor in Pennsylvania fatally stabbed by wife who also shot and killed herself – Reports

    Nigerian professor in Pennsylvania fatally stabbed by wife who also shot and killed herself – Reports

    Dr. Marinus Iwuchukwu, a beloved Nigerian college professor in Pennsylvania, was fatally stabbed by his wife before she shot and killed herself in a murder-suicide case. In a statement, Allegheny County Department of Police said officers went to a Wilkins Township home on Wednesday morning after they received a report about a “violent domestic” dispute involving a couple, PEOPLE reported.

    An individual informed police that a woman in the residence was armed with a gun while another person inside had been stabbed. A SWAT team later responded to the scene to help after the officers were unable to get a response from the people inside the home. Upon entry, the SWAT officers found the bodies of Dr. Iwuchukwu and his wife, Charte Dunn.

    The release also stated that the two deceased individuals also had stab wounds. But the cause of the fatal incident isn’t known. Per marital records obtained by the Duquesne Duke, Dr. Iwuchukwu, 59, and Dunn, 50, married in 2017. And though the deceased college professor filed for divorce in 2020, their separation was yet to be formally approved.

    Dr. Iwuchukwu had a doctorate degree in systematic theology and an M.A. in journalism. Since 2008, the Nigerian native had been working as an associate professor of theology at Duquesne University. He also authored and edited several books.

    Responding to his death, a spokesperson at Duquesne said the incident was a “tragedy for all involved.” A theology department student aide who previously worked with Dr. Iwuchukwu described the deceased professor as a “kindhearted person” who was very interested in what was happening in her life.

    “Marinus became an incredibly accomplished academic theologian … and our world is enriched by his work,” Richard Hanson, who said he was in grad school with Iwuchukwu, wrote on a Catholic Theological Society of America announcement of his death, PEOPLE reported. “But I know that I personally felt even more deeply his kindness, warmth, and ability to communicate peace and love in the most simple and profound ways with all those whom he encountered.”

    Dr. Iwuchukwu’s neighbors also said he was an “outstanding neighbor”, adding that his death had left them in shock. “I’m still looking across the street,” Carl Mosley told the Duquesne Duke. “There’s no words, really. I’m kind of speechless, because he was a good guy.”

    Source: face2faceafrica

  • Meek Mill Pardoned by Pennsylvania Governor

    Meek Mill Pardoned by Pennsylvania Governor

    Meek Mill has secured a pardon.

    The 35-year-old—born Robert Rihmeek Williams—announced the big news via Instagram on Thursday, nearly 15 years after he was convicted of drug- and weapons-related charges. The move serves as an act of forgiveness for certain criminal convictions, and allows the related offenses to be expunged from his criminal record. 

    “Thankyall 🥲 I’m only gone do more for my community on god!” Meek captioned a photo of the declaration signed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf.

    According to Wolf’s office, Meek was among 369 individuals who received a pardon in Pennsylvania this week. Gov. Wolf has issued a total of 2,540 pardons since taking office in 2015, marking the most of any governor in Pennsylvania history. 

    “I have taken this process very seriously—reviewing and giving careful thought to each and every one of these 2,540 pardons and the lives they will impact,” said the governor, who will leave office on Jan. 17. “Every single one of the Pennsylvanians who made it through the process truly deserves their second chance, and it’s been my honor to grant it. A record prevents positive forward motion in a person’s life and can spark a repetitive cycle of defeat. I firmly believe that with restored rights, pardoned Pennsylvanians prove themselves by stepping up and giving back to our communities.” 

    Over the past several years, Meek has become a leading figure in the fight for criminal justice reform, as his own legal battle sparked public outcry and nationwide protests. In 2017, the Dream Chasers boss was sentenced to 2-4 years in prison for probation violations, a sentence that was widely criticized as unjust and heavy-handed. 

    Presiding Judge Genece Brinkley, was accused of having a personal vendetta against Meek and demonstrating inappropriate behavior throughout his case. Meek’s team claimed Brinkley had asked Meek to write a song about her, urged him to change managers, and even checked up on him as he was doing community service. 

    Brinkley was transferred to civil court last year, after court officials expressed concerns over her ethics and work management. The judge went on to file a racial and gender discrimination lawsuit, as well as a petition to reverse the transfer, claiming it raised “unwarranted suspicions about [her] integrity and performance.”

    In addition to fighting for criminal justice reform, Meek has spent the last year giving back to his community. Earlier this week, the rapper announced he, Kevin Hart, and Michael Rubin collectively donated $7 million to Philadelphia-area schools.

    You see the blogs didn’t catch this one 🤔 they highlight anything negative about their own people, it’s getting readable! https://t.co/DJRjjToFfq— MeekMill (@MeekMill) January 10, 2023

    Source: Complex.com

  • Man arrested after TSA finds loaded handgun in his carry-on bag

    A Pennsylvania resident was arrested this week after he was allegedly found with a loaded gun at Newark Liberty International Airport.

  • US elections: John Fetterman’s victory in Pennsylvania boosts Democrats

    For TV personalities-turned-politicians, Pennsylvania delivered a stinging rebuke in this election. Not only for Mehmet Oz, the celebrity doctor who came to fame on The Oprah Winfrey Show, but for Donald Trump too, the – well, you know the back story.

    Mr Trump lent Dr Oz his endorsement in April, saying that his chosen candidate for the crucial Senate race would help “stop the Radical Left maniacs from destroying our country”.

    Instead, he’s gone down to a convincing defeat at the hands of his Democratic opponent John Fetterman, who successfully courted blue-collar Pennsylvanians with a traditionally left-wing raft of policies, including a promise to tackle corporate greed.

    And – in a further twist that could be right out of a Hollywood script – the slick TV physician came up short against a candidate who’s been struggling to overcome the debilitating effects of a stroke on the campaign trail.

    Dr Oz’s political demise arguably leaves Mr Trump’s role as Republican kingmaker on life-support, and the ex-president’s chance of a third tilt at the White House in 2024 now the subject of serious probing.

    Even his staunchest of allies are advising that he puts on pause a widely anticipated announcement, earlier teased to come next week.

    No wonder Pennsylvania is being so roundly cheered by Democrats.

    It is the highlight of an election that looks to have been about rejecting the Trumpian alternative at least as much as any condemnation of President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy.

    Ex-President Donald Trump talks to the press on the grounds of his Mar-a-Lago resort on midterm elections night, Palm Beach, Florida, 8 November 2022
    IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS Image caption, Trump has said he will not take responsibility for those Republicans he supported but did not get elected

    Livid Trump, triumphant Fetterman

    And it is with no small degree of relish that insiders are sharing tweets – unconfirmed – suggesting that the former president is furious, with one claiming he has even begun blaming his wife Melania for the choice of Dr Oz.

    Mr Biden took Pennsylvania in the 2020 presidential vote by a narrow margin after appealing to white working-class voters and winning them back from Mr Trump.

    The hoodie-wearing, tattooed Mr Fetterman – once mayor of the former steel-town Braddock, and director of its youth programme – has used those credentials to do the same.

    But the health setback introduced a huge note of uncertainty on the campaign trail, particularly after he was seen to be struggling to articulate fluently in last month’s TV debate.

    How much would his stroke weigh on the minds of voters and raise questions about his fitness to govern?

    When we caught up with Mr Fetterman before polls opened, his minders were working hard to keep reporters at bay as he posed for photos outside a United Steelworkers Union chapter in Coatesville, a suburb of Philadelphia.

    “Are you feeling confident?” I shouted out over their heads, but there was no reply.

    However, as votes were counted into the early hours of the morning, it was clear he had overcome the doubters, and the personal and the political came together in an emotional victory speech.

    “I’m proud of what we ran on,” he told supporters.

    “Protecting a woman’s right to choose, raising our minimum wage, fighting for the union way of life, healthcare as a fundamental human right. It saved my life and it should be there for you if you all ever need it.”

    Did abortion help win it for Fetterman?

    Pennsylvania also brought another key election issue into sharp focus – the central role that abortion is playing across the US political landscape.

    Mr Fetterman referenced it in his victory speech, and it was something female voters we spoke to outside the polling stations mentioned, too.

    One young woman told us it was the only issue she was voting on – turning out for Mr Fetterman for his pro-choice stance.

    Another woman – an anti-abortion Republican mother – said she could no longer speak about politics to her voting-age daughter because they were so firmly in opposite camps.

    In his televised debate, Dr Oz’s weakest moment was seen by many to come when he said that abortion was an issue for “women, doctors [and] local political leaders” to decide.

    His strong anti-abortion stance was already known, but that formulation – seeming to conjure the image of lawmakers in the room alongside women and doctors – was considered a major blunder.

    Democrats may be buoyed by the midterm results, but they would be wrong to be complacent.

    Mr Trump still holds significant sway with a large swathe of the Republican base and still has a major financial war-chest at his disposal.

    And even if he is now politically weakened, he may have to face bigger threats out there.

    The triumph of Ron DeSantis in Florida – re-elected governor with a massively increased majority – is a victory for a culture warrior promising to make Florida a place where “woke comes to die”.

    The result is seen as raising his chances of winning the Republican 2024 nomination for the presidency.

    Some argue he may be a far more formidable rival for Democrats than Mr Trump – but harbouring the same anti-democratic instincts.

    The former president is certainly treating Mr DeSantis as a threat, warning this week that he would reveal things about the governor that “won’t be very flattering” if he does launch a presidential bid of his own.

    For now, though, Republicans appear to have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as their predicted “red wave” is turning into little more than a ripple.

    And perhaps more than anywhere else, it is the victory in Pennsylvania of a man who – just a few months ago suffered a stroke that nearly killed him – that has kept Democrat hopes alive.

    Source: BBC.com

  • Pennsylvania exit poll data shows gender divide

    Some interesting details emerged in the CBS exit polling in Pennsylvania showing how the key Senate race appeared have been divided along gender lines.

    Pollsters found men backing Republican Mehmet Oz by double-digits, while women favoured his Democrat opponent John Fetterman by roughly the same margin.

    That matches some of the anecdotal evidence we’d heard, with one young woman telling us outside a voting station that, for her, this was a single issue election – abortion.

    In last month’s televised debate, Oz’s weakest moment was seen by many to come when he said that abortion was an issue for “women, doctors, local political leaders” to decide.

    His strong anti-abortion stance was already known, but that formulation, seeming to conjure the image of local legislators in the room alongside women and doctors, was seen as a major flub.

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    If abortion was a motivating factor for women in Pennsylvania, the CBS exit polls found that for men, the top issue on their minds was inflation.

  • Pennsylvania battle had been fierce contest

    The contest between John Fetterman and his Republican rival Mehmet Oz had been among the most high-profile contests of the election, with twists and turns in a campaign that involved everything from claims over puppy-killing to questions over the Democratic candidate’s health.

    Fetterman had a strong lead earlier in the campaign, but suffered a stroke in May.

    He stayed out of the public eye for months afterwards, instead relying on television adverts and an aggressively snarky social media campaign to build a polling lead over his opponent, celebrity surgeon Oz – whom he painted as a super-wealthy out-of-state political opportunist.

    In October, a report that the Republican had conducted experiments involving puppies spawned social media memes.

    But Fetterman’s reluctance to take part in televised interviews led to questions over his health and fitness to serve as a senator – and appeared to have been reflected in the polls that tightened dramatically in the last days of the race.

    Despite the difficulties, Fetterman came out on top.

    Source: BBC