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Oklahoma man could get new trial amid prosecutor misconduct

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma man convicted of murder for stabbing another man to death in 2018 could get a new trial after the district attorney acknowledged two of his former prosecutors watched jurors deliberate via a video feed into the courtroom.Robert Kraft, 34, of Choteau, Oklahoma, was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder in July 2022, and the jury recommended a life prison sentence. But Kraft’s attorney has filed a motion for a mistrial after District Attorney Matt Ballard acknowledged two of the prosecutors on the case, Isaac Shields and George Gibbs, Jr., watched jurors deliberate.A status hearing in the case was held on Monday, but the judge has yet to rule on the mistrial motion.Kraft’s attorney, M.J. Denman, Jr., said it’s a miscarriage of justice that the two prosecutors illegally observed jury deliberations and gave the prosecution an advantage that he was not afforded.“It’s like playing cards and not realizing you have a mirror behind you ...

Paper changes caused Maricopa County printer failure: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Problems with ballot printers that caused lines to back up at some Phoenix-area polling places last year were not caused by malicious actions but by changes to the paper, a retired Arizona Supreme Court justice concluded in a report released Monday.County officials used longer ballots on thicker paper than had been used previously, changes that were made in part to respond to unfounded conspiracy theories but which pushed the printers to the edge of their capabilities, former Justice Ruth McGregor wrote. She added that preelection testing may not have caught the problem because the test didn’t properly mimic the stresses that printers experience on Election Day.“Nothing we learned in our interviews or document reviews gave any clear indication that the problems should have been anticipated,” McGregor wrote.McGregor’s findings show the challenges confronting election officials as they respond to concerns spread by election deniers with changes that carry their ow...

Cannabis company Tilray to buy rival Hexo in all-share deal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

Tilray Brands Inc. is buying fellow cannabis company Hexo Corp. in an all-share deal valued at US$56 millionaimed at helping the business navigate a “challenging” cannabis market that has seen significant price compression. The deal announced Monday will unite Leamington, Ont.-based Tilray, which is behind Broken Coast, RIFF, Solei and Good Supply, with Gatineau, Que.-based Hexo, known for its Redecan, Original Stash and Bake Sale brands.The arrangement will see Tilray issue 0.4352 shares of its stock for each outstanding Hexo share.Tilray chief executive Irwin Simon positioned the deal as way to increase the company’s market share, broaden their product offerings and deliver at least $25 million in additional cost savings on an annualized basis.“Together we have the assets and the operating expertise to build a stronger Canadian platform that takes advantage of clear opportunities to deliver stronger topline growth and increase our market share,” he sa...

U.S. ‘allies, partners,’ including Canada, briefed by U.S. after intelligence leaked

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

WASHINGTON — U.S. government officials spent the weekend briefing impacted allies and partners, including Canada, following reports detailing a leak of sensitive U.S. intelligence about Russia’s war with Ukraine and its potential ramifications. The trove of documents reportedly included an assessment of claims that Russian-backed hackers managed back in February to access the systems controlling part of Canada’s natural gas infrastructure.The Canadian Press has not independently verified those claims. Some of the material — discovered Friday after it had been posted to online forums and social media channels — appeared to have been altered. “We’re still working through the validity of all the documents that we know are out there,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. “U.S. officials have … communicated with relevant nations, relevant allies and partners as appropriate, at very high levels.” Federal officials in Ottawa acknowl...

Superseding indictment charges 6th defendant in the murder of Chicago rapper

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

CHICAGO — A sixth person has been charged in connection to the shooting death of Carlton Weekly, who was a Chicago rapper known as 'FBG Duck.'A superseding indictment from the federal government was unsealed Monday, charging Ralph Turpin, 33, with participating in a criminal organization that murdered Weekly and 'violently protected' the gang and its territories on the South Side of Chicago, according to a press release from the US District Court of Northern Illinois.A superseding indictment is an indictment where an additional charge is filed against a defendant after the original indictment is handed down. In the original indictment, it alleges the O-Block gang engaged in numerous acts of violence, where they publicly claimed responsibility for them in Chicago and used social media and music to increase their criminal enterprise.Among the alleged acts of violence was the murder of Weekly, who was shot and killed in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood back on Aug. 4, 2020. Feds cha...

Blackhawks' 2022-2023 plan is working historically well

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

CHICAGO — At the moment, things are going historically to plan for the Blackhawks as they approach the final week of their season.That's because their point total for 2022-2023 is close to the fewest in an 82-game campaign in franchise history.With three games left to go, including Monday's game against the Wild at the United Center, the Blackhawks have just 56 points, which would be the lowest ever in a season that's lasted as long.Their previous low was 59, which they had over 82 games in the 2003-2004 season, the last before a new overtime format was submitted. It eliminated ties, instituted the shootout, and gave teams that made it to the extra session an automatic point. Even if the Blackhawks win out, 2022-2023 is guaranteed to be the second-worst for the team in an 82-game season since they have a maximum of six games to play. The 2005-2006 team finished with 65 points while last year's Blackhawks finished with 68. Their .354 point percentage would be the lowest in an 82-game...

Bowfisherman scores world record fish in Missouri

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KTVI) - When Mitchell Dering got off work on March 14, he had the itch to go fishing. Dering went to Duck Creek Conservation Area in southeastern Missouri with his bow and scanned the waters on one of the ditches. When he saw a bullhead in the water, he took aim. His shot was true, and he knew the fish was big. Missing NY cat returns home, rings owner’s doorbell: ‘We all gasped’ The next day, Dering brought the brown bullhead to the Missouri Department of Conservation's Southeast Regional Office in Wappapello to weigh the fish on a certified scale.The brown bullhead weighed 4 pounds, shattering the previous record of 2 pounds, 7 ounces set in 1994.It also tops the current bowfishing world record of 3 pounds, 4 ounces. According to the Bowfishing Association of America, that record was set by a Florida fisherman in 2021.“That’s honestly pretty awesome,” Dering said. “I’ve bowfished for quite a while. We’ve won a few tournaments in Kentucky and Tennessee and hav...

NASCAR's Cody Ware charged with assault, suspended from racing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. (WJZY) – NASCAR driver Cody Shane Ware has been suspended indefinitely after he was arrested on assault and strangulation charges this month in North Carolina, according to NASCAR officials and the Iredell County Sheriff's Office. The alleged aggravated assault was reported at 10:39 p.m. on Monday, April 3, at a residence in Mooresville, the incident report states.Authorities say the crime occurred on April 3, however, online records show Ware wasn't booked into jail on charges until one week later, on April 10. The charges listed were assault by strangulation - inflicting serious injury and assault on a female. The total bond was listed at $3,000. Additional details have yet to be released.Records show that the 27-year-old was booked into the Iredell County Detention Center on Monday, and had a court appearance. Ware missed this past weekend's dirt race in Bristol citing personal reasons, according to NASCAR. Matt Crafton was his replacement."Cody Ware will ste...

Rural school leaders criticize business incentive bill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Superintendents of rural Texas schools on Monday criticized legislation that would incentivize corporate investment with property tax privileges, citing concerns the bill's exclusion of renewable energy projects would hurt their areas.House Bill 5 by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, aims to attract large manufacturing and energy operations to Texas by facilitating agreements between them and local school districts regarding property tax breaks.The bill is intended as an answer to the now-expired Chapter 313 tax abatement program, which provided property tax breaks to corporations before the legislature allowed it to expire last legislative session.Rural school district superintendents testified they agree the new economic development tool would benefit the state. However, they worry it would leave them behind because the latest version of the bill does not extend the same privileges to renewable energy projects."I would be testifying for the bill if the bill i...

Llano County to discuss future of public library in special meeting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:37 GMT

LLANO COUNTY, Texas -- In a special meeting Thursday, the Llano County Commissioners Court will discuss plans to "continue or cease operations of the current physical Llano County Library System," according to the agenda. Llano County ordered to return removed books to its library system by federal court In a civil court case against Llano County, a federal court partially granted a preliminary injunction, ordering the return of books previously removed from the county’s library system in March.According to court documents, the county must also update the library system’s searchable catalog to reflect that the books were available for checkout and keep them from removing any more books.On Oct. 28, 2022, a lawsuit brought by Llano County residents was brought against their county government and library system in connection with “removed” books at the public libraries.According to a past KXAN report, attorneys for the plaintiffs said the books were targeted for removal due to their ...