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US court rules for Boston in Satanic Temple opening prayer lawsuit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

Not today, Satan.A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit The Satanic Temple filed against the City of Boston, ruling that the City Council did not discriminate against the group when it chose not to grant its request to deliver an opening prayer at a weekly meeting.“Invocation speakers are invited at the discretion of the individual city councilors, which heightens Establishment Clause concerns,” U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley wrote in a 31-page ruling filed on Monday.“The evidence on record, however, suggests that the city councilors’ discretion was not exercised in such a way that individuals or groups were excluded from giving an invocation because of their religious beliefs.”Kelley said the City Council “did not allow some requests while denying others.” Rather, she wrote that “the city councilors’ primary motivation in selecting an invocation speaker,” based on evidence reviewed by the court, “has always been the individual or organization’s involvement in the community...

The judge assigned to Trump’s Jan. 6 case is a tough punisher of Capitol rioters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal judge assigned to the election fraud case against former President Donald Trump has stood out as one of the toughest punishers of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attack fueled by Trump’s baseless claims of a stolen election. She has also ruled against him before.Trump is to appear Thursday before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, a former assistant public defender who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama. She often has handed down prison sentences in Jan. 6, 2021, riot cases that are harsher than Justice Department prosecutors recommended.Trump was indicted Tuesday on federal felony charges for his persistent efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the two months leading up to the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.Chutkan has ruled against Trump before in a separate Jan. 6 case. In November 2021, she refused his request to block the release of document...

Trump’s 2024 GOP rivals have mixed reactions to the indictment against him. Follow live updates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Follow along for live updates on the Justice Department’s indictment of former President Donald Trump over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The charges focus on schemes by Trump and his allies to subvert the transfer of power and keep him in office despite his loss to Joe Biden.___WHAT TO KNOW— Trump has now been indicted for the third time. Here’s where all the investigations stand— Trump also was indicted in June on charges that he illegally hoarded classified documents— Mar-a-Lago’s property manager is the latest Trump staffer ensnared in his legal turmoil— Special counsel Jack Smith has a long career of confronting corruptionFILE – Rioters wave flags on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)TRUMP’S 2024 GOP RIVALS HAVE MIXED REACTIONS TO THE INDICTMENT AGAINST HIMDonald Trump’s rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination are givi...

Padres trade with Marlins, net infielder and pitcher

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres continued to make deals Tuesday before the 3 p.m. PT Major League Baseball trade deadline.Soon after receiving left-handed pitcher Rich Hill and first baseman Ji-Man Choi from the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Padres made another move, acquiring infielder Garrett Cooper and right-handed pitcher Sean Reynolds from the Miami Marlins for left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers, the team announced on its website.Cooper, who was a 2022 National League All-Star, is batting .256 (78-for-305) with 11 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 46 RBI and 28 runs scored in 82 games played this season. The 32-year-old, was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Auburn University. Padres acquire Ji-Man Choi, Rich Hill in trade with Pirates Reynolds, a 25-year-old who has played with Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Jacksonville in the Marlins' system this season, has recorded 12 saves in 17 save opportunities. He has a 2.77 ...

Judge assigned to Trump’s Jan. 6 case is a tough punisher of Capitol rioters. Follow live updates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Follow along for live updates on the Justice Department’s indictment of former President Donald Trump over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The charges focus on schemes by Trump and his allies to subvert the transfer of power and keep him in office despite his loss to Joe Biden. ___WHAT TO KNOW— Trump has now been indicted for the third time. Here’s where all the investigations stand— Trump also was indicted in June on charges that he illegally hoarded classified documents— Mar-a-Lago’s property manager is the latest Trump staffer ensnared in his legal turmoil— Special counsel Jack Smith has a long career of confronting corruption___The judge assigned to Trump’s Jan. 6 case is a tough punisher of Capitol riotersThe federal judge assigned to the election fraud case against former President Donald Trump has stood out as one of the toughest punishers of rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attack fueled by Trump’...

Sao Paulo police kill 14 people in sprawling raid in wake of the killing of elite officer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

SAO PAULO (AP) — The death toll from an ongoing raid in Sao Paulo state has climbed to 14, as law enforcement agents sought to strike at the people they blame for killing an elite squad officer last week. The sprawling operation has raised questions about the use of lethal force by police.Sao Paulo Gov. Tarcisio de Freitas, who on Monday had said 10 people were killed, on Tuesday announced the increased tally. News website G1 said the revised figures make the raid the most deadly in Brazil’s most populous and wealthiest state since 2006.De Freitas, a former minister of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and deemed by many politicians as his potential heir, said he is proud of his policemen involved in the statewide raid, which is expected to finish on Aug. 28. The operation is also seeking the arrests of the killers of elite policeman Patrick Bastos Reis, who was shot dead on Thursday.“Those who decided to turn themselves in were arrested,” the governor said when asked about ...

Verlander going back to Houston highlights flurry of MLB trades ahead of Tuesday’s deadline

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — In a matter of days, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer went from teammates on the New York Mets to opposite sides of a Lone Star rivalry.That’s how it goes this time of year.Verlander was shipped from New York to Houston ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, returning to the Astros after he helped them win the World Series last year. The retooling Mets received minor league outfielders Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford in the deal.“It’s a big day when you have your Cy Young guy come back,” Houston owner Jim Crane told The Associated Press.Verlander’s reunion with the Astros headlined a deadline day that seemed more suited for the sellers than the buyers. With a handful of talented players staying on their underwhelming teams, there were no huge surprises. “This was a very strong sellers’ market,” Phillies President Dave Dombrowski said. “There were very few clubs that were actually looking to sell, and a lot of clubs that were willing to buy.”Looking...

Utah law requiring age verification for porn sites remains in effect after judge tosses lawsuit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah law requiring adult websites to verify the age of their users will remain in effect after a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit from an industry group challenging its constitutionality.The dismissal poses a setback for digital privacy advocates and the Free Speech Coalition, which sued on behalf of adult entertainers, erotica authors, sex educators and casual porn viewers over the Utah law — and another in Louisiana — designed to limit access to materials considered vulgar or explicit.U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart did not address the group’s arguments that the law unfairly discriminates against certain kinds of speech, violates the First Amendment rights of porn providers and intrudes on the privacy of individuals who want to view sexually explicit materials.Dismissing their lawsuit on Tuesday, he instead said they couldn’t sue Utah officials because of how the law calls for age verification to be enforced. The law doesn’t direct ...

Grand jury indicts man accused of shooting and killing 1 and injuring 4 at Atlanta medical practice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — A man accused of shooting and killing one woman and injuring four others when he opened fire inside the waiting room of an Atlanta medical practice has been indicted on charges including murder.A Fulton County grand jury indicted Deion Patterson on Thursday in the May 3 shooting in the city’s Midtown neighborhood. He was captured hours later in Cobb County, just northwest of Atlanta.Amy St. Pierre, 38, was pronounced dead at the scene. Patterson is charged with murder and felony murder in her death.He is charged with four counts of attempted murder, one count each in the shootings of Jazzmin Daniel, Lisa Glynn, Alesha Hollinger and Georgette Whitlow. Patterson is represented by a team from the Georgia Public Defender Council led by attorney Shawn Hoover.“A veteran with a history of mental health issues, Mr. Patterson is innocent until proven otherwise,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday. “His defense team is working tirelessly on his behalf and ...

Missouri man executed for 2002 abduction, killing of 6-year-old girl lured to abandoned factory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:36:47 GMT

BONNE TERRE, Mo. (AP) — A man who abducted a 6-year-old Missouri girl and beat her to death at an abandoned factory two decades ago was put to death Tuesday evening, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request to block the execution over arguments he was mentally incompetent.Johnny Johnson, 45, received a a lethal injection dose of pentobarbital at a state prison in Bonne Terre and was pronounced dead at 6:33 p.m. CDT, authorities said. He was convicted of the July 2002 killing of Casey Williamson in the St. Louis area suburb of Valley Park.Johnson expressed remorse in a brief handwritten statement released by the Department of Corrections hours before being executed. “God Bless. Sorry to the people and family I hurt,” Johnson’s statement said.As he laid on his back with a sheet up to his neck, Johnson turned his head to the left, appearing to listen to his spiritual adviser shortly before the injection began. He then faced forward with his eyes closed, with no further p...