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A year later, the sprawling Georgia election interference case against Donald Trump has stalled

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ATLANTA (AP) — A year after a Georgia grand jury indicted Donald Trump and others for illegally attempting to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election, the case has stalled and has no likelihood of being tried before the end of the year.

When Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis obtained the indictment a year ago Thursday, it was the fourth and most sweeping criminal case against the former president. Trump narrowly lost in Georgia to Democrat Joe Biden, and Willis used Georgia’s anti-bribery law to allege that he and 18 others participated in a wide-ranging conspiracy to subvert the will of the state’s voters.

Willis’ team has scored some early victories in the case, but controversial allegations made by one in every of Trump’s co-defendants earlier this year have delayed the proceedings and will even derail the prosecution.

Here are some facts you need to find out about this case.

A long indictment that casts a large net

The nearly 100-page indictment contained 41 criminal charges against Trump and 18 others. In addition to the former president, his White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and conservative lawyer Sidney Powell were also charged.

All three defendants have been charged with violating state anti-corruption laws, and the indictment accommodates 161 alleged counts to back that up. The narrative presented by prosecutors is that multiple individuals committed separate crimes to attain a standard goal — difficult Trump’s election defeat.

The indictment includes charges stemming from a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger through which Trump urged the state’s top elections official to assist him “find” the votes he needed to win. Other charges include inducing a slate of Republican electors to falsely state that Trump had won the state, allegations of harassing an election employee in Georgia and tampering with election equipment in a rural south Georgia county.

The judge overseeing the case in March dismissed six counts in the indictment, including three of the 13 charges against Trump. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee wrote that prosecutors didn’t provide sufficient detail about the alleged crime in those charges. Willis’ team has appealed that ruling.

First of its kind mugshot

When Trump arrived in Atlanta last August to be arrested on the charges, he was quickly released on bail. But his transient stay in Fulton County Jail marked the first time the former president needed to pose for a mugshot.

While Trump and the other defendants needed to be taken to jail, they waived their first court appearances. While his lawyers have been present and presented arguments at quite a few hearings over the past year, Trump has yet to set foot in a Georgia court.

Early victories for prosecutors

Four of the 18 people charged with Trump in Georgia pleaded guilty to lesser charges after reaching deals with prosecutors inside months of the indictment.

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Bail bondsman Scott Hall pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in September. Prosecutors accused him of participating in an election equipment breach in rural Coffee County.

The following month, Powell and attorney Kenneth Chesebro pleaded guilty. Powell was also charged with violating Coffee County, while Chesebro helped organize the Republicans’ election plan. Both reached plea deals with prosecutors just before their scheduled trial, citing their rights to a speedy trial.

Days later, attorney Jenna Ellis, who actively supported Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, tearfully pleaded guilty.

Lecherous accusations turn the case the other way up

In early January, a lawyer for co-defendant Michael Roman, a Trump campaign staffer and former White House aide, alleged in court papers that Willis had engaged in a bootleg romantic relationship with attorney Nathan Wade, whom she had appointed to guide the prosecution of Trump and others.

The lawsuit alleged that Willis benefited financially from the case because Wade used his earnings to take her on trips. It said this created a conflict of interest and that Willis and her office needs to be faraway from the case. Willis and Wade admitted to the relationship but said they split travel and other expenses.

In a unprecedented hearing, intimate details of Willis and Wade’s personal lives were aired in court and broadcast continue to exist television. Judge McAfee chastised Willis for a “gross lapse in judgment” but found no conflict of interest that may justify her removal if Wade left the case. Wade resigned hours later.

Trump and other defendants have appealed McAfee’s ruling. That appeal is currently before the Georgia Court of Appeals, which plans to listen to arguments in December after which must issue a ruling by mid-March. In the meantime, the appeals court has barred McAfee from taking further motion in the case against Trump or the other defendants in the appeal while it’s pending.

What’s next?

It’s not entirely clear.

Regardless of how the Court of Appeals rules, the losing side will likely ask the Georgia Supreme Court to weigh in. That would cause further delay if the high court were to conform to hear the case.

The November general election, through which Trump is the Republican presidential candidate, brings more uncertainty. Even if appeals courts ultimately determine Willis can stay in the case, it seems unlikely she would have the opportunity to proceed prosecuting Trump while he’s president if he wins the election.

Complicating matters further, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official actions that fall inside their “exclusive sphere of constitutional authority” and are presumptively entitled to immunity for all official actions. They will not be protected for unofficial or private actions.

Trump’s lawyers in Georgia filed a motion for presidential immunity earlier this year. If Willis is allowed to proceed her criminal case sooner or later, his lawyers are certain to make use of the Supreme Court ruling to argue it needs to be dismissed.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Celebrity chef and former NFL player Tobias Dorzon is recovering from a shooting attack

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Tobias Dorzon, Tobias Dorzon shooting, Chef Tobias, Black celebrity chefs, theGrio.com

Celebrity chef and former NFL player Tobias Dorzon is recovering after being shot during an alleged robbery.

The shooting occurred on the evening of Tuesday, November 5 in Hyattsville, Maryland, when multiple suspects attempted to rob a man and woman who had just returned from dinner, based on statement from the Hyattsville Police Department.

Police said the victims were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Although authorities didn’t initially discover the victims, local council member Wanika Fisher revealed that Dorzon was amongst those attacked.

“I am disheartened and saddened by the news that Prince George’s County restaurant owner Tobias Dorzon was one of two people shot during an attempted robbery Tuesday evening in my neighborhood,” Fisher began in a news release.

She added that Dorzon, a Riverdale native, owns two “amazing” restaurants in Hyattsville and is considered a “dear” friend of hers.

“Such a terrible act could not have happened to a better person,” Fisher continued within the statement. “I offer my sincere condolences to him and the other victim, as well as their families and friends, and wish them both a speedy recovery. This type of senseless violence has no place in our county and county.”

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According to Fisher, Dorzon is an “extremely talented” chef who has represented Prince George’s County on the national stage and appeared on several Food Network shows. Most recently, the 39-year-old chef participated within the Food Network’s “Last Bite Hotel,” where he made it to the ultimate 4. He also hosts “Time Out with Tobias” on ESPN.

Off-screen, Dorzon currently owns and manages a company Huncho’s house and exclusive 1123 By Chef Tobias. This spring, he was named Maryland Chef of the Year, the primary honor for somebody from Prince George’s County. In 2021 helped James Harden open his restaurant Thirteen in Houston.

Before becoming a master chef, the Maryland native played within the NFL for each the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans. He also had a stint playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.

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Every week after the shooting, Dorzon updated followers Instagram on his progress.

“I’m still here, thank you all for your prayers. See you soon…. Huncho,” he wrote within the caption of a post that included a screenshot of a tweet during which he admitted that, all things considered, he should be “God’s favorite.”


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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US bans airlines from flying to Haiti and UN suspends flights after gangs shot up planes

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Haiti, Haiti Violence, Haitian gangs, flying to Haiti, gang violence in Haiti, Haitian travel suspended, flights to Haiti suspended, Haitian Prime Minister, Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – The Federal Aviation Administration has banned U.S. airlines from flying to Haiti for 30 days after gangs shot three planes and the United Nations also temporarily suspended flights to Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, limiting humanitarian aid flowing into the country.

On Monday, bullets hit a Spirit Airlines plane that was about to land within the capital, injuring a flight attendant and forcing the airport to close. Photos and videos obtained by The Associated Press show bullet holes scattered throughout the plane’s interior.

On Tuesday, JetBlue and American Airlines announced that post-flight inspections showed their planes were also shot down on Monday while departing Port-au-Prince. The American suspended flights to the capital until February 12.

The shootings were a part of a wave of violence that erupted because the country tormented by gang violence swore in a brand new prime minister after a politically turbulent process.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the agency documented 20 armed clashes and more roadblocks affecting humanitarian operations during Monday’s violence. Port-au-Prince airport will remain closed until November 18, and Dujarric said the United Nations will redirect flights to the country’s second airport, within the northern, quieter city of Cap Haïtien.

Difficult access to the epicenter of violence, Port-au-Prince, is probably going to be devastating as gangs choke life within the capital pushed Haiti to the brink of famine. Dujarric warned that cutting off flights would mean “reducing the flow of humanitarian aid and humanitarian personnel into the country.”

A convoy of 20 trucks full of food and medical supplies has already been rescheduled south, and an operation to provide money assistance to 1,000 people within the Carrefour area, where violence broke out, had to be called off.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure business continuity in this difficult environment,” he said. “We call for an end to the escalation of violence to allow safe, sustainable and unimpeded humanitarian access.”

Life in much of Haiti’s capital got here to a standstill on Tuesday after a wave of violence. Heavily armed police in armored cars checked passing public transport trucks outside the airport.

Schools were closed, as were banks and government offices. The streets, where just the day before there had been a fierce shootout with gangs and police, were eerily empty, with few people passing by apart from motorcycles with a shot man hanging on behind.

In the afternoon, the sounds of heavy gunfire continued to echo through the streets – a reminder that despite political maneuvering by Haiti’s elites and a robust push from the international community to restore peace, the country’s toxic gang group retained a robust grip on many of the Caribbean nation.

The United Nations estimates that gangs control 85% of the capital Port-au-Prince. UN supported mission run by Kenyan police to quell gang violence, scuffling with an absence of funding and staff that prompted the calls for the UN peacekeeping mission.

President Luis Abinader within the Dominican Republic, which borders Haiti, was the primary leader on the island to condemn the violence, labeling the shooting an “act of terrorism.”

On Tuesday, the transitional council established in April to restore democratic order in Haiti also condemned the violence.

“This cowardly crime, which threatens Haiti’s sovereignty and security, goals to isolate our country on the international stage. The perpetrators of those heinous acts shall be tracked down and brought to justice,” the council said in a press release.

The council has faced fierce criticism from many in Haiti who say its political struggles and corruption charges against three members has created political instability, allowing gangs to violently seize power, as happened on Monday.

This happened on the weekend when the primary shot was fired interim Prime Minister Garry Conille – he argued with the Council for a very long time. They replaced him with businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who was inaugurated on Monday surrounded by suit-wearing officials and diplomats as gangs terrorized the encompassing capital.

Neither Fils-Aimé nor Conille commented on the wave of violence.

Conille initially called the council’s move illegal, but on Tuesday he confirmed Fils-Aimé’s appointment in a post on the X social media platform.

“(I) wish him success in fulfilling this mission. At this crucial moment, unity and solidarity are essential for our country. Long live Haiti!” he wrote. Fils-Aimé promised to work with international partners to restore peace and hold long-awaited elections, a promise also made by his predecessor.

Haiti is changing its prime minister, which means more confusion in the democratic transition

But many Haitians, like 43-year-old Martha Jean-Pierre, don’t have any taste for political fighting, which experts say only gives gangs more freedom to further expand their control.

Jean-Pierre was amongst those that braved the streets of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday to sell bananas, carrots, cabbage and potatoes, which she carried in a basket on her head. She said she had no alternative – selling was the one way she could feed her children.

“What good is a new prime minister if there is no security, if I cannot move freely and sell my goods?” she said, nodding at her basket of vegetables. “This is my bank account. My family depends on it.”

The frustration alarmed international actors comparable to the UN and the US, who called for a peaceful resolution to the situation in Haiti.

On Tuesday, the US State Department regretted that Conille and the Council had been “unable to make progress in a constructive manner” and called on Fils-Aimé and the Council to present a transparent plan of motion with a shared vision to reduce violence and pave the way in which for an electoral path that is meant to “prevent further deadlock.”

“The urgent and immediate needs of the Haitian people compel the interim government to prioritize governance over the competing personal interests of political actors,” the statement said.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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After the mass shooting in Baltimore, there were no homicides for an entire year

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Baltimore, Baltimore mass shooting, Baltimore Safe Streets, Baltimore violence, Baltimore homicides, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, theGrio.com

BALTIMORE (AP) – As gun violence continues to say no in Baltimore after years of rampant bloodshed, the historically turbulent neighborhood in the city’s southwest corner is celebrating a long-awaited victory: zero homicides in greater than a year.

These numbers have particular significance for the Brooklyn community where: mass shooting in July 2023, it tore through the annual summer party, leaving two people dead and 28 others injured in the courtyard of an aging public housing estate. Majority victims they were teenagers and young adults.

In the wake of the tragedy, the city’s flagship anti-violence program Safe Streets has stepped up its efforts in the area, and officials say the efforts are paying off. On Tuesday afternoon, residents and city officials gathered near the site of the mass shooting to have fun a year of progress.

“This just isn’t just an achievement for Safe Streets. It’s a testament to Brooklyn’s resilience and community strength,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. “This is a community that has been sold out, neglected and ignored for a protracted, very long time. But together, together, we are saying enough is enough.

Citywide, homicides are down about 24% in comparison with this time last year. That’s roughly it 20% decline in 2023when Baltimore recorded fewer than 300 homicides for the first time in nearly a decade, ending a surge that began in 2015 after the death of Freddie Gray and widespread civil unrest.

Violent crimes too decreased nationwide after a surge during the pandemic.

The Baltimore Safe Streets program includes 10 offices situated in the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods. It was released in 2007 and has developed in recent years under Scott, who has ceaselessly pledged to treat violence as a public health crisis and address its root causes.

Safe Streets focuses on de-escalating conflicts by employing mediators with credibility and street knowledge. This is an inherently dangerous job because they develop close relationships with people who find themselves most liable to becoming perpetrators or victims of gun violence. Officials say reaching young people is vital.

Adanus Sprillium, 22, said he recently enrolled in a residential job readiness program that was really useful by Safe Streets staff in Brooklyn. He had his first GED class last week. Sprillium said he previously struggled with drug addiction and homelessness.

“I would probably end up dead or in jail,” he said.

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A community survey conducted in the weeks after the mass shooting in Brooklyn found that city officials consider many borough residents place more trust in Safe Streets than Baltimore police, local schools, nonprofits and other institutions. Only neighborhood churches ranked higher.

Still, the presence of Safe Streets staff at the block party was not enough to forestall it from ultimately degenerating into chaos and bloodshed.

Baltimore police faced heavy criticism for their response to the incident. The report pointed to potential bias amongst officers after finding police he ignored many warning signs and didn’t take proactive motion in the hours before the shooting broke out. Critics questioned whether police would have responded in another way if the shooting had occurred in a wealthier neighborhood.

The department announced disciplinary charges against a dozen officers earlier this year.

Five teenagers arrested in reference to the shooting. Four of them have already pleaded guilty to varied charges.

Sean Wees, director of Safe Streets’ Brooklyn chapter, said a lot of the staff have deep roots in the community. In response to the shooting, the team has made every effort to advertise safety and ensure residents have access to services. However, Wees said there continues to be much work to be done.

“We are working to promote peace and progress here in Brooklyn,” he said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We cannot stop until these kinds of ceremonies are no longer needed – until peace becomes the standard, not a streak measured in days or months.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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