A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/connecticut">Connecticut</a> man and his adult son were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/murder">found dead</a> and bound with their throats slashed on August 27, 1987. The man long thought responsible for the crimes was just found guilty on Tuesday.
Police had gone to check on Fred Harris, 59, and his son, Greg Harris, 23, after a relative reported they hadn’t heard from them for around a week, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/10/nyregion/dna-cold-case-connecticut.html">reported</a> in 2019. Officers found the two men in a bedroom upstairs, their throats slashed and stab wounds in their chests. Their hands were tied behind their backs, and Fred’s feet were bound with his pants unbuttoned. Greg’s pants and underwear had been pulled down to his ankles.
“Any murder is horrific,” Hamden Police Captain Ronald Smith said in 2019. “But this was over the top.”
The men had already been dead for several days before police found their bodies. Police determined that Greg had been able to free himself from the attacker in an attempt to escape, but had been caught, tied up again, and then sexually assaulted.
Law enforcement quickly zeroed in on a suspect: Willie McFarland, now 55. McFarland even confessed to the crime in August 1996, saying he had “found religion and was dying of H.I.V.” He told police over the next several months that he had gone to Harris’ condo to steal money or a gun and forced his way into the home when Greg answered the door. He said he forced them upstairs and used a phone cord to tie them up.
After killing them, McFarland said he looked through Fred’s pockets for money and then ransacked the apartment, stealing a total of $31.
Despite McFarland’s confession, police couldn’t find any physical evidence to connect him to the crime, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fred-harris-greg-harris-killed-1987-willie-mcfarland-convicted-connecticut/">reported</a>.
In 2018, police used the latest DNA technology to test a glove found at the scene of the murders, and found that it was &#8220;at least 1.5 million times more likely&#8221; than not that McFarland had worn the glove.
Police arrested McFarland in 2019, and he was convicted in November 2022.
“In utilizing innovative investigative techniques, advances in forensic science, and the determination to hold perpetrators of horrendous crimes accountable, today’s jury verdict is the result of a 35-year quest by dedicated investigators and prosecutors who never gave up their search for justice for the victims of these horrendous crimes,” State’s Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr. said in <a href="https://portal.ct.gov/DCJ/Press-Room/Press-Releases/11222022McFarland">a press release</a> following the verdict.
McFarland is scheduled to be sentenced on January 31, 2023.

Crime Scene at Residential Home

A Man And His Adult Son Were Found Murdered 35 Years Ago. A Longtime Suspect Was Just Convicted.

Connecticut

Crime

Murder

U.S.

Democratic Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont cruised to re-election in the deep-blue state Tuesday evening, besting Republican challenger Bob Stefanowski in the pair&#8217;s second gubernatorial matchup, <a href="https://results.decisiondeskhq.com/national/2022-governor">according</a> to a projection from Decision Desk HQ.
Both wealthy men, Lamont and Stefanowski spent big money on the race — even more than in their previous matchup years ago. Lamont and Stefanowski spent a combined total of $34 million through October 30, with the incumbent outspending his Republican challenger 2-1, The CT Mirror <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2022/11/03/ned-lamont-bob-stefanowski-ct-governor-race-spending/">reported</a> November 1.
This cycle Lamont spent a total of $21.7 million, far more than the $15.9 million the Democrat spent in the 2018 matchup, the report noted. Stefanowski shelled out $12.2 million, almost doubling the $6.6 million he spent on the previous gubernatorial race, which he lost by 3%.
Mirroring most midterms races across the nation, the Connecticut gubernatorial election was focused on the economy &#8212; specifically decades-high inflation; crime, and abortion.
As the race tightened last month, Lamont campaign press secretary Onotse Omoyeni hit Stefanowski for his &#8220;extreme anti-choice and anti-gun safety positions.&#8221;
“As has been clear throughout this race, Bob’s extreme anti-choice and anti-gun safety positions – coupled with his constant negativity – continue to turn voters against his candidacy,&#8221; Omoyeni <a href="https://ctexaminer.com/2022/10/15/its-the-economy-stupid-new-poll-shows-tightening-races-for-governor-and-senate/">told</a> the Connecticut Examiner, adding that Lamont &#8220;remains laser-focused on working to grow Connecticut’s economy, providing relief for Connecticut families, and getting our fiscal house in order.&#8221;
Stefanowski focused on crime and the economy, blasting his opponent for failing his constituents during his four-year term.
&#8220;Governor Lamont has had four years to fix the state and he’s failed,&#8221; the Republican told the outlet. &#8220;Higher taxes are making inflation worse, people feel less safe, and our state economy is tanking.&#8221;
&#8220;More people every day realize that one-party rule is failing us and it’s time for a change,&#8221; Stefanowski added. &#8220;(Lt. gubernatorial candidate) Laura Devlin and I have detailed plans to make CT more affordable and safe on Day One and we are looking forward to the final weeks of this race.”

Bob Stefanowski:Ned Lamont

Democrat Ned Lamont Bests Stefanowski In Connecticut Gubernatorial Matchup: Projection

2022 Election

2022 Midterms

Elections

Politics

Two <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/connecticut" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Connecticut</a> police officers were killed Wednesday night after being lured into an apparent ambush by a fake domestic violence call, according to state police.
Bristol Police Department officers Dustin DeMonte, 35, and Alex Hamzy, 34, were gunned down, and a third officer, Alec Iurato, 26, was injured by a gunman or gunmen with an AR 15 when they responded to the call for help. The call claimed two brothers, Nicholas and Nathan Brutcher, were fighting, reports said.
&#8220;Preliminary information appears to point to the 911 call being a deliberate act to lure law enforcement to the scene,&#8221; Connecticut State Police said in a statement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
UPDATE: Police ID 2 officers fatally shot in Connecticut, 3rd officer underwent surgery for gunshot wound <a href="https://t.co/2bDXOLr7BJ">https://t.co/2bDXOLr7BJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/JNLwDkAX9w">pic.twitter.com/JNLwDkAX9w</a>
&mdash; 1010 WINS (@1010WINS) <a href="https://twitter.com/1010WINS/status/1580563529387474946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Nicholas Brutcher, 35, was killed at the scene and Nathan Brutcher, 32, was wounded and hospitalized, state police said.
Officials did not say which of the Brutchers, or if both, fired at the police. State Police Chief Christine Jeltema said investigators were piecing together events from a “very complex” crime scene.
Iurato underwent surgery for gunshot wounds and was expected to recover.
“Our community has been rocked,” Bristol Police Chief Brian Gould said at a Thursday morning news conference. “Our police department has been rocked. &#8230; To the men and women of the Bristol Police Department, I mourn with you. Together, we will get through this horrific event.”
Bristol, a city of about 60,000, is 100 miles northeast of New York City.
Security video obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media Group shows at least 50 shots were fired in just two minutes.
Demonte was a 10-year veteran officer and winner of the department&#8217;s 2019 Officer of the Year award, <a href="https://www.koco.com/article/police-officers-shot-bristol-connecticut/41609572">KOCO.com reported</a>.
“[Demonte] was very focused on his career and furthering his career and education,” said Gould, who added the slain cop and his wife were expecting their third child.
Hamzy was an eight-year veteran who had been repeatedly commended and served as an adviser to a police cadet program.
“The outpouring of love, support and prayers from so many is deeply appreciated,” Hamzy&#8217;s family said in a statement.
Governor Ned Lamont ordered flags at government buildings to be lowered to half-staff in honor of the two officers.
“The loss of two officers from the Bristol Police Department who were killed in the line of duty while responding to an emergency call of domestic violence is a senseless tragedy, and my prayers are with their families, loved ones and fellow officers,” Lamont said.
So far this year, 191 police officers have died in the line of duty, including 56 by gunfire, <a href="https://www.odmp.org/statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Officer Down Memorial Page</a>.

Screen Shot 2022-10-13 at 2.01.22 PM

Two Cops Slain After Being Lured Into Apparent Ambush By Fake 911 Call

Police

A jury in Connecticut has ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay more than $950 million to the families of eight victims who were killed during the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
For years, Jones had claimed that the shooting was staged and that the families were crisis actors in an effort by the government to confiscate Americans’ guns. The latest verdict is the second against Jones, following a ruling from a separate jury in Texas ordered Jones to pay $4.1 million in compensatory damages and $45.2 million in punitive damages, an amount that may soon be reduced due to state laws capping the amount of damages.
The Connecticut trial lasted three weeks and included testimony from the parents of victims and school employees, along with an FBI agent who responded to the shooting, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/12/media/alex-jones-sandy-hook-damages/index.html">reported</a>. The case itself is a consolidation of three other cases, brought about by various families and the FBI agent.
Since the shooting, Jones had repeatedly claimed the incident was a hoax, which families of the victims said throughout the trial led to harassment against them and continued anguish after losing their children. In 2018, the families began taking action against Jones and Free Speech Systems, the parent company of Jones’ conspiracy theorist organization Infowars.
Prosecutors asked the jury to award $550 million based on the number of impressions Jones’ false claims received online.
“You may say that is astronomical. It is,” Christopher Mattei, an attorney for the plaintiffs said while addressing the jurors. “It’s exactly what Alex Jones set himself up to do. That’s what he built. He built a lie machine that could push this stuff out. You reap what you sow.”
When Jones began facing lawsuits for his false claims, he acknowledged that the shooting did occur, but, as CNN reported, he didn’t comply with court orders during the discovery process of the lawsuits brought against him in Texas or Connecticut, which led to the families winning default judgments against him.
In August, Jones was ordered to pay Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, the parents of 6-year-old Jesse, who was killed in the mass shooting along with 19 other children and six educators, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-jury-orders-alex-jones-to-pay-tens-of-millions-to-parents-of-sandy-hook-victim">reported</a>.
Jones still faces another lawsuit in Texas.

Alex Jones Speaks To The Media Outside The Sandy Hook Trial In Waterbury, Connecticut

Alex Jones Ordered To Pay Nearly $1 Billion To Families Of Sandy Hook Victims

Alex Jones

Lawsuit

Sandy Hook

Numerous Departments of Public Health across the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United States</a> are opting to replace &#8220;mother&#8221; and &#8220;father&#8221; for &#8220;birth parent&#8221; and &#8220;non-birth parent,&#8221; respectively.
A trove of scanned documents from the The Connecticut Department of Public Health circulating on social media reveal their official childbirth forms have been altered to substitute mother with &#8220;birth parent&#8221; and father with &#8220;non-birth parent.&#8221;
The documents surfaced on Twitter Friday after a Connecticut father, whose wife is expecting to deliver their second child at home, shared them with a third party. The paperwork was noticeably different from the first time the couple did a home birth.
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1/ 🧵The Connecticut Department of Public Health has removed the words &quot;mother&quot; and &quot;father&quot; from all medical paperwork surrounding childbirth. Mothers are now the &quot;birth parent,&quot; and fathers the &quot;non-birth parent.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GwEdt34DFP">pic.twitter.com/GwEdt34DFP</a>
&mdash; Colin Wright (@SwipeWright) <a href="https://twitter.com/SwipeWright/status/1568295574621011968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The &#8220;Registration of a Home Birth Parent’s Guide&#8221; contains instructions and forms for the “birth parent” and “non-birth parent” to obtain the child’s birth certificate, and a variety of data-collecting forms requesting background information and medical data, affidavits, and immunization records from the &#8220;birth parent&#8221; and &#8220;non-birth parent.&#8221;
The “Birth Parent’s Worksheet for Child Birth Certificate (v2003),” revised in January 2022, is also found <a href="https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Departments-and-Agencies/DPH/hisr/VR/BIRTH_PARENTS_WORKSHEET-REVISION-012022-v2.pdf">online</a>. A previous version from <a href="https://ctcoastalobgyn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Birth-Registration-Form-1-1-16.pdf">2016</a> and <a href="https://www.pdffiller.com/jsfiller-desk17/?requestHash=fef38141b36e73b99b9b89c85d4b054fc0b6779c2cba8e58b73c7362e8ed858a&amp;projectId=1097821511&amp;loader=tips&amp;replace_gtm=false#0261134a40d441bc9464238ebc98427d">2017</a> shows the change from “Mother’s Worksheet” to “Birth Parent’s Worksheet.” The Daily Wire reached out to the Connecticut Department of Public Health for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Similar guidance for “birthing parents” is issued by the <a href="https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/Documents/Reporting-Registries/eVitals/Birthing%20Parent%27s%20Worksheet.pdf">Pennsylvania Department of Health</a> and the <a href="https://ccphohio.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2017/02/nbbirthcertpacket.pdf">Ohio Department of Health</a>.
The Head Start program of the Department of Health and Human Services updated several of their parenting resources in recent months to incorporate “inclusive language.”
In a note from the <a href="https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/how-hs-services-improve-maternal-birth-outcomes.pdf">PDF</a> for improving outcomes of “birthing parents,” the HHS acknowledges the language update: “This document uses the terms ‘birthing parents’ and ‘pregnant and postpartum people’ to refer to anyone who gives birth, regardless of their gender identity, which may be female, male, nonbinary, or other.”
On a <a href="https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/nutrition/article/breastfeeding-infant-nutrition">page</a> updated on August 10, 2022, dedicated to information on Child Nutrition, HHS included a note on the vocabulary update. “Consider using the words ‘parent,’ ‘birthing parent,’ and ‘pregnant person’ instead of or in addition to ‘woman’ and ‘mother,’” reads the HHS guidance.
The HHS Head Start program also provides resources on breastfeeding, for which they opt to include the term “<a href="https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/nutrition/article/breastfeeding-infant-nutrition">chestfeeding</a>.” They explain, “‘Chestfeeding’ is another term that can be used as a way for transgender and nonbinary parents to describe how they feed and nurture their babies after childbirth by feeding them milk from their chest.”
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) created a <a href="https://www.bfmed.org/assets/Gender%20Inclusive%20Statement.pdf">language guide</a> last year with a table titled &#8220;Suggested Terms in Breastfeeding and Human Lactation.&#8221; On the left-hand side, a column labeled &#8220;traditional terms&#8221; includes &#8220;breast milk,&#8221; while a middle column of &#8220;Gender-inclusive terms&#8221; suggests &#8220;father’s milk&#8221; as a possible alternative.
The guideline also includes words &#8220;chestfeeding,&#8221; &#8220;human milk feeding,&#8221; and &#8220;lactating person&#8221; to use in place of &#8220;traditional terms&#8221; like breastfeeding, nursing mother, and breast. The ABM published its latest <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/bfm.2021.29188.abm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">position statement</a> in August of 2021, with its intended mission to affirm their &#8220;commitment to gender equality and health equity&#8221; and provide &#8220;guidelines on infant feeding and lactation-related language and gender.&#8221;

Nurse looking at patientÕs medical chart

State Public Health Departments Opt For ‘Birth Parent’ In Place Of ‘Mother’ On Medical Forms

State Public Health Departments Opt For 'Birth Parent' In Place Of 'Mother' On Medical Forms

Health and Human Services

Medical

Electronic cigarette company Juul Labs has settled a two-year investigation involving 33 states and Puerto Rico in a nearly $440 million settlement over alleged marketing of its products to teenagers.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced the settlement agreement on Tuesday.
“We think that this will go a long way in stemming the flow of youth vaping,” Tong <a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-lawsuits-connecticut-fce3fe4f92066a9068cf505ed1fb63b0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at a news conference.
“I’m under no illusions and cannot claim that it will stop youth vaping,” he added. “It continues to be an epidemic. It continues to be a huge problem. But we have essentially taken a big chunk out of what was once a market leader, and by their conduct, a major offender.”
The investigation probed concerns that Juul reportedly advertised its vaping products to minors in a variety of methods, including launch parties, ads, social media, and product giveaways. Juul also faces hundreds of lawsuits regarding teenagers who allege they became addicted to the company&#8217;s vaping products.
The settlement of $438.5 million will be paid over a six to 10-year period. At least $16 million will focus on vaping prevention efforts, according to Tong.
Juul Labs released a <a href="https://www.juullabs.com/statement-by-juul-labs-on-multistate-settlement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> following the announcement noting its focus on combatting underage use of its products.
&#8220;With today’s announcement, we have settled with 37 states and Puerto Rico, and appreciate efforts by Attorneys General to deploy resources to combat underage use,&#8221; the statement read.
&#8220;We remain focused on the future as we work to fulfill our mission to transition adult smokers away from cigarettes – the number one cause of preventable death – while combating underage use,&#8221; it added.
The use of vaping products among teenagers surged following Juul&#8217;s launch in 2015, with the Food and Drug Administration later declaring an underage vaping &#8220;epidemic.&#8221;
Virginia Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares also released a <a href="https://www.oag.state.va.us/media-center/news-releases/2448-september-6-2022-attorney-general-miyares-announces-438-5-million-agreement-with-juul" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> following the settlement&#8217;s announcement that shared the Old Dominion will receive $16.61 million in the settlement.
“Youth vaping is an epidemic, and from the get-go JUUL has been a leader in the e-cigarette industry. But JUUL targeted young people with deceptive social media advertising campaigns and misled the public about the product’s dangers,&#8221; Miyares said. &#8220;My office will continue to go after and hold accountable companies that market addictive products like e-cigarettes to minors, with no concern for their health or well-being.&#8221;
In June, the FDA officially <a href="https://www.kbtx.com/2022/06/23/fda-orders-all-juul-electronic-cigarettes-removed-us-market/">ordered</a> all Juul e-cigarettes to be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-fda-officially-orders-all-juul-electronic-cigarettes-removed-from-the-u-s-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">removed</a> from U.S. sales.
“Today’s action is further progress on the F.D.A.’s commitment to ensuring that all e-cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery system products currently being marketed to consumers meet our public health standards,” Dr. Robert M. Califf, FDA commissioner, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/23/health/fda-juul-ecigarettes-ban.html">said</a> in a press release.
As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-federal-court-places-hold-on-juul-ban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit soon approved a halt to the plan.
&#8220;With the administrative stay from the FDA now in place, we continue to offer our products to adult smokers while we pursue the Agency’s internal review process,&#8221; Juul Labs shared in a <a href="https://www.juullabs.com/statement-by-juul-labs-regarding-recent-fda-decision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> regarding the administrative stay. &#8220;We remain confident in the quality and substance of our applications and believe that ultimately we will be able to demonstrate that our products do in fact meet the statutory standard of being appropriate for the protection of the public health.&#8221;

Juul

Juul Agrees To Nearly $440 Million Settlement With 33 States Over Teen Vaping Investigation

Health

juul

Authorities on Friday confirmed that Steven Hoffenberg, a mentor to convicted sex offender and pedophile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jeffrey-epstein" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, was found dead in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/connecticut">Connecticut</a> apartment on Tuesday.
Hoffenberg, a wealthy financier who spent 18 years in prison for a Ponzi scheme, was found decomposing in a Derby, Connecticut, apartment on Tuesday. Police, who were performing a wellness check, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/08/26/1119746511/jeffrey-epstein-mentor-steven-hoffenberg-dead">said</a> that Hoffenberg had likely been dead for at least a week before his body was found.
The body of the 77-year-old was identified by dental records and his cause of death is still under investigation. According to officials, early evidence does not indicate foul play. The wellness check was initiated by a private detective employed by a woman who said she had been sexually abused by Epstein and in regular communication with Hoffenberg, local police said.
Hoffenberg, who has been described as a mentor to Epstein, employed the now deceased billionaire in the 1980s when a Ponzi scheme involving Towers Financial Corporation began. Epstein was found dead in a New York City prison cell in 2019 in what was officially ruled a suicide.
Towers was a financial collection entity that purchased debt from places like hospitals and phone companies, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/26/business/steven-hoffenberg-dead.html">according</a> to The New York Times. During his time running the company, prosecutors claimed that the Towers company issued more than $460 million in fraudulent notes and bonds. The company was also artificially inflated to make it appear more robust.
Hoffenberg called Epstein, who he had employed for about six years with Towers, a “criminal mastermind” in 2019.
“I thought Jeffrey was the best hustler on two feet,” he <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/final-evasion-for-30-years-prosecutors-and-victims-tried-to-hold-jeffrey-epstein-to-account-at-every-turn-he-slipped-away/2019/08/10/30bc947a-bb8a-11e9-a091-6a96e67d9cce_story.html">told</a> The Washington Post. “Talent, charisma, genius, criminal mastermind. We had a thing that could make a lot of money. We called it Ponzi.”
Epstein did not face any criminal charges related to the Towers scheme, despite Hoffenberg&#8217;s claims that he was to blame. In 2013, Hoffenberg was released from prison after 18 years behind bars.
Former acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Gary Baise told the Associated Press that the financier “was a good man.”
“He was too smart for his own good,&#8221; said Baise, who was a friend of Hoffenberg. “He thought he could get away with his Ponzi scheme but he could not. He did not have self-control. He always thought he was smarter than the next guy and that was one of his problems.”
In the early 1990s, Hoffenberg also attempted to gain control of the New York Post and for a short time owned the paper in 1993 before his fraudulent financial activities caught up with him.

Jeffrey Epstein Appears In Manhattan Federal Court On Sex Trafficking Charges

Mentor Of Jeffrey Epstein Found Dead; Cause Of Death Still Unknown

Death

Fraud

Jeffrey Epstein

Prison

In a shocking, disturbing accusation, a Connecticut man has been accused of forcing children, ages 5 to 11, to eat their own feces and drink their own urine as punishment, while also forcing some of the children to hit others with a baseball bat that had thumb tacks attached to it.
A prior investigation had found that Kevin Grant, 33, of Naugatuck, allegedly forced his stepson to sleep in a closet for months and drink hot sauce until he threw up, <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/08/24/connecticut-dad-accused-of-forcing-child-to-eat-his-own-feces/">the New York Post</a> reported.
The alleged foster mother of the four juveniles stated in the <a href="https://www.wfsb.com/2022/08/23/police-naugatuck-man-faces-additional-charges-child-abuse-case/">arrest warrant</a> she was taking two of the children from the YMCA to McDonald’s when “the radio mentioned a little boy getting stitches,” which prompted one of the children to cry and the other to say, “We need to tell (name redacted) what really happened.”
The second child, referred to as JV2, a boy, admitted that they had pushed one of the other children into the table, then blamed it on the fourth child. Grant had punished the fourth child, referred to as JV4, also a boy, by beating him with a belt to the point he could not walk, then thrown him into a closet, the second child stated.
JV4, still in the closet, had to defecate, and Grant gave him a box. After the child defecated in the box, Grant forced the other three children to watch the boy eat his own feces, JV2 claimed, a claim that was echoed by JV1, a girl, later.
When the children tried to sneak the closeted boy some milk, Grant caught them and beat the second child, who recalled he “thought he was going to die.” JV2 stated Grant then pulled out the boy from the closet and told them to beat the boy from the closet with the baseball bat with the thumbtacks while Grant’s wife, Kaitlin Baptiste, laughed.
Grant followed by putting firecrackers in the closeted boy’s pants and set them off while he and Baptiste laughed, JV2 said.
When JV2 said Grant had often struck him with the baseball bat, police asked if anyone had noticed. The boy answered no one did because it was during the COVID pandemic and there was no school. When asked what was the worst thing that had happened to him he replied being made to sleep outside on the grass wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, where mosquitos bit him, adding it was so cold he could not sleep.
“JV2 pointed all the boys names out that were on the list and stated that they were the only ones to get hit because Kevin stated he could not hit girls,” the arrest warrant stated.
Grant has been charged with reckless endangerment, risk of injury to a child, and intentional cruelty to persons, and arrested on a $50,000 bond.

Grant

Man Accused Of Forcing Young Children To Eat Their Own Feces, Drink Urine

Child Abuse

A federal watchdog&#8217;s report accusing a former Trump cabinet official of lying to investigators is raising eyebrows due to its timing: four years after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-trump-admin-official-wins-gop-nomination-for-open-montana-congressional-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Zinke&#8217;s</a> alleged transgression and just over two months before he appears on the ballot for the House seat he previously held.
The <a href="https://www.oversight.gov/sites/default/files/oig-reports/DOI/WebRedactedFormerSecretaryandCOSDidntComplyWithDutyofCandor.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">44-page report</a> by the Department of the Interior (DOI) Inspector General (IG) Mark Greenblatt found that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-trump-admin-official-wins-gop-nomination-for-open-montana-congressional-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zinke</a>, the agency&#8217;s former secretary, and his chief of staff “lacked candor” with investigators probing Zinke&#8217;s September 2017 decision involving an Indian casino. Zinke&#8217;s attorney, Danny Onorato, called the report and its timing a “political smear,” coming some two months before Zinke — a former Montana congressman — will be on the ballot bidding to take back that role in November.
“Secretary Zinke repeatedly told the inspector general that he was not subject to any influence in that matter because he lacked jurisdiction to act on the application,” Onorato said in a statement. “That should have ended the inquiry. Instead, on the eve of an election, the IG has released a misleading and inaccurate report that suggested Secretary Zinke lacked candor in his interview with IG agents. That is wrong.”
The decision by Zinke, a former Navy SEAL who served as secretary from 2017-2019, involved an application by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation to open an off-reservation casino in Connecticut. The DOI manages Indian reservations, and typically approves, rejects, or takes no action on such proposals, with the latter option usually signaling tacit approval. Zinke&#8217;s position was that because the proposed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/casinos-airlines-lobbying-congress-for-billions-in-coronavirus-bailout-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">casino</a> was not on federal land, it required a “fourth option,” in which the state would decide.
Some Department attorneys opposed the decision, allegedly out of fear it could lead to a lawsuit. But a federal judge&#8217;s ruling later vindicated Zinke&#8217;s view. Nonetheless, by May 2018, the IG interviewed Zinke in an investigation involving the decision and referred the matter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for possible prosecution in 2018.
Many of the allegedly false statements involved Zinke claiming that career DOI attorneys supported his decision, a claim the watchdog said was undermined by a Department lawyer&#8217;s account that he was not “thrilled” but did believe Zinke&#8217;s decision was legal.
Zinke is also accused of downplaying interactions with lobbyists with a stake in the issue, including one political consultant with ties to Zinke who went skiing with him and had dinner at his home.
But the report obscures the fact that Zinke did not do what lobbyists wanted him to. In one text message between two lobbyists, one complained that Zinke&#8217;s decision was “not what we want. He thinks we can litigate against State. He thinks it&#8217;s a half loaf. That&#8217;s from Zinke.”
Heather Swift, Zinke&#8217;s campaign manager, told The Daily Wire that Zinke “came to the decision before any lobbyists contacted him or his chief, and his decision never changed, so that would mean none of them influenced his decision making.”
Last year, President Joe Biden&#8217;s DOJ declined to take action. The IG says it waited for a response from the DOJ, then conducted more than a year of further “administrative” investigation into Zinke — who had resigned in 2019 — which is why the report was released now.
Greenblatt&#8217;s office did not respond to questions from The Daily Wire about the predicate of the investigation or why it continued its investigation long after Zinke was gone and the DOJ had declined to prosecute.
In June, Zinke, who represented Montana in the House from 2015-2017, won the Republican primary for the state&#8217;s newly created western district. He faces Democrat Monica Tranel in the November election.

Ryan Zinke and Donald Trump

New Watchdog Report Claiming Ex-Trump Official Lied Four Years Ago Called Election ‘Smear’

Department of Interior

Donald Trump

Montana

Native Americans

Ryan Zinke

A Connecticut woman is suspected of strangling her three children to death, including one as young as five years old, before authorities found her dead, hanging inside a shed outside her suburban home, police announced Thursday.
The City of Danbury Police Department confirmed the identities of the deceased as Sonja Loja, 36, and her three children: Junior Panjon, 12, Joselyn Panjon, 10, and Jonael Panjon, 5.
&#8220;The children all appear to have died by strangulation, and the mother&#8217;s suspected cause of death is asphyxia by hanging,&#8221; Danbury Police Department&#8217;s Detective Captain Mark Williams said in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cityofdanbury/posts/418790406945122">statement</a>. &#8220;Pending an official autopsy, preliminary findings indicate that Ms. Loja strangled her three children before killing herself.”
&#8220;However, this is still an active investigation,&#8221; Williams added.
Authorities said the Chief Medical Examiner&#8217;s Office conducted an autopsy of the deceased on Thursday morning.
Fox 5 New York <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/connecticut-police-discover-woman-3-children-dead-danbury-home">reported</a> that authorities received a call around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday from a distressed man who notified the police of the incident on Whaley Street. When officers arrived, they discovered the three children dead inside the home and later found Loja&#8217;s lifeless body hanging in an outside shed.
Authorities learned that Loja and her three boys lived in the suburban home shared with two other adults, neither of whom were at the residence when police arrived shortly after receiving the call.
The deceased&#8217;s extended family members and the two other adults have been contacted and advised of the incident.
Two of the deceased children were students at Danbury Public Schools, according to Superintendent Kevin Walston.
“Our thoughts are with everyone in the Danbury community impacted by this tragedy and we are grieving with you,” Walston said according to <a href="https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Deaths-of-woman-three-children-rattle-Danbury-17334663.php">Newstimes</a>. “Losing children to violence is becoming far too common in our nation and events such as these shine a light on the challenges communities face, specifically around mental health, that leave so many people vulnerable.”
Maggie Adair, director of community relations for the state Office of Early Childhood, said authorities cited Loja twice for operating an illegal day care out of the Danbury home, Newstimes reports.
Adair said authorities believed Loja stopped running the day care at the end of June.
Neighbors of the deceased told local media that the family looked like a happy household.
&#8220;The kids were really good kids,&#8221; Ralph Baugher told <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/fairfield/3-children-1-woman-found-dead-in-danbury-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">News 8</a>. &#8220;They were really friendly kids. … When you drive by, they would wave and say, &#8216;How are you doing?&#8217; Wave back to them, &#8216;Hi, how are you doing?&#8217; They were always happy kids. Always playing in the yard, having fun, laughing all the time.&#8221;
Zak, a neighbor, appeared to be in shock over the tragedy.
&#8220;It was pretty said,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I couldn&#8217;t even believe it because every day I would see them walking to the bus stop — I think they went to summer school or something as I was [still] seeing them go the bus stop.&#8221;
Atkin Guishard, a neighbor, said the scene left him feeling distraught.
&#8220;I even had to call my church and tell them,&#8221; Guishard said. &#8220;We had a prayer session.&#8221;
Danbury officials have coordinated efforts with authorities, partnering health agencies, and local public schools to provide services for the family and friends of the deceased.
Detective Captain Williams said services have also been extended to the first responders, as the scene was &#8220;an emotionally damaging incident.&#8221;
Authorities called Wednesday&#8217;s tragedy an isolated incident from the beginning, and there was no threat to the public at the time. Police have said the incident is still an active investigation.
Mayor Dean Esposito expressed the city’s thoughts and prayers for the family and friends of the victims in the police department’s statement.
&#8220;A truly horrible event occurred in our city yesterday, and we mourn the tragic loss of life,&#8221; Esposito said. &#8220;Our community grieves for the innocent lives taken from us.”
&#8220;We will get through this together,&#8221; the mayor added.

Forensic Science

Connecticut Mom Found Dead With 3 Children’s Bodies: Police

Connecticut Mom Found Dead With Three Children’s Bodies: Police

Suicide

First Lady <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jill-biden">Jill Biden</a> dismissed a man who yelled criticisms of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden">President Joe Biden&#8217;s</a> performance in office, namely the sky-high <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-takes-victory-lap-as-gas-prices-inch-downward-still-nearly-twice-as-high-since-his-first-day">gas prices</a> across the country.
The incident seems to have taken place Wednesday, when Jill and U.S. Secretary of Education <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/miguel-cardona">Miguel Cardona</a> <a href="https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/jill-biden-arethusa-ice-cream-ct-17318148.php">visited</a> New Haven, Connecticut, to review learning programs.
&#8220;Your husband is the worst president we&#8217;ve ever had,&#8221; an unidentified male yelled as Jill Biden walked into a building.
&#8220;Thank you! Thank you for your support,&#8221; Biden yelled back, waving and smiling. Cardona, on her left, seemed to be smiling and laughing, too.
&#8220;You owe us gas money!&#8221; the man shouted.
&#8220;Thank you,&#8221; Biden again responded, a smile still on her face.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;Your husband is the worst President we ever had, you OWE us gas money&quot;
Jill Biden: THANK YOU <a href="https://t.co/PV3VieDsJX">pic.twitter.com/PV3VieDsJX</a>
&mdash; PatrioticBabe 🇺🇸 (@PatrioticBabe_) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrioticBabe_/status/1550178781922349056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Americans are certainly feeling the sky-high gas prices and inflation under the Biden administration, polling shows.
Earlier this month, for example, a <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/22088874/cnn-poll-biden-approval-rating.pdf">CNN/SSRS poll</a> found that a stunning 82% of Americans called the economy &#8220;poor.&#8221;
Thirty-eight percent of respondents said that inflation and rising costs were the biggest economic issue for them, while 29% said gas and energy prices were the biggest issue. Another 18% said the cost of food was their biggest problem. The general issues of “personal financial concerns” and “income/employment” were the biggest concern for 12% and 10% of Americans, respectively. No other issue, in general or specific, was cited by more than 10% of respondents.
Though the first lady has been the object of <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/first-lady-dr-jill-biden-profile">breathless promotion</a> in the mainstream media, Biden found herself having to issue an apology last week when she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-first-lady-compares-hispanic-people-to-tacos-at-latinx-incluxion-luncheon">compared Hispanic people to tacos</a>.
Attending a “Latinx IncluXion Luncheon,” hosted by UnidosUS, Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-first-lady-compares-hispanic-people-to-tacos-at-latinx-incluxion-luncheon">told</a> her audience that the diversity of the Hispanic community is &#8220;as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio, is your strength.&#8221;
The same day, Biden&#8217;s press secretary and special assistant to the president Michael LaRosa issued an apology on Twitter. “The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community,” LaRosa posted.
Notably, at the same conference, the First Lady mispronounced the word “bodegas,&#8221; which are popular corner stores found throughout many cities.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/john-rigolizzo">John Rigolizzo</a> contributed to this report
 Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-americans-say-economy-doing-poorly-biden-focused-on-the-wrong-things-poll">Most Americans Say Economy Doing Poorly, Biden Focused On The Wrong Things: Poll</a>

Second Shipment From “Operation Fly Formula” Arrives At Dulles Airport

Jill Biden Gives Snarky Response When Heckled About Gas Prices, Biden Performance

Gas Prices

Inflation

Jill Biden

Joe Biden

Miguel Cardona

A man who blacked out driving a 38-passenger bus from a Connecticut casino in March has been charged with 38 counts of reckless endangerment, and says he didn’t know he was eating gummies that contained marijuana prior to passing out.
Jinhaun Chen was arrested at his home in Boston Monday and appeared in court Tuesday, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bridgeport-marijuana-reckless-endangerment-313758a7b44f1789f05040aeb7d7a272">according</a> to the Associated Press.
Chen, who had to speak through a Chinese interpreter, told Superior Court Judge Ndidi Moses, “I didn’t know it was marijuana. I didn’t know.”
The CT Post <a href="https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Police-Bus-driver-ate-THC-gummies-passed-out-on-17241222.php?src=rdctpdensecp">reported</a> that on March 13, shortly after 3 p.m., a Connecticut state trooper was dispatched to reports of a bus along I-95 south. The state police said Chen was unconscious in the driver’s seat when the trooper arrived. A passenger notified state police that Chen had been eating something from a bag next to him before he passed out, and police said they found a bag of “Smokies Edibles Cannabis Infused Fruit Chews” next to Chen.
Victor Chen, the manager of the bus company Jinhuan Chen worked for, said Jinhaun &#8220;doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, but he has a sweet tooth and likes candy.&#8221;
&#8220;This would never have happened a couple of years ago, but now there’s marijuana everywhere here,&#8221; Victor added.
The driver was transported to Bridgeport Hospital and reportedly found to have a high level of THC in his blood. Moses ordered a $25,000 bond for Chen and will continue the case on August 25.
Some have claimed that it&#8217;s difficult to tell the difference between certain marijuana products and candy or snack packaging. An April study published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal warned that some marijuana edibles packaging looks nearly identical to name-brand candies such as Nerds Rope and snacks like Doritos Nacho Cheese chips, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/candy-or-cannabis-new-study-warns-of-edibles-in-copycat-packaging">reported</a>.
In May, The Daily Wire also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-third-graders-hospitalized-after-eating-cannabis-candy-at-school">reported</a> that California children consumed cannabis at school thinking it was candy.
The Jacoby Creek School students were sent to the hospital when they showed symptoms of intoxication at school after consuming the cannabis edibles, <a href="https://www.times-standard.com/2022/05/28/jacoby-creek-school-third-graders-who-ingested-edibles-are-ok/?utm_email=34E145A374A8048CF425B5692B&amp;g2i_eui=3Wm8Ln%2bxUufJcQsor8pxTBlOuNkLNZCbyw9vnfmGOLA%3d&amp;g2i_source=newsletter&amp;lctg=34E145A374A8048CF425B5692B&amp;active=no&amp;utm_source=listrak&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.times-standard.com%2f2022%2f05%2f28%2fjacoby-creek-school-third-graders-who-ingested-edibles-are-ok%2f&amp;utm_campaign=norcal-eureka-morning-report&amp;utm_content=automated">according</a> to the Times-Standard. The school is located in Humboldt County, known for its cultivation of cannabis.
The Arcata Police Department believes one of the students brought the gummies from home unaware that the product was infused with cannabis. Police also reminded parents to keep edible cannabis products away from children.

Cannabis Edibles

Bus Driver Charged After Blacking Out Behind Wheel, Says He ‘Didn’t Know’ He Was Eating Marijuana-Infused Gummies

Bus Driver Charged After Blacking Out Says He 'Didn't Know' Gummies Were Marijuana-Infused

Boston

Court

Marijuana

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