A U.S. District Court judge on Wednesday pushed back Luigi Mangione&#8217;s federal trial one month despite the prosecution expressing concerns that any delay could add fuel to Mangione&#8217;s cult following.
Judge Margaret Garnett said the trial&#8217;s start date will move from the beginning of September to October due to “paramount issues” related to Mangione&#8217;s ability to participate in each part of the trial, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/nyregion/mangione-weinstein-trial-manhattan.html">reported</a>. Mangione is also facing a state trial in New York over the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and the suspect&#8217;s defense team raised concerns that the beginning of the federal trial would overlap with the state trial, which is set to begin in June.
Mangione&#8217;s lawyers asked Garnett to move the federal trial&#8217;s start date to January 2027, but they&#8217;ll now have to accept the one-month delay. Mangione threw a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-erupts-in-courtroom-outburst-after-judge-sets-state-trial-date?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Luigi+Mangione+Erupts+In+Courtroom+Outburst+After+Judge+Sets+State+Trial+Date">tantrum</a> in state court in February after the judge set his trial date for June.
The prosecution likely isn&#8217;t too pleased with Garnett&#8217;s decision either. Assistant U.S. attorney Dominic Gentile argued before the judge that it was necessary for the federal trial to &#8220;proceed as the court has already scheduled&#8221; because of the concerning wave of support for Mangione. Gentile told the judge that just outside of the courtroom there was a crowd of demonstrators “who follow this defendant and believe what he did was right.”
Mangione has been lifted up as a type of vigilante hero by radical leftists who are incensed by the health insurance industry. Some of Mangione&#8217;s supporters, often donning hats and costumes of the Super Mario Nintendo character Luigi, have gathered outside of the courthouse in New York for each of his court appearances.
<div id="attachment_1070767" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1070767" class="wp-image-1070767 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2255405660-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2255405660-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2255405660-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2255405660-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2255405660.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Supporters of Luigi Mangione gather outside of Manhattan Federal Court on January 09, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)</div>
Thompson, a 50-year-old father and husband, was in New York City for UnitedHealthcare&#8217;s annual investor conference when he was gunned down from behind on December 4, 2024. After arresting Mangione, authorities found a diary on him that included passages raging against the health insurance industry and also contained a line about taking out &#8220;the CEO at the annual parasitic bean counter convention.&#8221;
Garnett said the state trial limits the options for the federal court, stating, &#8220;Whether we like it or not, we are at the will of the state case,&#8221; NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/luigi-mangiones-federal-trial-unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-pushed-back-rcna266248">reported</a>.
&#8220;It’s the nature of dual prosecutions,&#8221; she added.
Earlier this year, Garnett threw out the federal murder charge that made Mangione eligible for the death penalty. Attorney General Pam Bondi had directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty. Mangione now only faces two stalking charges in the federal case. He faces a charge of second-degree murder in the state case.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione Doesn’t Get His Way And One Growing Problem Is Starting To Follow Him

Court

New York

trial

A U.S. federal judge refused to dismiss the case against Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro on Thursday after Maduro raised concerns about how he would pay for his powerhouse legal team.
Maduro appeared in court in Manhattan for the first time since his arraignment in early January. Outside of the federal courthouse, demonstrators waved Venezuelan flags and celebrated the arrest of the dictator. Meanwhile, in Caracas, the Venezuelan government organized demonstrations where people took to the streets to protest President Donald Trump&#8217;s capture of Maduro.
During Thursday&#8217;s court hearing, Maduro&#8217;s defense argued that the case brought against him by the U.S. government should be tossed since the Trump administration is not allowing the Venezuelan government to cover his and his wife&#8217;s legal fees. Maduro is being represented by Barry J. Pollack, one of the leading trial lawyers in the country, who previously represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Because of existing U.S. sanctions on Venezuela, Maduro&#8217;s attorneys would need special permission from the U.S. government to receive money from Venezuela for Maduro&#8217;s legal fees, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/live/nicolas-maduro-venezuela-court-03-26-2026#0000019d-2959-d29d-affd-efff551c0000">reported</a>. The Trump administration has so far refused to grant that permission. Lawyers representing the Maduros claim that the Trump administration is violating the Maduros&#8217; right to counsel, and Maduro said that he could not afford to hire his counsel with his own money.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein declined to dismiss the case and said the defense team&#8217;s argument was &#8220;based on hypotheticals,&#8221; CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/26/world/live-news/nicolas-maduro-new-york-court">reported</a>. Hellerstein, however, said he would revisit the funding issue at a later date and rule on whether the Trump administration must allow the Maduros to access funds from the Venezuelan government. The judge did not set a specific date for when he would rule on the issue.
In one exchange with Judge Hellerstein, a federal prosecutor argued that the law does not allow for a judge to order the U.S. government to allow funds from a foreign government to be used for legal defense. Prosecutor Kyle Wirshba said that if Hellerstein were to order the Trump administration to grant permission for the Maduros&#8217; lawyers to accept a check from the Venezuelan government, the judge would be stepping into U.S. national security and foreign policy issues.
“If the purpose of the sanctions is because the defendants are plundering the wealth of Venezuela, it would undermine the sanctions to allow them access the same funds now to pay for their defense,” Wirshba added.
Maduro is charged with narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and using military-grade weaponry in furtherance of drug trafficking, among other charges. The Venezuelan dictator is accused of using the power of the Venezuelan government to carry out these crimes for decades. Maduro faces life in prison in the United States.
President Donald Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Thursday that the U.S. government would likely bring additional charges against Maduro.

Nicolas Maduro Transported To Court Hearing

Maduro’s Bid To Dismiss Federal Charges Met With Brutal Reality Check

Judge Shoots Down Maduro's Request To Dismiss Narcoterrorism Case

Donald Trump

Manhattan

Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela

Afroman is no stranger to his legal escapades making headlines. But the &#8220;Because I Got High&#8221; singer is back in the news this week for a different kind of courtroom drama.
The rapper on Wednesday won a defamation trial after several deputies sued him for music videos he made using real footage from the sheriff&#8217;s department&#8217;s botched raid at his Ohio home in 2022. The jury found that the hitmaker did not defame the seven deputies from the Adams County Sheriff&#8217;s Department or invade their privacy when he dropped a series of music videos post-raid.
&#8220;We did it America,&#8221; a red, white, and blue-clad Afroman exclaimed after the verdict dropped. &#8220;We did it, freedom of speech.&#8221;
The deputies sued Afroman — whose real name is Joseph Foreman — in 2023, claiming the singer used their likeness without permission. The deputies claim the video for &#8220;Lemon Pound Cake&#8221; caused humiliation and distress to the deputies, plus prompted death threats, per a report from <a href="https://local12.com/news/local/jury-deliberates-lawsuit-surrounding-afromans-viral-lemon-pound-cake-video-cincinnati-adams-county-joseph-foreman-deputies-raid-lisa-phillips-brian-newland-randy-walters-shawn-grooms-shawn-cooley-justin-cooley-mike-estep">Local 12 News</a> in Cincinnati.
Per Local 12, the deputies involved in the lawsuit wanted big-time money for the alleged emotional damages. Their attorney, Robert Kiplinger, asked the jury for specific amounts for each of the deputies for &#8220;all the suffering the seven plaintiffs endured,&#8221; according to the news outlet. The highest amount requested was for Lisa Phillips at $1.5 million. Brian Newland and Randy Walters each asked for $1 million.
Kiplinger also asked jurors to award $400,000 to be divided among Shawn Grooms, Shawn Cooley, Justin Cooley, and Mike Estep.
When Afroman took the stand Tuesday, he said any pushback from the video is the deputies&#8217; fault.
&#8220;If they hadn&#8217;t wrongly raided my house, there would be no lawsuit, I would not know their names, they wouldn&#8217;t be on my home surveillance system and there would be no songs,&#8221; Afroman said.
The video for &#8220;Lemon Pound Cake&#8221; was played in court Wednesday where the jury could listen along to the song&#8217;s lyrics, including: &#8220;The Adams County Sheriff kicked down my door. Then I heard the glass break. They found no kidnapping victims. Just some lemon pound cake.&#8221;
The officer depicted in the song, looking at an apparent lemon pound cake in Afroman&#8217;s home, is Deputy Shawn Cooley, who has since retired from the Adams County Sheriff&#8217;s Department. Cooley told the jury the attention caused by the video led to threats against his life, his wife, and his children. Cooley said it was difficult for his family to go to public places like Walmart after the song that has more than 3 million views and counting on YouTube was released.
The 51-year-old rapper was not charged following the raid, which left him with significant damage to his home and plenty of footage for music videos. Afroman claims the raid stemmed from allegations of drug trafficking and kidnapping.
&#8220;In all circumstances, the jury finds in favor of the defendant,&#8221; the judge said Wednesday evening. Now Afroman has enough material to &#8220;sell tapes from here to Hong Kong.&#8221;

Credit: Rick Kern/WireImage via Getty Images

The Afroman Legal Saga Is The Most Interesting Thing On The Internet Today

Afroman

News

Ohio

A Utah judge dismissed an attempt by Tyler Robinson&#8217;s defense team to have the prosecution disqualified on Tuesday, dealing yet another blow to the attorneys defending the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk. 
Robinson’s attorneys argued that the prosecutors should be recused after discovering that a daughter of one of the prosecutors was present at Kirk’s event when the Turning Point USA founder was assassinated on September 10, 2025. State District Judge Tony Graf said the prosecutors can remain on the case as the daughter&#8217;s presence at the event “did not materially influence” the prosecutor&#8217;s actions in the case.
Robinson appeared virtually for Tuesday&#8217;s hearing. He has been charged with aggravated murder, which makes him eligible for the death penalty under state law. 
Judge Graf’s decision on Tuesday keeps Robinson’s trial on track as prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea. Robinson’s defense team argued that there was a conflict of interest for the prosecution, since the daughter of deputy county attorney Chad Grunander was in attendance at Kirk’s event at Utah Valley University last September. 
The prosecution <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlie-kirks-suspected-assassin-fights-death-penalty-says-trump-influenced-prosecutor">pushed back</a> on the defense team’s claim, saying there is no conflict of interest with Grunander’s daughter and that she did not have a direct line of sight to the shooter. Grunander’s daughter also testified in court and said she did not realize Kirk had been shot until after she ran to safety, the Associated Press reported. 
Utah County Attorney Jeffrey S. Gray said in a filing, “Under these circumstances, there is virtually no risk, let alone a significant risk, that it would arouse such emotions in any father-prosecutor as to render him unable to fairly prosecute the case.” 
Graf agreed and said on Tuesday that the daughter had “no unique, relevant information” about the assassination of Kirk that would potentially put her on the witness stand.
Robinson’s attorneys also claimed earlier this month that the prosecution’s quick decision to seek the death penalty was influenced by President Donald Trump, who said shortly after Kirk’s assassination that he hoped the killer would get the death penalty. Gray said that he wanted to decide on pursuing the death penalty quickly to avoid media speculation. 
“The longer you delay that decision … the more delay, then it just creates all this unnecessary speculation and everything else,” Gray said, adding that he did it to prevent “unnecessary angst with the families of victims … so Erika Kirk didn’t have to deal with that uncertainty.”
Judge Graf’s decision comes hours before President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address to Congress, with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/erika-kirk-to-attend-state-of-the-union-as-president-trumps-guest?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=Exclusive&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Erika+Kirk+To+Be+Trump%E2%80%99s+Special+Guest+At+State+Of+The+Union">Erika Kirk in attendance</a> as one of his special guests. Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan reported earlier on Tuesday that Trump will mention both Erika Kirk and her late husband during his speech.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/friendly-fire?utm_campaign=dwplus&amp;utm_content=20260224_sotu_aa_desktop&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=banner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch the State of the Union with The Daily Wire! Live coverage from the nation’s capital begins at 7:45 ET.</a>
The decision marks yet another loss for Robinson&#8217;s defense team. Late last year, Graf said that cameras would be allowed in the courtroom for the trial, dismissing the defense team&#8217;s claim that the media&#8217;s courtroom access could result in an unfair trial for Robinson.

Tyler Robinson

Judge Rejects Bid To Oust Prosecutors From Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

Judge Dismisses Defense Effort To Remove Prosecutors From Charlie Kirk Assassination Case

assassination

Charlie Kirk

Erika Kirk

Turning Point USA

Utah

Suspected assassin Luigi Mangione spoke out in court on Friday after a New York judge set his state trial date for June 8.
As he was being escorted out of the courtroom, Mangione raged against the state trial moving forward, as he also faces a federal trial. Mangione faces multiple state charges, including second-degree murder related to the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all state and federal charges.
&#8220;One plus one equals two. This is the same trial twice,&#8221; Mangione said, according to <a href="https://www.fox5ny.com/news/luigi-mangione-double-jeopardy-claim">Fox 5 New York</a>. &#8220;This is double jeopardy by any common sense definition.&#8221;
The suspected assassin was unexpectedly ordered back in court on Friday by Manhattan state Judge Gregory Carro. His next appearance in state court wasn&#8217;t scheduled until May. Mangione&#8217;s lawyer objected to the June 8 trial start date, arguing that the defense team would also be preparing for the federal trial at that time.
“Mr. Mangione is being put in an untenable situation,” defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo said, according to the Associated Press. “This is a tug-of-war between two different prosecution offices.&#8221;
&#8220;The defense will not be ready on June 8,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;Be ready,&#8221; the judge replied.
Jury selection for Mangione&#8217;s federal trial was set for September 8, with opening statements scheduled for October 13. Last week, the judge overseeing Mangione&#8217;s federal trial <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-says-prosecutors-cant-pursue-death-penalty-against-luigi-mangione?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Federal+Judge+Says+Prosecutors+Can%E2%80%99t+Pursue+Death+Penalty+Against+Luigi+Mangione">dropped</a> the murder charge that carried a potential death penalty.
In a surprising twist to the federal trial, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett agreed with Mangione’s defense team and said that stalking does not constitute “a crime of violence.” The judge acknowledged that her decision was “strange,” but argued that violence is defined by using force, and stalking could technically be committed without using force, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">reported</a>.
Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joel Seidemann argued for Mangione&#8217;s state trial to begin before the federal trial, saying that the state’s interests &#8220;would be unfairly prejudiced by an unnecessary delay.&#8221; Seidemann also told the judge that Thompson&#8217;s family wants the state trial to proceed first, which would also help prosecutors avoid a double jeopardy challenge. New York state law could prevent Mangione from being tried at the state level if his federal trial comes first.
Judge Carro said on Friday, &#8220;It appears the federal government has reneged on its agreement to let the state, which has done most of the work in this case, go first.&#8221;
In May, Carro will decide whether prosecutors can use evidence seized from Mangione when he was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Investigators say that Mangione was found with a 9 mm handgun that connects him to the crime scene and a notebook, where Mangione allegedly discusses taking out Thompson.
U.S. District Judge Garnett ruled last week that federal prosecutors can use the items found on Mangione when he was arrested as evidence.

Luigi Mangione Erupts In Courtroom Outburst After Judge Sets State Trial Date

A Manhattan judge ruled on Friday that federal prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against suspected assassin Luigi Mangione, a major twist ahead of the highly anticipated trial.
Attorney General Pam Bondi directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty last year after Mangione was arrested and hit with federal charges for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, however, said the parts of the case that made the death penalty a possibility had &#8220;legal infirmities,&#8221; The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/30/us-news/luigi-mangione-case-federal-judge-throws-out-death-penalty/">reported</a>.
The federal charge against Mangione that made him eligible for the death penalty accused him of &#8220;using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a crime of violence.&#8221; Garnett said that she was dismissing that part of the indictment “solely to preclude the death penalty as an available punishment when the jury determines if the Defendant caused Brian Thompson’s death.”
Garnett <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">agreed</a> with Mangione&#8217;s defense team and said that stalking does not constitute &#8220;a crime of violence.&#8221; The judge acknowledged that her decision was &#8220;strange,&#8221; but argued that violence is defined by using force, and stalking could technically be committed without using force, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">reported</a>.
Thompson was gunned down from behind in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, as he was walking to a hotel during his company&#8217;s annual investor conference. Thompson, a Minnesota resident, left behind a wife and two small children. Shell casings retrieved from the scene had the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” written on them, according to the New York Police Department. The words found on the shell casings have been connected to a 2010 book that was critical of the health insurance industry. Mangione&#8217;s fingerprints allegedly matched fingerprints found on shell casings at the murder scene.
Garnett&#8217;s ruling means that Mangione now faces a maximum of life in prison without parole. Prosecutors plan on appealing the decision, NBC 4 New York <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/luigi-mangione-death-penalty-judge-decision-evidence/6452337/">reported</a>.
In another decision on Friday, Garnett sided against Mangione&#8217;s defense team and said that the prosecution could use evidence that was seized from Mangione&#8217;s backpack when he was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania. While the suspected assassin&#8217;s backpack was searched by police without a warrant, Garnett said there are exceptions to the requirement for obtaining a warrant, such as the discovery of a weapon.
Mangione was arrested at a McDonald&#8217;s in Altoona following a five-day manhunt, and police found a firearm, silencer, and what appeared to be a manifesto in the man&#8217;s backpack. In one section of a notebook found in Mangione&#8217;s possession, the author planned to &#8220;whack” the health care CEO “at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention.”
Mangione pleaded not guilty to the federal and state murder charges. With the death penalty thrown out, opening arguments for the trial are set to begin in October, with jury selection scheduled for September 8.
The case has already gripped the nation, and Mangione has gained a following, with some of his supporters defending the murder of Thompson and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/luigi-mangione-protesters-call-death-elon-musk-other-corrupt-healthcare-ceos.print">calling</a> for more health care executives to be killed.
Attorney General Bondi <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-directs-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-luigi-mangione">said</a> last year that the murder of Thompson was &#8220;a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.&#8221;

Luigi Mangione Appears In Court To Face NY State Murder Charges

Federal Judge Says Prosecutors Can’t Pursue Death Penalty Against Luigi Mangione

federal judge

Transcripts and audio from the October 24 hearing for suspected Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson will be made public after a Monday ruling from the Utah judge overseeing the murder case.
District Court Judge Tony Graf gave the court until the end of the day to release the transcript from a brief closed-door hearing that focused on whether Robinson, 22, could remain in civilian clothing and unshackled for the trial. The audio from the hearing must be released within two weeks. Graf added that 246 words, which amounts to one page of the 80-page transcript, would be redacted, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/transcript-audio-closed-door-hearing-alleged-charlie-kirk-shooter-case-rcna251368">reported</a>.
Robinson was present for Monday&#8217;s hearing virtually and did not appear on screen. He was heard saying, &#8220;Yes, your honor,” when the judge asked if he was present, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/29/us-news/charlie-kirk-suspect-tyler-robinsons-secret-hearings-to-be-made-public-after-judges-order/">reported</a>.
The ruling is another win for reporters in the pretrial arguments, as media outlets have pushed for full transparency in the case. Monday&#8217;s decision follows a separate ruling earlier this month from Graf to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cameras-allowed-in-court-for-trial-of-accused-charlie-kirk-assassin-judge-rules">allow cameras</a> in the courtroom during the trial. Kirk&#8217;s widow, Erika — along with members of the media — has pushed for the trial to be made as public as possible, while Robinson&#8217;s defense team has argued that wall-to-wall coverage could taint the jury pool.
&#8220;There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered,&#8221; Erika Kirk said. &#8220;There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear. We deserve to have cameras in there. &#8230; Let everyone see what true evil is.&#8221;
Attorneys for local and national media outlets argued in a motion earlier this month that &#8220;every high-profile criminal prosecution has significant pretrial publicity, no matter where it occurs&#8221; and that the First Amendment guarantees the media access to the courts doing &#8220;the public&#8217;s business,&#8221; according to NBC News.
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In the October 24 closed-door hearing, Graf said that Robinson could wear civilian clothing for the trial, but added that the suspected assassin would have to be restrained in court. In his first virtual court appearance after his arrest, Robinson was in a suicide vest. He was also placed on &#8220;special watch&#8221; in jail after reportedly telling his parents that he would rather kill himself than turn himself over to law enforcement.
Robinson faces numerous charges, including seven felony charges of aggravated murder in the killing of Kirk, a 31-year-old husband and father of two, on September 10 at Utah Valley University. He&#8217;s accused of killing Kirk with a single shot from a bolt-action rifle while the conservative commentator spoke to a large group of students. Robinson <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/tyler-robinson-set-face-formal-charges-shooting-death/story?id=125614396">told</a> his parents that he killed Kirk because he believed Kirk &#8220;spread too much hate,&#8221; according to charging documents. The suspected assassin could face a firing squad if he&#8217;s convicted of the aggravated murder charge.
Robinson is due back in court on January 16 for a major hearing on a motion to disqualify the Utah County Attorney&#8217;s Office from prosecuting the case over an alleged conflict of interest. Robinson&#8217;s defense team argues that a family member of a Utah County prosecutor was present at Utah Valley University when Kirk was assassinated.

Judge Tony Graf

Judge Orders Transcripts, Audio To Be Made Public From Hearing For Accused Charlie Kirk Assassin

Murder

Massachusetts Mayor Brian DePena made waves for requesting the assistance of a translator during a court appearance on Friday.  
DePena requested that his personal assistant act as a translator during the proceedings, which the judge overseeing the hearing denied due to concerns that the staffer had not been independently verified. Because the judge and opposing counsel do not speak Spanish, it was determined that mistranslations could negatively affect the case, either intentionally or unintentionally, <a href="https://thepostmillennial.com/massachusetts-mayor-asks-for-translator-in-court-hearing-due-to-his-poor-english">per</a> The Post Millennial.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts who is from Dominican Republic gets a translator in court because he can’t understand English <a href="https://t.co/9rcre4kLRN">pic.twitter.com/9rcre4kLRN</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2002911459387605464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The incident occurred during a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission and quickly went viral. It’s been <a href="https://www.brianforlawrence.com/about">revealed</a> that DePena hails from the Dominican Republic and immigrated to New York in the early 1980s before moving to Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1989. 
The hearing concerned former Lawrence Police Chief William Castro, who lost his policing credentials after a 2024 police chase and subsequent false report. Castro was accused of driving the wrong way down a city street during the chase. He later filed a report saying he was responding to an armed bank robbery. In reality, he had been going after someone who had allegedly cashed a bad check.  
Documents <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/investigations/lawrence-mayor-police-chief-investigation/3614726/">uncovered</a> by the NBC10 Boston Investigators revealed that DePena tried to curtail the investigation into the acting police chief, who is a political ally of the Lawrence mayor. 
Social media users have been reacting strongly to the clip, saying it’s shocking that an elected official is not able to speak fluent English.
“How is this even real life?” one response <a href="https://x.com/PlanetOfMemes/status/2002911650094211150">said</a>.
“This is absurd. We live in a parody world,” another person <a href="https://x.com/BraedenSorbo/status/2002953268541153776">echoed</a>. 
“If you can&#8217;t speak English, you shouldn&#8217;t even be eligible for citizenship, much less public office,” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/OldeWorldOrder/status/2002913607743602801">wrote</a>. &#8220;How are you supposed to represent Americans if you can&#8217;t even understand our language?&#8221;
Per <a href="https://datausa.io/profile/geo/lawrence-ma/">census data</a>, Lawrence, Massachusetts, is over 82% Hispanic.

Brian DePena

Massachusetts Mayor Can’t Understand English, Needs Translator In Court

Massachusetts Mayor Can't Understand English, Requests Translator In Court

English

Hispanics

Immigration

Massachusetts

Nick Reiner tapped heavyweight defense attorney Alan Jackson to represent him on charges related to the horrific murders of his parents. Jackson immediately argued that Reiner, 32, could not make his first scheduled court appearance because he had not been &#8220;medically cleared.&#8221;
Jackson confirmed to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/16/nick-reiner-hires-defense-attorney-alan-jackson-in-murder-case/">TMZ</a> that he&#8217;d been retained. The high-profile defense attorney was spotted heading into a Los Angeles court on Tuesday, presumably in relation to Reiner&#8217;s case.
Jackson, of Werksman Jackson &amp; Quinn LLP, <a href="https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/nick-reiner-court?taid=6941afbf1b98180001b1bdcd&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20Trending%20Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter">recently represented</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karen-read-acquitted-of-murdering-cop-boyfriend">Karen Read</a>, who was acquitted of the murder of her then-boyfriend, John O&#8217;Keefe, a police officer in Boston. He also previously represented actor Kevin Spacey and disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Reiner was supposed to make his <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/12/16/us/rob-michele-reiner-death-investigation">first court appearance</a> on Tuesday, but Jackson informed reporters waiting outside the Los Angeles courtroom that his client would not be present. Jackson said that there would be no hearing in the case Tuesday, and shared no information about his plans for the defense of his client going forward.
&#8220;You have to be medically cleared to be transported to the courthouse, and he has not,&#8221; Jackson said.
In the nearly 48 hours since the Reiners were found dead in their Brentwood home — discovered by their daughter Romy, 28 — dozens of reports have shed light on both the grisly murders and the complicated relationship Nick Reiner had had with his family after years of struggling with drug addiction.
When Romy <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/nick-reiner-missing-hours-after-rob-michele-murders/">discovered the bodies</a> of her parents — who had reportedly had their throats slit — she immediately called 911. She informed police that her brother Nick had been living there, but was not there when she arrived, and said that he was &#8220;dangerous&#8221; and should be considered a suspect.
But shortly afterward, TMZ reported, she made a second call to a longtime family friend, actor and comedian Billy Crystal. Crystal rushed to the home quickly enough that the bodies of his deceased friends were still on the premises.
Hours later, Nick Reiner was arrested in Exposition Park, near downtown Los Angeles, in connection with the murders. TMZ reported that a <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/12/15/nick-reiner-blood-filled-hotel-room-after-murders/">hotel room</a> linked to his credit card was left a bloody mess, with blood found on the bed and in the shower.
Reports indicated that some 24 hours prior to the murders, Nick and his parents had been involved in a &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nick-reiner-fought-with-parents-at-star-studded-holiday-bash-just-24-hours-before-murder">very loud argument</a>&#8221; at a holiday party hosted by late-night comedian Conan O&#8217;Brien, and that Rob and Michele Reiner left the party a short time later. A neighbor and family friend speculated that the fight had likely been about Nick&#8217;s drug use, as he was &#8220;supposedly&#8221; off the drugs, but that may not have been the case.

Director Rob Reiner & Son Nick Visit AOL Build

Nick Reiner Taps Heavyweight Defense Attorney, Is Not ‘Medically Cleared’ For Court

Nick Reiner Taps Heavyweight Defense Attorney, Is Not 'Medically Cleared' For Court 

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In a Republic, lasting progress depends on the art of persuasion. To shape policy, politicians and activists must first convince the public that their ideas work. Yet with increasingly radical tactics — from <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/monkeywrenching-vandals-are-reinventing-climate-activism/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">vandalizing infrastructure</a> to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/02/arts/design/vandalizing-art-protests.html">defacing priceless works of art</a> — and open dismissal of the affordability challenges many Americans face, it’s little wonder the environmental movement has struggled to win hearts and minds.
Faced with soaring energy costs, a <a href="https://www.aei.org/articles/the-clean-energy-transitions-voter-problem/">2024 YouGov poll</a> found that 73% of voters ranked the price and availability of energy as their top concern. Rather than confronting this reality, radical environmental activists have abandoned persuasion in favor of reckless, unfounded lawsuits against American energy companies, actions that threaten not only our energy security but the very principles of fairness and accountability that our democracy depends on.
The trend is best illustrated by Greenpeace International’s so-called “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/greenpeace-files-suit-against-us-pipeline-company-energy-transfer-2025-02-11/">anti-SLAPP</a>” lawsuit against Energy Transfer, a U.S. pipeline company. Greenpeace filed the case in the Netherlands, even though Energy Transfer has no presence or infrastructure in the European Union, claiming the company tried to silence it through costly litigation in North Dakota. Earlier this year, a North Dakota jury found Greenpeace liable for defamation, property damage, and civil conspiracy over its actions during the 2016 and 2017 Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The jury even ordered Greenpeace to pay roughly <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/greenpeace-energy-transfer-lawsuit-verdict/">$660 million </a>in damages. Instead of accepting that verdict, Greenpeace is now taking the fight overseas in an apparent attempt to escape responsibility — an act of desperation mirrored by recent high-profile <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2025/10/16/greenpeaces-top-legal-staffers-exit-00611338">resignations</a> from its own legal team. 
Greenpeace is not alone. In September 2024, California’s attorney general and several environmental groups <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/climate/exxon-california-plastics-defamation-lawsuit.html">sued</a> ExxonMobil, accusing the company of contributing to environmental damage from single-use plastics. Yet ExxonMobil doesn’t manufacture single-use plastics and has <a href="https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/sustainability-and-reports/sustainability/meeting-societys-critical-needs-energy-products/expanding-the-plastics-life-cycle#Ourapproach">invested</a> heavily in recycling innovations to expand the kinds of plastics that can be reused. “Instead of suing us,” an Exxon representative <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-plastics-lawsuit-exxon/">said</a>, “they could have worked with us to fix the problem and keep plastic out of landfills. To date, we’ve processed more than 60 million pounds of plastic waste into usable raw materials.” Ignoring such cooperation and the vital role plastics play in healthcare and food safety, activists continue to favor publicity over practical solutions. 
These lawsuits come at a pivotal moment for America’s energy future. The AI revolution promises to drive economic growth and create new opportunities, but data centers powering that revolution demand historic levels of energy. The United States has the resources to meet this challenge, but if energy producers are buried in costly, politically motivated litigation, our ability to keep energy affordable and reliable will be at risk.
For all the rhetoric from environmental activists, it is American energy producers who have delivered the environmental progress that actually improved people’s lives. Affordable and reliable energy helped drive an almost 80% reduction in common air pollutants since the 1970s and made the United States the world leader in access to clean and safe drinking water. When the Safe Drinking Water Act was first implemented, more than one-third of public water systems failed to meet federal standards, as documented in the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-04/documents/epa816f04030.pdf">EPA’s historical overview of the Safe Drinking Water Act.</a> Early federal surveys summarized by the <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL31243">Congressional Research Service</a> show that roughly 60% of systems were out of compliance in the 1970s. Today, more than 90% of water systems meet EPA’s strictest health-based requirements, according to the agency’s <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL31243">National Public Water Systems Compliance Report</a> and reviews by the <a href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL31243">National Academies of Sciences</a>. These gains occurred while American oil and gas production set records. The lesson is simple: prosperity powered by abundant energy produces cleaner air and cleaner water, not political mandates or litigation campaigns.
These hard-won gains are exactly why the current wave of activist lawsuits is so destructive. Instead of building on America’s energy strengths, groups like Greenpeace are working to undermine the very industry that made this environmental progress possible.
When an organization found liable by a jury for defamation and property damage turns around and cries “SLAPP,” it risks undermining the very legal protections meant to safeguard legitimate free speech and activism. If every losing activist can hide behind these claims, true environmental advocacy becomes collateral damage.
Real progress will continue to come from harnessing America’s ingenuity to responsibly produce energy, without sacrificing prosperity, stability, or the rule of law. The path forward isn’t reckless litigation. It’s common sense and energy abundance.
* * *
The Honorable Jason Isaac is the Founder and CEO of the American Energy Institute, a trade organization that unapologetically champions free markets and American energy. Previously, he served four terms in the Texas House of Representatives.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Environmental Activists Abandon Persuasion For Litigation

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Erika Kirk made several revelations during an as-yet-unaired interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters, as the previews have shown.
The widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated during a campus event in November, said she would like to have cameras in the courtroom during the murder trial of accused killer Tyler Robinson.
“There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered,” Kirk told Watters in the promo clip. “There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Erika Kirk reveals how she feels about cameras in the courtroom" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W2ONRwrCYfY?start=280&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“We deserve to have cameras in there,” the grieving widow added.
“Why not be transparent?” she added. “There’s nothing to hide. I know there’s not, because I’ve seen what the case is built on.”
Robinson was charged with aggravated murder and six other counts after turning himself in to police after the shooting. Prosecutors will be seeking the death penalty in this case.
“Let everyone see what true evil is,” Kirk told Watters. “This is something that could impact a generation and generations to come.”
During the same interview, the new head of Turning Point USA also said that the broadcasting company Sinclair had reached out to her asking if she’d like an apology from late night host Jimmy Kimmel after he made comments indicating that Tyler may be associated with “MAGA.” Kimmel’s show was suspended for a few days after, leading to national outcry from liberals.
“Jimmy Kimmel lied about your husband’s murder and didn’t really apologize, what would you say to Jimmy Kimmel?” Watters asked Kirk.
“Same thing I told Sinclair,” Kirk responded. “They asked, I haven’t really told anybody this, so they asked, ‘do you want Jimmy to give you an apology? Do you want to be on a show? How can we make it right?’ Through our team, I responded, I said, tell them thank you, we received their note.”
“This is not our issue, not our mess,” she added. “If you want to say I’m sorry to someone who’s grieving, go right ahead. But if that’s not in your heart, don’t do it. I don’t want it. I don’t need it.”
The interview will air in full tomorrow night on &#8220;Jesse Watters Primetime&#8221; at 8 PM/ET.
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Erika Kirk Says There Should Be Cameras In Courtroom For Upcoming Murder Trial

Fox News

Jesse Watters

U.S.

President Donald Trump asked a New York appeals court on Monday to overturn his felony conviction in the Manhattan hush money case, arguing that the trial &#8220;was fatally marred&#8221; by the prosecution using his official acts as president as evidence.
Trump&#8217;s lawyers submitted a 96-page <a href="https://static.politico.com/8b/9e/8663b7e849cf87d9220333fb3a36/2025-00648-people-of-the-state-of-v-people-of-the-state-of-appellant-s-brief-66.pdf">legal filing</a>, accusing the trial court of violating the evidentiary presidential immunity, which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year &#8220;bars the &#8216;use of evidence about&#8217; a President’s official acts while in office.&#8221; The filing also argues that the district attorney used &#8220;a convoluted legal theory&#8221; to concoct a &#8220;purported felony,&#8221; and that the judge who oversaw the hush-money trial should have recused himself since he made political contributions to Democrats, POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/28/donald-trump-appeal-hush-money-conviction-00624382?nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&amp;nname=playbook&amp;nrid=00000172-d89e-d8b6-abff-fdff182b0000">reported</a>.
“President Trump’s legal team filed a powerhouse appeal in the Manhattan DA’s Witch Hunt, as the President continues his fight to put an end to the Radical Democrat Lawfare once and for all,&#8221; a spokesman for President Trump&#8217;s legal team said in a statement shared with The Daily Wire. &#8220;The Supreme Court’s historic decision on Immunity, the Federal and New York State Constitutions, and other established legal precedent mandate that this meritless hoax be immediately overturned and dismissed. President Trump will keep defeating Democrat weaponization at every turn as he focuses on his singular mission to Make America Great Again.”
If successful, the president&#8217;s appeal to the New York Supreme Court would erase his status as a convicted felon, after a Manhattan jury found him guilty on 34 counts of business fraud. The hush money case was brought by Manhattan Democratic District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and the trial was overseen by Judge Juan Merchan, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-overseeing-trumps-hush-money-case-donated-to-bidens-2020-presidential-campaign">donated</a> to Democratic causes, including to former President Joe Biden&#8217;s 2020 campaign.
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The hush money trial was held in the middle of Trump&#8217;s 2024 presidential campaign, with the May 30, 2024, conviction marking Trump as the first former president convicted of felony crimes.
&#8220;This is the most politically charged prosecution in our Nation’s history,&#8221; the legal filing begins. &#8220;After years of fruitless investigation into decade-old, baseless allegations—and under immense political pressure to criminally charge President Donald J. Trump for something—New York’s district attorney (DANY) manufactured felony charges against a once-former and now-sitting President of the United States.&#8221;
The case stemmed from Trump&#8217;s hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels, which he made in 2016 to keep her quiet about an alleged sexual encounter in 2006. Trump has maintained that he never had an affair with Daniels.
In Monday&#8217;s legal filing, Trump&#8217;s lawyers argue that prosecutors should have been prevented from pointing to conversations that were held between Trump and his former communications director, Hope Hicks, while Trump was in the White House. During the trial, the DA subpoenaed Hicks, who testified about conversations she held with Trump in the Oval Office, including a discussion she had with the president on “how he would like a team to respond to” a forthcoming Wall Street Journal story. Judge Merchan rejected the defense&#8217;s argument that the prosecution may not use Trump&#8217;s White House conversations as evidence. Weeks later, the Supreme Court handed down its ruling protecting presidential immunity in Trump v. United States.
&#8220;The trial court erroneously held that President Trump’s communications with Hicks were not official because, in the court’s view, they were &#8216;about personal matters involving an alleged affair and a sexual encounter that occurred prior to [President Trump] taking . . . office,'&#8221; Trump&#8217;s legal team argued.

‘Meritless Hoax’: Trump Asks Appeals Court To Throw Out Hush-Money Conviction

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