The Menendez brothers are one step closer to walking free as the California parole board prepares to evaluate their cases individually, beginning on Thursday.
Lyle, 57, and Erik, 54, were initially sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1996 for murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989 inside their Beverly Hills home. The brothers have justified the fatal shootings, claiming they endured sexual abuse from their father that went on for several years.
A Los Angeles judge <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/menendez-bros-win-resentencing-battle-eligible-for-parole?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Menendez+Bros+Win+Resentencing+Battle%2C+Eligible+For+Parole">resentenced</a> both brothers to 50 years to life in May, making them eligible for parole.
Now, a panel of parole officers will hear each case individually to determine if either of the brothers poses an “unreasonable risk of danger to society.” Depending on the outcome, this could lead to Erik and Lyle being released, but not right away, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/menendez-brothers-parole-hearing-a17f74644b52bbe7c1d1a4157eaab3a0">Associated Press</a>.
Even if the convicted murderers are granted parole, their cases will next be passed to the chief legal counsel, who has 120 days to review them. The next step involves California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom affirming or denying their parole within 30 days. If Newsom affirms it, then the Menendez brothers would be able to leave prison. 
The cases had received renewed interest after several high-profile entertainment projects were released, including a Netflix docuseries.
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Judge Michael Jesic said he had given the case “long thought.” While the judge described Lyle and Erik’s crime as “absolutely horrific,” he added that, in his opinion, they’ve been rehabilitated while incarcerated for the past three decades.
“Life without parole gives an inmate no hope, no reason to do anything good. And I give them a lot of credit. It’s remarkable what they did when they had no hope of getting out,” Jesic said.
Former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, often described as “the godfather of progressive prosecutors,” initiated the resentencing process before losing his re-election bid to Nathan Hochman. In March, the new DA filed a motion to withdraw the resentencing petition, saying the self-defense claims were nothing but “lies.” 
“The Menendez brothers have failed to come clean with the full extent of their criminal conduct, their cover-up, their lies and their deceit,” Hochman said in May.
Public opinion is mixed on whether the Menendez brothers should be granted parole, with some arguing that Eric and Lyle have paid their debt to society and others insisting that some of the most incriminating details of the case are being undervalued.

Menendez brothers

Parole Board To Weigh Release Of Infamous Menendez Brothers

Parole Board to Weigh Release Of Infamous Menendez Brothers

California

Courts

Murder

Prison

U.S.

An Obama-appointed federal judge has put a stop to all new construction at the Florida prison, known as Alligator Alcatraz, that is currently being used to house illegal immigrants.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Mary Williams granted a temporary restraining order — requested by Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida — which will halt all new construction for 14 days pending additional hearings on the potential environmental impact of the project. According to the court filings, the request was made because the construction had begun without first conducting the federally required environmental impact studies.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
JUST IN: A federal judge has temporarily halted any further construction of the immigrant detention center known as &#8220;Alligator Alcatraz.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/cH3QP1x48o">https://t.co/cH3QP1x48o</a> <a href="https://t.co/9IXwGhx66t">pic.twitter.com/9IXwGhx66t</a>
— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1953540187880935708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The land surrounding the prison is home to a number of &#8220;sensitive&#8221; wildlife species, including the endangered Florida panther, and according to the request, is also considered sacred by the Miccosukee Tribe.
&#8220;We welcome the court&#8217;s decision to pause construction on this deeply concerning project. The detention facility threatens land that is not only environmentally sensitive but sacred to our people. While this order is temporary, it is an important step in asserting our rights and protecting our homeland. The Miccosukee Tribe will continue to stand for our culture, our sovereignty, and the Everglades,&#8221; Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress said of the judge&#8217;s ruling.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier&#8217;s office also released a statement reacting to the judge&#8217;s decision, saying, &#8220;Judge Williams&#8217; order is wrong, and we will fight it. However, it does not shut down Alligator Alcatraz, which will continue to send illegal aliens back to where they came from.&#8221;
Attorneys for the state of Florida argue that the facility was built and maintained by the state and is not subject to regulations stemming from the National Environmental Policy Act — and therefore should not be required to complete the aforementioned environmental impact studies, though the facility is currently being funded by the federal government.
The ruling, as Uthmeier&#8217;s office noted, only applies to new construction at the prison. The facility can still remain operational, and federal immigration authorities and the state of Florida can still use it to house detainees, but any new additions fall under the restraining order.

Alligator Alcatraz

Obama-Appointed Judge Shuts Down ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Construction Over ‘Environmental Concerns’

Fed. Judge Puts Kibosh On 'Alligator Alcatraz' Construction Over 'Environmental Concerns'

Alligator

illegal immigrants

Illegal Immigration

Israel launched an airstrike on the Iranian regime’s infamous Evin prison on Monday, where thousands of political prisoners have been executed by the Islamic regime.
&#8220;Security footage shows one missile strike blasting open the doors of Evin Prison, where the Islamic Republic held its opponents and critics in brutal conditions, with public hangings,&#8221; the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/23/world-news/dramatic-footage-shows-israel-striking-irans-most-notorious-prison-blowing-doors-off-its-hinges/">reported</a>.
“In accordance with the directives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and me, the IDF is now attacking with unprecedented force regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran, including the Basij headquarters, Evin Prison for political prisoners and opponents of the regime, the ‘Destruction of Israel’ clock in Palestine Square, the internal security headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards, the Ideology Headquarters, and other regime targets,” Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, wrote on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
בהתאם להנחיית ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו ושלי צה&#8221;ל תוקף כעת בעוצמה חסרת תקדים מטרות משטר וגופי דיכוי שלטוניים בלב טהרן וביניהם &#8211; מטה הבסיג’, בית הכלא אווין לאסירים פוליטיים ומתנגדי משטר, השעון &#8220;להשמדת ישראל&#8221; בכיכר פלסטין, מפקדות ביטחון פנים של משמרות המהפכה, מפקדת האידיאולוגיה…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel_katz/status/1937086162415321107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
“In 1988, <a href="https://archive.is/o/C6q4d/https:/www.hrw.org/reports/2004/iran0604/5.htm">thousands of Evin prisoners</a> were executed after cursory trials, according to Human Rights Watch. Many of those killed were viewed as a threat to the new Islamic government,” The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/world/middleeast/evin-prison-iran.html">reported</a>.
Iraj Mesdaghi, a former Iranian political prisoner who was tortured by the Islamic regime while in Evin prison, told <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-858736">The Jerusalem Post</a>: “When I saw the images, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was worried about the fate of the political prisoners, but on the other, I was glad the killers were being targeted. This was a powerful moment for us — to see those who tormented us finally being held accountable. But I must say: as long as Khamenei is alive, the cycle of violence isn&#8217;t over.&#8221;
Mesdaghi recalled what he had suffered while in the prison: ‘The torture wasn’t just to extract information — it was constant. I was kept in solitary confinement for months, blindfolded, shoved into what they called &#8216;the grave&#8217; — a tiny box. They lashed the soles of my feet with electric cables. Every part of my body was in pain.&#8221;
Noted Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad <a href="https://x.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1937210268074852481">stated</a> on X, “The Islamic Republic’s notorious prison, Evin was bombed by Israel. The regime responded by surrounding the prison with security forces to make sure none of the political prisoners could escape. This is the reality in Iran. At a time of war, political prisoners must be released not held hostage. If you want to act, aim your pressure at the Islamic Republic to release them now.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Islamic Republic’s notorious prison, Evin was bombed by Israel. The regime responded by surrounding the prison with security forces to make sure none of the political prisoners could escape. This is the reality in Iran. At a time of war, political prisoners must be released… <a href="https://t.co/xCkBexTZEO">pic.twitter.com/xCkBexTZEO</a>
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1937210268074852481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
“I really don&#8217;t know what will happen next,” Mesdaghi wondered. “If Khamenei survives this attack, I fear the regime will retaliate by executing more political prisoners. That’s why the world has to care — has to stand with the Iranian people, especially those being held hostage by this regime.”

Israel-Targets-Evin-Prison-in-Tehran

Israel Bombed Infamous Iranian Prison. Former Prisoner: ‘This Was A Powerful Moment For Us’

Global Politics

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Israel

World

MixCollage-17-Jun-2025-04-14-PM-4521

LGBT Judge Lets Child Killer Walk Free In Shocking Court Decision

Children

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R&amp;B recording artist R. Kelly was taken to the hospital after experiencing symptoms of an overdose while spending time in solitary confinement, per an emergency motion for his release.
&#8220;Bureau of Prisons officials administered an amount of medication that significantly exceeded a safe dose and caused Mr. Kelly to overdose, putting his life in jeopardy,&#8221; the third supplement to the emergency motion filed by his attorney Beau Brindley says.
The document also notes how the singer &#8220;takes medication for anxiety and to help him sleep, in addition to other medications.&#8221; 
Brindley has been working to get his client released onto house arrest, claiming his life is in danger as long as he’s in prison, per <a href="https://people.com/r-kelly-overdose-hospital-prison-drugs-11756210">People</a>.
Kelly’s attorney also claimed his client required surgery that the prison was hindering him from getting.
&#8220;Mr. Kelly’s life is in jeopardy right now because the Bureau of Prisons denied him necessary surgery to clear clots from his lungs,&#8221; the supplement says. &#8220;He could die from this condition, and they are letting it happen. There is no legitimate explanation for that.&#8221;
The 55-year-old performer was found guilty on three of four counts of child pornography by a federal jury in 2022, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/r-kelly-convicted-on-multiple-charges-including-child-pornography">reported</a>. The charges carry a minimum of 10 years in prison.
Kelly was also found guilty on three of five counts of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The conviction comes after a judge convicted Kelly on all nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking in New York earlier that same year. He was already serving a 30-year sentence behind bars as a result of that trial when the second guilty verdict was handed down. 
The singer has allegedly been in solitary confinement ever since Brindley filed an emergency motion seeking a temporary furlough on June 10, the outlet noted.
Brindley is also trying to secure a presidential pardon for his client and claims to have spoken with contacts with ties to Trump. Kelly and the president have no previous relationship beyond the fact that Kelly once lived in Trump Tower.
&#8220;He is not safe in federal custody,&#8221; Brindley said. &#8220;And to keep him in prison while he is under threat like this is cruel and unusual punishment.&#8221;

R Kelly

R. Kelly Reportedly Overdoses In Prison As His Lawyer Petitions For Trump Pardon

Celebrities

Crime

Donald Trump

Entertainment

Music

Pardon

A former CIA analyst who leaked Israeli strike plans against Iran was sentenced to just three years and one month in prison on Wednesday.
Asif William Rahman, 34, of Vienna, Virginia, was convicted of “unlawfully retaining and transmitting Top Secret National Defense Information to people who were not entitled to receive it,” the U.S. Department of Justice <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-cia-analyst-sentenced-over-three-years-prison-unlawfully-transmitting-top-secret">said</a>. Rahman was arrested in November 2024 and pled guilty to two counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information related to the national defense in January 2025. He had faced up to 10 years in prison on each count if convicted.
He had been employed by the CIA since 2016 and had Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-cia-official-admits-to-stealing-leaking-israeli-attack-plans-on-iran">reported</a>.
“Asif Rahman violated his position of trust by illegally accessing, removing, and transmitting Top Secret documents vital to the national security of the United States and its allies,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This case should serve as a stern warning to those who choose to place their own goals over their allegiance to our nation.”
The DOJ said Rahman “accessed and printed two Top Secret documents containing National Defense Information” on October 17, 2024.
The next day, the documents appeared on multiple social media platforms, including a pro-Iran Telegram account, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cia-official-arrested-for-allegedly-leaking-classified-documents-on-israeli-attack-plans">reported</a> at the time.
The leaked documents included information from U.S. satellites on Israeli military preparations for the strike against Iran. The documents were intended to be viewed only by members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Israel launched airstrikes targeting military bases around Iran’s capital city of Tehran later in October, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israeli-strikes-targeted-iranian-military-bases-around-tehran">reported</a>. The strikes came in response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack earlier that month.
The DOJ continued:
<blockquote>In 2024, continuing through November, Rahman repeatedly accessed and printed classified National Defense Information, including documents classified up to the Top Secret and further compartmented levels, that he learned in the course of his employment and transmitted to multiple individuals he knew were not entitled to receive it.</blockquote>
“For months, this defendant betrayed the American people and the oaths he took upon entering his office by leaking some of our Nation’s most closely held secrets,” said John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

Israeli fighter jet

Former CIA Analyst Who Leaked Israeli Strike Plans Gets Lenient Prison Sentence

Department of Justice

Military

Last month, Marvin Lee Mutch, a convicted child murderer who was charged with drowning 13-year-old Cassie Riley in 1974, was arrested for possessing child sex abuse material, an illegally owned firearm, ammunition, and a controlled substance. After 40 years in San Quentin Prison, Mutch was released in 2016, thanks to the efforts of an organization called the Innocence Project. This isn’t the first time the group has argued for the release of a criminal who has gone on to harm new victims.
Consider Robert Roberson, a Texas death row inmate whose 2024 case flooded headlines. Described by the Innocence Project as a “child-like” autistic father, Roberson gained the sympathies of many prominent figures on both sides of the political aisle. Days before Roberson’s set execution date of October 17, 2024, CNN’s Jake Tapper conducted a sympathetic interview with the detective who worked on Roberson’s case, who called for Roberson to be spared the death penalty. Dr. Phil, RFK Jr., and Bret Weinstein, conservative allies whom I believe to be well meaning, also defended Roberson and called for a stay of his execution. The Innocence Project led the charge on Roberson’s behalf, persuading the public and Texas lawmakers that a grieving, autistic father had been wrongly blamed for the 2002 murder of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki. The group claimed Roberson’s conviction was based on “debunked” Shaken Baby Syndrome and an accidental bed fall. Who can blame one for rushing to Roberson’s defense when presented with this story? It tugs on the heartstrings and demands justice. However, to maintain this narrative that captivated so many well-meaning people, the Innocence Project left out the damning details that actually led to Roberson’s conviction.
Nikki, just 2 years old, died in Roberson’s care. According to the testimonies delivered during Roberson’s trial, Nikki’s injuries were consistent with brutal abuse. ER Nurse Andrea Sims testified Nikki had a handprint on her face, a “mushy” skull, and her entire brain shifted from trauma. Dr. John Ross, the pediatrician who examined Nikki, testified that he ruled out a fall, insisting the trauma had to have been caused intentionally. Nurse Kelly Gurganus described Nikki’s blue skin, unlike anything she’d seen, even in drownings. Dr. Thomas Konjoyan, the ER physician who examined Nikki, confirmed her brain was pushed to death by uncal herniation — an injury no bed fall could cause. 
It gets worse. Nurse Sims found three anal tears and abnormal rectal laxity, signs of sexual assault. Roberson confessed to a cellmate he put his penis in Nikki’s mouth and rubbed it on her. His ex, Della Gray, testified he abused her children, leaving bruises and a hickey on one. His own mother warned he’d kill Nikki. With 17 arrests, including felonies, Roberson is no victim. Yet the Innocence Project paints him as a misunderstood Forrest Gump.
Now, Roberson’s fate hangs in the balance as he awaits his new execution date. Attorney General Ken Paxton has signaled that he’ll continue seeking justice for Nikki. Will Texas legislators join him in this fight, or will they cave to IP’s anti-justice demands?
So why would the Innocence Project defend such a man? The Innocence Project, founded in 1992 by O.J. Simpson’s lawyers Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld, is a radical left-wing organization that uses these kinds of misleading cases of supposed wrongful convictions to erode public confidence in capital punishment. They freed O.J. despite blood evidence and use the same tactics to pursue their ultimate goal of abolishing the death penalty at all costs. And it seems to be working: since 1992, public support for the death penalty has dropped from 80% to 53%, fueled by their sob stories about “wrongly” convicted killers like Roberson. They erode trust in our courts, claiming a “broken system” while ignoring victims like Nikki.
Their leadership exposes their bias. Executive Director Christina Swarns, a former NAACP lawyer, saved cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose guilt is undeniable. Board member Alondra Nelson praises Black Panthers and pushes DNA testing for slave reparations. Yusef Salaam, of Central Park Five fame, campaigned for Kamala Harris. Cedric Alexander, an Obama advisor, demonizes January 6 protesters. Ekow Yankah wrote he won’t let his children befriend white people. Bankrolled by George Soros’s Open Society, Mackenzie Scott, and even taxpayer dollars through the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance, they’re activists, not impartial advocates.
Conservatives should view The Innocence Project like BLM: a radical leftist group using toxic empathy to twist our compassion and godly desire for justice, just to push a dangerous agenda.
* * *
Allie Beth Stuckey is a conservative commentator, host of the podcast “Relatable,” and New York Times bestselling author of “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Empathy-Progressives-Christian-Compassion/dp/0593541944/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UANYF7F4G527&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.SR4Z9YTZBiD-LIyJWIe2NqrPQSJrs7v_SeJwqdKhprgz4bRzXt9yi_yz87GrsiKreKNDkh5cktyvWqnwYqCvq-AAWTJyW9idmKxIIFSxmJU.Q-uGoH9skFCMDxfjq4I70mRhShGY4nULiXDRrFrj1Nw&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=Toxic+Empathy%3A+How+Progressives&amp;qid=1749579102&amp;sprefix=toxic+empathy+how+progressives%2Caps%2C55&amp;sr=8-1">Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion</a>&#8220;
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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Governor Gavin Newsom Announces He Will Sign Moratorium On Executions In California

The Innocence Project’s Toxic Empathy Betrays Victims Like Cassie Riley

Child Abuse

Innocence Project

A former police chief serving a life sentence for murder and rape, dubbed the &#8220;Devil in the Ozarks,&#8221; escaped from an Arkansas high-security prison on Sunday by disguising himself as a law enforcement officer.
Grant Hardin, 56, was serving a 30-year sentence for the 2017 murder of James Appleton, a Gateway water department employee, and an additional 50 years for the 1997 rape of an elementary school teacher, according to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-prison-escape-police-chief-grant-hardin-934e7fe6a45d3eafb18443f5b2bc5680">report</a> by the Associated Press.
He escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit, a high-security facility in Calico Rock where he had been incarcerated since 2017, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/27/us/grant-hardin-prison-escape-arkansas">according</a> to CNN.
Rand Champion, spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, confirmed Hardin wore a &#8220;makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement&#8221; during his escape, prison officials stated.
&#8220;That was not a standard inmate uniform, not a standard correctional uniform,&#8221; Champion said. &#8220;There&#8217;s nothing inside the prison that looks like that, so that&#8217;s one of the challenges we&#8217;re going through to find out what that was and how he was able to get that or manufacture it.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_925979" style="width: 534px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-925979" class="size-large wp-image-925979" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/499909563_1131975885632996_2765357824958232388_n-524x576.jpg" alt="" width="524" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/499909563_1131975885632996_2765357824958232388_n-524x576.jpg 524w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/499909563_1131975885632996_2765357824958232388_n-273x300.jpg 273w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/499909563_1131975885632996_2765357824958232388_n.jpg 662w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 524px) 100vw, 524px" />Via the Arkansas Dept of Corrections on Facebook</div>
Hardin had a short tenure as police chief for the small Arkansas town of Gateway in 2016, just a few miles away from Walmart headquarters, and throughout his law enforcement career, he was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/26/us/arkansas-grant-hardin-prison-escape.html">plagued</a> with accusations of excessive force, bad performance, and eventually resigned as chief after he was caught falsifying a police report, according to The New York Times.
Authorities have deployed canines, drones, and helicopters to search the rugged Ozark Mountains terrain, with the search area expanding as time passes.
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Champion noted the region&#8217;s challenging topography, stating, &#8220;It&#8217;s called Calico Rock for a reason, because it&#8217;s very rocky,&#8221; adding that recent heavy rainfall has further complicated search efforts &#8212; although he added it could also hinder Hardin’s escape effort.
Izard County Sheriff Charley Melton urged residents to lock their homes and vehicles and call 911 if they notice anything suspicious.
Cheryl Tillman, sister of James Appleton, who Hardin murdered in 2017, expressed alarm about the escape since she and other family members were witnesses at Hardin&#8217;s trial, but she was not surprised upon hearing of Hardin’s escape.
&#8220;He&#8217;s just an evil man,&#8221; she said, per the AP. &#8220;He is no good for society.&#8221;
Craig Caine, a retired inspector with the U.S. Marshals with 30 years of experience handling escaped inmates, told the AP, &#8220;At some point in time, he&#8217;s going to run out of provisions.&#8221;
Though Caine isn&#8217;t involved in this manhunt, he noted that investigators are likely examining Hardin&#8217;s court documents and tracking individuals who might be assisting him. He added that it is extremely unlikely for Hardin to evade capture indefinitely in the isolated region, where he is likely to stand out in small, rural communities and be turned in by residents.
The ex-police chief&#8217;s notoriety in the region led to the production of a 2023 documentary titled &#8220;Devil in the Ozarks,&#8221; which chronicled his crimes.
Hardin&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/10-inmates-some-charged-with-murder-escape-from-louisiana-jail">escape</a> comes just weeks after ten inmates fled a New Orleans jail by crawling through a hole behind a toilet. Eight of those fugitives have since been recaptured as of Tuesday.

Grant Hardin

Arkansas Residents On Edge After Violent Ex-Police Chief Escapes Prison

Arkansas

Prison escape

Rape

This Woman Was Just Sent To Prison For Posting A Mean Tweet

England

Great Britain

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Stabbing

Twitter

Over two dozen Republican attorneys general are defending President Donald Trump&#8217;s moves to keep women from being housed alongside transgender-identifying men in federal prisons.
Led by Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, a group of 26 states filed an amicus brief on Friday in support of Trump&#8217;s executive order requiring prisoners to be housed by sex and halting funds for transgender procedures for prisoners. Trump&#8217;s actions to rid prisons of gender ideology currently sit before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit after being blocked by lower federal courts.
“Truth matters — and it’s under attack in our culture today,” Labrador told The Daily Wire on Wednesday. “We’re standing up for biological reality, lawful executive authority, and the dignity and safety of women. If government policy or court rulings deny basic truth, it threatens both public trust and the rights of individuals.”
In February, a federal judge blocked the Trump&#8217;s directive to move transgender-identifying male prisoners out of a female prison, arguing that it violates the Eight Amendment&#8217;s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Two other judges have also blocked the order, including provisions ending funding of transgender procedures for prisoners.
Led by Labrador and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, the Republican attorneys general argued Friday that Trump&#8217;s actions to keep men out of women&#8217;s prisons are not bound by the Eighth Amendment.
&#8220;The federal government is charged with preserving the safety of all prisoners in its care, and it has determined that placing transgender-identifying male prisoners in female housing intolerably jeopardizes female prisoners’ well-being,&#8221; they wrote in their legal brief. &#8220;So far as the Eighth Amendment is concerned,  the federal government is free to decide, as it has, that the best and safest solution is to house trans-identifying male prisoners with non-violent male offenders.&#8221;
The Republican officials also noted that there is a great danger that could be posed to women who are forced to shower and bunk alongside males.
&#8220;Housing transgender-identifying males with female prisoners presents its own set of risks. Those risks inure to the harm of female inmates, who  (1) have their rights to privacy and dignity compromised by having to sleep and shower with men, (2) are exposed to elevated possibilities of violence or sexual assault, and (3) will be pressured or coerced into using speech reflecting a belief that conflicts with  biological reality,&#8221; they wrote. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/obama-trump-youth-prisons-transgender-house-young-girls?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Despite+Trump+Orders%2C+Juvenile+Prisons+Still+Have+To+House+‘Trans’+Men+With+Young+Girls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RELATED: Despite Trump Orders, Juvenile Prisons Still Have To House ‘Trans’ Men With Young Girls</a>
They also argue that the Trump administration should be allowed to deny transgender procedures to prisoners because of the well-documented risks of gender medical interventions.
&#8220;Politically accountable policy makers are better positioned and constitutionally  empowered to decide if, when, and how those treatments should be administered, and the need for deference to the politically accountable branches is particularly high in light  of the medical uncertainty regarding the treatments’ efficacy,&#8221; they wrote. 
<div id="attachment_923535" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-923535" class="size-full wp-image-923535" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2149418788.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 24: Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador speaks outside the Supreme Court on April 24, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court hears oral arguments today on Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States to decide if Idaho emergency rooms can provide abortions to pregnant women during an emergency using a federal law known as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act to supersede a state law that criminalizes most abortions in Idaho." width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2149418788.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2149418788-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2149418788-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2149418788-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Labrador at the Supreme Court/ Credit: Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images.</div>
The brief was signed by the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Risks to women being housed alongside males are not abstract and are currently the subject of multiple lawsuits across the country. A California man named Tremaine Carrol faces multiple rape charges after he was housed in a woman&#8217;s facility. In Washington, former prisoner Mozzy Clark has sued the state saying it subjected her to multiple sexual assaults because they housed a man in her cell.
The issue is not isolated to the adult prisons as Obama-era regulations states could be required to house boys in all-girl youth prisons as well. As The Daily Wire previously reported, states must consider housing a juvenile male who identifies as a female at a women&#8217;s facility on a case by case basis or risk the loss of federal funding.

Criminal wearing handcuffs in prison

Republican AGs Blast Federal Judges For Keeping Men In Women’s Prisons

gender ideology

Idaho

Transgender

Ten prison inmates, at least four of them charged with murder or attempted murder, have escaped from prison in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On Friday morning at roughly 9:30 a.m., it was discovered that the men were missing from Orleans Parish Justice Center.
“Photos released by the sheriff&#8217;s office show the inside of a cell where the escape is believed to have happened. A large hole was cut behind a toilet with phrases such as ‘We Innocent’ and ‘Too Easy LOL’ written above it,” NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/louisiana-orleans-inmates-escape-rcna207232">reported</a>.
Sheriff Susan Hutson revealed the inmates had the help of people “inside of our department.”
“Someone clearly dropped the ball and there’s no excuse for this,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill wrote. “I’m in communication with Troop NOLA and @LAStatePolice Superintendent Colonel Hodges. It’s all hands on deck. The first priority in any escape must be the immediate capture of the inmates and coordination with state and local law enforcement — but that effort cannot come at the expense of timely notification to the public, which is also critical to keeping communities safe. My office will do whatever it takes to determine how this happened and make sure that it won’t happen again. I am calling for a full investigation &#8211; This is beyond unacceptable, and once these offenders are back in custody, there must be real accountability.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Someone clearly dropped the ball and there’s no excuse for this. I’m in communication with Troop NOLA and <a href="https://twitter.com/LAStatePolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LAStatePolice</a> Superintendent Colonel Hodges. It’s all hands on deck. The first priority in any escape must be the immediate capture of the inmates and coordination with… <a href="https://t.co/APXD9Gj7UE">pic.twitter.com/APXD9Gj7UE</a>
&mdash; Attorney General Liz Murrill (@AGLizMurrill) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGLizMurrill/status/1923441108731953641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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According to Deputy Chief of Field Operations Bureau Christopher Goodly, the men should be considered armed and dangerous.
Not only have four of the escapees been charged with murder or attempted murder, others have been charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, armed robbery with a firearm, armed false imprisonment, or battery and drug offenses.
One man has been caught. Kendall Myles was discovered hiding under a car in the Hotel Monteleone parking garage in the French Quarter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Troop NOLA Troopers located escapee Kendall Myles in the French Quarter this morning. After a brief foot pursuit, he was apprehended on Royal Street. Troopers continue working with partners to locate the remaining escapees and ensure public safety. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/troopnola?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#troopnola</a> <a href="https://t.co/ef5FM55YRS">pic.twitter.com/ef5FM55YRS</a>
&mdash; LA State Police (@LAStatePolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAStatePolice/status/1923423245044257185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Thank you to Troop NOLA for their diligence and speed in apprehending the first escapee,” Gov. Jeff Landry posted on X. “To the other 10: YOU ARE NEXT! @OrleansParishSO and @SheriffHutson must be working in total conjunction with Troop NOLA. There is no time to waste!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Thank you to Troop NOLA for their diligence and speed in apprehending the first escapee. 
To the other 10: YOU ARE NEXT! <a href="https://twitter.com/OrleansParishSO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OrleansParishSO</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SheriffHutson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SheriffHutson</a> must be working in total conjunction with Troop NOLA. There is no time to waste! <a href="https://t.co/4YZzcSlWDa">https://t.co/4YZzcSlWDa</a>
&mdash; Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAGovJeffLandry/status/1923423965554327670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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escape from prison cell

10 Inmates, Some Charged With Murder, Escape From Louisiana Jail

escape

Louisiana

New Orleans

The 27-year-old New Jersey man who was convicted in February of stabbing and partially blinding famed novelist Salman Rushdie was hit with the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison on Friday.
Hadi Matar was convicted of second-degree attempted murder for the August 2022 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-famed-author-salman-rushdie-target-of-iran-death-sentence-stabbed-on-stage-in-new-york?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=BREAKING%3A+Famed+Author+Salman+Rushdie%2C+Target+Of+Iran+Death+Sentence%2C+Stabbed+On+Stage+In+New+York" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stabbing attack</a> that also injured the event&#8217;s moderator, Henry Reese, the co-founder of Pittsburgh&#8217;s City of Asylum, which helps exiled writers, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/assailant-who-stabbed-author-salman-rushdie-sentenced-25-years-2025-05-16/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Rushdie — who sparked the ire of the Iranian regime with his 1988 novel, &#8220;The Satanic Verses&#8221; — was stabbed by Matar between 10 and 15 times in the head, neck, torso, and left hand at a New York arts institute. After the book was published, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, calling for Rushdie&#8217;s assassination.
Video captured Matar rushing the stage where Rushdie spoke during a writers&#8217; event focused on protecting exiled writers. During the trial, a trauma surgeon testified that without immediate medical intervention, Rushdie would have died, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/salman-rushdie-stabbing-sentencing-attempted-murder-hadi-matar/story?id=121844226" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The jury took just two hours to reach a verdict. Matar was also sentenced to seven years for second-degree assault in the stabbing of Reese, but that sentence will run concurrently with the longer one.
Before the trial began in Chautauqua County Court, Matar rejected a plea deal. Shortly after the jury reached its verdict, his defense attorney, Nathaniel Barone, said Matar plans to appeal the conviction. Matar has also been charged by the federal government with an act of terrorism. He will face those charges at a separate trial in Buffalo, according to Reuters.
Rushdie was born into a non-practicing Muslim family in British India, and now identifies as an atheist. “The Satanic Verses,&#8221; which was labeled as blasphemous by hardline Islamists, refers to verses of the Quran that Rushdie claimed had been removed. Rushdie said that his book is not blasphemous against Islam, adding, “I doubt very much Khomeini or anyone else in Iran has read this book or anything more than selected extracts taken out of context.”
After the sentencing hearing, Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said that the stabbing attack still haunts the 77-year-old author.
&#8220;He&#8217;s traumatized. He has nightmares about what he experienced,&#8221; Schmidt said. &#8220;Obviously this is a major setback for an individual that was starting to emerge in his very later years of life into society after going into hiding after the fatwa.&#8221;

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