crime

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a jury's finding in a civil case that Donald Trump sexually assaulted a columnist within the dressing room of a luxury department store within the mid-Nineteen Nineties.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a written opinion upholding the $5 million award that the Manhattan jury awarded E. Jean Carroll on defamation and sexual abuse charges.

The magazine's longtime columnist had testified at a 2023 trial that Trump turned a friendly encounter within the spring of 1996 right into a violent attack after they playfully entered the shop's dressing room.

Trump skipped the trial after repeatedly denying that the attack ever happened. But he testified briefly earlier this 12 months in a follow-up defamation trial that ended with an $83.3 million award. The second trial stemmed from comments made by then-President Trump in 2019 after Carroll first made the allegations public in his memoir.

In its ruling, a three-judge panel of the appeals court rejected claims by Trump's lawyers that trial Judge Lewis A. Kaplan made several decisions that thwarted the trial, including his decision to confess two other women who had accused Trump of marrying them statements about having been sexually abused.

The judge also allowed the jury to look at the infamous “Access Hollywood” video wherein Trump bragged in 2005 about grabbing women's genitals because when someone is a star, “you can do anything.”

“We conclude that Mr. Trump has not established that the district court erred in any of the impugned rulings,” the 2nd Circuit said. “Furthermore, he has failed to establish that any alleged error or combination of alleged errors affected his essential rights necessary to justify a new trial.”

In September, each Carroll, 81, and Trump, 78, attended oral arguments within the 2nd Circuit.

Steven Cheung, a Trump spokesman, said in an announcement that Trump was elected by voters who “cast an overwhelming mandate, and they are calling for an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and a rapid end to all witch hunts, including…” Democratic-sponsored Carroll Hoax, which stays under appeal.”

Roberta Kaplan, an attorney who represented Carroll throughout the trial and will not be related to the judge, said in an announcement: “Both E. Jean Carroll and I are pleased with today’s decision. We thank the Second Circuit for its careful consideration of the parties’ arguments.”

The first jury present in May 2023 that Trump sexually abused Carroll and defamed her with comments he made in October 2022. That jury awarded Carroll $5 million.

In January, a second jury awarded Carroll a further $83.3 million in damages for comments Trump made about her while he was president, finding them defamatory. That jury had been instructed by the judge to simply accept the primary jury's finding that Trump had sexually abused Carroll.

Trump testified for lower than three minutes within the second trial and was not allowed to challenge the jury's May 2023 conclusions. Still, he was animated within the courtroom throughout the two-week trial and jurors could hear him grumbling in regards to the case.

“I want to show Freya and every other girl and boy that if something happens to you, you can stand up for yourself, no matter who the person is, and that justice will be served. I hope my story reminds all victims of sexual assault that no matter how afraid you may be, you must speak up, have a voice, and continue to fight for justice.

“I know that this has had a huge impact on not only my life, the lives of my daughter, my family and my friends. And it’s something I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.”

Nikita Hand barely made her statement to the Dublin court, which had just ruled in favor of her claim that MMA fighter Conor McGregor sexually abused her in 2018 in a civil case.

It was a reminder of the barriers faced by women who’re victims of such violence. The strength and determination shown by Hand will need to have been extraordinary in even reporting the attack, let alone pursuing it so far. Hand said she felt “disappointed” by Irish prosecutors who didn’t bring criminal charges against McGregor.

The court was told that McGregor had hand pinned down and placed in a “chokehold” as he attacked her, and that the paramedic who treated her said they’d not seen “someone with bruises like that” in an extended time after She had been taken to a clinic ambulance to a sexual assault treatment unit.

Hand was awarded slightly below €250,000 ($257,000) in damages. McGregor denied the allegations and said he would appeal. He posted a lengthy statement on X, which he has since deleted. It was determined that one other man had not attacked Hand.

The court was also told in regards to the impact of the attack on Hand's life. She needed to quit her job, her relationship together with her then-partner ended, she needed to stop therapy sessions to ease the psychological effects because she couldn't afford them, her mortgage was now in arrears and he or she had to maneuver out of her house after men broke in and stabbed their latest partner. The judge ruled that the latter incident shouldn’t be considered by the jury as there was no indication that McGregor himself was involved.

This is all mentioned to focus on the impact of sexual assault on an individual's life, and it seems almost inappropriate to deal with the query: “What does this mean for football?”

But McGregor has tried to get entangled in football wherever he can and he has often been spoiled for it.

Consider the time in October when he found his way onto the pitch on the Emirates Stadium, where, after attending a promotional event in London, he supposedly one way or the other managed to get into places within the stadium that even a typical hospitality ticket couldn't reach You.

He posed for a photograph with Declan Rice and was filmed ranting and playfully arguing with Bukayo Saka, who didn't seem particularly comfortable with the entire experience.

Arsenal asked McGregor to depart the pitch and later made it clear they’d review their security measures to make sure something like this doesn't occur again in the long run.

A couple of weeks later, McGregor was also within the stands at Arsenal's away game in Newcastle and appeared on British radio station talkSPORT.

He posed for photos with Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, amongst others, and recurrently interacted online with Sergio Ramos. At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, he was a guest on the 2018 World Cup final in Moscow.

He has expressed his support for several clubs over time, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain. He has invested in his local Irish club, Lourdes Celtic, and has attracted numerous attention by claiming he’s considering buying various teams including United, Chelsea and Liverpool.

To be fair, it seems like numerous people in the sport didn't even want anything to do with McGregor before the decision was announced last week.

He has been accused of a variety of violent offenses and has previous convictions for assault and disorderly conduct. Until now, the fundamental legal accusation against McGregor has been that he’s an obnoxious, sometimes violent idiot, and there are many those in football.

Now a court has confirmed the allegations of one among the worst crimes a human being can commit. This is especially insidious since the sense of fear and intimidation that accompanies any sexual assault allegation is magnified on this case: McGregor is an especially famous, influential and wealthy man with numerous aggressive fans who need no encouragement Defend him and check out to intimidate any perceived threat to him.

So now there isn’t any excuse. From this point on, you’ll be able to't claim to not know McGregor. If it wasn't clear before that he was a harmful character that nobody in football must be related to, it’s now.

Today is Friday, August 2nd, the 215th day of the yr 2024. There are 151 days left within the yr.

Today in history:

On August 2, 1921, a jury in Chicago acquitted several former members of the Chicago White Sox baseball team and two others of conspiracy to defraud the general public within the infamous “Black Sox” scandal (although they were banned from Major League Baseball for all times by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis).

Also on this date:

In 1776, members of the Second Continental Congress began signing the Declaration of Independence.

In 1873, inventor Andrew S. Hallidie (HAH'-lih-day) successfully tested a cable automotive he had designed for town of San Francisco.

In 1876, frontiersman “Wild Bill” Hickok was shot by Jack McCall while playing poker in a bar in Deadwood, Dakota Territory. The man was later hanged.

On August 2, 1923, the twenty ninth President of the United States, Warren G. Harding, died in San Francisco; Vice President Calvin Coolidge became President.

In 1934, German President Paul von Hindenburg died, paving the best way for Adolf Hitler to take complete power.

In 1939, Albert Einstein signed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt calling for the creation of a nuclear weapons research program.

[In1945PresidentHarrySTrumpSovietleaderJosephStalinandthenewBritishPrimeMinisterClementAttleeconcludedthePotsdamConference[1945schlossenPräsidentHarrySTrumandersowjetischeFührerJosefStalinundderneuebritischePremierministerClementAttleediePotsdamerKonferenzab

In 1974, former White House Counsel John W. Dean III was sentenced to 1 to 4 years in prison for obstruction of justice in reference to the Watergate cover-up. (Dean ultimately served 4 months.)

In 1985, 137 people were killed when Delta Air Lines Flight 191, a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, crashed while attempting to land at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and took control of the oil-rich emirate. (The Iraqis were later expelled by the United States in Operation Desert Storm.)

In 2018, Pope Francis decreed that the death penalty was “inadmissible” under all circumstances and that the Catholic Church should work for its abolition.

Today's birthdays:

• Rock musician Garth Hudson (The Band) is 87.
• The creator Isabel Allende is 82.
• Singer Kathy Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 81.
• Actor Butch Patrick (TV: “The Munsters”) is 71.
• Rock music producer/drummer Butch Vig is 69.
• Actress Mary-Louise Parker is 60.
• Screenwriter, actor and director Kevin Smith is 54.
• Actor Sam Worthington is 48.
• Actor Edward Furlong is 47.
• Television meteorologist Dylan Dreyer (TV: “Today”) is 43.
• Actress Lily Gladstone is 38.
• WNBA point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith is 34.
• Singer Charli XCX is 32.
• Olympic gold medalist in swimming, Simone Manuel, is 28.

Originally published: August 2, 2024 at 1:00 am

Today is Sunday, July 21, the 203rd day of the 12 months 2024. There are 163 days left within the 12 months.

Today’s highlight of the story:

On July 21, 1925, the so-called “Monkey Trial” in Dayton, Tennessee, ended with the conviction of John T. Scopes of violating state law by teaching Darwin's theory of evolution. (The verdict was later overturned.)

Also on this date:

In 1861, throughout the Civil War, the First Battle of Bull Run was fought in Manassas, Virginia, and led to a Confederate victory.

In 1944, American troops landed on Guam during World War II and captured the island from the Japanese about three weeks later.

The Geneva Conference of 1954 ended with an agreement to divide Vietnam right into a northern and a southern part.

In 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin launched from the moon aboard the lunar module's ascent stage to dock with the command module.

In 1970, the development of the Aswan Dam in Egypt was accomplished.

In 1972, the Irish Republican Army carried out 22 bomb attacks in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In this attack, which became referred to as “Bloody Friday”, nine people were killed and 130 injured.

In 2002, Ernie Els won the British Open in the primary sudden-death finish within the tournament's 142-year history.

In 2008, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic (RA'-doh-van KA'-ra-jich), one among the world's most indicted war criminals, was arrested by Serbian security forces in a Belgrade suburb. (He was sentenced to life imprisonment by a UN court in 2019 after being found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.)

In 2011, the 30-year-old Space Shuttle program ended when Atlantis landed at Cape Canaveral, Florida after the one hundred and thirty fifth shuttle flight.

In 2012, Erden Eruc became the primary person to sail around the globe alone and without human power.

In 2021, public health officials reported that life expectancy within the United States fell by a 12 months and a half in 2020, the sharpest one-year decline since World War II. The decline was primarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, the “Barbenheimer” hype reached its peak when the movies “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” were released in theaters; the critical and audience approval for each movies led to the fourth largest weekend cinema of all time.

Today's birthdays:

• Singer Yusuf Islam (also referred to as Cat Stevens) is 76.
• Cartoonist Garry Trudeau is 76.
• Author Michael Connelly is 68.
• Comedian Jon Lovitz is 67.
• Former soccer player Brandi Chastain is 56.
• Rock-soul singer Michael Fitzpatrick (Fitz and the Tantrums) is 54.
• The actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg is 53.
• Actor Justin Bartha is 46.
• Actor Josh Hartnett is 46.
• Reggae singer Damian Marley is 46.
• Tamika Catchings, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, is 45.
• Former MLB All-Star pitcher CC Sabathia (suh-BATH'-ee-uh) is 44.
• Singer Blake Lewis (“American Idol”) is 43.
• The Latin singer Romeo Santos is 43.
• Actress Betty Gilpin is 38.
• Actor Juno Temple is 35.
• Actor Rory Culkin is 35.
• Manchester City football star Erling Haaland is 24 years old.

Originally published: July 21, 2024 at 01:00

LOS ANGELES – The NFL has been found guilty of violating antitrust laws in its distribution of Sunday afternoon games out of market through its premium subscription service Sunday Ticket.

Even though a jury of 5 men and three women in a US district court awarded the private and industrial subscribers of the “Sunday Ticket” damages of just about 4.8 billion dollars on Thursday, neither settlement checks nor the discontinuation of the service are to be expected within the near future.

How did the jury determine?

How long did the method take?

Three weeks. It began with opening arguments on June 6 and included 10 days of testimony before closing arguments on Wednesday. The jury deliberated for nearly five hours on Wednesday and Thursday before reaching a call.

The NFL invited Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as witnesses, but that didn’t help. The plaintiffs relied mainly on economic experts and videos of pre-trial testimony.

Who were the plaintiffs?

The class motion lawsuit affected greater than 2.4 million private customers and 48,000 businesses, primarily bars and restaurants, that purchased the NFL Sunday Ticket from June 17, 2011, to February 7, 2023.

What is the character of the damage?

The jury awarded $4.7 billion to non-public clients and $96 million to businesses. Because damages are tripled under federal antitrust law, the NFL could ultimately be responsible for $14.39 billion if it doesn’t settle or has its penalty reduced.

The residential damages were barely lower than the $5.6 billion offered to plaintiffs under their college football model, but higher than under a model through which Sunday Ticket would have had multiple providers and reduced subscription costs by 49.7% ($2.81 billion).

The business damages were much smaller than those presented by the plaintiffs of their three models, with the bottom damage being $332 million under the so-called “NFL Tax” model.

How would the NFL pay damages?

The sum can be divided evenly among the many 32 teams. This signifies that each team could pay as much as $449.6 million.

Will there be immediate changes?

Changes to the Sunday Ticket package and/or the best way the NFL broadcasts its Sunday afternoon games can be placed on hold until all appeals are resolved. However, if the league was smart, it could start offering team-by-team or week-by-week packages while lowering the worth.

ESPN had proposed offering Sunday Ticket for $70 per season with team-by-team packages in 2022, however the NFL rejected it before moving forward with YouTube TV.

If the NFL had offered individual packages for individual teams from the start, certainly one of the lead plaintiffs likely wouldn’t have been a part of the lawsuit.

Rob Lippincott, a New Orleans native who moved to California, bought Sunday Tickets only for Saints games.

“He just wanted the Saints. If he had the choice to buy a single-team package and watch Saints games, he absolutely would have done that,” plaintiffs' attorney Amanda Bonn said in her opening statement on June 6.

But college football had to alter, why not the NFL?

The groundbreaking case regarding college football on television in 1984 was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. This happened on the U.S. District Court level.

The NFL announced it could appeal the ruling, which might go to the ninth Circuit Court of Appeals after which possibly to the Supreme Court.

It wouldn’t be the primary time the ninth Circuit has heard this case.

The lawsuit was originally filed in 2015 by San Francisco sports bar Mucky Duck. On June 30, 2017, U.S. District Judge Beverly Reid O'Connell dismissed the lawsuit, ruling in favor of the NFL. Two years later, the ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the case.

What were the important thing aspects within the plaintiff's case?

In his closing remarks he said: Lead attorney Bill Carmody showed an NFL memo from April 2017 This showed that in 2017 the league was exploring a world without “Sunday Ticket,” through which cable channels broadcast games outside their market on Sunday afternoons that weren’t shown on Fox or CBS.

Although Judge Philip S. Gutierrez expressed his frustration with the plaintiffs' attorneys midway through the trial, Carmody's closing argument was clear and straightforward to grasp.

Was the NFL the underdog on this process?

The NFL will be the queen of American sports and some of the powerful leagues on this planet, nevertheless it often loses in court, especially in Los Angeles. In 1982, a federal court in Los Angeles ruled that the league had violated antitrust laws by not allowing Al Davis to maneuver the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles.

What's next?

All eyes are on July 31, when Gutierrez is scheduled to listen to post-trial motions, including the NFL's request that he rule in favor of the league since the judge ruled the plaintiffs did not prove their case.

Could this have an effect on other sports?

All major leagues offer out-of-market packages and are watching this case closely, as selling individual teams' out-of-market streaming rights – especially in baseball – would further increase the divide between wealthy and poor.

A key difference, nonetheless, is that MLB, NBA and NHL sell their off-market packages through multiple distributors and share the revenue per subscriber slightly than receiving a direct rights fee.

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NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Trial against Donald Trump for hush money concluded with a guilty verdict on all 34 counts.

But that might be not the top of the matter. The former president had a symbiotic relationship with a legal system that he often denounces but repeatedly uses it to his advantage. This almost guarantees that the case will remain a part of his History of resentment, persecution and a manipulated system directed against him – and by extension against his followers.

With Trump facing three more charges, he and his supporters will little question proceed Impeachment against President Joe Biden through the use of the justice system as a weapon against him – while Trump uses it to avoid the day of reckoning.

In a deeply polarized country, Trump’s narrative works. It stirs up anger and deepens the commitment amongst loyal followers. It generates money to pay his legal fees and boost his election campaign.

The evidence shows that his claims are false. Anyone who paid even somewhat attention to the trial saw a fancy but fairly routine, sometimes mind-numbingly boring process at work. This process has evolved over centuries and relies on the assumption that “it is better to let the crime of the guilty go unpunished than to condemn the innocent,” because the The Supreme Court put it over a century ago.

For six weeksThe prosecution and defense presented a mountain of documents, texts and recordings. They examined and questioned greater than 20 witnessesJudge Juan Merchan blocked biased witness testimony. At one point he took over the work of the defense, Object to a lewd query The prosecution questioned a crucial witness.

A process designed to make sure fairness was the media is consistently reporting onAnd as commentators often reminded usTrump would only be convicted if twelve jurors unanimously concluded that he was guilty beyond an inexpensive doubt.

Trump’s own actions exhibit confidence within the system he denounces. He routinely applies rules designed to ensure due process for his own profit.

The trial against Trump's election interference should begin March 4, 2024His lawyers have argued he’s immune from acts he committed as president and have used the appeals process to delay the case. Trial before election unlikely.

It is a victory that has been repeated within the Federal proceedings against the previous president for the misuse of secret documents and the Prosecution for election interference in GeorgiaTrump's lawyers have delayed each for months, likely ensuring that voters won’t know the consequence after they go to the polls in November to elect a president.

By specializing in the facts, the general public can avoid being distracted by baseless accusations that undermine institutions whose job it’s to make sure justice – to not weaponize it.