Erdogan positioned to extend rule in Turkey runoff election
By Ece Toksabay and Daren Butler ANKARA Turks vote on Sunday in a presidential runoff that could see
2023-05-28 06:24
Arizona man on death row for 29 years is released after conviction for girl’s murder is thrown out
An Arizona man who was convinced and sentenced to death in the death of a four-year-old was released from prison on Thursday (15 June) after serving 29 years in prison. Barry Lee Jones, 64, was accused of murder, child abuse and sexual assault in the death of his girlfriend’s daughter, Rachel Gray, in 1994. For nearly 30 years, Mr Jones has maintained his innocence that he did not sexually assault or kill her. Now, after a years-long appeal process, a Pima County judge ordered Mr Jones’s release after approving a deal that Mr Jones’s defence team struck with prosecutors who said a medical re-examination of the case didn’t support a finding that Mr Jones caused the girl’s injury. Mr Jones pled guilty to second-degree murder. The Arizona Attorney General’s Office said evidence supported that because Mr Jones was caring for Rachel at the time, allowing her to die as a result of her injuries. “After almost 30 years on death row for a crime he did not commit, Barry Jones is finally coming home,” Cary Sandman, a federal public defender who represented Mr Jones for over 20 years said as reported by the Arizona Republic. The case In early May 1994, Mr Jones drove his girlfriend, Angela Gray and her four-year-old daughter to a Tuscon hospital, where the child was pronounced dead upon arrival. Mr Jones had been living with his daughter, Ms Gray and her three daughters for approximately three months at the time of the incident in a trailer park in Tuscon. Doctors noted the young child had bruises covering her body and a cut on her head. An autopsy showed that Rachel’s death was caused by a small bowel laceration due to “blunt abdominal trauma” according to an investigation from The Intercept. Immediately fingers were pointed at Mr Jones and Ms Gray. Mr Jones reportedly said Rachel was injured while on his watch the day before but it was not his doing. The young girl had hit her head after falling from his parked work van. The four-year-old told Mr Jones a little boy pushed her out of the van and hit her in the stomach with a metal bar. However, the key witnesses comprised of eight-year-old twins and Rachel’s 10-year-old sister, claimed they may have seen Mr Jones hitting Rachel. Mr Jones was arrested and charged with child abuse as well as the murder and sexual assault of Rachel. He was found guilty by a jury in April 1995. However, in Mr Jones’s appeals, it is noted that the jury did not receive all of the information related to the case – like evidence that alleged Ms Gray had been abusive toward her children and potential predators interacted with Rachel. The appeal Mr Jones’s first appealed in 1997 but the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the conviction. He tried to appeal again in 2008, this time federally, but it was denied. Finally, in 2014, Mr Jones’s case was remanded to a federal district judge after new evidence emerged about the young boy who hit Rachel in the stomach with a metal bar. The federal judge called for Mr Jones’s release in a July 2018 ruling, concluding Jones’ earlier lawyer had failed to adequately investigate whether the girl’s injuries were suffered during the time she was alone with him. Experts testified that Rachel may have been injured earlier. The judge’s ruling was upheld by an appeals court, though Jones remained in prison. But the US Supreme Court reversed the decision a year ago, with Justice Clarence Thomas saying the federal courts are generally barred from taking in new evidence of ineffective assistance of counsel that could help prisoners. With Mr Jones still behind bars, his attorneys struck a deal with prosecutors for his release. Under the agreement, once his convictions and death sentence were thrown out, Mr Jones pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge in connection with his failure to seek medical care for the girl. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and will be given credit for time served. Now that Jones’ death sentence has been thrown out, Arizona has 110 people on its death row. Read More Arizona woman alleges sexual assault by Trevor Bauer; he denies allegation and countersues Australian man sentenced to 9 years in prison for gay American's 1988 manslaughter US Marine among two men arrested for firebombing California Planned Parenthood Heather Mack’s mother told police she feared her daughter would kill her. They were powerless to prevent it Woman accused of murdering husband ‘pushed him’ while holding knife, jury told
2023-06-17 01:55
Philadelphia Police officials change department's account of a deadly police shooting after reviewing body-camera footage
A man shot and killed Monday by a Philadelphia Police Department officer was inside a vehicle during the shooting -- not outside, as officers originally said -- the police commissioner announced.
2023-08-18 22:48
Are MrBeast's videos scripted? YouTube king reveals truth behind ‘conspiracy theories’ about his cash giveaways
Since the beginning of his career, MrBeast has earned a reputation for generously giving money to people in need, an act that he upholds to this day
2023-07-16 13:53
Death of Henry Kissinger met with polarized reaction around the world
World leaders and other people offered a polarized reaction to the death of the lionized and vilified former diplomat Henry Kissinger, who managed to hold global attention decades after his service as U.S. secretary of state
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GOP candidates hit Trump and back Israel. Here are highlights from the Republican debate
Republican presidential candidates used the third debate of the GOP primary campaign to show their support for Israel and display at least some willingness to criticize Donald Trump, the front-runner in the race
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Hungary Budget Overruns Are Becoming an Issue for Investors
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government is pushing back against growing criticism over fiscal management that investors say
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A flamethrower and comments about book burning ignite a political firestorm in Missouri
A longshot Republican candidate for Missouri governor and his supporters describe his use of a flamethrower at a recent “Freedom Fest” event outside St. Louis as no big deal
2023-09-22 12:51
Japan to reinstate South Korea as preferred trade nation from July 21 as two sides improve ties
Japan announced Tuesday a decision to reinstate South Korea as a preferred nation with fast-track trade status from July 21, virtually ending a four-year economic row that was strained during their bitter historic disputes
2023-06-27 16:59
Applied Materials Declines After Report of US Criminal Probe
Applied Materials Inc., the largest US maker of chipmaking machinery, slid in late trading following a report that
2023-11-17 05:52
Cat's out of the bag: Kitten turns up in a stolen car in Connecticut
Police who were examining a stolen car for evidence made a surprising find: a kitten
2023-08-16 08:18
Second youth arrested after Dublin tourist assault
US tourist Stephen Termini is believed to have been kicked and beaten in Dublin city centre.
2023-07-27 17:28
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