List of All Articles with Tag 'america'

An Arizona woman has been arrested for allegedly trying to kill her estranged husband by poisoning his daily coffee for months - while he used hidden cameras to catch her in the act. Melody Felicano Johnson was indicted by a Tucson grand jury on charges of first-degree attempted murder (domestic violence), attempting to commit aggravated assault (domestic violence) and poisoning food or drink, according to court documents obtained by KVOA. She pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on Friday. Prosecutors say the plot to poison her husband Roby Johnson, a member of the US Air Force, began back in March when he noticed a strange smell in his coffee. The couple, who share a child and were living together while going through a divorce, were stationed in Germany at the time. A few weeks later, Roby Johnson investigated his suspicions with pool testing strips, which showed high levels of chlorine in the coffee pot, the indictment states. In May, he placed hidden cameras that allegedly captured Melody Johnson pouring something into the coffee maker. Roby Johnson reportedly told investigators that he pretended to drink the coffee until the couple returned in June to the US, where he was stationed at Davis Monthan Air Force Base. He then set up multiple hidden cameras again to catch her in the act. The footage showed Melody Johnson “take bleach, pour it into a container and then walk over and pour it into the coffee maker”, the indictment states. An official investigation was launched after Roby Johnson turned the footage over to police as he filed a report. He told investigators he believed Melody Johnson wanted to kill him to collect his death benefits. Melody Johnson is currently being held in the Pima County Jail on $250,000 bond after prosecutors convinced a judge she poses a flight risk, having recently purchased a house in the Philippines near her family. Her next court appearance is scheduled for 6 September.

Federal prosecutors in Donald Trump’s latest indictment are seeking a protective order after he posted a perceived threat on Truth Social. A day after being arrested and pleading not guilty to four federal charges for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election, Mr Trump wrote on his social media site: “IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!” The Department of Justice cited that post in asking District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan for a protective order that would limit what discovery evidence Mr Trump and his legal team can share publicly. Special counsel Jack Smith’s team said such an order could help prevent a “harmful chilling effect on witnesses”. The Trump campaign then issued a statement insisting his post was not a threat of revenge but rather “political speech”. “The Truth post cited is the definition of political speech, and was in response to the RINO, China-loving, dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs, like the ones funded by the Koch brothers and the Club for No Growth,” the campaign said. Judge Chutkan is giving Mr Trump and his attorneys until Monday to respond to the protective order request. Read More Trump appears to stumble over his name and age at arraignment Will Donald Trump go to prison? Trump was told not to talk to witnesses in 2020 election conspiracy case. That could be a challenge. What is an arraignment? Here’s what to expect following Trump’s indictment

A 6-year-old boy in Florida was left severely injured at a theme park after apparently falling from a ride that was nearly two dozen feet above where he was found, authorities said.

The father of a 13-year-old Wisconsin boy who went missing nearly two months ago has passed a polygraph test examining his possible involvement in the teen's disappearance. The teenager, James Yoblonski, reportedly disappeared in a possible attempt live "off the grid." William Yoblonski, of Reedsburg, said that he was given a polygraph test by the Sauk County Sheriff's Office on Thursday morning, according to WKOW. The father is reportedly not considered a suspect in the teen's disappearance, according to The New York Post. “Maybe that’ll relieve people,” he told the outlet. “I had nothing to do with my son’s disappearance.” Mr Yoblonski said last year that he would remortgage a $10,000 reward for information leading to the return of his son. He said it has been especially difficult to deal with his son's disappearance knowing that suspicion has been cast on him as the culprit. “You know you’re innocent but yet here we are doing this [polygraph]," he said following the test. He said he was surprised by some of the questions that he was asked, such as whether or not he knew where James was, or if he had "anything to do with James' disappearance." Mr Yoblonski said now that he has passed the polygraph, he hopes that attention will return to his son's disappearance. “At first, I was upset, but now that I know that proves that I’m innocent and I had nothing to do with it, it’s a relief in a little,” he told WKOW. Members of the Sauk County Sheriff's Office told WiscNews last month that they believe the teen ran off to become an"off the grid" survivalist. The 13-year-old reportedly took the family's van and disappeared. When the van was found abandoned later the same day he disappeared, investigators found evidence of a makeshift camp they believed was made by the boy at Devil's Lake State Park. They also found some of the teen's belongings buried near the site, though they did not find James. The FBI has not joined in on the investigation since the teen's disappearance. Deputies are expanding their search beyond the Wisconsin border after finding evidence on his internet search history of methods for traveling out of the state. “Investigators have followed up with each of these browser searches including physical searches of several areas,” Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister said. “These follow-ups have not produced any evidence that James was ever physically present at these locations after his disappearance.” In the meantime, Mr Yoblonski has found himself with few avenues for bringing his son home. “I don’t know what to do anymore,” he told WKOW. “I just keep looking because it’s all I can do.” "I just want him home," he said. Read More Husband arrested for murder of Georgia mother who vanished two weeks ago 4th body is found in New Jersey house that exploded; 2 injured children were rescued by civilians Colorado fugitive who was captured in Florida was leading a posh lifestyle and flaunting his wealth

Former vice president and 2024 candidate Mike Pence is capitalising on Donald Trump’s recent federal indictment by drawing positive attention to his own campaign with joking merchandise and snapping back at hecklers. While on the campaign trail in New Hampshire this past week, Mr Pence was confronted by a group of Mr Trump’s supporters who called him a “sellout” and “traitor” for refusing to falsely and unlawfully certify the 2020 election results in Mr Trump’s favor. “Why didn’t you uphold the Constitution?” one protester shouted at Mr Pence on Friday. Mr Pence notoriously refused to engage in Mr Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election which ultimately made him a target during the Capitol riots. The ex-vice president calmly turned to the group of Trump supporters and responded, “I upheld the constitution. Read it.” As Mr Pence pursues the White House, he has used Mr Trump’s attacks and actions in the weeks leading up to the insurrection to make himself appear to be a more honest and reliable presidential candidate. So much so, Mr Pence has even begun selling merchandise that directly quotes Mr Trump calling him “too honest” from the most recent federal indictment against the ex-president. The indictment, which was brought forth against Mr Trump on Tuesday, alleges that on 1 January 2021 Mr Trump tried to bully Mr Pence into joining his efforts to overturn the election. After Mr Pence refused to do so on the basis of it being improper Mr Trump allegedly told Mr Pence “You’re too honest.” Now, on Mr Pence’s campaign website, supporters can purchase hats and T-shirts with the phrase “Too honest”. The ex-vice president has pitched himself to Republican voters as a true conservative who can produce a more stable administration than Mr Trump. Though Mr Pence and Mr Trump worked closely together during the four years they were in office, Mr Pence has distanced himself from the ex-president. But the former vice president has seemingly had difficulty picking up traction in his campaign as his name is forever tied to Mr Trump and January 6th. Mr Pence has yet to qualify for the first Republican National Committee debate set to occur later this month – mainly due to a lack of fundraising. During his speech on Friday, Mr Pence tried to find common ground with protestors saying, “I’ll tell you there is a lot of passion out there.” “But I just – I reject your suggestion that that passion is translated into the violence and vandalism of that day,” he added. Read More Trump, January 6 and a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election: The federal investigation, explained Ron DeSantis says Trump’s claims of stolen 2020 election weren’t ‘true’

The husband of a Georgia mother-of-four who disappeared more than two weeks ago has been arrested for her murder. Imani Roberson was last seen on 16 July in Conyers, where she was leaving her mother's home. Her car was later found burned and broken into pieces near Atlanta, approximately 24 miles away, according to NBC News. Her body was reportedly found on Friday. Her husband Donell Anderson was then arrested at an apartment complex in Atlanta, and was charged with felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm, according to Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett. He said during a news conference that more arrests were coming in the case. "This investigation is still ongoing and I can assure you that another arrest will be made," he told reporters. Police said Roberson disappeared after she and her four children visited her mother's house for a family dinner. She left two of the children with her mother and returned home with her three-year-old and one-month-old. The next day Roberson's mother called her repeatedly, but she did not answer. When she traveled to her daughter's house to find her, she found no one there. She filed a missing person's report on 17 July. All four of Roberson's children are currently safe, police said. Clarine Andujar-White, Roberson's mother, said the day that Mr Anderson was charged had been a "very difficult day" for her family. "When I couldn’t reach Imani almost three weeks ago, I knew something was wrong," she said. "Late last night my worst fears were confirmed and our family is devastated." Her father, Ronald Acklin, said that it was "not the news" the family was hoping for. The Rockdale County Sheriff's Office has asked members of the public with information regarding Ms Roberson's disappearance to come forward. "Put yourself in the shoes of this family. Put yourself in the shoes of this mother and father who not only just lost a daughter, they lost a daughter that has four children that's young as 1 month old," the sheriff said. "If you have a heart and you know something ... you would call and give us information." Read More 4th body is found in New Jersey house that exploded; 2 injured children were rescued by civilians It took 16 years to identify a woman found buried in a shallow grave. No one knew she was missing Colorado fugitive who was captured in Florida was leading a posh lifestyle and flaunting his wealth

Two Florida police officers were shot and critically injured during an Orlando traffic stop involving a car linked to a homicide case. The Orlando Police Department officers stopped a vehicle around 11pm Friday as part of an investigation of a Miami homicide and were shot by a suspect in the car, Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said during a press conference early Saturday. The officers, who were not immediately identified, were transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, Mr Smith said. The suspect carjacked another vehicle and police pursued, but did not immediately catch the suspect. A search for two suspects was ongoing early Saturday, Mr Smith said. “This is a sad day for our department,” Mr Smith said. “For the suspects out there, we will find you and you will be brought to justice.” At around 9.30am local time, Orlando Police put out a press release advising of a large police presence in the 5900 block of Caravan Court that is connected to the search for the shooting suspects. WESH reported that officers were seen walking into a Holiday Inn, where guests were forced to evacuate their rooms amid “loud sounds”. A news conference was scheduled for 12.30pm.

The sons of a newly-identified Gilgo Beach murders victim reportedly were not notified by Long Island police before her name was revealed to the public. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney held a press conference on Friday to announce that the victim known only as Jane Doe 7 had finally been identified as Karen Vergata, more than 26 years after her partial remains were first discovered along the Long Island shores. Vergata, 34, was last seen alive in Manhattan in 1996 while working as an escort. The huge breakthrough in the case comes almost three decades after some of Vergata’s remains were first discovered – and just weeks after Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old father-of-two architect, was arrested and charged with the murders of three other Gilgo Beach victims. Mr Tierney told reporters that Vergata had been positively identified via DNA in August 2022 but investigators kept the development under wraps due to the ongoing investigation into Mr Heuermann. Officials refused to comment on whether or not her murder may be linked to the suspected serial killer. The district attorney also attributed the delay to the need to contact Vergata’s family members. However, it has since emerged that Vergata’s two biological sons - Eric and Gary Doherty - apparently were not informed before Friday’s announcement. Eric’s girlfriend Michelle Nolan told the New York Post that he only found out after the press conference when they were contacted by the woman who adopted them as young children a few years before Vergata’s death. Ms Nolan said Eric was distraught, having believed that Vergata was only missing. Mr Tierney’s office did not return the Post’s request for comment about family notification, the outlet reported. Ms Nolan said Eric and Gary grew up with little knowledge of their biological mother after having been adopted by Edward and Diane Doherty in 1992. She explained that Vergata had been struck by a truck while she was pregnant with Gary in the late 1980s, which is thought to have led to him being born with cerebral palsy. Shortly after Eric was born in 1990, Vergata “took off”, Ms Nolan said. “She was a drug user and their father took her and helped her,” she said. Ms Nolan said the boys’ father was believed to have died from tuberculosis, but she wasn’t sure when. She said that Gary is now living in an facility for adults with special needs and has not been informed about his mother’s death. Vergata vanished without a trace around 14 February 1996 – Valentine’s Day, according to officials. She lived on West 45th St in Manhattan and is believed to have been working as an escort at the time of her disappearance. Police said that no missing persons report was filed at the time. On 20 April 1996, a woman’s legs were found wrapped in plastic at Davis Park on Fire Island’s Blue Point Beach. Almost exactly 15 years later on 11 April 2011, the woman’s skull was then found off Ocean Parkway during the search for Gilgo Beach victims. The skull was located close to the remains of another unidentified victim – Jane Doe 3, also known as Peaches. The two sets of remains in Fire Island and Ocean Parkway were later found to belong to the same person. Before now, investigators had long been unable to identify Jane Doe 7 – and the victim became known as Fire Island Jane Doe. She was described only as a white woman aged 18 to 50 years old who had several notable scars including evidence of surgery on her left ankle. She was one of 11 victims whose remains were found dumped along the shores of Gilgo Beach back in 2010 and 2011 – several of whom are also yet to be identified. Decades later, investigators were finally able to identify Fire Island Jane Doe using genetic geneaology and her surviving relatives’ DNA. In August 2022 – around six months after the new Gilgo Beach taskforce was launched – a DNA profile suitable for genealogical comparison was developed from the remains of the victim, officials said in a press conference on Friday. The next month, the FBI was able to presumptively identify the victim using genetic genealogy as Vergata. Then, that October, investigators tracked down a relative of Vergata and took a buccal swab. Using this, they were able to definitively identity the victim as Vergata. At Friday’s press conference, Mr Tierney said investigators kept that breakthrough hidden until now due to both the ongoing investigation into Mr Heuermann and the need to contact all of Vergata’s family members. “Prior to disclosing, we needed to contact all Vergata’s family members and around the same time we were beginning the grand jury confidential investigation into the murders of the victims known as the Gilgo 4,” he told reporters. ”So we decided not to make it public... until the results of that investigation became public and we had made notice to Vergata’s family.” He added: “Today we are here to announce that as part of the Gilgo taskforce’s reexamination of all evidence in the case we are able to identify Fire Island Jane Doe as Karen Vergata.” “It is important that we remember and honour not only Ms Vergata but all the vicitms on Gilgo Beach,” he added. While this marks a major breakthrough in the case, many questions still remain. In Friday’s press conference announcing her identity, Suffolk County officials refused to take any questions and would not comment on whether or not Vergata’s murder could be the linked to Mr Heuermann – who has so far been tied to four of the victims found along the Long Island shores. At this time, no one has been charged in connection to her homicide and her cause of death is unknown. DA Tierney said that while there are “no charges at this time”, that the “confidential investigation” is ongoing. He would not confirm or deny any ties to accused killer Rex Heuermann – or say if there was any potential suspects on his radar. “We are going to continue to work this particular case as we did the Gilgo Four investigation,” he said. “We’re not going to comment on what – if any suspects – we developed at this time. This is a confidential investigation so I’m not going to be taking any questions.” This major development comes as prosecutors are seeking to obtain a swab of DNA from Mr Heuermann, the man arrested and charged with the murders of three of the victims and suspected of a fourth killing. In a court filing this week, prosecutors said that the DNA sample would “provide further relevant evidence of the defendant’s identity as the perpetrator of the crime”. Prosecutors have so far obtained hundreds of hours of footage from the suspect’s home in Massapequa Park and his office in Midtown Manhattan, 2,500 pages of documents, crime scene photographs and autopsy reports in the high-profile case. The trove of evidence was turned over to Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei and Mr Heuermann’s attorney Michael Brown on Tuesday as the accused killer appeared in court for a brief preliminary hearing. Suffolk County DA Tierney said last week that a “massive amount of evidence” had been recovered from the home which Mr Heuermann grew up in as a child – and which he went on to share with his family up until his sudden arrest. No human remains were discovered, but a trove of around 270 guns were seized from the home. The DA previously revealed that they believe at least some of the murders may have taken place inside the home. Mr Heuermann’s wife and two adult children were out of town at the time of each of the three murders he is charged with, according to court records. The 59-year-old architect was taken into custody on 13 July, almost 13 years after the bodies of at least 11 victims were discovered along the shores of Gilgo Beach on Long Island. He was charged with the murders of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Costello. He is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes – who was last seen alive in early June 2007 in New York City and who, with the three other women, is known as the “Gilgo Four”. All four women worked as sex workers and disappeared after going to meet a client. They were all found in December 2010 within one-quarter mile of each other, bound by belts or tape and some wrapped in burlap – their bodies dumped along Gilgo Beach. They are among 11 victims whose remains were found along the shores of Long Island in 2010 and 2011, sparking fears of one or more serial killers. As well as looking into his connection to the murder of Brainard-Barnes and the other Gilgo Beach victims, law enforcement agencies are now also looking into unsolved murders and missing persons cases all across the country. Police in Las Vegas and South Carolina – where Mr Heuermann owns properties – and Atlantic City – where several sex workers have been found murdered – have confirmed they are eyeing the suspect in cold cases. Court records show that Mr Heuermann was linked to the “Gilgo Four” murders through a tip about his pickup truck, a stash of burner phones, “sadistic” online searches, phone calls taunting victims’ families, his wife’s hair found on the victims’ bodies – and a pizza crust. The first piece of the puzzle came when a witness in the Amber Costello case revealed details about a vehicle that a client was driving when she was last seen alive. Costello, who worked as a sex worker, was seen alive on the evening of 2 September 2010 when she left her home in West Babylon. A witness said she had gone to meet a client who was driving a first-generation Chevrolet Avalanche. Last year, a registration search showed that local man Mr Heuermann owned a first-generation model of the truck at the time of Costello’s disappearance. He also matched the witness’ description of the man believed to be the killer: a large, white “ogre”-like male in his mid-40s, around 6’4’ to 6’6” tall, with “dark bushy hair,” and “big oval style 1970’s type eyeglasses”. The discovery of the car led investigators to hone in on Mr Heuermann including executing 300 subpoenas, search warrants and other legal processes to obtain evidence to determine his potential involvement in the killings. Among this was Mr Heuermann’s alleged use of burner phones, with prosecutors saying that he used burner phones to contact the three women and arrange to meet them at the time when they went missing. He also allegedly took two of the victims’ cellphones – and used one to make taunting phone calls to one of their families where he boasted about her murder, court documents state. Mr Heuermann’s DNA was found on one of the victims, while his wife’s hair was found on three of the four women he is connected to. Following his arrest, his wife Asa Ellerup filed for divorce. She has since told The New York Post that she has been left filled with “anxiety” and their two children “cry themselves to sleep” over the horror. “I woke up in the middle of the night, shivering... anxiety,” she said. “My children cry themselves to sleep. I mean, they’re not children. They’re grown adults but they’re my children, and my son has developmental disabilities and he cried himself to sleep.” Mr Heuermann’s sudden arrest comes after the horrific serial killer case has captured the nation’s attention for more than a decade. The Gilgo Beach murders had long stumped law enforcement officials in Suffolk County who believed it could be the work of one or more serial killers who targeted sex workers and dumped their bodies along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway. The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert vanished after leaving a client’s house on foot near Gilgo Beach. She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again. During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman. Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by. By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler. Police have long thought that it could be the work of one or more serial killers. Gilbert’s body was then found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the client’s home. However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered. Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers, while some are yet to be identified. Read More Gilgo Beach murders - live: Police identify victim Karen Vergata but won’t comment on Rex Heuermann link Gilgo Beach murders victim Jane Doe 7 identified as Karen Vergata 26 years after remains discovered More families await answers in Gilgo Beach killings – and the names of other victims How the Gilgo Beach serial killer turned the Long Island shore into a graveyard

Prosecutors in the Department of Justice asked the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s most recent federal indictment for a protective order after the ex-president issued a seemingly threatening statement on Truth Social. Mr Trump was indicted and arraigned this past week on four federal charges stemming from a DoJ investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the subsequent January 6 attack on the Capitol. The day after Mr Trump’s arraignment he took to his social media platform where he seemingly threatened revenge on those pursuing him. “IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!” the ex-president wrote. Hours after his post, federal prosecutors asked District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan to issue an order that would limit what discovery evidence Mr Trump and his legal can share publicly, citing Mr Trump’s love for ranting on social media. The request included a screenshot of Mr Trump’s post. “All the proposed order seeks to prevent is the improper dissemination or use of discovery materials, including to the public,” federal prosecutors wrote in the protective order request. "Such a restriction is particularly important in this case because the defendant has previously issued public statements on social media regarding witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others associated with legal matters pending against him,” it continued. Mr Trump has continuously attacked prosecutors, judges, witnesses and more involved in his many legal battles to maintain his innocence and discredit their arguments. Before the indictment against the ex-president was made public on Tuesday, 1 August, Mr Trump used Truth Social to inform his followers he expected to be federally indicted at 5pm and called the prosecutor, Jack Smith, “deranged”. The protective order would limit what Mr Trump and his attorneys could publicly say in order to protect the integrity of the case. Mr Trump’s campaign issued a statement regarding the request for the protective order saying, “The Truth post cited is the definition of political speech, and was in response to the RINO, China-loving, dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs, like the ones funded by the Koch brothers and the Club for No Growth.” Mr Trump’s attorneys have publicly used the First Amendment as a defence against the indictment which charges Mr Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, conspiracy against rights and obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct, an official proceeding. They have argued that the statements Mr Trump issued claiming there was election fraud and he actually won the 2020 election were only “political speech” and he had a right to say them. The indictment clearly mentions that while Mr Trump had the right to say what he wanted he unlawfully took steps to try and change election results in his favour. Read More Trump news - live: Trump campaign tries to walk back Truth Social threat after DoJ seeks protective order Will Donald Trump go to prison? Trump strikes threatening tone after arraignment: ‘ IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!’ Federal judge wants Giuliani to clarify ‘incongruous’ and ‘puzzling’ court filing in Georgia defamation case Justice Department faces biggest test in its history with election conspiracy case against Trump

A driver accused of causing a crash that killed Treat Williams knew the actor and considered him a friend but denied wrongdoing and said charges are not warranted. Ryan Koss, the managing creative director of the Dorset Theatre Festival in Vermont, said he knew Williams for years as a member of the tight-knit community, as well as a fellow theater member. He said he was devastated by Williams' death and offered his “sincerest condolences” to the actor's family. “I considered him a friend,” Mr Koss said. Mr Koss, 35, of Dorset, issued a statement Friday evening, three days after being issued a citation for grossly negligent operation causing death. He was ordered to appear in court in September to be formally charged. A Vermont State Police investigation concluded Mr Koss’ vehicle pulled in front of Williams’ motorcycle on June 12 in Dorset, but Mr Koss said he’s “confident the facts will show I obeyed all relevant traffic laws, and the state’s charges are unwarranted.” Williams, 71, of Manchester Center, was pronounced dead at Albany Medical Center in New York. Richard Treat Williams starred in the TV series Everwood and the movie Hair. He appeared in more than 120 TV and film roles, including the movies The Eagle Has Landed, Prince of the City and Once Upon a Time in America. Read More Treat Williams’ cause of death in fatal crash revealed as driver involved is accused of ‘gross negligence’

Former President Donald Trump, fresh off his third appearance in court as a criminal defendant, delivered a speech full of defiance and bluster on Friday night, insulting prosecutors and declaring that the charges he faces only help his 2024 presidential campaign. “Any time they file an indictment, we go way up in the polls," Trump said at a Republican Party dinner in Alabama. "We need one more indictment to close out this election. One more indictment, and this election is closed out. Nobody has even a chance.” Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to crimes related to his efforts to overturn the results of his 2020 election loss. Although it's his third criminal indictment this year, this case is the most serious, with the federal government he once ran charging him with orchestrating a scheme to block the peaceful transfer of power. But Trump was characteristically unapologetic as he took the stage Friday night to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” flashing a thumbs-up at the crowd, raising his fist and taking in a standing ovation of nearly three minutes. “We’re gonna be here for a little while,” he joked, asking the crowd to take a seat. The latest set of charges focuses on the two months between his November 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden and the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Trump has denied wrongdoing and has wedded his 2024 presidential campaign to his legal defense and his false claims of 2020 election fraud. In a sign of that defiance, his campaign released an online ad Friday attacking Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who led the investigation that resulted in Trump’s latest charges and a separate case where he’s charged with mishandling classified documents. The ad, which is expected to start airing on television next week, also attacks Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has charged Trump in a hush money case, and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is believed to be close to filing charges in her investigation into efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. A Trump aide said the ad will start airing Monday and Tuesday in Washington, D.C., New York, Atlanta and on national cable. The ad was also shown to the crowd at the Alabama dinner Friday night. Trump has continued to receive endorsements from GOP elected officials throughout the investigations and criminal cases, including on Friday from all six of the state's Republican U.S. House members. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who is waging an unprecedented campaign to try to change Pentagon abortion policy by holding up hundreds of military nominations and promotions, introduced Trump at the dinner on Friday night. “He’s had a tough week. We need to stand behind him," Tuberville said. “He needs encouragement. They’re after him.” Repeating Trump's frequent refrain, he added, "They’re after you.” Among the opening acts of the dinner were Catherine Engelbrecht and Gregg Phillips, who produced the movie “2000 Mules,” which made various debunked claims about mail ballots, drop boxes and ballot collection in the 2020 presidential election. Trump praised the pair in his remarks and said: “Get ready. Get those votes ready. Just get them ready. Keep those tapes handy because you're going to need them." The crowd of 2,700 began arriving several hours early for the dinner, a $250-per-ticket fundraiser for the Alabama Republican Party. “They are excited,” Alabama Republican Party Chair John Wahl said. “There is so much passion from Trump supporters and voters across the state." Trump’s mounting legal troubles do not seem to be dampening his support in the Deep South state that is among more than a dozen that will hold primary contests on Super Tuesday. The March 5 slate of elections is increasingly seen as one of the last chances for any other GOP presidential candidate to try to make inroads in Trump’s front-runner status. Trump’s closest rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has been making a play for Super Tuesday states. In Alabama, though, one gauge of interest doesn’t bode well for the governor: The state GOP sold about 1,000 fewer tickets for a similar dinner in March when DeSantis spoke. Robin Rowan, the owner of a financial company, wore a button and sash with Trump’s image and “NOT GUILTY” emblazoned in sequins as she waited Friday to hear Trump speak. Rowan, who does not believe the criminal accusations against Trump, said the charges have galvanized support for Trump rather than making voters doubt him. “We know the truth. They are trying to wear us down. They are not going to wear us down,” Rowan said. Rich Foster, a retired police officer wearing a black “Bikers for Trump” T-shirt, said he believes some crimes were committed on Jan. 6, such as the attacks on police officers defending the Capitol, but does not consider Trump responsible for the violence that happened. “I don’t think Trump committed a crime that day,” Foster said. He said he believed that Trump, as president, had a right to speak out about the election. Trump has not been charged with inciting the attack, but prosecutors accused him of exploiting the violence and chaos at the Capitol to continue making false claims of election fraud and trying to halt the certification of the election results. Foster said he and other Trump supporters viewed the charges as an attempt to keep Trump from winning in 2024. He said he would write in the former president's name if he had to. “If they get him off the ballot somehow," he said, “I know how to write Donald J. Trump on the ballot.” Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Opera singer David Daniels and his husband plead guilty to sexual assault Slovenia has suffered its worst-ever floods. Damage could top 500 million euros, its leader says More people go missing and thousands are evacuated as northeast China is hit by more floods

A federal jury in Louisiana on Wednesday acquitted a white state trooper charged with violating the civil rights of a Black motorist despite body-camera footage that showed the officer pummeling the man 18 times with a flashlight. The case of Jacob Brown was the first to emerge from a series of FBI investigations into troopers’ beatings of Black men during traffic stops in Louisiana and underscored the challenges prosecutors face convicting law enforcement officials accused of using excessive force. After a three-day trial in Monroe, jurors found Mr Brown not guilty of depriving Aaron Bowman of his civil rights during a 2019 beating that left Mr Bowman with a broken jaw, broken ribs and a gash to his head. Mr Brown, who defended the blows to investigators as “ pain compliance,” would have faced up to a decade in federal prison if convicted. Mr Brown’s defence attorney, Scott Wolleson, told The Associated Press he was grateful for the verdict. "The men and women of the jury recognized the risks law enforcement officers like Jacob Brown face on our behalf every day,” he said. Mr Bowman’s attorney, Ron Haley, said the acquittal “shows it’s incredibly hard to prove a civil rights violation in federal court.” He added that the attack had “fundamentally changed” Mr Bowman’s life. “He was low-hanging fruit for Jacob Brown,” Mr Haley said. “Because he’s looked at as just a drug user, he was treated like he wasn’t human.” The acquittal comes as federal prosecutors are still scrutinizing other Louisiana state troopers caught on body-camera video punching, stunning and dragging another Black motorist, Ronald Greene, before he died in their custody on a rural roadside. That federal probe is also examining whether police brass obstructed justice to protect the troopers who beat Greene following a high-speed chase. Body-camera footage of both the Bowman and Greene beatings, which took place less than three weeks and 20 miles apart, remained under wraps before the AP obtained and published the videos in 2021. The cases were among a dozen highlighted in an AP investigation that revealed a pattern of troopers and their bosses ignoring or concealing evidence of beatings, deflecting blame and impeding efforts to root out misconduct. State police didn’t investigate the MrBowman attack until 536 days after it occurred and only did so weeks after Mr Bowman brought a civil lawsuit. It ultimately determined Mr Brown “engaged in excessive and unjustifiable actions," failed to report the use of force to his supervisors and “intentionally mislabeled” his body-camera video. The AP found Mr Brown, who patrolled in northern Louisiana, was involved in 23 use-of-force incidents between 2015 and his 2021 resignation — 19 of which targeted Black people. Mr Brown still faces state charges in the violent arrest of yet another Black motorist, a case in which he boasted in a group chat with other troopers that “it warms my heart knowing we could educate that young man.” In the wake of the AP's reporting, the US Justice Department last year opened a sweeping civil rights investigation into the state police that remains ongoing. On the night that Mr Bowman was pulled over for “improper lane usage,” Mr Brown came upon the scene after deputies had forcibly removed Mr Bowman from his vehicle and taken him to the ground in the driveaway of his Monroe home. Video and police records show he beat Mr Bowman 18 times with a flashlight in 24 seconds. “I’m not resisting! I’m not resisting!” Mr Bowman can be heard screaming between blows. Mr Brown is the son of Bob Brown, a longtime trooper who oversaw statewide criminal investigations and, before retiring, was the agency’s chief of staff. The elder Mr Brown rose to the agency's second in command despite being reprimanded years earlier for calling Black colleagues the n-word and hanging a Confederate flag in his office.