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  • Utah judge to decide if author of children’s book on grief, Kouri Richins, will face trial in her husband’s death

    Utah judge to decide if author of children’s book on grief, Kouri Richins, will face trial in her husband’s death

    A Utah woman who authorities say fatally poisoned her husband, then published a children’s book about coping with grief, will appear in court Wednesday for a hearing that will determine whether state prosecutors have enough evidence against her to proceed with a trial.

    Kouri Richins, 33, faces several felony charges for allegedly killing her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl in March 2022 at their home in a small mountain town near Park City.

    Prosecutors say she slipped five times the lethal dose of the synthetic opioid into a Moscow mule cocktail that Eric Richins, 39, drank.

    Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three who authorities say fatally poisoned her husband, Eric Richins, in March 2022, then wrote a children’s book about grieving, looks on during a hearing, on Nov. 3, 2023, in Park City, Utah. AP

    She previously tried to kill him with a spiked sandwich on Valentine’s Day, charging documents allege.

    In the months leading up to her arrest in May 2023, the mother of three self-published the children’s book “Are You with Me?” about a father with angel wings watching over his young son after passing away.

    The book could play a key role for prosecutors in framing the crime as a calculated murder with an elaborate cover-up attempt.

    Both the defense and prosecution plan to call on witnesses and introduce evidence to help shape their narratives in the case.

    Utah state Judge Richard Mrazik is expected to decide after the hearing whether the state has presented sufficient evidence to go forward with a trial.

    Prosecutors say she slipped five times the lethal dose of the synthetic opioid into a Moscow mule cocktail that Eric Richins, 39, drank. Kouri Richins/Facebook
    In the months leading up to her arrest in May 2023, the mother of three self-published the children’s book “Are You with Me?” about a father with angel wings watching over his young son after passing away. Amazon

    Witnesses could include other family members, a housekeeper who claims to have sold Kouri Richins the drugs and friends of Eric Richins who have recounted phone conversations from the day prosecutors say he was first poisoned by his wife of nine years.

    Defense attorney Skye Lazaro has argued that the evidence against her client is dubious and circumstantial.

    Lazaro has suggested the housekeeper had motivation to lie as she sought leniency in the face of drug charges, and that Eric Richins’ sisters had a clear bias against her client amid a battle over his estate and a concurrent assault case.

    She previously tried to kill him with a spiked sandwich on Valentine’s Day, charging documents allege. Facebook / Kouri Richins

    A petition filed by his sister, Katie Richins, alleges Kouri Richins had financial motives for killing her husband as prosecutors say she had opened life insurance policies totaling nearly $2 million without his knowledge and mistakenly believed she would inherit his estate under terms of their prenuptial agreement.

    Kouri Richins was found guilty on misdemeanor charges Monday of assaulting her other sister-in-law shortly after her husband’s death.

    Amy Richins told the judge that Kouri Richins had punched her in the face during an argument over access to her brother’s safe.

    In addition to aggravated murder, assault and drug charges, Kouri Richins has been charged with mortgage fraud, forgery and insurance fraud for allegedly forging loan applications and fraudulently claiming insurance benefits after her husband’s death.

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  • ‘A horrible feeling:’ Domestic violence survivor says connected car was used to track her

    ‘A horrible feeling:’ Domestic violence survivor says connected car was used to track her

    ‘A horrible feeling:’ Domestic violence survivor says connected car was used to track her

    Christine Dowdall said she knew it was time to leave her husband in 2022 after a violent fight.

    “Our last confrontation was pretty brutal,” said Dowdall. “Thinking God what am I going to do? If I stay here, this is not going to end well.”

    Deputies at the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana investigated the domestic violence incident. Records show they reported seeing “multiple areas of discoloration” on her arms and face.

    Dowdall got an order of protection and left the abusive marriage behind.

    But even after getting away, Dowdall said she would get text messages from her estranged husband, then a DEA agent, taunting her with clues that he knew exactly where she was and sometimes who she was with.

    “I kept wondering, how in the world does he know where I’m at?” said Dowdall.

    Dowdall said she soon noticed a strange message pop up in her car that said: “An authorized location-based service was turned on using mbrace.”

    It turned out to be a location tracker through her car. She then realized her estranged husband was using her Mercedes Benz to trace her.

    “It’s a horrible feeling knowing somebody knows your every move,” said Dowdall.

    Records show a judge granted Dowdall “exclusive use” of the car during divorce proceedings.

    Dowdall and Detective Kelly Downey said they repeatedly called Mercedes to try and get her estranged husband removed from the car’s connected system. They said multiple requests to Mercedes went nowhere because he was the legally registered owner.

    “They said he had to be the one to disconnect it and that sort of thing and I said ‘well, that’s going to be kind of tough because I can’t contact him and I don’t want to contact him because we’re separated over a domestic abuse charge and I’m telling you he’s stalking me on this car,’” said Dowdall.

    A spokesperson for Mercedes told our Washington News Bureau in a statement: “This is a rather unfortunate case in which the MBrace system (this was the name of the system used when the subject vehicle was built, now MercedesMe) was used beyond its intended purpose… We can acknowledge that upon contact with MBUSA, we worked with our provider partner (Verizon) who reportedly terminated the account within days of the initial contact with us. We cannot provide more specific details of individual customer matters, per company policy. However, we do consider exigent circumstances on an individual basis when supporting our customers.”

    Dowdall said Mercedes never told her anything about the account being terminated and to the best of her knowledge, that didn’t happen despite repeated requests.

    Mercedes said it could not provide further details because of policies to protect customer information.

    Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made a rule that allows domestic violence survivors to separate a phone line from an account shared with an abuser. The agency is now taking a closer look at the law to see if it can enforce a similar rule with connected cars. The FCC is collecting public input and information from car makers.

    The connected vehicle industry said car manufacturers are also taking their own steps to better protect customers.

    “The manufacturers are implementing stronger security measures to protect against unauthorized access to vehicle systems,” said Scott McCormick, President and CEO of Connected Vehicle Trade Association. “There are a number of automakers and tech companies that are partnering with domestic violence advocacy groups and human trafficking groups to understand what their survivors or victims needs are so that they can develop technology and provide safety without compromising privacy. It’s not as pervasive as I’d like to see across the industry.”

    We asked McCormick about what people can do in Dowdall’s situation.

    “Fortunately, you can go to a third-party service center or garage, and they’ll do it,” said McCormick.

    That’s what Dowdall ended up doing. She said she paid an independent mechanic $400 to disable the remote tracking system.

    She said while she was disheartened over the lack of help from the car manufacturer, she was grateful she had Detective Downey in her corner.

    “She didn’t give up. Just so thankful that she believed me,” Dowdall said about Downey.

    Domestic violence survivor advocates argue it shouldn’t be that difficult or expensive for people to get the help they need. They’re calling on manufacturers and the federal government to create more clear pathways for protection.

    For Dowdall, the imminent danger in her life is now gone. Her estranged husband died by suicide last year.

    But Dowdall said she worries for others who may unknowingly be traced while behind the wheel – and that’s why she’s speaking out.

    “It’s just something that sticks with you,” said Dowdall. “I’ve been trying to do what I can you know by talking about it.”

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  • Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates

    Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates

    An attendee looks at a series of banners for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Candlelight Vigil on the National Mall on April 24, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime held the event to pay tribute to victims and survivors of crime and individuals who provide service and support. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

    WASHINGTON — States and local organizations that aid victims of sexual assault and other crimes are raising the alarm about a multi-year plunge in funds, a major problem they say Congress must fix soon or programs will be forced to set up wait lists or turn victims away altogether.

    Affected are rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, child advocacy centers and more that serve millions of Americans and can’t necessarily rely on scarce state or local dollars to keep the doors open if federal money runs short.

    The problem has to do with a cap on withdrawals from the federal crime victims fund, put in place by Congress years ago in an earlier attempt at a solution.

    Under the cap, how much money is available every year is determined by a complex three-year average of court fees, fines and penalties that have accumulated — a number that has plummeted by billions during the past six years. The fund does not receive any taxpayer dollars.

    Hotlines available

    If you are a victim of crime, there are toll free, text and online hotlines available. A list from the Office for Victims of Crime is here. You can also find help in your state here.

    National Children’s Alliance CEO Teresa Huizar said in an interview with States Newsroom that child advocacy centers, which help connect children who have survived sexual or domestic abuse to essential services, have no fat left to trim in their budgets.

    “What children’s advocacy centers are really looking at now are a set of extremely hard choices,” Huizar said. “Which kids to serve, which kids to turn away? CACs that have never had to triage cases previously, now will have to. CACs that have never had a waitlist for mental health services will now have long, lengthy waitlists to get kids in for therapy.”

    “I mean, imagine being a kid who’s been sexually abused and being told you’re going to have to wait six months to see a counselor,” Huizar added. “It’s terrible.”

    New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, chairwoman of the spending panel that sets the cap every year based on the dwindling revenue, and Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, the subcommittee’s ranking member, both indicated during brief interviews with States Newsroom that a fix is in the works but declined to provide details.

    “There is an effort to address that and we’re in the process of doing that, but in the meantime there’s not as much money there,” Shaheen said.

    Fund goes up and down by billions

    Congress established the crime victims fund in 1984 when it approved the Victims of Crime Act. Its funding comes from fines, forfeited bonds and other financial penalties in certain federal cases.

    The money flowing into the fund fluctuates each year, making it difficult for the organizations that apply for and receive grant funding to plan their budgets. Congress hoped to alleviate those boom-and-bust cycles by placing the annual cap on how much money can be drawn from the crime victims fund.

    But that cap has sharply decreased recently, causing frustration for organizations that rely on it and leading to repeated calls for Congress to find a long-term solution.

    The cap stayed below $1 billion annually until fiscal year 2015, when it spiked to $2.3 billion before reaching a high of $4.4 billion in fiscal year 2018.

    The annual ceiling then dropped by more than $1 billion, starting the downward trend, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service and data from the Department of Justice.

    The cap was set at $2 billion in fiscal year 2021 before rising to $2.6 billion in fiscal 2022 and then dropping to $1.9 billion in fiscal 2023.

    Congress set the cap on withdrawals at $1.2 billion for fiscal 2024 when it approved the latest round of appropriations in March, and states and localities have reacted with concern at the prospect of such a dramatic cut. In Iowa, for example, where the state receives $5 million a year, the potential loss of funding posed a major question as legislators wrote their budget for judicial services.

    A better fix sought

    Congress approved legislation in 2021 to increase the types of revenue from federal court cases moving into the crime victims fund, but advocates say a longer-term answer is needed.

    Huizar said the National Children’s Alliance and prosecutors as well as organizations that combat domestic and sexual violence have been urging Congress to fix the funding stream or supplement it to provide stability and consistency.

    “Now is the time for Congress to turn urgent attention to this issue if they do not want the safety net for kids and families and serious crime victims to just fall apart,” Huizar said.

    A bipartisan group of lawmakers — Reps. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., Jim Costa, D-Calif., Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas and Ann Wagner, R-Mo. — have introduced legislation that would move unobligated funds collected from entities that defraud the federal government under the False Claims Act to the crime victims fund. The act is a main tool the federal government uses to fight fraud.

    That bill is not a long-term solution but a “temporary infusion of resources,” according to a summary released by lawmakers.

    As for the Senate appropriators, Moran said he and others on the spending subcommittee “are waiting for the Judiciary Committee’s examination of the issue, so that we can take the authorizers’ suggestions and take them into account when we appropriate.”

    Josh Sorbe, a spokesperson for the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, wrote in a statement the “sustainability of the CVF is extremely important, as evidenced by Senator Durbin’s work on the VOCA Fix that passed in 2021, and we continue to work with our colleagues and survivor advocates and service providers to examine further ways to strengthen the CVF.”

    Shaheen’s office did not provide details about what changes may be in the works, following multiple requests from States Newsroom.

    Should taxpayer dollars be tapped?

    Charles Smith, president of the National District Attorneys Association, said his organization supports the House bill, but he noted one problem with the short-term fix is that the crime victims fund would be last in line to get the additional revenue.

    “I believe that the government gets their money first, the whistleblower second and then we’re in kind of third place there,” Smith said.

    One struggle over the fluctuating revenue and available funding, Smith said, is debate about whether taxpayer dollars should be used to offset low balances.

    “We need to set a number that everybody’s happy with, so to speak, and fund it through these available sources,” Smith said. “But if there’s a deficit, there needs to be some mechanism in place for it to come out of the general fund.”

    The crime victims fund is essential for witness coordinators and victims assistance coordinators in prosecutors’ offices as well as other services for people who survive crimes.

    “They’re critical for the well-being of the victim and a lot of times they are critical for the witness even showing up and testifying,” said Smith, who also is the state’s attorney for Frederick County, Maryland.

    The organizations that support crime victims, like child advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers, are crucial to prosecutors, Smith said.

    “Not only are we directly impacted by a loss of staffing and loss of resources, but a lot of the partner agencies that we rely on collaborating with are going to be hurt as well,” Smith said of the reduction to the funding cap.

    ‘Real alarm’ in states

    Karrie Delaney, director of federal affairs for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, said the slowdown of court cases during the COVID-19 pandemic and the last administration not prosecuting as many corporate cases has impacted the fund more than usual.

    RAINN is the country’s largest anti-sexual-violence organization. It operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE) alongside local organizations and runs the Defense Department’s Safe Helpline. It “also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice,” according to its website.

    “I think what’s important from RAINN’s perspective is the actual impact that those fluctuations have on the survivors that we support and organizations and service providers across the country,” Delaney said.

    When the federal cap decreases, she said, organizations that support crime victims often turn to state and local governments to make up the gap. And a lot of the times there aren’t enough funds to do that.

    “What we’ve seen across the states is real alarm that the cuts coming down are not just impacting the ability of these organizations to offer certain services, but to really keep their doors open,” Delaney said.

    Child advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers, Delaney added, are the “real boots on the ground organizations that are helping people in times of very active crisis that are at risk of seeing their programs drastically cut to the point where service is placed in jeopardy.”

     

    The post Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.

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  • Lawmakers are still defending corporal punishment. Even on disabled kids. What?

    Lawmakers are still defending corporal punishment. Even on disabled kids. What?

    It’s extremely embarrassing that we still allow our disabled children to be spanked, hit and paddled at school.

    No child should have to deal with that, but it’s truly terrible that we can’t even agree to spare some of our most vulnerable children.

    Yet, for a second year in a row, our lawmakers are spending considerable time debating the merits of sparing “the rod” when it comes to disciplining children.

    The outdated concept of corporal punishment isn’t new.

    But it has proved all but impossible in recent years to fully eradicate the practice in Oklahoma schools despite loads of scientific data that links hitting children to increased domestic violence rates later in life and decreased cognitive development.

    That doesn’t even touch on the fact that it’s disproportionately wielded on boys and students of color.

    Last year’s House debate on the merits of physically disciplining disabled children made Oklahoma a national laughing stock and didn’t make it to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk.

    New law would ban ‘hitting, slapping, paddling, or any other means of inflicting physical pain’ on children that have a recognized disability

    Lawmakers are again trying to get House Bill 1028 across the finish line. It bans “hitting, slapping, paddling, or any other means of inflicting physical pain” on children who have a recognized disability that result in them being on an individualized education program, or IEP, Oklahoma Voice reporter Barbara Hoberock wrote.

    I initially wrote about the bill as a reporter for CNHI News in January 2023 after it was first introduced. Last year, there were nearly 121,000 Oklahoma students on an IEP plan.

    In 1977, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowed corporal punishment in schools but permits states to set their own rules.

    Biden botched financial aid rollout. Parents and students are paying the price.

    Oklahoma lawmakers generally have left it up to local districts, though the Oklahoma State Department of Education quietly put rules in place starting in the 2020-21 school year that barred the practice for students with disabilities.

    During the 2017-18 school year, more than 1 in 5 of Oklahoma’s corporal punishment incidents involved children with disabilities, according to federal statistics. A 2017 Oklahoma law prohibits the use on students with the most “significant cognitive disabilities.”

    I spoke with the former Republican state representative who authored the 2017 law.

    Bobby Cleveland said he became interested after his nephew, who was born deaf, told him as an adult that he had been physically disciplined at school. He couldn’t hear the teacher and didn’t understand why he had been hit.

    Cleveland said he visited some schools while working on his legislation. He watched a special education teacher strike a child with a ruler.

    Stop downplaying women. Especially our health.

    “She said, ‘I told you no,’ and whacked him,” Cleveland told me at the time. “If she would do that while I’m in there, what do you think happens when you’re not in there?”

    It’s one of those interviews that I often think about when the topic of corporal punishment comes up.

    Defenders of corporal punishment often misinterpret Bible

    Critics of Oklahoma’s efforts to stop the use often misinterpret a Bible verse from Proverbs. I’d argue the Old Testament writers didn’t intend to equate the verse “Whoever spares the rod hates their child, but he who loves them disciplines them” to spanking disabled children.

    But in any case, maybe lawmakers shouldn’t use their personal interpretation of Scripture to decide how to discipline other people’s children.

    Last year, 27 states loved their children enough to ban the use of corporal punishment on students. Even more prohibit its use on disabled children, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

    Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don’t have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

    U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona wrote an open letter in 2023 to governors and school leaders, urging them to end corporal punishment and to create “safe and supportive environments.”

    Cardona wrote that the usage of corporal punishment in schools is likely underreported and is associated with higher rates of mental health problems like mood and anxiety disorders, drug and alcohol use, increased aggression and antisocial behavior and decreased academic achievements.

    “Additionally, from a public health and public safety perspective, corporal punishment may impress upon students who are subjected to this practice – directly and indirectly – that violence is an acceptable means of problem-solving and conflict resolution, as research shows that the practice is associated with future incidents of domestic violence,” Cardona wrote.

    Educators spanked a child: Corporal punishment is still a thing? Tennessee must end it for our kids’ sake.

    Schools should be safe places

    “Schools should be safe places where all students and educators interact in positive ways that foster students’ growth, belonging, and dignity – not places that teach or exacerbate violence and fear,” he wrote.

    I agree.

    I sympathize that it can be difficult for a teacher to control student behavior. But as we’ve learned since birth, it’s not OK to deal with our frustrations by hitting someone.

    If adults hit one another, they can end up behind bars for abuse or assault.

    Children on IEPs already have a lot of challenges to overcome. That could include autism, blindness, deafness, speech impairments, traumatic brain injuries, or physical or intellectual disabilities.

    Our schools should be safe places for those children.

    Oklahoma lawmakers, what are you going to do to ensure they are?

    Janelle Stecklein is editor of Oklahoma Voice.

    Janelle Stecklein is editor of Oklahoma Voice.

    Janelle Stecklein is editor of Oklahoma Voice. An award-winning journalist, Stecklein has been covering Oklahoma government and politics since moving to the state in 2014. This column originally appeared in The Oklahoman.

    You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter.

    This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Corporal punishment is bad, including against disabled children



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  • NYC ex-con busted after his 79-year-old mom found dead with black eye, cuts: sources

    NYC ex-con busted after his 79-year-old mom found dead with black eye, cuts: sources

    A Bronx ex-con was charged with murder after his elderly mom was found fatally battered with a black eye in their apartment this week, cops and law enforcement sources said. 

    Melvin Arias, 57, was arrested Tuesday evening in connection to the slaying of his mom Francisca Trinidad, 79, who was found unconscious and unresponsive inside the apartment on Grand Concourse near East 156th Street in Concourse Village around 10:30 p.m. Monday, police said. 

    Trinidad, who was found with a bruise on her right eye and cuts to her hand, was pronounced dead at the scene, cops and sources said.


    Francisca Trinidad, 79, who was found with a black right eye and cuts to her hand, was pronounced dead at the scene.

    A general view of police line do not cross tape as seen at a crime scene in the Bronx, NY on April 24, 2021.
    Trinidad’s son, ex-con Melvin Arias, 57, was ordered held without bail on murder and other charges. Christopher Sadowski

    Arias, who cops say was also charged with manslaughter, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, was ordered held without bail during his Wednesday arraignment, according to city Department of Correction records.

    The circumstances leading up to the deadly domestic violence were unclear Wednesday.

    Arias served about 2.5 years locked up in state prison on a weapon possession conviction – from April of 1993 to October of 1995, state DOC records show.

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  • Man attacks security guard who tried to break up fight with his wife at Randall’s Island migrant shelter: sources

    Man attacks security guard who tried to break up fight with his wife at Randall’s Island migrant shelter: sources

    A migrant viciously attacked and bit a security guard who intervened in a fight between the man and his wife inside the Randall’s Island shelter on Monday, sources said.

    The 24-year-old aggressor, Oscar Adrian Al Ordonez, was arguing with his wife around 6:45 a.m. Monday within the tent city that houses asylum seekers when the 40-year-old guard stepped in to try and cool things down, the sources said.

    But tensions flared when Ordonez suddenly slugged the worker, scratched him in the face and neck and even bit him on the head, according to the sources. 


    A migrant attacked and bit a security guard at the shelter on Randall’s Island when the guard attempted to break up a fight between the man and his wife on Monday. AP Photo/Andres Kudacki

    Oscar Adrian Al Ordonez, 24, got into an argument with his wife in one of the tents at the shelter.
    Oscar Adrian Al Ordonez, 24, got into an argument with his wife in one of the tents at the shelter. Paul Martinka

    The guard fought back, punching Ordonez in the face, causing bruising and bleeding on his cheek, according to the sources.

    Ordonez was taken into custody, sources said.

    Both he and the guard refused medical attention.

    The fracas came weeks after a rowdy mob was involved in a brawl at the same shelter that injured four security guards and left one migrant suffering a stab wound, police and sources said.

    Five men, believed to be migrants housed at the massive tent city, were charged with assault after jumping the 24-year-old victim while he was eating on his bunk around 1:45 a.m., cops said.

    The guards tried to step in but they were also attacked, sources said.

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  • Australian prime minister describes domestic violence as a ‘national crisis’ after protests

    Australian prime minister describes domestic violence as a ‘national crisis’ after protests

    CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday described domestic violence as a “national crisis” after thousands rallied around the country against violence toward women.

    Thousands protested in cities around Australia on Sunday to draw attention to the deaths of 27 women so far this year allegedly caused by acts of gender-based violence in a population of 27 million.

    Albanese said on Monday the rallies were a call to action for all levels of Australian government to do more to prevent gender-based violence.

    “Quite clearly, we need to do more. It’s not enough to just have empathy,” Albanese told Nine Network television.

    “The fact that … a woman dies every four days on average at the hand of a partner is just a national crisis,” he added.

    There were 17 rallies held across Australia over the weekend, with an estimated 15,000 people demonstrating in the city of Melbourne.

    Albanese said he will host a meeting or Australian state and territory leaders on W

    ednesday to discuss a coordinated response.

    Albanese, his Women’s Minister Katy Gallagher and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth received a hostile response when they attended a rally in the capital Canberra on Sunday.

    Protesters yelled at the government leaders, “we want action” and “do your job.”

    Albanese said there needed to be more focus on perpetrators and prevention of violence. “We need to change the culture, we need to change attitudes — we need to change the legal system,” Albanese told the rally.

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  • Pennsylvania Dad fatally shoots wife and daughter during dispute while cleaning gun

    Pennsylvania Dad fatally shoots wife and daughter during dispute while cleaning gun

    A 76-year-old father allegedly gunned down his wife and daughter in their Pennsylvania home following a heated argument with them while he was cleaning his gun.

    Roger Hanks was taken into custody Thursday night in East Marlborough Township after police discovered the bodies of his wife, Judith Hanks, 75, and his daughter, Emily Hanks, 37, dead from gunshot wounds, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s office.

    The accused killer “senselessly shot and killed his family because of a basic dispute,” Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe said.

    Roger Hanks was taken into custody Thursday night for the killing of his wife and daughter. YouTube/6abc Philadelphia

    Roger Hanks had been cleaning his 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun at home at around 3 p.m. when an argument ensued between himself and his wife, according to Fox43, citing charging documents

    At one point during the argument, he allegedly told his wife, “If you keep up, this thing is going to go off on you.”

    As their dispute continued, Roger Hanks allegedly pointed the handgun at her, telling her “if she did not shut and leave him alone he was going to ‘plug’ her.”

    His gun then went off and fatally struck his wife in the chest, according to the documents.

    Emily Hanks witnessed her mother fall to the floor and “went into a rage.”

    He is accused of then shooting his daughter once through the chest while she ran at him “with vengeance.”

    Roger Hanks had been cleaning his 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun at home at around 3 p.m. when an argument ensued between himself and his wife. YouTube/6abc Philadelphia

    Hanks allegedly admitted to his neighbor that he killed his family, prompting her to call the police at around 6 p.m., the outlet reported.

    Roger Hanks was taken into custody without incident and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and related offenses, court records show.

    Soon after, medics arrived in hopes to save the mother and daughter, but they were both pronounced dead at the scene.

    He allegedly told investigators that he was aiming for both their chests when he fired the handgun.

    Hanks is accused of shooting both his wife and daughter in the chest. YouTube/6abc Philadelphia

    The alleged murderous father then seemingly boasted to police that he was “best of the best” when it came to shooting — adding that he often shoots competitions, according to the outlet.

    “It is unfathomable that anyone would react this way,” de Barrena-Sarobe said.

    He is currently being held at the Chester County Prison without bail.

    A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 8, 2024.

    If found guilty of the two counts of first-degree murder, Roger Hanks could life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.

    Capital punishment is a legal punishment in Pennsylvania, but the state has not carried out an execution since 1999.

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  • Russian women face violence from Ukraine veterans

    Russian women face violence from Ukraine veterans

    Olga drew her index finger abruptly across her neck as she recounted the threats her husband levelled at her after he returned to Russia, wounded from fighting in Ukraine.

    “I’m going to cut your head and hands off and beat you up. I’ll burn you in acid,” he threatened her, she said.

    Even before her husband went off to fight in Ukraine, he was a violent alcoholic, Olga — not her real name — told AFP.

    When he returned home seven months later, he was even worse. And now he was a war hero, endowed with a sense of impunity and moral righteousness.

    “He became even more radical,” she said. “He said that he was untouchable, that nothing could happen to him.”

    – Domestic violence –

    Long before Russia invaded Ukraine, rights groups had sounded the alarm over the country’s woeful record on protecting women from domestic violence.

    In 2017, lawmakers — with the blessing of the Orthodox Church — reduced penalties for Russians convicted of beating family members.

    And the Kremlin under Vladimir Putin has in recent years argued that abuse within families should be resolved by families, not law enforcement.

    With the war in Ukraine, campaigners say that an already widespread problem could now be getting even worse.

    While there are no publicly available figures on the scope of violence perpetrated by veterans, campaigners have identified a slew of survivors.

    Local media, too, is awash with reports of violent crimes committed by ex-soldiers.

    AFP spoke to two Russian women about the violence they had suffered from veterans of the war in Ukraine. Both requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.

    Their testimonies are rare, given how the Kremlin has sought to exalt veterans fighting in a war it paints as existential.

    Moscow has brought in new laws to criminalise criticism of the Russian army and its soldiers.

    – ‘Ice-cold’ eyes –

    Olga’s life in her isolated Russian town had long been marked by violence.

    Her husband was an alcoholic who regularly raped and beat her, stole money and monitored her every social interaction, she said.

    Over and over, he would beg for forgiveness after an altercation, only to become violent again, she said.

    So, when he volunteered for the army in October 2022, Olga hoped that proximity to “death and tears” might calm him down and sober him up.

    Her hopes were dashed. He returned from the front earlier than expected to recover from a shrapnel wound.

    “The next evening, I had a nervous breakdown,” she said.

    “He was totally sober, but his eyes were shining. His eyes were ice-cold. He started insulting me,” she recalled.

    Tensions were building at home that evening and Olga called an ambulance for refuge, pre-empting the moment he would raise his hand at her.

    “If you let me out of this vehicle, he will kill me,” she told the ambulance crew.

    AFP independently reviewed threats Olga received by text message, as well as reports compiled by the rights advocacy group Consortium, which support the women’s testimonies.

    – ‘Dreams of justice’ –

    The police took a statement from Olga and told her husband to leave, but otherwise took no action, she said — a practice that rights campaigners have denounced for years.

    Her husband remained at liberty, and free to spend the equivalent of the 30,000 euros he had received as compensation for being wounded.

    The couple eventually divorced, and Olga’s ex-husband returned to Ukraine months later in December 2023 — but not before assaulting her one final time and robbing her of money.

    Ever since her former partner had left for Ukraine again, Olga said she had become preoccupied with the idea of holding him accountable — “dreams of justice”, as she called it.

    What triggered it was a television show she watched on domestic violence. “It felt as if they were speaking directly to me”.

    The programme prompted Olga to file a complaint with law enforcement and telephone Consortium for advice on how to protect herself.

    Sofia Rusova from the group told AFP she had received around 10 reports like Olga’s involving veterans last year alone.

    She echoed warnings voiced by other advocacy groups that the Kremlin’s decision to invade Ukraine had exacerbated domestic abuse in Russia and normalised extreme violence.

    “The consequences may be felt for a decade,” she warned.

    – ‘Won’t be punished’ –

    The placing of veterans on a pedestal — part of a push by the Kremlin to shore up support for the devastating conflict — has endowed them with a feeling that they are above the law, she added.

    “Women often tell me that their attacker said he wouldn’t be punished,” Rusova told AFP. “These men flaunt their status.”

    But that feeling among veterans also has roots in the failure of the Russian judicial system to tackle domestic violence, she added.

    “The system sometimes failed to defend women before, so these men think it will keep failing women, and that the state will be on their side,” Rusova said.

    Regional media outlets across Russia regularly publish reports on violent crimes committed by servicemen or former members of the Wagner paramilitary group that fought for the Kremlin in Ukraine.

    While in some cases, the defendants are handed long prison sentences, sometimes they get off lightly.

    In separate cases in the southern regions of Volgograd and Rostov near Ukraine, two veterans were allowed to walk free after having stabbed their girlfriends. One of the victims died.

    The main difficulty in bringing them to justice is that Russia has limited mechanisms for prosecuting violence within the family.

    Russia in 2017 decriminalised certain forms of domestic violence, classifying them as an administrative offence and not a crime, with reduced penalties.

    The weakness of legal protection for women means there is little incentive for law enforcement to go after suspects — or for those among victims to report the problem in the first place, say activists.

    This month, AFP asked the Kremlin to comment on the slew of reports in local press describing bouts of violence among veterans.

    Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin had recently met with officials from the interior ministry and that the issue had not been raised.

    “This kind of violence was not among the areas of concern,” he said.

    – ‘Pure horror’ –

    The Kremlin has also spoken in favour of the military’s recruitment drive in prisons, paving the way for dangerous criminals to return to society if they survive a months-long battlefield stint.

    Rusova, from the Consortium campaign group, said several Russian prisons had confirmed to her that people convicted of domestic violence had been recruited to fight in Ukraine.

    One woman had voiced relief when she learned her abusive husband had been killed in Ukraine, she told AFP.

    Nadezhda had to face her abusive ex-husband, a veteran of the Wagner group, when he returned from the front a year ago even more aggressive than before.

    The Wagner group suffered tens of thousands of losses during some of the bloodiest battles of the war before it was dissolved by Moscow after its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, staged a short-lived rebellion.

    When her former husband returned, he had a serious drug problem, said Nadezhda. But he insisted she pay due respect to his service with what he saw as an elite fighting force.

    She struggled for months with feelings of shame and uncertainty over whether she should seek help, she said.

    Finally, after one outburst of violence that got her fearing for the lives of her children, she fled to a shelter at the end of last year.

    A sympathetic police officer helped her file a legal complaint that — to her surprise — led to her ex-husband being arrested.

    “We had got used to the nightmare,” she said. “We lived with it. We thought it wasn’t serious.”

    “But now that we’re processing it all, we understand that it was pure horror,” she said.

    Nadezhda and her children are now receiving psychological support. But even though her ex-husband is behind bars, she is haunted by the fear he might someday return seeking revenge.

    “Still, you walk around, and there’s this fear that he’ll jump out,” Nadezhda told AFP.

    “There’s always the feeling he’s out there with a knife. It’s just so ingrained in my head.”

    rco-brw/jbr/jj/ach

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  • Columbia police officer fired after sheriff’s department charges him with choking woman

    Columbia police officer fired after sheriff’s department charges him with choking woman

    The Columbia Police Department fired an officer after he was charged Saturday with a domestic violence crime in Richland County.

    Around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Richland County sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic incident at apartments located at 131 Roper Pond in Columbia, where they talked to a man and a woman who were residents.

    An investigation found that the man, 30-year-old Columbia police officer Efrain Galdamez, attempted to choke the woman following a verbal altercation, the sheriff’s department said. The assault left minor injuries around her neck.

    Galdamez faces a charge of domestic violence in the third degree, a misdemeanor. He was transported to Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. The sheriff’s department did not indicate whether he was on or off duty at the time of the incident.

    According to the Columbia Police Department, Galdamez had been employed there since January 2023. He was fired following the incident.

    The Columbia Police Department otherwise declined to comment.

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  • Man killed wife at her job after she called cops on him at least 13 times, lawsuit says

    Man killed wife at her job after she called cops on him at least 13 times, lawsuit says

    The family of an Iowa woman is suing after they said police failed to enforce a restraining order, ultimately leading to the woman’s death.

    On April 18, 2022, Christopher Prichard was arrested after he was accused of committing domestic violence against his wife Angela Prichard, according to a federal lawsuit filed April 9.

    A no-contact order was issued, however on May 3, the order was terminated, the lawsuit said.

    Sometime in July or August 2022, Angela noticed a tracking device was placed in her Jeep and two hidden cameras were in her home, the lawsuit said. She contacted the Bellevue police, but they refused to arrest Christopher, according to the court document.

    On several occasions in August, Christopher continued to harass Angela and sent her threatening text messages saying “it is going to get real (expletive) ugly” and saying he “will destroy her business,” the lawsuit said.

    Angela reported the harassment to Bellevue police, but Christopher was not arrested, according to the lawsuit. A temporary restraining order was placed on Christopher on Sept. 1, 2022.

    Between Sept. 7 and Sept. 23, Angela called police at least 13 times to report harassment by Christopher, the lawsuit said.

    On one occasion, Angela reported that Christopher pulled up next to her at a gas station and just stared at her, according to the lawsuit. When she reported it to police, they told her, “it’s a small town, you will have that,” the lawsuit said.

    On Sept. 9, Angela reported to police that Christopher rode past her house six times in one hour, which was in direct violation of the restraining order, but he was not arrested, the lawsuit said.

    On Sept. 15, the lawsuit said Angela reported to police that she found a note on the steps of her home written by Christopher. The officer responded by telling Angela “[you] can’t prove it” was Christopher and said he “will tell [Christopher Prichard] to knock it off,” the lawsuit said.

    Angela repeatedly reported to police instances of Christopher watching her, following her and sending her messages, according to the lawsuit.

    “The City of Bellevue and its police department fully recognizes that domestic violence is a serious and pervasive public health and legal issue. Accordingly, the City and its police department responded appropriately to Ms. Prichard’s calls for service,” a statement sent to McClatchy News from city officials said.

    On Sept. 15, 2022, Christopher was arrested after Angela showed officers a text message he sent her. He spent one night in jail and was released the next day, the lawsuit said.

    Christopher continued to harass Angela and put up signs at his business with negative comments about Angela, according to the lawsuit.

    After failing to appear in court on Sept. 29, Christopher was sentenced to six days in jail. He was given 24 hours to get his affairs in order and turn himself in, the lawsuit said. However, he never did, according to court documents.

    The lawsuit said the police knew Christopher’s “usual whereabouts in a small town of under 2,500 people, and the unique vehicle he drove.” However, they did not arrest him after he failed to turn himself in, according to the lawsuit.

    On Oct. 8, police received a 911 call from Angela’s job. When they arrived, they found her dead from a gunshot wound to the chest, the lawsuit said.

    Christopher was “easily” found by police the next day at a known residence and he had the murder weapon on him, according to the lawsuit. He admitted to shooting Angela, the lawsuit said, but told police it was an accident.

    “He stalked her, confronted her at her place of work with a loaded shotgun and pointed the shotgun at her, but that he pulled the trigger by accident,” he told police, according to the lawsuit.

    “Angela Marie Prichard’s death in October 2022 at the hands of her estranged husband was a tragedy,” a statement from city officials said.

    Angela’s family said police failed to protect her and uphold the restraining order over the numerous times she reported violations.

    “The City and all named defendants deny the allegations in the lawsuit filed by Ms. Prichard’s estate that they failed to enforce a no-contact order against Christopher Prichard or disregarded Ms. Prichard’s safety. They are confident a jury will conclude that the City and its police department adhered to all relevant laws, policies and procedures aimed at protecting a victim of domestic violence,” the city’s statement said.

    Bellevue is about an 85-mile drive northeast from Cedar Rapids.

    If you are experiencing domestic violence and need someone to talk to, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.

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    Deputy strangles woman when she tries to end relationship, California officials say

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  • No bail for man accused of killing his wife in Citra and then fleeing to Georgia

    No bail for man accused of killing his wife in Citra and then fleeing to Georgia

    A man accused of killing his wife in northeast Marion County and then fleeing to Georgia, where he turned himself in, has returned to face charges.

    Kenron Lamar Vereen was booked into the county jail April 7. Vereen is charged with first-degree murder with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and tamper with physical evidence.

    Vereen was indicted by a grand jury on March 28. Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon presided over the grand jury, and Assistant State Attorney Toby Hunt presented the case. Grand jury proceedings are closed, so details about what was said are not available.

    For the first-degree murder charge, the state must secure a grand jury indictment, regardless of whether it will seek the death penalty. It’s unknown if prosecutors plan to ask for the death penalty for Vereen.

    Vereen is accused of fatally shooting 43-year-old Sherese Stafford on Feb. 27 in Citra.

    At Vereen’s first court appearance, held Monday in front of County Judge Lori Cotton, Assistant State Attorney Janine Nixon told the court Vereen has a criminal history in Florida and Georgia. The past charges include robbery and aggravated battery.

    Assistant State Attorney Janine Nixon
    Assistant State Attorney Janine Nixon

    Vereen told the judge he surrendered to authorities in Georgia. He said he has been living in Marion County for all his life and his family lives here.

    The judge told Vereen there was probable cause for his arrest and she’s concerned for the public’s safety. Though bail was granted for the two lesser offenses, the judge denied bail for the murder charge. It means Vereen won’t be released even if bail is paid for the two other charges.

    The judge appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent Vereen and set his next court date for May.

    According to court records, Stafford filed paperwork seeking a dissolution of marriage one week before her death.

    Vereen was released from prison in June 2009 after serving time for robbery. His criminal history includes arrests for attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and battery/domestic violence. All the charges against him were dropped, according to court documents.

    In the attempted murder case, prosecutors noted that numerous witnesses refused to cooperate with authorities. Prosecutors said without eyewitnesses testimony, they could not move forward with the case.

    Stafford’s death is the county’s second domestic violence murder for 2024. In 2023, there were seven domestic violence homicides, according to the Family Violence Prevention Workgroup.

    Anyone who is involved in a domestic violence situation or knows of someone who is being abused can contact CASA Marion, Marion County’s certified domestic violence provider, at (352) 722-CASA or 2272 (the agency hotline,) or visit the outreach office at 717 SW Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.

    CASA officials said the 24-hour domestic violence hotline is free and confidential.

    The shooting

    Marion County Sheriff’s deputies said they were called to the 16800 block of Northeast 41st Court shortly after 4 p.m. Feb. 27 in reference to a shooting.

    File picture of the Feb. 27 shooting scene in CitraFile picture of the Feb. 27 shooting scene in Citra

    File picture of the Feb. 27 shooting scene in Citra

    When deputies got to the scene, Stafford was dead. Both Vereen and Stafford lived at the residence where the incident occurred, sheriff’s officials said.

    Witnesses told deputies that Vereen left the residence in a pickup truck. Although deputies located the vehicle, Vereen was not with it.

    Murder trial: Gruesome discovery leads to murder trial

    Wayne County Sheriff’s Office officials in Jesup, Georgia, called Marion deputies several hours later to tell them that Vereen had walked into their station and turned himself in.

    Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb

    This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: First-degree murder indictment handed up against man in Citra shooting

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  • Therapist shares thoughts after several domestic violence-related deaths throughout city

    Therapist shares thoughts after several domestic violence-related deaths throughout city

    Local law enforcement sources say five people, including two children, were killed in domestic incidents in just the past few weeks.

    RELATED: Suspect in deadly west Charlotte shooting turns himself in after police chase

    First, a young mother and her two small children were found dead in a northeast Charlotte apartment complex. Then, just a week later, a suspect kills a man in west Charlotte and tries to kidnap a woman before leading officers on a chase.

    The most recent case happened on Sunday morning on Arvin Drive. Officers say the old boyfriend confronted the new one before shooting and leaving him dead.

    Veteran crime reporter Glenn Counts heard from Bea Cote’, a therapist for domestic violence abusers, about the red flags everyone should look for in cases like these.

    “It doesn’t surprise me, but boy, we sure have had a lot lately,” she said.

    Cote’ is the founder of Impact Family Violence Services, she told Counts. While many believe the best way to get out of an abusive relationship is to leave, the consequences of that decision could end terribly.

    “Studies will tell us that the highest risk for domestic violence victims is when they leave when he thinks that they are leaving, when she won’t come back, or when she moves on.” Cote’ told Counts.

    Two of the most recent domestic incidents from the past weekend have involved women moving on from their ex-partner with another man.

    “If she has a new boyfriend, how dare she? She still belongs to him in his head, and so he’ll go after her,” she said.

    RELATED: CMPD investigating death after shooting in north Charlotte

    One of the women in these cases from this past week had a domestic violence protection order. Cote’ admits that’s far from perfect.

    “We need to do more than that; we need to back up those restraining orders; we need to lock ‘em up the minute they violate a restraining order,” she told Counts.

    The aspect that sets Impact Family Violence Services apart is that both victims and abusers are given therapy to help change their behavior. Part of that involves chipping away at their feeling of entitlement.

    “Something in their heads says, I have a right to do this to her, because either she’s not a good girlfriend, not a good wife, or she’s hurt my feelings, or she’s done something to me, therefore I have a right to hurt her,” Cote’ said.

    She says most victims don’t want to get their abuser in trouble and tend to let things slide, which ends up making it much worse when they decide to leave.

    If you or someone you know needs help, call the 24-hour Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline at 980-771-HOPE.

    (WATCH BELOW: Charges dropped against Hornets’ Miles Bridges in domestic violence incident)

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