Stage is set for New Orleans sheriff's race
Why it matters: In New Orleans, the sheriff runs the Orleans Justice Center, the jail from which 10 inmates escaped in May. With law enforcement still looking for one of them, this election stands to be one of the most fascinating to watch.
The big picture: The matchup between Hutson and former interim NOPD chief Michelle Woodfork, who qualified Wednesday, was going to be interesting even before the jailbreak.
Woodfork, who was beat out for the police department's top cop job in 2023 by chief Anne Kirkpatrick, remains popular. In recent months, she's been working with District Attorney Jason Williams, who has established himself as a stiff ally for Woodfork.
Hutson secured a political victory earlier this year with a historically-narrow win for a millage renewal to support the jail, but the state's first Black female sheriff 's record wasn't without blemishes before the jailbreak.
Hutson has faced charges of retaliation against an employee, according to The Times-Picayune, and the city's Inspector General said she'd improperly spent public money on deputy hotel rooms during Mardi Gras.
Between the lines: Hutson said she accepts accountability for the jailbreak, and she temporarily suspended her campaign in May to focus on the jail.
But shortly after the escape, Hutson began blaming the historic jailbreak on a lack of funding that led to an inadequately maintained facility.
By the numbers: Hutson will have to make up some ground to secure a win, according to JMC Analytics' polling numbers taken in New Orleans just after the jailbreak.
At the time, 63% of "likely voters" said they had a somewhat or very unfavorable opinion of the current sheriff.
Meanwhile, 49% of "likely voters" said they had a very or somewhat favorable opinion of Woodfork.
If the election had been held that day, 35% of those polled said they'd vote for Woodfork, compared to 12% for Hutson.
Other candidates who qualified for sheriff include Edwin Shorty Jr., businessman Bob Murray, retired Judge Julian Parker and Ernest Lee, according to The Times-Picayune.
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Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
U.S. declines to pursue death penalty against trio of accused Mexican cartel kingpins
Federal authorities in the United States revealed Tuesday that they will not seek the death penalty against three reputed Mexican drug cartel leaders, including an alleged former partner of the infamous 'El Chapo' and the man accused of orchestrating the killing of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent. Court filings showed decisions handed down in the trio of prosecutions, all being held in Brooklyn, N.Y. The cases involve drug and conspiracy charges against Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, 75, charged with running a powerful faction of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel; Rafael Caro Quintero, 72, who allegedly masterminded the DEA agent's torture and murder in 1985; and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, 62, also known as El Viceroy, who is under indictment as the ex-boss of the Juarez cartel. Prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York filed a letter in each case 'to inform the Court and the defense that the Attorney General has authorized and directed this Office not to seek the death penalty.' The decision comes despite calls by President Trump use capital punishment against drug traffickers and the U.S. government ratcheting up pressure against Mexico to dismantle organized crime groups and to staunch the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs across the border. A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It's rare for the death penalty to be in play against high-level Mexican cartel figures. Mexico long ago abolished capital punishment and typically extradites its citizens on the condition they are spared death. In Zambada's case, the standard restrictions did not apply because he was not extradited. Zambada was brought to the U.S. last July by a son of his longtime associate, Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán. Zambada alleges he was ambushed and kidnapped in Sinaloa by Joaquín Guzmán López, who forced him onto an airplane bound for a small airport outside El Paso, Texas. Zambada has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him and remains jailed in Brooklyn while his case proceeds. A court filing in June said prosecutors and the defense had 'discussed the potential for a resolution short of trial,' suggesting plea negotiations are underway. Frank Perez, the lawyer representing Zambada, issued a statement Tuesday to The Times that said: 'We welcome the government's decision not to pursue the death penalty against our client. This marks an important step toward achieving a fair and just resolution.' Federal authorities announced in May that Guzmán López, 39, an accused leader of the Sinaloa cartel faction known as 'Los Chapitos,' would also not face the death penalty. He faces an array of drug smuggling and conspiracy charges in a case pending before the federal court in Chicago. Another son of El Chapo, Ovidio Guzmán López, 35, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms charge last month in Chicago. Court filings show he has agreed to cooperate with U.S. authorities in other investigations. Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes were two of the biggest names among a group of 29 men handed over by Mexico to the U.S. in February. The unusual mass transfer was conducted outside the typical extradition process, which left open the possibility of the death penalty. Reputed to be a founding member of Mexico's powerful Guadalajara cartel in the 1980s, Caro Quintero is allegedly responsible for the brutal slaying of DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena 40 years ago. The killing, portrayed on the Netlfix show 'Narcos: Mexico' and recounted in many books and documentaries, led to a fierce response by U.S. authorities, but Caro Quintero managed to elude justice for decades. Getting him on U.S. soil was portrayed a major victory by Trump administration officials. Derek Maltz, the DEA chief in February, said in a statement that Caro Quintero had 'unleashed violence, destruction, and death across the United States and Mexico, has spent four decades atop DEA's most wanted fugitives list.' Carrillo Fuentes is perhaps best known as the younger brother of another Mexican drug trafficker, Amado Carrillo Fuentes, the legendary 'Lord of the Skies,' who died in 1997. Once close to El Chapo, El Mayo and other Sinaloa cartel leaders, the younger Carrillo Funtes split off to form his own cartel in the city of Juárez, triggering years of bloody cartel warfare. Kenneth J. Montgomery, the lawyer for Carrillo Fuentes, said Tuesday his client was 'extremely grateful' for the government's decision not to seek the death penalty.'I thought it was the right decision,' he said. 'In a civilized society, I don't think the death penalty should ever be an option.' Trump has been an ardent supporter of capital punishment. In January, he signed an order that directs the attorney general to 'take all necessary and lawful action' to ensure that states have enough lethal injection drugs to carry out executions. Trump's order directed the attorney general to pursue the death penalty in cases that involve the killing of law enforcement officers, among other factors. For years, Trump has loudly called for executing convicted drug traffickers. He reiterated the call for executions again in 2022 when announcing his intent to run again for president. 'We're going to be asking [that] everyone who sells drugs, gets caught selling drugs, to receive the death penalty for their heinous acts,' Trump said. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi lifted a moratorium on federal executions in February, reversing a policy that began under the Biden administration. In April, Bondi announced intentions to seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the man charged with assassinating a UnitedHealthcare executive in New York City. Bonnie Klapper, a former federal narcotics prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York, reacted with surprise upon learning that the Trump administration had decided not to pursue capital cases against the accused kingpins, particularly Caro Quintero. Klapper, who is now a defense attorney, speculated that Mexico is strongly opposed to executions of its citizens and officials may have exerted diplomatic pressure to spare the lives of the three men, perhaps offering to send more kingpins in the future. 'While my initial reaction is one of shock given this administration's embrace of the death penalty, perhaps there's conversations taking place behind the scenes in which Mexico has said, 'If you want more of these, you can't ask to kill any of our citizens.''
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Parents of man shot and killed by Colorado officer after scuffle sue
Taushica Carter, whose son Rashaud Johnson was fatally shot during a confrontation with a police officer in Aurora, Colo., speaks at a news conference in Denver on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Thomas Peipert/AP In this image taken from provided police body camera footage, Officer Brandon Mills aims a gun at Rashaud Johnson in Aurora, Colo., May 12, 2025. (Aurora Police Department via AP) AP DENVER (AP) — The parents of a man who was shot and killed by an officer after the two had scuffled are suing the officer and accusing police in the Denver suburb of Aurora failing to end a pattern of racially discriminatory policing. The lawsuit, announced Tuesday, said Officer Brandon Mills shot Rashaud Johnson, 32, twice in the chest on May 12 when he posed no threat. Mills held him at gunpoint as Johnson bled on the ground, waiting about five minutes for another officer to arrive without trying to help, the lawsuit said. When the other officer arrived, Mills told him Johnson did not have a gun but said Johnson had tried to disarm him several times, according to police body camera footage. Mills put a single hand on one of Johnson's wounds after the officers handcuffed him, the lawsuit said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The lawsuit said Johnson, who was Black and a standup comedian, was having a mental health crisis when he was killed at a vast remote airport parking lot near where he lived. Employees had called 911 five times over about two hours asking for police to check on Johnson as he walked barefoot on the lot's hot pavement, according to the lawsuit and information previously released by police. Mills responded alone after the employees reported that Johnson was 'trying to fight them.' Johnson did not respond to Mills' questions and rushed toward the officer, according to body camera footage. Mills swung his baton and then fired his Taser before they ended up on the ground in a struggle, the footage showed. Johnson pulled one of Mills' spare ammunition magazines from his belt, the lawsuit said. After Mills pushed Johnson off him and ordered him to move back, Mills pulled out his gun and said he would shoot Johnson if he didn't get on the ground. Johnson stood still, not far from the lot's fence, before he slowly began walking toward Mills, according to the footage. Mills then shot him from about 15 feet (5 meters) away. District Attorney Brian Mason has not yet decided whether the shooting was justified or criminal charges should be filed following an investigation by other area law enforcement agencies, his spokesperson, Christopher Hopper, said. The Aurora Police Department is reviewing the shooting, city attorney Pete Schulte said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 'Like any critical incident, there are important facts that will be revealed by these investigations that are not depicted in a single body camera video. Now that this lawsuit has been filed my office will defend the city and the officer in this case,' Schulte said. Mills could not be located for comment. An email message sent to the union representing Aurora police officers was not immediately returned. At a May 29 press conference on the shooting, Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain said that 'the absence of a weapon does not mean there is an absence of danger.' Johnson's mother, Taushica Carter, said that as a military veteran, she has trouble understanding how someone who took an oath to uphold the law killed her only child. 'Someone who thought they were God, basically, took my baby's life,' she said at a news conference with her lawyers, tears running down her face. His father, Christopher Johnson, said he wanted people to know that his son was not a troublemaker and had parents who loved him. 'We want his memory to be positive and the community to understand the loss that did not have to happen,' he said.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Prince Harry 'Devastated' as Charity Probe Concludes: 'Damaging Dispute'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Prince Harry took aim at a charity watchdog that cleared him of bullying following a "damaging dispute" after a rival was allowed to continue on as chair. Harry and a number of trustees in March dramatically quit Sentebale, a charity that helps children with HIV and AIDS in southern Africa that the prince cofounded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The move was heartbreaking for the prince because it was set up partly in memory of Princess Diana and was, according to a source who spoke to Newsweek, "his life's work." However, there had been a major rift with Sophie Chandauka, Sentebale's chair, who had been asked by the trustees to step down, and the argument was set to explode into public consciousness after Chandauka sued the charity in March. Prince Harry, center, poses with Sentebale charity chair Sophie Chandauka, right, at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa, on October 3, 2024, months before their "damaging dispute" exploded into public consciousness. Hector Mujica, head... Prince Harry, center, poses with Sentebale charity chair Sophie Chandauka, right, at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa, on October 3, 2024, months before their "damaging dispute" exploded into public consciousness. Hector Mujica, head of economic opportunity at is pictured on the left. Morefor Sentebale The Charity Commission launched a regulatory compliance case, examining the allegations and counter-allegations on both sides. Now the regulator has dismissed some major criticisms made by Chandauka, including of bullying and "misogynoir," or racism targeting Black women. But the watchdog did have criticisms for both sides over the "damaging dispute" that played out in public and imposed on the charity what it described as "a Regulatory Action Plan to address governance weaknesses." Prince Harry responded to the ruling by taking a swipe at the Charity Commission's report, with a spokesperson saying it "falls troublingly short in many regards," while Chandauka pointed to Sentebale's optimistic future. In essence, now that the dust has settled, Harry has swerved the most damaging allegations against him but must still face the reality he has lost control of one of his most personal projects, built to keep alive his mother's legacy as an advocate for HIV and AIDS patients. A source told Newsweek: "Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry are absolutely devastated by what Sophie has effectively done, which is a hostile takeover of this charity. "It's a charity that Seeiso and Harry set up 19 years ago and certainly in Harry's adult lifetime it's been his life's work." What the Charity Commission Says At the conclusion of its case, the commission found no evidence of "widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity." That is a blow for Chandauka, who accused Harry of "harassment and bullying at scale" in a Sky News interview in March. And she said in an earlier statement that month: "Beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press is the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir—and the cover-up that ensued." The commission did say though, that it "acknowledged the strong perception of ill treatment felt by a number of parties to the dispute and the impact this may have had on them personally." There was also no evidence of "'over-reach' by either the chair or the Duke of Sussex as patron." The commission criticized the charity on some technical points, including a lack of clarity about the delegation of roles to the chair and processes for managing complaints—not to mention the high-profile public nature of the argument between the two sides. David Holdsworth, chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: "Passion for a cause is the bedrock of volunteering and charity, delivering positive impact for millions of people here at home and abroad every day. "However, in the rare cases when things go wrong, it is often because that very passion has become a weakness rather than a strength. "Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity's ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve." Prince Harry Spokesperson's Statement in Full A spokesperson for Prince Harry said in a statement to Newsweek: "The Charity Commission has today announced its findings. "Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale's Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current Chair. "Despite all that, their report falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current Chair's actions will not be borne by her—but by the children who rely on Sentebale's support. "Sentebale has been a deeply personal and transformative mission for Prince Harry, established to serve some of the most vulnerable children in Lesotho and Botswana. "For 19 years, its dedicated staff and steadfast supporters have provided vital care to over 100,000 young people across southern Africa, including young people living with HIV/AIDS and those facing mental health challenges. "As custodians of this once brilliant charity, Prince Seeiso [of Lesotho], Prince Harry and the former Board of Trustees helped grow Sentebale from the seed of an idea to—like its namesake—a flowering force for good. "With the original mission of Sentebale firmly in mind—and in honour of the legacy he and Prince Seeiso began—The Duke of Sussex will now focus on finding new ways to continue supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana." What Sentebale Said After Charity Commission Findings Chandauka said in a statement released to Newsweek: "I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025. "The experience was intense, and it became a test of our strategic clarity and operational resilience." "The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private," she continued. "We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger: more focused, better governed, boldly ambitious and with our dignity intact." Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page. Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@ We'd love to hear from you.
