Man kills 40-year-old who testified against his son at trial, NM officials say
A 46-year-old man is heading to prison in connection with a revenge killing in New Mexico, prosecutors said.
Theodore Toney was sentenced to life behind bars after being convicted of first-degree murder in Kenneth Ellis' April 2024 death, the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office said in a June 3 post on Facebook.
The fatal shooting during an Albuquerque dance event came about eight years after Ellis gave testimony against Toney's son during a homicide trial, prosecutors said, adding that 'Toney threatened Ellis and his family after Ellis testified.'
Toney's attorney, Jonathan Schildgen, said in a June 4 email to McClatchy News that 'Mr. Toney is innocent and looks forward to his appeal.'
Schildgen added, 'We object to the imposition of a life sentence as cruel and unusual punishment.'
In an online obituary, Ellis was described as 'a die hard New England Patriots fan' and a Christian with 'a very good relationship with the lord and savior.'
He played semi-professional football for years and coached youth sports, the obituary said.
The 40-year-old married father 'touched so many peoples lives in such positive ways,' the obituary said. '(He) was so full of life, he always had a smile on his face and would tell people life is too short to be angry all the time.'
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No Rational Aid Distribution System Should Work This Way
The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is presiding over an unmitigated disaster, and everything about the U.S.- and Israel-backed group's failure was entirely predictable. After lifting a blockade on relief supplies to the Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities tapped GHF, which is barely months old, as the principal aid-delivery system for starving Palestinian residents. Since its operations began last week, dozens of civilians have been killed by gunfire while seeking to access the food-distribution centers. At least twice this week, GHF suspended its relief efforts in an attempt to improve security. Whatever you think of Israel's conduct during its war against Hamas in Gaza, you should understand that its delivery system for aid was doomed to fail. Israeli authorities and GHF had no realistic plan for what the logistics industry calls 'the last mile'—the process of getting goods from a distribution center to the customer, so to speak. GHF was founded in February and is already on its second leader, a Trump-supporting evangelical Christian public-relations executive. Among the firms that Israel engaged to provide security for distribution sites in southern Gaza is Safe Reach Solutions, a firm led by a former CIA official and staffed by former U.S. military and security contractors that was formed only in January. GHF and SRS are both mysterious, controversial entities whose financial backing is unclear. The organization has defended its work, claiming in a statement yesterday that 'almost 8.5 million meals have been delivered so far—without incident.' GHF also said it is still scaling up. 'Our top priority remains protecting the safety and dignity of those receiving aid,' the statement continued, 'especially as we continue to serve as the only reliable provider of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.' It's true that established aid agencies that have previously worked in Gaza's difficult conditions are not involved in the current effort. Israel cut ties with the UN Relief and Works Agency amid allegations that some of its staff had been involved with the October 7, 2023, terror attack by Hamas; the UN's World Food Program continues to work there but depleted all of its resources in late April. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has clashed with the International Committee of the Red Cross, which lost two of its personnel in an Israeli bombing in May. (The group's leader has called conditions in Gaza 'worse than hell.') World Central Kitchen, which lost seven people in an Israeli strike in Gaza in 2024, closed its soup kitchen in April because it could not deliver food there. With relief agencies either sidelined or unable to deliver resources because of Israel's blockade, Netanyahu then chose, with American backing, the new GHF. But its first leader resigned after a few weeks, citing a lack of 'humanitarian principles' in the Gaza relief effort. [Julie Beck: It should not be controversial to plead for Gaza's children] Perhaps to help solve logistical questions—and perhaps to add reputational gloss to its efforts—GHF hired the Boston Consulting Group. But after violence broke out, that company withdrew from the contract. Later that same day, GHF appointed its new executive chairman, Johnnie Moore, who insisted that his agency was 'demonstrating that it is possible to move vast quantities of food to people who need it most.' In all cases, an organization delivering goods must optimize distribution routes that align with the community it's delivering to. Israel's lack of trust for experienced relief groups doesn't justify ignoring what those operations learned about moving supplies. Many distribution systems rely on what are known as micro-fulfillment centers—local warehouses, delivery hubs, temporary facilities—to provide goods closer to where the community is. This is why, a few years ago, the COVID-vaccine-distribution efforts that drew so heavily on local doctors and pharmacies were prioritized over larger-scale efforts. Employing many small distribution sites promotes flexibility; the system can adapt to changes in demand. The GHF has provided only four distribution centers, presumably for security reasons, in all of Gaza, down from the 400 that the UN once managed; many Palestinians must now walk hours to have any hope of picking up a food package. No rational system of distribution, under any circumstances, would work this way. GHF increased the security risk by having fewer, not more, distribution sites. The organization also seemed unprepared when tens of thousands of people converged on those sites. Forgive the comparison, but American retail stores planning for Black Friday sales have come to understand—in some cases because of past tragedies at a 'crush point'—the need for information systems that collect data on where the demand is coming from and that help organizations meet that demand quickly. Surely Israel could have anticipated the sheer desperation of Gaza's Palestinians after it cut off relief efforts for months. Especially in hard circumstances, how the last mile will work must be clearly explained to those on the receiving end. In large-scale logistics efforts, the mechanics of how delivery will occur—who needs the information, when they need it, and through which communications channels it will be delivered—are all integral parts of the process. Whole systems of real-time tracking, delivery windows, and notifications are there for Israel to use, even against what it perceives as a hostile population. But information about food availability has been scarce by all accounts. Al Jazeera reported that some announcements last Sunday came from speakers mounted on military drones. The shortage of information led to a rush to the limited number of distribution sites. Business analogies only go so far. An aid site is not a Costco. Palestinian civilians are not retail customers. But perhaps if the Israeli government and its newly chosen relief entity had thought through any of the logistical matters that preoccupy established companies and experienced aid agencies alike, many more Palestinians would be receiving the food aid they badly need, faster and more safely. Article originally published at The Atlantic
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Rep. Mary Miller faces bipartisan fury over "ignorant" Sikh comment
Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) is coming under fire from colleagues in both parties after misidentifying a Sikh man as Muslim and saying he should have "never been allowed" to deliver the House's morning prayer. Why it matters: Even some Republicans are expressing disgust at Miller, a right-wing hardliner who has cultivated a reputation for making inflammatory comments. "People should think before they talk or type," vented one House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts on a fellow Republican. Miller's office has not responded to a request for comment on her post. What happened: After Giani Singh, a Sikh Grandhi from Southern New Jersey, delivered the House of Representatives' daily prayer, Miller said in a now-deleted post on X that it was "deeply troubling a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives this morning." "This should have never been allowed to happen," she said, erroneously stating that the U.S. was "founded as a Christian nation" and that "our government should reflect that truth." Miller later edited the post to replace "Muslim" with "Sikh," then deleted it altogether. What they're saying: The House Republican who spoke to Axios said Miller's comments make her look "darn ignorant." Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) said in a post on X that "a Sikh prayer on the House floor ... doesn't violate the Constitution, offend my Catholic faith, or throttle my support for Israel," adding, "Live and let live." "I'm deeply disappointed by Rep. Mary Miller's comments," Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), who has previously sponsored Singh as a guest chaplain, said in a statement to Axios. The Congressional Asian Pacific Islander Caucus condemned"Rep. Miller's anti-Sikh and anti-Muslim bigotry," calling her post "disgraceful." Reality check: The U.S. was not founded as an explicitly Christian nation, and the the First Amendment to the Constitution protects freedom of religion. Zoom out: This is not the first time Miller has been embroiled in controversy.
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Rep. Mary Miller Loses It Over 'A Muslim' Speaking In Congress Before Deleting Racist Post
Rep. Mary Miller ― a Republican from Illinois who once praised Adolf Hitler ― wrote, edited and ultimately deleted a social media post decrying 'a Muslim' speaking in Congress. 'It's deeply troubling that a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives this morning. This should have never been allowed to happen,' she wrote Friday. 'American was founded as a Christian nation, and I believe our government should reflect that truth. May God have mercy!' The man leading the prayer was guest chaplain Giani Singh, a follower of the Sikh faith, not Islam. Miller's Republican colleague Rep. Jeff Van Drew (N.J.) introduced him as such on Friday. 'Day after day, year after year, he leads not just with words. but with example ― with peace, with humility, with service towards all,' Van Drew said. 'These are not just Sikh values, they are American values.' He noted that Singh was serving as guest chaplain on the 81st anniversary of D-Day, when 'Sikh soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with allied forces' on the beaches of Normandy in 1944. Miller eventually edited her post to change 'a Muslim' to 'a Sikh' but left the rest of her racist post untouched. Finally, she deleted it altogether. A spokesperson for Miller did not immediately respond to HuffPost's inquiries about the post or her decision to delete it. Her fellow lawmakers, however, were quick to respond. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) mirrored Miller's post back to her with a few tweaks. 'It's deeply troubling that someone with such contempt for religious freedom is allowed to serve in this body,' she wrote. 'This should have never been allowed to happen. America was founded as free nation, and I believe the conduct of its legislators should reflect that truth, not drift further from it.' Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) was similarly appalled. 'What's deeply disturbing is the blatant ignorance and anti-Sikh, anti-Muslim xenophobia coming from my colleague across the aisle,' she wrote. 'There is no place in our country, and especially the Halls of Congress, for this hate and intolerance. The tweet may have been deleted, but we still have the receipts.' The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, which Meng chairs, also called out Miller's ignorance about Sikhism, which has more than 24 million followers and constitutes one of the largest religions in the world. 'Sikhs and Muslims practice two separate and distinct religions, and conflating the two based on how someone looks is not only ignorant but also racist,' wrote the caucus in a post on X. 'America was founded on the principle of religious freedom. It is disgraceful that someone who has such disdain for our nation's values can serve in the halls of Congress.' Miller famously tipped her hat to Hitler shortly after being elected to Congress in 2020. 'Hitler was right on one thing,' she said at an event held by conservative group Moms for America. 'He said, 'Whoever has the youth has the future.'' Arthur Delaney contributed reporting. Trans Lawmaker Sarah McBride Drops Brutal Trump Assessment After GOP Rep's Misgendering Canadian Police Make Arrests In Killing Of Sikh Separatist That Caused Diplomatic Spat With India As Pride Month Kicks Off, Ted Cruz Leads Anti-Abortion Push To Make June 'Life Month'
