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CBS News
28 minutes ago
- CBS News
Man dies after being shot multiple times in St. Paul early Saturday
Police in St. Paul, Minnesota, are investigating a shooting they say left a man dead early Saturday morning, bringing the city's homicide total for the year to eight. According to St. Paul police, officers were called to the 300 block of Edmund Avenue for a report of a shooting around 4:15 a.m. There, officers found a man lying in the street, adding that he had been shot multiple times. He was brought to Regions Hospital, but died there from his injuries. His name and age haven't been released. No one is currently in custody for the shooting, and investigators are also working to figure out what led up to the shooting and identify the person who pulled the trigger. If you have information that may help police, you're asked to call them at 651-266-565.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The Mayor of New Orleans had a years-long romance with her bodyguard. She's been indicted for spending city money on hotels and wine tastings with him
The mayor of New Orleans had been treating her bodyguard to trips on the taxpayers' dime during their years-long affair, a new federal grand jury indictment alleges. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was indicted on Friday resulting from a corruption investigation. Cantrell's lawyer confirmed to The Associated Press that an indictment was returned, and her name was read aloud by a federal magistrate judge as a defendant. She has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements and false declaration before a grand jury, according to the indictment. The city of New Orleans told NBC News it will have no comment on the indictment until the mayor's legal team has time to review the indictments. "The Mayor's attorney, Eddie Castaing, recently received the information, and is thoroughly reviewing the document," the statement said. "Until his review is complete, the City will not comment further on this matter." The indictment is the culmination of a long-running federal investigation into Cantrell, the first female mayor in the City's 300-year history. Prosecutors allege that Cantrell was having a romantic relationship with New Orleans Police Officer Jeffrey Paul Vappie II, who is on the department's executive protection unit. That relationship allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2024. Cantrell was married during the period of the alleged affair to attorney Jason Cantrell. He died in August 2023. 'To hide their relations from detection and to maximize their time together, Cantrell and Vappie exploited their public positions to develop and implement a scheme to defraud the city of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department by engaging in personal activities while Vappie claimed to be on duty and was paid for,' the indictment says. They further claimed that the pair had exchanged some 15,000 messages, photos, and audio clips on WhatsApp over an eight month period. The investigators also allege that Cantrell and Vappie were using the app to intimidate their subordinates and hide evidence. Vappie and Cantrell traveled together on 14 trips in eight months, several of which were romantic vacations under the pretense of work trips, according to prosecutors. In total, the city spent $70,000 to sent Vappie along with the mayor on her trips — which in some cases included visits to wine tastings — the prosecutors claimed. Vappie was initially charged with wire fraud and making false statements. He has pleaded not guilty. Cantrell was added to the case after an investigation into Vappie's actions. If the pair are convicted, both could go to prison, though for how long varies based on the indictment. Some indictments carry a five year penalty, and others could put them away for up to 20. The term-limited Democratic mayor will leave office in January. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Abbott signs property rights bills into law, stronger penalties for squatters
Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law bills to strengthen private property rights and strengthen homeowners' ability to remove squatters. On Thursday, at a ceremonial bill signing at the Texas Capitol, Abbott signed SB 38 and SB 1333. He previously signed them into law in June. Both bills go into effect Sept. 1. Joining Abbott were House Speaker Dustin Burrows, bill authors, state Sens. Bryan Hughes and Paul Bettencourt and state Reps. Angie Chen Button and Jeff Leach, among others. "Private property rights are a cornerstone of our Texas values,' Gov. Abbott said. "Texas is facing a squatting crisis, with property owners struggling to evict delinquent tenants or remove people who were never supposed to be on their property in the first place. Through these new laws, homeowners now have an efficient means of evicting squatters from their property." The laws provide stronger tools to 'make it easier and faster to remove squatters from homeowners' property,' Abbott said. The bills amend property code, close loopholes, and expand penalties. SB 38, filed by Bettencourt and Button, streamlines the eviction process by clarifying venue requirements and establishing consistent timelines for trials and appeals. It also requires that a court hold a trial in eviction suits within 21 days of a petition being filed. SB 1333, filed by Hughes and Leach, empowers sheriffs and constables to take quicker action in response to a property owner submitting a sworn complaint about a squatter unlawfully taking possession of their property. The law also increases criminal penalties for criminal mischief and criminal trespass involving a home, as well as engaging in real estate transactions involving property that an individual doesn't have a legal interest in. 'With the signing of the laws, we are putting squatters out of business,' Abbott said. Sen. Bettencourt said the issue was brought to his office's attention after multiple reports of squatting were made by constituents. The Senate Local Government Committee first held a hearing on the issue last year at which 17 witnesses shared examples of squatters taking over their residential properties. Lawmakers uncovered a similar theme: when squatters were reported to law enforcement, responses were delayed or homeowners were referred to the civil eviction process. The process took months and cost homeowners several thousand dollars in legal fees, Bettencourt's bill analysis states. Cases involving multifamily properties cost property owners more, including costs to hire security personnel. In many cases, the property was damaged costing additional thousands of dollars in repairs. When Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick directed the Senate to look into the issue last year, Bettencourt said, 'We had no idea how many thousands of people were squatting in the state. It was much bigger problem than we anticipated.' Bettencourt described one example of a homeowner in Mesquite who was forced out of her home for 18 months because a squatter wouldn't leave. The squatter caused $200,000 worth of damage, Bettencourt said. When the homeowner was able to get before a Justice of the Peace, she was told the squatter was allowed to stay in her home 'over the holidays because they have nowhere else to go.' As a result, the 'squatter was in the home for the holidays and not the homeowner,' Bettencourt said. Hughes' SB 1333 provides clarification and clear guidelines for law enforcement intervention, including for sheriffs and constables. He said the governor 'have done so much to encourage homeownership because we recognize homeownership is getting further out of reach. We talk about Texas values, hard work and property rights are basic values of who we are. As we make it easier to own homes, we also want to make it easier for homeowners to protect their own property.' Solve the daily Crossword
