Feds to seek death penalty for federal inmate charged with murdering his cellmate
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday they will seek the death penalty for an inmate accused of strangling his cellmate at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City.
U.S. Attorney Robert Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against 27-year-old Jasper Reed. A federal grand jury in Oklahoma City on Tuesday returned a three-count indictment charging Reed with first-degree murder, attempted murder and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons' federal transfer center, which houses about 1,400 male and female inmates, is a main hub for federal prisoners who are being transferred to prison facilities across the country.
Prosecutors allege Reed, who was serving time in federal prison for a firearms offense out of New Mexico, attacked and seriously injured his first cellmate, referred to in court documents as T.R., on April 27, 2024. A corrections officer saw Reed lying on top of the man with his hands around his neck and blood on both men before he and other officers were able to separate the two, according to an affidavit signed by a federal agent. The other inmate suffered multiple broken bones in his face and neck, but survived.
A little more than a week later, Reed was housed with another inmate, referred to as R.P., who was found dead inside his cell on May 8, 2024, the affidavit states. An autopsy determined the cause of death of that inmate to be homicide by manual strangulation.
Reed's attorneys in the Federal Public Defender's office declined to comment on the case.
Just hours after President Donald Trump returned to the White House, he signed a sweeping executive order on the death penalty that directs the U.S. attorney general to 'take all necessary and lawful action' to ensure states have enough lethal injection drugs to carry out executions.
Trump's order compels the Justice Department to not only seek the death penalty in appropriate federal cases but also to help preserve capital punishment in states that have struggled to maintain adequate supplies of lethal injection drugs.
Before Trump's election, federal executions had been on hold since a moratorium was imposed by former Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2021. Only three defendants remained on federal death row after Democratic President Joe Biden converted 37 of their sentences to life in prison.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Vital wins Democratic primary for Spring Valley mayor: Results of Spring Valley races
SPRING VALLEY - Former Clarkstown Democratic Party chair Schenley Vital surged to victory over four rivals in the Democratic Party primary for village mayor, as Trustee Joseph Gross and former Trustee Sherry McGill won two available seats on the Board of Trustees in a three-way primary, according to unofficial results from the Rockland County Board of Elections. With registered Democrats holding a voter registration edge and strong support from the Hasidic Jewish bloc vote, Vital is likely to become the village's next mayor in the Nov. 4 election. The term is four years, starting in December. In November, Vital will face Aaron Stern, who won the Republican primary over Democrat Darnett E. Davis, one of the candidates who lost to Vital. Spring Valley is a predominantly working-class village with pockets of families relying on social services and other government programs. The government has a history of conflicts between the mayor and some of the trustees. A former mayor and trustee were convicted of taking bribes during a federal government sting operation involving a Monsey developer. The village comprises several voting blocs, including the Hasidic Jewish voters, Haitian and other voters who hail from Caribbean nations like Jamaica, and Hispanic voters. Vital garnered 627 votes, outdistancing former Trustee Eudson Francois with 421 tallies. Former Mayor Noramie Jasmin, attempting a second comeback after serving a federal prison term for accepting bribes, received 196 votes, as Davis with 186 votes and Chrispin Eugene with 41 tallies trailed the field. Vital, who lives in Clarkstown with his family, must establish residency in Spring Valley if he becomes mayor. He ran with Trustee Joseph Gross and newcomer Yakov Yosef Kaufman, who is active in the Orthodox Jewish community and is a member of Chaverim of Rockland, a volunteer emergency services organization that helps residents in need and works with the police. Vital, Gross, and Kaufman benefited from the support of the village's Hasidic Jewish bloc vote. They had met with rabbinical leaders, posing for photos printed in the local blogs covering the village and religious community. McGill became the leading vote-getter for the Board of Trustees spots. She's a former Spring Valley trustee and currently serves on the East Ramapo Board of Education. McGill, a teacher with a master's degree in special education, garnered 763 votes, according to the Board of Elections' unofficial results. Gross received 725 votes, while Kaufman trailed with 619 votes. Two-term Mayor Alan Simon, who took office in December 2017, declined to seek another four-year term. Simon won a Democratic Party primary in September 2017 against then-Mayor Demeza Delhomme before cruising to victory in November. Simon's departure in December will end his controversial two terms. Elected after being disbarred and removed as a judge, Simon became known for his public outbursts, which included cursing and yelling at residents, trustees, and staff, as well as threats to fire government workers and police officers who refused his order to arrest people. During his tenure, the village government saw the Building Department taken over by the state for a lack of enforcement. The county government now inspects and prosecutes violations of fire and safety codes. Incumbent village justice James Mellion and Justin Sweet won three-way primaries for the Democratic, Republican, Conservative, and Working Families ballot lines in November. They defeated attorney Ariel Dahan. Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@ Twitter: @lohudlegal. Read more articles and bio. Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Schenley Vital wins Democratic primary for Spring Valley mayor
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Alvin Bragg blows out Democratic challenger in Manhattan DA primary
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg defeated his moderate challenger to secure the Democratic nomination to serve another term in his post on Tuesday. Bragg, a noted legal adversary of President Donald Trump, defeated Patrick Timmins, who had run on a more moderate platform. Timmins had criticized Bragg for failing to prosecute certain crimes, and his campaign highlighted the case of a repeat offender making a targeted attack against two court officers. Bragg, who won Tuesday's primary with over 70% of the vote, had secured a conviction against Trump prior to his re-election to the White House in November. Bragg's office filed a legal brief calling on Justice Juan Merchan to put Trump's conviction on ice until after his second term. "President-elect immunity does not exist. And even after the inauguration, defendant's temporary immunity as the sitting President will still not justify the extreme remedy of discarding the jury's unanimous guilty verdict and wiping out the already-completed phases of this criminal proceeding," the Tuesday court filing from Bragg's office states. Prosecutors Request Stay In Trump Ny Case Until 2029 As Defense Plans Motion For Dismissal 'Once And For All' Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Manhattan case in May 2024. Bragg's office worked to prove that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. Read On The Fox News App Bragg Case 'Effectively Over' In 'Major Victory,' Trump Officials Say Trump has maintained his innocence in the case and repeatedly railed against it as an example of lawfare promoted by Democrats in an effort to hurt his election efforts ahead of November. Bragg's office acknowledged that Trump cannot be sentenced as president but argued Merchan has various options to keep the case on ice until 2029 and sentence Trump following his second presidential administration. "[N]o principle of immunity precludes further proceedings before defendant's inauguration. And even if judgment has not been entered at the time of defendant's inauguration, there is no legal barrier to deferring sentencing until after defendant's term of office concludes," the filing said. The DA's office argued that a stay of proceedings in the case would exempt the former and upcoming president "from any immediate obligations in this case during his time in office, while at the same time respecting the public interest in upholding the rule of law and preserving the meaningful aspects of the criminal process that have already taken place." The DA's office had already called for a stay in the case following the election, with Tuesday's filing doubling down on that argument. "To be sure, the People do not dispute that presidential immunity requires accommodation during a President's time in office. But the extreme remedy of dismissing the indictment and vacating the jury verdict is not warranted in light of multiple alternative accommodations that would fully address the concerns raised by presidential immunity," their filing said. Merchan ultimately sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge, essentially imposing no punishment: no jail time, fines or probation. The sentence also preserves Trump's ability to appeal the conviction. Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this article source: Alvin Bragg blows out Democratic challenger in Manhattan DA primary
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Houston man has close call after being targeted by ‘bank juggers' — what to know to about this ‘scary' trend
What was supposed to be a routine ATM stop turned into a near-tragedy for one Houston man. The man had withdrawn cash from an ATM and made the short 5.5-mile drive home, unaware he was being tailed. Not by one car. But two. Security footage from the family's home captured the chilling moment. The man had just stepped inside when two vehicles pulled up, one right into the driveway. One suspect served as a lookout while another smashed the passenger window of his car, presumably looking for cash, which the man had already taken inside. 'They could've took his life over $200,' said a woman speaking on behalf of her son-in-law, who was targeted outside a Bank of America branch on Houston's south side on May 5. For safety reasons, she asked not to be identified when she spoke to KHOU. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) When the woman shared the footage and story online, the response was immediate. Dozens of Houstonians reported similar experiences, some even saying they were targeted after using the same bank branch. 'They left empty-handed,' the woman said. 'He was frustrated about it, but I mean, a window can be replaced. Even the money could be replaced. His life — it can't be replaced.' The crime is known as "jugging,' a growing concern in Texas where thieves stalk victims from banks or ATMs. The term "jugging" refers to the act of "juggling" cash. These are the steps the criminals take: Surveillance: Criminals watch bank or ATM locations, looking for individuals withdrawing substantial amounts of cash. Targeting: Once a potential victim is identified, the perpetrators discreetly follow them, often using multiple vehicles. Theft: At a later location, like the victim's home or a parking lot, the criminals rob the individual of their cash. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it House Bill 1902, signed into law recently, officially creates the criminal offense of jugging under Section 29.04 of the Texas Penal Code. It makes jugging a state felony and takes effect Sept. 1, 2025. Previously, suspects could only be charged with burglary or robbery. Now, jugging is its own crime and can carry steeper penalties if the offense escalates. 'There are steps that banks themselves can do to help protect their customers,' said Nichole Christoff with Houston Crime Stoppers. 'And the first is by having good surveillance cameras inside and outside of the bank to capture people's comings and goings and potentially spot suspicious behavior — and also be good evidence.' To reduce the risk of falling victim to bank jugging, here are some important safety tips that : Be discreet: Put your cash away immediately after withdrawal. Don't count your money in public or leave it visible in your car. Stay alert: Be aware of your surroundings, especially if something seems unusual as you enter or leave the bank. Vary your routine: Change the times and locations of your banking transactions so that you don't have a predictable routine. Use drive-through services: Choose drive-through ATMs or bank tellers when possible to minimize your exposure. Secure your car: Lock your doors and keep valuables out of sight when leaving your vehicle. Report suspicious activity: If you notice anyone acting suspiciously near your bank or following you, report it to the authorities immediately. The family hopes their frightening experience will be a wake-up call for others to stay vigilant when withdrawing cash. Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
