Latest news with #CountyDistrictAttorney'sOffice
Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Quick-thinking woman and DNA solve cold case sexual assault, NM officials say
A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman more than a decade ago has been convicted, New Mexico prosecutors said. Omar Navarro-Flores was convicted in the 2014 cold case sexual assault of a woman, the Bernalillo County District Attorney's Office said in a May 30 Facebook post. Navarro-Flores pleaded not guilty at his June 2019 arraignment, court documents show. In a June 2 email to McClatchy News, Assistant Public Defender Graham Dumas, Navarro-Flores' attorney, noted that his client's conviction came during a retrial 'after he was acquitted in November of a number of very serious offenses.' 'The Defense stand by our argument that he was denied a fair trial by the incredibly poor police investigation into the case. The police, who allowed this case to lie dormant for five years, did not even try to locate critical witnesses or surveillance footage from the street corner where Mr. Navarro-Flores first allegedly encountered (the woman),' Dumas said. 'By the time this case was indicted in 2019, no amount of defense investigation could address that issue.' As a woman was walking to a bus stop May 6, 2014, a man grabbed her and 'threw her in his car,' prosecutors said. The man drove around Albuquerque with the woman, threatening 'she would never see her children again,' prosecutors said. He sexually assaulted and physically attacked her, 'hitting her head against the steering wheel, and slapping her,' according to prosecutors. During the alleged attack, the woman managed to write down the man's license plate number on her wrist, prosecutors said. After being dropped off at the State Fairgrounds area, the woman contacted security, who 'called police and an ambulance,' prosecutors said. The woman gave police the license plate number from her wrist, prosecutors said. Days later, officers pulled Navarro-Flores over, then 'his car was towed and searched,' prosecutors said. DNA ultimately linked Navarro-Flores to the alleged sexual assault, according to prosecutors. He was arrested in June 2019, court records show. On May 30, a jury found Navarro-Flores guilty of criminal sexual contact and false imprisonment, prosecutors said. 'We will continue to fight for Mr. Navarro-Flores at sentencing, and on appeal if he so chooses,' Dumas said. Navarro-Flores' conviction comes after the city of Albuquerque established a project to test a backlog of rape kits per the direction of Mayor Tim Keller's 2018 executive order, the city says on its website. 'The implementation of The Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Backlog Reduction Project is the first step to correcting oversights and changing the course of action for the future,' the website says. Between 2017 and 2020, more than 4,500 backlogged sexual assault evidence kits were tested, data on the city's website shows. 'As part of a coordinated effort to address Albuquerque's backlog of untested, Sexual Assault Kit cases,' the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative was also formed, according to the district attorney's website. 'The SAKI Team, a dedicated group of attorneys, investigators and victim advocates, is tasked with reviewing, testing and prosecuting rape kit backlog cases and working with victims to build cases and provide them with supportive services and resources,' the website says. The district attorney's office SAKI unit, which has had 24 cold case rape convictions in two years, prosecuted Navarro-Flores' case, prosecutors said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Smokey Davidson's past sexual assault case in 2015 becomes public amid ongoing investigations
Smokey Robinson, well-known singer-songwriter and music producer has recently been under a lot of fire and criticism. The popular personality was recently accused of alleged rape by unknown victims. In a bombshell revelation recently, it was found that the singer was previously charged with sexual assault in 2015. Smokey Robinson was previously accused of sexual assault? Smokey Robinson was previously charged with the allegations of sexual assault all the way back in 2015, as per reports from TMZ. As the investigation went on into the celebrity, it was revealed by the L.A. County District Attorney's Office that they were given a case of sexual assault in 2015 against Davidson; however, it did not lead to any charges being filed. The case itself was given off to prosecutors by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. In the same report it was also shared that none of the four anonymous people who have filed for charges of sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment and gender violence against Smokey were also involved in the 2015 case. Smokey Davidson has denied all claims After the lawsuits were filed, Smokey Davidson and his attorney, Christopher Frost, issued an official statement that the allegations were false and baseless in nature. With regard to the latest update in the case, they also shared that "We are pleased that this statement has been released in which the LA District Attorney has confirmed there was no basis to file charges a decade ago." He continued by saying that "one unfortunate aspect of celebrity is that it is not uncommon to be the target of spurious and unsubstantiated allegations. Mr Robinson looks forward to the conclusion of the current investigation and has no doubt that a similar determination will be reached here." Smokey has also filed for a countersuit against the people who have filed the case against him Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
NBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Smokey Robinson was accused of sex assault in 2015, but officials had insufficient evidence for charges, DA says
LOS ANGELES — A sexual assault allegation was made against Motown legend Smokey Robinson in 2015, but no charges were filed because of inasufficient evidence, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said. The decade-old allegation, which was presented to the prosecutor's office by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, is not connected to a recent civil suit that accuses Robinson of sexual assault, attorneys for the plaintiffs in that matter said. Robinson, 85, has not been charged with any crime and has denied any misconduct. The celebrity news website TMZ was first to report the 2015 investigation Friday. 'We discovered that our office was presented with a sexual assault allegation against Mr. Robinson in 2015 by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department,' the district attorney's office said in a statement Friday. 'In that matter, a declination of charges was made based on insufficient evidence,' the district attorney's office said. 'We are not able to provide further information at this time because of an ongoing law enforcement investigation.' The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed that it conducted an investigation and that no charges were ever filed. "Due to the confidential nature of the investigation, we cannot provide more information," th sheriff's department said in a statement Friday. Earlier this month, Robinson was sued by four former housekeepers who have accused the "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" singer of sexual assault. The suit, which seeks at least $50 million, also names Robinson's wife and accused her of knowing about the allegations. Robinson has denied the claims, and this week countersued the four women and their attorneys, alleging defamation and seeking at least $500 million. Attorney Christopher Frost, who is representing Robinson and his wife, said his client maintains his innocence. "One unfortunate aspect of celebrity is that it is not uncommon to be the target of spurious and unsubstantiated allegations," Frost said. "Mr. Robinson looks forward to the conclusion of the current investigation, and has no doubt that a similar determination will be reached here." Attorneys for the women suing Robinson said Friday that the declination of the criminal case in 2015 only means there was a lack of evidence. The person who made the allegation in 2015 is not any of the four women who are suing Robinson, according to the attorneys, John Harris and Herbert Hayden. "The statement released by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirms that charges were not filed against Mr. Robinson due to insufficient evidence — not because the claims lacked merit," Harris and Hayden said. "This underscores the significant challenges victims face when reporting incidents of sexual assault, particularly when the alleged perpetrator is a powerful and well-known figure," they said. On May 15, , citing a law enforcement source that it did not name. Robinson is an iconic American soul singer who has had a star-studded career spanning more than 70 years. The recording, producing and songwriting legend was a pioneer for Motown Records, founding the vocal group the Miracles in the 1950s and later releasing albums as a solo artist and working as a record executive for the label. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
DUI arrest made after pedestrian hit, killed in Asheville
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA) – A woman is facing a DUI charge following a fatal crash involving a pedestrian on Memorial Day. Police charged 22-year-old Alyssa Rain Farmer in regard to the crash reported Monday around 12:48 a.m. near the 115 block of Swannanoa River Road. Officers determined that the pedestrian was walking east on Swannanoa River Road or near the center line of the roadway when the victim was hit by a 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander traveling in the same direction. The individual succumbed to their injuries at the scene. The pedestrian's identity has not been released at this time. Farmer was reported not injured, police said. Once the investigation is completed, officers said they will consult with the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact APD at (828) 252-1110. Anonymous tippers can send a tip by texting TIP2APD to 847411. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Teen arrested in 2024 fatal shooting of homeless man in Long Beach
Homicide detectives have arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with the Nov. 24, 2024, fatal shooting of Frank Suggs, a 51-year-old man experiencing homelessness, Long Beach Police Department announced Friday. Following an investigation, detectives identified the Long Beach teen as the suspect and obtained a warrant for his arrest. Officers with the department's Special Investigation Division took him into custody on Thursday. The suspect was processed at Long Beach City Jail and later transported to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, where he was booked on suspicion of murder. He is being held without bail. The motive remains under investigation, authorities said. Detectives plan to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office next week for filing consideration. Suggs was one of two men shot in the early morning hours of Nov. 24, 2024, in the 2600 block of East Ocean Boulevard, near a homeless encampment. Officers responded to the area at about 1:54 a.m. after an 'unknown trouble' call. When they arrived, officers found a man suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his upper body. He was treated for his injuries and transported to a local hospital. A second man—later identified as Suggs—was located nearby with a gunshot wound to the upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Homicide Detectives Ethan Shear and Kelsey Myers at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), using the 'P3 Tips' mobile app, or visiting Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
