Latest news with #EighthJudicialCircuitCourt
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Texas AG Asks Illinois Court to Enforce Arrest Warrants Against Democratic Lawmakers
Texas Republicans filed a lawsuit on Thursday asking a court in Illinois to enforce arrest warrants for Democrats who left Texas earlier this week in a bid to block the GOP from advancing a redistricting map. The filing, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, asks the Illinois Eighth Judicial Circuit Court to enforce arrest warrants for the Democrats that were issued in Texas but don't apply in other states.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Paxton asks Illinois court to enforce Texas arrest warrants against state House Democrats
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is asking an Illinois court to enforce arrest warrants against Democrats who fled to the Prairie State over GOP efforts to redraw the Texas's congressional maps. On Monday, the Texas House approved arrest warrants for Democratic state lawmakers that state troopers can locate. However, those warrants are only enforceable within Texas. Paxton's petition to Illinois's Eighth Judicial Circuit Court asks for the 'enforcement of the rule of law in Illinois, the assistance of Illinois law enforcement officials, and this Court's assistance, to lawfully return to Texas the Respondent legislators who fled to Illinois to evade their duties to participate in the ongoing Special Session of the Texas Legislature.' The Democrats fled the state Sunday to deny the GOP a legislative quorum in an effort to prevent the redrawing of Texas's congressional maps. President Trump is aiming to pick up five seats there ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Paxton's request comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said earlier Thursday that the FBI is 'tracking down' Democratic state lawmakers who fled. 'Texas DPS and the FBI are tracking down the derelict Democrats. They will be taken directly to the Texas Capitol,' Abbott wrote on the social platform X. 'Those who received benefits for skipping a vote face removal from office and potential bribery charges,' he continued. 'In Texas, there are consequences for your actions.' Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) also on Thursday said the FBI had approved his request for them to help law enforcement agencies track down the Democrats. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) said Sunday that his state would protect Texas Democrats who fled to his state. 'They're here in Illinois. We're going to do everything we can to protect every single one of them and make sure that — 'cause we know they're doing the right thing, we know that they're following the law,' Pritzker told reporters at a press conference Sunday night held alongside the Texas state lawmakers. 'It's Ken Paxton who doesn't follow the law. It's the leaders of Texas who are attempting not to follow the law,' he continued, calling out Texas's Republican attorney general by name. 'They're the ones that need to be held accountable.'
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Yahoo
A White Couple Who Adopted Black Kids And Used Them As Slaves Was Sentenced To Hundreds Of Years In Prison
The fate of a white West Virginia couple, who were found guilty of abusing their five adopted Black children and forcing them to work as "slaves" on their farm, has been revealed. On Wednesday, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 63, was sentenced to 215 years in prison for forced labor, human trafficking, child abuse and neglect, and violating the children's civil rights, according to a video of the sentencing hearing from the Kanawha County Circuit Court trial that was posted online. Jeanne was found guilty of all 19 counts against her. Her husband, Donald Lantz, 62, who was found guilty of 12 out of the 16 counts against him, including human trafficking, child abuse, forced labor, and neglect, and was sentenced to 160 years in prison. This sentence comes after a Kanawha County jury found the pair guilty Jan. 29. 'You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know is 'almost heaven,' and you put them in hell,' Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Maryclaire Akers said during sentencing, per WCHS. 'This court will now put you in yours. And may God have mercy on your souls, because this court will not.' The couple reportedly adopted the five children from a shelter for unhoused and at-risk youth in 2018. At the time, Jeanne and Donald were living in Minnesota and moved to Washington State, and then later to Kanawha County, West Virginia in 2023. In October 2023, they were arrested after a neighbor called Child Protective Services alleging that two teenagers, 14 and 16, were locked in a shed on the couple's property in Sissonville. Other neighbors claimed the children were 'forced to perform farm labor and were not permitted inside the residence,' according to court documents obtained by WCHS–TV. When police responded to the home, the two children (brother and sister) in the shed reportedly had no running water and a portable toilet, and had been "deprived of adequate hygienic care and food." The children said they slept on the concrete floor and were locked in there for 12 hours before being found. Another girl was also found in the home. Charleston's WCSH–TV reported that when Donald arrived home, he had another child with them and led deputies to a friend's home, where the fifth child was staying. A 16-count indictment was filed against the couple. 'It alleges human trafficking, human rights violations, the use of forced labor,' Judge Akers said, according to West Virginia Metro News. 'Human rights violations specific to the fact that these children were targeted because of their race and they were used basically as slaves from what the indictment alleges." The oldest child referred to the couple as "monsters" in an impact statement, while another child said, 'I will be something amazing. I will be strong and beautiful. You will always be exactly what you are — horrible.' The youngest child said they were "taught to laugh at" their siblings while witnessing the abuse. Both Jeanne and Donald were ordered to pay $280,000 in restitution apiece to the victims. You can find more information about this case here.
Buzz Feed
24-03-2025
- Buzz Feed
A White Couple Who Adopted Black Kids And Used Them As Slaves Was Sentenced To Hundreds Of Years In Prison
The fate of a white West Virginia couple, who were found guilty of abusing their five adopted Black children and forcing them to work as "slaves" on their farm, has been revealed. On Wednesday, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 63, was sentenced to 215 years in prison for forced labor, human trafficking, child abuse and neglect, and violating the children's civil rights, according to a video of the sentencing hearing from the Kanawha County Circuit Court trial that was posted online. Her husband, Donald Lantz, 62, who was found guilty of 12 out of the 16 counts against him, including human trafficking, child abuse, forced labor, and neglect, was sentenced to 160 years in prison. 'You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know is 'almost heaven,' and you put them in hell,' Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Maryclaire Akers said during sentencing, per WCHS. 'This court will now put you in yours. And may God have mercy on your souls, because this court will not.' The couple reportedly adopted the five children from a shelter for unhoused and at-risk youth in 2018. At the time, Jeanne and Donald were living in Minnesota and moved to Washington State, and then later to Kanawha County, West Virginia in 2023. In October 2023, they were arrested after a neighbor called Child Protective Services alleging that two teenagers, 14 and 16, were locked in a shed on the couple's property in Sissonville. Other neighbors claimed the children were 'forced to perform farm labor and were not permitted inside the residence,' according to court documents obtained by WCHS–TV. When police responded to the home, the two children (brother and sister) in the shed reportedly had no running water and a portable toilet, and had been deprived of "deprived of adequate hygienic care and food." The children said they slept on the concrete floor and were locked in there for 12 hours before being found. Another girl was also found in the home. Charleston's WCSH–TV reported that when Donald arrived home, he had another child with them and led deputies to a friend's home, where the fifth child was staying. A 16-count indictment was filed against the couple. 'It alleges human trafficking, human rights violations, the use of forced labor,' Judge Maryclaire said, according to West Virginia Metro News. 'Human rights violations specific to the fact that these children were targeted because of their race and they were used basically as slaves from what the indictment alleges." Fox 11 / WCHS Eyewitness News The oldest child referred to the couple as "monsters" in an impact statement, while another child said, 'I will be something amazing. I will be strong and beautiful. You will always be exactly what you are — horrible.' The youngest child said they were "taught to laugh at" their siblings while witnessing the abuse.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Yahoo
White couple who forced their adopted Black kids to work as slaves sentenced to over 100 years
'May God have mercy on your souls because this court will not,' a judge told the white couple convicted for abusing adopted Black children. A white West Virginia couple has been sentenced to hundreds of years in prison after being found guilty of forcing their Black adopted children to work as slaves on their farm. Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 63, and Donald Lantz, 62, adopted five children between the ages of 6 and 16 from a shelter for vulnerable and homeless youth. Prosecutors say the couple specifically targeted the children because of their race before subjecting them to years of horrific abuse. The children were forced to perform hard labor, deprived of basic needs, and treated like 'slaves.' The abuse came to light in October 2023 after a concerned neighbor called Child Protective Services. When deputies arrived at the couple's home in Sissonville, they found two of the children, ages 14 and 16, locked in a shed with a portable toilet and no running water. The children told authorities they had been locked inside for 12 hours and were forced to sleep on the cold floor. Court documents described the children as wearing dirty clothes, and the 14-year-old boy had sores on his feet. A 9-year-old child was found locked alone in the house, while Lantz later returned home with an 11-year-old boy and led deputies to a 6-year-old girl who was staying with family friends. A 16-count indictment accused Whitefeather and Lantz of human trafficking, forced labor, and violating the children's civil rights. Although the couple pleaded not guilty, they were convicted in January. 'You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know as 'almost heaven,' and you put them in hell,' Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge MaryClaire Akers said during sentencing, per WCHS. 'This court will now put you in yours. And may God have mercy on your souls because this court will not.' Lantz was sentenced to 160 years in prison after being found guilty of human trafficking, forced labor, child abuse, and neglect. Whitefeather received 215 years after being convicted of the same charges, with an additional conviction for violating the children's civil rights. The couple was also ordered to pay $280,000 in restitution to each victim. During the sentencing, Whitefeather reportedly apologized to the children, saying: 'I just want the court to know that I have made mistakes. I am very sorry for that, and I love my children. I have never, ever done anything to my … children to harm them intentionally. Children, I do love you,' per NBC News. The children, who now describe their former adoptive parents as 'monsters,' are looking ahead to a brighter future. 'I will be something amazing,' one of the children said, per the news outlet. 'I will be strong and beautiful. You will always be exactly what you are — horrible.' More must-reads: George Foreman, heavyweight boxing legend, dead at 76 A woman was killed by her husband during a conjugal visit at a California prison, according to officials In latest blow to Tesla, regulators recall nearly all Cybertrucks
