Latest news with #FifthAmendment
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Civil Rights Groups Say Immigrants Are Being Denied Legal Access at Detention Centers
A group of civil rights and legal organizations say immigrant detainees being held at two federal detention centers are being denied their constitutional right to legal counsel. One of those detention centers is a Miami facility flagged by Reason earlier this week for allegations of overcrowding and dysfunction. In letters to the Trump administration released Thursday, Americans for Immigrant Justice (AIJ), the American Civil Liberties Union, and several other groups urged the administration to immediately restore detainees' access to legal counsel at Federal Correctional Institution Leavenworth (FCI Leavenworth) and Federal Detention Center-Miami (FDC Miami), two Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities that are holding hundreds of detainees for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to the letters, attorneys for AIJ, Florida Legal Services, and the University of Miami Immigration Clinic "have witnessed and documented troubling systemic failures to provide individuals detained in immigration custody with access to vital legal resources and counsel" at FDC Miami. Those deprivations include regular denial of access to legal documents, legal mail, and attorney calls. The groups say these restrictions violate detainees' due process rights under the Fifth Amendment and their First Amendment right to free speech. "Denying detained immigrants access to legal documents, mail, and phone calls makes it all but impossible to fight and win an immigration case," AIJ Executive Director Sui Chung said in a press release. "The systemic denial of due process at FDC-Miami has impacted immigrants who desperately seek refuge and are legally entitled to pursue relief in the United States." The letter echoes descriptions by BOP employees and immigration lawyers of poor conditions and bureaucratic chaos in FDC Miami, where roughly 400 immigrant detainees are being held on two floors. The federal prison system has struggled for years to get a handle on crumbling facilities, understaffing and low morale, and endemic corruption, but it was nevertheless pressed into service to handle the influx of detentions under Trump's mass deportation program. A BOP employee told Reason that four of the eight elevators in the multi-story tower are broken, leading to frequent lockdowns that restrict detainees' access to phones and computers. "I've been at FDC Miami for 16 years," Kenny Castillo, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 501, the union representing Bureau of Prisons employees at the lockup, said. "I've never seen the building like I see it right now." In their letter, the civil rights groups say crucial legal paperwork is going missing when detainees are transferred to and from FDC Miami. Legal mail is delayed or never arrives. They say it takes days, sometimes over a week, for attorneys to schedule a phone call with a client. "These failures and delays have serious—potentially devastating—consequences for detained individuals' ability access and communicate with counsel, as well as their ability to apply for protection in the U.S. and to fight their cases in immigration court, as is their constitutional right." The cumulative effect of all this is that attorneys say it's nearly impossible to plan a legal strategy for their clients. "I had a hearing this morning, and the judge ordered me to speak with [my client]," Katie Blankenship, an attorney at Sanctuary of the South, said. "I couldn't be at FDC, and they wouldn't get me on the phone with him. I had to go to court this morning and be like, 'Sorry judge, no, I did not speak to my client, because I couldn't.'" The dysfunction at FDC Miami erupted into a mini-riot on April 15, after the afternoon headcount dragged on for nearly five hours. A group of disgruntled detainees flooded a floor of the unit, and BOP correctional officers responded with concussive flashbang grenades. The civil rights groups allege similar conditions at FCI Leavenworth in Kansas, where they say immigrant detainees are subjected to lengthy lockdowns, abusive use-of-force, and medical neglect. In response to a request for comment, a BOP spokesperson said the agency is "committed to ensuring the safety and security of all inmates in our population, our staff, and the public. However, we do not comment on matters related to pending litigation, legal proceedings, or investigations." ICE did not respond to a request for comment. The post Civil Rights Groups Say Immigrants Are Being Denied Legal Access at Detention Centers appeared first on
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Boston Globe
Grand jury investigating State Police recruit death
But Attorney General Andrea Campbell's Advertisement 'Mr. Meier has Advertisement The Globe has confirmed that those who have been called to testify in the grand jury proceedings include State Police troopers related to the academy and investigation, according to two people with knowledge of the investigation. They, and a third person who confirmed the existence of the grand jury, spoke only on the condition of anonymity because grand jury proceedings are inherently secret. State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A lawyer for Delgado-Garcia has said the family wants closure in the case, answers about what happened, and assurances others will not meet the same fate. The use of a grand jury with subpoena powers to obtain State Police documents and sworn testimony could arm Meier with a voluminous record of evidence to examine as he determines whether any criminal charges are warranted, or whether he would make any policy recommendations to the attorney general or State Police, said Daniel Conley, a former Suffolk district attorney who led the office when Meier was its homicide chief in the 2000s. The call of the grand jury, Conley added, also shows Meier's willingness to use subpoena powers through the grand jury and seek sworn testimony from the State Police to gather the evidence he needs in his investigation. Conley said he hasn't discussed this investigation with Meier, but he expects Meier's use of the grand jury follows some of the strategies they had their homicide prosecutors take in building cases in gangland killings. In those cases, witnesses often were most helpful shortly after a homicide but would sometimes back out or change their story as the case dragged on. Advertisement 'One of the strategies that we developed was to get people in front of the grand jury relatively quickly, to put them under oath, and to lock in their testimony,' he said. 'You can't say no to the grand jury.' State grand juries consist of 23 people who hear evidence presented by a prosecutor. They're conducted behind closed doors, and various rules forbid disclosing grand jury testimony or speaking publicly about one while it is ongoing. The grand jury can vote on whether there's enough evidence to find probable cause that a crime occurred and to indict someone. The threshold for an indictment is lower than a criminal conviction, which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt. If a person is indicted, charges are filed in Superior Court, and proceedings are then generally public. At least 14 grand jurors need to vote in the affirmative to bring charges forward, according to state Trial Court procedures. Joshua Levy, a former US attorney who is now in private practice, said grand jury investigations typically are used to build up and accumulate evidence against their intended targets, whatever that target may be. Anyone called before a grand jury can assert their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, but prosecutors routinely offer people immunity if they are brought before a grand jury, he said. And if you're offered immunity, you must testify or face the possibility of being criminally charged with contempt of court. Throughout the proceedings, the grand jurors are able to ask questions of witnesses, often through the prosecutor. That's a good way, Levy said, of figuring out how a non-lawyer is viewing the evidence. Advertisement 'They take their role very seriously,' Levy said. 'They ask really good questions.' At the time, Several weeks ago, Noble announced he had replaced the head of the State Police training academy in New Braintree and commissioned the International Association of Chiefs of Police to conduct an independent review of training practices. The assessment will focus on 'the relevance, efficacy, and safety of the The announcement came amid wide-scale questioning by policing analysts and state lawmakers over the paramilitary-style structure of the academy following Delgado-Garcia's death. The academy's curriculum promotes a hierarchal structure, and it involves a rigid, stress-resilience training program that has led to numerous injuries in recent years. In the past, the State Police has maintained that the rigid curriculum prepares troopers for the physical and emotional demands of the job, particularly in high-stress environments. But the Advertisement The academy has a much The problems at the academy stretch back decades. In 1985, 22-year-old State Police recruit James Whitehouse collapsed and died during a run. Three years later, a municipal police recruit, Timothy M. Shepard, 25, Authorities But the attorney general said the judge had reached the wrong conclusions and refused to bring charges. An appeals court later upheld the attorney general's decision. In 2005, the agency shook up its academy leadership after recruits alleged they were forced to put their heads in a dirty toilet bowl. In 2022, trainees suffered blistered hands while doing bear crawls on hot concrete. Advertisement After the death of Delgado-Garcia, similar questions were raised about the nature of the current curriculum of the academy. After his death, State Police suspended the boxing program. Delgado-Garcia was a former victim witness advocate for the Worcester district attorney's office Delgado-Garcia died just weeks before the end of the six-month training academy. He was sworn in as a trooper in the hours before his death. Sean Cotter can be reached at
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
22 young Americans sue Trump on climate actions: ‘A death sentence for my generation'
A group of 22 young Americans sued the Trump administration over executive orders the plaintiffs say will promote climate change. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Montana and challenges executive orders 14156, 14154 and 14261, which declare a 'National Energy Emergency.' The Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NASA are named as defendants in the suit. '[President] Trump's fossil fuel orders are a death sentence for my generation,' plaintiff Eva Lighthiser said. 'I'm not suing because I want to — I'm suing because I have to. My health, my future, and my right to speak the truth are all on the line. He's waging war on us with fossil fuels as his weapon, and we're fighting back with the Constitution,' she added. Lighthiser is joined by youth plaintiffs from Montana, along with others from Hawaii, Oregon, California and Florida. They've alleged that the president's executive orders violate their Fifth Amendment rights to life and liberty by 'deliberately worsening' climate pollution that threatens their health and futures. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has issued orders aimed at expediting energy and infrastructure projects; promoting the use of coal, critical minerals and fossil fuels; and sunsetting EPA regulations that prevent mining and offshore drilling. The White House and corresponding agencies did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment on the matter. 'Our children enjoy the same constitutional rights to life and liberty as adults, yet have been tasked with shouldering the impact of a destabilized climate system without ever having a say in the matter,' Dan Snyder, director of the Environmental Enforcement Project for Public Justice, said in a Thursday statement. 'President Trump's executive orders are unlawful and intolerable, and these youth plaintiffs shall put an end to it.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rise Gold Announces Closing of Second Sale of Industrial Land and Paying Off the Secured Debt
Grass Valley, California--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2025) - Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTCQB: RYES) (the "Company") announces it has closed the second sale agreement of land for a sale price of $2.5 million. On November 27, 2024, Rise announced the sale of 66 acres of industrial land located adjacent to the Company's Idaho-Maryland Mine Property (the "I-M Mine Property") for $4.3 million to an arm's length third party in two transactions. The first of these transactions covered 16 acres of land for total consideration of $1.8 million, including $900,000 at closing, minus certain transaction fees, and an additional $900,000 due on November 27, 2026. Rise negotiated a discounted, accelerated payment with the purchaser whereby the Company received $702,000 on January 15, 2025 in lieu of the payment due in 2026. The second sale agreement covered 50 acres of land for a total sale price of $2.5 million and this transaction closed on May 27, 2025, with half of the sale price paid on closing and the other half due on May 27, 2027. Commencing on the closing date, the buyer will pay monthly interest at an annual rate of 5% per year on the balance of the purchase price until it is paid in full. A portion of the proceeds totaling $680,000 was allocated to pay off the remaining balance of the Company's secured debt, and the balance of the funds is available to the Company to support operations and its legal claims against Nevada County ("the County"). Rise and the purchaser have also executed an option agreement whereby the Company may repurchase the 66 acres of land being sold for the sale price plus the cost of any capital improvements plus an increase of five percent per year on the condition that Rise acquires final government approval to perform mining operations at the I-M Mine Property. The Company retains ownership of the I-M Mine Property, which is comprised of 53 acres of land surrounding the New Brunswick shaft, as well as its nearby 56-acre Centennial property, and it retains all of its 2,585 acres of mineral rights. As previously disclosed in its press release dated May 13, 2024, the Company has submitted a Writ of Mandamus (the "Writ") to the Superior Court of California for the County of Nevada (the "Court") asking the Court to compel the Board of Supervisors of Nevada County to follow applicable law and grant Rise recognition of its constitutionally-protected, grandfathered vested right to operate the Mine. Rise's litigation attorneys at Cooper & Kirk have advised the Company that should the Writ be unsuccessful, Rise's mineral estate will lose all value, which will allow Rise to bring a takings action in federal court against the County under the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The remedy for an unconstitutional taking is the payment of just compensation, which is the fair market value of the property taken. Based on comparable mines and historic yields at the I-M Mine, management believes the fair market value of Rise's mineral estate is at least $400 million. About Rise Gold Corp. Rise Gold is an exploration-stage mining company incorporated in Nevada, USA. The Company's principal asset is the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine located in Nevada County, California, USA. On behalf of the Board of Directors: Joseph MullinPresident and CEORise Gold Corp. For further information, please contact: RISE GOLD CORP.345 Crown Point Circle, Suite 600Grass Valley, CA 95945T: 917.349.0060jmullin@ The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary approvals, meeting expenditure and financing requirements, compliance with environmental regulations, title matters, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices, and one-time events that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information contained in this release. Rise undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
22 young Americans sue Trump on climate actions: ‘A death sentence for my generation'
A group of 22 young Americans are suing the Trump administration over executive orders they say will promote climate change. The lawsuit was filed in Montana on Thursday and challenges Executive Orders 14156, 14154, and 14261, which declare a 'National Energy Emergency.' The Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NASA are named as defendants in the suit. 'Trump's fossil fuel orders are a death sentence for my generation,' said plaintiff Eva Lighthiser. 'I'm not suing because I want to — I'm suing because I have to. My health, my future, and my right to speak the truth are all on the line. He's waging war on us with fossil fuels as his weapon, and we're fighting back with the Constitution,' she added. Lighthiser is joined by other youth plaintiffs from Montana, along with others from Hawaii, Oregon, California and Florida. They've alleged that the president's executive orders violate their Fifth Amendment rights to life and liberty by 'deliberately worsening' climate pollution that threatens their health and futures. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has issued orders aimed at expediting energy and infrastructure projects, promoting the use of coal, critical minerals, and fossil fuels while sunsetting EPA regulations that prevent mining and offshore drilling. The White House and corresponding agencies did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment on the matter. 'Our children enjoy the same constitutional rights to life and liberty as adults, yet have been tasked with shouldering the impact of a destabilized climate system without ever having a say in the matter,' Dan Snyder, director of the Environmental Enforcement Project for Public Justice, said in a Thursday statement. 'President Trump's executive orders are unlawful and intolerable, and these youth plaintiffs shall put an end to it.'
