Latest news with #JosephRyan
Washington Post
10-07-2025
- Washington Post
Lawyer: Fairfax commanders silenced detectives in au pair murder case
The double-murder case against Brendan Banfield involves a theory that he posed as his wife to lure a man to visit her before killing them both with the help of the family's au pair. Banfield's defense attorneys took aim at the impersonation theory in court Thursday, arguing Fairfax police commanders reassigned two detectives who thought some evidence suggested Banfield's wife was the one sending messages to the man who died alongside her. Prosecutors have said that Brendan Banfield, 40, was pretending to be his wife, Christine, in an online account on a fetish-related website when he invited Joseph Ryan to their Herndon-area house for a mock home invasion and rape fantasy so Banfield could kill them both and claim he was interrupting an intruder attack. But a summary of the case written by Detective Brendan Miller last year repeatedly describes the online conversations as between Ryan and Christine Banfield, and states that 'There is no indication that Christine lost control of her devices' during the six weeks before the slayings. The records show that Christine Banfield's laptop and phone were used to contact Ryan and that one of Brendan Banfield's phones had no such contact, though his second phone for work could not be opened. The detectives, who testified Thursday they felt pressured by commanders during the investigation, are still involved in preparing the case for trial this fall, and prosecutors said they were transferred for 'performance management' reasons. But one Fairfax deputy chief acknowledged he had said Miller 'will never work a case in major crimes again' before his transfer and that he disagreed with the detective's conclusions after Miller examined the computers and phones of Brendan Banfield; Christine Banfield, 37; and Ryan, 39. The prosecution argues that Brendan Banfield, an IRS criminal investigator, left his home's front door unlocked that morning, parked a short distance away, and then waited for an alert from his au pair and lover, Juliana Peres Magalhães, to let him know when Ryan arrived. After Ryan went into the house, Peres Magalhães has told police that she called Banfield, who went into the basement with their 4-year-old daughter, then went upstairs and shot Ryan and fatally stabbed his wife. Banfield has also been charged with child abuse for allegedly bringing the young girl to the scene. Peres Magalhães pleaded guilty in October after providing a detailed statement to investigators, saying that she had helped the scheme by posing as Christine Banfield in some phone calls to Ryan. She also said she retrieved a gun and fatally shot Ryan after he survived the first shot, prosecutors said. She agreed to a plea deal in which she would be convicted of involuntary manslaughter and be deported to her native Brazil after Brendan Banfield's trial, now set for Oct. 20. Thursday's hearing before Chief Fairfax Circuit Judge Penney S. Azcarate was ostensibly about the claims by defense attorney John F. Carroll that prosecutors weren't turning over all the evidence in the case. And Carroll argued this included the personnel records of lead homicide detective Kyle Bryant and forensics detective Miller, whom he suspected were forced out of their units because they disagreed with the command staff's view of the case, though the detectives didn't provide specifics of the disagreement. 'This investigation is a theory in search of facts,' Carroll said, a theory 'concocted by non-investigative personnel.' Carroll pointed to an internal affairs complaint filed in January by nine homicide detectives, including Bryant, alleging a hostile work environment caused by conduct from commanders 'that was unwelcome, pervasive and offensive over an extended amount of time.' The Southern States Police Benevolent Association, a police union, has asked the Fairfax County Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs to launch its own investigation, a letter to the agency shows. 'I believe there's a conflict between command staff and the rank and file,' Carroll said. 'A hostile work environment can show that.' Azcarate instructed prosecutors to look for relevant evidence of a conflict in Miller's case. Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano, who watched the hearing, said in a statement afterward that the judge's order required 'prosecutors to access information that is typically not at issue in a criminal matter. We look forward to presenting this case to a jury of community members.' Carroll asked Miller on the stand, 'So the debate is whether there is catfishing or not catfishing?' Catfishing is when a person poses as another person online to deceptively form a relationship, as was allegedly the case with Brendan Banfield. 'Yes,' Miller replied. 'Your findings don't support the theory of catfishing?' Carroll asked. 'I would say that's a matter of perception,' Miller said. An executive summary of Miller's digital forensics analysis outlines how Christine Banfield's phone was used to create a new Gmail account in early January 2023 and that a new photo of her was used when creating a profile on FetLife, a website for those interested in sexual fetishes. Christine Banfield had also messaged the photo to her husband, Miller found. Miller's report repeatedly attributes all actions on Christine Banfield's phone and computer to her, saying that 'approximately 114 messages were exchanged between Christine and Joe' between late January and mid-February 2023 on the FetLife site. 'Christine initiated the transition to Telegram for communication with Joe on 2/19/2023,' Miller wrote. The devices in the case and Miller's report were then sent to an evidence analysis team at the University of Alabama for peer review. The team issued its own report that confirmed Miller's findings on the uses of the devices. Deputy Chief Patrick Brusch was in charge of the Fairfax major crimes bureau in 2024. He said that he had a master's degree in computer forensics, though he never served as a detective, and that he reviewed Miller's findings and concluded 'the data was being incorrectly analyzed. … I would say it was incomplete in the deduction.' Brusch said he expressed concerns to Miller's supervisor 'regarding his abilities as a forensic examiner. It was specific to this case.' He acknowledged telling the supervisor, 'This guy's never gonna work another case in major crimes while I'm the deputy chief,' and soon Miller was moved to the child-abuse unit. Bryant said he joined the homicide unit from the child-abuse unit in 2021, and Banfield was his third case as lead detective. He said he didn't ask to be transferred out of the homicide unit. Bryant said he received guidance, as well as pressure, from the command staff. In addition to meeting with captains and deputy chiefs, he said, he met twice with Police Chief Kevin Davis. He did not say what Davis told him. 'Were you ever asked to adopt a theory that you didn't agree was supported by the investigation?' Carroll asked. 'Yes,' Bryant said, though he said he was never told to testify falsely. He said there were further disagreements after Brendan Banfield was arrested in September 2024. He was moved to the sex crimes unit and then to the digital forensics section in January of this year. Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Eric Clingan asked Bryant if all 12 Fairfax homicide detectives had different theories about the case, in which no one was charged for more than seven months and Brendan Banfield wasn't charged until more than 18 months after the slayings. Bryant said yes. But after Peres Magalhães cooperated and laid out a string of events, Bryant said there was only one theory. Azcarate did not order prosecutors to turn over any documents on Bryant's transfer out of homicide. Carroll said afterward: 'I believe the digital forensics takes the catfishing thing out. And if it comes out, I think it's devastating to their case.' He said Miller's report shows 'there are certain moments where it's clear, it had to be Christine Banfield' who was conversing with Ryan. He said Peres Magalhães told a false story because she was offered a lenient plea deal.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Eucharistic Procession makes way through Binghamton
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – A group of clergy and Catholic parishioners made a solemn walk through the Westside of Binghamton Thursday morning. A Eucharistic Procession lead by the Reverend Joseph Ryan and the Reverend Cornelius Deep made the walk from Saint Patrick's Church Leroy Street to Rec Park with a stop at Seton Catholic Central along the way. The event began with a brief service at Saint Pat's, after which the participants began their walk with Deep carrying the Eucharist under the cover of a canopy. They then stopped at the school for another service at Seton where they were joined by students from other local Catholic schools. They then completed the procession with the children joining them through Recreation Park. Eucharistic Procession makes way through Binghamton Celebrate Pride Month with an evening of laughter at Schorr Family Firehouse Stage Roosevelt reflects on the legacy of Principal Dave Chilson Mercy House prepares for $2.1 million expansion Upstate Democrats oppose cow limit for dairy farms Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
The US's most advanced Apache attack helicopter is losing its battlefield edge
A US Army official said the Apache helicopter faces threats that may reduce its battlefield prowess. Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan said the older Apache AH-64D is no longer a "war-winning capability." Efforts are focused on upgrading the latest Echo model to integrate it with drone technology. The US's formidable Apache attack helicopter is increasingly under threat on future battlefields, a top US Army official said this week. Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan, the US Army's deputy chief of staff for operations, plans, and training, described how and why the Army is phasing out older versions of the Apache, and modernizing the most recent variant. The older AH-64D, which is now into its third decade of service, "is not a war-winning capability that we can fight with and win today," Ryan said at a conference at the Center for a New American Security. The Delta model has also become prohibitively expensive to fly and operate, he added. Even the most recent upgrades to the AH-64E — the most advanced Apache helicopter — "are also on the cusp of being capabilities where we don't necessarily see them contributing to the fight the way they have done perhaps in the past," Ryan said. Apache attack helicopters have the speed and firepower to destroy an enemy's fortified positions or to rout an ambush on friendly positions, but they are increasingly threatened by the proliferation of accurate air defenses. First introduced into Army service in 1986, the Apache has long been one of the most — or even the most — feared multi-role attack helicopters. Armed with a 30mm chain gun and Hellfire anti-tank missiles, Apaches dominated the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, upgraded air defenses and cyber tactics capable of interfering with the Apache's complex digital systems may end its reign as an apex predator that can support ground forces. Meanwhile, although the Apache's Hellfire missiles have successfully taken down drones in exercises, drones have also been known to return the compliment. Either way, the shift towards uncrewed systems has prompted a rethink of the helicopter's dominance overall. At the CNAS conference, Ryan alluded to a recent classified call between top military brass that gave a bleak picture of how comparable Ukrainian and Russian helicopters had fared in Ukraine. "I'll leave it to your imagination about the effectiveness of those platforms on the battlefield over there today," he said, but added, "Extremely limited. Extremely limited." This would include the Russian Kamov Ka-52 "Alligator" — long considered a close rival to the Apache — which, despite its advancements, has been repeatedly shot down. Both sides are armed with modern air defenses that have limited the operations of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, turning the war into a slug-it-out ground fight that plays to Russia's numerical advantages in soldiers and artillery. Open-source intelligence site Oryx has identified 64 Ka-52s damaged or destroyed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ryan's statements came amid an efficiency drive at the Pentagon aimed at building what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called "a leaner, more lethal force." In April, Hegseth directed Pentagon leadership to take on a wide-ranging transformation of the armed forces, including moving to "reduce and restructure manned attack helicopter formations and augment with inexpensive drone swarms capable of overwhelming adversaries." At the CNAS conference, Ryan said that "we just simply spread ourselves too thin, and now we're making a bold correction again." As part of this, the retirement of Delta-model Apaches is being accelerated, with only the latest Echo model being focused on for modernization. Personnel tasked with maintaining and flying the older aircraft are to be transferred to the newer formations, in what will be a welcome staffing boost, Ryan said. The AH-64E features more powerful engines as well as flares designed to fool heat-seeking missiles. Nonetheless, according to manufacturer Boeing, demand for the latest Apache variant remains strong worldwide, and efforts to make it work more closely with drones, known as Manned-Unmanned Teaming, or MUM-T, have been underway for a decade. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
05-06-2025
- Business Insider
The US's most advanced Apache attack helicopter is losing its battlefield edge
A US Army official said the Apache helicopter faces threats that may reduce its battlefield prowess. Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan said the older Apache AH-64D is no longer a "war-winning capability." Efforts are focused on upgrading the latest Echo model to integrate it with drone technology. The US's formidable Apache attack helicopter is increasingly under threat on future battlefields, a top US Army official said this week. Lt. Gen. Joseph Ryan, the US Army's deputy chief of staff for operations, plans, and training, described how and why the Army is phasing out older versions of the Apache, and modernizing the most recent variant. The older AH-64D, which is now into its third decade of service, "is not a war-winning capability that we can fight with and win today," Ryan said at a conference at the Center for a New American Security. The Delta model has also become prohibitively expensive to fly and operate, he added. Even the most recent upgrades to the AH-64E — the most advanced Apache helicopter — "are also on the cusp of being capabilities where we don't necessarily see them contributing to the fight the way they have done perhaps in the past," Ryan said. Apache attack helicopters have the speed and firepower to destroy an enemy's fortified positions or to rout an ambush on friendly positions, but they are increasingly threatened by the proliferation of accurate air defenses. Ukraine battlefield issues First introduced into Army service in 1986, the Apache has long been one of the most — or even the most — feared multi-role attack helicopters. Armed with a 30mm chain gun and Hellfire anti-tank missiles, Apaches dominated the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, upgraded air defenses and cyber tactics capable of interfering with the Apache's complex digital systems may end its reign as an apex predator that can support ground forces. Meanwhile, although the Apache's Hellfire missiles have successfully taken down drones in exercises, drones have also been known to return the compliment. Either way, the shift towards uncrewed systems has prompted a rethink of the helicopter's dominance overall. At the CNAS conference, Ryan alluded to a recent classified call between top military brass that gave a bleak picture of how comparable Ukrainian and Russian helicopters had fared in Ukraine. "I'll leave it to your imagination about the effectiveness of those platforms on the battlefield over there today," he said, but added, "Extremely limited. Extremely limited." This would include the Russian Kamov Ka-52 "Alligator" — long considered a close rival to the Apache — which, despite its advancements, has been repeatedly shot down. Both sides are armed with modern air defenses that have limited the operations of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, turning the war into a slug-it-out ground fight that plays to Russia's numerical advantages in soldiers and artillery. Open-source intelligence site Oryx has identified 64 Ka-52s damaged or destroyed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Upgrading the Apache Ryan's statements came amid an efficiency drive at the Pentagon aimed at building what Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called "a leaner, more lethal force." In April, Hegseth directed Pentagon leadership to take on a wide-ranging transformation of the armed forces, including moving to "reduce and restructure manned attack helicopter formations and augment with inexpensive drone swarms capable of overwhelming adversaries." At the CNAS conference, Ryan said that "we just simply spread ourselves too thin, and now we're making a bold correction again." As part of this, the retirement of Delta-model Apaches is being accelerated, with only the latest Echo model being focused on for modernization. Personnel tasked with maintaining and flying the older aircraft are to be transferred to the newer formations, in what will be a welcome staffing boost, Ryan said. The AH-64E features more powerful engines as well as flares designed to fool heat-seeking missiles. Nonetheless, according to manufacturer Boeing, demand for the latest Apache variant remains strong worldwide, and efforts to make it work more closely with drones, known as Manned-Unmanned Teaming, or MUM-T, have been underway for a decade.
Globe and Mail
07-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
The New York Telegraph Launches Prestigious Annual Awards Program
NEW YORK - April 7, 2025 - The New York Telegraph, one of America's longest-running news publications with origins dating back to 1845, today announced the launch of The New York Telegraph Awards, a new initiative designed to recognize outstanding achievement across business, health, technology, and more. The awards program will identify and celebrate individuals, organizations, products, and ideas that demonstrate exceptional innovation, integrity, and meaningful impact in their respective fields. "For nearly two centuries, The New York Telegraph has been committed to rigorous journalism that informs and enlightens," said Joseph Ryan, Editor-in-Chief of The New York Telegraph. "With these awards, we're extending our core mission by highlighting excellence that truly matters in today's rapidly evolving world." Unlike many industry accolades, The New York Telegraph Awards will be entirely editorially independent, with honorees selected through a comprehensive evaluation process that combines in-depth reporting, data analysis, expert interviews, and thoughtful editorial judgment. "We don't distribute recognition lightly, each honoree has genuinely earned their distinction through demonstrable achievement and positive influence. Our readers trust us to cut through the noise and spotlight what truly deserves attention." Categories for the inaugural awards will span multiple disciplines, reflecting the publication's broad coverage areas while maintaining its signature analytical depth. The first winners will be announced in April 2025, with a special awards issue of The New York Telegraph and a dedicated section on the publication's website at For more information about The New York Telegraph Awards, including nomination procedures and evaluation criteria, please visit About The New York Telegraph The New York Telegraph has provided trusted news and insightful analysis since 1845. Beginning as a print publication and evolving into a modern digital news platform, The New York Telegraph remains dedicated to journalistic excellence, delivering in-depth coverage of the issues that shape our world.
