Latest news with #Sheriff'sOffice
Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump returns to court and hopes to represent himself
Published Jul 24, 2025 • 3 minute read In this image released by the Martin County, Fla., Sheriff's Office, law enforcement officers arrest Ryan Wesley Routh, a man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump, Sept. 15, 2024. Photo by Martin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File / AP FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A man charged with attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump last year at his Florida golf course will return to court Thursday to once again explain why he wants to fire his court-appointed lawyers and represent himself. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Ryan Routh previously made the request earlier this month during a hearing in Fort Pierce before U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon. She did not rule during the hearing but said she would issue a written order later. But now Routh, 59, is set to be back in front of Cannon, a day after his court-appointed federal public defenders asked to be taken off the case. Routh is scheduled to stand trial in September, a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted his attempt to shoot Trump as he played golf. Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations. The judge told Routh earlier this month that she doesn't intend to delay the Sept. 8 start date of his trial, even if she lets him represent himself. Routh, who has described the extent of his education as two years of college after earning his GED certificate, told Cannon that he understood and would be ready. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In a June 29 letter to Cannon, Routh said that he and his attorneys were 'a million miles apart' and that they were refusing to answer his questions. He also suggested in the same letter that he could be used in a prisoner exchange with Iran, China, North Korea or Russia. 'I could die being of some use and save all this court mess, but no one acts; perhaps you have the power to trade me away,' Routh wrote. On Wednesday, the federal public defender's office filed a motion for termination of appointment of counsel, claiming that 'the attorney-client relationship is irreconcilably broken.' Attorneys said Routh refused to meet with them for a scheduled in-person meeting Tuesday morning at the federal detention center in Miami. They said Routh has refused six attempts to meet with their team. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It is clear that Mr. Routh wishes to represent himself, and he is within his Constitutional rights to make such a demand,' the motion said. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have a right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney. Prosecutors have said Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15 at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot. Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who prosecutors said informed officers that he saw a person fleeing. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witnesses confirmed it was the person he had seen, prosecutors have said. Routh has another, unrelated hearing in Cannon's courtroom scheduled for Friday on the admissibility of certain evidence and testimony that can be used for the trial. In addition to the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder. 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USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Jacksonville sheriff airs video of traffic stop arrest after stressing need for 'context'
Jacksonville police are reviewing a traffic stop and arrest that inflamed an online audience, but prosecutors have decided the arresting officer didn't commit any crimes, Sheriff T.K. Waters said July 21. 'One video devoid of context can be very misleading,' Waters told reporters after screening bodycam footage from three officers connected to the Feb. 19 arrest of William Anthony McNeil Jr. Video shot inside McNeil's car, apparently recorded by the driver, prompted almost 2,000 comments and thousands of 'likes' after being posted on Instagram and drawing attention to the encounter which ended with a window being broken on the locked car door and McNeil ending up on the ground under officers' control. Sheriff T.K. Waters is holding a news conference regarding the investigation into a traffic stop from February 19, 2025. We will be releasing body-worn camera footage and additional details. McNeil, 22, retained civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels, the lawyers' publicist reported in a email where the pair called for public release of video of the arrest. 'This wasn't law enforcement, it was brutality. All video from JSO should be released to ensure there is transparency for McNeil and the community,' said a statement attributed to 'the legal team.' It added that 'We demand full accountability from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and justice for William McNeil Jr.' Two days after his arrest, McNeil pleaded guilty to resisting police without violence and driving with a suspended license, court records show. He was sentenced to two days already served in jail and a misdemeanor marijuana charge was dropped. During an evening news conference, the sheriff said he knew nothing of McNeil's arrest until July 20 when he was notified about a social media post describing the arrest but showing only a portion of the encounter. A post shared by Ben Crump (@attorneycrump) He said McNeil had done enough within the first 21 seconds of his contact with police to justify a resisting charge but the Sheriff's Office was still looking at whether there had been problems with the police response that should be addressed administratively. The sheriff said McNeil hadn't filed a complaint about his handling during the arrest. If he had, Waters said, 'we would have been all over' that. Waters said he could neither condone nor condemn officer actions during the stop and arrest because it was still under review by his agency. The video Waters released followed Officer D.J. Bowers' engagement with McNeil, whom Bowers told he had stopped around Commonwealth Avenue for not having headlights on during 'inclement weather.' After McNeil said headlights weren't needed and Bowers told him to step out of the vehicle, McNeil answered 'no, no' and told the officer to call his supervisor. 'Uncooperative adult driver,' Bower said into his radio, apparently advising someone of the situation. Again being told to step out, the driver answered no and closed the door. Bowers put his hand on the door and radioed that it was locked. About 45 seconds later, Bowers said 'right now, you're under arrest for resisting. … The longer you take … the worse it's gonna be.' 'Open the door and exit or we are going to break the window,' Bowers said about 35 seconds later, then repeatedly ordered the driver to open the door and said the driver was under arrest for resisting. More than two minutes later, after more officers arrived and another officer talked to McNeil and told him he had to get out, Bowers told a colleague he was about to break the window and was told 'all right, go for it' and smashed the window, unlocking the door and pulling the driver out. Video from McNeil's appeared to show his head was hit by a hand or fist before he got out of the car, then again during a scuffle, and he ended up on the ground with several officers around him, one of whom radioed for a rescue unit to look at a cut on his lip.
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Yolo County asks AG to join probe into deadly fireworks explosion over ‘public perception of conflicts'
The fields surrounding a fireworks facility are littered with debris on July 2, the day after an explosion leveled the site near Esparto, Calif., in Yolo County. Yolo County officials want the state attorney general's office to join the investigation into a deadly fireworks explosion at a pyrotechnic company due to what many locals see as a potential conflict of interest after it was revealed that two Yolo County Sheriff's Office employees owned the property where the company caught fire, killing seven people. On Friday, Yolo County Chair Mary Vixie Sandy wrote to Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta's office, asking that he join the investigation over a 'strong public perception of conflicts' with the Sheriff's Office and the ongoing probe into the deadly industrial accident. There have been no criminal charges filed in connection to the explosion and fire that ripped through a pyrotechnic company warehouse in the rural farming community of Esparto, Calif., on July 1. Advertisement The state fire marshal's office is leading the investigation and the Yolo County district attorney's office is providing oversight in the event that charges are filed, according to county officials. 'While we do not question the ability and integrity of the District Attorney to support the Cal Fire and Cal OSHA investigations, ensuring the public's confidence in the investigation and outcomes is of critical importance to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors and our community,' Sandy wrote. 'It is our strong belief that the public perception and integrity of the investigation elements currently being carried out at the local level would be best served by the direct involvement of the Department of Justice.' The attorney general's office said it is reviewing the request. California 'We want answers.' Families hold vigil after seven found dead in fireworks factory explosion The Ramos family has been holding a vigil near the site of a fireworks facility explosion where authorities uncovered seven bodies. The family still has no answers about the cause of the explosion or confirmation if their family members are among the dead. Family members of the victims say their relatives were hired to package fireworks in the days leading up to the Fourth of July weekend at the Esparto warehouse. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Their remains were pulled from the site several days following the explosion and after explosive experts safely ignited the remaining hazardous materials. Advertisement The dead were identified as Christopher Goltiao Bocog, 45, of San Francisco; Neil Justin Li, 41, of San Francisco; Joel Jeremias Melendez, 28, of Sacramento; Carlos Javier Rodriguez-Mora, 43, of San Andreas; Jesus Manaces Ramos, 18, of San Pablo; Jhony Ernesto Ramos, 22, of San Pablo; and Angel Mathew Voller, 18, of Stockton, according to the Yolo County coroner's office. Since the explosion, the state fire marshal's office suspended the pyrotechnic licenses of Kenneth Chee from Devastating Pyrotechnics and Craig Cutright of Blackstar Fireworks, who were linked to the site. Cutright previously worked as a volunteer firefighter with the local fire department, officials said. The firework businesses operated on property owned by Sheriff's Lt. Sam Machado and his wife, who works as an administrative employee for the Sheriff's Office. Both are on administrative leave, according to Sheriff Tom Lopez. Sheriff's officials were directly involved in the emergency response to the explosion and the brush fire that followed, but have not been involved in the ongoing investigation, according to authorities. The Sheriff's Office declined to provide any comments on the investigation and directed all questions to to Cal Fire, Lopez said in a statement posted to Facebook. Advertisement 'Still, some may have perceived we were inaccessible — our intent was, is, and continues to be full support of the investigative process and respect for the lead agency's role,' Lopez said. While Machado and his wife have been placed on leave, Lopez said this 'does not imply wrongdoing, but it is a standard measure to help ensure an impartial and fair investigative process.' Machado could not be reached for comment. Earlier this month, law enforcement officials searched a San Francisco home where Chee is listed as the owner. His attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On Friday, Etta James Farming, a canary bean and wheat farmer, sued Devastating Pyrotechnics, Blackstar Fireworks, Cutright and Machado in a civil suit. Etta James Farming claims the fire damaged its adjoining crops, farming equipment and infrastructure. The lawsuit says that the fireworks operators operated an illegal business on a site that was not permitted on the property. The illegal operation should have been obvious to everyone named in the lawsuit, according to Etta James Farming. They seek an undetermined amount related to the destruction of the crops, farming infrastructure and equipment, along with punitive damages.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Florida tragedy: Dog the bounty hunter's step-grandson accidently killed by step-son; sheriff calls it 'isolated case'
A heartbreaking loss has struck the family of reality TV star Duane 'Dog' Chapman, after his stepson, Gregory Zecca, allegedly shot and killed his 13-year-old son, Anthony, in a tragic accident. The incident reportedly took place on Saturday night at the Naples, Florida apartment of Gregory Zecca, the son of Chapman's wife, Francie Frane, the New York post reported, citing TMZ. Zecca allegedly shot and killed his own son, Anthony, in what the family described as a "tragic accident." In a statement to TMZ, representatives for Chapman and his family said, "We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony." The Collier county Sheriff's Office confirmed to the Naples Daily News that it was investigating a deadly shooting that occurred Saturday night. It described the case as an "isolated incident," though no names were officially released. As of now, no arrests have been made as per ANI. According to TMZ, Zecca is part of Chapman's bounty hunting team and has a clear interest in firearms. Photos on his Instagram show that he had taken his son Anthony to a gun range in 2021, and the same year they also visited a gun store together. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo Chapman, 72, married Frane, Zecca's mother, in 2021 after both lost their previous spouses. Duane's former wife, Beth Chapman, passed away in June 2019 after a long battle with throat cancer. Frane and Chapman bonded over their shared grief and love for their families. Their bond also extended to their professional lives. Frane and her family, including Zecca, became closely involved in Chapman's bounty hunting work. 'I know she's a hunter. Her and her two sons have hunted bow hunt, so they track, they look for things that the prey leaves behind,' Chapman said during an appearance on The Dr. Oz Show in 2020. 'She just fit right in,' he added, speaking about their first bounty hunt together. 'She started getting leads and writing them down, so there's more than just tracking and hunting.' Chapman has 13 children with six different women and has been married four times.
Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Chilling moment man drags woman into truck as police issue urgent warning
A terrified woman bravely fought off a attacker who tried to kidnap her after a robbery, and it was all caught on chilling surveillance footage released by authorities A woman bravely fought off a man who tried to drag her into his pickup truck following an alleged robbery - and it was all captured on chilling surveillance footage. The incident happened around 3:30 p.m. on June 29 outside a shop. The recording appears to show suspect, 31-year-old Theodore Michael Tundidor, grabbing the woman by the neck and pulling her toward his Toyota Tacoma, while she screams and struggles to escape. Despite his grip, the woman manages to push back, break free, and run away, shouting for help. A nearby bystander witnessed the attempted kidnapping, rushed to assist her, and called 911. The suspect jumped into his truck and fled the scene. Later, officers from Florida Fish and Wildlife spotted Tundidor allegedly driving recklessly along Route A1A in in St. Augustine, Florida, and apprehended him after a high-speed chase, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. Authorities alleged that Tundidor had robbed a nearby business before forcing the woman into the car park. He now faces charges including kidnapping, robbery, and grand theft auto. Police praised the victim's quick thinking and determination. 'She did everything right - screamed, fought back, and drew attention,' the sheriff's office said. They also reminded the public of safety tips from their Women Against Violent Encounters program: Always stay aware of your surroundings, understand your 'danger zone' where strangers might pose a threat, and trust your instincts. 'Attitude, mental commitment, and preparation are keys to success,' officials emphasised. He was charged with kidnapping, robbery and grand theft auto. Earlier this month, a man was caught on camera as he seemingly attempted to kidnap a young boy in front of his horrified parents on a busy street late at night. The distressing incident was caught on camera on Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York City. In the clip the alleged kidnapper, dressed all in black and wearing a hat, grabs the child, aged just six, and attempts to flee with him. Luckily, the helpless victim cries out as he's being carried off while being held in one arm by the shameless man. He then drops the poor youngster like a rag doll onto the hard pavement once he realises he's been rumbled. The footage then switches to the assailant being chased across a road in the popular entertainment area by the child's parents. Sharon Robinson, 41, spoke to the New York Post about the horrific moment her young son Rah'Shem 'Rah'Rah' Gantt was almost snatched. "I see this man holding my son like a football, a complete stranger. If Rah'Rah hadn't made that loud scream, that man would have taken him and done whatever he wanted to do with him, maybe take him under the boardwalk and rape him and kill him.' A man named as Jonathan Robalino, 36, was charged with assault and attempted kidnapping after allegedly grabbing Rah'Shem just before 10pm near the corner of Stillwell and Surf avenues.
