Latest news with #SuperiorCourt
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Man committed to state hospital for shooting his wife and daughter during a mental health episode in Airway Heights
May 30—A Spokane County judge on Friday sentenced a man with schizophrenia to a stay in Eastern State Hospital for the 2021 shooting of his wife and stepdaughter. Zion Carter, 42, was found not guilty by reason of insanity during a bench trial this year. Experts say Carter has schizophrenia spectrum disorder and experienced a severe psychotic break when he shot his wife, Stephanie Luke, and his 11-year-old stepdaughter in July 2021, according to court records. That night, Carter reportedly appeared agitated, so he left the couple's home in Airway Heights to cool off. Luke and her daughter went to bed, but a few hours later, she awoke to the sound of a gun cocking and Carter mumbling about someone attacking him, The Spokesman-Review reported. Luke was shot in the chest and the stomach. When she awoke, her daughter came into the room with gunshot wounds of her own. The young girl ran to the neighbor's house for help, court records say. Carter was later arrested in Pierce County. Two years after the shooting, Luke and her daughter celebrated the end of numerous surgeries from the shooting by running Bloomsday, according to previous reporting. Carter, who donned a yellow jumpsuit in court on Friday, told Spokane County Superior Court Judge Rachelle Anderson that a decadeslong sentence in solitary confinement as a teenager contributed to his mental health issues and he had no idea he was mentally ill until doctors expressed it to him. When he got out of prison, he was left with no help or support, which likely snowballed his mental illness, Anderson acknowledged. Carter asked for a less-restrictive treatment, but Anderson ultimately decided it was safer for him to be in a state mental hospital . Both the prosecution and defense agreed. Carter also received a 45-month sentence Friday for unlawful possession of a firearm, but was granted time served for the years he has already spent in jail.
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Toronto Sun
MANDEL: Girl acquitted of murder in swarming of homeless man
Kenneth Lee is shown in a Toronto Police Service handout photo. In the end, not one of the eight girls who viciously swarmed a Toronto homeless man has been convicted of murder. 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 How wrong that seems. SC was the last girl standing, the final teen in the gang of eight to face judgment for her role in the brutal and senseless slaying of Kenneth Lee. But not just any girl — prosecutors allege she's the actual killer who fatally stabbed the 59-year-old with a knife or small scissors during the chaotic violence that lasted just over three minutes in the parkette at Front St. and University Ave. five days before Christmas 2022. In his ruling Friday afternoon, Superior Court Justice Philip Campbell said SC, 14 at the time, 'likely' inflicted the fatal wound but it hadn't been proven beyond a reasonable doubt — so he found her not guilty of second-degree murder but guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter. 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. She had tried to plead guilty to manslaughter before her trial but it was rejected by the Crown. She now joins five of her co-accused who did plead to manslaughter, while the other two pleaded to lesser offences. 'SC participated in a group attack on Mr. Lee. For at least the last minute and 42 seconds, she was in possession of a pair of small scissors. At least once, she sank the scissors intentionally into Mr. Lee's body. During the last wave of the attack, she intended to use the scissors, and she may have done so. The attack was a vicious one driven by what seems to be irrational and inexplicable malice. The attack killed Mr. Lee,' he said in reading his verdict. Despite her 'irrational viciousness' in wielding the scissors, Campbell wasn't convinced she had the state of mind required for murder — that she either intended to kill him or to cause bodily harm she knew would probably cause his death. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The word murder is not a shorthand for an extreme level of moral failure or a high degree of viciousness,' he concluded. 'It demands a very specific mental orientation by the accused toward the causing of death. This mental orientation must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The evidence here does not meet that burden. This was a manslaughter and was very close to the most serious example of that offense, but it was not a murder.' Crown attorney Sarah De Filippis advised the court that prosecutors haven't decided whether they'll be seeking an adult sentence. Initially, all eight girls — aged at the time between 13 and 16 — were charged with second-degree murder. The routine stripsearches they endured while in youth detention facilities lead to criticism by both judges hearing their cases — Justice David Rose in the Ontario Court of Justice and Campbell in Superior Court — and led to Campbell declaring them unconstitutional. Both judges took the girls' mistreatment into consideration to lower their sentences. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As a result, none of the seven sentenced so far have had to do more time in custody. Will SC be the first? lt all began over a bottle of booze belonging to Lee's friend. When Lee stepped in to protect her, the angry mob descended on him like a ' bunch of wolves on top of a piece of meat,' a shelter worker would later say. From the start, SC was one of the most violent, Campbell said. 'She literally jumped on Mr. Lee's body.' Horrific video of the attack shows the girls had no mercy on the slight man — a beloved son, brother and uncle who was working on personal issues and hoped to return home for Christmas. But they didn't see him as a person. Read More This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In the three waves of attack, one teen used vice grips to beat him, one used a bag of ice, another used a pylon, while others punched, kicked, stomped and spit on him. Lee suffered 19 blunt force injuries from their swarming. And then there were the stab wounds: a shallow one under his left underarm likely caused by the scissors, and the deeper fatal wound to his heart – which a pathologist felt was 'not very likely' caused by scissors. SC had two pairs of nail scissors when she was arrested. The girls were seen with a knife that night – but it's never been found. She's back in court July 30 for a sentencing hearing. mmandel@ RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto & GTA World World Columnists NBA
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
NBA Star Zion Williamson Hit With Explosive Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Assault And Kidnapping
A woman identifying herself as a former girlfriend of star has filed a bombshell lawsuit, accusing the athlete of repeated sexual assault, physical abuse, kidnapping, and threats during their multi-year relationship. Filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the lawsuit was submitted by a Jane Doe, who says she began dating Zion Williamson in 2018 while he was still a standout player for the Duke University men's basketball team. The plaintiff alleges that on September 23, 2020, roughly a year after Williamson joined the New Orleans Pelicans, he raped and assaulted her at his Beverly Hills home. According to court documents, obtained by TMZ, the woman told Williamson she was tired and wanted to sleep. In response, he allegedly called her "stuck up" and a "b-tch," before stating that she "could not go to sleep without having sex with him." She claims he then forcibly pinned her down and sexually assaulted her. Following the incident, the suit states Williamson took her phone, threw it, and proceeded to choke and scream at her for "talking too much." The woman also noted he smelled of alcohol during the attack. Less than a month later, on October 10, 2020, she says another violent episode took place after Williamson became enraged when she expressed plans to visit friends in San Diego. According to the filing, Williamson again sexually assaulted her and took her phone and laptop, preventing her from seeking medical help. 'These two incidents were not isolated,' the lawsuit reads. 'Williamson continued to abuse, rape, assault, and batter Plaintiff in California and other states, including Louisiana and Texas, until the relationship ended in 2023.' The woman's claims include multiple instances of Williamson strangling her to the point of unconsciousness, threatening to have his security guard shoot her in the head, and allegedly holding her against her will. She also accuses him of pointing a loaded firearm at her during a 2022 altercation in Louisiana, and says he frequently kicked, beat, and confined her. In one instance, she says he slammed a car door on her head, causing her to black out. Many of the alleged incidents, the lawsuit claims, occurred while Williamson was intoxicated or under the influence of cocaine. Her attorney, Sam E. Taylor of The Lanier Law Firm, issued a brief statement on Friday. "We don't want to litigate this case in the media," Taylor said. "But I will say this is a very serious case as reflected in the pleadings that have been filed, and our client looks forward to her day in court to seek justice.' Williamson first rose to fame thanks to viral high school highlights that showcased his near-superhuman leaping ability. He carried that momentum into a dominant freshman season at Duke University, where he averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. His explosive style of play earned him National College Player of the Year honors, making him the obvious choice for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The New Orleans Pelicans didn't hesitate. At just 19 years old, Williamson was selected first overall and quickly became the face of the franchise. Despite missing the start of his rookie season due to a torn meniscus, his debut in January 2020 made waves. He scored 22 points in just 18 minutes, leaving fans eager for more. Over the next few seasons, Williamson showed flashes of brilliance. In the 2020–21 season, he was named an NBA All-Star, averaging an astonishing 27.0 points per game while shooting over 61% from the field. His unique combination of size, strength, and finesse drew comparisons to legends like and . But Williamson's career has been anything but smooth. He missed the entire 2021–22 season with a foot injury and played just 29 games in 2022–23 before being sidelined again. With every setback, questions about his durability and conditioning only grew louder. Off the court, Williamson has also found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. In addition to ongoing concerns about his health and fitness, he's now facing these serious legal allegations that could significantly impact his future in the league. As of now, Williamson has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Fox Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Pelicans' Zion Williamson sued for rape, years of abuse in bombshell lawsuit
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been accused of rape, according to a lawsuit submitted to Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, in addition to "sexual, physical, emotional and financial" abuse over the span of a long-term relationship that started during Williamson's freshman year at Duke and lasted from 2018 to 2023. The woman, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, accuses Williamson of a "continuing pattern of abusive, controlling and threatening behavior" over the course of the multiyear relationship, per ESPN. The 12-page civil complaint says Williamson's alleged actions occurred in multiple states, including Louisiana and California, per ESPN's report. The lawsuit alleges that the first instance of sexual violence occurred in a home Williamson had rented in Beverly Hills, California and that he raped her twice in Los Angeles in 2020. It also alleges that he threatened to have his paid security guard shoot Doe and kill the plaintiff's parents in Louisiana between 2020 and 2023. The complaint includes accusations of strangulation, being kicked, slammed with a car door and suffocated until Doe lost consciousness. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages — including punitive damages — for emotional distress. Williamson's New Orleans-based attorney, Michael Balascio, said Williamson and the plaintiff "never dated, but did maintain a consensual, casual relationship that began more than six years ago," when Williamson was 18. Balascio called the claims in the lawsuit "categorically false and reckless." Williamson's attorneys also noted "at no point during or immediately after that relationship did the plaintiff raise any concerns," adding that "only after the friendship ended did she begin demanding millions of dollars." They added that Williamson had reported the woman's "extortion attempts" to law enforcement and that they plan to file a counterclaim. "We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them," Balascio added. "This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance." "We and our client do not want to litigate this case in the press," Doe's attorney told The Daily Mail. "However, I will say this is a very serious case as reflected in the Complaint filed in Los Angeles County. "Our client looks forward to her day in court before a jury of her peers to obtain justice in this matter." A two-time NBA All-Star, Williamson was the first overall pick by New Orleans in 2019. The 6-foot-6, 280-pound power forward has averaged 24.7 points per game across six years in the league. Williamson, who turns 25 next month, has played in only 214 of 472 regular-season games (45.3%) and zero playoff games over that span because of a series of injuries, one of which caused him to miss the entire 2021-22 season. He appeared in 30 games (all starts) for the 2024-25 campaign before suffering a season-ending back injury in March. In April, Williamson was dragged into a home invasion incident involving the mother of his child, though Williamson was not named in the affidavit. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story. recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Quincy residents and ACLU sue to block Catholic statues at new city building
St. Michael is the patron saint of police and St. Florian is the patron saint of firefighters. The two public safety agencies will share the facility, now under construction on Sea Street. Advertisement Koch's office did not immediately return a telephone call and email seeking comment on Friday. In The 16 residents are described in the lawsuit as people who 'practice a variety of faiths, including Catholicism, Judaism, and Unitarianism, as well as Quincy residents who are Humanist, atheist, spiritual, or do not identify with a single faith or religious organization.' They object to using public funds — an estimated $850,000 — for the statues and also contend that Advertisement 'Affixing statues of prominent Catholic figures on the front of a government building conveys the message to Quincy residents, including Plaintiffs, that the City not only favors religion over non-religion, but Catholicism over all other denominations,' the lawsuit reads. Residents and the ACLU want a Superior Court judge to issue temporary and permanent injunctions barring Koch from spending any more money on the statues. Joining the ACLU and the residents are John R. Ellement can be reached at
