Latest news with #USMarshalsService
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What we know about Derrick Groves, the convicted double murderer still on the run after escaping a New Orleans jail
When Derrick Groves, 27, was convicted in October of killing two people, his sentence was supposed to bring relief to New Orleans and renewed confidence in law enforcement. 'The days of Derrick Groves bullying and brutalizing this community are over,' FBI Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil said at the time. But less than a year later, Groves, who later pleaded guilty to battery of a correctional officer, broke out of jail with nine other men and escaped into the dark New Orleans night. Two weeks later, Groves and Antoine Massey, another inmate with a history of escaping custody, are still on the run. A video posted online appears to show Massey declaring his innocence. The US Marshals Service received the video Monday and is looking into it, Deputy US Marshal Brian Fair told CNN. In the video, Massey described himself as 'one of the ones that was let out' of the jail 'where they said I escaped.' 'As far as declaring his innocence, he's going to have to come in to take care of that,' Fair said. Here's what we know about Groves, a man with a violent past whose escape has drawn controversial support. Groves' criminal record dates back to 2014, when he was charged for attempted second-degree murder at age 17. He was eventually found not guilty, according to court records. Last October, Groves was convicted for the second time in the killing of two people on Mardi Gras Day in 2018. After his initial conviction in 2019, a new law calling for unanimous verdicts forced Groves into a second trial — which ended in a mistrial due to a juror reading media reports about the case. A third trial ended in a deadlock, and Groves was finally convicted again last year after a fourth trial, the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office detailed in a news release about the conviction. Groves was determined to be one of two gunmen who opened fire with AK-47-style assault rifles 'on what should have been a joyous Mardi Gras family gathering,' according to the DA's office. Groves was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Jamar Robinson and Byron Jackson and two counts of attempted second-degree murder for the shooting of two other victims, charges that carry a life sentence, the district attorney said. Prosecutors used social media to help convict Groves, indicating that his online activity 'played a chilling role' in their case. Groves' posted on social media days after the killings showing his familiarity with the weapons used in the incident, according to the DA's office. He 'brazenly boasted about the violence' and even took credit for the killings, officials said. Three witnesses also 'courageously' testified, identifying Groves and his co-defendant as the gunmen, the DA's office said. 'Groves routinely used violence to lash out and silence witnesses or 'snitches,'' Myrthil said at the time. 'There was no doubt in the minds of anyone involved in this case that Groves would continue his bloody rampage on the streets of New Orleans if he weren't stopped. We hope this guilty verdict and the life sentence that accompanies it will give the community renewed confidence and hope in law enforcement.' Because of delays caused by Groves' attorney being suspended from practicing law and the judge in the case recusing herself, Groves was still awaiting sentencing for that conviction at the Orleans Justice Center when he escaped, Keith D. Lampkin, a spokesman for the DA's office, detailed. In April 2024, before his conviction in the double murder, Groves was charged with battery of a correctional facility employee. He pleaded guilty in that case, court records show. After Groves' escape, prosecutors and witnesses associated with the double murder left town 'out of an abundance of caution,' Lampkin told CNN. He did not elaborate. Groves' aunt, Jasmine Groves, told CNN affiliate WDSU that she wants her nephew to turn himself in and that she hopes deadly force will not be used to get him back into custody. She told the station that her family does not know where her nephew is and that the days since his escape have been a nightmare. Jasmine Groves added that Groves' mother was taken from her home against her will by law enforcement officials. US Marshals confirmed to WDSU that they went to Groves' mother's home to question her. 'For my family, it's been like reliving a constant nightmare that we relived throughout these whole 30 years,' she said. Groves is the grandson of Kim Groves, who was killed in a notorious murder-for-hire plot in the Ninth Ward in 1994, the DA's office said. She was a 32-year-old mother of three when the hit was ordered by New Orleans Police Department Officer Len Davis, WDSU reported. This time around, many of the social media posts about Groves have come from supporters, some of whom seem to reference his grandmother's death at the hands of a police officer as a reason to extend him sympathy. 'DERRICK GROVES is the only inmate i dont blame for what he did to qo to jail i hope he neva qet cauqht,' one X user wrote. 'I pray Derrick Groves is never found …safe travels!' another posted. Another X user shared the hashtags '#StayFreeWoo #Groves #JusticeForKimGroves.' The DA's office did not have any comment on the social media support for Groves. He indicated, however, that any suggestion that Groves' crimes were in response to or retaliation for his grandmother's death is 'newly generated urban myth.' CNN's Zoe Sottile, Sarah Dewberry and Karina Tsui contributed to this report.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US federal judges consider creating own armed security force as threats mount
Federal judges are discussing a proposal that would shift the armed security personnel responsible for their safety away from the Department of Justice (DoJ) and under their own control, as fears mount that the Trump administration is failing to protect them from a rising tide of hostility. The Wall Street Journal revealed on Sunday that the idea of creating their own armed security detail emerged at a meeting of about 50 federal judges two months ago. A security committee at the twice-yearly judicial conference, a policymaking body for federal judges, raised concerns about the increasing number of threats against judges following Trump's relentless criticism of court rulings against his policies. Related: US judges who rule against Trump are being barraged with abuse and threats, experts warn Under the current system, federal judges are protected by the US Marshals Service, which is managed by the justice department. According to the Wall Street Journal, those participating at the March conference expressed worries that Trump might instruct the marshals to withdraw security protection from a judge who ruled against him. Amid those anxieties, the idea surfaced that federal judges should form their own armed security force. That would involve bringing the US Marshals Service under the direct control of the head of the judiciary, Chief Justice John Roberts. At present, marshals fall under the remit of Pam Bondi, the US attorney general. Bondi was appointed by the president and is a Trump loyalist. She has made clear she will be guided by him – breaking a decades-long norm that kept the White House at arm's length from the DoJ to ensure law enforcement and prosecutorial independence. John Coughenour, a federal judge in the western district of Washington, told the Journal that he thought the transfer of the marshals out of Trump's and into judicial control was a 'wonderful idea'. He added: 'There's never been any reason in the 43 years that I've been on the bench to worry that the Marshals Service would do whatever was appropriate – until recent years.' Coughenour is one of a growing number of judges who have faced security threats in the wake of Trump's deluge of invective. In February the judge issued an order blocking Trump's attempt to end birthright citizenship for children born on US soil to parents lacking legal status in the country. The judge was then targeted by a swatting attack, in which a false emergency call is made to police and a Swat team is sent out to an individual's home in response. Senior Democrats have demanded an investigation into a spate of dozens of pizza deliveries to the homes of federal judges. The actions are seen as intimidatory, as it shows judges that their private addresses are known. Related: 'The authoritarian playbook': Trump targets judges, lawyers … and law itself Federal judges have found themselves on the frontlines of constitutional battles over Trump's executive orders relating to such contentious issues as birthright citizenship, the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and the dismissal of tens of thousands of federal employees. So far, there have been 249 legal challenges to Trump administration actions, according to a Just Security tracker. Trump has used his social media platform Truth Social to lash out at named judges who have blocked his policies on grounds that they violate the US constitution or law. When Judge James Boasberg objected to the deportation of Venezuelans to El Salvador in the absence of due process, the president called him a 'radical left lunatic' and said he should be impeached. Boasberg was first appointed to the federal bench by Republican George W Bush. The White House provided the Journal with a statement from the justice department. It said that marshals would 'continue to protect the safety and security of federal judges' and that any other suggestion was 'absurd'.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FBI arrests Wisconsin judge and accuses her of obstructing immigration officials
The FBI on Friday arrested a judge whom the agency accused of obstruction after it said she helped a man evade US immigration authorities as they were seeking to arrest him at her courthouse. The county circuit judge, Hannah Dugan, was apprehended in the courthouse where she works in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at 8.30am local time on Friday on charges of obstruction, a spokesperson for the US Marshals Service confirmed to the Guardian. Kash Patel, the Trump-appointed FBI director, wrote on X: 'We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject – an illegal alien – to evade arrest.' He said that agents were still able to arrest the target after he was 'chased down' and that he was in custody. Patel added that 'the judge's obstruction created increased danger to the public'. Dugan appeared briefly in federal court in Milwaukee later on Friday morning before being released from custody. Her next court appearance is 15 May. 'Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety,' her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, said during the hearing. A crowd formed outside the courthouse, chanting: 'Free the judge now.' In a statement shared with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, an attorney for Dugan said: 'Hannah C Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge.' It continued: 'Judge Dugan will defend herself vigorously, and looks forward to being exonerated.' Trump weighed in on his Truth Social platform by sharing an image of the judge found on the judge's Facebook page by the rightwing blogger Libs of TikTok, which showed Dugan on the bench wearing a KN95 face mask and displaying the Ukrainian national symbol of a trident. The Milwaukee city council released a statement following the arrest: 'This morning's news that Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by federal authorities is shocking and upsetting. Judge Dugan should be afforded the same respect and due process that she has diligently provided others throughout her career. 'Perhaps the most chilling part of Judge Dugan's arrest is the continued aggression by which the current administration in Washington, DC has weaponized federal law enforcement, such as ICE, against immigrant communities,' the statement reads. 'As local elected officials, we are working daily to support our constituents who grow increasingly concerned and worried with each passing incident.' Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat representing Wisconsin, called the arrest of a sitting judge a 'gravely serious and drastic move' that 'threatens to breach' the separation of power between the executive and judicial branches. 'Make no mistake, we do not have kings in this country and we are a democracy governed by laws that everyone must abide by,' Baldwin said in an emailed statement after Dugan's arrest. The leftwing senator Bernie Sanders said the move was about 'unchecked power'. 'Let's be clear. Trump's arrest of Judge Dugan in Milwaukee has nothing to do with immigration. It has everything to do with [Trump] moving this country towards authoritarianism,' he said in a statement. The Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren said in a social media post: 'This administration is threatening our country's judicial system. This rings serious alarm bells.' Later in the day, the FBI director posted a photograph of the judge in handcuffs on X with the caption: 'No one is above the law'. The judge's arrest dramatically escalates tensions between federal authorities and state and local officials amid Donald Trump's anti-immigration crackdown. It also comes amid a growing battle between the Trump administration and the federal judiciary over the president's executive actions over deportations and other matters. Related: A battle looms over rule of law as some courts start to flex their muscles against Trump In a statement Wisconsin's governor, Democrat Tony Evers, accused the Trump administration of repeatedly using 'dangerous rhetoric to attack and attempt to undermine our judiciary at every level'. 'I have deep respect for the rule of law, our nation's judiciary, the importance of judges making decisions impartially without fear or favor, and the efforts of law enforcement to hold people accountable if they commit a crime,' Evers said. 'I will continue to put my faith in our justice system as this situation plays out in the court of law.' It was reported on Tuesday that the FBI was investigating whether Dugan 'tried to help an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest when that person was scheduled to appear in her courtroom last week', per an email obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Dugan told the Journal Sentinel: 'Nearly every fact regarding the 'tips' in your email is inaccurate.' The arrest of Dugan is the first publicly known instance of the Trump administration charging a local official for allegedly interfering with immigration enforcement. Emil Bove, the justice department's principal associate deputy attorney general, issued a memo in January calling on prosecutors to pursue criminal cases against local government officials who obstructed the federal government's immigration enforcement efforts. Bove stated in the three-page memo: 'Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands or requests.' Dugan has been charged with the federal offenses of obstructing a proceeding and concealing an individual to prevent arrest, according to documents filed with the court. The administration alleged that in the original encounter, the judge ordered immigration officials to leave the courthouse, saying they did not have a warrant signed by a judge to apprehend the suspect they were seeking, who was in court for other reasons. Prosecutors said that Dugan became 'visibly angry' when she learned that immigration agents were planning an arrest in her courtroom, according to court filings. Dugan ordered the immigration officials to speak with the chief judge and then escorted Flores Ruiz and his attorney through a door that led to a non-public area of the courthouse, the prosecution complaint said. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, citing sources it did not identify, said Dugan steered Flores Ruiz and his attorney to a private hallway and into a public area but did not hide the pair in a jury deliberation room as some have accused her of doing. Dugan was first elected as a county judge in 2016 and before that was head of the local branch of Catholic Charities, which provides refugee resettlement programs. She was previously a lawyer at the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, which serves low-income people. The case is similar to one brought during the first Trump administration against a Massachusetts judge, who was accused of helping a man sneak out a backdoor of a courthouse to evade a waiting immigration enforcement agent. That prosecution sparked outrage from many in the legal community, who slammed the case as politically motivated. Prosecutors under the Biden administration dropped the case against Newton district judge Shelley Joseph in 2022 after she agreed to refer herself to a state agency that investigates allegations of misconduct by members of the bench. However, Pam Bondi, the attorney general, gave a media interview in which she said the administration would target any judges it believed were breaking the law. Bondi said on a Fox News segment that she believed 'some of these judges think that they are beyond and above the law. They are not, and we are sending a very strong message today … if you are harboring a fugitive, we will come after you and we will prosecute you.' The Associated Press contributed reporting
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
Escaped inmate Jaqualin Lewis caught after months on the run
JEANERETTE, La. (KLFY) — Last night, escaped inmate, Jaqualin Lewis, was captured after being on the run since October 2024, Jeanerette Police Department said. Lewis has been booked and charged on two counts of attempted first degree murder, aggravated flight from an officer, two counts of attempted second degree murder, one count of illegal carrying of a firearm in a school zone and simple escape, police said. In October 2024, Lewis escaped the Jeanerette City Jail and was allegedly seen wearing dark clothing, police reported. Lewis was last seen in April, after being involved in a high speed police chase with Jeanerette police units being shot at. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now According to authorities, they said Lewis was driving a vehicle stolen from Lafayette. After being recognized by authorities, Lewis began the high-speed chase, passing through the city of Jeanerette, outside its limits, and into New Iberia. Officials said several law enforcement agencies, including the US Marshals Service, Lafayette Police Department, and New Iberia Police Department, assisted in his capture. No information of details about the capture and Lewis's bond has been released. 'I truly love you': Florida teacher accused of sending 5th grader inappropriate letter Second person charged in corpse abuse case; Police ask potential witnesses to come forward Judge rules Trump use of Alien Enemies Act for gangs is 'unlawful' Fan falls 21 feet from wall at Pittsburgh Pirates game Opelousas drug bust: Narcotics, guns seized; five arrested Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Mayor
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Mayor
FBI arrests Wisconsin judge and accuses her of obstructing immigration officials
The FBI on Friday arrested a judge whom the agency accused of obstruction after it said she helped a man evade US immigration authorities as they were seeking to arrest him at her courthouse. The county circuit judge, Hannah Dugan, was apprehended in the courthouse where she works in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at 8.30am local time on Friday on charges of obstruction, a spokesperson for the US Marshals Service confirmed to the Guardian. Kash Patel, the Trump-appointed FBI director, wrote on X: 'We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject – an illegal alien – to evade arrest.' He said that agents were still able to arrest the target after he was 'chased down' and that he was in custody. Patel added that 'the judge's obstruction created increased danger to the public'. Dugan appeared briefly in federal court in Milwaukee later on Friday morning before being released from custody. Her next court appearance is 15 May. 'Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety,' her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, said during the hearing. A crowd formed outside the courthouse, chanting: 'Free the judge now.' In a statement shared with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, an attorney for Dugan said: 'Hannah C Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge.' It continued: 'Judge Dugan will defend herself vigorously, and looks forward to being exonerated.' Trump weighed in on his Truth Social platform by sharing an image of the judge found on the judge's Facebook page by the rightwing blogger Libs of TikTok, which showed Dugan on the bench wearing a KN95 face mask and displaying the Ukrainian national symbol of a trident. The Milwaukee city council released a statement following the arrest: 'This morning's news that Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by federal authorities is shocking and upsetting. Judge Dugan should be afforded the same respect and due process that she has diligently provided others throughout her career. 'Perhaps the most chilling part of Judge Dugan's arrest is the continued aggression by which the current administration in Washington, DC has weaponized federal law enforcement, such as ICE, against immigrant communities,' the statement reads. 'As local elected officials, we are working daily to support our constituents who grow increasingly concerned and worried with each passing incident.' Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat representing Wisconsin, called the arrest of a sitting judge a 'gravely serious and drastic move' that 'threatens to breach' the separation of power between the executive and judicial branches. 'Make no mistake, we do not have kings in this country and we are a democracy governed by laws that everyone must abide by,' Baldwin said in an emailed statement after Dugan's arrest. The leftwing senator Bernie Sanders said the move was about 'unchecked power'. 'Let's be clear. Trump's arrest of Judge Dugan in Milwaukee has nothing to do with immigration. It has everything to do with [Trump] moving this country towards authoritarianism,' he said in a statement. The Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren said in a social media post: 'This administration is threatening our country's judicial system. This rings serious alarm bells.' Later in the day, the FBI director posted a photograph of the judge in handcuffs on X with the caption: 'No one is above the law'. The judge's arrest dramatically escalates tensions between federal authorities and state and local officials amid Donald Trump's anti-immigration crackdown. It also comes amid a growing battle between the Trump administration and the federal judiciary over the president's executive actions over deportations and other matters. In a statement Wisconsin's governor, Democrat Tony Evers, accused the Trump administration of repeatedly using 'dangerous rhetoric to attack and attempt to undermine our judiciary at every level'. 'I have deep respect for the rule of law, our nation's judiciary, the importance of judges making decisions impartially without fear or favor, and the efforts of law enforcement to hold people accountable if they commit a crime,' Evers said. 'I will continue to put my faith in our justice system as this situation plays out in the court of law.' It was reported on Tuesday that the FBI was investigating whether Dugan 'tried to help an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest when that person was scheduled to appear in her courtroom last week', per an email obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Dugan told the Journal Sentinel: 'Nearly every fact regarding the 'tips' in your email is inaccurate.' The arrest of Dugan is the first publicly known instance of the Trump administration charging a local official for allegedly interfering with immigration enforcement. Emil Bove, the justice department's principal associate deputy attorney general, issued a memo in January calling on prosecutors to pursue criminal cases against local government officials who obstructed the federal government's immigration enforcement efforts. Bove stated in the three-page memo: 'Federal law prohibits state and local actors from resisting, obstructing, and otherwise failing to comply with lawful immigration-related commands or requests.' Dugan has been charged with the federal offenses of obstructing a proceeding and concealing an individual to prevent arrest, according to documents filed with the court. The administration alleged that in the original encounter, the judge ordered immigration officials to leave the courthouse, saying they did not have a warrant signed by a judge to apprehend the suspect they were seeking, who was in court for other reasons. Prosecutors said that Dugan became 'visibly angry' when she learned that immigration agents were planning an arrest in her courtroom, according to court filings. Dugan ordered the immigration officials to speak with the chief judge and then escorted Flores Ruiz and his attorney through a door that led to a non-public area of the courthouse, the prosecution complaint said. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, citing sources it did not identify, said Dugan steered Flores Ruiz and his attorney to a private hallway and into a public area but did not hide the pair in a jury deliberation room as some have accused her of doing. Dugan was first elected as a county judge in 2016 and before that was head of the local branch of Catholic Charities, which provides refugee resettlement programs. She was previously a lawyer at the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, which serves low-income people. The case is similar to one brought during the first Trump administration against a Massachusetts judge, who was accused of helping a man sneak out a backdoor of a courthouse to evade a waiting immigration enforcement agent. That prosecution sparked outrage from many in the legal community, who slammed the case as politically motivated. Prosecutors under the Biden administration dropped the case against Newton district judge Shelley Joseph in 2022 after she agreed to refer herself to a state agency that investigates allegations of misconduct by members of the bench. However, Pam Bondi, the attorney general, gave a media interview in which she said the administration would target any judges it believed were breaking the law. Bondi said on a Fox News segment that she believed 'some of these judges think that they are beyond and above the law. They are not, and we are sending a very strong message today … if you are harboring a fugitive, we will come after you and we will prosecute you.'
