Latest news with #acquitted
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Jury acquits Cleveland activists of extortion, intimidation
CLEVELAND (WJW) — A Cleveland activist and two of his associates accused in 2024 of 'terrorizing' a local gas station while masked and armed, and demanding protection money, were acquitted on all counts on Monday. Antoine Tolbert, 34, of Solon, was indicted in March on charges including aggravated robbery, extortion, aggravated riot and witness intimidation, among others, court records show. Cedar Point's Power Tower evacuated after cable fails Two codefendants, Rameer Askew, 20, of Bedford, and Austreeia Everson, 39, of Solon, were also acquitted on charges including extortion, witness intimidation and aggravated robbery, court records show. Rubin Swift, who owns a gas station at the intersection of Lee Road and Harvard Avenue, in 2024 said Tolbert and members of his organization stood in front of their store wearing masks and carrying rifles, the FOX 8 I-Team reported in August 2024. Swift said Tolbert demanded money to provide protection at the gas station. 'We don't need his protection and we didn't ask for it,' he said. 'They just showed up and took over. They are terrorizing us.' The I-Team obtained a 911 call made from a gas station employee earlier that month, when the organization showed up and stood in front of the store. 'They got big guns. Half of them got guns,' the caller said. 'They're threatening people. They're scaring people. They won't let nobody in the business.'Tolbert stressed he was just trying to 'protect the community.' 1 dead after truck sideswiped, causing fiery crash Tolbert told the I-Team in an interview later that month that felt he had done nothing wrong.'Did we tell them that they couldn't leave the store or did they perceive that they couldn't leave the store? That's exactly the difference,' Tolbert said. Tolbert, Askew and Everson were seen hugging each other and crying in the courtroom after the not-guilty verdicts were read. Tolbert's trial lasted 19 days, court records show. Jurors got the case last week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Malay Mail
08-08-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Peaceful Assembly Act ruling clears ex-Muda sec-gen of protest charge
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — The Magistrate's Court here today acquitted and discharged former Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) Amir Hariri Abd Hadi on a charge of failing to duly inform the police police before holding a protest gathering on the littoral combat ship (LCS) issue in August 2022. Magistrate Farah Nabihah Muhamad Dan ordered Amir Hariri to be freed following an application by the prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Anis Wahidah Mohamad. The prosecution had previously requested that the case against Amir Hariri be withdrawn, following the Federal Court's ruling that Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 was unconstitutional. "After hearing the submissions from both parties and the Federal Court's ruling, as well as the fact that the cas has been remitted to this court for decision by the High Court, besides the prosecution having not yet received an order to re-prosecute the accused, the court ordered that the accused be acquitted and discharged," said the Magistrate. The court also ordered that the RM4,000 bail be returned. In today's proceedings, Amir Hariri was represented by lawyer Rajsurian Pillai. On July 1 this year, the Federal Court ruled that Section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act, which provides punishment for an organiser who fails to give five days' notice to the police before holding an assembly, is unconstitutional. The court then ordered that Amir Hariri's case be returned to the High Court for a fair and prompt resolution. Amir Hariri is charged, as the organiser, with failing to notify the police five days before holding the protest rally that was held in front of the Sogo Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, here at 2 pm on Aug 14, 2022. The charge was brought under Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, which provides a maximum fine of RM10,000 upon conviction. — Bernama
CBC
07-08-2025
- CBC
Charges dropped against alleged accomplice to Robert Miller
All charges have been dropped against a woman who police alleged was an accomplice to Montreal billionaire Robert Miller's alleged sex crimes, according to her lawyer. Montreal police arrested Teresita Fuentes in June of 2024. She was charged with procuring sexual services in connection with one of Miller's alleged victims. Lawyer Valérie Acosta told CBC News in an email that "the Crown has announced it no longer has evidence to offer in my client's case. Consequently, she was acquitted." The charges against Miller and Fuentes were the culmination of a yearlong police investigation, which was triggered by a CBC/Radio-Canada investigation that aired in February 2023. Miller was facing 24 charges related to sex crimes involving 11 women, most of whom were minors at the time of the alleged crimes which took place between 1994 and 2016. Back in June, Quebec Superior Court Justice Lyne Décarie ruled Miller is too sick to stand trial and ordered a stay of proceedings, effectively ending the criminal trial. Chief prosecutor Dominique Potvin said that Miller, 81, has the most advanced stage of Parkinson's disease as well as heart and respiratory problems. He is bedridden, incontinent, needs to receive oxygen periodically, struggles to write and can only say a few words at a time without getting exhausted, he said. Soon after he was charged, Miller said he was innocent and signalled his intention to fight the allegations. He said that "the clear motivation behind this whole case, dating back as far as 30 years ago, is easy financial gain" at his expense. More recently, Montreal police have arrested a man who allegedly assisted Miller by organizing a network to sexually exploit young women and girls. Raymond Poulet, 76, faces 10 charges, including sexual assault, sexual touching and compelling someone into prostitution. The 81-year-old businessman is also the subject of two civil lawsuits, including a class action with more than 50 plaintiffs which was authorized to proceed by the Superior Court. Miller is appealing that authorization and contests the allegations of the suit.
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Donald Trump Says It Would Be 'More Difficult' to Pardon Diddy After He Made 'Terrible Statements' During Election
The president said in a new interview that while he was once "very friendly" with the music mogul, a pardon isn't looking likelyNEED TO KNOW Donald Trump shared his thoughts on the possibility of pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs The president said that Combs, who he was once "very friendly" with, made "some terrible statements" when he was running for office "I'm being honest, makes it more difficult to do," Trump said of pardoning Combs following his high-profile federal trial this summerDonald Trump is revealing where he currently stands on potentially pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs. Months after telling reporters during a White House press briefing that he would "certainly look at the facts" when it came to considering a pardon amid the music mogul's then-trial, the president, 79, revealed on Friday, Aug. 1, that a pardon isn't likely to come for Combs, 55. Trump's latest comments arrive nearly a month after Combs was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges and convicted of lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution following his high-profile federal trial in New York City. "Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half-innocent," Trump told Newsmax's Rob Finnerty. "I don't know what they do, still in jail or something. But he was celebrating a victory, but I guess it wasn't as good of a victory." Trump then elaborated on his personal ties to Combs, who he had been photographed with during several events dating back to the late '90s. As he explained, he was "very friendly" with the Bad Boy Records boss at one point. "I got along with him great. Seemed like a nice guy. I didn't know him well. But when I ran for office, he was very hostile. ... It's hard," Trump said. "We're human beings. We don't like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine and then you run for office and he made some terrible statements. So, I don't know. It's more difficult," he added. "Makes it more, I'm being honest, makes it more difficult to do." Among Combs' past comments about Trump, he previously said in an interview with Charlamagne tha God ahead of the 2020 presidential election that, following Trump's first term, he did a "great job of rattling America." "Seeing what's going on, White men like Trump need to be banished. That way of thinking, it's real dangerous. This man literally threatened the lives of us and our families about going to vote. 'Stand back and stand by,' " he said, adding that "the No. 1 priority is to get Trump out of office." Speaking with Newsmax this week, Trump was asked if his answer was "more likely a no" when it came to a potential Combs pardon. "I would say so," he said. Elsewhere during the segment, the president addressed talk of potential pardons for Ghislaine Maxwell and Rep. George Santos, reiterating for both that he's "allowed" or has "the right to" to pardon either. As for Combs, the producer will be sentenced on Oct. 3 for his two prostitution convictions following the nearly two-month-long trial as he now remains incarcerated at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. The government is seeking to sentence him to between 51 and 63 months in jail, while his defense is recommending a 21 to 27 month sentence. Trump previously told reporters in May that he hadn't spoken with Combs for "years" and would "certainly look at the facts" in his case when asked about a pardon, according to ABC News. "If I think someone was mistreated it wouldn't matter whether they like me or don't," he said at the time. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump addresses pardon decision for Sean 'Diddy' Combs, says mogul was 'half-innocent'
President Donald Trump is breaking his silence on pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs for the first time since the music mogul was acquitted of the most serious charges in a federal sex-crimes trial last month. In an interview that aired Aug. 1 on Newsmax with host Rob Finnerty, Trump discussed the possibility of presidential pardons for Combs, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell and former Rep. George Santos. "Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Would you consider pardoning him?" Finnerty asked. Trump said didn't answer directly but said that negative comments that Combs made about him would make it "more difficult." On July 2, jurors found Combs not guilty of the most serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking ex-girlfriends Casandra "Cassie" Ventura Fine and a woman known as "Jane" in his sweeping trial that nearly lasted two months. Prosecutors had accused him of coercing the women to participate in drug-fueled sex parties known as freak-offs that sometimes last for days. Combs was convicted on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. President Trump: 'Well he was ... half-innocent' "Well he was essentially, I guess sort of, half-innocent. I don't know what they do, he's still in jail or something," Trump said of Diddy. "He was celebrating a victory but I guess it wasn't as good of a victory." USA TODAY reached out to reps for Combs for comment. During the interview, Trump said "probably..." before pausing and revealing to Finnerty, "You know, I was very friendly with him, I got along with him great, seemed like a nice guy. I didn't know him well, but when I ran for office he was very hostile." The Newsmax host noted then that "he said some not so nice things about you, sir." "Yeah, and it's hard. You know, like you, we're human beings and we don't like to have things cloud our judgement, right?" Trump said. "But when you knew someone and you were fine and then you run for office and he made some terrible statements… so I don't know... it makes it more difficult to do." 'Change agent': Charlamagne tha God floated Stewart as possible 2028 candidate Then, Trump replied, "I'd say so," when Finnerty clarified by asking if it was "more likely a no for (pardoning) Combs?" In the interview, Trump was seemingly referencing Combs' expletive-filled 2017 comments in The Daily Beast, essentially saying that "(Black people) don't really" care about Trump. "The tomfoolery that's going on in D.C., that's just regular everyday business to Black folks," Combs told the left-leaning outlet in-part, adding later in the interview that he had to "keep it focused on that self-love that we need to give our race." Trump first weighed in on the possibility of pardoning Combs on May 30 in the Oval Office. "Nobody's asked" about a pardon, the president said. "But I know people are thinking about it. I know they're thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking." Trump added, "I haven't spoken to him in years. He really liked me a lot." Trump 'should not pardon' Sean 'Diddy' 'Diddy' Combs, Megyn Kelly says Despite last month's verdict, Combs' legal saga continues. On Wednesday, July 31, lawyers for Combs requested his acquittal, or a new trial altogether, in court documents reviewed by USA TODAY. A day earlier, conservative host Megyn Kelly urged Trump against potentially pardoning Combs. Kelly said in an X post on July 30 that "Trump should not pardon Diddy" because "he doesn't deserve it." "He's a Trump hater. He's a woman abuser. MAGA is already upset over elites seeming to cover for each other. This would not help. GOP struggling w/young female voters, most of whom will HATE a Diddy pardon," Kelly wrote. Contributing: Taijuan Moorman This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Trump pardon Diddy? We may have the answer
