Latest news with #legalproceedings
CBS News
19 hours ago
- CBS News
South Florida judge rules Jorge Barahona competent to stand trial in daughter's 2011 murder
A South Florida judge ruled Wednesday that the defendant in one of the most notorious child abuse cases in Florida history is mentally competent to stand trial. The ruling clears the way for trial proceedings to resume after years of delays. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Andrea Ricker Wolfson said Jorge Barahona, 58, can stand trial for the 2011 murder of his 10-year-old daughter, Nubia Barahona. "At this point in time, it's the court's opinion that Mr. Barahona is competent to proceed, and all parties should continue trial proceedings," said Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Andrea Ricker Wolfson, who made the ruling after hearing expert testimony from doctors and mental health evaluators. Judge Wolfson concluded that Barahona meets the legal criteria to proceed to trial. "The court finds that Mr. Barahona: one, appreciates the nature of the charges; two, understands the possible penalties; three, understands the adversarial nature of the legal process; and four, exhibits appropriate courtroom behavior," she said in her ruling. Barahona had been declared incompetent in March 2024 and was transferred to a mental health facility for further evaluation. The latest ruling follows over a year of ongoing assessments. A status hearing is scheduled for Sept. 19 at 9 a.m. On Valentine's Day 2011, police discovered Nubia's decomposing body in the back of her adoptive father's pesticide truck, parked off I-95 in West Palm Beach. Her twin brother, Victor, was in the front seat, suffering from seizures caused by severe chemical burns. He survived. Jorge and Carmen Barahona adopted the twins in 2009 after fostering them since 2004. Investigators said the children were routinely abused, tied up, starved, and denied medical care. Reports indicated they were sometimes locked in the bathroom of the family's Westchester home for extended periods. Carmen Barahona, now 74, accepted a life sentence in 2020 in exchange for her testimony. Jorge Barahona is facing the death penalty if convicted. The case exposed major failures within Florida's Department of Children and Families. Officials from the agency were criticized for not acting on warnings from medical professionals and school staff. In the aftermath, a task force recommended several reforms, including hiring more child abuse investigators and improving the state's abuse hotline. In 2017, Florida lawmakers approved a $5 million settlement to Victor for the state's role in allowing the adoption despite clear signs of abuse. DCF paid $1.25 million upfront and the remaining $3.75 million after legislative approval. Barahona has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder and multiple counts of aggravated child neglect. His trial has been repeatedly delayed due to extensive legal proceedings.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Attorneys for Kilmar Abrego Garcia seek delayed release from jail to avoid deportation
Kilmar Abrego Garcia's attorneys are now asking that he stay in jail to avoid deportation, a court filing from July 20 shows. While defense attorneys say Abrego Garcia has a right to be let out of jail, they say immigration authorities plan to apprehend him and begin deportation proceedings if he is released. In the July 20 filing, defense attorneys request that Judge Waverly Crenshaw delay issuing any order to release Abrego Garcia from jail for at least 30 days. They say the monthlong delay gives Abrego Garcia time to "evaluate his options and determine whether additional relief is necessary." The request is the latest move in the case of Abrego Garcia, who was illegally deported to El Salvador by the U.S. government in March and brought back in June to face criminal charges in Tennessee. He's accused of driving undocumented immigrants around the country as part of an immigrant smuggling operation. Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his immigration attorney has called the case an "abuse of power." Abrego Garcia's attorneys indicated in the filing that government officials told them Abrego Garcia would transfer to Department of Homeland Security custody after a release from jail, at which point DHS would begin removal proceedings against him. Starting removal proceedings does not mean Abrego Garcia would necessarily be deported right away. His attorneys made their request "given the uncertainty of the outcome of any removal proceedings," the July 20 filing states. Whether the defense attorneys' request is moot depends on whether Crenshaw finds Abrego Garcia can be released from jail in the first place. Federal prosecutors have argued Abrego Garcia should remain behind bars before his trial on criminal human smuggling charges in Nashville, and attorneys are waiting on Crenshaw's ruling — which he said would likely come this week. Abrego Garcia's criminal defense is led by New York attorney Sean Hecker. More: Kilmar Abrego Garcia hearing in Nashville ends without a ruling. What happens next? More: How a routine traffic stop in TN exploded into human smuggling charges for Kilmar Abrego Garcia Have questions about the justice system? Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him with questions, tips or story ideas at emealins@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Abrego Garcia's attorneys ask he stay in jail to avoid deportation
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Man who threw boy, 6, from 10th floor of Tate Modern is charged over Broadmoor attack
A man who threw a six-year-old boy from the 10th floor of the Tate Modern art gallery has been charged over an alleged attack of two women at Broadmoor Hospital last year. Jonty Bravery, 23, dropped the little boy from 100ft in the gallery near the River Thames in central London in August 2019, and was jailed for life with a minimum of 15 years at the Old Bailey the following June. As a result of the horror incident, which Bravery later admitted as attempted murder, the child smashed against the wall of the gallery before landing on the roof of the fifth floor - leaving him with spine and brain injuries. Now, Bravery has been accused of beating Linda McKinlay and Kate Mastalerz at the maximum security hospital in Berkshire on September 30 last year. He is due to stand trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court on November 10, but prosecutor Tina Flannery said Bravery was 'not going to engage' with legal proceedings at today's preliminary hearing. She said: 'He sends messages via the team at Broadmoor to say it is going to affect his therapy if he attends court'. Defending, Sukh Khalon said he had not been able to meet with Bravery following two thwarted attempts to arrange a legal visit in May and June this year. District Judge Paul Goldspring said his scheduled trial will go ahead even if he chooses not to engage in the proceedings. He said: 'We'll deal with it on the day in whatever position we find ourselves in on November 10.' Bravery will remain on technical bail until then as a patient at Broadmoor Hospital. In January 2020, Bravery punched a female nursing assistant in the head and face then bit a rehabilitation therapist assistant on his finger when he tried to help his colleague. He was being held at the high-security psychiatric hospital on remand ahead of his sentencing. Bravery was given another 14 weeks jail in December 2020 after he admitted the two assaults. He had been diagnosed with autism and a personality disorder, the court was told. One the day of the attack at the Tate Modern he had left his assisted housing in Northolt before he travelled to London Bridge using an Oyster Card he bought in a shop. He attempted to enter the Shard, near London Bridge, but was asked to leave when he could not afford a ticket. Walking around the Southbank he asked a member of the public 'where the next highest building was'. Bravery was on a low dose of anti-psychotic medication when he threw the child off the viewing platform of the Tate Modern. He is charged with two counts of assault by beating.
National Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- National Post
Arsenal boss defends handling of Partey departure after arrest
SINGAPORE — Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Monday defended the club's handling of Thomas Partey's departure after the Ghana international midfielder was arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault. Article content Arsenal did not offer the 32-year-old a new contract at the end of last season and days later he was charged by British police with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault between 2021 and 2022. Article content Article content Article content Partey is due to appear before magistrates in London on August 5. Article content In a statement released on July 4, the day Partey was arrested, Arsenal said: 'The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case.' Article content Arteta was asked during Arsenal's pre-season tour of Singapore whether the allegations against Partey were the deciding factor in him being released. Article content The Spaniard said he was '100 percent' convinced that Arsenal had followed the correct procedure, adding: 'The club was very clear in its statement. There are a lot of legal matters that are very complicated so I cannot comment on any of that.' Article content
The Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Mikel Arteta defends Arsenal's stance after Thomas Partey arrested for rape
Mikel Arteta has defended how the club handled the departure of former midfielder Thomas Partey after the 32-year-old was arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault. Partey left the Emirates at the end of June after he was not offered a new contract by the club, days before he was charged by police for the alleged offences as he faces five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. He is due to appear before magistrates on August 5. The club released a statement on July 4, the day of Partey's arrest, saying: "The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case." Asked on the club's pre-season tour of Singapore whether the allegations and impending police action formed part of the decision not to renew the Ghana international's contract, Arteta said: "The club was very clear in its statement. There are a lot of legal matters that are very complicated so I cannot comment on any of that." The Arsenal boss was also questioned whether he felt confident the club had followed the proper processes, to which he replied: "100 per cent, yes." The Metropolitan Police said the investigation into Partey began in February 2022 after officers first received a report of rape. Partey 'denies all the charges against him' and 'welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name', his lawyer said. The Ghanaian international joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth around £45m. He played 35 games for the North London club in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals.
