ESAT Breaking News Judge Gizachew fled July 17 2016
Andrea Seabrook has a big theory about American politics, and she thinks you should hear it.
After spending much of her career covering Congress for NPR and making an independent podcast about Washington, D.C., Seabrook"s been led to one conclusion: The two-party system is on its way out.
"This is the first election where it"s really obvious that there really isn"t a left-right divide in America, a big government versus small government divide, as much as there is an inside-outside divide," Seabrook said.
It"s an idea that Seabrook, the new D.C. bureau chief for "Marketplace," will be reporting on over the next two weeks at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions for "Politics Inside Out," a new podcast.
The podcast puts a novel spin on the medium: It"s a limited-run, "pop-up" show that will be posted online by the morning after every day of both convention. The idea, Seabrook says, is to make a show that"s more timely than the current titans of the podcasting world, ornate productions like "Invisibilia" or "Serial."
"Right now, a lot of the public radio shows that have turned into podcasts are still public radio shows," Seabrook said. "They sound like "This American Life," or like something else you might hear on the air."
For "Marketplace," a news organization under American Public Media that produces a variety of economics-focused shows, Seabrook"s appointment represents an increased investment to politics coverage with "a really strong point of view" that distinguishes it from other offerings.
The format of the podcast is based on Seabrook"s thesis for political coverage. She plans to find people outside the arenas where the conventions are being held take their questions inside the convention hall. She"ll do that with convention attendees, too, taking down policy statements from politicos and testing them on bystanders outside the convention.
Each podcast, she said, will be posted before 4 a.m. on convention days, which will require a tricky combination of interviewing, editing and narrating. She and her team will conduct interviews during the day, edit them together as the convention proceeds and finally record the narration during the evening.
The more conversational approach is in some ways a hearkening back to the early days of the medium, said Nick Quah, who chronicles the podcasting industry in Hot Pod, a weekly newsletter. For much of podcasting"s 10-year history, it was mostly dominated by the auditory equivalent of bloggers people with two microphones and a story to tell who uploaded their handiwork on a tight turnaround.
Then, as companies like Panoply and Gimlet got into the game, the iTunes charts became crowded by narrative-driven audio stories, the type "This American Life" pioneered on conventional radio.
But recently, quick-turn podcasts have begun to see greater popularity from larger podcast companies, Quah said. In addition to shows like Mike Pesca"s "The Gist," shows including NPR"s "Codeswitch" and "Slate"s Trumpcast" have made timeliness a priority. NPR Politics is also planning to drop a daily podcast every day during the convention.
Podcasts, which are generally delivered in regular time increments by way of an RSS feed, aren"t ideally suited for breaking news, so it"s been interesting to see these podcasters adapt the medium to fit urgent stories, Quah said.
"I think theyre pushing against the nature of temporality that comes with the feed," Quah said.
Ultimately, Seabrook is betting that there"s an appetite for more urgent podcasting. She"d be happy if the show attracted 50,000 subscribers, and she plans to continue after the convention concludes if it"s a hit.
"The podcasting form is completely saturated with great but long-form, highly-produced podcasts," she said. "We want to do something that"s quick and dirty that brings people what they want to hear, an exciting take and point of view from what happened last night."
You can listen to the first episode of "Politics Inside Out" here.
Parrish Medical Center Shooting Statement "Our Hearts Are Broken
Brevard spilled more than 1 million gallons of sewage into the lagoon. By Jim Waymer. Posted May 16, 2016
Brevard County had to diver more than 1 million gallons of sewage into a canal Wednesday that connects with the Banana River.Lagoon.(Photo: Jim Waymer)
More than 1 million gallons of raw sewage went into a canal that leads to the Banana River, after an old sewer pipe broke last week on South Patrick Drivenear the border ofSatellite Beach and Indian Harbour Beach.
"It"s 20-year-old pipe," said Don Walker, spokesman for Brevard County. "It"s kind of a problemwe"ve got all over the county."
To prevent sewage backups athomes and businesses, the county diverted 688,000 gallons of raw sewage into a pond near Sea Park Elementary School and 1.05 milliongallons of raw sewageinto Anchor Drive Canal, which connects with the Banana River.
Last week"srepair of theleaking sewer force main was complicated by excessive inflow ofgroundwater in the excavation area, county officials said, because it was so close to a canal.The pipe was 9 feetunderground.
Utility staff and two contractors worked around the clock for 38 hours, county officials said.
"After the first 24 hours, the ability to store and/or haul sewage was exhausted, so thedecision was made to divert sewage to a nearby canal to prevent backups into streets, home orbusinesses," County Manager Stockton Whitten said via email. "Additional staff and equipment wasbrought in to complete the repair as quickly as possible."
RELATED: Is the Indian River DOA?
Signs warning of contaminated waterremained up this week at the Sea Park pond and at the Anchor Drive canal.
"Signs are up until water quality samples return to normal levels," Walker said.
A similar spill happened in the same area of South Patrick Drive in November 2012. The countyleaked sewage into the same canal when a pipe failed. Apipe discharged 60,000 gallons of sewage for several hours on the west side of South PatrickDrive, until the pipe could be sealed.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection at the time found no wrongdoing, so itdid not fine the county.
Last week"s leak was the third major sewage incident the county has had this year.
Brevard County must pay $4,100 in state civil penalties and investigation costs for two wastewater dischargesin February one that ultimately flowed to the St. Sebastian River, whichempties into the Indian River Lagoon, and the other into a canal that flows to the St. Johns River.
On Feb. 2, the county"s Barefoot Bay wastewater treatment planthad an unauthorizeddischarge of 281,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater.Operator error resulted in the wastewater entering a canal that flows fourmiles to the St. Sebastian River, a tributary of the Indian River Lagoon.
"This partially treated wastewater was not raw sewage and was waiting for final filtering inpreparation for use on the Barefoot Bay golf course," Whitten said.
Then, on Feb. 24, the South Central Wastewater Treatment Plant in Viera, water had to be divertedto holding ponds thatalready were almost full. The subsequent over flow resulted in 1.5 milliongallons of "treated reclaimed water" being discharged to a canal which flows to the St. JohnsRiver.
The county entered a May 3 consent order that includes paying $4,000 in civil penalties and $100to cover the cost DEPincurred whileinvestigating the two February incidents.
RELATED: Crisis-to-crisis caring can"t help Indian River Lagoon
Neither of the two Februaryincidents involved the discharge of raw sewage, county officialsemphasized.
But reclaimed water and partially treated sewage contain pathogens, and can be high in nitrogen and phosphorus that triggeralgae blooms, which cause fish kills.
Brevard Countyis spending $134 million on a 10-year water and wastewater system improvements in aconstant race against aging sewage infrastructure.
"We cant predict when pipes will break or leak," Walker said via email. "We are initiating a task order with one of our consulting firms to look at options for reducing the likelihood of future breaks/leaks of this force main."
Contact Waymer at 321-242-3663 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @JWayEnviro
Read or Share this story: http://on.flatoday.com/1TkaxRV
(HD) Rainy Weather Landing - Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 - Chicago Midway Airport KMDW / MDW
PONTIAC, Ill. (WLS) --
The National Weather Service says it has determined EF-2 tornadoes hit Pontiac and Seneca, Ill. and five EF-1 tornadoes hit LaSalle, Iroquois and Lee counties. At one other EF-0 touched down in northern Illinois Wednesday night.
As many as 18 reports of tornadoes came in Wednesday night. The National Weather Service sent teams Thursday morning to survey damage along three separate supercell paths: Amboy to Sheridan, Troy Grove to Seneca, and Pontiac to Chatsworth.
PHOTOS: Chopper7HD over tornado damage
EF-2 TORNADO RAVAGES GAS STATION, MOBILE HOME PARK IN PONTIAC
The tornado that swept through Pontiac may have caused some of the worst damage. NWS crews said the EF-2 tornado"s path stretched more 11 miles from northwest of Pontiac and through the southwest part of town. The twister packed peak wind speeds of 115-125 mph.
Dennis and Mary Leach are sorting out the damage to their home and truck; living on the northwest edge of Pontiac, their house was the first hit by the twister.
"Next thing I know, branches are coming in through the windows. Windows exploded," Dennis said.
"I think we"re lucky because I think it might have built up power as it went, because we lost a shed and a bin and some damage to the house, but I think it could have been a lot worse," said Mary.
A Shell gas station located along Reynolds Street, just east of I-55, was hardest hit by the tornado. Mangled metal and wood were tossed around and some pieces shattered the windows of parked cars. The Pontiac fire chief called the station "ground zero."
Behind the Shell, a car dealership"s inventory was no match for the wrath of the tornado. The shattered windows and dented doors will likely cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair. And there was more damage at another gas station, where a BP"s canopy was pushed over as the twister passed through.
About three miles away, at Sterling Estates Mobile Home Park, a mobile home that was lifted off its foundation during the tornado now lays crumpled in a cornfield. Four people were inside at the time. Neighbors said they could hear them screaming for help.
"Someone was yelling at me and I come wide awake, and I jumped up and ran to the door. It was the lady across the street. She was under the trailer. The tornado flipped the trailer over on top of her," Waynette Johnson, who lives in the trailer park, said.
Rachel Baxter is now recovering from a broken pelvis and her boyfriend suffered cuts to his head.
"Next thing I know we"re being flipped and banged my head on the dryer and we flipped probably six, seven times," Baxter said from her hospital bed.
Brad Gillette and his family began cleaning up the home he just finished completely remodeling a week ago, and which was one of the hardest hit on Ray Street.
"The tornado took the whole roof off. We"ve got water from the ceiling to the floor on all three levels. What can you do?" Gillette said.
Two other injuries were also reported. A man driving a semi dislocated his shoulder when the tornado overturned the truck, and a woman who was struck by flying glass was also taken to the hospital. Pontiac authorities said both were treated and released.
Still, the community shows a spirit of commitment to each other despite what they may have lost.
"You"ll find Pontiac is a place that works together and is a great place to live," says Pontiac Mayor Robert T. Russell.
EF-2 TORNADO DAMAGES FARMS NEAR SENECA, MARSEILLES
Another tornado, also rated EF-2 by the NWS with peak winds of 111-116 mph, caused damage in nearby Seneca. Police blocked the intersection of Main and Jackson streets to keep drivers away from downed power lines.
Homeowner Jeff Maierhofer told ABC7 Eyewitness News his farm, which dates back to the 1800"s, was badly damaged in the intense storm, but his wife and children are safe. Jenna Maierhofer sheltered 10 people, nine cats and three dogs in her basement.
"My heart breaks for my husband, for my father in law, because this is their place, this is where grandpa grew up," she said.
"A man of 70 years old shouldn"t be crying, but this time it did," said Jim Maierhofer.
The land has been in the Maierhofer family since 1878 and, tornado or not, here they will stay for the next generations.
"I remodeled the barn when my parents passed away, and now I"m forced to do it again," Jim said.
Seneca Deputy Fire Chief Kett Johnson said no one in the area was injured. He said weather warnings played a big role. They allowed residents enough time to prepare for the coming storm. He said it could have been a major disaster.
In Manilus Township Gayle Kline says she and her husband were caught entirely off-guard by the weather.
"We had no warning come across the frequency any place. And I was sitting in the living room and I came up and yelled at him, "hit the basement!" and I was only halfway down the steps," she said.
After the storm, they saw the damage to their 200-year-old home.
"She yells, "We lost our roof!"" said Fred Kline.
In Marseilles, Jill Ashton and her 3-month-old baby Tripp rushed to safety as the tornado swept over their family farm. She said their ears popped but the baby slept through it all.
"As tight as I could grab him, I just ran to the basement with him in my arms," Jill Ashton said.
Her sister-in-law Julie is five months pregnant. She grabbed her 2-year-old son in the dark and took cover with the rest of the family - a total of five adults and the two little ones. Everyone is ok.
"Where the roof is missing is right over my son"s bedroom. So, we are so very, very thankful G*d was watching out for us," Julie Ashton said.
When the storm passed, they found their family home ripped up, windows shattered, trees snapped in half and a big grain bin badly dented. A few other nearby farms were badly damaged, along with a Manlius Township storage facility. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
EF-1 TORNADOES CONFIRMED NEAR OTTAWA, WEST BROOKLYN, CISSNA PARK
NWS crews determined two EF-1 tornadoes hit the Ottawa and Sheridan area. The tornadoes were on the ground for 6.7 miles and had peak winds of 90 mph. Areas of Livingston County, Chatsworth and Piper City also sustained damage.
Twisters that formed in West Brooklyn and in La Moille, which is in the Illinois Valley, were also caught on video. The NWS determined the West Brooklyn tornado was an EF-1 with peak winds of 100-110 mph. There were no reports of injuries in either of these areas.
Another EF-1 tornado hit the Cissna Park area in Iroquois County, according to the weather service. That tornado was on the ground for 3.5 miles and had peak winds of 110 mph.
Another confirmed tornado passed through Earlville, Leland and Troy Grove, which are about 50 miles west of Aurora in LaSalle County. Trees came down and homes were damaged as the rain and lightning raged. One homeowner in Earlville rushed down to his basement when he heard the storm was coming. When he came back out, he found parts of his house scattered across his property.
The NWS said an EF-0 tornado with peak wind speeds of 85mph touched down for about a mile in Mazon, Ill., in Grundy County. Another EF-1 tornado touchdown was confirmed in Troy Grove, Ill., in LaSalle County.
NWS survey teams are working to determine if any other tornadoes touched down and the preliminary ratings of those tornadoes.
SOCCER FANS TAKE COVER AT SOLDIER FIELD
In Chicago, heavy rain and lightning forced about 50,000 soccer fans to take cover at Soldier Field as the Copa America semi-final between Chile and Colombia was suspended.
Video posted to social media shows people clustered in the concourse as the rainwater poured into the stands. The match was delayed for hours before it resumed around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Chile won.
Drenching rain and lightning had Navy Pier closed for hours. A powerful lightning strike was caught on camera in the South Loop.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said that as of 3:50 p.m. operations were back to normal at O"Hare and Midway airports.
Many travelers were stuck at O"Hare overnight due to flight cancellations across the board. Some stranded passengers tried to sleep on the floor and on chairs, while others waited and hoped for the best.
There are no active weather alerts in the Chicago area Thursday. Isolated showers are expected. Cloudy skies will become partly sunny in the afternoon. Temperatures will be cooler than they have been this week, with highs in the 70s.
CLICK HERE for the latest 7-day outlook from the First Alert Weather Team:
Vice Principals Season 1, Ep. 1: Farewell Assembly (HBO)
Bill Harris" TV must-sees for the week of July 17
1. Vice Principals
Debut
Danny McBride and Walton Goggins star as two vice-principals who are vying for the top job at their school. There"s a vacancy when the longtime principal, played by Bill Murray in a guest-starring role, is forced to quit due to family concerns. But how will the duelling veeps react if neither of them gets the promotion?
When: Sunday, July 17 on HBO
2. Ballers
Season-2 debut
Focusing on the lives of pro football players in Miami, this stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Spencer Strasmore, a former player turned financial manager who is trying to save today"s athletes from their own monetary recklessness. Andy Garcia joins the cast this season as Andre, Spencers business rival.
When: Sunday, July 17 on HBO
3. Power
Season-3 debut
James St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick) now is out of the drug game, owns some new nightclubs, and is in a rekindled relationship with his first love, Angela (Lela Loren). But just as James begins to believe that his former criminal persona finally is dead, he"s forced to realize that it isn"t so easy to kill a "Ghost."
When: Sunday, July 17 on Super Channel (Starz in the U.S.)
4. Degrassi: Next Class
Season-2 debut
The new campaign for this latest instalment in the Degrassi franchise picks up after the traumatic Snow Ball, which saw students enduring a frightening school lockdown. Meanwhile, friendly pranking takes a bad turn as the Degrassi girls volleyball team goes too far when retaliating against Northern Tech (boo, hiss).
When: Tuesday, July 19 on Family
5. BoJack Horseman
Season-3 debut
BoJack (voice of Will Arnett) is grappling with his legacy while galloping through an increasingly muddy Oscar campaign for his star-making turn in the Secretariat biopic. BoJack wants to believe he has made a lasting impact, but he isn"t sure. Sounds kind of like a drama, right? Um, no, that"s horse hockey.
When: Friday, July 22 on Netflix
6. Bones
Season-11 finale
This long-running series starring Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz has been granted an upcoming 12-episode 12th season to wrap things up. A solid performer such as this deserves a solid send-off. Anyway, as the 11th season concludes, the team attempts to find the "Puppeteer," which I assume is not meant merely literally.
When: Thursday, July 21 on Fox, Global
7. Looking: The Movie
Debut/series finale
This aired as a series for two seasons before getting axed. It was granted this movie to say farewell, although a Saturday in July isn"t exactly a marquee time slot. Nonetheless, after living in Denver for nearly a year, Patrick (Jonathan Groff) returns to San Francisco to celebrate the wedding of some old friends.
When: Saturday, July 23 on HBO
8. Ride With Norman Reedus
Season-1 finale
The final episode in this six-episode season is titled The Keys With Peter Fonda, which pretty much describes it. The Walking Dead"s Reedus travels by motorcycle from Naples to Key West, Fla., with Fonda, a 1960s counterculture icon. Fonda is 76 now, so safety first on the chopper, please.
When: Sunday, July 17 on AMC
9. Angel From h**l
Series finale
Remember how much publicity this Jane Lynch series initially received? Well, hype don"t hunt, as they say. The show was cancelled after only five episodes last winter, and CBS has been burning off the remaining episodes this summer, just to fill space. Back-to-back episodes will clip the wings. Angel out.
When: Saturday, July 23 on CBS
10. Between
In a desperate effort to see if the cure works, Liam (Steven Grayhm) and Wiley (Jennette McCurdy) must find someone who is about to turn 22. So let"s see now, in this day and age, where should the search begin for 22-year-olds? Um, how about in their parents" basements? OK, come on now, that"s funny.
Latest Police Neglect Victim: Freddie Gray Dies Of A Severed Spine [Graphic Video]
Three Baltimore police officers have been tried for killing Freddie Gray, and none have been convicted. These trials took place in a city radicalized by Grays death and during a summer when the pattern of police officers killing African-American men around the country has not ceased, but the protests in Baltimore have been muted. The third trial, of an officer named Caesar Goodson, was considered the signal one. Goodson faced the heaviest charges, since he drove the paddy wagon in which Gray, his hands and legs shackled but his body not belted in place, was allowed to bounce around, restrained from protecting himself, until he suffered a fatal injury to his spinal cord. There are four more trials to come (three defendants have not yet had their cases brought to court, and a fourth, William Porter, is scheduled for a retrial this fall). But Goodsons acquittal, on June 22nd, indicated that the most serious charges are not likely to end in convictions. Whatever justice for Freddie Grays death looks like, it will probably not involve long prison sentences for cops.
The proceedings in Baltimore seem especially significant after the police killings of Alton Sterling, in Baton Rouge, and Philando Castile, near Minneapolis, andthe assassination of five Dallas police officers, events backgrounded by a sense that the tension between law enforcement and the African-American community remains unresolved.The trials of the Freddie Gray officers have taken place in a city that has met many of the demands that protesters have made elsewhere. Baltimores states attorney, a thirty-six-year-old African-American woman named Marilyn Mosby, was elected by a progressive coalition, defeating a white incumbent whom her campaign attacked for being too reflexively pro-cop.Mosby brought charges against the officers three weeks after Grays death, the grand jury delivered indictments three weeks later, and the first case opened five months after that.Defense motions to move the trials to Baltimores more conservative suburbs were denied.
The judge who presided over all three cases is an African-American man named Barry Williams, who worked in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice during the Clinton Administration, and was dispatched around the country to help prosecute cases of police misconduct. One officer who was prosecuted by Williams years ago told the Baltimore Sun that, if he were one of the Freddie Gray defendants facing Williams, Id want to move my trial. Nevertheless, officers Edward Nero and Goodson chose to have Judge Williams hear their case (a trial by bench), rather than face a jury, and in each case he found them not guilty. Officer Porter had a jury whose racial composition was close to Baltimores: there were seven African-American jurors and five white ones, in a city that is sixty-three per cent black. Only one juror held out to convict Porter of manslaughter, the most serious charge he facedthe other eleven all voted to acquit. Baltimore did get to try its own accused police officers, as the demonstrators had demanded.The results will probably not look like justice to them.
Each police killing illuminates some aspects of the general pattern of police killing and obscures others. No one cop killed Freddie Gray. His death was instead assembled piecemeal, with several different officers involved in a sequence in which Gray was pursued arbitrarily, arrested roughly, secured improperly, and driven callously, and in which officers ignored first his cries for help and then his silence. A reasonable officer in Goodsons position, Judge Williams found, could not be expected to quiz the cops who detained Gray or check to be sure that a prisoner had been securely detained. His training, in Williamss view, had not required it.
The trial of the highest-ranking officer charged in Grays killing, Lieutenant Brian Rice, began last Thursday. Prosecutors dropped a misconduct charge on the first day of the trial, and Williams, who again is ruling from the bench, dropped a second-degree-assault charge against him on Monday. In their opening remarks, the prosecutors argued that, because of his rank, Lieutenant Rice had a greater responsibility than the others to insure Grays safety. Maybethey will succeed. But, given the outcomes of the previous trials, it seems more likely that Williams will acquitthat the attempt to find an individual responsible for collective negligence, for a slaying by increments, may fall short again.
Mosby was widely lauded when she first announced the indictments (among other things, she was profiled in Vogue), and it seemed at the time as if the Freddie Gray case might be the moment when the criminal-justice system caught up to the problem of police killing. Now that promise has faded, and the case mostly represents the ways in which everyday police neglect can elude criminal justice. Mosby could not put the state on trial in the aggregate, only six individual cops, each of them only partly culpable. A chant rang out during the Baltimore protests in particular: We wont stop until killer cops are in cell blocks. But despite the resonance and political influence of the Black Lives Matter movement, that hasnt actually happened, in Baltimore or elsewhere.
In certain ways, Freddie Grays killing did not resemble other high-profile police killings, in which, usually, it has been possible to pinpoint a single lethal act and a single actor. Rather, it evoked the general pattern of police harassment, the slow lean of cops on members of a community they find suspicious. The outcomes of the trials suggest that the criminal-justice system may not be so well-equipped to counteract that culture. The pressure to fix it falls on politics.
Latest Police Neglect Victim: Freddie Gray Dies Of A Severed Spine [Graphic Video]
A judge has acquitted Lt. Brian Rice, the highest-ranking Baltimore City police officer charged in connection with the death of Freddie Gray last year.
Complete coverage: Updates | Special section | Timeline | Officers charged | Charging documents | Who"s who
Rice is the fourth of six officers to go on trial in the Gray case. He faced involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office charges in connection with Gray"s death.
Prosecutors dropped a second misconduct in office charge related to Gray"s arrest and Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams dismissed an assault charge prior to the defense making its case.
Williams, announcing his verdict Monday morning, said the state failed to prove Rice"s actions did not rise to criminal action. The judge said that while Rice may have used bad judgment in not seat-belting Gray, it"s not a crime. The judge"s ruling in the Rice trial is similar to that of the trials of Officers Caesar Goodson and Edward Nero.
Read the judge"s verdict (PDF)
The judge said he could not make assumptions or presumptions when making his ruling.The judge said the state failed to prove Rice"s actions were grossly negligent.
"This court"s findings and determinations cannot rest upon presumptions or assumptions," Williams said. In this criminal proceeding, this court cannot apply strict liability standards in order to reach the state"s desired result."
Williams said the situation at the second stop of Gray"s arrest was tense for both police at residents.The judge said there was no evidence presented by the state that Rice was aware of policy that requires seat-belting of arrestees.
VIDEO: Legal analyst: Not guilty verdict wasn"t a big surprise
VERY INTERESTING INSIGHT. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY STILL WE HAVE ANOTHER LEGAL EXPERT. WE"VE BEEN USING THROUGH THE YOU"VE BEEN HERE DAILY. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION OVERALL TO THE NOT GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES? >> IT WASN"T A BIG SURPRISE. I THINK WE WERE EXPECTING THAT THERE WAS NOT A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFERENT EVIDENCE FROM WHAT WE"VE SEEN IN THE PAST. AND SO THIS WAS NOT A SHOCK. THE JUDGE DID ADD A LITTLE BIT HERE. HE DID EXPLAIN -- HE DID TAKE THE POSITION, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT CHARGE WOULDN"T APPLY BECAUSE THERE IS AN EXCEPTION IN THE LAW FOR MOVING VEHICLES TO BE HONEST I WAS SURPRISED THAT THAT APPLIED BUT HE WAS VERY CAREFUL TO GO BACK THROUGH AND SAY EVEN IF IT DIDN"T APPLY UNDER THESE FACTS HE COULDN"T FIND BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT FOR GUILT IN THAT CHARGE. TRR JUDGE DID GIVE THE STATE A ROADMAP. HE HAD TWO ACQUITLES HE EXPLAINED HOW HE CAME TO THIS CONCLUSION. WHAT COULD THE STATE DONE WITH THAT NONL IF THEY DIDN"T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE? >> I DON"T THINK THE STATE IS MISHANDLING IT. I THINK THEY HAVE WHAT THEY HAVE AND THEY"RE TRYING THE CASE TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY. THERE WAS ONE DIFFERENCE IN THIS CASE WHICH WAS AND THE JUDGE NOTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A DISCOVERY VIOLATION. THEY HAD FAILED TO GET MATERIAL QUICKLY ENOUGH AND TURN IT OVER TO THE DEFENSE. SO THEY WERE BARRED FOR BRINGING IN THE CURRICULUM FOR SOME OF THE TRAINING AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO SHOW THE AWARENESS OF THE DANGERS OF NOT SEAT BELTING. AT THE END OF THE DAY I DON"T BELIEVE THAT CHANGE IT HAD OUTCOME. I THINK THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY HARD CASE TO PROVE. I THINK THE FACT THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE HURDLES FROM THE PRIOR CASES DIDN"T CHANGE THE FACT THAT THEY STILL HAD TO HAD. AND SO GOING FORWARD THEY WILL STILL HAVE TO STEP BACK, SHOULD GO FORWARD ON THE OTHER CASES AND DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO TRY AGAIN. >> ONE OF THE THING THAT IS STUCK OUT TO ME IS THE JUDGE EXPLAINING HIS VERDICT THAT THE COURT"S IMAGINING IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR EVIDENCE. THAT IS A CLAIRE SIGNAL THE STATE FAILED TO MAKE ITS CASE. >> I THINK THAT"S A STATEMENT REASONABLE DOUBT THE VERY HAPPENED. I THINK WHAT"S INTERESTING AND I THINK IT"S REALLY GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE SAID THERE ARE DIFFERENT STORIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY. SOME OF THOSE STORIES ARE QUITE NEFARIOUS AND SUGGEST A CRIME. AND OTHERS ARE QUITE INNOCENT POLICING. AND WE SIMPLY CANNOT FIND BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT WHICH ONE OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENED. STATE. AND IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE AND YOU REQUIRE THE STATE TO PROVE EACH ELEMENT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT, I THINK ANYONE WATCHING THE TRIAL WOULD HAVE SAT BACK AND SAID THE APPROPRIATE VERDICT HERE WAS NOT GUILTY. >> YOU HAVE SAID ALMOST FROM DAY ONE KIND OF BOILS DOWN TO WHAT WAS LIEUTENANT RICE PERCEPTION? AND THE JUDGE RULED IN FAVOR OF WHAT THIS SOUNDS LIKE AN ASSUMPTION OF WHAT LIEUTENANT RICE WAS THINKING IN HIS PERCEPTION. >> REMEMBER BECAUSE THE BURDEN IS ON THE STATE HE REALLY WAS SAYING I CANNOT CONCLUDE THAT HE WASN"T THINKING THAT THIS WASN"T EITHER SIMPLY A MISTAKE. IT"S MORE IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HIS VERDICT, AN ACQUITLE HERE IS NOT A STATEMENT THAT APPROPRIATELY. IT"S NOT A STATEMENT THAT THEY ACTED INAPPROPRIATELY EITHER BECAUSE THE GUILT REQUIRES MORE THAN MERE NEGLIGENCE. MORE THAN JUST A MISTAKE. HE HAS TO CONSCIOUSLY DISREGARD A RISK. AND I THINK THE JUDGE SAID HE COULDN"T FIND BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. >> DO YOU THINK THE JUDGE SHOULD HAVE OR MAYBE THIS ISN"T GOOD PROTOCOL BUT COULD HE HAVE ADMONISHED THE SYSTEM? SOMEONE DIED IN POLICE CUSTODY. >> I THINK THE JUDGE IS BEING VERY CAREFUL. THERE"S NO QUESTION EVERYONE IN THE ROOM UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS A CASE THAT HAS POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS THAT THIS IS A CASE THAT RAISES PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES THAT THE COMMUNITY IS GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT AND APPROPRIATELY SO. AND IN ORDER FOR HIM TO MAINTAIN THAT NEWT RALT THAT GIVES US FAITH IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES I THINK HE"S BEING VERY CAREFUL TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT. >> YOU TOUCHED ON THIS IN OUR CONVERSATION BUT IF YOU COULD EXPAND ON WHERE COULD THE STATE GO FROM HERE? WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO? >> REMEMBER EACH CASE IS SULTLY DIFFERENT AND EACH HAS DIFFERENT EVIDENCE. AND MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THAT EVIDENCE MIGHT BE THE STATEMENT OF THE OFFICERS WHO ARE CHARGED. OFFICER MILLER IS NEXT. AND OFFICER MILLER MADE A STATEMENT. IF HE MADE A STATEMENT AND I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HE DID SAY THAT I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE INJURED BY I KIND OF THOUGHT HE DESERVED IT IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT CASE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTED IS LIEUTENANT SAID. WHAT WAS INTERESTING IS AT THE END OF THE TRIAL WE STILL HADN"T HEARD. SO WE CAN INFER THERE WAS NOTHING IN THAT STATEMENT THAT SUGGESTED SOMETHING THAT FAVORED THE PROSECUTION. >> YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS. SHOULD THE STATE GO FORWARD? I KNOW IT"S NOT YOUR CALL BUT BASED ON WHAT YOU"VE HEARD IN ALL THESE TRIALS. >> I THINK THAT"S A COMPLICATED QUESTION. I THINK THEY HAVE TO WEIGH THE COSTS AND BENEFITS. THEY WILL HAVE TO ASSESS THE EVIDENCE AND DECIDE CAN THEY REASONABLE DOUBT NOT SIMPLY DO WE BELIEVE A CRIME OCCURRED BUT CAN WE PROVE IT IN COURT. THERE -- IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE PROSECUTION OF THESE CASES, IF YOU ACCEPT THAT THEY BELIEVE A CRIME OCCURRED HAS UNCOVERED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT POLICING IN BALTIMORE. CONVERSATION FORWARD ABOUT HOW WE"RE GOING TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ABOUT HOW WE"RE POLICING COMMUNITIES. SO NOT EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS CASE HAS BEEN A FAILURE EVEN IF
The judge said he believes the officer testimony of concerns over crowd at Gray arrest. He also believed Gray"s friend, Brandon Ross" testimony that there were community concerns over the handling of Gray"s arrest.
"There is no finite definition of crowd," Williams said. "To one officer, three people may be a crowd, to three other officer, nine may not be a crowd. It is a matter of perspective. As this court noted its willingness to acknowledge that in the circumstances of the moment, Mr. Ross" perception that Mr. Gray was tased was believable for him, this court is equally willing to acknowledge from the veiwpoint of (Officers Edward) Nero and (William) Porter that there may have been issues with what they called the crowd."
Burden of proof not met
"The state has put forth every theory that can exist and the judge has acknowledged again and again that the state did not meet its burden," said attorney Warren Alperstein, a courtroom observer.
"It wasn"t a big surprise, I think we were expecting this," University of Baltimore law professor David Jaros said."There was not a great deal of different evidence than what we"ve seen in the past."
The 25-year-old Graydied April 19, 2015, a week after he suffered a neck injury while in a police transport van.
Rice is the officer who initiated the pursuit of Gray when he and two others were walking in west Baltimore on April 12, 2015. Gray ran off after Rice made eye contact with him.
The prosecution argued Rice"s decisions amount to a reckless disregard for Gray"s life. On the other side, the defense argued Rice made a 9-second decision that was 100 percent reasonable based on Gray being combative, tight van quarters and a hostile crowd gathering.
The state called that defense called the defense version police mythology based on video of the scene showing a handful of people dispersing and that the van was not rocking.
"This was a case of rushed prosecution," said defense attorney Warren Brown, a courtroom observer with no connection to the trial. "The judge said he needs to see evidence in these cases and without it this will continue to be the result."
Alperstein agrees.
"Judge Williams drove home the point that his decision would be based solely on the evidence," Alperstein said. "The judge has the ability to put prejudices and emotions aside."
VIDEO: Legal analyst expects additional officers" trials will continue
STATE PROVED ITS CASE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. PROFESSOR COLBERT. WHAT DID THIS CASE REVEAL ABOUT CITY POLICING AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY POLICE AND PROSECUTOR"S OFFICE? >> IT"S GOING TO TAKE A VERY STRONG PROSECUTOR TO FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE AND TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST THE POLICE OFFICER. BUT THAT"S HER ETHICAL DUTY WHERE THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS CONVICTION IN HER OPINION BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY MUST DO SO NO DOUBT SHE"S ALREADY FELT A GREAT DEAL OF WRATH AND HOSTILITY FROM THE POLICE UNION. BUT I EXPECT THAT THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL TRIALS BECAUSE YOU"RE PUTTING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON NOTICE. YOU"RE PUTTING THE OFFICERS OF THEIR AWARENESS THAT THEY MUST TREAT PEOPLE AND PROTECT THEM AND SAFEGUARD THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT WHAT HAPPENS TO FREDDIE GRAY DOES NOT EVER HAPPEN AGAIN IN OUR CITY. >> MARILYN HAS BEEN IN THE COURTROOM ON AND OFF. TODAY HOWEVER SOME OF HER STAFF WAS IN THE COURTROOM. BUT SHE WAS NOT. >> I THINK WHAT"S IMPORTANT HERE IS THAT SHE HAS MAINTAINED HER COMMITMENT AND HER DEDICATION. A LESSER OFFICIAL PERHAPS ONLY THINKING ABOUT THEIR FUTURE MIGHT HA DECIDED TO TAKE A DIFFERENT PATH AND TO DO WHAT THE POLICE UNION IS REQUESTING. BUT I THIN WE CAN FEEL CERTAIN THAT THE PROSECUTION WILL CONTINUE BUT WILL TRY TO ADD THE MISSING PIECES THAT JUDGE WILLIAMS IDENTIFIED DURING HIS DECISION. >> U YOU"VE BEEN SITTING IN ON ALL THESE TRIALS AND THIS O WAS THERE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE OBANYTHING? >> THE JUDGE INDICATED THERE WAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE WHEN HE DENIED THE DEFENSE MOTION TO DISMISS IT AT THE CLOSE OF THE PROSECUTION CASE AND HE ALLOWED -- HE FOUND THAT THERE WAS THE CHARGES. SO THAT"S THE ANSWER TO ANY OF THE NAYSAYER WHO ARE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE. THE QUESTION THOUGH FOR THE JUDGE WAS WAS IT SUFFICIENT TO PROVE GUILT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. AND FOR THE COURT HE FOUND THAT THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE. >> THE JUDGE SAID -- APPARENTLY THERE WERE TOO MANY GAPS IN THE STATE"S CASE AND THE JUDGE SAID THE COURT"S IMAGINING IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR EVIDENCE. THAT WAS A CLEAR SIGNAL YOU GUYS HAVE GOT THE SAME EVIDENCE BUT YOU"RE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME CONCLUSION UNLESS YOU UP WITH SOMETHING NEW? >> ONE PLACE WHERE THE EVIDENCE CAN BE PRESENTED WILL ANSWER THE JUDGE"S QUESTION ABOUT THE AWARENESS OF THE POLICE DEFENDANT, THAT THE DEFENDANT WAS AWARE THAT PLACING FREDDIE GRAY IN THE SITUATION HE WAS IN LEFT HIM HELPLESS AND VULNERABLE TO INJURY. AND THAT EVIDENCE WILL COME FROM OUR CITY PAYING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED DURING POLICE RIDES. AND THAT INFORMATION I EXPECT WOULD HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED NOT ONLY TO THE TOP OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT TO THE OFFICERS ON DUTY. >> FINAL QUESTION HERE THOUGH. PART OF THAT EVIDENCE THAT DID NOT COME IN WAS THE SANCTION FOR DISCOVERY VIOLATION. AND THAT EVIDENCE COULD HAVE BEEN RECORDS OUTSIDE OF THE ACADEMY TRAINING. DOES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE NOW IN HINDSIGHT? >> I THINK THAT THE PROSECUTION EXPECTED THE JUDGE TO TAKE NOTICE THAT 18 YEARS ON THE FORCE IN THE POSITION OF A LIEUTENANT WOULD HAVE GIVEN THIS DEFENDANT THE AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT HE NEEDED TO THAT INJURY WOULD LIKELY -- OR THE POTENTIAL OF INJURY WOULD
Officials react to verdict
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake released a statement after the verdict was announced, saying, "Judge Barry G. Williams found Lt. Brian Rice not guilty of all criminal charges. Lt. Rice is the highest-ranking officer charged in the Freddie Gray case. He was facing involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
"Now that the criminal case has come to an end, Lt. Rice will face an administrative review by the Police Department.
"This has been a very difficult time for our city and I thank the community for their patience during this time and ask their continued respect for the judicial process as we move forward."
State Sen. Catherine Pugh, the Democratic nominee for Baltimore mayor, also released a statement, saying, "Judge Barry G. Williams found Lt. Brian Rice not guilty on all criminal charges. Now that a verdict has been delivered, the city must continue to exercise patience and respect for the judicial process. Even though there will be disagreements on this outcome, we have an opportunity to continue the public dialogue around police and community interaction it is not an easy conversation but a necessary one if we are to solve the longstanding problems that exist."
U.S. Rep Elijah Cummings, a Baltimore Democrat, shared a similar sentiment.
Today Judge Barry G. Williams found Mr. Brian Rice not guilty of all charges," Cummings said in a statement. " I thank Judge Williams for ensuring a fair process for all parties involved in this trial. I thank every Baltimore resident for respecting Judge Williams rulings and for expressing any frustrations constructively by engaging in peaceful protests.
Like every city in America, Baltimore must continue to find ways to improve the relationships between our communities and police departments. While recent attacks on law enforcement in Dallas, Baton Rouge and in our own city have been painful reminders of the dangers our officers face on the job daily, we must continue making reforms to our police department.
I am pleased that Commissioner Kevin Davis has worked to implement several reforms, including a commitment to recruiting the best officers to join the Baltimore Police Department; a mandate that all recruits spend more than 3 months engaging in community policing when they join the force; a plan to teach all recruits about Baltimores history and culture; and an updated and clearer use of force policy.
I look forward to further reforms at the Baltimore Police Department. I believe that such reforms will go a long way toward creating and fostering a healthy relationship between police and the entire Baltimore community. We must turn toward each other, and not against each other.
Chuck Canterbury, the national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the Rice trial.
"We knew from the beginning that Lt. Rice was innocent and wrongly charged with these crimes like the rest of the officers that have been on trial," Canterbury said in a statement. "The outcome of today"s trial just proves that Lt. Rice did everything by the book, like every other officer that was present at the arrest that day, despite the false charges against him.
"It is terrible that in our country today that law enforcement officers doing their job the right way can still be fasely accused of misconduct and have their lives potentially ruined, even though the facts were there from the beginning that no misconduct occurred," Canerbury continued.
"It is time to end this witch hunt that State"s Attorney Mosby has been leading. She has disgraced her office and there should be charges of prosecutorial misconduct brought against her immediately. There"s been a lot of loose talk about the so-called Ferguson effect. What officers are really worried about is the Mosby effect -- prosecutors on a witch hunt prosecuting police officers who are just doing their jobs."
Does verdict impact other cases?
Goodson, the transport van driver, was cleared last month of all charges, including second-degree depraved heart murder. Nero was cleared of misdemeanor charges in May. Both Goodson and Nero opted for bench trials. The trial of Officer William Porter ended in December with a hung jury.
Nero, Goodson, and Officer Garrett Miller were in the front row when the verdict was read. Baltimore City State"s Attorney Marilyn Mosby was not in the courtroom.
Alperstein and Brown are among those wondering how much longer the state will continue to pursue the remaining cases against the officers in the Gray case given the previous verdict.
"The state isn"t just 0-for-4 in these cases; they are 0-for-24," Brown said. "There has not been a guilty verdict on any of the charges in this case. How much longer will the state continue with these trials."
"The prosecution has moved forward with these cases because they promised justice for Freddie Gray," Alperstein said. "But, the state has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on these cases not including the cost of additional law enforcement on verdict days. At some point, can"t the state say these cases have led to changes in police policies and protocols and that is justice?"
The next officer to go on trial in the Gray case is Officer Garrett Miller, whose case is set to begin July 27. Porter is expected to be retried on Sept. 6 and Sgt. Alicia White will go on trial Oct. 13.
WBALTV.com digital editor Saliqa Khan,WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team reporters David Collinsand Barry Simms and WBAL NewsRadio 1090 AM reporter Robert Lang contributed to this report.
SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) Simpsonville Police say they arrested a man who they say fired shots during a robbery and was later found hiding in a field with his 12-year old daughter.
7 News Addie Hampton talked to that daughter and her mother, Monday, who believe the Simpsonville police mishandled the child and treated her harshly.
Derrick Bernard Cunningham is charged with armed robbery and attempted murder after Simpsonville Police say he fired shots while robbing four people at Bradford Place Apartments on West Georgia Road on Saturday.
Officers say they went there around 1:40 a.m. after getting several calls about shots fired. The victims described the man who they said robbed them. Those victims say Cunningham fired a shot at one of them during the robbery, but no one was hurt.
Simpsonville Police officers say they found Cunningham hiding in a nearby field with his 12-year-old daughter.
When we got to the middle of the field, he told me Im going to have to be tough and then thats when we saw a police truck, the girl said, explaining what her father told her in that field.
7 News chose not to reveal the identity of Derrick Cunninghams 12 year old daughter, but the emotion behind her words played out as her hands wrung in circles explaining what went down.
She said a terrifying series events started when her father woke her up around 3 am telling her they needed to move.
We went out the back door and we walked to the field thing because we were going to walk somewhere, she explained.Walking to a nearby field, they got flat to the ground. The girl said she saw lights and policemen.
Police was rushing us with guns in their hands and then I got up and said please dont shoot me, she said.She and her father were handcuffed, taken into custody, and separated.
Police said Cunningham fired a shot at his four robbery victims in the very apartment complex where they say his daughter lay sleeping.
The handcuffs, they was tight on me. I did have a mark, but I guess its gone, she said, showing her wrists. And then my hands was hurting because I was in the back of the truck for like an hour.
This outrages the girls mother, Donitha Johnson, who believes her innocent child was treated like a common criminal.
I just want to know why? Why? Because I know they wouldnt put their kids through thata 12 year old. A little girl, said Johnson.
The Simpsonville police said they had to follow procedure.
Our procedure, as you know, as an officer, going to a scene like such where there are guns involved, a robbery is involved, its a hostile situation. Yes, were going to place everybody into custody and have them in handcuffs. Thats what happened, explained Lt. Timmie Williams.
Williams said the girl was in handcuffs for 30 minutes until she was released to a relative. Johnson was unreachable at work at the time.
While they admit they behaved softer once they learned the childs age, Williams said its regrettable that her father dragged her into danger in the first place.
Meanwhile, Johnson said her daughter is a wreck.
Shes traumatized now. She cant sleep. She cant eat for the last couple days. Shes been waking up the last few nights sweating, said Johnson, who is hiring a lawyer.
When asked if she was angry at her childs father, she said he was a good man and shes not certain he did anything wrong.
Officers searched Cunninghams home and say they found weapons, clothing and other items that were taken from the victims.
Cunningham is charged with four counts of armed robbery, one count of attempted murder and one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
