Crimes and Courts

Abortion Rights Backers Rally in Anger Over Post-Roe Future

Published

3 years ago

May 15, 2022

People attend an abortion-rights rally at the Utah State Capitol Saturday, May 14, 2022, in Salt Lake City. Demonstrators are rallying from coast to coast in the face of an anticipated Supreme Court decision that could overturn women's right to an abortion.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Abortion rights supporters demonstrating at hundreds of marches and rallies Saturday expressed their outrage that the Supreme Court appears prepared to scrap the constitutional right to abortion that has endured for nearly a half-century and their fear about what that could mean for women’s reproductive choices.

Incensed after a leaked draft opinion suggested the court’s conservative majority would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, activists spoke of the need to mobilize quickly because Republican-led states are poised to enact tighter restrictions.

In the nation’s capital, thousands gathered in drizzly weather at the Washington Monument to listen to fiery speeches before marching to the Supreme Court, which was surrounded by two layers of security fences.

The mood was one of anger and defiance, three days after the Senate failed to muster enough votes to codify Roe v. Wade.

“I can’t believe that at my age, I’m still having to protest over this,” said Samantha Rivers, a 64-year-old federal government employee who is preparing for a state-by-state battle over abortion rights.

Caitlin Loehr, 34, of Washington, wore a black T-shirt with an image of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s “dissent” collar on it and a necklace that spelled out “vote.”

“I think that women should have the right to choose what to do with their bodies and their lives. And I don’t think banning abortion will stop abortion. It just makes it unsafe and can cost a woman her life,” Loehr said.

A half-dozen anti-abortion demonstrators sent out a countering message, with Jonathan Darnel shouting into a microphone, “Abortion is not health care, folks, because pregnancy is not an illness.”

From Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, and Nashville, Tennessee, to Lubbock, Texas, tens of thousands participated in events, where chants of “Bans off our bodies!” and “My body, my choice!” rang out. The gatherings were largely peaceful, but in some cities there were tense confrontations between people on opposing sides of the issue.

Polls show that most Americans want to preserve access to abortion — at least in the earlier stages of pregnancy — but the Supreme Court appeared to be poised to let the states have the final say. If that happens, roughly half of states, mostly in the South and Midwest, are expected to quickly ban abortion.

The battle was personal for some who came out Saturday. In Seattle, some protesters carried photographic images of conservative justices’ heads on sticks.

Teisha Kimmons, who traveled 80 miles to attend the Chicago rally, said she fears for women in states that are ready to ban abortion. She said she might not be alive today if she had not had a legal abortion when she was 15.

“I was already starting to self harm and I would have rather died than have a baby,” said Kimmons, a massage therapist from Rockford, Illinois.

At that rally, speaker after speaker said that if abortion is banned that the rights of immigrants, minorities and others will also be “gutted,” as Amy Eshleman, wife of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot put it.

“This has never been just about abortion. It’s about control,” Eshleman told the crowd of thousands. “My marriage is on the menu and we cannot and will not let that happen.”

In New York, thousands of people gathered in Brooklyn’s courthouse plaza before a march across the Brooklyn Bridge to lower Manhattan for another rally.

“We’re here for the women who can’t be here, and for the girls who are too young to know what is ahead for them,” Angela Hamlet, 60, of Manhattan, said to the backdrop of booming music.

Robin Seidon, who traveled from Montclair, New Jersey, for the rally, said the nation was at a place abortion rights supporters have long feared.

“They’ve been nibbling at the edges, and it was always a matter of time before they thought they had enough power on the Supreme Court, which they have now,” said Seidon, 65.

The upcoming high court ruling in a case from Mississippi stands to energize voters, potentially shaping the upcoming midterm elections.

In Texas, which has a strict law banning many abortions, the challenger to one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress marched in San Antonio.

Jessica Cisneros joined demonstrators just days before early voting begins in her primary runoff against U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, which could be one of the first tests over whether the court leak will galvanize voters.

In Chicago, Kjirsten Nyquist, a nurse toting daughters ages 1 and 3, agreed about the need to vote. “As much as federal elections, voting in every small election matters just as much,” she said.

At many of the rallies, speakers put the issue in stark terms, saying people will die if abortions are outlawed.

In Los Angeles, high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred recounted how she could not get a legal abortion after being raped at gunpoint in the 1960s. She said she ended up having life-threatening bleeding after a “back alley” abortion.

“I want you to vote as though your lives depend on it, because they do,” she told the crowd.

Crimes and Courts

Osceola County Mother Indicted for First Degree Murder in Daughter’s Drowning

Published

14 hours ago

December 4, 2024

FNN NEWS

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (FNN) – A Kissimmee mother is facing severe charges after being formally indicted by an Osceola County grand jury on Wednesday. Kelsey Glover, 35, has been charged with First Degree Murder for the drowning death of her daughter and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon for an attack on another woman.

The incident occurred on November 20, 2024, when deputies from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded to a distressing 911 call. A female witness reported that Glover had attacked her with a hammer and drowned her daughter.

Upon arriving at the home in Kissimmee, deputies discovered the young girl unresponsive. The child was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Further investigation determined that Glover drowned her daughter in a bathtub and physically assaulted the witness with a hammer.

On December 4, the State presented evidence to the Osceola County grand jury, which resulted in an indictment for First Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Next Steps in the Case
The legal process for Glover will now proceed through the Osceola County court system. Her arraignment, pre-trial motions, and trial dates will be scheduled in the coming weeks. The Osceola County Clerk of Court’s website will provide the latest updates on court hearings and proceedings.

The charges Glover faces are among the most serious in Florida’s legal system, with First Degree Murder carrying the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty.

For now, officials remain tight-lipped about further details surrounding the case as the investigation continues.

What’s Next?

Arraignment Hearing: Glover will formally hear the charges and enter a plea.
Pre-Trial Motions: Attorneys may file motions to suppress evidence, change venue, or challenge witness testimony.
Trial Preparation: Both the prosecution and defense will build their cases, which may include psychological evaluations, expert testimony, and gathering physical evidence.
Court Proceedings: Updates on trial dates will be posted on the Osceola County Clerk of Court’s website.
Sentencing: If convicted, Glover could face life imprisonment or the death penalty, depending on the trial outcome.

Crimes and Courts

Sarah Boone Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering Boyfriend in Suitcase

Published

3 days ago

December 2, 2024

FNN NEWS

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (FNN) – On Monday, Sarah Boone, 47, was sentenced to life in the Florida Department of Corrections by Orange County Circuit Court Judge Michael Kraynick for the chilling murder of her boyfriend, Jorge Torres. Boone’s conviction stems from an incident on February 23, 2020, when she zipped Torres inside a suitcase, leaving him to suffocate.

Case Details
Boone was found guilty of Second Degree Murder on October 25, 2024, after a jury reviewed damning evidence, including cellphone videos recorded by Boone herself. The footage showed Boone taunting Torres as he desperately screamed for help from inside the suitcase. Despite his pleas, Boone refused to release him and instead went upstairs to sleep.

Trial and Sentencing
Judge Kraynick, after ordering a pre-sentence investigation, weighed several factors before delivering the sentence. He considered the details of the homicide, Boone’s personal background, criminal history, and previous trauma. The severity and calculated nature of Boone’s actions played a significant role in the life sentence ruling.

The Crime
The horrifying incident began as a purported game of hide-and-seek at Boone’s Winter Park apartment. However, the situation escalated fatally when Boone allegedly zipped Torres into the suitcase, later claiming she had forgotten about him. Torres’ body was discovered the next day when Boone reported the incident to law enforcement, maintaining it was an accident.

Investigators found Boone’s explanation inconsistent with the evidence. The recorded videos and the autopsy, which confirmed suffocation as the cause of death, were pivotal in securing the conviction.

Aftermath
Following the sentencing, Boone will be transferred to the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections, where she will serve her life sentence without the possibility of parole.

This case underscores the judicial system’s commitment to ensuring justice for victims of domestic violence and upholding public safety.

Crimes and Courts

Charles Bell Jr. Found Guilty of Murdering Ex-Wife in Okeechobee

Published

2 weeks ago

November 19, 2024

FNN NEWS

Charles Bell Jr. Found Guilty of Murdering Ex-Wife in Okeechobee | Florida National News

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (FNN) – After a three-day trial, an Osceola County jury convicted Charles Bell Jr., 73, of Second Degree Murder (with a Firearm) for the 2021 fatal shooting of his ex-wife, Patricia Anne Davis, at her home in Okeechobee. Bell now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for December 17, 2024.

Case Details

Incident Date: August 28, 2021.
Location: 5600 block of Magnolia Court, Okeechobee.
Victim: Patricia Anne Davis, 68, found deceased from multiple gunshot wounds in her yard.
Suspect: Charles Bell Jr., the ex-husband of Ms. Davis, seen leaving the scene on a golf cart.

Key Events Leading to Conviction:

Witness Accounts:
- A neighbor saw Bell speeding away from Davis’ home on a golf cart and later heard him confess to killing someone.
- Witnesses reported hearing gunshots near the time Bell visited Davis’ home.
Evidence Recovered:
- Deputies found a handgun and matching ammunition hidden in the woods on Bell’s property.
- Spent shell casings at the crime scene matched the recovered ammunition.
Defendant’s Statements:
- Bell admitted visiting Davis that morning but denied harming her. He claimed he asked her to clean his house and left.

Trial Outcome:

After deliberations, the jury convicted Bell of Second Degree Murder, citing compelling evidence and witness testimonies.

What’s Next?

Sentencing Date: December 17, 2024.
Possible Sentence: Bell faces a firearm minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in prison, given the nature of the crime.
Victim’s Family Statement: Family members are expected to deliver impact statements during the sentencing hearing.

This case highlights the tragic outcomes of domestic disputes and the importance of vigilance in reporting suspicious activities. Follow www.FloridaNationalNews.com and Florida National News Facebook Channel for updates on this story and other local news.

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J Willie David, III
Florida National News and FNN News Network
News@FloridaNationalNews.com