Crimes and Courts

Supreme Court agrees to hear deadly DC sniper shootings case

Published

7 years ago

March 18, 2019

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider Virginia’s plea to reinstate the life-without-parole sentence of a man who as a teenager participated in sniper shootings that terrorized the Washington, D.C., region in 2002.

The justices said they will take up the state’s appeal in the case of Lee Boyd Malvo, who was 17 when he and John Allen Muhammad fatally shot 10 people in Maryland, Virginia and Washington. Malvo was sentenced to life-without-parole terms in Virginia and in Maryland. Muhammad, who was 41 at the time of the shootings, was sentenced to death and was executed in 2009.

Malvo was sentenced to four life terms for crimes he committed in Virginia. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled last year that while Malvo’s life-without-parole sentences were legal when they were imposed, Supreme Court decisions that followed altered sentencing requirements for juvenile offenders.

The appeals court judges said a resentencing would determine whether Malvo qualifies as “one of the rare juvenile offenders” who can be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole because his “crimes reflect permanent incorrigibility.” They said if his crimes instead “reflect the transient immaturity of youth,” he is entitled to a sentence short of life without parole.

The Supreme Court will review that decision. As is typical, the justices did not make any comment in agreeing to hear the case, which will be argued in the fall.

Regardless of what the Supreme Court decides, it is unlikely that Malvo would get out of prison anytime soon. He isn’t currently getting a new sentencing hearing in Maryland, where he struck a plea deal and was sentenced to six life-without-parole prison terms for shootings that took place in that state.

A judge previously ruled that Malvo would not get new sentencing hearings in Maryland. Malvo, who has been serving his sentences at Red Onion State Prison in Pound, Virginia, has appealed.

For people in the Washington area, the shooting spree is remembered as particularly frightening because of the randomness of the attacks. Over three weeks, Muhammad and Malvo shot people as they went about everyday activities.

An FBI analyst was killed as she stood in the parking lot of a Home Depot. A bus driver was fatally shot on his bus as he readied for his route. Two victims were fatally shot at gas stations. Many people were fearful every time they went outdoors. Among those injured was a teenager wounded after being shot outside his school. Schools canceled outdoor activities from recess to sporting events.

Virginia’s appeal was among four criminal cases the court added to its docket for the term that begins in October. In the others:

-Kansas, backed by the Trump administration and 10 other states, wants to be able to prosecute immigrants for identity theft and other crimes when they use other people’s Social Security numbers to work in the United States. Kansas’ top court ruled that the state couldn’t prosecute the immigrants because the case relied on information that is on a required federal work authorization form, the I-9 – information that immigration law says may only be used for enforcement of federal crimes.

-The justices will decide whether convictions by non-unanimous juries in criminal cases violate the Constitution. Louisiana and Oregon are the only states that allow divided juries on some criminal charges, although Louisiana voters recently amended the state constitution to prohibit non-unanimous verdicts for crimes committed after Jan. 1.

The court has held that the Sixth Amendment requires unanimous verdicts in federal criminal cases. But unlike with most rights guaranteed by the first 10 amendments, states have not been compelled to follow suit and require unanimous juries in all state cases.

-A Kansas death row inmate is challenging whether states can eliminate the so-called insanity defense for criminal defendants without violating the Constitution. The inmate has been sentenced to death for killing his estranged wife, their two daughters and the wife’s grandmother, but the jury was not allowed to consider evidence that he was criminally insane at the time of the killings.

Crimes and Courts

Family of Corey Ruiz to Speak Publicly for First Time Alongside Attorney Ben Crump Following Fatal Madison Police Shooting

Published

3 weeks ago

July 24, 2026

FNN NEWS

MADISON, Wis. (July 24, 2026) — Nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump will join the family of Corey Ruiz at a news conference Saturday in Madison, where family members are expected to speak publicly for the first time since Ruiz was fatally shot by a Madison police officer.

Ruiz’s family, joined by attorneys Ben Crump, Steve Hart, and B’Ivory Lamarr, along with State Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D–Madison), is expected to call for a full, independent investigation into the shooting and seek accountability for the circumstances surrounding Ruiz’s death.

According to the Madison Police Department, Ruiz was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon during an encounter with officers at a busy intersection on the city’s near-east side. Police have stated that Ruiz allegedly produced a fixed-blade knife and injured an officer during a struggle before an officer discharged his firearm.

However, video recorded by a bystander and reported by the Wisconsin Examiner appears to show an officer stomping Ruiz while he was on the ground as the first gunshot was fired. The video has drawn increased public attention and renewed questions regarding the officers’ use of force during the incident.

The incident has also highlighted the fact that Madison police officers do not wear body cameras, prompting additional calls from community members and civil rights advocates for greater transparency and independent review.

Scheduled Speakers

Corey Ruiz’s family
Attorney Ben Crump
Attorney Steve Hart
Attorney B’Ivory Lamarr
State Rep. Shelia Stubbs (D–Madison)

The news conference is expected to address the family’s response to the shooting, outline the legal team’s next steps, and reiterate calls for an independent investigation into the incident.

Central Florida News

Orlando Police Arrest Three Following Shooting at West Lakes Apartment Complex

Published

1 month ago

July 10, 2026

FNN NEWS

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Orlando Police arrested three suspects Thursday following a shooting at the Pendana at West Lakes Club Apartments that led to a high-speed pursuit spanning Orange and Seminole counties.

Police said no injuries were reported despite multiple rounds being fired during the incident.

Shooting Reported at Apartment Complex

According to the Orlando Police Department (OPD), officers responded at approximately 3:50 p.m. Thursday, July 9, to the 2000 block of Orange Center Boulevard after receiving reports of gunfire at the Pendana at West Lakes Club Apartments.

During the investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance video showing occupants of a black sedan and a black SUV firing multiple rounds at two individuals riding scooters through the apartment complex.

Investigators said everyone involved fled the scene before officers arrived.

Police Locate Suspect Vehicles

Shortly after the shooting, Orlando officers located both suspect vehicles in the North Pine Hills area.

With assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), officers conducted a traffic stop on the black sedan and detained two suspects without incident.

Officers later located the black SUV and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop, triggering a police pursuit.

Helicopter Assists During Pursuit

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit tracked the fleeing SUV from the air while directing responding officers on the ground.

The pursuit ended in Altamonte Springs, where the driver stopped in front of a Burlington Coat Factory, abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot.

Orlando Police officers quickly apprehended the suspect.

Three Suspects Arrested

Police identified the suspects as:

Jacorey Lowery (DOB: July 8, 2006)

Charges:

Attempted Felony Murder (Firearm/Discharge)
Discharging a Firearm at Residential Property

Quincy Desponosse (DOB: April 21, 2008)

Charge:

Principal to Attempted First-Degree Murder

Semaj Blackshear

Charges:

Principal to Attempted Felony Murder with a Firearm
Fleeing and Eluding Law Enforcement at High Speed with Disregard for Public Safety or Property
Resisting an Officer Without Violence
Juvenile Violation of Probation

None of the Suspects Lived at the Complex

Investigators determined that none of the three individuals arrested were residents of the Pendana at West Lakes Club Apartments.

Police have not released information regarding a possible motive or whether the suspects knew the two individuals on the scooters.

Investigation Continues

The Orlando Police Department said the investigation remains active.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact the Orlando Police Department or Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).

Crimes and Courts

Attorney General Uthmeier Announces Charges Against Six in South Florida Drug Trafficking Enterprise

Published

2 months ago

June 13, 2026

FNN NEWS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced charges against six individuals accused of participating in a multi-county drug trafficking enterprise operating in Broward County and surrounding areas of South Florida.

The defendants — Isaac Lakeith Bruton, Wayne Morgan Brutton Jr., Wayne Morgan Brutton Sr., Omar Dwayne Cooper, Rene Danger Jr., and Cleon Fabian Reid — are accused of participating in an organized criminal enterprise that allegedly distributed large quantities of illegal narcotics and laundered proceeds from drug sales.

Investigation Spanned Multiple Agencies

According to the Attorney General’s Office, the charges stem from a joint investigation led by the Broward Sheriff’s Office Organized Crime Unit and the Office of Statewide Prosecution, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

“This joint investigation dismantled a criminal enterprise that pumped dangerous drugs into Florida communities,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “Through the tireless work of the Office of Statewide Prosecution and our great law enforcement partners, we are taking on more criminal prosecutions than ever before.”

Alleged Drug Trafficking Operation

Investigators allege the organization obtained and distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine, multiple pounds of marijuana, prescription pills and other controlled substances throughout South Florida.

According to authorities, members of the enterprise converted powdered cocaine into crack cocaine near distribution locations and utilized vehicles equipped with hidden compartments to transport narcotics.

The investigation further alleges that Bruton and Cooper laundered proceeds from drug sales through the purchase of vehicles, real estate, business investments, classic car restorations and jewelry.

Charges Filed

Bruton and Cooper are each charged with:

Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
Money Laundering (Third-Degree Felony)

Brutton Jr., Brutton Sr., Danger Jr., and Reid are each charged with:

Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)

Potential Penalties

If convicted, Bruton and Cooper face up to 75 years in prison. Brutton Jr., Brutton Sr., Danger Jr., and Reid each face up to 60 years in the Florida Department of Corrections.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Jillian Tate and Nicholas Kaleel.

Presumption of Innocence

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.