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Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in his “hush money” trial in New York City in a historic verdict.
On Thursday (May 30), Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 felony charges by the jury in his trial for illegally influencing the outcome of the 2016 election by paying “hush money” to an adult film star in New York. As the jury foreperson read the verdict, Trump sat stone-faced, staring each member down. The verdict marks the first time a former American president was convicted of a crime. The crowds outside of the courthouse in lower Manhattan were of course divided – Trump supporters jeered the news while counter-protesters cheered loudly, with some chanting “Lock him up!”
The guilty verdict was reached by the jury after what some observers considered was a short time for deliberation. Trump had been accused of falsifying records to hide a $130,000 payment to adult star Stormy Daniels via his former fixer, lawyer Michael Cohen. The charges of falsifying records carry a potential prison sentence of four years, but Judge Juan Merchan has not signaled that he would impose such a punishment even if the prosecution requests it. The sentencing was set for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump’s conviction will not prevent him from campaigning to return to the White House, and his legal team has stated that they would appeal. However, if he were to become president again he couldn’t pardon himself as this was a state case.
Trump’s conviction in the case is also significant as this case was considered the most convoluted as the other trials – local and federal cases in Washington D.C. and Atlanta alleging his interference with the 2020 presidential election results as well as a federal indictment case claiming he hoarded highly-classified documents in Florida – are stalled and won’t go to trial before the Nov. 5 election.
“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” Trump told reporters after leaving the courtroom, somewhat less boisterous than in previous post-trial appearances. “The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people. They know what happened, and everyone knows what happened here.” At a press conference held later that evening, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg offered brief remarks. Acknowledging the barrage of criticism his office has faced from Trump supporters, he stated that the “only voice that matters is the voice of the jury, and the jury has spoken.”
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Thursday (Dec. 14), just before midnight, New Yorkers noticed their lights suddenly flicker for no reason, and while many brushed it off as something in their home going haywire, it turns out that the issue was much bigger than anyone realized.
According to the Gothamist, a small explosion at a Con Edison substation in Brooklyn, New York, was responsible for the flickering lights across the boroughs. Though some homes only experienced a minor inconvenience, many other neighborhoods suffered blackouts for a few seconds before power came back on. That must’ve been hella scary for residents not knowing if it was 2003 all over again in which New York and other states in the Northeast went dark for an entire day.
Gothamist reports:
Con Edison blamed a “fault on a high-tension transmission line” for the five or 10-second outage that residents noticed just before midnight.
“Our crews are investigating and making necessary repairs,” the statement said.
NYPD officials said Con Edison workers were restoring a transmission line at a substation on John Street in DUMBO when a disruption occurred and caused power to surge.
No injuries were reported, and officials said the brief outage that followed did not disrupt essential services at hospitals.
Luckily, no one was hurt in the Con Edison blast. A few people, however, found themselves stuck in elevators at the time. Thank goodness for the fire department that handled those situations.
Were you affected by last night’s power outage? Let us know in the comments section below.
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A white judge who boasted of pointing a loaded gun at a Black man in a New York courtroom has been removed from the bench.
According to reports, a judge in upstate New York who is white was removed from the bench by the state’s highest court after bragging about pointing a loaded gun at a Black man appearing in his courtroom. The state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct handed down the decision to remove Justice Robert J. Putorti on Thursday. He would be the 10th judge to be removed by the Court of Appeals in the last decade.
The incident, which took place in 2015, came a year after Putorti began serving as a judge in Whitehall, New York. According to the appellate court records, a man appeared before Putorti for a hearing over an unpaid fine. Putorti pointed the loaded firearm at the man, who was Black, as he approached the bench. The judge claimed that he drew the firearm after feeling that the litigant approached the bench too quickly. Putorti was known to keep a firearm (which he was licensed to carry) attached to the underside of the bench as he heard cases. He is also an owner of Bigboy’s, a gun and ammunition store in Whitehall.
Putorti would repeatedly tell the story of the incident to family and friends, exaggerating the build and demeanor of the Black litigant by referring to him as “agitated,” a “big Black man” who was “6 feet 9 inches tall” and “built like a football player,” and would say he “feared for his safety”. The man was actually 6 feet and weighed 165 pounds. “We have never had a situation other than this case, where a judge — with or without justification — pointed a gun at a litigant in a courthouse,” Robert H. Tembeckjian, administrator for the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct, in a statement issued after the decision.
Putorti would concede later that the assistant district attorney nor the police officer stationed within the courtroom would corroborate his account of the situation. The Commission on Judicial Conduct recommended that he be fired last year, but Putorti appealed. However, the appeals board found that Putorti “exploited a classic and common racist trope that Black men are inherently threatening or dangerous,” showing clear bias. They also noted a lack of remorse, as Putorti was participating in fundraising events for the Elks Lodge while on suspension for the incident.
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Kevin Porter Jr., a rising NBA player for the Houston Rockets, was arrested in New York this week for allegedly assaulting a woman who reports say is his girlfriend. The incident occurred in a hotel early Monday morning (September 11) after officials received a 911 call from the location.
As reported by ESPN, Kevin Porter Jr., 23, and the woman 26, were at a New York hotel with sources stating that the victim of the alleged assault is a former WNBA player. According to a police spokesperson, the woman suffered significant to her face and neck.
“Upon arrival officers were informed that a 26-year-old female sustained a laceration to the right side of her face and was complaining about pain to her neck,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “A preliminary investigation on scene determined that a known individual struck her multiple times upon her body and placed his hands around the neck.”
Porter’s team also issued a statement saying that they’re looking at the matter internally before taking further action.
“We are in the process of gathering information surrounding the matter involving Kevin Porter Jr.,” the Rockets said via a statement. “We have no further comment at this time.”
The NBA issued a similar statement via Mike Bass which read,”The league office is in contact with the Houston Rockets and in the process of gathering more information.”
Porter is facing assault and strangulation charges, both considered felonies in the state of New York.
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New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority approved the first fare increases for its transit system in four years, citing them as “necessary.”On Wednesday (July 19), the MTA Board unanimously voted to increase the subway fares from $2.75 to $2.90. The first fare hike in four years also applies to the buses in the citywide system. In addition, fares will also go up by 5% on the tolls at the city’s bridges and tunnels from $6.55 to $6.94. For those without an E-Z Pass, they will see a 10% increase. Those changes will go into effect Aug. 6, while the subway and bus fare increases take effect on Aug. 20.“We’re making good on this last brick in this amazing edifice that is the restoration of the MTA’s financial stability. It is an important moment,” MTA Chair Janno Lieber said after the decision. “It is not without its downsides because anytime you’re asking people to pay a little more, you know that has consequences.”
Board members declared that the fare increase was “necessary” and “healthy,” as it struggles with a reported $48 billion debt. Deputy chair Jai Patel stated that the increase will help the MTA “keep up with inflation, avert radical fare and toll fluctuations and mitigate impacts on customers by offering a predictable increase schedule.”
Other changes include the express bus fare now being increased to $7, and the seven-day fare going up two dollars to $64. Also, monthly unlimited Metrocards will now be $132 and seven-day unlimited Metrocards will be $34. Metro-North & Long Island Railroad fares will rise 4%. Reduced fares for seniors and others will remain in place.
The board had previously paused talks and plans to increase the fare biannually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which the MTA states led to its current status. The next item will be the congestion pricing plan, which the MTA hopes to enact for vehicles below 60th street in Manhattan by the end of spring next year. It faces opposition from delivery drivers and livery drivers, who protested outside of MTA headquarters yesterday.
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Lawmakers in New York have introduced a new bill that will prohibit the use of rap lyrics in criminal trials as evidence by prosecutors – an issue recently highlighted across the nation.
In January of this year, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz brought forth S1738, known as the “Rap Music on Trial” bill. The goal of the bill is to prevent prosecutors in criminal trials from using lyrics from songs by the defendant in those trials as proof of guilt for the crimes they’re charged with. “Protecting artistic freedom and expression is paramount for our country, but in particular New York City, where we are the cultural capital of the world,” Hoylman-Sigal said to the press. “Rap music has been targeted by prosecutors, mainly because it would seem that there’s racial bias.”
The bill wouldn’t be isolated to only rap music, but the music genre has been the most targeted by prosecutors in cases across the country as social media has made sharing rap videos easier with a farther reach. An essay in the New York Times last year detailed the timeline for the increase of rap lyrics being used since 2005. The RICO case brought against Young Thug in Georgia is currently the most prominent example as lyrics from nine of his songs were cited in the indictment.
Governor Gavin Newsom of California signed the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act into law last September. Congressman Jamaal Bowman of New York and Hank Johnson of Georgia re-introduced the Restoring Artistic Protection, or RAP Act to the House of Representatives in April. That bill has not gone beyond a referral to the House Judiciary Committee.
An earlier version of New York’s state bill was introduced in 2021 with heavy support from artists including Jay-Z, Big Sean, and Meek Mill among others. But it didn’t advance to being passed in the Assembly. The hope is that the current bill will pass this current session, which ends on Thursday (June 8th). The state Senate did approve S1738 on May 15th, which Hoylman-Sigal said gives a “boost of confidence and momentum” that it will make it to Governor Kathy Hochul to be signed into law.
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Jordan Neely, a young Black homeless man who reportedly suffered a mental health episode while on a New York City subway train, was subdued by a passenger and eventually lost his life. Neely’s death was ruled a homicide as protestors continue to demand justice.
Neely, 30, was aboard an F train at the Broadway-Lafayette station when he allegedly threated passengers while standing. Another passenger, reportedly a U.S. Marine, grabbed Neely from behind with a rear-naked chokehold to subdue Neely as others looked on. From the little video footage we could bear to watch, Neely was effectively constrained by the Marine and two others posing no real threat but the Marine kept the deadly chokehold applied tightly and emergency response teams were unable to revive him.
As reported by local outlet ABC 7, protestors planned a protest outside of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for Thursday (May 4), adding to the growing cries of injustice and a common refrain that Neely’s death was indeed murder. The Marine, 24, was taken into custody and eventually released. Howwever, with the homicide ruling, charges could be pending for the Long Island resident.
As the news of Neely’s passing grew wide, most remembered him as a Michael Jackson imprsonator who held performances in and around the Times Square area. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was among the many public figures to speak out regarding Neely’s death and opened a tweet about the matter with, “Jordan Neely was murdered.”
The tweet was decried by New York Mayor Eric Adams, who said of Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet, “I don’t think that’s very responsible at the time when we’re still investigating the situation.”
While Neely’s death was ruled a homicide, the Manhattan DA will need to file charges if the case is to move ahead.
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has been especially vocal regarding Neely’s death, also incurring the criticism of Mayor Adams. However, Lander is refusing to back down.
Across social media, many are gathered in support of Jordan Neely and his family in their ongoing fight to find a legal resolution.
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The Big Apple will have to find another festival to turn up to this year. Rolling Loud New York has been cancelled.
As spotted on Hype Beast the popular Rap concert outing has been put on ice for the foreseeable future. On Friday, March 17 the organization released a formal statement to their social media channels announcing the cancellation of the 2023 festivities. “For the last few years, we’ve made some legendary moments happen in Queens,” the organization’s representatives wrote in a statement that was placed on the visual.
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“Sadly, due to logistical factors beyond our control, Rolling Loud will not return to New York in 2023. But don’t worry, this isn’t ‘goodbye,’ more like ‘see you later.’ We’ll be back in New York when the time is right. In the meantime, we invite all of our New York fans to meet us in Miami July 21-23 for our biggest, best festival of the year. Love you all! Rolling Loud forever.”
The first Rolling Loud took place in Miami, Florida in February 2015 and featured artists such as Schoolboy Q, Juicy J, Curren$y, and Action Bronson in the one-day event. It took place at Soho Studios in the Wynwood district of the city, though the venue was temporarily flooded during the event due to rain.
You can purchase tickets for Rolling Loud Miami here.
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A food company publicly apologized after students at a school in upstate New York were served a racially insensitive lunch at the beginning of Black History Month.
According to reports, students at Nyack Middle School were served chicken and waffles with a side of watermelon last Wednesday (Feb. 1), the first day of Black History Month. The original menu offerings were supposed to be Philly cheesesteaks, broccoli and fresh fruit. Students including Honore Santiago spoke out about the meal. “I was questioning because they don’t usually give watermelon,” she said.
Principal David Johnson sent out a letter to parents apologizing for the situation. “I am disappointed that Aramark would serve items that differed from the published monthly menu, especially items that reinforce negative stereotypes concerning the African-American community,” the letter read.
Johnson called the menu items “insensitive.” He contacted the school’s food provider Aramark to voice his concern and to see if this situation can be avoided in the future. “If they had served chicken and waffles by itself, I don’t know that we would be having this conversation. But the moment you add in the watermelon, that changed the whole complexion, literally,” Wilbur Aldridge of the Nyack chapter of the NAACP said.
A spokesperson from Aramark released a statement, saying: “The situation at that middle school was our mistake and never should have happened. It stands in direct contrast to who we are as a company and our longstanding commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We have apologized for our mistake, and are working to determine how it happened and make sure it never happens again.”
The interim school superintendent, James Montesano, said that the company has committed to working with the school to have “workshops that are focused around the concept of equity and institutional racism,” involving their employees.
This wasn’t the first time that Aramark has wound up in a scandal along these lines. In 2018, students at New York University were served barbecued ribs, collard greens, cornbread, Kool-Aid and watermelon-flavored water during Black History Month. After a vocal backlash, the workers involved were fired and the company apologized. For Honore Santiago, she just has one thought about it all: “I just hope that they won’t do it again, at a different school or my school ever again.”