How the accused UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter could get away with murder
Could the man accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on video get away with murder? While the immediate response would seem to be “no” considering the evidence, legal analysts say there is a chance, however small, Luigi Mangione could avoid a murder conviction.
Increasing public sympathy for Mangione could result in what’s called jury nullification despite the large amount of evidence stacked against him, according to some legal experts.
Jury nullification is when a jury returns a not guilty verdict even though all the jurors believe beyond a reasonable doubt the defendant did what he is accused of.
Mangione has been charged with multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism, under federal law. He also faces state charges in New York and Pennsylvania.
He faces the death penalty in the federal charges, while the maximum sentence for the state charges is life in prison without parole. Prosecutors say the two cases will be tried in mostly the same way, with the state charges expected to go to trial first.
Since his arrest, Mangione has gained many supporters. Many of them have posted sympathetic messages online or created fan accounts.
Supporters have even raised thousands of dollars on crowdfunding sites to pay for his legal defense fund. Many see Mangione’s alleged crimes as a form of protest against the American health care system.
Court proceedings in Mangione’s case were slated to start on Jan. 18. However, the deadline for indictment was pushed to Feb. 17 after both prosecutors and Mangione’s attorneys told a federal court they need more time to prepare.
Trump sentenced in hush money case: no jail, no conditions
President-elect Donald Trump received no jail time in his hush money case sentencing. While the move was expected, he’s now a convicted felon 10 days before the start of his second term.
Judge Juan Merchant sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge on Friday, Jan. 10. That means even though he won’t go to jail, get probation or face any fines, he will enter office as a convicted felon, making him the first to carry that distinction into the White House.
Trump appeared virtually for the sentencing after being found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges involved an alleged scheme to hide a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels in the last weeks of Trump’s first campaign in 2016.
The court released audio playback of the sentencing, which was not allowed to be broadcast on live media.
“This has been a very terrible experience,” Trump said at one point. “It’s been a political witch hunt. It was done to damage my reputation so that I would lose that election and obviously that didn’t work.”
Shortly after the sentencing, with Trump’s gag order expired, the president-elect reiterated what he said during his court hearing posting to Truth Social that there was “never a case” and called it a “hoax” and an “un-American witch hunt,” adding that he will appeal.
The sentencing was allowed to go forward after the Supreme Court decided Thursday, Jan. 9 to reject Trump’s request to drop the proceeding. Trump’s legal team asked the court to intervene after the judge said he would go forward with the unconditional discharge ruling.
Wildfires force thousands to evacuate Southern California
Three massive wildfires are burning out of control in Southern California, putting thousands of homes at risk. And President-elect Donald Trump shares his plans to acquire Greenland, the Panama Canal and bring Canada as the 51st state. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
Southern California wildfires force thousands to evacuate
Three separate wildfires are burning in the Los Angeles, California, area, and there is no end in sight, as strong winds are fueling the flames. The most extreme of the three is the Palisades Fire, which spans nearly 3,000 acres and has already forced 30,000 residents to evacuate.
Cities surrounding Pacific Palisades, including Malibu, issued evacuation orders. Officials there told all residents to prepare to leave their homes, whether they were under evacuation orders or not since the inferno was moving so quickly.
All hands are on deck to fight the #PalisadesFire in Southern California. California is deeply grateful for the brave firefighters & first responders battling the blaze.
We will continue to mobilize resources and support local communities as they respond to this severe weather. pic.twitter.com/JZrYy85e4z
The neighboring city of Santa Monica also issued an evacuation order for the northern part of the city. It also closed the area to the public, warning of an immediate threat to life.
As thousands of firefighters continue to battle the flames, authorities work to find the fire’s cause.
A second wildfire, dubbed the Eaton Fire, burns near Pasadena. A city spokeswoman said it has “created its own firestorm” with flying embers igniting at least a dozen other spot fires.
So far, the Eaton Fire has consumed about 1,000 acres. It engulfed homes and forced more than 100 people to evacuate from a nursing home — some in wheelchairs and on gurneys. A federal disaster declaration is now in effect for the Eaton Fire.
Crews are also battling the Hurst Fire about 100 acres in the San Fernando Valley, which is in the northern part of Los Angeles County. The Hurst Fire also prompted evacuation orders.
The Los Angeles County canceled schools in 19 districts Wednesday, Jan. 8. Plus, more than 200,000 people are without access to power, either because of the powerful Santa Ana winds or because a utility provider turned off electricity to prevent additional fires.
The forecast called for the winds to continue for days, producing gusts that could top 100 miles per hour in the mountains and foothills.
Biden administration asks federal appeals court to block 9/11 plea deals
The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The controversial deal would spare Mohammed from the death penalty for his role in planning the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
The deadly attack rocked the U.S. and began the war on terrorism.
In court filings Tuesday, Jan. 7, the Justice Department argued the government would be irreparably harmed if the guilty pleas were accepted for Mohammed and two co-defendants in the 9/11 attacks.
It said the government would be denied a chance for a public trial and the opportunity to “seek capital punishment against three men charged with a heinous act of mass murder that caused the death of thousands of people and shocked the nation and the world.”
The Defense Department negotiated and approved the plea deal but later revoked it.
However, attorneys for the defendants argued the deal was already legally in effect and that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who began the administration’s efforts to throw it out, acted too late.
Mohammed is set to enter his guilty plea on Friday, Jan. 10, if the appeal is not granted. His co-defendants, accused of lesser roles in 9/11, are due to enter theirs next week.
Harris, Johnson deliver eulogies for President Jimmy Carter
The 39th president died last week at the age of 100.
Carter’s body had been lying in repose since Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta before being transported Tuesday morning to Washington D.C.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson each delivered a eulogy during Tuesday’s ceremony
“We all know that his care for humanity didn’t stop at building homes,” Johnson said. “In the face of illness, President Jimmy Carter brought lifesaving medicine. In the face of conflict, he brokered peace. In the face of discrimination, he reminded us that we are all made in the image of God. If you were to ask him why he did it all, he would likely point to his faith.”
Harris highlighted Carter’s faith. She said, “James Earl Carter, Jr. loved our country. He lived his faith. He served the people. And he left the world better than he found it.”
Carter’s body will lie in state through Thursday morning, Jan. 9, and then be taken to the National Cathedral for a state funeral. Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy.
Trump suggests using military, economic force to expand America
In a wide-ranging press conference from Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump touched on a bunch of topics, including a $20 billion foreign investment to build data centers in the U.S. He also talked about his plans to revoke Biden’s recent ban on offshore oil and natural gas drilling as well as expansion strategies for the United States.
Trump reiterated his goals of acquiring the Panama Canal, which has been under Panama’s sole control since 1999, and Greenland, a territory of Denmark.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., is leading an American delegation currently in Greenland, though the country’s prime minister said he is there as “a private individual.”
The Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s remarks Tuesday, saying Greenland was not for sale.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede reiterated this point, saying “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. Our future and fight for independence is our business.”
A reporter asked the president-elect if he can assure that he would not use any military force to take control of either the Panama Canal or Greenland.
“I can’t assure you, you’re talking about Panama and Greenland,” Trump replied. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two but, I can say this we need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for a military. I’m not going to commit to that now.”
In response to those remarks, the prime minister of Denmark called the United States its country’s “closest ally” and did not believe the U.S. would use any force to secure Greenland. Panama’s foreign minister repeated earlier comments from the country’s president that the sovereignty of the Panama Canal is not negotiable.
“[I’d use] economic force because Canada and the United States — that would really be something,” he said. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like. It would also be much better for national security. Don’t forget, we basically protect Canada.”
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his response in a post on X saying, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.”The president-elect also spoke of one more geographical goal of his in the upcoming term: to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, saying it “has a beautiful ring to it.”
Not long after his remarks, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said she directed her staff to begin drafting legislation for the name change.
Police: Former soldier used AI to plan Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion attack
New details are emerging about the man who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Las Vegas police said Tuesday the attacker used generative AI, including ChatGPT to plan the attack.
An investigation into former soldier Matthew Livelsberger, 37, found his search history on ChatGPT included questions about firearms and explosives. Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor has more details on the investigation into the Cybertruck explosion.
Girl Scout cookie season begins, 2 flavors discontinued
Girl Scout cookie season has arrived. The annual tradition is meant to teach young girls about entrepreneurial skills through selling boxes of cookies.
Almost everyone has a favorite, of course, but if yours is Girl Scout S’mores or Toast-Yay! Cookies — bad news. The Girl Scouts plan to retire those two flavors later this year.
The organization said discontinuing those two flavors may lead to something new and delicious.
Judge sets Trump hush money case sentencing, decides no jail time
A judge upheld President-elect Donald Trump’s conviction in his hush-money case, with his sentencing scheduled just a little over a week before he’s due to return to the White House. However, he’s not expected to face jail time.
Judge Juan Merchan rejected Trump’s push to throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds. Judge Merchan said he would sentence President-elect Trump on an unconditional discharge, a rare and lenient alternative to jail or probation.
While Merchan said that he can’t determine Trump’s sentence yet without hearing from Trump and others in the case, he said his unconditional discharge decision means Trump will avoid serious punishment, but his conviction remains on his record.
He also said his choice respects the sanctity of the jury’s guilty verdict on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The charges involved an alleged scheme to hide a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels in the last weeks of Trump’s first campaign in 2016.
The judge set Trump’s sentencing hearing for Jan. 10. He can appear virtually or in person.
Trump’s lawyers haven’t commented yet on the judge’s decision. However, they previously said they would appeal any effort to sentence him before inauguration day.
Editor’s note: In a previous version of this story, Straight Arrow News incorrectly reported that President-elect Donald Trump would be sentenced on a conditional charge. Judge Juan Merchan said he would actually sentence Trump to an unconditional discharge. Straight Arrow News deeply regrets this error, which has been corrected as of 1/09/2025.
South Korean parliament votes to impeach acting president
The political turmoil involving key U.S. ally South Korea deepens as its acting president is impeached. And severe weather could disrupt plans for millions on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Dec. 27, 2024.
South Korean parliament votes to impeach acting president
Han, South Korea’s number two official, has been leading the country since the opposition-controlled National Assembly moved to get rid of Yoon. The assembly voted Friday to approve the impeachment motion against Han 192-0, with current governing party lawmakers boycotting the vote.
Meanwhile, two lawyers from Yoon’s legal team appeared before the constitutional court on Yoon’s behalf as hearings into his impeachment begin. The court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him from office.
South Korea is a key ally of the United States. The U.S. has nearly 30,000 troops stationed there. Any new government would have to deal with President-elect Donald Trump come January. Trump has previously stated that South Korea should pay as much as $10 billion to have American troops there.
Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen airport where WHO chief was boarding plane
A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports Thursday, Dec. 26. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment happened not far from where he was about to board a flight, injuring a crew member with the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service.
Our mission to negotiate the release of @UN staff detainees and to assess the health and humanitarian situation in #Yemen concluded today. We continue to call for the detainees' immediate release.
As we were about to board our flight from Sana’a, about two hours ago, the airport… pic.twitter.com/riZayWHkvf
At least three people were later reported killed and dozens injured in the airport strike.
A U.S. spokesperson said U.N. team members have since left the airport and are “safe and sound” in Sanaa. The injured crew member was getting treatment at a hospital.
The Israeli army told the Associated Press it was not aware that the WHO chief or delegation was at the location in Yemen.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Israeli strikes left 20 people dead, including five Palestinian journalists, according to the territory’s health ministry. The Israeli military claimed they were militants posing as reporters.
Russian anti-aircraft system may have struck Azerbaijan passenger plane
Early indications point to a Russian anti-aircraft system as the cause of a deadly Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, Dec. 25, a U.S. official told multiple outlets. There are reports that the Russian system used a surface-to-air missile to hit the flight before it crashed near the city of Aktau, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.
A commission has been set up to investigate the crash, including representatives from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia. However, Russian and Azerbaijani investigators will not be allowed to conduct their own forensics investigations, according to Kazakh state media.
The flight was en route, from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny when it was diverted. Russian state media said the diversion was because of fog. The plane crash landed while attempting to make an emergency landing in Kazakhstan.
Some aviation experts have pointed to holes in the underside of the plane as evidence of shrapnel and that the plane appeared to have been shot down.
Judge rules ‘Diddy’ and Jay-Z rape accuser can remain anonymous
A New York judge has ruled a woman who is accusing music moguls Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, of raping her when she was 13 can stay anonymous for now.
Judge says woman accusing Jay-Z, Sean 'Diddy' Combs of raping her at age 13 can proceed anonymously https://t.co/GwuLF7l5N0
In her decision, Judge Analisa Torres reserved the right to revisit the decision at a future date if the case moves forward, which would help defense lawyers prepare for trial. Torres also cited “substantial interest” from the public.
Severe weather threatens to disrupt post-Christmas travel
Friday is the start of one of the busiest travel weekends of the year and severe weather will likely throw a wrench in many people’s plans. Storms across the western and southern U.S. are threatening delays for millions of passengers, especially Saturday, Dec. 28.
Here are some key messages regarding the severe weather threat this Saturday (12/28). pic.twitter.com/BmzmpznyeE
The National Weather Service said another round of severe thunderstorms is expected to hit the deep south Saturday with strong tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail from Louisiana to Alabama. Meanwhile, a series of Pacific storm systems will continue to impact the west, bringing strong winds, low-elevation rain and heavy mountain snow.
Americans get lottery fever as Mega Millions jackpot hits $1.15 billion
While lottery officials say the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, chances of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million. However, come April, the chances will go up — along with ticket prices.
Right now, Mega Millions is $2 per ticket, but that cost will jump to $5 in April. Lottery officials insist the price hike will lead to improved jackpot odds along with more frequent giant prizes and even bigger payouts.
Man found guilty in murder of Indiana teen girls sentenced to 130 years
The man found guilty of killing two teenage girls in a highly publicized trial in Indiana will spend the rest of his life in prison. On Friday, Dec. 20, a judge sentenced Richard Allen to the maximum punishment of 130 years.
In November 2024, a jury found Allen guilty in the murders of 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German in 2017 in Delphi.
Prosecutors say he kidnapped and killed them, leaving their bodies near a trail in the city of Delphi.
The case went cold for more than five years until Allen was arrested in 2022.
Prosecutors claimed Allen confessed to the murders multiple times while waiting for trial. His lawyers said the so-called confessions were due to a mental health crisis Allen was suffering.
After the sentencing, Libby’s grandfather, Mike Patty spoke at a news conference about the case finally coming to an end.
“I really wanted to take the time to send out my appreciation that justice has been served for the girls,” Patty said.
Carroll County Sheriff Tony Liggett shared the impact the trial has had on the community.
“There will never be any closure in this case,” Liggett said. “The Germans and the Williams family lost their daughters, their granddaughters, their siblings. Justice was served but it does not bring Abby or Libby back.”
Cameras were not allowed in the courtroom, but Allen reportedly rolled his eyes at the judge and showed zero remorse during the trial.
He did not speak during Friday’s hearing.
Police transfer UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect to NY federal prison
Law enforcement officials extradited Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, to New York on Thursday, Dec. 19. There, Mangione listened as a judge read out four federal charges against him, including murder with a firearm, an offense punishable by the death penalty.
The hearing followed Mangione’s move from Pennsylvania, where police arrested him on Dec. 9, to New York.
Armed guards surrounded Mangione as NYPD officers walked him off a helicopter upon his arrival in Manhattan. New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined the walk.
“Police Commissioner [Jessica] Tisch and I all want to send a very clear and loud message that this act of terrorism and the violence that stems from it is something that will not be tolerated in this city,” Adams told the press at the site of the helicopter arrival.
Mangione already faces state-level charges in New York. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought charges Tuesday, Dec. 17, against him, including for murder as an act of terrorism.
But Mangione also received a hero’s welcome from some protesters outside the federal courthouse, as the killing of the 50-year-old Thompson sparked backlash against the health insurance industry and its coverage policies.
While judges have not set any dates yet, Mangione will face state-level charges first. A federal trial will follow.
New York abolished the death penalty, meaning it’s not an option for Mangione in the state-level case. However, the death penalty can still be exercised in the federal case.
Jurors deliberated over whether Penny committed criminally negligent homicide when he put Neely in a chokehold on a New York City subway in May 2023.
The jury had been deadlocked on another charge of manslaughter last week, but at the request of prosecutors on Friday, Dec. 6, Judge Maxwell Wiley dropped the second-degree manslaughter charge and ordered the jury to focus on the lesser charge of negligent homicide.
Both were felony charges and carried with them years behind bars if Penny were to be convicted.
Prosecutors accused Penny of killing Neely when he placed him in a six-minute chokehold, and the city’s medical examiner said Penny’s chokehold killed Neely.
However, the defense contended Neely died from drug use and a previous medical condition.
Penny’s lawyers said he meant to save subway passengers from Neely, who witnesses say was acting erratically and yelling when he entered the subway.
Prosecutors argued Penny acted with too much force against Neely, who had schizophrenia.
The case has been subject to protests among advocates for a guilty verdict and advocates for a not-guilty verdict.
Fox News reports that before deliberations began on Monday, demonstrators for and against Penny’s acquittal argued outside of the courthouse.
The noise from the protests outside could reportedly be heard inside the courtroom, and Penny’s lawyers argued they could be viewed as threats against the jury, citing statements from protesters like, “If we don’t get no justice, we don’t get no peace.”
Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Dafna Yoran responded by saying, “There were no threats to the jury.”
Judge Wiley said he would allow the jury to continue deliberations. However, he noted, if there were any more interruptions, he would call both legal teams back to the bench.
Neely’s father told reporters after the verdicts outside the courthouse that he believed the “system is rigged,” but called on everyone upset with the verdict to “help one person,” adding, “that’s how we beat the system.”
Meanwhile, supporters of Penny, like former public defender Maud Maron told Fox News that jurors “got it right” and asserted Penny should have never been facing charges in the first place.
Russians accused of operating spy ring targeting Ukrainian soldiers at US base
A trial is underway in Britain, where prosecutors accuse three Bulgarians of being part of a Russian spy ring that targeted Ukrainian soldiers. The soldiers were training to use the Patriot air defense system at the U.S. military base in Stuttgart, Germany.
Bulgarian nationals Katrin Ivanova, Vanya Gaberova and Tihomir Ivanchev are on trial. They allegedly participated in a spy network operated by a Russian agent named Jan Marsalak.
British prosecutor Alison Morgan told the jury in London they planned a half dozen operations from Britain. She says the men and two others were to stage a fake protest outside the Kazakh embassy in London. Authorities accused Marsalek of giving the instructions.
The prosecutor said Marsalek gave orders to surveil the American base in Stuttgart. The surveillance happened between October and November 2022 as the Russian invasion of Ukraine was ongoing. However, police arrested the suspects, cutting the operation short.
Morgan believes the information used in the surveillance would’ve been used to track soldiers who were deployed to use surface-to-air missiles in Ukraine.
She called it a serious crime to try to gather information to know precisely where Ukrainian soldiers, with this type of specific deployment, might be in the future.
Ivanova, Gaberova and Ivanchev have all pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to gather information useful to an enemy. Their trial is on track to last into February.
Zepbound helps shed more weight than Wegovy, Eli Lilly study says
GLP-1 drugs are reshaping the way Americans look at weight loss now that the FDA has approved a few of them to help battle obesity. Now, a new study is shedding light on two of the most popular drugs people turn to to help them shed pounds.
Previous studies have shown Zepbound helped people lose more weight than Wegovy. That said, they’re not considered true comparisons of the drugs because the results were based on preexisting data.
This new trial had people who were overweight or obese use the drugs once a week for 72 weeks. The study found that those injected with Zepbound lost 20.2% of their body weight, or 50.3 pounds on average. Those injected with Wegovy lost an average of 13.7% of their body weight, or 33.1 pounds.
Eli Lilly says that means Zepbound is nearly twice as effective as Wegovy. Doctors say that despite the difference in results, both drugs are still highly effective at helping people lose weight.
In a statement, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson noted Wegovy had been linked to a reduced risk of heart issues like heart attack and stroke.
Another thing to note is that aside from their names, Zepbound and Wegovy are also different in their active ingredients. Zepbound uses tirzepatide to help you lose weight, while Wegovy is a semaglutide injection.
Both target GLP-1 receptors to make you feel less hungry. Still, unlike semaglutide, tirzepatide also targets GIP receptors, which reduces a person’s appetite more than just a GLP-1 drug alone.