Woman charged over death of man in Glasgow flat
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Political activist Tommy Robinson to appear in court charged with harassment
Political activist is due to appear in court accused of harassing two journalists. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is accused of harassing MailOnline reporters Andrew Young and Jacob Dirnhuber, and their family members, through his X account between August 5 and 7 2024. The 42-year-old is due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday following his not guilty pleas at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month. Prosecutors told a previous hearing that none of the alleged harassment contained direct threats of violence. After the last hearing, Robinson spoke of how he had 'never had' the opportunity to have a jury trial and wanted '12 members of the British public' to hear the evidence in the case. Robinson will face a trial preparation hearing when he appears in court on Thursday.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Man charged with killing former Minnesota House speaker is due back in court after delay
The man charged with killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and wounding a state senator and his wife, is due back in federal court Thursday for a hearing that was put on hold after his lawyer said his client had been unable to sleep while on suicide watch. The hearing is expected to address whether Vance Boelter should remain in custody without bail and affirm that there is probable cause to proceed with the case. He's not expected to enter a plea. Prosecutors need to secure a grand jury indictment first, before his arraignment, which is when a plea is normally entered. An unshaven Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, was wearing a green padded suicide prevention suit and orange slippers when he was brought into court last Friday. Federal defender Manny Atwal then asked Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko to continue the hearing. She said Boelter had been sleep deprived due to harsh conditions in the Sherburne County Jail, making it difficult for them to communicate. 'Your honor, I haven't really slept in about 12 to 14 days,' Boelter told the judge then. And he denied being suicidal. 'I've never been suicidal and I am not suicidal now.' Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott, whose jail houses both county and federal prisoners, rejected Boelter's claims of poor conditions as absurd. 'He is not in a hotel. He's in jail, where a person belongs when they commit the heinous crimes he is accused of committing," Brott said in a statement Friday. Boelter faces separate cases in federal and state court on charges of murder and attempted murder for what the state's chief federal prosecutor, Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, has called 'a political assassination' and 'a chilling attack on our democracy.' The feds are going first. Authorities say Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot to death in their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park in the early hours of June 14 by a man disguised as a police officer who was driving a fake squad car. Boelter also allegedly shot and seriously wounded state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, earlier that morning at their home in nearby Champlin. The Hoffmans are recovering, but Hortman's golden retriever, Gilbert, was seriously injured and had to be euthanized. Boelter surrendered near his home the night of June 15 after what authorities called the largest search in Minnesota history, a hunt of around 40 hours. Atwal told the court last week that Boelter had been kept in what's known as a 'Gumby suit,' without undergarments, ever since his first court appearance June 16. She said the lights were on in his area 24 hours a day, doors slammed frequently, the inmate in the next cell would spread feces on the walls, and the smell would drift to Boelter's cell. The attorney said transferring him to segregation instead, and giving him a normal jail uniform, would let him get some sleep, restore some dignity, and let him communicate better. The judge granted the delay. Boelter's lawyers have declined to comment on the charges themselves, which could carry the federal death penalty. Thompson has said no decision has been made whether to seek it. Minnesota abolished its death penalty in 1911. But Attorney General Pam Bondi has said from the start that the Trump administration will be more aggressive in seeking capital punishment. Prosecutors allege Boelter also stopped at the homes of two other Democratic lawmakers. They also say he listed dozens of other Democrats as potential targets, including officials in other states. Friends described Boelter as an evangelical Christian with politically conservative views. But prosecutors have declined so far to speculate on a motive. Former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris joined the mourners at the Hortmans' funeral last Saturday. Gov. Tim Walz, Harris's running mate on the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket, eulogized Hortman as 'the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history.' Hortman served as speaker from 2019 until January. She then yielded the post to a Republican in a power-sharing deal after the House became tied in the 2024 elections, and became speaker emerita.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Ron Acosta, founder of Tex-Mex chain Las Palapas, brutally murdered by nephew in San Antonio home
The founder of beloved Tex-Mex chain Las Palapas was viciously stabbed to death by his troubled nephew inside his San Antonio home, police say. Edward 'Ron' Acosta, 78, was slaughtered on Tuesday morning after an argument with his nephew, David Ruiz, 39. The high-profile restaurateur was found bloodied in the garage of his gated-community home by his housekeeper, who frantically dialed 911 upon making the gory discovery. When interviewed by investigators, the housekeeper recalled the victim's chilling screams as he pleaded for his life - 'No, David! No, David!' Ruiz fled the scene, but was captured by police a few hours later in Kimble County, northwest of San Antonio and charged with murder. The alleged killer was displaying alarming behavior in the days leading up to the shocking murder, his father revealed to the San Antonio Express-News. James Ruiz, 78, of Whittier, California, claimed his son's mental health had been spiraling out of control. He was worried Ruiz, also of Whittier, was going to hurt himself. 'I thought I was going to lose him to suicide,' James sorrowfully confessed to the outlet. 'I never thought he'd hurt someone else - especially not Ronnie. He just completely snapped.' James also said he had a deadbolt installed on his bedroom door to protect himself from his erratic son. 'I decided, for my own safety, I'd lock myself in my bedroom,' he told the outlet, adding he believed his son was smoking meth, adding to his rapidly declining mental state. Ruiz took off on Sunday, claiming to be going to visit Acosta's son Aaron and his brother Steven, who resides with Aaron. He had not slept for four days straight, and James said he was hallucinating and becoming terrifyingly paranoid - believing people were trying to hurt him. Ruiz had also told his girlfriend that James died, prompting her to start to worry about his well-being. On his way to San Antonio, he allegedly asked Aaron to buy him a gun - a request the concerned cousin refused. While Ruiz was still on the run, police contacted James and told him to notify them if he returns to their California home. He then texted his son, urging him to turn himself into the police for murdering Acosta. When confronted with the accusation, Ruiz told his father: 'Oh, you're crazy.' Before this alarming episode, Ruiz had never been violent. James described him as a loving father of three who worked at a foster care facility for troubled children. He is now grappling with the fact that Ruiz allegedly went after his uncle, who he previously 'had no contact with.' Acosta moved from Los Angeles to San Antonio more than 40 years ago, founding his Texas-based restaurant empire in 1981, the San Antonio Express-News reported. There are more than 20c locations throughout the San Antonio area. In a heartfelt tribute to the devoted businessman, the franchise wrote on Facebook: 'Ron was a man of deep faith, a generous spirit, and a true community leader. 'His warmth, vision, and work ethic left an undeniable mark on San Antonio. Many knew him as the founder of Las Palapas, but those closest to him knew him as a kind, God-fearing man who believed in serving others, whether through food, friendship, or faith. 'Ron's impact reached far beyond the restaurants he helped build. He brought people together, created jobs and opportunities, and shared his love of culture and community in everything he did. He will be missed more than words can express.'
