Month: January 2023

Police have named the father of the family of eight shot and killed inside a rural Utah home on Wednesday as a suspect in the case. Police identified the deceased as 42-year-old Michael Haight, his wife Tausha Haight, 40, their five children and 78-year-old Gail Earl, Tausha’s mother. Michael Haight is suspected of killing his family and himself. Police said in a statement that all of the deceased sustained gunshot wounds.

Deputies arrived at the residence in Enoch City to conduct a welfare check and discovered three adults were also found dead.  The children were all students in the Iron County School District. They were 17, 12, 4 and two 7-year-olds. Three were female and the 4-year-old and one of the 7-year-olds were male. According to city manager Rob Dotson, the community is in shock over the tragedy, saying the family of eight attended church and schools in the area and that they were very active citizens. The father of the family was an insurance agent, Dotson said, adding that no one ever noticed any issues or dysfunction in the family.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox expressed his condolences on Twitter: “Our hearts go out to all those affected by this senseless violence. Please keep the community of Enoch in your prayers.” Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson also said on Twitter that she was “praying for the community of Enoch tonight.”

The Iron County School District sent a letter to parents on Wednesday expressing sadness and offering grief counselors to help students: “We are saddened by the loss to our school community and will make every effort to help you and your child as needed.”

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The U.S. House of Representatives voted to adjourn Wednesday night and push a seventh vote for House speaker into a third day, after Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost a sixth vote to lead Republicans as speaker of the House. The House reconvened shortly after 8 p.m. EST, when Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., raised a motion to adjourn until noon Thursday. A 15-minute electronic vote on the motion was taken after a verbal vote produced a rowdy response from both sides of the aisle. The vote to adjourn was 216 in favor and 214 opposed. The vote was split mostly along party lines with Republicans wanting to call it a night, and Democrats voting to stay for the crucial vote.

After meeting behind closed doors Wednesday night with some detractors for nearly three hours, McCarthy told reporters he didn’t believe another vote would deliver a different outcome: “I think it’s probably best that people work through some more. I don’t think a vote tonight does any difference, but I think a vote in the future will.” On Wednesday, McCarthy lost one more vote, a Republican who switched from supporting him to “present.” McCarthy had suggested Tuesday night that he might prevail with a lower majority, and if some of the 19 holdouts were to vote “present,” he could win. n – but it’s unlikely he wanted to lose a vote. Meanwhile, Democrats remained united behind Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, as he remained strong with all 212 Democratic votes on all six ballots.

It is the first time in roughly 100 years it’s taken more than one ballot to vote in a new speaker. The House cannot conduct any business until a new speaker is elected by a majority of members.

Editorial credit: Shirley Preston / Shutterstock.com

A Southern California man has been arrested for attempted murder and child abuse after California Highway Patrol officials say he intentionally drove a Tesla over a cliff on the Pacific Coast Highway with his wife and two children in the car.

California Highway Patrol confirmed the driver of the car, 41-year-old Dharmesh A. Patel, of Pasadena, California, will face attempted murder and child abuse charges for the Jan. 2 incident. Patel is being treated for his injuries and will be booked into San Mateo County Jail upon his release from the hospital. According to Patel’s arrest report, the other occupants of the car were a 41-year-old female, a 7-year-old female and a 4-year-old male. All were rescued after they survived the 250 foot drop over the cliff at Devil’s Slide and landed near the shoreline below, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. The vehicle flipped multiple times and landed mostly on its wheels. Rescuers were able to notice movement in the front seat while scanning the wrecked car from above with binoculars. Helicopters then assisted in rescuing the four people in the car.

The CHP said on Jan. 3 that investigators spent the evening of Jan. 2 interviewing witnesses and gathering evidence from the scene. They shared in a release noting Patel’s arrest: “Based on the evidence collected, investigators developed probable cause to believe this incident was an intentional act. There has been no determination as to what driving mode the Tesla was in; however, that does not appear to be a contributing factor in this incident.”

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Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., fell short of the votes needed to be elected speaker of the House on the first three ballots on Tuesday, leading the House to adjourn in advance of further voting.  Representatives officially adjourned for the day at 5:27 p.m. EST and will resume voting after noon Wednesday, marking the first time in 100 years a speaker has not been elected on the first ballot.

20 Republican colleagues opposed McCarthy, 57, during the third vote, an increase from 19 during the second vote. McCarthy collected 202 votes on the third ballot, one less than during the second round. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio received 20 votes cast with the aim of denying McCarthy’s bid for the position. Jordan collected 19 votes in the second round. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., collected 212 votes from Democrats. No other votes were cast.

McCarthy received 203 votes on the first ballot, while Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs received 10 votes and nine others also received votes. One of those who defected, Florida Representative Matt Gaetz had said that he would support Jordan for speaker instead, despite Jordan himself saying that he supports McCarthy for speaker. Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry also refused to support McCarthy. In an effort to gain votes, McCarthy had announced several concessions in a proposed House rules package, including changes to how the speaker could be removed.

Democratic Sen. Patty Murray from Washington was elected Tuesday as President Pro Tempore of the Senate, which puts her third in line of presidential succession after the vice president and speaker of the House. Also on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell celebrated becoming the longest serving party leader in Senate history.

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Amber McLaughlin died by lethal injection Tuesday night in Missouri, becoming the first openly transgender woman to be executed in the U.S.  McLaughlin began her transition in prison about three years ago.  According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, McLaughlin was pronounced dead at 6:51 p.m. at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre.  McLaughlin said in a final, written, statement before her execution: “I am sorry for what I did. I am a loving and caring person.”  She spoke quietly with a spiritual adviser at her side as the fatal dose of pentobarbital was injected, and was pronounced dead a few minutes later.

McLaughlin, 49, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2006 in the killing of Beverly Guenther. A judge sentenced her to death after the jury deadlocked on its sentencing decision. McLaughlin was in a relationship with Guenther before her transition, but Guenther obtained a restraining order after McLaughlin showed up multiple times at her workplace. Officers found a broken knife handle near Guenther’s car and a trail of blood at her office building on the night of Nov. 20, 2003. McLaughlin later led police to a location near the Mississippi River in St. Louis where Guenther’s body had been dumped.

McLaughlin’s appeal for clemency argued that the jury did not listen to issues about her mental health, including details of traumatic childhood abuse and depression. Advocates also expressed concern that McLaughlin would be put to death even though the jury was not unanimous. However, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson denied clemency Tuesday, saying in a statement on Tuesday: “McLaughlin is a violent criminal. Ms. Guenther’s family and loved ones deserve peace. The State of Missouri will carry out McLaughlin’s sentence according to the Court’s order and deliver justice.” 

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