Month: October 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to review an appeal filed by Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of helping the late financier traffic underage girls. Maxwell, who was sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison for her role in recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein’s abuse, filed the appeal in April.  She has completed five years of her 20-year sentence thus far.

The high court rejected Maxwell’s claim that she should have been protected from prosecution due to a 2007 non-prosecution agreement between Epstein and Florida federal prosecutors.  Despite that argument, prosecutors in New York later brought separate charges against her, concluding that the Florida plea deal did not apply outside that jurisdiction and did not restrict federal prosecutors in New York from pursuing their own case.

Maxwell’s legal team maintains that courts across the country have interpreted the scope of federal non-prosecution agreements inconsistently, leaving uncertainty over whether such deals should be considered binding nationwide.

Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, said in a statement following the decision: “We are, of course, extremely disappointed that the Supreme Court chose not to hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal. However, this matter is far from over. There are still significant legal and factual questions that must be addressed, and we will continue to pursue every option to see that justice is ultimately served.”

In July, Maxwell and her attorney met for two days with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. During that meeting, Maxwell reportedly told the department she never witnessed any inappropriate behavior involving Donald Trump and was unaware of any allegations of misconduct connected to his friendship with Epstein.  In August, Maxwell was quietly transferred to a minimum-security federal facility in Texas, though officials provided no explanation for the move.

In a filing submitted to the Supreme Court over the summer, the Justice Department argued that Maxwell “was not a party to the relevant agreement,” emphasizing that “only Epstein and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida were bound by it.”

Epstein pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges in 2008 and served time in a Florida jail. More than a decade later, he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges in July 2019 but died by suicide in federal custody a month later while awaiting trial.

Calls for greater transparency around the Epstein case have continued to grow, particularly among some Republican lawmakers and allies of Trump.  Trump has repeatedly denied writing the note or having any improper involvement with Epstein.

Editorial credit: Heidi Besen / Shutterstock.com

The state of Illinois and city of Chicago filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the Trump administration from deploying federalized National Guard troops into Chicago, arguing that such action violates both state sovereignty and the U.S. Constitution. Illinois and Chicago are asking the court to declare the administration’s order to federalize and deploy National Guard units — from Illinois or any other state — unconstitutional and/or unlawful.

The dispute in Illinois is part of a broader legal fight over Trump’s use of federalized troops. Earlier this year, a California judge ruled that the deployment of Marines and National Guard members to Los Angeles was unlawful, while Washington, D.C.’s attorney general has also filed suit challenging similar actions in the capital.

In the 69-page complaint — which names President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll as defendants — the Illinois Attorney General’s Office asserts that “The American people, regardless of where they reside, should not live under the threat of occupation by the United States military, particularly not simply because their city or state leadership has fallen out of a president’s favor.” 

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs state: “there is no insurrection in Illinois. There is no rebellion in Illinois. The federal government is able to enforce federal law in Illinois. The manufactured nature of the crisis is clear,” adding that the administration’s actions “have already subjected, and continue to subject, Illinois to serious and irreparable harm.”

The lawsuit goes on to argue that the federal government is overstepping its authority: “The Federalization Order’s deployment of federalized military forces to protect federal personal and property from ‘violent demonstrations’ that ‘are occurring or are likely to occur’ represents the exact type of intrusion on State power that is at the heart of the Tenth Amendment ..The deployment of federalized National Guard, including from another state, infringes on Illinois’s sovereignty and right to self-governance. It will cause only more unrest, including harming social fabric and community relations and increasing the mistrust of police. It also creates economic harm, depressing business activities and tourism that not only hurt Illinoisians but also hurt Illinois’s tax revenue.”

Officials at the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Army declined or did not respond to requests for comment; and the Pentagon also refused to weigh in on the lawsuit. The White House dismissed the claims, insisting that the president’s authority to deploy federal forces is lawful. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement: “Amidst ongoing violent riots and lawlessness, that local leaders like [Illinois Gov. JB] Pritzker have refused to step in to quell, President Trump has authorized 300 national guardsmen to protect federal officers and assets.”

The complaint also accuses Trump of using federal law enforcement to intimidate communities and inflame tensions in Illinois, including through aggressive immigration enforcement operations near Chicago: “among other things, Trump and Noem have sent a surge of SWAT-tactic trained federal agents to Illinois to use unprecedented, brute force tactics for civil immigration enforcement; federal agents have repeatedly shot chemical munitions at groups that included media and legal observers outside the Broadview facility; and dozens of masked, armed federal agents have paraded through downtown Chicago in a show of force and control. The community’s horror at these tactics and their significant consequences have resulted in entirely foreseeable protests.”

Governor Pritzker said during an interview Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union that federal authorities were “the ones turning Chicago into a war zone.”

The legal challenge follows a pair of weekend rulings from a federal judge in Oregon that temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deploying federalized National Guard members from California or other states to Portland. In one of those rulings, U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut — a Trump appointee — wrote that “This country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs.” Trump has also threatened to send National Guard troops to other cities, including New York, Baltimore, and New Orleans — despite opposition.

Editorial credit: Andreas Stroh / Shutterstock.com

Former NFL quarterback and current Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez is now facing a Level 5 felony battery charge following an incident in downtown Indianapolis over the weekend.  Sanchez had originally been charged with battery resulting in injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, and public intoxication.

Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears announced the upgraded charge Monday morning, saying Sanchez, 38, faces a Level 5 felony charge of battery involving serious bodily injury. Punishment can range from one to six years in prison. According to Mears, “one of the challenges you have in a case like this is that you are dealing with individuals who are receiving medical care and that’s, obviously, the most important thing, that individuals are treated appropriately. But once we were provided with additional information about the victim’s current medical condition, it became clear to us that additional charges needed to be filed. .. Certainly the thing that stands out to us is that this was a situation that did not need to occur .. We’re literally talking about people fighting over a parking space or a dispute about where people were parking and it resulted in a person with incredibly significant injures.”

Investigators say the confrontation began around 12:30 a.m. Saturday near Loughmiller’s Pub & Eatery in downtown Indianapolis. The disagreement over parking escalated into a physical fight, with court documents indicating that Sanchez advanced toward the 69-year-old truck driver, who told police he feared for his life, saying, “This guy is trying to kill me.” The affidavit notes that the fight intensified near a loading dock, where the truck driver said he feared for his safety and used pepper spray on Sanchez before the stabbing occurred. The truck driver claims he stabbed Sanchez two or three times in the upper torso, as Sanchez continued moving toward him. The driver said he was then thrown against a dumpster and believed he was in a life-or-death struggle. TA witness at the scene reported seeing both men recording each other on their phones before the fight broke out. Sanchez was rushed to Eskenazi Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.

Mears said his office received an amended probable cause affidavit (obtained by CBS News) on Monday which led to the additional charge, because the truck driver suffered serious injuries.  He added that prosecutors are still investigating the incident and that Sanchez could face additional charges.

Detective Christopher Edwards, who interviewed Sanchez at the hospital, reported that the former quarterback said he did not remember the details of the incident. Sanchez had been scheduled for a court hearing Tuesday on the original charges but that was rescheduled to Nov. 4. Sanchez remains hospitalized and was listed in stable condition as of Monday morning.

Indianapolis Police Chief Chris Bailey said: “I don’t care who you are. I don’t care what you do for a living. I don’t care where you live. If you come into our city and commit violence, we’ll use all the tools at our disposal to hold you accountable .. As we move forward, [our] PD will continue to maintain our strong, visible presence in downtown on those high-visibility, high-traffic weekends at major events to make sure our community is safe. I continue to urge our community to respect one another. As the prosecutor said, this did not need to happen; it did not.”

Mears said Indiana’s self-defense laws will likely play a significant role as the case moves forward: “Well, certainly, Indiana has some of the robust self-defense laws in the nation, and that’s always going to be part of the equation when you evaluate cases like this and try to determine exactly what took place …  It will certainly be at the center of this particular trial as well when we have conversations about were people acting reasonably or not. Those are all things you need to consider in terms of when you make that initial charging decision and those facts have been evaluated. Self-defesne laws will be raised at trial.”

Sanchez was in Indianapolis to serve as a broadcaster for Sunday’s NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The ex-quarterback played eight seasons in the NFL after being selected fifth by the New York Jets in the 2009 draft out of USC, helping NY to advance to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in his first two seasons. Sanchez also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and Washington, last appearing in a regular-season game in 2018.

Editorial credit: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

At least two people were killed and a dozen more were injured late Saturday night after gunfire erupted in downtown Montgomery while the city was hosting the Alabama National Fair.

Montgomery Police Chief Jim Graboys said officers responded around 11:30 p.m. following reports of shots fired. The exact cause of the shooting remains unclear, but Graboys described the chaos as two individuals “essentially firing at each other in the middle of a crowd.”

Authorities did not have suspects in custody when Graboys spoke at an overnight press conference: “I want to be very clear — we will use every available resource and work around the clock to identify, charge, and hold accountable those responsible,” Graboys stated.

Of the 12 people injured, Graboys said that three had life-threatening injuries. Authorities did not identify the deceased victims, but NBC affiliate WSFA reported that at least one is a woman. Detectives are interviewing witnesses and will do everything possible to “gather every bit of evidence and chase down whoever is involved,” Graboys told reporters. Officers have recovered several firearms believed to be connected to the shooting, though he declined to specify how many or what type, only noting that they were “high-capacity weapons.”

Video footage posted to social media shows crowds enjoying carnival rides before panic breaks out roughly a minute into the clip. Moments later, the sound of multiple gunshots can be heard as people flee in all directions.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said the victims had come out to enjoy the Alabama National Fair like thousands of others attending the event, which began Friday and is scheduled to continue through the week. He praised law enforcement for their work in protecting the city, stating that “thousands of people been in this city this weekend, and it only took one or two to change the entire outcome,” and added that the act of violence is “not something that we’re going to tolerate. We’re going to make sure that we set an example, and we set a public example, of people who continue to endanger the lives of innocent people in our communities …It’s not going to be accepted.”

Editorial credit: Chad Robertson Media / Shutterstock.com

Authorities said that one person was killed and another was injured in two separate shootings that occurred during South Carolina State University’s (SCSU) homecoming weekend on Saturday evening. The incidents prompted the Orangeburg campus to go into lockdown late Saturday night, October 4, according to officials.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed in a statement that both shootings took place on the SCSU campus on Saturday evening. A woman was killed in one of the shootings, and a man was injured in another, the (SLED) said, with the man currently hospitalized.  Their identities have not been publicly released. SLED said in its release that “the shootings are not believed to be connected at this time,” adding that both investigations remain “active and ongoing.”

SCSU officials issued an emergency alert shortly after reports of gunfire near Hugine Suites, a student residence hall. The shootings unfolded amid homecoming festivities that followed the university’s annual football game, according to reports. The university’s campus went into lockdown, with a homecoming concert scheduled for Saturday night and all homecoming events scheduled for Sunday canceled. Residents of the dormitory were asked to stay in place while off-campus residents were told to leave the campus, according to the alert. Non-students were asked not to come to the campus. The alert also instructed residents of Hugine Suites who were not inside the building to go to the Smith–Hammond–Middleton Memorial Center.

The notice read: “The South Carolina State University campus is on lockdown following a shooting. Homecoming events scheduled for Sunday have been canceled. If you are not a current student, please do not attempt to come to campus.”   while those already inside were told to remain in place. Students living in other residence halls were directed to return to their rooms.

In a statement obtained by WCHS-TV, SCSU President Alexander Conyers said, “We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the young woman who lost her life and to all who have been affected. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate these senseless acts of violence. The safety and well-being of our students, employees, and guests remain our top priority. I ask everyone to continue caring for one another.”

The historically Black university is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, about 40 miles south of the state capital, Columbia. SLED continues to investigate both incidents and is urging anyone with information to come forward. Witnesses can contact the agency at (866) 472-8477 or email tips@sled.sc.gov.

Editorial credit: James R Poston / Shutterstock.com

Former NFL quarterback and current analyst for Fox Sports Mark Sanchez has been charged with three misdemeanors in relation to an incident early Saturday morning in Indianapolis in which he was stabbed and hospitalized. Sanchez, 38, was in Indianapolis to cover Sunday’s matchup between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders, per NBC NEWS.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said on X that a man was stabbed during a “physical disturbance” between two men around 12:30 a.m. The person who was stabbed, later revealed to be Sanchez, was taken to a hospital and remained in stable condition.

Sanchez is still hospitalized and has not yet been booked into a detention center. He is charges with three misdemeanor offenses regarding the altercation. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office announced Sunday that Sanchez was charged with battery with injury, public intoxication and unlawful entry of a vehicle, which are misdemeanors. An initial hearing has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, with bond set at $300.

According to an affidavit for probable cause, Sanchez allegedly accosted a truck driver at a hotel loading dock. with the confrontation escalating to the point where the truck driver believed he was in danger. He sprayed Sanchez in the face with pepper spray and, with Sanchez still advancing toward him, said he thought “this guy is trying to kill me.” The truck driver then pulled his knife and said he struck Sanchez “two or three times.” The truck driver said he was thrown against a dumpster and onto the ground and believed he was in a “life-or-death situation.” The driver, according to the affidavit, then said “a look of shock” came to Sanchez’s face and Sanchez “took off.”

Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement Sunday: “This incident should never have happened. What began as a disagreement between a 38-year-old former professional athlete and a 69-year-old man should not have escalated into violence or left anyone seriously injured. As with any case, we will follow the facts and the law wherever they lead.”

Fox Sports said in a statement: “Mark Sanchez was injured in Indianapolis on Saturday and is currently recovering in the hospital in stable condition. We are deeply grateful to the medical team for their exceptional care and support. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.”

Sanchez, a native of California, first gained national attention as the starting quarterback at the University of Southern California (USC) before being selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played four seasons with the Jets, followed by stints with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Commanders before transitioning into broadcasting.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com