August 24, 2023 5:01 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump is set to surrender to authorities in Georgia on charges that he schemed to overturn the 2020 election in that state, a booking process expected to yield a historic first: a mug shot of a former American president. Trump’s arrival comes on the heels of a presidential debate featuring his leading rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination, a contest in which he remains the leading candidate despite accelerating legal troubles. His presence in the state, though likely brief, is expected to swipe the spotlight at least temporarily from his opponents in the aftermath of a debate in which other candidates sought to seize on Trump’s absence to elevate their own presidential prospects.
August 24, 2023 4:58 am
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The nation’s largest railroad union wants federal regulators to do more to ensure conductors are properly trained in the wake of two recent trainee deaths in Maryland. The union that represents conductors wants the Federal Railroad Administration to establish clear standards for how long new employees are trained and who mentors them to teach them the craft after they finish their classroom training. The agency hasn’t required the railroads to make changes, but it has urged them to improve training including in a new letter sent to all their CEOs this week. CSX and Norfolk Southern have both recently announced agreements with the union to improve conductor training.
August 24, 2023 4:55 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Allegheny County Sheriff’s deputies were involved in an active shootout with a suspect at North Mathilda Street and Jordan Way in the city’s Garfield neighborhood on Wednesday. Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus told our news partners at Channel 11 that the suspect, William Hardison Sr., was pronounced dead at 5:08 p.m., nearly seven hours after the shootout started. This happened just blocks away from UPMC Children’s Hospital. Many roads were closed and people were advised to avoid the area. Multiple sources say over 100 shots were fired in the shootout. Sources said Hardison believed he was a sovereign citizen, meaning he thought he was exempt from the law. He had a criminal history dating back to at least 2000.
August 24, 2023 2:14 am
After a two day jury trial Russell Jolliffe, 33 of Fredricktown was handed a unanimous conviction on Wednesday. He was convicted on four felony charges of rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and aggravated indecent assault of a minor. Jolliffe along with his girlfriend Joanna Wheatley were charged after relatives of the victim discovered pornography loaded onto their electronic device. The revelations came about in 2021, the assaults dated back to 2018. After the second day of testimony that found Wheatly defending her boyfriend and Jolliffe testifying in his own defense that he never touched the victim, it took a jury just under 90 minutes to convict Jolliffe. Speaking on behalf of his client, defense attorney Mark Adams states that there are inconsistencies in the victim’s testimony that created reasonable doubt. Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh was pleased with the verdict thanking Assistant District Attorney Sam Zappala and the team he gathered for their hard work. Jolliffe will be filing an appeal to the conviction, he will be sentenced on November 22.
August 23, 2023 5:17 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — Rudy Giuliani has surrendered to authorities in Georgia to face an indictment alleging he acted as former President Donald Trump’s chief co-conspirator in a plot to subvert the 2020 election. The former New York City mayor, celebrated as “America’s mayor” for his leadership after 9/11, is charged with Trump and 17 other people under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The 79-year-old Giuliani is accused of spearheading Trump’s efforts to compel state lawmakers in Georgia and other closely contested states to ignore the will of voters and illegally appoint electoral college electors favorable to Trump. (Photo: AP)
August 23, 2023 4:52 pm
(AP) – Russia’s civil aviation agency says mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was aboard a plane that crashed north of Moscow on Wednesday. All 10 people aboard were killed. Prigozhin led a brief armed rebellion against the Russian military earlier this year. The crash immediately raised suspicions since the fate of the founder of the Wagner private military company has been the subject of intense speculation ever since he mounted the mutiny. At the time, President Vladimir Putin denounced the rebellion as “treason” and a “stab in the back” and vowed to avenge it. But the charges against Prigozhin were soon dropped, and the Wagner chief was allowed to retreat to Belarus, while reportedly popping back in Russia from time to time.
August 23, 2023 4:16 pm
The second day of testimony in the trial of Russell Jolliffe, 33 of Fredricktown began with his defense attorney offering Jolliffe’s live in girlfriend as a witness to take the stand. Jolliffe is facing rape of a child and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child charges among others. Jolliffe’s girlfriend, Joanna Wheatley took the stand and defended Jolliffe. She denied all allegations of sexual assault of a child blanketly stating that none of the statements are true and that Jolliffe was never alone with any children. The prosecution pointed out that Wheatly is also accused in this case as a conspirator. Jolliffe himself took the stand in his own defense. He described his relationship with Wheatly. He pointed to inconsistencies that he felt were notable in the live testimony and recorded forensic interview of the alleged victim. He flatly denied all allegations also saying that the alleged victim was coached before the trial. The case was handed over to the jury at 4:00 PM on Wednesday for deliberations.
August 23, 2023 12:19 pm
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – (WPXI) – Allegheny County Sheriff’s deputies were involved in an active shootout with a suspect at North Mathilda Street and Broad Street in the city’s Garfield neighborhood. The Allegheny County sheriff told Channel 11 that the suspect, William Hardison, Sr., was pronounced dead at 5:08 p.m., nearly seven hours after the shootout started. This happened just blocks away from UPMC Children’s Hospital. Many roads were closed and people were advised to avoid the area. Court documents show that an eviction notice was scheduled to be served at the home at 4817 Broad Street at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Doorbell camera shows officers at the scene before shots were fired. Neighbors told Channel 11 Hardison, Sr. was a squatter at the home. Sources said Hardison, Sr. believed he was a sovereign citizen, meaning he thought he was exempt from the law. Pittsburgh Public Schools officials said Pittsburgh Montessori School and Obama Academy were on lockdown. Police said two drones put up by law enforcement were shot down by the suspect and over 100 shots were fired. A sheriff’s deputy suffered a head injury from diving for cover while the suspect was shooting, officials said. People who were sheltering in place were asked to call 911 and provide their locations so that police could evacuate them from their homes.
August 23, 2023 7:58 am
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — The father of Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley has died in an explosion that destroyed the NFL player’s home and left another person injured. First responders who were called to the house around midnight found one victim alive leaving the collapsed structure. A county fire marshal later recovered the body of the cornerback’s father Robert M. Farley from the debris. The person who was injured was taken to a hospital in Charlotte. The Titans player was not home at the time of the explosion. Titans coach Mike Vrabel has said the team will do everything possible to support Farley as he grieves for his father.
August 23, 2023 7:55 am
A Washington County man convicted of drug delivery resulting in death was seeking a new trial. Sherman “Detroit Shawn” Springer, 51 filed a motion for judgement of acquittal and sought a new trial in June. Those motions were denied by Judge Valarie Costanzo on Tuesday. Springer will continue to serve his 9-18 year sentence at SCI Albion. Springer was convicted of delivering a fatal dose of heroin laced with fentanyl to Lonnie Barnes of Washington back in April of 2020.
