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Murder convictions overturned for alleged prison gang members in Antioch ‘money block’ takeover

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — A California appeals court has overturned murder convictions against two Bay Area men, six years after they were sentenced to life in prison for killing a 23-year-old man in what the lead detective called a dispute over an Antioch “money block,” court records show.In a unanimous 3-0 decision, the First District Appellate Court overturned murder convictions for William Pree, 41, and Edward Robinson, 45, in the 2015 shooting death of Kartiae Ely. The court justices ruled that both murder convictions are now invalid in light of SB 1437, a 2019 state law that drastically scaled back California’s felony murder rule, which allowed a person to be convicted of murder for committing a less serious felony that resulted in a homicide.Pree had been convicted of second-degree murder, while Robinson was convicted of first-degree, premeditated murder and gun possession.The justices ruled that instructions given by the trial judge — Diana Becton, who ha...

VW to launch electric version of venerable Bus in 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

By Peter Valdes-Dapena | CNNAmerica apparently needs more car seats. So, when Volkswagen unveiled the ID. Buzz, a retro-styled electric van, last year, it noted that the version for the North American market would be longer and would have three rows of seats.North America’s version of the ID. Buzz has now officially been revealed. “Designed and tailor-made for the North American consumer,” in the words of Volkswagen of America chief executive Paolo Di Si, this version is near 10 inches longer than the two-row model. It’s still not huge, though. At 194.4 inches, front to back, it’s about 10 inches shorter than a Chrysler Pacifica minivan, but can still seat up to seven.The two-row version and a commercial van version available in Europe will not be sold here, Di Si confirmed.The ID. Buzz is designed to recall the Volkswagen T1, or Transporter. That iconic model was introduced in 1949 and is better known as the Microbus, or just the VW Bus. In America, it became associated with the Hi...

Shooting at Geary and Larkin in SF, one person injured

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- There was a shooting Friday afternoon the area of Geary Street, between Larkin and Hyde Streets, and O'Farrell Street, between Larkin and Hyde, KRON4 has confirmed. Officers responded to a report of the shooting on the 800 block of Geary at around 12:11 p.m.Arriving on the scene, officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. Aid was rendered and medics were summoned to the scene. The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No arrest has been made at this time. Emergency crews are on the scene. Student injured in altercation with knife at San Mateo High School People are being told to expect traffic delays, consider alternate routes and allow additional time for travel. Video from the scene shot by KRON4's Gayle Ong shows police putting up crime scene tape and what appears to be a victim being placed in a stretcher and transported by paramedics. The investigation is ongoing, police said.This is a developing story. Ch...

Connecticut lawmakers vote to bar anyone under 18 from getting married

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut lawmakers voted Friday to tighten the state’s marriage laws, prohibiting anyone under age 18 from being issued a marriage license under any circumstance.The legislation cleared the Senate unanimously, following a 98-45 bipartisan vote last month in the House of Representatives. It updates a 2017 anti-child marriage law that advocates contend created a dangerous loophole, leaving young people at risk of coercion and sexual abuse.Currently in Connecticut, a 16- or 17-year-old may get a marriage license if their local probate court judge approves a petition filed on the minor’s behalf by their parent or guardian. Current state law also allows emancipated minors to marry at 16 or 17, something that will end under this new legislation as well.The bill moves to Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk. A spokesperson said Friday the governor plans to sign the legislation into law.Despite Friday’s unanimous Senate vote, there was criticis...

Poland, Lithuania fear new migrant crisis due to Belarus’ offer of visa-free travel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus is introducing a visa-free travel arrangement with dozens of countries for a month, raising fears that neighboring Poland and Lithuania might see a sudden increase in unauthorized migration. The authoritarian president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, signed a decree allowing citizens of 73 countries — including ones in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America — to travel to Belarus without a visa to attend an annual music festival he personally opens to promote his nation’s global integration.Festival ticket holders will be able to enter Belarus without a visa from July 4-23.The governments of Lithuania and Poland see the move as a threat that will bring another influx of migrants, such as those who massed at borders with the European Union in the thousands in 2021 after transiting through Belarus.The governments of Lithuania and Poland accuse the Belarusian authorities of orchestrating the earlier situation. Stanislaw Zaryn, the acting deput...

Surprising defense in slaying of Va. woman in Ivy City Hotel room

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

A D.C. man accused of stabbing a Virginia woman more than 30 times in a Northeast D.C. hotel room in March will remain behind bars as his first-degree murder trial continues, a judge ruled Friday.The judge’s decision came after attorneys on both sides argued their case to D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun — with the defense attorney for George Sydnor making the bold claim the evidence indicated the attack wasn’t random and that his client was attacked first.On March 31, D.C. police officers responded to the Ivy City Hotel, where they found 31-year-old Christy Bautista stabbed to death. Officers found Sydnor, 43, inside the room, sitting on the bed smoking a cigarette with a bloody knife inside his jacket, according to charging documents.Bautista’s family told NBC Washington that the Arlington, Virginia, native was in town from Harrisonburg to see a concert in D.C.A medical examiner found Bautista was stabbed with such force that her lung, liver and spinal colum...

Novak Djokovic laments fans who ‘boo every single thing’ after lengthy French Open win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic makes no secret of the way he loves to feed off negativity during a tennis match. Doesn’t really matter whether he’s ahead or behind on the scoreboard. The guy simply finds motivation and inspiration from all manner of slights, real and perceived.Maybe it’s how a chair umpire is officiating that particular day … or the way Djokovic’s entourage is sitting in place in the stands instead of rising to encourage him … or the criticism he receives for wading into a political issue — all of which already have happened during this French Open.Or maybe it’s how he’s treated by the spectators who, as they did on Friday during Djokovic’s 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over 29th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round at Roland Garros, get on his case and jeer him for seemingly no good reason at all.Which is what happened at Court Philippe Chatrier during the longest three-set Grand Slam match of the 22-time major champion Djokovic’s lo...

Sports on TV for June 3 – 4

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsSaturday, June 3AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL5 a.m.FS2 — AFL: Geelong at Western2:30 a.m. (Sunday)FS2 — AFL: North Melbourne at EssendonAUTO RACING6:25 a.m.ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain9:55 a.m.ESPN — Formula 1: Qualifying, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain10 a.m.FS1 — NASCAR Cup Series: Qualifying, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.12 p.m.FS1 — NASCAR Xfinity Series: Qualifying, Portland International Raceway, Portland, Ore.1 p.m.CBS — ABB FIA Formula E: Round 10, Jakarta, Indonesia (Taped)1:30 p.m.FS1 — NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: The Toyota 200, World Wide Technology Raceway, Madison, Ill.4:30 p.m.FS1 — NASCAR Xfinity Series: The Pacific Office Automation 147, Portland International Raceway, Portland, Ore.9 p.m.FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, New England Dragway, Epping, N.H. (Taped)3:30 a.m. (Sunday)CBSSN — ABB FIA Formula E: Round 11, Jakarta, Indonesia ...

Business Highlights: YouTube to allow some false claims; Disney judge removes himself from case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

___YouTube changes policy to allow false claims about past US presidential electionsYouTube says it will stop removing content that falsely claims the 2020 election and other past U.S. presidential elections were marred by widespread fraud, errors or glitches. The Google-owned video service said in a blog post Friday that it wanted to avoid the unintended effect of curtailing political speech without meaningfully reducing the risk of violence or other real-world harm. The updated policy will not stop YouTube from removing material that attempts to deceive voters in future elections, including the upcoming 2024 presidential election. The change comes as YouTube and other major social media companies have come under fire for not doing more to combat election misinformation.___Disney lawsuit judge removes himself from case but not for reasons cited by DeSantisORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge overseeing the First Amendment lawsuit that Walt Disney Parks filed against Gov. Ron DeSant...

Ghost guns banned under new Colorado law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:20 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Friday banning firearms that are assembled at home or 3D-printed without serial numbers, practices that allowed owners to evade background checks and impede law enforcement's ability to track a gun's origins.The new law is the latest in a slew of gun control measures signed by Polis this year. The state joins 11 others, including California, New York and Nevada, in regulating the so-called ghost guns, which have been linked to high-profile mass shootings across the U.S. Police kill 14-year-old armed robbery suspect in Aurora The use of ghost guns in crimes has risen 1,000% since 2017, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Ghost guns linked to mass shootingsA gunman in Sacramento, California, who fatally shot his three adolescent daughters, another adult and himself at a church last year had been barred from owning firearms, but was able to obtain a ghost gun.In Colorado, the person accused of kill...