Judge: Parkland school shooting trial postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The death penalty trial of the man charged with killing 17 people at a Florida high school is off indefinitely because of restrictions related to the coronavirus outbreak, a judge said Monday. Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer said in a hearing held remotely that it’s not even clear when the Broward County courthouse will reopen to the public. It has been closed since March 16 to everyone but essential personnel. “We have to take it one day at a time, quite frankly,” Scherer said. “We’re not there yet. When we are, I don’t know.”

Nikolas Cruz, 21, is charged with fatally shooting 17 people and wounding 17 others with an AR-15 rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day 2018. His lawyers say he would plead guilty in exchange for a life prison sentence, but prosecutors are forging ahead with a trial. Cruz did not appear at the hearing. One of Cruz’s court-appointed lawyers, Gabriel Ermine, said there have been other virus-related delays because two dozen witness depositions were postponed and numerous legal motions have yet to be filed. In addition, defense experts seeking to interview Cruz about mental health issues and related topics have not had access to him in the Broward County Jail. “We are ready to have them go in once everything is safe,” Ermine said.

A complicating factor, again related to the coronavirus, is when it would be permissible to allow possibly hundreds of prospective jurors to gather at the courthouse to be questioned about their views of one of the highest-profile cases in Florida history. Scherer said that is impossible now, and another issue is how to keep social distancing and masks for jurors. Scherer said she hopes “to begin as soon as it’s safe to do so.” But no decisions have been made on the projected start of a trial. Broward County has had more than 11,300 coronavirus cases and 373 deaths, according to the Florida Department of Health. Scherer set another status hearing for Aug. 25 to assess where things stand.

https://wsvn.com/news/local/judge-parkland-school-shooting-trial-postponed-indefinitely-due-to-covid-19/

>>9726623

>>9726627

Indeed, good old Broward County..thinking they want to wait until after the election before they finish this, doubtful it will work out in their favor that way.

Top Democrat urges foreigners 'visiting' U.S. to respond to 2020 Census as NYC faces undercount

House Oversight Chairwoman Maloney identified COVID-19 and police brutality as reasons for NYC's low Census response rate

With Census form responses from New York City households below the national average, House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney on Monday urged foreigners "visiting" the U.S. to respond to the 2020 Census as soon as possible. The New York congresswoman said the previously proposed U.S. citizenship question should not be a "deterrent" to anyone since is not included on the Census form. "Everyone should be counted. Even if you're visiting our country from a foreign country then you should be counted as who is in the country when we do this count so it's very, very important," Maloney said on a conference call with reporters. "We also have to get the message out that the Census is completely and totally confidential so that no one's information will be allowed for any other purpose but a number that shows the research we need for different age groups, different health issues and everything else."

According to the official 2020 Census website, "citizens of foreign countries who are living in the United States, including members of the diplomatic community, should be counted at the U.S. residence where they live and sleep most of time. Citizens of foreign countries who are temporarily visiting the United States on vacation or business on April 1, 2020, should not be counted." Following the conference call, a senior Democratic aide said Maloney was referring to foreign citizens residing in the country and not foreigners on vacations or business trips. Maloney identified COVID-19, "systemic racism and police brutality" as reasons for NYC's low Census response rate. "People have been afraid for their lives," she said on the conference call.

Census Day was officially April 1, and households are being encouraged to complete the form by phone, mail or electronically through the end of October, according to the Census Bureau operational deadlines. "It is crucial for our communities here and New York to be fully counted to secure the funding we are entitled to for critical services like education, medical care and job programs," Maloney said. "As of today, about 61 percent of households across the nation have completed their census forms either online, over the phone or by mail. Unfortunately, New York City is below the national average with just over 52 percent of households responding."

https://justthenews.com/government/congress/top-democrat-urges-foreigners-visiting-us-respond-2020-census-nyc-faces

https://2020census.gov/en/important-dates.html

>>9726702

I agree exactly what I thought as well.

>>9726482

Thinking this is a constitutional violation. State laws can not violate that.

>>9726454

The rope with the noose looking loop is for closing the garage door, nothing moar, look closely at the size of the loop, it's made for a hand.

NASCAR Says Noose in No. 43 Garage Was Actually Pull Down Rope For Door After FBI Issues Statement

On Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI released a statement on their findings in the investigation of a noose found in the garage stall of Richard Petty Motorsports’ No. 43 team, which fields cars for the sport’s lone African-American driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, Bubba Wallace. According to a joint statement from the U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., there were no federal crimes committed and that the noose being in Wallace’s garage stall was a mere coincidence, as the noose has been in that garage stall since at least October 2019. This according to video that NASCAR shared for the investigation.

The entire statement from the FBI read: On Monday, fifteen FBI special agents conducted numerous interview regarding the situation at Talladega Superspeedway. After a thorough review of the facts and evidence surrounding the event, we have concluded that no federal crime was committed. The FBI learned that garage number 4, where the noose was found, was assigned to Bubba Wallace last week. The investigation also revealed evidence, including authentic video confirmed by NASCAR, that the noose found in garage number 4 was in that garage as early as October 2019. Although the noose is now known to have been in garage number 4 in 2019, nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned to garage number 4 last week. The decision not to pursue federal charges is proper after reviewing all available facts and all applicable federal laws. We offer our thanks to NASCAR, Mr. Wallace, and everyone who cooperated with this investigation.

It appears instead of being a malicious action, the noose being in Wallace’s garage stall was merely nothing more than a coincidence. While, this isn’t the conclusion that we expected after the initially jarring news of a noose being found in Wallace’s garage stall, it is a relief that nobody perpetrated this type of callous act on purpose. After the FBI released their statement, NASCAR released a statement of their own, which clarifies what the noose actually was. Turns out, it was a pull down rope for the garage door.

“The FBI has completed its investigation at Talladega Superspeedway and determined that Bubba Wallace was not the target of a hate crime. The FBI report concludes, and photographic evidence confirms, that the garage door pull rope fashioned like a noose had been positioned there since as early as last fall. This was obviously well before the 43 team’s arrival and garage assignment. We appreciate the FBI’s quick and thorough investigation and are thankful to learn that this was not an intentional, racist act against Bubba. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who love racing.”

Following the statements from the FBI and NASCAR, Wood Brothers Racing released a statement as well. They were the team that occupied garage stall No. 4 last October at Talladega Superspeedway and were able to assist in the investigation, when one of their employees recalled the noose-style knot at the end of the garage door pull rope. On Tuesday evening, NASCAR President Steve Phelps addressed the FBI findings in a five minute teleconference, where he took no questions. Phelps admitted that while what was thought of as a hate crime, ultimately wasn’t, NASCAR wouldn’t do anything differently in that same situation in the future. Following the conference call, NASCAR Public Relations released another bit of information that Phelps forgot to include in the call. The pull rope, which had been fashioned into a noose in 2019, is the only garage door in the Talladega Superspeedway with a noose tied onto the end of it. This certainly played a hand in why this was thought of as a targeted attack against Wallace and the No. 43 team.

https://tobychristie.com/2020/06/23/fbi-issues-statement-that-no-federal-crime-was-committed-noose-has-been-in-talladega-garage-since-at-least-2019/

https://twitter.com/woodbrothers21/status/1275538462859460608