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Lawsuit Filed Against North Carolina Wilderness Therapy Camp Trails Carolina Over Allegations of Sexual Assault

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Transylvania County, N.C. – A former camper has filed a lawsuit against the wilderness therapy camp Trails Carolina in North Carolina, alleging sexual assault. The camp, located in Lake Toxaway, works with children aged 10 to 17 and charges up to $715 a day in tuition. The lawsuit states that a 12-year-old girl was sexually assaulted at the camp in 2016. It accuses Trails Carolina of creating an environment that enabled abuse and neglect of children in its care. The camp is also accused of failing to provide adequate medical care, food, and shelter for … Read more

Jury Deadlocked in Second Trial of Man Accused of Killing Weymouth Police Officer and Bystander

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DEDHAM, Massachusetts – The jury in the trial of Emanuel Lopes, a Massachusetts man accused of murdering a Weymouth police officer and an innocent bystander, will continue deliberations on Wednesday after informing the judge of a deadlock on Monday. Lopes, 26, is facing charges for shooting and killing Weymouth police Sgt. Michael Chesna and Weymouth resident Vera Adams in July 2018. This is Lopes’ second trial after a mistrial was declared last year due to an unresolved verdict. The jury began deliberating on Thursday after receiving instructions from Judge Beverly Cannone at Dedham Superior Court. … Read more

LGBTQ Advocacy Teacher Files Lawsuit Against Cobb County School District for Retaliation and Censorship

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A teacher in Cobb County, Georgia, has filed a lawsuit against the school district, alleging that she was fired for supporting LGBTQ students. The 35-page complaint claims that the plaintiffs faced termination or fear discipline due to the school’s vague censorship policies. The lawsuit argues that the firing of the teacher, Rinderle, served as a warning to other educators against allowing students access to information about LGBTQ and gender nonconforming individuals. The plaintiffs argue that this violates Title IX, the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools. They are demanding Rinderle’s reinstatement, removal … Read more

Parents Awarded $32 Million After Benton Police Officer Fatally Shoots Teenager

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Little Rock, Arkansas – A jury has awarded $32 million to the parents of a teenager who was fatally shot by a Benton police officer in 2016. The weeklong trial concluded with the jury finding the city of Benton liable for $30 million and former Benton Police Chief Kirk Lane liable for $1 million. Officer Kyle Ellison, who fired the fatal shots, was cleared of claims of excessive force and assault and battery. The civil trial began on January 29 in Little Rock, focusing on the officer-involved shooting death of 17-year-old Keagan Schweikle. Responding to … Read more