Jury

Multnomah County Jails in Crisis: Grand Jury Report Reveals Urgent Safety and Staffing Issues Amid Rising Inmate Deaths

by

Portland, Oregon – A profound crisis is sweeping through Multnomah County’s jail system, compromising the welfare and safety of the public, according to a newly released corrections grand jury report. Following a series of inmate fatalities that commenced in 2022, the report sheds light on severe shortcomings in the local jails, highlighting the urgent need for systemic reforms. The inquiry, undertaken by seven grand jurors who inspected the county’s three jails and one prison over recent months, has pinpointed critical issues primarily stemming from staff shortages and outdated facilities. Corrections officers are compelled to work … Read more

NYC Subway Chokehold Case Sees Manslaughter Charge Dismissed as Jury Deadlocks; Deliberations on Lesser Charge to Continue

by

NEW YORK – In a significant development in the ongoing trial of Daniel Penny, Judge Maxwell Wiley has dismissed the manslaughter charge after jurors reported being deadlocked. The jury, which had been deliberating since Tuesday, could not reach a unanimous decision on whether Penny’s actions constituted manslaughter. Instead, they will now focus solely on the less severe charge of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man, who died following a confrontation on a New York City subway last year. Penny, a former U.S. Marine, was accused of placing Neely in … Read more

Stalemate in Subway Chokehold Case: Jury to Reconvene on Lesser Charge After Manslaughter Dismissal

by

New York — The jury deliberating the fate of Daniel Penny, accused in the choking death of subway performer Jordan Neely, finds itself at an impasse, prompting the Manhattan District Attorney to drop a manslaughter charge. Deliberations will continue Monday focusing solely on the remaining charge of criminally negligent homicide. The case, which attracted widespread attention after a video of the May 2023 incident on a Lower Manhattan F train went viral, has stoked debates over self-defense and the use of force in public spaces. Penny, captured on video holding Neely in a chokehold until … Read more

Jury Awards $4 Million in Wrongful Death Case of Air Force Cadet, Family Seeks Federal Probe into Police Investigation Missteps

by

ORLANDO, Fla. — A federal court jury has awarded $4 million to the family of Alex Bello-Ortiz, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University student and Air Force cadet, in a verdict that contradicted initial findings by local police that his 2020 death was a suicide. The family’s assertion, supported by evidence, suggested that Bello-Ortiz was fatally shot by his roommate following an altercation. Maria Lourdes Ortiz, Alex’s mother, expressed relief following the civil court’s decision. “I know the police department is supposed to do their job, but they did not do justice for my son. Thank God … Read more