Trial

Trial Begins for Three Men Charged in 2021 Conspiracy and Murder of 19-Year-Old

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Chester, PA — Jury selection commenced on Friday in the trial of three men accused in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Samad Montgomery in 2021. The suspects, Hakeem Montes, 21, Khasir Bennett, 20, and Marlon Cooper, 21, all from Chester, are facing various charges including first-, second-, and third-degree murder, conspiracy, and firearms offenses. This tragic event occurred on August 7, 2021, around 5 a.m. on the 1200 block of Clover Lane, where police discovered Montgomery alongside a vehicle, deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. The medical examiner confirmed the cause of death as homicide by … Read more

Veteran Convicted of Second-Degree Murder in Cousin’s Death Amid PTSD Defense in Converse County Trial

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DOUGLAS, Wyo. — A jury in Converse County delivered a second-degree murder conviction to a Douglas man, Mark Helms, aged 44, for the fatal shooting of his cousin last year. This verdict arrived after intense deliberations following a weeklong trial centered around the mental competency of Helms at the time of the crime. Helms, a military veteran with a substantial history of service and multiple deployments, was accused of killing Nicholas Velazquez, 38, on the night of September 13, 2023. Reports indicate that the cousins had been drinking together in Helms’ residence at the time … Read more

Judge Declares Meta Will Face Trial Over Massachusetts Lawsuit on Social Media Addiction Claims

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Boston, MA — Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of social media giants like Facebook and Instagram, has been ordered to face a lawsuit in Massachusetts that alleges the tech behemoth maintains its user base through addictive features causing significant social harms particularly to teens and children. A federal judge has ruled that the lawsuit, initiated by Attorney General Maura Healey, can proceed, setting the stage for an intensified legal scrutiny over the social impact of its networking platforms. The lawsuit, filed earlier this year, centers around accusations that Meta designed its platforms, including Instagram, … Read more

High-Profile Trial Lawyer Steps In: A Lifeline for New York City’s Embattled Mayor?

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New York, NY — As the sprawling city of New York struggles with various challenges ranging from economic to social issues, the spotlight has sharply turned on Mayor Eric Adams. A former police captain who took office in January 2021, Adams promised to tackle the city’s crime and public safety issues, a pledge that resonates deeply with his background in law enforcement. However, the complexities of governing such a dynamic metropolis have brought numerous challenges to his doorstep. Amidst heightened scrutiny of his administration’s effectiveness, Adams has enlisted Joe Tacopina, a high-profile attorney renowned for … Read more