All articles tagged with #dropped charges
The UK dropped charges against two men accused of spying for China, raising questions about whether Britain views China as an adversary or a partner, amid ongoing scrutiny of its diplomatic stance and security policies.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the dismissal of charges against Minnesota state trooper Ryan Londregan in the shooting death of Ricky Cobb II, citing new evidence that would make it impossible to prove Londregan's actions were unauthorized. Moriarty defended the initial decision to charge Londregan but acknowledged that the new evidence would likely lead to an acquittal. Cobb's family expressed disappointment, attributing the decision to systemic issues and political pressure.
New York prosecutors dropped their criminal case against three men accused of possessing stolen "Hotel California" lyrics midtrial, citing newly available emails that raised questions about the trial's fairness. The case centered on hand-drafted lyrics to Eagles hits, including "Hotel California," which had been shared with a writer and later sold to the defendants. The defense argued that the men were rightful owners of the pages, while prosecutors alleged they knew the pages had a dubious chain of ownership but peddled them anyway. The trial came to a surprise halt after Eagles star Don Henley waived attorney-client privilege, leading to the belated production of about 6,000 pages of material.
Prosecutors have decided to drop gambling charges against four former Iowa State University student athletes due to potentially inappropriate use of software by investigators. The software, provided by GeoComply, was used without a warrant to track bets made on cellphones at Iowa State University and University of Iowa athletic buildings. Defense attorneys alleged that DCI agents also lied to the athletes and obtained incriminating statements from them. The dropping of charges comes after GeoComply accused the DCI of exceeding its access privileges to the software. The DCI defended its investigation, stating that the evidence was obtained in a constitutionally permissible manner. The dropping of charges may impact similar cases involving other athletes at the University of Iowa.
The Orleans Parish District Attorney's office has dropped the battery charge against former UFC star Nate Diaz, relating to his involvement in a street brawl earlier this year on Bourbon Street. Diaz's representative confirmed that all charges against him have been dropped, stating that his actions were in self-defense. Diaz, a prominent figure in the UFC, recently made his professional boxing debut and has hinted at a potential return to the UFC.
Rapper Nicki Minaj has offered to pay the college tuition for a 14-year-old boy who shot and killed his mother's attacker. The charges against the teen and his mother have been dropped. Minaj called the boy a hero and expressed her desire to help him with his education. The incident occurred when the mother and the attacker got into an argument at a restaurant in Chicago. The boy intervened when the attacker began physically assaulting his mother, ultimately shooting and killing him. The mother has filed a lawsuit against the city and police officers involved.