The United States government is close to finalizing a settlement with about 100 victims of former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar, resolving claims that the FBI failed to properly investigate allegations of abuse. The settlement, which could total nearly $1 billion, comes after a Department of Justice inspector general report found that the FBI mishandled the Nassar case. This potential settlement would likely resolve the victims' claims against the federal government, and follows previous settlements with Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has initiated an inquiry into Elon Musk for obstruction of justice involving his social media company X, after Musk challenged a court decision ordering X to block certain accounts and then announced that the restrictions would be lifted. Moraes has instructed X to comply with court orders and warned of fines if the company fails to do so.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law allowing the release of grand jury transcripts from a 2006 investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of underage girls, citing the need for transparency and justice. The law, effective July 1, will provide limited exception to grand jury secrecy, potentially shedding light on Epstein's lenient punishment and bringing closure to victims. The release of these records is seen as essential for full transparency in the Epstein case, with many hoping it will answer lingering questions about the handling of the case.
The Supreme Court has allowed the $2.5 billion bankruptcy settlement by the Boy Scouts to proceed, rejecting a move by 144 plaintiffs to block the settlement. The settlement will continue to be litigated among the parties, with the plan aiming to compensate sexual abuse claimants while allowing the organization to continue operating. The settlement, approved in 2022, would pay between $3,500 and $2.7 million to abuse victims, with over 86% of the 82,000 victims voting in favor of the plan.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has temporarily halted the Boy Scouts of America's $2.46 billion settlement following sexual abuse claims, giving the court more time to consider a request by 144 abuse claimants seeking to block the settlement. The claimants argue that the settlement prevents them from pursuing lawsuits against non-bankrupt organizations that are also responsible for the abuse. The stay suspends all work on the settlement, including evaluating claims and mailing checks to abuse survivors, and the Court's decision will have significant implications for both the Boy Scouts organization and the abuse survivors.
A Canadian company is facing criticism for allegedly supplying equipment for an upcoming state execution in Alabama, where inmate Kenneth Smith is set to be killed by suffocation with nitrogen gas, a method never before used in the United States. The equipment, including a respirator mask and hose, is reportedly manufactured by Allegro Industries, a subsidiary of Quebec-based Walter Surface Technologies, which is partly owned by the Toronto private equity firm Onex Corp. The use of nitrogen gas for execution has drawn outrage and is considered experimental, with concerns raised about its potential to cause serious pain. This case has reignited scrutiny of Canadian investment in the American prison system, as well as the increasing difficulty for states to source lethal injection chemicals due to pharmaceutical companies banning their use for executions.
An inquiry into the British Post Office scandal, where over 900 branch managers were wrongly convicted due to a faulty computer system, has resumed. The scandal, involving the Horizon IT system, led to bankruptcies, broken lives, and even suicides. Momentum for compensation and clearing names has grown, with the government planning to set aside £1 billion for victims. A television docudrama and public outrage have fueled support for the former postmasters, leading to a swift response by lawmakers. The inquiry aims to identify those responsible, while police are investigating potential fraud and perjury charges.
A hit TV series has reignited public outrage over the Post Office scandal, where faulty software led to false convictions of theft and fraud for hundreds of sub-postmasters. The High Court ruled in 2019 that the Horizon software was at fault, leading to a public inquiry. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced new legislation to swiftly exonerate and compensate the victims, while former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells returned her CBE award. The ongoing public inquiry may place blame on the Japanese IT firm Fujitsu, and dozens of victims have shared their stories, calling for mass exonerations and compensation.
The UK government has announced emergency laws to swiftly clear the names of hundreds of individuals wrongly convicted in the Post Office scandal, with plans to compensate them. The scandal, involving faulty IT systems, led to over 900 convictions, with only 93 overturned to date. The move follows public outcry and a recent ITV drama highlighting the issue. While the government aims to complete the process by 2024, concerns have been raised about the potential impact on the independence of the courts. Additionally, the government plans to review convictions in Scotland and Northern Ireland and hold Fujitsu accountable if found culpable in the public inquiry.
Britain plans to introduce new legislation to overturn the wrongful convictions of hundreds of Post Office managers who were wrongly accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting due to faulty software. The scandal, one of the biggest miscarriages of British justice, has led to public outrage and calls for swift action to deliver justice. While 93 convictions have been overturned, hundreds of others are yet to be quashed. The government's move to intervene in the judicial process is a significant step, and public anger has been reignited by a TV dramatization of the scandal. An ongoing public inquiry and a separate police investigation are also underway.
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office has filed a $3 million wage theft case against Evergreen Acres Dairy in Stearns County, alleging that the dairy farm failed to pay workers, threatened them, and confined them to squalid housing. The lawsuit, one of the largest of its kind in Minnesota, seeks more than $3 million for violations involving dozens of workers, most of whom are immigrants from Oaxaca, Mexico, who were allegedly robbed of up to a quarter of their wages each pay period.
Former postmaster Parmod Kalia, wrongfully accused of theft by the Post Office due to faulty software, describes the suffering he endured for over 20 years, including a prison sentence, family rift, anxiety, depression, and attempted suicide. Despite having his conviction overturned, he has not received compensation, and along with many others, is still fighting for justice. A public inquiry is ongoing, and ministers are set to discuss how to help the hundreds wrongly convicted in the scandal, with a petition to remove the CBE of the former head of the Post Office receiving over a million signatures.
Hundreds of UK postal workers were falsely accused of stealing money due to a faulty computer accounting system, leading to wrongful imprisonments, but only a handful have been exonerated. Fresh political pressure and calls for accountability have emerged, with the Justice Secretary examining whether all affected postmasters should have their convictions quashed. The scandal involves mindless compliance with faulty computers, incompetence from authorities, and disproportionately affects ethnic minorities. The delay in exonerating and compensating the innocent workers is drawing criticism for its lack of urgency and action.
The UK Post Office is under police investigation for wrongfully accusing over 700 employees of theft due to a faulty computer system called Horizon. The Metropolitan Police are looking into potential fraud, perjury, and perverting the course of justice related to the Post Office's actions. The defective system, installed in 1999, led to numerous postmasters being financially devastated, with some being imprisoned and a few committing suicide. Despite the Court of Appeal quashing 39 convictions in 2021 and 93 convictions being overturned in total, many affected workers have yet to be exonerated. A public inquiry into the scandal began in 2022, and a recent TV docudrama has brought new attention to the issue, prompting more potential victims to come forward.
The UK Metropolitan Police are investigating the Post Office for potential fraud, perjury, and perverting the course of justice after over 700 postmasters were wrongfully accused of theft due to a faulty computer system called Horizon. The system, installed in 1999, erroneously showed missing funds, leading to severe consequences for the accused, including financial ruin, convictions, and imprisonment. Some affected individuals even took their own lives. A total of 93 convictions have been overturned, and a public inquiry is ongoing. The issue has gained renewed attention following a TV docudrama, prompting more potential victims to come forward.
