(NEW YORK) — Michael Avenatti was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison for defrauding Stormy Daniels, the client who made him a fixture on cable and a speculative candidate for public office for a brief time during the Trump administration.
“It has been three years since she discovered what Mr. Avenatti has done and she was devastated,” Clark Brewster, Daniels’ current lawyer, said.
“The regularly accepted theme was this guy was a great lawyer but … his legal scholarship based on the cases we took over is in doubt. This was a deceitful scheme. It wasn’t a mistake. It was calculated,” he added.
Avenatti, in beige prison garb over a long-sleeved white T-shirt, entered court shackled at the ankles. The judge denied Avenatti’s request to wear a suit to his sentencing hearing.
Avenatti was convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for stealing from Daniels, his former client, about $300,000 she was supposed to receive in connection with a book contract.
“Avenatti stole from his client. He did so to support his own business and fund his own lifestyle. He did so despite presenting himself to the world as his client’s champion and defender and despite using that feigned credibility to secure fame and pursue political influence. And he did so by exploiting his position of trust and authority as an attorney, by forging his client’s signature, and by lying to his client and others repeatedly and callously for months,” prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum.
The judge allowed Avenatti to serve about half of his sentence at the same time he serves prison time for extorting Nike. He will spend an extra 2 1/2 years in prison for stealing from Daniels.
The judge said the sentence reflected the “abuse of trust” Avenatti demonstrated and a belief he could get away with it because people would believe him over Daniels due to her “unorthodox” career as an adult film actress.
Daniels was not present in court.
Avenatti briefly wept as he told the judge he will forever be known as a “disgraced lawyer.”
(UVALDE, Texas) — The first search warrant returned in the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting sought access to the suspect’s iPhone as authorities search for clues that could point to the motive for last week’s fatal shooting of 19 children and two teachers.
A black iPhone 13 Pro Max was found next to the body of Salvador Ramos after he was shot and killed by a Customs and Border Protection tactical team, according to the search warrant affidavit.
Investigators from the Texas Department of Public Safety sought permission from a judge to analyze the text messages, photos, videos and other “stored communications” on the phone, according to the affidavit, which was first obtained by Houston television station KHOU.
The Texas Rangers, a division of the Texas DPS, is conducting an investigation into the shooting, one of the deadliest in modern U.S. history.
The document also said the two witnesses to the car wreck that preceded the massacre saw Ramos “dressed completely in black with long shoulder length black hair.” The witnesses also told police they saw “the male subject was holding a long rifle and proceeded to load the rifle with a magazine” before he “began to fire multiple gunshots in their direction.”
The judge authorized investigators to download the contents of the device.
Ramos’ grandfather, Rolando Reyes, whose home he was living in at the time of the shooting, told ABC News the suspect had argued with his grandmother over paying a cellphone bill on the morning of the shooting. However, Reyes said he did not believe it was significant. Ramos allegedly shot his grandmother before driving to the school and opening fire.
ABC News has previously reported that authorities have yet to find a specific piece of evidence that explains why the attack occurred May 24 or why Robb Elementary School was the target.
(TULSA, Okla) — At least four people are dead and multiple people are injured following a shooting at the Natalie Building at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday evening, according to police.
Dispatchers received a 911 call shortly before 5 p.m. local time about a man walking with a rifle at the Natalie Building, a physicians’ office building on the Saint Francis Hospital campus. When police responded, they said it turned into an active shooter situation, according to Tulsa Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg.
When police entered the building, they found multiple people shot in one area on the second floor, including in an orthopedic office, authorities said. The victims could be a combination both of employees and visitors, authorities initially said.
“Officers immediately rushed to the second floor where the shooting was taking place, when they got there they found a few people had been shot, a couple were dead at that time,” Meulenberg told ABC News. “We also found at that time who [we] believe and still believe to [be] the shooter because he had a long rifle and a pistol with him.”
The Tulsa shooting comes amid a spate of shootings in the U.S., including the Uvalde shooting in Texas where 21 people — including 19 children — were killed, and a mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket that saw 10 Black people shot dead.
One of the Tulsa victims died after leaving the scene trying to seek medical aid, according to Meulenberg. It is unclear at this time how many others were wounded in the shooting, though Meulenberg believed it to be under 10.
The shooter died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Tulsa Police Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish. Police were still working to confirm the identity of the suspected shooter, a man believed to be between the ages of 35 and 40, Dalgleish said during a briefing.
It appears both weapons were fired, according to Dalgleish. It is unclear if the suspect was targeting anyone specifically, he said.
Police said they went through the five-story medical complex room by room to secure the building.
“We are doing a meticulous floor-by-floor, room-by-room search,” Meulenberg said. “It’s calmed down. We’re trying to connect people and we’re hoping not to find any victims.”
Police said they are also investigating a possible bomb threat that may be connected to the suspected shooter.
Authorities evacuated a home in Muskogee, Oklahoma, about 50 miles southeast of Tulsa, after receiving a tip that the suspect “may have left a bomb at this residence,” Muskogee Chief of Police Johnny Teehee said Wednesday night.
A bomb squad was on scene and police were working to obtain a warrant to search the residence, he said.
Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman later said the bomb squad cleared the location of a potential threat, and that the scene had been “turned over to the necessary authorities.”
The Tulsa Police Department said to stay away from the area of the shooting and that reunification for families will be at Memorial High School on the west side of LaFortune Park.
Saint Francis Health System said in a statement late Wednesday that, “out of respect for the families,” it is “not commenting on or releasing names of those lost or injured at this time.”
“Saint Francis Health System is grieving the loss of four members of our family. As a faith based organization, the only recourse we have at this moment is to pray while we navigate this tragedy,” Saint Francis Health System said. “We are sincerely thankful for the quick response by the Tulsa Police Department, first responders and EMS agencies. And, our deepest gratitude extends to the members of our own Saint Francis family who cared for their own during this incident.”
“To allow our staff and caregivers the opportunity to process today’s tragedy, all Warren Clinic appointments in Tulsa and Broken Arrow scheduled before noon tomorrow have been cancelled. Additionally, the Warren Clinic Orthopedic offices in the Natalie Building will be closed until further notice,” the statement continued. “We ask that you please pray for the employees and physicians of the Saint Francis Health System.”
Tulsa Mayor G. T. Bynum expressed “profound gratitude” for the “broad range of first responders who did not hesitate today to respond to this act of violence.”
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also praised the first responders who “did their best to contain a terrible situation” and offered to provide the city with any state resources needed.
“What happened today in Tulsa is a senseless act of violence and hatred,” he said on Twitter.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on the shooting, White House officials said.
“The White House is closely monitoring the situation and has reached out to state and local officials to offer support,” the White House said in a statement.
(NEW YORK) — Just days after two mass shootings took place in New York and Texas, state lawmakers are pushing for tighter gun laws in an effort to mitigate gun violence around the country.
The move from officials in several states comes as federal lawmakers fail to take any action on gun reform in Congress.
This comes after 21 were killed in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas and a gunman in Buffalo, New York shot and killed 10 people, all of whom were Black.
Here’s what state lawmakers are doing on gun violence since:
New York
In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Democrats have introduced 10 bills in the State Assembly and Senate that would tighten gun laws, close loopholes and address gaps exposed in the deadly Buffalo shooting last month, Hochul announced.
“New York already has some of the toughest gun laws in the country but clearly we need to make them even stronger,” Hochul said in a press release.
The proposed bills would require state, local and federal agencies to share information in crimes that involve guns, make it a crime to threaten mass harm and require new guns to be microstamped.
New York lawmakers are also proposing a law that would require an individual to obtain a license to purchase a semiautomatic rifle and requiring them to be at least 21 years old.
Other bills would prohibit anyone not working in an eligible profession from being able to purchase body armor and strengthen a Red Flag law by expanding the list of people who can file for Extreme Risk Protection Orders and other measures.
California
Last December, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a proposal his office said would include “the nation’s largest gun buyback program.” This includes a one-time fund of $25 million to establish a competitive grant program that would support local gun buyback programs.
“This statewide effort will not only provide opportunities for the safe disposal of firearms, but will also serve to promote awareness about gun and youth violence,” Newsom’s proposed budget summary for 2022 – 23 stated.
Newsom’s office told ABC News this proposal is “currently moving through the budget negotiation process.”
Newsom and California legislators have also fast-tracked gun safety reform bills that were already going through the legislative process, according to Newsom’s office.
Bills fast-tracked include one modeled after the Texas abortion ban, which would enable private citizens to sue those who manufacture, distribute, transport and import into California or sell assault weapons, .5 BMG rifles, ghost guns or ghost gun kits, Newsom’s office said.
Delaware
A permit to purchase bill proposed in Delaware passed in the state Senate and has been stalled in the House for months, according to Sen. Elizabeth Lockman, the majority whip.
Lockman said despite the majority of gun violence in Delaware coming from street violence, the mass shootings have reignited public attention.
Lockman said she has been hearing the renewed push from members of the community, gun control advocates, who have been focused on this all along, and her colleagues.
“I have senators that are part of our caucus, who have been very frustrated in light of recent events that we had, kind of at our fingertips, legislation that we think could really make an impact in the coming years, that’s just being left on the table,” Lockman said.
The shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, resurfaced attention on gun control, creating urgency among state lawmakers.
“It’s just really giving people that ‘enough is enough’ feeling. And so we have senators taking to various outlets to also speak to their frustration that we haven’t been able to pass some more significant pieces of legislation to slow down gun trafficking and access to higher powered, or frequently problematic types of firearms,” Lockman said.
The House has made moves indicating interest in pushing forward the proposed permit to purchase law, according to Monisha Henley, senior director of State Affairs at Everytown.
“[The House] had a conversation about finance, which is usually a procedure that happens in Delaware if there is a fiscal note on it. And they’re currently having ongoing conversations about getting this bill out of the house,” Henley told ABC News in an interview.
Henley told ABC News there are also renewed efforts in Rhode Island to push gun safety bills that had lost steam.
(NEW YORK) — One woman has died and another is missing after a group of 12 kayakers became stranded and then went over Bosher’s Dam in Richmond, Virginia, on Monday afternoon.
Ten kayakers were rescued shortly after the incident took place on the James River at around 3 p.m. local time, according to Richmond Fire Department Assistant Chief Jeffrey Segal. The dam has a 12-foot drop.
Two kayakers — identified by the Henrico County Police Division as Lauren Winstead and Sarah Erway — were initially deemed missing. Their last known location was where most of the kayakers were rescued. Winstead’s body was recovered from the James River on Wednesday afternoon, while the search for Erway has transitioned from a rescue mission into a recovery operation, police said.
The search and rescue mission for the missing women ceased Monday night because it was getting dark, Segal had said. The operation resumed the next morning.
Henrico County Police Division spokesman Lt. Matthew Pecka said Tuesday that multiple agencies responded to assist in the search between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., searching from the Bosher Dam to Powhite Parkway along the James River. Agencies used drones, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and inflatable vessels in their efforts, Pecka said.
The search continued Wednesday. That evening, Henrico County Police Division took to Twitter to announce that search teams had recovered Winstead’s body from the James River, just west of the Powhite Parkway Bridge, at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time.
“Our deepest condolences are with Ms. Winstead’s family during this difficult time,” police tweeted. “The search for Sarah Erway will continue and is transitioning from a search and rescue mission to a recovery operation.”
It was unclear if all the kayakers knew each other, according to Segal, and if they were all physically inside the kayaks at the time of the emergency.
(TULSA, Okla) — At least three people are dead and multiple people are injured following a shooting at the Natalie Building at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday, according to police.
Police received a call of a man walking with a rifle near a medical office. When police responded, they said it turned into an active shooter situation, according to Tulsa Police Captain Richard Meulenberg.
When police entered the building, they found multiple people shot.
“Officers immediately rushed to the second floor where the shooting was taking place, when they got there they found a few people had been shot, a couple were dead at that time,” Meulenberg told ABC News. “We also found at that time who [we] believe and still believe to [be] the shooter because he had a long rifle and a pistol with him.”
Tulsa police said the shooter is dead. It’s unclear if he was shot by police, Meulenberg said.
Police said they are going through the five-story medical complex room by room to secure the building.
“We are doing a meticulous floor-by-floor, room-by-room search … It’s calmed down. We’re trying to connect people and we’re hoping not to find any victims,” Meulenberg said.
The Tulsa Police Department said to stay away from the area and that reunification for families will be at Memorial High School on the west side of LaFortune Park.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(TULSA, Okla.) — Fatalities are reported and multiple people are injured following a shooting at a medical center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday, according to police.
Police received a call of a man walking with a rifle near a medical office. When police responded, they said it turned into an active shooter situation, according to Tulsa Police Captain Richard Meulenberg.
When police entered the building, they found multiple people shot.
The shooter is believed to be down, but it’s unclear if he was shot by police, Meulenberg said.
Police said they are going through the five-story medical complex room by room to secure the building.
The Tulsa Police Department said to stay away from the area and that reunification for families will be at Memorial High School on the west side of LaFortune Park.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(LARGO, Fla.) — A Florida man killed in a suspected alligator attack was likely looking for Frisbees in a lake, authorities said.
The Largo Police Department said Tuesday it is investigating the death of a man at Taylor Lake in Largo, a city in the Tampa Bay area.
“At this time, detectives believe the victim was looking for Frisbees in the water and a gator was involved,” the department said in a statement.
The man was found along the shoreline by a bystander walking their dog in Taylor Park, home to a 53-acre freshwater lake, and police were contacted around 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to Largo Police Department spokesperson Megan Santo.
Police identified the victim Wednesday as 47-year-old Sean Thomas McGuinness. Investigators believe he was looking for Frisbees in the water at night when an alligator likely attacked him.
“According to Park Management, McGuinness was known to frequent the park and enter the lake with disregard to the posted ‘No Swimming’ signs,” the department said in a statement. “A witness also advised detectives that McGuinness was known to sell discs back to people within the park as the park is equipped with a disc golf course and McGuinness was found within a few feet of a disc in the water.”
The medical examiner will determine the exact cause of death, though it was apparent from the injuries that alligators were involved, police said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to the scene Tuesday.
“A contracted nuisance alligator trapper is working to remove a nearby alligator and efforts will be made to determine if it was involved in this situation,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement Tuesday.
Police urged residents and visitors to avoid going near or swimming in the lake at any time. There are “no swimming” signs posted at the lake, according to police.
Fatal alligator bites are rare. From 1948 to 2021, Florida reported 442 unprovoked bite incidents from alligators, 26 of which resulted in fatalities, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In the last 10 years, the state has averaged eight unprovoked bites a year that require medical treatment, the agency said.
The likelihood of someone being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is roughly one in 3.1 million, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The last fatal alligator attack in Florida was in 2019, according to the agency.
A man was bitten in the face by an alligator at Taylor Park in 2020 while looking for frisbees in the lake, ABC News Tampa affiliate WFTS reported at the time. The injury was non-life-threatening.
(MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin) — A Wisconsin police officer, who killed three people in the line of duty over five years, will not be charged in a fatal 2016 shooting of a 25-year-old man he found sleeping inside a car at a park, special prosecutors said Wednesday.
The special prosecutors, Milwaukee attorney Scott Hansen and La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke, announced their review of the incident did not find any legal basis for charging former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah in the shooting of Jay Anderson Jr.
Mensah, who is now a detective at the Waukesha, Wisconsin, County Sheriff’s Office, told investigators that after approaching Anderson’s parked car around 3 a.m. on June 23, 2016, he noticed a handgun lying on the front seat, according to a synopsis from the Milwaukee Police Department, which investigated the shooting. He claimed that Anderson initially complied with his orders to keep his hands up, but then lunged for the gun, prompting him to use deadly force.
Dash-camera video from Mensah’s squad car showed him shooting Anderson. The autopsy determined Anderson was shot five times in the head and once in the shoulder.
Hansen said Wednesday that a criminal case would have been hard to prove beyond reasonable doubt to a jury that Mensah did not act in self-defense when he shot Anderson.
“We believe the evidence will not permit that,” Hansen said.
The decision by the special prosecutors appears to align with a decision made by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm in 2016 not to charge Mensah.
Chisholm previously cleared Mensah in the fatal 2020 shooting of a 17-year-old, who allegedly refused commands to drop a stolen gun, and the 2015 fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man, who allegedly refused orders to drop a sword.
Milwaukee County Judge Glenn Yamahiro appointed the special prosecutors to review the case last year after hearing evidence in a so-called John Doe hearing that an attorney for Anderson’s family sought. Yamahiro found probable cause to bring homicide charges against Mensah, concluding the evidence showed the officer did not act in self-defense and was negligent in the handling of a dangerous weapon when he shot Anderson.
But the judge declined to file charges and opted to have the case reviewed by special prosecutors he appointed.
Yamahiro denied a motion filed Wednesday by Kimberley Motley, the Anderson family’s lawyer, to appoint new special prosecutors to review the case again.
But Yamahiro said, “I continue to believe that this entire tragedy was avoidable.”
Following Wednesday’s hearing, Anderson’s mother, Linda Anderson, vowed to keep fighting for justice for her son.
“I’m not stopping until that man is behind bars, where he needs to be,” Linda Anderson said.
