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Video connected to Irvo Otieno’s in-custody death to be released

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(DINWIDDIE, Va.) — Video of the March 6 chain of events that ended with the in-custody death of Irvo Otieno will be released on Tuesday, according to Virginia prosecutor Ann Cabell Baskervill.

Cabell Baskervill, Dinwiddie County’s Commonwealth Attorney, said the incident began in the Henrico County Jail, where Otieno was allegedly punched by officers in his side and torso. She alleged at one point Otieno was pepper-sprayed while he sat in his cell alone.

Otieno was later transported to Central State Hospital, a state-run inpatient psychiatric facility, to be admitted as a patient.

“State Police investigators were told he had become combative during the admission process” at Central State, according to Cabell Baskervill.

Cabell Baskervill pushed back against officers’ claims that Otieno was combative, saying video footage shows that Otieno “was not agitated and combative,” saying he was fidgety, stressed and anxious.

Cabell Baskervill alleges that seven Virginia sheriff’s deputies then held 28-year-old Otieno down for 12 minutes and suffocated him.

He died of asphyxiation by smothering, according to Cabell Baskervill, who described the incident as “cruel and a demonstration of power that is unlawful… it killed him.”

Cabell Baskervill said Otieno’s death was not reported for three and a half hours, and 911 was not alerted.

Between Otieno’s death and the call made to state police, Otieno’s body was moved, handcuffs were removed and washed and a funeral home had been called instead of the medical examiner’s office, the commonwealth’s attorney said in court.

At some point, an injection was given to Otieno by hospital staff, however Cabell Baskervill asserts that the injection was likely given after he had died of asphyxia.

Cabell Baskervill alleged that none of the seven deputies “made truthful statements to the State Police either that night or yesterday upon arrest.”

Seven Henrico County Sheriff’s deputies and three Central State Hospital employees have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Additional charges and arrests are pending, according to the commonwealth’s attorney.

Footage from Central State and Henrico County Jail captured the incidents. ABC News has not viewed the video.

The Henrico County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an independent review of Otieno’s death alongside an investigation by Virginia State Police.

The FBI is now in touch with state and local investigators.

“FBI Richmond has been in contact with authorities investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Mr. Irvo Otieno. We have no further comments to share at this time,” read a statement shared with ABC News from an FBI spokesperson.

The seven arrested deputies were identified as Randy Joseph Boyer, 57; Dwayne Alan Bramble, 37; Jermaine Lavar Branch, 45; Bradley Thomas Disse, 43; Tabitha Renee Levere, 50; Brandon Edwards Rodgers, 48; and Kaiyell Dajour Sanders, 30.

Lawyers for Disse said that the officer was asked by a supervisor to drive to Central State Hospital because of issues officers were having with the inmate and because they were told he could not be controlled with just three officers.

In court, a lawyer for Branch alleged the officer “did not administer any blows to the deceased, or violence towards him, other than simply trying to restrain him.”

Branch’s lawyer, Cary Bowen, told ABC News by phone that Cabell Baskervill was trying to fashion the case as something that is “malicious.”

“There was no weapon used. There was no pummeling or anything like that. I think everybody agrees,” Bowen said. “And the way she was casting it was that they ended up suffocating. He couldn’t breathe. And she’s acting like the guy didn’t resist and he wasn’t manic or bipolar or whatever. Just a nice guy who they’re picking on.”

The seven deputies have been placed on administrative leave.

Henrico County Sheriff Alisa A. Gregory released a statement the week after Otieno’s death, extending her “deepest sympathies and condolences” to Otieno’s family and friends.

“The events of March 6, at their core, represent a tragedy because Mr. Otieno’s life was lost. This loss is felt by not only those close to him, but our entire community,” Gregory said in the statement.

Otieno’s family saw the footage before the video was set to be released to the public.

“My son was treated like a dog, worse than a dog. I saw it with my own eyes on the video,” said Otieno’s mother, Caroline Ouko, in a Thursday press conference.

The Sheriff’s Department and local union Henrico Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 4 have yet to return ABC News’ request for comment.

ABC News’ Nadine El-Bawab, Beatrice Peterson, Nakylah Carter and Ahmad Hemingway contributed to this report.

Firefighter helps deliver granddaughter at his own fire station

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(AUSTELL, Ga.) — A Georgia firefighter helped deliver his first grandchild while on duty at his own fire station last month, and the veteran first responder said although it was unexpected, his family is “over the moon” after welcoming the baby girl, named Adalynn.

“I’ve been in the fire service for a little over 28 years and I have delivered multiple children — probably my best guess would be between 10 and 12 — and so just natural instincts kind of took over to make sure that we had the right stuff,” Bret Langston told “Good Morning America.”

On the morning of Feb. 10, Bret Langston’s daughter Hannah Langston said she woke up in the early hours with what she thought were contractions but tried to lay back down and “ignore” them for a while, because others had told her the laboring process would take multiple hours.

“I was like, we have plenty of time. Like, it’s not that big of a deal,” the 18-year-old recounted.

Later that morning, Langston, along with her mother April Langston and boyfriend Christopher Williams, decided they would start heading to the birthing center. Along the way, Langston said her mom suggested they stop at her dad’s fire station so she could take a bathroom break.

“We stopped and as soon as I got out of the car, I was like, ‘I’m not getting back in’ and they were like, ‘No, you’re fine.’ I was like, ‘No, like, she’s coming right now,'” Langston recalled.

Bret Langston was on one of his 24-hour shifts at Austell Fire Station No. 2 in Austell, Georgia, at the time. He also thought Hannah would have plenty of time, but it quickly became clear their initial plan was going to change, so he led his daughter to his personal bunk room at the fire station and the other firefighters started pitching in to help, locating the station’s obstetrical kit and warming up towels.

“I cleared the bed … [and] put plastic trash bags down on the bed. I [replaced] my sheets on there so Hannah would at least be comfortable, and we got started on that,” Bret Langston said. “My wife called Hannah’s doula and fortunately, she was only about five or six minutes away, and I think about 10 minutes after we got Hannah settled in, Adalynn came.”

Hannah Langston said Adalynn’s quick arrival was “shocking,” but the baby girl came out healthy and without any complications and both mom and baby were able to go home shortly after the baby’s birth.

“They put her on my chest and at first, I was just shocked … I looked at her and just looked around the room and I was like, ‘Oh my God,'” Hannah Langston said. “It was just like unreal.”

Bret Langston said he is looking forward to showing his granddaughter around the fire station as she grows up and said they share a remarkable bond now.

“It is definitely something I’ll remember forever,” Bret Langston added. “It became a little emotional for me because while this is my daughter and my granddaughter, and you know, she picked a peculiar place to enter the world, but it was very sweet and it’s something that I will never forget.”

Oath Keepers associates found guilty of conspiracy in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A Washington, D.C., jury on Monday found four associates of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group guilty of conspiracy for their role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Through the course of two separate trials late last year into January, six members of the Oath Keepers were found guilty of seditious conspiracy including the group’s leader, Stewart Rhodes.

The six defendants in the current jury trial, Sandra Parker, Bennie Parker, Laura Steele, Connie Meggs, Michael Greene and William Isaacs, faced the lesser charge of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding along with a range of other felony charges.

Isaacs, Meggs, Steele and Sandra Parker were found guilty as charged while Greene was acquitted of conspiracy to obstruct and prevent officers from carrying out their duties. Bennie Parker was found not guilty of obstructing the Electoral College certification while all six defendants were found guilty of trespassing.

All the defendants have maintained their innocence throughout the trial, arguing the events of Jan. 6 were more of a spontaneous outburst stemming from peaceful protest and not part of a coordinated effort to topple the government. Defense counsel is expected to challenge the verdict in court.

While Bennie Parker and Greene were not alleged to have entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, prosecutors said the other four defendants did as part of the now-infamous ‘stack’ formation of Oath Keepers clad in military-style gear seen moving together through the pro-Trump mob.

Greene, U.S. Army veteran who served as an operations leader for the Oath Keepers on Jan. 6 but denied being a formal group member, previously testified on Stewart Rhodes’ behalf during the first Oath Keepers seditious conspiracy trial late last year.

While Greene denied the Oath Keepers engaged in any planned effort to attack the Capitol, prosecutors cited private messages he had sent to a Signal chat members of the group communicated in during the course of the riot, including one saying, “We’re storming the Capitol” and another where he noted how rioters had invaded then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.

Jury deliberations continue on two charges against Bennie Parker and Michael Greene.

Authorities have arrested some 1,000 people in connection to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Federal prosecutors continue to bring forward a mountain of evidence in a variety of complex legal cases, some involving multiple defendants each.

Five accused members of another far-right group known as the Proud Boys are currently standing trial on seditious conspiracy charges. The jury trial is expected to continue at least through the end of the month.

DeSantis swipes at Trump while decrying former president’s possible indictment

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday broke his silence on possible indictment of former President Donald Trump in remarks that first criticized the Manhattan district attorney who would issue the indictment but then swiped at the former president.

“We are not involved in this. Won’t be involved in this. I have no interest in getting involved in some type of manufactured circus…” DeSantis said at a news conference in Panama City, Florida.

DeSantis was asked by a reporter from the Florida Standard what his thoughts were “on the rumored Trump indictment, if he had “any role in it,” and if charges were brought against Trump, would DeSantis “have any role in extradition to New York,” since Trump is now a Florida resident.

“Look, I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair. I just can’t speak to that,” DeSantis said, without mentioning Trump directly by name.

“But what I can speak to is that if you have a prosecutor who is ignoring crimes happening every single day in his jurisdiction, and he chooses to go back many many years ago to try to use something about porn star hush money payments, you know, that’s an example of pursuing a political agenda, and weaponizing the office,” he continued.

On his social media platform Saturday morning, Trump claimed that he would be arrested Tuesday in connection to the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation into hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election — he also called for his supporters to protest.

Trump’s allies and supporters have been publicly urging DeSantis to weigh in on Trump’s proclamation of his possible indictment since the former president posted the news on Saturday. They’ve also pressured DeSantis to possibly block Trump’s extradition from Florida to New York.

DeSantis is widely considered to be Trump’s strongest competitor for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. The Florida governor has privately indicated to allies that he expects to jump in the race around May or June, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Former Trump senior adviser Jason Miller thanked some other confirmed or possible 2024 GOP contenders for their comments slamming the potential indictment while condemning DeSantis and hopeful Nikki Haley for not responding to the news.

“Thank you, Vice President Mike Pence and Vivek Ramaswamy, for pointing out how Radical Left Democrats are trying to divide our Country in the name of Partisan Politics,” Miller said in a tweet on Saturday.

“Radio silence from Gov. Ron DeSantis and Amb. Nikki Haley,” he said.

On Saturday, former Vice President Mike Pence said that the possible indictment of Trump would be “a politically charged prosecution,” during an interview with ABC News “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl, on Saturday.

Ramaswamy tweeted on Saturday that a “Trump indictment would be a national disaster.”

“It is un-American for the ruling party to use police power to arrest its political rivals,” Ramaswamy wrote.

“This will mark a dark moment in American history and will undermine public trust in our electoral system itself. I call on the Manhattan District Attorney to reconsider this action and to put aside partisan politics in service of preserving our Constitutional republic,” he said.

ABC News’ Jay O’Brien and Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.

Weekslong filibuster grinds state legislature to a halt over transgender youth care

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(LINCOLN, Neb.) — For the past three weeks, Nebraska State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh has been on an endless run, speaking on the Senate floor on just about every topic: legislation, fish fries, Girl Scout cookies and the movie “Madagascar.”

The state’s non-partisan, single-chamber legislature is ruled by Republican lawmakers, however, it takes 33 votes to overcome a filibuster, and the legislature has only 32 Republicans.

Now, Cavanaugh is heading into her fourth week of fighting an anti-LGBTQ bill that would ban transgender health care for people under the age of 19. According to a representative from Speaker of the Legislature Sen. John Arch’s office, debate on the bill is set to begin on Tuesday, and is being brought to the floor sooner thanks to a deal between Cavanaugh and Arch.

Nebraska is one of at least 23 states considering restrictions on gender-affirming care.

“It’s a parental rights violation. As a parent, I’m opposed to any government taking away my ability to make medical decisions for my child,” Cavanaugh told ABC News in an interview. “But in addition to that, it’s an assault on trans youth and their health care. And it’s going to result in extraordinarily negative outcomes for our trans youth.”

LB 574 would ban puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries – the last of which are done only on a case-by-case basis on adolescents, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Gender-affirming hormone therapy has been shown on average to improve the mental health and reduce the risk of negative outcomes, including the risk of suicidality, of transgender adolescents and teenagers, according to recent studies in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Major national medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and over 20 more organizations support gender-affirming care as generally safe, effective, beneficial and medically necessary with appropriate care.

Sen. Kathleen Kauth, the bill’s sponsor, has argued that her bill is intended to protect children.

“Children deserve to know that their body isn’t something that needs to be fixed,” Kauth said during a March 1 debate on the bill. “They deserve to grow up whole and they deserve to be given a chance at life as an adult before that is taken away from them by these medical practices.”

At least 427 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced or considered in 2023 alone, according to the ACLU.

Nebraska itself is facing at least four, including a trans sports ban, a ban on people under 21 attending drag shows, and a bill that would allow doctors to deny performing elective medical treatment based on personal beliefs.

“This is not our job,” said Cavanaugh. “This is not what we should be doing. We should not be legislating hate. We were not sent here to legislate hate. We were sent here to do the business of the state, which is tax policy, and budgets; there’s so much work to be done to address the economic crisis that we are all in in this country.”

Five minors killed in crash after car veers off highway in New York: Officials

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WESTCHESTER, N.Y.) — Five minors have been killed in a crash after a vehicle veered off a highway in Westchester, New York, according to officials.

The victims, four boys and a girl, ranged in age from 8 to 17 years old, according to a news release from Westchester County Public Safety.

The Nissan Rogue the children were traveling in hit a boulder, struck a tree and caught fire after it veered off the Hutchinson River Parkway near the Mamaroneck Road exit in Scarsdale around 12:20 a.m. on Sunday, officials said.

A 9-year-old boy survived the accident, officials say.

Investigators believe a 16-year-old was driving the car. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, officials said.

Authorities identified those killed in the crash as: Anthony Billips Jr., 17; Malik Smith, 16; Zahnyiah Cross, 12; Shawnell Cross, 11; and Andrew Billips, 8.

The driver did not have a driver’s license or permit, Westchester County Executive George Latimer told reporters at a press conference on Monday.

The vehicle was rented by a relative and it remains under investigation how the underage driver had access to it, according to Latimer.

“The driver did not turn with the roadway [but] continued in a straight line,” Latimer said regarding an investigative reconstruction of the accident, adding that the car became “engulfed in flames.”

The victims are all from Derby, Connecticut, police said.

The full circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by the Westchester County Police Department.

Fulton County prosecutors probing election now seek to question Trump attorney, sources say

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(ATLANTA) — Fulton County prosecutors leading the criminal investigation into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia are now looking to question one of Trump’s attorneys as part of the probe, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Prosecutors in District Attorney Fani Willis’ office have requested an interview with Trump’s attorney Christina Bobb, according to multiple sources. It is not clear what information prosecutors hope to gain from Bobb, whose role in Trump’s handling of classified documents is also being examined by special prosecutor Jack Smith.

Criminal defense attorney John Lauro, who represents Bobb, confirmed to ABC News that Fulton County prosecutors called him last week and requested an interview with Bobb.

The prosecutors did not specify what information they were looking to glean from speaking with Bobb, Lauro said, adding that prosecutors “knew nothing about any role that Christina Bobb had, since she had nothing to do with Georgia.”

Bobb plans to deny the request from Fulton County prosecutors, Lauro said.

“They had a year and a half of investigating and never once reached out to Christina Bobb,” he said. “It was one of the more strange conversations I’ve had.”

A spokesperson for the district attorney’s office declined to comment to ABC News.

The new interest in speaking with Bobb comes a little more than two months after the special grand jury seated as part of the probe delivered its final report documenting its findings from its investigation, before the panel was dissolved. The grand jury sat for eight months and interviewed over 75 witnesses, according to limited portions of the report that were released by the judge overseeing the case.

In its report, the grand jury recommended to prosecutors that they seek indictments against witnesses who they believe may have lied during their testimony, according to excerpts of the grand jury’s report.

The foreperson of the special grand jury also said in an interview with The New York Times that the grand jury had recommended multiple indictments, but did not specify who was recommended for indictment or on what charges.

On Monday, Trump’s attorneys filed a sweeping motion asking a judge to quash the largely sealed grand jury report summarizing the findings of its investigation and prevent it from being used in the investigation moving forward.

The motion, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, also seeks to remove the district attorney’s office leading the investigation.

Among those who testified before the grand jury were some of the president’s closest allies, including his former chief of staff Mark Meadows and Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Though the special grand jury does not have the power to bring indictments, it has the power to make recommendations regarding potential charges. It would then be up to the district attorney to determine whether or not to pursue them. A second grand jury is needed to return a potential indictment.

Willis said in January that charging decisions in the case were “imminent.”

Manhattan grand jury hearing from attorney Bob Costello as defense witness in Trump probe: Sources

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The Manhattan, New York grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump’s role in the hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels is hearing Monday from a witness for the defense.

Trump’s legal team asked the Manhattan district attorney’s office to allow Bob Costello, an attorney and longtime Trump ally, to appear as an exculpatory witness, according to a letter to prosecutors obtained by ABC News.

Costello previously represented Michael Cohen, a key witness for the prosecution, and was expected to tell the grand jury that Cohen previously said he was unaware of any crime committed by Trump.

“Cohen repeatedly told Costello that Cohen does not know of any criminal activity by President Donald J. Trump in any matter,” the letter said.

Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, paid $130,000 to Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign to allegedly keep her quiet about an affair she claimed to have had with Trump. The former president has denied the affair and his attorneys have framed the funds as an extortion payment.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is mulling whether to charge Trump with falsifying business records, after the Trump Organization allegedly reimbursed Cohen for the payment then logged the reimbursement as a legal expense, sources have told ABC News. Trump has called the payment “a private contract between two parties” and has denied all wrongdoing.

Over the weekend, Cohen said he was asked to be on standby for possible rebuttal testimony before the grand jury.

Based on the date of the letter, Costello’s testimony appeared to be arranged before Trump wrote on social media Saturday morning that he was expecting to be arrested Tuesday. The post also called on followers to protest.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the city is prepared for any protests related to a potential indictment.

“We are monitoring comments on social media, and the NYPD is doing their normal role of making sure there is no inappropriate actions in the city,” Adams said Monday at an unrelated press conference.

Fed was aware of Silicon Valley Bank problems more than a year before its collapse

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Federal Reserve was aware of risks to Silicon Valley Bank more than a year before its collapse, ABC News confirmed on Monday following a New York Times report.

Even more, ABC News has confirmed a Wall Street Journal report that the Fed cited risks to Silicon Valley Bank’s management as early as 2019 — four years before the bank’s collapse.

In all, the Fed cautioned the bank about its concerns on several occasions, ABC News confirmed.

In a 2021 review, the Fed identified significant vulnerabilities in the bank’s containment of risk, but the bank did not rectify the weaknesses.

The Federal Reserve of San Francisco, a regional entity that supervised Silicon Valley Bank, slapped the bank with six citations, including a note on the bank’s failure to retain enough accessible cash for a potential downturn, according to the Times and confirmed by ABC News.

The following year, in July 2022, Silicon Valley Bank received a closer look known as a full supervisory review, which rated the bank deficient for governance and controls.

Last fall, employees at the Federal Reserve of San Francisco met with top officials at the bank to address the lack of accessible cash and the potential risks posed by rising interest rates. Former Silicon Valley Bank CEO Greg Becker sat on the board of directors at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco from January 2019 until the day of the bank’s collapse on March 10.

Details about the Fed’s conduct toward Silicon Valley Bank over the past two years were first reported by the New York Times and confirmed by ABC News. Silicon Valley Bank did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

The Fed’s warnings proved prescient earlier this month, when the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank marked the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history.

The bank’s deposit base, which draws heavily from startup firms in the technology industry, tripled in size during the pandemic-era tech boom between 2020 and 2022.

Rather than invest all of the deposits into other startups or venture firms, the bank placed a sizable share of the funds into long-term Treasury bonds and mortgage bonds, which typically deliver small but reliable returns amid low interest rates.

In short order, however, the low-interest rate environment evaporated. Over the last year, the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate 4.5%, the fastest pace since the 1980s.

The sudden spike in interest rates dropped the value of Silicon Valley Bank’s Treasury bonds and mortgage bonds, punching a hole in its balance sheet.

Two weeks ago, when Silicon Valley Bank announced it had lost $1.8 billion on the sale of those distressed bonds, major depositors withdrew their funds, prompting others to follow in quick succession.

The bank failed to generate enough cash to meet the demand of depositors seeking funds — a spiral downward that shuttered the bank in less than 48 hours.

The Fed is currently conducting an internal review of how it supervised and regulated Silicon Valley Bank, officials said. Those findings will be publicly released May 1.

Republicans demand Manhattan DA Bragg turn over docs related to Trump investigation, potential indictment

March 20, 2023 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Republican chairmen of the House Judiciary, Oversight, and Administration committees issued a letter to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Monday demanding testimony and documents related to the investigation and potential indictment of former President Donald Trump.

The joint letter, from House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, and House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, is the first action by Republican House committees in response to Trump saying he expects to be indicted this week and after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy quickly announced he planned to use committees to probe the potential indictment and whether federal funding was involved.

“You are reportedly about to engage in an unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority: the indictment of a former President of the United States and current declared candidate for that office,” the letter reads.

Jordan also told ABC News on Monday that he doesn’t believe Trump broke the law and called the expected indictment unprecedented in nature. When pressed on whether Jordan had any evidence to believe that federal funds were used in a local investigation, he said he did not and that’s why they’re looking into it.

McCarthy said during a press conference on Sunday evening at the House Republicans’ retreat in Orlando, Florida that he doesn’t think people should protest in relation to any potential impending indictment of Trump.

“I don’t think people should protest, no,” McCarthy said when asked if he condones Trump’s call to protest in relation to it made over Truth Social.

McCarthy wouldn’t directly denounce Trump using similar language that he did prior to Jan. 6, but added, “We want calmness out there” and “no violence.”

When asked if he believes it’s still appropriate for Trump to run if he’s convicted of a crime, McCarthy said “the Constitution allows him to.”

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