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Alex Murdaugh murder convictions overturned by South Carolina Supreme Court

May 13, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The South Carolina Supreme Court has overturned the murder convictions of Alex Murdaugh, who was found guilty of killing his wife and younger son, finding that the court clerk’s “improper external influence” on the jury denied him a fair trial.

Murdaugh’s wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, 52, and younger son, Paul Murdaugh, 22, were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds near the dog kennels at the family’s hunting estate in 2021.

Murdaugh was convicted in 2023 of murdering them following a six-week trial, with jurors deliberating for nearly three hours before reaching a guilty verdict.

The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Murdaugh must have a new trial, citing the actions of former Colleton County Clerk of Court Mary Rebecca “Becky” Hill, the court clerk who served during the double murder trial.

Hill “egregiously attacked Murdaugh’s credibility and his defense, thus triggering the presumption of prejudice, which the State was unable to rebut,” the court’s opinion stated. “As noted at the outset, Hill’s shocking jury interference was accomplished outside the presence and knowledge of the outstanding trial judge and superbly competent and professional counsel for the State and the defense.”

In a footnote, the justices said they “commend the post-trial court, which inherited Murdaugh’s motion for a new trial and was placed in the unenviable position of evaluating unprecedented jury interference by a clerk of court within the context of a murky area of law.”

Following the decision, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said his office will “aggressively” seek to retry Alex Murdaugh for the murders “as soon as possible.”

“Let me be clear — this decision does not mean Murdaugh will be released,” Wilson said in a statement. “He will remain in prison for his financial crimes. No one is above the law and, as always, we will continue to fight for justice.”

Murdaugh was also convicted on several financial crimes following the murder trial and is serving a 27-year sentence on state charges and a 40-year sentence on federal charges related to those crimes.

In the murder trial, prosecutors made the case that Alex Murdaugh, who comes from a legacy of prominent attorneys in the Lowcountry region, killed his wife and son to gain sympathy and distract from his financial wrongdoings, while the defense argued that police ignored the possibility that anyone else could have killed them.

Murdaugh has continued to maintain his innocence. His defense alleged that jury tampering and evidentiary errors — including the inclusion of his financial crimes — denied him a fair trial.

Murdaugh’s attorneys contend that Hill tampered with the jury by “advising it not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony and other defense evidence, pressuring it to reach a quick guilty verdict, misrepresenting information to the trial court in an attempt to have the court remove a juror she believed to favor the defense.”

During oral arguments before the state Supreme Court justices on the matter in February, the defense alleged that Hill tampered with the jury to ensure a guilty verdict because, they claimed, it would help her sell more copies of a book she would go on to write about the high-profile case.

Murdaugh’s defense claimed that Hill influenced the verdict through remarks heard by some jurors during the trial, including in one instance to watch Murdaugh’s body language during his testimony, according to court filings.

“The clerk of court allowed public attention of the moment to overcome her duty,” Murdaugh’s attorney, Dick Harpootlian, said during the February hearing.

Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters countered during the hearing that Hill made a “few fleeting comments” over the course of a six-week trial that included nearly 90 witnesses and almost 600 exhibits, arguing that they weren’t enough to influence the verdict.

Chief Justice John Kittredge called Hill a “rogue clerk of court” during the hearing and said he wanted to make note that the “overwhelming majority” of clerks in the state are “dedicated, conscientious public servants” who “do not act like this.”

Hill resigned as the Colleton County clerk of court in March 2024, amid the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s investigation into allegations she may have abused her government position for financial gain.

She pleaded guilty in December 2025 to obstruction of justice, perjury and misconduct in office for showing photographs that were sealed court evidence to a reporter during the trial and then later lying about doing so on the stand during a hearing related to Murdaugh’s bid for a new trial.

The charges did not allege any jury tampering, and she denied any tampering with the jury during her testimony.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Family of Ronald Greene reaches tentative $4.8M settlement with Louisiana State Police: Sources

May 13, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Family of Ronald Greene reaches tentative .8M settlement with Louisiana State Police: Sources

Family of Ronald Greene reaches tentative $4.8M settlement with Louisiana State Police: Sources — : Louisiana State trooper police car parked on street (ablokhin/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — Officials in Louisiana reached a tentative $4.8 million settlement on Tuesday evening with the family of Ronald Greene, sources told ABC News. Greene was a 49-year-old Black motorist who died on May 10, 2019, after an encounter with Louisiana State Police, where he was beaten and shocked with stun guns following a high-speed vehicle chase.

A spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday morning that a settlement, which was first reported by the Associated Press, has been reached over Greene’s death, but said that the terms cannot be discussed since the negotiations are ongoing.

“LSP is unable to discuss the terms of the settlement at this time, as the process has not yet been finalized,” LSP Public Affairs spokesperson Lt. Kate Stegall said.

Greene was pursued by police after failing to stop for an unspecified traffic violation, leading to a car chase near Monroe, Louisiana. Greene’s mother, Mona Hardin, said that authorities initially told the family that Greene died when his car crashed into a tree, but body camera footage released amid public pressure nearly two years after his death showed his violent encounter with police.

The settlement would resolve a federal wrongful death lawsuit filed in May 2020 by Greene’s family against the Louisiana State Police.

According to Louisiana state law, the settlement would need final approval from the state legislature before it is finalized.

Five Louisiana law enforcement officers initially faced state charges for their roles in Greene’s deadly arrest, but several charges were dropped or reduced in this case.

Federal prosecutors informed Greene’s family in January 2025 that the Department of Justice had declined to seek federal charges in this incident.

Alex Murdaugh murder conviction overturned by South Carolina Supreme Court

May 13, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The South Carolina Supreme Court has overturned the murder convictions of Alex Murdaugh.

The former attorney was sentenced in 2023 to life in prison for the murder convictions of his wife Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, 52, and younger son, Paul Murdaugh, 22. Both were found shot inside their home in 2021.

The Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Murdaugh must have a new trial, citing the actions of former Colleton County Clerk of Court Mary Rebecca “Becky” Hill, who has been charged with perjury, obstructing justice and misconduct in relation to the murder trial.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Newly discovered asteroid will make a close, but safe, encounter with Earth

May 13, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A newly discovered asteroid will pass within about 56,000 miles of Earth on Monday, significantly closer than the distance between Earth and the moon.

There is no need to worry or cancel any plans, however. Current calculations show no evidence that the object will hit Earth.

The asteroid was identified several days ago by astronomers at five observatories, including Farpoint Observatory in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, and Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona’s Santa Catalina Mountains.

The asteroid, designated 2026 JH2, is likely between 50 and 100 feet across, according to estimates from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. That estimate is based on how bright the object appears and how much light scientists think its surface reflects.

Astronomers are still working to better understand the asteroid’s orbit and physical characteristics. So far, the object has been tracked only 24 times over several days. While its trajectory is still being refined, current calculations show no impact risk.

The asteroid is considered an Apollo-class near-Earth object.

“These asteroids have an orbit that is larger than Earth’s orbit around the Sun and their path crosses Earth’s orbit,” according to NASA.

The Virtual Telescope Project plans to stream the encounter live beginning at 5:45 p.m. ET on Monday.

Inflation jumps to its highest level in three years

May 13, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Inflation rose for a second consecutive month as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran continued to send gasoline prices surging in April, government data on Tuesday showed. The inflation report matched economists’ expectations.

Prices rose 3.8% in April compared to a year earlier, marking an increase from a year-over-year inflation rate of 3.3% in the prior month. Annual inflation jumped to its highest level in three years, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data showed.

“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday as he was departing for a high-stakes trip to China, when asked to what extent Americans’ financial situations were motivating him to make a deal with Iran.

“The most important thing, by far, is Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” the president further said, adding, “Every American understands.”

As recently as February, inflation stood at 2.4%, clocking in just a tick above the Federal Reserve’s target level of 2%.

The jump in prices last month owed in large part to a sharp rise in costs for products impacted by a global oil shock. Gasoline prices were 5% higher in April than March, the BLS report said. Airline fares climbed 2.8% from the previous month.

The Middle East conflict prompted the Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime trading route that facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of global oil supply. The standoff prompted one of the largest oil shocks ever recorded.

The U.S. is a net exporter of petroleum, meaning the country produces more oil than it consumes. But since oil prices are set on a global market, U.S. prices move in response to swings in worldwide supply and demand.

Crude oil is the main ingredient in auto fuel, accounting for more than half of the price paid at the pump, according to the federal U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The price of an average gallon of gas stood at $4.50 as of Monday, AAA data showed – an increase of $1.52 per gallon since the war began on Feb. 28. That amounts to a roughly 50% price jump in about two-and-a-half months.

The surge in fuel prices sent costs surging for gas-dependent transportation, such as airline tickets. In March, airfare costs jumped more than 3% from a month earlier.

Within weeks, the jump in prices could spread to groceries, furniture and just about any other item delivered by diesel-fueled trucks and tankers, some analysts previously told ABC News.

The recent rise in prices has left many consumers feeling glum. In May, consumer sentiment fell to the lowest level ever recorded, according to a monthly survey conducted by the University of Michigan since 1978.

Consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, could weaken if shoppers remain pessimistic. In theory, a slowdown of spending could slow the economy.

By some measures, however, the U.S. economy has proven resilient amid the war.

Hiring slowed in April but remained solid, exceeding economists’ expectations, federal government data last week showed. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3% in April, a low level by historic standards. Additionally, the economy grew at an annualized rate of 2% in the first quarter of 2026, marking an acceleration from 0.5% growth recorded in the previous quarter.

However, a persistent increase in consumer prices may put pressure on the Fed to raise interest rates as a means of dialing back inflation.

The Fed has opted to hold interest rates steady at three consecutive meetings since the outset of 2026. Before that, the Fed cut interest rates a quarter-point three straight times.

If the Fed moved to raise interest rates, it would hike borrowing costs for many consumer and business loans, risking an economic slowdown.

Markets forecast a roughly 70% chance of interest rates holding steady for the remainder of this year, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

ABC News’ Karen Travers, Emily Chang and Fritz Farrow contributed to this report.

Denver airport fatal collision was a suicide, man identified, officials say

May 13, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(DENVER) — The fatal collision in which a Frontier Airlines jet struck a person on the runway at Denver International Airport was a suicide, according to the medical examiner.

The man, who died of multiple blunt and sharp force injuries, has been identified as 41-year-old Michael Mott.

Mott was scientifically identified and police said they are talking to friends and family to better understand what had been going on in his life, the medical examiner said at a press conference Tuesday.

Mott was not an airport employee and no vehicle or bicycle was found nearby. Investigators are still trying to understand what he was doing in the area, according to the medical examiner.

The runway where the incident occurred is about 2 miles away from the terminal and is very remote. Police have searched nearby farmland for any notes or items from him, but have not found anything, according to the medical examiner.

Denver International Airport officials said they have had fence jumpers before, but they are typically caught rather quickly. The airport got an intrusion alarm alert on Friday, but when they looked, they saw a pack of deer, which is common in the area. They could not see Mott, officials said.

It took 15 seconds for Mott to jump over the 8-foot fence with barbed wire. It took two minutes from that first moment for him to reach the runway and be hit, according to officials.

If you or someone you care about needs to talk, contact the free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 1-800-273-8255.

Army cuts training as service is short billions of dollars

May 13, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Army is grappling with a sudden budget crunch and scrambling to slash training costs across broad swaths of the force, according to internal documents reviewed by ABC News and multiple U.S. officials.

The move is to make up for a shortfall of some $4 billion to $6 billion, according to one of the officials, as the service has drastically expanded its operational footprint at home and abroad.

The cuts, which range from elite schools to unit-level training, have triggered a wave of abrupt cancellations and unusually aggressive spending scrutiny months before the fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

The service’s multibillion-dollar shortfall is the product of a widening set of operational demands and rising costs across the force.

Major drivers, a U.S. official noted, have been costs associated with the Iran war and an expanding mission securing the southern U.S. border.

Additionally, expansive National Guard missions, including the ongoing deployment in Washington, D.C., which alone is projected to cost roughly $1.1 billion this year, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

At the same time, the service is absorbing ballooning personnel expenses and stepping in to cover missions tied to Department of Homeland Security funding lapses, including at the southern border and construction projects. The Army is expected to be reimbursed for covering down for some of DHS’ expenses incurred during the record 76-day DHS shutdown.

The Army’s III Armored Corps, an umbrella of the Army’s heavy armor and cavalry units, is expected to bear a lot of the brunt, a document outlining projections to units on consequences of funding cuts shows.

That internal plan warns that the corps’ aviation units will deploy next year at “a lower state of readiness,” and “career stagnation” of mid-level officers who would oversee key training events and noted it would take a full year for units to rebuild “combat proficiency.”

The corps commands some 70,000 soldiers representing nearly half of the service’s combat power.

The reductions there include slashing roughly half of the formation’s budget and gutting pilots’ flight hours down to minimum mandatory levels.

The cuts to flights come as the Army’s aviation enterprise faces mounting scrutiny following a string of high-profile mishaps, much of that historically been attributed to fatigue and dwindling pilot flying time in recent years.

Also among the moves: an upcoming Army Sapper Course, the service’s premier combat engineering school, was canceled, while an artillery course set to begin Monday at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was abruptly called off. Other units and military training courses are also auditing more closely how many soldiers it can train, two U.S. officials explained.

“Army commanders are taking all necessary measures to prioritize critical readiness and operational requirements, ensuring we operate responsibly within our currently enacted funding levels,” Col. Marty Meiners, an Army spokesperson, said in a statement.

The Defense Department declined to say whether similar training cuts are being made across the military or are largely confined to the Army, referring ABC News questions to the individual services.

The cuts come amid skyrocketing fuel costs, which can quickly drive up the price of large-scale training exercises, aviation operations and travel. But it remains unclear whether those soaring costs are directly behind the moves now rippling through Army commands.

The Pentagon’s belt-tightening measures were briefly mentioned on Capitol Hill Tuesday as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testified before lawmakers on the Pentagon’s request for a $1.5 trillion budget. But defense officials never directly addressed the concerns.

“We need to know the impact of what it’s having on the services executing missions beyond the war, the department notified us that the standard fuel price for the services has increased from $154 to $195 a barrel,” Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., said Tuesday during a hearing on the Pentagon’s budget.

“That’s more we have to pay for fuel. Then there’s less money available for training and exercise that the services need to perform,” she added.

Scaling back training late in the summer as the fiscal year winds down is relatively routine inside the Pentagon. But officials say it is far less common to see such sweeping cuts and cancellations this early in the budget cycle.

Trump says ‘I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation’ in Iran negotiations

May 12, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said Americans’ financial situation was “not even a little bit” of a motivating factor for him reaching a deal to end the war in Iran, despite a new report that inflation rose for a second consecutive month and hit a three-year high.

Trump made the comment on Tuesday as he took questions from reporters as he left the White House for a high-stakes trip to China.

“Not even a little bit,” the president said when asked to what extent Americans’ financial situations were motivating him to make a deal with Iran, as the war stretches into its 11th week.

“The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump continued. “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all.”

ABC News White House Correspondent Karen Travers pressed Trump to clarify whether he was considering the financial impact of the war on Americans. He doubled down.

“The most important thing, by far, is Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

“What about the pressure on Americans and prices, right now?” ABC’s Travers asked.

“Every American understands,” Trump said.

He added, “They understand that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. If Iran has a nuclear weapon, the whole world would be in trouble because they happen to be crazy.”

When pressed on his 2024 campaign promise to bring down inflation in light of Tuesday’s report showing prices rose 3.8% in April compared to last year, Trump insisted his policies are “working incredibly.”

A recent poll from ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos found about two-thirds of Americans (65%) disapproved of how Trump is handling the economy. About three-quarters of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the cost of living in the U.S. (76%) with just about a quarter approving (23%). Nearly as many disapprove of how he’s handling inflation (72%), up from 65% who disapproved in February.

Several of the poll’s participants spoke to ABC News about the financial strain they’re experiencing because of soaring gas prices.

As of Tuesday, the national average for a gallon of gas in the U.S. was $4.50, according to data from AAA, up more than $1.50 since the war began in late February.

Trump, who on Monday floated a gas tax holiday to bring some financial relief to Americans, reiterated on Tuesday his belief that prices will go back down once the conflict comes to an end.

“When it’s over, you’re going to have a massive drop in the price of oil,” Trump told reporters.

Republican Sen. Graham questions Pakistan’s role in Iran negotiations

May 12, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday he does not trust Pakistan and questioned the country’s role as a mediator in negotiations between the U.S. and Iran after a recent report suggested the Pakistanis are working closely with Iran.

“I don’t trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them,” Graham said during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.

On Monday, CBS News reported U.S. officials told the outlet that Pakistan had allowed Iranian military aircraft to be parked at its airfields, “potentially shielding them from American airstrikes.”

CBS reported the U.S. officials, who spoke only under condition of anonymity to discuss national security issues, said that days after President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran sent multiple aircraft to Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan.

Leaving the White House on Tuesday for his trip to China, Trump told reporters the Pakistanis have been “great.”

“The Pakistanis have been great, the field marshal and the prime minister of Pakistan have been great,” he said.

Graham first asked Caine if the report was accurate, but Caine would not comment, citing the classified nature of the intelligence. Graham then asked Caine if such a move would be inconsistent with Pakistan’s role as a mediator.

“I wouldn’t want to comment on that based on the ongoing negotiations impact and Pakistan’s role,” Caine responded.

Graham asked Hegseth the same question.

“Again, I wouldn’t want to get in the middle of these negotiations,” Hegseth responded.

“I want to get in the middle of these negotiations,” Graham replied. “I don’t trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them. If they actually do have Iranian aircraft parked in Pakistan bases to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me we should be looking maybe for somebody else to mediate.”

“No wonder this damn thing is going nowhere,” he added.

In a statement provided to ABC News, the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs “categorically rejected” the CBS News report, suggesting it was misleading and sensationalized. The statement confirmed that Iranian aircraft are in Pakistan but said American aircraft are also allowed to use its airfields.

“Following the ceasefire and during the initial round of the Islamabad Talks, a number of aircraft from Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams, and administrative staff associated with the talks process,” the statement said.

“Some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of subsequent rounds of engagement,” the statement said.

The ministry added that the aircraft within its borders “arrived during the ceasefire period and bear no linkage whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement.”

The ministry defended Pakistan’s stance as an “impartial, constructive, and responsible facilitator in support of dialogue and de-escalation.”

“Assertions suggesting otherwise are speculative, misleading, and entirely detached from the factual context,” the statement said.

ABC News’ Habi Khan contributed to this report.

Appeals court temporarily pauses order that declared Trump’s global 10% tariffs unlawful

May 12, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday temporarily paused a lower court order that declared President Donald Trump’s global 10% tariffs are unlawful.

In an unsigned decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued an administrative stay of last week’s decision from the Court of International Trade.

The move, effectively a brief legal time-out, will allow an appeals court panel time to consider equities on both sides of the dispute before considering whether or not to invalidate the tariffs while litigation continues.

The court did not take any position on the merits of Trump’s appeal and is still considering issuing a long-term stay pending appeal.

The same court granted the Trump administration’s request to stay last year’s decision blocking Trump’s first round of tariffs.

Last week, a New York-based trade court concluded that the 10% — imposed by Trump after the Supreme Court blocked his initial tariffs — were similarly unlawful.

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