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Victoria Alonso, whose name has been seen in the credits of Marvel movies since 2008’s Iron Man, has left the building, according to The Hollywood Reporter. While the hit-making studio is characteristically mum, the trade reports Alonso left the studio Friday. No reason was given for the move.
The exec, who was a co-producer on other MCU building blocks like 2011’s Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, was upped to executive producer on 2012’s smash The Avengers. But her name has been all over MCU properties from the big and small screen, including WandaVision, for which she received her first Emmy nomination.
The creative and executive, who was promoted in 2012 to president, physical and post-production, visual effects and animation production for Marvel Studios, was a prominent proponent of boosting diversity into the company’s superhero properties.
Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
(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.
(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.”
Julianne Hough will join season 32 of Dancing with the Stars as a co-host, Good Morning America has confirmed.
She will co-host the hit dance competition show alongside Alfonso Ribeiro, who joined the show in season 31.
Hough makes her return to the show after competing as a pro for five seasons and acting as a judge for several seasons; she won the coveted Mirrorball Trophy in seasons 4 and 5.
Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough are all set to return as judges. Len Goodman retired from Dancing with the Stars last year.
“It is such an honor to be rejoining Dancing with the Stars as co-host,” Julianne shared in a statement obtained by GMA.
“The show holds such a special place in my heart from the many years and different roles I have had the privilege of being a part of,” her statement continued. “The incredible team that brings the ballroom to life every night has been my family for the past 17 years.”
Hough expressed, “I am so excited to reunite with Alfonso, Carrie Ann, Bruno, Derek, the unbelievably talented pros, and the amazing cast on the dance floor. The energy is magnetic every time you step foot into the ballroom and I can’t wait to feel it again — and of course to share it all with the absolute best and most loyal fans — for another exciting season.”
News of Hough’s return to DWTS comes after Tyra Banks announced last week she was exiting the show to focus on her entrepreneurial endeavors.
Dancing with the Stars will return to Disney+ in the fall.
Post Malone will soon stand trial in the authorship dispute over his hit song “Circles.” The suit was brought by Canadian musician Tyler Armes, who claims he’s owed partial ownership of the song because he contributed a guitar riff to it.
Billboardreports jury selection in the case starts Tuesday at a U.S. federal courthouse in Los Angeles. It’s believed a verdict can be reached as soon as Friday.
As of Monday, a witness list has not been released, so it is unknown who will testify in court. However, Post’s lawyers confirmed in August he’ll voluntarily testify in the case.
His lawyers told the outlet over the summer, “He fully intends to appear to refute plaintiff’s claims.”
As previously reported, Armes claims he contributed a guitar riff, and co-wrote the chords and bass line for “Circles.” He adds he was originally offered publishing royalties capped at 5 percent, but the offer was withdrawn when he tried negotiating for more.
Tesla is extending their time in Sin City. The band just announced a new set of dates for their Las Vegas residency.
The band has added five new shows, taking place September 29 and 30, and October 4, 6 and 7 at the House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Presale tickets go on sale Tuesday, with the general sale set for Friday at 10 p.m. PT.
Tesla is already set to return to Las Vegas this week, with shows happening Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The band also has several dates booked throughout the spring and summer. Their complete tour schedule can be found at teslaband.com.
(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.
To celebrate her upcoming cookbook, Y’all Eat Yet? Welcome to the Pretty B*tchin’ Kitchen, Miranda Lambert has announced that she’ll be holding three exclusive book signings.
Miranda will first visit the 5th Avenue Barnes & Noble store in New York City on April 25 at 12 p.m. ET. She will then stop by The Grove Barnes & Noble store in Los Angeles on April 28 at 11 a.m. PT. The three-stop book signings will conclude at her very own Pink Pistol store in her hometown of Lindale, Texas, on May 9 at 12 p.m. CT.
“Watching my mom and her friends, I saw the way pitching in, working together, loving music and being there for each other is the greatest gift you can have in life,” Miranda shares of the female friendship that’s highlighted in her book, alongside the special family recipes. “I think my mom inherited that gift from her mom, because they both attracted the most awesome group of girlfriends.”
Limited tickets priced at $38.11, plus an Eventbrite fee of $4, will be available at 11 a.m. local time on Tuesday, March 21, via YallEatYetBook.com.
(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.
Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx is hitting back at an accusation the band performs with backing tapes on their tour.
As previously reported, the accusation was made by former Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice, who claimed that guitarist Mick Mars, who retired from touring with Crüe, was “unhappy” touring with the band because “basically, everything was on tape.”
A fan on Twitter asked Sixx about the accusations, and he didn’t hold back his feelings. “A washed up drummer speaking for our band without any of the facts is as ridiculous as bottom feeder media running with stories without fact checking,” he tweeted. “When you hear the truth it will be from us.”
But Appice didn’t let Sixx have the last word. He was quick to respond, “At least this washed up drummer can play his instrument well who has pioneered heavy rock drumming and can educate others around the world on his instrument !!!”
Mötley Crüe is currently on a short break from their world tour with Def Leppard. Their next show is scheduled for May 22 in Sheffield, England. A complete list of dates can be found at motleycrue.com.
