(NEW YORK) — Disgraced crypto executive Sam Bankman-Fried has made “recent attempts” to contact prospective witnesses in his criminal case, federal prosecutors said Friday in a letter to the judge that sought new conditions of his release.
Bankman-Fried has been free on a $250 million bond after he was charged with fraud and conspiracy following the collapse of the crypto platform he founded, FTX.
Prosecutors asked the judge to modify the conditions of the bond and order Bankman-Fried not to contact or communicate with current or former FTX or Alameda employees and not to use any encrypted messaging apps.
“The imposition of these new conditions is justified in light of the nature of the case, as well as the defendant’s recent attempts to contact prospective witnesses,” assistant United States Attorney Danielle Sassoon wrote in the government’s letter.
“It has recently come to the Government’s attention that the defendant has been in direct communication with the current General Counsel of FTX US who may be a witness at trial, and who is represented by counsel.”
The outreach was made through Signal, prosecutors said, and by email that said, “I would really love to reconnect and see if there’s a way for us to have a constructive relationship, use each other as resources when possible, or at least vet things with each other.”
Prosecutors said they were concerned the message proposed an alliance and suggested an effort to influence the general counsel’s potential testimony.
“This is particularly concerning given that the defendant is aware that Witness-1 has information that would tend to inculpate the defendant. The Government has interviewed Witness-1, who has firsthand knowledge of the defendant’s conduct during the charged conspiracies, including during the collapse of FTX in November 2022,” the letter said.
The defendant has also contacted other current and former FTX employees, prosecutors said.
There was no immediate response from the defense or the judge.
(SOUTH CAROLINA) — Former President Donald Trump is embarking on his first campaign swing of the 2024 presidential cycle on Saturday where he is expected to announce his leadership team from South Carolina as he seeks the White House for the third time – but his appearance comes as some conservatives in the state say their support for Trump isn’t locked in.
Trump will deliver remarks from the Columbia State House in an event hosted by Gov. Henry McMaster who has endorsed Trump, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who is widely expected to make his Trump endorsement official on Saturday.
It’s still unclear at this point who else will appear with Trump on stage in Columbia. Trump advisors have reportedly “blanketed” South Carolina Republican officials with “pleading” phone calls in recent weeks to drum up endorsements and attendees, according to The Washington Post.
“There’s some reserve because everybody knows what Donald Trump is going to come in and say: rewind, press play, change your city name, and you’re going to hear the same thing,” Dave Wilson, the president of evangelical group Palmetto Family Council, said in an interview with ABC News.
“And not to say that the former president doesn’t have something to bring to the table, but I think that a lot of conservative voters are saying, ‘all right, let me see what else is out there before I decide whether I’m going to jump back on a train that I already know,'” Wilson said.
Trump is also slated to speak at the New Hampshire Republican Party’s annual meeting in Salem on Saturday morning before he heads down south, a likely indication his campaign is kicking into high gear.
His visit could also be seen as a warning shot to New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who is said to be considering his own run for the Republican presidential ticket in 2024. Sununu’s office told ABC News the governor has made no plans to attend the annual meeting this year.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.
Trump and his allies’ appeals for support in South Carolina come amid a potentially competitive nomination process as former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., are weighing presidential runs themselves. Neither party has confirmed their intentions to run, but Haley is widely expected to announce in the coming weeks while Scott hasn’t ruled it out.
“I think Trump is hoping that a good showing this weekend will encourage both of them to stay out of the race,” Kirk Randazzo, a professor of political science at the University of South Carolina, said to ABC News. “That said, there will be appearances by Senator Lindsay Graham and Governor Henry McMaster, both of whom previously relied on Trump for their political positions…beyond these two individuals, there are not many more notable individuals joining Trump on stage this weekend.”
Graham has been working the phones to drum up support for Trump, telling allies to get on board because he believes Trump is the likely presidential nominee, sources familiar with the senator told ABC News. The Washington Post first reported the details of these conversations.
But aside from close allies, “Republicans are increasingly backing away from Trump,” Randazzo said.
“The evidence indicates that they are looking for other individuals who can champion MAGA policies but who do not possess the negative baggage associated with Trump,” he added, pointing to Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor from Florida, as an alternative candidate.
Many Republicans have noticed the last two or three elections where Republicans lost in large part because of Trump and the candidates he openly endorsed, Randazzo said. “This, combined with his brusque personality and behavior, have folks thinking they’re better served by distancing themselves from him,” he said.
South Carolina Republican Party chair Drew McKissick is not expected to attend the Saturday event because he is attending Republican National Committee meetings in California. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a close ally of Trump is not expected to attend the campaign event due to a scheduling conflict, his office confirmed to ABC News.
“With Nikki Haley and Tim Scott in the mix as South Carolinians, Donald Trump as the former president, as well as members of his administration also running against him in [Mike] Pence and [Mike] Pompeo – it begs the question that a lot of people are asking right now and that is: who’s going to take the lead?” Wilson said.
“I think that there are a lot of conservatives in South Carolina who are taking a wait-and-see kind of attitude,” he said.
Wilson noted that several members of the South Carolina General Assembly have told him privately that they would not be attending Trump’s event on Saturday.
“Core conservatives are asking this question: who’s going to be able to do go beyond the next four years? The best Donald Trump can offer us is four more years as president. Conservatives are looking for somebody who can become a standard-bearer, who can go beyond four years to eight years,” Wilson said.
“In South Carolina, we really kind of take the importance of us as first-in-the-south primary very seriously,” Wilson added. “For us, it is a one-year job interview. And we expect you to show up at our towns large and small, we expect you to come to our restaurants, we expect you to show up at our churches, we expect you to have conversations with us.”
Republican voters in South Carolina primaries have voted for the eventual GOP presidential nominee in every cycle since 1980, except in 2012 when the Republican Party nominated Mitt Romney.
Haley and Scott are already making the rounds because they benefit from residing in South Carolina, Wilson noted, but others including Pence and Pompeo have also notably made various stops in the state in the past several months. He cautioned other candidates to take the southern state seriously.
“People like Ron DeSantis – Ron DeSantis needs to start making his way to South Carolina because the one-year job interview starts now,” he said.
A spokesperson for DeSantis did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(DANA POINT, Calif.) — Republican National Committee members reelected Ronna McDaniel as chair inside a ritzy hotel in Dana Point on Friday, closing out an unusually contentious race that could have outsized implications as the GOP gears up for the 2024 elections.
“It is an honor to be re-elected as Chairwoman of the RNC, and I am deeply grateful that our members have entrusted me with another term in this role,” McDaniel said Friday. “The work to make Joe Biden a one-term president is already underway: it is time for our party to unite and re-dedicate ourselves to electing Republicans up and down the ballot. I look forward to working alongside conservative leaders, including Harmeet and Mike, from across our party to deliver on our promises to the American people.”
Eighty-four votes were needed to win a majority of the 167 votes cast in the contest. McDaniel received 111, while Dhillon received 51 and Lindell got four. One vote was cast for former congressman and New York governor nominee Lee Zeldin.
McDaniel, entering a fourth term, was the favorite in Friday’s election, though she faced a challenge from attorney Harmeet Dhillon and a long-shot bid from My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell. Typically a sleepy affair, the chair’s race this year morphed into a debate over personality and strategy, with surrogates for the candidates lobbing personal attacks over last year’s election operations.
The acrimony has largely been fueled by a broader reckoning over Republicans’ underperformance in the 2022 elections, with McDaniel insisting certain aspects of the midterms were out of her control and Dhillon panning what she claims was a fundamental lack of strategy and misallocation of resources on the part of the national party.
McDaniel still retained support from well over half of the 168 voting RNC members — the threshold she needs to clinch reelection — though frustrated members said the stakes would be high for whomever won the chair.
“I think Ronna is likely to win but probably by a smaller margin than she may expect. There is pretty profound desire for change from the committee. But there’s also dissatisfaction with the way Harmeet has run her campaign,” said one undecided committee member. “And I think the important thing is, whoever wins, the party has got to come together — and that starts with Ronna and Harmeet.”
“2024 just has so much at stake with the White House in play,” this member said. “I think many Americans think the country is on the wrong track. As a party, we just can’t afford to underperform in ’24. We clearly underperformed in ’22, and there are a lot of reasons for that. We can’t do it again.”
Ahead of the race, McDaniel released a letter boasting endorsements from more than 100 of the 168 voting RNC members, handing her buffer room to shed support to a challenger and still be on strong footing.
Dhillon, who has represented former President Donald Trump against the House Jan. 6 committee, also got a late start in the race.
McDaniel only added to the number of supporters in recent days, announcing endorsements from a small handful of state party chairs who are also RNC members.
Dhillon, however, had waged a full court press, leaning on both meetings with RNC members and outside allies including Fox News personalities to raise the heat and try to help her beat that daunting math.
RNC members predicted that she succeeded in peeling off at least a few signees from McDaniel’s letter.
In an interview, Dhillon claimed the pro-McDaniel letter is inaccurate and said she’s “hoping and planning to win,” though she wouldn’t say how many votes she believes she has behind her heading into Friday.
“I have an estimate, but I’m not sharing that information publicly because some of those people want to stay private,” she insisted. “That said, several people are privately committed to us, and I’m picking up votes — several a day.”
Dhillon said her challenge to McDaniel is fueled by three main concerns, including “an inexplicable failure” by RNC leadership to take advantage of mail-in and early voting to the full extent that it’s allowed — even as Trump and some other Republicans tell voters to embrace in-person ballots.
Dhillon also accused the national party of “wasting” millions of dollars on “consultants who don’t produce results” and failing to promote “clear and concise messaging and direction for our candidates,” citing conflicting stances among candidates around the Supreme Court’s ruling scrapping constitutional protections for abortion.
“We failed,” Dhillon said. “And again, these are sort of critical, basic building blocks of winning elections. And until we get these things right, I don’t know that donors, voters or candidates are going to have confidence in the party, and that’s terrible because the RNC plays a critical role in our elections.”
Dhillon also argued that McDaniel didn’t take a muscular enough approach in advising local and state officials on which candidates could be potent in general elections.
“Ultimately, voters have to select who the candidate is. But there are many inflection points along the way between the time somebody wakes up and says, ‘I can be the next United States senator,’ versus the day we are counting the ballots and coming up short,'” Dhillon said. “I think the idea that everybody else gets a say, Democrats get a say, President Trump gets a say, various PACs get to say, but the party doesn’t get a say? I don’t think so.”
Kari Lake, who traveled to the RNC meeting in California to drum up support for Dhillon after her failed Arizona gubernatorial bid, echoed the need for different leadership.
“I am so excited to see such quality candidates stepping forward to say, ‘Let’s move on, Ronna. Thank you very much for your service, we need a change in America,'” Lake told reporters Wednesday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cruised to reelection in the midterms despite GOP disappointments elsewhere, told conservative activist and host Charlie Kirk on Thursday that he “like[s] what Harmeet Dhillon has said about getting the RNC outside” of Washington.
“I think we need a change, and I think we need to get some new blood in the RNC,” DeSantis said.
Lindell asserted in a phone interview with ABC News that he and Dhillon have enough combined power to at least keep the simple majority away from McDaniel — a prediction that did not come to fruition.
“I believe Ronna McDaniel is well under the 85 needed,” Lindell said. “Kind of like what happened in Congress [with Kevin McCarthy’s protracted speakership election]. This is very similar, only it’s very much to my advantage because it’s a secret vote.”
“If it was an open vote, I think it’d be hard for anybody to win because of the promises that are made — and all of the sudden you’re going to get that carrot pulled back if you vote elsewhere,” he said.
Lindell, like Dhillon, sought to project confidence about his chances to overcome McDaniel’s broad support.
“Remember, it’s a secret ballot — and guess what, no machines. Isn’t that great?” Lindell said, laughing. (The businessman has continued to spread baseless claims about electronic voting machines.)
Despite the challenges, McDaniel’s pull on her caucus remains strong. During a candidate forum on Wednesday night at the Waldorf Astoria in Dana Point, McDaniel was the only candidate to receive a standing ovation from RNC members, according to several sources who were present in the room. Supporters milled about the lobby of the Waldorf later that evening, sporting campaign buttons — a bright red “Roll With RONNA for RNC chair” fastened to several members’ lapels and dresses.
McDaniel, whose spokesperson did not make her available for an interview after multiple requests, has insisted that her critics are overestimating the power of the RNC chair and that she does not have the power to pick candidates or impose messaging discipline on any nominee.
And with six years of running the RNC under her belt, McDaniel, a member of the Romney family’s whose GOP ties stretch back decades, still boasts a hefty roster of supporters who maintain that she has the institutional knowledge and donor base to propel the GOP to victory next year.
“I think she’s demonstrated the skills and the temperament and the passion to run the organization in a way that’s gonna benefit parties around the country and, hopefully, our presidential candidate, too,” said an RNC member supporting McDaniel.
One thing uniting McDaniel and Dhillon are vows to remain neutral in the 2024 GOP primary — as mandated by RNC bylaws — despite both of their links to Trump and claims from members of different camps that their preferred candidate’s opponent would not be able to sufficiently cut ties.
But beyond debates over campaign operations, what has made the race particularly divisive is the sharpening of swipes over strategy into attacks on character and professional threats.
Oscar Brock, a national committee member from Tennessee, sent an email in November to others in the RNC blasting McDaniel after Trump dined with antisemites Nick Fuentes and Ye, saying he was “flabbergasted” by what he suggested was an insufficient response by the national party.
One Dhillon ally, meanwhile, released other members’ contact information and Kirk, a hardline activist supporting Dhillon, sent out an email to RNC members warning he could replace them with those who “better represent the grassroots voice.” On top of that, Fox News hosts like Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham have promoted Dhillon and criticized McDaniel in an apparent bid to apply pressure to the 168 who will elect the chair.
“This was the first time that I’m aware of where we’ve had a lot more outside involvement. I think for Harmeet, I think that was a smart strategy, but I wouldn’t say it was perfectly implemented. And I think it’s helped her and hurt her,” the undecided RNC member said. “The strategy is probably a smart one, but I think she overplayed her hand”
“We had people like Charlie Kirk sending emails to RNC members threatening us. That’s not very effective. Certainly doesn’t make him very popular with RNC members,” the member said. “And I think that really hurt her.”
Members on all sides of the race concede got ugly, though they say the long-term divisions run no deeper than strategy.
But in the short-term, even Dhillon supporters who say she’s run a strong campaign also said her chances were murky.
“The party isn’t fractured. A lot of us are simply disappointed with Ronna’s stewardship of the RNC and know we need a change,” Bill Palatucci, a member from New Jersey who endorsed Dhillon, said earlier this week.
Still, “If I was a betting man, I would think the incumbent wins,” Palatucci said. “But Harmeet has run an excellent campaign very aggressively and has made a lot of progress and continues to make progress. So, we really won’t know until we get out there.”
(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) — Tyre Nichols died at the age of 29 on Jan. 10, three days after a confrontation with police during a traffic stop arrest in Memphis, Tennessee.
The five Memphis Police Department officers involved in his arrest — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — were fired and then charged with second-degree murder in connection with Nichols’ death.
Body camera footage of his alleged beating by the former officers, which is set to be released Friday, has been described as “appalling,” “deplorable,” “heinous,” “violent” and “troublesome on every level” by the attorney for the Nichols family.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Jan 27, 9:32 PM EST
2 deputies at scene relieved of duties pending investigation
Following the footage’s release, two Shelby County sheriff’s deputies who were at the scene of the police confrontation have been relieved of their duties pending an investigation, the county’s sheriff announced.
“Having watched the videotape for the first time tonight, I have concerns about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols,” Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said in a statement on Twitter.
Bonner said he has launched an internal investigation into their conduct “to determine what occurred and if any policies were violated.”
Both are relieved of duty pending the investigation’s outcome, he said.
Jan 27, 9:22 PM EST
Grizzlies hold moment of silence for Nichols
The Memphis Grizzlies held a moment of silence for Nichols before Friday night’s NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis.
In a pre-game presser, Jenkins was it was “devastating”, “another example of police brutality taking the life of one of our own” and “hard to process.”
In a pre-game presser ahead of the release of the footage, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said it was “devastating”, “another example of police brutality taking the life of one of our own” and “hard to process.”
“A lot of emotion,” Jenkins said.
Jan 27, 8:50 PM EST
Police departments react to video footage
Some major police departments released statements condemning the actions of the former officers seen in the body camera video of Tyre Nichols’ encounter.
The LAPD tweeted a statement from Chief of Police Michel R. Moore, who called the ex-cop’s actions “incredibly disturbing, cruel and inhumane.”
“The violation of trust tarnishes our bade and has a caustic effect on the public’s trust,” Moore said in his statement.
Acting New York State Police Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli also condemned the former officers.
“We are outraged and sickened, and we also understand the frustration being felt by the public,” he said in a statement.
Jan 27, 8:41 PM EST
EMTs not visible in video until over 22 minutes after beating ends
Among the four videos released by the city, the overhead surveillance wide-angle shot taken from a city surveillance camera offers a bird’s-eye view of the beating. The footage is graphic and contains images that are disturbing.
Based on that footage, it appears that roughly 20 minutes lapse between the ending of the beating and the officers’ first attempts to render aid to Nichols. EMTs are not visible in the video until more than 22 minutes after the end of the beating.
Additionally, there appears to be several more officers on the scene other than the five who were fired and charged in this case. Shortly after the beating ends, several other officers can be seen in the video. Those officers have not been identified. The local district attorney has said that more charges could be possible in the case.
-ABC News’ Whitney Lloyd
Jan 27, 8:31 PM EST
Protests begin in Memphis, other cities
Protests following the release of the body camera footage began in Memphis with crowds gathering in the streets and calling Tyre Nichols’ name.
The demonstrations were so far peaceful, but officers were on hand.
Similar protests also took place in Washington, D.C , Philadelphia, Boston and Times Square.
There were no immediate reports of arrests at any of the protests in the other cities.
Jan 27, 7:55 PM EST
DA explains why video release was delayed
Shelby County DA Steven Mulroy released a statement following the release of the body camera footage.
Mulroy said the video was delayed because “it it was important to make sure witnesses spoke first from their memory and nothing else.”
“As D.A., I have always sought to balance out the rightful demands of the community with protecting the integrity of our investigation and prosecution,” Mulroy said in a statement.
The DA reiterated calls for peaceful protest as the investigation continues.
“It’s my hope that this tragedy can lead to a broader conversation on police reform,” he said.
-ABC News’ Whitney Lloyd
Jan 27, 7:03 PM EST
Bodycam footage released
Memphis officials have now released the footage of Nichols’ confrontation with police.
Nichols’ family, who saw the footage earlier this week with their attorneys, supported its public release.
Jan 27, 6:47 PM EST
Biden speaks with Nichols’ family ahead of bodycam video release
President Joe Biden spoke with Nichols’ mother and stepfather in a phone call Friday ahead of the footage’s public release.
“He was a hell of a kid, a handsome boy,” Biden said.
Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, told Biden that Nichols had her name tattooed on his arm.
“I do know that,” Biden said. “I love it.”
Ben Crump, the family’s attorney, said on the call that the video will “evoke strong emotion,” and urged U.S. lawmakers to watch.
“This gives you another opportunity to call for them to come back and pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, so we can try to prevent the next Tyre Nichols from happening,” Crump said.
“We’re in full agreement,” Biden said, noting that he passed an executive order on police reform, “but we got to get it for local police.”
As he departed the White House for Camp David Friday evening, Biden recapped his call with Nichols’ mother, which he said lasted about 10 to 15 minutes.
“I told her that I was going to be making the case to the Congress they should pass the George Floyd act. We should get this under control,” he said. “I can only do so much in the executive order at the federal level.”
The president also recounted that Wells called for peaceful protests.
“I’m obviously very concerned about it, but I think she has made a very strong plea,” he said.
–with ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Jan 27, 5:55 PM EST
Attorney representing ex-Memphis cop speaks out
The attorney representing former Memphis Police Officer Desmond Mills, one of the five charged in Tyre Nichols’ death, spoke with ABC News Friday evening.
Blake Ballin said his client was “maintaining a lot of strength” in the last two weeks and asking how he can cooperate with the investigation.
Ballin said he couldn’t comment on the details about the incident but contended that he didn’t believe that Mills delivered the fatal blow.
The attorney added Mills was a responding officer and not the first to arrive on the scene.
“Everybody played their own role. I suspect you’ll see officers crossed the line but not Desmond,” Ballin said.
The attorney said he didn’t see the body camera footage of the incident, which is slated to be released to the public later tonight.
-ABC News’ Stephanie Ramos
Jan 27, 3:56 PM EST
Biden spoke with Nichols’ family, has not seen video
President Joe Biden has not seen the Tyre Nichols video that’s set to be released to the public Friday evening, but the president has spoken to Nichols’ family, according to the White House.
“He’s been briefed, but he has not seen the video, nor has anyone at the White House seen the video,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Friday.
Biden spoke with Nichols’ mother and stepfather Friday afternoon to offer his condolences, a White House official said.
Jean Pierre reiterated that Biden has echoed Nichols’ family’s calls for calm and peaceful protests. But the White House is “in coordination with the relevant agencies to ensure they prepare if protests become violent,” she added.
-ABC News’ Molly Nagle
Jan 27, 3:23 PM EST
Memphis Fire Department reviewing the video
The Memphis Fire Department said it received the video of Tyre Nichols’ traffic stop on Friday and is currently reviewing the footage.
Two Memphis Fire Department employees who responded to the scene where Nichols was injured have been relieved of duty in the wake of Nichols’ death.
The Memphis Fire Department said its investigation will conclude early next week.
Jan 27, 1:06 PM EST
Nichols family ‘very satisfied’ with charges
Tyre Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, said at a news conference Friday that he’s “very satisfied with the charges” against the five police officers, including second-degree murder.
Although Wells initially said he wanted to see the officers charged with first-degree murder, he said, “As the charges were told to us and they explained to us what the difference between murder one and murder two was, we’re very satisfied with the charges.”
Wells pleaded with the public to protest peacefully.
“We want peace. We do not want any type of uproar,” he said.
Wells added, “The family is very satisfied with the process, with the police chief, the D.A. They acted very, very quickly in this case. We are very, very pleased with that. Other cases drag on, but this is a special case. We had a special son.”
Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, said she didn’t watch the body camera video of her son’s confrontation with police and urged people to not let their children see it.
Law enforcement, Nichols’ family and the family attorneys have already seen the video that’s set to be released to the public Friday evening.
RowVaughn Wells said the five officers charged in connection to her son’s death disgraced their families, but said she’ll pray for them and their families.
She added, “No mother should go through what I’m going through right now. No mother. To lose their child to the violent way that I lost my child.”
Jan 27, 12:55 PM EST
Family attorney: ‘This kidnapping charge — it is terrorism’
Tyre Nichols family attorney Antonio Romanucci stressed the fact that the charges against the Memphis police officers include kidnapping.
By Tennessee law, he said, “the definition that we are dealing with here on this kidnapping charge — it is terrorism.”
“When you think of 9/11, what’s the word that comes to mind? Terrorism. When you think of other heinous acts that have happened in churches across this country, any act of terrorism, what does that instill in you? That, ladies and gentlemen, is the definition that we are dealing with here on this kidnapping charge,” he said at Friday’s press conference. “It is terrorism. It was designed to terrorize the victim.”
Family attorney Ben Crump added, “One of the things that must be stated about the kidnapping charge … when you all see this video, you’re going to see Tyre Nichols is calling out for his mom.”
“He calls out three times for his mother. His last words on this Earth is, ‘mom,’” Crump said. “When you think about that kidnapping charge, [Nichols] said, ‘I just want to go home.’ I mean, it’s a traffic stop, for God’s sake.”
Jan 27, 12:31 PM EST
Ben Crump: ‘This is the blueprint going forward’
Ben Crump, an attorney for Tyre Nichols’ family, is applauding the charges, including second-degree murder, that were “swiftly” brought against the five Memphis police officers involved in Nichols’ traffic stop.
“When we look at how these five Black officers, who were caught on camera committing a crime, and when we look at how fast the police chief and the police department terminated them,” Crump said at a news conference Friday. “And we look at how swiftly the district attorney brought charges against them in less than 20 days, then we want to proclaim that this is the blueprint going forward for any time any officers, whether they be Black or white, will be held accountable.”
“We won’t accept less going forward,” Crump said.
“We have a precedent that has been set here in Memphis,” he said.
Jan 27, 11:48 AM EST
FBI director watched video, says he was ‘appalled’
FBI Director Christopher Wray said Friday that he’s watched the video and “was appalled.”
“I’m struggling to find a stronger word, but I can tell you I was appalled,” Wray said.
He said alerts have been sent to FBI field offices across the U.S. instructing them to work closely with state and local partners “in the event of something getting out of hand” after the video is released to the public Friday evening.
Wray added, “There is a right way and a wrong way in this country to express being upset or angry about something, and we need to make sure that if there is that sentiment expressed here, it is done in the right way.”
Jan 27, 10:36 AM EST
Memphis police chief says video left her ‘horrified,’ ‘disgusted’
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis said video of the traffic stop that allegedly led to Tyre Nichols’ death left her “horrified,” “disgusted,” “sad” and “confused.”
“In my 36 years … I would have to say I don’t think I’ve ever been more horrified and disgusted, sad … and, to some degree, confused,” Davis told ABC News’ Good Morning America on Friday.
When pressed on why the video left her “confused,” she replied that it was “just in the level of aggression and response to what had occurred in this traffic stop and is still very unclear, you know, as to the real reason for the stop in the first place.”
Davis said “there was much discussion about when an appropriate time for the video to be released,” and “we felt that Friday would be better.”
“We’re taking under consideration the reaction of the community that could potentially take place and ensuring that our schools, you know, are out, most business folks would be on the way home,” the chief explained.
“Even though this is a very, very difficult video to watch, it was never a thought that we would not release this video,” Davis added. “We wanted to make sure that it wasn’t released too prematurely because we wanted to ensure that the DA’s office, the TBI [Tennessee Bureau of Investigation] and also the FBI had an opportunity to cross some of the hurdles that they had to in their investigation. And we’re sort of at a point now that the DA has made his statements in reference to charges of these officers, that this is a safe time for us to release the video.”
Jan 27, 10:28 AM EST
Memphis calls for ‘safe’ protest
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said she expects residents to protest upon the release of the body-camera footage, which she called “heinous, reckless and inhumane,” though said “we need to ensure our community is safe in this process.”
“None of this is a calling card for inciting violence or destruction on our community or against our citizens,” Davis said in a statement Thursday, following the arrest of the five officers involved in Nichol’s arrest.
Authorities have warned law enforcement agencies of the reaction that may transpire when the official video footage is released.
Tennessee Sheriff’s Association President Jeff Bledsoe sent out a letter to Jonathan Thompson, the National Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director/CEO, on Wednesday anticipating the public reaction to the video’s release.
“Due to the nature of the video’s contents it is believed it may spark responses outside of the traditional protests,” the letter read. “There is a public safety risk potential to communities and peace officers expanding outside of the Shelby County (Memphis) TN area.”
Other cities are also anticipating protests upon the release of the footage.
“We are closely monitoring the events in Memphis and are prepared to support peaceful protests in our city,” the Atlanta Police Department said in a statement Thursday. “We understand and share in the outrage surrounding the death of Tyre Nichols. Police officers are expected to conduct themselves in a compassionate, competent, and constitutional manner and these officers failed Tyre, their communities and their profession. We ask that demonstrations be safe and peaceful.”
In Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Police Department said it has “fully activated all sworn personnel in preparation for possible First Amendment activities.”
In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams told a local radio station on Friday, “It is imperative that New Yorkers exercise their right to free speech in a very peaceful way — and that is what we are expecting from the city.”
Jan 27, 10:24 AM EST
Nichols’ family reacts to bodycam footage
After viewing the body camera footage Monday morning along with their attorney, Nichols’ family said they saw the police kick, pepper spray and use a stun gun on their son all while Nichols repeatedly asked, “What did I do?”
“They handcuffed him and set him — propped him up on the car. And as he fell over they’d tell him, ‘Sit back up,'” Rodney Wells, Nichols’ stepfather, told ABC News earlier this week. “You know, and he would slump back over again and they would make him sit back up. They never rendered any aid.”
Nichols’ mother, Rowvaughn Wells, told ABC News that she could not watch the entire video.
“Once the video started and I heard my son’s voice, I lost it. I couldn’t stay in the room. All I heard him say was, ‘What did I do?’ And once I heard that, I lost it,” she said.
An independent autopsy, completed by a forensic pathologist hired by the family’s attorneys, found that Nichols suffered from “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating,” according to the family.
Jan 27, 10:22 AM EST
Timing of body camera footage release
The city plans to publicly release the body camera footage of Nichols’ arrest sometime after 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said.
“As we have said all along, we wanted to ensure the proper legal steps were followed and that the family of Mr. Nichols had the opportunity to view the video footage privately before we released it to the public,” Strickland said in a statement Thursday night.
“It is clear that these officers violated the department’s policies and training. But we are doing everything we can to prevent this from happening again,” he continued, noting the city is initiating an independent review of the specialized units’ training, policies and operations.
(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is withdrawing its emergency use authorization of a COVID-19 antibody therapy as a prevention tool because it is unlikely to be effective against variants that are currently circulating.
Evusheld, which is made by British-Swedish pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, AstraZeneca, was first authorized in December 2021 as pre-exposure prophylaxis against the virus for those who are immunocompromised and less likely to generate antibodies from vaccination.
However, the FDA said the medication does not neutralize several omicron subvariants including BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BF.7, BF.11, BA.5.2.6, BA.4.6, BA.2.75.2, XBB and XBB.1.5.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these subvariants make up at least an estimated 90% of cases in the U.S.
“This means that Evusheld is not expected to provide protection against developing COVID-19 if exposed to those variants,” the FDA said in a press release.
“Today’s action to limit the use of Evusheld prevents exposing patients to possible side effects of Evusheld such as allergic reactions, which can be potentially serious, at a time when fewer than 10% of circulating variants in the U.S. causing infection are susceptible to the product,” the press release continued.
The FDA has been warning for months that Evusheld might not be very effective, starting in February 2022 when data showed a higher dose may be able to prevent against infection from omicron subvariants BA.1 and BA.1.1 than the originally approved dose.
As recently as Jan. 6 of this year, the FDA said it didn’t believe Evusehld would be able to neutralize the XBB.1.5 subvariant “because of its similarity to variants that are not neutralized by Evusheld.”
AstraZeneca did not immediately reply to ABC News’ request for comment. In a statement, the pharmaceutical company said it is aware of the decision and that it is cooperating with the FDA.
“AstraZeneca will continue to work with the FDA and other health authorities to collect, assess and share relevant data regarding Evusheld and SARS-CoV-2 variants,” the statement read. “Evusheld currently remains authorized in other countries where it is approved for COVID-19 pre-exposure prophylaxis and treatment, including the EU and Japan.”
Evusheld is a type of monoclonal antibody treatment, which are a cocktail of antibodies that are manufactured in a lab and mimic the antibodies the body naturally creates when fighting the virus.
They bind to the spike protein, which prevents the virus from attaching to — and infecting — cells.
The FDA said if someone tests positive for COVID-19 and develops symptoms, they should contact their primary care provider and, if needed, ask to receive antiviral medications Paxlovid, molnupriavir or remdesivir, which work against the currently circulating variants.
Despite Evusheld losing emergency use authorization status, the FDA urged providers not to discard their doses of the drug.
“The U.S. Government recommends that facilities and providers with Evusheld retain all product in the event that SARS-CoV-2 variants which are neutralized by Evusheld become more prevalent in the U.S. in the future,” the FDA said in its press release.
(MEMPHIS, Tenn.) — The Memphis Police Department unit at the center of Tyre Nichols’ death earlier this month has now come under scrutiny from critics over its approach to fighting crime.
The SCORPION unit, which stands for Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods, was announced in October 2021 and launched a month later. It encompasses 40 officers split into four teams who patrol “high crime hotspots” throughout the city, the police department announced in November 2021.
MPD Assistant Chief Sean Jones told reporters during the launch that SCORPION officers would focus on auto thefts, gang-related crimes and drug-related crimes.
“It’s important to us that each member of the community feels they can go to the grocery store or live in their house without their house being shot or shooting frequently occurring on the streets and on the roadways,” Jones told ABC affiliate WATN in November 2021.
The locations chosen by the police were determined based on the number of 911 calls, Jones said at the time.
Two months into SCORPION’s deployment, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland touted the unit’s effectiveness. In his state of the city speech, Strickland claimed the unit was responsible for 566 arrests, 390 of them felony arrests, seized $103,000 in cash, 270 vehicles and 253 weapons between October 2021 and Jan. 23, 2022.
Criminal justice reform activists and some residents, however, have accused officers in the unit of using excessive force.
Ben Crump, an attorney representing Nichols’ family, told reporters Friday that he had heard of several alleged instances of residents being pushed to the ground, cursed at and suffering other physical injuries at the hands of officers in the unit. One of the alleged victims was 66, according to Crump.
“He said he was confronted by this unit and he was brutalized, and he had pictures of his injuries,” Crump said. “And so, it was foreseeable that something tragic like this was going to happen.”
The Memphis PD did not immediately comment on Crump’s allegations. The Memphis Police Association, the union representing the city’s police officers, hasn’t commented on the case as of Jan. 27.
Patrick Yoes, the president of the National Fraternal Order of Police, one of the largest police unions in the country, issued a statement Friday evening calling Nichols’ death a “criminal assault” and saying the actions of the officers accused in his death “does not constitute legitimate police work or a traffic stop gone wrong.”
“The men arrested and charged for this crime have rights, the presumption of innocence, and the due process protections of anyone accused of a crime, but the bottom line here is that Tyre Nichols, his family, and our entire country need to see justice done—swiftly and surely,” Yoes said in a statement.
Tony Romanucci, another attorney representing the family, called on MPD Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis to disband the SCORPION unit immediately, alleging that the unit has created “a continual pattern and practice of bad behavior.
“The intent of the SCORPION unit has been corrupted,” Romanucci said at the news conference. “It cannot be brought back to center with any sense of morality and dignity, and most importantly, trust in this community. How will the community ever, ever trust a SCORPION unit?”
Strickland said in a video statement Thursday that the department would launch an “outside, independent review of the training, policies and operations” of its specialized units.
Davis said in an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Friday that she was “horrified” by the video of the traffic stop that led to Nichols’ death.
“As we continue to try to build trust with our community, this is a very, very heavy cross to bear — not just for our department but for departments across the country,” she added. “Building trust is a day-by-day interaction between every traffic stop, every encounter with the community. We all have to be responsible for that and it’s going to be difficult in the days to come.”
(WASHINGTON) — Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland Friday, marking Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 78th anniversary of the death camp’s liberation.
In an emotional visit, Emhoff laid a wreath at Auschwitz and placed a white stone, a Jewish tradition, at the remnants of a crematorium in Birkenau. After walking under the notorious “Arbeit Macht Frei” (Work Sets You Free) gate, Emhoff wrote a long message in the museum’s guestbook.
The visit is part of Emoff’s six-day trip that is aimed at Holocaust education and remembrance as well as combating antisemitism worldwide, according to senior administration officials.
The events will focus on honoring the victims of the Holocaust and see “the Second Gentleman educating the public on the true nature of the Holocaust,” one official said.
Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president, will also aim to address antisemitism globally, particularly amid what advocates have warned is a spike in recent years.
“While some of those before us in government, in this fight, may have been able to travel abroad to discuss the issue of antisemitism globally, without the need to spend much time on antisemitism in the United States, we can no longer do so,” one administration official told reporters Wednesday, previewing the trip.
“Modern technology and internet, with social media in particular, allows ideas to spread with unprecedented rapidity. Hatred now faces no borders, and we will take an all-of-government and all-societal approach to combat that hate,” the official added.
While Emhoff’s trip will also aim to strengthen relationships with European allies on this issue, the second gentleman is not expected to deliver new policy proposals or deliverables.
“I would also think of it in many ways as a listening session,” one official said, nothing it’s more important than ever to share ideas for best steps forward as the number of living Holocaust survivors continues to dwindle.
“The trip is about reflecting on what we know is a dark, difficult history and then renewing our commitment to take action in current times,” the official said.
Officials said the trip was designed “to trace the trajectory of Jewish life in Europe, past, present and future.”
Emhoff visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial and state museum on Friday to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, attending a ceremony alongside some Holocaust survivors. Later, he will attend a Shabbat dinner with members of the Jewish community in Krakow, Poland.
He is scheduled to visit Schindler’s factory museum on Saturday, as this year marks the 30th anniversary of the iconic film “Schindler’s List,” which was inspired by Schindler’s efforts to shield Jews during World War II.
Later that day, Emhoff will also meet with Ukrainian refugees in Krakow, officials said.
On Sunday, the second gentlemen will tour the historic Jewish Quarter of Krakow and visit Galicia, Poland, before heading on to Berlin, where he will meet with various European officials engaged in combating antisemitism in a “convening of Special Envoy coordinators.”
Emhoff will gather Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders to hold an interfaith discussion on Tuesday in Berlin and make stops at Berlin’s Holocaust memorial and other historic sites.
ABC News’ Madison Burinsky contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Six months after a man with a loaded AK-47-style rifle was caught outside the Brooklyn, New York, home of a prominent Iranian dissident journalist, federal prosecutors on Friday announced new arrests in what they’ve called a murder-for-hire plot by Iran.
On Friday, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against two men, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, for targeting journalist Masih Alinejad because her reporting publicized Iran’s human rights abuses, its treatment of women and its suppression of democratic participation.
Amirov lives in Iran and Omarov lives in Eastern Europe. Along with Khalid Mehdiyev, who was previously arrested in Brooklyn, they were part of an Eastern European criminal organization with ties to Iran, according to the charging documents.
Amirov, the leader, worked with Omarov to arrange for the payment of $30,000 to Mehdiyev, “who then procured an AK-47-style assault rifle for carrying out the murder,” according to the criminal complaint.
“At Amirov’s and Omarov’s instructions, Mehdiyev surveilled the Victim and members of the Victim’s family; took photographs and videos of the Victim’s residence in Brooklyn and the surrounding neighborhood; and devised schemes to lure the Victim out of the Victim’s house,” a charging document says.
The Justice Department alleges that the government of Iran has previously targeted dissidents, and Alinejad in particular. In 2018, Iranian government officials attempted to “induce relatives of the Victim who reside in Iran to invite the Victim to travel to a third country for the apparent purpose of having the Victim arrested or detained and transported to Iran for imprisonment,” prosecutors allege.
Omarov tasked Mehdiyev on July 13, 2022, with carrying out the murder for hire plot, the DOJ claims. The men allegedly arranged to have a cash payment of $30,000 delivered to Mehdiyev, who then acquired an AK-47-type weapon to carry out the attack, according to court documents.
“War machine,” Mehdiyev allegedly told the co-conspirators in a message, in apparent reference to the weapon.
For eight days, the three men surveilled the home of Alinejad, 45, and schemed to get her out of her house, according to documents. One plan involved sending her flowers so she would have to step outside, the documents said.
“It will be a show once she steps out of the house,” Mehdiyev allegedly told Omarov in a message.
A day later, on July 28, Mehdiyev was stopped by the NYPD after leaving the area, and was arrested.
“Today’s indictment exposes a dangerous menace to national security — a double threat posed by a vicious transnational crime group operating from what it thought was the safe haven of a rogue nation: Iran,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Friday.
The Iranians were so intent on silencing Alinejad, its intelligence personnel developed a series of possible escape routes, including travel from Brooklyn, a speedboat from Manhattan, and another boat to Venezuela, according to the complaint.
Amirov and Omarov are charged with money laundering and murder for hire. Amirov appeared briefly Friday in court to plead not guilty to the murder-for-hire charges. He did not contest being held without bail.
Prosecutors did not explain how U.S. officials managed to arrest Amirov, who had been living in Iran.
Omirov was arrested in the Czech Republic and U.S. authorities are seeking his extradition.
Mehdiyev, who was previously in custody, is expected in court next week.
Stone Temple Pilots bassist Robert DeLeo has shared covers of the Gordon Lightfoot songs “Affair on 8th Avenue” and “Your Love’s Return.”
The recordings, which feature vocals by musician Pete Shoulder, are being released as bonus tracks for DeLeo’s debut solo album, Lessons Learned, which dropped last October.
“Gordon Lightfoot is one of the sculptors of a musical era that I cherish and hold so dear to my heart,” DeLeo says. “I covered these two songs out of respect and relating to Gordon’s willingness to convey his vulnerability in his songs.”
(ABINGDON, Va.) — Two inmates, including a convicted murderer, who escaped from a Virginia jail have been apprehended in Tennessee, authorities said, more than 24 hours after announcing a fugitive manhunt.
The inmates — identified by the Washington County Virginia Sheriff’s Office as Johnny Shane Brown, 51, of Rogersville, Tennessee, and Albert Lee Ricketson, 31, of Abingdon, Virginia — allegedly escaped the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority in Abingdon from a recreational yard around 2:45 p.m. Thursday. A Washington County emergency alert issued about an hour later warned residents to stay indoors and lock their doors.
A 2008 gold Cadillac SUV allegedly stolen by Brown and Ricketson in Abingdon following their escape was located in Bulls Gap, Tennessee, along Route 66 on Friday morning, the Washington County Virginia Sheriff’s Office said.
The two men were found “hiding in the upstairs of a barn” in Rogersville, Tennessee, about four miles from where the stolen vehicle was found, and were arrested without incident, the sheriff’s office said.
Brown, will be held in Washington County Tennessee Jail without bond, while Ricketson will be held in Hawkins County Tennessee Jail without bond, authorities said.
A $5,000 reward for each man was being offered by the U.S. Marshals Service for information leading to their apprehension.
Ricketson was convicted on two counts of first-degree murder, while Brown is a federal inmate, authorities said.
Ricketson was arrested in August 2020 in the fatal shooting of a man and woman in Washington County. A jury convicted him of two counts of first-degree murder in November 2022, court records show.
Brown was in federal custody after allegedly escaping from another jail nearly a year ago. He and two other inmates broke out of the Sullivan County Jail in Tennessee through an air vent in early February 2022, the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office said at the time.
The other two inmates were found dead following a police pursuit in North Carolina, while Brown was apprehended in the state six days after they escaped, authorities said.
Brown was in the Sullivan County Jail at the time of the escape after being convicted of distributing methamphetamine, according to an indictment. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the felony offense, court records show.
A plea agreement on the escape charge was due by April 20 and a jury trial was scheduled to start on May 11, federal court records show.
