North Carolina
NC State’s ex-head trainer faces more than $2 million bond on sex abuse charges involving athletes
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — N.C. State’s former director of sports medicine faces a more than $2 million bond on charges of sexually abusing former Wolfpack male athletes.
A Wake County grand jury had indicted Robert Murphy Jr. on Sept. 14 on nine felony counts of sexual contact under pretext of medical treatment and 23 counts of sexual battery, a misdemeanor. He was arrested in Florida on Sept. 23 on out-of-state fugitive warrants from North Carolina.
Authorities brought Murphy to North Carolina on Thursday and a magistrate set Murphy’s bond at $2.25 million, according to online court records. Murphy appeared virtually in court Friday with his next hearing scheduled for Nov. 2.
Murphy was originally accused of misconduct in civil lawsuits, first from a single athlete in August 2022 then to 31 in a complaint filed earlier this year. The criminal charges are tied to 14 victims covering allegations ranging from October 2016 to the fall of 2021.
Athletes have previously accused Murphy of improperly touching their genitals during massages and intrusive observation while collecting urine samples during drug testing. Murphy’s attorneys have previously denied any wrongdoing by their client.
New York
Federal judge orders the Trump administration to cancel taxpayer-funded TV ads
President Donald Trump must cancel any remaining television commercials paid for with millions of dollars in taxpayer money to promote his political message, a federal judge ordered Sunday night, even as the administration said the ad campaign was coming to an end.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York sided with a coalition, including the nonpartisan watchdog Common Cause, that challenged the ads as an illegal misuse of funds. She told the administration to cancel any remaining ads, including any set to air Sunday night, in granting a temporary restraining order.
“Defendants shall not enter into, renew, or expand any agreement authorizing the development, creation, dissemination, placement, or airing of the challenged advertisements” during the two-week duration of her order, the judge said.
Asked for comment, the White House referred to an Oct. 5 social media post from Trump in which he defended the taxpayer-funded ads as “rather standard” but, amid backlash, said he would pay for them from his political fundraising. In a court filing late Saturday, the Justice Department argued that the temporary restraining order was unnecessary because “the alleged offending conduct will end tomorrow.”
The Department of Homeland Security tapped $20 million in taxpayer money for the ads. Legal experts have suggested that violated a federal statute against congressionally appropriated money being used for “publicity or propaganda” and potentially other laws.
“We are pleased the court acted swiftly to prevent more taxpayer dollars from being used for such blatantly unlawful political propaganda,” the plaintiffs said in a statement issued by Democracy Forward, the nonprofit legal organization that represents them. “There is no legal justification — and no precedent — for the president to use the machinery of the government and funds set aside by Congress for other uses to influence electoral outcomes that further his own agenda.”
In a court declaration Saturday, senior DHS official Holly Mehringer wrote that the money came from funds appropriated by Congress that are “available for, among other things, ‘commemorating efforts and events related to border security.’”
The White House has defended the ads as public service announcements akin to what past administrations have done to promote various policies. But the recent ads differ from many past public service announcements because they aren’t aimed at helping members of the public benefit from specific government programs.
The ads, which began airing in late September, glorify Trump and echo his political messaging going into the midterms. One features a clip of Trump talking about the threat of communism and another is a replay of an ad from his last presidential campaign. The fifth ad in the campaign began airing Tuesday, focusing on the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
The use of public funds to pay for the ads drew heavy criticism — including from some in the GOP.
“It shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters.
The Democratic National Committee has separately sued the Republican administration over the ads.
Amid the backlash, Trump said he would start paying for the ads with a campaign account. A White House official said there were no immediate plans to reimburse the government for money already spent.
London
Russell Brand appears in court for start of trial on rape and sexual assault charges
LONDON (AP) — British comedian and actor Russell Brand appeared in a London court on Monday for the start of his trial on rape and sexual assault charges.
The hearing at Southwark Crown Court was adjourned until Tuesday after a morning of jury selection. The prosecution is due to open its case later in the week.
Brand, who is on bail, left the court building beside the River Thames holding hands with his wife, Laura Gallacher. He had earlier arrived at court flanked by security guards and accompanied by his wife.
Brand, 51, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. The charges involve six women and alleged offenses between 1999 and 2009. The trial is expected to last up to 10 weeks.
Prosecutors said at previous hearings that Brand is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room at a Labour Party conference, grabbing a TV worker’s breasts and forcing her into a sex act in a toilet, and kissing and groping a radio station worker.
Known for risque stand-up routines and battles with drugs and alcohol, Brand rose to prominence in the early 2000s, hosting television programs and his own BBC radio show. He appeared in Hollywood films including “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek.”
In recent years he has moved away from mainstream media, relocated to Florida and built a large online following with videos mixing wellness, conspiracy theories and discussions of his religious devotion.
California
Federal judge rejects the Oakland Diocese’s bankruptcy plan
A federal judge has rejected the Oakland Diocese’s bankruptcy relief plan that would have resolved nearly 330 sexual abuse claims. The judge’s Oct. 2 decision comes three years after the Oakland Diocese filed for bankruptcy due to declining participation and an ongoing financial crisis linked to sexual abuse cases dating between 1960 and 1990.
Judge William J. Lafferty dismissed many of the diocese’s arguments in its bid to settle through bankruptcy, including wanting special considerations given its status as a religious institution, the diocese’s valuation of its many real estate assets, and the total amount owed to survivors. According to the diocese’s bankruptcy plan, submitted two years ago, the church owes between $160 million and $198 million.
As part of the Chapter 11 case, the diocese is to sell 13 churches in the East Bay, 7 of them in Oakland.
“The Court stresses, again, that the insufficiencies of this Plan arise from failures of proof, not of conception,” Lafferty wrote in his 109-page decision. “It may be that another plan would require a different or larger contribution from the Debtor, but it is far from clear to the Court that such a proposal is impossible — and some aspects of the current Plan, including the alternative sources of payment to the Survivors’ Trust contained in this Plan, suggest that an alternative plan is realizable.”
When the diocese filed for bankruptcy, the Office of the United States Trustee appointed a nine-member official committee that has since been actively working with the diocese in overseeing the administration of the Chapter 11 case, operations, and business plans. All members of the committee unanimously rejected the diocese’s plan.
In a letter dated Oct. 2, Bishop Michael C. Barber wrote, in response to the court’s decision, “While today is a setback, we remain committed to providing fair and equitable treatment for the survivors, and to continuing our mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in service to the 500,000 faithful Catholics in our community.” The letter is posted on the Oakland Diocese’s Chapter 11 page on its website.
Barber issued an apology to survivors in 2024, writing “I see the pain and destruction that was perpetrated by representatives of the Church. Like my predecessor bishops before me, I convey a sincere, complete, and unconditional apology. I am deeply sorry.”
New York
Prosecutors seek to sustain their case against Luigi Mangione, despite his federal plea
NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors sought Friday to keep their murder case going against Luigi Mangione, arguing that his federal guilty plea shouldn’t end a separate, state-court case over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The state and federal prosecutions center on “different harms, different evils, different purposes, different crimes,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann and colleagues wrote in a court filing.
Mangione’s defense lawyers are trying to get the state murder and weapons charges thrown out, citing double jeopardy. It’s the legal precept that broadly prevents a person from being repeatedly prosecuted for the same crime, though the particulars can be complicated and disputed when different courts are involved.
In response to prosecutors’ filing Friday, Mangione’s attorneys pointed to their own previous court papers arguing that the state and federal governments are “prosecuting the same man twice for the same event.”
A ruling is expected in late autumn.
At stake is whether Mangione will continue to face a trial in a New York state court in Manhattan and, potentially, how much prison time he will serve if he’s convicted. He’s already looking at the likelihood of a lengthy federal sentence. A state conviction, if there is one, could add more time.
The Manhattan prosecutors argue that double jeopardy doesn’t apply to Mangione’s situation. Though their case and the federal prosecution both concern Thompson’s December 2024 killing, the Manhattan prosecutors contend that the specific charges involve different legal elements and criminal conduct.
Mangione pleaded guilty in August to federal stalking and cyberstalking charges, admitting in court that he traveled across state lines to New York to kill Thompson and then shot him from behind on a Manhattan street. The 28-year-old said he gunned for the CEO after experiencing years of severe back pain and “navigating the obstacles of the health insurance system.”
In the state case, meanwhile, Mangione pleaded not guilty in 2024 to murder, weapons and fake-ID charges. If he goes to trial, his admission in federal court might be used against him.
Thompson, 50, led one of the United States’ largest health insurers. His killing — with ammunition that authorities said was marked “delay,” “deny” and “depose” — alarmed the healthcare industry while baring the anger that many Americans feel about it. Some people cast Mangione as a valiant figure, even as others, including public officials, said the killing was anything but heroic.
NC State’s ex-head trainer faces more than $2 million bond on sex abuse charges involving athletes
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — N.C. State’s former director of sports medicine faces a more than $2 million bond on charges of sexually abusing former Wolfpack male athletes.
A Wake County grand jury had indicted Robert Murphy Jr. on Sept. 14 on nine felony counts of sexual contact under pretext of medical treatment and 23 counts of sexual battery, a misdemeanor. He was arrested in Florida on Sept. 23 on out-of-state fugitive warrants from North Carolina.
Authorities brought Murphy to North Carolina on Thursday and a magistrate set Murphy’s bond at $2.25 million, according to online court records. Murphy appeared virtually in court Friday with his next hearing scheduled for Nov. 2.
Murphy was originally accused of misconduct in civil lawsuits, first from a single athlete in August 2022 then to 31 in a complaint filed earlier this year. The criminal charges are tied to 14 victims covering allegations ranging from October 2016 to the fall of 2021.
Athletes have previously accused Murphy of improperly touching their genitals during massages and intrusive observation while collecting urine samples during drug testing. Murphy’s attorneys have previously denied any wrongdoing by their client.
New York
Federal judge orders the Trump administration to cancel taxpayer-funded TV ads
President Donald Trump must cancel any remaining television commercials paid for with millions of dollars in taxpayer money to promote his political message, a federal judge ordered Sunday night, even as the administration said the ad campaign was coming to an end.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York sided with a coalition, including the nonpartisan watchdog Common Cause, that challenged the ads as an illegal misuse of funds. She told the administration to cancel any remaining ads, including any set to air Sunday night, in granting a temporary restraining order.
“Defendants shall not enter into, renew, or expand any agreement authorizing the development, creation, dissemination, placement, or airing of the challenged advertisements” during the two-week duration of her order, the judge said.
Asked for comment, the White House referred to an Oct. 5 social media post from Trump in which he defended the taxpayer-funded ads as “rather standard” but, amid backlash, said he would pay for them from his political fundraising. In a court filing late Saturday, the Justice Department argued that the temporary restraining order was unnecessary because “the alleged offending conduct will end tomorrow.”
The Department of Homeland Security tapped $20 million in taxpayer money for the ads. Legal experts have suggested that violated a federal statute against congressionally appropriated money being used for “publicity or propaganda” and potentially other laws.
“We are pleased the court acted swiftly to prevent more taxpayer dollars from being used for such blatantly unlawful political propaganda,” the plaintiffs said in a statement issued by Democracy Forward, the nonprofit legal organization that represents them. “There is no legal justification — and no precedent — for the president to use the machinery of the government and funds set aside by Congress for other uses to influence electoral outcomes that further his own agenda.”
In a court declaration Saturday, senior DHS official Holly Mehringer wrote that the money came from funds appropriated by Congress that are “available for, among other things, ‘commemorating efforts and events related to border security.’”
The White House has defended the ads as public service announcements akin to what past administrations have done to promote various policies. But the recent ads differ from many past public service announcements because they aren’t aimed at helping members of the public benefit from specific government programs.
The ads, which began airing in late September, glorify Trump and echo his political messaging going into the midterms. One features a clip of Trump talking about the threat of communism and another is a replay of an ad from his last presidential campaign. The fifth ad in the campaign began airing Tuesday, focusing on the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
The use of public funds to pay for the ads drew heavy criticism — including from some in the GOP.
“It shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters.
The Democratic National Committee has separately sued the Republican administration over the ads.
Amid the backlash, Trump said he would start paying for the ads with a campaign account. A White House official said there were no immediate plans to reimburse the government for money already spent.
London
Russell Brand appears in court for start of trial on rape and sexual assault charges
LONDON (AP) — British comedian and actor Russell Brand appeared in a London court on Monday for the start of his trial on rape and sexual assault charges.
The hearing at Southwark Crown Court was adjourned until Tuesday after a morning of jury selection. The prosecution is due to open its case later in the week.
Brand, who is on bail, left the court building beside the River Thames holding hands with his wife, Laura Gallacher. He had earlier arrived at court flanked by security guards and accompanied by his wife.
Brand, 51, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. The charges involve six women and alleged offenses between 1999 and 2009. The trial is expected to last up to 10 weeks.
Prosecutors said at previous hearings that Brand is accused of raping a woman in a hotel room at a Labour Party conference, grabbing a TV worker’s breasts and forcing her into a sex act in a toilet, and kissing and groping a radio station worker.
Known for risque stand-up routines and battles with drugs and alcohol, Brand rose to prominence in the early 2000s, hosting television programs and his own BBC radio show. He appeared in Hollywood films including “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him to the Greek.”
In recent years he has moved away from mainstream media, relocated to Florida and built a large online following with videos mixing wellness, conspiracy theories and discussions of his religious devotion.
California
Federal judge rejects the Oakland Diocese’s bankruptcy plan
A federal judge has rejected the Oakland Diocese’s bankruptcy relief plan that would have resolved nearly 330 sexual abuse claims. The judge’s Oct. 2 decision comes three years after the Oakland Diocese filed for bankruptcy due to declining participation and an ongoing financial crisis linked to sexual abuse cases dating between 1960 and 1990.
Judge William J. Lafferty dismissed many of the diocese’s arguments in its bid to settle through bankruptcy, including wanting special considerations given its status as a religious institution, the diocese’s valuation of its many real estate assets, and the total amount owed to survivors. According to the diocese’s bankruptcy plan, submitted two years ago, the church owes between $160 million and $198 million.
As part of the Chapter 11 case, the diocese is to sell 13 churches in the East Bay, 7 of them in Oakland.
“The Court stresses, again, that the insufficiencies of this Plan arise from failures of proof, not of conception,” Lafferty wrote in his 109-page decision. “It may be that another plan would require a different or larger contribution from the Debtor, but it is far from clear to the Court that such a proposal is impossible — and some aspects of the current Plan, including the alternative sources of payment to the Survivors’ Trust contained in this Plan, suggest that an alternative plan is realizable.”
When the diocese filed for bankruptcy, the Office of the United States Trustee appointed a nine-member official committee that has since been actively working with the diocese in overseeing the administration of the Chapter 11 case, operations, and business plans. All members of the committee unanimously rejected the diocese’s plan.
In a letter dated Oct. 2, Bishop Michael C. Barber wrote, in response to the court’s decision, “While today is a setback, we remain committed to providing fair and equitable treatment for the survivors, and to continuing our mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in service to the 500,000 faithful Catholics in our community.” The letter is posted on the Oakland Diocese’s Chapter 11 page on its website.
Barber issued an apology to survivors in 2024, writing “I see the pain and destruction that was perpetrated by representatives of the Church. Like my predecessor bishops before me, I convey a sincere, complete, and unconditional apology. I am deeply sorry.”
New York
Prosecutors seek to sustain their case against Luigi Mangione, despite his federal plea
NEW YORK (AP) — New York prosecutors sought Friday to keep their murder case going against Luigi Mangione, arguing that his federal guilty plea shouldn’t end a separate, state-court case over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The state and federal prosecutions center on “different harms, different evils, different purposes, different crimes,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann and colleagues wrote in a court filing.
Mangione’s defense lawyers are trying to get the state murder and weapons charges thrown out, citing double jeopardy. It’s the legal precept that broadly prevents a person from being repeatedly prosecuted for the same crime, though the particulars can be complicated and disputed when different courts are involved.
In response to prosecutors’ filing Friday, Mangione’s attorneys pointed to their own previous court papers arguing that the state and federal governments are “prosecuting the same man twice for the same event.”
A ruling is expected in late autumn.
At stake is whether Mangione will continue to face a trial in a New York state court in Manhattan and, potentially, how much prison time he will serve if he’s convicted. He’s already looking at the likelihood of a lengthy federal sentence. A state conviction, if there is one, could add more time.
The Manhattan prosecutors argue that double jeopardy doesn’t apply to Mangione’s situation. Though their case and the federal prosecution both concern Thompson’s December 2024 killing, the Manhattan prosecutors contend that the specific charges involve different legal elements and criminal conduct.
Mangione pleaded guilty in August to federal stalking and cyberstalking charges, admitting in court that he traveled across state lines to New York to kill Thompson and then shot him from behind on a Manhattan street. The 28-year-old said he gunned for the CEO after experiencing years of severe back pain and “navigating the obstacles of the health insurance system.”
In the state case, meanwhile, Mangione pleaded not guilty in 2024 to murder, weapons and fake-ID charges. If he goes to trial, his admission in federal court might be used against him.
Thompson, 50, led one of the United States’ largest health insurers. His killing — with ammunition that authorities said was marked “delay,” “deny” and “depose” — alarmed the healthcare industry while baring the anger that many Americans feel about it. Some people cast Mangione as a valiant figure, even as others, including public officials, said the killing was anything but heroic.
