Key takeaways from first day of Derek Chauvin trial
Chief legal analyst Dan Abrams and Channa Lloyd discuss the legal strategies for both sides of the trial, as well as how important witness testimonies were on day one.
Chief legal analyst Dan Abrams and Channa Lloyd discuss the legal strategies for both sides of the trial, as well as how important witness testimonies were on day one.
A white active-duty soldier who was seen in a viral video berating and shoving a Black man in a South Carolina neighborhood has been charged with third-degree assault and battery, according to the Richland County Sheriff's Department. "The first time I saw the video, it was terrible," Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said at a press conference Wednesday evening. Jonathan Pentland, who is a U.S. Army soldier assigned to Fort Jackson, was arrested at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and was booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
A body recovered in the Mississippi River Tuesday has been identified as missing Louisiana State University student Kori Gauthier, authorities said. Gauthier, an 18-year-old freshman at LSU, was last seen April 6, her family said. Police found her car abandoned on a Mississippi River bridge in Baton Rouge early the following day after someone crashed into it.
At Derek Chauvin's murder trial on Wednesday, jurors heard from a forensic pathologist who stressed that Floyd's heart and health conditions, his drug use and the carbon monoxide released from a nearby police car played a "significant" role in his death. The defense continued to try to sow reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case that Floyd died because of restraints by police officers, including Chauvin's knee pressed down on his neck on May 25 in Minneapolis. Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, told the jury Floyd died from a combination of heart disease and an overdose of fentanyl and methamphetamine, which were found in his system during an autopsy.
An independent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel that convened Wednesday to review Johnson & Johnson vaccine data adjourned without voting on a new recommendation, leaving a pause in place until they get more information. CDC Dr. Amanda Cohn said they will try to meet again in a week to 10 days. The panel convened the day after the CDC and Food and Drug Administration recommended a pause on all distribution of the J&J vaccine after discovering a total of six patients who suffered rare blood clots after getting the one-dose shot.
Whether you live across the country or simply can't snag a reservation for a coveted table at Carbone, you can now recreate the taste of the iconic New York City Italian restaurant's pasta sauce from the comfort of home, no reservation required. Eric Skae, CEO of Carbone Fine Foods spoke to "Good Morning America" about the new super-premium small-batch sauces developed with Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi, and Jeff Zalaznick, the co-founders of the global restaurant company Major Food Group. "I think the hardest part was dealing with two award-winning chefs and getting people to agree on taste," Skae said with a laugh.
A man was captured in Texas Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly shot a police officer during an "ambush" at a traffic stop overnight, authorities said. Jerry Don Elders, 39, allegedly fired multiple shots at a Burleson police officer when he approached Edlers' car for an equipment violation at about 4:15 a.m. Wednesday, Burleson Police Chief Billy Cordell said. The officer is "alert" and in stable condition, Cordell said.
President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he would withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks because "it is time to end America’s longest war." "We went to Afghanistan because of a horrific attack that happened 20 years ago," Biden said. The president formally announced the withdrawal in the White House Treaty Room -- the same place George W. Bush announced the launch of the war on Oct. 7, 2001 just weeks after the 9/11 attacks.
The Justice Department has closed its investigation into the death of Ashli Babbitt, the 35-year-old Trump supporter shot by a U.S. Capitol Police officer during the Jan. 6 riot, the agency announced in a press release Wednesday. In a release explaining the decision to close the probe, the department said officials determined "there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution" of the officer who shot Babbitt. "Specifically, the investigation revealed no evidence to establish that, at the time the officer fired a single shot at Ms. Babbitt, the officer did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber," the release said.
John Travolta shared a loving tribute for his late son, Jett Travolta, on Tuesday. Jett Travolta, who had autism, died in January 2009 at the age of 16 after suffering a seizure at their family's vacation home in the Bahamas. At the time, Travolta's attorney said Jett had "had seizures in the past."
SEACOR Marine, the ship's owner, said there were 19 people -- employees and contractors -- on board at the time the bad weather hit. One person was found dead on the surface of the water, while six were rescued and 12 others remain missing, Capt. Will Watson from U.S. Coast Guard New Orleans said Wednesday at a press conference. The 190-foot commercial ship flipped about 7 miles south of Port Fourchon, located about 20 miles west of Grand Isle, where a Coast Guard station is located.
Kim Potter, the white police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, was charged Wednesday with second-degree manslaughter, authorities said. Potter was arrested at about 11:30 a.m. local time and was booked into the Hennepin County Jail, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said. Potter, a 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center Police Department, submitted her resignation on Tuesday following Sunday's fatal shooting.
A 14-year-old battling cancer has made her childhood fantasy come true by becoming the owner of her own specially made dragon. Belle Cress, who is battling a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma, only had one wish -- to have her own pet dragon. The organization shared the teen's dream with Colorado-based company Arrow Electronics, who spent the past 18 months bringing Belle's fantasy to life.
Leave it to TikTok to reveal one of the trendiest bags of the season. Just in time for spring and summer, the Coach Pillow Tabby Shoulder Bag 26 is becoming a must-have accessory to add to your wardrobe. The bag has a rectangular pillow shape, soft leather texture and the brand's signature "C" logo at its center closure.
CIA Director William Burns told lawmakers Wednesday that the departure of American troops from Afghanistan will leave a "significant risk" of terrorism resurgence in the region -- a sobering assessment from the spy chief just hours before President Joe Biden planned to formally announce his commitment to remove U.S. forces from the war-torn country by September. "Our ability to keep that threat in Afghanistan in check … has benefitted greatly from the presence of U.S. and coalition militaries on the ground," Burns said at the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual Worldwide Threats hearing. On Wednesday afternoon, Biden plans to announce his intention to pull the roughly 2,500 remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks because "it is time to end America’s longest war."
An Army investigation into why low-flying D.C. National Guard helicopters hovered above Black Lives Matter protesters last June determined that while the use of the helicopters was "reasonable," there were performance shortcomings that day. The investigation has also led the Army to implement changes in procedures for when Guard helicopters can be used for crowd control. The D.C. National Guard's investigation was triggered by the outcry that followed the use of medical evacuation helicopters that hovered above Black Lives Matter protesters on the night of June 1, 2020.
Prince William and Prince Harry, brothers whose relationship has been strained over the past year, have reportedly spoken to each other as they prepare for the funeral of their grandfather, Prince Philip. William, 38, and Harry, 36, are understood to have spoken by phone at some point since Harry arrived in the United Kingdom last weekend according to the U.K.'s The Telegraph. Harry is currently staying at Frogmore Cottage, his family's home in Windsor, while he quarantines, following COVID-19 protocols after flying from California to the U.K.
The popular cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase has officially become a publicly traded company listed on the Nasdaq Wednesday. The direct listing marks the first time a major digital currency platform has gone public in the U.S. Nasdaq set an initial reference price of $250 per share, though trading opened Wednesday afternoon at $381 per share.
President Joe Biden's nominee to lead the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, Kristen Clarke, faced a barrage of questions from Republican senators during her confirmation hearing Wednesday looking to resurface past controversial comments they argued showed her hostility towards police -- as Clarke sought to defend her reputation and highlight her close relationships with law enforcement. Clarke explained that the headline, which she said was chosen by an editor and not herself, didn't fully capture the nuance underlying what she actually argued for in the article.
The world is reacting after former "Bachelor" star Colton Underwood came out as gay in an exclusive "Good Morning America" interview with Robin Roberts on Wednesday. Underwood, who was first introduced to Bachelor Nation on season 14 of "The Bachelorette" in 2018 before being cast as the lead of season 23 of "The Bachelor" in 2019, told Roberts in the pre-taped chat he's "the happiest and healthiest" he's ever been right now. Underwood said he regretted how he handled his time in the "Bachelor" franchise and apologized for how he treated ex-girlfriend Cassie Randolph after their 2020 split.
Katy Perry recently opened up to her fiancé Orlando Bloom's ex-wife, supermodel Miranda Kerr, about the joys of motherhood. Sitting down with Kerr on Instagram Live, the "Smile" singer gushed about her 7-month old daughter Daisy Dove and explained why now was the perfect time for her to start having children. "There was no feeling like the feeling when I had my daughter," Katy said during the Tuesday discussion.