List of All Articles with Tag 'sons'

The saga surrounding Alex Murdaugh has taken yet another dramatic twist after a random Georgia man was thrust into the centre of the convicted killer’s bid for a new murder trial thanks to his now-deleted Facebook rant about his wife’s aunt. Back on 15 February, Timothy Stone took to his Facebook page to fume that the family member had been “sticking her nose in my business”, according to court documents. Mr Stone said he made the post in response to a private argument between the pair and then later felt “terrible” about it and deleted it the next day. He then posted an apology on his account the next day, saying that he was driven by “Satan”. Little did Mr Stone know that this brief family spat would become central to the so-called “trial of the century” going on in Colleton County Courthouse – and efforts by convicted killer Murdaugh to be granted a new trial for the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul. Earlier this month, Murdaugh filed a motion requesting a new trial on the basis that Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill allegedly pressured jurors on the case to return a guilty verdict against him. Central to the bombshell motion was the circumstances surrounding juror number 785 – who became infamous as the “egg juror” when she prompted some light-hearted relief by asking to pick up her “dozen eggs” from the jury room as she was dismissed from the case hours before deliberations began. Murdaugh’s attorneys claim the juror was dismissed from the case after Ms Hill told Judge Clifton Newman about the posts from Mr Stone, claiming that they were made by juror’s ex-husband as evidence that she was speaking about the case outside of the courtroom. Now, in a new court document filed by Murdaugh’s attorneys on Monday, Murdaugh’s attorneys Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin state that this was a case of mistaken identity. They say that the Mr Stone behind the posts is simply someone with a similar name to the juror’s ex-husband and that the post “had nothing to do with anyone associated with this case”. The Mr Stone behind the Facebook posts has given a sworn affidavit to Murdaugh’s legal team. “Mr. Stone is a resident of Georgia who has a name similar to the name of Juror #785’s ex-husband. Mr. Stone was the author of the “apology” Facebook post, previously submitted as Exhibit E to Exhibit 1, which Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca Hill represented was evidence Juror #785 had discussed the evidence presented at trial with her ex-husband before deliberations began,” the document states. “In his affidavit, Mr. Stone avers that he has never been married to Juror #785 and that he has never posted anything to the Facebook group “Walterboro Word of Mouth”. He did post what Ms. Hill identified as the “apology” post by Juror #785’s ex-husband but it was posted to his personal Facebook page and not the “Walterboro Word of Mouth” group.” According to the motion filed earlier this month, Ms Hill had gone to Judge Newman on 27 February – the day after Murdaugh testified at his trial – claiming that she had seen a post in local Facebook group “Walterboro Word of Mouth” from juror 785’s former husband Tim Stone. The post purportedly claimed that the juror was drinking with her ex-husband and, when she became drunk, she expressed her views on whether Murdaugh was innocent or guilty. A follow-up post from an account called Timothy Stone apologised for the post saying that he was driven by “Satan”. When Ms Hill confronted the juror about the posts, the juror said she hadn’t seen her ex-husband in 10 years, the motion states. Ms Hill allegedly told the juror that SLED and Colleton County Sheriff’s Office personnel had gone to Mr Stone’s house and that he had confirmed he made the post. She then allegedly asked juror 785 whether she was inclined to vote guilty or not guilty – to which she said she had not made up her mind. Murdaugh’s attorneys claim that the original post was “fictitous” and that a download of Mr Stone’s Facebook shows he did not make either post. After the prosecution’s closing argument on the morning of 1 March, juror 785 said that the court clerk asked her again about what her verdict would be. When the juror said she thought prosecutor Creighton Waters’ closing statement was good but that she had questions because the murder weapons have never been found, Ms Hill allegedly told her “that everything Mr Murdaugh has said has been lies and that I should forget about the guns, they will never be seen again”. The juror said that around 10 minutes later, she was dismissed from the jury – just hours before jury deliberations began. During her dismissal, she was accused of having spoken to at least three people about the case. Outside of the Facebook post and her ex-husband, the court was contacted by a co-worker of the juror’s tenant who said that the tenant said her landlord was a juror and had expressed an opinion when delivering a fridge to the property. The motion from Murdaugh’s attorneys included affidavits from juror 785 and her former husband Tim Stone, who denied ever making the posts. Disgraced legal scion Murdaugh made several other damning accusations against Ms Hill as he accused her of tampering with the jury at his high-profile double murder trial – because she was driven by fame and a desire to secure a book deal. In the motion, Murdaugh’s attorneys claim that Ms Hill “tampered with the jury by advising them not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony and other evidence presented by the defense, pressuring them to reach a quick guilty verdict, and even misrepresenting critical and material information to the trial judge in her campaign to remove a juror she believed to be favorable to the defense”. Specifically, they claim that the clerk instructed jurors not to be “misled” by evidence presented by the defence and told jurors not to be “fooled by” Murdaugh’s testimony when he took the stand. She allegedly instructed the jury to “watch him closely,” to “look at his actions,” and to “look at his movements” on the stand – something at least one juror said they understood to mean that Murdaugh was guilty. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office responded to the allegations on Friday, saying that investigators probing the accusations had already found “significant factual disputes” with the claims. The prosecutors did not outline what the “factual disputes” may be but pointed to the number of media interviews made by Mr Griffin and Mr Harpootlian about the motion. The latest twist comes the same day that Murdaugh reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors on a string of financial fraud charges after he stole millions of dollars from law firm clients. In the agreement, signed on Monday, the double murderer will plead guilty to 22 federal charges including wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Murdaugh is facing more than 100 state and federal charges over the multi-million-dollar fraud scheme. While he has reached a deal on the federal charges, he is heading to trial on the state charges in November. Murdaugh appeared in court last week for a hearing on the state charges which include stealing more than $4m from the family of his dead housekeeper Gloria Satterfield – who died in a mystery trip and fall at the family estate in 2018. It marked the first time that he was seen in court since his sentencing at his murder trial. Former friend and alleged co-conspirator Cory Fleming was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to the charges. Meanwhile, former friend and Palmetto State Bank CEO Russell Laffitte is also awaiting trial. Murdaugh is also facing charges over a botched hitman plot where he claims he paid an accomplice to shoot him dead two months after Maggie and Paul’s murders. For now though, Murdaugh is behind bars at the McCormick Correctional Institution in South Carolina where he is serving two life sentences for his wife and son’s murders. Maggie and Paul were found shot dead on the family’s 1,700-acre Moselle estate back on 7 June 2021. Alex Murdaugh had called 911 claiming to have found their bodies. During his high-profile murder trial, jurors heard how Paul was shot twice with a 12-gauge shotgun while he stood in the feed room of the dog kennels on the affluent family’s 1,700-acre Moselle estate. The second shot to his head blew his brain almost entirely out of his skull. After killing Paul, prosecutors said Murdaugh then grabbed a .300 Blackout semiautomatic rifle and opened fire on Maggie as she tried to flee from her husband. During the dramatic six-week trial, Murdaugh confessed to lying about his alibi on the night of the murders but continued to claim his innocence of the killings. The jury didn’t agree and the disgraced legal scion was convicted in March of the brutal murders. Read More Prosecutors cast doubt on Alex Murdaugh’s jury tampering claims - citing his lawyers’ TV interviews Smiling Alex Murdaugh appears in court in shackles as trial date set in financial fraud case Will Alex Murdaugh be granted a new trial? Legal expert weighs in

Joe Joyce and Zhilei Zhang will square off in a heavyweight rematch this weekend, five months after the Chinese boxer beat the Briton in London. Zhang, 40, forced a sixth-round stoppage by damaging Joyce’s eye to the point of closure, also taking the WBO interim title from the 38-year-old with the win. Now, as the pair return to London, Joyce will look to reverse the result and regain the gold – potentially setting up a bout with Oleksandr Usyk in the process. Can the “Juggernaut” avenge the first professional loss of his career? Or will “Big Bang” prove too explosive again? Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the fight? Joyce vs Zhang 2 is set to take place on Saturday 23 September, at Wembley Arena in London. The main card is expected to begin at 7.30pm BST (11.30am PT, 1.30pm CT, 2.30pm ET), with ring walks for the main event due at around 10.30pm BST (2.30pm PT, 4.30pm CT, 5.30pm ET). How can I watch it? In the UK, the event will air live on TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport). In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds Joyce – 21/20 Zhang – 17/20 Draw – 18/1 Full odds via Betway. • Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) Zhilei Zhang (C) vs Joe Joyce 2 (WBO interim heavyweight title) Pierce O’Leary (C) vs Kane Gardner (WBC international super-lightweight) Anthony Yarde vs TBA (light-heavyweight) Sam Noakes vs Carlos Perez (lightweight) Zach Parker vs Khalid Graidia (super-middleweight) Ezra Taylor vs Joel McIntyre (light-heavyweight) Royston Barney-Smith vs TBA (super-featherweight) Moses Itauma vs Amine Boucetta (heavyweight) Tommy Fletcher vs Alberto Tapia (heavyweight) Aloys Youmbi vs Erik Nazaryan (cruiserweight) Sean Noakes vs Lukasz Barabasz (welterweight) Read More Joe Joyce on heavyweight knockouts, oil painting, and teaching 60-year-olds to swim Heavyweight boxing is decaying before our eyes – no other sport would survive this idiocy Eddie Hearn: ‘Ask someone to name three people in boxing, they’ll say: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, me’ What time does Joyce vs Zhang 2 start this weekend? How to watch Joyce vs Zhang 2 online and on TV this weekend Joe Joyce on knockouts, oil painting, and teaching 60-year-olds to swim

Harry Kane maintains Bayern Munich always felt like the right choice for his next club as the England striker prepares to face Manchester United in the Champions League. Kane left Tottenham for Bayern in a deal which could be worth up to £100million ahead of the summer transfer window closing. Reports suggested United were one of the English clubs also interested in the 30-year-old forward. “Obviously over the summer I know there were some talks between a few clubs in the background, but Bayern were a team I was really interested and excited by,” the England captain said ahead of Wednesday night’s Group A opener at the Allianz Arena. “There were not too many other discussions once they came in. It was between them and Tottenham to talk and then the deal got done. “My focus is on here. Manchester United are a great club, a really big club as well. I just decided to come here and am really happy I have.” Kane has scored four Bundesliga goals for Bayern, including in the 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen on Friday night. The England captain said: “Being here now, I am just enjoying the new surroundings. I have been back and forth with the internationals and the birth of my fourth child. “I still don’t feel I have fully settled in to everything yet, that will take a bit more time, but over the course of the season I will get to know more about the club and speak to the big names who have played here before.” Kane added: “It has been a good start for me here. Whenever there is a big transfer, there is always a little bit more pressure and expectation going into the first few games to see how you start. “I am really pleased to have scored the four goals so far. I think I can play better, and that will come with just getting to know my team-mates more, the system and the way we play. There is definitely room for improvement in my all-round game.” Despite Kane’s departure, Tottenham have made an impressive start under new head coach Ange Postecoglou this season and are unbeaten in the Premier League with four wins to sit second. “Fantastic start – I am always keeping an eye on them and think I will keep an eye on Tottenham for the rest of my life,” Kane said of his old club. “I am really happy to see the team playing the way they are and of course to see their fans happy as well is a great thing. “I am sure they will be excited to keep that up. They have a massive game coming up (against Arsenal on Sunday), so for sure I will see how they get on over the course of the season.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England’s Leah Williamson to address United Nations in New York England ODI captaincy against Ireland ‘a great opportunity’ for Zak Crawley Great Britain face Novak Djokovic’s Serbia in Davis Cup quarter-finals

LONDON (Reuters) -YouTube said on Tuesday it had blocked Russell Brand from making money from his online channel after the

By David Lawder NEW YORK U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters that a "soft-landing" scenario for the

Tonga has brought two injury replacements into its Rugby World Cup squad with prop Feao Fotuaika and flyhalf Otumaka Mausia out the tournament

Courageous celebrities are empowering sexual assault survivors to find their voices by telling their own stories

Arsenal defender Leah Williamson will become the first England women’s footballer to address the United Nations when she speaks at the Sustainability Development Goals Summit in New York on Tuesday. The 26-year-old, who captained the Lionesses to the European Championship title last summer, is set to speak about her visit to Za’atari in Jordan, the largest Syrian refugee camp in the world, as part of the Coaching for Life programme jointly run by Arsenal and Save the Children. Williamson was forced to miss this summer’s World Cup, where the Lionesses finished runners-up, after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament in April and was able to combine the recovery process with charitable work. She told Arsenal’s club website: “Sport has the power to change lives – but it’s still not a level playing field for so many girls around the world. “Football definitely changed my life. After visiting the Za’atari refugee camp, I’ve seen first-hand how our football programme, Coaching for Life, is helping the girls in the camp cope better with the challenges they face. “Almost all women footballers will have a story about the challenges they faced taking up the game, but at least in countries like England and America we had a chance. “In some countries, girls have social restrictions that limit their access to playing football and that has to change. ” This is key all around the world as well – to address deep-rooted stereotypes Leah Williamson Coaching for Life was launched in 2018 with a mission to support the physical and mental wellbeing of children and families affected by the war in Syria. Since then, the number of girls taking part has increased from a small minority to an even split between male and female graduates. Williamson added: “At first, fathers in the camp were reluctant for their daughters to get involved – but then relented. “They saw how their daughters became empowered. We are now moving towards a gender-transformative approach in the camp. “This is key all around the world as well – to address deep-rooted stereotypes. We need to involve men and boys in the conversation about positive masculinity and the barriers women and girls face.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live England ODI captaincy against Ireland ‘a great opportunity’ for Zak Crawley Great Britain face Novak Djokovic’s Serbia in Davis Cup quarter-finals On this day in 2015: Japan stun South Africa at Rugby World Cup

NY Giants running back Saquon Barkley is expected to miss the next three weeks with a sprained ankle he suffered in the win over Arizona.

Being a celebrity doesn't mean you are above the law as the famous faces in our list found out

Lewis Hamilton insists Mercedes need to “level up” in the fight to Red Bull and Max Verstappen in 2024. Verstappen is cruising to a third-straight F1 world title – though cannot secure the crown in Japan this weekend after an underwhelming fifth-place finish in Singapore – while Red Bull are an astonishing 308 points clear of Mercedes in the constructors’ championship. Hamilton, meanwhile, has not won in his last 38 races with his last victory coming in Saudi Arabia in December 2021 – and Mercedes have not won since George Russell’s victory in Brazil last November. Having ditched their ‘no-sidepod’ design at the start of the year, Mercedes have persevered with a more orthodox approach but remain way off Red Bull’s pace. Yet Hamilton, who recently signed a new deal until the end of the 2025 season, has urged the engineers and mechanics at Brackley to come up with the tools to take the fight to Red Bull next year. “I was just asked a question earlier, ‘would you rather take Max out of the equation or take Adrian Newey out of the equation?’” Hamilton said in Singapore. “And I was like ‘neither’. We just have to level up and do a better job. “They have done an exceptional job. You can’t fault them for the amazing work that they collectively are doing and have done. I would just want to level up all of us.” The 38-year-old, though in the midst of the longest winless streak of his career, remains optimistic and referred to a bleak period before his success at Mercedes for evidence that fortunes in Formula 1 can turn around. “I think people just seem to remember the seven years or eight years that we were competitive,” Hamilton added. “Don’t forget the years before that where I had pretty interesting cars at that time. So I’ve had years like last year and this year and, of course, when you are faced with adversity and faced with a challenge like we have, collectively as a team you learn more than you do when it’s smooth sailing up front.” Hamilton, who finished on the podium in Singapore, will be targeting a strong showing at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, a race he has won five times previously. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, however, will not be present in the paddock at Suzuka as he undergoes knee surgery. Read More Ferrari finally find their chief strategist – and it’s Carlos Sainz Mercedes boss Toto Wolff to miss Japanese Grand Prix Max Verstappen makes prediction for Japan after his winning run ends ‘He’s put himself on the market’: F1 pundit tips Liam Lawson for 2024 seat F1 2023 race schedule: When is the Japanese Grand Prix? Ferrari finally find their chief strategist – and it’s Carlos Sainz

Protests have erupted in the eastern Libyan city of Derna with locals demanding the removal of those in power, a week after torrential rain caused two dams to collapse, sweeping whole neighborhoods into the Mediterranean Sea and killing thousands.