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“Cult mom” Lori Vallow “groomed” and “manipulated” her new lover Chad Daybell and brother Alex Cox to murder her two children and Mr Daybell’s first wife, according to the prosecution’s dramatic closing statement. In Ada County Court in Boise, Idaho, on Thursday, prosecutor Rob Wood laid out the state’s case against the mother-of-three, placing her firmly front and centre of a plot to kill her son JJ Vallow, 7, daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and 49-year-old Tammy Daybell – and then steal their money. “Lori Vallow is the one that ties this all together,” he said. The prosecutor argued that Ms Vallow was driven by “money, power and sex” – and that she used all of those things to manipulate her alleged accomplices to do her bidding. “They used religion as a tool to manipulate others. Lori manipulated Alex Cox through religion,” he said. “She manipulated Chad through emotional and sexual control. They manipulated their friends.” Mr Wood pointed to text messages showing how Ms Vallow was “grooming” her brother Cox, including one message where she praised his silence with the phrase: “Good boy.” “Lori Vallow is telling Alex Cox what to do. You never see Alex tell her what to do. She is always telling him what to do,” he told jurors. In the prosecution’s rebuttal, Mr Wood hammered the point home, arguing that Ms Vallow was the “one common thread” tying all the suspects and killings together. “The evidence in this case points to one common thread and that thread is Lori Vallow,” he said. “The defence says she’s not a killer. She is a killer. Lori is the connection to the deaths. “What connection does Chad Daybell have to Charles Vallow? Lori. Why did we talk about Charles Vallow? The motive.” Ms Vallow is facing life in prison on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy and grand theft over the deaths of JJ and Tylee as well as conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Tammy. JJ and Tylee were last seen alive in September 2019 and for months Ms Vallow refused to reveal their whereabouts. One month later, Tammy died suddenly aged 49 and Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell flew to Hawaii and married on a beach. In June 2020, JJ and Tylee’s remains were discovered buried in Mr Daybell’s backyard. After a grueling month-long trial, Mr Wood walked jurors through the state’s case against Ms Vallow and what they say led to the deaths of the three victims. “Money, power, and sex. Beginning in October 2018, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell set in motion events,” Mr Wood began, echoing the state’s opening statement. “Along the way, they included her brother Alex Cox to participate in a conspiracy unencumbered and free of obstacles. “This plan was driven by Lori Vallow’s desire for and use of money, power and sex. And this plan must end today in the verdicts you render in this trial.” On the first driver of money, the prosecutor pointed to evidence showing that Ms Vallow was receiving the children’s Social Security payments directly to her accounts, and continued to receive and spend them after they had both been murdered. “Lori learned a lesson with Charles Vallow,” he said – referring to Ms Vallow’s fourth husband who was shot dead by Cox in July 2019. This lesson, he said, was to secure the money before the victim is killed. Jurors were shown evidence that Ms Vallow altered Tylee and JJ’s Social Security payments so that they would go directly to her – just days before the respective child would wind up dead. “Get the money and then commit the murder,” he said. As well as the power Ms Vallow held over Cox, the prosecutor argued that she also used sex to hold power over Mr Daybell and get him to do what she wanted. Mr Wood pointed to texts where the doomsday couple moved between steamy, sexual messages to messages which he said were about the deaths of their spouses and her children. Pointing to the cult beliefs which were also allegedly a driver in the case, Mr Wood said that Ms Vallow used “religious beliefs to justify murder”. Jurors have heard how Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell believed that they were on a religious mission to gather the 144,000 and they believed in a “rating system of light and dark” for how they ranked the spirits of the people around them. Over time, this evolved into the belief that some people – including the children – were “zombies” and the only way to get rid of the zombies was for the human body to be destroyed. Mr Wood said that the beliefs themselves are not a crime, but the way they used these beliefs to “justify” murdering three people are. “It does not matter what they believed. It matters what they did,” he said. “They can believe whatever they want. But when they use that to justify homicide, that changes.” The prosecutor laid out evidence that the murders were “premeditated” and “planned” – from the stash of burner phones the three alleged accomplices had, Cox’s practice at a shooting range prior to a botched attempt on Tammy’s life and what he said was a deliberate plan for Ms Vallow to be in Hawaii at the time of Tammy’s murder. Tammy “was murdered in her own home” after the three plotted to kill her, he said – and Ms Vallow then wasted no time benefitting from the $400,000 life insurance Mr Daybell got from her death. The prosecutor reminded jurors about the harrowing details of the children’s murders and the way the three alleged accomplices disposed of their bodies after – showing the court graphic images of Tylee and JJ’s remains. JJ died by asphyxiation with multiple layers of plastic bags wrapped around the little boy’s head and duct tape over his mouth. Tylee’s cause of death was impossible to determine because her remains were so badly burned and mutilated. “She was burned and buried in Chad Daybell’s backyard. What was left of her body they dumped in a green bucket and buried in a pet cemetery on top of a piece of her skull,” Mr Wood described of Tylee’s remains. Speaking about JJ, he said that the little boy was “silenced forever by a strip of duct tape placed across his mouth”. “A white plastic bag was placed over his head where it was secured tightly with duct tape wrapped around and around from his forehead to his neck,” he said. “The evidence says he struggled and we’ll never know how long he fought before they wrapped tape around his wrists and ankles. He stopped breathing, his heart stopped beating and he died. It was a brutal, horrific murder of a seven-year old boy with special needs.” Following the children’s murders, Ms Vallow continued collecting their social security payments, he said. She never reported them missing or dead and lied to multiple people about their whereabouts as she needed to keep the “bodies hidden so she could keep getting the money”. Ms Vallow faces life in prison on the charges. Mr Daybell is also charged over the murders but is due to stand trial separately at a later date. Cox, meanwhile, died before he could face charges. On 11 December 2019, Cox died suddenly at the age of 51. His death was also ruled natural causes, with indications of a blood clot wedged in the arteries of his lungs. However the overdose drug Narcan was also found in his system. Ms Vallow is also facing charges in Arizona of conspiring with Cox to murder her fourth husband Charles Vallow. Read More Lori Vallow trial – live: Verdict looms as closing arguments get underway in cult mom’s murder case Cult beliefs, hazmat suits and charred remains: Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial What we know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder trial

The former Marine who held Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a Manhattansubway earlier this month has surrendered to New York authorities to face criminal charges over his death. Daniel Penny, 24, turned himself in to New York police early on Friday morning to be arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge. He was seen arriving at the NYPD’s 5th Precinct in lower Manhattan just after 8am local time, where he did not respond to any questions from waiting journalists. Following his arrest, he will be arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court later today. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Attorneys for Mr Penny said in a statement that they are “confident” he will be “fully absolved of any wrongdoing” when all the “facts and circumstances” come to light as they claimed that the former Marine “risked his own life” when he confronted Neely that day. “When Mr Penny, a decorated Marine veteran, stepped in to protect himself and his fellow New Yorkers, his well-being was not assured. He risked his own life and safety, for the good of his fellow passengers,” said the statement from Raiser and Kenniff, shared with The Independent. “The unfortunate result was the unintended and unforeseen death of Mr Neely. We are confident that once all the facts and circumstances surrounding this tragic incident are brought to bear, Mr Penny will be fully absolved of any wrongdoing.” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirmed on Thursday that Mr Penny was facing a manslaughter charge over Neely’s death, which led to widespread protests across New York City. “We can confirm that Daniel Penny will be arrested on a charge of Manslaughter in the Second Degree,” a spokesperson for the DA’s office confirmed in a statement to The Independent. “We cannot provide any additional information until he has been arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, which we expect to take place tomorrow.” On 1 May, a man identified as Mr Penny placed the 30-year-old homeless former street performer in a fatal chokehold for several minutes until he died on the floor of an F train on the Broadway-Lafayette platform in Manhattan. The city’s medical examiner determined Neely’s cause of death was homicide. Neely – who was experiencing a mental health crisis in the days leading up to his death – was known among social work teams involved in outreach to New York’s homeless community. He had numerous interactions with law enforcement and health responders over the years. When he walked into the F train on 1 May, Neely complained of hunger and thirst, according to witnesses and journalist Juan Alberto Vazquez, who posted a video of part of the incident on his Facebook page. Mr Vazquez said Neely threw his jacket to the floor of the train car before another passenger grabbed him from behind in a headlock. Others grabbed at his arms. The widely shared video footage shows Mr Penny and two other men holding Neely to the floor of a train car for several minutes, while Mr Penny grabs Neely in a chokehold. Another passenger can be heard in the video telling the men that his wife was in the military and warned them that placing Neely in a chokehold could kill him. “You don’t have to catch a murder charge,” he said. “You got a hell of a chokehold, man.” A statement from attorneys for Mr Penny on 5 May said Mr Penny “was involved in a tragic incident ... which ended in the death of Jordan Neely.” “When Mr Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves, until help arrived. Daniel never intended to harm Mr Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death,” according to the statement. Attorneys for Neely’s family said the statement from Mr Penny’s legal team was neither “an apology nor an expression of regret” but “character assassination and a clear example of why he believed he was entitled to take Jordan’s life.” Neely’s death has sparked widespread demands for support for homeless and mentally ill New Yorkers, as advocates and lawmakers condemned what they characterised as an act of vigilantism in a city that has marginalised and targeted its most vulnerable residents with violence. Within the week after his death, NYPD officers have arrested at least 24 people – including a photojournalist, targeted by a high-ranking police official – at protests and vigils demanding an arrest. In his remarks on 10 May, more than one week after Neely’s death, Mayor Eric Adams did not mention how Neely died or discuss the events surrounding his death, but issued his strongest statements yet in the wake of the incident, in contrast to his initial remarks in its aftermath. “Jordan Neely did not deserve to die,” he said. “A New Yorker who struggled with tragedy, trauma and mental illness, a man whose last words were crying for help.” Mr Adams outlined his administration’s response to people experiencing homelessness and mental health distress, including legislation proposed to lawmakers in Albany, the creation of outreach teams, and a controversial policy that allows authorities to involuntarily hospitalise people who are considered too mentally ill to care for themselves. Read More Jordan Neely – latest: Daniel Penny to surrender in New York today on second-degree manslaughter charge Daniel Penny: Everything we know about ex-Marine filmed choking Jordan Neely in fatal subway incident ‘Jordan Neely did not deserve to die’: Eric Adams addresses death of homeless New Yorker after fatal chokehold

The former Marine who held Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a Manhattan subway earlier this month is expected to surrender to New York authorities today to face criminal charges over his death. Daniel Penny, 24, will be arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge on Friday morning before being arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court. “We can confirm that Daniel Penny will be arrested on a charge of Manslaughter in the Second Degree,” a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirmed in a statement to The Independent. “We cannot provide any additional information until he has been arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, which we expect to take place tomorrow.” Mr Penny was filmed wrapping his arm around Neely’s neck on the floor of a train carriage after the 30-year-old homeless man apparently suffered a mental health episode. The death of Neely, known to New Yorkers for his impersonations of Michael Jackson on the city’s streets and subway, has led to widespread criticism and protest. But despite the tragedy placing the city’s treatment of homeless people under renewed scrutiny, Mayor Eric Adams has weakened New York’s longstanding shelter mandate in anticipation of an increase in immigration. Read More Man who fatally choked another NYC subway rider to surrender on manslaughter charge Daniel Penny: Everything we know about ex-Marine filmed choking Jordan Neely in fatal subway incident Daniel Penny to be charged with manslaughter in Jordan Neely subway chokehold death ‘Jordan Neely did not deserve to die’: Eric Adams addresses death of homeless New Yorker after fatal chokehold

The author of a grief book who is now accused of murdering her husband allegedly fought with him over a deal to buy a new home, fresh documents have revealed. Kouri Richins, 33, reportedly used a fentanyl-spiked cocktail to kill her 39-year-old husband Eric Richins last year. KPCW got hold of search warrants that suggested Ms Richins wanted to flip a 20,000 sq ft mansion, something her late husband thought was too expensive. The documents revealed that the property was a source of disagreement in their marriage. “The couple was under contract at the time of Eric’s death in March 2022. Public search warrants say it was going to cost them nearly $2m and that Eric thought it was too expensive,” said the KPCW report. The documents stated the husband’s family members thought he planned to tell Ms Richins they weren’t buying the mansion. A day after her husband died, on 5 March 2022, the author closed the deal. The documents also revealed that the family planned to tell her that she was being cut out of his will, “making her financially unstable”. Two weeks after Richins’ death, the wife put the home back up online with an asking price of about $4.8m. Court documents stated that Richins believed his wife had tried to poison him before, and that she attempted to change his life insurance policy just before his death, according to FOX13. Richins came from a prominent Mormon family in Kamas, Utah, while his wife wrote a children’s grief book called Are You With Me? Her arrest warrant stated she allegedly spent $1,800 for 60 fentanyl pills which investigators said she described to a drug dealer as “the Michael Jackson stuff”. Phone records allegedly showed she claimed to be buying the painkillers for an “investor” who had a back injury, and initially asked for hydrocodone, before later demanding “something stronger”. Police claimed she first spent $900 on 30 pills. While her husband became “very ill” after a meal on Valentine’s Day, he survived. “Eric told a friend that he thought his wife was trying to poison him,” the documents read. The arrest warrant claimed she went back to the dealer and bought another 30 pills for $900 and allegedly used them to murder her husband on 4 March by putting them in a Moscow Mule drink. Officials determined the cause of death was a fentanyl overdose with five times the lethal dosage found in his body. Court records showed that, over the past few months, Ms Richins has been attempting to have her husband’s sister removed as a trustee for his estate, which is valued at $3.6m. She was arrested on Monday and booked into Summit County Jail where she has been held without bond. She has been charged with murder and drug possession and is set for a detention hearing on 19 May. Read More Author of grief book who is now accused of murder allegedly used fentanyl spiked cocktail to kill husband Author promoted grief book for children on TV before arrest for husband’s murder Kouri Richins wrote a kids book to help her sons cope with their dad’s death. Now she’s accused of his murder

The fate of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow is in the hands of the jury as her dramatic murder trial draws to a close. Closing arguments concluded in Ada County Courthouse, Boise, Idaho, and the jury of seven men and five women began deliberations on Thursday afternoon before concluding four hours later. While the judge banned cameras from the courtroom, the hotly-anticipated verdict will be livestreamed. Ms Vallow, 49, is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and grand theft over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell, 49. Tylee and JJ were last seen in September 2019. In June 2020, their remains were found buried on the Daybell property. Tammy died one month after their disappearance in October 2019. Over the last six weeks, prosecutors laid out their case that Ms Vallow conspired with Mr Daybell and her brother Alex Cox to kill the three victims – as part of their doomsday cult beliefs and greed. Ms Vallow, meanwhile, made the shock decision not to offer any defence in the trial. Instead, turning on Mr Daybell via her attorney during closing arguments. Read More Cult beliefs, hazmat suits and charred remains: Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial What we know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder trial Lori Vallow trial verdict will be livestreamed, judge rules after banning video of testimony

An attorney representing the family of one of the teens killed in the murder-suicide in Henryetta has made shocking revelations. The Oklahoma State of Bureau Investigations confirmed last week that convicted rapist Jesse McFadden shot dead his wife Holly Guess, 35, and her children Rylee Elizabeth Allen, 17, Michael James Mayo, 15, and Tiffany Dore Guess, 13 before turning the gun on himself. McFadden also killed Ivy Webster, 14, and Brittany Brewer, 15, who were at the home visiting Tiffany for the weekend. Following the gruesome discoveries on 1 May at McFadden’s property, reports emerged that he was facing fresh soliciting and child porn charges after he was caught exchanging lewd images with a 16-year-old in 2016 while serving time in jail for the rape of another minor. McFadden had an early release in 2020, despite the severity of his previous crime and pending charges. Over the weekend, dive teams with the OSBI were spotted using sonar devices at one of the ponds neighbouring the scene of the heinous crime, KJRH reported. The second processing came after KFOR revealed that authorities left behind a trove of stomach-churning evidence at McFadden’s property after releasing the scene. While touring the residence, a crew of reporters found hand restraints, sex toys and drug paraphernalia that have since been seized by Okmulgee Police. Cameron Spradling, an attorney representing the Webster family, has now divulged that 32 different cell phones and individuals used McFadden’s “house of horrors” as their location address. The findings have been handed to the OSBI, Mr Spradling. The mishandling of McFaddens’ sex crimes and confusion regarding leadership in the murder-suicide investigation have caused outrage in the community. Ivy and Brittany’s parents have said they did not know McFadden had been convicted of raping a minor, while Guess’ mother has said she only found out very recently. In a statement to The Oklahoman after the deviant findings at McFadden’s residence, Mr Spradling said: “The family of Ivy Webster were shocked to discover that computers and cell phones had not been seized by law enforcement when they viewed the inside of this house of horrors. No words can express this family’s fear that the sexual assault of their baby girl has been placed on the dark web. We demand that law enforcement seize all electronic devices and hunt down all sexual predators who have witnessed the suffering of Ivy Webster.” A neighbour of McFadden also told KJRH last week that six months ago, they saw somebody digging the pond where police excavation teams were seen this past weekend. When confronted, the individual reportedly said they meant to expand the pond, despite there being no apparent reason to do so. A family of the victims also found a ledger at the crime scene with a list of unknown names and ages — the last final names being those of the six victims shot dead by McFadden last week before he turned the gun on himself, according to the network. The Independent reached out to the OSBI for comment on the possibility that McFadden may have been the individual digging the pond last year, and whether the agency is investigating other potential crimes at the property. The agency declined to address the questions. McFadden, who was on the state sex offender registry, was initially sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape in 2003. After his early release in October 2020, McFadden was arrested the next month and then released on a $25,000 bond pending trial, which was repeatedly delayed, partially due to the Covid-19 pandemic. McFadden’s rape victim Krystle Strong and cellmate James Fleming told The Independent last week that they separately contacted several law enforcement agencies in a fruitless attempt to stop his release and warn authorities that he was a danger to the community. A spokesperson with Henryetta Police Department said that McFadden’s address was located in an unincorporated part of Okmulgee County, where his registration was up to date, and deferred to Okmulgee Police Department, which did not answer The Independent’s request for comment. “Due to his home address. Henryetta Police Department would have no records kept of his registration,” Henryetta Police said in a statement. Several departments in the District 25 task force were initially put in charge of the investigation, according to KFOR reporter Erin Christy. Ms Christy said that she was deferred to the OSBI by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office after Sheriff Eddy Rice declined to clarify the confusion surrounding which agency had the eadership of the case. “Ultimately, someone needs to say we’ll go through this or that. What did you miss? And if you have people outside your jurisdiction, it doesn’t work well,” Former Tulsa Police Department homicide detective Dave Walker told KFOR. “You gotta be in charge of everything or you’re not in charge of anything.” Read More Dive and excavation teams spotted at Jesse McFadden’s property as mysterious list with victims’ names found Jesse McFadden’s obsession with sex alarmed his jail cellmate. Why was he released early? Jesse McFadden raped me 20 years before his Oklahoma massacre. My pleas to keep him locked up were ignored

“Doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow has made the shock decision not to offer any defence in her high-profile trial for the murders of her two children and new husband’s wife. The 49-year-old is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and grand theft over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy, 49. Tylee and JJ were last seen alive in September 2019. In June 2020, their remains were found buried on the Daybell property. Tammy died one month after their disappearance in October 2019. On Tuesday, the prosecution rested its case after calling around 60 witnesses over the last five weeks – with jurors seeing footage of Ms Vallow relaxing and sunbathing poolside with Mr Daybell in Hawaii when authorities served her with court papers to present her children to authorities. When it was the defence’s turn to begin its case, Ms Vallow’s attorney Jim Archibald abruptly told the court that “we don’t believe the state has proven its case so the defence rests”. Closing arguments will get under way in Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on Thursday before the jury begins deliberations. Read More Lori Vallow will not present any defence witnesses in trial for her children’s murders Lori Vallow ignored stepsons’ pleas as she exchanged romantic texts with Chad Daybell after husband’s death Lori Vallow trial hears autopsy details that show Tammy Daybell was likely restrained during her murder Who is Lori Vallow? The ‘doomsday cult mom’ on trial for her children’s murders Lori Vallow’s disturbing texts revealed: ‘A reason to scream’

The mother of Madison Brooks, the LSU student who died following an alleged rape in January, has shared the final text message her daughter sent her before her death. Ashley Baustert, Brooks’s mother, told Fox News Digital that she texted her daughter on the night of 14 January that she would see her the following day to finish moving her into her dorm room for the start of her second semester at the university. Shortly thereafter, the 19-year-old responded with a text that read “I love you!!!” She also sent a picture of herself at Reggie’s Bar in east Baton Rouge with the son of one of Ms Baustert’s sorority sisters. Three-and-a-half hours later, Brooks was hit by a car in the middle of a high-traffic parkway and died. Initially, investigators did not suspect foul play in the incident. The person who hit Brooks stayed at the scene and called for help, while two passersby stopped But Ms Baustert knew something was amiss. “I know something was wrong,” Ms Baustert told Fox News Digital. “I know something terrible happened. Based on the circumstances of how she was hit, where she was, the time and her being alone.” Ms Baustert’s suspicions were furthered when she went to Reggie’s Bar and found her daughter’s phone had been left there unattended. “We were like there’s no way Madi put herself at three in the morning on the parkway in that neighbourhood without her phone,” Ms Baustert said. “Like, no one would do that.” Eventually, police turned to an investigation of the events between when Ms Baustert last heard from her daughter and when she was hit by a car. Police now believe that in that three-and-a-half hour period, Brooks was raped by four men who she met at the bar — Desmond Carter, 17, Casen Carver, 18, Everett Lee, 28, and Kaivon Washington, 18, who have all been arrested. Desmond Carter was indicted in February for first-degree rape and third-degree rape. Casen Carver was indicted on 3 May on charges of first-degree rape and third-degree rape. Investigators say that following the alleged rape, the men pushed Brooks onto the side of the Burbank Highway. They then believe that she wandered into the parkway, where she was hit by the car. At the time of her death, Brooks had a blood alcohol content of .319 per cent — nearly four times the legal limit to drive. Reggie’s Bar, which was located in the popular Tigerland area of Baton Rouge, had its alcohol license revoked in April and is now permanently closed. Now, Ms Baustert and other members of Brooks’s family are working to ensure that her memory lives on. The Madison Brooks Foundation, launched in the aftermath of her death, will offer financial support to young people in need and advocate for their safety. A billboard of Brooks, wearing pink, her favourite colour pink, is currently on display in Times Square. Read More Madison Brooks’ mother slams release of video from night of LSU student’s alleged rape and death Madison Brooks was killed by a car. Now, four men who left her on the road are charged with rape We were sexually assaulted years before Madison Brooks. LSU failed us, too Madison Brooks timeline: From Baton Rouge bar to alleged rape and death, what happened to the LSU student? Madison Brooks news: LSU student’s family is ‘blown away’ by victim blaming as they say ‘rape is rape’

The state of California has reached a $24m settlement with the family of Edward Bronstein, the man who died while being restrained by state highway patrol officers in 2020. Mr Bronstein was pulled over by officers on suspicion of driving under the influence on March 31, 2020 and was pinned to the ground by officers after initially declining to submit to a blood test. In a nearly 18-minute video of the incident filmed by a sergeant and released nearly two years after the incident, Mr Bronstein can be heard telling the officers “I can’t breathe” before losing consciousness. According to Mr Bronstein’s family, he had initially declined to submit to the blood test because of a longstanding fear of needles. As he was being pinned to the ground by officers, Mr Bronstein can be heard shouting, “I’ll do it willingly! I’ll do it willingly, I promise!” “It’s too late,” one officer says in response. Another admonishes Mr Bronstein for yelling. After Mr Bronstein ceased speaking, it took officers eleven minutes to start performing CPR on him. By then, it was too late. Mr Bronstein was pronounced dead, with the Los Angeles County coroner ruling that his cause of death was “acute methamphetamine intoxication during restraint by law enforcement.” According to Annee Della Donna, an attorney for Mr Bronstein’s family, the settlement is the largest civil rights settlement ever agreed to by the state of California and second largest in the history of the country following the settlement reached by the city of Minneapolis with George Floyd’s family.

The defence in the murder trial of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow rested their case on Tuesday after calling without presenting any witnesses. Shortly after Idaho prosecutors rested the state’s case at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Ms Vallow’s attorney Jim Archibald told the court that after consulting with his client, he was ready to proceed with closing arguments. “After consulting with my client, we don’t believe the state has proven its case so the defence rests,” Mr Archibald said. Ms Vallow is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and grand theft over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy, 49. The state has called roughly 60 witnesses throughout the five weeks of the trial, while the defence called none, according to CourtTV, t This is a developing story ... check again for updates.

The defence in the trial of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, rested their case on Tuesday. Ms Vallow will not testify in the trial. Shortly after the prosecution rested its case, Ms Vallow’s attorney Jim Archibald told the court that after consulting with his client, “we don’t believe the state has proven its case so the defence rests.” According to CourtTV, the state called roughly 60 witnesses throughout the last five weeks of the trial, while the defence called none. The 49-year-old is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and grand theft over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy, 49. Tylee and JJ were last seen alive in September 2019. In June 2020, their remains were found buried on the Daybell property. Tammy died one month after their disappearance in October 2019. Read More Lori Vallow ignored stepsons’ pleas as she exchanged romantic texts with Chad Daybell after husband’s death Lori Vallow trial hears autopsy details that show Tammy Daybell was likely restrained during her murder Lori Vallow’s friend says she threatened to ‘cut up’ and bury her one month after children disappeared

The law enforcement officer who took down the mass shooter at the Allen Premium Outlets mall has broken his silence for the first time. Authorities have confirmed that the gunman who killed eight people and injured seven others had “neo-Nazi ideation” in a press conference on Tuesday. The gunman, identified as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia, brought eight weapons with him to conduct the mass shooting at Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday (6 May). Garcia had three weapons on his person and five in his vehicle, according to Hank Sibley, the regional director of the Texas Department of Safety. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms determined all of the weapons were obtained legally. Eight people, including three young children, were killed in the shooting. Gruesome footage depicting the victims in the moments after the shooting circulated around Twitter over the weekend and into Monday, leaving social media users horrified. Garcia’s motive remains unknown but a social media profile, reviewed by The Independent, reveals that he stalked the mall in the weeks before the shooting to identify peak visitation times. Read More Nazi images, hateful rants and ‘Right Wing Death Squad’: A look at Texas gunman’s alleged far-right social media posts Two days, three attacks, 18 dead: Texas reels from horrifying weekend of violence Elementary school sisters are named among eight Texas mall shooting victims Mauricio Garcia: Everything we know about the Texas mall gunman who killed eight