Last week, Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager, went to pick up his two younger brothers from a friend’s house. However, Yarl's family said he went to the wrong home. A white homeowner in his 80s — later identified as Andrew Lester — answered the door and shot the teen in the head and arm. Yarl, who was hospitalized in critical condition, is now recovering at home. The shooting has sparked outrage and calls for justice, especially since authorities released Lester from custody after 24 hours and didn’t immediately charge him. Now, prosecutors are moving forward with charges and have a warrant out for Lester’s arrest.
What’s the latest?
Lester is facing two felonies, including for felony assault. If convicted on that charge, he could face up to life in prison. Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said there “was a racial component to the case” — but did not expand on his statement. The shooting has also reignited the conversation around “Stand Your Ground” laws, which was also at the center of Trayvon Martin’s case. Lester reportedly told police he shot Yarl because he thought the teen was breaking into his house. However, prosecutors said Yarl didn’t “cross the threshold” into Lester’s home and reportedly found the shooting wasn’t in self-defense. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said the charges were a “first step towards justice.”
What else are people saying?
Lawyers for Yarl’s family said, “it is inescapable not to acknowledge the racial dynamics at play.” Both prosecutors and police said they are doing everything they can to work “as expeditiously and as thoroughly” as possible in the investigation. President Biden reportedly spoke with Yarl’s family and said he’s praying for the teen’s health and justice. Amid Yarl's recovery, many are learning more about the teen, who’s described as an “an excellent student and talented musician” with dreams of studying chemical engineering. In an online post, Yarl’s aunt said the shooting will leave him with long-lasting trauma, but she called Yarl a “miracle.”
theSkimm
It’s been over a decade since Trayvon Martin’s death made national headlines. Now, the shooting of another Black teen has put “Stand Your Ground” laws and calls for justice back in the spotlight.
Evan Gershkovich. Today, a Moscow court will hear an appeal to release the Wall Street Journal reporter. Last month, Russian authorities accused Gershkovich of collecting Russia's military secrets and detained him on espionage charges. It was the first time an American journalist was detained on spying accusations since the Cold War. The WSJ denied that Gershkovich spied and demanded his release. The Department of State determined that Russia “wrongfully detained” Gershkovich. Yesterday, US embassy officials visited him for the first time since the arrest. In a tweet, US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy said Gershkovich is “in good health and remains strong.” Now, the court will weigh whether to release Gershkovich while he awaits trial. Today's procedural hearing won't focus on the actual charges, since investigators are still reportedly working on his case. Gershkovich could be held in pre-trial detention until May 29.
Where else people are thinking about justice…
Akron, OH. Yesterday, a grand jury denied charging the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Jayland Walker. Last year, eight officers — seven of whom are white — tried to pull Walker over for a traffic violation. Police said Walker didn’t stop and tried to flee on foot. They said they ordered him to stop, used Tasers, and fired at him — shooting Walker 46 times. Police said Walker posed a “deadly threat” and had fired at least one shot from his car. Walker was pronounced dead at the scene and didn’t have a gun on him after he ditched the car. The 25-year-old Black man’s death re-ignited protests in the city and conversations about the police’s treatment of Black people. Now, the grand jury found that the officers were legally justified in their use of force. The state Attorney General’s office acknowledged that Walker’s fiancée had died shortly before the incident, causing “a very tough time” in Walker's life. The attorney added that Walker was “a good man, a good person with no prior criminal record so he was not acting (like) himself.”
Who's really getting creative...
Chinese spies, (allegedly). Yesterday, the FBI arrested and charged two individuals for running an unauthorized police station in Manhattan to “monitor and intimidate” critics of the Chinese government. The operation hasn’t been up and running since last year, after the pair realized the FBI was hot on their trail. Now, federal prosecutors charged the men with conspiring to act as agents of the Chinese government. They’ve also been charged for obstructing justice for deleting messages with a Chinese official. China’s embassy in Washington previously dismissed claims of secret police stations. First balloons, now this.
What's taking up the Sunday scaries…
The Supreme Court. Today, the high court will hear a case about religious accommodations after a worker sued USPS for making him work on Sundays. Gerald Groff says he shouldn’t be required by law to work on Sundays as a Christian. Lower courts have sided with USPS, saying it puts more work in other employees’ mailboxes. Now, the Supreme Court is ready to chime in, and a ruling is expected by the end of June.
What saw the economy and said ‘I'll raise you one’…
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Flying high…Barbara A (MD). She is celebrating 30 years of being a pilot in a male-dominated industry. Even more impressive, she’s been cruising as a captain for 20 of those years. Ready for takeoff.
(Some) Birthdays…Amy Eisen Bakst (NY), Sara Reed (NY), Jessica McCall (MA), Rachel Rogers (AR), Sara Turner (UT), George Dai (CA), Cece Metzdorff (IL), Bernadette Antoon (DC), Kylie Yocum (LA), Jessicca Bacher (NJ), Makayla Steiner (IA), Heather Howerton (CO), Tim Allen (GA), Aly King (CT), Emily Rector (DC), Mary Anne Saag (FL)
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