NoneATLANTA — Fulton County prosecutors didn’t even take a weekend after the conclusion of the longest trial in Georgia history before they started gearing up for a second trial in the gang and racketeering “Young Slime Life” case. Prosecutors said in a filing on Friday they are planning to take the remaining five defendants in the case to a jury in February. The request for a trial comes days after a jury rendered a verdict of not guilty on the most serious charges for the two defendants left standing in the first trial in the sprawling case on Tuesday. Prosecutors dropped charges against six other defendants on Wednesday. The judge had asked the parties to work out plea negotiations by Dec. 17. In a motion on Friday requesting the trial, Chief Deputy District Attorney Adam Abbate said prosecutors intend to go to trial against Christian Eppinger, Miles Farley, Damekion Garlington, Demise McMullen and Tenquarius Mender. The DA’s office is asking Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker to set trial proceedings to commence on Feb. 24. “This request is made to ensure adequate time for the resolution of any outstanding motions that may be filed by the five remaining defendants, as well as to facilitate the coordination of witness appearances and transportation,” prosecutors said. Unlike the previous trial, which involved Atlanta rapper Young Thug and five other alleged associates and became the longest trial in Georgia’s history, prosecutors expect this next trial to last around three months. In the first YSL trial, prosecutors called more than 175 witnesses and spent more than a year presenting evidence. Jury selection began January 2023, lasting 10 months and included some of the remaining defendants before they were removed from the case. Eppinger is facing 14 charges, including violating the state’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, armed robbery and attempted murder. He is accused of shooting an Atlanta police officer in February 2022 while on probation. He was granted bond on that case but never released. He was severed from the original case after it was revealed he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a courtroom deputy . Officials alleged Eppinger was using his attorney’s laptop to message the deputy on social media. The attorney’s laptop was seized as a result and Eppinger was removed from the case. Farley, who is the alleged creator of the “Make America Slime Again” clothing line, has been on house arrest while awaiting trial after he was granted bond at $625,000 . He remains the only defendant indicted in the case that received a bond. He faces five charges including RICO and murder in the 2022 death of Shymel Drinks. Farley was removed from the case after his attorney, Anastasios Manettas, was arrested in April 2022 after he allegedly entered the courtroom with some of his prescription medication . Manettas said his client is innocent and prepared to go to trial. Similar to Farley, Garlington faces murder charges in relation to the Drinks’ murder . Shannon Stillwell was acquitted of Drinks’ murder on Tuesday, while Quamarvious Nichols had his murder charge dropped after taking a plea deal in October. Garlington and Eppinger are also charged with the stabbing of Rashawn “YFN Lucci” Bennett, a rapper and alleged rival gang member, inside the Fulton County Jail. McMullen remains the lone defendant still charged in the 2015 murder of Donovan Thomas Jr. after Stillwell and Deamonte Kendrick were acquitted and prosecutors said they would drop charges against Justin Cobb and Javaris Bradford. Garlington and McMullen were removed from the case in December 2022 because they didn’t yet have attorneys. Mender, who faces RICO and gang charges, rejected a plea deal in December 2022 but was later severed from the case because his attorney, Nicole Fegan, was pregnant , which raised issues related to the unknown timetable for jury selection. Whitaker, who was the third judge to oversee the first YSL trial before its verdict, is expected to preside over the trial against the remaining five defendants. ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Over the years, Warren Buffett has suggested that investors that don't have time to do investment research should just invest in a fund that tracks the S&P 500 Index. It is a stock market index that is home to 500 of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States. It is considered to be one of the most important benchmarks for the overall health of the U.S. stock market and its economy. Unlike the extremely popular Nasdaq index, which is predominantly tech-focused, the S&P 500 Index gives investors exposure to a wide range of sectors including technology, healthcare, finance, and consumer goods. This arguably makes it the best place to invest for the ultra long term because while the ( ) is home to many of the highest quality companies in the world, the S&P 500 Index includes them and more. This means that if the technology sector goes through a poor period, which would cause the Nasdaq to underperform, there are other sides of the market included in the index to pick up the slack. It is for this reason that some days you will see the Nasdaq index drop but the S&P 500 Index rise. But has it been a good idea for Aussie investors to put their money into an ASX S&P 500 Index Fund over the past five years or should they have stuck to the ASX 200 index? Let's have a look at how one popular ASX ETF that tracks the index has performed. Was it a good idea to invest in the ASX S&P 500 Index Fund five years ago? Five years ago, I could have bought the ( ) for $30.70 per unit. This means that if I had $5,000 (and a further $4.10) to invest, I would have ended up owning 163 units. On Friday, this popular ASX ETF closed the session at $61.01. This means that my 163 units would now have a market value of $9,944.63, which is almost double what I started with. But wait, there's more! The iShares S&P 500 ETF pays every quarter. Over the past five years, the fund has paid out total dividends of $4.971 per unit. This would have pulled in total dividend income of approximately $810. If I add this to my capital gains, I have a total return of $5,750.53 from my original investment. This is a return in the region of 115%, which is well ahead of what the ASX 200 index has achieved over the same period.
Manhattan police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione , suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while carrying a gun, mask and writings linking him to the ambush. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here's the latest: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says “violence to combat any sort of corporate greed is unacceptable” and the White House will “continue to condemn any form of violence.” She declined to comment on the investigation into the Dec. 4 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson or reports that writings belonging to the suspect, Luigi Mangione, said insurance companies care more about profits than their customers. “This is horrific,” Jean-Pierre said of the fatal shooting of Thompson as he walked in Manhattan. He didn’t appear to say anything as deputies led him to a waiting car outside. “I’m deeply grateful to the men and women of law enforcement whose efforts to solve the horrific murder of Brian Thompson led to the arrest of a suspect in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Hochul said in the statement. “I am coordinating with the District Attorney’s Office and will sign a request for a governor’s warrant to ensure this individual is tried and held accountable. Public safety is my top priority and I’ll do everything in my power to keep the streets of New York safe.” That’s according to a spokesperson for the governor who said Gov. Hochul will do it as soon as possible. Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. ▶ Read more about Luigi Mangione Peter Weeks, the Blair County district attorney, says he’ll work with New York officials to try to return suspect Luigi Mangione there to face charges. Weeks said the New York charges are “more serious” than in Blair County. “We believe their charges take precedent,” Weeks said, promising to do what’s needed to accommodate New York’s prosecution first. Weeks spoke to reporters after a brief hearing at which a defense lawyer said Mangione will fight extradition. The defense asked for a hearing on the issue. In the meantime, Mangione will be detained at a state prison in western Pennsylvania. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said Tuesday it will seek a Governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition to Manhattan. Under state law, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul can issue a warrant of arrest demanding Mangione’s return to the state. Such a warrant must recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issuance and be sealed with the state seal. It would then be presented to law enforcement in Pennsylvania to expedite Mangione’s return to New York. But Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks says it won’t be a substantial barrier to returning Mangione to New York. He noted that defendants contest extradition “all the time,” including in simple retail theft cases. Dickey, his defense lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Mangione will continue to be housed at a state prison in Huntingdon. He has 14 days to challenge the detention. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was quieted by his lawyer. Luigi Mangione, 26, has also been denied bail at a brief court hearing in western Pennsylvania. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. That’s with some intervention from owner Elon Musk. The account, which hasn’t posted since June, was briefly suspended by X. But after a user inquired about it in a post Monday, Musk responded “This happened without my knowledge. Looking into it.” The account was later reinstated. Other social media companies such as Meta have removed his accounts. According to X rules, the platform removes “any accounts maintained by individual perpetrators of terrorist, violent extremist, or mass violent attacks, as well as any accounts glorifying the perpetrator(s), or dedicated to sharing manifestos and/or third party links where related content is hosted.” Mangione is not accused of perpetrating a terrorist or mass attack — he has been charged with murder — and his account doesn’t appear to share any writings about the case. He shouted something that was partly unintelligible, but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He’s there for an arraignment on local charges stemming from his arrest Monday. He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit as officers led him from a vehicle into the courthouse. Local defense lawyer Thomas Dickey is expected to represent the 26-year-old at a Tuesday afternoon hearing at the Blair County Courthouse. Dickey declined comment before the hearing. Mangione could have the Pennsylvania charges read aloud to him and may be asked to enter a plea. They include possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. In New York, he was charged late Monday with murder in the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. A felony warrant filed in New York cites Altoona Officer Christy Wasser as saying she found the writings along with a semi-automatic pistol and an apparent silencer. The filing echoes earlier statements from NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny who said Mangione had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America.” Mangione is now charged in Pennsylvania with being a fugitive of justice. A customer at the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was arrested said one of his friends had commented beforehand that the man looked like the suspect wanted for the shooting in New York City. “It started out almost a little bit like a joke, my one friend thought he looked like the shooter,” said the customer, who declined to give his full name, on Tuesday. “It wasn’t really a joke, but we laughed about it,” he added. The warrant on murder and other charges is a step that could help expedite his extradition from Pennsylvania. In court papers made public Tuesday, a New York City police detective reiterated key findings in the investigation he said tied Mangione to the killing, including surveillance footage and a fake ID he used to check into a Manhattan hostel on Nov. 24. Police officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, found that ID when they arrested Mangione on Monday. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione doesn’t yet have a lawyer who can speak on his behalf, court officials said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and ski cap. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. Mangione’s cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione, announced Tuesday morning that he’s postponing a fundraiser planned later this week at the Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore, which was purchased by the Mangione family in 1986. “Because of the nature of this terrible situation involving my Cousin I do not believe it is appropriate to hold my fundraising event scheduled for this Thursday at Hayfields,” Nino Mangione said in a social media post. “I want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. My family and I are heartbroken and ask that you remember the family of Mr. Thompson in your prayers. Thank you.” Officers used New York City’s muscular surveillance system . Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door to door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later , those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian’s instincts. A customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos New York police had publicized. He remains jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late Monday evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. It’s unclear whether Luigi Nicholas Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday’s arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.”Skier/snowboarder Ester Ledecka has 2 Olympic races on same day in 2026, hoping for schedule change
AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton receives Nobel Prize in physics in proud moment for U of TMarvell Unveils Industry's First Coherent-lite 1.6 Tbps O-band-optimized DSP for Data Center Campus Connectivity
HOUSTON, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Talen Energy Corporation ("Talen" or the "Company") TLN announced today that the Company has upsized its previously announced incremental Term Loan B credit facility from $600 million to $850 million (the "Upsize"). As previously announced, the Company has executed an agreement to repurchase at least $600 million in aggregate purchase price of shares of its outstanding common stock (the "Repurchase") from affiliates of Rubric Capital Management LP (collectively, "Rubric"). The additional proceeds from the Upsize will be used to repurchase additional shares from Rubric in the Repurchase on the same terms as the initial sizing. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Talen Talen Energy TLN is a leading independent power producer and energy infrastructure company dedicated to powering the future. We own and operate approximately 10.7 gigawatts of power infrastructure in the United States, including 2.2 gigawatts of nuclear power and a significant dispatchable fossil fleet. We produce and sell electricity, capacity, and ancillary services into wholesale U.S. power markets, with our generation fleet principally located in the Mid-Atlantic and Montana. Our team is committed to generating power safely and reliably, delivering the most value per megawatt produced and driving the energy transition. Talen is also powering the digital infrastructure revolution. We are well-positioned to capture this significant growth opportunity, as data centers serving artificial intelligence increasingly demand more reliable, clean power. Talen is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit https://www.talenenergy.com/ . Investor Relations: Ellen Liu Senior Director, Investor Relations InvestorRelations@talenenergy.com Media: Taryne Williams Director, Corporate Communications Taryne.Williams@talenenergy.com Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this communication, or incorporated by reference into this communication, are forward-looking statements. Throughout this communication, we have attempted to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecasts," "goal," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "seek," "should," "will," or other forms of these words or similar words or expressions or the negative thereof, although not all forward-looking statements contain these terms. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions concerning, among other things, capital expenditures, earnings, litigation, regulatory matters, hedging, liquidity and capital resources and accounting matters. Forward-looking statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our future business, financial condition, results of operations or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this communication. All of our forward-looking statements include assumptions underlying or relating to such statements that may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, and are subject to numerous factors that present considerable risks and uncertainties. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and nets