According to the Orange County (CA) District Attorney’s Office, a dozen mentally ill defendants facing criminal charges could be released if the county cannot find a facility to house them. District Attorney Todd Spitzer said that mentally ill inmates go to state hospitals for up to two years to restore competency to move forward with a trial. If competency cannot be restored, the defendant is remanded to a mental health facility. At present, the county appears to lack an adequate number of beds, which could result in the inmates being released into the community. Spitzer noted that the inmates include violent criminals accused of murder and sexual assault. The releases could occur within the next two months, with the earliest scheduled for today.
Jury selected for the trial of “sandwich guy.” A jury was selected Monday in the trial of former Justice Department employee Sean Dunn, also known as the “sandwich guy.” This comes months after he went viral for throwing a salami sub at a Customs and Border Protection agent in Washington, D.C. (as Phil reported in this news roundup). Prosecutors charged Dunn with misdemeanor assault after a grand jury declined to indict him on felony charges. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Tuesday morning.
Update: Thanks to our loyal and avid readers who informed me that Dunn was found not guilty on Thursday.
Bail denial expanded in Texas. On Tuesday, Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment that requires judges to deny bail to defendants charged with certain violent felonies. The amendment expands bail denial eligibility to those charged with murder, certain aggravated assaults, kidnapping, robbery, sexual assault, indecency with a child, and human trafficking. Judges must deny bail if the State has demonstrated that pretrial detention of the defendant is necessary to ensure public safety or the defendant’s appearance in court. Previously, the Texas Constitution granted almost all arrestees the right to be released on bail, with the exception of those charged with capital murder and those accused of certain repeat felonies or bail violations.
“Red flag” gun law approved in Maine. In other election day news, Maine residents voted Tuesday to make it easier for family members to petition a court to restrict a potentially dangerous person’s access to guns. A ballot question asked residents if they wanted to build on the state’s “yellow flag” law, which allows police officers to initiate a process to keep someone away from firearms. The approval adds Maine to more than 20 states that have a red flag law, which empowers family members to take the same step.
Ex-NBA executive accused of embezzling millions. A former finance executive for the Atlanta Hawks has been accused of stealing millions of dollars from the NBA team and using the money to pay for travel, luxury apparel, jewelry, car expenses, and tickets to concerts and sporting events. Lester T. Jones Jr. worked in the Hawks’ accounting and finance department from March 2016 through June of this year, serving as senior vice president for finance beginning in August 2021. He was responsible for the company’s corporate credit card account with American Express and administered the electronic expense reimbursement program. Prosecutors allege that Jones submitted dozens of fraudulent expense reimbursement requests and charged millions of dollars in personal expenses to corporate credit cards, embezzling more than $3.8 million from the Hawks.
No more funny business. Last Friday, Spanish police busted an international ring suspected of smuggling nitrous oxide, commonly known as “laughing gas.” The officers confiscated 5,184 liters of nitrous oxide from a warehouse and the home of the suspected owner of the trucks used by the ring. Seven suspected members of the network were arrested. Nitrous oxide is used medically as an anesthetic in dentistry and medicine, but recreational use has reportedly grown in popularity, due largely in part to social media trends. Several European countries have introduced bans or strict controls on its recreational use.
Not a “chance.” A driver in Fullerton, California handed over a Monopoly “Get Out of Jail Free” card after being pulled over for a traffic violation. The officer had a good laugh but reminded the driver that the creativity wasn’t a legal defense. He reportedly told the driver to save the card for a rainy day and sent him off with a citation. The Fullerton Police Department shared the interaction in a post on social media, including this photo: