News Roundup

CNN reports here that a “West Virginia woman has awoken from a two-year coma and identified her brother as her attacker.” Wanda Palmer was brutally assaulted in 2020, with first responders initially believing that she was dead. She wasn’t, though she was comatose. She began to emerge from the coma last month, and now is apparently coherent though unable to hold full-length conversations. After naming her brother Daniel as her assailant, she was asked why he attacked her. She reportedly responded “because he’s mean.” Daniel Palmer has been arrested for attempted murder. A criminal defense lawyer considers how an identification like this may play in court here on Fox News. Keep reading for more news.

Former DA in trouble again. Wallace Bradsher, the former District Attorney in Caswell and Person Counties, was convicted in 2018 of felony charges arising out of an agreement with another prosecutor to hire one another’s wives for no-show jobs. Bradsher is back in the news as WRAL reports that a grand jury has indicted him for “for accepting a bribe and obstruction of justice related to a 2015 case when he was District Attorney. Search warrants from the SBI . . . show Bettie Yarboro-Jackson paid Bradsher with some of her lottery winnings to get drug charges dropped against her son.”

Member of North Carolina’s Congressional delegation arrested at the Supreme Court. WRAL has this story about the arrest of Alma Adams, a United States Representative from the Charlotte area. Adams was arrested Tuesday at an abortion rights protest outside the Supreme Court. She was among 17 legislators who were arrested and charged with “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding” under a District of Columbia code. What the heck is “incommoding”? In any event, a number of non-legislators were also arrested. Adams was not handcuffed and was apparently fined $50.

Kenly’s entire police force resigns. Well, almost. According to WRAL, the long-serving police chief and every full-time member of the force, along with two other town employees, resigned this week. The chief indicated on Facebook that his resignation was a result of what he views as a hostile environment created by the town’s new manager. Three part-time officers remain on the force and the county sheriff will also provide law enforcement services for the town while the town holds emergency meetings to address its staffing crisis.

High-profile trials begin. This week saw two newsworthy trials begin. (1) The AP reports that the Florida capital trial of Nikolas Cruz got under way this week. Cruz shot and killed 17 people at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School. He has already pled guilty to the murders so the trial is exclusively about the appropriate punishment, with the state pursuing the death penalty. The proceeding is expected to last several months. (2) Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, the trial of Steve Bannon also began this week. Bannon is the conservative media personality and former strategist to then-President Trump who has been charged with contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with subpoenas from the January 6 committee. The evidentiary phase of the trial has already been completed with closing arguments expected today. NBC News has the story here.

Shockingly awesome police vehicle? Years ago, I wrote about the fuel efficiency, or lack thereof, of most police vehicles. Even back then a few agencies were experimenting with more efficient options, but most law enforcement vehicles are still gas guzzlers. That may soon change, as Chevy has announced a new electric version of the Blazer SUV – including a “police pursuit” version designed for law enforcement use. Green Car Reports has more details here, including a range of up to 320 miles and Brembo brakes. It isn’t available yet but let’s be honest: it will probably be way cooler than another Dodge Charger.