Author: Tammy Webber

ST. PAUL, Minn. • Three former Minneapolis police officers were convicted Thursday of violating George Floyd’s civil rights, as a federal jury rejected their arguments that inexperience, improper training or the distraction of shouting bystanders excused them from failing to prevent Floyd’s killing. Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were convicted of depriving…

ST. PAUL, Minn. • Three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights “chose to do nothing” as a fellow officer squeezed the life out of Floyd, a prosecutor said in her closing argument Tuesday. Defense attorneys countered that the officers were too inexperienced, weren’t trained properly and did not willfully violate…

WASHINGTON • They move from place to place at a moment’s notice in a desperate bid to evade the Taliban — girls whose lives are in danger simply because they chose to play a sport they loved. An international effort to evacuate members of the Afghanistan national girls soccer team, along with dozens of family…

MINNEAPOLIS • Former officer Derek Chauvin chose not to take the stand as testimony at his murder trial ended Thursday, passing up the chance to explain to the jury and the public for the first time what he was thinking when he pressed his knee against George Floyd’s neck. Closing arguments are set to begin…

MINNEAPOLIS • George Floyd died of a sudden heart rhythm disturbance as a result of his heart disease, a forensic pathologist testified for the defense Wednesday at former officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial, contradicting experts who said Floyd succumbed to a lack of oxygen from the way he was pinned down. Dr. David Fowler, a…

MINNEAPOLIS • George Floyd died of a lack of oxygen from being pinned to the pavement with a knee on his neck, a medical expert testified at former Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial Thursday, emphatically rejecting the defense theory that Floyd’s drug use and underlying health problems were what killed him. “A healthy person subjected…

MINNEAPOLIS • Minneapolis police are taught to restrain combative suspects with a knee on their back or shoulders if necessary but are told to “stay away from the neck when possible,” a department use-of-force instructor testified Tuesday at former Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial. Lt. Johnny Mercil became the latest member of the Minneapolis force…

BURTON, Mich. • Crystal and Chris Martin put off some payments on their home in this blue-collar town near Flint and are pinching pennies to make ends meet until they return to work. In Windsor, Conn., Anne Druce’s family canceled home improvement projects out of an abundance of caution but remains financially secure. As the…