Paradise News

Category: Metro

  • Judicial Watch Sues for Information on Investigations of Misconduct by Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Staff

    (Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for details of any investigations, inquiries, or referrals concerning potential misconduct of any person working for Special Counsel Jack Smith (Judicial Watch Inc. v U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:25-cv-00801)). 

    Judicial Watch sued after the Justice Department failed to respond to two FOIA requests on December 5, 2024, sent to the Office of Professional Responsibility and the Office of Information Policy requesting: 

    Records and / or communications about any investigations, inquiries, or referrals concerning potential misconduct of any person working for Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office.  

    The Biden Justice Department requested a clarification in January. Judicial Watch has received no other communication since.

    In December 2024 it was reported that the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility had opened a review into whether Special Counsel Jack Smith’s team skirted guidelines in during their investigation into President-elect Trump:

    Jay Bratt, a top prosecutor on the classified documents probe, previously noted complaints from an attorney representing one of Trump’s co-defendants…. Stanley Woodward, attorney for Trump valet Walt Nauta, accused Bratt of bringing up his interest in a judicial nomination as a pressure tactic. 

    “Jack Smith and his team were a rogue political operation, whose only purpose was to keep Donald Trump from being elected,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said. “There were serious complaints about misconduct by this get-Trump DOJ operation. This new Justice Department must get on the ball and stop the secrecy about the lawfare against President Trump.”

    Judicial Watch has several FOIA lawsuits related to the prosecutorial abuse targeting Trump:

    In March 2025, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis was ordered to turn over 212 pages of records to a state court judge. The court also ordered Willis to detail how the records were found and the reason for withholding them from the public. The records were belatedly found in response to a Judicial Watch request and lawsuit for communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee. Previously in this case, in January 2025, the Superior Court in Fulton County, GA, issued an order granting Judicial Watch $21,578 “attorney’s fees and costs.” Judicial Watch soon thereafter received payment.

    In January 2024, Judicial Watch filed lawsuit against Fulton County, Georgia, for records regarding the hiring of Nathan Wade as a special prosecutor by Willis. Wade was hired to pursue unprecedented criminal investigations and prosecutions against former President Trump and others over the 2020 election disputes.

    In January 2025, a federal court in a separate case ordered the Justice Department to provide information on communications between Smith and Willis regarding the prosecution of then-former President Donald Trump. The Justice Department had continued to object to providing any information even after its prosecutions against Trump were shut down.

    In February 2024, the Justice Department asked a federal court to allow the agency to keep secret the names of top staffers working in Smith’s office that is targeting former President Donald Trump and other Americans.

     (Before his appointment to investigate and prosecute Trump, Smith previously was at the center of several controversial issues, the IRS scandal among them. In 2014, a Judicial Watch investigation revealed that top IRS officials had been in communication with Smith’s then-Public Integrity Section about a plan to launch criminal investigations into conservative tax-exempt groups. Read more here.)

    Through the New York Freedom of Information Law, in July 2023, Judicial Watch received the engagement letter showing New York County District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg paid $900 per hour for partners and $500 per hour for associates to the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher law firm for the purpose of suing Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) in an effort to shut down the House Judiciary Committee’s oversight investigation into Bragg’s unprecedented indictment of then-former President Donald Trump.

    In his book Rights and Freedoms in Peril Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton details a long chain of abuses officials and politicians have made against the American people and calls readers to battle for “the soul and survival of America.” 

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    Source: Judicial Watch

  • Man sentenced for killing elderly woman and fatally shooting 2 people he asked to retrieve the body

    LAKEHEAD, Calif. (TCN) — A man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for killing three people, including an elderly woman whose body he placed into an SUV and dumped in a remote area.

    The Shasta County District Attorney’s Office said in a March 26 news release that Michael Merryman received three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 126 years to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to the murders of 75-year-old Pamela Castleberry, 41-year-old Cynthia Duran, and 48-year-old Louis Sanchez.

    According to prosecutors, On April 26, 2024, Merryman broke into Castleberry’s home while she wasn’t there. When the victim returned, the defendant shot her in the head and then stole guns, jewelry, and other items. To hide his crimes, authorities say Merryman cleaned up the blood and placed Castleberry’s body into her car. She was found in her vehicle several days later on a remote property in Bella Vista.

    The following month, Merryman asked two people he didn’t know, Duran and Sanchez, to help him get Castleberry’s car. He wasn’t aware the vehicle had already been found. When Merryman, Duran, and Sanchez arrived at the remote location, the defendant saw Castleberry and her SUV were gone.

    According to the district attorney’s office, Duran and Sanchez “locked themselves in the cab of the truck to get away from Merryman but were unable to escape,” and Merryman fatally shot them through the window. Merryman reportedly took their bodies out and set them ablaze before stealing Duran’s dog “Bamb Bamb” and driving off in her truck.

    Merryman crashed the vehicle shortly after, leaving the dog inside, and then went into a wooded area. Prosecutors noted that the dog was recovered unharmed. Following an “exhaustive hunt,” authorities found Merryman and took him into custody on May 22, 2024.

    According to the district attorney’s office, Castleberry’s family members and friends spoke at the defendant’s sentencing, sharing “emotional statements.”

    Her stepson reportedly said, “My family and I loved Pam. Pam was a friendly, gentle, and caring person. As for the defendant, you murdered my mom and two other precious souls, Cynthia and Louis. You subjected them to unspeakable terror and stole their lives from them, for nothing. You robbed them of the joy of seeing their children, grandchildren grow and flourish. Your actions brought great pain on many of us who knew and loved them.”

    • Murderer of Three Shasta County Residents, Michael Todd Merryman Sentenced to Life Without Parole – Shasta County District Attorney’s Office
    • Merryman to serve multiple life sentences without parole for triple homicide, 2/25/2025 – Shasta County District Attorney’s Office

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Third Biden dog attacked agents while vice president: Secret Service

    From Washington Examiner:

    The new reports of attacks were released by Judicial Watch today after it received the Secret Service emails through a Freedom of Information Act request.

    The watchdog group had previously charted multiple attacks by two other Biden German shepherds — “Major” and “Commander” — that sometimes drew blood and ripped clothes.

    “No wonder the Secret Service is a mess. Biden’s dogs terrorized agents and White House personnel for a decade, and nothing was done about it until Judicial Watch exposed the dangerous scandal,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

    Read more here…

    Source: Judicial Watch

  • Judicial Watch: Secret Service Documents Show Biden’s Dog Attacked Secret Service Employees When He Was Vice President, Too

    (Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it received 22 pages of records in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, revealing that while Joe Biden was vice president for Barack Obama his German Shepherd, Champ, attacked his U.S. Secret Service protective detail. Judicial Watch earlier received Secret Service documents through FOIA lawsuits documenting that the two German Shepherd dogs he owned while president, Major and Commander, attacked two dozen Secret Service and White House personnel.

    Judicial Watch received the documents in a June 18, 2024, FOIA request to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for Secret Service records:

    Any and all records related to incidents of aggression and bites involving the now-deceased Biden family dog, “Champ,” including but not limited to communications sent to and from USSS [United State Secret Service] officials in the Uniformed and Non-Uniformed Divisions involved in White House operations, the Vice Presidential Protective Detail, and the Presidential Protection Division.

    In a March 24, 2012, email with the subject “Dog attack!!,” an employee writes: “I need a couple of days off! Champ just tried to attack me!” Later in the exchange the employee responds to the assistant to the special agent in charge, “I need hazard pay!!”

    On September 1, 2015, a special agent in the Vice Presidential Protective Division reports a bite on the forearm, requiring a torn jacket to be repaired, and notes that an attack by Champ had occurred on each of the prior three days:

    Fyi, NEA [possibly North East Annex] is going to take the jacket and try to fix it, or will send it to their tailor.

    I will get it when they are done.

    Another agent writes about the incident to colleagues under the subject “Champ,” noting:

    When I went over to the Res [VP Residence] tonight to check on [redacted], I informed [redacted] of the incident (since the MilAides [military aides], Docs and VPCROs are outside with us when Champ is around).

    He said that Champ bit his forearm. The bite did not go thru his jacket but there were teeth indentations on his skin. There was no blood nor was the skin broken. He was check [sic] out by the Doc. AT [redacted] and [redacted] were notified. He still has marks on his skin today.

    This just a FYI since you were going to brief the SAIC/DSAIC [special agent in charge/deputy special agent in charge] tomorrow. That’s three incidents in the past three days (including the one I briefed you on regarding [redacted] at the Lake House on Sunday).

    A separate September 1, 2015, exchange between two Vice Presidential Division agents discusses recent incidents with Champ “So it’s been twice this week that Champ has snapped at someone on the shift. He came at me last week when I was on midnights, but I said his name which calmed him down before he could bite.”

    A March 25, 2011, email from a lieutenant in the Uniformed Division, Vice Presidential Detail, alerts colleagues:

    Yesterday two [redacted] sections officers observed the family pet – “Champ”– German Sheppard becoming more aggressive towards people, especially when the Labradoddle [sic] – “Brother” is around.

    Today, “Champ” showed aggression towards a grounds worker. The CP [command post] put out a broadcast for all personnel to avoid playing with or interacting with the family pets.

    Please make your personnel aware of this issue, and advise the CP to broadcast when the family pets are out on the grounds for the safety of the officers.”

    On March 25, 2011, an email is sent warning that Champ had “been aggressively approaching and chasing our Uniformed Division officers:”

    I just received a call from Inspector [redacted] reporting Champ has been aggressively approaching and chasing out Uniformed Division officers at night. Apparently, this has been a repetitive behavior over the past few nights.

    Do you have any suggestions on how we can resolve this situation? We don’t want to have an officer bit or any harm to Champ.

    On March 26, 2011, an email exchange with subject line “Family Pets,” warns that Champ “showed aggression” toward an agent and a civilian employee on two separate occasions:

    “Champ” is becoming more protective of the residence. He showed aggression to one of our officers today and a second time to a Greenway employee [redacted]. Sgt. [redacted] spoke with [redacted] (who is a [redacted]), and she will turn off the automatic doggy door for both dogs, which means she will have to let them out herself. Officers on their push are required to call post [redacted] to find out where the dogs are, if they are out, for avoidance.

    On May 11, 2011, a lieutenant on the Emergency Response Team writes that there had been “several incidents” recently where Champ had “shown aggression” toward members of the Secret Service Emergency Response Team:

    Men – [likely Joe Biden] has indicated that his dog Champ has had several incidents where he has shown aggression towards members of ERT [Emergency Response Team] when we are posted at the VPR [vice president’s residence]. [Redacted] realizes that we are trying to give him and Champ space while walking the grounds and appreciates the job we are doing for him. Effective immediately, if Champ comes your way, call his name and let him see you. [Redacted] believes this will help alleviate any future aggression issues.

    In the future, if you are having any issues performing your duties let me know about them. If the incidents with Champ continue to take place, let me know so we can find an alternative solution.

    “No wonder the Secret Service is a mess. Biden’s dogs terrorized agents and White House personnel for a decade, and nothing was done about it until Judicial Watch exposed the dangerous scandal,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

    In June 2024, Judicial Watch uncovered Secret Service records that revealed the details about several incidents in which Secret Service personnel were bitten by then-President Biden’s dog Commander, sometimes requiring medical attention.

    Judicial Watch FOIA requests and lawsuits exposed initial White House falsehoods about the severity and number of attacks by the Bidens’ previous dog, Major. Judicial Watch then received a tip that Commander was also attacking Secret Service personnel and uncovered documents last July showing 10 biting incidents.

    According to a Judicial Watch source, President Biden mistreated his dogs. The source disclosed Biden punched and kicked his dogs.

    In February 2024 Judicial Watch received  records related to incidents of aggression by Commander, including at least 23 biting incidents. After one incident, East Wing public tours were stopped for approximately 20 minutes due to the blood on the floor. These records include a spreadsheet of 22 incident reports between October 2022 and June 2023, 10 of which required medical treatment.

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    Source: Judicial Watch

  • Judicial watchdog issues formal warning to magistrate for suggesting he would punish youth offenders by cutting off parts of their anatomy

    Ill-judged joke

    A magistrate has received a formal warning after the judicial watchdog said he suggested dealing with young offenders by, in its words, “cutting off parts of their anatomy”.

    Although Mr Michael Berry JP did not use those exact words, he was alleged to have made a similar “offensive” remark to colleagues in the retiring room, according to the published decision.

    Later that same day, it was further alleged that he directed a “sexist and offensive comment” at a female colleague, telling her not to trouble her “pretty little head…”.

    Berry admitted making the comments about youth offenders, which were in line with what was alleged, but insisted they were meant as a joke and did not reflect his true views. He also did not consider the remarks to be derogatory to court users.

    Regarding the comment directed at his female colleague, Berry said he did not recall making it but accepted it was possible. He also expressed concern about the complaint, suggesting his colleague may have misunderstood his sense of humour.

    Berry was initially given the more serious sanction of a reprimand, after a nominated committee member found that he had made inappropriate comments that were offensive and derogatory. In doing so, he was found to have “failed to act with circumspection” and to have “failed to treat the subjects of the comments with dignity and respect”.

    In reaching that decision, the committee member accepted that while Berry had not intended any malice, he should have known that his comments were “inappropriate, offensive and reckless”. It also raised corners that Berry had not taken any responsibility for his actions and did not understand the seriousness of his comments.

    While a senior judge and the Lord Chancellor agreed with the committee member’s findings, they decided that the lesser sanction of a formal warning was more appropriate, citing Berry’s “long unblemished conduct record”.

    The post Judicial watchdog issues formal warning to magistrate for suggesting he would punish youth offenders by cutting off parts of their anatomy appeared first on Legal Cheek.

    Source: Legal Cheek

  • City lawyer speaks out after aspiring solicitor faces SQE fee clawback from top law firm

    Failed challenging exams, leading to the withdrawal of TC offer

    A City lawyer has shared how a future trainee reached out for advice and support after her firm said it was rescinding her training contract and attempting to recover the costs of her SQE prep course, after she failed to pass the challenging assessments.

    Chris Lee, a real estate lawyer, shared a now-viral LinkedIn post about two future trainees who had reached out to him after their training contracts were withdrawn due to SQE failures. One aspiring solicitor, referred to as “Amy”, told Lee that her firm went a step further — informing her they intended to recover the tuition fees and maintenance grants they had paid out, totalling a sum “in excess of five figures”.

    Lee, sharing Amy’s story at her request, explains that she has not only lost her training contract — along with the £90,000 typically earned by trainees over two years at the firm — but now also finds herself suddenly unemployed and in debt.

    The lawyer warns that the professional consequences can be severe. Without savings, if Amy is forced to declare bankruptcy, it’s unlikely she would be able to practise as a solicitor.

    The 2025 Legal Cheek Firms Most List

    The unnamed firm, described as “comfortably in the UK’s top 20” by revenue, does have the right to rescind training contracts, Lee acknowledges, though he notes that clawback is “very unusual”. He adds in the comments that Amy is “still in dialogue” with the firm.

    The situation set out by Lee has garnered strong views, with over 400 reactions and some 50 comments. One CMS associate urges Amy to “name and shame”, whilst another commenter notes this makes the firm look “vindictive” and “cruel”.

    Another trainee has highlighted the “luck” involved with passing the SQE with pass rates for SQE1 and SQE2 currently sitting at 44% and 81% respectively

    Lee’s post subsequently made its way to the message boards of Reddit, where reactions were just as strong. Users described the firm’s actions as “heartless”, “disgraceful”, and “shortsighted”, with calls to “name and shame”—and one commenter branding the clawback “absolute scumbaggery”.

    It’s unclear from the post how many attempts Amy took to pass the challenging exams, but law firms made headlines last year for their varied responses to candidates who didn’t succeed on their first try. Some firms were praised for their supportive approach, offering trainees multiple attempts. Others, however, faced heavy criticism for rescinding offers from those who failed to make the grade at the first attempt.

    The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE

    The post City lawyer speaks out after aspiring solicitor faces SQE fee clawback from top law firm appeared first on Legal Cheek.

    Source: Legal Cheek

  • N.D. woman found not guilty in the cold case killing of her roommate

    GRAND FORKS, N.D. (TCN) — A woman was found not guilty of stabbing her roommate to death in a cold case that spanned almost 20 years.

    The Minot Daily News reports the jury returned the verdict Wednesday morning after deliberations began Tuesday, March 25, and acquitted Nichole Rice in connection with the death of Anita Knutson.

    Nineteen-year-old Knutson lived in a home in Minot with Rice. Her family became concerned on June 4, 2007, after she failed to show up to work and didn’t answer any calls, so her father, Gordon Knutson, drove to her house to check in on her.

    When he arrived, he saw her window open, so he asked a maintenance worker to let him in. Gordon Knutson told “True Crime News” that he walked into his daughter’s room and found her mattress “soaked in blood.”

    “From that point I was just in total shock,” he said.

    The autopsy showed Knutson had been fatally stabbed in the chest with a pocket knife.

    Investigators continued to search for Knutson’s killer, but the case eventually went cold.

    Then, on March 16, 2022, Minot Police Department detectives arrested Rice and said there were inconsistencies in her story.

    According to the Minot Daily News, Ward County prosecutors argued Rice drunkenly told friends at parties that she killed Knutson and had information about her roommate’s death that wasn’t public knowledge.

    Deputy State’s Attorney Tiffany Sorgen said, “In the early morning hours of June 3, 2007, Nichole Rice took this knife and plunged it into the chest of this girl and killed her.”

    Rice’s attorneys claimed police did not rule out other persons of interest and that prosecutors’ main proof was text messages between Rice and Knutson arguing over an alarm clock.

    Richard Sand said during closing arguments, “They’re trying to use conjecture and hearsay to convince you guys that Nichole got out of bed in the middle of the night, drove to Minot, killed her roommate, and scrubbed the scene of DNA. She’s this mastermind mob hit killer. Goes back home, and has the intestinal fortitude to just go on with life like it never happened. We’re talking about a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a mother. This is a load of crap.”

    For more about this case, check out the “True Crime News” video below.

    • Rice found not guilty for murder of Anita Knutson – Minot Daily News
    • Minot Police Department announces an arrest on 15 year old cold case, 3/16/2022 – Minot Police Department
    • Nichole Rice trial for murder of Anita Knutson: Closing arguments delivered to jury – Minot Daily News

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Yoga teacher who went missing after blind date is found dead in rock quarry

    PHOENIX (TCN) — A 45-year-old yoga instructor who disappeared over a month ago when he went on a blind date was found dead in a rock quarry last week.

    Marcus Freiberger was last seen and heard from on Feb. 21, and his family became concerned after he failed to communicate with them. KPNX-TV reports one of Freiberger’s friends went to his apartment to check on him, but Freiberger wasn’t there. His dog Thomas, however, was home alone. Freiberger’s father said the friend “got really worried about it and thought something’s up here because Marcus would never leave that dog.”

    His father told KPNX, “There’s no reason for him to disappear. Even if he did decide to go somewhere, he would’ve at least called his friend to take Thomas. That makes me really think there’s something more going on here, foul play of some sort.”

    A missing person bulletin shared by The Aware Foundation says Freiberger was scheduled to go on the blind date, though it is “unknown if that meeting took place.” Freiberger and the date were reportedly supposed to meet at a parking lot near 2nd Avenue and Van Buren Street.

    Freiberger’s family ultimately reported him missing to the Phoenix Police Department on March 14. Phoenix Police announced in a news release shared by KSAZ-TV that on March 19, patrol officers received a call about a body found at a quarry near 15th Avenue and Broadway Road. The medical examiner took the body, and the remains were later identified as Freiberger’s.

    Phoenix Police said the case is “being handled as a death investigation,” as autopsy results remain pending.

    Freiberger’s dad explained to KSAZ that his yoga instructor son “had a history of drugs, and he’s been in and out of rehab a few times.” But he noted that Freiberger has “never disappeared this long.”

    • ‘Marcus would never leave that dog’: Parents searching for answers about missing son, suspect foul play – KPNX
    • Popular Phoenix yoga instructor goes missing after scheduled blind date – KSAZ
    • Marcus Freiberger, popular Phoenix yoga instructor, found dead – KSAZ

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Pennsylvania woman sentenced for choking child, telling her to 'die,' and hiding injuries with butter

    LANCASTER, Pa. (TCN) — A woman was recently sentenced to state prison after admitting to beating and choking a young girl and then trying to hide her injuries.

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Naked man sentenced for killing sheriff’s office sergeant hours before his retirement

    BRANDON, Fla. (TCN) — A man will spend over four decades behind bars for causing the death of a 54-year-old law enforcement official in a vehicle crash more than three years ago.

    According to a March 25 news release from the Florida State Attorney’s Office for the 13th Judicial Circuit, Travis Garrett received a sentence of 45 years in Florida State Prison after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, fleeing to elude high speed (serious bodily injury or death), battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and criminal mischief.

    On Jan. 11, 2021, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to call from neighbors, claiming Garrett “was naked and throwing furniture outside his apartment.” Responding deputes tried to “establish a dialogue” with Garrett, but he became aggressive and hit one of the deputies multiple times. Another official tried to Tase the defendant, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Garrett reportedly drove off, fleeing from deputies, and crashed into the apartment building’s gates.

    Investigators obtained dashboard camera footage from Garrett’s car, revealing that he drove down Lumsden Road and accelerated at a “high rate of speed” into Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Brian LaVigne’s vehicle while he was at a stop sign. According to the sheriff’s office, witnesses said Garrett “intentionally rammed” into the victim. LaVigne was later pronounced deceased at a hospital, and Garrett was paralyzed from the crash.

    LaVigne was reportedly hours from retirement when he died. His family members read impact statements, including his wife, who said Garrett “ripped away the years they had left together after he spent three decades serving and protecting his community.”

    The victim’s daughter, a Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office deputy, reportedly said she “lost her mentor, her hero, and her best friend.”

    In a statement, State Attorney Suzy Lopez said, “This senseless crime robbed a family of a tremendous father and husband who deserved a long and happy retirement with the family he built. While this sentence can never bring Sgt. LaVigne back, it ensures this defendant will spend the majority of his life behind bars while allowing the victim’s family a chance at healing without a lengthy trial.”

    LaVigne leaves behind his wife and two adult children.

    • Defendant Pleads Guilty to Deadly Crash that Killed HCSO Sergeant Brian LaVigne Hours Before Retirement – 13th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office
    • HCSO Corporal Dies in the Line of Duty, 1/11/2021 – Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office

    Source: True Crime Daily