Cops/Mayor Angry After Charges Dropped Against Jussie Smollett
(Chicago, IL) — Officials in Chicago are outraged after prosecutors dropped all charges against actor Jussie Smollett. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says justice was not served. Chicago Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the Empire actor used hate crime laws to advance his career and the whole case was a whitewash. Emanuel added he fears victims of hate crimes will be doubted after this case. Johnson said Smollett is hiding behind a brokered deal. Smollett was being prosecuted for allegedly lying to police about an alleged racial attack. All records in the case are being sealed.
Emanuel compared Smollett’s dropped charges to the recent college admissions scandal. Emanuel said “You cannot have, because of a person’s position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else.”
House Fails To Override Trump Veto On Border Resolution
(Washington, DC) — The House has failed to override President Trump’s veto of a measure blocking his border emergency declaration. The override fell short of a two-thirds majority needed for passage. The final vote was 248-181. The House and Senate both passed the resolution of disapproval and the President promptly vetoed the measure. Trump recently declared a national emergency at the southern border and aims to divert Defense Department construction funds to help build a massive border wall. Trump’s border declaration is also being challenged in federal court.
Police ID Man Gunned Down In District Heights
(Prince George’s County, MD) — Prince George’s County police are identifying the man who was killed in a District Heights shooting that led to the lockdown of two area schools. Damon Proctor was shot outside a house on Daventry Terrace yesterday afternoon, and later died from his injuries. A woman was shot in the leg and was hospitalized. Police say Proctor and three other people went to the home to continue a domestic-related dispute that started earlier that day at a different location. There was a confrontation outside the house and a man shot Proctor and the woman. Police say the shooter spoke voluntarily to detectives last night at police headquarters and was released as authorities investigate. The shooting caused two schools to go into lockdown yesterday afternoon. No one has been charged in the incident.
