KANSAS CITY (AP)—A powerful real estate trade group has agreed to do away with policies that for decades helped set agent commissions, moving to resolve lawsuits that claim the rules have forced people to pay artificially inflated costs to sell their homes.

Under the terms of the agreement announced Friday, the National Association of Realtors also agreed to pay $418 million to help compensate home sellers across the U.S.

Home sellers behind multiple lawsuits against the NAR and several major brokerages argued that the trade group's rules governing homes listed for sale on its affiliated Multiple Listing Services unfairly propped up agent commissions. The rules also incentivized agents representing buyers to avoid showing their clients listings where the seller’s broker was offering a lower commission to the buyer’s agent, they argued.

As part of the settlement, the NAR agreed to no longer require a broker advertising a home for sale on MLS to offer any upfront compensation to a buyer’s agent. The rule change leaves it open for individual home sellers to negotiate such offers with a buyer’s agent outside of the MLS platforms, though the home seller’s broker has to disclose any such compensation arrangements.

The trade group also agreed to require agents or others working with a homebuyer to enter into a written agreement with them. That is meant to ensure homebuyers know going in what their agent will charge them for their services.

The rule changes, which are set to go into effect in mid-July, represent a major change to the way real estate agents have operated going back to the 1990s, and could lead to homebuyers and sellers negotiating lower agent commissions.

Currently, agents working with a buyer and seller typically split a commission of around 5% to 6% that's paid by the seller. This practice essentially became customary as home listings included built-in offers of “cooperative compensation” between agents on both sides of the transaction.

But the rule changes the NAR agreed to as part of the settlement could give home sellers and buyers more impetus to negotiate lower agent commissions.

“It may take some time for the changes to impact the marketplace, but our hope and expectation is that this will put a downward pressure on the cost of hiring a real estate broker,” said Robby Braun, an attorney in a federal lawsuit brought in 2019 in Chicago on behalf of millions of home sellers.

Analysts with Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods also anticipate that the NAR rule changes will lead to lower agent commissions and could persuade some homebuyers to skip using an agent altogether.

“In our view, the combination of mandated buyer representation agreements and the prohibition of blanket compensation offers made by listing agents and sellers should result in significant price competition for buyer agent commissions,” the analysts wrote in a research note Friday.

The NAR faced multiple lawsuits over the way agent commissions are set. In late October, a federal jury in Missouri found that the NAR and several large real estate brokerages conspired to require that home sellers pay homebuyers’ agent commissions in violation of federal antitrust law.

The jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nar-real-estate-commission-real-estate-agent-6dadde0d51cc63b9fd568a58f95610d8">ordered the defendants</a>&nbsp;to pay almost $1.8 billion in damages — and potentially more than $5 billion if the court ended up awarding the plaintiffs treble damages.

The settlement, if approved by the court, resolves that and similar suits faced by the NAR. It covers over one million of the NAR's members, its affiliated Multiple Listing Services and all brokerages with a NAR member as a principal that had a residential transaction volume in 2022 of $2 billion or less.

“Ultimately, continuing to litigate would have hurt members and their small businesses,” Nykia Wright, NAR’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-association-of-realtors-housing-market-dc0c40eaea800de3acfcd3b3b3997208">interim CEO</a>, said in a statement. “While there could be no perfect outcome, this agreement is the best outcome we could achieve in the circumstances.”

The settlement does not include real estate agents affiliated with HomeServices of America and its related companies.

Last month, Keller Williams Realty, one of the nation’s largest real estate brokerages,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/keller-williams-real-estate-agent-commissions-lawsuits-657a285857a77a6618d65499c69985b5">agreed to pay $70 million</a>&nbsp;and change some of of its agent guidelines to settle agent commission lawsuits.

Two other large real estate brokerages agreed to similar settlement terms last year. In their respective pacts, Anywhere Real Estate Inc. agreed to pay $83.5 million, while Re/Max agreed to pay $55 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP)—A powerful real estate trade group has agreed to do away with policies that for decades helped set agent commissions, moving to resolve lawsuits that claim the rules have forced people to pay artificially inflated costs to sell their homes.Under the terms of the agreement announced Friday, the National Association of Realtors also agreed to pay $418 million to help compensate home sellers across the U.S.Home sellers behind multiple lawsuits against the NAR and several major brokerages argued that the trade group's rules governing homes listed for sale on its affiliated Multiple Listing Services unfairly propped up agent commissions. The rules also incentivized agents representing buyers to avoid showing their clients listings where the seller’s broker was offering a lower commission to the buyer’s agent, they argued.As part of the settlement, the NAR agreed to no longer require a broker advertising a home for sale on MLS to offer any upfront compensation to a buyer’s agent. The rule change leaves it open for individual home sellers to negotiate such offers with a buyer’s agent outside of the MLS platforms, though the home seller’s broker has to disclose any such compensation arrangements.The trade group also agreed to require agents or others working with a homebuyer to enter into a written agreement with them. That is meant to ensure homebuyers know going in what their agent will charge them for their services.The rule changes, which are set to go into effect in mid-July, represent a major change to the way real estate agents have operated going back to the 1990s, and could lead to homebuyers and sellers negotiating lower agent commissions.Currently, agents working with a buyer and seller typically split a commission of around 5% to 6% that's paid by the seller. This practice essentially became customary as home listings included built-in offers of “cooperative compensation” between agents on both sides of the transaction.But the rule changes the NAR agreed to as part of the settlement could give home sellers and buyers more impetus to negotiate lower agent commissions.“It may take some time for the changes to impact the marketplace, but our hope and expectation is that this will put a downward pressure on the cost of hiring a real estate broker,” said Robby Braun, an attorney in a federal lawsuit brought in 2019 in Chicago on behalf of millions of home sellers.Analysts with Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods also anticipate that the NAR rule changes will lead to lower agent commissions and could persuade some homebuyers to skip using an agent altogether.“In our view, the combination of mandated buyer representation agreements and the prohibition of blanket compensation offers made by listing agents and sellers should result in significant price competition for buyer agent commissions,” the analysts wrote in a research note Friday.The NAR faced multiple lawsuits over the way agent commissions are set. In late October, a federal jury in Missouri found that the NAR and several large real estate brokerages conspired to require that home sellers pay homebuyers’ agent commissions in violation of federal antitrust law.The jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nar-real-estate-commission-real-estate-agent-6dadde0d51cc63b9fd568a58f95610d8">ordered the defendants</a>&nbsp;to pay almost $1.8 billion in damages — and potentially more than $5 billion if the court ended up awarding the plaintiffs treble damages.The settlement, if approved by the court, resolves that and similar suits faced by the NAR. It covers over one million of the NAR's members, its affiliated Multiple Listing Services and all brokerages with a NAR member as a principal that had a residential transaction volume in 2022 of $2 billion or less.“Ultimately, continuing to litigate would have hurt members and their small businesses,” Nykia Wright, NAR’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-association-of-realtors-housing-market-dc0c40eaea800de3acfcd3b3b3997208">interim CEO</a>, said in a statement. “While there could be no perfect outcome, this agreement is the best outcome we could achieve in the circumstances.”The settlement does not include real estate agents affiliated with HomeServices of America and its related companies.Last month, Keller Williams Realty, one of the nation’s largest real estate brokerages,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/keller-williams-real-estate-agent-commissions-lawsuits-657a285857a77a6618d65499c69985b5">agreed to pay $70 million</a>&nbsp;and change some of of its agent guidelines to settle agent commission lawsuits.Two other large real estate brokerages agreed to similar settlement terms last year. In their respective pacts, Anywhere Real Estate Inc. agreed to pay $83.5 million, while Re/Max agreed to pay $55 million.\

National realtor group agrees to slash commissions to settle lawsuits

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a late night law enforcement chase.

Just after 1:30a.m. Wednesday, a K9 unit with the Shawnee County sheriff's office attempted to make a traffic stop on a Nissan Altima that had a license plate that did not belong to that car, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

The driver, later identified as 55-year-old Mark L. Ware, refused to stop and that initiated a pursuit near SW 17th and SW McAlister Avenue in Topeka. The pursuit ended in the 2400 Block of SW Huntoon Street when the car spun out, struck a curb and stopped in the grass.

Deputies found a loaded handgun and an open container of alcohol in the car.&nbsp; Deputies arrested Ware on requested charges of felony flee and elude, felon in possession of a handgun, DUI, transporting an open container of liquor, tag not assigned, driving the wrong-way on a one-way road, failure to stop at a stop sign and a city of Topeka warrant.&nbsp;

Ware has previous convictions for theft, flee or attempt to elude and DUI, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710337982402.png" alt="Ware-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ware-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new allegations after a late night law enforcement chase.Just after 1:30a.m. Wednesday, a K9 unit with the Shawnee County sheriff's office attempted to make a traffic stop on a Nissan Altima that had a license plate that did not belong to that car, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.The driver, later identified as 55-year-old Mark L. Ware, refused to stop and that initiated a pursuit near SW 17th and SW McAlister Avenue in Topeka. The pursuit ended in the 2400 Block of SW Huntoon Street when the car spun out, struck a curb and stopped in the grass.Deputies found a loaded handgun and an open container of alcohol in the car.&nbsp; Deputies arrested Ware on requested charges of felony flee and elude, felon in possession of a handgun, DUI, transporting an open container of liquor, tag not assigned, driving the wrong-way on a one-way road, failure to stop at a stop sign and a city of Topeka warrant.&nbsp;Ware has previous convictions for theft, flee or attempt to elude and DUI, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Wanted Kansas felon captured after police chase, crash

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of people are expected this weekend's St. Patrick’s Day parade in Kansas City, where they should expect much tighter security measures than in past years due to last month's deadly mass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-62e69a17b469b854afd7bcc3f548d1fc">shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration</a>.

The parade in Missouri's largest city on Sunday will be the first mass gathering since the Feb. 14 victory parade.

Officers will be placed strategically along the St. Patrick's Day parade route, police Sgt. Phil DiMartino said, though he declined to say how many would be deployed.

“There will also be an abundance of work conducted prior to the parade beginning to ensure it’s a safe environment for everyone,” DiMartino said in an email. “There will be many technology assets deployed and there will be officers among the crowd in plainclothes, as well.”

About 800 officers were working at the Super Bowl celebration. Gunfire erupted near the end of the event, wounding nearly two dozen people, including children, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">killing a mother of two</a>.

Two men have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-celebration-shooting-charges-7cb29dc9956d325103df9bf766a0c407">charged with second-degree murder</a>&nbsp;and other crimes in the victory parade shootings. According to police, they were in separate groups that became agitated because they thought the other group was staring at them. Three other people were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-shooting-kansas-city-parade-57662b493b2d987288dabca4bc5fd6f1">charged this week</a>&nbsp;in the shootings, accused of illegally purchasing high-powered rifles and guns with extended magazines. And two juveniles are in custody&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-278e2d3e2cfece1cbe958511e54127ad">on gun-related and resisting arrest charges</a>.

The victory parade shootings raised questions about whether such gatherings are worth the risk, especially in Kansas City, which has one of the nation’s highest homicide rates. Mayor Quinton Lucas wondered aloud if a scaled-down celebration inside metal detector-protected Arrowhead Stadium might be the best option if the Chiefs win again.

Although the mayor supported going ahead with the St. Patrick’s Day parade, he acknowledged that it might be hard for some to attend.

“I think a lot of us, particularly those of us who are thinking about bringing our children somewhere, may ask, at least for a little while, ‘Is this the sort of thing that we want to risk?’ ” Lucas, a Democrat, said. “It’s a shame that this is what we’ve come to today in America and in our city.”

Other cities planning big parades, including St. Louis across the state, are also taking a closer look at security after what happened in Kansas City last month.

Patrick J. McCarthy, a retired St. Louis police sergeant who has worked in security for 51 years, is in charge of making sure that both of the city's big St. Patrick’s Day parades are safe. Intensified discussions about security “began about an hour after we learned of the Kansas City shooting,” McCarthy said.

Both St. Louis parades — one is downtown on Saturday and the other is Sunday in the traditionally Irish area known as Dogtown — typically draw tens of thousands of people. “Why do we let a couple of people ruin what should be a celebration?" McCarthy asked. "We’re not going to stop that because some people might act a fool.”

Kansas City’s St. Patrick's Day parade is one of the nation's biggest, typically drawing up to 400,000 people. The event's organizers and people involved in other big area parades met shortly after last month's shootings to compare emergency plans and discuss best practices to deal with potential problems.

Although police wouldn't say how many more officers would work Sunday's event, Erin Gabert, a member of the parade committee, said there will be more than in past years. Organizers are also urging people to leave their guns at home. And alcohol is prohibited along the route.

Parade leaders also are urging families and groups to arrive with a plan for where to park, and where to meet if people get separated. Families are encouraged to have kids wear something that identifies them.

Perhaps most importantly, people are urged to alert an officer or parade volunteer if they see anything that worries them.

“It's way better to be safe than sorry,” Gabert said.

DiMartino declined to specify how police will try to prevent violence before it happens. McCarthy, who helped lead security when Pope John Paul II visited St. Louis in 1999, said some likely steps would be stationing officers on rooftops and among the crowds, and using mobile and security cameras to help spot potential danger.

“You’re looking for precursors to the violence, if possible," McCarthy said.

There's only so much police can do to prevent violence at parades and other large public events.

At the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-chicago-4b266791802b8d5154efb1bacff3fb38">2022 Fourth of July parade</a>&nbsp;in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, police say the gunman climbed a fire escape to perch atop a row of specialty stores and then opened fire on the crowds below, killing seven people and wounding more than 30 others.

Last year, seven people were injured in a shooting during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-shooting-dorchester-seven-wounded-dfef790ac9cca766d04cc1af63492a24">parade that was part of Boston’s annual Caribbean festival</a>. Just as in Kansas City, police blamed the shooting on an altercation between two groups.

Organizers of the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day parade are eager to show that their community can rise above the violence of a month ago.

"We are absolutely bigger and better than that horrific tragedy that happened at the Super Bowl celebration,” Gabert said. “We are not going to let that define who we are as a city.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of people are expected this weekend's St. Patrick’s Day parade in Kansas City, where they should expect much tighter security measures than in past years due to last month's deadly mass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-62e69a17b469b854afd7bcc3f548d1fc">shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration</a>.The parade in Missouri's largest city on Sunday will be the first mass gathering since the Feb. 14 victory parade.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=469&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkcirishparade%2Fvideos%2F712894154376298%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="469" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Officers will be placed strategically along the St. Patrick's Day parade route, police Sgt. Phil DiMartino said, though he declined to say how many would be deployed.“There will also be an abundance of work conducted prior to the parade beginning to ensure it’s a safe environment for everyone,” DiMartino said in an email. “There will be many technology assets deployed and there will be officers among the crowd in plainclothes, as well.”About 800 officers were working at the Super Bowl celebration. Gunfire erupted near the end of the event, wounding nearly two dozen people, including children, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-parade-shooting-dj-victim-d96b8631a92af6682b77577c2c4e98c8">killing a mother of two</a>.Two men have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-celebration-shooting-charges-7cb29dc9956d325103df9bf766a0c407">charged with second-degree murder</a>&nbsp;and other crimes in the victory parade shootings. According to police, they were in separate groups that became agitated because they thought the other group was staring at them. Three other people were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-shooting-kansas-city-parade-57662b493b2d987288dabca4bc5fd6f1">charged this week</a>&nbsp;in the shootings, accused of illegally purchasing high-powered rifles and guns with extended magazines. And two juveniles are in custody&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chiefs-super-bowl-parade-shooting-kansas-city-278e2d3e2cfece1cbe958511e54127ad">on gun-related and resisting arrest charges</a>.The victory parade shootings raised questions about whether such gatherings are worth the risk, especially in Kansas City, which has one of the nation’s highest homicide rates. Mayor Quinton Lucas wondered aloud if a scaled-down celebration inside metal detector-protected Arrowhead Stadium might be the best option if the Chiefs win again.Although the mayor supported going ahead with the St. Patrick’s Day parade, he acknowledged that it might be hard for some to attend.“I think a lot of us, particularly those of us who are thinking about bringing our children somewhere, may ask, at least for a little while, ‘Is this the sort of thing that we want to risk?’ ” Lucas, a Democrat, said. “It’s a shame that this is what we’ve come to today in America and in our city.”Other cities planning big parades, including St. Louis across the state, are also taking a closer look at security after what happened in Kansas City last month.Patrick J. McCarthy, a retired St. Louis police sergeant who has worked in security for 51 years, is in charge of making sure that both of the city's big St. Patrick’s Day parades are safe. Intensified discussions about security “began about an hour after we learned of the Kansas City shooting,” McCarthy said.Both St. Louis parades — one is downtown on Saturday and the other is Sunday in the traditionally Irish area known as Dogtown — typically draw tens of thousands of people. “Why do we let a couple of people ruin what should be a celebration?" McCarthy asked. "We’re not going to stop that because some people might act a fool.”Kansas City’s St. Patrick's Day parade is one of the nation's biggest, typically drawing up to 400,000 people. The event's organizers and people involved in other big area parades met shortly after last month's shootings to compare emergency plans and discuss best practices to deal with potential problems.Although police wouldn't say how many more officers would work Sunday's event, Erin Gabert, a member of the parade committee, said there will be more than in past years. Organizers are also urging people to leave their guns at home. And alcohol is prohibited along the route.Parade leaders also are urging families and groups to arrive with a plan for where to park, and where to meet if people get separated. Families are encouraged to have kids wear something that identifies them.Perhaps most importantly, people are urged to alert an officer or parade volunteer if they see anything that worries them.“It's way better to be safe than sorry,” Gabert said.DiMartino declined to specify how police will try to prevent violence before it happens. McCarthy, who helped lead security when Pope John Paul II visited St. Louis in 1999, said some likely steps would be stationing officers on rooftops and among the crowds, and using mobile and security cameras to help spot potential danger.“You’re looking for precursors to the violence, if possible," McCarthy said.There's only so much police can do to prevent violence at parades and other large public events.At the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-chicago-4b266791802b8d5154efb1bacff3fb38">2022 Fourth of July parade</a>&nbsp;in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, police say the gunman climbed a fire escape to perch atop a row of specialty stores and then opened fire on the crowds below, killing seven people and wounding more than 30 others.Last year, seven people were injured in a shooting during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-shooting-dorchester-seven-wounded-dfef790ac9cca766d04cc1af63492a24">parade that was part of Boston’s annual Caribbean festival</a>. Just as in Kansas City, police blamed the shooting on an altercation between two groups.Organizers of the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day parade are eager to show that their community can rise above the violence of a month ago."We are absolutely bigger and better than that horrific tragedy that happened at the Super Bowl celebration,” Gabert said. “We are not going to let that define who we are as a city.”

St. Patrick's parade will be KC's first big event since Chiefs rally shooting

ATLANTA (AP) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis must step aside from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3">the Georgia election interference case</a>&nbsp;against Donald Trump or remove the special prosecutor with whom she had a romantic relationship before the case can proceed, the judge overseeing it ruled Friday.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee did not find that Willis' relationship with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-willis-wade-georgia-election-5d76abb5578308317306e7b2e610ac91">special prosecutor Nathan Wade</a>&nbsp;amounted to a conflict of interest that should disqualify her from one of&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;against the Republican former president.

However, the judge said, it created “appearance of impropriety” that infected the prosecution team, and he questioned the truthfulness of Willis and Wade's testimony about the timing of their relationship.

“As the case moves forward, reasonable members of the public could easily be left to wonder whether the financial exchanges have continued resulting in some form of benefit to the District Attorney, or even whether the romantic relationship has resumed," the judge wrote.

"Put differently, an outsider could reasonably think that the District Attorney is not exercising her independent professional judgment totally free of any compromising influences. As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist.”

A spokesperson for Willis did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment Friday.

An attorney for Trump said they respect the court's decision but believe the judge “did not afford appropriate significance to the prosecutorial misconduct of Willis and Wade."

“We will use all legal options available as we continue to fight to end this case, which should never have been brought in the first place,” defense attorney Steve Sadow said.

Willis hired Wade to lead the team to investigate and ultimately prosecute Trump and 18 others accused of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally try to overturn Trump’s narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia in 2020. Willis and Wade&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fani-willis-hearing-trump-case-potential-conflict-c37fcf993ac33c150f3cb3e4a7a888db">testified at a hearing</a>&nbsp;last month that they had engaged in a romantic relationship, but they rejected the idea that Willis improperly benefited from it, as lawyers for Trump and some of his co-defendants alleged.

McAfee wrote that there was insufficient evidence that Willis had a personal stake in the prosecution. But he condemned what he described as a “tremendous” lapse in judgment and the “unprofessional manner of the District Attorney’s testimony."

The judge said he was unable to “conclusively establish by a preponderance of the evidence” whether Willis and Wade began dating before or after he was hired as special prosecutor.

“However, an odor of mendacity remains," the judge wrote. He said “reasonable questions” about whether Willis and Wade testified truthfully about the timing of their relationship “further underpin the finding of an appearance of impropriety and the need to make proportional efforts to cure it.”

Even so, he said, dismissal of the case was not the appropriate remedy to "adequately dissipate the financial cloud of impropriety and potential untruthfulness found here.”

McAfee found no showing that the due process rights of Trump and the other defendants had been violated or that the issues involved prejudiced them in any way. He also said the disqualification of a constitutional officer, like a district attorney, is not necessary when a less drastic option is sufficient.

The judge said he believes that “Georgia law does not permit the finding of an actual conflict for simply making bad choices -- even repeatedly -- and it is the trial court’s duty to confine itself to the relevant issues and applicable law properly brought before it.”

An attorney for co-defendant Michael Roman asked McAfee to dismiss the indictment and prevent Willis and Wade and their offices from continuing to prosecute the case. The attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, alleged that Willis paid Wade large sums for his work and then improperly benefited from the prosecution of the case when Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations for the two of them.

Willis had insisted that the relationship created no financial or personal conflict of interest that justified removing her office from the case. She and Wade testified that their relationship began in the spring of 2022 and ended in the summer of 2023. They both said that Willis either paid for things herself or used cash to reimburse Wade for travel expenses.

The sprawling indictment charges Trump and more than a dozen other defendants with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO. The case uses a statute normally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">associated with mobsters</a>&nbsp;to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a “criminal enterprise” to keep him in power after he lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump, Republicans’ presumptive presidential nominee for 2024, has denied doing anything wrong and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-waives-arraignment-georgia-election-investigation-25a0d9cffd038eb88b805525c85ed0c5">pleaded not guilty</a>.

Earlier this week, the judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-election-interference-2020-trump-46e0b68c25719c404130f7e6eab69dcd">dismissed some of the charges</a>&nbsp;against Trump.

The six challenged counts charged the defendants with soliciting public officers to violate their oaths. One count stemmed from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-elections-a7b4aa4d8ce3bf52301ddbe620c6bff6">phone call Trump made</a>&nbsp;to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, on Jan. 2, 2021, in which Trump urged Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes” for him to win the election in the state.

Another of the dismissed counts accused Trump of soliciting then-Georgia House Speaker David Ralston to violate his oath of office by calling a special session of the legislature to unlawfully appoint presidential electors.

McAfee said the counts did not allege sufficient detail regarding the nature of the violations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708029546187.png" alt="Fulton County DA Fani Willis during the hearing in February-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Fulton County DA Fani Willis during the hearing in February-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis must step aside from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3">the Georgia election interference case</a>&nbsp;against Donald Trump or remove the special prosecutor with whom she had a romantic relationship before the case can proceed, the judge overseeing it ruled Friday.Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee did not find that Willis' relationship with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-willis-wade-georgia-election-5d76abb5578308317306e7b2e610ac91">special prosecutor Nathan Wade</a>&nbsp;amounted to a conflict of interest that should disqualify her from one of&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;against the Republican former president.However, the judge said, it created “appearance of impropriety” that infected the prosecution team, and he questioned the truthfulness of Willis and Wade's testimony about the timing of their relationship.“As the case moves forward, reasonable members of the public could easily be left to wonder whether the financial exchanges have continued resulting in some form of benefit to the District Attorney, or even whether the romantic relationship has resumed," the judge wrote."Put differently, an outsider could reasonably think that the District Attorney is not exercising her independent professional judgment totally free of any compromising influences. As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist.”A spokesperson for Willis did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment Friday.An attorney for Trump said they respect the court's decision but believe the judge “did not afford appropriate significance to the prosecutorial misconduct of Willis and Wade."“We will use all legal options available as we continue to fight to end this case, which should never have been brought in the first place,” defense attorney Steve Sadow said.Willis hired Wade to lead the team to investigate and ultimately prosecute Trump and 18 others accused of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to illegally try to overturn Trump’s narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia in 2020. Willis and Wade&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fani-willis-hearing-trump-case-potential-conflict-c37fcf993ac33c150f3cb3e4a7a888db">testified at a hearing</a>&nbsp;last month that they had engaged in a romantic relationship, but they rejected the idea that Willis improperly benefited from it, as lawyers for Trump and some of his co-defendants alleged.McAfee wrote that there was insufficient evidence that Willis had a personal stake in the prosecution. But he condemned what he described as a “tremendous” lapse in judgment and the “unprofessional manner of the District Attorney’s testimony."The judge said he was unable to “conclusively establish by a preponderance of the evidence” whether Willis and Wade began dating before or after he was hired as special prosecutor.“However, an odor of mendacity remains," the judge wrote. He said “reasonable questions” about whether Willis and Wade testified truthfully about the timing of their relationship “further underpin the finding of an appearance of impropriety and the need to make proportional efforts to cure it.”Even so, he said, dismissal of the case was not the appropriate remedy to "adequately dissipate the financial cloud of impropriety and potential untruthfulness found here.”McAfee found no showing that the due process rights of Trump and the other defendants had been violated or that the issues involved prejudiced them in any way. He also said the disqualification of a constitutional officer, like a district attorney, is not necessary when a less drastic option is sufficient.The judge said he believes that “Georgia law does not permit the finding of an actual conflict for simply making bad choices -- even repeatedly -- and it is the trial court’s duty to confine itself to the relevant issues and applicable law properly brought before it.”An attorney for co-defendant Michael Roman asked McAfee to dismiss the indictment and prevent Willis and Wade and their offices from continuing to prosecute the case. The attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, alleged that Willis paid Wade large sums for his work and then improperly benefited from the prosecution of the case when Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations for the two of them.Willis had insisted that the relationship created no financial or personal conflict of interest that justified removing her office from the case. She and Wade testified that their relationship began in the spring of 2022 and ended in the summer of 2023. They both said that Willis either paid for things herself or used cash to reimburse Wade for travel expenses.The sprawling indictment charges Trump and more than a dozen other defendants with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO. The case uses a statute normally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">associated with mobsters</a>&nbsp;to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a “criminal enterprise” to keep him in power after he lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden.Trump, Republicans’ presumptive presidential nominee for 2024, has denied doing anything wrong and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-waives-arraignment-georgia-election-investigation-25a0d9cffd038eb88b805525c85ed0c5">pleaded not guilty</a>.Earlier this week, the judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-election-interference-2020-trump-46e0b68c25719c404130f7e6eab69dcd">dismissed some of the charges</a>&nbsp;against Trump.The six challenged counts charged the defendants with soliciting public officers to violate their oaths. One count stemmed from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-elections-a7b4aa4d8ce3bf52301ddbe620c6bff6">phone call Trump made</a>&nbsp;to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, on Jan. 2, 2021, in which Trump urged Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes” for him to win the election in the state.Another of the dismissed counts accused Trump of soliciting then-Georgia House Speaker David Ralston to violate his oath of office by calling a special session of the legislature to unlawfully appoint presidential electors.McAfee said the counts did not allege sufficient detail regarding the nature of the violations.

Judge: DA can stay on Trump case if romantic partner steps down

WASHINGTON —Kansas 3rd District congresswoman Sharice Davids finally collected on her Super Bowl wager with California Congressman Eric Swallwell.

On February 6, Davids wrote on her social media account, "It's a Super Bowl AND Congressional rematch! Four years ago, KC brought home the victory, and now it's time to do it again."

Davids offered some famous KC BBQ against Swalwell's box of See's Candies.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Never bet against Kansas City!," David's wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710502319099.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Kansas 3rd District congresswoman Sharice Davids finally collected on her Super Bowl wager with California Congressman Eric Swallwell.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sweet, sweet victory!! 🍫Collecting on my <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBLVIII?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBLVIII</a> bet with <a href="https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepSwalwell</a>. Never bet against Kansas City! <a href="https://t.co/mkYSyN0KE8">pic.twitter.com/mkYSyN0KE8</a>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1768381840128385092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On February 6, Davids wrote on her social media account, "It's a Super Bowl AND Congressional rematch! Four years ago, KC brought home the victory, and now it's time to do it again."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710503493635.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Davids offered some famous KC BBQ against Swalwell's box of See's Candies.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Never bet against Kansas City!," David's wrote.

🎥Kan. congresswoman collects on her Super Bowl wager

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that sent a suspect to the hospital.

Just after 8p.m. Thursday, the Kansas City Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls reporting the sound of shots fired in the 400 Block of Gladstone Boulevard, according to a statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

At least one caller reported seeing a man armed with a handgun. As officers arrived on scene, they encountered the man who was armed. At least one shot was fired by a KCPD officer and the suspect was taken into custody. The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment of a minor hand injury. Officers recovered a handgun at the scene near the suspect.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of of Drug and Crime Control is in charge of the investigation of the officer shooting.&nbsp; The suspect remains in custody at an area hospital

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that sent a suspect to the hospital.Just after 8p.m. Thursday, the Kansas City Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls reporting the sound of shots fired in the 400 Block of Gladstone Boulevard, according to a statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.At least one caller reported seeing a man armed with a handgun. As officers arrived on scene, they encountered the man who was armed. At least one shot was fired by a KCPD officer and the suspect was taken into custody. The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment of a minor hand injury. Officers recovered a handgun at the scene near the suspect.The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of of Drug and Crime Control is in charge of the investigation of the officer shooting.&nbsp; The suspect remains in custody at an area hospital

Suspect hospitalized after Kansas City officer shooting

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—A National Weather Service storm survey found two tornadoes from Wednesday storms, both preliminarily rated EF-2, according to the National Weather Service in Topeka.

The first tornado occurred at 7:45p.m. in largely rural area of Wabaunsee County between Alta Vista and Alma. It had maximum winds of 115mph, traveled 8.8 miles in 30 minutes and was approximately 400 yards wide.

The second tornado occurred at 8:27p.m. just outside of Rossville in Shawnee County.

 It had estimated peak winds of 120 mph, traveled 4.7 miles in 19 minutes and was approximately 200 yards wide. There were no injuries reported from the tornadoes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710412618549.png" alt="Photo Wabaunsee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wabaunsee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WABAUNSEE COUNTY—A National Weather Service storm survey found two tornadoes from Wednesday storms, both preliminarily rated EF-2, according to the National Weather Service in Topeka.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710462833711.png" alt="Path of the Wabaunsee Co. tornado" />
 <figcaption>Path of the Wabaunsee Co. tornado</figcaption>
 </figure>The first tornado occurred at 7:45p.m. in largely rural area of Wabaunsee County between Alta Vista and Alma. It had maximum winds of 115mph, traveled 8.8 miles in 30 minutes and was approximately 400 yards wide.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710463105180.png" alt="-Path of the Shawnee Co. Storm" />
 <figcaption>-Path of the Shawnee Co. Storm</figcaption>
 </figure>The second tornado occurred at 8:27p.m. just outside of Rossville in Shawnee County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710412661291.png" alt="Photo Wabaunsee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wabaunsee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure> It had estimated peak winds of 120 mph, traveled 4.7 miles in 19 minutes and was approximately 200 yards wide. There were no injuries reported from the tornadoes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710463344737.png" alt="-Repairing tornado damage in Shawnee County-photo NWS" />
 <figcaption>-Repairing tornado damage in Shawnee County-photo NWS</figcaption>
 </figure>

NWS confirms 2 tornadoes struck northeast Kansas

WOODSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 366 officials investigating an alleged school threat have made arrests.

On March 6, the Woodson County Sheriff's office was alerted of an alleged threat directed toward Yates Center High School, 105 West Bell Street, in Yates Center, according to a media release from Yates Center Police Michael Strode. The school district cancelled all class and activities the following day.&nbsp;

Over the past week, Yates Center Police and the Woodson County Sheriff's office investigated the crime and were able to identify persons responsible and secure arrests warrants for the individual from Missouri.

The charges filed include terrorist and aggravated criminal threat. On Wednesday,&nbsp; law enforcement in Lees Summit with the help of license plate reader technology took all three suspects into custody. They are awaiting an appearance before a judge for them to waive extradition to Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697128767642.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WOODSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 366 officials investigating an alleged school threat have made arrests.On March 6, the Woodson County Sheriff's office was alerted of an alleged threat directed toward Yates Center High School, 105 West Bell Street, in Yates Center, according to a media release from Yates Center Police Michael Strode. The school district cancelled all class and activities the following day.&nbsp;Over the past week, Yates Center Police and the Woodson County Sheriff's office investigated the crime and were able to identify persons responsible and secure arrests warrants for the individual from Missouri.The charges filed include terrorist and aggravated criminal threat. On Wednesday,&nbsp; law enforcement in Lees Summit with the help of license plate reader technology took all three suspects into custody. They are awaiting an appearance before a judge for them to waive extradition to Kansas.

Suspects jailed in Missouri for alleged threat at Kan. high school

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claim to have a new, hypersonic missile in their arsenal, Russia's state media reported Thursday, potentially raising the stakes in their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways against the backdrop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/isral-hamas-war">Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.

The report by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency cited an unidentified official but provided no evidence for the claim. It comes as Moscow maintains an aggressively counter-Western foreign policy amid its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">grinding war on Ukraine</a>.

However, the Houthis have for weeks hinted about “surprises” they plan for the battles at sea to counter the United States and its allies, which have so far been able to down any missile or bomb-carrying drone that comes near their warships in Mideast waters.

A suspected attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck a ship in the Red Sea early Friday, causing damage to the vessel, authorities said.

The attack off the port city of Hodeida comes as part of the rebels' campaign against shipping over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/isral-hamas-war">Israel's ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.

On Thursday, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the Houthis’ secretive supreme leader, said the rebels will start hitting ships heading toward the Cape of Good Hope in Africa's southern tip. Until now, the rebels have largely struck ships heading into the Red Sea toward the Suez Canal, and such an escalation would target the longer, alternative route used by some vessels. It remains unclear how they would carry any possible assault out.

Meanwhile, Iran and the U.S. reportedly held indirect talks in Oman, the first in months amid their long-simmering tensions over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program and attacks by its proxies.

Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor, claims to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hypersonic-missile-us-tensions-0a8e09f7e053f5fbce2d4e1d9c46a96e">have a hypersonic missile</a>&nbsp;and has widely armed the rebels with the missiles they now use. Adding a hypersonic missile to their arsenal could pose a more formidable challenge to the air defense systems employed by America and its allies, including Israel.

“The group’s missile forces have successfully tested a missile that is capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 8 and runs on solid fuel," a military official close to the Houthis said, according to the RIA report. The Houthis “intend to begin manufacturing it for use during attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as well as against targets in Israel.”

Mach 8 is eight times the speed of sound.

Hypersonic weapons, which fly at speeds higher than Mach 5, could pose crucial challenges to missile defense systems because of their speed and maneuverability.

Ballistic missiles fly on a trajectory in which anti-missile systems like the U.S.-made Patriot can anticipate their path and intercept them. The more irregular the missile’s flight path, such as a hypersonic missile with the ability to change directions, the more difficult it becomes to intercept.

China is believed to be pursuing the weapons, as is America. Russia claims it has already used them.

In Yemen, Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted that his fighters “continue to expand the effectiveness and scope of our operations to areas and locations the enemy never expects.” He said they would prevent ships “connected to the Israeli enemy even crossing the Indian Ocean ... heading toward the Cape of Good Hope.”

The Houthis have attacked ships since November, saying they want to force Israel to end its offensive in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. The ships targeted by the Houthis, however, have increasingly had little or no connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

The Houthis don't have a navy, nor weapons reaching into the far distances of the Indian Ocean, making their Cape of Good Hope threat difficult. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-ship-drone-attack-symi-39929cae42a191b2f242896a053123a7">Iran is suspected of targeting Israeli-linked vessels previously</a>&nbsp;in the Indian Ocean. The Houthis have claimed attacks assessed to have been carried out by Iran in the past, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/003f91f9709b48f1847c6206178dd335">the 2019 attack on Saudi Arabia that temporarily halved its oil production</a>.

After seizing Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014, the Houthis ransacked government arsenals, which held Soviet-era Scud missiles and other arms.

As the Saudi-led coalition entered Yemen's conflict on behalf of its exiled government in 2015, the Houthis' arsenal was increasingly targeted. Soon — and despite Yemen having no indigenous missile manufacturing infrastructure — newer missiles made their way into rebel hands.

Iran long has denied arming the Houthis, likely because of a yearslong United Nations arms embargo on the rebels. However, the U.S. and its allies have seized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-missiles-iran-seizure-us-8112fbadd3b0689c71a92890895a9368">multiple arms shipments bound for the rebels in Mideast waters</a>. Weapons experts as well have tied Houthi arms seized on the battlefield back to Iran.

Iran also now claims to have a hypersonic weapon. In June,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hypersonic-missile-us-tensions-0a8e09f7e053f5fbce2d4e1d9c46a96e">Iran unveiled its Fattah, or “Conqueror” in Farsi, missile</a>, which it described as being a hypersonic. It described another as being in development.

Iran's mission to the U.N. did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, nor did the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, which patrols Mideast waterways.

Also Thursday, The Financial Times reported that the U.S. and Iran held indirect talks in Oman in January that America hoped would curtail the Red Sea attacks. The last known round of such talks had come last May.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency indirectly acknowledged the talks but insisted they were “merely limited to negotiations on lifting anti-Iran sanctions.”

The U.S. State Department did not deny the January talks took place in a statement to The Associated Press, saying: “We have many channels for passing messages to Iran.”

“Since Oct. 7, all of (the communications) have been focused on raising the full range of threats emanating from Iran and the need for Iran to cease its across-the-board escalation,” it added.

The assaults on shipping have raised the profile of the Houthis, whose Zaydi people ruled a 1,000-year kingdom in Yemen up until 1962. Adding a new weapon increases that cachet and puts more pressure on Israel after a cease-fire deal failed to take hold in Gaza before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Earlier in March, a Houthi missile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-attacks-us-israel-palestinians-gaza-89c5440d9943216a787b39912bd969e0">struck a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden</a>, killing three of its crew members and forcing survivors to abandon the vessel. It marked the first fatal attack by the Houthis on shipping.

Other recent Houthi actions include an attack last month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubymar,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-rubymar-sinks-red-sea-fb64a490ce935756337ee3606e15d093">which later sank after drifting</a>&nbsp;for several days.

A new suspected Houthi attack targeted a ship in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, but missed the vessel and caused no damage, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. A later attack similarly missed a vessel in the Red Sea off Yemen's port city of Hodeida, the center said early Friday.

Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said he wouldn’t be surprised if Iran transferred a new, hypersonic weapon to the Houthis. However, the question is how maneuverable such a weapon would be at hypersonic speeds and whether it could hit moving targets, like ships in the Red Sea.

“I wouldn’t exclude the possibility that the Houthis have some system that has some maneuvering capability to some extent,” Hinz said. “It is also possible for the Iranians to transfer new stuff for the Houthis to test it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699124273212.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claim to have a new, hypersonic missile in their arsenal, Russia's state media reported Thursday, potentially raising the stakes in their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways against the backdrop of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/isral-hamas-war">Israel's war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.The report by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency cited an unidentified official but provided no evidence for the claim. It comes as Moscow maintains an aggressively counter-Western foreign policy amid its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">grinding war on Ukraine</a>.However, the Houthis have for weeks hinted about “surprises” they plan for the battles at sea to counter the United States and its allies, which have so far been able to down any missile or bomb-carrying drone that comes near their warships in Mideast waters.A suspected attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck a ship in the Red Sea early Friday, causing damage to the vessel, authorities said.The attack off the port city of Hodeida comes as part of the rebels' campaign against shipping over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/isral-hamas-war">Israel's ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip</a>.On Thursday, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the Houthis’ secretive supreme leader, said the rebels will start hitting ships heading toward the Cape of Good Hope in Africa's southern tip. Until now, the rebels have largely struck ships heading into the Red Sea toward the Suez Canal, and such an escalation would target the longer, alternative route used by some vessels. It remains unclear how they would carry any possible assault out.Meanwhile, Iran and the U.S. reportedly held indirect talks in Oman, the first in months amid their long-simmering tensions over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program and attacks by its proxies.Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor, claims to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hypersonic-missile-us-tensions-0a8e09f7e053f5fbce2d4e1d9c46a96e">have a hypersonic missile</a>&nbsp;and has widely armed the rebels with the missiles they now use. Adding a hypersonic missile to their arsenal could pose a more formidable challenge to the air defense systems employed by America and its allies, including Israel.“The group’s missile forces have successfully tested a missile that is capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 8 and runs on solid fuel," a military official close to the Houthis said, according to the RIA report. The Houthis “intend to begin manufacturing it for use during attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as well as against targets in Israel.”Mach 8 is eight times the speed of sound.Hypersonic weapons, which fly at speeds higher than Mach 5, could pose crucial challenges to missile defense systems because of their speed and maneuverability.Ballistic missiles fly on a trajectory in which anti-missile systems like the U.S.-made Patriot can anticipate their path and intercept them. The more irregular the missile’s flight path, such as a hypersonic missile with the ability to change directions, the more difficult it becomes to intercept.China is believed to be pursuing the weapons, as is America. Russia claims it has already used them.In Yemen, Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted that his fighters “continue to expand the effectiveness and scope of our operations to areas and locations the enemy never expects.” He said they would prevent ships “connected to the Israeli enemy even crossing the Indian Ocean ... heading toward the Cape of Good Hope.”The Houthis have attacked ships since November, saying they want to force Israel to end its offensive in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. The ships targeted by the Houthis, however, have increasingly had little or no connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.The Houthis don't have a navy, nor weapons reaching into the far distances of the Indian Ocean, making their Cape of Good Hope threat difficult. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-ship-drone-attack-symi-39929cae42a191b2f242896a053123a7">Iran is suspected of targeting Israeli-linked vessels previously</a>&nbsp;in the Indian Ocean. The Houthis have claimed attacks assessed to have been carried out by Iran in the past, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/003f91f9709b48f1847c6206178dd335">the 2019 attack on Saudi Arabia that temporarily halved its oil production</a>.After seizing Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in 2014, the Houthis ransacked government arsenals, which held Soviet-era Scud missiles and other arms.As the Saudi-led coalition entered Yemen's conflict on behalf of its exiled government in 2015, the Houthis' arsenal was increasingly targeted. Soon — and despite Yemen having no indigenous missile manufacturing infrastructure — newer missiles made their way into rebel hands.Iran long has denied arming the Houthis, likely because of a yearslong United Nations arms embargo on the rebels. However, the U.S. and its allies have seized&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-missiles-iran-seizure-us-8112fbadd3b0689c71a92890895a9368">multiple arms shipments bound for the rebels in Mideast waters</a>. Weapons experts as well have tied Houthi arms seized on the battlefield back to Iran.Iran also now claims to have a hypersonic weapon. In June,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hypersonic-missile-us-tensions-0a8e09f7e053f5fbce2d4e1d9c46a96e">Iran unveiled its Fattah, or “Conqueror” in Farsi, missile</a>, which it described as being a hypersonic. It described another as being in development.Iran's mission to the U.N. did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, nor did the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, which patrols Mideast waterways.Israel's military declined to comment.Also Thursday, The Financial Times reported that the U.S. and Iran held indirect talks in Oman in January that America hoped would curtail the Red Sea attacks. The last known round of such talks had come last May.Iran's state-run IRNA news agency indirectly acknowledged the talks but insisted they were “merely limited to negotiations on lifting anti-Iran sanctions.”The U.S. State Department did not deny the January talks took place in a statement to The Associated Press, saying: “We have many channels for passing messages to Iran.”“Since Oct. 7, all of (the communications) have been focused on raising the full range of threats emanating from Iran and the need for Iran to cease its across-the-board escalation,” it added.The assaults on shipping have raised the profile of the Houthis, whose Zaydi people ruled a 1,000-year kingdom in Yemen up until 1962. Adding a new weapon increases that cachet and puts more pressure on Israel after a cease-fire deal failed to take hold in Gaza before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Earlier in March, a Houthi missile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-attacks-us-israel-palestinians-gaza-89c5440d9943216a787b39912bd969e0">struck a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden</a>, killing three of its crew members and forcing survivors to abandon the vessel. It marked the first fatal attack by the Houthis on shipping.Other recent Houthi actions include an attack last month on a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, the Rubymar,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-rubymar-sinks-red-sea-fb64a490ce935756337ee3606e15d093">which later sank after drifting</a>&nbsp;for several days.A new suspected Houthi attack targeted a ship in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, but missed the vessel and caused no damage, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. A later attack similarly missed a vessel in the Red Sea off Yemen's port city of Hodeida, the center said early Friday.Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said he wouldn’t be surprised if Iran transferred a new, hypersonic weapon to the Houthis. However, the question is how maneuverable such a weapon would be at hypersonic speeds and whether it could hit moving targets, like ships in the Red Sea.“I wouldn’t exclude the possibility that the Houthis have some system that has some maneuvering capability to some extent,” Hinz said. “It is also possible for the Iranians to transfer new stuff for the Houthis to test it.”

Report: Terrorists have hypersonic weapons for Red Sea attacks

RENO COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Hutchinson.

At 11:30p.m. Thursday crews responded to the fire&nbsp;in the 100 block of West 9th Street, according to a media release. First responders found a two story multi-family apartment with heavy fire showing from the front entry extending to the second floor.

Crews pushed their way inside attacking the fire and looking for victims. There was fire throughout the home and into the attic. Crews were able to put the fire out with minimal extension to the second apartment.&nbsp;

One injury was reported, but that person was treated on scene by Reno County EMS and released. There was heavy fire damage in one apartment, with just smoke damage and some minor fire damage in the second apartment.

&nbsp;The American Red Cross was called to assist the occupants.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710494346611.jpeg" alt="Hutchinson firefighters battle apartment fire late on March 14, 2024. Photo Hutchinson Fire Department." />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson firefighters battle apartment fire late on March 14, 2024. Photo Hutchinson Fire Department.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Hutchinson.At 11:30p.m. Thursday crews responded to the fire&nbsp;in the 100 block of West 9th Street, according to a media release. First responders found a two story multi-family apartment with heavy fire showing from the front entry extending to the second floor.Crews pushed their way inside attacking the fire and looking for victims. There was fire throughout the home and into the attic. Crews were able to put the fire out with minimal extension to the second apartment.&nbsp;One injury was reported, but that person was treated on scene by Reno County EMS and released. There was heavy fire damage in one apartment, with just smoke damage and some minor fire damage in the second apartment.&nbsp;The American Red Cross was called to assist the occupants.&nbsp;

Cause of Kansas apartment fire under investigation 

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — The father of a Michigan school shooter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter Thursday, a second conviction against the teen’s parents who were accused of failing to secure a gun at home and doing nothing to address acute signs of his mental turmoil.

The jury verdict means James Crumbley has joined Jennifer Crumbley as a cause of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">killing of four students</a>&nbsp;at Oxford High School in 2021, even without pulling the trigger.

They had separate trials as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first U.S. parents to be charged</a>&nbsp;in a mass school shooting committed by their child. Jennifer Crumbley was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-mother-charged-01f336607a496c5f9ff0cb3a7434d073">convicted of involuntary manslaughter in February</a>.

The verdicts — one each for the four victims — were read around 7:15 p.m. at the end of a full day of deliberations in Oakland County court.

James Crumbley, 47, who heard the outcome through headphones because of a hearing problem, shook his head from side to side as the jury foreman said “guilty.”

Family of some of the fallen students wept quietly and gripped each other's hands in the second row of the courtroom.

Later at a news conference, county prosecutor Karen McDonald stood next to them and praised their “unwavering courage” through extraordinary tragedy and grief.

“This verdict does not bring back their children, but it does mark a moment of accountability and will hopefully be another step to address and end gun violence,” McDonald said.

Defense attorney Mariell Lehman said James Crumbley “obviously feels terrible” about what happened at the school. He and his wife each face a possible minimum sentence of as much as 10 years in prison when they return to court April 9.

“While we are disappointed with the verdict, we know that the jury had a very difficult task in front of them,” Lehman told The Associated Press.

Prosecutors focused on two key themes at the trial: the parents’ response to a morbid drawing on Ethan Crumbley’s math assignment a few hours before the shooting, and the teen’s access to a Sig Sauer 9 mm handgun purchased by James Crumbley only four days earlier.

Ethan, 15, made a ghastly drawing of a gun and a wounded man on a math assignment and added disturbing phrases, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. My life is useless.”

But James and Jennifer Crumbley declined to take Ethan home following a brief meeting at the school, and staff didn’t demand it. A counselor, concerned about suicidal ideations,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-school-shooting-james-crumbley-4156bb0b1fc0596e03f872a4f9972af0">told them to seek help for the boy within 48 hours.</a>

Ethan had told counselor Shawn Hopkins that he was sad over the death of his dog and grandmother and the loss of a friend who had abruptly moved away. He said the drawing was simply his jottings for a video game and that he wasn’t planning to commit violence.

Neither he, nor his parents, told school officials about the gun they had just bought, according to trial testimony.

Hopkins had hoped Ethan would spend the day with his parents. But when that was ruled out, the counselor felt the teen would probably be safer around others at school.

Ethan later pulled the Sig Sauer from his backpack and began shooting that same day, killing Justin Shilling, 17; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Tate Myre, 16. No one had checked the bag, though a school administrator had joked about its heaviness.

“James Crumbley is not on trial for what his son did,” McDonald told the jury Wednesday. “James Crumbley is on trial for what he did and for what he didn’t do.”

He “doesn’t get a pass because somebody else” actually pulled the trigger, she said.

Hopkins told the jury that James Crumbley showed empathy toward his son during the meeting about the drawing, but took no additional action.

When James Crumbley heard about the shooting, he rushed home from his DoorDash job and looked for the gun.

“I think my son took the gun,” he said in a frantic 911 call.

Investigators found an empty gun case and empty ammunition box on the parents’ bed. A cable that could have locked the gun was still in a package, unopened.

Ethan told a judge when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pontiac-michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-crime-shootings-ff69e26f96bb07af5dcb76bddc650bb4">he pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to murder and terrorism that the gun was not locked when he stuffed it in his backpack before school.

Lehman, the defense lawyer, tried to emphasize to jurors that James Crumbley did not consent to any gun access by his son.

“He did not know he had to protect others from his son,” she said. “He did not know that it was reasonably foreseeable that his son would commit these offenses. He had no idea what his son was planning to do.”

There was no testimony from experts about Ethan’s mental health, and no records were introduced. The boy’s lawyers said before trial that he would invoke his right to remain silent if called to testify.

But the judge allowed the jury to see excerpts from the teen’s handwritten journal.

“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” Ethan wrote. “I want help but my parents don’t listen to me so I can’t get any help.”

Now 17, he is serving a life sentence with no chance for parole.

After Judge Cheryl Matthews lifted a gag order that had prevented lawyers from speaking to reporters, Jennifer Crumbley's attorney Shannon Smith declined to comment Thursday night.

“We believe the victims, their families, and the community need and deserve the space and time to begin healing from this tragedy,” Smith said on Facebook.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621716369.png" alt="James Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking&nbsp; photo from Oakland County, Michigan" />
 <figcaption>James Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking&nbsp; photo from Oakland County, Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — The father of a Michigan school shooter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter Thursday, a second conviction against the teen’s parents who were accused of failing to secure a gun at home and doing nothing to address acute signs of his mental turmoil.The jury verdict means James Crumbley has joined Jennifer Crumbley as a cause of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">killing of four students</a>&nbsp;at Oxford High School in 2021, even without pulling the trigger.They had separate trials as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first U.S. parents to be charged</a>&nbsp;in a mass school shooting committed by their child. Jennifer Crumbley was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-mother-charged-01f336607a496c5f9ff0cb3a7434d073">convicted of involuntary manslaughter in February</a>.The verdicts — one each for the four victims — were read around 7:15 p.m. at the end of a full day of deliberations in Oakland County court.James Crumbley, 47, who heard the outcome through headphones because of a hearing problem, shook his head from side to side as the jury foreman said “guilty.”Family of some of the fallen students wept quietly and gripped each other's hands in the second row of the courtroom.Later at a news conference, county prosecutor Karen McDonald stood next to them and praised their “unwavering courage” through extraordinary tragedy and grief.“This verdict does not bring back their children, but it does mark a moment of accountability and will hopefully be another step to address and end gun violence,” McDonald said.Defense attorney Mariell Lehman said James Crumbley “obviously feels terrible” about what happened at the school. He and his wife each face a possible minimum sentence of as much as 10 years in prison when they return to court April 9.“While we are disappointed with the verdict, we know that the jury had a very difficult task in front of them,” Lehman told The Associated Press.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621694054.png" alt="Jennifer Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking&nbsp; photo from Oakland County, Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking&nbsp; photo from Oakland County, Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>Prosecutors focused on two key themes at the trial: the parents’ response to a morbid drawing on Ethan Crumbley’s math assignment a few hours before the shooting, and the teen’s access to a Sig Sauer 9 mm handgun purchased by James Crumbley only four days earlier.Ethan, 15, made a ghastly drawing of a gun and a wounded man on a math assignment and added disturbing phrases, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. My life is useless.”But James and Jennifer Crumbley declined to take Ethan home following a brief meeting at the school, and staff didn’t demand it. A counselor, concerned about suicidal ideations,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-school-shooting-james-crumbley-4156bb0b1fc0596e03f872a4f9972af0">told them to seek help for the boy within 48 hours.</a>Ethan had told counselor Shawn Hopkins that he was sad over the death of his dog and grandmother and the loss of a friend who had abruptly moved away. He said the drawing was simply his jottings for a video game and that he wasn’t planning to commit violence.Neither he, nor his parents, told school officials about the gun they had just bought, according to trial testimony.Hopkins had hoped Ethan would spend the day with his parents. But when that was ruled out, the counselor felt the teen would probably be safer around others at school.Ethan later pulled the Sig Sauer from his backpack and began shooting that same day, killing Justin Shilling, 17; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Tate Myre, 16. No one had checked the bag, though a school administrator had joked about its heaviness.“James Crumbley is not on trial for what his son did,” McDonald told the jury Wednesday. “James Crumbley is on trial for what he did and for what he didn’t do.”He “doesn’t get a pass because somebody else” actually pulled the trigger, she said.Hopkins told the jury that James Crumbley showed empathy toward his son during the meeting about the drawing, but took no additional action.When James Crumbley heard about the shooting, he rushed home from his DoorDash job and looked for the gun.“I think my son took the gun,” he said in a frantic 911 call.Investigators found an empty gun case and empty ammunition box on the parents’ bed. A cable that could have locked the gun was still in a package, unopened.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638551635768.png" alt="Ethan Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking&nbsp; photo from Oakland County, Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Ethan Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking&nbsp; photo from Oakland County, Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>Ethan told a judge when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pontiac-michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-crime-shootings-ff69e26f96bb07af5dcb76bddc650bb4">he pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to murder and terrorism that the gun was not locked when he stuffed it in his backpack before school.Lehman, the defense lawyer, tried to emphasize to jurors that James Crumbley did not consent to any gun access by his son.“He did not know he had to protect others from his son,” she said. “He did not know that it was reasonably foreseeable that his son would commit these offenses. He had no idea what his son was planning to do.”There was no testimony from experts about Ethan’s mental health, and no records were introduced. The boy’s lawyers said before trial that he would invoke his right to remain silent if called to testify.But the judge allowed the jury to see excerpts from the teen’s handwritten journal.“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” Ethan wrote. “I want help but my parents don’t listen to me so I can’t get any help.”Now 17, he is serving a life sentence with no chance for parole.After Judge Cheryl Matthews lifted a gag order that had prevented lawyers from speaking to reporters, Jennifer Crumbley's attorney Shannon Smith declined to comment Thursday night.“We believe the victims, their families, and the community need and deserve the space and time to begin healing from this tragedy,” Smith said on Facebook.___

Father, who bought gun used in school shooting, guilty of manslaughter 

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple allegations after a weekend traffic stop.

Just after midnight March 10, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway for a traffic violation. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.

Deputies arrested 26-year-old Serena J. Fannin-Boon of Carbondale on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and No proof of insurance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710163452008.png" alt="Fannin-Boon-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Fannin-Boon-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple allegations after a weekend traffic stop.Just after midnight March 10, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway for a traffic violation. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.Deputies arrested 26-year-old Serena J. Fannin-Boon of Carbondale on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia and No proof of insurance.

Kan. woman caught transporting meth and marijuana

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon who was caught after a chase and scooter crash.

Shortly after 11a.m. Tuesday, a police officer attempted to stop a Suzuki motor scooter in the area of 17th and Kansas Avenue in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. 

The scooter fled for several blocks and&nbsp;crashed. The driver, later identified as 31-year-old Christopher Edwards fled ran from the crash and officers chased.

Edwards entered an occupied residence in the 1400 block Atchison Street. He entered that home through the front door and pushed several residents out of his way as he fled out the back door. 

Police officers located him&nbsp;a short time later hiding under a porch in the 1400 block Santa Fe.

Edwards received minor injuries from the scooter crash.  After he was taken into custody, police took him to Amberwell Hospital for examination. He was treated and released, and then taken to the County Jail. He is being held on requested charges of fleeing and attempting to elude and other traffic charges, interference with law enforcement, battery, criminal trespass, and criminal possession of a firearm.&nbsp;

Police found a handgun on the scooter.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for a sex crime and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710345595264.png" alt="Edwards photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Edwards photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon who was caught after a chase and scooter crash.Shortly after 11a.m. Tuesday, a police officer attempted to stop a Suzuki motor scooter in the area of 17th and Kansas Avenue in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The scooter fled for several blocks and&nbsp;crashed. The driver, later identified as 31-year-old Christopher Edwards fled ran from the crash and officers chased.Edwards entered an occupied residence in the 1400 block Atchison Street. He entered that home through the front door and pushed several residents out of his way as he fled out the back door. Police officers located him&nbsp;a short time later hiding under a porch in the 1400 block Santa Fe.Edwards received minor injuries from the scooter crash. After he was taken into custody, police took him to Amberwell Hospital for examination. He was treated and released, and then taken to the County Jail. He is being held on requested charges of fleeing and attempting to elude and other traffic charges, interference with law enforcement, battery, criminal trespass, and criminal possession of a firearm.&nbsp;Police found a handgun on the scooter.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for a sex crime and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Kansas felon crashed scooter during chase by police

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday rejected a bid by Donald Trump to throw out out his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">classified documents criminal case</a>, and appeared skeptical during hours of arguments of a separate effort to scuttle the prosecution ahead of trial.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon issued a two-page order saying that though the Trump team had raised “various arguments warranting serious consideration,” a dismissal of charges was not merited.

Cannon, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, had made clear during more than three-and-a-half hours of arguments that she was reluctant to dismiss one of the four criminal cases against the 2024 presumptive Republican presidential nominee. She said at one point that it would be “quite an extraordinary” step to strike down an Espionage Act statute that underpins the bulk of the felony counts against Trump but that his lawyers contend is unconstitutionally vague.

As Trump looked on in the courtroom, his attorneys pressed Cannon to throw out the case, arguing he was legally entitled to keep the sensitive records he is charged with illegally retaining after he left the White House.

His lawyers say the Presidential Records Act gave him the authority to designate as personal property the records he took with him to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Prosecutors countered that those records were clearly presidential, not personal, and included top-secret information and documents related to nuclear programs and the military capabilities of the U.S. and foreign countries.

Cannon's ruling covered only the Espionage Act arguments. A separate motion argued Thursday about whether Trump was entitled under the Presidential Records Act to retain the documents remains pending, but the judge also seemed disinclined to throw out the case on those grounds too.

“It’s difficult to see how this gets you to the dismissal of an indictment," she told a Trump lawyer at one point.

The hearing was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maralago-justice-department-37c55a10c4ae304eb673292145cc9cf1">second this month</a>&nbsp;in the case in Florida, which has unfolded slowly in the courts since prosecutors first brought charges last June. Cannon heard arguments on March 1 on when to schedule a trial date, but has yet to announce one and gave no indication Thursday on when she might do so. Prosecutors have pressed the judge to set a date for this summer. Trump’s lawyers are hoping to put it off until after the election.

After the hearing, Trump on his Truth Social platform took note of the “big crowds” outside the courthouse, which included supporters with flags and signs who honked their car horns in solidarity with the ex-president. He again said the prosecution is a “witch hunt” inspired by President Joe Biden.

Some of Thursday's arguments centered on the 1978 statute known as the Presidential Records Act. The law requires presidential documents to be turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration, though former presidents may retain notes and papers created for purely personal reasons.

Trump's lawyers contend that he was free under that law to to do with the records as he pleased.

“He had original classification authority,” said defense lawyer Todd Blanche. “He had the authority to do whatever he thought was appropriate with his records.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686358157076.png" alt="This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, shows boxes of records stored in a bathroom and shower in the Lake Room at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents according to an indictment unsealed Friday, June 9, 2023. (Justice Department via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, shows boxes of records stored in a bathroom and shower in the Lake Room at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents according to an indictment unsealed Friday, June 9, 2023. (Justice Department via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday rejected a bid by Donald Trump to throw out out his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">classified documents criminal case</a>, and appeared skeptical during hours of arguments of a separate effort to scuttle the prosecution ahead of trial.U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon issued a two-page order saying that though the Trump team had raised “various arguments warranting serious consideration,” a dismissal of charges was not merited.Cannon, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, had made clear during more than three-and-a-half hours of arguments that she was reluctant to dismiss one of the four criminal cases against the 2024 presumptive Republican presidential nominee. She said at one point that it would be “quite an extraordinary” step to strike down an Espionage Act statute that underpins the bulk of the felony counts against Trump but that his lawyers contend is unconstitutionally vague.As Trump looked on in the courtroom, his attorneys pressed Cannon to throw out the case, arguing he was legally entitled to keep the sensitive records he is charged with illegally retaining after he left the White House.His lawyers say the Presidential Records Act gave him the authority to designate as personal property the records he took with him to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Prosecutors countered that those records were clearly presidential, not personal, and included top-secret information and documents related to nuclear programs and the military capabilities of the U.S. and foreign countries.Cannon's ruling covered only the Espionage Act arguments. A separate motion argued Thursday about whether Trump was entitled under the Presidential Records Act to retain the documents remains pending, but the judge also seemed disinclined to throw out the case on those grounds too.“It’s difficult to see how this gets you to the dismissal of an indictment," she told a Trump lawyer at one point.The hearing was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maralago-justice-department-37c55a10c4ae304eb673292145cc9cf1">second this month</a>&nbsp;in the case in Florida, which has unfolded slowly in the courts since prosecutors first brought charges last June. Cannon heard arguments on March 1 on when to schedule a trial date, but has yet to announce one and gave no indication Thursday on when she might do so. Prosecutors have pressed the judge to set a date for this summer. Trump’s lawyers are hoping to put it off until after the election.After the hearing, Trump on his Truth Social platform took note of the “big crowds” outside the courthouse, which included supporters with flags and signs who honked their car horns in solidarity with the ex-president. He again said the prosecution is a “witch hunt” inspired by President Joe Biden.Some of Thursday's arguments centered on the 1978 statute known as the Presidential Records Act. The law requires presidential documents to be turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration, though former presidents may retain notes and papers created for purely personal reasons.Trump's lawyers contend that he was free under that law to to do with the records as he pleased.“He had original classification authority,” said defense lawyer Todd Blanche. “He had the authority to do whatever he thought was appropriate with his records.”But prosecutor David Harbach told Cannon that there are “all sorts of reasons” that that argument is wrong. Prosecutors believe the files Trump is charged with possessing are presidential records, not personal ones, and that the statute was never meant to permit presidents to retain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-criminal-investigations-government-and-politics-4ee554f467252929f96c70d42a93a05d">classified and top-secret documents,</a>&nbsp;like those kept at Mar-a-Lago.“The documents charged in the indictment are not personal records, period. They are not," Harbach said. “They are nowhere close to it under the definition of the Presidential Records Act.”Trump's lawyers also challenged as overly vague a statute that makes it a crime to have unauthorized retention of national defense information, a charge that forms the basis of 32 of the 40 felony counts against Trump in the case.Defense lawyer Emil Bove said ambiguity in the statute permits what he called “selective” enforcement by the Justice Department, leading to Trump being charged but enabling others to avoid prosecution. Bove suggested a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-classified-documents-age-trump-2024-4791639cc06cc0affee55aba80c7e6b3">recent report by special counsel Robert Hur</a>&nbsp;that criticized President Joe Biden's handling of classified information did not recommend charges proved his point about the lack of clarity.When a law is unclear, Bove told Cannon, “The court’s obligation is to strike the statute and say ‘Congress, get it right.'"Jay Bratt, another prosecutor with Smith's team, disputed that there was anything unclear about the law, and Cannon pointedly noted that striking down a statute would be “quite an extraordinary step."Trump is accused of intentionally holding onto some of the nation’s most sensitive documents at Mar-a-Lago — only returning a fraction of them upon demand by the National Archives. Prosecutors say he urged his lawyer to hide records and to lie to the FBI by saying he no longer was in possession of them and enlisted staff to delete surveillance footage that would show boxes of documents being moved around the property.Cannon has suggested in the past that she sees Trump’s status as a former president as distinguishing him from others who have held onto classified records.After the Trump team sued the Justice Department in 2022 to get his records back, Cannon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-bc980316f80f88620b92e5666f96251c">appointed a special master</a>&nbsp;to conduct an independent review of the documents taken during the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search. That appointment was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-criminal-investigations-government-and-politics-16748b82a502c0eec977d3ec51390027">later overturned by a federal appeals court</a>.On Thursday, she wrestled with the unprecedented nature of the case, noted that no former president had ever faced criminal jeopardy for mishandling classified information.But, Bratt responded, “there was never a situation remotely similar to this one."Trump is separately charged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">a federal case</a>&nbsp;in Washington with conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump has argued in both federal cases that presidential immunity protects him from prosecution, though Cannon has not agreed to hear arguments on that claim in the documents case.The U.S Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-immunity-election-interference-trial-ff4b251967b4f1ae85bd01a0db24931f">is scheduled to hear</a>&nbsp;arguments on Trump's immunity claim in the election interference case next month.