NEW YORK (AP) — The historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-new-york-criminal-case-fbdff18df40920b75873b3a40317f5ee">hush-money</a>&nbsp;trial of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;got underway Monday with the arduous process of selecting a jury to hear the case charging the former president with falsifying business records in order to stifle stories about his sex life.

<a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/press/PDFs/Letter-re-jury-selection-4-8-24.pdf">Click here to read </a>the jury selection questionnaire

The day ended without any jurors being chosen. The selection process was scheduled to resume Tuesday.

The first criminal trial of any former U.S. president began as Trump vies to reclaim the White House, creating a remarkable split-screen spectacle of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-primary-georgia-washington-mississippi-hawaii-15bb0084ad656903ffef14cfae822abd">presumptive Republican nominee</a>&nbsp;spending his days as a criminal defendant while simultaneously campaigning for office. He's blended those roles over the last year by presenting himself to supporters, on the campaign trail and on social media, as a target of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-gag-order-hush-money-juan-merchan-f182e7d5c27967b86a59277fd24743e4">politically motivated prosecutions designed to derail his candidacy</a>.

“It’s a scam. It’s a political witch hunt. It continues, and it continues forever,” Trump said after exiting the courtroom, where he sat at the defense table with his lawyers.

After a norm-shattering presidency shadowed by years of investigations, the trial amounts to a reckoning for Trump, who faces four indictments charging him with crimes ranging from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn an election</a>. Yet the political stakes are less clear because a conviction would not preclude him from becoming president and because the allegations in this case date back years and are seen as less grievous than the conduct behind the three other indictments.

The day began with pretrial arguments — including over a potential fine for Trump — before moving in the afternoon into jury selection, where the parties will decide who among them might be picked to determine the legal fate of the former, and potentially future, American president.

After the first members of the jury pool, 96 in all, were summoned into the courtroom, Trump craned his neck to look back at them, whispering to his lawyer as they entered the jury box.

“You are about to participate in a trial by jury. The system of trial by jury is one of the cornerstones of our judicial system,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Judge Juan Merchan told the jurors</a>. “The name of this case is the People of the State of New York vs. Donald Trump.”

Trump’s notoriety would make the process of picking 12 jurors and six alternates a near-herculean task in any year, but it’s likely to be especially challenging now, unfolding in a closely contested presidential election in the heavily Democratic city where Trump grew up and catapulted to celebrity status decades before winning the White House.

Underscoring the difficulty, only about a third of the 96 people in the first panel of potential jurors remained after the judge excused some members. More than half the group was excused after telling the judge they could not be fair and impartial. At least nine more were excused after raising their hands when Merchan asked if they could not serve for any other reason.

A female juror was excused after saying she had strong opinions about Trump. Earlier in the questionnaire, the woman, a Harlem resident, indicated she could be neutral in deciding the case. But when asked whether she had strong opinions about the former president, the woman answered matter-of-factly: “Yes.”

When Merchan asked her to repeat the response, she replied: “Yeah, I said yes.” She was dismissed.

Merchan has written that the key is “whether the prospective juror can assure us that they will set aside any personal feelings or biases and render a decision that is based on the evidence and the law.”

No matter the outcome, Trump is determined to benefit from the proceedings, casting the case, and his indictments elsewhere, as a broad “weaponization of law enforcement” by Democratic prosecutors and officials. He maintains they are orchestrating sham charges in hopes of impeding his presidential run.

He’s lambasted judges and prosecutors for years, a pattern of attacks that continued Monday as he entered court Monday after calling the case an “assault on America."

“This is political persecution. This is a persecution like never before,” he said.

Earlier Monday, the judge denied a defense request to recuse himself from the case after Trump's lawyers claimed he had a conflict of interest. He also said prosecutors could not play for the jury the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-access-hollywood-hush-money-new-york-2c52279a45ede2a111ff1fe447d2fdac">2005 “Access Hollywood” recording</a>&nbsp;in which Trump was captured discussing grabbing women sexually without their permission. However, prosecutors will be allowed to question witnesses about the recording, which became public in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign.

Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney's office also asked for Merchan to fine Trump $3,000 over social media posts they said violated the judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses. Last week, he used his Truth Social platform to call his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=michael+cohen+apnews&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1084US1084&amp;oq=michael+cohen+ap&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCAgAEEUYJxg7MggIABBFGCcYOzIGCAEQRRg5MgcIAhAAGIAEMgcIAxAAGIAEMggIBBAAGBYYHjIGCAUQRRg8MgYIBhBFGDwyBggHEEUYPKgCALACAA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">former lawyer Michael Cohen</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-cohen-stormy-daniels-e40532d3bce7768e296fdaf9591ef05b">adult film actor Stormy Daniels</a>&nbsp;“two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!”

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche maintained Trump was simply responding to the witnesses' statements.

“It's not as if President Trump is going out and targeting individuals. He is responding to salacious, repeated vehement attacks by these witnesses,” Blanche said.

Merchan setting a hearing for next week on the request.

<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=eric+tucker+apnews+34+counts+sisak&amp;sca_esv=9cc8c3117245717b&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1084US1084&amp;sxsrf=ACQVn0-xRhBNg7BxytGvKstnrKo_s1We3w%3A1713208166354&amp;ei=ZnsdZu6KFdWu5NoP5oWIkAI&amp;ved=0ahUKEwju1bnh9cSFAxVVF1kFHeYCAiIQ4dUDCBE&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=eric+tucker+apnews+34+counts+sisak&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiImVyaWMgdHVja2VyIGFwbmV3cyAzNCBjb3VudHMgc2lzYWsyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSI4kUABYmiFwAHgBkAEBmAGGAqAB5RyqAQcxOC4xNS4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIeoAKjGsICBBAjGCfCAhcQLhiABBiKBRiRAhixAxiDARjHARjRA8ICDhAuGIAEGIoFGJECGLEDwgIREC4YgAQYsQMYgwEYxwEY0QPCAg4QLhiABBiKBRixAxiDAcICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgILEC4YgAQYigUYkQLCAgsQABiABBiKBRiRAsICChAuGIAEGIoFGEPCAggQABiABBixA8ICChAuGIAEGBQYhwLCAggQLhiABBixA8ICDRAuGIAEGIoFGEMYsQPCAgoQABiABBiKBRhDwgILEC4YgAQYsQMYgwHCAhAQLhiABBiKBRhDGLEDGIMBwgIKEAAYgAQYFBiHAsICBRAuGIAEwgIFEAAYgATCAgYQABgWGB7CAggQABiABBiiBMICBBAhGBWYAwCSBwcxMi4xNy4xoAfe7wI&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp">Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts</a>&nbsp;of falsifying business records. Prosecutors say the alleged fraud was part of an effort to keep salacious — and, Trump says, bogus — stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign.

The charges center on $130,000 in payments that Trump’s company made to Cohen. He paid that sum on Trump’s behalf to keep Daniels from going public, a month before the election, with her claims of a sexual encounter with the married mogul a decade earlier.

Prosecutors say the payments to Cohen were falsely logged as legal fees in order to cloak their actual purpose. Trump's lawyers say the disbursements indeed were legal expenses, not a cover-up.

After decades of fielding and initiating lawsuits, the businessman-turned-politician now faces a trial that could result in up to four years in prison if he’s convicted, though a no-jail sentence also would be possible.

Trump's attorneys lost a bid to get the hush-money case dismissed and have since repeatedly sought to delay it, prompting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-appeal-juan-merchan-43ce6ef13f3b7a2ea017a658e6b4e01b">flurry of last-minute appeals court hearings</a>&nbsp;last week.

Among other things, Trump's lawyers maintain that the jury pool in overwhelmingly Democratic Manhattan has been tainted by negative publicity about Trump and that the case should be moved elsewhere.

An appeals judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-juan-merchan-hush-money-appeal-lawsuit-6abe221a7cb2ea670eb3ed1a7a134643">turned down an emergency request</a>&nbsp;to delay the trial while the change-of-venue request goes to a group of appellate judges, who are set to consider it in the coming weeks.

Manhattan prosecutors have countered that a lot of the publicity stems from Trump’s own comments and that questioning will tease out whether prospective jurors can put aside any preconceptions they may have. There’s no reason, prosecutors said, to think that 12 fair and impartial people can’t be found amid Manhattan’s roughly 1.4 million adult residents.

The prospective jurors will be known only by number, as the judge has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-new-york-jury-9b36769997f86c6c172daf5b267c7dd8">ordered that their names be kept secret</a>&nbsp;from everyone except prosecutors, Trump and their legal teams. The 42 preapproved, sometimes multi-pronged queries include background basics but also reflect the uniqueness of the case.

They're being asked, among other questions, about hobbies and news habits, whether they hold strong beliefs about Trump that would prevent them being impartial and about attendance at Trump or anti-Trump rallies.

Based on the answers, the attorneys can ask a judge to eliminate people “for cause” if they meet certain criteria for being unable to serve or can't be unbiased. The lawyers also can use “peremptory challenges” to nix 10 potential jurors and two prospective alternates without giving a reason.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713221753266.png" alt="Page 11 of the 17 page letter&nbsp; from the court of New York" />
 <figcaption>Page 11 of the 17 page letter&nbsp; from the court of New York</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-new-york-criminal-case-fbdff18df40920b75873b3a40317f5ee">hush-money</a>&nbsp;trial of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;got underway Monday with the arduous process of selecting a jury to hear the case charging the former president with falsifying business records in order to stifle stories about his sex life.<a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/press/PDFs/Letter-re-jury-selection-4-8-24.pdf">Click here to read </a>the jury selection questionnaireThe day ended without any jurors being chosen. The selection process was scheduled to resume Tuesday.The first criminal trial of any former U.S. president began as Trump vies to reclaim the White House, creating a remarkable split-screen spectacle of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-primary-georgia-washington-mississippi-hawaii-15bb0084ad656903ffef14cfae822abd">presumptive Republican nominee</a>&nbsp;spending his days as a criminal defendant while simultaneously campaigning for office. He's blended those roles over the last year by presenting himself to supporters, on the campaign trail and on social media, as a target of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-gag-order-hush-money-juan-merchan-f182e7d5c27967b86a59277fd24743e4">politically motivated prosecutions designed to derail his candidacy</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump remarks ahead of Hush Money Trial: &quot;This is political persecution this is a persecution like never before....it&#39;s an assault on America.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gdPUMgl8KQ">pic.twitter.com/gdPUMgl8KQ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1779869871066448377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It’s a scam. It’s a political witch hunt. It continues, and it continues forever,” Trump said after exiting the courtroom, where he sat at the defense table with his lawyers.After a norm-shattering presidency shadowed by years of investigations, the trial amounts to a reckoning for Trump, who faces four indictments charging him with crimes ranging from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn an election</a>. Yet the political stakes are less clear because a conviction would not preclude him from becoming president and because the allegations in this case date back years and are seen as less grievous than the conduct behind the three other indictments.The day began with pretrial arguments — including over a potential fine for Trump — before moving in the afternoon into jury selection, where the parties will decide who among them might be picked to determine the legal fate of the former, and potentially future, American president.After the first members of the jury pool, 96 in all, were summoned into the courtroom, Trump craned his neck to look back at them, whispering to his lawyer as they entered the jury box.“You are about to participate in a trial by jury. The system of trial by jury is one of the cornerstones of our judicial system,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Judge Juan Merchan told the jurors</a>. “The name of this case is the People of the State of New York vs. Donald Trump.”Trump’s notoriety would make the process of picking 12 jurors and six alternates a near-herculean task in any year, but it’s likely to be especially challenging now, unfolding in a closely contested presidential election in the heavily Democratic city where Trump grew up and catapulted to celebrity status decades before winning the White House.Underscoring the difficulty, only about a third of the 96 people in the first panel of potential jurors remained after the judge excused some members. More than half the group was excused after telling the judge they could not be fair and impartial. At least nine more were excused after raising their hands when Merchan asked if they could not serve for any other reason.A female juror was excused after saying she had strong opinions about Trump. Earlier in the questionnaire, the woman, a Harlem resident, indicated she could be neutral in deciding the case. But when asked whether she had strong opinions about the former president, the woman answered matter-of-factly: “Yes.”When Merchan asked her to repeat the response, she replied: “Yeah, I said yes.” She was dismissed.Merchan has written that the key is “whether the prospective juror can assure us that they will set aside any personal feelings or biases and render a decision that is based on the evidence and the law.”No matter the outcome, Trump is determined to benefit from the proceedings, casting the case, and his indictments elsewhere, as a broad “weaponization of law enforcement” by Democratic prosecutors and officials. He maintains they are orchestrating sham charges in hopes of impeding his presidential run.He’s lambasted judges and prosecutors for years, a pattern of attacks that continued Monday as he entered court Monday after calling the case an “assault on America."“This is political persecution. This is a persecution like never before,” he said.Earlier Monday, the judge denied a defense request to recuse himself from the case after Trump's lawyers claimed he had a conflict of interest. He also said prosecutors could not play for the jury the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-access-hollywood-hush-money-new-york-2c52279a45ede2a111ff1fe447d2fdac">2005 “Access Hollywood” recording</a>&nbsp;in which Trump was captured discussing grabbing women sexually without their permission. However, prosecutors will be allowed to question witnesses about the recording, which became public in the final weeks of the 2016 campaign.Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney's office also asked for Merchan to fine Trump $3,000 over social media posts they said violated the judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses. Last week, he used his Truth Social platform to call his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=michael+cohen+apnews&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1084US1084&amp;oq=michael+cohen+ap&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCAgAEEUYJxg7MggIABBFGCcYOzIGCAEQRRg5MgcIAhAAGIAEMgcIAxAAGIAEMggIBBAAGBYYHjIGCAUQRRg8MgYIBhBFGDwyBggHEEUYPKgCALACAA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">former lawyer Michael Cohen</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-cohen-stormy-daniels-e40532d3bce7768e296fdaf9591ef05b">adult film actor Stormy Daniels</a>&nbsp;“two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!”Trump lawyer Todd Blanche maintained Trump was simply responding to the witnesses' statements.“It's not as if President Trump is going out and targeting individuals. He is responding to salacious, repeated vehement attacks by these witnesses,” Blanche said.Merchan setting a hearing for next week on the request.<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=eric+tucker+apnews+34+counts+sisak&amp;sca_esv=9cc8c3117245717b&amp;rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS1084US1084&amp;sxsrf=ACQVn0-xRhBNg7BxytGvKstnrKo_s1We3w%3A1713208166354&amp;ei=ZnsdZu6KFdWu5NoP5oWIkAI&amp;ved=0ahUKEwju1bnh9cSFAxVVF1kFHeYCAiIQ4dUDCBE&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=eric+tucker+apnews+34+counts+sisak&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiImVyaWMgdHVja2VyIGFwbmV3cyAzNCBjb3VudHMgc2lzYWsyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABSI4kUABYmiFwAHgBkAEBmAGGAqAB5RyqAQcxOC4xNS4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIeoAKjGsICBBAjGCfCAhcQLhiABBiKBRiRAhixAxiDARjHARjRA8ICDhAuGIAEGIoFGJECGLEDwgIREC4YgAQYsQMYgwEYxwEY0QPCAg4QLhiABBiKBRixAxiDAcICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgILEC4YgAQYigUYkQLCAgsQABiABBiKBRiRAsICChAuGIAEGIoFGEPCAggQABiABBixA8ICChAuGIAEGBQYhwLCAggQLhiABBixA8ICDRAuGIAEGIoFGEMYsQPCAgoQABiABBiKBRhDwgILEC4YgAQYsQMYgwHCAhAQLhiABBiKBRhDGLEDGIMBwgIKEAAYgAQYFBiHAsICBRAuGIAEwgIFEAAYgATCAgYQABgWGB7CAggQABiABBiiBMICBBAhGBWYAwCSBwcxMi4xNy4xoAfe7wI&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp">Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts</a>&nbsp;of falsifying business records. Prosecutors say the alleged fraud was part of an effort to keep salacious — and, Trump says, bogus — stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign.The charges center on $130,000 in payments that Trump’s company made to Cohen. He paid that sum on Trump’s behalf to keep Daniels from going public, a month before the election, with her claims of a sexual encounter with the married mogul a decade earlier.Prosecutors say the payments to Cohen were falsely logged as legal fees in order to cloak their actual purpose. Trump's lawyers say the disbursements indeed were legal expenses, not a cover-up.After decades of fielding and initiating lawsuits, the businessman-turned-politician now faces a trial that could result in up to four years in prison if he’s convicted, though a no-jail sentence also would be possible.Trump's attorneys lost a bid to get the hush-money case dismissed and have since repeatedly sought to delay it, prompting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-appeal-juan-merchan-43ce6ef13f3b7a2ea017a658e6b4e01b">flurry of last-minute appeals court hearings</a>&nbsp;last week.Among other things, Trump's lawyers maintain that the jury pool in overwhelmingly Democratic Manhattan has been tainted by negative publicity about Trump and that the case should be moved elsewhere.An appeals judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-juan-merchan-hush-money-appeal-lawsuit-6abe221a7cb2ea670eb3ed1a7a134643">turned down an emergency request</a>&nbsp;to delay the trial while the change-of-venue request goes to a group of appellate judges, who are set to consider it in the coming weeks.Manhattan prosecutors have countered that a lot of the publicity stems from Trump’s own comments and that questioning will tease out whether prospective jurors can put aside any preconceptions they may have. There’s no reason, prosecutors said, to think that 12 fair and impartial people can’t be found amid Manhattan’s roughly 1.4 million adult residents.The prospective jurors will be known only by number, as the judge has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-new-york-jury-9b36769997f86c6c172daf5b267c7dd8">ordered that their names be kept secret</a>&nbsp;from everyone except prosecutors, Trump and their legal teams. The 42 preapproved, sometimes multi-pronged queries include background basics but also reflect the uniqueness of the case.They're being asked, among other questions, about hobbies and news habits, whether they hold strong beliefs about Trump that would prevent them being impartial and about attendance at Trump or anti-Trump rallies.Based on the answers, the attorneys can ask a judge to eliminate people “for cause” if they meet certain criteria for being unable to serve or can't be unbiased. The lawyers also can use “peremptory challenges” to nix 10 potential jurors and two prospective alternates without giving a reason._____

🎥Day 1 of historic Trump trial: Read the juror questionnaire

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A movie weapons supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western film “Rust,” at a sentencing hearing Monday in a New Mexico state court.

Movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/closing-arguments-trial-baldwin-shooting-3fdc75c2510804065a19a9fa374cfefd">convicted in March</a>&nbsp;by a jury on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and has been held for more than a month at a county jail on the outskirts of Santa Fe.

Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for “Rust,” was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alec-baldwin-rust-shooting-movie-things-to-know-6c08979ccc0067660831ba66602334fd">pointing a gun at Hutchins</a>&nbsp;when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins. He is scheduled for trial in July at a courthouse in Santa Fe.

The sentence against Gutierrez-Reed was delivered by New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Summer who is overseeing proceedings against Baldwin.

Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of “Rust” where it was expressly prohibited and for failing to follow basic gun safety protocols. After a two-week trial, the jury deliberated for about three hours in reaching its verdict.

Gutierrez-Reed teared up Monday as Hutchins’ agent, Craig Mizrahi, spoke about the cinematographer’s creativity and described her as a rising star in Hollywood. He said it was a chain of events that led to Hutchins’ death and that had the armorer been doing her job, that chain would have been broken.

Friends and family, including Souza, told the court they were seeking justice for what had happened to the cinematographer. They said she was “a bright beam of light,” describing her as courageous, tenacious and compassionate.

Los Angeles-based attorney Gloria Allred read a statement by Hutchins’ mother, Olga Solovey, who said her life had been split in two and that time didn’t heal, rather it only prolonged her pain and suffering. A video of a tearful Solovey, who lives in Ukraine, also was played for the court.

“It’s the hardest thing to lose a child. There’s no words to describe,” Solovey said in her native language.

Defense attorneys for Gutierrez-Reed requested leniency in sentencing — including a possible conditional discharge that would avoid further jail time and leave an adjudication of guilt off her record if certain conditions are met.

Gutierrez-Reed was acquitted at trial of allegations she tampered with evidence in the “Rust” investigation. She also has pleaded not guilty to a separate felony charge that she allegedly carried a gun into a bar in Santa Fe where firearms are prohibited.

Defense attorneys have highlighted Gutierrez-Reed’s relatively young age “and the devastating effect a felony will have on her life going forward.”

They say the 26-year-old will forever be affected negatively by intense publicity associated with her prosecution in parallel with an A-list actor, and has suffered from anxiety, fear and depression as a result.

Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey urged the judge to impose the maximum prison sentence and designate Gutierrez-Reed as a “serious violent offender” to limit her eligibility for a sentence reduction later, describing the defendant’s behavior on the set of “Rust” as exceptionally reckless.

Morrissey told the judge Monday that she reviewed nearly 200 phone calls that Gutierrez-Reed had made from jail over the last month. She said she was hoping there would be a moment when the defendant would take responsibility for what happened or express genuine remorse.

“That moment has never come,” Morrissey said. “Ms. Gutierrez continues to refuse to accept responsibility for her role in the death of Halyna Hutchins.”

“Rust” assistant director and safety coordinator Dave Halls last year pleaded no contest to negligent handling of a firearm and completed a sentence of six months unsupervised probation. “Rust” props master Sarah Zachry, who shared some responsibilities over firearms on the set of “Rust,” signed an agreement with prosecutors to avoid prosecution in return with her cooperation.

Written testimonials in favor of leniency included letters from Gutierrez-Reed’s childhood friend and romantic partner Sean Kridelbaugh, who said Gutierrez-Reed cries constantly out of remorse in the shooting and that further incarceration would interfere with efforts to care for a relative with cancer. Other friends and former colleagues urged the judge to emphasize rehabilitation over punishment in the sentencing.

The pending firearms charge against Gutierrez-Reed stems from an incident at a bar in downtown Santa Fe, days before she was hired to work as the armorer on “Rust.” Prosecutors says investigations into the fatal shooting led to discovery of a selfie video in which Gutierrez-Reed filmed herself carrying a firearm into the bar, while defense attorneys allege vindictive prosecution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713207206216.png" alt="Hannah Gutierrez-Reed-photo Santa Fe County Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Hannah Gutierrez-Reed-photo Santa Fe County Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A movie weapons supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western film “Rust,” at a sentencing hearing Monday in a New Mexico state court.Movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/closing-arguments-trial-baldwin-shooting-3fdc75c2510804065a19a9fa374cfefd">convicted in March</a>&nbsp;by a jury on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and has been held for more than a month at a county jail on the outskirts of Santa Fe.Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for “Rust,” was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alec-baldwin-rust-shooting-movie-things-to-know-6c08979ccc0067660831ba66602334fd">pointing a gun at Hutchins</a>&nbsp;when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins. He is scheduled for trial in July at a courthouse in Santa Fe.The sentence against Gutierrez-Reed was delivered by New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Summer who is overseeing proceedings against Baldwin.Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of “Rust” where it was expressly prohibited and for failing to follow basic gun safety protocols. After a two-week trial, the jury deliberated for about three hours in reaching its verdict.Gutierrez-Reed teared up Monday as Hutchins’ agent, Craig Mizrahi, spoke about the cinematographer’s creativity and described her as a rising star in Hollywood. He said it was a chain of events that led to Hutchins’ death and that had the armorer been doing her job, that chain would have been broken.Friends and family, including Souza, told the court they were seeking justice for what had happened to the cinematographer. They said she was “a bright beam of light,” describing her as courageous, tenacious and compassionate.Los Angeles-based attorney Gloria Allred read a statement by Hutchins’ mother, Olga Solovey, who said her life had been split in two and that time didn’t heal, rather it only prolonged her pain and suffering. A video of a tearful Solovey, who lives in Ukraine, also was played for the court.“It’s the hardest thing to lose a child. There’s no words to describe,” Solovey said in her native language.Defense attorneys for Gutierrez-Reed requested leniency in sentencing — including a possible conditional discharge that would avoid further jail time and leave an adjudication of guilt off her record if certain conditions are met.Gutierrez-Reed was acquitted at trial of allegations she tampered with evidence in the “Rust” investigation. She also has pleaded not guilty to a separate felony charge that she allegedly carried a gun into a bar in Santa Fe where firearms are prohibited.Defense attorneys have highlighted Gutierrez-Reed’s relatively young age “and the devastating effect a felony will have on her life going forward.”They say the 26-year-old will forever be affected negatively by intense publicity associated with her prosecution in parallel with an A-list actor, and has suffered from anxiety, fear and depression as a result.Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey urged the judge to impose the maximum prison sentence and designate Gutierrez-Reed as a “serious violent offender” to limit her eligibility for a sentence reduction later, describing the defendant’s behavior on the set of “Rust” as exceptionally reckless.Morrissey told the judge Monday that she reviewed nearly 200 phone calls that Gutierrez-Reed had made from jail over the last month. She said she was hoping there would be a moment when the defendant would take responsibility for what happened or express genuine remorse.“That moment has never come,” Morrissey said. “Ms. Gutierrez continues to refuse to accept responsibility for her role in the death of Halyna Hutchins.”“Rust” assistant director and safety coordinator Dave Halls last year pleaded no contest to negligent handling of a firearm and completed a sentence of six months unsupervised probation. “Rust” props master Sarah Zachry, who shared some responsibilities over firearms on the set of “Rust,” signed an agreement with prosecutors to avoid prosecution in return with her cooperation.Written testimonials in favor of leniency included letters from Gutierrez-Reed’s childhood friend and romantic partner Sean Kridelbaugh, who said Gutierrez-Reed cries constantly out of remorse in the shooting and that further incarceration would interfere with efforts to care for a relative with cancer. Other friends and former colleagues urged the judge to emphasize rehabilitation over punishment in the sentencing.The pending firearms charge against Gutierrez-Reed stems from an incident at a bar in downtown Santa Fe, days before she was hired to work as the armorer on “Rust.” Prosecutors says investigations into the fatal shooting led to discovery of a selfie video in which Gutierrez-Reed filmed herself carrying a firearm into the bar, while defense attorneys allege vindictive prosecution.

Gun supervisor sentenced for fatal shooting by Alec Baldwin on movie set

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday that wide receiver Rashee Rice, who is facing charges that include aggravated assault as a result of a sports car crash in Texas, would participate in the team's voluntary offseason program beginning this week.

Dallas police allege that Rice, the Chiefs' top wide receiver last season, and a friend, Theodore Knox, were driving at high speed in the far left lane of a freeway when they lost control. The Lamborghini that Rice has admitted to driving hit the center median, causing a chain reaction that involved six vehicles and resulted in injures to multiple people.

Rice turned himself in last Thursday after police issued warrants for one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury. He was released on bond.

Rice is being represented by Texas state Sen. Royce West, who said in an emailed statement the wide receiver “acknowledges his actions and feels deeply for those injured as a result of this accident,” and that he would continue to cooperate with police.

"I’m leaving that like we’ve done most of these: just for the law enforcement part of it to take place,” Reid said during a Zoom meeting with local reporters Monday. “We will go from there with that. So you can hold your (questions). I have had an opportunity to talk to Rashee. I’m not going to obviously get into that, but that part has been gone through.”

In recent years, the Chiefs have adopted virtual meetings during the early part of their offseason program because they have played into February for the Super Bowl. There is no on-field work allowed during the first two weeks.

After that, teams are allowed to do in-person, on-field work, and Reid would not say whether Rice would participate.

“We’ll just see how it goes there,” Reid said. “I want to keep gathering the information from the law enforcement people. We’ll just see where everything goes from there. Let the process take place.”

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also said on Zoom Monday that he has worked with Rice throughout the offseason.

“I’m sure we’ll continue that work as the legal process plays out,” he said.

Rice grew up in the Fort Worth suburb of North Richland Hills and played college football at nearby SMU, where Knox was still playing until he was suspended following the crash. Knox is facing the same charges as Rice.

The Chiefs selected Rice in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly emerged as their top wide receiver, especially as others struggled with dropped passes and mental mistakes. He finished second on the team to Travis Kelce with 79 receptions for 938 yards while leading the Chiefs with seven touchdown receptions.

Rice may have been even better in the playoffs. He had 26 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown, including six catches for 39 yards against San Francisco in the Super Bowl, helping the Chiefs win their third Lombardi Trophy in five years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712789752508.png" alt="In this screen grab taken from dash camera video provided by Bill Nabors, two speeding sports cars, left and second from left, cause a chain-reaction crash on the North Central Expressway, in Dallas, Saturday, March 30, 2024. Dallas police said Wednesday, April 10, that Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver Rashee Rice faces charges including aggravated assault after he and another speeding driver of a sports car caused a chain-reaction crash on a Dallas highway. (Bill Nabors via AP)" />
 <figcaption>In this screen grab taken from dash camera video provided by Bill Nabors, two speeding sports cars, left and second from left, cause a chain-reaction crash on the North Central Expressway, in Dallas, Saturday, March 30, 2024. Dallas police said Wednesday, April 10, that Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver Rashee Rice faces charges including aggravated assault after he and another speeding driver of a sports car caused a chain-reaction crash on a Dallas highway. (Bill Nabors via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday that wide receiver Rashee Rice, who is facing charges that include aggravated assault as a result of a sports car crash in Texas, would participate in the team's voluntary offseason program beginning this week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712916229752.png" alt="Rice booking photo DeSoto Texas Jail" />
 <figcaption>Rice booking photo DeSoto Texas Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>Dallas police allege that Rice, the Chiefs' top wide receiver last season, and a friend, Theodore Knox, were driving at high speed in the far left lane of a freeway when they lost control. The Lamborghini that Rice has admitted to driving hit the center median, causing a chain reaction that involved six vehicles and resulted in injures to multiple people.Rice turned himself in last Thursday after police issued warrants for one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury. He was released on bond.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713214015325.png" alt="Theodore Knox-photo DeSoto, Texas Police" />
 <figcaption>Theodore Knox-photo DeSoto, Texas Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Rice is being represented by Texas state Sen. Royce West, who said in an emailed statement the wide receiver “acknowledges his actions and feels deeply for those injured as a result of this accident,” and that he would continue to cooperate with police."I’m leaving that like we’ve done most of these: just for the law enforcement part of it to take place,” Reid said during a Zoom meeting with local reporters Monday. “We will go from there with that. So you can hold your (questions). I have had an opportunity to talk to Rashee. I’m not going to obviously get into that, but that part has been gone through.”In recent years, the Chiefs have adopted virtual meetings during the early part of their offseason program because they have played into February for the Super Bowl. There is no on-field work allowed during the first two weeks.After that, teams are allowed to do in-person, on-field work, and Reid would not say whether Rice would participate.“We’ll just see how it goes there,” Reid said. “I want to keep gathering the information from the law enforcement people. We’ll just see where everything goes from there. Let the process take place.”Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also said on Zoom Monday that he has worked with Rice throughout the offseason.“I’m sure we’ll continue that work as the legal process plays out,” he said.Rice grew up in the Fort Worth suburb of North Richland Hills and played college football at nearby SMU, where Knox was still playing until he was suspended following the crash. Knox is facing the same charges as Rice.The Chiefs selected Rice in the second round of last year's draft, and he quickly emerged as their top wide receiver, especially as others struggled with dropped passes and mental mistakes. He finished second on the team to Travis Kelce with 79 receptions for 938 yards while leading the Chiefs with seven touchdown receptions.Rice may have been even better in the playoffs. He had 26 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown, including six catches for 39 yards against San Francisco in the Super Bowl, helping the Chiefs win their third Lombardi Trophy in five years.

Chiefs' Rice, facing charges for car crash, will participate in offseason work

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– Most aircraft assigned to McConnell Air Force Base have relocated away from the area Monday due to potential severe weather, according to a media release.

The aircraft, flown by the 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings, departed as a precaution against projected high winds and possibility of hail early Tuesday morning. The relocation protects the aircraft from potential damage, preserving McConnell’s ability to provide air refueling, airlift and aeromedical evacuation support around the globe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713209413093.png" alt="File photo&nbsp; by Airman Gavin Hameed -McConnell Air Force Base" />
 <figcaption>File photo&nbsp; by Airman Gavin Hameed -McConnell Air Force Base</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– Most aircraft assigned to McConnell Air Force Base have relocated away from the area Monday due to potential severe weather, according to a media release.The aircraft, flown by the 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings, departed as a precaution against projected high winds and possibility of hail early Tuesday morning. The relocation protects the aircraft from potential damage, preserving McConnell’s ability to provide air refueling, airlift and aeromedical evacuation support around the globe.

Kansas Air Force Base relocates aircraft ahead of severe weather

Governor signs bills designed to broaden social worker and dental workforce

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and Attorney General Kris Kobach celebrated doubling the maximum weekly compensation to Kansas crime victims and granting to members of the state board responsible for reviewing aid applications greater latitude to make awards based on the goal of avoiding profound injustice.

The legislation endorsed by Kobach and signed into law by Kelly would raise the authorized level of statewide funding provided crime victims to $500,000 annually from the current level of $300,000 each year. The bill approved by the Legislature on unanimous votes capped maximum individual payouts at $25,000.

Kelly said&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIzXzI0L21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjc4MS8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwNDEyLjkzMjg5MTMxIn0.gHCWSgokSR42QZCefT7eSsiPrTct0e_qYiwsx1kAqdk/s/1303160910/br/240665187934-l">House Bill 2781&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;enabled the Crime Victims Assistance Fund to raise individual awards to $800 per week and would make it more likely survivors of crime had access to services needed to overcome trauma. The awards for victims of human trafficking would range from $350 to $800 per week.

“Thanks to this bill, survivors of crime will be better supported to receive the care they need to achieve stability and independence,” the governor said.

The state review board would be authorized to reduce or withdraw financial assistance if the victim or claimant wasn’t fully cooperative with law enforcement agencies.

Awards would be made if criminal conduct resulting in injury or death was reported to a law enforcement officer within 72 hours after the incident occurred, the victim obtained a forensic medical examination within seven days of the offense or when the state board found good reason for a person to fail to meet those time constraints.

In terms of some sexually violent crimes, applications would be considered valid if filed within two years of reporting the incident to law enforcement. Victims could be granted awards based on claims filed up to 10 years after a crime was committed in instances in which DNA testing revealed the profile of a suspect.

“We have an obligation to assist victims as they recover,” Kobach said. “This new law doesn’t erase their trauma, but being able to provide more and better financial assistance to crime victims helps restore a piece of their lives.”

Michelle McCormick, executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, said the attorney general, Legislature and governor collectively recognized Kansans victimized by violent crime deserved more extensive support while navigating circumstances of recovery.

“Victims of crime were struggling against an outdated law that, in some areas, hadn’t been revised since the ’90s,” said Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park. “We tackled that problem holistically, with a trauma-informed approach that puts victims and survivors first.”

Meanwhile, Kelly said Friday she signed House Bill 2628 to require the Kansas Department for Children and Families to release information on child fatalities when criminal charges were filed and the minor was involved with the state’s child welfare system.

She likewise signed House Bill 2703 to mandate public school students in the custody of DCF to be identified as academically at-risk to make certain they were eligible for special education programs and services.

Kelly also signed House Bill 2453 to allow Kansas to take part in a dentist and dental hygienist compact with other states to create additional employment opportunities in Kansas. She signed a bill allowing Kansas to participate in an interstate compact for social workers in an attempt to widen access to mental health care and to simplify the licensing processes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713191729016.png" alt="Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach welcoming signing into law a bill substantively elevating state financial awards to victims of crime. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach welcoming signing into law a bill substantively elevating state financial awards to victims of crime. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Governor signs bills designed to broaden social worker and dental workforce</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and Attorney General Kris Kobach celebrated doubling the maximum weekly compensation to Kansas crime victims and granting to members of the state board responsible for reviewing aid applications greater latitude to make awards based on the goal of avoiding profound injustice.The legislation endorsed by Kobach and signed into law by Kelly would raise the authorized level of statewide funding provided crime victims to $500,000 annually from the current level of $300,000 each year. The bill approved by the Legislature on unanimous votes capped maximum individual payouts at $25,000.Kelly said&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIzXzI0L21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjc4MS8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjQwNDEyLjkzMjg5MTMxIn0.gHCWSgokSR42QZCefT7eSsiPrTct0e_qYiwsx1kAqdk/s/1303160910/br/240665187934-l">House Bill 2781&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;enabled the Crime Victims Assistance Fund to raise individual awards to $800 per week and would make it more likely survivors of crime had access to services needed to overcome trauma. The awards for victims of human trafficking would range from $350 to $800 per week.“Thanks to this bill, survivors of crime will be better supported to receive the care they need to achieve stability and independence,” the governor said.The state review board would be authorized to reduce or withdraw financial assistance if the victim or claimant wasn’t fully cooperative with law enforcement agencies.Awards would be made if criminal conduct resulting in injury or death was reported to a law enforcement officer within 72 hours after the incident occurred, the victim obtained a forensic medical examination within seven days of the offense or when the state board found good reason for a person to fail to meet those time constraints.In terms of some sexually violent crimes, applications would be considered valid if filed within two years of reporting the incident to law enforcement. Victims could be granted awards based on claims filed up to 10 years after a crime was committed in instances in which DNA testing revealed the profile of a suspect.“We have an obligation to assist victims as they recover,” Kobach said. “This new law doesn’t erase their trauma, but being able to provide more and better financial assistance to crime victims helps restore a piece of their lives.”Michelle McCormick, executive director of the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, said the attorney general, Legislature and governor collectively recognized Kansans victimized by violent crime deserved more extensive support while navigating circumstances of recovery.“Victims of crime were struggling against an outdated law that, in some areas, hadn’t been revised since the ’90s,” said Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park. “We tackled that problem holistically, with a trauma-informed approach that puts victims and survivors first.”Meanwhile, Kelly said Friday she signed House Bill 2628 to require the Kansas Department for Children and Families to release information on child fatalities when criminal charges were filed and the minor was involved with the state’s child welfare system.She likewise signed House Bill 2703 to mandate public school students in the custody of DCF to be identified as academically at-risk to make certain they were eligible for special education programs and services.Kelly also signed House Bill 2453 to allow Kansas to take part in a dentist and dental hygienist compact with other states to create additional employment opportunities in Kansas. She signed a bill allowing Kansas to participate in an interstate compact for social workers in an attempt to widen access to mental health care and to simplify the licensing processes.

New Kansas law doubles crime victim funding, requires release of information in child deaths

WASHINGTON —The United States found a creative way to get more weapons to Ukraine.

Earlier this month,&nbsp;the U.S. government transferred over 5,000 AK-47s, machine guns, sniper rifles, RPG-7s and over 500,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces, according to a statement the U.S. Central Command.

This constitutes enough materiel to equip one Ukraine BDE with small arms rifles and will "help Ukraine defend against Russia’s invasion."

The U.S. government obtained ownership of these munitions on December 1, 2023, through the Department of Justice’s civil forfeiture claims against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

These munitions were originally seized by U.S. Central Command and partner naval forces from four separate transiting stateless vessels between 22 May 2021 to 15 Feb 2023. 

The munitions were being transferred from the IRGC to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216. U.S. CENTCOM is committed to working with our allies and partners to counter the flow of Iranian lethal aid in the region by all lawful means including U.S. and U.N. sanctions and through interdictions. 

"Iran’s support for armed groups threatens international and regional security, our forces, diplomatic personnel, and citizens in the region, as well as those of our partners. We will continue to do whatever we can to shed light on and stop Iran’s destabilizing activities.," according to the U.S. Central Command.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712664016584.png" alt="Photo U.S Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The United States found a creative way to get more weapons to Ukraine.Earlier this month,&nbsp;the U.S. government transferred over 5,000 AK-47s, machine guns, sniper rifles, RPG-7s and over 500,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition to the Ukrainian armed forces, according to a statement the U.S. Central Command.This constitutes enough materiel to equip one Ukraine BDE with small arms rifles and will "help Ukraine defend against Russia’s invasion."The U.S. government obtained ownership of these munitions on December 1, 2023, through the Department of Justice’s civil forfeiture claims against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These munitions were originally seized by U.S. Central Command and partner naval forces from four separate transiting stateless vessels between 22 May 2021 to 15 Feb 2023. The munitions were being transferred from the IRGC to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216. U.S. CENTCOM is committed to working with our allies and partners to counter the flow of Iranian lethal aid in the region by all lawful means including U.S. and U.N. sanctions and through interdictions. "Iran’s support for armed groups threatens international and regional security, our forces, diplomatic personnel, and citizens in the region, as well as those of our partners. We will continue to do whatever we can to shed light on and stop Iran’s destabilizing activities.," according to the U.S. Central Command.

U.S. transfers weapons seized from Iran-terrorists to Ukraine fighters

GUYMON, Okla. (AP) — Two Kansas women who went missing on a trip to Oklahoma to pick up children for a birthday party are dead, authorities confirmed Monday, describing a two-week effort to secure the kids' safety and avoid violence in arresting four suspects on charges of kidnapping and murder.

Two bodies were recovered in rural Oklahoma, a day after the arrests of four people in the case.

Authorities say 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley, of Hugoton, Kansas, were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-women-oklahoma-kansas-foul-play-fb4b0638912286fc355b550165ee88c6">driving through the Oklahoma panhandle</a>&nbsp;to pick up Butler’s children for a March 30 birthday party in Kansas. They never showed up, and their vehicle was found later that day, abandoned on a rural highway near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line, with evidence of foul play.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation on Monday described an intense effort to find the women, protect the children and arrest suspects without violence.

“This case did not end the way we had hoped. It’s certainly been a tragedy for everyone involved,” OSBI Director Aungela Spurlock said.

OSBI spokesman Hunter McKee said Butler and Kelley are dead, and that the four defendants were responsible for the women going missing, but would not confirm that the bodies found were identified as the missing Kansas women, pending a report from Medical Examiner’s Office.

On Saturday, Oklahoma authorities said they arrested and charged four people with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree: Tad Bert Cullum, 43; Tifany Machel Adams, 54; Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44. Court records don’t indicate whether any of the four defendants have an attorney who could speak on their behalf.

Authorities announced the next day that two bodies were recovered in Texas County. The Medical Examiner’s Office would determine their identification and cause of death, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OSBI.OK">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;Sunday night.

All four suspects are being held without bond in the Texas County Jail and are scheduled to make an initial court appearance Wednesday morning, said Texas County Court Clerk Renee Ellis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712053989356.png" alt="Jilian Kelley and Veronica Butler-photo OSBI" />
 <figcaption>Jilian Kelley and Veronica Butler-photo OSBI</figcaption>
 </figure>GUYMON, Okla. (AP) — Two Kansas women who went missing on a trip to Oklahoma to pick up children for a birthday party are dead, authorities confirmed Monday, describing a two-week effort to secure the kids' safety and avoid violence in arresting four suspects on charges of kidnapping and murder.Two bodies were recovered in rural Oklahoma, a day after the arrests of four people in the case.Authorities say 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley, of Hugoton, Kansas, were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missing-women-oklahoma-kansas-foul-play-fb4b0638912286fc355b550165ee88c6">driving through the Oklahoma panhandle</a>&nbsp;to pick up Butler’s children for a March 30 birthday party in Kansas. They never showed up, and their vehicle was found later that day, abandoned on a rural highway near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line, with evidence of foul play.The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation on Monday described an intense effort to find the women, protect the children and arrest suspects without violence.“This case did not end the way we had hoped. It’s certainly been a tragedy for everyone involved,” OSBI Director Aungela Spurlock said.OSBI spokesman Hunter McKee said Butler and Kelley are dead, and that the four defendants were responsible for the women going missing, but would not confirm that the bodies found were identified as the missing Kansas women, pending a report from Medical Examiner’s Office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713056452999.png" alt="Four suspects in the case -Counterclockwise from top-43-year-old Tad Bert Cullum; 54-year-old Tifany Machel Adams, 50-year-old Cole Earl Twombly, and 44-year-old Cora Twombly -photos Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation" />
 <figcaption>Four suspects in the case -Counterclockwise from top-43-year-old Tad Bert Cullum; 54-year-old Tifany Machel Adams, 50-year-old Cole Earl Twombly, and 44-year-old Cora Twombly -photos Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation</figcaption>
 </figure>On Saturday, Oklahoma authorities said they arrested and charged four people with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree: Tad Bert Cullum, 43; Tifany Machel Adams, 54; Cole Earl Twombly, 50, and Cora Twombly, 44. Court records don’t indicate whether any of the four defendants have an attorney who could speak on their behalf.Authorities announced the next day that two bodies were recovered in Texas County. The Medical Examiner’s Office would determine their identification and cause of death, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OSBI.OK">said in a statement</a>&nbsp;Sunday night.All four suspects are being held without bond in the Texas County Jail and are scheduled to make an initial court appearance Wednesday morning, said Texas County Court Clerk Renee Ellis.

Missing Kan. women confirmed dead, kids safe, 4 charged with murder

WASHINGTON — For the third time in five years, senators could be sworn in as jurors for an impeachment trial. But the chamber is expected to spend far less time on the charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas than the ones brought against former President Donald Trump — or maybe no time at all.

Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. provided remarks on the Senate Floor leading up to the Senate receiving the articles of impeachment for DHS Secretary Mayorkas&nbsp;

The Republican-controlled House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214" target="_blank">impeached Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;by a single vote margin on Feb. 13, recommending that Mayorkas be removed from office over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. With two articles of impeachment, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-impeachment-border-immigration-congress-3bff388c2f0d1cc718f43d901bc50690" target="_blank">House charge</a>&nbsp;that Mayorkas has “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce existing immigration laws and breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to send the House's articles of impeachment against<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alejandro-mayorkas">&nbsp;Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;to the Senate this week as previously planned after Republican senators requested more time Tuesday to build support for holding a full trial.

The sudden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-impeachment-senate-border-a3db11783bbcb197e3e30a3ebad26ed6">change of plans</a>&nbsp;cast fresh doubts on the proceedings, the historic first impeachment of a Cabinet secretary in roughly 150 years. Seeking to rebuke the Biden administration's handling of the southern border, House Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214">impeached Mayorkas in February</a>&nbsp;but delayed sending the articles while they finished work on government funding legislation.

Johnson had planned to send the impeachment charges to the Senate on Wednesday evening. But as it became clear that Democrats, who hold majority control of the chamber, had the votes to quickly dismiss them, Senate Republicans requested that Johnson delay until next week. They hoped the tactic would prolong the process.

While Republicans argued that forgoing a full Senate trial would break precedent, most Senate Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-senate-eeff16bd40a4fe3b65b5efc9f1582289">voted to do just that</a>&nbsp;when Donald Trump, the former president, was impeached a second time on charges he incited an insurrection in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. Their effort to halt the proceedings failed. Trump was ultimately acquitted in the Senate trial.

“Our members want to have an opportunity not only to debate but also to have some votes on issues they want to raise,” said South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the second-ranking Republican Senate leader. Under procedural rules, senators are required to convene as jurors the day after the articles of impeachment are transmitted for a trial.

“There is no reason whatsoever for the Senate to abdicate its responsibility to hold an impeachment trial," Johnson’s spokesman, Taylor Haulsee, said in a statement announcing the delay.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. D-N.Y., who has decried the impeachment push as a “sham,” suggested Democrats still plan to deal with the charges quickly.

"We’re ready to go whenever they are. We are sticking with our plan. We’re going to move this as expeditiously as possible,” Schumer said.

“Impeachment should never be used to settle policy disagreements,” he told reporters earlier Tuesday.

House Republicans charged in two articles of impeachment that Mayorkas has not only refused to enforce existing law but also breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure.

Democrats — and a few Republicans — say the charges amount to a policy dispute, not the Constitution's bar of high crimes and misdemeanors.

“Ultimately, I think it’s virtually certain that there will not be the conviction of someone when the constitutional test has not been met,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.

Romney said he was not sure how he would vote on the Senate’s process but wanted to at least express his view that “Mayorkas has done a terrible job, but he’s following the direction of the president and has not met the constitutional test of a high crime or misdemeanor.”

Still, with elections approaching, Republicans want to force Congress to grapple with the Biden administration's handling of the southern border as long as possible.

“I think there are a lot of Democrats who really want to avoid the vote. I don’t blame them. I mean, this is the number one issue on the minds of Americans,” Thune said.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who is facing a tough reelection bid in Ohio, called the impeachment trial a “distraction" and pointed to Republican senators rejecting a bipartisan deal aimed at tamping down the number of illegal border crossings from Mexico.

“Instead of doing this impeachment — the first one in 100 years — why are we not doing a bipartisan border deal?” Brown said.

Prior to Mayorkas, only one U.S. cabinet official had ever been impeached. Secretary of War&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-trials-elections-impeachments-35f6ab5b1eab588d8052d54d93f04294">William Belknap</a>&nbsp;in 1876. A House investigation found evidence that he had received kickback payments while administering government contracts.

Belknap resigned, but the Senate still held a trial. The votes on all five impeachment charges against Belknap fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for a conviction.

WASHINGTON — For the third time in five years, senators could be sworn in as jurors for an impeachment trial. But the chamber is expected to spend far less time on the charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas than the ones brought against former President Donald Trump — or maybe no time at all.Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. provided remarks on the Senate Floor leading up to the Senate receiving the articles of impeachment for DHS Secretary Mayorkas&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hMAYD7yVmyI?si=dnYCN15fQf9Wqlhv&amp;start=1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Republican-controlled House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214" target="_blank">impeached Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;by a single vote margin on Feb. 13, recommending that Mayorkas be removed from office over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. With two articles of impeachment, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-impeachment-border-immigration-congress-3bff388c2f0d1cc718f43d901bc50690" target="_blank">House charge</a>&nbsp;that Mayorkas has “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce existing immigration laws and breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure.House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to send the House's articles of impeachment against<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alejandro-mayorkas">&nbsp;Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;to the Senate this week as previously planned after Republican senators requested more time Tuesday to build support for holding a full trial.The sudden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-impeachment-senate-border-a3db11783bbcb197e3e30a3ebad26ed6">change of plans</a>&nbsp;cast fresh doubts on the proceedings, the historic first impeachment of a Cabinet secretary in roughly 150 years. Seeking to rebuke the Biden administration's handling of the southern border, House Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214">impeached Mayorkas in February</a>&nbsp;but delayed sending the articles while they finished work on government funding legislation.Johnson had planned to send the impeachment charges to the Senate on Wednesday evening. But as it became clear that Democrats, who hold majority control of the chamber, had the votes to quickly dismiss them, Senate Republicans requested that Johnson delay until next week. They hoped the tactic would prolong the process.While Republicans argued that forgoing a full Senate trial would break precedent, most Senate Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-senate-eeff16bd40a4fe3b65b5efc9f1582289">voted to do just that</a>&nbsp;when Donald Trump, the former president, was impeached a second time on charges he incited an insurrection in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. Their effort to halt the proceedings failed. Trump was ultimately acquitted in the Senate trial.“Our members want to have an opportunity not only to debate but also to have some votes on issues they want to raise,” said South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the second-ranking Republican Senate leader. Under procedural rules, senators are required to convene as jurors the day after the articles of impeachment are transmitted for a trial.“There is no reason whatsoever for the Senate to abdicate its responsibility to hold an impeachment trial," Johnson’s spokesman, Taylor Haulsee, said in a statement announcing the delay.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. D-N.Y., who has decried the impeachment push as a “sham,” suggested Democrats still plan to deal with the charges quickly."We’re ready to go whenever they are. We are sticking with our plan. We’re going to move this as expeditiously as possible,” Schumer said.“Impeachment should never be used to settle policy disagreements,” he told reporters earlier Tuesday.House Republicans charged in two articles of impeachment that Mayorkas has not only refused to enforce existing law but also breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure.Democrats — and a few Republicans — say the charges amount to a policy dispute, not the Constitution's bar of high crimes and misdemeanors.“Ultimately, I think it’s virtually certain that there will not be the conviction of someone when the constitutional test has not been met,” said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.Romney said he was not sure how he would vote on the Senate’s process but wanted to at least express his view that “Mayorkas has done a terrible job, but he’s following the direction of the president and has not met the constitutional test of a high crime or misdemeanor.”Still, with elections approaching, Republicans want to force Congress to grapple with the Biden administration's handling of the southern border as long as possible.“I think there are a lot of Democrats who really want to avoid the vote. I don’t blame them. I mean, this is the number one issue on the minds of Americans,” Thune said.Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who is facing a tough reelection bid in Ohio, called the impeachment trial a “distraction" and pointed to Republican senators rejecting a bipartisan deal aimed at tamping down the number of illegal border crossings from Mexico.“Instead of doing this impeachment — the first one in 100 years — why are we not doing a bipartisan border deal?” Brown said.Prior to Mayorkas, only one U.S. cabinet official had ever been impeached. Secretary of War&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-trials-elections-impeachments-35f6ab5b1eab588d8052d54d93f04294">William Belknap</a>&nbsp;in 1876. A House investigation found evidence that he had received kickback payments while administering government contracts.Belknap resigned, but the Senate still held a trial. The votes on all five impeachment charges against Belknap fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for a conviction.

🎥Marshall demands full impeachment trial for DHS Secretary Mayorkas 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a road-rage incident and have a suspect in custody.

Early April 11, police responded to a rolling road rage incident involving gunfire near Kansas Street and Interstate 35, according to a social media report from Liberty Police.

 After a thorough investigation with several different departments, Shannon Ireland, 36, of Raytown, was taken into custody. 

Subsequently, the Clay County Prosecutor's Office charged Ireland with a Class B felony of Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a $50,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713008196192.png" alt="Ireland-photo Liberty Police" />
 <figcaption>Ireland-photo Liberty Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a road-rage incident and have a suspect in custody.Early April 11, police responded to a rolling road rage incident involving gunfire near Kansas Street and Interstate 35, according to a social media report from Liberty Police. After a thorough investigation with several different departments, Shannon Ireland, 36, of Raytown, was taken into custody. Subsequently, the Clay County Prosecutor's Office charged Ireland with a Class B felony of Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a $50,000 bond.&nbsp;

Woman charged in KC area road-rage incident

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;arrived Monday at a New York court for the start of jury selection in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-gag-order-hush-money-juan-merchan-0a10c7ee0236f760ce50c05cafb163ef">hush money trial,</a>&nbsp;marking a singular moment in American history as the former president and current White House hopeful answers to criminal charges.

It’s the first criminal trial of any former U.S. commander-in-chief and the first of Trump’s four indictments to reach trial. Because he is also the presumptive nominee for this year’s Republican ticket, the trial will produce the head-spinning split-screen of a presidential candidate spending his days in court and, he has said, “campaigning during the night.”

At the outset of Monday's court proceedings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Judge Juan M. Merchan</a>&nbsp;denied a defense request to recuse himself from the case. Additional legal arguments and housekeeping matters were expected before the formal start of jury selection.

When it finally does begin, scores of people are due to be called into the courtroom to start the process of finding 12 jurors, plus six alternates. Trump's notoriety would make the process of picking a jury a near-herculean task in any year, but it's likely to be especially challenging now, unfolding in a closely contested presidential election in the city where Trump grew up and catapulted to celebrity status before winning the White House.

has written that the key is “whether the prospective juror can assure us that they will set aside any personal feelings or biases and render a decision that is based on the evidence and the law.”

The trial amounts to a historic courtroom reckoning for Trump, whose norm-shattering presidency was shadowed from start to finish by investigations and who now faces four separate indictments charging him with crimes ranging from hoarding classified documents to plotting to overturn an election.

Yet the political stakes are less clear given that a conviction would not preclude him from becoming president and because the allegations in this case have been known to the public for years and are seen as less grievous than the conduct behind the three other cases against him.

No matter the outcome, Trump is looking to benefit from the proceedings, presenting himself as the victim of politically motivated prosecutions designed to derail his candidacy. He's lambasted judges and prosecutors for years, a pattern of attacks that continued up to the moment he entered court on Monday, when he said: '“This is political persecution. This is a persecution like never before.”

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Prosecutors say he was trying to conceal an alleged effort to keep salacious — and, he says, bogus — stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign.

The charges center on $130,000 in payments that Trump’s company made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. He had paid that sum on Trump’s behalf to keep porn actor Stormy Daniels from going public, a month before the election, with her claims of a sexual encounter with the married mogul a decade earlier.

Trump himself casts the case, and his indictments elsewhere, as a broad “weaponization of law enforcement” by Democratic prosecutors and officials. He maintains they are orchestrating sham charges in hopes of impeding his presidential run.

The trial of an ex-president and current candidate is a moment of extraordinary gravity for the American political system, as well as for Trump himself. Such a scenario would have once seemed unthinkable to many Americans, even for a president whose tenure left a trail of shattered norms, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">twice being impeached</a>&nbsp;and acquitted by the Senate.

The scene inside the courtroom may be greeted with a spectacle outside. When Trump was arraigned last year, police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-arrest-c82a52fbbe41e55f0e34f313b4e19afd">broke up small skirmishes</a>&nbsp;between his supporters and protesters near the courthouse in a tiny park, where a local Republican group has planned a pro-Trump rally Monday.

The process of choosing those 12, plus six alternates, will begin with scores of people filing into Merchan's courtroom. They will be known only by number, as he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-new-york-jury-9b36769997f86c6c172daf5b267c7dd8">ordered their names to be kept secret</a>&nbsp;from everyone except prosecutors, Trump and their legal teams.

After hearing some basics about the case and jury service, the prospective jurors will be asked to raise hands if they believe they cannot serve or be fair and impartial. Those who do so will be excused, according to Merchan's filing last week.

The rest will be eligible for questioning. The 42 preapproved, sometimes multi-pronged queries include background basics but also reflect the uniqueness of the case.

“Do you have any strong opinions or firmly held beliefs about former President Donald Trump, or the fact that he is a current candidate for president, that would interfere with your ability to be a fair and impartial juror?” asks one question.

Others ask about attendance at Trump or anti-Trump rallies, opinions on how he's being treated in the case, news sources and more — including any “political, moral, intellectual, or religious beliefs or opinions” that might “slant" a prospective juror's approach to the case.

Based on the answers, the attorneys can ask a judge to eliminate people “for cause” if they meet certain criteria for being unable to serve or be unbiased. The lawyers also can use “peremptory challenges” to nix 10 potential jurors and two prospective alternates without giving a reason.

“If you're going to strike everybody who's either a Republican or a Democrat,” the judge observed at a February hearing, “you're going to run out of peremptory challenges very quickly.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713189307641.png" alt="Former President Trump spoke to reporters ahead of jury selection in his hush money trial. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Trump spoke to reporters ahead of jury selection in his hush money trial. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;arrived Monday at a New York court for the start of jury selection in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-gag-order-hush-money-juan-merchan-0a10c7ee0236f760ce50c05cafb163ef">hush money trial,</a>&nbsp;marking a singular moment in American history as the former president and current White House hopeful answers to criminal charges.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump remarks ahead of Hush Money Trial: &quot;This is political persecution this is a persecution like never before....it&#39;s an assault on America.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gdPUMgl8KQ">pic.twitter.com/gdPUMgl8KQ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1779869871066448377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It’s the first criminal trial of any former U.S. commander-in-chief and the first of Trump’s four indictments to reach trial. Because he is also the presumptive nominee for this year’s Republican ticket, the trial will produce the head-spinning split-screen of a presidential candidate spending his days in court and, he has said, “campaigning during the night.”At the outset of Monday's court proceedings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Judge Juan M. Merchan</a>&nbsp;denied a defense request to recuse himself from the case. Additional legal arguments and housekeeping matters were expected before the formal start of jury selection.When it finally does begin, scores of people are due to be called into the courtroom to start the process of finding 12 jurors, plus six alternates. Trump's notoriety would make the process of picking a jury a near-herculean task in any year, but it's likely to be especially challenging now, unfolding in a closely contested presidential election in the city where Trump grew up and catapulted to celebrity status before winning the White House.has written that the key is “whether the prospective juror can assure us that they will set aside any personal feelings or biases and render a decision that is based on the evidence and the law.”The trial amounts to a historic courtroom reckoning for Trump, whose norm-shattering presidency was shadowed from start to finish by investigations and who now faces four separate indictments charging him with crimes ranging from hoarding classified documents to plotting to overturn an election.Yet the political stakes are less clear given that a conviction would not preclude him from becoming president and because the allegations in this case have been known to the public for years and are seen as less grievous than the conduct behind the three other cases against him.No matter the outcome, Trump is looking to benefit from the proceedings, presenting himself as the victim of politically motivated prosecutions designed to derail his candidacy. He's lambasted judges and prosecutors for years, a pattern of attacks that continued up to the moment he entered court on Monday, when he said: '“This is political persecution. This is a persecution like never before.”Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.Prosecutors say he was trying to conceal an alleged effort to keep salacious — and, he says, bogus — stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign.The charges center on $130,000 in payments that Trump’s company made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen. He had paid that sum on Trump’s behalf to keep porn actor Stormy Daniels from going public, a month before the election, with her claims of a sexual encounter with the married mogul a decade earlier.Prosecutors say the payments to Cohen were falsely logged as legal fees in order to cloak their actual purpose. Trump's lawyers say the disbursements indeed were legal expenses, not a cover-up.Trump himself casts the case, and his indictments elsewhere, as a broad “weaponization of law enforcement” by Democratic prosecutors and officials. He maintains they are orchestrating sham charges in hopes of impeding his presidential run.After decades of fielding and initiating lawsuits, the businessman-turned-politician now faces a trial that could result in up to four years in prison if he’s convicted, though a no-jail sentence also would be possible.The trial of an ex-president and current candidate is a moment of extraordinary gravity for the American political system, as well as for Trump himself. Such a scenario would have once seemed unthinkable to many Americans, even for a president whose tenure left a trail of shattered norms, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">twice being impeached</a>&nbsp;and acquitted by the Senate.The scene inside the courtroom may be greeted with a spectacle outside. When Trump was arraigned last year, police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-arrest-c82a52fbbe41e55f0e34f313b4e19afd">broke up small skirmishes</a>&nbsp;between his supporters and protesters near the courthouse in a tiny park, where a local Republican group has planned a pro-Trump rally Monday.Trump's attorneys lost a bid to get the hush-money case dismissed and have since repeatedly sought to delay it, prompting a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-appeal-juan-merchan-43ce6ef13f3b7a2ea017a658e6b4e01b">flurry of last-minute appeals court hearings</a>&nbsp;last week.Among other things, Trump's lawyers maintain that the jury pool in overwhelmingly Democratic Manhattan has been tainted by negative publicity about Trump and that the case should be moved elsewhere.An appeals judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-juan-merchan-hush-money-appeal-lawsuit-6abe221a7cb2ea670eb3ed1a7a134643">turned down an emergency request</a>&nbsp;to delay the trial while the change-of-venue request goes to a group of appellate judges, who are set to consider it in the coming weeks.Manhattan prosecutors have countered that a lot of the publicity stems from Trump’s own comments and that questioning will tease out whether prospective jurors can put aside any preconceptions they may have. There’s no reason, prosecutors said, to think that 12 fair and impartial people can’t be found amid Manhattan’s roughly 1.4 million adult residents.The process of choosing those 12, plus six alternates, will begin with scores of people filing into Merchan's courtroom. They will be known only by number, as he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-hush-money-new-york-jury-9b36769997f86c6c172daf5b267c7dd8">ordered their names to be kept secret</a>&nbsp;from everyone except prosecutors, Trump and their legal teams.After hearing some basics about the case and jury service, the prospective jurors will be asked to raise hands if they believe they cannot serve or be fair and impartial. Those who do so will be excused, according to Merchan's filing last week.The rest will be eligible for questioning. The 42 preapproved, sometimes multi-pronged queries include background basics but also reflect the uniqueness of the case.“Do you have any strong opinions or firmly held beliefs about former President Donald Trump, or the fact that he is a current candidate for president, that would interfere with your ability to be a fair and impartial juror?” asks one question.Others ask about attendance at Trump or anti-Trump rallies, opinions on how he's being treated in the case, news sources and more — including any “political, moral, intellectual, or religious beliefs or opinions” that might “slant" a prospective juror's approach to the case.Based on the answers, the attorneys can ask a judge to eliminate people “for cause” if they meet certain criteria for being unable to serve or be unbiased. The lawyers also can use “peremptory challenges” to nix 10 potential jurors and two prospective alternates without giving a reason.“If you're going to strike everybody who's either a Republican or a Democrat,” the judge observed at a February hearing, “you're going to run out of peremptory challenges very quickly.”

🎥Trump speaks ahead of 1st criminal trial of a former U.S. President

JOHNSON COUNTY—First responders were busy Sunday with an unusual rescue. Just after 10:30a.m. Sunday, firefighters&nbsp; responded to a call at a home near 123rd Street and Alcan in Olathe, according to a social media report,&nbsp;

A man was pinned to a tree’s trunk by a rope while cutting down part of the top of the tree.

Firefighters used ladders and ropes to rescue the man who was about 20’ off the ground. He had a minor injury. Olathe Police and Johnson County Medical Alert assisted at the scene. Authorities did not release the man's name or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713132475750.png" alt="Photos Olathe Fife Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos Olathe Fife Department</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—First responders were busy Sunday with an unusual rescue. Just after 10:30a.m. Sunday, firefighters&nbsp; responded to a call at a home near 123rd Street and Alcan in Olathe, according to a social media report,&nbsp;A man was pinned to a tree’s trunk by a rope while cutting down part of the top of the tree.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713132597965.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Firefighters used ladders and ropes to rescue the man who was about 20’ off the ground. He had a minor injury. Olathe Police and Johnson County Medical Alert assisted at the scene. Authorities did not release the man's name or additional details.

Kansas man rescued after pinned high in a tree

KANSAS CITY —Just before 10p.m. Saturday, crews responded to a reported to a&nbsp; fire at a lumber yard in the 3900 block of 14th&nbsp;Terrace in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp;

First responders reported heavy fire and smoke from a commercial office building at the lumber yard. Crews immediately went in to defensive operations with the focus of preventing the fire from spreading to the surrounding stacks of lumber and rail cars loaded with lumber.

The fire had progressed enough that crews were unable to enter the building. KCFD requested the main line of the railway be shut down for a brief period while the fire was brought under control just as a matter of precaution. 

The fire was brought under control and crews were working on hot spots. The fire was contained to the main building with minimal damage to surrounding lumber stacks. This fire escalated to a second alarm. A third alarm was dispatched and staged but not used and placed back in service.&nbsp; No injuries were reported, according to Hopkins. The cause remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713089619841.png" alt="Photos KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Photos KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Just before 10p.m. Saturday, crews responded to a reported to a&nbsp; fire at a lumber yard in the 3900 block of 14th&nbsp;Terrace in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.&nbsp;First responders reported heavy fire and smoke from a commercial office building at the lumber yard. Crews immediately went in to defensive operations with the focus of preventing the fire from spreading to the surrounding stacks of lumber and rail cars loaded with lumber.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713089500424.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The fire had progressed enough that crews were unable to enter the building. KCFD requested the main line of the railway be shut down for a brief period while the fire was brought under control just as a matter of precaution. The fire was brought under control and crews were working on hot spots. The fire was contained to the main building with minimal damage to surrounding lumber stacks. This fire escalated to a second alarm. A third alarm was dispatched and staged but not used and placed back in service.&nbsp; No injuries were reported, according to Hopkins. The cause remains under investigation.

Crews save a Kansas City lumber yard in 2-alarm fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — On this Tax Day, the IRS is promoting the customer service improvements the agency rolled out since receiving tens of billions in new funding dollars through Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act.

From cutting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/filing-season-irs-tax-day-taxpayer-4ad340b6dc83b4b4dce89658eda7bbd1">phone wait times</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-digital-paperless-tax-returns-paperwork-costs-2025-3256684198f61bb9b64e1521d5cb6014">digitizing more documents</a>&nbsp;and improving the “Where's My Refund” tool to show more account details in plain language, agency leadership is trying to bring attention to what's been done to repair the agency’s image as an outdated and maligned tax collector.

The promotion also in part is meant to quickly normalize a more efficient and effective IRS before congressional Republicans threaten another round of cuts to the agency. So time is of the essence for both taxpayers and the agency this season.

“This filing season, the IRS has built off past successes and reached new milestones,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on a Friday call with reporters. “It’s showing that when it has the resources it needs, it will provide taxpayers the service they deserve.”

“Delivering tax season is a massive undertaking," said IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. “We greatly appreciate people in many different areas working long hours to serve taxpayers as the tax deadline approaches.”

For most people, April 15 is the last day to submit tax returns or to file an extension and the IRS says it has received more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irsgov-offers-last-minute-filing-tips-resources-to-help-taxpayers-who-still-need-to-file-before-april-15-special-saturday-hours-in-70-locations">100 million tax returns</a>, with tens of millions more expected to be filed.

The IRS says call wait times have been cut down to three minutes this tax season, compared with the average 28 minutes in 2022. That has saved taxpayers 1.4 million hours of hold time and the agency has answered 3 million more calls compared with the same time frame. Also, an updated “Where’s My Refund” tool giving more specific information about taxpayers’ refunds in plain language was rolled out to 31 million views online.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-season-income-taxes-revenue-werfel-8387205aac2c916fd62cc7b40a439cdd">Werfel told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;earlier in the tax season that the agency's agenda is to deliver “better service for all Americans so that we can ease stress, frustration and make the tax filing process easier — and to increase scrutiny on complex filers where there’s risk of tax evasion."

“When we do that,” Werfel said, “not only do we make the tax system work better because it’s easier and more streamlined to meet your tax obligations. But also we collect more money for the U.S. Treasury and lower our deficit. The IRS is a good investment.”

Major new initiatives in recent months have included an aggressive pursuit of high-wealth earners who don’t pay their full tax obligations, such as people who improperly deduct personal flights on corporate jets and those who just don’t file at all.

This also is the first tax season that the IRS has rolled out a program called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-taxes-direct-file-program-free-4b0917e281b63e06527343598dde650c">Direct File</a>, the government’s free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/income-taxes-irs-filing-season-tax-3183677b56af696bd5e005fa01388f79">electronic tax return filing system</a>&nbsp;available to taxpayers in 12 states who have simple W-2 forms and claim a standard deduction.

If Direct File is successful and scaled up for the general public’s use, the program could drastically change how Americans file their taxes and how much money they spend completing them. That is, if the agency can see the program through its development in spite of threats to its funding.

The Inflation Reduction Act initially included $80 billion for the IRS.

However, House Republicans have successfully clawed back some of the money. They built a $1.4 billion reduction to the IRS into the debt ceiling and budget cuts package passed by Congress last summer. A separate agreement will take an additional $20 billion from the IRS over the next two years to divert to other nondefense programs.

Government watchdogs warn IRS funding cuts will reduce the amount of revenues the U.S. collects.

The non-partisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59972">Congressional Budget Office reported</a>&nbsp;in February that a $5 billion rescission from the IRS would reduce revenues by $5.2 billion over the next 10 years and increase the cumulative deficit by $0.2 billion. A $20 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $44 billion and a $35 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $89 billion and increase the deficit by $54 billion.

WASHINGTON (AP) — On this Tax Day, the IRS is promoting the customer service improvements the agency rolled out since receiving tens of billions in new funding dollars through Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Visit <a href="https://t.co/M58WbkiNQi">https://t.co/M58WbkiNQi</a> before the filing season deadline! <a href="https://t.co/Xy6rlmZeOE">pic.twitter.com/Xy6rlmZeOE</a>&mdash; IRSnews (@IRSnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/IRSnews/status/1779480978756346270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>From cutting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/filing-season-irs-tax-day-taxpayer-4ad340b6dc83b4b4dce89658eda7bbd1">phone wait times</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-digital-paperless-tax-returns-paperwork-costs-2025-3256684198f61bb9b64e1521d5cb6014">digitizing more documents</a>&nbsp;and improving the “Where's My Refund” tool to show more account details in plain language, agency leadership is trying to bring attention to what's been done to repair the agency’s image as an outdated and maligned tax collector.The promotion also in part is meant to quickly normalize a more efficient and effective IRS before congressional Republicans threaten another round of cuts to the agency. So time is of the essence for both taxpayers and the agency this season.“This filing season, the IRS has built off past successes and reached new milestones,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on a Friday call with reporters. “It’s showing that when it has the resources it needs, it will provide taxpayers the service they deserve.”“Delivering tax season is a massive undertaking," said IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. “We greatly appreciate people in many different areas working long hours to serve taxpayers as the tax deadline approaches.”For most people, April 15 is the last day to submit tax returns or to file an extension and the IRS says it has received more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irsgov-offers-last-minute-filing-tips-resources-to-help-taxpayers-who-still-need-to-file-before-april-15-special-saturday-hours-in-70-locations">100 million tax returns</a>, with tens of millions more expected to be filed.The IRS says call wait times have been cut down to three minutes this tax season, compared with the average 28 minutes in 2022. That has saved taxpayers 1.4 million hours of hold time and the agency has answered 3 million more calls compared with the same time frame. Also, an updated “Where’s My Refund” tool giving more specific information about taxpayers’ refunds in plain language was rolled out to 31 million views online.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-season-income-taxes-revenue-werfel-8387205aac2c916fd62cc7b40a439cdd">Werfel told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;earlier in the tax season that the agency's agenda is to deliver “better service for all Americans so that we can ease stress, frustration and make the tax filing process easier — and to increase scrutiny on complex filers where there’s risk of tax evasion."“When we do that,” Werfel said, “not only do we make the tax system work better because it’s easier and more streamlined to meet your tax obligations. But also we collect more money for the U.S. Treasury and lower our deficit. The IRS is a good investment.”Major new initiatives in recent months have included an aggressive pursuit of high-wealth earners who don’t pay their full tax obligations, such as people who improperly deduct personal flights on corporate jets and those who just don’t file at all.This also is the first tax season that the IRS has rolled out a program called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-taxes-direct-file-program-free-4b0917e281b63e06527343598dde650c">Direct File</a>, the government’s free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/income-taxes-irs-filing-season-tax-3183677b56af696bd5e005fa01388f79">electronic tax return filing system</a>&nbsp;available to taxpayers in 12 states who have simple W-2 forms and claim a standard deduction.If Direct File is successful and scaled up for the general public’s use, the program could drastically change how Americans file their taxes and how much money they spend completing them. That is, if the agency can see the program through its development in spite of threats to its funding.The Inflation Reduction Act initially included $80 billion for the IRS.However, House Republicans have successfully clawed back some of the money. They built a $1.4 billion reduction to the IRS into the debt ceiling and budget cuts package passed by Congress last summer. A separate agreement will take an additional $20 billion from the IRS over the next two years to divert to other nondefense programs.Government watchdogs warn IRS funding cuts will reduce the amount of revenues the U.S. collects.The non-partisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59972">Congressional Budget Office reported</a>&nbsp;in February that a $5 billion rescission from the IRS would reduce revenues by $5.2 billion over the next 10 years and increase the cumulative deficit by $0.2 billion. A $20 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $44 billion and a $35 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $89 billion and increase the deficit by $54 billion.___

The IRS is quicker to answer the phone on this Tax Day

TEHRAN, Iran (AP)—On Saturday night and Sunday morning,&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp; forces, supported by U.S. European Command destroyers, successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and at least six ballistic missiles intended to strike Israel from Iran and Yemen, according to a statement Sunday night from the U.S. Central Command.

This attack included a ballistic missile on its launcher vehicle and seven UAVs destroyed on the ground in Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen prior to their launch.

CENTCOM remains postured to support Israel’s defense against these dangerous actions by Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran has sent a message to the U.S. warning Washington against cooperation with Israel in any military operation again Tehran following its unprecedented attack on Israel.

The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, as saying that Tehran had communicated its message to the U.S. through the Swiss Embassy, which handles U.S. interests in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.

President Ebrahim Raisi sent a message praising Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for launching the attack, saying it had taught a lesson to the “Zionist regime.” He also warned that “any new adventure against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713135108047.png" alt="On Sunday, President Biden convened with fellow G7 leaders to discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel. "We will continue to work together to stabilize the situation in the region and avoid further escalation," Biden wrote on social media." />
 <figcaption>On Sunday, President Biden convened with fellow G7 leaders to discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel. "We will continue to work together to stabilize the situation in the region and avoid further escalation," Biden wrote on social media.</figcaption>
 </figure>TEHRAN, Iran (AP)—On Saturday night and Sunday morning,&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp; forces, supported by U.S. European Command destroyers, successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and at least six ballistic missiles intended to strike Israel from Iran and Yemen, according to a statement Sunday night from the U.S. Central Command.This attack included a ballistic missile on its launcher vehicle and seven UAVs destroyed on the ground in Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen prior to their launch.CENTCOM remains postured to support Israel’s defense against these dangerous actions by Iran.Meanwhile, Iran has sent a message to the U.S. warning Washington against cooperation with Israel in any military operation again Tehran following its unprecedented attack on Israel.The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, as saying that Tehran had communicated its message to the U.S. through the Swiss Embassy, which handles U.S. interests in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.President Ebrahim Raisi sent a message praising Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for launching the attack, saying it had taught a lesson to the “Zionist regime.” He also warned that “any new adventure against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”State TV meanwhile broadcast interviews with people on the street who praised the Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel and thanked the Iranian military.