The headlines are jarring. A mix of shocking violence and high-profile criminal schemes. This is the latest in true crime news.
Teacher’s $40 Million Lawsuit: “I Thought I Was Dying”
Abby Zwerner is telling her story. The first-grade teacher, shot by a six-year-old student, is now suing for $\$40$ million. She testified in a Virginia courtroom, describing the horror. “I thought I had died. I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven,” she told the court. The shooting happened in January 2023 at Richneck Elementary.
Zwerner was hit in the hand and chest. A bullet remains near her heart. She needed six surgeries. She now struggles with limited use of her left hand. The lawsuit targets former assistant principal Ebony Parker. Parker, Zwerner’s attorney alleges, ignored multiple warnings. At least four different people warned Parker that day. They said the child had a gun. No one searched him. No one pulled him from class.
Zwerner’s attorney, Diane Toscano, was pointed. “Bad decisions and choices were made that day,” she stated. Parker’s attorney, however, argued against judging in hindsight. They say decision-making in a school is “collaborative.” Parker also faces separate felony child neglect charges next month. The student’s mother is already serving nearly four years in prison.
FBI Gambling Sting: NBA Stars and the Mob
The FBI has announced a massive coordinated takedown. It involves an illegal gambling and sports-rigging plot. The sweep led to over 30 arrests across eleven states. High-profile names are involved.
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups were among those arrested. So was former player Damon Jones. FBI Chief Kash Patel called it “one of the most brazen sports corruption schemes.”
Rozier is accused of an insider betting conspiracy. He allegedly used confidential NBA information. He once told associates he would leave a game early with a “supposed injury,” allowing them to profit on wagers.
Billups faces charges in a different scheme. This one involved rigging high-stakes underground poker games. These games were allegedly backed by major Mafia families. Names like the Bonanno, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese families were hit by the operation. The league has suspended both Rozier and Billups indefinitely. The investigation is far from over.
Charlie Kirk Suspect Can Wear Street Clothes
In Utah, a judge made a ruling for Tyler Robinson. Robinson is the man accused of murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk. He will be allowed to wear civilian clothes in all pretrial hearings. His attorneys argued that jail attire could prejudice future jurors. The case has received “extraordinary” media coverage.
Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf granted the request. “Mr. Robinson sits before this court presumed innocent,” Graf stated. However, the judge denied a second request. Robinson must still remain physically restrained in court. Graf cited the “extraordinarily serious” nature of the aggravated murder charge. He ordered that media cannot film him entering or exiting the courtroom. This is to avoid showing the restraints. It’s a careful balance of a fair trial and courtroom safety.