Month: January 2023

The Memphis Police Department said a seventh police officer has been relieved of duty regarding the Jan. 7 death of Tyre Nichols. In a statement, the seventh officer was not identified, and it was not indicated whether that person would face departmental or criminal charges.

The department had previously confirmed that a sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, had been relieved of duty, saying: “Officer Preston Hemphill and other officers’ actions and inactions have been and continue to be part of an investigation since its inception” on Jan. 8, the day after Nichols’ traffic stop and the day all seven officers were relieved of duty. The statement added that “numerous” impending charges are developing: “We expect the next phase of personnel actions in the coming days … Hemphill’s actions and involvement has been under investigation as he participated in the initial traffic stop and the use of a TASER.”

In addition, three members of the Memphis Fire Department were fired after an investigation concluded they violated department policies when they responded to the scene. The department announced on Monday that EMTs Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge, as well as Lt. Michelle Whitaker, were fired following an internal investigation. Fire Chief Gina Sweat said in a statement that the department received a call from police to respond to a report of a person who had been pepper-sprayed, and that the workers arrived while Nichols was handcuffed and leaning up against a squad car. Long and Sandridge, based on the nature of the call and information they were told by police, “failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols.” An investigation determined that all three violated “numerous” policies and protocols.

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On Monday, a federal appellate court rejected a bankruptcy filing from Johnson & Johnson, in an attempt to protect itself from thousands of lawsuits claiming its talcum-based powder causes cancer. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the pharmaceutical giant erred when it put its subsidiary LTL Management into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. J&J created the subsidiary in 2021 to specifically handle the thousands of lawsuits against its baby powder. The court ruled “only a putative debtor in financial distress” is able to file for bankruptcy protection. Monday’s ruling means the subsidiary is ineligible to file for bankruptcy protection from some 38,000 lawsuits. Had it ruled differently, the majority of lawsuits against the company would have been protected from financial penalty.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by Johnson & Johnson in June 2021, letting a lower court verdict stand and awarding nearly $2.1 billion to a group of 22 women in a class action lawsuit. The women contended the talcum powder contained asbestos and was the cause of their ovarian cancer. Overall, the company faces costs of about $3.5 billion related to verdicts and settlements.

The Jersey-based company originally said in 2020 that it was discontinuing the talc-based baby powder product, amid the thousands of claims filed by customers in North America alleging it causes ovarian cancer and other illnesses. J&J then said last August it would end sales of the product at some point this year.  Johnson & Johnson said in a statement Monday: “As we have said from the beginning of this process, resolving this matter as quickly and efficiently as possible is in the best interests of claimants and all stakeholders. We continue to stand behind the safety of Johnson’s Baby Powder, which is safe, does not contain asbestos and does not cause cancer.”

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Authorities in southwestern Oregon are warning that a Nevada man accused of attempted murder and torturing a woman in Oregon is on the run and using dating apps to evade capture or find potential new victims. Law enforcement officials are warning to be on the lookout for Benjamin Obadiah Foster, a 36-year-old man who has been on the run in Oregon since Thursday. The Grants Pass Police Department said in a statement: “The investigation has revealed that the suspect is actively using online dating applications to contact unsuspecting individuals who may be lured into assisting with the suspect’s escape or potentially as additional victims.”  The Grants Pass Police Department in Oregon said Foster is extremely dangerous in a post on Facebook, adding that “it is possible that Benjamin Foster may attempt to change his appearance by shaving his beard and hair or by changing his hair color.”

The search for Foster began Tuesday after officers found a woman who had been bound and severely beaten into unconsciousness. The man fled the scene before officers arrived, but investigators identified Foster as the suspect and asked members of the public to call 911 immediately if they see him, warning he “should be considered extremely dangerous.” The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition and is being guarded while the suspect remains at large. Police said Foster “likely received assistance in fleeing the area,” and added that Tina Marie Jones, a 68-year-old from Wolf Creek, Ore., was arrested for hindering prosecution in connection to the search.

A $2,500 reward has been offered for information leading to Foster’s capture. Police said he is wanted on suspicion of kidnapping, attempted murder and assault. The Grants Pass police have opened a hotline for tips at 541-237-5607 for information that leads to Foster’s arrest.

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According to the New York State Police (NYSP), 6 people are dead and another three seriously injured after an express bus and a box truck collided early Saturday morning in Louisville, New York.  NYSP said in a press release that officers responded to a fatal motor vehicle accident on State Highway 37 involving a 2021 Freightliner box truck and a 2013 express bus at 6:02 a.m. local time. The Lawrence County Medical Examiner’s Officer also responded to the scene.

According to the statement, authorities confirmed the deaths and injuries, noting that one victim is in critical condition, and two are “seriously injured.” All nine victims were passengers on the express bus; the injured were taken to hospitals nearby.   The investigation into what caused the accident is ongoing, according to police.

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