Trump will face judge in historic court appearance over charges he mishandled secret documents
MIAMI (AP) 鈥� Donald Trump was set to make his first court appearance Tuesday in a historic criminal case charging the former president with hoarding top secret government documents, boastfully displaying them to visitors and trying to hide them from investigators who demanded them back.
Trump approached his Miami court date with characteristic bravado, insisting as he has done through years of legal woes that he has done nothing wrong and was being persecuted for political purposes. But the gravity of the moment is unmistakable as he answers to 37 felony counts that accuse him of willfully retaining classified records that prosecutors say could have jeopardized national security if exposed.
The case is laden with political implications for Trump, who currently holds the dominant spot in the early days of the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it also poses profound legal consequences given the prospect of a years-long prison sentence. Even for a defendant whose post-presidential life has been dominated by investigations, the documents probe has stood out for both the apparent volume of evidence amassed by prosecutors and the severity of the allegations.
It's also a watershed moment for a Justice Department that until last week had never before brought charges against a former president. Attorney General Merrick Garland, an appointee of President Joe Biden, sought to insulate the department from political attacks by handing ownership of the case last year to a special counsel Jack Smith, who on Friday declared, 鈥淲e have one set of laws in this country, and they apply to everyone.鈥�
The arraignment, though largely procedural in nature, is the latest in an unprecedented public reckoning this year for Trump, who faces charges in New York arising from hush money payments during his 2016 presidential campaign as well as ongoing investigations in Washington and Atlanta into efforts to undo the results of the 2020 race. He's sought to project confidence in the face of unmistakable legal peril, attacking Smith as 鈥渄eranged,鈥� pledging to stay in the race and scheduling a speech and fundraiser for Tuesday night at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club.
___
9 people hurt in Denver shooting and suspect taken into custody, police say
DENVER (AP) 鈥� Nine people were injured in a shooting early Tuesday in Denver and a suspect was taken into custody, police said.
The shooting happened about 12:30 a.m. and three of the injured were in critical condition, the Denver Police Department said in a statement.
The shooting happened about a mile from Ball Arena, where the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat on Monday night to claim their first NBA title.
It wasn鈥檛 immediately known whether the shooting was connected to any postgame celebrations.
___
Russian missile attack on Zelenskyy鈥檚 hometown kills at least 6; several others trapped in rubble
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥� At least six people were killed when Russian missiles hit civilian buildings in an overnight attack Tuesday in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, regional officials said, as rescuers scrambled to retrieve people believed to be trapped under the rubble.
The strike involving cruise missiles hit a five-story residential building, which was engulfed in fire, Gov. Serhiy Lysak of the Dnipropetrovsk region wrote on Telegram.
After initial reports of three dead, Kryvyi Rih mayor Oleksandr Vilkul wrote on the social media app that the death toll had risen to a least six, and seven people were feared trapped under the rubble. Authorities initially said at least two dozen people were wounded.
The devastation in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy鈥檚 hometown is the latest bloodshed in Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, as Ukrainian forces are mounting counteroffensive operations using Western-supplied firepower to try to drive out the Russians.
Images from the scene relayed by Zelenskyy on his Telegram channel showed firefighters battling the blaze as pockets of fire poked through multiple broken windows of a building. Charred and damaged vehicles littered the nearby ground.
___
3 found dead and 3 hit by a van in linked incidents in English city of Nottingham, police say
LONDON (AP) 鈥� Three people were found dead in the English city of Nottingham, and three others were hit and injured by a van in linked early-morning incidents on Tuesday, police said.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, Nottinghamshire Police said.
鈥淭his is an horrific and tragic incident which has claimed the lives of three people," said Chief Constable Kate Meynell.
She said two people were found dead in one street just after 4 a.m. and a third in a different street, separately from the van incident. The three injured people were being treated in a hospital. There was no immediate word on their condition.
Police gave no immediate indication of a possible motive.
___
2 active-duty Marines plead guilty to Capitol riot charges
Two men who were active-duty members of the Marines Corps when they stormed the U.S. Capitol pleaded guilty on Monday to riot-related criminal charges.
Joshua Abate and Dodge Dale Hellonen are scheduled to be sentenced in September by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes. Both pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia.
Many Capitol rioters are military veterans, but only a few were actively serving in the armed forces when they joined a mob鈥檚 attack on Jan. 6, 2021.
A third active-duty Marine, Micah Coomer, also was charged with Abate and Hellonen. Coomer pleaded guilty to the same misdemeanor charge in May and is scheduled to be sentenced by Reyes on Aug. 30.
All three men face a maximum sentence of six months of imprisonment.
___
Often sidelined at Pride, transgender and nonbinary people move front and center
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) 鈥� Kara Murphy, a transgender woman helping to organize the Union County Pride in a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina, is heartened to see Pride celebrations across the country, big and small, shining a spotlight on transgender rights this year.
鈥淲hen we look and see who鈥檚 standing up for us, it kind of signals the strength of the movement,鈥� she said.
Whether it's transgender grand marshals at the massive New York City Pride parade or a photo display of transgender victims of violence at the much smaller festival in Hastings, Nebraska, many celebrations this June are taking a public stand against state legislation targeting transgender people.
Some Prides are putting transgender people front and center at events where they've often been sidelined because of a historical emphasis on gay and lesbian rights, along with the same sorts of prejudice and misinformation held by many straight, cisgender people about trans lives.
The growing number of new laws and policies, including restrictions on gender-affirming care, public bathroom use and participation in sports, has prompted Pride organizers to more fully embrace a segment of the LGBTQ+ populace that hasn鈥檛 always felt included.
___
California Gov. Newsom spars with Fox News host Hannity over Biden, immigration and the economy
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) 鈥� California Gov. Gavin Newsom sparred with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night, insisting President Joe Biden is physically fit for a second term as president while refusing to say whether supporters have urged him to run against Biden on the 2024 ballot.
Asked if he believes Biden is 鈥渃ognitively strong enough to be president," Newsom said yes, adding that he talks with the president 鈥渁ll the time鈥� and has traveled with him aboard Air Force One.
鈥榊ou never answered my question directly," Hannity responded. 鈥淗ow many times does your phone ping a day, people saying you need to get in this race because they agree with me that he鈥檚 not up to the job.鈥�
Newsom stammered somewhat before responding: 鈥淚'm not answering.鈥�
Newsom has repeatedly said he has no interest in running for president, saying he completely supports Biden's reelection campaign. In April, Newsom raised money for Biden during a fundraiser in Washington shortly after the president announced his reelection campaign.
___
'Hair,' 'Everwood' actor Treat Williams killed in Vermont motorcycle crash
DORSET, Vt. (AP) 鈥� Actor Treat Williams, whose nearly 50-year career included starring roles in the TV series 鈥淓verwood鈥� and the movie 鈥淗air,鈥� died Monday after a motorcycle crash in Vermont, state police said. He was 71.
Shortly before 5 p.m., a Honda SUV was turning left into a parking lot when it collided with Williams' motorcycle in the town of Dorset, according to a statement from Vermont State Police.
鈥淲illiams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead,鈥� according to the statement.
Williams was wearing a helmet, police said.
The SUV's driver received minor injuries and wasn't hospitalized. He had signaled the turn and wasn't immediately detained although the crash investigation continued, police said.
___
Pat Sajak announces 'Wheel of Fortune' retirement, says upcoming season will be his last as host
LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� Pat Sajak is taking one last spin on 鈥淲heel of Fortune," announcing Monday that its upcoming season will be his last as host.
Sajak announced his retirement from the venerable game show in a tweet.
鈥淲ell, the time has come. I鈥檝e decided that our 41st season, which begins in September, will be my last. It鈥檚 been a wonderful ride, and I鈥檒l have more to say in the coming months. Many thanks to you all,鈥� the tweet said.
Sajak, 76, has presided over the game show, which features contestants guessing letters to try to fill out words and phrases to win money and prizes, since 1981. He took over duties from Chuck Woolery, who was the show's first host when it debuted in 1975.
Along with Vanna White, who joined the show in 1982, Sajak has been a television mainstay. The show soon shifted to a syndication and aired in the evening in many markets, becoming one of the most successful game shows in history. Sajak will continue to serve as a consultant on the show for three years after his retirement as host.
___
Nuggets take home 1st NBA title in rugged 94-89 win over Heat
DENVER (AP) 鈥� Confetti flying in Denver. The Nuggets sharing hugs while passing around the NBA championship trophy.
Those scenes that, for almost a half-century, seemed impossible, then more recently started feeling inevitable, finally turned into reality Monday night.
The Nuggets outlasted the Miami Heat 94-89 in an ugly, frantic Game 5 that did nothing to derail Nikola Jokic, who bailed out his teammates with 28 points and 16 rebounds on a night when nothing else seemed to work.
Jokic became the first player in history to lead the league in points (600), rebounds (269) and assists (190) in a single postseason. Not surprisingly, he won the Bill Russell trophy as the NBA Finals MVP 鈥� an award that certainly has more meaning to him than the two overall MVPs he won in 2021 and 鈥�22 and the one that escaped him this year.
鈥淲e are not in it for ourselves, we are in it for the guy next to us,鈥� Jokic said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 why this (means) even more.鈥�
The Associated Press
