CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Sam Moore, the surviving half and higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam &amp; Dave that was known for such definitive hits of the era as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I'm Comin,’” has died. He was 89.

Publicist Jeremy Westby said Moore died Friday morning in Coral Gables, Florida, due to complications while recovering from surgery. No additional details were immediately available.

Moore, who influenced musicians including Michael Jackson, Al Green and Bruce Springsteen, was inducted with Dave Prater into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

At the Memphis, Tennessee-based Stax Records, Moore and Prater were second only to Otis Redding. They transformed the “call and response” of gospel music into a frenzied stage show and recorded some of soul music’s most enduring hits, which also included “You Don’t Know Like I Know,” “When Something is Wrong With My Baby” and “I Thank You.”

Most of their hits were written and produced by the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter and featured the Stax house band Booker T. &amp; the MGs, whose guitarist Steve Cropper received one of music’s most famous shoutouts when Sam &amp; Dave called “Play it, Steve” midway through “Soul Man.”

Like many ’60s soul acts, Sam &amp; Dave faded after the 1960s. But “Soul Man” hit the charts again in the late 1970s when the Blues Brothers, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd recorded it with many of the same musicians. Moore had mixed feelings about the hit becoming associated with the “Saturday Night Live” stars, remembering how young people believed it originated with the Blues Brothers.

In 2008, the movie “Soul Men” depicted a pair of aging, estranged singers who bore more than a little resemblance to Sam &amp; Dave. Moore lost a lawsuit claiming the resemblance was too close.

He also spent years suing Prater after Prater hired a substitute and toured as the New Sam &amp; Dave. Prater died in a 1988 car crash in Georgia.

Moore also pressed legal claims that the record industry had cheated him out of retirement benefits. Moore and other artists sued multiple record companies and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 1993.

Moore told The Associated Press in 1994 that he joined the legal effort after learning, despite his million-selling records, his pension amounted to just $2,285, which he could take as a lump sum or in payments of $73 monthly.

“Two thousand dollars for my lifetime?” Moore said then. “If you’re making a profit off of me, give me some too. Don’t give me cornbread and tell me it’s biscuits.”

Moore wrote the song “Dole Man,” modeled on “Soul Man,” for Republican Bob Dole’s presidential campaign in 1996. In 2017, he was among the few entertainers who performed for Republican President Donald Trump’s inaugural festivities. Eight years earlier, Moore had objected when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign used the song “Hold On, I’m Comin’.”

Moore was born Oct. 12, 1935, in Miami and got his start singing in church.

He and Prater performed in soul and R&amp;B clubs in the 1950s, but didn’t meet until 1961 in Miami. Moore helped coach Prater on the lyrics of a song and they quickly became a popular local duo. In 1965, after signing with Atlantic Records, producer Jerry Wexler sent them to the label’s Stax subsidiary in Memphis.

Moore and Prater argued often and Moore told the AP in 2006 that a drug habit, which he kicked in 1981, played a part in the band’s troubles and later made entertainment executives leery of giving him a fresh start. The duo broke up in 1970 and neither had another major hit.

He married his wife, Joyce, in 1982, and she helped him get treatment for his addiction that he credited with saving his life.

“I did a lot of cruise ships, I did a lot of oldies shows," during those struggles, he said, adding that he once opened for a group of Elvis impersonators.

“That’s funny to think back to it now. And I did a lot of shows where if I did a show with an oldie show, I had to actually audition," he said. "But you know what? You keep your mouth shut and you get up there and you sing as hard and perform as hard as you can, and get the little money and go on about your business and try and pay those bills. I’m laughing about it now, but at that time, man, it was really serious.”

Moore kept recording and singing. He was a frequent performer at the Kennedy Center Honors and performed for presidents, including Obama.

Moore is survive by his wife, Joyce, daughter, Michell, and two grandchildren.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736592991546.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Sam Moore, the surviving half and higher voice of the 1960s duo Sam &amp; Dave that was known for such definitive hits of the era as “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I'm Comin,’” has died. He was 89.Publicist Jeremy Westby said Moore died Friday morning in Coral Gables, Florida, due to complications while recovering from surgery. No additional details were immediately available.Moore, who influenced musicians including Michael Jackson, Al Green and Bruce Springsteen, was inducted with Dave Prater into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.At the Memphis, Tennessee-based Stax Records, Moore and Prater were second only to Otis Redding. They transformed the “call and response” of gospel music into a frenzied stage show and recorded some of soul music’s most enduring hits, which also included “You Don’t Know Like I Know,” “When Something is Wrong With My Baby” and “I Thank You.”Most of their hits were written and produced by the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter and featured the Stax house band Booker T. &amp; the MGs, whose guitarist Steve Cropper received one of music’s most famous shoutouts when Sam &amp; Dave called “Play it, Steve” midway through “Soul Man.”Like many ’60s soul acts, Sam &amp; Dave faded after the 1960s. But “Soul Man” hit the charts again in the late 1970s when the Blues Brothers, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd recorded it with many of the same musicians. Moore had mixed feelings about the hit becoming associated with the “Saturday Night Live” stars, remembering how young people believed it originated with the Blues Brothers.In 2008, the movie “Soul Men” depicted a pair of aging, estranged singers who bore more than a little resemblance to Sam &amp; Dave. Moore lost a lawsuit claiming the resemblance was too close.He also spent years suing Prater after Prater hired a substitute and toured as the New Sam &amp; Dave. Prater died in a 1988 car crash in Georgia.Moore also pressed legal claims that the record industry had cheated him out of retirement benefits. Moore and other artists sued multiple record companies and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in 1993.Moore told The Associated Press in 1994 that he joined the legal effort after learning, despite his million-selling records, his pension amounted to just $2,285, which he could take as a lump sum or in payments of $73 monthly.“Two thousand dollars for my lifetime?” Moore said then. “If you’re making a profit off of me, give me some too. Don’t give me cornbread and tell me it’s biscuits.”Moore wrote the song “Dole Man,” modeled on “Soul Man,” for Republican Bob Dole’s presidential campaign in 1996. In 2017, he was among the few entertainers who performed for Republican President Donald Trump’s inaugural festivities. Eight years earlier, Moore had objected when Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign used the song “Hold On, I’m Comin’.”Moore was born Oct. 12, 1935, in Miami and got his start singing in church.He and Prater performed in soul and R&amp;B clubs in the 1950s, but didn’t meet until 1961 in Miami. Moore helped coach Prater on the lyrics of a song and they quickly became a popular local duo. In 1965, after signing with Atlantic Records, producer Jerry Wexler sent them to the label’s Stax subsidiary in Memphis.Moore and Prater argued often and Moore told the AP in 2006 that a drug habit, which he kicked in 1981, played a part in the band’s troubles and later made entertainment executives leery of giving him a fresh start. The duo broke up in 1970 and neither had another major hit.He married his wife, Joyce, in 1982, and she helped him get treatment for his addiction that he credited with saving his life.“I did a lot of cruise ships, I did a lot of oldies shows," during those struggles, he said, adding that he once opened for a group of Elvis impersonators.“That’s funny to think back to it now. And I did a lot of shows where if I did a show with an oldie show, I had to actually audition," he said. "But you know what? You keep your mouth shut and you get up there and you sing as hard and perform as hard as you can, and get the little money and go on about your business and try and pay those bills. I’m laughing about it now, but at that time, man, it was really serious.”Moore kept recording and singing. He was a frequent performer at the Kennedy Center Honors and performed for presidents, including Obama.Moore is survive by his wife, Joyce, daughter, Michell, and two grandchildren.

Sam Moore, who sang ‘Soul Man’ in Sam & Dave duo, dies at 89 

JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Just after 11p.m. January 7, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Buick Park Avenue, near 150th&nbsp;and Q. Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp; The driver, Jade Taylor Mendoza, 24, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges that include possession of fentanyl, possession of cocaine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, improper driving on laned roadway, improper turn signal, fail to provide proof of insurance.

The passenger, Joseph Lee Purvis, 43, of Meriden, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony interference with LEO and a Wabaunsee County Warrant for failure to appear.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736426784495.png" alt="Purvis" />
 <figcaption>Purvis</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.Just after 11p.m. January 7, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Buick Park Avenue, near 150th&nbsp;and Q. Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736426747498.png" alt="Mendoza-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Mendoza-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; The driver, Jade Taylor Mendoza, 24, of Topeka, was arrested on requested charges that include possession of fentanyl, possession of cocaine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, improper driving on laned roadway, improper turn signal, fail to provide proof of insurance.The passenger, Joseph Lee Purvis, 43, of Meriden, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, felony interference with LEO and a Wabaunsee County Warrant for failure to appear.

Kansas couple caught with fentanyl and cocaine

KANSAS CITY —Two women died in an accident just after 3a.m. Friday in Kansas City.

A preliminary investigation revealed a Honda SUV was westbound on Interstate 435 too fast for weather conditions on the snow covered highway, according KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

 Just east of 103rd Street, the Honda traveled off the roadway to the right, up and over the snowbank that was lining the north side of the highway.&nbsp; The Honda then vaulted off the bridge, falling approximately 100 feet and landing in the Blue River. 

The female driver and female rear seat passenger of the Honda were both declared deceased at the scene. 

The male front seat passenger of the Honda was transported to a local hospital and was listed in critical condition late Friday afternoon, according to Becchina.

Two lanes of westbound Interstate 435 were closed to traffic as recovery efforts of the Honda and the deceased subjects was made. This is fatalities #1 and #2 compared to #4 at this time last year. Police have not released the names of the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736549982440.png" alt="First responders at the scene early Friday-image from KC Scout" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene early Friday-image from KC Scout</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Two women died in an accident just after 3a.m. Friday in Kansas City.A preliminary investigation revealed a Honda SUV was westbound on Interstate 435 too fast for weather conditions on the snow covered highway, according KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. Just east of 103rd Street, the Honda traveled off the roadway to the right, up and over the snowbank that was lining the north side of the highway.&nbsp; The Honda then vaulted off the bridge, falling approximately 100 feet and landing in the Blue River. The female driver and female rear seat passenger of the Honda were both declared deceased at the scene. The male front seat passenger of the Honda was transported to a local hospital and was listed in critical condition late Friday afternoon, according to Becchina.Two lanes of westbound Interstate 435 were closed to traffic as recovery efforts of the Honda and the deceased subjects was made. This is fatalities #1 and #2 compared to #4 at this time last year. Police have not released the names of the victims.

KCPD: 2 women dead after SUV slides on snow and into river

COFFEY COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;A 32-year-old former Burlington High School teacher and wrestling coach was sentenced Thursday in Coffey County District Court related to the sexual abuse of two teens.

At a sentencing hearing on Jan. 9, a judge sentenced Michael Vander Linden, of Burlington, to 36 months in prison and lifetime registration as a registered offender for three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Coffey County Attorney Wade Bowie prosecuted the case.

On Oct. 31, 2024, Michael Vander Linden pleaded no contest to the three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The remaining charges were dismissed.

On Feb. 13, 2024, Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) agents obtained an arrest warrant and took Vander Linden into custody after two former students reported he had engaged in sexual intercourse with them between 2012 and 2013, when both were 15-years-old.

Following the hearing, Vander Linden was remanded to the custody of the Coffey County Sheriff’s Office where he will be transferred to the Kansas Department of Corrections to fulfill his sentence.

COFFEY COUNTY –&nbsp; Law enforcement authorities have arrested a Kansas wrestling coach and teacher for alleged sex crimes.

Just after 7p.m. Wednesday, KBI agents arrested 31-year-old Michael Vander Linden of Burlington, Kansas, at 401 N. 12th St., in Burlington, according to a media release from the KBI. He was arrested on a warrant for eight counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. 

Vander Linden is <a href="https://bhs.usd244ks.org/119401_2">employed as teacher </a>and wrestling and cross country coach at Burlington High School.&nbsp; He also directed the drama club and theater productions, according to the school web site.

In June 2022, the KBI initiated an investigation after the Coffey County Sheriff’s Office took a report from a former student of Vander Linden’s who reported a sexual relationship that took place in 2012 and 2013, when she was a sophomore and Vander Linden was a student teacher. 

The investigation led to a second former student who reported she also had sexual intercourse with Vander Linden on multiple occasions in 2013, when she was 15-years-old.

After the arrest, Vander Linden was booked into the Coffey County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707879216666.png" alt="Vander Linden-photo Coffey County" />
 <figcaption>Vander Linden-photo Coffey County</figcaption>
 </figure>COFFEY COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;A 32-year-old former Burlington High School teacher and wrestling coach was sentenced Thursday in Coffey County District Court related to the sexual abuse of two teens.At a sentencing hearing on Jan. 9, a judge sentenced Michael Vander Linden, of Burlington, to 36 months in prison and lifetime registration as a registered offender for three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Coffey County Attorney Wade Bowie prosecuted the case.On Oct. 31, 2024, Michael Vander Linden pleaded no contest to the three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The remaining charges were dismissed.On Feb. 13, 2024, Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) agents obtained an arrest warrant and took Vander Linden into custody after two former students reported he had engaged in sexual intercourse with them between 2012 and 2013, when both were 15-years-old.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707879437207.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following the hearing, Vander Linden was remanded to the custody of the Coffey County Sheriff’s Office where he will be transferred to the Kansas Department of Corrections to fulfill his sentence.-----------COFFEY COUNTY –&nbsp; Law enforcement authorities have arrested a Kansas wrestling coach and teacher for alleged sex crimes.Just after 7p.m. Wednesday, KBI agents arrested 31-year-old Michael Vander Linden of Burlington, Kansas, at 401 N. 12th St., in Burlington, according to a media release from the KBI. He was arrested on a warrant for eight counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Vander Linden is <a href="https://bhs.usd244ks.org/119401_2">employed as teacher </a>and wrestling and cross country coach at Burlington High School.&nbsp; He also directed the drama club and theater productions, according to the school web site.In June 2022, the KBI initiated an investigation after the Coffey County Sheriff’s Office took a report from a former student of Vander Linden’s who reported a sexual relationship that took place in 2012 and 2013, when she was a sophomore and Vander Linden was a student teacher. The investigation led to a second former student who reported she also had sexual intercourse with Vander Linden on multiple occasions in 2013, when she was 15-years-old.After the arrest, Vander Linden was booked into the Coffey County Jail.

Kan. wrestling coach, teacher sentenced for sex with students

The Department of Corrections is giving few details, but advocates say the removal of the South Central Correctional Center warden occurred after an investigation into how contraband is entering the prison

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The warden and a top supervisor at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking have been replaced amid allegations contraband was entering the prison through a poorly screened gate.

Michele Buckner, a 25-year employee of the Department of Corrections, officially ended her employment with the department on Tuesday, spokeswoman Karen Pojmann wrote in an email to The Independent. Buckner was hired by the department in September 1999 and became warden in May 2019, Pojmann wrote.

Robert Hopping, ranked as a major, left the department’s employment last month, Pojmann wrote. Hopping also worked for the department for more than 20 years.

Michael Shewmaker, warden at Ozark Correctional Center in Webster County, will be acting warden at South Central. He is also a 25-year employee of the department, Pojmann wrote.

The South Central Correctional Center houses 1,601 inmates in minimum, medium and maximum security units.

Neither Buckner nor Hopping could not be reached for comment.

Pojmann cited confidentiality restrictions for declining to give a reason for Buckner and Hopping’s separation from the department. But advocates who use staff, inmate and family sources to obtain information from inside prison walls said Buckner and Hopping were fired last month and walked out of the prison under supervision.&nbsp;

“Everyone that I hear from, including current staff, former staff, and people who live there say that it is overrun with drugs and other contraband, that there is a lack of order, there’s a lack of policy being followed,” said&nbsp;Lori Curry of Missouri Prison Reform, an organization that advocates for people who are incarcerated and their families. “It’s basically the Wild West in there.”

The department has a&nbsp;<a href="https://doc.mo.gov/director/office-director/office-professional-standards" target="_blank">confidential hotline</a>&nbsp;for employee reports of misconduct by staff.

An investigation triggered by a hotline call “uncovered significant amounts of drugs and contraband at the facility,” Curry wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18GcyvzpA5/" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;dated Jan. 3. “Employees were reportedly allowed to come and go freely through the back of the facility without checks or body scans, contributing to the influx of illegal items.”

There are “some inaccuracies in the claims” made in the post by Missouri Prison Reform, Pojmann wrote, but declined to give specifics. Personnel decisions and investigations are confidential, she wrote.

“I’m able to provide neither information about the nature of any employee’s separation from the department nor details about any ongoing investigation,” she wrote.

Buckner is the second warden to be dismissed in the past year because of issues within the facility they oversee. In June, Doris Falkenrath was removed as warden of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/warden-of-missouri-prison-replaced-after-investigation-of-inmate-death/">Jefferson City Correctional Center</a>&nbsp;after an investigation of the December 2023 death of Othel Moore.

Three corrections officers are facing&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/28/missouri-corrections-officers-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-inmate-in-restraints/">second degree murder</a>&nbsp;and assault charges in the death of Moore. Charges against two other corrections officers have been dismissed.

No details have been released by the department about Falkenrath’s removal.

An advocate for families with members in prison, Michelle Smith of the Missouri Justice Coalition, said outside investigations and transparency are needed to show the public that the department is serious about controlling contraband.

Removing a warden is an image makeover, not real change, she said.

“Even when they say that there was an investigation, and that’s why she was fired, that’s not transparent,” Smith said. “We don’t know exactly what the results were, what happened.”

Contraband drugs entering Missouri’s prisons is one factor in an increasing number of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/04/memorial-service-seeks-answers-on-rapid-increase-in-missouri-inmate-deaths/">deaths among inmates</a>. In response, “the department has created a robust investigations unit as one component of our efforts to keep dangerous contraband out of state prisons,” Pojmann wrote. “Department investigators work with other state agencies and local law enforcement to try to identify the sources of drugs and shut them down before contraband can enter the facilities.”

The department has installed body scanners, requires all personal correspondence be conducted digitally and is working to move legal mail to digital platforms only to reduce the chances for contraband entering the prison, Pojmann wrote. To reduce demand for drugs, the department has expanded treatment.

There have been several arrests of employees of the South Central Correctional Center who smuggle drugs into the prison. In August, former corrections officer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=23TE-CR00416&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0005_CT25#charges" target="_blank">Trishana Barton</a>&nbsp;pleaded guilty to trafficking drugs and smuggling drugs into a prison for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/11/22/authorities-arrest-south-central-correctional-center-officer-accused-trafficking-trugs-7-up-cans/" target="_blank">attempting to bring methamphetamine</a>&nbsp;into the Licking facility in soda cans.

Law enforcement authorities for Licking and Texas County told The Independent that they have no jurisdiction within the prison and the department has not provided any information about any recent investigation.

“I hope that information is brought to us, or even another law enforcement agency, and I hope that whoever is bringing it in there or has been bringing it in is brought to justice,” Licking Police Chief Pat Burton said.

Texas County Sheriff Scott Lindsey said he had not met Shewmaker but offered to assist if asked.

“I’m always willing to work with whoever is in charge over there, and I look forward to meeting them, but I’m kind of waiting, at this point, just being patient to see what changes the state decides to make,” Lindsey said.

Déna Notz, who worked for part of 2022 as a corrections officer in the Licking facility now advocates for prison improvements through an organization called Collectively Changing Corrections. She sees a problem with Buckner’s last day being Tuesday, almost a week after Missouri Prison Reform posted about her removal.

“I believe they let her retire, which is pretty disheartening to hear, but I believe that’s what they did,” Notz said. “They’re so mysterious it’s sickening.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736535286846.png" alt=" Entrance sign at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking (Department of Corrections photo)." />
 <figcaption> Entrance sign at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking (Department of Corrections photo).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Department of Corrections is giving few details, but advocates say the removal of the South Central Correctional Center warden occurred after an investigation into how contraband is entering the prison</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The warden and a top supervisor at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking have been replaced amid allegations contraband was entering the prison through a poorly screened gate.Michele Buckner, a 25-year employee of the Department of Corrections, officially ended her employment with the department on Tuesday, spokeswoman Karen Pojmann wrote in an email to The Independent. Buckner was hired by the department in September 1999 and became warden in May 2019, Pojmann wrote.Robert Hopping, ranked as a major, left the department’s employment last month, Pojmann wrote. Hopping also worked for the department for more than 20 years.Michael Shewmaker, warden at Ozark Correctional Center in Webster County, will be acting warden at South Central. He is also a 25-year employee of the department, Pojmann wrote.The South Central Correctional Center houses 1,601 inmates in minimum, medium and maximum security units.Neither Buckner nor Hopping could not be reached for comment.Pojmann cited confidentiality restrictions for declining to give a reason for Buckner and Hopping’s separation from the department. But advocates who use staff, inmate and family sources to obtain information from inside prison walls said Buckner and Hopping were fired last month and walked out of the prison under supervision.&nbsp;“Everyone that I hear from, including current staff, former staff, and people who live there say that it is overrun with drugs and other contraband, that there is a lack of order, there’s a lack of policy being followed,” said&nbsp;Lori Curry of Missouri Prison Reform, an organization that advocates for people who are incarcerated and their families. “It’s basically the Wild West in there.”The department has a&nbsp;<a href="https://doc.mo.gov/director/office-director/office-professional-standards" target="_blank">confidential hotline</a>&nbsp;for employee reports of misconduct by staff.An investigation triggered by a hotline call “uncovered significant amounts of drugs and contraband at the facility,” Curry wrote in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18GcyvzpA5/" target="_blank">social media post</a>&nbsp;dated Jan. 3. “Employees were reportedly allowed to come and go freely through the back of the facility without checks or body scans, contributing to the influx of illegal items.”There are “some inaccuracies in the claims” made in the post by Missouri Prison Reform, Pojmann wrote, but declined to give specifics. Personnel decisions and investigations are confidential, she wrote.“I’m able to provide neither information about the nature of any employee’s separation from the department nor details about any ongoing investigation,” she wrote.Buckner is the second warden to be dismissed in the past year because of issues within the facility they oversee. In June, Doris Falkenrath was removed as warden of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/warden-of-missouri-prison-replaced-after-investigation-of-inmate-death/">Jefferson City Correctional Center</a>&nbsp;after an investigation of the December 2023 death of Othel Moore.Three corrections officers are facing&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/28/missouri-corrections-officers-charged-with-murder-in-death-of-inmate-in-restraints/">second degree murder</a>&nbsp;and assault charges in the death of Moore. Charges against two other corrections officers have been dismissed.No details have been released by the department about Falkenrath’s removal.An advocate for families with members in prison, Michelle Smith of the Missouri Justice Coalition, said outside investigations and transparency are needed to show the public that the department is serious about controlling contraband.Removing a warden is an image makeover, not real change, she said.“Even when they say that there was an investigation, and that’s why she was fired, that’s not transparent,” Smith said. “We don’t know exactly what the results were, what happened.”Contraband drugs entering Missouri’s prisons is one factor in an increasing number of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/04/memorial-service-seeks-answers-on-rapid-increase-in-missouri-inmate-deaths/">deaths among inmates</a>. In response, “the department has created a robust investigations unit as one component of our efforts to keep dangerous contraband out of state prisons,” Pojmann wrote. “Department investigators work with other state agencies and local law enforcement to try to identify the sources of drugs and shut them down before contraband can enter the facilities.”The department has installed body scanners, requires all personal correspondence be conducted digitally and is working to move legal mail to digital platforms only to reduce the chances for contraband entering the prison, Pojmann wrote. To reduce demand for drugs, the department has expanded treatment.There have been several arrests of employees of the South Central Correctional Center who smuggle drugs into the prison. In August, former corrections officer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/cases/newHeader.do?inputVO.caseNumber=23TE-CR00416&amp;inputVO.courtId=SMPDB0005_CT25#charges" target="_blank">Trishana Barton</a>&nbsp;pleaded guilty to trafficking drugs and smuggling drugs into a prison for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/11/22/authorities-arrest-south-central-correctional-center-officer-accused-trafficking-trugs-7-up-cans/" target="_blank">attempting to bring methamphetamine</a>&nbsp;into the Licking facility in soda cans.Law enforcement authorities for Licking and Texas County told The Independent that they have no jurisdiction within the prison and the department has not provided any information about any recent investigation.“I hope that information is brought to us, or even another law enforcement agency, and I hope that whoever is bringing it in there or has been bringing it in is brought to justice,” Licking Police Chief Pat Burton said.Texas County Sheriff Scott Lindsey said he had not met Shewmaker but offered to assist if asked.“I’m always willing to work with whoever is in charge over there, and I look forward to meeting them, but I’m kind of waiting, at this point, just being patient to see what changes the state decides to make,” Lindsey said.Déna Notz, who worked for part of 2022 as a corrections officer in the Licking facility now advocates for prison improvements through an organization called Collectively Changing Corrections. She sees a problem with Buckner’s last day being Tuesday, almost a week after Missouri Prison Reform posted about her removal.“I believe they let her retire, which is pretty disheartening to hear, but I believe that’s what they did,” Notz said. “They’re so mysterious it’s sickening.”

Warden and top supervisor removed from jobs at southwest Mo. prison

WASHINGTON&nbsp;— U.S. Senators Jerry Moran, Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday reintroduced the&nbsp;Justice for 9/11 Act&nbsp;to nullify any plea deals made between the U.S. government and the Guantanamo Bay inmates who planned the attacks on September 11, 2001, according to a statement from Moran's office.

 This legislation is being reintroduced following&nbsp;a&nbsp;military judge’s decision that plea agreements&nbsp;could&nbsp;move forward. The Biden administration&nbsp;also recently&nbsp;released 11 Guantanamo Bay detainees to Oman.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“The court’s decision to uphold the plea deal for three 9/11 conspirators is alarming,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“In addition to the plea deal, the Biden administration continues to use its final days in power to release some of the world's most violent terrorists from Guantanamo Bay. These men should face trial for their crimes, and Congress must act quickly to pass this important legislation.”

“Giving a plea deal to the terrorist masterminds behind 9/11 is disgraceful and an insult to the victims of the attacks, as well at those who served to avenge them,”&nbsp;said Sen. Cotton. “These monsters should have faced justice decades ago; instead, Joe Biden has set the stage to let them go free. My bill will stop this travesty and prevent the Biden administration from replenishing the ranks of our terrorist enemies any further on his way out the door.”&nbsp;

“In the wake of terrorist savagery, our obligation is to deliver justice,”&nbsp;said Sen. McConnell. “However long it takes, those responsible for September 11th deserve nothing more, and the families of their victims deserve nothing less.”&nbsp;

The bill text can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/f/a/fa6ef8b7-d43b-4089-a972-970744a0df8d/CEE32784AC55B394AB1CA498C5117ED19A2D97669E59763554C35B9603F357A2.11-plea-deal-bill-reintro.pdf">here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722465359811.jpeg" alt="FILE - This Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 courtroom drawing by artist Janet Hamlin and reviewed by the U.S. military, shows Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, center, and co-defendant Walid Bin Attash, left, attending a pre-trial session at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. (Pool, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - This Monday, Dec. 8, 2008 courtroom drawing by artist Janet Hamlin and reviewed by the U.S. military, shows Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, center, and co-defendant Walid Bin Attash, left, attending a pre-trial session at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. (Pool, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;— U.S. Senators Jerry Moran, Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday reintroduced the&nbsp;Justice for 9/11 Act&nbsp;to nullify any plea deals made between the U.S. government and the Guantanamo Bay inmates who planned the attacks on September 11, 2001, according to a statement from Moran's office. This legislation is being reintroduced following&nbsp;a&nbsp;military judge’s decision that plea agreements&nbsp;could&nbsp;move forward. The Biden administration&nbsp;also recently&nbsp;released 11 Guantanamo Bay detainees to Oman.&nbsp;&nbsp;“The court’s decision to uphold the plea deal for three 9/11 conspirators is alarming,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“In addition to the plea deal, the Biden administration continues to use its final days in power to release some of the world's most violent terrorists from Guantanamo Bay. These men should face trial for their crimes, and Congress must act quickly to pass this important legislation.”“Giving a plea deal to the terrorist masterminds behind 9/11 is disgraceful and an insult to the victims of the attacks, as well at those who served to avenge them,”&nbsp;said Sen. Cotton. “These monsters should have faced justice decades ago; instead, Joe Biden has set the stage to let them go free. My bill will stop this travesty and prevent the Biden administration from replenishing the ranks of our terrorist enemies any further on his way out the door.”&nbsp;“In the wake of terrorist savagery, our obligation is to deliver justice,”&nbsp;said Sen. McConnell. “However long it takes, those responsible for September 11th deserve nothing more, and the families of their victims deserve nothing less.”&nbsp;The bill text can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/f/a/fa6ef8b7-d43b-4089-a972-970744a0df8d/CEE32784AC55B394AB1CA498C5117ED19A2D97669E59763554C35B9603F357A2.11-plea-deal-bill-reintro.pdf">here.</a>Background:<ul>
 <li>In 2008,&nbsp;Khalid Shaikh Mohammad was charged with multiple crimes for his role, including conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, and terrorism and material support of terrorism.</li><li>The&nbsp;Justice for 9/11 Act&nbsp;would prevent the Biden administration from offering plea deals to the 9/11 terrorists by requiring a trial and ensuring death penalty remains an option in sentencing.</li><li>The bill would also require the terrorist be kept at Guantanamo Bay in solitary confinement and prohibit them from being extradited to another country.</li>
 </ul>

Kan. U.S. Senator reintroduce bill to prevent 9/11 terrorists plea deal

NEW YORK (AP)—President-elect Donald Trump was formally sentenced Friday in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-trial-closing-arguments-ed9e28cd63502c0949e9fafcc6f0a991">hush money case</a>, but the judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a">declined to impose any punishment.</a>&nbsp;The outcome cements Trump’s conviction while freeing him to return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/recorded-audio-president-elect-trump-sentenced-in-hush-money-case/430047">Click here </a>to listen to the sentencing hearing

The punishment-free judgement marks a quiet end to an extraordinary case

It was a case that for the first time put a former president and major presidential candidate in a courtroom as a criminal defendant. The case was the only one of four criminal indictments that has gone to trial and possibly the only one that ever will.

Trump can still vote after sentencing, but can’t own a gun and will have to turn over a DNA sample

President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t have to go to jail, pay a fine or perform community service as a result of his New York hush money conviction. A judge ended the case Friday with a sentence of an unconditional discharge, closing the case with no punishment.

But unless the conviction for falsifying business records is someday overturned, Trump will have felonies on his criminal record, which will affect some of his rights.

Trump is registered to vote in Florida and he’ll be able to vote there. Florida does bars people convicted of felonies from voting, but restores their right to vote after they’ve completed their sentence.

Under federal law, people convicted of felonies aren’t allowed to possess firearms.

Trump calls the sentencing a ‘despicable event’ on Truth Social

“Today’s event was a despicable charade, and now that it is over, we will appeal this Hoax, which has no merit, and restore the trust of Americans in our once great System of Justice,” he wrote in a lengthy post on his social media platform after the sentencing.

Outside the courthouse after the sentencing

Following the historic sentencing, the mood outside the courthouse is festive, with a few dozen Trump supporters waving American flags and signs emblazoned with the president-elect’s face.

Some described the scene as a reunion of sorts, a chance to catch up with others who’d attended demonstrations during the trial while celebrating both the election victory and the outcome of the case.

“No penalty at all is great news,” said Jerry Gasowski, a retired power plant worker who drove into the city from Long Island. “It’s great news for our country.”

Trump’s demeanor as the sentence was handed down

As Judge Merchan delivered the sentence, Trump sat upright, lips pursed, frowning slightly. He tilted his head to the side as the judge wished him “godspeed in your second term in office.”

Judge sentences Trump in hush money case but declines to impose any punishment

President-elect Donald Trump was formally sentenced Friday in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-trial-closing-arguments-ed9e28cd63502c0949e9fafcc6f0a991">hush money case</a>, but the judge declined to impose any punishment. The outcome cements Trump’s conviction while freeing him to return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine.

Trump’s sentence of an unconditional discharge caps a norm-smashing case that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">saw the former and future president charged with 34 felonies</a>, put on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-photos-dde716152b697a6b2315a2ecc5df9524">trial for almost two months</a>&nbsp;and convicted on every count. Yet, the legal detour — and sordid details aired in court of a plot to bury affair allegations — didn’t hurt him with voters, who elected him to a second term.

Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan could have sentenced the 78-year-old Republican to up to four years in prison. Instead, he chose a sentence that sidestepped thorny constitutional issues by effectively ending the case but assured that Trump will become the first person convicted of a felony to assume the presidency.

Merchan says a judge must consider the facts of the case as well as aggravating and mitigating circumstances.

“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” he said.

Trump says: ‘I’m totally innocent. I did nothing wrong’

He argued that voters saw what happened in this courtroom and, like him, thought it was a disgrace and supported him overwhelmingly in the election.

Addressing the court, Trump says there was no crime

“It’s been a political witch hunt,” he said. “It was done to damage my reputation so that I would lose the election, and obviously, that didn’t work.”

“This has been a very terrible experience. I think it has been a tremendous set back for New York and the New York court system,” he said.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche begins speaking with Trump by his side

“I very, very much disagree with much of what the government just said about this case, about the legitimacy of what happened in this courtroom during this trial, and about President Trump’s conduct fighting this case,” Blanche said.

Steinglass notes Trump’s contempt findings in this case and others

“As this court has noted, the defendant’s conduct constitutes a ‘direct attack on the rule of law itself,’” Steinglass said.

He also noted Trump’s threats to retaliate against people who have wronged him in his legal matters, which Steinglass said is intended to have a chilling effect.

Steinglass said the author of the pre-sentence report, a probation officer who interviewed Trump, notes Trump sees himself as above the law.

Despite all that, Steinglass said an unconditional discharge is the “most practical sentence prior to his inauguration.”

Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass begins speaking on behalf of the prosecution

He notes the conviction and reviews the sentencing options include up to four years in prison, but other remedies as well.

Steinglass says the prosecution recommends unconditional discharge based on circumstances including Trump’s impending return to the White House.

Steinglass says prosecutors are OK with the potential no-penalty sentence. He cites “all the circumstances of this case, its unique posture and the defendant’s status as president-elect.”

“The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected,” he said.

As prosecutors began their remarks, Trump shook his head, eyes darting around the screen. The camera view is framed tightly on him and Blanche, offering courtroom spectators a much closer view of Trump’s expression than during the trial.

Trump attorney Emil Bove says Trump is appearing via Teams

“He’s co-located with my partner, Todd Blanche,” he said.

He’s wearing a red tie with white or gold thin diagonal stripes. Trump appears stoic and reserved as he waits.

An attorney sits to Trump’s right, in front of a backdrop of American flags. American flag pins on both men’s suit jackets.

Outside the courthouse ahead of the sentencing

A handful of protesters had gathered in front of the Manhattan federal courthouse Friday morning.

Some carried signs reading “DESERVES THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE” and “34 FELONY CONVICTIONS.”

Meanwhile, at a park across the street, supporters unfurled a massive flag reading “TRUMP WON.”

Why did Judge Merchan decide to go ahead with Trump’s sentencing?

In an 18-page legal opinion, Merchan laid out his reasoning for ruling that the president-elect should be sentenced later this month for the crime of falsifying business records.

His most important finding was that Trump’s conviction should not be thrown out simply because he was elected president.

But the judge also signaled that he intended to impose a sentence of “unconditional discharge,” which means Trump would not face any punishment beyond having the conviction on his legal record.

▶ Read more about what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-york-criminal-case-excerpts-59e72847cd80e5f0c734b02fa0426e17">Merchan had to say</a>

The scene inside the courtroom before sentencing

Four big TV screens are mounted on the walls: one on either side of the bench where the judge will sit and one each hanging from the left and right side, parallel with the tables where the defense and prosecution will sit.

Another large monitor sits behind next to the defense table, visible to the judge’s bench. A crew from ABC News, which will be distributing an audio recording of the proceeding after it ends, was testing the microphone system. At one point, instead of the usual counting up or down to check levels, one member of the crew started reciting the first few words of the Declaration of Independence — “When in the Course of human events” — drawing chuckles from the crowd of reporters and spectators in the gallery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736521504369.jpeg" alt=" President-elect Donald Trump appears remotely for a sentencing hearing in front of New York State Judge Juan Merchan in the criminal case in which he was convicted in 2024 on charges involving hush money paid to a porn star, at New York Criminal Court in Manhattan in New York, Jan. 10, 2025. (Brendan McDermid via AP, Pool)" />
 <figcaption> President-elect Donald Trump appears remotely for a sentencing hearing in front of New York State Judge Juan Merchan in the criminal case in which he was convicted in 2024 on charges involving hush money paid to a porn star, at New York Criminal Court in Manhattan in New York, Jan. 10, 2025. (Brendan McDermid via AP, Pool)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP)—President-elect Donald Trump was formally sentenced Friday in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-trial-closing-arguments-ed9e28cd63502c0949e9fafcc6f0a991">hush money case</a>, but the judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-sentencing-stormy-daniels-33e070bd3c1acb609bba13f23d784a3a">declined to impose any punishment.</a>&nbsp;The outcome cements Trump’s conviction while freeing him to return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/event/public-affairs-event/recorded-audio-president-elect-trump-sentenced-in-hush-money-case/430047">Click here </a>to listen to the sentencing hearingHere's the latest:<h2>The punishment-free judgement marks a quiet end to an extraordinary case</h2>It was a case that for the first time put a former president and major presidential candidate in a courtroom as a criminal defendant. The case was the only one of four criminal indictments that has gone to trial and possibly the only one that ever will.<h2>Trump can still vote after sentencing, but can’t own a gun and will have to turn over a DNA sample</h2>President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t have to go to jail, pay a fine or perform community service as a result of his New York hush money conviction. A judge ended the case Friday with a sentence of an unconditional discharge, closing the case with no punishment.But unless the conviction for falsifying business records is someday overturned, Trump will have felonies on his criminal record, which will affect some of his rights.Trump is registered to vote in Florida and he’ll be able to vote there. Florida does bars people convicted of felonies from voting, but restores their right to vote after they’ve completed their sentence.Under federal law, people convicted of felonies aren’t allowed to possess firearms.<h2>Trump calls the sentencing a ‘despicable event’ on Truth Social</h2>“Today’s event was a despicable charade, and now that it is over, we will appeal this Hoax, which has no merit, and restore the trust of Americans in our once great System of Justice,” he wrote in a lengthy post on his social media platform after the sentencing.<h2>Outside the courthouse after the sentencing</h2>Following the historic sentencing, the mood outside the courthouse is festive, with a few dozen Trump supporters waving American flags and signs emblazoned with the president-elect’s face.Some described the scene as a reunion of sorts, a chance to catch up with others who’d attended demonstrations during the trial while celebrating both the election victory and the outcome of the case.“No penalty at all is great news,” said Jerry Gasowski, a retired power plant worker who drove into the city from Long Island. “It’s great news for our country.”<h2>Trump’s demeanor as the sentence was handed down</h2>As Judge Merchan delivered the sentence, Trump sat upright, lips pursed, frowning slightly. He tilted his head to the side as the judge wished him “godspeed in your second term in office.”<h2>Judge sentences Trump in hush money case but declines to impose any punishment</h2>President-elect Donald Trump was formally sentenced Friday in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-trial-closing-arguments-ed9e28cd63502c0949e9fafcc6f0a991">hush money case</a>, but the judge declined to impose any punishment. The outcome cements Trump’s conviction while freeing him to return to the White House unencumbered by the threat of a jail term or a fine.Trump’s sentence of an unconditional discharge caps a norm-smashing case that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">saw the former and future president charged with 34 felonies</a>, put on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-photos-dde716152b697a6b2315a2ecc5df9524">trial for almost two months</a>&nbsp;and convicted on every count. Yet, the legal detour — and sordid details aired in court of a plot to bury affair allegations — didn’t hurt him with voters, who elected him to a second term.Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan could have sentenced the 78-year-old Republican to up to four years in prison. Instead, he chose a sentence that sidestepped thorny constitutional issues by effectively ending the case but assured that Trump will become the first person convicted of a felony to assume the presidency.<h2>Judge Merchan begins speaking</h2>Merchan says a judge must consider the facts of the case as well as aggravating and mitigating circumstances.“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” he said.<h2>Trump says: ‘I’m totally innocent. I did nothing wrong’</h2>He argued that voters saw what happened in this courtroom and, like him, thought it was a disgrace and supported him overwhelmingly in the election.<h2>Addressing the court, Trump says there was no crime</h2>“It’s been a political witch hunt,” he said. “It was done to damage my reputation so that I would lose the election, and obviously, that didn’t work.”<h2>Trump speaks in court</h2>“This has been a very terrible experience. I think it has been a tremendous set back for New York and the New York court system,” he said.<h2>Trump lawyer Todd Blanche begins speaking with Trump by his side</h2>“I very, very much disagree with much of what the government just said about this case, about the legitimacy of what happened in this courtroom during this trial, and about President Trump’s conduct fighting this case,” Blanche said.<h2>Steinglass notes Trump’s contempt findings in this case and others</h2>“As this court has noted, the defendant’s conduct constitutes a ‘direct attack on the rule of law itself,’” Steinglass said.He also noted Trump’s threats to retaliate against people who have wronged him in his legal matters, which Steinglass said is intended to have a chilling effect.Steinglass said the author of the pre-sentence report, a probation officer who interviewed Trump, notes Trump sees himself as above the law.Despite all that, Steinglass said an unconditional discharge is the “most practical sentence prior to his inauguration.”<h2>Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass begins speaking on behalf of the prosecution</h2>He notes the conviction and reviews the sentencing options include up to four years in prison, but other remedies as well.Steinglass says the prosecution recommends unconditional discharge based on circumstances including Trump’s impending return to the White House.Steinglass says prosecutors are OK with the potential no-penalty sentence. He cites “all the circumstances of this case, its unique posture and the defendant’s status as president-elect.”“The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected,” he said.As prosecutors began their remarks, Trump shook his head, eyes darting around the screen. The camera view is framed tightly on him and Blanche, offering courtroom spectators a much closer view of Trump’s expression than during the trial.<h2>Trump attorney Emil Bove says Trump is appearing via Teams</h2>“He’s co-located with my partner, Todd Blanche,” he said.Trump is in Florida, Blanche confirmed.<h2>Trump appears in court via a video feed</h2>He’s wearing a red tie with white or gold thin diagonal stripes. Trump appears stoic and reserved as he waits.An attorney sits to Trump’s right, in front of a backdrop of American flags. American flag pins on both men’s suit jackets.<h2>Outside the courthouse ahead of the sentencing</h2>A handful of protesters had gathered in front of the Manhattan federal courthouse Friday morning.Some carried signs reading “DESERVES THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE” and “34 FELONY CONVICTIONS.”Meanwhile, at a park across the street, supporters unfurled a massive flag reading “TRUMP WON.”<h2>Why did Judge Merchan decide to go ahead with Trump’s sentencing?</h2>In an 18-page legal opinion, Merchan laid out his reasoning for ruling that the president-elect should be sentenced later this month for the crime of falsifying business records.His most important finding was that Trump’s conviction should not be thrown out simply because he was elected president.But the judge also signaled that he intended to impose a sentence of “unconditional discharge,” which means Trump would not face any punishment beyond having the conviction on his legal record.▶ Read more about what&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-new-york-criminal-case-excerpts-59e72847cd80e5f0c734b02fa0426e17">Merchan had to say</a><h2>The scene inside the courtroom before sentencing</h2>Four big TV screens are mounted on the walls: one on either side of the bench where the judge will sit and one each hanging from the left and right side, parallel with the tables where the defense and prosecution will sit.Another large monitor sits behind next to the defense table, visible to the judge’s bench. A crew from ABC News, which will be distributing an audio recording of the proceeding after it ends, was testing the microphone system. At one point, instead of the usual counting up or down to check levels, one member of the crew started reciting the first few words of the Declaration of Independence — “When in the Course of human events” — drawing chuckles from the crowd of reporters and spectators in the gallery.

🎧Listen to Trump sentencing: No prison, probation or conditions

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A woman charged with driving under the influence in a crash that killed a woman is due back in court Friday afternoon.

Trisha Greer, 43, is scheduled for hearing before Judge Sean Hatfield, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 11p.m. May 14, Greer was driving without headlights at 55th Street South and Hoover, according to Sheriff's Lt Nathan Gibbs. The vehicle struck and killed 18-year-old Bethany Aillen Callista Leggio who was standing with a group of people at the location.

Greet was booked into jail just after 1a.m. the following morning, according to online jail records. She&nbsp;is free on bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717510102482.png" alt="Greer photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Greer photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A woman charged with driving under the influence in a crash that killed a woman is due back in court Friday afternoon.Trisha Greer, 43, is scheduled for hearing before Judge Sean Hatfield, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 11p.m. May 14, Greer was driving without headlights at 55th Street South and Hoover, according to Sheriff's Lt Nathan Gibbs. The vehicle struck and killed 18-year-old Bethany Aillen Callista Leggio who was standing with a group of people at the location.Greet was booked into jail just after 1a.m. the following morning, according to online jail records. She&nbsp;is free on bond.

Woman in crash that killed Kansas teen due back in court

NEW YORK (AP) — Anita Bryant, a former Miss Oklahoma and popular singer who became known over the second half of her life for her outspoken opposition to gay rights, has died. She was 84.

Bryant died Dec. 16 at her home in Edmond, Oklahoma, according to a statement posted by her family to news site&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oklahoman.com./obituaries/pokl1052221">The Oklahoman</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. The family did not list a cause of death.

Bryant was a Barnsdell native who began singing at an early age, and was just 12 when she hosted her own local television show. She was named Miss Oklahoma in 1958 and soon began a successful recording career, her hit singles including “Till There Was You,” “Paper Roses” and “My Little Corner of the World.”

By the late 1960s, she was among the entertainers joining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bob-hope">Bob Hope</a>&nbsp;on his USO tours for troops overseas, had sung at the White House and performed at the national conventions for both the Democrats and Republicans in 1968. She also became a highly visible spokesperson for various products, notably for Florida orange juice.

But in the late 1970s, her life and career began a dramatically new path. A lifelong Christian,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c60a408b33b24052b3b004f59a428aff">Bryant led a successful campaign</a>&nbsp;to repeal an ordinance in Florida's Miami-Dade County that would have prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. Supported by the Rev. Jerry Falwell among others, she continued to oppose gay rights around the country and became the object of much criticism in return.

Activists organized boycotts against products she endorsed, designed T-shirts mocking her and named a drink for her — a variation of the screwdriver that replaced orange juice with apple juice.

Her career in entertainment declined, her marriage to her first husband Bob Green broke up, and she later filed for bankruptcy.

More recently, she led Anita Bryant Ministries International. Her second husband, NASA test astronaut Charles Hobson Dry, died last year. According to her family's statement, she is survived by four children, two stepdaughters and seven grandchildren.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736527581157.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Anita Bryant, a former Miss Oklahoma and popular singer who became known over the second half of her life for her outspoken opposition to gay rights, has died. She was 84.Bryant died Dec. 16 at her home in Edmond, Oklahoma, according to a statement posted by her family to news site&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oklahoman.com./obituaries/pokl1052221">The Oklahoman</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. The family did not list a cause of death.Bryant was a Barnsdell native who began singing at an early age, and was just 12 when she hosted her own local television show. She was named Miss Oklahoma in 1958 and soon began a successful recording career, her hit singles including “Till There Was You,” “Paper Roses” and “My Little Corner of the World.”By the late 1960s, she was among the entertainers joining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bob-hope">Bob Hope</a>&nbsp;on his USO tours for troops overseas, had sung at the White House and performed at the national conventions for both the Democrats and Republicans in 1968. She also became a highly visible spokesperson for various products, notably for Florida orange juice.But in the late 1970s, her life and career began a dramatically new path. A lifelong Christian,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c60a408b33b24052b3b004f59a428aff">Bryant led a successful campaign</a>&nbsp;to repeal an ordinance in Florida's Miami-Dade County that would have prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. Supported by the Rev. Jerry Falwell among others, she continued to oppose gay rights around the country and became the object of much criticism in return.Activists organized boycotts against products she endorsed, designed T-shirts mocking her and named a drink for her — a variation of the screwdriver that replaced orange juice with apple juice.Her career in entertainment declined, her marriage to her first husband Bob Green broke up, and she later filed for bankruptcy.More recently, she led Anita Bryant Ministries International. Her second husband, NASA test astronaut Charles Hobson Dry, died last year. According to her family's statement, she is survived by four children, two stepdaughters and seven grandchildren.

Anita Bryant, popular singer known for opposition to gay rights, is dead

WASHINGTON (AP) — The law that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-speech-national-security-22d672d946b6b4065ae5fb7f3e0d8bed">could ban TikTok</a>&nbsp;is coming before the Supreme Court on Friday, with the justices largely holding the app's fate in their hands.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-656">Click here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argument

The popular social media platform says the law violates the First Amendment and should be struck down.

TikTok's parent company is based in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/china">China</a>, and the U.S. government says that means it is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">potential national security threat</a>. Chinese authorities could force it to hand over sensitive data on the huge number of Americans who use it or could influence the spread of information on the platform, they say.

An appeals court has upheld the law, which bans TikTok unless it's sold.

The law is set to take effect Jan. 19, the day before a new term begins for President-elect Donald Trump, who has 14.7 million followers on the platform. The Republican says he wants to “save TikTok."

Here are some key things to know about the case:

Not now, but the short-form video-sharing app could be shut down in less than two weeks if the Supreme Court upholds the law.

Congress passed the measure with bipartisan support, and President Joe Biden, a Democrat, signed it into law in April.

TikTok’s lawyers challenged the law in court, joined by users and content creators who say a ban would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-influencers-content-creator-ban-079d302b938f546ffedacff32b769569">upend their livelihoods</a>. TikTok says the national security concerns are based on inaccurate and hypothetical information.

But a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-court-ruling-china-6bfd505295ad44126df0544fc083d6a6">appeals court panel</a>&nbsp;made up of judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents has upheld the law.

The justices will issue a decision after arguments Friday, a lightning-fast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-us-ban-08d6fffdcd2dde5100fcdf8a452dd5cc">movement</a>&nbsp;by court standards.

The conservative-majority court could drop clues about how it's leaning during oral arguments.

TikTok lawyers have urged the justices to step in before the law takes effect, saying even a monthlong shutdown would cause the app to lose about one-third of its daily American users and significant advertising revenue.

The court could quickly block the law from going into effect before issuing a final ruling, if at least five of the nine justices think it is unconstitutional.

The law is to take effect Jan. 19, the day before Trump takes over as president.

He took the unusual step of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-supreme-court-trump-b96013a8447e9bdb5508ebe436aadf9a">filing court documents</a>&nbsp;asking the Supreme Court to put the law on hold so that he could negotiate a deal for the sale of TikTok after he takes office. His position marked the latest example of him inserting himself into national issues before he takes office. It also was a change from his last presidential term, when he wanted to ban it.

Parent company ByteDance has previously said it has no plans to sell. Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, last month.

Free-speech advocacy groups like the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have urged the court to block the law, saying the government hasn't shown credible evidence of harm and a ban would cause “extraordinary disruption” in Americans' lives.

On the other side, Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican former Senate leader, and a group of 22 states have filed briefs in support, arguing that the law protects free speech by safeguarding Americans' data and preventing the possible manipulation of information on the platform by Chinese authorities.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The law that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-speech-national-security-22d672d946b6b4065ae5fb7f3e0d8bed">could ban TikTok</a>&nbsp;is coming before the Supreme Court on Friday, with the justices largely holding the app's fate in their hands.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-656">Click here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argumentThe popular social media platform says the law violates the First Amendment and should be struck down.TikTok's parent company is based in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/china">China</a>, and the U.S. government says that means it is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-bytedance-shou-zi-chew-8d8a6a9694357040d484670b7f4833be">potential national security threat</a>. Chinese authorities could force it to hand over sensitive data on the huge number of Americans who use it or could influence the spread of information on the platform, they say.An appeals court has upheld the law, which bans TikTok unless it's sold.The law is set to take effect Jan. 19, the day before a new term begins for President-elect Donald Trump, who has 14.7 million followers on the platform. The Republican says he wants to “save TikTok."Here are some key things to know about the case:<h2>Is TikTok banned?</h2>Not now, but the short-form video-sharing app could be shut down in less than two weeks if the Supreme Court upholds the law.Congress passed the measure with bipartisan support, and President Joe Biden, a Democrat, signed it into law in April.TikTok’s lawyers challenged the law in court, joined by users and content creators who say a ban would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-influencers-content-creator-ban-079d302b938f546ffedacff32b769569">upend their livelihoods</a>. TikTok says the national security concerns are based on inaccurate and hypothetical information.But a unanimous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-court-ruling-china-6bfd505295ad44126df0544fc083d6a6">appeals court panel</a>&nbsp;made up of judges appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents has upheld the law.<h2>When will the Supreme Court decide?</h2>The justices will issue a decision after arguments Friday, a lightning-fast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-tiktok-china-us-ban-08d6fffdcd2dde5100fcdf8a452dd5cc">movement</a>&nbsp;by court standards.The conservative-majority court could drop clues about how it's leaning during oral arguments.TikTok lawyers have urged the justices to step in before the law takes effect, saying even a monthlong shutdown would cause the app to lose about one-third of its daily American users and significant advertising revenue.The court could quickly block the law from going into effect before issuing a final ruling, if at least five of the nine justices think it is unconstitutional.<h2>What has Trump said about it?</h2>The law is to take effect Jan. 19, the day before Trump takes over as president.He took the unusual step of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-supreme-court-trump-b96013a8447e9bdb5508ebe436aadf9a">filing court documents</a>&nbsp;asking the Supreme Court to put the law on hold so that he could negotiate a deal for the sale of TikTok after he takes office. His position marked the latest example of him inserting himself into national issues before he takes office. It also was a change from his last presidential term, when he wanted to ban it.Parent company ByteDance has previously said it has no plans to sell. Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, last month.<h2>Who else is weighing in?</h2>Free-speech advocacy groups like the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation have urged the court to block the law, saying the government hasn't shown credible evidence of harm and a ban would cause “extraordinary disruption” in Americans' lives.On the other side, Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican former Senate leader, and a group of 22 states have filed briefs in support, arguing that the law protects free speech by safeguarding Americans' data and preventing the possible manipulation of information on the platform by Chinese authorities.___

🎧Debate over TikTok ban at the U.S. Supreme Court

JERUSALEM (AP)—Israel’s army confirmed Friday that one of the bodies recovered from Gaza earlier this week was that of 23-year-old hostage Hamzah AlZayadni.

His body was retrieved with that of his father,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-hostages-news-01-08-2025-5fd5a3229051f098ef1da834cd8f3c4e">Yosef AlZayadni</a>, who were taken together when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel 15 months ago. His father was quickly identified, while his son’s remains were sent for verification.

In recent weeks, Israel and Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-prisoners-409a3c76c83e75abb7ff2b1d8a5abd38">have appeared to inch closer</a>&nbsp;to an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Palestinians and family members of hostages who were killed in captivity have been imploring the Israeli government and world leaders for a ceasefire deal.

Gaza's Health Ministry said Thursday that 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war</a>, with no end in sight. It has said women and children&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-casualties-toll-65e18f3362674245356c539e4bc0b67a">were more than half the fatalities</a>&nbsp;but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians.

The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths because it says militants operate in residential areas. Israel's air and ground operations have driven hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/gaza-strip-israel-hamas-war-medical-devices-political-refugees-war-and-unrest-2f6907d42f3a46c495ad088c08415880">sprawling tent camps</a>&nbsp;along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7, 2023</a>, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. A third of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-gaza-war-hamas-winter-42b21cff477227a7d65bbc30c0bb83fd">100 hostages still held in Gaza</a>&nbsp;are believed to be dead.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1736516057340.png" alt="Hamzah AlZayadni photo courtesy Hostages and Missing Family Forum" />
 <figcaption>Hamzah AlZayadni photo courtesy Hostages and Missing Family Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP)—Israel’s army confirmed Friday that one of the bodies recovered from Gaza earlier this week was that of 23-year-old hostage Hamzah AlZayadni.His body was retrieved with that of his father,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-hostages-news-01-08-2025-5fd5a3229051f098ef1da834cd8f3c4e">Yosef AlZayadni</a>, who were taken together when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel 15 months ago. His father was quickly identified, while his son’s remains were sent for verification.In recent weeks, Israel and Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-ceasefire-hostages-prisoners-409a3c76c83e75abb7ff2b1d8a5abd38">have appeared to inch closer</a>&nbsp;to an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Palestinians and family members of hostages who were killed in captivity have been imploring the Israeli government and world leaders for a ceasefire deal.Gaza's Health Ministry said Thursday that 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Israel-Hamas war</a>, with no end in sight. It has said women and children&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-casualties-toll-65e18f3362674245356c539e4bc0b67a">were more than half the fatalities</a>&nbsp;but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians.The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths because it says militants operate in residential areas. Israel's air and ground operations have driven hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/gaza-strip-israel-hamas-war-medical-devices-political-refugees-war-and-unrest-2f6907d42f3a46c495ad088c08415880">sprawling tent camps</a>&nbsp;along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials.The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7, 2023</a>, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. A third of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-gaza-war-hamas-winter-42b21cff477227a7d65bbc30c0bb83fd">100 hostages still held in Gaza</a>&nbsp;are believed to be dead.

Body recovered in Gaza confirmed to be 23-year-old hostage

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon with a history of crime including his involvement in a 2019 fatal crash in a stolen SUV that killed two people will be sentenced for murder on Friday in&nbsp;Judge David Dahl's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In December, a jury found 44-year-old Christopher English guilty of first-degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

In December of 2020, police responded to a shooting call at a residence in the 1800 block of South Main in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Upon arrival, they located 49-year-old Michael Horn with a gunshot wound to his head. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp; In July of 2022, police arrested English in connection with Horn's murder.

In 2019, English was on parole and a passenger in a stolen BMW sport utility vehicle driven by Mia Collins who led officers on a chase. After about one mile, the car collided with a car and another SUV at an intersection.

The crash killed 70-year-old Maria Wood and 12-year-old Rosemary McElroy and critically injured 36-year-old Jenny Wood, a popular Wichita musician known for performing with children.&nbsp; Collins was sentenced to life in prison.

English has previous convictions for drugs and weapons, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; &nbsp;He will be sentenced on Jan. 10, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659213439450.png" alt="English-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>English-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon with a history of crime including his involvement in a 2019 fatal crash in a stolen SUV that killed two people will be sentenced for murder on Friday in&nbsp;Judge David Dahl's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In December, a jury found 44-year-old Christopher English guilty of first-degree murder, criminal discharge of a firearm, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.In December of 2020, police responded to a shooting call at a residence in the 1800 block of South Main in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Upon arrival, they located 49-year-old Michael Horn with a gunshot wound to his head. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he died.&nbsp; In July of 2022, police arrested English in connection with Horn's murder.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733836413213.png" alt="Collins photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Collins photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>In 2019, English was on parole and a passenger in a stolen BMW sport utility vehicle driven by Mia Collins who led officers on a chase. After about one mile, the car collided with a car and another SUV at an intersection.The crash killed 70-year-old Maria Wood and 12-year-old Rosemary McElroy and critically injured 36-year-old Jenny Wood, a popular Wichita musician known for performing with children.&nbsp; Collins was sentenced to life in prison.English has previous convictions for drugs and weapons, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; &nbsp;He will be sentenced on Jan. 10, according to the district attorney's office.