Community calls for justice after black man found dead hanging from tree in California
(CNN) — Dozens of people gathered at Palmdale city council chambers Friday as officials held a press conference on the death of a 24-year-old black man who was found hanging from a tree in northern Los Angeles County.
Shortly after 3:30 a.m. Monday, a passerby noticed a man, later identified as Robert L. Fuller, hanging from a tree in Palmdale, California. Fire department personnel who responded to the scene determined he was dead, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
Palmdale city described it as “an alleged death by suicide.”
“Sadly, it is not the first such incident since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” the city said in a statement that included information on resources for mental health. “The city remains committed to addressing mental health issues during these difficult times. We are in this together.”
When a spokesperson for the sheriff’s department announced the preliminary findings of Fuller’s death during the news conference, outraged crowds demanded an investigation.
“We’re working hard to try to figure out exactly what happened,” Palmdale Mayor Steven D. Hofbauer shouted as he tried to calm people down.
Attendees asked for camera footage of the incident, but a city official said there’s none. Throughout the news conference, officials repeatedly called it an ongoing investigation, saying a full autopsy is underway.
After the press conference, the city issued a statement saying it understands the community’s call for a full investigation into the death.
“We will fully cooperate with the Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County’s Coroner’s Offices, and any and all investigative agencies looking into the matter,” Hofbauer said.
“We are awaiting all available details surrounding this tragedy. In addition, we are working with local community leaders to increase the dialogue on how we can best work together and build a safer and more inclusive community,” he added.
A full autopsy is expected to be conducted in the immediate future, the Sheriff’s Department said.
Investigators have been in contact with Fuller’s family members and are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Palmdale city manager J.J. Murphy said he would be speaking to Fuller’s sister after the news conference. CNN is attempting to reach out to Fuller’s family members.
A GoFundMe account created to help the family with funeral costs had raised nearly $100,000 by Friday afternoon. Fuller’s death has caught the attention of activist nationwide on social media even Kim Kardashian West.
Palmdale is about 60 miles from Los Angeles.
CNN’s Madeline Holcombe contributed to this report
Photo Credit: GoFundMe
Coronavirus survivor gets whopping 181-page $1.1 million hospital bill
A 70-year-old Seattle man who nearly died from the coronavirus got hit with another shock after he recovered: a $1.1 million hospital bill.
Michael Flor was so sick from COVID-19 that his wife and kids called him to say good-bye.
But he managed to pull through while being treated at Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah, the Seattle Times reported.
Then he got the sky-high bill for his care.
“I opened it and said ‘holy [bleep]!’“ Flor told the paper.
The invoice, totaling an eye-popping $1,122,501.04, ran 181 pages, including $9,736 for his room in the intensive care unit, plus an extra $408,912 because the space had to be sealed off and staff needed to wear full protective gear.
Many of the charges were for the drugs that kept him alive.
Flor has a Medicare Advantage insurance policy that normally covers all charges after the roughly $6,000 deductible, the paper reported.
Special financial regulations enacted by Congress for COVID-19 patients, however, might keep Flor from paying one red cent, the Seattle Times said.
Flor said he was surprised by his own reaction to beating the coronavirus.
“I feel guilty about surviving,” he said. “There’s a sense of, ‘why me?’ Why did I deserve all this? Looking at the incredible cost of it all definitely adds to that survivor’s guilt.”
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/13/seattle-coronavirus-survivor-gets-1-1-million-hospital-bill/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Protester in Seattle’s CHAZ demands white demonstrators give out cash
A protester in the police-free district set up by demonstrators in Seattle demanded that white demonstrators fork over $10 to their black counterparts.
A video, uploaded to Twitter Saturday, shows a man inside the city’s Capital Hill Autonomous Zone, or CHAZ, urging protesters to donate the cash.
“I want you to find by the time you leave this autonomous zone, I want you to … to give $10 to one African American person from this autonomous zone,” said the unidentified protestor speaking to dozens inside the area near the city’s East Precinct that was abandoned by police last week following two weeks of clashes after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis last month.
“If you have a hard time giving $10 you got to think are you really down with this struggle, are you really down with the movement,” he said. “If that is a challenge for you, I’m not sure you are in the right place.”
The demand was met with cheers and applause from a crowd that had gathered at what appeared to be a baseball field.
Hundreds of people have taken over the blocked-off area, where cops have been banished from one of their own precincts, for at least five days to hear speeches and demonstrate.
“The white people … I see you, I see every single one of you and I remember your faces,” said the speaker.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/13/protester-in-seattles-chaz-demands-white-people-give-out-cash/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
“Karen” couple calls cops on Black man for stenciling ‘Black Lives Matter’ on own property
A white couple in San Francisco questioned a man of color Friday for stenciling “Black Lives Matter” – on his own property.
Twitter user @Jaimetoons posted a video of a self-righteous couple accosting him for stenciling in chalk Black Lives Matter on the side of his own building.
“A white couple call the police on me, a person of color, for stencilling a #BLM chalk message on my own front retaining wall,” @Jaimetoons tweeted. “‘Karen’ lies and says she knows that I don’t live in my own house, because she knows the person who lives here. #blacklivesmatter”
In the video, a woman who later identifies herself as Lisa, approaches Jaime as her husband, Robert, videotapes the two from the street.
Lisa, smiling strangely asks: “Is this your property? Hi – I’m asking you if this is your property.”
“Why are you asking?” Jaime asks, to which Robert says, “Because it’s private property!”
Lisa, in a patronizing voice then adds, “Because it’s private property so… Are defacing private property? You’re free to express your opinion but … just not on people’s properties.”
Lisa then goes on to say “Absolutely. Respectfully. We’re just saying your signs and everything – that’s good. THIS is not the way to do it. It’s private property.”
Jaime then says, “If I did live here and it was my property this would be absolutely fine?” to which Lisa shoots back, “If it WAS your property.”
Jaime says, “And you don’t know if I live here or if this is my property…”
Lisa, grinning, says, “We actually DO know. That’s why we’re asking.”
Jaime shoots back, “Because you live here, right…?” prompting Lisa to respond, “No because we know the person who does, OK? What I’m asking you is why are you doing this?”
Jaime then says, “And I’m not answering you.” He then suggests, “you can call the cops if you believe I’m committing a crime.”
Which the couple does.
Photo Credit: abc7news.com
Saint Louis County Executive Page: ‘I’m sure there’s systemic racism in our police department’
ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KMOV.com) – St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page addressed racism within the police department during his Friday morning COVID-19 press conference.
“I’m sure there’s systemic racism in our police department, as it’s part of our community,” Page said when asked if systemic racism existed within the St. Louis County Police Department. “Doesn’t mean that every interaction between two people is racially charged, but no one could argue that racism doesn’t exist in our community, but we have to work past that, and the conversation we’re having now is how we’re going to do that, what sort of training is in place, is that training being followed, that’s the sort of conversation we’re going to have. We’re in the middle of a great civil rights debate in our country.”
Page said he sent a letter to the Board of Police Commissioners asking them to review current policies within the police department. He also said the department follows all state guidelines regarding use of force and those policies have been in place since 2010.
When asked about calls to defund police, Page said he didn’t think defunding public safety should be done.
“I think we should have a serious conversation about what is the role and responsibility and duty of a police officer and whether some of those duties could be accomplished by someone else, whether it’s a social worker, or nurse, or some sort of volunteer,” he said. “But the evolution of the job description of a police officer has changed greatly.”
Page also said the underfunding of substance abuse and mental health challenges within the community has had an impact on public safety.
Photo Credit: kmov.com
Homeless woman found dead in Midtown clothing donation bin
A woman was found dead outside a Midtown bar after authorities said she became stuck in a clothing donation bin Wednesday night.
Atlanta police officers found the 26-year-old with her head stuck inside a metal door to the donation bin at Henry’s Midtown Tavern on 10th Street shortly before midnight, a police spokesman said. Her feet were off the ground.
The woman was removed from the bin by Atlanta fire crews and was pronounced dead at the scene. She was identified Friday by the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office as Emily Cooper.
She was homeless, according to the office.
A witness told officers he found a chair on its side next to her body, spokesman Carlos Campos said in a statement.
“Based on evidence at the scene, it appears the woman had been trying to remove items from the bin when she was trapped by a heavy metal door,” he said. “At this time, the death appears to be accidental.”
An official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, he said.
Photo Credit: ajc.com
6-year-old kept in a closet for a month died weighing 18 pounds
A 6-year-old boy who was locked in a closet and deprived of food weighed just 18 pounds when he died in March, an autopsy has found.
Deshaun Martinez’s parents, Elizabeth Archibeque and Anthony Martinez, allegedly admitted to police that they kept Deshaun and his 7-year-old brother in a closet in their Flagstaff, Arizona, apartment for 16 hours a day for a month — and gave them little to eat.
An autopsy determined that Deshaun died of starvation and listed the manner of death as a homicide.
His parents and his grandmother, Ann Martinez, were charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and child abuse shortly after the boy was found unresponsive in early March. They have pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors have until late July to decide whether they will seek capital punishment in the case.
The boys were punished because they stole food while their parents slept, police said.
Archibeque and Anthony Martinez initially attributed Deshaun’s malnourished state to a medical condition and to taking diet or caffeine pills.
His medical history showed he had trouble gaining weight after he was hospitalized at 2 weeks old due to sepsis and a urinary tract infection that resulted in fevers and vomiting at every feed.
When he was discharged from the hospital, his parents were advised on how to keep him at a healthy weight.
Deshaun weighed 34 pounds at age 4 but dropped to 27 pounds a year later. He was just 18 pounds when he died — the same weight he was at age 1.
The autopsy report noted Deshaun had brittle hair, sunken eyes and almost no body fat. He also had abrasions and bruises on his body that were not life-threatening.
His father said the family was on a budget and was awaiting food stamps to buy more food for Deshaun.
The boy’s surviving siblings, ages 2, 4 and 7, were taken into custody by the Arizona Department of Child Safety, according to AZ Central.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/10/arizona-boy-died-weighing-18-pounds-after-being-kept-in-closet/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
Teen fell into coma after having bubble tea twice a day for a month
A Chinese teen fell into a diabetic coma after she developed a habit of guzzling two bubble tea drinks every day, according to a report.
The 18-year-old Shanghai girl drank a pair of the super-sweet drinks every day for a month, until they triggered severe health issues, Asia Wire reported.
She was discovered unconscious by family members, who said she had been experiencing symptoms associated with hyperglycemia, a condition associated with dangerously high levels of blood sugar, according to the report.
Among her symptoms before she fell into a coma were nausea, frequent urination and dehydration, the report said.
She was brought last month to Ruijin Hospital, where her blood sugar levels were recorded at roughly 25 times higher than normal, according to the report.
The teen was placed on a ventilator and received kidney dialysis before waking up from the coma five days later, the outlet reported.
By June 1, the teen appeared to be on the mend and was discharged from the hospital, the report said.
The average cup of bubble tea has 54 grams of sugar, while regular iced tea has around 22 grams of sugar, according to Healthline and the US Department of Agriculture.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/10/teen-in-a-coma-after-having-bubble-tea-twice-a-day-for-month/
Photo Credit: nypost.com/AsiaWire/Ruijin Hospital
Belgian prince got coronavirus after breaking quarantine to party in Spain
A Belgian prince has been fined more than $10,000 by the Spanish government for breaking quarantine rules — after he traveled to the country, went out partying and eventually tested positive for the coronavirus, a Spanish official said on Wednesday.
Prince Joachim, the 28-year-old nephew of Belgium’s King Philippe, tripped to Spain on May 24 for an internship — but he failed to abide by the country’s rule mandating that incoming travelers quarantine themselves for 14 days, the official in Andalusia said.
Instead of staying inside, the prince went out to a party in the southern city of Cardoba two days after his arrival — and later tested positive for the virus.
There were 27 people in attendance at the shindig, which was held in violation of Spain’s lockdown measures, the Brussels Times reported.
Joachim, who is tenth in line to the Belgian throne, admitted to breaching quarantine and was slapped with a $11,800 fine, the officials said.
The royal was hit with the maximum fine for a “serious violation of civil protection [laws],” which if paid within 15 days will be reduced by 50 percent.
“Now that we are, for the first time, cornering the pandemic, we cannot lock up in a house with 40 or 50 people in a party,” said Andalusian president Juanma Moreno, according to the outlet. “Because if one person is infected, they can infect the rest.”
The prince issued a public statement last week apologizing after the news broke of his lockdown shenanigans, and is now in Spain following quarantine rules.
“I would like to apologize for not having respected all the quarantine measures during my trip,” Joachim said. “In these difficult moments, I did not mean to offend or disrespect anybody.”
Spain is among countries hardest hit by the virus, recording more than 242,000 COVID-19 cases and 27,000 related deaths.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/10/coronavirus-stricken-belgian-prince-fined-for-breaking-quarantine/
Photo Credit: nypost.com
21-year-old Colorado woman shot dead after argument about dog poop
A woman was fatally shot and her boyfriend wounded by a gunman who reportedly took issue with how the couple told their dog to poop during a walk in Denver on Wednesday.
The victims — identified in reports as Isabella Thallas, 21, and Darian Simon — were walking their pooch near Coors Field when 36-year-old suspect Michael Close quarreled with them from inside his apartment, the Denver Post reported.
“The suspect got into a verbal altercation with the victims related to the victims telling the dog to poop,” according to a probable cause statement obtained by the newspaper.
Close reportedly asked the couple if they were going to train their pooch or just yell at it, the police records state.
Simon told police he tried to ignore Close before shots rang out, striking him twice and killing his girlfriend.
Police caught Close later Wednesday as he was driving on a nearby highway, the report said. A rifle and a handgun were found in his car, cops said.
Thallas’ mother, Ana Thallas, mourned the death of her daughter in a Facebook post.
“Today we lost a daughter, sister, grand daughter, niece and friend,” Ana wrote. “The Lord called her home and she is resting in peace with Him.
“We asked that you kindly respect our privacy and Isabella’s life by keeping this positive and loving.”
A GoFundMe page set up to help cover Isabella’s funeral costs had raised over $45,000 as of early Friday.
via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/12/colorado-woman-shot-dead-after-argument-about-dog-poop/
Photo Credit: nypost.com/GoFundMe