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Massachusetts exonerees press to lift $1M cap on compensation for the wrongfully convicted

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts residents who have been freed after a wrongful conviction are pressing lawmakers to overhaul what they describe as the state’s inadequate laws addressing compensation for those who have been unjustly imprisoned.The bills would take a series of steps including lifting the state’s $1 million cap on compensation for those who have wrongfully experienced significant periods of incarceration and providing an immediate $5,000 in assistance upon their release from prison.The bills would also clarify that state services can be provided in addition to financial compensation and that compensation can be provided for people who can prove their innocence, even if their convictions were vacated on other grounds.Among those pressing for the changes is Sean Ellis, a 49-year-old Boston man who spent more than 20 years in prison for the 1993 killing of a police officer before his murder conviction was overturned.Ellis is now director of the Exoneree Netwo...

Court proceedings reveal $700,000 worth of jewelry stolen during Brookline home invasion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

Authorities say several suspects were able to make off with hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of jewelry during a home invasion in Brookline earlier in the year.Manuel Alicea, 31, of Tewksbury, and Dominic Hardin, 34, of Lowell, both appeared in court on Monday for a dangerousness hearing, a week after they were first arrested in connection with a home invasion that took place on Warren Street on July 18.During the court proceedings, the prosecution went over how some $700,000 worth of jewelry was stolen when a group of masked suspects broke into the home.“Only one piece, which was a watch, was found,” a prosecutor said in court, describing how a watch worth $150,000 has been the only item recovered from the theft so far.Authorities said the piece was found in Alicea’s home and that, as of Oct. 2, four other items stolen in July were still missing, including a $275,000 Cartier bracelet.At the time of the theft, authorities said a group of suspects was able to ...

Ticker: Onewheel skateboards recalled; New rules sought to protect whales

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

All models of Onewheel self-balancing electric skateboards are under recall after at least four deaths and multiple injuries were reported in recent years, federal regulators said.The 300,000 now-recalled skateboards, manufactured by the California-based Future Motion, can stop balancing a rider if the boards’ limits are exceeded — which risks serious crashes, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.Future Motion has received dozens of incident reports involving these skateboards, the CPSC said Friday — including four deaths between 2019 and 2021 and serious injuries like paralysis, traumatic brain injury, fractures and ligament damage.The deaths resulted from head trauma, the CPSC added. In at least three of the reports, the riders were not wearing helmets.New rules sought to protect whalesA coalition of environmental groups is calling on the federal government to enact emergency rules to protect a vanishing species of whale from lethal collisions with large ships.Th...

Jayson Tatum talks workouts with Paul Pierce, why he opted against wrist surgery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

Before Jayson Tatum even took a question Monday at media day, the Celtics star knew what was coming.“I bet I can guess what you’re going to ask me,” Tatum said as he situated himself at the podium.He was given the floor.“I spent a lot of time with Paul Pierce this summer,” Tatum began.Indeed, videos were posted on social media throughout the summer of the Celtics stars past and present working out with each other. Pierce said on Kevin Garnett’s podcast last month that it started when he went with former teammate Sam Cassell – who joined the C’s as an assistant coach this summer – to watch one of Tatum’s workouts. It turned into routine workouts together, which helped Pierce get into shape.Tatum said the two worked out with each for about a month as he trained for the upcoming season, and he gained insights from Pierce in the process.“He was really motivated,” Tatum said. “Paul actually lost 15-20 pounds. It was about four weeks. He came to the gym every day. It was cool to hav...

Patriots rookie Christian Gonzalez reportedly suffers separated shoulder in loss to Cowboys

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

The Patriots could be without two of their best defensive players for a while.Rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez suffered a separated shoulder late in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys, a source told The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. Gonzalez is “undergoing tests to determine further damage” and “is expected to miss some time,” per Howe.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Bill Belichick has ‘doubts’ Patriots will give Bailey Zappe first-team practice reps New England Patriots | ‘All World’ Patriots great Russ Francis dies in plane crash New England Patriots | Mac Jones takes blame for worst loss of Bill Belichick era: ‘I let my team down’ New England Patriots | Patriots captain backs Bill Belichick after worst loss of head coach’s career New England Patriots | Patriots teammate gives ominous response about Matthew Judon...

Nobel effort: Scientists behind Pfizer, Moderna mRNA vaccines win Nobel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

Two scientists won the Nobel Prize in medicine for research that laid the groundwork for some of the best-selling medicines of all time: the messenger-RNA vaccines against COVID-19.Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman’s work helped pioneer the technology that enabled Moderna Inc. and the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE partnership to swiftly develop shots. The vaccines have been given to hundreds of millions of people around the world, a key step toward easing the coronavirus pandemic.Kariko and Weissman will share the $1 million award, the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm said in a statement Monday.The scientists showed how to solve one of the major problems of mRNA by tweaking it to avoid causing inflammation. Their research, published in 2005, was one of the building blocks that allowed it to be introduced into the body.“Through their groundbreaking findings, which have fundamentally changed our understanding of how mRNA interacts with our immune system, the laureates ...

Bill Belichick has ‘doubts’ Patriots will give Bailey Zappe first-team practice reps

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

The Patriots are understandably not ready to re-open a quarterback battle one month after Mac Jones decisively beat out Bailey Zappe for the starting role in training camp the preseason.Jones was so much better this summer, Zappe not only was relegated to backup duties, the second-year pro was cut out of training camp. He re-signed to the practice squad one day later and eventually was brought back onto the 53-man roster.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots rookie Christian Gonzalez reportedly suffers separated shoulder in loss to Cowboys New England Patriots | ‘All World’ Patriots great Russ Francis dies in plane crash New England Patriots | Mac Jones takes blame for worst loss of Bill Belichick era: ‘I let my team down’ New England Patriots | Patriots captain backs Bill Belichick after worst loss of head coach’s career New England Patriots | Patriots teammate gives o...

Selma Blair helps White House salute landmark disability legislation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Actor and disability rights advocate Selma Blair on Monday helped President Joe Biden mark the legacy of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, displaying a touch of the comedic timing that made her a star in Hollywood hits like “Legally Blonde” and “Cruel Intentions.” Blair, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, walked together with Biden to a ceremony on the White House’s south lawn with her cane and her service dog, an English Labrador named Scout. When she reached the stage, she told Scout, “down” and “good boy.” As he lay near Biden’s feet, the president started to bend down to pet Scout, but Blair looked over and said, “yeah, stay.” That caused Biden to straighten up to full attention. “I feel so powerful all of a sudden,” laughed Blair. Then, indicating a handheld microphone in addition to the one she was using affixed to the podium, she said, “I don’t need this. This is for someone else, correct?”“It’s...

Man convicted of stealing $1.9 million in COVID-19 relief money gets more than 5 years in prison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia man was sentenced Monday to more than five years in federal prison for organizing a scheme that stole nearly $2 million in government aid intended to help businesses endure the coronavirus pandemic. A U.S. District Court judge in Brunswick sentenced 41-year-old Bernard Okojie after a jury in March convicted him of fraud and conspiracy charges. Prosecutors say Okojie filed dozens of applications for himself and others to receive COVID-19 relief funds in 2020 and 2021, but none of the businesses named in the applications existed. The government paid Okojie and his accomplices more than $1.9 million, prosecutors said, which they used to buy a home and vehicles in addition to luxury shopping trips and a toy poodle. Authorities said Okojie was carrying nearly $40,000 in cash when they apprehended him trying to leave the U.S.Judge Lisa Godbey Wood ordered Okojie to repay the $1.9 million in addition to serving 64 months in prison.“Bernard Okojie devised a c...

Kentucky AG announces latest round of funding to groups battling the state’s drug abuse problems

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:57:10 GMT

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A state commission has awarded nearly $14 million in the latest round of funding to groups serving “in the trenches” to combat Kentucky’s drug abuse problems, Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Monday.A few dozen groups will receive portions of the $13.9 million, which stems from a massive settlement with opioid companies. It continues the flow of money to grassroots groups specializing in drug prevention, treatment and recovery services as Kentucky struggles to overcome the deadly scourge. “To all those struggling with addiction, our message is clear: Help is on the way. Millions of dollars in help is on the way,” Cameron said in announcing the latest awards at the Kentucky Capitol.The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission is funneling the money to an array of programs — from small towns to the state’s largest cities. The awards are designed to help combat a drug problem that Cameron has branded as “the public safety challenge of our lifetime.”...