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In addition to facing life in prison, Sean "Diddy" Combs could lose the assets he’s built up while becoming a music mogul, including his mansions, cars, a private jet and even his Bad Boy Records label. 

Diddy, whose trial started this month, has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.

He has also been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, also known as RICO, which means he could lose any of his assets deemed to have been used while committing a crime. 

Diddy has been the subject of dozens of lawsuits since his ex, Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura filed a lawsuit accusing the rapper of years of abuse and rape in November 2023. 

CASSIE TESTIFIES AGAINST SEAN DIDDY COMBS IN SEX TRAFFICKING CASE

And while he has denied all of the accusations and charges against him as he goes into trial, his legal team has hired a consultant – a federal prosecutor, who is an expert on federal asset forfeiture law after spending 30 years in the Department of Justice specializing in asset forfeiture and money laundering. 

"RICO forfeiture is intended to be very broad, and so it has significant consequences," Stefan Cassella told USA Today, adding that he couldn’t go into specifics of Diddy’s case because of his involvement as a consultant. "So, it's going to boil down to what they can prove was part of the enterprise."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Cassella for comment. 

What assets of Diddy’s could be seized? 

Last year, Forbes said it conservatively estimated Diddy’s net worth to be around $400 million, saying his fortune had fallen along with his reputation after he was once poised to become a billionaire. 

The mogul owns several homes in the U.S., including a nearly $40 million home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills, another one he bought near Los Angeles in Toluca Lake for $5.25 million, two side-by-side waterfront homes on Miami Beach's Star Island that he paid $35 million and $14.5 million for, as well as a nearly $3 million Miami condo, according to Realtor.com. 

MEET THE JURORS SET TO DECIDE DIDDY'S FATE IN SEX CRIMES TRIAL 

He also sold a home in New York’s East Hampton last year for $4.7 million. 

His homes in L.A. and Miami were raided last year as part of the federal sex trafficking investigation against him. 

"The properties themselves could be included or referenced in the indictment as a means that served the ends of those alleged crimes, and they could be seized," Priya Sopori, a partner at Greenberg Glusker and a member of the firm’s litigation group, told Fox News Digital last year. 

She added, "In other words, if we were talking about charges that involved sex trafficking, the government would likely ask, ‘Were these properties used to introduce victims of sex trafficking to potential abusers and sex offenders?’"

"Were these properties an effective co-conspirator in these alleged crimes — allowing and facilitating Mr. Combs’ alleged engagement in illegal activities?  If so, and if Mr. Combs were to be found guilty of those alleged crimes, then the properties themselves could be seized by the government."

Along with his properties, Diddy also owns a Gulfstream G550 jet through his LoveAir LLC valued at around $25 million. 

The plane was built in 2015, carries 14 passengers and was available to charter following Diddy’s arrest, Business Insider reported last year. 

Diddy also owns a luxury car collection, which GigWise estimated to be worth around $1.6 million last year, and includes a $500,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Ferrari 360 Spider, a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and a Cadillac Escalade. 

DIDDY TRIAL TIMELINE: HOW RAPPER LANDED IN HOT SEAT FACING LIFE BEHIND BARS

Diddy has an extensive art collection, including Kerry James Marshall’s "Past Times" painting, which he purchased at Sotheby’s for $21.1 million in 2018. 

His art advisor told artnet.com a year ago, before his arrest, that he had no plans to sell that painting or any others in his collection.

Even the rapper’s businesses, including Bad Boy Records, which he started in 1993, could be seized. The company still makes money through music and publishing rights, but its value has plummeted because of his allegations, according to USA Today. 

His other businesses, which all fall under parent company Combs Global, include Combs Wines and Spirits, Revolt Media, Sean John fashion and fragrances brand and his nonprofit, the Sean Combs Foundation. 

Diddy sold his majority stake in Revolt Media last year. 

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In 2016, Sean John’s annual retail sales totaled $450 million, according to Women’s Wear Daily, but has floundered since then. 

Macy’s began selling Sean John’s sportswear collection exclusively in 2010, but started to phase it out by 2023. 

"Big box retail stores are always considering what’s relevant and Sean John was no longer remotely popular with consumers. The brand lost its swagger," Ted Jenkin, president of Exit Stage Left Advisors, told FOX Business last year. 

The indictment against Diddy lumps all of his businesses together as the "Combs Business," saying it includes "among other things, record labels, a recording studio, an apparel line, an alcoholic spirits business, a marketing agency and a television network and media company," USA Today reported. 

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"They’ve written a very broadly worded forfeiture allegation," James Trusty, a former chief of DOJ’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, told USA Today. "It’s so vague and so broad that I would think the defense would push for a bill of particulars," or a more specific explanation of what the feds are going after. 

The main decline in Diddy’s wealth last year was the end of his partnership with Diageo, an alcoholic beverage company, through his Cîroc vodka after sales began to decline starting in 2014, according to Forbes. 

"Anything [Combs] did as an artist probably has lost substantial value, as has his brand," John Branca, Michael Jackson’s estate attorney, told Forbes. 

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Both Casella and Trusty told USA Today that victims could seek a share of any assets seized from Diddy in future lawsuits. 

Investigators are also searching for any assets that Diddy may have hidden in an attempt to avoid having them seized. 

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Crew members were hanging onto the rigging of the Mexican Navy tall ship that crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday night, video footage shows.

Two sailors were killed and nearly 20 others were injured when the Cuauhtémoc ship struck the bridge at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night. Everyone who was injured was on the boat and none of the 277 people onboard fell into the water.

"No one fell into the water, they were all hurt inside the ship," an NYPD official said, according to WCBS. "The ship, from what I was informed by the supervisors of the ship, it was disembarking and going to Iceland."

Video of the crash from the Brooklyn side of the East River shows the 150-foot-tall Mexican Navy training ship's three masts snapping after hitting the bridge. Officials said early indications suggest a mechanical issue may have caused the ship to veer off course and collide with the bridge, but the incident remains under investigation.

NTSB LAUNCHES 'GO-TEAM' OF SPECIALIZED INVESTIGATORS AFTER BROOKLYN BRIDGE STRUCK BY MEXICAN NAVY SHIP

Footage also shows sailors hanging from the rigging ropes on the damaged masts, but none of them fell into the water.

"We saw someone dangling, and I couldn’t tell if it was just blurry or my eyes, and we were able to zoom in on our phone and there was someone dangling from the harness from the top for at least 15 minutes before they were able to rescue them," eyewitness Lily Katz told The Associated Press.

Another witness, Nick Corso, had his phone out to capture the backdrop of the ship and the bridge against a sunset when he heard what sounded like the loud snapping of a "big twig."

AT LEAST 2 DEAD AFTER MEXICAN NAVY SAILING SHIP COLLIDES WITH BROOKLYN BRIDGE IN DRAMATIC NYC CRASH

People around Corso began running and "pandemonium" ensued aboard the ship, he said. He later noticed a handful of people dangling from a mast.

"I didn’t know what to think, I was like, is this a movie?" he said.

The bridge did not sustain any damage from the collision.

"We are praying for everyone on board and their families and are grateful to our first responders who quickly jumped into action, ensuring this accident wasn’t much worse," Adams said at a news conference on Saturday night.

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum offered "solidarity and support" to the families of the deceased crew members after the crash.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of two crew members of the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship, who lost their lives in the unfortunate accident in New York Harbor. Our sympathy and support go out to their families," she wrote Saturday night on on X.

The Cuauhtémoc was built in Bilbao, Spain, in 1981 and has won the Tall Ships’ Races twice, according to Sail Training International. The ship was in New York City as part of a promotion for an event next year that celebrates America’s 250th birthday.

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A California family is suing a funeral home after it put the wrong man in the casket and dressed him in their loved one's clothes, and workers even attempted to say the family was mistaken upon being confronted about the error.

Amentha Hunt says she arrived at Harrison-Ross Mortuary in Compton to prepare her uncle, 80-year-old Otis Adkinson, for burial when she noticed another man was inside the casket, according to KCAL.

"It shouldn't have happened," Hunt told the outlet. "I didn't make arrangements there to see the wrong body."

LONG ISLAND SISTERS SUE FUNERAL HOMES ALLEGEDLY RESPONSIBLE FOR BURYING STRANGER INSTEAD OF THEIR LOVED ONE

"It was a guy laying there in my uncle's suit, but it wasn't my uncle," she added. "I just kept looking at him. I am like, 'He couldn't have gotten that dark.'"

Hunt said she brought the issue to the attention of a mortuary worker, but the worker initially dismissed her concerns and claimed that it was her uncle inside the casket.

"That's not my uncle," Hunt said. "My uncle wouldn't have gotten that dark ... I showed a picture and she said, 'Yeah, you're right, give us one minute.'"

Hunt said she and her family waited three hours while the mortuary fixed the mix-up before they could bury her uncle. It is unclear whose body was in the casket dressed in her uncle's suit.

"For them to come in and see the wrong corpse, and for the mortuary to deny it's the wrong corpse, we think it's really just a basic standard of care that they messed up on," Hunt's attorney, Elvis Tran, told KCAL. "They really need to improve their ways so they don't do this to another family."

The funeral home has denied the allegations and is preparing to file a cease-and-desist letter against Hunt.

FAMILY SUES AFTER FUNERAL HOME ALLEGEDLY PUT WRONG BODY IN MOTHER'S CASKET

Hunt said she is still traumatized by seeing someone else in the suit she chose for her uncle. 

"It's hurting," she said. "To view the wrong corpse, I still can see that guy."

Adkinson, a Memphis native, died on Feb. 28. He was described by his family as a "good ole country boy" who enjoyed fishing, barbecuing, dancing and watching the Los Angeles Lakers, according to his obituary.

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WARNING: This article contains graphic images. Reader discretion is advised.

Researchers have uncovered the reason an "unusual" 18th-century mummy was preserved so well in Austria – and it's highly abnormal.

A study about the mummy was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine. The so-called "air-dried chaplain" is housed in the crypt of the church of St. Thomas am Blasenstein in Upper Austria.

Historians believe the mummy's identity was most likely Franz Xaver Sidler von Rosenegg, a vicar who had been temporarily delegated to the St. Thomas parish at the time of his death.

STRANGE VIKING GRAVE WITH 'CHRISTIAN OVERTONES' DISCOVERED BY PERPLEXED ARCHAEOLOGISTS: ‘VERY UNUSUAL’

He was between 35 and 45 years old when he died and passed away between 1730 and 1780, according to carbon dating. Experts were able to glean details about his life, including his diet, from the study.

"He had a high-quality diet based on terrestrial animal products [and] showed no signs of major physical work load," the study noted.

Despite his relatively healthy lifestyle, researchers believe that he died from an acute pulmonary hemorrhage after suffering from tuberculosis.

"[He] was most likely a pipe smoker and suffered from chronic active pulmonary tuberculosis with peripheral and central (hilar) calcifications (primary tuberculous complex) and a right lower lobe cavity with focal heterotopic ossification and potential active inflammation," the study detailed.

EXPERTS REVEAL DETAILS ABOUT A 16TH-CENTURY CATHOLIC SAINT FOUND 'PERFECTLY PRESERVED': 'TRULY UNIQUE'

But experts were stunned when they came across the mummy's midsection and found it full of curious material – including wood chips, twigs and fabric.

"Most surprisingly, we detected, in the otherwise completely intact abdominal (and pelvic) cavity, extensive packing with foreign material, which was identified as a mixture of wood chips, fragmented twigs, large amounts of fabric of various types, including elaborate embroidered linen, and even pieces of silk," the article said.

Researchers also came across a solution made of zinc, chloride and copper that appeared to aid in the cadaver's preservation. 

The solution had been inserted into the mummy's abdominal cavity.

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"This embalming method seems to have included high-level zinc-ion solution impregnation (most likely zinc-chloride with small amounts of arsenic) and the addition of copper," the study said.

Researchers added, "It led to an excellent state of conservation of the [body], while the face (and skull) and peripheral extremities were less well-preserved."

Professor Andreas Nerlich discussed the findings in an email with Fox News Digital, noting the embalming technique was previously unknown.

"The most significant factors for the embalming of this mummy were the internal stuffing [of] fabric and wood chips and the zinc-chloride solution," the expert said. 

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Though the mummy was found to have had a healthy diet, Nerlich said that factor "obviously had no influence."

The professor added, "We have no idea whether this [embalming] technique has been applied more often, but this is the first verified case of such a treatment. We have no data on its use in other cases."

The mummy is one of several well-preserved remains that have been studied and publicly reported in recent months.

Last year, archaeologists unsealed a 2,000-year-old tomb in Italy and found a mummy to be in "excellent state." 

In March, a female 130,000-year-old baby mammoth was dissected in Russia.

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Five Texas district attorneys are suing state Attorney General Ken Paxton, challenging new rules that would give his office broad authority to access their office’s case records, according to a new report. 

In the two lawsuits filed on Friday, the district attorneys said the rule, in effect since April, is an unconstitutional overreach that violates the separation of powers and would impose unnecessary burdens on county prosecutors, The Texas Tribune reported.

District attorneys in Dallas, Bexar and Harris counties filed one lawsuit while district attorneys in Travis and El Paso counties filed another. Both lawsuits seek to block Paxton from enforcing the rule, arguing that it violates the state constitution and federal law.

The rule created by Paxton's office applies to counties with at least 400,000 residents, impacting only 13 of Texas' 254 counties, The Texas Tribune reported. It requires district attorneys to provide all documents or communications produced or received by their offices, including confidential information.

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All documents, correspondence and handwritten notes relevant to a case can be subject to review, according to the outlet. Counties must also submit quarterly reports to the attorney general on twelve different subjects, including specific information on indictments of police officers and the number of times indictments were issued for election code violations. Information on internal policies and how funds obtained through civil forfeiture are spent would also need to be turned over under the new rule.

Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot described the rules as a violation of the separation of powers between the executive branch and the judicial branch.

"To make matters worse, the rule’s extremely burdensome reporting requirements will cause district attorneys' offices to divert resources and staff away from core prosecutorial roles and responsibilities, which harms public safety and the administration of justice," Creuzot said in a statement. "And it will cost Dallas County taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars or more to pay for the technology and resources needed to identify and produce all the responsive information under these unnecessary reporting requirements."

"AG Paxton should be working with all district and county attorneys in pursuit of justice, not picking fights with the Democrats in large cities," Creuzot added.

Paxton’s office has claimed the provision is a way to "rein in rogue district attorneys" allegedly refusing to uphold the law. District attorneys that do not comply with the reporting rule could be charged with official misconduct and removed from office.

"District and County Attorneys have a duty to protect the communities they serve by upholding the law and vigorously prosecuting dangerous criminals," Paxton said in March. "In many major counties, the people responsible for safeguarding millions of Texans have instead endangered lives by refusing to prosecute criminals and allowing violent offenders to terrorize law-abiding Texans. This rule will enable citizens to hold rogue DAs accountable."

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In response to the lawsuits, Paxton said Friday that it "is no surprise that rogue DAs who would rather turn violent criminals loose on the streets than do their jobs are afraid of transparency and accountability."

"My DA reporting rule is a simple, straightforward, common-sense measure that will shed light on local officials who are abdicating their responsibility to public safety. This lawsuit is meritless and merely a sad, desperate attempt to conceal information from the public they were sworn to protect," he continued.

The two lawsuits claim Paxton’s office does not have the sweeping jurisdiction the rule creates, and that providing the information requested would be expensive and illegal, according to The Texas Tribune. The lawsuits claim the rule seeks to achieve a political objective by burdening officials and creating strict consequences for noncompliance.

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Cassie Ventura testified for four days against her ex-boyfriend, Sean "Diddy" Combs, in his federal trial for sex crimes. 

Cassie, 38, was emotional at times as she sat on the witness stand detailing alleged abuse at the hands of the Bad Boy Records founder. 

Her husband, Alex Fine, was in court throughout his pregnant wife's testimony.

Her testimony as "Victim 1" was crucial to the government's case, and the U.S. Attorney's Office is relying on Cassie as its "star witness," according to criminal defense attorney Phil Harvey.

DIDDY TRIAL: CASSIE VENTURA'S 5 MOST EXPLOSIVE CLAIMS AGAINST RAPPER

"After a full week of trial, we don’t know who victims 2 and 3 are yet, but we do know one thing: Cassie Ventura is the star witness so far," Harvey told Fox News Digital. 

"It's clear that the government wants to paint Sean Combs as a depraved character. Regardless of their personal morality, the jurors are going to have a negative view of Mr. Combs, no question. And the government is going to want that to hold for the rest of trial."

INSIDE THE DIDDY JURY ROOM: A LOOK AT WHO'S DECIDING THE RAPPER'S FATE

Diddy's lawyer, Anna Estevao, "did a good job staying on track," Harvey said. 

"She got Ms. Ventura to admit that she willingly participated in some of the so-called ‘freak offs,’ and she got Ms. Ventura to read some of her own text messages with Mr. Combs, highlighting the consensual nature of a lot of their relationship," Harvey noted. 

"That’s good lawyering, especially when you have a sympathetic witness like Ms. Ventura, who is visibly pregnant and clearly victimized."

The former girlfriend of Diddy testified May 13-14 about the alleged abuse she experienced at the hands of the rapper. Cassie claimed she was physically abused and forced into participating in "freak offs," where Diddy would coerce her into having sex with a male escort while he watched.

She claimed to have entered rehab and pursued trauma therapy at the beginning of 2023 after having "horrible flashbacks" on set of a music video.

In one emotional text exchange, she allegedly told Diddy, "As much as you think you're Bruce Willis, you aren't. He's married and before he was married, the family as a whole went on trips together, or just with him and his woman. Eddie Murphy and Paige took his kids away on their own."

WATCH ON FOX NATION: WHAT DIDDY DO?

"He didn't go with his ex because that's not who he's in love with. I've been at the edge of tears this whole week. I don't think that you sympathize with my feelings."

During cross-examination, Diddy’s defense lawyer introduced messages showing the rapper checking in on Cassie in 2019. A few months later, Combs congratulated Cassie, saying she was going to be a great mother. Cassie confirmed she was pregnant at the time.

On March 7, 2020, Combs texted, "miss my best friend…Frankie is so beautiful…" 

Frankie is Cassie's first daughter. 

Cassie responded, "miss you too…" 

He replied, "thank you so much for responding…I’m always here if you need me…" 

Cassie sent her love to Combs’ family as well. The rapper responded, saying, "S--- has definitely been rough without your friendship…"

Former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard testified to allegedly witnessing Diddy assaulting Cassie in 2009. Richard told the court Friday that one day after an alleged altercation in which she "observed Cassie being attacked," the "Last Night" rapper told her it was par for the course in a normal relationship.

WATCH: Cassie Ventura's lawyer reads statements from her and her husband outside New York City courthouse

Diddy and Richard were in the recording studio when he allegedly said that what was witnessed the day before was "passion" and what people in relationships do. He claimed that Cassie was OK, and it was best if they didn't say anything.

The Bad Boy Records founder allegedly said that, where he's from, people go missing. She interprested his words to mean people end up dead.

Cassie revealed Friday she's expecting to receive a $10 million settlement from the InterContinental Hotel, the location of the 2016 assault where Diddy attacked her in the hallway.

Diddy and Cassie allegedly had a "freak off" at the hotel March 5, 2016, that turned violent. Cassie previously testified that she was attempting to leave the "freak off" after Diddy gave her a black eye.

WATCH: SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS SEEMINGLY ASSAULTS CASSIE VENTURA IN 2016 LOS ANGELES HOTEL INCIDENT

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After making it to the elevator lobby, the singer-songwriter testified, Diddy assaulted her. The rapper could be seen dragging Cassie down the hotel hallway in surveillance footage that was shown to the jury and previously released to the public in 2024.

Former hotel security guard Israel Florez, who responded after the violent attack, testified Monday that he tried to call police, but Cassie told him not to.

Cassie testified to using drugs, including ketamine and cocaine, as a way to disassociate during the "freak offs," which would sometimes last for days.

"For me, it was dissociative. … I couldn’t imagine doing that without some sort of buffer," she told Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson. "I needed to remain high to stay present with the experience."

The prosecution finished direct examination of Cassie Wednesday. That same day, Cassie told the jury she chose to testify against Diddy because she could no longer carry the guilt. 

"I can’t carry this anymore," she told the court. "I can’t carry the shame, the guilt. … What’s right is right. What’s wrong is wrong."

Harvey noted that the case isn't as clear-cut as it would appear. 

"There’s no question Ms. Ventura was victimized by Mr. Combs. We’ve all seen the assault video," he said. "And she got a $20 million rape settlement in civil court.

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"The question we are left with from Week 1 is: Was Cassie Ventura victimized in such a way to amount to the specific federal charges in his indictment?"

He said the government was taking a risk by emphasizing Diddy's character.

"Those jurors are going to eventually get a set of legal instructions from the judge," Harvey said. "Those jury instructions are going to make it clear: This is not an assault trial. It's not a rape trial. And it's not a morality play. Instead, the jurors will be asked if the government manages to prove three types of federal crimes: racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. 

WATCH: DIDDY'S FAMILY SUPPORTS HIM IN COURT

"If the jurors get to deliberation, and all they have is a lot of evidence that Mr. Combs is a depraved soul who may have committed assault, battery and even rape, those jurors can still acquit him."

The trial, which began Monday with opening statements, is expected to last eight weeks. Combs has been in jail since his arrest in September 2024, after his Los Angeles and Miami homes were raided by law enforcement.

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The Menendez brothers are one step closer to seeing life outside prison walls as they face the next hurdle, a parole board hearing, in their bid for release from the 1989 shotgun slayings of their parents in Beverly Hills. 

Criminal defense attorney Sam Bassett of Minton, Bassett, Flores & Carsey in Austin, Texas, told Fox News Digital that the spotlight will now shift to the state Parole Board and Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

"There is no doubt that Newsom is doing some political calculus on this decision," he said. 

In Bassett’s view, the Parole Board "will consider input from all interested persons, especially the victims’ family members," weigh the results of the Comprehensive Risk Assessments (CRA), and require the brothers to demonstrate their remorse and acceptance of responsibility.

MENENDEZ BROTHERS COULD GET FREEDOM UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW SIGNED BY GAVIN NEWSOM: EXPERT

Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom's office, which referred to a news conference Wednesday in which he spoke briefly about the parole process for the Erik and Lyle Menendez and said the process is still unfolding.

"We started a process, as you know, which was intended to help inform the judge about the resentencing of the risk assessment. We thought that would be prudent to do before any resentencing," he said. "That process has unfolded over the course of the last number of months, and forensic psychologists did an assessment of the risk of each individual brother."

Certain details of those risk assessments, which have not been made public, were presented during part of Tuesday's resentencing hearing. The analysis from those reports typically includes what led a person to commit the crime, behavior in prison and the likelihood of recidivism. 

Both brothers admitted to killing their parents, Mary "Kitty" and José Menendez, in a gruesome 1989 shotgun massacre inside their Beverly Hills home. Until Tuesday's resentencing hearing, they had maintained that their actions were self-defense from a lifetime of physical and sexual abuse by their parents. 

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Colorado-based criminal defense attorney Eric Faddis outlined the technical hurdles that the Menendez brothers must clear before the Board can begin to review their cases.

CALIFORNIA GOV NEWSOM SETS MENENDEZ BROTHERS PAROLE BOARD HEARING DATE IN BID FOR CLEMENCY

Thanks to the brothers' recent resentencing under California’s youthful offender law, Erik and Lyle are now eligible for parole "because the crimes were committed before the brothers were 26," Faddis told Fox News Digital. Erik was 18 and Lyle was 21 when they murdered their parents.

"There are no other eligibility requirements the brothers have to meet," he said, meaning the parole board "can now consider whether release is appropriate."

Faddis echoed Bassett's comments that the board will weigh "the seriousness of the crime," any prior criminal history, participation in rehabilitation programs, signs of remorse, and the prospect of a stable living situation upon release. 

"In this case, all living family members of the victims are in support of release," he said. "The board may consider any positive contributions to society the brothers made while incarcerated, which include advocating for child sex abuse survivors."

When asked how the gravity of a double homicide factors into decisions, even decades later, Faddis said: "A double homicide is about as serious as it gets." 

He acknowledged that while the alleged abuse by the father may temper the assessment of the father’s killing, "it does not have the same mitigating effect with respect to the mother’s murder."

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Faddis predicted that a recent statutory change may benefit the brothers' bid for release. Under Penal Code § 4801, the Parole Board must now expressly consider "whether the crime resulted from the inmate’s victimization," he said.  

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"Many believe that such prior abuse is given much more weight now than it was in the 1990s, both legally and socially," he said. 

The brothers are set to appear before the Parole Board via video on June 13, 2025, at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility. 

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The board will either recommend or veto the brothers' release. Newsom has the final say over whether they should go free.

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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said ex-FBI Director James Comey should be "put behind bars" for a post he made on Instagram on Thursday allegedly "issuing a call to assassinate [President Donald Trump.]"

Earlier on Thursday, Comey shared a picture on Instagram with seashells formed in the numbers "86 47." To some, the number "86" is a call sign for murdering or getting rid of someone or something and "47" is typically used to refer to the 47th President of the United States.

"Cool shell formation on my beach walk…," Comey wrote in the caption of the picture, which has since been deleted.

Gabbard made the comments on "Jesse Watters Primetime" Thursday night after Comey said he wasn't aware that the number "86" stands for some sort of violence.

EX-FBI CHIEF COMEY’S ‘86 47’ SOCIAL MEDIA POST CONDEMNED BY WHITE HOUSE AS ATTEMPT TO PUT ‘HIT’ ON PRESIDENT

"I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message," Comey said after deleting the initial picture. "I didn't realize some folks associate those numbers with violence. It never occurred to me but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down." 

Gabbard said Comey and his people "need to be held to account according to the law" regardless of why he said he posted the picture.

"The rule of law says people like him who issue direct threats against the POTUS, essentially issuing a call to assassinate him, must be held accountable under the law," Gabbard said, adding that she thinks he should be in jail.

The national intelligence director said Comey's post has her "very concerned for [the president's life.]"

"I'm very concerned for the president's life; we've already seen assassination attempts. I'm very concerned for his life and James Comey, in my view, should be held accountable and put behind bars for this," she said.

'NEVER TRUMPER' COMEY'S '86 47' TRUMP POST UNDER INVESTIGATION

Gabbard also said Comey has a lot of influence and that there are "people who take [him] very seriously."

Shortly after Comey removed the post, Fox News Digital learned from a Secret Service source that the agency was aware of the incident and agents are being sent to investigate and interview Comey.

The White House also condemned Comey's actions, with White House deputy chief of staff and Cabinet Secretary Taylor Budowich calling his post "deeply concerning."

"While President Trump is currently on an international trip to the Middle East, the former FBI Director puts out what can clearly be interpreted as ‘a hit’ on the sitting President of the United States — a message etched in the sand," Budowich wrote on X. "This is deeply concerning to all of us and is being taken seriously."

Comey, who led the FBI during Trump's first term before he was fired from the spot, had no comment when reached by Fox News Digital earlier on Thursday.

Fox News Digital's Alec Schemmel and David Spunt contributed to this report.

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Memorial Day weekend, which kicks off the summer, is set to break a new travel record this year.

A massive 45.1 million Americans are set to travel at least 50 miles from their home during the long weekend, AAA announced.

Of the millions of Americans traveling, AAA predicts 3.61 million will be flying to their destinations. That's a 2% increase from last year.

FLIGHT PASSENGERS WARN OF ‘REAL ID APOCALYPSE’ WHILE OTHERS ACKNOWLEDGE AMERICANS CAN STILL FLY

"While this Memorial Day weekend isn’t expected to set an air travel record (that was set back in 2005 with 3.64 million travelers), this year’s numbers are projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 12%," states the AAA press release.

Travelers should arrive a minimum of two hours before their scheduled domestic flights and three hours before scheduled international flights, the TSA advised. 

The AAA release said the most popular destinations are Chicago, Seattle, Orlando, Denver and New York.

Those visiting the New York area may want to rethink what airport they are flying into amid recent air disruptions at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

HIDDEN REAL ID HASSLES FACING AIRLINE TRAVELERS AND STATES TO AVOID

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instituted yet another ground delay at EWR on Monday, just one day after the previous delay, with flyers' frustrations growing. 

Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital that passengers should avoid New York airports for connecting flights.

"If you're connecting, it's often a good idea to avoid New York airports. If you originate in New York, it really depends on where in the city you're based," he said. 

Brandon Blewett, the Texas-based author of "How to Avoid Strangers on Airplanes," told Fox News Digital that travelers going to and from New York City should look at other airports.

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"I’d consider alternatives to EWR like LGA and JFK until the runway reopens and ATC staffing stabilizes," said Blewett. 

"It may be more of a headache in traffic, but it seems you’re less likely to be stranded for the time being."

On May 7, the REAL ID requirement took effect, requiring flyers to obtain the new identification with a star in the upper right corner in order to fly. 

Flyers have expressed worries about possible delays during the security process if they, or fellow travelers, are unable to present the proper identification.

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Those who do not have a compliant ID may receive additional screening, which would take more time. 

A TSA spokesperson told Fox News Digital the agency continues to urge passengers to get REAL IDs or bring other acceptable forms of ID for travel. 

"Summer travel is upon us, and there is still time to get a REAL ID," said the spokesperson. 

"Passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID compliant at TSA checkpoints and who do not have another acceptable alternative form of ID will be notified of their non-compliance, may be directed to a separate area, and may receive additional screening," the spokesperson added. 

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The Fayette County Sheriff's Office has confirmed the discovery of what they believe are the human remains of missing one-year-old Kahleb Collins.

After multiple searches of the family’s property, police say they recovered what they believe to be remains of Kahleb Collins located in a burn pile at the family residence. The evidence has been sent to forensics for official identification.

Police have been searching for the toddler since December, when mother Wendy Pamela Bailey, 22, was involved in an accident that claimed the lives of Steven Bradley Collins, 40, and Ryleigh Collins, 2. 

ALABAMA MOTHER CHARGED WITH THE DEATH OF HER 2 CHILDREN, 1 YEAR OLD'S BODY STILL MISSING

"The crash claimed the life of a two-year-old child, who was unrestrained, and critically injured the child's father, Steven Collins, who later succumbed to his injuries on Monday, December 9," a statement from the police said.

Kahleb Rowan Collins, 1, was unaccounted for during the accident. It was only after responding to the accident that police learned he had not been seen since early September.

SKELETAL REMAINS FOUND NEAR NEW HAMPSHIRE GOLF COURSE DAYS AFTER 5TH ANNIVERSARY OF WOMAN'S DISAPPEARANCE

In April, Wendy Pamela Bailey and Johnn Elton Bailey were arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including domestic violence, abuse of a corpse, criminally negligent homicide, and aggravated child abuse.

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"This is a heartbreaking outcome, and our thoughts and prayers are with all those who loved Kahleb," said Sheriff Byron Yerby. "While this discovery brings a measure of closure, it is also a solemn reminder of the responsibility we all share in protecting our children. We are committed to continuing the pursuit of justice in this case."

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HBO host Bill Maher is taking aim at young Democrats, accusing them of supporting anti-Israel movements and sympathizing with Hamas.

"Liberals are weak and woke, especially the white ones, and they indulge all sorts of nonsense from their kids," Maher said on a recent episode of "Real Time with Bill Maher."

"So talk to your children and remind them you don't really want to live like your heroes in Hamas."

Maher criticized young progressives for what he sees as a misguided admiration of extremist groups, hosting Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and Democratic strategist Donna Brazile on his panel. 

BILL MAHER SAYS DEMS ARE ‘DOOMED’ IF THEY WON’T STAND UP TO RADICAL ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA FROM THE YOUNG

Lawler said on "America Reports" that Maher's commentary "hit the nail on the head" and the left must change course. 

"America is a beacon of hope, of freedom, of opportunity. And yet, they are embracing some of the worst actors on the stage, whether it be Hamas, China, or other countries around the globe that certainly do not provide for freedom of expression or speech in their countries."

Maher's comments come amid a wave of renewed anti-Israel protests on college campuses. In early May, dozens of protesters were arrested at Columbia University after occupying the school’s library. At least 80 people, mostly women, were detained.

"Here is the dilemma for Democrats: Their young people, their key constituency, not only don't like their own civilization, they like the wrong one," he said. "They actually think Hamas is a liberation movement."

COLUMBIA STUDENTS DESCRIBE ‘SHOCKING’ LIBRARY TAKEOVER AFTER MASKED PROTESTERS CHANTED PRO-HAMAS SLOGANS

He warned that this growing attitude among younger Democrats is hurting the party’s image and eroding a sense of patriotism. Maher has taken an increasingly critical stance toward his own political side, frequently denouncing what he calls "woke" culture.

His latest remarks referenced Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who recently urged her party to reclaim patriotic symbols, including the American flag. Slotkin used the phrase "weak and woke" in her own criticism of the party’s direction during a speech reported by Politico.

"If the thought leaders in the Democratic Party keep encouraging and not rebuking the idea that America is cringe and the people who run Gaza are great, the Democrats are doomed," Maher said, responding to Slotkin’s comments on his show. 

Maher also pointed to a rally in Idaho hosted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., where a Palestinian flag was draped over an American flag. The gesture was met with applause from the crowd.

BILL MAHER OFFERS ‘OPEN LETTER’ TO POP STAR CHAPPELL ROAN ON ISRAEL: ‘YOU DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HISTORY’

MAHER WARNS DEMS' REFUSAL TO DITCH UNPOPULAR 'WOKE' ISSUES MAY MAKE THEM AN 'IRRELEVANT PARTY'

"What should have happened after that is one of the adults on stage should have told their young loyal followers, 'this is not a symbol of freedom,’" Maher said, before asserting the American flag is the true symbol of freedom.  

Lawler argued that far-left activism has alienated many voters and helped Republicans regain power in Washington this past November. 

"The fact is, you don't see them marching in the streets or storming buildings in support of Laken Riley, who was murdered by an illegal immigrant, or for Edan Alexander, who is now rescued from captivity," Lawler said. 

"You see them supporting the actions of terrorists. And it really is disturbing on so many levels."

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday called out members of Congress for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers during a heated altercation outside a Newark immigration detention center last week. 

Noem criticized the lawmakers for defending their actions as a supposed "oversight." Appearing on ‘Jesse Watters Prime,’ Noem accused the lawmakers of committing criminal behavior. 

"This wasn't oversight. This was committing felonies. This was going out and attacking people who stand up for the rule of law. And it was absolutely horrible," Noem said.  

"I can't believe they act like this and then they defend it. And then they're doing these acts of violence to get people out of detention centers that are rapists, that are murderers, that are people that are [from] foreign terrorist organizations that have been out there victimizing our communities in the United States of America," she went on.

DEM LAWMAKERS DEFEND ‘STORMING’ OF ICE FACILITY, SAY TRUMP ADMIN IS ‘LYING AT ALL LEVELS’

U.S. Reps. Rob Menendez Jr., Bonnie Watson Coleman and LaMonica McIver – all New Jersey Democrats – stormed ICE's Delaney Hall detention facility’s gate in Newark on Friday, demanding they be allowed to conduct an "oversight visit."

"These members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and the detainees at risk," a DHS statement to Fox News said. "Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility."

The three lawmakers were outside the facility with a group of protesters when the gates opened to allow an ICE bus in. The lawmakers then rushed through the gates and past security, DHS said.

"What are they trying to do?" Noem questioned. "Release these people back into the country so that there could be more Laken Rileys? So there can be more Jocelyn Nungarays? I just don't understand what their point is. They have completely lost their minds."

DHS SAYS ‘ARRESTS ARE STILL ON THE TABLE’ AFTER NEW JERSEY HOUSE DEMS CAUGHT ON CAMERA ‘STORMING’ ICE FACILITY

She called for the trio to be censured and formally rebuked by the House of Representatives.

"It’s astounding to me that someone would even vote for someone to put them in a place of leadership when they perpetuate something as hypocritical and as criminal as what these individuals did," she said. 

"I hope that the rest of the members of the House of Representatives will hold them accountable," Noem continued. "They shouldn’t be allowed to be on the committees that they’re on — in fact, one of them (McIver) is supposed to be conducting oversight over ICE and instead she’s assaulting them." 

"They don’t deserve to be in the House," Noem added. "They should be censured by it." 

In a press conference earlier, Coleman denied the accusations that they were trying to illegally enter the facility and claimed that ICE was "out of control." McIver said the three lawmakers had waited more than two hours to gain access to the facility to conduct an oversight visit. She said all three of them were also assaulted by ICE personnel.

"There are people who are supposed to be officers, who are supposed to protect us, and they have done none of that," McIver told reporters. "If they can treat three members of Congress like that, just imagine how they can treat people on the street each and every day, both undocumented and people who are citizens here in this country."

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McIver doubled down in a post on X, saying that "none of this had to happen."

"We arrived at Delaney Hall to do our jobs — period," she wrote. "Instead of facilitating congressional oversight, as they are obligated to do, ICE created chaos."

Fox News' Bill Melugin and Louis Casiano contributed to this report. 

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The U.S. State Department announced it has approved a potential sale of more than $1.4 billion in helicopters and F-16 fighter jet parts to the United Arab Emirates, just ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle Eastern nation.

The proposed sale includes $1.32 billion for CH-47 F Chinook helicopters and $130 million for F-16s parts, the State Department said on Monday. 

The agency has notified Congress of the proposed sale, although some Democrats have previously signaled they may be hesitant to give the green light to such a sale.

This comes as Trump is expected to travel to the UAE later this week for the final stop on his four-day trip to the Middle East. He is also visiting Saudi Arabia and Qatar on his first major international trip of his second administration.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT CALLS FOR 'IMMEDIATE' ETHICS PROBE OF QATARI PLANE GIFT TO TRUMP

The UAE has already vowed to spend $1.4 trillion in U.S. investments over the next decade, which are expected to focus on semiconductors, manufacturing, energy and artificial intelligence.

Arms transfers and defense trade are overseen by the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the State Department.

The State Department first reviews deals wanted by other countries to ensure they meet the U.S. government's goals. If approved, the agency notifies Congress of the sale. Federal lawmakers may reject a proposed sale, but if they elect not to, the U.S. government proceeds to negotiations.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said on Monday ahead of the State Department's announcement that he would "block any arms sale to a nation that is doing direct personal business with Trump," citing the UAE-backed investment firm putting $2 billion into Trump’s crypto venture and the U.S. president's administration accepting Qatar’s gift of a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to serve as Air Force One.

"We should have a full Senate debate and vote," Murphy wrote on X. "UAE’s investment in Trump crypto and Qatar’s gifting of a plane is nuclear grade graft. An unacceptable corruption of our foreign policy."

"Normally, arms sales go forward without a vote," he continued. "But any Senator can object and force a full debate and Senate vote. I will do that for any military deal with a nation that is paying off Trump personally. We can't act like this is normal foreign policy."

In January, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., expressed opposition to a $1.2 billion arms sale to the UAE, pointing to the country providing weapons to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, which the U.S. has accused of war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

TRUMP DEFENDS QATAR JUMBO JET OFFER AS TROUBLED BOEING FAILS TO DELIVER NEW AIR FORCE ONE FLEET

Congress has previously attempted to block Trump from completing arms sales to Gulf nations, including in 2019 during his first term, when lawmakers placed holds on deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE over concerns about civilian casualties in the war in Yemen, as the Saudi coalition has been accused of being responsible for the majority of civilian deaths.

However, Trump has invoked a provision allowing sales to go through immediately without a review period in cases considered an emergency.

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Hell hath now frozen over. 

President Donald Trump’s decision to accept a $400-million plane from Qatar, as a gift, has prompted stinging criticism from Laura Loomer.

She’s the hard-right activist who specializes in getting the president to fire top officials and withdraw nominees, or at least claims credit for doing so.

If you’ve lost Loomer, you’re losing the argument.

TRUMP DEFENDS QATAR JUMBO JET OFFER AS TROUBLED BOEING FAILS TO DELIVER NEW AIR FORCE ONE FLEET

Not according to Donald Trump. He told reporters yesterday that this was a "great gesture" by Qatar, done because "we keep them safe," referring to Qatar and the UAE, which he’ll be visiting after Saudi Arabia.

He said the maintenance costs on the 40-year-old Air Force One planes are astronomical, and noted that the Reagan Library has such a plane. The decommissioned Qatar aircraft will go to a future Trump Library.

But the Gipper’s plane didn’t come from Qatar.

"How are we supposed to ever see the US under the Trump admin designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization," Loomer wrote, "if the US is now going to accept a $400 million jet from Qatar to fly the US President and his staff around on?"

Calling the episode a "stain" on his tenure, she added: "I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million ‘gift’ from jihadists in suits. The Qataris fund the same Iranian proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah who have murdered US Service Members. The same proxies that have worked with the Mexican cartels to get jihadists across our border."

The media are in an uproar as well, and the story has only grown bigger since it was first reported by ABC News.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT CALLS FOR 'IMMEDIATE' ETHICS PROBE OF QATARI PLANE GIFT TO TRUMP

Of course, the luxury 747 will have to be upgraded with secure communications and military equipment. That would take at least till the end of the year. 

But one Pentagon official told the New York Times "we’re talking years, not months."

Trump consulted Elon Musk, the DOGE leader and head of SpaceX, who told him that the plane could be delivered in a year.

Two loyalists – Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington – approved the arrangement, according to the Times. Trump toured the 747 in February when it was parked at the Palm Beach airport.

There was a Plan B that got derailed. The Qataris offered to donate the plane immediately to the future Trump Library.

But administration lawyers said that would violate the Constitution’s emoluments clause – which as Beltway insiders know, bars any federal official from accepting personal gifts from a foreign nation without the approval of Congress. 

The president’s "flood the zone" approach has ensured that this isn’t the only story out there.

He announced that after two days of talks, the U.S. and China reached a 90-day agreement that would reduce tariffs on Beijing from 145% to 30%, and Chinese tariffs would be cut to 10%.

It’s clear that Trump blinked. Having tanked the markets (which soared yesterday), he was under enormous pressure to undo the damage. So now we’re back to square one, roughly where we might have been without igniting a global crisis.

TRUMP SAYS 'TOTAL RESET NEGOTIATED' WITH CHINA DURING TARIFF TALKS IN GENEVA

But perhaps Xi Jinping blinked as well. His government was feeling the impact of the sky-high tariffs as well. The Chinese, with considerably less enthusiasm, said the "mistake" would only lead to further negotiations.

Trump also was able to announce a cease-fire in the escalating war between India and Pakistan, thanks to some weekend diplomacy by Marco Rubio and JD Vance.

Trump also was able to announce that Hamas was freeing the last living American hostage being held by the terrorist group.

Trump also sided with Vladimir Putin, who wants to meet for peace talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who first wants a 30-day cease-fire, so that Moscow doesn’t continue the killing and gain more territory while stalling on any pause in the fighting.

Trump also was able to unveil a plan that he says will lower the cost of prescription drugs by 30 to 80%.

SUBSCRIBE TO HOWIE'S MEDIA BUZZMETER PODCAST, A RIFF ON THE DAY'S HOTTEST STORIES

But circling back to the 747, the president chided ABC’s Rachel Scott when she tried to question him about the plane:

"You’re ABC fake news, right? Only ABC — well, a few of you would… Let me tell you, you should be embarrassed asking that question. They’re giving us a free jet. I could say, ‘No, no no, don’t give us. I want to pay you a billion, or 400 million, or whatever it is' Or I could say, ‘thank you very much.'"

Scott tried again: "Respectfully, sir, as a businessman, some people may look at this and say, have you ever been given a gift worth millions of dollars and then not —"

"It’s not a gift to me, it’s a gift to the Department of Defense," Trump said. "And you should know better, because you’ve been embarrassed enough, and so has your network. Your network is a disaster. ABC is a disaster."

Whether the president is right or wrong, it seems like these are legitimate questions. And the media are always a great foil for him. So I don’t see him backing down. 

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A California sheriff is condemning what he described as a "meritless" lawsuit filed on behalf of UCLA students and community members, arguing that law enforcement officers responding to a pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA last year unjustly "attacked" students.

The lawsuit, filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-Los Angeles, argues that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and California Highway Patrol (CHP) "engaged in a joint operation to attack and clear the UCLA Palestine Solidarity Encampment." UCLA declared the encampment to be unlawful at the time and canceled classes.

The LAPD and CHP told Fox News Digital they do not comment on pending litigation. Sheriff Chad Bianco in neighboring Riverside County, who is not involved in the suit, shared his belief with Fox News Digital that the plaintiffs are "100% completely in the wrong."

"At that time, there were numerous protests across not only our state but other states that were happening, and my frustration always is that school administration allows it and law enforcement allows it," Bianco said. "And then when it gets out of hand … then it makes for a spectacle on the news or on social media … and unfortunately, this is probably a meritless lawsuit just for publicity. This is just absolutely ridiculous. It's a gross injustice to our legal system."

WHAT'S THE PENALTY FOR ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS? UCLA'S WARNING INCLUDES 1 CRUCIAL WORD

Bianco added that he believes there are people with good intentions who allow for demonstrations and the right to express free speech at the schools where such protests take place, but they are afraid of being labeled as a "genocide" supporter or "bad people" by those who "take advantage of the situation."

ISRAEL'S PRESIDENT RELEASES BLISTERING STATEMENT ON US UNIVERSITY ENCAMPMENTS: 'RESURGENCE OF ANTISEMITISM'

"The majority of those protesters are being paid. The majority of the kids that are there are thinking that they're doing something worthwhile, or they're just going along with the program, and the good people are taken advantage of," Bianco said. "The good students that are there that don't want it there, that don't want the attention, that don't want that on their campus, they are being absolutely ignored for a very, very, very small minority. The unlawful actions of that very, very small minority are completely disrupting our school systems."

Students erected the encampment on April 25 and lasted until the early morning hours of May 2, when police began dismantling it.

"Officers tore down the encampment walls and attacked the students and community members gathered inside," states the lawsuit filed on May 1 — exactly a year since the UCLA encampment began to shutter.

The lawsuit also says that on "April 30, pro-Israel [protesters] violently attacked the encampment and its participants with chemical irritants, fireworks, metal rods, wooden boards, and other weapons and attempted to tear down the barricades and breach the encampment, an assault that lasted for five hours before any sort of intervention by police."

UCLA FALLS TO ANARCHY AFTER COUNTERPROTESTERS CONFRONT ANTI-ISRAELI ENCAMPMENT: 'HORRIFIC ACTS OF VIOLENCE'

Plaintiff Abdullah Puckett described police officers as "militarized" in a May 5 statement.

"The horrific scene of how militarized police attacked unarmed peaceful protesters—the same night I was shot by police, unprovoked, with my hands up—reflects the [violence] we have all seen [from] the IDF [as they] bomb, and commit mass murder against, unarmed Palestinian women and children," Puckett said. "This alone is enough of an argument that all links supporting Israeli militarism should be cut—especially links between the IDF and U.S. law enforcement and military."

He added that officers' actions in May 2024 are "a clear sign that if we don’t stand against the oppression that others, like Palestinians, face abroad, those methods will be used against us here in America."

The lawsuit alleges that officers used nonlethal rubber bullets, batons and other riot gear while responding to the protest, and it includes photos of some students' injuries as a result of the campus chaos last year.

VIDEO SHOWS ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS BLOCK JEWISH STUDENT FROM GETTING TO CLASS; UCLA RESPONDS

"Across the country, from coast to coast, universities have called upon militarized law enforcement agencies to silence student voices demanding justice for Palestine," CAIR-LA Legal Director Amr Shabaik said in a statement. "Campuses that should be bastions of free thought have become battlegrounds of suppression … This lawsuit is about drawing a line. It’s about saying that students have the right to speak out without being brutalized and violently attacked by law enforcement."

Bianco reacted to statements from CAIR, saying "'militaristic' is a word that incites a type of a fear in a normal person that, oh my gosh, the military is coming in."

"It is absolutely a horrific miscarriage of our justice system that attorneys are allowed to do this," he said.

Harley Lippman, executive committee member on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, similarly told Fox News Digital that the "protesters' encampment created an inherently volatile situation by erecting barriers, restricting campus access and disrupting university operations, all actions that fall outside the scope of protected speech and gave officers clear legal grounds to intervene."

"This lawsuit faces significant legal hurdles that suggest it is designed more for publicity than legal success," he added. "Courts have consistently upheld qualified immunity for officers responding to dynamic protest situations, with the Supreme Court repeatedly emphasizing that police use of force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, not with perfect hindsight. While the lawsuit might achieve limited success on some peripheral claims or potentially reach a settlement to avoid protracted litigation costs, complete success appears highly unlikely given both the current legal landscape regarding qualified immunity and the substantial evidence that protesters were violating reasonable time, place and manner restrictions."

Meanwhile, Wade Stern, president of the Federated University Peace Officers Association, which represents 350 sworn police officers serving the University of California's 10 campuses across the state, issued a Wednesday statement describing the allegations in the lawsuit as "baseless and inflammatory." 

He further described law enforcement's dismantling of the encampment as a "necessary and carefully coordinated response to a dangerous and escalating situation."

WATCH: UCLA STUDENT ON CAMPUS BECOMING A ‘WAR ZONE’

"The encampment had grown increasingly volatile following violent clashes between opposing groups. It immediately threatened campus safety, public order, and the rights of all students and faculty to access a safe and secure learning environment," Stern said. "Law enforcement's actions, including those of UCLA Police Department officers and outside agencies brought in to support the operation, were measured, lawful, and in accordance with departmental policies and training."

Stern noted that students and protesters "ignored" "repeated warnings" from officials to "disperse from an illegal encampment that had descended into chaos and violence."

ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS TAKE OVER PART OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY DURING FINALS, CALL IT ‘LIBERATION ZONE’

The officers' response was meant to "prevent further injury" and "restore order" for those on campus experiencing disruptions to their studies.

"It is telling that the lawsuit disregards the extensive documentation of violence that occurred within and around the encampment before police intervention," Stern said. "Officers were subjected to physical resistance, and in some cases, direct attacks. The suggestion that this was a ‘violent attack’ by police on a group of peaceful demonstrators is not only false—it is a dangerous distortion of reality."

Students are accusing officers of assault, battery by a police officer, negligence and conspiracy, as well as Bane Act and Ralph Civil Rights Act violations.

Bianco said he believes similar violent clashes between students and police will continue unless leaders "stand up and say we're not doing this anymore."

UCLA and CAIR did not respond to requests for comment.

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Legislators in Suffolk County, New York, strengthened an animal cruelty law by making it a crime for convicted animal abusers to own pets.

The county legislature voted last week to establish a Class A misdemeanor for people on the county's convicted animal abuser registry found to be owning pets, according to the New York Post. The new addition to the law carries penalties of up to a year in jail or a $1,000 fine.

This expands on a law the legislature enacted in 2010 that created an animal abuse registry, which requires convicted animal abusers to add their name and contact information. The 2010 law was among the first of its kind in the U.S.

AI TECHNOLOGY HELPS REUNITE LOST DOGS WITH THEIR OWNERS

County Executive Ed Romaine signed the expanded legislation on Wednesday after telling reporters last week that it will "protect animals," according to the NYP.

"Do not abuse animals," he said. "We will go after you, and we will prosecute you, and we will protect our animals."

The Suffolk County Police Department and district attorney’s office maintain the registry, which currently lists 30 convicted animal abusers. Offenders remain on the registry for 10 years unless they are convicted of animal abuse again, at which point the 10-year timer starts over.

While anyone convicted of animal abuse in the county was already prohibited from owning a pet, there were no penalties for violating the rule.

YOUNG KANGAROO HOPS AROUND FLORIDA TOWN AFTER BRAZEN ESCAPE, OWNER CHARGED

"We are finally able to close this loophole and further protect our animals," said Suffolk Legislator Stephanie Bontempi, who sponsored the legislation. "In Suffolk County, we will not tolerate the abuse or neglect of animals. By closing this loophole, we will ensure that those offenders who disregard the law will face consequences."

"It’s something that shouldn’t even be an issue, but I’m glad we were able to get this legislation on the books," she added.

The expanded law was signed just days after dozens of dead cats were found inside a Long Island home, including in a freezer and a box spring. Other felines were found alive on the poorly maintained property, which had urine and feces on the floors and walls, among other things.

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Roy Gross, chief of Suffolk County's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, welcomed the new law after years of fighting for stronger penalties.

"For the first time, we actually have the power to take action against repeat offenders — before, our hands were tied," he told Newsday.

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This week’s Senate hearing on U.S. competitiveness in artificial intelligence made it clear that we are not just in an AI race with China and the rest of the world. We are in a race to build the foundation of the 21st century global economy while strengthening our national security.

That foundation is made of silicon, steel and megawatts. America’s ability to lead in AI hinges on a simple but urgent question – can we build the computing infrastructure fast enough to unleash AI’s full potential and drive a competitive advantage?

The emerging AI cloud computing infrastructure is not like the general-purpose cloud that still powers most of the digital world. The new world of AI demands a complete reimagining of digital infrastructure. AI workloads involve trillions of simultaneous calculations, demanding unprecedented computing power, advanced cooling systems, cutting-edge chip technology, ultra-high-speed networking and accelerated storage. Today’s general purpose clouds weren’t designed for this. We cannot run the 21st century economy with 20th century infrastructure.

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China is aggressively investing in AI infrastructure as a matter of national strategy, recognizing that technological dominance will enable it to compete with the U.S. for influence around the world. If we want to keep America in the lead, we must act with the same urgency, and build here.

At CoreWeave, we operate over 250,000 GPUs in more than 30 data centers, powering the next generation of AI models. But infrastructure at this scale doesn’t appear overnight. Because of the massive capital investments required to build this specialized cloud platform and the entire AI ecosystem, long-term strategic planning and policies are needed to ensure the U.S. maintains its preeminent position and wins the future. These policies include a transparent regulatory process across all jurisdictions, expediting the development of abundant and affordable power, ensuring access to global markets and partnerships to develop the skilled and trained domestic workforce required to meet the growing AI demand while creating good-paying jobs for the future. Without these, the U.S. risks losing its current edge in AI to nations moving faster and with more clarity of purpose.

Our private sector is moving rapidly to meet the challenge. But we do not do this in a vacuum. Public policies must keep up to create the necessary enabling environment for success.

Overly burdensome and fragmented regulation across all jurisdictions create uncertainty that can chill investment. Careful reforms to the energy permitting process can bring the electrons online needed to bring more intelligence to the world. Similarly, we understand the critical importance of crafting export controls to protect national security. We believe that policies can be developed which accomplish this while enabling U.S. firms the ability to compete for the relentless demand for AI in global markets. If we want to shape the future of AI, we must ensure it is developed here on American soil.

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And it means creating the public-private partnerships to train and create the workforce that is required – we need more plumbers, electricians and engineers. Earlier this year, CoreWeave joined Princeton University, Microsoft and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to launch the New Jersey AI Hub – a model for how academia, industry and government can work together to build the future. We need ten more just like it.

Business and all of the U.S. can benefit from accessing the vast scientific and technological resources of our national laboratory system. These labs have played an enormous role in contributing to the computing resources and energy technologies that have enabled our AI infrastructure. Let’s use this genius that is sometimes taken for granted. More basic and fundamental science, and increased research and development are investments that pay off for all of us. There is a $20 trillion opportunity on the table by 2030, according to IDC. The nation that builds the infrastructure for AI will reap the benefits in economic growth and enhanced national security, while creating fundamental breakthroughs in areas such as healthcare and education. But that future is not guaranteed. It will go to the country that moves fastest, builds the boldest and works together.

While the U.S. has a head start, this is a generational moment. Maintaining that lead over our competitors requires treating AI infrastructure like the strategic asset it is – by prioritizing jobs and investment right here at home. This is not just a tech issue. It’s an American issue.

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What started as a way for a pair of two Illinois detectives to crowdsource tips to solve decades-old cold cases ended in a shocking discovery. 

Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian were looking to breathe new life into unsolved cases by launching the true-crime podcast, "Somebody Knows Something," in October 2024 at the request of Elgin Police Department Chief Ana Lalley. Their goal centered around using modern investigative technology to potentially bring closure to local families.

"We both kind of looked at each other and said, ‘No, I'm not really sure that's for us’," Vartanian told Fox News Digital. "Then we took a step back, were open-minded in our thinking and objective, and thought that this could be a really good vehicle to utilize investigative processes within law enforcement."

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The pair combed through open cold cases within their area, zeroing in on the disappearance of 23-year-old Karen Schepers in 1983.  

"Our thought was, depending on whatever case we started with or if we did multiple cases, there may be people that are outside of Illinois and outside of our region that might have known about some of these cases," Vartanian said. "So it was the right thing to be able to get that information out there to be able to get answers for the victims and families."

Schepers was enjoying a night of celebratory drinks with coworkers at P.M. Bentley’s in Carpentersville, Illinois – located 45 miles outside Chicago. Schepers was the last of the group to leave the bar at approximately 1 a.m. on April 16, 1983, and neither she nor her 1980 Toyota Celica were ever seen again, according to the Elgin Police Department. 

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Even though the community had countless theories of what may have happened to Schepers, including the possibility something happened to her on the way home or when she arrived at her destination, the case ran cold. 

Schepers’ disappearance remained an open investigation for 41 years, and was briefly revisited by the Illinois State Police in the late 1980s and again by investigators in 2010. 

"In 2008 [and] 2009, we did a bunch of billboards for that case and tried to generate media interest," Houghton told Fox News Digital. "A lot of DNA was put into the national databases that were kind of new on the scene at that time, so that was the new technology then." 

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Despite the multiple attempts to solve what happened to Schepers, detectives were unable to follow any major leads, until the department launched "Somebody Knows Something." 

"When we started to look at the Karen Schepers case, we realized that we could put everything out there because we had no idea what happened to her," Vartanian said. "Whether it was an accident or if it was something intentional, and then anything in between. There was so much time that had gone by, we knew that there was a lot of content that could be there."

With permission from her family, Houghton and Vartanian began digging for new information regarding Schepers, using a mix of old-fashioned police work while leaning on updated technology. 

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"This was very much an old-fashioned ‘talk to people, get in a car, go knock on doors, go drive around’ type of investigation," Houghton said. "Investigations for any of our cases are still like that, but this was much more like that in the fact that we had to go look and see what roads existed in 1983? What bodies of water existed in 1983? Because it's very different now than it was then."

The pair hit the pavement, talking to locals in the area who knew Schepers to paint a picture of her final moments on the morning she went missing. Houghton and Vartanian worked to determine what route Schepers took home, along with researching the weather conditions and other details that may have contributed to her disappearance. 

As the detectives were pouring over print media, they discovered the nearby Fox River was flooded at the time of Schepers’ disappearance – a key break in the case that prompted them to call in expert divers to search the body of water. 

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"Interestingly enough, we would get a lot of tips from people that were saying, 'There's no way she's in the river’," Houghton said. "‘It's too shallow, I fish there, I boat there.’ However, there are different parts where the river might be two feet deep or one foot deep, and there are other spots where it's [up to] 15 feet deep, so it really depended on where you were looking."

On March 24, 2025, the Elgin Police Department called in Chaos Divers, a non-profit team of independent divers specializing in underwater recovery, to search the river. 

In a dramatic end to a four-decades-long mystery, Schepers and her vehicle were found. 

​​"As we each heard the news that her car was found, time stopped while we drew an audible gasp," Schepers’ family said in a statement.  "When it started back up again, our lives took a new path that finally included the answer to ‘Where is Karen?’ This question has been haunting all who knew Karen for many years."

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The divers were able to recover Schepers’ vehicle while keeping the structure intact, allowing investigators to use dental records to identify her skeletal remains. 

"With this case, it was a bit of a unicorn in the fact that we had no idea what happened to her," Houghton said. "Don't be afraid to fail, don’t be afraid of looking foolish. Because at the end of the day, the goal is to find this person and we did that in this case. If we do this five more times and this is the only time it works out, so be it. But if you do this five or 10 times, and you find one case or solve one case, it's totally worth doing that for that family." 

Houghton and Vartanian are already planning on the next case to revive in the second season of their podcast, telling Fox News Digital it will likely be a homicide investigation. 

Houghton and Vartanian were able to provide her 90-year-old mother with two items recovered from her vehicle – her sapphire birthstone ring and class of 1977 high school graduation tassel – providing a sense of closure for Schepers’ loved ones as the mystery surrounding her disappearance finally comes to a close. 

"We hope for continued success on each and every cold case," Schepers’ family said. "Miracles do happen."

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