‘I believe he’s innocent’: Daniel Holtzclaw’s family fights for his freedom 10 years post-conviction

CNN Newsource on December 11, 2025

By Chantelle Navarro

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    OKLAHOMA CITY (KOCO) — Ten years ago, Daniel Holtzclaw, still in his Oklahoma City police uniform, walked into an interrogation room.

Detectives brought him in for questioning after two separate women reported that they were sexually assaulted by an Oklahoma City police officer.

“She’s saying that you made her lift up her shirt,” the detective said. “Did your pants come unzipped, unbuttoned, anything while you were standing right there?”

“No,” Daniel Holtzclaw responded.

“Any way your skin cells are going to be anywhere on her mouth?” the detective asked.

“No,” Daniel Holtzclaw responded. “Sir, I’m sticking with my story.”

Daniel Holtzclaw maintained that innocence throughout his trial, where he was accused of raping eight Black women. He was convicted of 18 counts of rape, sexual battery and more in 2015.

Prosecutors said he attacked the women while on the job as an officer.

On Wednesday, Daniel Holtzclaw’s 39th birthday and the 10-year anniversary of his conviction, a group of his supporters stood in front of the Oklahoma Judicial Center, insisting that new evidence will set him free.

“Today marks 10 years since the verdict that changed all of our lives. The day judgment was made. Not on truth, but on a story crafted to fit a narrative,” Jenny Holtzclaw, Daniel’s sister, said.

His sister is pushing for a retrial. She was joined by attorneys and even some former law enforcement officials.

“I believe he’s innocent. I believe he was not given a fair trial. I think he had inadequate counsel, basically comatose counsel, that did not even question or, you know, try to get any of the evidence suppressed,” Betsy Randolph, who retired from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, said.

His supporters claim that secret meetings were held to set Daniel up as part of a conspiracy.

Video from Daniel Holtzclaw’s questioning shows him take off his uniform pants, which the district attorney heavily relied on for DNA evidence.

But forensic critics, including independent experts, questioned whether DNA results were misinterpreted or overstated.

Supporters launched a website to upload new evidence to help clear him of his charges, including never-before-seen interviews. Most of the links were empty as of Wednesday.

In 2019, his appeal was denied, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined a petition from him.

The Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office told KOCO on Wednesday that there is nothing to comment on since there is no pending post-conviction application.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s Office said it has reviewed the case thoroughly and believes justice was found the first time around.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Shooting at recording studio in Newark leaves 2 people dead, 2 others injured

CNN Newsource on December 11, 2025

By WABC Staff

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    NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) — An investigation is underway after a shooting at a recording studio left two people dead, and two others injured in Newark, New Jersey on Wednesday, according to officials.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the two deaths, and the two other injuries, which they said were non-critical.

People who live and work on Clinton Avenue told Eyewitness News they often hear music coming from a recording studio on the block, but on Wednesday night, the music was drowned out by the sound of gunshots.

The recording studio, Platinum Sound, is on the ground level of an apartment building, and sandwiched between a hair salon and a supermarket.

Newark Police flooded the portion of the south ward. Detectives for much of the night went in and out of Platinum Sound.

According to law enforcement sources, one man who was shot and died at the scene. A second man who was shot, was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Sources say two other male victims were wounded by gunfire, and were taken to the hospital in stable condition.

The victims have not yet been identified.

Authorities have not confirmed how many shooters are being sought.

According to preliminary investigative details, Newark Police are investigating the shooting as a hit.

“Never any problems, that’s a sad story, I’m sorry to hear that,” a neighbor said.

Others in the area believe it may have stemmed from a dispute between friends.

So far, there are no arrests.

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Woman in Los Angeles found man inside Waymo trunk before ride

CNN on December 11, 2025


KCBS

By Chelsea Hylton

Click here for updates on this story

    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Police are looking into how a man ended up inside the trunk of a driverless Waymo in the Westlake District, surprising a mom and daughter.

The incident was captured in a TikTok video and shows the driverless Waymo pull up to the curb when the door opens and a man is already inside, tucked behind the back seat in the trunk area. The woman quickly pulls her daughter away, keeps recording and later says she canceled the ride and called 911.

Los Angeles Police Department officers are then seen detaining the man on the sidewalk. Waymo says it is committed to keeping riders safe and earning the community’s trust, calling this experience “unacceptable” and saying it is making changes to prevent anything like it from happening again.

The company told CBS LA its rider support team checked in with the rider during and after the incident, that it aims to provide a safe and inclusive experience for all, and that it already has ways to address situations like this, but is actively improving them

“We’re committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate. This experience was unacceptable, and we are actively implementing changes to address this,” Waymo said in a statement.

It is still not clear how the man got into the vehicle, or whether he stayed inside after a previous trip. The LAPD has not said if the man has been arrested.

Detectives are reviewing video and working with Waymo as the company expands its driverless service throughout LA. The company is reminding riders to double-check any car before getting in and to call 911 immediately if something doesn’t look right.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Woman in Los Angeles found man inside Waymo trunk before ride

CNN Newsource on December 11, 2025

By Chelsea Hylton

Click here for updates on this story

    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Police are looking into how a man ended up inside the trunk of a driverless Waymo in the Westlake District, surprising a mom and daughter.

The incident was captured in a TikTok video and shows the driverless Waymo pull up to the curb when the door opens and a man is already inside, tucked behind the back seat in the trunk area. The woman quickly pulls her daughter away, keeps recording and later says she canceled the ride and called 911.

Los Angeles Police Department officers are then seen detaining the man on the sidewalk. Waymo says it is committed to keeping riders safe and earning the community’s trust, calling this experience “unacceptable” and saying it is making changes to prevent anything like it from happening again.

The company told CBS LA its rider support team checked in with the rider during and after the incident, that it aims to provide a safe and inclusive experience for all, and that it already has ways to address situations like this, but is actively improving them

“We’re committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate. This experience was unacceptable, and we are actively implementing changes to address this,” Waymo said in a statement.

It is still not clear how the man got into the vehicle, or whether he stayed inside after a previous trip. The LAPD has not said if the man has been arrested.

Detectives are reviewing video and working with Waymo as the company expands its driverless service throughout LA. The company is reminding riders to double-check any car before getting in and to call 911 immediately if something doesn’t look right.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Elderly woman finds escaped Chowan Co. inmate in her car

CNN Newsource on December 11, 2025

By Will Thomas

Click here for updates on this story

    EDENTON, N.C. (WTKR) — For Marie Steinburg, Monday morning was like every other day. Marie walked down the back stairs of her home and toward her car to head to work. But the minute she clicked the lock to open it, she noticed something was different.

“I kept backing up little by little by little because I thought, I don’t know what this man is going to do,” said Marie.

Marie, 75, knew that an inmate had escaped from the Chowan County Detention Center Sunday night. But she never expected to find him inside her car as she was leaving the house to go to work Monday morning.

“I headed out the door, and I clicked the unlock, and it must have scared the guy, because the next thing I know, I saw something moving in my back seat,” said Marie.

Marie says she was just yards away from 23-year-old Charles Edward Babb, who the Edenton Police Department warned was considered potentially armed and dangerous, when she says he jumped out of her car. She stayed calm and began to talk to him.

“He looked so cold and so scared. I thought, well, I’m not going to try and provoke him. I’m going to try and be very, very nice and pull the mother act on him, like I would with my own kids,” said Marie.

Marie says she offered to go grab Babb a coat, but just moments later he took off down the driveway. That’s when she ran back inside the home, called up to her husband Bob, and they called 911.

“I got in as fast as I could. I was shaking like a leaf, and I could barely get the key in the lock, but I did,” said Marie.

“There seemed to be a little bit of tension and alarm in her voice. And so I said, what’s going on? What is it? She said, there’s somebody in my car, and I think it’s the guy that escaped last night, because he had a jumpsuit on, an orange jumpsuit,” said Bob.

The Edenton Police Department captured Babb shortly after nearby. All that was left behind were his shoes. The Steinburgs also say they found a blanket that they believe Babb took from inside the room over their garage and used for warmth while inside the car overnight.

Marie’s husband Bob, who served in the North Carolina General Assembly as a senator and representative, can’t say enough about how his wife handled the situation.

“I was very proud of my wife. I mean, the way she handled it as I’m hearing about this now from her and others, that she really did a great job at trying to not alarm the young man but at least have a conversation with him,” said Bob.

The Steinburgs are thankful that the situation turned out like it did for everyone involved.

“Someone else said to me, I thought this was very interesting. They had mentioned that, well, God must have been watching over Marie yesterday. And I said, you’re absolutely right God, was watching over Marie yesterday. But you know something, I think God was watching out over this young man as well, to have him come here,” said Bob.

And from now on, Marie will be making sure to lock her car.

“Oh let me tell you, if I don’t, he’s (Bob) going to. It’s one of those things that we learned,” said Marie.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

San Diego couple’s photographer begins viral search for couple she accidentally photographed getting engaged

CNN Newsource on December 11, 2025

By Emily Coffey

Click here for updates on this story

    San Diego (KGTV) — Joni Cobarrubias began taking photos around 10 years ago with a digital camera her parents bought her in high school. What started with graduation photos has turned into a profitable business, taking photos of couples’ special moments in her cinematic, unique and warm style.

She never expected to go viral over a favor for a stranger – a favor she’s still hoping to fulfill.

While shooting one couple’s engagement photos, she unwittingly captured another couple’s engagement while at Windansea beach, snapping two cinematic shots from afar. The moment happened on October 18th during the daylight, on the corner of Bonair Street and Neptune Place.

“I looked that way, and I saw this couple together, facing each other,” Joni said. “It looked like they had just had a proposal. I didn’t actually see him get down on one knee … It was a really cute moment. She was holding flowers.”

She later posted the photos on social media, asking for help finding the couple, as they had scurried away before she could give them the photos she had taken.

“I thought the power of social media might be able to find them,” Joni said.

The video has garnered one million views and hundreds of comments from all over the world.

Still, she hasn’t found the couple.

“Some people have pointed that they maybe don’t want to be found. Maybe it’s a secret thing,” Joni said.“If they are out there and they find the video, I’d love to at least give them the photos and I can always take the video down.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

LA man cracking down on people using cones to reserve street parking

CNN on December 11, 2025


KCBS

By Laurie Perez

Click here for updates on this story

    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Joey Morales, known as the “Cone King” on TikTok, has made it his mission to stop people from using the orange pylons to reserve street parking along Los Angeles’ busy roads.

“I started this about 2023, early 2023 is when I fully started going in with it,” he said. “I want to say I’ve, at least, removed over 5,000 off of Los Angeles streets.”

It’s against city code to block the street with anything without a permit. Residents can call 311 to report it, but Morales turned into a vigilante parking enforcement officer after struggling to find street parking himself.

“A lot of people would say it’s a Karen move,” Morales said. “It is, but at the end of the day, you can’t pick up a public parking spot and assume that because it’s in front of your house, it belongs to you.”

With more than 20,000 followers on TikTok, Morales records himself reclaiming the open curb space from those he considers entitled. The Robin Hood of parking also takes requests to remove cones from neighborhoods around South LA.

“I had over 3,000 messages that I get on a weekly basis from residents here in South LA who are having the same issue with everybody,” he said.

Many of the cones belong to the LA Department of Transportation or Public Works, which he returns to the city.

Not everyone likes what he’s doing. A man confronted him for taking a cone on Wednesday night. Still, LA’s Cone King remains undeterred, believing he’s filling a need the community wants and needs.

“I don’t show up to an area unless I’ve been requested,” he said. “If I’m showing up, it’s because multiple people in that area have already contacted me and the city has done absolutely nothing about it.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

LA man cracking down on people using cones to reserve street parking

CNN Newsource on December 11, 2025

By Laurie Perez

Click here for updates on this story

    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Joey Morales, known as the “Cone King” on TikTok, has made it his mission to stop people from using the orange pylons to reserve street parking along Los Angeles’ busy roads.

“I started this about 2023, early 2023 is when I fully started going in with it,” he said. “I want to say I’ve, at least, removed over 5,000 off of Los Angeles streets.”

It’s against city code to block the street with anything without a permit. Residents can call 311 to report it, but Morales turned into a vigilante parking enforcement officer after struggling to find street parking himself.

“A lot of people would say it’s a Karen move,” Morales said. “It is, but at the end of the day, you can’t pick up a public parking spot and assume that because it’s in front of your house, it belongs to you.”

With more than 20,000 followers on TikTok, Morales records himself reclaiming the open curb space from those he considers entitled. The Robin Hood of parking also takes requests to remove cones from neighborhoods around South LA.

“I had over 3,000 messages that I get on a weekly basis from residents here in South LA who are having the same issue with everybody,” he said.

Many of the cones belong to the LA Department of Transportation or Public Works, which he returns to the city.

Not everyone likes what he’s doing. A man confronted him for taking a cone on Wednesday night. Still, LA’s Cone King remains undeterred, believing he’s filling a need the community wants and needs.

“I don’t show up to an area unless I’ve been requested,” he said. “If I’m showing up, it’s because multiple people in that area have already contacted me and the city has done absolutely nothing about it.”

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Owatonna’s T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets are a salute to the Air Force

CNN on December 11, 2025


WCCO

By John Lauritsen

Click here for updates on this story

    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — Driving along Interstate 35 in Owatonna, Minnesota, you can’t miss the giant jets near the airport.

“Really, they come from all corners of the country,” said Dave Beaver, airport manager. “We had an arrival yesterday from Florida, California, Colorado.”

At Owatonna’s Degner Regional Airport, planes are coming and going. But there are three on site that never take off, yet they never touch the ground.

“That display is really something else,” said Beaver. “We routinely see people stop off the interstate, come in and ask questions and take pictures.”

The story begins years ago when the city acquired one of the T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets from the Air Force. Then Buzz Kaplan, an Army veteran and local plane enthusiast, acquired two more. In 2006, they began the process of moving the T-38’s, departing from an Owatonna museum and arriving at the airport.

“It was quite a feat to move those three aircraft a quarter mile,” said Matt Thurnau, Chairman of the Owatonna Airport Commission. “They had trucks and trains and moved them slowly down the road.”

Moving them was one thing, positioning them was another. Supporters wanted the T-38s to be pointed skyward. They’re positioned in a flying formation called the “bomb burst,” according to Thurnau.

Each of the jets weighs more than 12,000 pounds. And it’s 70 feet from the noses of each of the planes, all the way down to the ground.

“There’s 308 tons of concrete and steel at the base of that. So, it’s not going anywhere,” said Thurnau.

And it’s a bit of an engineering marvel. Just this past summer, the monument withstood a storm with 70 mph wind gusts.

“The stands that the planes are on were tested in a wind tunnel, up to 113 miles an hour,” said Thurnau.

Don McCann is a long-time Owatonna resident and councilmember. He said the T-38’s aren’t just a landmark, they’re a salute to the men and women of the Air Force. Because when it comes to supporting those in service, the sky is the limit.

“I almost look at it as the gateway to Owatonna,” said McCann. “And that’s community coming together and doing something very iconic. And that’s really why we like it.”

Occasionally the jets have to be cleaned because of bird nests and other debris.

They also need to be painted from time to time, with all three jets receiving new paint jobs this past summer.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Owatonna’s T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets are a salute to the Air Force

CNN Newsource on December 11, 2025

By John Lauritsen

Click here for updates on this story

    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — Driving along Interstate 35 in Owatonna, Minnesota, you can’t miss the giant jets near the airport.

“Really, they come from all corners of the country,” said Dave Beaver, airport manager. “We had an arrival yesterday from Florida, California, Colorado.”

At Owatonna’s Degner Regional Airport, planes are coming and going. But there are three on site that never take off, yet they never touch the ground.

“That display is really something else,” said Beaver. “We routinely see people stop off the interstate, come in and ask questions and take pictures.”

The story begins years ago when the city acquired one of the T-38 Talon Thunderbird jets from the Air Force. Then Buzz Kaplan, an Army veteran and local plane enthusiast, acquired two more. In 2006, they began the process of moving the T-38’s, departing from an Owatonna museum and arriving at the airport.

“It was quite a feat to move those three aircraft a quarter mile,” said Matt Thurnau, Chairman of the Owatonna Airport Commission. “They had trucks and trains and moved them slowly down the road.”

Moving them was one thing, positioning them was another. Supporters wanted the T-38s to be pointed skyward. They’re positioned in a flying formation called the “bomb burst,” according to Thurnau.

Each of the jets weighs more than 12,000 pounds. And it’s 70 feet from the noses of each of the planes, all the way down to the ground.

“There’s 308 tons of concrete and steel at the base of that. So, it’s not going anywhere,” said Thurnau.

And it’s a bit of an engineering marvel. Just this past summer, the monument withstood a storm with 70 mph wind gusts.

“The stands that the planes are on were tested in a wind tunnel, up to 113 miles an hour,” said Thurnau.

Don McCann is a long-time Owatonna resident and councilmember. He said the T-38’s aren’t just a landmark, they’re a salute to the men and women of the Air Force. Because when it comes to supporting those in service, the sky is the limit.

“I almost look at it as the gateway to Owatonna,” said McCann. “And that’s community coming together and doing something very iconic. And that’s really why we like it.”

Occasionally the jets have to be cleaned because of bird nests and other debris.

They also need to be painted from time to time, with all three jets receiving new paint jobs this past summer.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.