Author: CNN Newsource

By Lauren Victory, Charlie De Mar, Sara Tenenbaum

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    Illinois (WBBM) — A jury has found former Sangamon County deputy Sean Grayson guilty of second-degree murder for the fatal police shooting of Sonya Massey.

Grayson was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the 2024 deadly police shooting, and the jury was given the option of convicting him of second-degree murder. They found him not guilty on all three counts of first-degree murder.

A first-degree murder conviction could have meant up to life in prison. The conviction on second-degree murder could carry a prison sentence of anywhere from four to 20 years, but could also carry a sentence of probation with no prison time at all. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

The jury alerted the judge that they had reached a verdict around 2 p.m. It was read at 2:28 p.m.

The jury deliberated for several hours after closing arguments ended late Tuesday morning before adjourning for the night. Deliberations resumed Wednesday morning around 8:30 a.m.

The jury has asked several questions and made some requests so far today. They have asked to see Grayson’s previous employment and training history, and want another look at the evidence used in the trial but what specifically they have asked for has not yet been made public.

Massey, a 36-year-old unarmed Black woman, called police for help in July 2024 for a possible prowler outside her home.

Inside the home, Grayson said Massey began acting erratically and rebuked him “in the name of Jesus” while walking towards a pot of water on her stove. Body cam video from Grayson’s partner captured the shooting; Grayson’s body camera was not activated for most the call, only turning on shortly after he pulled his weapon.

Massey died of a gunshot wound. Grayson faces three first-degree murder charges.

Dawson Farley, his former partner on that night, testified during the trial that he was not afraid of Massey during the call, but instead feared Grayson. Farley told the jury that, while he was confused after Massey said “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” he never perceived that as a threat. He added he only unholstered his gun because Grayson did.

Grayson took the stand in his own defense. He testified that finding broken windows on her car, her 911 call for help and waiting four minutes for her to answer the phone made him concerned someone else was inside. He also said he believed she may have been “under the influence of something” and said she appeared “scatterbrained.”

He also testified that he perceived Massey holding the pot of hot water from the stove as a threat.

Along with the three charges of first-degree murder, jurors were given the option to find Grayson guilty of second-degree murder charges. Prosecutors are pushing for the first-degree murder conviction, pointing out that Grayson threatened to shoot Massey in the face right before he actually did.

“The jury would then have to decide if he was acting reasonably in thinking he was acting in self-defense or whether or not that belief was unreasonable. That’s the difference between being found guilty of potentially first-degree murder and second-degree murder,” said CBS News Legal Analyst Irv Miller.

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By Rina Nakano

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    TORRANCE, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A 10-year-old boy from Torrance made history as the youngest stem cell donor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, giving his father a second chance at life.

There’s nothing more that Nick Mondek loves more than being a dad. But in 2022, an aggressive form of acute myeloid leukemia put the then 45-year-old on his deathbed. “I’m thinking about my sons, and I’m thinking about how I’m not ready to move on yet,” Mondek said.

Thankfully, his older brother Dave was a match. Several rounds of chemotherapy erased Mondek’s cancerous cells and replaced them with his brother’s. By the end of the year, he was able to return to work as an anesthesiologist.

“It was an incredible feeling just to have someone that you’ve idolized your whole life come and save you,” Mondek said.

Unfortunately, remission didn’t last long, and in April this year, Mondek said the cancer came back “ferociously fast.”

With his brother Dave no longer an option as the cancer found a way around his stem cells, Mondek searched for cousins in the National Marrow Donor Program, but no donor match was found.

Desperation got him thinking about a friend with lymphoma who received a donation from his 19-year-old son. Mondek wondered if his own son could do the same for him, “But he’s only 9 and he’s 70 pounds,” he said.

Tests revealed that his older son Stevie, was a 50% match, enough to confuse the current cancer cells and replace them.

“I just told him that we were looking for other donors because I didn’t want him to feel pressured, like this was something he had to do. And I just left it up to him,” Mondek said.

Stevie says he didn’t even hesitate; the answer was obvious. “I wanted to help him get rid of his cancer, and I wasn’t nervous at all,” he said. In July, Stevie made history by becoming the youngest stem cell donor ever at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The transplant was a success, with tests showing that 99% of Mondek’s body is made of Stevie’s healthy cells.

“He donated six million stem cells to save my life, so it’s not just an honor to call him my son, I’m proud to call him my hero,” Mondek said.

For Stevie, the experience has profoundly impacted him. “I want to be a doctor in baseball,” he said.

“He’s great at baseball, and he’s already on his way to becoming a doctor; he already saved one patient,” Mondek said with a beaming smile. “So, he can save more.”

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

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By Paula Wethington

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    DETROIT (WWJ) — A Zoom hearing camera caught a view of a Detroit Police Department officer appearing without pants on when identifying himself for a virtual hearing.

The scenario happened during a court hearing Monday in the 36th District Court, where a woman faced a charge of drag racing,

District Court Judge Sean B. Perkins was seen at his bench. The defendant, her attorney and Officer Matthew Jackson from the Detroit Police Department’s 12th Precinct were all participating virtually via Zoom. The defendant had just agreed to accept the plea offer on her case on drag racing and disorderly conduct, with other charges to be dismissed. And then Judge Perkins called upon the officer.

“Officer Jackson? Good morning to you. Can you put your appearance on the record, please?” Perkins asked.

In response, Jackson held up his hand and gave his name. The camera on the computer he had logged onto showed a view of him wearing a uniform shirt and badge.

That initial view of Jackson also showed his bare legs, without his uniform pants.

The defense attorney, whom one of the next camera views showed, was seen with a puzzled look on her face.

The camera view went back to the judge, who appears to have noticed the camera monitor at his desk.

“You got some pants on, officer?” the judge asked in response.

Jackson repositioned his camera closer to his face and began to say, “Sir, they’re in the …” Then he broke off that sentence and said, “No, sir.”

The judge then quickly pivoted the discussion toward the defendant, calling her name and continuing the proceedings.

The dress code for the 36th District Court says casual business attire is preferred. The dress code prohibits wearing shorts, cutoffs, skorts, “and other clothing which is not suitable in a Court or any other professional environment” for a hearing.

In the aftermath of the uniform view — and subsequent attention to the video — Detroit Police Chief Todd A. Bettison issued the following statement:

“The Detroit Police Department requires its officers to represent themselves in a dignified and professional manner while attending court proceedings. The involved officer’s actions are not representative of the professionalism of this department and will be appropriately addressed to maintain the public confidence and efficient operation of this department.

“Our apologies are hereby extended to the judges and staff of the court, as well as anyone else who may have been in attendance during this incident.”

As for the hearing, the defendant’s charge was amended from reckless driving. She pleaded guilty and was fined $240 upon the conclusion of the hearing, court records show.

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By Erin Hassanzadeh

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Just beside the Mississippi River on a winding Minneapolis street sits 4736 Coffey Lane — a hidden house nestled in nature with a story to tell.

What you can’t see through the foliage is revealed in the blueprints: a butterfly-shaped home designed by a man who was trained by one of the greats.

“It was designed by this architect, Herb Fritz Junior. He was a protige, some may even say disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright. His dad was one of Wright’s original draftsman,” Trevor Born, owner of the Longfellow Whatever newsletter, said. “He has this reputation as somebody who could do the Frank Lloyd Wright thing but at more of an affordable price point, basically.”

That drew the attention of a Minneapolis kindergarten teacher and his wife, who loved gardening. The angular home went up in 1960.

Its Usonian mid-century style, with a focus on the nature that surrounds it, still turns heads today.

“This has been essentially untouched,” Katey Bean, a listing agent with Keller Williams, said. “You almost can’t put a value on it.”

The two-bedroom house is complete with a carport and angular, paneled rooms. It sits elegantly on the lot that grew in and flourished around it.

“This is a lot of native grasses that were purposely planted here,” Bean said.

The time-worn treasure, now for sale for the first time, is drawing attention once more.

“People were so curious. We estimate probably upwards of 700 people came through an open house,” Bean said.

Captivating the curious, the design-loving and really anyone willing to be the next caretaker of the time capsule.

“To have this name associated with this house and own a piece of what is really architectural history is special,” Bean said.

The house received more than 10 offers. As of Tuesday, its sale is pending.

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By Doug Myers, Amelia Mugavero, Steven Rosenbaum

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    FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — Two Fort Worth police officers on Tuesday recounted the harrowing moments when a 1-year-old girl was trapped beneath a flipped SUV last week.

In a fast-paced rescue, the officers and nearby bystanders tipped the vehicle upright, allowing life-saving aid to be performed on the child.

The crash happened early Thursday morning at Eastchase Parkway and Interstate 30, unfolding directly in the path of Sgt. Ryan Nichols and Officer Edwin Bounds. The officers hadn’t been dispatched — they were simply driving nearby when the violent rollover occurred.

A dramatic video released Friday by Fort Worth police showed the moment Nichols, Bounds and a group of bystanders rescued the baby.

Nichols performed CPR on the baby, while Bounds cleared her airway and comforted her with the same nicknames he uses for his own daughters.

“There was a vehicle on top of the baby… the odds are not in our favor,” Nichols said.

Nichols described the emotional and spiritual weight of the rescue.

“Initially walking up, it was — I hate to say it — just another accident,” Nichols said. “And then you recognize that the mom’s down… and immediately the priorities just switch.”

He recalled pulling the baby from the wreckage, believing she was dead, and praying as he began CPR.

“Just praying on the inside that the Lord was going to work the problem for us,” he said.

When the baby finally cried, Nichols said, “That baby breathed. Everybody else on the scene was able to take a breath.”

Bounds, a father of three daughters, said the experience was deeply personal.

“Nothing can really prepare you mentally for seeing a baby in that condition,” he said. “You definitely go home and hug your babies a little tighter that night.”

He described the baby’s cry as the first glimmer of hope.

“Just hearing that first little cry was the sweetest sound I could hear,” he said. “It was definitely a sound of encouragement to keep going.”

Both officers emphasized the critical role of bystanders — an estimated 20 to 30 people helped, from tending to the mother to lifting the vehicle and stopping traffic.

“You can’t move a car with two people,” Bounds said. “So without the people who stopped, it wouldn’t have ended up very well.”

He added, “There are good people in this world, and the video shows it… Without the people who stopped, it wouldn’t have ended up very well.”

Bounds visited the hospital the next morning, driven by concern and a sleepless night. He spoke with the mother and two other family members, who expressed deep gratitude to him and Sgt. Nichols.

“They all had nothing but good things and thanks and told me to tell Sergeant Nichols thank you,” he said. “From what I understand and what I’ve been told, they’re doing very well.”

Faith was a recurring theme throughout the officers’ reflections.

“Faith drives every decision we do or don’t make out here,” Nichols said. “We’re not perfect. We’re works in progress. And we need grace as much as anybody else.”

Nichols has served with the department for 19 years, while Bounds has for 15. Both said the incident ranks among the most unforgettable moments of their careers.

“Memorable? Yes. Scary? Yes. Something you don’t ever want to experience? Yes,” Nichols said.

Meanwhile, Chief Eddie Garcia thanked the motorists and residents who stepped in to help, praising the two officers as examples of the department’s best.

“These officers and their heroic actions saved this baby,” Garcia said. “They treated that baby as if it was their own. And that needed to be shared.”

He emphasized that their actions reflect the dedication of Fort Worth’s 1,800 officers and expressed hope for the baby’s full recovery.

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By Adam Harrington, Noel Brennan

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — Several people are suing the owner and general manager of the Offshore Rooftop restaurant at Navy Pier, after they were burned when a s’mores station flashed over in flames during a corporate event there.

Cavanagh Sorich Law Group announced Wednesday that it filed lawsuits in Cook County Circuit Court against Offshore Rooftop operator Maverick Hotels and Restaurants LLC and general manager Laurent Boisdron.

The law group filed suit on behalf of five plaintiffs — four of whom suffered burn injuries when the fire broke out on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at a food station at a corporate event hosted by global investment management company Nuveen.

The lawsuits said the plaintiffs were gathered around a station set up for guests to roast marshmallows for s’mores, when a Maverick employee poured on a flammable liquid — possibly alcohol — and caused a flashover.

Flames shot into the air, and set some of the plaintiffs ablaze, the law group alleged. Surveillance video provided by the law firm shows the moment it all happened.

“The video is horrifying to watch. One second the plaintiffs are standing around enjoying a lovely work event at the rooftop restaurant and then suddenly the flames shoot up, and they are on fire. The physical and emotional wounds from this will last a lifetime. The recovery will be very difficult,” Timothy J. Cavanagh, founding partner at Cavanagh Sorich Law Group, said in a news release. “There was clear negligence as well as disregard for the safety of the guests. It is obvious the employee was not properly trained or supervised to work around an open flame, which is an inherently dangerous situation and put guests at risk of serious harm.”

Attorneys said a 25-year-old woman, Kira Bond, was left in critical condition with third-degree burns to her face, chest area, and torso.

“One second, Kira and her coworkers are standing around this s’mores station occupied by an employee of Maverick Hotels,” Cavanagh added at a news conference. This woman is working at the s’mores station where they obviously have marshmallows and chocolate, and at one point, this employee… takes a container — almost like a ketchup-type container — and dumps liquid onto this open flame and causes a fireball that sets Kira on fire.”

Bond had to be taken to the Trauma, Burn & Rehabilitation Unit at Stroger Hospital of Cook County where she received skin grafts and underwent surgery — and while she has been released, she will need more treatment, attorneys said.

Bond does not live in Chicago. She is a New York City resident who is relocating to a new apartment in Brooklyn. which she has not even gotten to visit yet because she has been stuck far away, Cavanagh said.

“Her life has been incredibly disrupted,” Cavanagh said.

Bond said she has had different challenges every week since she was burned.

“Just the initial first week, I didn’t know how long I was going to be there, how severe the burns were. I was going through excruciating pain every day — especially at daily dressing changes,” she said. “After surgery, I had, you know, staples in my skin for a week — but still having to, you know, do the exercises to maintain mobility in certain parts of my neck and other places, and just in general, you know, I have grafts on my inner thighs, which that skin to begin with is very thin, so they had to graft that in.”

Bond said she has struggled to gain back her strength.

“Like everything, I’ve kind of had to ask for help, and I am not one to really rely on — I like to be very independent,” she said. “I do a lot in one day, and it’s just completely like, put everything on hold—every aspect of my life.”

Bond said the event at Navy Pier involved Nuveen employees from all different offices around the nation, and was preceded by a boat tour.

She said she had just started the job at Nuveen a few weeks before the incident at the Navy Pier restaurant. She said everyone at the company has been “incredibly supportive.”

Another woman, 44-year-old Lisa Segner, suffered burns to her abdomen and lower extremities and had to go to the burn unit at Stroger too, attorneys said.

Two others, Peter Gianaris and Fernando Ramriez, suffered less severe burns — but still had to be treated as outpatients and suffered emotional trauma as they saw their colleagues on fire and rushed over to assist, attorneys said.

A fifth plaintiff, Segner’s husband, Phillip, sued for loss of consortium, attorneys said.

“This is a well-known restaurant attracting guests from around the United States who visit Navy Pier. It hosts many private functions like this one. Guests have a right to expect that the defendants operate the facility in a safe manner,” Marc McCallister, partner at Cavanagh Sorich Law Group, said in the news release. “Instead, they unnecessarily poured a combustible accelerant on the open flame, creating a fireball.”

Attorneys said they are still trying to find out who the employee operating the s’mores stand was, and if the employee was properly trained and supervised to work around an open flame.

The lawsuits were filed on Friday, Oct. 17. Cavanagh said the lawsuits have since been consolidated for discovery, and an initial hearing is planned for Dec. 17 at the Daley Center.

CBS News Chicago has contacted the restaurant operator for comment.

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By Jessica Riley

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    Millvale, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — It’s been four weeks since the federal government shut down, and the impacts are growing. Millions of Americans are on the brink of losing their SNAP benefits, food assistance that many families depend on to put meals on the table.

In Millvale, one woman is stepping in to help fill that gap in a personal way.

Jennifer Ghosh knows what it’s like to go without. During the pandemic, she lost her income, ran out of food, and says she fell through the cracks of the system.

“Unfortunately, I fell through the cracks during COVID,” said Ghosh. “I ran out of money, ran out of food, lost my possessions during the pandemic, and realized sometimes there’s not a lot of help in the ways you think.”

That experience inspired her to start The Praxis Soup Pot, a one-woman mission to fight hunger and support others struggling with food insecurity.

When Ghosh was going through rough times, she learned how to forage to keep herself going. She says her inspiration came from a cookbook that emphasized using simple, seasonal ingredients to make nutritious soups. Although she will be using store-bought and donated items for her soups.

“It uses basic seasonal ingredients to make nutritious soup,” Ghosh said. “That’s one of the things I realized I could do from that.”

Starting next week, Ghosh will begin cooking large batches of soup from scratch in her small kitchen. Her first recipe – pumpkin soup for the fall. It will be distributed to community spots that allow home-cooked food donations.

She’s self-funding the project and cooking around her full-time job. Millvale is first on her delivery list, but she’s hoping to expand to places that allow home-cooked food.

“Any way we can help to give food to more people, it’s just the right thing to do,” Ghosh said.

The project is already gaining attention and support from volunteers and neighbors.

“That’s the beauty of this, the volunteerism and watching it suddenly take off in a way I did not expect,” said Ghosh. “We need to have more faith in each other again, and we’re losing that.”

Still, she admits she can’t do it alone.

“I could definitely use monetary donations for more soup containers and ingredients,” she said. “I’ll be buying large amounts of potatoes, onions, and garlic.”

Each container of soup will include a QR code linking to her website, where people can find the recipe and ingredient list, encouraging others to make their own soup and join the effort.

“This is a way to help the existing food organizations while also diverting some of the burden from them,” said Ghosh.

She’s also created social media pages to post updates, ingredient lists, ways to get involved, highlighting the community, and more.

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By Alicia Roberts, Scott Jacobson

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    CAMDEN, New Jersey (KYW) — Inside the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey, some very special Philadelphia Eagles fans welcomed a very special visitor Tuesday night.

Birds’ rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Swoop brought some cheer to children facing long-term medical care and their families. Guests were treated to a breakfast for dinner buffet, along with photos, autographs and even a friendly game of bingo.

“I was born right across the street, so it’s always amazing. I just always like seeing the kids and knowing I can leave a forever lasting impact on somebody,” Campbell said.

For Campbell, a South Jersey native, seeing the smiles makes a night like this especially rewarding.

“Everybody has ups and downs, and at the end of the day, we always just want to battle that adversity and just overcome it,” he said.

“To have a hometown guy coming back to take care of the children and families in our home, it’s truly just so special,” said Tracey Sharpe, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey.

And for Kailitza Carrasquillo and her mom Pattyann, who have both been in and out of Ronald McDonald House during Kailitza’s treatment since 2018, it was a much needed distraction ahead of another surgery next week.

“You come from the hospital, being all day, it’s just such a wonderful experience,” Kailitza Carrasquillo said.

Proof that a little green and a lot of Eagles love are always a win.

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