Author: CNN Newsource

By Ilene Gould

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    LANSING, Michigan (WXMI) — The Michigan Court of Appeals has overturned several terrorism-related convictions for one of the men tied to the alleged plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer back in 2020.

Joseph Morrison was convicted back in 2022 on state charges of providing material support for terrorist acts, gang membership, and felony firearm.

In December of 2022, Morrison was sentenced to 4-20 years in prison, alongside others with ties to the militia group “Wolverine Watchmen.”

On Tuesday, the Court of Appeals overturned all three of his convictions, ruling that “kidnapping” did not meet the definition of a “violent felony,” one of the requirements for Michigan’s Anti-Terrorism law.

The ruling also notes that the jury’s instructions allowed for a conviction based on the understanding that the kidnapping was a violent felony.

“And because the jury instructions given by the trial court allowed for a conviction based on an underlying kidnapping offense, his conviction cannot stand. We agree that the charge of kidnapping cannot properly form the basis for defendant’s conviction,” reads the ruling.

The decision from the Court of Appeals comes after Morrison argued that kidnapping is not a “violent felony” according to the legal definition.

Let us walk you through it.

A “violent felony” is, in part, defined as a “felony in which an element is the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against an individual.”

In 2006, Michigan state law was changed and removed all references to “force” regarding kidnapping.

According to Michigan law, an “act of terrorism” means a willful and deliberate act that is all of the following:

An act that would be a violent felony under the laws of this state, whether or not committed in this state. An act that the person knows or has reason to know is dangerous to human life. An act that is intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence or affect the conduct of government or a unit of government through intimidation or coercion

The ruling goes on to say, “Because the ‘use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force’ is not an element of kidnapping, kidnapping is not a ‘violent felony’ falling within the definition of an ‘act of terrorism.'”

In a release, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said, “This ruling is completely and irredeemably nonsensical, outrageous, and irresponsible.”

She also says her office will appeal the ruling.

“My office will not allow this to stand. We will not downplay violent terrorism, we will not accept violent threats against our elected leaders, and we will not abide the arbitrary defanging of the criminal statutes that preserve public safety and order in the State of Michigan. To restore sanity, protect our public servants, and uphold the rule of law, we are appealing this preposterous decision,” said Nessel.

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

By Darren Cunningham

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    LIVONIA, Michigan (WXYZ) — A man accused of terrorizing his neighbors appeared before a judge on Tuesday over a video feed for his arraignment.

Police said Manuel Bardakjian, 40, is the person behind a white painter’s or hazmat suit and mask who attempted to break into homes in mid-May.

Bardakjian lives in the same neighborhood as the victims.

Bill Williams, the father of one of the alleged victims in the May 13 incident, was in court for the hearing.

“(Victoria) landed on her hip and her elbow in the driveway. So, physically in pain from that. Mentally, she’s still very stressed out. She doesn’t want to be home alone,” he said.

7 News Detroit learned Bardakjian was arrested at a local grocery store on Saturday.

Rachel Murillo, who lives next door to the suspect, saw the raid on his home.

“I was thinking that it didn’t make any sense, really. I didn’t think that the picture looked like him, otherwise I would’ve said something,” she told 7 News Detroit.

Bardakjian, a father and husband, lives on Bloomfield Drive. He also allegedly attacked a 77-year-old neighbor who lives directly across the street from him and threatened him with a gun.

After that May 14 incident, 7 News Detroit spoke with a young woman who heard yelling and captured an image of the suspect jumping the wall in her backyard.

While canvassing the neighborhood and chatting with residents about the second incident, 7 News Detroit interacted with Bardakjian after knocking on his door. He came outside, and his reaction to the situation was like anyone else’s. However, his wife did not want him speaking with the news. Bardakjian pointed our crew to other neighbors who might be willing to interview.

During the arraignment, Bardakjian’s defense attorney Drew Norton told the judge he got in a car accident last year and hasn’t been himself since then.

“He suffered a head injury and broke both wrists. The last year-plus has been difficult for Mano. To a person, his family will tell you he’s been different. And that anything like what’s been alleged is totally out of character for him,” Norton said.

A reporter asked Williams what he thinks about the suspect’s struggles.

“Can I say not a damn thing? I don’t feel bad. I feel empathy because I’m a human and everybody goes through struggles at one time, but as I said several times, that does not excuse physically assaulting someone. That does not excuse threatening someone with a weapon,” Williams said.

The judge also charged Bardakjian with possessing ecstasy and Xanax, a controlled substance. He’s been given a $250,000 cash surety bond or 10% and has been ordered to wear a GPS tether if he posts bond.

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

By Jolie Sherman

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    BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Michigan (WXYZ) — A Legionella case has been confirmed at a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Bloomfield Hills, prompting water use restrictions for residents and an ongoing investigation by the Oakland County Health Department.

The case involves Woodward Hills Rehabilitation. Residents have been restricted from showering and using tap water while health officials investigate the source of the contamination.

The Oakland County Health Department said a sample was collected from a patient on June 3. The following day, the facility proactively collected water samples. On June 5, the state health department notified the Oakland County Health Department of the confirmed case.

Tavia Hill’s 81-year-old mother is temporarily living at the facility and has been there for nearly two weeks. Hill said her mother has not had a bath in days.

“My mom is using wipes, you know, these body wipes. For someone with a pre-existing health condition, they need a bath,” Hill said.

Hill said she received no information about the water contamination until she reached out to 7 News Detroit.

“We’ve been there a little over a week, but no answers. Until I reached out to you, I got nothing,” Hill said.

The facility declined to comment when contacted by 7 News Detroit.

Dr. Michael Swain, an epidemiologist with the Oakland County Health Department, said the shower restriction is a precautionary measure tied to how Legionella spreads.

“We asked the facility, required the facility, to use sponge baths instead of showers because Legionella, to cause Legionnaires’ disease, has to aerosolize, and showers are an important risk in buildings like this. So we don’t want the showers used until filters are installed,” Swain said.

Swain said filters are expected to be installed by next week. The facility will then undergo 9 rounds of testing, a process expected to take 6 months.

Kate Guzman, a registered nurse and health officer with the Oakland County Health Department, said visitors, guests, and staff face limited risk from common activities.

“When we’re thinking about safety of visitors and guests and staff, I know people immediately think about drinking water and eating food, and those aren’t risky activities in terms of Legionella transmission,” Guzman said.

Dr. Teena Chopra, an infectious diseases professor at Wayne State University, explained how Legionella spreads and why a single confirmed case warrants close attention in a facility setting.

“It’s not contagious from person to person. The transmission happens through contaminated water systems, air conditioning systems,” Chopra said. “It all depends on where the case was acquired. If it is from the facility, it is significant. If the problem is in the water system of the facility, then other residents are at risk.”

The Oakland County Health Department said it is still too early to determine whether the case originated at the facility. The investigation is ongoing.

Hill said her concerns extend beyond her own mother.

“I’m very concerned, not just about my mom, but the other residents, like I said, there are a lot of aging people, that are in their 80s, 90s, 100,” Hill said.

7 News Detroit received the following statement from Woodward Hills:

Woodward Hills Health & Rehab is under a partial water restriction as there has been a case of Legionnaires reported to our community. Although the source of the legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires, has yet to be identified, once we learned of this development, we reported it to the Oakland County Department of Health and are working collaboratively with the Health Department to determine what the significance is, if any, of these results. In an abundance of caution we have also retained an independent water testing firm to further evaluate the recent test results and to develop an action plan moving forward. We have completed facility‑wide water testing, implemented all recommended precautionary measures, transitioned to a separate water supply while we await results, and will continue to work closely with the Oakland County Health Department.

Woodward Hills Health & Rehab continues to be committed to providing high quality care to those residents and families we have the privilege to serve. We would like to thank the Oakland County Health Department for their prompt response and guidance. We would also like to thank our residents, their families, and our devoted staff for their support. We will continue to provide all relevant parties with the most current information as it is made available to us.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WXYZ’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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

By Mike Castellucci

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    GOLD HILL, Colorado (KMGH) — A family has returned to the small Colorado mountain town of Gold Hill for the first time in 44 years, and found it hasn’t changed much. Thankfully.

Gold Hill has no cell phone service, no running water and no heat — until someone starts a fire in the potbelly stove. But when the “closed” sign turns to “open” at the Gold Hill General Store, the small Colorado mountain town comes alive.

Dwight DeBroux owns the general store — one of only two businesses in town.

“You have to try our chocolate chip cookie. Oh, it is the cookie,” DeBroux said.

The cookies draw people in. Two minutes after opening, a family surrounded the potbelly stove — the Smiths, who had just returned to Gold Hill for the first time in 44 years. It turned out Dustin Smith was born there.

“Brought my son here,” Smith said.

His father, Woody Smith, remembered the town well.

“My wife and I lived here and my youngest son Dusty was born here — delivered him with a mid-wife. One year, there was 12 feet of snow,” Woody said.

After 44 years away, the family expected things to look different.

“Not much. The log cabins and the school (are) pretty much the same,” Woody said.

Dustin pointed out the house where he was born — a little home with small wagons out front, just two doors down from the general store. It turned out that house now belongs to the town’s mayor. The Smiths and the mayor were in the general store at the same time but never met.

The mayor, Kelly Veit, described what the general store means to the community.

“It’s a place for opinions, (to) drive consensus, move things forward, move things backward, if necessary,” the mayor said.

The town’s quietness is something residents take pride in.

“We sort of respect and honor our quietness here,” the mayor said.

DeBroux moved to Gold Hill eight years ago after finding something he hadn’t expected.

“Decided to move up here. When you hit the dirt road, your shoulders kind of relax, forget about the outside noise for a while, and have a real impact on real people in your community and be the change you want to be,” DeBroux said.

The general store’s appeal extends beyond locals. One employee came to Gold Hill while traveling and never left.

“I wound up staying and that was 14 years ago,” she said.

For those who find their way to Gold Hill, whether passing through on the way to California or returning after decades away, the general store offers something hard to find elsewhere.

“Great energy up here,” DeBroux said.

And the homemade pie doesn’t hurt either.

“Yeah, they bought all the pie. It’s homemade, we make these ourselves,” DeBroux said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMGH verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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

By Jordan Bontke

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    MESA, Arizona (KNXV) — Mike Bolland has never called himself unable. The 61-year-old Mesa man made history as the first person with limb loss to bowl on the PBA tour, and after more than 30 years away from professional competition, he is training to do it again.

Bolland was born without his right hand. He said in the 1970s, when he was 8 years old, he raised that arm during casting for the movie, “The Trial of Billy Jack.” He showed filmmakers his limb difference — and landed the role.

That was just the beginning of a life defined by breaking barriers.

Bolland is a board member for multiple disability advocacy groups, a cancer survivor now 10 years in remission, a motivational speaker, a one-time comedian, and the host of the “We’re Not Stumped” podcast, which is more than 200 episodes in and dedicated to the limb loss and disability communities.

His return to competitive bowling was sparked by volunteer work at a bowling alley with Arizona Disabled Sports. When fellow bowlers took notice of his skill, he came clean about his history.

“They were like, ‘I think you’ve done this before,’ then I came clean a little bit and said I was the first person with limb loss to bowl on the PBA tour,” Bolland said.

Recently, he put out a video explaining his return to professional bowling.

He describes himself as a “practice-aholic” these days, working toward a 60-plus PBA event in Ohio early next month. He says he always wanted to compete again after beating cancer, but helping others bowl pushed him toward one more professional run.

“What I’m really looking to do is prove that it’s not about age, it’s not about what you start with, what you work with to start with. Continue to set goals for yourself and continue to not limit yourself. That will make me feel better,” Bolland said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KNXV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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

By Cameron Polom

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — For Kaiya Jensen, life these days is filled with the kinds of moments she had dreamed about for years — watching her daughter, Anniston, explore the world, one curious glance at a time.

“It sounds cheesy, but honestly, a dream come true,” Jensen said.

Not long ago, the future felt much harder to picture.

After years of infertility and IVF treatments, Jensen finally became pregnant. But with the joy came an unexpected diagnosis.

“The day before I entered into my second trimester, a tech that was doing my ultrasound noticed that she was missing part of her right arm,” Jensen said.

Anniston was otherwise healthy, but that relief was quickly blurred by big questions.

“How’s she gonna ride a bike? How’s she going to tie her shoes? Or will she be able to be a doctor? Or what will her life look like?” Jensen said.

Banner University hospital staff kept mentioning someone Jensen had never met — a labor and delivery nurse with the same limb difference as her daughter would have.

“So then I started looking up on social media nurses with limb differences, doctors with limb differences, and then I found a pianist with a limb difference,” Jensen said.

Though they had yet to meet, the nurse, Kaia Ferrigno, became a source of hope.

“It’s important that people know that they can do whatever they want, no matter what you look like or what kind of difference you have,” Ferrigno said.

On the day Anniston was born, the nurse helping care for Jensen and her newborn turned out to be the very same nurse she had spent months hearing about.

“My doctor was crying, I was sobbing, and I just said, ‘You saved my life,'” Jensen said.

Jensen watched as Ferrigno comforted and cared for her newborn — a moment that helped her see not what Anniston was missing, but everything she could achieve.

“I didn’t have many people who looked like me, and it felt really full circle that I got to be that for somebody else,” Ferrigno said.

Now Jensen doesn’t have to wonder what her daughter can do. The possibilities seem endless.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KNXV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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

By WFTS Digital Staff

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    BROOKSVILLE, Florida (WFTS) — The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is seeking the public’s assistance in who was behind a human skull being dropped off at a thrift store last month.

HCSO said the individual or inviduals “may have been believed to be a novelty skull,” but investigators said it was a real skull that was dropped off along with other items at the Jericho Ministries Thrift Store in Brooksville on May 16.

The items were left at the store some time between 11 a.m. and noon, according to HCSO.

If you have any information related to the case, please contact Detective Chris Kraft at 352-797-3734.

The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in who was behind a human skull being dropped off at a thrift store.

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