Ben Crump demands answers after 21-year-old Je’vion Benham found dead in Georgia prison cell for 2 days

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Zachary Bynum

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — Civil rights attorney Ben Crump stood alongside attorney Liza Park and a grieving mother Thursday to demand accountability in the death of 21-year-old Je’vion Benham inside a Georgia state prison.

Benham was in the custody of the Georgia Department of Corrections at Valdosta State Prison when he was found dead in what attorneys described as a solitary confinement cell on Christmas Eve 2025.

According to Crump, Benham had been dead for two days before his body was discovered.

“The Department of Corrections had a fiduciary and constitutional duty to keep this 21-year-old son safe,” Crump said. “Instead, his body was discovered after being left there for over two days.”

“He was faceless when they discovered him” Crump cited the Lowndes County coroner’s findings, stating that decomposition had progressed so severely that Benham’s face was unrecognizable.

“How is it that you’re in the care and custody of the state of Georgia and you cannot keep a proper count to discover that a young man is dead for over two days?” Crump asked.

Attorneys say Benham was expected to be released in the near future.

Attorney Liza Park said their investigation is ongoing, but outlined what she described as critical failures inside the prison system.

According to Park, Benham had requested solitary confinement out of safety concerns. Instead, she says, he was placed in a cell with another inmate who had been incarcerated since the 1990s and was allegedly affiliated with the “Ghost Face Gang,” which she described as a white supremacist prison gang founded in Georgia.

Park said the two inmates were assigned to different “tiers” — classifications designed to separate individuals based on behavior and security risk — and should never have been housed together.

“That alone was a huge mistake,” Park said, adding that combining a young Black inmate with a known white supremacist gang member created a “foreseeable” risk.

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As small family farms disappear nationwide, this Fulton cattle farm is beating the odds

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Casey Bennett

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    FULTON (KOMU) — Lorenzo Powell and his grandfather, Don Glover, are keeping their over century and a half family tradition of cattle farming going.

“The way I see it is nobody’s going to stop eating hamburgers, so cows are always going to be in demand,” Powell said.

Powell’s fondness for his family Fulton cattle farm has been around as long as he can remember.

“Ever since I was maybe 2 or 3 years old when I was old enough to say cow, that’s the only thing I was crazy about, wanting to be with my grandfather on the farm with the cows,” Powell said.

This love was instilled in him by his grandfather. The two of them still work on the farm together today. While Glover is in his 80s, he says the farm keeps him young.

“This is my pharmacy out here, what little work I do,” Glover said. “The exercise I get beats bad medicines for pains and arthritis and what have you.”

While the duo has a farm full of healthy cattle, it may be their passion and strong dedication that has kept the farm from experiencing the same fate as so many other farms across both Missouri and the country.

According to a University of Missouri study, the number of cattle farms in Missouri has gone from 72,236 in 1997 to 43,543 by 2022.

And according to a 2025 U.S. Department of Agriculture study, the number of small family farms across the county has declined 8% since 2017.

Powell is able to keep his family farm running while having a full-time job in Columbia. He said the farm wouldn’t be able to fully support him and his family on its own.

However, that doesn’t take away from the pride he takes in the farm’s survival.

“We’ve withstood the test of time, as far as the glover family is concerned, and we don’t have any aspiration of going anywhere anytime soon,” Powell said.

The farm has been in the family for six generations. Powell and Glover’s desire to keep it there is paramount.

Glover’s great great grandfather was a slave, and after being enslaved, he became the original owner of the family farm back in 1866.

With this in mind, Glover is happy he can pass this farm down to his grandson.

“I’m glad to have him interested in it and to see him come down here to help me,” Glover said.

Even though Powell plans to one day have the farm to himself, he cherishes still being able to work alongside his grandfather.

“Being 84 years old still getting around and you know, doing this just for something to do, it warms my heart a little bit about it,” Powell said. “Just the fact that he’s done this all his life, and, you know, he still has the momentum and drive to continue it.”

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Murder conviction reversed over judge’s reasonable doubt comments

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Sarah Al-Shaikh

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    HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A man found guilty of murdering a man he accused of scamming him had his conviction overturned because of a judge’s comments about reasonable doubt.

According to court documents, the judge attempted to define reasonable doubt, which judges are not allowed to do under Texas law.

Defense attorney Doug Gladden said the comment was made in the murder case involving his client, Erick Aguirre, in Harris County’s 232nd District Court.

Court records identify the trial judge as Josh Hill.

Prosecutors said Aguirre fatally shot Elliot Nix in Houston’s East End for allegedly running a parking lot scam near a restaurant.

The defense argued Aguirre should have been acquitted on reasonable doubt since nobody saw him open fire and because the murder weapon wasn’t found.

A jury convicted Aguirre anyway and he was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

But on appeal, the focus shifted from the shooting to that comment which records show was made during jury selection.

According to court documents, the judge told potential jurors that one person’s definition of beyond a reasonable doubt might be 99%, while another’s could be 60% or a gut feeling.

The defense later argued that statement lowered prosecutors’ burden of proof.

In its opinion, the Fourteenth Court of Appeals wrote that for more than twenty years, judges have been repeatedly warned not to define reasonable doubt at all.

“In Texas, it is as clear as a bell that the trial judge cannot give any definition of reasonable doubt, particularly a statistical definition,” said Tom Hogan, Assistant Professor at South Texas College of Law Houston.

Hogan said most judges know that rule, but he said Texas is actually an outlier, and most states and federal courts provide juries some guidance on what reasonable doubt means.

“In all the years that I tried cases, the number one question that came back from the jury during deliberation was, what is beyond a reasonable doubt mean?” Hogan said.

But he said in Texas, jurors are simply told the defendant must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and the definition is left up to them.

The appeals court said it found the judge never corrected the 60% comment, and that failure required reversal.

“They’re really sending a message to the other judges in Texas,” Hogan said. “Here’s the law. Follow it.”

The ruling now sends the case back to Harris County for a new trial.

ABC13 reached out to Judge Hill’s chambers for comment, but we have not heard back.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office told ABC13 that at this time, they aren’t commenting on the case.

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Las Vegas rescue flooded with requests to adopt dog abandoned at airport

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Alyssa Roberts

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    LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — After being abandoned by his owner at an airline ticket counter, a Las Vegas dog will soon get a second chance at finding his forever home.

The 2-year-old Golden doodle was placed into the care of Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas and given the name “JetBlue.” In response to his now-viral story, the rescue group says it’s been flooded with requests to adopt the pup.

dog abandoned at airport JetBlue update Photo by: Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas, LVMPD After being abandoned by his owner at an airline ticket counter, a Las Vegas dog will soon get a second chance at finding his forever home. JetBlue update JetBlue update By: Alyssa Roberts Posted 1:07 AM, Feb 20, 2026 and last updated 1:25 AM, Feb 20, 2026 LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — After being abandoned by his owner at an airline ticket counter, a Las Vegas dog will soon get a second chance at finding his forever home.

The 2-year-old Golden doodle was placed into the care of Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas and given the name “JetBlue.” In response to his now-viral story, the rescue group says it’s been flooded with requests to adopt the pup.

The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard This comes after the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department posted about the arrest of the dog’s owner for animal abandonment. According to police, the woman didn’t complete the paperwork needed to fly with her dog as an emotional support animal. After learning she wouldn’t be able to bring the dog with her, she left it tied near the ticket counter, police said.

“While that part of his story is heartbreaking, what has followed has been nothing short of extraordinary,” Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas stated in a recent social media post. “The outpouring of love from our community has been overwhelming in the most beautiful way.”

The rescue group shared that it has received an influx of applications and inquiries about adopting JetBlue, but says it will be “extremely intentional in choosing his forever family” in the hope that he will never be abandoned again.

Videos and photos show JetBlue being hosted at Dog Supplies Las Vegas and allowed to select his own toys. In addition, Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas says Zignature has pledged to donate a year’s supply of dog food for his care.

Retriever Rescue of Las Vegas says JetBlue’s story should serve as a reminder that he isn’t just a headline; he “is a living, breathing soul who needs his needs met for the rest of his life.”

While the group selects JetBlue’s future family, they say they hope those who were moved by his story will consider one of the other “amazing dogs just like him who are also waiting for their second chance.”

“In a powerful way, JetBlue has brought awareness to rescue, to abandonment laws, and to the reality that dogs are not disposable,” the rescue group stated. “He may end up helping many of our babies find homes because of the spotlight he’s created — and for that, we are so grateful.”

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Classmates become reading coaches, helping younger students succeed

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Cameron Polom

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    AVONDALE, AZ (KNXV) — In classrooms across Arizona, some of the most effective reading coaches aren’t adults, they’re the boys and girls across the hall.

The nonprofit Read Better Be Better is pairing kindergarten through third-grade students with trained fourth through eighth-grade “leaders” for structured, twice-weekly afterschool reading sessions.

The result isn’t just story time, it’s measurable progress.

A new independent evaluation found that participating students are making stronger gains in foundational reading skills than their peers, with third graders in the program even scoring higher on Arizona’s English Language Arts exam.

It’s a simple idea with powerful results, older students building confidence in younger ones, while strengthening their own leadership skills along the way.

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San Diego faces nearly $8 billion funding gap to fix aging infrastructure

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Ava Kershner

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    SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Recent storms have exposed critical flaws in San Diego’s stormwater system, and city officials know it.

The big question is: Where do they get the money to fix it?

The city’s proposed five-year infrastructure plan reveals an almost $8 billion funding gap needed to address deteriorating storm drains, streets, sidewalks, and emergency response stations, etc.

“Those that were built, the oldest neighborhoods, they really don’t meet the standards of today, whereas our newest communities were designed and built with a higher standard, and are not as affected as much about this very question in front of us,” Council President Joe LaCava told ABC 10News earlier this week. “The challenge is, how do we actually pay for stormwater maintenance?”

According to city engineers, the aging storm drain system has been historically underfunded, with stormwater improvements consistently falling behind other city priorities.

“When you compare it against potholes, when you compare it against building new parks, library expansions, recreation centers, it always kind of fell below the threshold, because frankly, most of us don’t think about stormwater facilities until we get the big rains during the winter,” said LaCava.

The cost of fixing broken infrastructure is higher than paying for preventive maintenance.

Severe storms over the past few years have brought the system’s flaws and resulting floods to the forefront.

During public comment, residents emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue.

“We’ve got to prevent major emergencies,” one resident said. “And of course, we’re talking stormwater, aren’t we?”

Stormwater improvement tops the city’s non-enterprise funded infrastructure list, but the cost of infrastructure needs is outpacing available revenue.

With budget shortfalls already, the city faces the challenge of filling the $7.82 billion funding gap to prevent further deterioration of critical systems.

“We need more housing, but we also need more public safety infrastructure to meet the needs of our citizenry,” said Councilmember Marni Von Wilpert.

The infrastructure plan will return to the City Council for further discussion on March 10.

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65 reptiles rescued from Baltimore home after death of owner

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By JT Moodee Lockman

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — Baltimore Sheriff’s deputies helped rescue 65 reptiles from a home after their owner died, officials said.

Deputies and Animal Service officials retrieved the snakes, turtles, lizards, and a dog and transferred them to the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS).

The animals were transported safely in an animal Service vehicle. BARCS provided care and medical treatment for the reptiles, some of which needed immediate attention, officials said.

BARCS also provided temporary housing for the animals. According to the shelter, several local reptile rescues stepped in to take over caring for the animals.

BARCS said donations sent to the shelter fully covered the costs of intake, examinations, and immediate medical care for the reptiles.

Baltimore animal rescues

This is not the first time BARCS has stepped in to help animals in need.

In 2024, 83 dogs and one cat were brought to the shelter after they were found in a rowhome in Baltimore. The shelter said the animals were found in small crates that were stacked on top of each other inside a house in the Cylburn/Pimlico neighborhood.

A similar case occurred in Harford County when more than 100 dogs were found in a large puppy mill, according to the Humane World for Animals. The dogs were part of a Havanese and terrier breeding operation and were found in “filthy” conditions, according to the organization. Officials said some of the dogs were crammed together in small cages and some were severely underweight.

In 2025, A Howard County nonprofit took in nearly 60 rabbits that were found on an abandoned farm in Woodstock. The organization called on the community to assist with fostering and adopting the animals after capturing them over several days.

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Black actress suing Harvard theater for race discrimination over scalp damage, hair loss: “The damage is indescribable. It is cataclysmic.”

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Samantha Chaney

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    BOSTON, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A Black actress has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University’s American Repertory Theater in Cambridge for racial discrimination, saying her scalp was left permanently damaged from an unqualified hair stylist.

Nike Imoru said that during the 2025 production of “The Odyssey,” she was required to have cornrows installed. However, she said that the company did not hire a licensed hair stylist, instead it had a backstage worker style her hair. She said this violated the contractual obligation the theater has with the Actors’ Equity Association.

“The damage is indescribable. It is cataclysmic,” Imoru explained. “In fact, it doesn’t grow back.”

She said that the white actors were given qualified hairstylists, while she was left with tight cornrows that ripped the hair out of her head.

“I did not sleep that night. I slept sitting up, lying, sitting upright. Because of the pain and the tension, I took tablets that didn’t relieve it,” she explained.

The complaint said that Imoru was given the chance to find her own stylist, but “the short turnaround time that the show schedule required, coupled with Ms. Imoru’s unfamiliarity with local hair professionals, made working with an outside stylist unfeasible. Ms. Imoru also believed that the A.R.T. employee was fully qualified to style her hair because the A.R.T. had proposed that she could do so.”

“I was confident that a theater of that stature would have qualified, experienced people to do my hair, to do textured hair,” Imoru said.

Now, she says she has lost 90% of her hair from the experience and a dermatologist told her that most of her hair follicles are empty. She is now suing the theater for emotional damages. The complaint says that Imoru has lost jobs due to her hair loss.

“I continue to lose it – my hair – it is now permanent,” Imoru said.

She said she also decided to stop acting for good as she is unable to muster “the confidence to go on stage again.”

WBZ-TV reached out to the American Repertory Theater for comment on the lawsuit, but has not heard back.

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Akron deploys new weapon to fight potholes

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Bob Jones

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    AKRON, Ohio (WEWS) — City of Akron road crews are using specialized Dura Patch vehicles this week to fix troublesome potholes that have popped up this season.

The city purchased two of the specialized trucks for $300,000 each.

The trucks use an emulsion and an aggregate similar to tar, which crews aim with a hose to quickly fill a pothole.

Image (3).jpeg News 5 Cleveland Anthony Dolly with Akron Public Works said the patches aren’t just temporary.

“It’s very durable. It lasts longer. This is a permanent fix for these potholes. We will not be out in three to six months to fill this pothole again,” Dolly said.

Unlike other patches, the weather doesn’t really affect when the city can fill the potholes; it can be used down to 5 degrees.

Tasha Love, who drives one of the trucks, operates a joystick and pushes a button to fill the holes.

Image (5).jpeg News 5 Cleveland Tasha Love “It lasts longer than the cold patch. I deal with the cold patch as well as the hot mix, and on the concrete with the emulsion and the rock, it just seems to settle better,” Love said.

The city is using the trucks, along with road crews using the old-fashioned method of shoveling and tamping patch material, to fix potholes in the city.

“We have three, four or five crews out at at a time patching potholes, whereas this this is just a one-man opportunity,” Dolly said.

According to the city, each truck can fill about 150 potholes over a day and a half.

The city plans to deploy the trucks each weekday.

It’s good news for drivers like Mike Ciraldo and Karen Stallings.

“It’s just frustrating,” Ciraldo said about the potholes all over Akron. “When you’re getting like car-eating potholes, it’s a completely different problem altogether.”

Stallings had to get her car repaired due to the potholes.

“You got to get a wheel alignment because you’re hitting these holes. It’s really bad,” she said.

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$180,000 worth of collectibles stolen from Anaheim trading card store

CNN Newsource on February 20, 2026

By Matthew Rodriguez

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    ANAHEIM, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Four suspects stole about $180,000 worth of collectibles and Pokémon cards from an Anaheim store earlier this week.

The Anaheim Police Department said the burglary happened early Wednesday morning at Do-We Collectibles. Officers said the burglars broke into a neighboring business and tunneled through a shared wall to get into the trading card shop.

Security camera videos showed the suspects, all masking their faces, using sledgehammers to smash display cases and steal the valuable items.

This is one of the latest instances of thieves breaking into memorabilia stores to steal collectibles, including Pokémon cards.

Ken Goldin, who owns an online auction house of the same name, said people bid millions of dollars for Pokémon cards on his website.

“There’s jewelry stores, there’s fashion stores, there’s banks, and there’s collectible stores, and unfortunately, collectibles have become so valuable and so popular that they’ve now joined the ranks of a watch store or a jewelry store that makes itself a target,” Goldin said.

While most cards cost a few bucks, special limited-edition cards can fetch millions of dollars at auctions and among collectors.

“These are all kids, young adults, who are playing the game, treating it as a game in the late 90s, early 2000s, and they’re now in their 30s and 40s,” Goldin said. “A lot of them have much more disposable income, and they’re spending it on something they love, which is Pokémon.”

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