(NEW MEXICO) -- An urgent search is underway in Clovis, New Mexico, after police say a 10-month-old baby was abducted, two women were found dead with apparent gunshot wounds, including the child's mother, and the mother's 5-year-old child was found injured on the scene.
Police issued an Amber Alert for the baby, Eleia Maria Torres, Friday which was still active Saturday morning.
Torres has brown eyes and brown hair, is 28 inches tall, and weighs 23 pounds, according to officials.
The identity of the suspect is currently unknown, however, officials said the suspect may be in a maroon Honda car, of an unknown model.
Police ask that anyone with information about this incident or the whereabouts of Eleia Maria Torres please call the Clovis Police Department or 911.
On Friday at approximately 4:26 p.m. local time, Clovis Police received a 911 call about two women found dead at Ned Houk Park, a recreational area north of Clovis.
Upon arrival, officials said two female victims, with apparent gunshot wounds, were found lying on the ground near a silver Dodge minivan.
Officers on the scene discovered an infant car seat, an infant stroller and a small baby bottle left at the scene, and immediately began searching for the infant, according to officials.
The women were identified as Samantha Cisneros, the mother of the missing infant and the injured 5-year-old, and Taryn Allen, both 23 years old from Texico, New Mexico.
At the scene, officials discovered the unnamed 5-year-old on the ground suffering from an injury to her head, according to police, who said officers began giving life-saving measures to the child before she was transported to Plains Regional Medical Center.
The child was later transferred to a Lubbock, Texas, hospital, police said. Her current condition is unknown.
Investigators said they believe Torres has been abducted by the perpetrator of these crimes and is in immediate danger.
The investigation is ongoing, according to officials.
(NEW YORK) -- College campuses in the U.S. have been at the center of controversial debate since Hamas launched a terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel responded with a widespread bombing and invasion of the Gaza Strip. Students, faculty and other members of university communities supporting Palestinians in Gaza or the Israeli invasion have been at odds for months.
About 1,200 Israelis were killed in the unprecedented incursion by Hamas, according to Israeli officials, while the death toll in Gaza has crossed 34,000, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
Months of heated activism eventually led to an eruption of protests -- and around-the-clock encampments -- at colleges and universities around the country over Israel's war with Hamas and universities' investments in companies that are involved with Israel.
In the aftermath of more than 100 protesters at Columbia University being suspended and arrested April 18 at an encampment on campus -- calling for the university to divest from companies involved with Israel's war with Hamas, reveal all of its financial investments and provide amnesty for all students and faculty disciplined or fired over their pro-Palestine activism -- protests and encampments spread across the country.
Hundreds of students, and many non-students, have since been arrested at universities from coast to coast despite many protests largely being peaceful. Most of the arrests have been for disturbing the peace or trespassing after refusing university requests to remove encampments, though some have been for more serious crimes.
Here is a timeline of events on campuses around the country since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack.
Oct. 8, 2023
Over 30 Harvard University student groups led by Harvard's Palestine Solidarity Committee co-sign a letter saying they "hold the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence."
Over the next week, tensions are high on Harvard's campus. A bus is driven around campus showing the names and faces of students who were part of the groups that signed the letter under a banner reading "Harvard's Leading Antisemites."
Pro-Israel students accused those behind the statement of supporting the Hamas attack, while pro-Palestinian groups denied those claims and said the statement was misinterpreted.
Some of the students faced backlash, with some saying employers rescinded job offers due to their involvement in the letter.
Oct. 10, 2023
A New York University law student releases a statement in an internal newsletter that says in part "Israel bears full responsibility for this tremendous loss of life." The newsletter is widely shared and the student's job offer at an international law firm is reportedly rescinded.
Oct. 11, 2023
The Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee releases a second statement saying the group has been flooded with "racist hate speech and death threats."
Oct. 20, 2023
The doxxing campaign against pro-Palestinian college students ramps up with the group behind a truck that appeared at Harvard saying it will create online domains with students' first and last names where it will share students' personal information and label them as antisemitic.
Harvard's Palestine Solidarity Committee also releases a second statement clarifying that it opposes all violence against all innocent life.
Nov. 17, 2023
The U.S. Department of Education announces it is moving forward with investigations into five cases of antisemitism and two cases of Islamophobia at seven different schools including Cornell University, New York University, Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Nov. 30, 2023
Harvard and the New York City Department of Education are being investigated over antisemitism and islamophobia by the U.S. Department of Education.
Dec. 5, 2023
Harvard President Claudine Gay, University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth testify before a congressional committee concerning their efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses.
Republicans on the committee, especially, express frustration with the college presidents for not doing enough to aggressively condemn those on their campuses who the members said foster antisemitism. The presidents tried to make the distinction between freedom of speech and threatening language.
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik directly calls for Gay's resignation during the hearing, but soon after all three presidents face calls to resign following their testimony.
Dec. 6, 2023
Gay tries to walk back some of her comments, saying speech that calls for the genocide of Jews is "vile" and adds, "Those who threaten our Jewish students will be held to account."
Dec. 7, 2023
Gay apologizes for her remarks before Congress in an interview with the Harvard Crimson, the college's student newspaper.
Dec. 8, 2023
Magill voluntarily resigns as UPenn president amid the backlash over her congressional testimony.
Dec. 19, 2024
The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative website, publishes an anonymous complaint that alleges nearly 40 instances of plagiarism by Gay.
Jan. 2, 2024
Gay resigns as Harvard's president following mounting accusations of plagiarism and backlash after the testimony she gave at the December congressional hearing.
Jan. 11, 2024
Harvard is sued by Jewish students citing antisemitism on campus.
The lawsuit, on behalf of members of the Students Against Antisemitism Inc., asks a judge to compel the university to enforce rules already on the books to protect Jewish students on campus and discipline classmates who violate them. Harvard told ABC News at the time that it would not comment on pending litigation.
Jan. 19, 2024
Protesters at Columbia are allegedly sprayed with a foul-smelling chemical during a divestment rally on campus.
Jan. 20, 2024
Harvard officials issue new guidance and restrictions for protests on campus amid heightened scrutiny regarding on-campus debate around the Israel-Hamas war, according to student newspaper the Harvard Crimson.
Jan. 22, 2024
Columbia's provost says the perpetrators who are believed to have sprayed Barnard and Columbia students with a foul-smelling substance that later required them to seek medical treatment have been identified to the university and they were immediately banned from campus while the investigation continues.
Columbia also says the investigation into the incident continues and the NYPD is taking the lead.
Jan. 30, 2024
Pro-Palestinian students at Harvard file a civil rights complaint with the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights demanding an investigation into Harvard's alleged failure to protect pro-Palestinian students from harassment, intimidation and threats.
Feb. 6, 2024
The Department of Education launches an investigation into Harvard following the civil rights complaint filed by pro-Palestinian students.
April 18, 2024
At least 108 protesters are arrested and others are suspended and removed from campus at Columbia University after administrators appeared before Congress and promised a crackdown. The move ignites outrage with protests and encampments appearing at universities around the country.
April 21, 2024
Massachusetts Institute of Technology students begin an encampment on campus, demanding the university cut research ties with Israel.
April 22, 2024
Over 150 people are arrested at an encampment at New York University. The university and student groups report different accounts of the arrests.
NYU states that protesters "breeched" a barrier limiting access to the encampment, triggering the arrests, while protesters tell ABC News it was a peaceful protest and the NYPD began making arrests while Muslim protesters were praying.
At Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, about 45 protesters are arrested and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing.
Harvard suspends the Palestine Solidarity Committee -- the only official pro-Palestinian group on campus -- for the remainder of the semester.
The protests on campuses have been largely peaceful, according to school administrators, with some officials, including the NYPD, as well as protesters, blaming unaffiliated individuals for instances of violence and offensive rhetoric.
April 23, 2024
Hundreds of students protesting at California's Cal Poly Humboldt occupy two campus buildings and a standoff with law enforcement begins.
April 24, 2024
Harvard students begin a pro-Palestinian encampment in Harvard Yard, despite the university closing the common area.
University of Southern California closes its campus to the public amid protests on campus.
USC later issues a dispersal order and the Los Angeles Police Department surrounds Alumni Park on campus. Into the evening, at least 93 people are arrested on campus, mostly on misdemeanor trespassing charges.
Fifty-five people are arrested in protests at the University of Texas at Austin, however, the Travis County Attorney’s Office later says they will not face charges due to deficiencies in probable cause.
April 25, 2024
An encampment is cleared at Emerson University in Boston, where 108 protesters are arrested and four police officers suffer non-life-threatening injuries.
Encampments begin at Princeton University, Northwestern University, Northeastern University, Brown University and UCLA.
An encampment is cleared and dozens are taken into custody at Emory University in Atlanta. Footage showed officers escorting detained protesters off campus, including in one case appearing to deploy a stun gun on an individual handcuffed on the ground.
USC cancels its main graduation ceremony, citing safety concerns.
A complaint is filed by Palestine Legal, an advocacy group centered on Palestinian Rights, on behalf of four students and the student group Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine against Columbia with the U.S. Department of Education over an alleged pattern of anti-Palestinian discrimination.
April 26, 2024
At least 16 people were arrested and charged with trespassing at Ohio State University after refusing to leave a pro-Palestinian encampment.
Columbia University continues negotiations with student protesters who are camped out on school grounds.
Cal Poly Humboldt closes campus through the end of the semester due to protests.
Sprinklers are turned on to deter a pro-Palestinian encampment at Arizona State University and at least three people are seen being arrested.
The Columbia University Senate -- made up of 111 faculty, students, administrative staff and others -- is set to establish a task force to investigate the school's administration and how its actions, or lack thereof, have divided the university community.
April 27, 2024
NYU students set up a new encampment days after over 130 students and faculty were arrested at an encampment a week earlier.
Northeastern detains about 100 protesters and removes an encampment in the early morning hours. Students who produced valid Northeastern ID were released and will face disciplinary proceedings within the university.
Twenty-three people were arrested at an encampment at Indiana University.
April 28, 2024
Dozens of protesters are arrested at Virginia Tech.
UCLA increases security measures after physical altercations occur during a protest.
April 29, 2024
Columbia University says it cannot come to an agreement with protesters and sets a deadline for them to leave the encampment. Protesters defy the 2 p.m. deadline to disperse set by the university. Columbia then begins to suspend students who refuse to leave the encampment.
Protesters and police clash at the University of Texas at Austin.
April 30, 2024
Pro-Palestinian protesters occupy Hamilton Hall at Columbia early in the day, hours after defying the order to disperse. Barricades are set up by protesters outside the occupied building.
In the evening, Columbia University invites the NYPD onto campus to take back control of Hamilton Hall and empty encampments.
Columbia asks the NYPD to remain on campus through at least May 17.
The NYPD later says it arrested 170 people at the City College of New York -- about 20 blocks north of Columbia -- and 122 people at Columbia. Thirty-two of the people arrested at Columbia University were not affiliated with the school, while 80 people were affiliated, based on a preliminary background analysis by the NYPD.
Cal Poly Humboldt says it has cleared two campus buildings that had been occupied by protesters for over a week and arrests 25 people. They face a variety of charges including unlawful assembly, vandalism, conspiracy and assault of police officers.
Seventeen protesters are arrested at the University of Utah and an encampment is removed.
At least 82 protesters are arrested at Virginia Tech.
Northwestern University and Brown University become the first schools to reach deals with students to end encampments, agreeing to take steps toward divestment.
Police arrest 79 people at University of Texas at Austin with the Travis County Prosecutor's Office saying it has received 65 cases for criminal trespassing.
In a press conference, Travis County Attorney Delia Garza criticizes the arrests and says they are putting a strain on the state's criminal justice system and police response, warning that it could escalate matters when "people believe they are being prevented from exercising their right to participate in nonviolent protest."
An American flag is briefly replaced with a Palestinian flag at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the days afterward, hundreds of thousands of dollars are raised for the fraternity brothers who restore the American flag.
April 30-May 1
Overnight, pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters clash at UCLA leading to multiple arrests. The protests led to 15 injuries, including one hospitalization.
May 1, 2024
Thirty-four people are arrested at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while an encampment is emptied.
May 1, 2024 - May 2
UCLA invites Los Angeles police and California Highway Patrol officers in riot gear onto campus to disperse and arrest protesters.
At least 209 people are arrested after protesters resist orders to disperse. Another 300 protesters voluntarily left campus.
May 2, 2024
Ninety people are arrested at a protest at Dartmouth University.
The University of Minnesota strikes an agreement to end an encampment. Representatives of the student coalition will be given the opportunity to address the Board of Regents at its May 10 meeting over its call for a divestment, students will receive amnesty for their encampment, and the university will also explore an affiliation with Palestinian universities, hosting scholars at risk.
Portland, Oregon, police arrest at least 30 people in protests at Portland State University.
Students at Rutgers University in New Jersey agree to end their protest peacefully and the university says their request for a divestment is under review.
May 3, 2024
Student protesters at USC who were arrested for criminal trespassing on April 24 will be referred to the school's disciplinary process.
New York University and The New School, also in Manhattan, authorize the NYPD to come onto campus and clear encampments, arresting 56 people in total.
(TEXAS) -- A flood watch remains in effect for more than 11 million people in Texas and Oklahoma on Saturday morning as a number of flood warnings are in effect as residents are urged not to drive on flooded roads.
Several rivers in the Houston area are at major flood stage, with the Trinity River, located northeast of Houston, likely swelling to its highest level on record today.
Not only is it forecast to go higher than it was during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, but it is likely to surpass its all-time record from 1945.
The heaviest rain has eased up in southeast Texas on Saturday morning, with the region set to experience a reprieve for the day.
However, on Sunday, a mass of heavy rain is positioned to move back in and is expected to drench that region with an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain. There should also be heavy rain across much of Oklahoma, with cities like Oklahoma City and Tulsa facing 1 to 3 inches as well.
Meanwhile, powerful thunderstorms have popped up seemingly every day this week across parts of Texas, and that will be the case again on Saturday.
An enhanced risk for severe thunderstorms is in the forecast for parts of western Texas on Saturday and this afternoon and into the evening, strong storms could bring the potential for damaging wind, huge hail and scattered tornadoes to cities like Midland and San Angelo, Texas.
Additionally, that severe weather threat is expected to shift east into the Houston area on Sunday, bringing a flooding rain chance with it as the potential for more severe thunderstorms on Monday in the central plains from Dallas to Sioux Falls is possible.
Across parts of the country, the first scorching heat wave of the year next could happen by the middle of the week as temperatures across much of the south are expected to jump into the 90s and 100s.
(NORTH CAROLINA) -- Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina, is in an ongoing battle with the IRS and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Board of Trustees after the historically Black school's previous finance department "mismanaged" a $34 million budget, according to university officials.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), both public and private, have been underfunded due to lower endowments, less alumni support and state and federal underinvestment.
Recently, HBCUs have faced several challenges. During a funding crisis, Tennessee State University had its board stripped away in a complete overhaul by state lawmakers. In Mississippi, lawmakers proposed a bill that would have shut down the state's only public HBCUs.
Now teachers and staff at Saint Augustine's have not received a salary for three months following the institution's plunge into debt of $32 million. The dire financial situation places the university at a high risk of losing its accreditation, a crucial aspect of its credibility and reputation.
"We're still unpacking, but the biggest piece starts with our missing audits from 2021, 2022 and 2023," Saint Augustine's Interim President Marcus H. Burgess told ABC News in an interview in March. "A $34 million budget. There was only $130,000 that can be accounted for. So a new finance team was brought in, and they "literally had to recreate all of those financials. And it took them about two years to do that."
Christine Johnson McPhail, the previous president of Saint Augustine's University (SAU), was terminated on Dec. 3, 2023, when the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Board of Trustees voted unanimously to remove Saint Augustine's status as an accredited institution. On Feb. 20, the school had an appeal hearing with the Board of Trustees. The committee that heard that appeal rendered the decision to fire McPhail.
ABC News contacted McPhail's attorney, who declined to speak on the financial issues at SAU.
"We are not at liberty to discuss the financial situation at Saint Augustine's University. It is our position that Saint Augustine's termination of Dr. McPhail's employment was unrelated to the school's financial situation."
According to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS), the university's accreditation is currently on hold due to financial and governance issues. The institution has been put on probation and, in response, the university sent a letter of arbitration to SACS on Mar. 11. The school will retain its accreditation until the arbitration process is complete, according to a statement on its website.
"It gave us 90 days. So, within that 90 days, we still accredit it," Burgess said. "It allows our seniors to graduate from an accredited institution."
If SAU loses its accreditation, 85 percent of its students will lose their financial aid.
"Transferring is just not something I would have ever thought," SAU student Tinaya Eason said. "And I'm still thinking about it. Nothing is really finalized right now."
SAU needs to raise nearly $32 million to pay its debts and remain operational.
The university received a tax lien of nearly $7.8 million from the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes dating back to 2020, putting the university's financial stability at risk.
Due to the school debt, Burgess and his staff have been working without compensation since February.
"Staff have not been paid, but they still fight for this institution," Burgess said. "They still teach our students. They want to see this class get to the graduation day, but they are hurting."
Despite an outpouring of support from alumni and community donations, the amount raised is hardly enough to solve the problem.
"We need capital, and need cash," Burgess said. "I don't want to have to sell any of our land. In the Black community and African American community, we know how hard it's been to get this land."
"I'm forever reminded of my senior year; $1,200 is what I needed to graduate," Burgess said. "One of our board members, Barrett Jackson, was on campus and handed me an envelope, and it was several checks from his Sunday school class. And he told them about this young man at Claflin University who just needed a chance. I'm a living testimony to why you should always look to help somebody. We need that chance."
(NEW YORK) -- Protests have broken out at colleges and universities across the country in connection with the war in Gaza.
Many pro-Palestinian protesters are calling for their colleges to divest of funds from Israeli military operations, while some Jewish students on the campuses have called the protests antisemitic and said they are scared for their safety.
The student protests -- some of which have turned into around-the-clock encampments -- have erupted throughout the nation following arrests and student removals at Columbia University in New York City. Students at schools including Yale University, New York University, Harvard University, University of Texas at Austin, University of Southern California and more have launched protests.
Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 03, 10:15 PM UCLA classes to resume on Monday
The University of California Los Angeles announced classes are "expected to resume in full on Monday," in an update Friday evening.
"Campus operations will be limited through the weekend, and are expected to resume in full on Monday. Classes continue remote through the weekend. Work, events and research activities are encouraged to remain remote or be rescheduled wherever possible during that period," UCLA said in a statement.
A law enforcement presence will continue "to be stationed around campus to help promote safety," the university said.
May 03, 6:09 PM NYU president explains use of NYPD to end encampment
Linda G. Mills, the president of NYU, posted a statement Friday evening explaining why the school called in the NYPD to break up an encampment on the Greene St. Walkway earlier in the day.
Mills said 14 people who refused orders to leave the area were arrested and the incident was non-violent.
The president said that the police were called in for numerous reasons, including noise complaints from nearby residents and businesses, safety concerns over the crowds of supporters and counter-protesters and escalating threats.
"The encampment had become increasingly untenable for the NYU community and the neighborhood we inhabit," she said.
Mills said three senior administrators spoke with the protesters over the weekend to come to an agreement over shutting down the encampment.
The president said things escalated on Wednesday when a group of people from a May Day march came to the walkway and got into altercations.
The May Day incident and other issues, including threats leveled at NYU administrators, led the school to call the NYPD, according to Mills.
"The university’s senior leadership and I were compelled to conclude that we could not tolerate the risk of violence any longer and that we could not responsibly or in good conscience wait until something drastically worse were to happen in order to act. We needed to bring this to a close," she said.
May 03, 2:44 PM University of Mississippi protest confrontation draws scrutiny
Footage from the University of Mississippi campus captures intense confrontations between pro-Palestinian protesters and counter-protesters.
The dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered on the campus to call for divestment from military operations in Gaza and for the university to condemn what they call "genocide."
Footage shows a much larger counter-protest surrounding the students, with many donning American flags.
Protesters reported being subject to racism and violent threats and having food thrown at them by counter-protesters.
In one video, a Black protester can be seen recording and speaking to counter-protesters, moving past the protective barricades around pro-Palestinian protesters.
Law enforcement officers can be seen urging her to walk back as counter-demonstrators taunt her, including on student making a monkey impersonation and others chanting "lock her up," according to the Stacey Spiehler, who took the video.
Law enforcement also urged counter-protesters to stand back.
Jacob Batte, Ole Miss’ director of news and media relations, told ABC News they "cannot comment specifically about that video," but that "statements were made at the demonstration on our campus Thursday that were offensive and inappropriate."
The university said it is looking into reports about specific actions and "any actions that violate university policy will be met with appropriate action."
In a statement following the confrontations, protesters said they were met with "blind reactionism that had little to do with the genocide we were protesting as well as our demands."
-ABC News' Chris Looft and Kiara Alfonseca
May 03, 12:32 PM NYPD sergeant accidentally discharged gun during Columbia building operation
An officer accidentally discharged his gun as the New York Police Department worked to clear Hamilton Hall -- a building that had been occupied by Columbia University students on April 30, Assistant Chief Carlos Valdez, the commanding officer of the NYPD Emergency Service Unit, said Friday.
During the operation, a sergeant unintentionally discharged his firearm while attempting to gain access to an office.
"The sergeant was transitioning his firearm to his non-dominant hand to unlock the office door from the inside when the discharge occurred," Valdez said.
There were no injuries and the bullet was contained within the vacant office. Valdes said that at no point were police officers, members of the public or protesters in danger.
"This was purely unintentional," he said.
May 03, 12:03 PM New York University, New School explain decision to remove, arrest students
New York University and New School, in separate statements, said they requested police move students from their campuses after multiple rounds of negotiations failed.
NYU said the "encampment had become increasingly untenable for the NYU community and the neighborhood we inhabit." Classes will proceed as normal today.
NYU said it is aware of calls for a 4 p.m. protest at the former site of the encampment.
The New School, which switched to remote learning Friday, said students continued to set up in the lobby of the University Center building and block access to the "residence hall, classrooms, library, and cafeteria."
Despite the university "pleading to allow their fellow students to enter their residence hall, the protesters would not budge."
The New School said the protests continued even after they "provided a confirmed date this month for the Investment Committee to consider a vote on disinvestment."
"It is a sad day for all of us who are part of this university community and who believe in free speech, which we have pledged to protect and will continue to protect," The New School said in a statement.
May 03, 8:49 AM 56 people arrested at New School, NYU
Fifty-six people have been arrested at The New School and New York University after the schools authorized police to clear encampments, according to the New York Police Department.
Forty-three people were arrested at The New School and 13 people where arrested at NYU, the NYPD said.
-ABC News' Aaron Katersky
May 03, 6:48 AM NYU has authorized NYPD to clear encampment
NYU has requested assistance from the NYPD to "disperse the illegal encampment on their property."
"As per their request, we are on site and our officers will be assisting with the unparalleled professionalism embodied by our police officers," NYPD Deputy Commissioner, Operations Kaz Daughtry, said in a statement on social media.
May 03, 2:07 AM 30 arrested at Portland State University throughout the day: Police
Portland police say that at least 30 people have been arrested over their involvement in ongoing protests at Portland State University.
"Additional arrests have been made at PSU’s library after trespassers illegally entered the building again despite efforts to secure it," police said in their statement. "Preliminary count is 30 arrests over the course of the day. Officers will continue to monitor for criminal activity and will make arrests when lawful and appropriate."
Authorities say that officers encountered acts of vandalism, and one suspect deployed a fire extinguisher at an officer during an altercation.
"Seven officers suffered injuries, the most serious was a knee injury that required ambulance transport to the hospital. Other injuries are still being assessed or were minor," Portland police said.
The identities of those arrested will be released once a full list has been completed.
May 03, 1:55 AM USC says arrested student protesters will be referred to 'disciplinary process'
USC has sent an email to the arrested protesters on Thursday evening warning that any student protesters who have been arrested for their "alleged conduct" of criminal trespassing on April 24 will be “referred to the University’s disciplinary process.”
"Please be aware that any further violation of university policies - including but not limited to the university's policies against camping, amplified sound, defying DPS directives, vandalism, harassments, bullying, and theft of property - will result in further discipline up to expulsion as well as an immediate ban from campus," the email obtained by ABC News said.
May 02, 11:22 PM 7 additional protesters arrested at Portland State University: Police
The Portland Police Bureau announced seven additional arrests were made Thursday evening amid ongoing protests at Portland State University.
The seven arrests came a couple of hours after PPB announced 22 people had been arrested on Thursday, bringing the total to 29 people arrested on Thursday.
PPB said the seven arrests were from "trespassers" breaking "back into the library" by pulling the fence down.
"Arrests have also been made for people refusing to leave the park block at the library," the bureau said in an update on X late Thursday evening.
May 02, 1:03 PM Photos show the aftermath of police clearing encampment at UCLA
Photos taken Thursday show the aftermath of police clearing a pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA where at least 132 people were arrested.
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May 02, 12:52 PM 2 arrests made as police empty library occupied by Portland State University protesters
Portland police have arrested two people outside the Portland State University campus library, as they move to clear the building, which was occupied by protesters. Police said they encountered "barricades" as they entered the building.
Individuals remaining in the building are under arrest for second-degree trespassing, police announced Thursday. The area surrounding the library has been closed off.
Police also warned that anyone resisting arrest could have force used against them and be subject to more criminal charges.
May 02, 11:34 AM Biden says free speech and rule of law 'must be upheld'
President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Thursday saying that free speech and the rule of law must both be upheld.
"We are not an authoritarian nation where we silence people or squash dissent, the American people are heard. In fact, peaceful protest is the best tradition of how Americans respond to controversial issues," Biden said, speaking from the White House.
But, he condemned the destruction of property, shutting down campuses and forcing the cancelation of classes and graduation, saying it isn't peaceful protest.
"Dissent is essential to democracy, but dissent must never lead to disorder or to denying the rights of others so students can finish the semester and their college education," Biden said.
Biden last commented on college protests on April 22 -- before there was an escalation of suspension and arrests at campuses across the country -- at the time condemning antisemitic actions and those who don't understand the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, a message he reiterated Thursday.
"There is no place for hate speech or violence of any kind whether it's anti-Semitism, islamophobia or discrimination against Arab Americans or Palestinian Americans. It’s simply wrong. There’s no place for racism in America," Biden said.
May 02, 11:22 AM Biden says protests have not pushed him to reconsider policies
President Joe Biden, making his first remarks on the surge in protests on college campuses, said the protests have not pushed him to reconsider his policies in the region.
"Mr. President, have the protests forced you to reconsider our policies?" a reporter asked Biden Thursday.
"No," Biden said, before walking away from the podium.
May 02, 10:53 AM At least 132 arrested at UCLA protests
At least 132 people were arrested on Thursday in protests at UCLA according to California Highway Patrol.
May 02, 10:32 AM More than 70% of Columbia protesters arrested Tuesday were affiliated with university: NYPD
Thirty-two of the people arrested at Columbia University on Tuesday were not affiliated with the school, while 80 people were affiliated, based on a preliminary background analysis by the New York Police Department.
At City College of New York, 102 people arrested Tuesday night were not affiliated with the university, while 68 people were affiliated, based on the NYPD analysis.
-ABC News' Aaron Katersky
May 02, 10:23 AM University of Minnesota strikes agreement to end encampment
The University of Minnesota has reached an agreement to end the student-led encampment on campus.
The university will reopen previously closed buildings and the student coalition has pledged not to organize disruptions during final exams and the commencement ceremony.
Representatives of the student coalition will be given the opportunity to address the Board of Regents at its May 10 meeting over its call for a divestment, students will receive amnesty for their encampment, and the university will also explore an affiliation with Palestinian universities, hosting scholars at risk.
"Our meetings have been grounded in listening, learning, and respect, and I believe they were a very positive first step in reaching mutual understanding. Though the original meeting was scheduled for 30 minutes yesterday, we engaged in constructive conversation for more than 90 minutes. We then met two more times to discuss the proposed agreements," University of Minnesota interim President Jeff Ettinger said in a statement.
"We regret that these meetings did not happen sooner, and have committed to regular meetings moving forward to continue to discuss this coalition’s concerns," Ettinger said.
Ettinger also highlighted that the university supports freedom of expression as a fundamental part of its mission.
"While we do not condone tactics that are outside of our policies, we appreciate student leaders’ willingness to engage in dialogue. I value the challenging and healthy conversations we’ve had," Ettinger said
May 02, 7:33 AM Police begin arresting UCLA protesters
Officers began arresting protesters on the University of California Los Angeles campus early Thursday, detaining some with their hands zip-tied behind their backs.
Those who were detained appeared to have been moving willingly with officers, ABC News station KABC-TV reported.
As law enforcement moved into the encampment, some of the protesters began chanting, repeating the phrase "Shame on you" in chorus.
May 02, 6:50 AM UCLA issues evacuation order as police confront protesters
UCLA officials issued an evacuation order for all protesters in the area of Royce Quad, saying the encampment was “unlawful.”
Smoke billowed around law enforcement officials as they began breaking through the barricades on the campus encampment. It was not immediately clear whether the smoke had been dispersed by the police or the protesters.
The encampment in Dickson Plaza, along with all unauthorized tents and structures, had been declared “unlawful,” campus public safety officials said in an alert.
“The University requires that everyone must leave the encampment and adjacent areas, as well as all unauthorized structures and tents immediately, until further notice,” the alert said.
May 02, 6:24 AM Highway Patrol officers in riot gear enter UCLA campus
California Highway Patrol officers in riot gear streamed early Thursday onto the University of California Los Angeles campus.
The officers were met by a wall of protesters, who appeared unwilling to move. Officials had earlier ordered protesters to abandon their encampment.
Officers were working to tear down barricades of plywood boards that been erected along some of the edges of that encampment.
Los Angeles Police Department officers had earlier retreated from the encampment. At one point, LAPD and protesters briefly scuffled as officers made their way out of the encampment.
May 02, 5:37 AM 90 arrested at Dartmouth protest, police say
At least 90 people were arrested Wednesday during a protest on the campus of Dartmouth University, local police said.
The people who were arrested included both students and non-students, Hanover Police Department said in a statement released Thursday. Charges included criminal trespass and resisting arrest, police said.
Ahead of Wednesday's planned protest, campus security had warned demonstrators that tents or encampments wouldn't be allowed.
"Once tents were erected, Dartmouth Safety & Security made multiple announcements to participants that they must dispel, and they refused," Charles B. Dennis, Hanover's chief of police, said in a media release.
Hanover police and the New Hampshire State Police continued with "multiple" announcements, but some protesters refused to disperse, he said.
May 01, 10:29 PM UCLA announces remote classes through the end of the week
UCLA's public safety department said in an alert Wednesday night that all on campus classes were "required to pivot to remote" through the end of the week.
The announcement comes after overnight protests turned violent, injuring 15 and sending one person to the hospital, university officials previously confirmed.
Campus operations will be limited on Thursday and Friday, the public safety department said in its evening update.
"We have a large law enforcement presence stationed throughout campus to help promote safety," the department said. "Student Affairs will have essential staff on campus to support our students."
May 01, 11:05 PM UCLA police declare encampment is an 'unlawful gathering,' order demonstrators to leave
Police at UCLA have announced to the gathered crowd that the encampment on campus is an "unlawful gathering."
Demonstrators have been ordered to leave by the LAPD, according to KABC 7.
UCLA is broadcasting a message of its own, telling protesters to disperse. The message, which appears to be recorded, says those who don't leave will be subject to administrative action.
May 01, 8:56 PM 'This is just the beginning': Columbia and CUNY students vow to keep 'fighting'
During a press conference on Wednesday evening, student protestors from Columbia University and City University of New York responded to the intervention of the NYPD to dismantle encampments and suspend and arrest hundreds of protesters across both universities last night and today.
"We will not stop fighting. This is just the beginning," Cameron Jones of Columbia’s Justice for Palestine chapter said.
Corinna Mullin, a member of CUNY faculty, joined the press conference and called the students "brave" and said that the administration's actions against its own students was "shameful."
The students from Columbia and CUNY vowed to continue their efforts, saying, "The more they will try to silence us, the louder we will be."
May 01, 8:08 PM NYPD arrests 15 people for misdemeanor trespassing at Fordham University
After authorizing NYPD officers to move on the Fordham University to clear an "unlawful encampment" in a campus building on Wednesday, the institution said 15 individuals were arrested for misdemeanor trespassing.
In a statement Wednesday evening, Fordham University said several dozens of people pushed inside the lobby of the Lowenstein building and set up tents.
Most individuals left the encampment after "threats of conduct sanctions" but the remaining 15 people were arrested, according to the statement, which notes, "We believe some of those were Fordham students."
"We met with student leaders as recently as yesterday, readily agreeing to allow them to present their case about divestment and transparency to trustees and our chief investment officer," the university said, adding, "We remain committed to that process."
May 01, 7:54 PM Why LAPD did not intervene in violent UCLA protests sooner: Sources
The LAPD and California Highway Patrol are facing backlash over not intervening in the UCLA protests sooner, as violence broke out overnight, however, law enforcement sources told ABC News the hesitancy came from jurisdiction over the campus.
The LAPD and CHP don’t have jurisdiction over UCLA and cannot unilaterally race in because UCLA has its own full-fledged police department and dispatch center, sources said.
The delay, as described by sources, was due to UCLA and its police department not authorizing a response.
UCLA’s limited police force was overwhelmed and tried to deal with the protest internally, according to sources, until the call to the LAPD and CHP was eventually made.
The protests led to 15 injuries, including one hospitalization, according to officials.
May 01, 6:57 PM 'These were not peaceful protesters': Columbia official addresses 202 arrests
In a press briefing Wednesday, Ben Chang, a Columbia University spokesperson, addressed the over 200 arrests made Tuesday evening, stemming from the ongoing protests.
The NYPD confirmed that the arrests from last night numbered 202, with 109 being from Columbia University.
"These were not peaceful protesters," Chang said. "I surveyed the damage myself, and as the president has indicated, severe damage was inflicted on that building."
In response to the disruptions, Chang said the university leadership, backed by the trustees, decided to call in the NYPD to help restore order.
Academic activities at Columbia will continue remotely for the remainder of the semester, according to Chang, who noted, the university is making adjustments to ensure that final exams and assessments proceed smoothly.
-ABC News’ Jason Volack
May 01, 6:38 PM Fordham requests NYPD disperse encampment in campus building
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Kaz Daughtry said Fordham University requested NYPD assistance in clearing an "unlawful encampment of individuals inside one of their buildings," in a statement posted to X on Wednesday.
Daughtry said individuals who refused to disperse from the encampment were placed inside a building at Fordham under arrest.
May 01, 6:39 PM Los Angeles Mayor condemns 'absolutely detestable violence' at UCLA protest
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the protests that turned violent overnight at UCLA in a statement Wednesday, saying she met with Los Angeles police, sheriffs and other agencies.
"This morning, I met in person with LAPD, LASD, CHP, CalOES, UCPD and other regional agencies at the UCLA incident command post about the absolutely detestable violence on campus last night," Bass said.
Bass warned that any demonstrator involved in "launching fireworks at other people, spraying chemicals and physically assaulting others will be found, arrested, and prosecuted, as well as anyone involved in any form of violence or lawlessness."
The mayor noted that she's spoken to California Governor Gavin Newsom and thanked him for "his continued support."
May 01, 6:08 PM 'Student's blood on my hands': UCLA faculty member recounts violent overnight protest
The day after protests turned violent at UCLA, faculty members held a conference addressing the protests and the university’s response.
"Last night I went to bed at around 4:00 a.m. with student’s blood on my hands and I'm not speaking figuratively," UCLA Assistant Professor Nicholas Shapiro said. "I mean, a student collapsed into my hands with blunt force trauma and mace in their eyes, and I had to treat them."
The protests led to 15 injuries, including one hospitalization, according to officials.
"This is a failure of our institution and we need to put a stop to it today," Shapiro said.
UCLA Associate Professor Bharat Venkat also addressed the violent scene on campus, saying, "It felt like walking through a war zone."
"They're screaming, they're crying," Venkat said of the student demonstrators. "They're having a difficult time breathing. This shouldn't be happening anywhere and this shouldn't be happening here at UCLA."
May 01, 5:39 PM University of California President orders independent review of overnight violence at UCLA
University of California President Michael V. Drake addressed the ongoing protests at UCLA that "turned violent" overnight, announcing in a statement on Wednesday an "independent external review" has been ordered.
The university summoned mutual aid from LAPD officers to "restore control" to the protest, according to Drake, who noted, there were 15 injuries, including one hospitalization, that stemmed from the protest.
"My office has requested a detailed accounting from the campus about what transpired in the early morning hours today," Drake said.
"But some confusion remains, therefore we are also ordering an independent external review of both UCLA’s planning and actions, and the effectiveness of the mutual aid response," Drake said.
May 01, 4:42 PM 170 of protesters arrested at Columbia and City College receive summonses
Of the approximately 280 arrests at Columbia University and City College, 170 are summonses, while the remaining people will receive desk appearance tickets or will work through the court system, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Each case would be evaluated individually, including a review of body camera footage and other evidence, Bragg said. But, he did not reveal how many of those arrested were affiliated with the colleges and how many were outside agitators.
-ABC News' Aaron Katersky
May 01, 2:25 PM Columbia to hold final exams remotely
Columbia University announced final exams will be held remotely amid a tense campus climate, according to a letter sent out by the university's provost.
"In order to address the concerns of our members in an evolving campus environment, all academic activities for schools on the Morningside Heights campus will be fully remote for the remainder of the semester (with carve-outs noted below). Any remaining class meetings, review sessions, or office hours should be held fully remotely, and all final exams and other final assessments should be fully remote," Columbia said in a statement.
All final exams scheduled for Friday will be automatically rescheduled for May 10.
May 01, 2:11 PM 34 arrested at University of Wisconsin-Madison
A total of 34 people were arrested while emptying a pro-Palestinian encampment at University of Wisconsin-Madison Wednesday, the university said.
The majority of those arrested have been released with no citation issued, but four people have been booked, according to the university. The charges they are facing include attempted disarming a police officer, resisting arrest, attempted escape and battery to a police officer.
May 01, 12:31 PM 4 police officers injured as University of Wisconsin-Madison empties encampment
Four police officers were injured at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where police were dispersing an encampment of protesters on the Library Mall.
Three of the four officers sustained injuries "directly related to the physical resistance," according to the university. A state trooper sustained injuries when a protester allegedly "struck their head with a skateboard."
May 01, 12:13 PM 'I'm sorry we reached this point,' Columbia president says
Columbia University President Minouche Shafik said that tensions on campus had "rose to new heights" when a group of protesters broke into Hamilton Hall and barricaded themselves. Shafik said it pushed the university "to the brink," according to a letter sent to the Columbia University community Wednesday.
"I know I speak for many members of our community in saying that this turn of events has filled me with deep sadness. I am sorry we reached this point," Shafik said.
The NYPD said it arrested 119 people at Columbia Tuesday night, but it has not yet revealed how many of those arrested are students.
"The University offered to consider new proposals on divestment and shareholder activism, to review access to our dual degree programs and global centers, to reaffirm our commitment to free speech, and to launch educational and health programs in Gaza and the West Bank. Some other universities have achieved agreement on similar proposals. Our efforts to find a solution went into Tuesday evening, but regrettably, we were unable to come to resolution," Shafik said.
Negotiations broke down between the university and members of the encampment after Columbia refused to divest from companies linked to Israel and the war in Gaza.
May 01, 11:39 AM UCLA cancels all classes due to 'violence' overnight
The University of California, Los Angeles announced that it will cancel all Wednesday classes due to the "distress caused by the violence that took place on Royce Quad" overnight, according to a statement from the university.
The hospital and health system, the Luskin Conference Center and PreK through 12 schools will remain open.
"We have law enforcement presence stationed throughout campus to help promote safety. Student Affairs will have essential staff on campus to support our students who have been impacted by this tragedy," UCLA said in a statement.
May 01, 11:34 AM 12 arrested at University of Wisconsin-Madison as it empties encampment
At least 12 people have been arrested at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as campus police moved to disperse an encampment of protesters. About 100 to 200 people had arrived for a demonstration Monday and began putting up tents.
The University of Wisconsin said several people resisted arrest, but it is not yet clear how many of the arrested are affiliated with the university.
Several tents have been taken down and dissembled.
"Tents and camping are not allowed on any university property under Chapter 18 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, which defines the types of activities permitted on campus, information which was shared to all members of the campus community on Friday," the university said in a statement.
May 01, 10:40 AM People who occupied Columbia building were led by people unaffiliated with school, NYPD says
The mayor said those who occupied Hamilton Hall were led by people unaffiliated with Columbia University.
Those protesters made a change to more aggressive tactics and represented an "elevated concern," Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism, said Wednesday.
"The situation had deteriorated to the point where the safety of students, staff and the public was at risk," Police Commissioner Edward Caban said.
There were 282 arrests on a range of mainly minor offenses -- 173 at City College and 119 at Columbia.
"It was a tough decision," Adams said, of the university authorizing the NYPD to move onto campus. "The action had to end and we brought it to a peaceful conclusion."
-ABC News' Aaron Katersky
May 01, 10:07 AM New York officials say outside individuals hijacked Columbia protests
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Police Department officials told reporters that protesters at Columbia University were being influenced by outside individuals, part of a movement "globally" to "radicalize young people"
"Students have a right to protest and free speech is the cornerstone of our society. But as our major concern we knew and we saw that there were those who were never concerned about free speech. They were concerned about chaos. It was about external actors hijacking peaceful protests influence students to escalate," Adams said.
"You don't have to be a majority to influence and co-opt an operation," Adams said.
May 01, 9:40 AM 300 arrested at Columbia and City College, Adams says
About 300 people were arrested at Columbia University and City College Tuesday night, New York Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday.
"We are processing the arrests to distinguish between who were actually students and who were not supposed to be on the grounds," Adams said.
"It was led by individuals who are not affiliated with the university. The school needed the NYPD assistance to clear Hamilton Hall at the encampments outside of dual operations on the grounds that took place successfully," Adams said.
May 01, 6:49 AM Campus police deploy 'chemical irritant' at University of Arizona
Campus police officers at the University of Arizona in Tucson shot "chemical irritant" munitions at a gathering of protesters early Wednesday, the department said.
The university's president, Robert C. Robbins, had asked the campus police and school officials to "immediately enforce campus use policies and all corresponding laws," according to a statement from his office.
The Tucson Police Department and other law enforcement agencies also responded to campus, the university said.
Campus officers closed several blocks of Park Avenue as they responded to the "unlawful assembly," the department said.
Video appeared to show police handcuffing individuals on the ground and protesters forming a human chain facing officers.
"Police deploying chemical irritant munitions," the department said amid a series of updates on social media. "Follow orders of police and disperse immediately. Avoid the area of University Blvd & Park Ave."
May 01, 6:07 AM UCLA officials 'sickened' by violence on campus, chancellor says
As groups of counter-protesters clashed with Pro-Palestinian demonstrators on the UCLA campus early Wednesday, a university official said staff were “sickened” by the violence.
“Horrific acts of violence occurred at the encampment tonight and we immediately called law enforcement for mutual aid support,” Mary Osaka, a vice chancellor, said in a statement.
Osaka aded that the fire department and medical responders were near the scene.
"We are sickened by this senseless violence and it must end,” she said.
May 01, 6:05 AM At least 100 arrested at two NY campuses, NYPD says
The New York Police Department made at least 100 arrests overnight, with most at Columbia University. Arrests were also made at City College of New York, officials said.
Many of those taken into custody are still being processed at police headquarters.
May 01, 5:32 AM Protesters clash on UCLA campus, LAPD responds
Clashes between opposing groups of protesters at the University of California Los Angeles included "multiple acts of violence," prompting university officials to ask police to enter the campus, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
Officers responded to assist campus police "to restore order and maintain public safety," the LAPD said.
State and local politicians said they were monitoring the situation, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass calling the violence "absolutely abhorrent and inexcusable."
Gov. Gavin Newsom said his office had been in contact with law enforcement leadership.
May 01, 2:38 AM Police confront CUNY protesters, arrest 25, university says
At least 25 people were arrested at CUNY's City College of New York campus as police confronted protesters early Wednesday, the university said in a statement.
University officials said they asked the New York Police Department for assistance in clearing protesters, including a "large crowd" of people who had marched from Columbia University to City College.
The school described a "series of violent indents" that it said put public safety at risk over the last six days.
"This includes a fire Sunday night at the Marshak Science Building caused by use of a flare gun that brought FDNY to campus, clashes with public safety, an attempted break-in at Shepard Hall tonight, and a break-in at the Administration Building tonight that included the vandalizing of offices and smashing glass doors," the university said in a press release early Wednesday.
Police entered the campus just before midnight and began making arrests, the university said.
"Students have a right to demonstrate peacefully and exercise their First Amendment rights," the university said. "Tonight's actions were taken in response to specific and repeated acts of violence and vandalism, not in response to peaceful protest"
May 01, 12:55 AM Columbia restricts Morningside campus to on-campus student residents, certain employees
After Columbia University was cleared of encamped protesters Tuesday night, the school said it its Morningside campus was immediately restricted to students who live there and workers providing essential services.
"Effective immediately, access to the Morningside campus has been limited to students residing in residential buildings on campus (Carman, Furnald, John Jay, Hartley, Wallach, East Campus and Wien) and employees who provide essential services to campus buildings, labs and residential student life (for example, Dining, Public Safety, and building maintenance staff). There is no additional access to the Morningside campus," the notification read.
The university said the restrictions would stay in place "until circumstances allow otherwise."
May 01, 12:46 AM NYPD officers move on to City College of New York campus
NYPD officers entered the campus of the City College of New York late Tuesday night.
"As requested by the university, we are currently on campus to assist the university in dispersing those trespassing," NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Kaz Daughtry, said in a post on X, sharing video of the police moving in.
In a note to the campus community, university president Vince Boudreau, said protests on campus presented "heightened challenges."
"Most importantly, this is not primarily a CCNY demonstration, and perhaps not primarily a CUNY demonstration. The significant inclusion of un-affiliated external individuals means that we don’t have established connections to them," Boudreau's letter read.
He continued: "Specifically, this demonstration has been more contentious and violent than anything we’ve seen on campus before. Today, we distributed a letter to members of the encampment detailing specific examples of threats to the safety of people within and outside the encampment, so that all of them understand the full scope of the activity. We also want all of them, and those of you reading this note, to understand that in no way does our response to this particular and extraordinary threat overwrite our more fundamental commitments to free speech, academic freedom, or the right to peacefully protest that comply with CCNY and CUNY regulations."
Boudreau said the encamped demonstrators were told to take down their encampment and follow CUNY guidelines for "future activities."
The university president also said classes would be remote on Wednesday due to the situation on campus.
May 01, 12:16 AM Columbia details backstory on Hamilton Hall takeover
In a letter authorizing the NYPD to enter the Columbia University campus and break up the protest, the school detailed the backstory on its recent talks with those in the encampments and the takeover Tuesday night of Hamilton Hall.
According to the letter, from Columbia President Minouche Shafik, an individual "hid in the building" at Hamilton Hall until it was closed and let others in. The group's purpose was "occupying the building," the letter read.
Two security guards were inside the building at the time, and the university said in the letter to the NYPD they were able to "secure their release."
"We believe that while the group who broke into the building includes students, it is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University," the letter read. "The individuals who have occupied Hamilton Hall have vandalized University property and are trespassing."
Addressing the encampment on the school's Morningside campus, the university told police discussions had been carried out with group representatives, but on Sunday, they "reached an impasse."
At that time, the university says it told the group they did not have permission to "occupy spaces on campus" and were "in violation" of school rules and policies.
On Monday morning, the protesters were told they would be suspended if they didn't disperse by Monday at 2 p.m. ET.
The university said in its Tuesday night NYPD letter that those in the encampment were "suspended" and "not authorized to be on University property and are trespassing."
The university said it believed the actions of those in the protest were escalating.
"These activities have become a magnet for protesters outside our gates which creates significant risk to our campus and disrupts the ability of the University to continue normal operations," the letter read.
Columbia's president concluded the letter by asking the NYPD to "help to clear all individuals from Hamilton Hall and all campus encampments."
She further asked police to have a campus presence through May 17 -- graduation is May 15 -- "to maintain order and ensure encampments are not reestablished."
Police moved onto the Columbia University campus a little before 9 p.m. ET and began making arrests.
The NYPD also used a vehicle with an extendable roof ramp to help officers breach Hamilton Hall from an upper floor. From there, the police cleared the building.
The campus encampment and hall were cleared before 11:30 p.m.
Apr 30, 11:24 PM NYPD says Hamilton Hall, encampment cleared at Columbia
The NYPD said Tuesday night that Hamilton Hall and the encampment have been cleared.
In a short media briefing, the NYPD said the only thing that remains are the tents at the encampment, which the university will clear.
No injuries have been reported, the NYPD said.
An official also said no tear gas was deployed Tuesday night.
Apr 30, 11:20 PM Nearly 50 arrests so far at Columbia: Police sources
There have been about four dozen arrests so far by the NYPD at Columbia University, according to police sources.
The first bus of protesters apprehended by police just left the campus area.
Apr 30, 10:18 PM Police head toward encampments after clearing a fortified Hamilton Hall
Police officers were met with a heavily fortified building when they entered Hamilton Hall on Tuesday night, sources told ABC News.
There have been a number of arrests, however no specific number was immediately available.
With the situation at Hamilton Hall believed to be contained, a number of officers are making their way from building to tent encampments.
Apr 30, 10:08 PM Columbia asks NYPD to 'retain a presence' through May 17
Columbia University has asked the NYPD to "retain a presence on campus through at least May 17."
The request came in the letter the university sent to the NYPD Tuesday night, allowing them to move onto campus grounds.
Apr 30, 9:55 PM Columbia on authorizing NYPD to go on campus: 'We were left with no choice'
Columbia University has released a statement addressing its authorization to allow the NYPD on campus, saying the decision was "made to restore safety and order to our community."
In its statement, the university said after they learned protesters had entered Hamilton Hall last night and "occupied, vandalized, and blockaded" it, they were left with "no choice" but to allow the police in. The university also said in a statement that they believe "that the group that broke into and occupied the building is led by individuals who are not affiliated with the University."
"Columbia public safety personnel were forced out of the building, and a member of our facilities team was threatened. We will not risk the safety of our community or the potential for further escalation," the university's statement continued.
The university said in its statement the NYPD's presence is about the "actions of the protestors, not the cause they are championing."
"We have made it clear that the life of campus cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules and the law," the statement read.
Apr 30, 9:46 PM NYPD expected to charge Hamilton Hall protesters with burglary, criminal mischief
Ahead of the move into Columbia University Tuesday evening, NYPD officials detailed what charges arrested protestors will face.
"For the individuals that are inside of Hamilton Hall they will be charged with burglary in a third degree, criminal mischief, and trespassing. For the individuals that are in the encampments outside they will be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct," NYPD officials said.
Apr 30, 9:32 PM NYPD officers have entered Hamilton Hall through second-floor window
New York Police Department officers have entered Hamilton Hall through the second-floor window.
Apr 30, 11:14 PM NYPD moves in at Columbia, begins making arrests
New York Police Department officers have moved onto the Columbia University campus and have begun making arrests.
Apr 30, 8:50 PM Columbia authorizes NYPD to move onto campus
New York City has received authorization from Columbia University to send the NYPD onto campus, a senior city official told ABC News.
Apr 30, 8:50 PM USC President condemns swastika drawn on campus
University of Southern California President Carol Folt released a statement Tuesday after being alerted to an alleged swastika drawn on the USC campus.
"I've just been made aware of a swastika drawn on our campus," Folt said in an update on X Tuesday afternoon.
"I condemn any antisemitic symbols or any form of hate speech against anyone. Clearly it was drawn there to incite even more anger at a time that is so painful for our community," Folt continued.
Folt said the university is investigating and that the swastika has been removed.
Apr 30, 8:37 PM Columbia University students told to shelter in place amid ongoing protest
Columbia University students were told to shelter in place Tuesday evening due to "heightened activity" on the Morningside campus.
"Shelter in place for your safety due to heightened activity on the Morningside campus," the university’s emergency management operations team said in an alert Tuesday.
Officials warned that "Non-compliance may result in disciplinary action" and that students should "avoid the area until further notice."
Apr 30, 7:37 PM City College of New York shifting remote amid protests
The City College of New York said it will hold classes remotely starting on Wednesday until further notice due to "current encampment activities" on the Manhattan campus.
Campus buildings will be closed except to essential personnel, the university said.
The announcement comes nearly a week after the university, which is part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, said a group of demonstrators calling themselves the "CUNY Gaza Solidarity Encampment" set up a tent encampment on the campus' quad.
"The demonstrators appear to be made up of students, faculty and staff from City College and across the CUNY system and a sizable contingent that is not affiliated with any CUNY campus," City College President Vince Boudreau said in a letter to the community earlier this week, noting that school leaders had begun discussions with representatives from the group.
"We are working to minimize risks to people within the encampment and to protect all members of our campus community, while also minimizing the encampment's impact on campus operations," Boudreau said.
Apr 30, 6:55 PM NYC mayor on Columbia University building occupation: 'This must end now'
New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged protesters at Columbia University to "walk away" after dozens of demonstrators stormed the campus' Hamilton Hall in what he called a "violent spectacle that serves no purpose."
Adams said the peaceful demonstrations were being co-opted by "professional outside agitators" seeking to "create discord and divisiveness."
"That is why I'm urging every student, every protester to walk away from this situation now. Continue your advocacy through other means," Adams said at a press briefing Tuesday evening. "We will always protect the right to protest, but we must balance that right with the right to keep students in school and our city safe."
"We cannot wait till this situation becomes even more serious. This must end now," he added.
Chief Edward Caban reiterated that protesters who are not Columbia students are working to escalate the situation and said the New York City Police Department is ready to assist the university as needed.
"We have seen the tactics changing in a way that's endangering public safety," he said.
The NYPD showed footage of what Deputy Commissioner for Intel Rebecca Weiner said showed outside actors making barriers inside Hamilton Hall and "escalating" tactics such as scaling buildings and breaking windows. Cameras in the building have also been destroyed, Weiner said.
Individuals who occupied Hamilton Hall could face charges including burglary in the third degree, trespass and criminal mischief, police said.
A Columbia University spokesperson said Tuesday evening that dozens of protesters were in Hamilton Hall.
Apr 30, 6:19 PM American flag briefly replaced with Palestinian flag at UNC Chapel Hill
Some protesters at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill briefly replaced an American flag with the Palestinian flag on the campus' main quad Tuesday afternoon amid ongoing demonstrations.
The crowd chanted "U.S.A!" and sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the American flag was returned to the flagpole, footage shows. The flag was later removed for safekeeping, according to ABC Chapel Hill affiliate WTVD-TV.
The university canceled classes for the rest of the day as of 3 p.m. local time due to the demonstrations on campus.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona condemned what he deemed the "unacceptable" behavior of protesters on college campuses across the country.
"I think what's happening on our campuses is abhorrent," Cardona told Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., at the Senate's budget requests hearing for fiscal year 2025 on Tuesday. "It's unacceptable and we're committed as a Department of Education to adhering to Title VI enforcement."
The secretary said the department could reduce federal funds for schools that violate Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.
Pressed on whether the department was acting to eliminate antisemitism from college campuses amid the growing unrest, particularly at Columbia University, Cardona said the department is reviewing 137 discrimination investigations at Columbia.
He maintained campus safety is of "utmost importance."
"I wouldn't want to send my child to campus if I feel that they're not safe," he said. "That's the most important thing to me -- to make sure that our kids are safe on campus."
-ABC News' Arthur Jones II
Apr 30, 5:07 PM 79 people arrested at UT Austin
Police arrested 79 people at the University of Texas at Austin, Monday and the Travis County Prosecutor's Office has now received 65 cases for criminal trespassing.
"An initial review of the probable cause affidavits does not appear to show deficiencies," Travis County Attorney Delia Garza told reporters Tuesday.
Last week, trespassing charges against protesters were dismissed because they did not show probable cause.
Garza criticized the arrests and charges brought against peaceful protesters and said it is putting a strain on the state's criminal justice system and police response.
"I'm also deeply concerned about how matters will escalate when people believe they are being prevented from exercising their right to participate in nonviolent protest," Garza said.
Apr 30, 3:27 PM Brown University reaches agreement to end encampment, agrees to divestment sit-down
Brown University said it has reached an agreement with pro-Palestinian student protesters to end their encampment, which began on April 24.
"After productive discussions between members of the Brown University administration and student leaders of the Brown Divest Coalition, we have reached an agreement that will end the encampment by 5 p.m. today," Brown President Christina Paxson said in a statement.
Five students have been invited to meet with five members of the Corporation of Brown University to make their arguments to divest Brown's endowment from "companies enabling and profiting from the genocide in Gaza."
Paxson will also ask the Advisory Committee on University Resource Management to provide a recommendation on divestment by Sept. 30, which the corporation will vote on in October.
Students, faculty, staff and alumni will not face retaliation for being involved in the encampment, according to the agreement, and no registered student organizations will loose their recognition.
While Brown said it will continue to follow its conduct process for individual students who were involved in any activities related to the encampment or support of the encampment, the university said ending the encampment will be viewed favorably in disciplinary proceedings. Reports of bias, harassment or discrimination will continue to be investigated.
-ABC News' Nadine El-Bawab
Apr 30, 2:31 PM Columbia protesters say school 'isolating' them with no access to food, water, bathrooms
Columbia University's Students for Justice in Palestine hit back at the university saying its decision to limit campus access to students living in on-campus dorms means protesters will not have access to food, water or bathrooms without swiping in.
Protesters are calling for students to join them for a rally at the occupied building they have renamed Hind's Hall at 2 p.m.
Apr 30, 1:32 PM Columbia threatens 'consequences' for protesters who occupied building
Columbia University has threatened student protesters with "clear consequences" after protesters occupied a building in an escalating standoff. Students defied a 2 p.m. deadline to disperse Monday.
Students occupying the building face expulsion, the university warned.
"We made it very clear yesterday that the work of the University cannot be endlessly interrupted by protesters who violate the rules. Continuing to do so will be met with clear consequences. Protesters have chosen to escalate to an untenable situation—vandalizing property, breaking doors and windows, and blockading entrances—and we are following through with the consequences we outlined yesterday," Columbia said in a statement.
Students who did not commit to the terms Columbia's proposed agreement to vacate the encampment by 2 p.m. Monday have been suspended.
"Those students will be restricted from all academic and recreational spaces and may only access their individual residence. Seniors will be ineligible to graduate," Columbia said.
"This is about responding to the actions of the protesters, not their cause," Columbia said.
Apr 30, 12:47 PM Columbia limits access to Morningside campus
Columbia University said it has limited access to its Morningside campus except to students residing in seven residential buildings, labs and employees who provide essential services.
The school has also limited access into and out of the building to one gate, closing all other campus entry points.
The restrictions will remain in place "until circumstances allow otherwise," Columbia said.
Apr 30, 12:27 PM 82 protesters arrested at Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech said it has cleared an encampment on campus and arrested 82 protesters for trespassing, after refusing to comply with university policies.
"Virginia Tech strongly supports free speech, even when the content of that speech may be disagreeable to some. However, those rights do not extend beyond the point where they interfere with the rights of others, violate our policies, the Code of Virginia, or federal laws and/or create a threat to safety for others," Virginia Tech President Tim Sands said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Virginia Tech Muslim Student Association said in a letter the 91 students faculty and staff were arrested for peacefully protesting.
"As we reach the end of the semester, 7 months after Oct. 7, we are finding our voices still unheard. We are waiting for your support of us and Palestine," the Virginia Tech MSA said in a statement.
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt said it has cleared two campus buildings that had been occupied by protesters for over a week and arrested 25 people.
"Those arrested faced a range of different charges depending on individual circumstances including unlawful assembly, vandalism, conspiracy, assault of police officers, and others. In addition, students could face discipline for conduct violations while any University employees arrested could face disciplinary action," Cal Poly said in a statement.
The university called the occupation of the two buildings "criminal activity" and said there were "serious concerns it would spread even further on campus."
"This morning’s enforcement action was determined to be necessary to restore order and to address the lawlessness and dangerous conditions that had developed. What was occurring was not free expression or a protest," the university said in a statement.
The campus will remain closed until May 10.
Apr 30, 11:41 AM Northwestern reaches deal with students, faculty to end encampment, reveal investments
Northwestern University announced it has reached a deal with pro-Palestinian protesters, ending an encampment of students and faculty, but allowing peaceful demonstrations to continue through June 1.
The university said it would "answer questions from any internal stakeholder about holdings, held currently or within the last quarter, to the best of its knowledge and to the extent legally possible" -- meeting a key call from divestment protesters and students around the country who are seeking more transparency over universities' investments.
Northwestern will also reestablish an Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility in the fall, which will include representatives from students, faculty and staff.
The university also pledged more inclusivity, funding two Palestinian faculty members and the full cost of attendance for five Palestinian undergraduate students annually, as well as a commitment to raising funds to sustain the program beyond this commitment.
Under the agreement, Northwestern says tents will be removed immediately but one aid tent will be allowed to remain. Protesters will need to suspend the use of "non-approved" amplified sound." Protesters who refuse to follow the agreement will be suspended and non-affiliated individuals must leave campus.
Apr 30, 11:12 AM UConn removes encampment, makes arrests after protesters refuse to leave
The University of Connecticut cleared an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters early Tuesday after they refused orders to disperse. UConn has not yet revealed the number of arrests and charges.
UConn said that protests were permitted but setting up tents violated university guidelines.
"The group was warned multiple times over a period of days that while they were free to be in the space and exercise their free speech rights, the guidelines needed to be followed and the tents needed to be taken down. This was ignored," UConn said in a statement.
"UConn Police directed them four times on Tuesday morning to remove the tents and disperse, and they again repeatedly ignored the directives. Officers then entered the site to remove the tents and tarps, and to arrest those who refused compliance," UConn said in a statement.
-ABC News' Mark Osborne
Apr 30, 10:07 AM Reporter arrested while covering protest on Cal Poly campus
Adelmi Ruiz, a reporter for Redding, California, ABC affiliate KRCR, was arrested at Cal Poly Humboldt while filming police approaching an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters.
A livestream showed Ruiz filming police in riot gear approaching protesters, who could be heard chanting, when an officer asks her to come over and tells her they need her out of the way.
An officer then tells Ruiz to put her phone away and put her hands behind her back because he is going to put her in flex cuffs — plastic handcuffs used by police for protesters. Ruiz identifies herself as a reporter multiple times but is still arrested.
"You had an opportunity to leave. You were told multiple times to leave otherwise you were gonna be arrested," the officer says, according to a livestream which continued after Ruiz placed her phone in her pocket.
She responded that she was on assignment covering the protest.
"Find a different job if this causes you to break the law," the officer says.
As she is escorted away, Ruiz can be heard asking for help.
Apr 30, 9:42 AM 17 protesters arrested at University of Utah, encampment cleared
The University of Utah has removed an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters and arrested 17 people after the university said protesters do not have a right to set up encampments on campus property and threatened to disperse them.
About a dozen tents, stashes of water, food and toilet paper were removed from the encampment.
The university had issued warnings to students, staff and faculty members telling them to remove their encampments, or face consequences, including arrests.
The university had threatened criminal trespass and disorderly conduct charges, termination for faculty and staff and discipline for students ranging from probation to suspension against those who refused to leave the encampment.
Apr 30, 4:06 AM Columbia protesters occupy campus hall
Pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University occupied a hall on campus early Tuesday, hours after school officials ordered the dispersal of a protest encampment.
Videos viewed by ABC News appeared to show protesters creating a barricade with metal chairs outside Hamilton Hall after midnight.
Several were seen in the videos unrolling protest posters from one of the building's balconies.
It was unclear how many demonstrators had occupied the hall, which is on Amsterdam Avenue. The Columbia Spectator, a campus newspaper, reported the people who were inside were working to block the building's exits with tables, chairs and zip-ties.
Apr 29, 11:35 PM University of Texas at Austin says it took action to 'preserve a safe, conducive learning environment' for students
After police and protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin following a dispersal order, leading to some arrests on Monday, the school issued a statement, saying it "took swift action to preserve a safe, conducive learning environment for our 53,000 students as they prepare for final exams."
"UT Austin requested backup assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety to protect the safety of the campus community and enforce our Institutional Rules, such as the rule that prohibits encampments on campus. Because of the encampments and other violations of the University’s Institutional Rules related to protests, protestors were told repeatedly to disperse. When they refused to disperse, some arrests were made for trespassing. Others were arrested for disorderly conduct," the university's statement read.
UTA said protests since the start of the Israel-Hamas war have happened "largely without incident."
"The University strongly supports the free speech and assembly rights of our community and we want students and others on campus to know that protests on campus are fully permissible, provided that they do not violate Institutional Rules or threaten the safety of our campus community," the statement concluded.
Apr 29, 10:51 PM 'Multiple arrests' at Virginia Commonwealth University: Officials
"Multiple arrests" were made at Virginia Commonwealth University Monday night, following tense conflict between police and pro-Palestinian protesters on the Richmond campus, officials said.
Addressing the arrests, the university said in a statement that final exams start this week and the school "must provide students the opportunity to safely and successfully complete the semester."
"The gathering violated several university policies. VCU respectfully and repeatedly provided opportunities for those individuals involved -- many of whom were not students -- to collect their belongings and leave," the university's statement continued. "Those who did not leave were subject to arrest for trespassing. While supporting an environment that fosters protected speech and expressive activity, VCU must maintain an atmosphere free of disruption to the university’s mission."
Apr 29, 5:27 PM Columbia begins suspending students who refuse to leave encampment
A representative from Columbia University said the school has begun suspending students who have defied the 2 p.m. deadline to leave the encampment.
Ben Chang, the vice president of the office of public affairs, did not say how many people would be suspended but said those students would not be able to attend classes or graduate.
The school's campus is still closed to anyone who doesn't have a student ID.
-ABC News' Darren Reynolds
Apr 29, 4:23 PM Protesters clash with police at UT-Austin
Police and protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Monday afternoon after authorities issued a dispersal order.
The UT Austin Police Department asked protesters to leave the South Mall area at about 1 p.m. local time.
Protesters could be heard chanting, "There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear?" Soon after, police moved in to clear the area by force.
The university said in a statement, "After protesters ignored repeated directives from both the administration and law enforcement officers to comply with Institutional Rules and remove tents assembled on the University’s South Lawn, then physically engaged with and verbally assaulted Dean of Students staff who attempted to confiscate them, UT and partner law enforcement agencies dismantled an encampment and arrested several protesters."
It continued, "Baseball size rocks were found strategically placed within the encampment. The majority of protesters are believed to be unaffiliated with the university."
More than 50 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus last week, however, charges were later dropped.
Apr 29, 3:31 PM Protesters clash with police at UT-Austin
Police and protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin on Monday afternoon after authorities issued a dispersal order.
The UT Austin Police Department asked protesters to leave the South Mall area at about 1 p.m. local time.
Protesters could be heard chanting, "There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear?" Soon after, police moved in to clear the area by force.
More than 50 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus last week, however, charges were later dropped.
Apr 29, 3:05 PM Columbia protesters defy 2 p.m. deadline to disperse
Protesters camped out at Columbia University are defying the school's order to pack up and leave by 2 p.m.
Sueda Polat, a representative from the protesters' negotiating team, told reporters that the university did not engage in good-faith negotiations and failed to meet their demands to divest from Israel.
"It is against the will of the students to disperse," she said. "We do not abide by university pressures. We act on the will of the students."
Police were outside of the campus as the deadline approached but they did not immediately enter after it passed.
"Students are aware of the risk of law enforcement. ... They know how to come together in that risk," Polat said.
Apr 29, 1:57 PM Cal Poly Humboldt campus leaders offer escorts to concerned students
Cal Poly Humboldt said it will close off campus to non-school members through May 10 as protesters have occupied two buildings.
Campus leaders also said it will now offer escorts off campus to anyone who feels their safety is threatened.
The school urged the protesters who have been occupying Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East since last week to leave immediately.
"Leaving voluntarily will be considered as a possible mitigating factor in University conduct processes and may reduce the severity of sanctions imposed. This does not, however, eliminate responsibility for any potential conduct or criminal charges."
-ABC News' Bonnie McLean
Apr 29, 12:24 PM UGA arrests protesters after 'crossing a line,' blocking sidewalks
The University of Georgia-Athens said protesters who set up an encampment on campus "crossed a line" Monday morning and several were arrested.
Approximately "25 protesters began erecting tents and a barricade, blocking sidewalks and building entrances and using amplified sound," school spokesman Greg Trevor said in a statement.
The protesters met with university police and student affairs members to discuss the violation and were given multiple warnings to remove the barriers, but they refused, according to Trevor.
"At 8:30 a.m., UGA Police were left with no choice but to arrest those who refused to comply," he said.
The school did not specify how many people were arrested.
"While we must provide ample opportunity for protected expressive activities, we also have the right and duty to regulate the time, place and manner in which they occur," Trevor said.
-ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway
Apr 29, 11:11 AM Columbia tells protesters to leave encampment by 2 p.m.
Columbia University has distributed a letter to members of the encampment on campus telling them to gather their belongings and leave the area by 2 p.m., saying if they identify themselves and sign a form "to abide by all University policies through June 30, 2025, or the date of the conferral of your degree, whichever is earlier, you will be eligible to complete the semester in good standing."
The school said it has "already identified many students in the encampment" and "if you do not identify yourself upon leaving and sign the form now, you will not be eligible to sign and complete the semester in good standing." The school warned it could take action up to suspension or expulsion if they do not leave the encampment.
The school reiterated that negotiations with protesters had broken down and said the protests are a "disruption" to those taking final exams and preparing for graduation.
"As you are probably aware, the dialogue between the University and student leaders of the encampment is, regrettably, at an impasse," the letter states. "The current unauthorized encampment and disruption on Columbia University’s campus is creating an unwelcoming environment for members of our community. External actors have also contributed to this environment, especially around our gates, causing safety concerns – including for our neighbors."
Apr 29, 9:09 AM Columbia cannot come to agreement with protesters, president says
Protesters at Columbia University, who sparked many of the protests across the nation earlier this month, are now being asked to voluntarily disperse after the school's president said it was not able to come to an agreement through negotiations.
Since Wednesday, "a small group of academic leaders has been in constructive dialogue with student organizers to find a path that would result in the dismantling of the encampment and adherence to University policies going forward. Regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement," Columbia President Minouche Shafik said in a statement Monday morning.
One of the top demands of the protesters, for Columbia to divest from Israel, was flatly denied by the university, according to the statement.
The school asked protesters, who number in the hundreds, to voluntarily disperse, but offered no explanation for what would happen if they did not. The school said it did not "want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration." The school's graduation ceremony is set to be held May 15.
"We urge those in the encampment to voluntarily disperse," Shafik wrote. "We are consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible. We will continue to update the community with new developments."
Apr 29, 8:54 AM Dozens of arrests made at Virginia Tech
Police cleared out an encampment at Virginia Tech late Sunday after protesters had set up tents on the lawn of the campus' Graduate Life Center.
"Those who gathered were advised by university officials to remove their possessions and to disperse voluntarily; those who failed to comply were then approached by Virginia Tech Police and were again asked to leave and advised that anyone who failed to comply would be charged with trespassing, in accordance with Virginia law," the school said in a statement.
The university added, "At approximately 10:15 p.m., police approached protesters to ask them to disperse within five minutes. Those who remained were subject to arrest."
Dozens of protesters were taken into custody, according to Lynchburg, Virginia, ABC affiliate WSET.
Apr 28, 8:52 PM UCLA increases security measures after physical altercations during protest
UCLA announced it is instituting additional security measures amid protests on campus over the Israel-Hamas war in a statement on Sunday.
"UCLA has a long history of peaceful protest and we are heartbroken to report that today, some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators on Royce Quad," Mary Osako, vice chancellor of UCLA Strategic Communications said.
"We have since instituted additional security measures and increased the numbers of our safety team members on site," Osako said.
"As an institution of higher education, we stand firmly for the idea that even when we disagree, we must still engage respectfully and recognize one another’s humanity," Osako continued.
Addressing the physical altercations during the protests, Osako said, "We are dismayed that certain individuals instead chose to jeopardize the physical safety of the community."
Last week, the University of California rejected calls to divest from companies that do business with Israel.
Apr 28, 10:07 AM White House: 'We don't want to see anybody hurt in the process'
The White House said Sunday that President Joe Biden respects the right of demonstrators to make their voices heard -- peacefully -- and "we don't want to see anybody hurt in the process."
"The president knows that there are very strong feelings about the war in Gaza. He understands that, he respects that, and as he has said many times, we certainly respect the right of peaceful protest. People should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly, but it has to be peaceful," White House national security spokesman John Kirby told ABC News' This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday.
Kirby did warn that some language heard during the demonstrations crossed a line with the administration.
"We absolutely condemn the antisemitism language that we've heard of late, and we certainly condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there. These protests, we understand they're important, but they do need to be peaceful," he said.
"We'll leave it to local authorities to determine how these protests are managed," Kirby told Stephanopoulos, "but we want them to be peaceful protests and obviously we don't want to see anybody hurt in the process of peacefully protesting."
Apr 28, 12:07 AM USC temporarily closes main campus due to 'disruption,' LAPD issues alert
The University of Southern California closed its main campus Saturday evening "due to a disturbance," the university said on X.
Los Angeles Police Department issued a citywide tactical alert due to a protest on USC's campus, urging people to avoid the area.
A tactical alert allows LAPD to keep officers on past their shifts and to move officers between divisions if they need extra staffing in one area of the city.
(NEW YORK) -- Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
May 03, 4:29 PM Trump pays fine for gag order violations
Donald Trump has paid the $9,000 he was fined for violating the limited gag order in the case, according to a court official.
Trump made the payment yesterday using two cashiers checks -- one for $2,000 and another for $7,000.
Trump on Tuesday was ordered by Judge Merchan to pay the $9,000 fine -- $1,000 for each of Trump's nine violations -- by the close of business today.
May 03, 4:11 PM Trump, departing, says he was 'very interested' in proceedings
Exiting court, Trump spoke briefly with reporters before departing the courthouse.
"I was very interested in what took place today," Trump said of the 11th day of his criminal trial.
The former president wished everyone a good weekend before departing.
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh and Mike Pappano
May 03, 3:45 PM Judge won't let Trump be cross-examined over gag order
"We are going to call it a week at this time," Judge Merchan told the jury, dismissing them for the weekend.
The judge then gathered attorneys for both sides to continue the case's Sandoval hearing, begun last week, about the limit on Trump's potential testimony.
Defense attorney Todd Blanche objected to Trump being cross-examined on his gag order violations.
"Injecting into the cross-examination a finding by your honor beyond a reasonable doubt of contempt ... it puts a layer on top of the testimony," Blanche said. "It invites a sideshow that the People don't need."
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo argued that the gag order violations are relevant to Trump's credibility because if he violated the gag order, he similarly might "violate his obligation to tell the truth."
"These findings are relevant to the defendant's credibility if he chooses to testify," he said.
Issuing his ruling, Merchan denied the prosecution's request to cross-examine Trump on the gag order violations, finding that a determination from the court would be too prejudicial for the jury to overlook.
"I agree with Mr. Blanche," Merchan said, ending the week's proceedings.
May 03, 3:35 PM Hicks says Trump wanted his family to be proud of him
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks reached for a glass of water as defense attorney Emil Bove, who has slowed the pace of his questioning, returned to the topic of the "Access Hollywood" tape.
Hicks said that Trump wanted his family to be proud of him, reinforcing the defense argument that Trump was just trying to protect his family amid negative press ahead of the 2016 election.
"I don't think he wanted anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed by anything that was happening on the campaign," Hicks said. "He wanted them to be proud of him."
Throughout her cross-examination, Hicks sprinkled her testimony with positive remarks about Trump.
"He likes to call and praise people for stories, even if they were not about him," Hicks said of Trump's interactions with the media. "He does a really nice job of maintaining relationships and always being willing to engage with the media."
When asked about her role in Trump's presidential campaign, Hicks responded, "I have only been on one campaign but it was a great one."
Trump, through much of this testimony, sat back in his chair, clasping his open hands over his chest.
Bove subsequently concluded his cross-examination and Hicks stepped down off the stand.
She appeared to give a side-eye glance at Trump as she left. As she walked by, Trump turned his head and watched her walk toward the exit.
May 03, 3:24 PM Cohen was a 'fixer' because 'he first broke it,' Hicks says
Defense attorney Emil Bove restarted his cross-examination of questioning longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks by asking her about her time at the Trump Organization -- following up on her earlier sentiment about the company functioning like a family business.
He asked if she met members of the Trump family, his wife and other employees.
"You felt you had his trust and respect, right?" Bove asked regarding Trump.
"Trust and respect? Yes," Hicks said.
Hicks' voice wavered during her testimony about the Trump Organization, which she recalled fondly.
"I really looked up to Rhona," Hicks said about Rhona Graff, Trump's longtime executive assistant.
Asked about then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen, she said found him something of a headache for the campaign when he circumvented their press shop.
"He went rogue, at times? Fair to say?" Bove asked.
"Yes," Hicks said.
"There were times ... he did things that were not helpful?" Bove asked.
"I used to say he would like to call himself a 'fixer,' or 'Mr. Fix-it,'" Hicks testified. "But it was only because he first broke it."
May 03, 3:16 PM Hicks returns to witness stand after break
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks returned to the courtroom after breaking down on the witness stand. Her face was red and her eyes still watery as she walked past the gallery and to her seat on the witness stand.
Trump -- who appeared to be in the middle of a conversation with his lawyers -- did not look up as Hicks re-entered the courtroom after a short break.
Both Trump and Hicks looked straight ahead as the jurors re-entered the courtroom. For a brief moment, Hicks appeared to glance toward the defense table. She did not appear to make eye contact with Trump.
"Sorry about that," Hicks said as defense attorney Emil Bove resumed his cross-examination.
May 03, 3:05 PM Hope Hicks breaks down on the stand
Donald Trump's longtime aide Hope Hicks broke down on the stand as her cross-examination was about to begin.
Hicks began crying after the prosecution's direct examination concluded.
Defense attorney Emil Bove had only just started his cross examination. "I want to talk to you about your time at the Trump Organization," Bove said before he asked for a break.
Hicks was visibly crying, looking down on the witness stand and dabbing her eyes as the jury was sent out of the room.
In her last set of responses on direct examination, she recalled a time in 2018 talking to Donald Trump about the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels. She testified that Trump told her Cohen made the payment on his own.
But Hicks testified she felt that would be out of character for Cohen.
"I didn't know Michael to be an especially charitable person, or selfless person," Hicks said. "(He was) the kind of person who seeks credit."
Hicks then said Trump expressed that "It would have been bad to have that story come out before the election."
Hicks left the courtroom after she broke down, and jurors were excused during the break.
May 03, 2:57 PM Hicks denies speaking to Pecker about McDougal in 2018
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks said that she never spoke to National Enquirer publisher David Pecker about Karen McDougal in March 2018, appearing to contradict Pecker's testimony last week.
Last week, Pecker testified that he spoke to Hicks and Sarah Huckabee Sanders about extending McDougal's contract in March 2018.
"I explained to them, to the two of them, that -- why I was going to extend her agreement. And both of them said that they thought that it was a good idea," Pecker said.
But asked about the same timeframe, Hicks denied ever calling Pecker.
"I have no recollection of speaking to Mr. Pecker after that interview," Hicks said, referencing McDougal's CNN interview at the time. "I did not speak to Mr. Pecker. I did speak to Mr. Trump."
Prosecutors introduced a text message where Trump's executive assistant asked Hicks to call Pecker for Trump, but Hicks could not recall a phone call with Pecker.
May 03, 2:52 PM Trump asked Hicks to keep WSJ from being delivered
When the November 2016 Wall Street Journal story about AMI's hush payment to Karen McDougal was published, Trump grew concerned with how his wife, Melania, would feel about it -- so he made a request of longtime aide Hope Hicks, according to Hicks' testimony.
"He was concerned about the story," Hicks said on the stand. "He was concerned how it would be viewed by his wife and he wanted me to make sure the newspapers weren't delivered to their residence that morning."
May 03, 2:46 PM 'Keep praying,' about story, Hicks said she told Cohen
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks said that she exchanged a series of text messages with Michael Cohen after the November 2016 Wall Street Journal story on the Karen McDougal agreement was published.
"Michael asked me to call him, Michael asked me for updates," Hicks said.
"'Lots of innuendos with little fact,'" Cohen wrote to Hicks the night the story was published. "'Poorly written and I doubt see it getting much play." Hicks said "doubt" was a typo and it should have read "don't."
In ensuing text messages, Cohen and Hicks said they had not noticed substantial interest in other media outlets.
"I told him to 'keep praying,' because this was obviously the only reason why there were six stories," Hicks said with a laugh.
May 03, 2:41 PM Hicks says Trump wanted denials of both alleged affairs
Donald Trump's longtime aide Hope Hicks returned to the stand following the lunch break for her ongoing direct examination.
Discussing her response after the Wall Street Journal told them it was about to break the story that National Enquirer parent AMI had paid Karen McDougal to buy her silence about a long-denied affair with Trump. Hicks said she ultimately provided a statement to the Journal that said the allegations were "totally untrue."
"The denial was from Mr. Trump for both women," Hicks testified, referring to both McDougal and Stormy Daniels, who was also mentioned in the Journal story. "I know very clearly that he stated the denials and wanted those included."
Hicks' statement to the Journal said she had no knowledge of the agreement between AMI and McDougal.
When prosecutors pressed Hicks on that portion of the statement, Hicks could not recall if Trump explicitly directed that statement to deny knowledge of the arrangement.
"I don't remember him verbatim saying that, but that was the consensus of the conversations we were all having," Hicks said.
May 03, 1:30 PM Trump, Hicks make no eye contact as court breaks for lunch
Donald Trump and Hope Hicks made no eye contact when Hicks got off the stand for the lunch break. Hicks looked down at the floor as she passed Trump sitting at the defense table, and he turned to the left to huddle with his attorneys as she went by.
The former president spent a good deal of the morning session looking away while his one-time closest aide testified.
During more than an hour of testimony from Hicks, Trump at times looked straight ahead, looked down at his tie, and closed his eyes. At one point his head rolled down and his chin hit his chest, remaining there for a few moments before it quickly snapped back up straight.
The former president hardly reacted to any of Hicks' testimony, save for when Hicks shared her own personal response to the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape.
"Just a little stunned," Hicks said of her initial reaction, prompting Trump to snap his head and whisper to his attorney, Todd Blanche.
In contrast to many other former Trump aides, Hicks has never spoken about Trump publicly before. The pair were often described as having a father-daughter relationship, with Trump calling her "Hopey".
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks said she spoke with National Enquirer publisher Pecker about the Karen McDougal story on Nov. 4, 2016.
"He explained that Karen McDougal was paid for magazine covers and fitness columns and that it was all very legitimate. And that was what the contract was for," Hicks said.
Hicks said she spoke with Michael Cohen before calling Pecker.
Hicks said she drafted a statement to respond to the Wall Street Journal, which was about to break the story that National Enquirer parent AMI had paid off McDougal to buy her silence about a long-denied affair with Trump. She then shared the statement with Trump once he returned to his plane.
"When Mr. Trump came on the plane for the rally, I shared it with him as well," Hicks said.
Cohen also made edits and offered feedback to the draft statement, according to an exhibit entered into evidence.
According to Hicks, Trump opted to write his own statement instead.
"He wanted to draft his own statement," Hicks said.
Before he drafted the statement, Hicks and Trump called back Pecker, who repeated the information he told Hicks earlier.
"It included his explanation for this -- that this was a legitimate contract, and that's what they planned to tell the Journal," Hicks said.
Hicks said on the stand that her memory was "very fuzzy at this point," but she said that Trump wanted to make sure the statement denied any relationship with Stormy Daniels, who was also mentioned in the Wall Street Journal article.
"He wanted to know the context and he wanted to make sure that there was a denial of any kind of relationship," Hicks said.
Following this testimony, court broke for lunch. Trump gave a thumbs-up to reporters as he exited the courtroom for the break.
May 03, 12:56 PM Hicks recounts learning of Karen McDougal story
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks testified that she first heard the name Stormy Daniels in 2015 when she overheard some of the security on Trump's plane discuss a golf tournament Trump attended.
"Her name came up. She was there was with one of the other participants that Mr. Trump had played with that day," Hicks said.
Hicks said she first learned of Karen McDougal when the Wall Street Journal reached out for comment regarding their AMI payment story on Nov. 4, 2016, as the newspaper was preparing to break the story that National Enquirer parent AMI had paid off Karen McDougal to buy her silence about a long-denied affair with Trump.
Jurors were then shown the email Hicks received on Nov. 4, 2016, from the Wall Street Journal.
Hicks said she received the email ahead of a campaign rally.
"I was sort of dealing with this by myself on the plane while the rally was taking place," Hicks said.
According to Hicks, she notified Trump about the story before the rally began.
"I was worried about not having enough time to respond while he was speaking," Hicks said.
Hicks said she forwarded the email to Jared Kushner in part because he had "a very good relationship with Rupert Murdoch," the owner of the Wall Street Journal.
Hicks said she hoped Kushner could "buy a little extra time to deal with this."
"I think [Kushner] said he wasn't going to be able to reach Murdoch and that we should work on responding and deal with it," Hicks said.
Hicks said she called David Pecker's office as well as Cohen, due to his relationship with Pecker.
May 03, 12:46 PM Hicks says she asked Michael Cohen about a 2nd rumored tape
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks testified that she spoke with then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen on Oct. 8, 2016, to ask about a rumor she had heard of another potential tape that could be released, following the release of the "Access Hollywood" tape.
"I was calling to ask him to chase down a rumor I had heard with a contact he was familiar with in the media," Hicks said, describing that there "might be another tape that might be problematic for the campaign."
"I didn't want anyone to be blindsided. I wanted to have an understanding of what material was out there that we needed to prepare for," Hicks said.
Hicks said that no such tape existed but Cohen still chased down the rumor for her. She spoke vaguely about what the potential story was.
Hicks was then asked about Trump's campaign speech in Greensboro, North Carolina, which jurors watched earlier this week. Prosecutors again played the tape for the jury.
"These are all horrible lies, all fabrications," Trump told the crown in Greensboro regarding accusations of infidelity. "And we can't let them change the most important election in our lifetime."
"If 5% of the people think it's true and maybe 10% think, we don't win," Trump said at the rally.
Hicks also was asked about Trump's tweets after the "Access Hollywood" video was released.
"Nothing ever happened with any of these women. Totally made up nonsense to steal the election," Trump wrote in one tweet.
May 03, 12:36 PM 'It was intense,' Hicks says of coverage of 'Access Hollywood' tape
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks testified about the ensuing coverage of the "Access Hollywood" tape.
"It was intense. Dominated coverage for the 36 hours leading up the debate," Hicks said.
Hicks recalled that a Category 4 hurricane was predicted to make landfall around the same time, but the Trump coverage completely dominated the news.
"I don't think anywhere remembers where or when that hurricane made landfall. It was all Trump all the time for ... 36 hours," Hicks said.
Hicks testified about how other Republican politicians -- like Mitt Romney and Mitch McConnell -- responded to the Access Hollywood tape.
"Things like disgraces, disgusting, something along those lines," Hicks said in describing Romney's statement.
In the courtroom, Trump has been sitting slightly back in his chair for the bulk of Hicks' testimony. His body is angled slightly toward the witness stand to watch the testimony.
He appeared to be taking some handwritten notes while his lawyers attended a sidebar conference with the judge.
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks testified that when she informed Trump's brain trust of the discovery of the "Access Hollywood" tape, there was a consensus among the staff that "the tape was damaging. This was a crisis."
"This was kind of pulling us backwards in a way that was going to be hard to overcome," Hicks said.
Hicks said she was not immediately concerned about the impact of the tape on female voters, but the concern was "quickly raised."
"Mr. Trump felt this wasn't good," Hicks said, but he didn't think it was "something to get so upset over."
"He felt this was pretty standard stuff for two guys chatting with each other," Hicks said.
At this point in Hicks' testimony, jurors were shown the written statement that the Trump campaign issued on the afternoon that the "Access Hollywood" tape was released.
"This was locker room banter…" the statement said in part.
Jurors then saw the same video statement from Trump that was played for them earlier this morning during the Georgia Longstreet direct examination.
May 03, 12:18 PM Hicks recounts telling Trump about 'Access Hollywood' tape
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks testified that when the Washington Post informed her of the existence of the "Access Hollywood" tape, she went up to the conference room on the 26th floor of Trump Tower where debate prep was taking place. She said Jason Miller, Jarrod Kushner, and Chris Christie was there.
"They were practicing for debate prep," Hicks said.
"The sight of the ... five or six or 6 of us gathered out there was a signal that something was afoot. Mr. Trump asked us to come into the conference room," Hicks said.
Hicks said she read the email aloud, though Trump finished reading it himself.
"We weren't sure how to respond yet," Hicks said. "Everyone was absorbing the shock of it."
"He said that didn't sound like something he would say," Hicks said of Trump's response to the video.
"I had a good sense this was going to be a massive story," Hicks said.
May 03, 12:09 PM Hicks says she was 'very concerned' about 'Access Hollywood' tape
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks said she first learned of the "Access Hollywood" tape when she was contacted by the Washington Post.
"It would have been in the afternoon of Oct. 7," in 2016, Hicks said. "I received an email from the Washington Post asking for comment."
"I was in my office on the 14th floor of Trump Tower," Hicks said.
Asked about the timing of the story, Hicks said the story was "a month -- maybe a little less than a month" from the election.
Jurors were then shown the email that Hicks received from a Washington Post to request a comment about the video.
"URGENT: WashPost query," the subject line reads.
The email detailed that the video contained Trump engaging in an inappropriate conversation about women and included a transcript of Trump's remarks.
"I was concerned. Very concerned," Hicks said about her reaction to the email.
"I was concerned about the contents of the email. I was concerned about the lack of time to respond. I was concerned that we had a transcript not a tape. There was a lot at play," Hicks said.
May 03, 12:04 PM Hicks recounts meeting David Pecker
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks described the early days of the Trump campaign's press shop as being staffed by only her and "Mr. Trump, who's better than anybody at communications and branding."
She said he was "very involved" in crafting messaging for the campaign. "He knew what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it and we were all just following his lead."
Hicks testified that Trump was responsible for the campaign's messaging.
"I would say that Mr. Trump was responsible," Hicks said. "He knew what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it, and we were all just following his lead. I think that he deserves the credit for the different messages that the campaign focused on."
"Do you know someone named David Pecker," prosecutor Matthew Colangelo asked.
"Yes," Hicks said, noting that she first met Pecker at an earlier job.
"I reconnected with him at some point as he was a friend of Mr. Trump's," Hicks said. "I knew they were friends."
Hicks said she could not recall attending a meeting between Trump and Pecker at Trump Tower.
"I don't have a recollection of that but it is certainly possible," Hicks said.
Hicks recounted overhearing a phone call between Pecker and Trump where Trump congratulated Pecker for running "a great investigative piece" about Ben Carson's alleged medical malpractice
Hicks recalled another call with Pecker about the National Enquirer's work about Ted Cruz's father's. Jurors heard about this reporting during Pecker's testimony.
"Mr. Trump was just congratulating him on the great reporting," Hicks said. "This is Pulitzer-worthy," Hicks recalled Trump telling Pecker.
May 03, 11:55 AM Hicks describes Trump's initial interest in presidency
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks testified that Michael Cohen "was an attorney" for the Trump Organization.
"I know he was involved in a couple of the license deals for some of the hotel projects and maybe some of the entertainment pieces as well, like the Ms. Universe pageant," she said.
Hicks said that Trump began exploring running for president by visiting Iowa in January 2015.
"Mr. Trump said we are going to Iowa, and I really didn't know why," Hicks testified.
"[Trump] eventually made the decision to formalize that with an exploratory committee at first and announced that he was going to run for president in June," Hicks said.
Hicks said that while Trump remarked about making her press secretary, but she didn't take it seriously at first.
"I didn't take it very seriously but eventually I just started spending so much time on the campaign," Hicks said.
Hicks added that Trump was "better than anybody" at communications and marketing.
"I reported to Mr. Trump," Hicks said about her eventual role as press secretary. She said they spoke everyday during the campaign.
May 03, 11:45 AM 'He's a very hard worker,' Hicks says of Trump
Hope Hicks testified that, as the director of communications for the Trump Organization, she initially met with Trump on a weekly basis.
"As we transitioned a few months later into the political work, I met with him more regularly," Hicks said, saying they began to meet daily.
"He's a very good multitasker and a very hard worker. He's always doing many things at once. He might be having a conversation with someone and it will remind him to follow up on something else," Hicks testified about Trump.
Hicks said she directly reported to Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump.
"It's a very big and successful company, but it is really run like a small family business in certain ways," Hicks said.
She testified about the role within the company of Rhona Graff, who testified last week.
"She was crucial to how everything ran on the 26th floor. She had a lot of institutional knowledge about different projects and Mr. Trump's business relationships, network, likes and dislikes in terms of scheduling," Hicks said.
Asked about Trump's relationship with Graff, she said "it was one of mutual respect."
May 03, 11:41 AM 'I'm really nervous,' Hicks says as she begins testimony
"I'm really nervous," longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks said as prosecutor Matthew Colangelo asked her to move closer to the microphone on the witness stand.
Hicks testified that she joined the Trump Organization in 2014, about four years after she graduated from college. She first worked at a communications firm.
“I was enjoying it so much that I was offered a position at the Trump Organization, and jumped opportunity to join the company full time,” Hicks said.
“Shortly after I joined the Trump Organization, Mr. Trump -- at the time, Mr Trump -- said that he would be exploring a run for president,” she said.
Hicks said that she was subpoenaed to testify. She is paying for her own lawyer.
She testified she was last in communication with Trump in the summer or fall of 2022. She affirmed he is not a client of her own communications consulting company and she has no professional relationship with him
May 03, 11:34 AM Trump watches Hicks takes seat on witness stand
Donald Trump turned his head as his longtime aide Hope Hicks entered the courtroom from a side door behind the defense counsel table and took a seat on the witness stand.
In her roles at the White House, Hicks witnessed several moments of interest to prosecutors. She briefly attended an August 2015 meeting in Trump Tower where tabloid executive David Pecker vowed to serve as the Trump campaign’s “eyes and ears” for negative stories, Pecker testified earlier.
Pecker also testified that Hicks and another White House official, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, called him in March 2018 to strategize about the National Enquirer’s contract with Playboy model Karen McDougal.
May 03, 11:27 AM Prosecutors call longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks
Prosecutors have called to the stand Hope Hicks, who for a time was one of Donald Trump's closest and most trusted aide.
Hicks came to Trump after being recruited by his daughter Ivanka, then later expanded as head of communications for the Trump Organization. After launching his campaign, Hicks moved over to run all of his 2016 campaign communications and took on a similar role in the White House. Hicks had two stints in the White House, with her office just steps outside the Oval Office.
She no longer works for Donald Trump or any of his affiliated organizations.
May 03, 11:22 AM Jury watches Trump's apology for 'Access Hollywood' tape
Following the break, custodial witness Georgia Longstreet returned to the stand so prosecutors could introduce evidence that had been posted to social media.
Jurors were shown the 2016 video Donald Trump posted in the wake of the publication of the "Access Hollywood" tape, in which the then-candidate apologized for making "foolish" statements about groping women.
"I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize," Trump said in the video.
Jurors watched their screens closely as the apology video played -- many of them with their heads tilted down at the monitors and showing no emotion at all. Trump watched the video on the monitor on his table.
Trump posted the video late at night following the release of the tape, after aides debated how to respond.
May 03, 10:58 AM DA calls witness to introduce social media evidence
Prosecutors have called Georgia Longstreet as their next witness. A paralegal with the Manhattan district attorney's office, she has worked on the DA's Trump investigation for one-and-a-half years.
Longstreet has been called to introduce multiple social media posts, after the defense declined to stipulate to any of that evidence.
She said has saved about 1,500 social media posts of the approximately 10,000 she reviewed as part of the investigation.
Additional testimony was delayed while the jurors took their morning break. Trump, who usually leaves the courtroom during these short breaks, remained in courtroom during the recess as his attorneys discussed the details of what exhibits prosecutors will introduce after the break.
The former president also surveyed the courtroom and chatted with his legal adviser Boris Epshteyn. At one point he stood alone behind the counsel table while his lawyers attended to other tasks nearby.
May 03, 10:42 AM Trump appears pleased with cross-examination
Trump appeared please during his lawyer's cross-examination of custodial witness Douglas Daus, in which Daus acknowledged there were gaps in the handling of the data on Michael Cohen's iPhone that could create a risk of tampering. Trump nodded at his attorney Emil Bove and conversed with him when Bove sat down.
On prosecutors' re-direct examination of Daus, Christopher Conroy asked Daus if the issues raised by Bove would materially impact the integrity of Cohen's device.
Daus replied that they would not.
May 03, 10:32 AM Defense asks again about integrity of Cohen's phone data
Douglas Daus told defense attorney Emil Bove that the recording on Michael Cohen's phone of of a 2016 conversation with Donald Trump lacks any metadata to suggest it was ever modified. Bove asked Judge Merchan to strike the response from the record, but the judge denied the request.
Bove then continued to ask Daus about about reliability of the evidence extracted from Cohen's phones.
At one point, Bove suggested that jurors would have to take "Michael Cohen's word for it" regarding the integrity of the evidence after Daus was unable to answer a series of questions with confidence. Daus' said his role was limited to extracting the data from phone, so he couldn't answer questions about the context of the investigation.
Bove suggested for a second time that, in order to fully trust the integrity of the phone, "We would have to take Michael Cohen's word for it."
"It would seem so," Daus said.
Bove subsequently ended his cross-examination of Daus.
May 03, 10:19 AM Defense questions recording of Trump-Cohen conversation
Defense attorney Emil Bove Bove continued his attempts from yesterday to cast doubt on the integrity of the secret recording that Michael Cohen made of a conversation with Donald Trump on September 6, 2016, in which the two appeared to discusses the hush money payment to Karen McDougal.
Bove highlighted that Cohen conducted a factory reset of his phone on October 15, 2016.
"That sequencing ... raises some questions about that file right?" Bove asked.
"You have to then look at where that file came from," Daus responded.
"It raises some questions that require further analysis?" Bove asked.
"That is fair," Daus said.
It's unclear if the factory reset materially impacted the recording in any way since Cohen had backed up his device, Daus said.
Bove also repeated a line of questions from yesterday about the abrupt end to the recording of the Cohen-Trump conversation.
"You don't know how long the conservation continued?" Bove asked.
"No I don't," Daus said.
Yesterday, Daus suggested that Cohen's phone received a call that may have prompted the recording to end, but Bove suggested today that the extraction lacked any metadata to suggest an incoming call was received.
May 03, 10:06 AM Defense questions chain of custody for Cohen's phone
Defense attorney Emil Bove has resumed his cross-examination of custodial witness Doug Daus, who conducted the extraction of Michael Cohen's two iPhones for the Manhattan's DA's office.
Bove appears to be continuing a line of questioning to raise suspicions about the chain of custody related to the phones.
He asked Daus about a four-day gap between the Manhattan DA receiving the phone and delivering it to the unit that processes the phone's contents. Bove also asked about only one witness signing the receipt form for the phone.
Bove also asked Daus about a "self-destruct timer" that Cohen used for one of his encrypted messaging apps. Daus confirmed that Cohen used the setting for some chats on one his three encrypted messaging applications.
May 03, 9:58 AM Merchan reiterates jury won't be shown 'Access Hollywood' tape
Before the jury was led into the courtroom, Judge Merchan addressed whether an image of Donald Trump and Billy Bush that appeared in a Washington Post article about the Access Hollywood tape should be allowed into evidence.
The judge reiterated his ruling not to have the Access Hollywood tape played for the jury, though he repeated his earlier determination that prosecutors could show jurors a transcript of the remarks, which included Trump boasting about grabbing women.
"I don't want those words to be associated with Mr. Trump's face or voice," Merchan said.
May 03, 9:41 AM Judge tells Trump he has 'absolute right to testify'
Judge Juan Merchan began the day's proceedings by clearing up a "misunderstanding" about the case's limited gag order's impact on Trump's ability to testify.
It comes after Trump, speaking after court yesterday, told reporters, "I'm not allowed to testify because this judge who's totally conflicted has put me under an unconstitutional gag order," referring to the limited gag order that keeps him from directing prohibited comments at witnesses, jury members, and attorneys in the case.
"You have an absolute right to testify at trial," Merchan told Trump from the bench. "That is a constitutional right that cannot be denied ... it is a fundamental right that cannot be infringed upon."
"The order on extrajudicial statements does not prevent you from testifying in any way, it does not prohibit you from taking the stand and it does not prohibit or minimize what you could say from the witness stand," Merchan said.
Merchan told Trump and his lawyers that the order only prohibits extrajudicial statements -- not statements made during the actual proceeding.
"It does not apply to statements made from the witness stand," Merchan said, directing Trump to speak to his lawyers if he has any further questions.
May 03, 9:28 AM Trump enters courtroom
Donald Trump has entered the courtroom for the day's proceedings.
The former president was accompanied by his usual entourage of lawyers, Secret Service agents and campaign staffers.
May 03, 7:40 AM Custodial witness set to return to the stand
A custodial witness who testified yesterday about the contents of former Trump attorney Michael Cohen's phone is scheduled to return to the witness stand this morning on Day 11 of the trial.
Douglas Daus, who handles the processing of electronic devices for the Manhattan district attorney's office, told jurors what he found when he extracted the contents of Cohen's two iPhones -- including a September 2016 recording of Donald Trump discussing the arranged purchase of Karen McDougal's story that was made public in 2018.
Daus also testified that Cohen had nearly 40,000 contacts on one of this phones, including 10 pages of contact information s for Trump alone.
May 02, 4:55 PM Trump signals he might not testify after all
Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, former President Trump signaled that he might not be taking the stand in the trial, despite having previously indicated he would.
"I'm not allowed to testify because this judge who's totally conflicted has put me under an unconstitutional gag order. Nobody's ever had that before," Trump said, despite the limited gag order only keeping him from directing prohibited comments at witnesses, jury members, and attorneys in the case.
Trump also did not say who was not allowing him to testify. The gag order does not prohibit Trump from testifying.
-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh and Mike Pappano
May 02, 4:33 PM Expert can't fully say why Trump-Cohen recording cuts off
In his cross-examination of expert witness Douglas Daus, defense attorney Emil Bove asked Daus why the 2016 Trump-Cohen recording on Cohen's phone abruptly cuts off, attempting to raise doubts about the integrity of the recording.
Daus suggested that he heard in the recording that another call was coming in, but Daus said he could not say with certainty why the recording ended.
"You don't have firsthand knowledge of why it cuts off?" Bove said.
Bove -- a former prosecutor with plenty of experience handling cellphone extractions -- then discussed with Daus the different ways to extract a device. For a brief moment, the tone of the cross-examination shifted from tense to friendly.
Judge Merchan subsequently ended the proceedings for the day, dismissing the parties.
The proceedings are scheduled to resume tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. ET.
May 02, 4:14 PM In 2016 recording, Cohen tells Trump of 'transfer' of 'info'
Expert witness Douglas Daus testified about a recording on Michael Cohen's phone from Sept. 6, 2016, at 10:56 a.m.
The recording, approximately two minutes long, captures a conversation between Cohen and Trump.
"I need to open up a company for the transfer for all of that info regarding our friend David," Cohen says on the call. "I am all over that, and I spoke to Allen about it when it comes time for the financing," Cohen says.
"What financing?" Trump asks.
"We'll have to pay him something," Cohen said.
The prosecution then concluded its direct examination of Daus.
On cross-examination, defense attorney Emil Bove sought to raise doubts about the integrity of the material on Cohen's phone, suggesting it had been "subject to the risk of manipulation" somewhere in the chain of custody.
May 02, 4:01 PM Expert says Cohen had 40K phone contacts, 10 pages for Trump
Expert witness Douglas Daus walked jurors through what he found on Cohen's phones after he extracted the data -- including an astounding 39,745 contacts.
Most phones have a few hundred contacts, Daus said.
On one of Cohen's phones, he had 10 pages of contacts for Donald Trump alone, according to Daus.
On Cohen's second phone, he had 385 contacts, which is average, according to Daus.
Daus then displayed for the jury text messages between Cohen and former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks.
"Call me," Cohen texted Hicks on November 4, 2016.
Jurors then saw a photo of Cohen in the White House briefing room which was contained on his phone. Cohen is standing behind the podium in the photo.
Jurors also saw a calendar entry on Cohen's phone called "Meeting with POTUS" on February 8, 2017.
Daus identified that Cohen's phone contained three encrypted messaging apps: WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal.
Less than an hour after jurors listened to some of Cohen's recordings of his phone calls with Keith Davidson, Daus showed the jurors the location of some of those recordings on Cohen's phone.
May 02, 3:40 PM DA calls expert who extracted Cohen's cellphone data
Prosecutors have called their next witness: Douglas Daus, who works for the lab that processes devices for the Manhattan district attorney's office.
Daus works as an analyst in the unit of the Manhattan DA's office that handles intake and processing of electronic devices, such as a cell phone seized pursuant to a search warrant. Daus said the unit creates "extractions" of the devices, which are copies of the devices called a Cellebrite or GreyKey report.
The extraction contain "anything that is normally on a phone," according to Daus, including text messages, contacts, call history, and software.
The extraction also includes metadata, which provides a deeper record of when, where, and how a device was used.
For the Trump case, Daus conducted an analysis of two of Michael Cohen's phones -- an iPhone 6S and iPhone 7.
Daus said Cohen consented to the analysis of the devices.
May 02, 3:34 PM On call, Cohen said Trump 'hated' that they did Daniels agreement
During defense attorney Emil Bove's re-cross examination of Stormy Daniels' former attorney Keith Davidson, jurors heard Michael Cohen on a recorded 2018 phone call telling Davidson, "And I can't even tell you how many times he said to me, 'I hate the fact that we did it.' And my comment to him was, 'But every person that you've spoken to told you it was the right move.'"
Davidson said that Cohen was referring to Trump and Stormy Daniels' nondisclosure agreement.
Trump, in the courtroom, leaned forward in his chair as he read the transcript of the recordings displayed on the screen on counsel table.
Bove concluded his re-cross by getting Davidson to say again that he never met Donald Trump.
May 02, 3:23 PM Jurors hear portion of 2018 call between Davidson, Cohen
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass led off the re-direct examination of Stormy Daniels' former attorney Keith Davidson by asking Davidson about the recorded phone call with Cohen in April 2018.
At the time, attorney Michael Avenatti had taken over as Daniels' lawyer and was suing Davidson, he said.
Steinglass sought to get Davidson to add context to incendiary-sounding remarks during his phone call with Cohen.
"You were not telling Michael Cohen that Stormy Daniels was talking about the election and how she's going to lose her leverage after the election?" Steinglass asked.
"Correct," Davidson said.
Jurors then heard a portion of a recorded call.
"What would you do if you were me," Cohen said on the call.
"I can't even imagine," Davidson replied.
"Would you write a book? Would you break away from the entire Trump ... doctrine, you know? Would you go completely rouge? Would you join with (Steve) Bannon? Any thoughts? Because it's not just me that's being affected -- it's my entire family. Nobody is thinking about Michael," Cohen said.
Steinglass then completed his redirect.
May 02, 3:11 PM Trump stares at Alvin Bragg as DA enters courtroom
Defense attorney Emil Bove moved on to question Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson about the nondisclosure agreement Daniels had signed as part of hush money arrangement.
On the signature page, Bove pointed out how there are the initials "esq" next to Michael Cohen's signature.
"Because he's signing this agreement as a lawyer?" he asked Davidson, who agreed -- appearing to support why Trump reimbursed Cohen and marked it as a legal expense.
Bove then wrapped up his cross-examination, leading to a short break in the proceedings.
Trump remained in the courtroom, standing and speaking with his attorney Susan Necheles and legal adviser Boris Epshteyn.
When Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg entered the courtroom, Trump stared right at him and his eyes appeared to follow Bragg as the DA moved toward his seat.
Although mere feet from one another, Bragg did not appear to look at Trump.
May 02, 2:57 PM Defense suggests Cohen never said Trump OK'd hush payment
"You used the word leverage," defense attorney Emil Bove said of the March 2018 recorded phone conversation between Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson and Michael Cohen. "And that was Ms. Daniels' goal was it not? To create leverage over President Trump?"
"No," Davidson responded.
Davidson pushed back against the timing of the call suggested by Bove.
"I think you are grossly mistaken about the dates. This is years after the settlement," Davidson said.
Jurors heard the substance of the audio recording in bits and pieces as Bove read from the transcript.
“It’s the truth, Michael. You know that -- that you and I both want the truth out there,” Bove read from transcript of Davidson's remarks.
According to Bove, Davidson said at the time that Cohen getting authorization from Trump for the Daniels payment was “never discussed.”
As the lawyers and the judge in the case listened to the recording on headphones, Trump stared forward as he sat at the defense table. His eyes appear shut at times and he adjusted himself in his seat.
Defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles attempted to communicate across Trump on several occasions.
May 02, 2:44 PM Defense seeks to admit phone call recording
Stormy Daniels' former attorney Keith Davidson testified that he continued to work with Trump's then-attorney Michael Cohen after the 2016 election.
"He sent me work," Davidson said, before clarifying.
"He sent me a non-paying client," Davidson said, prompting at least two jurors to laugh.
"Our relationship changed over time," Davidson said of Cohen.
Davidson testified that he believed Cohen was secretly recording him in 2018.
"It was a very structured conservation, which wasn't really his [style]," Davidson said, recounting that Cohen is normally "all over the place."
"That led me to believe I was being recorded," Davidson said.
The defense was attempting to introduced a recorded phone call between Cohen and Davidson in which Davidson said, "Sometimes people get settler's remorse" in connection with the Stormy Daniels hush payment
Bove, Davidson, and Judge Merchan put on headphones to listen to the evidence before it was admitted.
"You were talking about Stormy Daniels with Michael Cohen in March 2018?" Bove asked.
"It certainly appears to be, yes," Davidson responded.
May 02, 2:35 PM Defense resumes cross-examination of Davidson
Defense attorney Emil Bove resumed his cross-examination of Stormy Daniels' and Karen McDougal's former attorney Keith Davidson by asking Davidson about the 2011 blog post in TheDirty.com that alleged an affair between Trump and Daniels.
Davidson testified that his effort to kill the 2011 blog post helped Stormy Daniels make the story more marketable to another publication.
"They were using my efforts to create an exclusive opportunity with another publication," Davidson said.
"They were using you to make more money, right?" Bove asked about the efforts by Daniels and her representative Gina Rodriguez.
"Yes," Davidson said.
Bove's questioning was briefly interrupted when a binder fell off a table in the courtroom.
"That drop was catastrophic to my client," Bove joked, prompting some light laughter from the galler
May 02, 2:28 PM Judge declines to approve articles for Trump to post
Court has resumed following the lunch break. But before jurors were escorted back into the courtroom, Trump attorney Susan Necheles handed Judge Merchan a series of articles by "legal scholars" like Jonathan Turley that she said are "very critical of this case."
"These articles are all articles which President Trump would like to post on his Truth," Necheles said, referring to Trump's social media platform.
"We think they are perfectly fine, but we think there is ambiguity in the gag order," Necheles said, asking the judge to "take a look at them" before Trump posts them.
Judge Merchan did not seem inclined to take up the matter, saying, "There is no ambiguity in the order."
"I am not going to give an advanced ruling on this," Merchan said. "When in doubt, steer clear."
May 02, 1:16 PM Davidson was to earn 45% of McDougal's hush payment
Defense attorney Emil Bove asked Stormy Daniels' and Karen McDougal's former attorney Keith Davidson about his 2016 effort to negotiate a payment on behalf of McDougal, who was ultimately paid $150,000 by the National Enquirer so the publication could "catch and kill" her story.
Davidson was set to earn 45% of the payment based on the retainer agreement he signed with McDougal, according to testimony.
Bove suggested that the National Enquirer was struggling to verify McDougal's allegations, which threatened to derail the negotiations.
“I am drafting a declination of representation letter to send off,” Davidson texted Enquirer editor Dylan Howard in 2016, according to evidence.
Davidson testified he could not recall threatening to end the negotiations.
The judge subsequently recessed the proceedings for lunch, with Davidson's cross-examination set to resume after the break.
May 02, 12:53 PM Davidson was investigated for Hogan extortion but not charged
Under cross-examination, Stormy Daniels' former attorney Keith Davidson testified that he attempted to negotiate a monetary offer from Hulk Hogan related to the release of an alleged sex tape.
"There was a monetary demand made," Davidson said while declining to provide specifics.
Davidson denied that he leaked any information about the alleged tape to the National Enquirer though Dylan Howard.
Davidson appeared to admit that he was investigated for extortion related to Hulk Hogan by the Tampa Police Department.
"They conducted an investigation, yes," Davidson said.
"An investigation related to extortion?" Bove asked.
"I believe so," Davidson said.
"You were not ultimately charged, right"" Bove asked.
"True," Davidson said.
When asked if he learned about extortion law from the experience, Davidson mumbled, "Perhaps, I don't know."
May 02, 12:47 PM Defense's questioning of Davidson turns heated
Trump attorney Emil Bove's cross-examination of Stormy Daniels' former attorney Davidson turned heated as Bove asked Davidson about some of his previous cases.
Bove asked about his alleged involvement in a TMZ story related to Lindsey Lohan's treatment at a rehab facility.
"I don't recall that," Davidson.
Bove then asked Davidson about his clients related to Charlie Sheen.
"We asserted that there was tortious activity," Davidson said, adding there was some kind of settlement.
Bove then attempted to ask Davidson about the specifics of the settlement related to Sheen.
"I'm not going to answer that question," Davidson said. "I don't recall."
"Is it fair to say your memory seems a bit fuzzy?" Bove said.
Davidson appeared to be refusing to answer some questions while invoking attorney-client confidentiality.
"We're both lawyers here -- I'm not trying to play lawyer games with you," Bove said, telling Davidson he was just demanding truthful answers.
"You are getting truthful answers, sir," Davidson said bluntly.
Defense attorney Emil Bove appeared to suggest that Keith Davidson, as Stormy Daniels' attorney, was committing extortion when he negotiated the Daniels payment. Bove asked whether the statute of limitations has run out for any extortion offenses.
"What does the word extortion mean to you?" Bove asked.
"Extortion is the attaining property by fear or threat of force," Davidson said.
"By 2016, you were pretty well versed in getting right up to the line without committing extortion?" Bove asked.
"I don't understand your question," Davidson said.
Bove asked Davidson about a 2012 state and federal extortion investigation related to Hulk Hogan.
"I familiarized myself with the law," Davidson said of the 2012 investigation "I did everything I could to make sure my activities were lawful."
Bove attempted to suggest that based on that past experience, Davidson intentionally avoided making overt threats related to the 2016 election when negotiating the Daniels payment.
"I made no threats to anyone," Davidson responded.
May 02, 12:19 PM Davidson says he provided legal services without retainer
Under cross-examination, Keith Davidson agreed that he provided legal services to Stormy Daniels in 2011 when he sent a cease-and- desist letter to TheDirty.com when the website published allegations of an affair between Daniels and Trump.
"You were acting as Ms. Daniels' attorney?" Trump lawyer Emil Bove asked.
"Yes," Davidson responded, while noting there was no formal retainer agreement.
The defense has suggested Trump properly characterized his reimbursement to Michael Cohen, which sits at the heart of the case, as a legal expense because it was a payment to a lawyer.
Prosecutors have repeatedly said there was no retainer agreement between Trump and Cohen.
May 02, 12:06 PM Defense begins cross-examination of Stormy Daniels' attorney
After a short morning break, court is now back in session with the cross-examination of for Stormy Daniels attorney Keith Davidson.
Defense attorney Emil Bove is questioning Davidson on behalf of Donald Trump, who is back at the defense table.
Trump leaned back in his chair, twisting to the right, to watch his lawyer take his turn.
Bove began by asking Davidson about whether he had ever interacted with Trump, suggesting in his questions that Davidson's impression of Trump came from television or what he learned from Michael Cohen.
"I have had no personal interactions with Donald Trump," Davidson said.
Referring to National Enquirer publisher David Pecker's testimony last week that Davidson was one of the publication's major sources though his relationship with editor Dylan Howard, Bove asked Davidson, "Would it surprise you to learn that Mr. Howard considered you to be a major source of information?"
"Yes," Davidson said.
May 02, 11:46 AM With no 'relationship,' denial was 'effectively true,' lawyer says
Stormy Daniels' former attorney Keith Davidson read to the jury her denial statement from Jan. 30, 2018.
"I am denying this affair because it never happened," the statement read.
"I think it's effectively true," Davidson testified, arguing that a "relationship is an ongoing interaction."
At one point, Davidson drafted a statement affirming that Michael Cohen was the source of the Daniels’ hush money payment. Cohen had texted Cohen Chis Cuomo’s email address.
“He is a news broadcaster, then with CNN,” Davidson testified regarding Cuomo.
“Perfect, send to Cuomo,” Cohen texted Davidson about the statement.
“I think he was under some fire and wanted validation or cooperation” that he was the source of the money, Davidson said.
Davidson testified that while he believed Trump would ultimately be the source of the payment, Cohen had made the payment out of his own pocket in October 2016.
Prosecutors subsequently ended their direct examination of Davidson.
May 02, 11:34 AM Davidson details more Stormy Daniels denials
Jurors were shown more 2018 text messages between Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson and Michael Cohen, including one in which Cohen said, about Stormy Daniels. "I have her tentatively scheduled for Hannity tonight" so she could issue additional denials about her alleged relationship with Trump.
"Did your client actually appear on Hannity that night?" Steinglass asked Davidson.
"No," Davidson said, calling this Cohen's attempt to book Daniels on Hannity as part of one of his "pants-on-fire stages."
"He believed she would further deny the interaction," Davidson said about Cohen's effort to book Daniels' on Hannity.
By January 17, Cohen appeared to change his tone about booking Daniels on television.
"The wise men all believe the story is dying," Cohen texted Davidson.
"Why is she going on Kimmel after the Sotu," Cohen texted Davidson on January 26, 2018, referring to the State of the Union Address.
"Idk I was pissed. She said this is her shot. Meeting her this weekend to prep her and get the statement," Davidson texted back.
"She wanted to talk about her life and reinvigorate her career," Davidson testified about the the Jimmy Kimmel appearance.
May 02, 11:21 AM Davidson testifies about denials to Wall Street Journal
Sometime in mid-December 2016, after the election, Keith Davidson and Michael Cohen spoke by phone, and Cohen unloaded on Trump.
In Davidson's recollection, Cohen told him, "Jesus Christ, can you f----- believe I'm not going to Washington? After everything I've done for that f----- guy. I can't believe I'm not going to Washington. I've saved that guy's ass so many times you don't even know."
"That guy's not even paid me the 130,000 back," Davidson said Cohen told him.
Davidson was then asked about his actions in January 2018 when the Wall Street Journal reached out for comment about the Stormy Daniels contract.
"They wanted a comment on any interaction regarding Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump," Davidson said.
"Nothing about the present day regurgitation of these rumors causes us to rethink our prior denial issued in 2011," Davidson wrote in response to the request for comment in 2018. Davidson had sent a cease-and-desist letter in 2011 when the affair was mentioned on a blog.
Davidson said he forwarded the comment to Michael Cohen given their aligned interest at the time.
Jurors were shown the January 10, 2018 denial issued by Stormy Daniels, which Davidson said he wrote.
"An extremely strict reading of this denial would technically be true," Davidson testified. "I don't think anyone ever alleged that any interaction between she and Mr. Trump was romantic."
"OK," Steinglass responded, prompting some laughs from the gallery.
"It wasn't a payoff and it wasn't hush money -- it was consideration in a civil settlement," Davidson said.
May 02, 11:09 AM 'What have we done?' Stormy Daniels' lawyer texted on election night
On election night, as results were coming in that were favorable to Trump, Stormy Daniels' attorney Keith Davidson texted National Editor Dylan Howard, "What have we done?" according to texts shown the jury.
"This was sort of gallows humor. It was on election night as the results were coming," Davidson testified.
Asked to explain his text message, Davidson responded, "There was an understanding that our activities may have in some way assisted the presidential campaign of Donald Trump."
"Oh my god," Howard responded to the text on election night.
May 02, 10:56 AM Jurors shown final contract for Stormy Daniels agreement
Jurors were shown the final Stormy Daniels contract, which prohibited her from making public statements about her alleged affair with Trump.
"That's essentially part of the nondisclosure aspect of the agreement," her then-attorney, Keith Davidson, told jurors after reading aloud from the contract.
The contract stated that Daniel's would owe $1 million for each breach of contract, though Davidson said that portion of the contract was likely unenforceable.
Davidson testified that Michael Cohen requested the $1 million penalty be added to the contract.
Jurors were shown signed copies of the agreement, which was signed by Daniels, Cohen, and Davidson.
The signature line for "David Dennison" -- the pseudonym used for Donald Trump -- was never signed by Trump. In one version of the contract, Cohen signed for "Dennison."
Davidson testified that he made $10,000 for negotiating the contract.
May 02, 10:46 AM Lawyer resumes testimony on Stormy Daniels hush payment
Following the contempt hearing, Keith Davidson, the former lawyer for Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, has returned to the stand to resume his testimony.
When Davidson stepped off the witness stand on Tuesday, he testified about the difficulty in getting the $130,000 payment from then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen for Stormy Daniel's hush money agreement.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass resumed the direct examination by asking Davidson about a phone call between himself, Michael Cohen, and National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard about the payment.
"That conversation took place because there was difficulty in communications with Michael Cohen and I had lost trust in what he was telling me, and Dylan came in as a mediator," Davidson said. "I believed he was not telling me the truth ... about the delays in funding."
Jurors then looked at an email from Cohen where he flagged to Davidson that the wire would be coming from an account for Essential Consultants LLC.
On Tuesday, jurors heard from a banker who described Cohen's rushed effort to create a bank account for Essential Consultants LLC, which prosecutors say was a shell company created for the Daniels payment.
Emails and texts involving Cohen, Davidson and Howard, displayed to the jury, indicate the hush payment was finalized with the wire transfer of $130,000 on October 27, 2016 -- 12 days before the 2016 election.
May 02, 10:31 AM Contempt hearing ends without immediate ruling
After Judge Merchan asked defense attorney Todd Blanche to explain Trump's remarks about the jury, Blanche argued that Trump's remarks referenced the political nature of the trial.
"We very much believe that this is a political persecution and that this is a political trial," Blanche argued.
"I'm not accepting your argument," the judge said. "He spoke about the jury. And he said the jury was 95% Democrats and the jury had been rushed through, and the implication being this is not a fair jury."
The judge concluded the contempt hearing without issuing a ruling on whether Trump's four recent statements violated the case's limited gag order.
Testimony in the trial was then set to resume.
May 02, 10:24 AM Defense says Trump was responding to Cohen's remarks
Judge Merchan told Trump attorney Todd Blanche that he is "not terribly concerned" about Trump's remarks about David Pecker being a "nice guy."
"I am not terribly concerned about that one," Merchan said during the hearing on whether Trump should again he held in contempt for allegedly violating the case's limited gag order.
Blanche then turned to Trump's remarks about witness Michael Cohen, displaying exhibits that included screenshots of four posts on Cohen's X account.
"There is repeated attacks on President Trump's candidacy for president by Michael Cohen," Blanche said about Cohen's posts on X and remarks on TikTok as well as on his podcast.
"You made your point," Merchan responded after Blanche spent a few minutes highlighting Cohen's public comments.
"Mr. Cohen has started going on TikTok nightly, literally making money," Blanche added. "He actively encourages folks to give him money."
May 02, 10:14 AM Trump glares at his attorney after he agrees with judge
At one point in the ongoing contempt hearing, Trump appeared to show frustration with his own attorney during arguments regarding Trump's remarks to the press.
When Judge Merchan said that "nobody is forcing" Trump to make remarks in the hallways, Trump attorney Todd Blanche surprisingly responded, "I agree."
At that moment, Trump shot around and glared at his own lawyer in disbelief, his mouth hanging open. He then turned back around to face forward, repeatedly shaking his head no.
"What is happening in this trial is no surprise to anyone," Merchan said of the media attention. "It is not surprising that we have press here."
May 02, 10:04 AM Defense argues Trump's comments were 'completely neutral
Defense attorney Todd Blanche argued against accusations that Trump again violated the case' limited gag order, saying that Trump was attempting to respond to political attacks.
Appearing to cite President Joe Biden's remarks at the White House Correspondents' Dinner this weekend, Blanche said, "He mocked President Trump. He said, 'Donald had had a few tough days recently -- you might call it stormy weather," Blanche said, arguing Trump should be able to respond to that remark but can't because of the gag order.
Merchan pushed back on that argument, telling Blanche that Trump is allowed to respond to remarks by Biden.
"Trump can't respond to that in a way that he wants to because of this order," Blanche argued.
Blanche also argued that Trump's remarks about David Pecker were "completely neutral" comments about Trump's longtime friend.
"He is talking ... about a man he had known for decades, who he was friends with for decades. There is no threat in what President Trump said," Blanche said.
Blanche also attempted to put some blame on the press for asking Trump questions prompting his remarks. "He can't just say 'no comment' repeatedly, he's running for president," he said.
Merchan told Blanche that Trump's remarks about Pecker impacts other witnesses, because it signals that Trump could make remarks about other particpants.
May 02, 9:53 AM Prosecutors ask judge to again fine Trump for contempt
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy argued that Trump's remarks about witness Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney -- including Trump's statements in the courtroom hallway after opening statements last week -- were made to "affect and disrupt" the proceedings at its "most critical time."
"His statements are corrosive to this proceeding and to the fair administration of justice," Conroy said.
"We are not yet seeking jail," Conroy said about the four alleged violations, citing the desire to prevent disruptions to the proceedings.
He asked Merchan to fine Trump the maximum of $1,000 for violation, totaling $4,000, following the identical fines earlier this week for nine previous violations.
Defense lawyer Todd Blanche argued that the alleged violations were not willful violations of the court's limited gag order.
Blanche said Trump's commentary reflects his defense to "political attacks" -- and as a candidate for president, he is entitled to respond to "multiple and repeated attacks."
"Part of the campaign takes place outside of this courtroom," Blanche said.
May 02, 9:45 AM Prosecutor calls Trump's remarks 'deliberate and calculated'
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy told Judge Merchan during the contempt hearing that the limited gag order exists because of Trump's "persistent and escalating rhetoric" regarding trial participants, adding that Trump had violated the gag order nine times already.
"He has done it again here," Conroy said.
"That is what the order forbids, and he did it anyway," Conroy said about Trump's remarks about the composition of the jury.
Conroy then turned his attention to Trump's remarks about witness and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker last Thursday at a construction site in midtown Manhattan, in which he said, "He's been very nice. I mean, he's been -- David's been very nice. A nice guy."
"It was deliberate and calculated," Conroy said, describing the remarks as a "deliberate shots across the bow" to participants in the case.
"The defendant thinks the rules should be different for him," Conroy says about Trump's remarks about witnesses like Michael Cohen and David Pecker.
Trump has defended some of his commentary about the trial as a recitation of what he sees in media coverage. But Conroy said that Trump's rhetoric carries an "air of menace that is substantially different" than a news report.
"He places this process and proceeding here in jeopardy," Conroy said.
May 02, 9:36 AM Contempt hearing underway
Judge Juan Merchan has begun this morning's contempt hearing in which he will determine whether to hold Trump in contempt and fine him for making four additional out-of-court statements about the jury and known witnesses in the trial, after the judge on Tuesday cited and fined him for nine such violations.
Prosecutor Christopher Conroy, speaking for the Manhattan district attorney's office during the contempt proceeding, said he does not plan to play the videos of the alleged violations.
May 02, 9:23 AM Trump arrives in courtroom
Former President Donald Trump has arrived in the courtroom for today's proceedings.
Proceedings get underway today with a second contempt hearing on Trump's alleged violation of the case' limited gag order, before testimony in the trial resumes.
May 02, 7:36 AM Day will begin with second contempt hearing
Two days after Judge Juan Merchan held former President Trump in criminal contempt for nine violations of the limited gag order that prohibits statements about witnesses and others involved in the case, the judge will hold a hearing this morning to determine whether to hold Trump in contempt again and fine him $4,000 for making four additional out-of-court statements about the jury and known witnesses in the trial.
Judge Merchan on Tuesday fined the former president $1,000 for each of the nine violations -- the maximum allowable fine under state law -- and threatened that future violations could result in jail time.
Testimony in the trial is scheduled to resume following the conclusion of this morning's hearing.
(NEW YORK) -- Spring may be short-lived in the South, with the first major heat wave of 2024 expected to scorch Southern states from Texas to Florida next week.
After a weather year filled with deep freezes, atmospheric rivers and destructive tornadoes across parts of the U.S., weather forecasts for the upcoming season call for blistering heat waves that could impact Americans across the country.
The long-range weather outlook for May 7 through May 11 shows cities from Houston to Tampa to Atlanta will experience much warmer temperatures than normal.
Numerous daily high-temperature records could be broken by the middle and end of next week across the South and Southeast, with highs in the 90s.
Marking the first spike in temperatures across the Southern region, the National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting heat-risk levels depending on location that range from Level 2, or 'moderate,' to Level 4, or 'extreme,' the highest level.
Southern Texas is expected to feel the most severe heat threat next week, where the NWS forecasts Level 4 extreme heat to begin on Tuesday and extend through the end of the week.
The NWS notes, "This level of rare extreme heat with little to no overnight relief affects anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration," adding that impacts may be felt in "most health systems, heat-sensitive industries and infrastructure."
By Wednesday of next week, Level 2 moderate heat will blanket states from Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and southern Georgia and extend up into the Carolinas and parts of Virginia.
Moderate heat levels "affect most individuals sensitive to heat, especially those without effective cooling systems and/or adequate hydration," according to the NWS, which notes that impacts also are "possible in some health systems and in heat-sensitive industries."
Extreme heat may be an increasingly dangerous reality this summer, following 2023 being the hottest year in recorded history, according to last year report from Copernicus, Europe’s climate change service.
Last summer brought unprecedented spans of triple-digit temperatures throughout the Southern U.S., with El Paso, Texas, experiencing a record stretch of 44 consecutive days of temperatures at or over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in June and July.
Phoenix, Arizona, saw a record-shattering stretch of 31 days at 110 degrees or greater, surpassing the previous record of 18 consecutive days.
California's Death Valley National Park last year saw 17 consecutive days of temperatures over 120 degrees, from July 14 to July 30, according to the National Park Service.
Worldwide, the planet reached its highest average global temperature ever recorded for four days in a row in July.
ABC News' Julia Jacobo and Melissa Griffin contributed to this report.
A stolen car is recovered in Portland. -- Portland Police Bureau
(PORTLAND, Ore.) -- Police in Portland, Oregon, are arresting more suspected car thieves and reducing the number of vehicles stolen, thanks to a partnership with cancer researchers.
Officer Michael Terrett said he came up with the idea of a more strategic approach to battling car thefts after the city saw a steep rise in stolen cars in 2019.
Terrett said they once found a stolen vehicle among every 31 pulled over. While Terrett calls that "a level of success," he said he knew they could do more. "I connected with my lieutenant and said, 'I believe there's an opportunity to get better here, if we take a more data-driven, data mining, evidence-based practice approach,'" Terrett told ABC News.
Dr. Jeffrey Tyner, a professor at the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University, told ABC News Terrett approached him at a social gathering about helping improve the city's stolen vehicle problem.
Tyner said they realized his experience in data science could be useful.
"He told me about his concept that he wanted to bring a data-driven approach to identifying stolen vehicles," Tyner said. "I actually thought it was a natural fit because we use data. They were interested in using data - obviously for very different purposes. But data is data."
Terrett said the Portland Police Bureau does a good job of recovering stolen vehicles after they've been abandoned. But the goal now is to find them before that point.
So, the two brought their teams together for the first time in 2022.
Using data gathered by various officers, Terrett developed a list of stolen vehicle characteristics, ranging from a missing license plate or altered trip permit, to self-tinted windows.
Tyner's team helps the bureau analyze the data. That information is used to develop probabilities that certain cars are stolen, resulting in more targeted traffic stops. Using the new strategy resulted in a much higher number of arrests. One out of every four vehicles pulled over turned out to be stolen, instead of the previous one in 31, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Terrett said stolen vehicles are frequently used to commit other crimes, so pulling over stolen vehicles often leads to reducing other crimes.
"If we can apprehend that vehicle with that person in the car, we are likely - as our statistics have shown - going to take a gun off the street," Terrett said. "There is likely a person in that vehicle with an active arrest warrant that we can take into custody. And who knows what we have just stopped from occurring in the community."
Since Terrett and Tyner's teams started working together, officers reported finding an illegal gun in every 26 cars, compared to the previous one in 144. And, fewer vehicles are getting taken. Over the last 15 months, the number of vehicles reported stolen is down by 50%, police said.
Previous attempts to address the stolen vehicle problem were met with accusations of racial profiling. Terrett, however, said he knew, "If we analyzed, at a data level, elements that we're seeing on stolen vehicles, we could see patterns. And we can use the data to cut through bias and to understand exactly what a stolen car looks like, whereby we can increase our probability of success."
He wanted to find someone local who could help analyze information gathered on traffic stops and increase law enforcement efficiency. He said the list of characteristics, which he calls "enrichment factors," is constantly changing,
"There was a time period when, if we heard a car with a catalytic converter cut off, which is loud, that was our number one enrichment factor at the time, that the vehicle was stolen," he said.
However, he said new laws significantly reduced the number of catalytic converter thefts, so the data had to evolve. Tyner wasn't surprised.
"Here, we have collected data on patients with Leukemia over the course of years, and we've had to change the way we approach the data. We've had to change the way we think about and analyze the data based on the evolving trends in cancer therapeutics," Tyner said
Tyner's team now meets quarterly with the Portland Police Bureau to assess and adjust their data. He sees a promising future for the project.
"I think the results that the PPB team has been able to deliver have been phenomenal, in terms of their ability to use the data, train their officers and to be much more precise and efficient with how they can identify stolen vehicles," he said. "But also the trends of reduced stolen vehicles that are being seen here in Portland, which is a major contrast to what's being seen nationwide."
Portland Police recently received a three-year $800,000 Smart Policing grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to formalize the partnership with OHSU and continue their work analyzing the data. Police agencies from as far away as Wisconsin are now asking Portland to share its tactics.
(LOS ANGELES) -- A homicide investigation is underway after a pregnant woman was found stabbed to death in her Los Angeles County home, authorities said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies responded to a residence in Palmdale Tuesday night to conduct a welfare check, authorities said.
"When deputies arrived on scene, they forced entry into the victim’s home after they discovered what they believed to be blood in the living room floor," the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.
The victim was found suffering from apparent stab wounds and pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff's department said.
The 27-year-old woman was about six or seven months pregnant, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Gomez confirmed to ABC News. Her name has not been released pending family notification, he said.
Investigators are still following up on leads and no one has been arrested in the case of Thursday afternoon, he said.
Alexis Armstrong, a friend of the mom-to-be, was stunned by the news.
"The world is cruel," Armstrong told ABC Los Angeles station KABC. "I don't understand this."
President Joe Biden speaks alongside Jill Biden during a "Teachers of the Year" State Dinner, an event honoring the 2024 National Teachers of the Year, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 2, 2024. (Photo by DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) -- It was a toast to teaching at the White House Thursday night as more than 50 of the nation's top educators gathered for the first-ever Teachers of the Year State Dinner.
"How can we be the most powerful country in the world without having the best education system in the world?" President Joe Biden -- who made a surprise appearance -- said, drawing applause during the dinner event honoring America's Teacher of the Year. In prior years, the teacher would be awarded a golden apple at a less formal White House ceremony.
Biden spoke to a packed room filled with dozens of educators and their families. Union leaders, lawmakers and cabinet secretaries also attended.
"You all are the reason why we -- we have hope about the future," Biden said during his brief remarks.
National Teacher of the Year for 2024, Missy Testerman, was honored by the president, first lady Jill Biden and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.
Under the National Teacher of the Year program, run by the Council of Chief State School Officers, one teacher is chosen to be the National Teacher of the Year annually from the State Teachers of the Year pool, according to the council's website.
"Teachers are the ultimate facilitators of justice, fairness, equity and democracy," Testerman said in her speech.
"No profession in American history is as pivotal as ours," she continued. "We make democracy possible both by educating the generation in front of us, but we also make all professions -- every single one of them -- possible."
Testerman, a veteran English as a Second Language teacher serving students from all over the world, stood with pride and joy for public education.
"Hearing the experiences of my students and their families reminds me daily what a privilege it is to be an American and what a privilege it is to attend a public school in this country," Testerman said.
The Tennessee teacher is part of the 2024 State Teachers of the Year, comprised of 55 educators from Alaska to the American Samoa. After paying tribute to her fellow teachers in the room, Testerman highlighted her greatest joy: her family.
"While most people in Rogersville, Tennessee, know me as Mrs. Testerman from RCS, my greatest title will always be being David’s wife and Andrew and Caroline’s mom," she said.
Before introducing Testerman, career educator and first lady Jill Biden choked up when describing President Biden’s record.
"I always knew that -- now I get emotional -- that Joe would be the best education president," the first lady said.
The education secretary echoed her remarks.
"As a lifelong teacher, I'm proud -- I'm proud and humbled to work for a president and an administration that puts the voices of teachers front and center in education where it belongs," Cardona said.
And when toasting Testerman’s accomplishments, the first lady quoted the Tennessee teacher's students.
"As her students say, she makes everyone feel important, 'She helps us feel more welcome'; 'She makes sure I was taken care of'; 'She makes me smile all the time'; 'She's the best,'" the first lady said.
(HOUSTON) -- The Houston area is facing "life-threatening" flood conditions, officials warned, as severe weather pummels parts of Texas.
A flood watch is in effect Thursday in southeastern Texas and Louisiana. Numerous flash flood warnings are also in effect, as up to 8 inches of rain has already fallen in some parts of southeastern Texas Thursday. Additional rounds of rain are expected to continue through Friday in these areas.
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration as severe weather and flooding threatened the state.
"As flooding conditions and severe weather continue in multiple regions across Texas, I expanded the disaster declaration to add 59 counties to ensure Texans and their communities receive the assistance and support they need to stay safe," the governor said in a statement. "For Texans in at-risk areas, it is important to remain weather-aware, follow the guidance of state and local officials, and avoid traveling in dangerous flood conditions. The State of Texas continues working with emergency management and local officials to deploy any additional resources needed to provide ongoing support and protect our fellow Texans."
Officials in Harris County also issued a disaster declaration Thursday and called for mandatory evacuations for residents living closest to the banks of the East Fork of the San Jacinto River due to ongoing flooding and heavy rainfall north of the area.
"We want you out of this area," Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said during a press briefing on Thursday. "This is a life-threatening situation."
The river is expected to rise to 77 feet above sea level by Friday. The water level will be several feet below where it was during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Hidalgo said. Typically the river is 45 to 50 feet above sea level, she said.
Those unable to leave will likely be trapped in their homes for two to three days, she warned.
"Extreme" river flooding is expected to impact central and east Texas river basins through next week, with "historic" releases by lake and reservoir operators amid the heavy rainfall exacerbating flooding conditions, the governor's office said.
Flooding has caused closures along highways in the region. Abbott's office said state responders aided with "multiple" high-water rescues in central and southeast Texas overnight while urging residents to monitor forecasts and follow guidance from local emergency officials.
Residents are also being impacted by power outages amid the severe weather. More than 20,000 Houston-area customers were without power Thursday evening, according to CenterPoint Energy's outage tracker.
(SANTA CRUZ, Calif.) -- The captain of a scuba dive boat that caught fire off the California coast in 2019, killing 34 people, was sentenced to four years in federal prison on Thursday, the Department of Justice said.
A federal jury found Jerry Boylan, 70, of Santa Barbara, guilty of seaman's manslaughter in November 2023 in connection with the deadly boat fire.
Boylan was the captain of the Conception, a 75-foot boat that caught fire while it was docked at Platt's Harbor near Santa Cruz Island during a scuba diving excursion in the early morning hours on Sept. 2, 2019, while passengers and crew members were sleeping. One crew member and 33 passengers died, while Boylan and four other crew members jumped overboard and survived.
U.S. District Judge George Wu issued the sentence after hearing more than a dozen victim impact statements.
The sentence also included three years of supervised release, according to ABC Los Angeles station KABC. Advertisement
A restitution hearing was scheduled for July 11. Boylan was ordered to surrender on that date or shortly thereafter to begin serving his sentence, KABC reported.
"The defendant's cowardice and repeated failures caused the horrific deaths of 34 people," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement following the sentencing. "The victims' families will be forever devastated by this needless tragedy. While today's sentence cannot fully heal their wounds, we hope that our efforts to hold this defendant criminally accountable brings some measure of healing to the families."
A federal grand jury initially indicted Boylan on 34 counts of misconduct or neglect of ship officer -- commonly known as seaman's manslaughter -- in 2020. He faced a maximum of 340 years in prison if convicted. His attorneys argued that the deaths were the result of a single incident -- not separate crimes -- and he was subsequently charged with only one count, which carried a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Family members of some of the victims urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence during the hearing.
"We're very relieved that this is finally over, but we really felt like our son's life, and those of the others, was certainly worth more than" the 48-month sentence, Kathleen McIlvain, the mother of one of the victims, Charles McIlvain, told reporters outside the courthouse. "Our lives are changed forever. I don't really know how we can go forward, but we'll give it a shot for Charlie."
Federal prosecutors also sought the maximum sentence, arguing in a court document filed last month ahead of sentencing that the seasoned captain set sail with the "full knowledge of the potentially catastrophic consequences of his reckless conduct."
"He knew that his crew was inexperienced and that he had not trained them to fight a fire. He knew that he had never conducted a single fire drill with his crew. He knew that he habitually ignored the most basic tenet of maritime fire safety in failing to maintain a roving patrol at night," prosecutors wrote.
Prosecutors further claimed that Boylan "has never apologized, much less taken any responsibility for the atrocity he caused," and did not attempt any rescue during the fire and instead saved himself.
"He was the first to abandon ship. He instructed his crew to do the same, multiple times. In so doing, he left all 34 victims onboard the Conception to die," prosecutors wrote.
Boylan's attorneys argued for five years of probation, including three years of home incarceration, citing the captain's age, "significant" health issues and the "profound grief, remorse, and emotional despair" he has felt since the accident. They also pushed back at the prosecutors' portrayal of him as "callous and uncaring."
"That insensitive portrayal is based on nothing but a cruel caricature," his attorneys wrote in a court document filed last month ahead of the sentencing. "It in no way reflects the real person who continues to suffer on a daily basis since the day of the horrible Conception accident in which he nearly lost his own life."
His attorneys argued Boylan did not "abandon" the vessel but alerted the Coast Guard, jumped out of the burning wheelhouse "only at the last possible second" and helped rescue the surviving crew in the ocean, among other efforts.
His attorneys also cited a National Transportation Safety Board report that determined that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the Conception's owner and operator, Truth Aquatics, to "provide effective oversight of its vessel and crewmember operations, including requirements to ensure that a roving patrol was maintained, which allowed a fire of unknown cause to grow, undetected, in the vicinity of the aft salon on the main deck."
The cause for the fire could not be identified due to the boat burning and sinking, though it started in the rear of the main back salon where the passengers had plugged in their phones and other devices before going to sleep, the NTSB report said.
The owner of Truth Aquatics, Glen Fritzler, has not commented on the NTSB report or Boylan's case.
In a statement days after the incident, Fritzler said he was "utterly crushed" and "devastated" by the accident.
"Our lives have been irreversibly changed by this tragedy and the sorrow it has caused," he said. "The families and friends of the victims and survivors are now, and forever, in our thoughts and prayers."
(NEW YORK) -- A meat processor has recalled approximately 16,234 pounds of raw ground beef products processed in its Pennsylvania facility that may be contaminated with E. coli.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall Wednesday with Cargill Meat Solutions to alert consumers of six different types of ground beef products that should be thrown out.
According to the agency, the ground beef may have been contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a "bacterial strain that is an important food and a waterborne pathogen that causes diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) in humans," according to StatPearls, an online library published in the National Library of Medicine.
Details of recalled raw ground beef products
The raw ground beef items were produced April 26-27, 2024.
Impacted products include:
2.25-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing "93% LEAN 7% FAT ALL NATURAL LEAN GROUND BEEF" with lot code 117 and establishment number "EST. 86P" printed on the back of the label.
1.33-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing four "PRIME RIB BEEF STEAK BURGERS PATTIES" with lot code 118 and establishment number "EST. 86P" printed on the back of the label.
2.25-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing "85% LEAN 15% FAT ALL NATURAL ANGUS PREMIUM GROUND BEEF" with lot code 117 and establishment number "EST. 86P" printed on the back of the label.
2.25-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing "80% LEAN 20% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF CHUCK" with lot code 118 and establishment number "EST. 86P" printed on the back of the label.
1.33-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing four "80% LEAN 20% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF CHUCK PATTIES" with lot code 118 and establishment number "EST. 86P" printed on the back of the label.
1.33-pound plastic-wrapped trays containing four "90% LEAN 10% FAT ALL NATURAL GROUND BEEF SIRLOIN PATTIES" with lot code 118 and establishment number "EST. 86P" printed on the back of the label.
Each product bears the USDA mark of inspection on the front of the product label.
Cargill Meat Solutions reported the issue to FSIS after it "identified that previously segregated product had been inadvertently utilized in the production of ground beef," according to the agency.
A representative for Cargill Meat Solutions did not immediately respond to request for additional comment.
Recalled raw ground beef sold at Walmart in 9 states
The FSIS said the recalled ground beef products were shipped to Walmart locations nationwide, but according to the retailer's specific store locations there are only nine states listed from Massachusetts to North Carolina where the recalled products were sold.
The retailer issued a recall notice on its website Wednesday that directs to the full USDA details.
What to do if you purchased recalled ground beef from Walmart
Because the FSIS is concerned that some products could be in people's refrigerators or freezers, the agency warned consumers who have purchased these products "not to consume them."
"These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase," the agency recall notice stated.
Consumers with additional questions can reach Cargill via phone at 1-844-419-1574.
Additionally, the FSIS reminded consumers to always safely prepare raw meat products, both fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to an internal temperature of 160 F, checked by a food thermometer.
Health impacts of E. coli contamination in raw ground beef
As of time of publication there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products, according to the FSIS.
In tandem with the USDA , Cargill has encouraged anyone who may be concerned about potential illness to contact a health care provider.
"E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2-8 days (3-4 days, on average) after exposure the organism," the USDA stated. "While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately."
Long Island kelp farmer Sue Wicks holds a line of kelp in the Moriches Bay. Via ABC News
(NEW YORK) -- Underwater forests could be the answer to helping to mitigate the environment from the impacts of climate change, experts told ABC News.
Kelp, large brown algae or seaweeds that grow in shallow oceans, is a nutrient-rich species that grows quickly, helping it to absorb carbon dioxide at a higher rate than other ecosystems, including all of the CO2 released from eelgrass, salt marshes and mangroves combined, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The efficiency at which kelp is able to pluck the greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere is one of the many reasons why it is increasingly being identified as a potential solution to climate change, the experts said. In addition, the growth requires no fertilizer or fresh water, making it nearly 100% sustainable.
Often farmed next to oysters and mussels, kelp can be used for a multitude of purposes, including both food and cosmetic applications. There are likely uses of kelp that haven't even been discovered yet, Sue Wicks, kelp farmer and oyster farmer on Long Island, New York, told ABC News.
"Kelp is an environmental powerhouse," Wicks said.
Wicks, a former WNBA player, is now continuing a 400-year tradition of generations of family working on the water, she said. Her ancestors arrived in the region in the 1600s, and her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather -- tracing all the way back -- were baymen.
But in the 1980s, brown tides along the Long Island coast decimated the aquaculture industry, Wicks said. Long Island was previously home to the largest bay scallop fishery on the East Coast, but harmful algal blooms beginning in the 1980s and 1990s led to the collapse of the industry.
"Pollutants, septic runoff, lawns, fertilizers -- and that's nitrogen getting in the water, which is an explosive growth accelerant for the algae," Wicks said. Once the algal blooms spread, it "chokes the life out of the water" and can cause thousands of fish to wash up dead, she added.
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Anthropogenic, or human-caused, climate change threatens to worsen those algal blooms as well as add other heat-related issues, such as acidification -- a process that is already killing off coral reefs, Christopher Gobler, a researcher at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University on Long Island, told ABC News.
"More CO2 into the ocean, lowers the pH of the ocean seawater and makes it more acidic," Gobler said. "And that is a danger to a lot of marine life."
The acidification doesn't allow oysters, clams or mussels to form properly because the acidity eats their little shells when they're so vulnerable, Wicks said. Therefore, the region rarely gets naturally propagating native oysters anymore.
Gobler began incorporating seaweed into his labs about a decade before kelp. When researchers put the kelp into water, they observed it taking carbon dioxide and nitrogen out of the water and replacing it with oxygen, Gobler said.
A 1-acre kelp farm in the Moriches Bay can remove as much nitrogen as 20 advanced septic systems, Gobler said.
Kelp farming has been growing in the U.S. in recent years. In 2021, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation to permit kelp cultivation and to restore water quality and marine life habitats.
There are about 35 oyster farms on Long Island, but Wicks is the only farm permitted to grow sugar kelp, a species that Wicks is using as a soil amendment -- a more sustainable form of fertilizer without the dangerous chemicals, she said.
The quest to ensuring a healthy environment will require efforts from all fronts, Wicks said.
"We’ll let Mother Nature do hers, the farmers will do ours, and then entrepreneurs and scientists can do their part," she said.
Former president Donald Trump sits in Manhattan Criminal Court for the start of the third week of his trial for falsifying documents related to hush money payments, in New York, NY, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Victor J. Blue for The Washington Post via Getty Images/ Pool)
(NEW YORK) -- The focus of Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial is expected to shift Thursday morning from what witnesses are saying in the courtroom to what the former president has said when he leaves.
Two days after Judge Juan Merchan held Trump in criminal contempt for nine violations of the limited gag order that prohibits statements about witnesses and others involved in the case, the judge is holding a hearing Thursday to determine whether to hold Trump in contempt again for making four additional out-of-court statements about the jury and known witnesses in the trial.
Merchan on Tuesday fined the former president $1,000 for each of the nine violations -- the maximum allowable fine under state law -- and threatened that future violations could result in jail time.
Trump is on trial for allegedly falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election. The former president has denied all wrongdoing.
The four additional alleged gag order violations include statements about Cohen, the jury, and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, who testified across four days last week.
"That jury was picked so fast -- 95% Democrats. The area's mostly all Democrat. You think of it as a -- just a purely Democrat area," Trump told Real America's Voice last Monday in an interview that prosecutors say violated the gag order.
While the nine earlier statements were posted to Trump's social media account or campaign website, the four additional alleged violations occurred during Trump's remarks to the media, including one alleged violation that took place steps from the courtroom itself.
"And when are they going to look at all the lies that Cohen did in the last trial? He got caught lying in the last trial. So he got caught lying, pure lying. And when are they going to look at that?" Trump told reporters in the hallway outside the courtroom last week after opening statements in the case.
Prosecutors also pointed to an interview Trump gave to ABC station WPVI-TV last week where he referenced both Pecker and Cohen.
"Well, Michael Cohen is a convicted liar and he's got no credibility whatsoever," Trump said. "David Pecker, I don't know exactly what he's going to be testifying against but or about, but he'll be testifying today."
The hearing shines a renewed light on Trump's rhetoric during the trial where, whether sitting in a courtroom or on the campaign trail, the former president is always just steps away from a live camera to transmit his message. Prosecutors have argued that Trump's statements about witnesses like Pecker amount to subtle yet unmistakable messaging to participants in the case.
"He's been very nice. I mean, he's been -- David's been very nice. A nice guy," Trump told reporters last Thursday morning while visiting a construction site in Midtown Manhattan.
"This is a message to Pecker: Be nice," prosecutor Christopher Conroy told Judge Merchan last week. "It's a message to others: I have a platform, and I will talk about you and I can say things like this, or things like what I said about Cohen. It's a message to everyone involved in this proceeding, including this Court."
The hearing also highlights the unique challenge Judge Merchan faces with a defendant who is a leading presidential candidate -- as well as being rich. In his order earlier this week, the judge threatened to jail the former president over future violations if the financial penalties didn't deter his behavior.
"It would be preferable if the court could impose a fine more commensurate with the wealth of the contemnor," Merchan wrote, suggesting a fine as high as $150,000. "Because this court is not cloaked with such discretion, it must therefore consider whether in some instances, jail may be a necessary punishment."
Prosecutors, for their part, have suggested that Trump -- who has compared himself to a "modern day Nelson Mandela" -- might actually be aiming for incarceration.
"We are not yet seeking an incarceratory penalty," Conroy said last week. "The defendant seems to be angling for that."
Officials with the U.S. Secret Service have held meetings and started planning for what to do if Merchan opts to send Trump to short-term confinement, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News last week.
Trump's lawyers have defended Trump's statements by arguing they were not willful violations of the gag order, suggesting Trump was responding to attacks from Cohen and others and making political statements. Merchan appeared to acknowledge that defense, writing in his order that witnesses should not use the gag order as "sword instead of a shield" by encouraging Trump's attacks.
"The underlying purpose of the restriction on extrajudicial statements is to protect the integrity of these proceedings by shielding those fearful of reprisal by the Defendant so they may take part in these proceedings without concern," Merchan wrote. "However, if a protected party turns that underlying purpose on its head, it becomes apparent that the protected party likely does not need to be protected by the Expanded Order."
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