SMITH COUNTY – After entering a guilty plea, a man who was detained along with others for several alleged sexual assaults on a teenage girl in Tyler was given a 16-year jail sentence Tuesday.
In connection with crimes against a 15-year-old girl that took place last year, Lamarcus Hambrick, 32, entered a guilty plea to two charges of sexual assault of a child in the 475th District Court. According to arrest records, he was given a 16-year sentence for each offense, and his prior probation was overturned, meaning he would spend an additional two years in a state prison. The sentences will be carried out consecutively. Hambrick was discovered at a motel in September 2025 with the 15-year-old child. It was discovered by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper that Hambrick and the child had been having sex for around a week. Then after, Hambrick was taken into custody. Continue reading Sexual assault suspect sentenced
TYLER (KETK) — As the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new requirements for the SNAP program are implemented, enrollment numbers in Texas are at half a million fewer than this time last year.
While Texas officials are calling the drop a “normal fluctuation,” advocacy groups like Feeding Texas are blaming the new requirements.
Since the pandemic, the monthly count of Texas SNAP participants has fluctuated between 3 million and 4 million, according to The Texas Tribune. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the SNAP program, shows that besides the partial government shutdown in 2019, Texas monthly SNAP counts have not dropped below 3 million since 2009, at the official end of the Great Recession.
Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, however, SNAP enrollment eligibility includes new work requirements and further regulates non-citizens. Feeding Texas claims these requirements are preventing families from applying, even when their children qualify for benefits.
Regardless of the cause for the number drop, food banks across the state say they’re seeing more people asking for support and help.
“While charitable organizations like food banks are vital, there is no amount of private effort that can match the scale of SNAP,” Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, said. “For every meal that food banks facilitate, SNAP provides nine.”
Regarding possible SNAP fraud in the state, Feeding Texas says less than .1% of households were found to have committed intentional violations. The most common violation was providing false information to receive benefits and misusing benefits — like selling them for cash.
Kerry Washington of Onyx Collective's 'Unprisoned' poses for a portrait during the 2023 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Jan. 14, 2023 in Pasadena, California. (JSquared Photography/Contour by Getty Images) | The book cover for 'What Remains.' (Blackstone Publishing, Inc.)
Kerry Washington has found her next TV role.
The actress is set to star in and executive produce a new thriller drama called What Remains, ABC Audio has confirmed. Hulu is developing the series that is based on Wendy Walker's 2023 novel of the same name.
What Remains follows what happens to Detective Elise Sutton (Washington) after she takes the life of a disturbed man in the line of duty.
Detective Sutton, who is known as "a devoted wife, loving mother, and cold case specialist — reels from the guilt of her actions," according to the show's official logline. "To convince herself that she did the right thing, she makes contact with a mysterious man that she saved that day, only to discover that he's not at all what he seems. She’s soon caught in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, following the clues he leaves for her and realizing that the only person who can stop him…is her."
A Million Little Things' Chris Luccy is set to write the adaptation while McG will direct it. Both are set to executive produce. The series hails from 20th Television and Kapital Entertainment.
USA Today bestselling author Walker is set to produce the series. Her psychological suspense novels have been translated into over 23 different languages.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News, Hulu and 20th Television.
JASPER COUNTY – No investi-gator needed for this capture. In Jasper County, a 9-and-a-half-foot alligator was captured after stalling traffic on 1013 West Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office deputies can add “alligator catchers” to their list of accolades after successfully removing the alligator from the road. After being captured by deputies, the alligator was handed over to Texas Game Wardens and was safely relocated.
Logan Keith Chewning is seen in a booking photo. (Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office)
(BROOKWOOD, Ala.) -- An Alabama man has been charged with manslaughter after his 1-year-old child was found dead in a vehicle, still strapped into a car seat, after the father had allegedly been drinking throughout the day while the infant was in his sole care, authorities said.
Multiple agencies responded to a home in Brookwood, in Tuscaloosa County, Wednesday evening after the child's family reported that the infant was found dead in the vehicle, authorities said.
"Initial investigation shows that the child was in the vehicle for an extended [amount] of time," Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said in a statement, noting that the temperatures that afternoon were in the mid-90s.
The child, whose name was not released, had been in the "sole care of its father all day," Kennedy said.
The father, identified by the sheriff's office as 30-year-old Logan Keith Chewning, allegedly admitted to drinking at different points throughout the day and leaving the residence at one point to buy more alcohol, authorities said.
"The father reported that he believed that the child had been sleeping in its crib but must have been left behind in the vehicle," Kennedy said.
Chewning was charged with manslaughter following consultation with the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney's Office, the sheriff's office said.
He is being held in jail, with a bond to be set by a judge at a later date. It is unclear if he has an attorney at this time.
The child's exact cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, authorities said.
Joseph Clifton Smith is shown in this booking photo released by the Alabama Department of Corrections. (Alabama Department of Corrections)
(WASHINGTON) -- In a rare move on Thursday, the Supreme Court spared the life of an "intellectually disabled" death row inmate, dismissing an appeal by Alabama officials who claimed the man's multiple IQ scores show he is competent and eligible for execution.
The justices were narrowly divided, 5-4, in allowing a lower court ruling to stand that determined death for Joseph Clifton Smith, a convicted first-degree murderer, would violate the Eighth Amendment prohibition of "cruel and unusual" punishment.
The high court did not formally explain its decision.
More than 20 years ago, the high court outlawed the execution of intellectually disabled people convicted of capital crimes.
The heart of the Smith case involved a dispute over who qualifies as intellectually disabled and how to analyze conflicting intelligence quotient – also known as IQ – test scores in making the determination.
The decision on Thursday left that question unanswered.
“The court is not equipped in this case to provide any meaningful guidance on how courts should assess multiple IQ scores,” wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor in a concurring opinion joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
While state officials had asked the court to set out a clear standard, Sotomayor suggested a case-by-case approach, considering legal precedent and “the views of medical experts,” should continue.
“If a conflict among the states or lower courts emerges and a case properly presents the issue, it may be appropriate for this court to weigh in with more specific guidance,” she wrote. “The court rightly decides it is inappropriate to do so in this case.”
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Chief Justice John Roberts dissented.
"The court shies away from its obligation to provide workable rules for capital cases," Justice Alito wrote in a dissent joined by Thomas, Gorsuch and Roberts. "In doing so, the court disserves its own death-penalty jurisprudence, states' criminal justice systems, lower courts, and victims of horrific murders."
Justice Thomas wrote separately to call for a reinstatement of the death penalty for intellectually disabled people.
Smith, who will now spend life behind bars, confessed to a 1997 murder during a robbery, but challenged his death sentence on ground he has had "substantially subaverage intellectual functioning" since a young age.
He has taken five separate IQ tests over nearly 40 years, scoring 75 in 1979, 74 in 1982, 72 in 1998, 78 in 2014, and 74 in 2017.
People below 70 are generally considered to have an intellectual disability, but major American medical groups urge a holistic assessment that also looks at social and practical skills.
The groups note that standardized test scores alone should not be conclusive. Smith's score of 72, for example, could be 69 when factoring the 3-point margin of error.
Smith, who alleges he suffered physical and verbal abuse as a child, consistently functioned at two grade-levels below his placement in school, according to court documents. Smith's school classified him as "Educable Mentally Retarded" in 7th grade before he eventually dropped out.
Two lower federal courts ruled that a holistic analysis of Smith’s IQ scores and other evidence, including his behavioral history and school records, proved he is intellectually disabled.
"Joseph Smith is not intellectually disabled, and the Eighth Amendment does not override the death sentence he earned for murdering Durk Van Dam," Alabama argued in its brief to the court. "Whether and how to weigh multiple IQ scores is left to state discretion."
The state argued intellectual disability can only be proven by an IQ score of 70 or less by a preponderance of the evidence.
By one estimate, as many as 20% of the 2,100 people on death row in the U.S. may have some degree of intellectual disability, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Chlöe's worlds of music and acting unite in the upcoming Peacock film Strung.
She plays Laila, "a talented violinist [who] takes a prestigious job as a music tutor for the gifted daughter of an influential and enigmatic family," according to a press release.
A recently released trailer for the film shows Laila considering the position after being approached by the family matriarch, played by Lynn Whitfield. "We need somebody, a full-time live-in music tutor for my granddaughter," Lynn's character says while giving Laila a tour of the home.
"The type of money they paying, it's the perfect opportunity," Laila says as decides whether she should take the job.
Things take a turn when she's introduced to the gifted Zuri, who emerges with a mask on her face and warns, "The Zulu believe if you die in your dreams, you die in real life. Be careful what you dream."
"As she becomes entangled in their opulent world, unsettling secrets begin to surface, forcing her to question her safety, her dreams, and even her sanity," the press release says of Laila.
"Something is wrong in that house," Chlöe says in the trailer.
Strung premieres June 26 and also stars Lucien Laviscount, Anna Diop, Coco Jones and Romy Woods.
"i’m fighting for my life!!!" Chlöe wrote on socials when announcing the film's trailer.
In a statement, director Malcolm D. Lee said he was drawn to "the script's twists and turns," adding that the film combines "lush visuals, captivating performances and a riveting soundtrack that captivates viewers" designed to keep viewers on edge.
He then concluded with a tease: "Prepare to be Strung…"
Chlöe's worlds of music and acting unite in the upcoming Peacock film Strung.
She plays Laila, "a talented violinist [who] takes a prestigious job as a music tutor for the gifted daughter of an influential and enigmatic family," according to a press release.
A recently released trailer for the film shows Laila considering the position after being approached by the family matriarch, played by Lynn Whitfield. "We need somebody, a full-time live-in music tutor for my granddaughter," Lynn's character says while giving Laila a tour of the home.
"The type of money they paying, it's the perfect opportunity," Laila says as decides whether she should take the job.
Things take a turn when she's introduced to the gifted Zuri, who emerges with a mask on her face and warns, "The Zulu believe if you die in your dreams, you die in real life. Be careful what you dream."
"As she becomes entangled in their opulent world, unsettling secrets begin to surface, forcing her to question her safety, her dreams, and even her sanity," the press release says of Laila.
"Something is wrong in that house," Chlöe says in the trailer.
Strung premieres June 26 and also stars Lucien Laviscount, Anna Diop, Coco Jones and Romy Woods.
"i’m fighting for my life!!!" Chlöe wrote on socials when announcing the film's trailer.
In a statement, director Malcolm D. Lee said he was drawn to "the script's twists and turns," adding that the film combines "lush visuals, captivating performances and a riveting soundtrack that captivates viewers" designed to keep viewers on edge.
He then concluded with a tease: "Prepare to be Strung…"
Chlöe's worlds of music and acting unite in the upcoming Peacock film Strung.
She plays Laila, "a talented violinist [who] takes a prestigious job as a music tutor for the gifted daughter of an influential and enigmatic family," according to a press release.
A recently released trailer for the film shows Laila considering the position after being approached by the family matriarch, played by Lynn Whitfield. "We need somebody, a full-time live-in music tutor for my granddaughter," Lynn's character says while giving Laila a tour of the home.
"The type of money they paying, it's the perfect opportunity," Laila says as decides whether she should take the job.
Things take a turn when she's introduced to the gifted Zuri, who emerges with a mask on her face and warns, "The Zulu believe if you die in your dreams, you die in real life. Be careful what you dream."
"As she becomes entangled in their opulent world, unsettling secrets begin to surface, forcing her to question her safety, her dreams, and even her sanity," the press release says of Laila.
"Something is wrong in that house," Chlöe says in the trailer.
Strung premieres June 26 and also stars Lucien Laviscount, Anna Diop, Coco Jones and Romy Woods.
"i’m fighting for my life!!!" Chlöe wrote on socials when announcing the film's trailer.
In a statement, director Malcolm D. Lee said he was drawn to "the script's twists and turns," adding that the film combines "lush visuals, captivating performances and a riveting soundtrack that captivates viewers" designed to keep viewers on edge.
He then concluded with a tease: "Prepare to be Strung…"
Do you like your photos to look, not so perfect? Find David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called Vintage Camera: M10 Simulator. You can get Vintage Camera: M10 Simulator in the Apple Store.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Democratic leaders are trying to prevent Maureen Galindo, a candidate who has repeatedly expressed antisemitic views, from winning their party’s nomination in next week’s Texas runoff, and they’ve accused Republicans of propping up her campaign.
Galindo faces Johnny Garcia in the runoff for the Democratic nomination in the state’s 35th Congressional District, which is located in the San Antonio area. The district was redrawn by Texas Republicans to boost their party’s chances of holding onto the seat in this year’s midterms.
Democrats have become alarmed since Galindo received the most votes in the March 3 primary. She earned 29% while Garcia had 27%. They believe the seat could remain competitive, despite redistricting, if their party has a strong year politically, and they’re eager to avoid being saddled with a candidate’s inflammatory rhetoric.
The runoff comes at a moment of heightened concern about the spread of antisemitism across the political spectrum and questions about how to handle candidates with extreme beliefs.
Galindo’s comments included calls for imprisoning “American Zionists,” and transforming a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility into a jail for that purpose.
“She’ll turn Karnes ICE Detention Center into a prison for American Zionists and former ICE officers for human trafficking,” Galindo’s campaign Instagram account said. It added: “(It will also be a castration processing center for pedophiles, which will probably be most of the Zionists).”
Galindo is supported by a political action committee called Lead Left PAC that bills itself as opposed to President Donald Trump. However, Democrats argue that the group is funded by Republicans, and the New York Times reported evidence of potential links.
“House Republican leadership must immediately cease propping up this antisemitic candidacy,” Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Suzan DelBene said in a statement.
The National Republican Congressional Committee did not address Democrats’ claims about supporting the Lead Left PAC, but criticized the Democratic candidates for “embarrassing fundraising numbers, zero grassroots energy, and no real support from Texans.”
In an email, Galindo said her proposal was “NEVER for Jewish Zionists — it’s for BILLIONAIRE Zionists.” She said national Democrats sought to inflame her comments.
Democrats have disavowed Galindo’s language. In addition to DelBene and Jeffries’ statement, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, called it “disgusting” and said it shouldn’t be near “our politics.”
Representatives Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Jared Moskowitz of Florida said in a statement Wednesday that if Galindo were to win election to Congress, they’d force votes to expel her “every single day we are here.”
Garcia said in a video posted on social media that the comments have no place in the race.
“We should be bringing people together, not spreading hate, division or dangerous rhetoric,” he said.
Lead Left PAC did not respond to requests for comment.
An ICE patch and badge are seen on a Department of Homeland Security agent. (Jim Watson - Pool/Getty Images)
(MINNEAPOLIS) -- Gregory Morgan Jr., the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent charged by Minnesota prosecutors with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly brandishing a firearm at a motorist, will turn himself in to authorities Thursday, his attorney told ABC News.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced the charges in April, claiming in the complaint that Morgan was ending his shift on February 5 and was driving back to the Whipple Federal Building when a motorist allegedly cut him off as Morgan was trying to pass. Morgan then produced a firearm and pointed it at the motorists, the complaint said.
Morgan's attorney, Ryan Pacyga, said in part that the complaint contains “inaccurate and incomplete information” and that Morgan did not initiate the encounter.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment, nor did they respond to a similar request when the charges against Morgan were announced.
Morgan, of Temple Hills, Maryland, is charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon related to the encounter, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarity announced in a news conference on April 16.
Moriarity said at the time that Morgan was driving "illegally" on the shoulder, "appearing to bypass shoulder traffic."
The complainant told police that they did not know the person driving the other car was an ICE agent until investigators told them, according to the prosecutor's complaint.
"There were no markings on Defendant's vehicle that would identify it as law enforcement and the vehicle was not displaying or using lights or sirens," according to the complaint. "Defendant continued to travel on the shoulder but rather than continue to drive past the victims, he pulled alongside their vehicle, rolled down his window, and pointed a black handgun directly at Victim 1 and Victim 2."
"Victim 1 had a clear view of Defendant's appearance, saw that Defendant was wearing a black t-shirt, saw that the gun was pointed directly at their heads, saw that the gun was a Glock or Sig Sauer handgun with what appeared to be a red-dot sight, and noted that Defendant 2 yelled something indiscernible," according to the complaint.
The alleged victims then called police to report what had happened, according to the complaint. Investigators interviewed Morgan, his supervisor and his partner a day later.
"[Morgan] stated that Victim 1 swerved over in front of him and cut him off. Defendant claimed that he feared for his safety and the safety of others so, in response, he pulled alongside Victim 1's vehicle, rolled down his window, drew his firearm, and yelled 'Police Stop,'" the complaint said.
"[Morgan] stated he was trying to get Victim 1 to 'back up.' Defendant acknowledged that his firearm was a Glock 19 with a laser light, which Defendant had holstered on his right hip at the time of the interview. Defendant stated that after he pulled the gun on Victim 1 and Victim 2 he got in front of their vehicle and drove to the Whipple Building," the complaint further said.
Investigators also said they received cellphone footage from the complainant and reviewed traffic camera footage from the road on which they were traveling.
“The allegations against Gregory Morgan arise from a brief, frightening, and highly stressful roadway encounter that happened in a matter of seconds during congested rush-hour traffic. An encounter that Mr. Morgan did not initiate. It came on the heels of many days of fear that both citizens as well aslaw enforcement were experiencing during operations in our Twin Cities metro area,” Pacyga said in a statement to ABC News Thursday.
The statement further said that the incident "did not arise from any planned criminal conduct. It developed suddenly during an alarming traffic interaction, initiated by the other driver."
"Law enforcement had been enduring threats to their safety by some members of the community, in neighborhoods and on the roads. This situation presented a perceived danger and Mr. Morgan reacted in real time. These are precisely the kinds of situations where perspective, perception, stress, and split-second decision-making matter,” Pacyga's statement said.
The incident occurred during a contentious period in Minneapolis when the city was the focal point of an immigration enforcement surge and after the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal law enforcement. During that time questions arose about whether ICE agents could be prosecuted by state or local authorities.
ABC News' Jack Date and Luke Barr contributed to this story.
Dunster House on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, on Thursday, May 29, 2025. (Mel Musto/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(CAMBRIDGE, Mass.) -- Police at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are investigating reports of a man who entered campus buildings without authorization on Tuesday. In one case, a student at Harvard reported being assaulted, according to police records.
Harvard police responded to a report of an assault and battery at around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday to find Cambridge Police at Lowell House, the residence hall where the incident occurred, according to Harvard police records.
The victim told police a suspect entered the building by following another individual without authorization, according to Harvard police records.
"As the victim was entering their residence, the suspect approached from behind, covered the victim's mouth, and attempted to force them into the room," according to a Harvard police log.
The suspect fled the building after several nearby individuals saw the altercation, the victim told police.
Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect.
MIT Police issued a similar campus warning, describing a similar incident at an MIT residence hall.
A suspect followed another individual into the building at around 5:45 p.m. and followed the individual to the fifth floor before fleeing the area, according to an MIT police log.
MIT police did not find the suspect, according to the police log.
Surveillance footage showed the man leaving the building at about 6 p.m., according to MIT police.
The MIT alert said the individual "matched the description of a person who was the subject of a Harvard University Police Department alert earlier this evening," according to WCVB.
Both universities urged students and staff to report any suspicious activity.
MIT police described the suspect as a 5-foot-9-inch white man with a thin build. He was wearing a white T-shirt and dark-colored shorts, according to WCVB.
Harvard police said the incident is being "actively investigated" in a statement Thursday.
Lily Collins on set of the sixth and final season of 'Emily in Paris.' (Giulia Parmigiani/Netflix)
Au revoir, Emily in Paris.
Netflix has announced that the popular romance series will end after its upcoming season 6. The sixth and final season has just started production in Greece.
Lily Collins once again stars as the titular American marketing executive who moved overseas for work. She shared a video message with fans of Emily in Paris after the news broke that the show was coming to an end.
"After six unforgettable years of playing Emily Cooper, I'm here to share that this upcoming sixth season will be our final. Season 6 will bring you everything you love about the show and serve as the final chapter in Emily's adventure of a lifetime," Collins said in the video. "Our entire cast and crew are pouring our hearts into making this a fantastic farewell season, which we're now filming. I can't wait for all of the magic ahead, and to celebrate our final season with you in the most chic way yet. We're so incredibly grateful and we love you all. A bientot!"
The video video shows off many of the series' stars, including Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Lucien Laviscount, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery, William Abadie and Eugenio Franceschini.
Darren Star created the show, which he also executive produces and writes for.
"Making Emily in Paris with this extraordinary cast and crew has been the trip of a lifetime. As we embark on the final season, I am so grateful to Netflix, Paramount, and, most importantly, the fans who have taken this incredible journey with us," Star said. "We can’t wait to share this last chapter with you. Thank you for letting us be a part of your lives, inspiring your dreams of travel and your love of Paris. We will always have Emily in Paris!”
Abigail Zwerner shares a moment with her mother Julie Zwerner after a verdict was reached in her lawsuit against the assistant principal, Ebony Parker, of Richneck Elementary School during proceedings at Newport News Circuit Court on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in Newport News, Virginia. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
(NEWPORT NEWS, Va.) -- A Virginia judge has granted a defense motion to dismiss the criminal charges against a former assistant principal stemming from the 2023 shooting of a teacher by a 6-year-old student.
Ebony Parker was charged with eight counts of felony child abuse with disregard for life in connection with the January 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News -- one count for each bullet that was unspent in the gun, according to the Newport News Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
"The court is of the legal opinion that this is not a crime," Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Robinson said Thursday, following two days of testimony in the criminal trial.
"What happened that day was awful, that's agreed upon by all," the judge later said.
Parker had her head bent over and appeared to be sobbing after the judge dismissed the case.
Prosecutors in the criminal trial alleged that Parker failed to respond and follow school protocol after several staffers raised concerns that the student, identified in the trial as JT, had a gun. The Commonwealth rested on Wednesday after two days of calling witnesses.
Defense attorney Curtis Rogers argued before the judge Thursday morning that Parker may have had a "lapse of judgment" that day, but she didn't act criminally and there was "no willful admission on her part to put these children in harm."
"Nobody acted as if there was an actual firearm. Not following school policy doesn't result in a criminal allegation," Rogers said. "There are acts that should have been done, definitely in hindsight."
Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Josh Jenkins argued that Parker knew of the danger in the school that day.
"There were multiple warnings she received from multiple people that there was an armed student," he said.
"Just the mere fact that a possible weapon is on campus should have triggered the response defined in the crisis management plan, yet it did not," he said.
Parker pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The dismissal of the criminal trial comes after a jury in a civil trial found that Parker acted with gross negligence in the shooting and awarded the injured teacher, Abby Zwerner, $10 million in damages.
Zwerner's attorneys said Thursday's decision by the judge means Newport News can no longer use the criminal charges against Parker to "deny insurance coverage" in her civil case.
"One of the many obstacles the City of Newport News placed in Abby Zwerner's path to justice was their argument they could deny insurance coverage in our civil case because of possible criminal conduct," Zwerner's attorneys said in a joint statement Thursday. "Today that is no longer an excuse that the City can hide behind."
"This was always the Commonwealth's criminal case -- not Abby's civil case. Abby complied with the subpoena requiring her testimony once again, despite the emotional toll of repeatedly reliving this tragedy," the statement continued. "From the beginning, our focus has remained on obtaining justice in civil court for the preventable failures that led to Abby being shot. A Newport News jury has already spoken, returning a $10 million verdict in Abby's favor."
Zwerner, the first witness in the trial, testified that she had told Parker prior to the shooting in her classroom that JT "seemed to be off" that day and "in a violent mood." She said another staffer, reading specialist Amy Kovac, alerted her that JT told other students he had brought a gun to school, and that Kovac reported that to the administration.
Zwerner said that in hindsight, she could have separated JT from the other students and confirmed that she was responsible for the safety of her students. Though she said her understanding that a crisis or emergency needed to be brought to the attention of the administration, and that she trusted her colleagues.
The bullet went through Zwerner's left hand, which she had lifted, and then into her chest. She was initially hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, police said.
Zwerner and Parker both resigned following the shooting.
The student brought the gun from home, police said. His mother, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years in state prison after pleading guilty to child neglect in connection with the shooting. She also pleaded guilty to using marijuana while in possession of a firearm and making a false statement about her drug use during the purchase of the firearm used in the shooting and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison.
She was released from state custody on May 13 and transitioned to community supervision, according to online Virginia Department of Corrections records.
SMITH COUNTY – Smith County will have 19 voting centers open for the Primary Runoff Election from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26.
Statewide runoff races are on the ballot.
U.S. Senator, Attorney General, Railroad Commissioner and Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3, Judge are on the Republican ticket. The Democratic ballot will have runoff races for U.S. Representative, District 1, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.
The City of Tyler Mayor Runoff Election is not on the current ballot. That election is set for June 13, with early voting beginning June 1.
These polls are open for the Primary Runoff Election Day: *Arp Community Center: 108 E. Longview Street, Arp *Bethel Bible Church: 17121 Highway 69 South, Tyler *Cameron J Jarvis Library: 102 S. Georgia Street, Troup *Chapel Hill Fire Department: 13801 CR 220, Tyler *First Christian Church (Christian Life Center): 4202 S Broadway Ave., Tyler *Glass Recreation Center: 501 W. 32nd Street, Tyler *Greater Life Church: 2751 FM 344 East, Bullard *Heritage Building: 1900 Bellwood Road, Tyler *Hideaway Members Services Building: 101 Hide-A-Way Lane, Hideaway *The Hub: 304 E. Ferguson Street, Tyler *Lindale Kinzie Community Center: 912 Mt. Sylvan Street, Lindale *&Noonday Community Center: 16662 CR 196, Tyler *Old Tyler Airport: 150 Airport Drive, Tyler *St. Louis Baptist Church: 4000 Frankston Highway, Tyler *St. Violet Baptist Church: 14129 FM 2767, Tyler *Three Lakes Middle School: 2445 Three Lakes Parkway, Tyler *Tyler Senior Center: 1915 Garden Valley Road, Tyler *Whitehouse City Center: 109 E. Main Street, Whitehouse *Winona Community Center: 520 Dallas Street, Winona
For more information about voting locations, times and what is on the ballot, or to use our interactive map, go to the Smith County Website.
Houses with a 'For Sale' sign in a small new neighborhood in Gunnison, Colorado 6/18/20 (Nathan Bilow/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) -- U.S. Treasury yields soared in recent days as the Iran war stoked inflation fears, threatening to drive up borrowing costs for everything from mortgages to credit cards to auto loans.
The yields on 30-year bonds – the amount paid to a bondholder annually – touched their highest point since 2007. Ten-year Treasury yields peaked at about 4.69% on Tuesday, marking a roughly three-quarter percentage point jump from the start of the war on Feb. 28.
The yield on 10-year Treasuries retreated on Wednesday, registering at 4.58%. Still, yields exceed the level reached during a bond selloff in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs in April 2025.
Since bonds pay a given investor a fixed amount each year, the specter of inflation risks higher consumer prices that would eat away at those annual payouts. In this case, a global oil shock has pushed up energy prices which in turn has trickled into other costs, such as groceries.
As a result, bonds have become less attractive. When demand falls, bond yields rise.
“It’s really all about the Iran war and its inflationary impact,” Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate, told ABC News.
High bond yields make borrowing more expensive for average Americans because Treasury rates influence the rates offered by lenders.
Long-term Treasury yields help set interest payments for mortgages, credit cards, car loans and just about any other type of borrowing, Patrice Carrington, a professor of real estate at New York University, told ABC News.
The reason for the rise in borrowing costs is that regulated lenders are required to hold reserve assets, often made up in part by U.S. Treasuries, Carrington added. When Treasury yields rise, it raises the costs incurred by banks holding Treasuries on their books. Lenders, in turn, offset those added expenses with higher borrowing costs.
“The bank will pass along that higher cost of capital to any consumer loan,” Carrington said.
The onset of this pain for consumers is exemplified by the housing market, where the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage stands at 6.72% as of Monday, Mortgage News Daily data showed. Mortgage rates have climbed three-quarters of a percentage point from pre-war levels.
“That’s a really big jump,” Rossman said.
Each percentage-point rise in a mortgage rate can impose thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in additional costs each year, depending on the price of the house, according to Rocket Mortgage.
Credit card rates, by contrast, have remained flat over the course of the Iran war, though at heightened levels, Rossman said.
The average credit card interest rate stands at 19.57%, just slightly below where it stood before the war began, Bankrate data showed. At the start of 2026, futures markets expected the Fed to likely cut interest rates at least once by the end of the year, which would put downward pressure on credit card rates.
As the Fed weathers a renewed bout of inflation, however, markets estimate about a 50% chance of interest rates remaining unchanged over the course of the year and a 37% chance of a rate hike, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment. Markets peg the odds of a rate cut this year at less than 2%.
As a result, credit card rates "are staying higher for longer" than many observers anticipated, Rossman said.
Analysts differed in their recommendations for consumers weighing whether to move forward now with securing a loan or wait for a potential decline in interest rates.
Liu Lu, a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, said mortgage rates are unlikely to decline substantially in the near-term, meaning borrowers who can afford a loan at current rates may as well take the plunge.
“I wouldn’t bet on trying to catch the opportune moment,” Lu told ABC News.
Carrington, on the other hand, counseled patience for loan seekers.
Eventually, the economy will falter and the Fed will cut interest rates, pushing down borrowing costs, according to Carrington.
“We’re long overdue for a downturn,” Carrington said. “I absolutely think borrowers should wait.”
In the meantime, the impact of elevated bond yields on consumers isn't entirely negative. The trend means better returns for investors who place their money into financial instruments such as money market funds or high-interest savings accounts, which are historically safer investments than the stock market.
SMITH COUNTY – After entering a guilty plea, a man who was detained along with others for several alleged sexual assaults on a teenage girl in Tyler was given a 16-year jail sentence Tuesday.
