Federal court blocks another part of Trump mail-in voting executive order
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after stepping off Air Force One on Aug. 11, 2026, in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — A federal district court in Massachusetts on Tuesday issued a temporary order blocking the U.S. Postal Service from implementing President Donald Trump’s 2026 executive order on mail-in voting.
The same court in June blocked other portions of Trump’s order in 23 states and Washington, D.C., related to the Department of Homeland Security’s compilation of a federal voter citizenship list and requirement that states submit voter registration lists to the USPS, in addition to printing ballots that can be easily tracked.
Both injunctions apply only to the Nov. 3 midterm elections as litigation continues. Both indicated that the administration likely exceeded its authority in attempting to impose election requirements on states, which have the primary responsibility under law for regulating voting.
Both cases are likely to be addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court very soon. The court will essentially decide whether Trump can implement the order for the November elections.
The issue of standing remains a key question in both cases. The administration alleges that neither the states nor the coalition of nonpartisan voting rights groups has suffered concrete injury from the executive order that would allow them to challenge it.
The Trump administration has already appealed the states’ case to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking permission to move forward. That decision could come down at any time, as soon as this week.
Derrick Harris Jr. is seen in a booking photo. (DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office)
(SAVANNAH, GA.) — A now-former Georgia police officer has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after he accidentally discharged his weapon during an arrest, fatally shooting a teenager he was attempting to handcuff, according to court filings.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) filed criminal charges against Derrick Harris Jr., 37, who was an officer with the DeKalb County Police Department, on Wednesday, a day after the deadly shooting.
The teen — 19-year-old Seth Jayden Eccles, of Savannah — was shot Tuesday evening in the backyard of a home in Avondale Estates, according to GBI.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents had questioned him earlier that afternoon regarding the armed robbery of a mail carrier, according to GBI. Law enforcement later learned he had an active arrest warrant and began searching for Eccles, who allegedly hid in nearby woods after being allowed to walk away following questioning, according to GBI.
After multiple 911 callers reported a suspicious person moving through the backyards of homes in Avondale Estates, Harris located Eccles in a backyard of a home, according to GBI.
Harris gave the teen verbal commands at gunpoint and Eccles complied, according to GBI. The teen was lying on his stomach as Harris attempted to take him into custody, with the officer holding a firearm in one hand at the teen’s back and handcuffs in the other, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
“During the process of attempting to handcuff Eccles, Harris accidentally fired his firearm,” the affidavit stated. “This accidental discharge resulted in the injury and death of Eccles.”
Eccles was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, GBI said.
Harris has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony, and reckless conduct, a misdemeanor, according to court filings.
A second arrest warrant affidavit alleges that Harris was “consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk” and that his actions “constituted a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation.”
The investigation remains ongoing. Once complete, the case will be presented to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution and review, GBI said.
Harris was booked into the DeKalb County Jail on Thursday. His bond was set at $10,000 and he has since bonded out, jail records show. Online court records do not list any attorney information for him. ABC News’ attempts to reach him over the phone were unsuccessful.
Following the charges on Wednesday, the DeKalb County Police Department said that Harris has been terminated due to “violations of laws.”
“This incident has had a profound impact on everyone involved. My thoughts and prayers remain with the family of Seth Jayden Eccles as they continue to grieve this tragic loss,” DeKalb County Police Chief Greg Padrick said in a statement. “This has also been a difficult time for the members of our department. The men and women of the DeKalb County Police Department remain committed to serving our community with professionalism, integrity, and compassion, and they will continue to serve the people of DeKalb County with honor, service, and partnership each and every day.”
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson called Eccles’ death a “tragedy.”
“My heartfelt condolences are with his family and loved ones as they navigate an unimaginable loss,” she said in a statement on Wednesday. “Today’s criminal charges and the termination of our officer reflect our commitment to accountability. We understand no one is above the law and that accountability is essential to maintaining public trust.”
A Tesla crashed into the outdoor dining area of an Urbane Cafe in Simi Valley, California, on Monday afternoon, killing one person and injuring five others, authorities said. (KABC)
(SIMI VALLEY, Calif.) — A car crashed into the outdoor dining area of an Urbane Cafe in Simi Valley, California, on Monday afternoon, killing one person and injuring five others, authorities said.
The crash was reported at about 2:30 p.m. near Tierra Rejada and Madera roads in a busy shopping center, according to Simi Valley Police.
Aerial footage from ABC News Los Angeles station KABC showed a white Tesla lodged in the restaurant’s outdoor patio after the collision.
One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while five others suffered minor injuries, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.
Authorities have not released the identity of the person who died, and additional information about the victims was not immediately available.
Investigators said they are still working to determine the cause of the crash. The Tesla driver was a 64-year-old woman with four juvenile passengers in the car, police told KABC.
The driver and one passenger were taken to a hospital for minor injuries, according to KABC.
“We’re still trying to determine if speed was involved. We do know that the Tesla was going northbound through the parking lot. It was attempting to make a right-hand turn to go eastbound toward Madera and, unfortunately, did not make the turn and went over the sidewalk when it struck the female victim,” Simi Valley police Sgt. Rick Morton told KABC.
Earlier this month, a Tesla Model 3 crashed into a home in Katy, Texas, killing a woman. Her family has since filed a lawsuit against Tesla and the driver, alleging the vehicle’s driver-assistance technology contributed to the crash.
Tesla has disputed those claims, saying the driver manually overrode the system by pressing the accelerator. Federal safety officials are investigating the crash.
Authorities have not said whether any driver-assistance technology was engaged at the time of Monday’s crash.
“We don’t believe it was an intentional act, but until we can determine what the cause was, whether it was mechanical failure or there was impairment by the driver, it’s still to be determined,” Morton said.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department released this photo during the search for Nolan Xavier Wells, 18, in Mississippi. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Department)
(NEW YORK) — A Mississippi community is mourning the death of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells, whose body was believed to be recovered after going missing over the weekend.
Wells vanished after going on a boat trip with friends on the 4th of July, officials said. He was last seen on Horn Island, a barrier island about 10 miles from the Gulf Coast, officials said.
“[The friends] left [Horn Island] and went back without Nolan,” Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said. “From what we understand, he chose to stay there.”
Wells’ mother reported him missing and took to social media, pleading for help.
The sheriff’s department said it launched a search on Horn Island with officials from the Coast Guard, Department of Marine Resources and Gulf Islands National Seashore.
A body was later recovered. On Monday, Ledbetter told ABC News the coroner is still waiting on a DNA test, but said the body matches the description and is likely Wells.
Authorities said they suspect Wells drowned, but are still investigating.
The sheriff said investigators do not suspect foul play.
“There’s no information that we have right now that would lead us to believe that a crime has occurred,” he said.
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, wrote on social media on Monday that she was “absolutely devastated.”
“My heart is broken for our sweet son who was always willing to cheer and uplift others,” she said. “Nolan was a special soul.”
The Ocean Springs School District said in a statement that it’s “shocked and heartbroken.”
Wells graduated last year from Ocean Springs High School, where he was a multi-sport athlete, and he went on to play football at Southwest Mississippi Community College, the district said.
“We are devastated by Nolan’s passing. He was the kind of son, teammate, friend, and student that every coach hopes to have in a program,” the high school’s football coach Jake Bramlett said in a statement. “Nolan was so much more than an outstanding football player. He carried himself with humility, treated others with respect, worked hard, and led by example. His character spoke louder than his accomplishments, and he was loved deeply by his teammates and coaches.”
Principal Jacob Dykes added, “He will be remembered as an extremely kind and hardworking young man who left a lasting impression on his teachers, coaches, teammates, and community. Our thoughts are with his family and the many people he made a lasting impact on.”
ABC News’ Mark Guarino and Joy Piazza-Ruppert contributed to this report.
