Maryland prison inmate killed in his own cell by another prisoner
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(CUMBERLAND, Md.) — A 28-year-old prison inmate has been killed in his own cell by another prisoner who was serving time in the same facility, police said.
The inmate, identified as Robert Warren — a state prison inmate serving time at the North Branch Correctional Institution in Cumberland., Maryland — was declared deceased in his cell on Monday by emergency medical service personnel, according to a statement from the Maryland State Police released on Wednesday.
A suspect, also an inmate, has been identified but police have not released his identity since he has not yet been charged at this time. Authorities are expected to release more information once the suspect has been charged, police said.
Maryland authorities did not say how the man was killed or how long they suspect he had been dead for when his body was discovered in his cell but they did confirm that Maryland State Police investigators are “continuing an investigation into the death of a state prison inmate in Allegany County.”
“The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit was contacted by investigators from the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Internal Investigative Unit (DPSCS IID) about an inmate death,” according to the Maryland State Police. “Autopsy results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Warren’s death as a homicide.”
State Police Homicide Unit investigators are continuing the investigation and assistance is being provided by State Police crime scene technicians and investigators with the DPSCS Internal Investigative Unit.
“Upon completion, the investigation will be presented to the Allegany County State’s Attorney’s Office for review regarding charges,” police said.
(WASHINGTON) — The crew of the Titan’s support ship felt a “shudder” around the time they lost contact with the submersible during its doomed dive to the Titanic shipwreck, the Coast Guard said Friday.
U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation Chair Jason Neubauer revealed during the last day of a two-week hearing on the implosion that the master of the Polar Prince told them that in hindsight, he believes he felt the ship “shudder” around the time when communications with the sub were lost during the June 2023 expedition.
The statement was provided to the board in October 2023, when the unidentified master was asked if he or crew members heard anything indicating the OceanGate submersible imploded, Neubauer said.
“The answer from the master was, ‘With the benefit of hindsight, I now believe I felt the Polar Prince shudder at around the time communications were reportedly lost, but at the time, we thought nothing of it. It was slight,'” Neubauer said.
Capt. Jamie Frederick with U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston, who testified Friday on the Titan search and rescue mission, said if that information had been reported immediately to the Coast Guard, that could have had a “drastic impact on the search efforts.”
“My initial reaction is, if that was information they have, to me personally, it would be unconscionable that they would not share that with the unified command,” Frederick said.
Neubauer added that from the crew’s perspective, the shudder was “not immediately connected to the event” so wasn’t reported to the Coast Guard.
Frederick detailed during his testimony the complex, international search and rescue response, which culminated with a remotely operated vehicle able to go to a depth of 6,000 meters finding the Titan debris on June 22 on the ocean floor.
“They discovered the tail cone first. And then as we continued to find additional debris, it became apparent that it had been a total loss,” he said.
The implosion killed all five passengers, including Stockton Rush, the co-founder and CEO of the sub’s maker, OceanGate. French explorer Paul Henri Nargeolet, British businessman Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son, Suleman, were also killed.
Frederick said the responders understood the Titan had survival systems on board and that they “never even got to the point to have the discussion of suspension.”
“I wouldn’t even want to speculate on when that would happen,” he added.
Frederick also addressed knocking noises detected by sonar buoys in the vicinity of the search location the day after the Titan imploded. He said the data was given to the U.S. Navy, which determined two days later it was not anyone knocking on the hull of the Titan. “They were 100% certain that it was not human in nature,” he said.
He also addressed an “anomaly” consistent with an implosion that was detected by the U.S. Navy in the general vicinity of where the Titan was at the time communications were lost. He said he was informed of the data a day after the Titan was lost and the information was classified at the time.
“It was one piece of data. It wasn’t definitive,” he said. “The Navy couldn’t tell us that it was 100% definitive, that it was an implosion.”
Rush said he would ‘buy a congressman’ to make Titan problems go away: Ex-employee
A former OceanGate employee testified during the hearing on Friday that he resigned from the submersible company after Rush told him he would “buy a congressman” to make problems with its Titan vessel go away.
Matthew McCoy was an active duty member of the U.S. Coast Guard prior to joining OceanGate as an operations technician in April 2017 as the company was building the first Titan prototype, which was never used on Titanic dives. He said he quit six months later, in September 2017, a day after his conversation with Rush.
McCoy said he told Rush he was concerned about operating the experimental Titan vessel without a certificate of inspection and that it would not be inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard. He said Rush responded that the Titan would be operating in the Bahamas and launch out of Canada and would not fall under U.S. jurisdiction.
“I think I had expressed to him that still taking U.S. passengers on there for hire at any point in time, if they touched the U.S. land, you know, U.S. port, that would also be of consideration,” McCoy said.
He said the conversation became “tense” and ended with Rush saying that “if the Coast Guard became a problem, he would buy himself a congressman and make it go away.”
“That will stand in my mind for the rest of time,” McCoy said. “I’ve never had anybody say that to me directly, and I was aghast. And basically, after that, I resigned. I couldn’t work there anymore.”
Asked by the Marine Board of Investigation if he felt like Rush was trying to intimidate him or if it was “more like bluster,” McCoy said he felt like Rush was trying to “either intimidate me or impress me.”
McCoy, a member of the Coast Guard Reserve, said he wasn’t clear on the regulations for the sub but was concerned about potentially violating U.S. law. He said he considered whether to notify the Coast Guard but OceanGate hadn’t done any dives in the U.S. with Titan.
He said he subsequently learned of a complaint OceanGate whistleblower David Lochridge filed in 2018 with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration following his termination. McCoy said he thought there would be a “deeper investigation” into OceanGate at that point. Lochridge’s whistleblower retaliation case was closed in late 2018 after he and OceanGate entered a settlement agreement in their respective lawsuits, OSHA said. Lochridge’s safety allegations regarding the Titan were referred to the Coast Guard, OSHA said.
McCoy said there was an “alarm bell” before he quit that made him concerned about OceanGate’s operations and the production of the Titan’s carbon-fiber hull.
When he started, he said, it was “made very clear” OceanGate was working with the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory and Boeing, “so they had a lot of what sounded like legitimacy behind them, as far as the engineering.”
But he said he soon learned the company had broken ties with the laboratory and Boeing wasn’t going to be doing the layup for the carbon fiber. He said he felt OceanGate’s engineering department “didn’t seem overly qualified” and there were mostly “college interns” during the summer he was there.
He said after he left OceanGate he didn’t keep tabs on the company for long.
“I just kind of quit following the company, not thinking that they would ever actually dive the Titan,” he said.
Coast Guard investigation continues into ‘unprecedented’ incident
OceanGate suspended all exploration and commercial operations after the deadly implosion.
The main purpose of the hearing was to uncover the facts related to the implosion and to make recommendations, the Coast Guard said.
At the conclusion of the two-week hearing Friday afternoon, Neubauer said the Coast Guard will conduct an analysis of the evidence collected and issue any recommendations to the commandant of the Coast Guard “to help ensure that nobody has to endure a future similar occurrence.”
Neubauer said that process can take several months but his priority is to “get this investigation done expeditiously, because I feel there are global issues at stake.”
Any determination on potential criminal acts will also be sent to the commandant of the Coast Guard, who would decide whether to make a referral to the Department of Justice, Neubauer said.
The National Transportation Safety Board will issue a separate report on its findings, including their official determination of the probable cause of the incident, at a later date, Marcel Muise, an investigator with the agency’s Office of Marine Safety, said at the conclusion of the hearing.
Neubauer offered his condolences to the families of those killed and thanked the more than two dozen witnesses who testified in the proceedings.
“It takes courage to testify in the public spotlight, especially in the aftermath of a traumatic event,” he said. “The subject matter covered during the sessions was often highly technical and emotionally charged, and I’m grateful to each witness who stopped and assisted in our efforts to fully understand this unprecedented incident.”
(RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA) — The foster parents who took in several of the Turpin children after they were rescued from their home of abuse in 2018 were sentenced on child abuse charges Friday.
Marcelino Olguin was sentenced to seven years in state prison and was taken away in handcuffs after his sentencing was read in court in Riverside County, California.
His wife, Rosa Olguin, and their daughter, Lennys Olguin, were sentenced to four years each of probation. They cried during the sentencing.
The judge ordered that the defendants not make contact with the nine victims, which included several of the Turpin siblings.
None of the victims or their attorneys were in court for the sentencing.
A victim impact statement from one of the victims, identified by the initials JT, was read aloud in court during the sentencing hearing.
“All I wanted was to finally have a loving family and recover from my trauma but unfortunately I did not receive that,” the statement read in part.
Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin, whose office prosecuted the case, said the sentencing “marks a significant step in delivering justice to the victims who endured unimaginable abuse.”
“These children were placed in a position of vulnerability after surviving intense trauma, only to be further exploited by someone who was entrusted with their care,” he said in a statement. “We are committed to holding accountable those who prey on innocent children. Our office remains steadfast in pursuing justice for all victims of abuse and ensuring that those who violate the trust placed in them are held accountable.”
The three foster parents pleaded guilty last month to child endangerment and false imprisonment. Marcelino Olguin was the only one charged with three counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14.
The three foster parents were arrested in 2021 and initially pleaded not guilty.
The six youngest Turpin children were placed with the Olguin family at various times beginning in 2018, a lawyer for one of the Olguins previously told ABC News. Four were still living there at the time of the arrests, according to the attorney.
Six Turpin siblings filed a lawsuit in 2022 against Riverside County and ChildNet, the private foster care agency tasked with protecting them, alleging they suffered “severe abuse and neglect” for years in the care of the foster family.
Elan Zektser and Roger Booth, legal representatives for the Turpin family victims, said they plan to hold a press conference on Monday to address the sentencing as well as where the civil case stands.
“This press event comes at a pivotal moment, as the public has awaited further details on both the criminal outcomes and the civil action involving the County’s oversight of the foster care system,” a press release from the attorneys stated.
A spokesperson for Riverside County told ABC News after the civil complaint was filed that it does not comment on pending legal matters or specific juvenile cases due to confidentiality laws.
A ChildNet spokesperson also told ABC News at the time that the organization was unable to disclose facts or discuss the allegations in the complaint.
A 2022 report issued by outside investigators hired by Riverside County found that the 13 Turpin siblings had been “failed” by the social services system that was supposed to care for them and help transition them into society.
“Some of the younger Turpin children were placed with caregivers who were later charged with child abuse,” the 630-page report found. “Some of the older siblings experienced periods of housing instability and food insecurity as they transitioned to independence.”
In response to the report upon its release, Riverside County Supervisor Karen Spiegel said in a statement, “This is the time to act and I will support all efforts to meet the challenge.”
The Turpin case garnered national attention following the children’s rescue from captivity in their parents’ Perris, California, home in January 2018.
The 13 Turpin siblings were rescued after Jordan Turpin, then 17, executed a daring escape in the middle of the night and called 911. Authorities subsequently discovered that their parents had subjected the siblings, who ranged in age from 2 to 29 at the time, to brutal violence and deprived them of food, sleep, hygiene, education and health care.
Their parents, David and Louise Turpin, pleaded guilty to 14 felony counts in 2019 and were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Mayor Eric Adams exits the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse after making the first appearance in his corruption case on October 2, 2024 in New York City. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — It is “possible” New York City Mayor Eric Adams could face additional charges and additional defendants are “likely” to be added, prosecutors said during a court hearing Wednesday, a week after a sprawling, five-count indictment was unsealed against the embattled politician.
“We’re moving quickly,” the prosecutor, Hagan Scotten, said. “We think that is quite likely.”
Adams has pleaded not guilty to charges that accused him of engaging in a long-running conspiracy to solicit and accept illegal foreign contributions.
Alex Spiro, Adams’ lawyer, criticized prosecutors, saying in a statement following the hearing: “The prosecution is desperately now saying they ‘could’ bring a new case because they are suddenly facing dismissal of their actual, flawed case and sanctions for misconduct. This is the sort of nonsense that prosecutors say when they don’t have a real case. If they had a real case, they would have brought it.”
The investigation into Adams began in the summer of 2021, “before the defendant had even become mayor,” Scotten said, revealing a timeframe not previously known.
The investigation unearthed text messages, emails and records from Turkish Airlines that Scotten said show the mayor tried to “create the illusion” he properly paid for certain flights when, in fact, he had not.
“It’s a bribe and it’s against the law,” Scotten said.
“Multiple” witnesses who participated with Adams in the charged conduct and witnesses who made illegal donations are expected to testify, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors also said they have evidence Adams sought to tamper with witnesses.
According to Scotten, after a witness was approached by the FBI during the investigation, that person was given “a clear message from the defendant they should not tell the truth to the FBI.”
The witness was not named, but Scotten called it a “significant instance of witness interference in this case.”
Adams patted the shoulder of a woman he seemed to recognize as he made his way to the defense table for his first hearing before the judge presiding over his federal bribery prosecution.
The mayor’s defense lawyer has asked the court to dismiss the bribery count and, separately, to sanction the prosecution over purported leaks. The defense urged the court to move quickly.
“We do not want this case dragging out,” Spiro said.
Spiro said Adams’ trial should start and end in March to give him time to secure a spot on the ballot for reelection. Adams, who was elected in 2021, is up for reelection in 2025.
“We want to get this to trial,” Spiro said. “They indicted the sitting mayor of New York.”
Spiro expressed confidence the bribery count would be dismissed and Adams acquitted.
“We want this case to be done with in March,” Spiro said.
Judge Dale Ho agreed the public and the mayor have a “strong interest” in a speedy trial, but he declined to immediately set a trial date. Prosecutors suggested a May trial date.
Prosecutors said they expect the trial to last about four weeks, while the defense said it would be much shorter.
Ho gave prosecutors until Oct. 18 to reply to the defense motions with oral arguments on Oct. 31.
Adams, a Democrat and former police captain, has said he plans to fight the charges, which last week he called “entirely false,” and does not plan to resign as leader of the largest city in the country.
