Terror Suspects Lied to Achieve Refugee Status: Two men with terrorism ties allegedly lied to U.S. immigration officials and continued their terror-related activities after being admitted as refugees, exposing a flawed screening process that is jeopardizing the safety of Americans. Malia Zimmerman of Fox News reports that Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, 23, was admitted to the U.S. as a refugee in 2012 but returned to the Middle East twice to fight for a terrorist group, and was later recorded by the FBI talking about executing Syrian Army members and Russian allies. He is currently being held in Chicago for attempting to support a terrorist group and is facing charges in California for lying about residing in Syria. Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, 24, the nephew of a famed Al Qaeda bomb maker, moved to Houston in 2009 after living in Iraqi and Jordanian refugee camps, lying to U.S. Customs and Immigration Services to obtain asylum and was granted permanent residency two years later. He is facing up to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty last week to plotting and training to bomb and open fire in two Houston malls, and for attempting to assist the Islamic State for the past two years. These two cases "confirm that it is simply impossible for our screening system to detect all those who are a treat." Over 100,000 Iraqis and 130,000 Syrians have been granted refugee status over the last seven years, with dozens of them convicted of terror-related crimes.
Driver Opens Fire on Officer and Ride Along Passenger: Another violent attack on a California police officer and a civilian passenger over the weekend has sent shock waves throughout the police community, with law enforcement officials vowing to have the perpetrator arrested by week's end. Vanessa Vasconcelos of ABC30 reports that Madera police officer Julian Garcia, 23, was making a routine traffic stop for a broken taillight Sunday morning when the driver opened fire, firing a total of 14 shots, three of which struck the police vehicle. Garcia is a rookie officer who finished the academy in July and field training two weeks ago. The passenger, whose identity has been withheld for her safety, is a woman in her 20s who was riding along as part of a 14-week program called the Volunteer Citizen's Academy. She was not wearing a bulletproof vest. Fortunately, neither Garcia nor the passenger were hit. The brazen attack comes amid a string of brutal -- oftentimes targeted -- attacks on law enforcement officers across the nation.
Two Death Sentences Upheld Last Week: The Louisiana Supreme Court last week upheld the conviction and death sentence of a man convicted of killing three relatives of his estranged wife eight years ago. ArkLaTex reports that Robert McCoy was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder in 2011 for the 2008 deaths of his estranged wife's son, mother and stepfather, and sentenced to death in 2012. McCoy appealed his case to the state high court, raising 16 claims of error, but the high court affirmed both the conviction and death sentence last Wednesday. Also last week, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the conviction and death sentence of a man convicted of killing his pregnant wife in 2009. WAAY reports that Jessie Phillips was convicted twice of killing his eight-weeks pregnant wife at a car wash, marking the first time a person in the state was tried under "Brody's Law," which permits unborn children to be counted as homicide victims. The appeals court affirmed both Phillips' conviction and death sentence last Friday.
Ex-AG Sentenced to Jail: Former Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane was handcuffed inside a courtroom on Monday after being sentenced to a 10- to 23-month jail sentence and eight years of probation for a retaliation scheme. The AP reports that Kane, 50, was convicted in August of two felony counts of perjury and seven misdemeanor charges after being accused of leaking secret investigative files to embarrass a rival prosecutor, Frank Fina. Kane had someone pass confidential files to a reporter regarding a corruption case Fina had declined to charge prior to his departure from the office, then tried to frame someone else for the leak. Kane, who resigned a day after her conviction, took office in 2013 and was the first woman and first Democrat elected as the state's top prosecutor. Throughout her trial, aides described her as a paranoid person with an "off with your heads mentality" and a political "neophyte" hellbent on revenge. She posted $75,000 cash bail on Monday and was freed, and can remain free while her conviction is appealed.
Driver Opens Fire on Officer and Ride Along Passenger: Another violent attack on a California police officer and a civilian passenger over the weekend has sent shock waves throughout the police community, with law enforcement officials vowing to have the perpetrator arrested by week's end. Vanessa Vasconcelos of ABC30 reports that Madera police officer Julian Garcia, 23, was making a routine traffic stop for a broken taillight Sunday morning when the driver opened fire, firing a total of 14 shots, three of which struck the police vehicle. Garcia is a rookie officer who finished the academy in July and field training two weeks ago. The passenger, whose identity has been withheld for her safety, is a woman in her 20s who was riding along as part of a 14-week program called the Volunteer Citizen's Academy. She was not wearing a bulletproof vest. Fortunately, neither Garcia nor the passenger were hit. The brazen attack comes amid a string of brutal -- oftentimes targeted -- attacks on law enforcement officers across the nation.
Two Death Sentences Upheld Last Week: The Louisiana Supreme Court last week upheld the conviction and death sentence of a man convicted of killing three relatives of his estranged wife eight years ago. ArkLaTex reports that Robert McCoy was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder in 2011 for the 2008 deaths of his estranged wife's son, mother and stepfather, and sentenced to death in 2012. McCoy appealed his case to the state high court, raising 16 claims of error, but the high court affirmed both the conviction and death sentence last Wednesday. Also last week, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the conviction and death sentence of a man convicted of killing his pregnant wife in 2009. WAAY reports that Jessie Phillips was convicted twice of killing his eight-weeks pregnant wife at a car wash, marking the first time a person in the state was tried under "Brody's Law," which permits unborn children to be counted as homicide victims. The appeals court affirmed both Phillips' conviction and death sentence last Friday.
Ex-AG Sentenced to Jail: Former Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane was handcuffed inside a courtroom on Monday after being sentenced to a 10- to 23-month jail sentence and eight years of probation for a retaliation scheme. The AP reports that Kane, 50, was convicted in August of two felony counts of perjury and seven misdemeanor charges after being accused of leaking secret investigative files to embarrass a rival prosecutor, Frank Fina. Kane had someone pass confidential files to a reporter regarding a corruption case Fina had declined to charge prior to his departure from the office, then tried to frame someone else for the leak. Kane, who resigned a day after her conviction, took office in 2013 and was the first woman and first Democrat elected as the state's top prosecutor. Throughout her trial, aides described her as a paranoid person with an "off with your heads mentality" and a political "neophyte" hellbent on revenge. She posted $75,000 cash bail on Monday and was freed, and can remain free while her conviction is appealed.
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