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Judge permanently dismisses Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case against former Olympian
A judge on Thursday permanently dismissed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case against former Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the costly $14 million renovation project in June.
D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman’s ruling marks the end of a monthslong legal battle that included President Donald Trump criticizing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after she moved to voluntarily dismiss the federal charges in late July.
Unlike Pirro’s decision, Thursday’s ruling was made with prejudice, meaning the Department of Justice (DOJ) cannot refile the same charges against Hearn.
Edelman rejected prosecutors’ request to preserve the possibility of recharging Hearn if new evidence surfaced, finding that existing investigative findings were sufficient to show the damage stemmed from a flawed renovation job.
TRUMP SAYS HE 'DISAGREES 100%' WITH U.S. ATTORNEY JEANINE PIRRO OVER REFLECTING POOL CASE
"In the exceptional circumstances posed by this case, the government has no right to retain the ability to compound the errors it has already made, or even to threaten to do so, at Mr. Hearn’s expense," Edelman said. "This case must be dismissed with prejudice, and the government must thus be barred from reinstituting this charge against Mr. Hearn."
Hearn’s counsel described the decision as a victory for "an innocent American seeking justice."
"This case never should have been brought in the first place. This was a miscarriage of justice, and what happened to Mr. Hearn is an outrage that should shock every American. This administration chose to pursue an unjust prosecution against Mr. Hearn. It should not get repeated chances to wield the power of criminal prosecution against someone who should never have been prosecuted," Hearn’s counsel said in a statement.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
WHITE HOUSE ASKS DOJ TO CONSIDER NEW PROSECUTION IN REFLECTING POOL CASE
Hearn was arrested on June 19 and later indicted on one felony count of destruction of property for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s lining.
Prosecutors alleged that Hearn was seen grabbing and tugging on a loose section of the pool’s coating, reportedly causing about $1,000 in damage. Officials added that he continued to do so even after National Park Service employees urged him to stop.
TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM ALLEGATIONS, CITES NEW WITNESS ACCOUNT
Trump has strictly maintained that the pool was vandalized, criticizing Pirro’s decision to drop the case as "hastily made."
"Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!" Trump previously said in a post on Truth Social.
"People were on their knees with their hands in the water at the exact location of the ‘slashes.’ Additionally, there were witnesses to the VANDALISM, and the flexible areas of the material were cut with a knife," he added.
The DOJ moved to dismiss the indictment after evidence from the Department of the Interior revealed that the damage was caused by a "rushed and botched" installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings ahead of the America 250 celebrations, court filings said.
According to the documents, Hearn touched peeling perimeter "overspray" material that was already peeling and therefore, had minimal economic value.
Hearn subsequently requested that the case be dismissed with prejudice, permanently barring the government from refiling the charges.
Amish face New York vaccine mandate in Supreme Court fight, might have to ‘pack their wagons’
New York’s elimination of religious exemptions for school vaccine mandates is threatening to drive Amish families from the state, according to First Liberty Institute attorney Hiram Sasser, who is urging the Supreme Court to intervene in the ongoing legal battle.
For decades, New York allowed religious exemptions for schoolchildren. But the state repealed that exemption in 2019, leaving Amish families and their small private schools facing vaccination requirements and potentially crippling fines.
The 2nd Circuit upheld the law in June, and the Amish have since asked the Supreme Court to take up the case.
"For decades, New York had a religious exemption for their vaccine mandate that they had on the books, and it protected the Amish who've been there for over 200 years," Sasser told Fox News Digital Wednesday.
‘COVID 2.0’: LAWMAKERS PUSH BACK ON SWEEPING HEALTH 'POLICE POWER' IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE
"And it's just such a shame that New York is one of the only states in America that decided that they wanted to get rid of their vaccine religious exemption and to try to impose it on everybody, including private schools and, unfortunately, hitting the Amish who have their own ‘Little House on the Prairie’-style schools that they have on their farms," Sasser said.
"And, for whatever reason, New York decided that they were going to start enforcing this requirement on the Amish who, frankly, just don't participate in these kinds of things. And instead of just leaving the Amish alone, New York decided to enforce it."
Sasser said the state has put "crushing fines" on the Amish, which are endangering their farms and even the ability to stay in New York.
CATHOLIC NUNS CARING FOR DYING PATIENTS FIGHT NEW YORK TRANS RULE, FACE JAIL TIME
"We're representing the Amish, and I got to tell you, when they filed their declaration with the court, it was, it's handwritten because that's how they do it, and they work as a community together. … They want to be really good citizens. They want to do their part for the state of New York, for America," Sasser said.
"They want to live quiet, humble lives, be good neighbors, but New York is putting them to a religious test that we should never put the Amish to."
Sasser said the dispute is about more than vaccines and could determine whether the Amish can continue living out their faith and traditional way of life in New York.
DOJ BACKS NUNS CARING FOR DYING CANCER PATIENTS IN FIGHT AGAINST NEW YORK TRANS IDEOLOGY MANDATE
"These are the Amish schools like ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ if you've ever seen that show. It's like that, and they're carrying out a way of life that was, that predominated across America for a long time, but we've all sort of moved on with modern things. But they're holding the fort, so to speak, of a way of life that we all used to live," Sasser said.
"I have no idea why the state of New York wants to go in there and shut them down," Sasser continued. "Frankly, the Amish would just like to be left alone, but they still really want to be positive members of the community. They want to serve their neighbors, they want to be good citizens, and New York just won't seem to let them do that unless they violate their religious beliefs."
First Liberty said it is awaiting a response from the other side, then a decision from the Supreme Court.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the New York Department of Health said, "The state’s responsibility is to protect public health, keep New Yorkers and their families safe and enforce the law fairly and equitably. While we cannot comment on pending litigation, the department is committed to eliminating serious illness and unnecessary deaths caused by vaccine-preventable diseases.
"The department continues to provide community outreach and education on the safety of immunizations. New York’s school immunization requirements are based in science and protect the health and well-being of all New Yorkers."
Fox News Digital reached out to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Commissioner of Education Betty Rosa.
Is the Taco Bell ultra marathon the toughest event in sports and why is the answer a resounding yes?
There may be longer races, and there may be more prestigious races, but none require the intestinal fortitude — in the most literal sense — needed to complete the International Taco Bell 50k.
The 9th annual edition of the ultra marathon in Denver gets underway this weekend, and it will see runners traversing just over 30 miles, while making pit stops at a minimum of nine of the ten Taco Bell locations along the route where they must order a menu item and finish it.
And better yet, it's not sanctioned by the company. They're just out there for the love of the game.
MONSTROUS WENDY'S BURGER RETURNS, DARING CUSTOMERS TO DEVOUR 9 PATTIES IN 9 MINUTES
Of course, my first thought was that there has to be a way to go easy on the food, but the rules require competitors to eat some serious heavy hitters.
Drinks do not count as food, and all competitors have to eat a Chalupa Supreme or Crunchwrap Supreme by the fourth stop. By the eighth stop, they have to have polished off a Burrito Supreme or Nachos Bell Grande, but other than that, it's fair game.
PROFESSIONAL EATER INHALES A BURRITO TO RECLAIM A TITLE SHE HAD LOST AS WORLD'S FASTEST
Just finish in 11 hours without puking or using any on-course Pepto, Alka-Seltzer, Pepcid A/C, Mylanta, and congratulations, you've completed a race with a higher DNF rate than the 100-mile Leadville 100 Trail Race.
I can't wrap my head around this race. The last thing I ever want to do after eating Taco Bell is exercise, and I'm eating a fraction of what these athletes will gobble up.
Hell, if someone said, "Now that you've polished off that Baja Blast and seven-layer burrito, how about doing a quick lap around the restaurant," I'd have to respectfully explain that that is a very bad idea.
And here's a detail no one even seems to pick up on that makes this even more diabolical: it's in Denver.
So, imagine running 30 miles with a stomach full of every conceivable combination and permutation of tortilla, meat, and cheese, and then doing it at altitude.
This should be an Olympic sport.
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I mean, if breaking was, why not?
But if that still doesn't seem tough enough for you, there are ways to make it harder. The Baja Blast Challenge requires runners to drink a total of 2 liters of the tropical-flavored soda.
Then, if you've got a stomach like a lead-lined bomb shelter, you can try the Diablo challenge, which involves eating each item with Diablo sauce and then doing a Diablo shooter at the finish line.
LA mayoral hopeful stumbles through favorite rappers from the city, host calls her 'media trained'
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman hesitated while naming her favorite Los Angeles rappers during a Tuesday podcast interview, drawing laughter and teasing from the hosts weeks before voters decide whether she or incumbent Mayor Karen Bass will lead the nation's second-largest city.
Appearing on the "Higher Learning" podcast, Raman was asked to list her three favorite L.A. rappers. She first named the late Nipsey Hussle and co-host Van Lathan immediately ribbed the city councilmember over her answer.
"Wow. Look at you, media trained," Lathan said.
Raman, 45, then said she still listened to "‘90s rap," but paused as she tried to continue her list. As the hosts laughed, Lathan told her, "And okay, as you search for the names, keep going."
"I’m just shy," Raman said.
SEE IT: LA DEM CANDIDATES TORCHED BY DISGUSTED RESIDENTS AFTER ‘DISGRACEFUL’ DEBATE: ‘BOTH BAD’
Raman eventually added Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur. Lathan summed up her list as "Nip, Pac, Snoop," while Raman explained that the music was what she listened to alone in her car and described it as "the songs of my youth."
Lisa Cusack, President of the Don't L.A. My Burbank PAC, told Fox News Digital she believed the exchange undercut Raman’s efforts to portray herself as closely connected to Los Angeles culture.
"Interesting that Raman called illegal street vendors an ‘indispensable part’ of L.A.'s culture, but can’t name some of the city’s most famous rappers. Feels like someone’s giving her a script, because she’s not from L.A. and doesn’t actually know what the city’s about," Cusack said.
KAREN BASS APPEARS TO LIKEN SPENCER PRATT TO TRUMP AMID TIGHTENING LA MAYORAL RACE
Raman was born in India and came to the United States at age six. She later settled in Los Angeles and lives in Silver Lake, according to The Los Angeles Times. She was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 2020 and currently represents the city's 4th district, including neighborhoods such as Hollywood, Sherman Oaks and Van Nuys.
Los Angeles County Republican Party Chairwoman Roxanne Hoge used the exchange to criticize Raman over the city’s business climate.
"I'd rather Raman be able to name her top three thriving L.A. businesses," Hoge said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "She can't."
SPENCER PRATT'S UNEXPECTED POLITICAL RISE FROM MTV VILLAIN TO KAREN BASS CHALLENGER
The podcast appearance came as Raman and Bass compete in the Nov. 3 runoff after Raman advanced from the June primary. Raman narrowly secured the second runoff spot behind Bass after passing Republican candidate and TV personality Spencer Pratt during the extended vote count, after Pratt led Raman on election night.
Raman has increasingly centered her campaign on dissatisfaction with City Hall's handling of homelessness, basic city services and the entertainment industry.
"I came into this race because I feel passionately about the future of Los Angeles and I feel frustration about the current state of the city. And I think that a third of voters is out there feeling those same things," Raman said.
Recently, Raman was pressed during a mayoral debate over her campaign’s decision to hire a consulting firm that previously worked with former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. A recent UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll found Raman leading Bass 39% to 28% among likely Los Angeles voters, while 33% remained undecided. The online survey of 2,150 likely voters was conducted Sept. 15-20 and had a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points.
Fox News Digital reached out to Bass for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Video shows Maine Wire reporter nearly being run over by car after confrontation
Maine Wire reporter Joe Sokol appeared to narrowly avoid being run over by an unruly critic in footage captured by the publication on Thursday.
In the video, Sokol was seen talking to a man prior to the incident, with the latter criticizing the reporter for filming outside the Bangor Comprehensive Treatment Center.
"You're invading people's privacy here. Confidentiality, you realize that?" the driver said.
CBS CREW ATTACKED BY MULTIPLE MEN NEAR CHICAGO MUSEUM, SUSPECTS ARRESTED: POLICE
"I'm invading people's privacy? By being in public with a camera? And doing a report?" Sokol responded.
The driver then proceeded to drive away as Sokol continued his report, describing the man as "possibly intoxicated." As he was speaking, Sokol suddenly backed away, apparently avoiding a near collision with what appeared to be the same man's vehicle. Sokol could then be heard reciting the suspect's license plate numbers through the knocked-down camera as the car kept driving.
The Maine Wire also showed additional footage which featured security footage of how close the vehicle approached Sokol, as well as Sokol approaching the center's owner, suggesting the suspect was connected.
"Your patient just tried to run me over," Sokol accused in the footage.
HOW THE MEDIA, IN THE DIGITAL AGE, HELP FUEL A CLIMATE OF ANGER AND VIOLENCE
The female owner, however, accused Sokol of attempting to intimidate her and demanded he leave the property.
In a comment to Fox News Digital, Sokol confirmed that he was investigating an addiction clinic and that police were notified and on the scene. Though the suspect was identified, Sokol was not yet sure if he was apprehended. He added that this was far from the first time he faced an attempt on his life.
"I currently have an active death-threat investigation that has sat on the district attorney’s desk for more than a month," Sokol said. "I have been assaulted multiple times; one of those incidents resulted in a charge, which the state dropped last week. Violence and aggression toward Maine Wire reporters is never addressed in Bangor. About three weeks ago, my cameraman, Adam Stade, was nearly attacked by several homeless people in the city. One councilor’s wife — Michael Beck’s — actually asked the police to intervene regarding our coverage (attached). Most of the city council refuses to comment on the subject generally."
The conservative-leaning Maine Wire also released a statement honoring Sokol reacting well under pressure and providing additional detail regarding Sokol's investigation.
VULNERABLE DEM'S OWN AUDIT ADMITS MEDICAID OVERSIGHT FAILURE AMID MASSIVE STATEWIDE FRAUD SCANDAL
"Joe was there to ask questions about a methadone clinic that, according to The Maine Wire’s reporting, has received roughly $25 million in taxpayer funding via Medicaid. This is essentially a taxpayer-funded drug dealing operation at the heart of Bangor, Maine. We will continue to investigate this organization, its enablers, and the employees who appeared to be accessories after the fact rather than Good Samaritans," the statement read.
It continued, "We extend our sincere thanks to the men and women of the Bangor Police Department for their professionalism and compassionate response. We will cooperate fully with their investigation, including providing the vehicle information, the identity of the driver, his social media history, the VIN number on his vehicle, his romantic history, our account of what happened, and our opinion as to what should happen to the driver and the taxpayer-funded methadone slingers who helped him become intoxicated before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. Thank you for your attention to this matter."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Bangor Comprehensive Treatment Center for comment.
Lindsay Clancy's motion for a finding of not guilty denied weeks after mistrial
Massachusetts Judge William Sullivan has denied Lindsay Clancy's motion for a required finding of not guilty.
Sullivan had denied a similar motion when her mistrial was declared on Sept. 4, and denied a renewed attempt Thursday after defense attorney Kevin Reddington argued earlier this week that Plymouth County prosecutors had failed to introduce enough evidence at trial to prove his client guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
"There was evidence introduced, both physical and circumstantial, that would permit a rational trier of fact to find beyond a reasonable doubt the elements of the charge of murder," Sullivan wrote.
LINDSAY CLANCY LAWYER RAISES EXPLOSIVE DOUBT OVER WHO KILLED HER CHILDREN
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He also disagreed with Reddington's argument that the state had failed to prove Clancy could have been criminally responsible for the murders.
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"Mental illness alone does not preclude a finding of criminal responsibility beyond a reasonable doubt," Sullivan wrote.
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Read the judge's order:
LINDSAY CLANCY'S ATTORNEY ASKS JUDGE TO ACQUIT HER OUTRIGHT, ENDING CASE AND BARRING A RETRIAL
"The Commonwealth's theory of criminal responsibility was that when the defendant committed the crime, she did not lack substantial capacity to appreciate the criminality or wrongfulness of her conduct and did not lack the substantial capacity to conform her conduct to the requirements of the law," he continued. "In support of this position, the Commonwealth introduced evidence regarding the nature and methods of the killings and the defendant's actions and demeanor at times surrounding the killings."
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Clancy is due back in court on Nov. 2 for a hearing on her pending double jeopardy motion and Reddington's request for an inquiry into the lone holdout juror who wanted to find her guilty.
This is a breaking news story.
Wynonna Judd says she and sister Ashley aren't speaking as family pain resurfaces
Wynonna Judd is finally telling her story – even the parts that may be painful for her family to hear.
The country star revealed she and sister Ashley Judd aren’t speaking right now, explaining that the two are not "connected" at the moment and focusing on their separate lives.
"We’re taking a break, which all families can relate to," she told People. "She’s doing her thing, and I’m doing mine."
KELLY OSBOURNE DRAWS A LINE WITH ESTRANGED SISTER AIMEE: 'I DON'T WANT YOU IN MY LIFE'
The revelation comes as Wynonna prepares to release her deeply personal new album Oct. 2, a project that prompted her to confront the complicated relationship she shared with her late mother, Naomi Judd, long-held family secrets and the anger and forgiveness she has wrestled with over the years.
"I feel like this is the most honest and vulnerable I’ve ever been," she told the outlet about writing "The Hard Truth." "It’s there for everyone to hear. So there are some days I think, ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’ And then other days I think, ‘There comes a point in your life when you are ready to tell your testimony.’"
Wynonna co-wrote the album alongside her husband, Cactus Moser. The music producer encouraged her to be vulnerable.
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"I knew it was going to be cathartic," he told the outlet.
Wynonna gained fame as one-half of the mother-daughter duo The Judds, whose close harmonies and roots-driven sound helped define country music in the 1980s. Between 1984 and 1991, they scored 20 Top 10 country hits, including 14 No. 1 singles, and won five Grammy Awards, nine CMA Awards and seven ACM Awards.
But behind The Judds’ remarkable success was a mother-daughter relationship Wynonna described as filled with both deep love and turmoil.
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"There was a tremendous amount of love there; a lot of drama but a lot of love as well. It was definitely a paradox," she said.
Part of that complicated dynamic, Wynonna said, stemmed from the struggles her mother faced behind the scenes – and the secrets she felt compelled to keep. Naomi struggled with severe depression for years before her death by suicide in April 2022 at age 76.
"My mother had an illness, she had a disease. I kept the secret, and I was devastated by that," Wynonna explained.
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Wynonna said Naomi’s death wasn’t what gave her the freedom to make such a personal album, insisting she would have told her story even if her mother were still alive.
"I think I would’ve been more determined," she explained. "It’s my story, and it’s my feelings."
Still, Wynonna acknowledged that hearing those feelings laid bare would likely have been difficult for her mother.
"I think it would be very painful for her. Very painful. But I also know that she knows me, that I’m so honest and so up-front."
Christa Pike's attorneys say she's in critical condition after botched lethal injections
Convicted Tennessee killer Christa Pike is hospitalized in critical condition a day after two botched lethal injection attempts in the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, Pike's attorneys said Thursday.
"Christa is alive right now," Randy Spivey, one of her lawyers, told reporters in a news briefing delivered over Zoom Thursday afternoon. "We don't have a sense of her prognosis or much update on her health at the moment."
Due to limited information and health privacy rules, he said he couldn't go into specific details.
"She is in critical condition receiving lifesaving care. That is the extent that we have at the moment," he said.
TENNESSEE DEATH ROW INMATE SURVIVES 2 LETHAL INJECTION DOSES IN FAILED EXECUTION ATTEMPT
Another of her attorneys, Stephen Ferrell, said it appears the needle "either became dislodged or pierced all the way through the veins," and the injection was not properly administered. But specific medical details were not available due to health privacy rules.
Pike, now 50, was the 18-year-old orchestrator of the torture and murder of Slemmer, a classmate and perceived romantic rival. Pike was supposed to be the first woman executed in Tennessee in over 200 years Wednesday evening after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned an emergency stay of execution.
She received two injections at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. Neither proved lethal.
"I'm haunted by last night," Spivey told reporters in a news briefing delivered over Zoom.
THREE DEATH ROW INMATES EXECUTED BY LETHAL INJECTION IN RARE SAME-DAY STRING ACROSS US
Pike remained awake and at one point raised her head, asking prison officials whether her arm was supposed to feel a certain way. Witnesses reported that Pike continued breathing even after the second dose had been administered.
Prior to Wednesday's failed execution, Pike had asked for alternate methods of capital punishment, fearing that the lethal injection could go wrong. Her requests were denied.
Without getting into specifics due to privacy rules, Pike's attorneys did not dispute that the Tennessee Department of Correction upheld her request for an all-female execution team.
Slemmer's mother also drove from Florida to Nashville to witness the botched procedure. She has not responded to Fox News Digital's attempts to reach her.
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"I cannot imagine what this was like for the family of Ms. Slemmer or anyone who loves that family or is close to that family or anyone who loves Christa or is close to Christa," Spivey said. "This is awful, and this kind of thing should never happen again."
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Pike was one of three teens convicted of Slemmer's brutal slaying during which the victim was tortured, slashed, beaten and had her head crushed with a chunk of asphalt.
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Pike was 18 in January 1995 at the time of the attack. She, boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp and a friend named Shadolla Peterson lured Slemmer out by claiming they wanted to go to a music store and pick up marijuana they'd hidden in a park near their vocational school.
Pike then attacked her. As Slemmer tried to escape, Shipp grabbed her and held her down, according to court records.
Phil Keith, who was Knoxville's police chief at the time, told Fox News Digital the assailants tortured Slemmer for up to an hour before she died. Pike took a piece of her shattered skull as a trophy, which she showed off the next day in school, and Shipp carved pentagrams into her chest and face.
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"Pike was the catalyst," Keith said. "She was the one that was planning out all the events, the luring, all that."
The failed execution prompted Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to halt the state’s remaining scheduled execution this year and order "a comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred."
Fox News' Landon Mion contributed to this report.
NASCAR driver's alleged affair with a spotter cost her a king's ransom & is college football in trouble?
'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday-Friday on OutKick.com.
First day of October ...
We have made it! Best month of the year. Soak it all, boys and girls. Don't waste a single second.
We've got postseason baseball all month, even though my Red Sox got thoroughly embarrassed in the Bronx this week. What a bunch of losers. Ain't the team I grew up watching. What a fall from grace.
But still, we have a full month of postseason baseball.
We also have 61 straight days of football, starting tonight. That's right. Every year, we get into this little window where we just have nonstop football for two straight months between college and NFL. That window has now opened, and it ain't closing until we're hanging Christmas lights.
Beautiful. What a time to be alive. What a month. We're in it, folks. Let's roll.
Welcome to a Thursday Nightcaps — the one where NASCAR driver Jennifer Jo Cobb pays a hefty fine for a little adultery in North Carolina. That's frowned upon everywhere, by the way, but it's an especially big no-no in the Tar Heel state.
You'll see.
What else? I've got the entire Red Sox clubhouse turning on ownership after getting steamrolled in the Wild Card series, and what's going on with the college football TV ratings this year?
LSU-OLE MISS TV RATINGS PROVE THAT SOME COLLEGE FOOTBALL BRANDS ARE IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
The early returns are in, and they're ... concerning. We'll dive in.
OK, grab you a ridiculously overpriced Shipyard Pumpkinhead beer to celebrate the start of October, and settle in for a Thursday 'Cap!
Look at that. Sixty-one straight days of football. Our next day without a game? Dec. 1. That's gonna be a rough week, by the way, because I'm fairly certain Major League Baseball's inevitable lockout will begin the next day.
And we won't even have football to save us then!
But that's a December problem. Not an Oct. 1 problem. We're in the thick of it, starting today. Halloween. Thanksgiving. Cooler weather (allegedly). The best.
And hey! We even get the final month of the NASCAR season. Can't beat it.
Speaking of ... let's go ahead and start today's class with Truck Series driver Jennifer Jo Cobb getting clapped with a $850,000 bill after a court sided with the now ex-wife of the man she "willfully, intentionally, and deliberately seduced, enticed and alienated the affections" of back in 2021.
The man? Longtime NASCAR spotter, Clayton Hughes.
What a twist:
So, here's the scoop ...
Tracey Hughes, the ex-wife of longtime NASCAR spotter Clayton Hughes, filed a lawsuit against Jo Cobb in 2024, accusing her of having an affair with her husband months before their divorce in 2021.
Hughes accused Cobb of alienation of affection, which is basically a civil tort that allows individuals to sue another for intentionally spurring the end of a marriage.
Who knew such a thing existed!
Here's the kicker: Only five states allow people to sue for alienation of affection, including North Carolina, Mississippi, South Dakota, Utah and Hawaii.
Cobb has 31 NASCAR O'Reilly Series starts over a 15-year career, and a whopping 234 Truck Series starts. She finished sixth at Daytona in 2011.
Hughes also filed a second claim, saying her husband "dishonored" the couple’s "marital bed," which seems like a fair conclusion to make. North Carolina's 'Homewrecker Law,' as it's been aptly dubbed, was triggered, and last week a Davidson County judge ordered Jo Cobb to pay $50,000 for alienation of affection, and $800,000 for criminal conversation.
For those who aren't up-to-date on their legal terms, criminal conversion a civil lawsuit that allows a spouse to sue a third party for having sex with their partner while the marriage is still intact.
Most expensive sex ever, if you ask me! Allegedly, of course.
What a story.
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OK, let's leave the courtroom and head to the Bronx, where my Red Sox got their brains beaten in last night by the New York Yankees, and then started a full-on revolt in the clubhouse after the game:
My goodness. Willson Contreras refusing to say why the team stunk the past month and then refusing to comment on Sonny Gray getting yanked with two outs in the fifth tells you everything you need to know.
Contreras also blasted the organization's obsession with analytics, which, I'd imagine, played a role in Chad Tracy pulling Gray with two outs in a 1-0 game.
Look, I grew up in the golden age of Red Sox baseball. I saw four World Series championships. I know what this organization is supposed to look like ...
This ain't it. This whole "analytics" revolution in Major League Baseball is so anti-baseball, it makes my head explode. It's certainly anti-October baseball, where a manager needs to have a real feel for his players.
Chad Tracy stunk this series. He was horrible. He was a deer in headlights.
This was his first experience with it, so I'm willing to give him a little runway. But goodness, every single move he made backfired.
Do you understand how bad you have to be to get out-coached by Aaron Boone in October? Horrendous.
Embarrassing series.
OK, let's rapid-fire this Thursday class into a big Thursday night of (61 straight days of) football! First up? We've got a fresh batch of TV ratings from the first month of the college football season, and they are ... concerning:
Down 11% year over year. Not great. Concerning. Troubling.
Now, the question is ... why? A couple thoughts from me, and then I'll let you guys take us home.
OK, that's it for me today. Give me your thoughts on the way out!
And, of course, see y'all tomorrow. Let's have a big night.
World Cup darling Freddy is back stateside, almost makes fatal mistake touring notorious southern city
Everyone remembers Freddy, right?
The World Cup guest from Germany stole the hearts of soccer fans all across America for his love of the host country, documenting his trip through the United States on social media and giving glowing reviews along the way.
Well, Freddy is back in the Lower 48, this time spending his days in the American South and enjoying the actual greatest sport on earth: college football.
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The Fredster has been to Auburn and LSU to see a couple of SEC games, and this week he finds himself in the Magnolia State en route to Alabama for an Oktoberfest event over the weekend.
And what do you do when you find yourself in Mississippi for a couple of days? Go hang out in Jackson, of course!
Wait, that can't be right. What, was Memphis already booked up for the week?
Yes, our dear Freddy has decided to make a stop in the capital city for a little RnR, and made the cardinal sin of thinking he was going for a stroll in gay old Paree instead of the deadliest city, per capita, in the contiguous U.S.
"Hey guys, Freddy here! Just thinking about maybe hitting up Buffalo Wild Wings for a quick bite to eat then walking through a literal warzone to take in the sights and sounds of the place."
Did this guy read the travel itinerary or what?
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This isn't the first time Freddy made a classic tourist mistake, as he has a well-documented ride on the MARTA in Atlanta from his days as a World Cup visitor.
The best part is that pretty much everyone on social media was trying to warn our lieber freunde about the dangers of Jackson, Mississippi.
While his followers were whipped up into a frenzy wondering if their dude from Deutschland was okay, Freddy apparently enjoyed a nice meal at the great American eatery known as Chili's and then returned safely to his hotel bed.
Crisis averted.
Maybe Freddy can try the lottery or head to Las Vegas next, since he likes playing the odds so much.
I don't know if it's ignorance or testicular fortitude, but our guy spent a night on the streets of Jackson and lived to tell about it.
Hats off to you, Fred-O.
Now, don't ever pull a stunt like that again.