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Rai does it his way to win PGA, pointless Aronimink criticism, player grades and an important message
The 2026 PGA Championship was a game of patience and precision. In an era where picking apart golf courses, even major championship ones, with a flavor of violence has become the expectation, there was a welcome shock factor seeing a someone like Aaron Rai emerge from the pack of certified killers to get his hands on the Wanamaker Trophy.
Rai was an unexpected winner. Even halfway through the final round at Aronimink Golf Club, when nobody else in the field was able to get a hand on the door to slam it shut, the Englishman stepped up and did so with authority. Classy, tasteful, and respectful authority, but authority nonetheless.
The golf course itself and the setup took criticism from both fans and players throughout the week, and while the debates back and forth are woven into the rhetoric of every major championship, it felt pointless at Aronimink. We'll explain why down below.
With such a jam-packed leaderboard and so many big-name players in contention over the weekend, player grades are in order. Spoiler: Ludvig Aberg's grade is putrid.
This is Par Talk, a weekly read to get you caught up on all the happenings that took place in professional golf that you need to know. You can follow Mark on X @itismarkharris and email him at mark.harris@outkick.com
The 2026 PGA Championship was expected to be a test that favored long hitters with the bomb and gauge strategy to be deployed by everyone who has it in their bag. While longer hitters, including the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, and Justin Thomas, were in the mix come late Sunday afternoon, Rai reminded the world that hitting fairways and greens, and letting a scorching-hot putter go to work, can still get the job done just about anywhere.
Rai entered the week ranked 160th on the PGA Tour in average driving distance and finished the week ranked 66th in driving distance among the 82 players who made the cut. He was forced to slowly carve up Aronimink instead of aggressively picking it apart, and he did so better than anyone else in the field.
The Englishman closed out the week ranked second in strokes gained: approach, fourth in driving accuracy, hit 74% of his greens in regulation, and led the entire field with 22 birdies or better.
While Rai's 70-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole will understandably garner tons of attention for days to come, his birdie on the drivable par-4 13th hole was, up to this point, the defining moment of his career.
After driving it into a greenside bunker, Rai was left with a 40-yard shot that most players holding a one-shot lead would play with extreme caution. He chose to be aggressive, however, and fly his golf ball onto a shelf where disaster was lurking, yet walked off the green with a birdie and a two-shot advantage.
Rai played his final 10 holes in six-under par before signing for a final-round 65, his lowest score in a major championship by two strokes.
The 31-year-old is known as being among the nicest and most humble players in professional golf, but inside the ropes on Sunday, he was as mean as they come. With his victory, Rai became the first Englishman to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy since Jim Barnes won the original tournament back in 1919.
Maybe we see Rai back in contention at a major championship soon; maybe he never sees the first page of a major leaderboard again. Regardless of what the future holds, he seized the moment at Aronimink on a Sunday in May and entered golf's history book.
The media — both those watching from home and those with boots on the ground — could not have been more wrong about expectations of how the golf course was going to play throughout the week than they were at Aronimink.
That is not an indictment of anyone, either. I think it's more of a reflection of how our default setting has become "the long hitters will climb to the top, separate themselves, and scores will be shockingly low."
I predicted the winning score to be 17-under myself, and thought that was on the more conservative side, so Rai's 9-under total was a surprise, and a pleasant one at that.
With scores being on the high side and the leaderboard remaining extremely crowded at the top — there were 21 players within four of the lead heading into Sunday — the discourse began that the setup of the golf course was poor.
Shane Lowry, who was never in contention, said the course "has been set up pretty poorly" after the third round. Rory McIlroy explained that the lack of separation on the leaderboard is typically "a sign of not a great setup." Scottie Scheffler said that he had never seen tougher pin locations in his entire career.
On the flip side of that coin, you have fans at home, enjoying seeing the best players in the world struggle to make birdies on a golf course that played just over 7,100 yards each of the final two rounds.
Without getting too into the weeds, I think the overall consensus of the situation is straightforward.
It's not the responsibility of golf fans to worry about whether the players love or hate a golf course setup. Most fans seemed to enjoy Aronimink because it is entertaining to see the best players look confused on a golf course. In that same light, McIlroy, Lowry, or any other player is absolutely entitled to share their opinions of a setup, and outside of an egregious statement, shouldn't take flak. They're the ones playing the golf course with millions of dollars on the line.
This leads us to a PSA: It is totally acceptable to say you enjoyed this year's PGA Championship. It was quirky and fun. It resembled a typical U.S. Open more than a typical PGA and it was enjoyable seeing an old Donald Ross track baffle players. And most importantly, it was a great test.
We're constantly screaming for the best players to be tested more often, and just because it came at a PGA Championship that most expected to be a birdie fest doesn't mean it should be disparaged.
Aaron Rai: He won the golf tournament...by three. A+
Jon Rahm: Nobody knew what version of Rahm we'd get at Aronimink entering the week. After a T-38 finish at the Masters and with his future in golf up in the air as the Saudis pull funding from LIV Golf, the Spaniard could have no-showed and pouted while doing so. Instead, he had a noticeably good attitude throughout the week and finished T-2 after a 67-68 weekend.
He did leave a couple of shots out there on Sunday, however, and still carries incredibly high expectations. B
JON RAHM APOLOGIZES AFTER HITTING VOLUNTEER WITH FLYING DIVOT AT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: 'INEXCUSABLE'
Ludvig Aberg: His final round 69 may as well have been a 79. After essentially going through the motions in his opening nine holes yet still being firmly in contention, a three-putt from 34-feet on the 10th hole ended his day while serving as a great representation for Aberg these days.
He has every physical tool to be in the conversation as the best player in the world, but it's clear that between the ears, he's battling and losing. It feels like he's struggling to find the balance of caring too much and caring too little. He also needs to throw the blade putter into an inferno and start putting with a mallet. C-, even if he did finish T-4.
Alex Smalley: When you grab a two-shot lead after 54 holes at a major championship, you're doing a lot of things right. His Sunday played out as expected with nervy shots early on and the dreaded double bogey coming at the sixth, but he hung in there a lot better than most predicted, myself included, to begin the day.
Shooting even par in the final round wasn't enough to get it done, but he probably would have taken that score to begin the day. A- to go along with his T-2 finish.
Cameron Smith: He's back (maybe, hopefully). Oh, how I missed watching Cam Smith stand over any putt on the property and thinking he's going to drain it. After six consecutive missed cuts in majors, it was a ton of fun seeing the Aussie back in the mix and finishing T-7. If he gets the driver figured out, he could turn into a factor sooner rather than later again at majors. A-
Rory McIlroy: McIlroy could have packed it in after shooting four-over in the opening round, but instead answered back with rounds of 67-66-69. The one knock against McIlroy, and I believe a justified one, was that he brought exactly zero juice to the course on Sunday. It happens, but not too often on a major championship Sunday when beginning the round just three shots back of the lead. The game was good, nowhere close to great. Two birdies on Sunday, pars on both Par 5s, and a bogey on a 299-yard Par 4. A T-7 finish gets a C+ all things considered.
Scottie Scheffler: From tee to green, Scheffler played well enough to win the golf tournament, but when he stepped on the green, he looked nothing like the No. 1 player in the world. For the week, he finished 72nd out of 82 players who made the cut in strokes gained: putting. A very forgettable T-14. C
Swing-seat Republican sidelined by 'serious' illness misses 88 votes as majority hangs by thread
An absent House lawmaker is expected to miss several more weeks of work after vanishing from Capitol Hill and the campaign trail due to an undisclosed illness.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., has not voted in more than two months as House Republicans' slim majority races to approve must-pass legislation ahead of the midterm elections.
His father, former Gov. Tom Kean Sr., R-N.J., says his son may not return to Washington until June or later as he recovers from a "serious" illness.
"You can’t say definitely, but their best guess is now he’ll be out in two or three weeks," Kean Sr., told NJ.com in an interview last week, referring his son's doctors. "Any time you’ve been through a serious illness, you can’t be 100% the day you get back. You’re gonna be able to do things, but gradually ramping up."
"When he can start to go to Congress again, that’s something the doctor wants to reserve judgment on," he added.
Kean Jr., 57, last voted on March 5 and has missed all 88 roll call votes in the lower chamber since then, according to GovTrack, a website that monitors congressional absences.
Representatives for the New Jersey Republican have contended for weeks that he will restart his congressional duties "soon," but that timeline has remained vague.
A spokesperson for Kean Jr. did not immediately respond to a request for comment about when the two-term lawmaker plans to return to Washington.
Kean Sr. did not elaborate about where his son is receiving treatment for the undisclosed diagnosis, but confirmed he is under the care of multiple doctors.
He also declined to disclose the nature of his son’s illness, telling CNN, "That’s up to him." The former two-term governor added that doctors expect Kean Jr. to make a full recovery.
Since March, Kean Jr.’s office has characterized the congressman’s diagnosis as a "personal health matter" and declined to share specifics.
A top aide for Kean Jr. told The New York Times last week, "There’s no cameras where Tom is."
The public last heard from Kean Jr. in late April when he released a public statement, saying, "I will be back to the job I love very soon."
Kean Sr. also said that he expects his son to run for re-election despite his disappearance from the campaign trail.
"I think that’s the way he’s going, yeah," he told the outlet.
Kean Jr.’s ongoing health issues come as national Democrats are aggressively targeting the swing seat Kean Jr. has represented since 2023. Four relatively well-funded challengers, including emergency room physician Tina Shah, are vying for the Democratic nomination ahead of a June 2 primary.
Kean Jr. is running unopposed for the GOP nomination.
Republicans in Washington have grown increasingly concerned about Kean Jr.’s prolonged absence, which has an outsize impact on GOP lawmakers’ fragile majority.
The House is expected to vote on legislation this week funding President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement agenda, where House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will likely need near-full attendance from Republicans amid widespread opposition from Democrats.
Johnson told reporters last week that he is praying for Kean Jr's swift recovery but is in the dark about the nature of the New Jersey Republican's ailment.
"He said he was out on a medical issue, and he’ll be back as soon as possible," the speaker said. "That’s the full extent of what I know about it. It’s a personal thing, and obviously I told him that we’re praying for him, and I need him to get back as soon as he can."
US, Nigeria strike ISIS fighters again from the air after killing senior leader
U.S. and Nigerian forces launched another strike against ISIS fighters in Nigeria, according to U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), just days after they carried out an operation that killed a global ISIS leader.
AFRICOM said it conducted the additional kinetic strikes against ISIS militants on Monday in coordination with Nigeria’s government. It said complete assessments are ongoing, though noted that no U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed during the operation.
"The removal of these terrorists diminishes the group’s capacity to plan attacks that threaten the safety and security of the U.S. and our partners," AFRICOM said.
The strikes come after President Donald Trump announced late Friday that U.S. and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as ISIS’s second-in-command globally.
ISIS TERROR LEADER AT LARGE AFTER US STRIKE KILLS TOP COMMANDER AMID RISING AFRICA THREAT: ANALYST
"Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social at the time. "He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans."
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed Saturday that U.S. forces, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, killed al-Minuki and other ISIS leaders.
"So, for months, we hunted this top ISIS leader in Nigeria who was killing Christians, and we killed him — and his entire posse," Hegseth wrote.
The announcement also comes after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out multiple strikes against more than 30 ISIS targets in Syria in February as part of a joint military effort to "sustain relentless military pressure on remnants from the terrorist network."
Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz and Robert McGreevey contributed to this report.
Jackson protests as Supreme Court uses Louisiana gerrymandering ruling to instruct lower courts
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson protested the Supreme Court’s decision to use their recent ruling in a Louisiana gerrymandering case to instruct lower courts on how to define the Voting Rights Act, a move that could wipe out previous legal victories for voting rights groups.
The Court on Monday sent a Mississippi case back down to U.S. District Court "for further consideration" following their ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which rejected race-based gerrymandering.
"This case presents only the question of Section 2’s private enforceability, which our decision in Louisiana v. Callais … did not address," Jackson dissented, referencing Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. "Thus I see no basis for vacating the lower court’s judgment."
The Supreme Court last month limited the scope of section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which restricts how states draw districts affecting minority voters, in its ruling in the case of Louisiana v. Callais.
Louisiana v. Callais centered on whether Louisiana’s 2024 congressional map, which had added a second majority-Black district, amounted to an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
Though the justices acknowledged that compliance with the Voting Rights Act can be considered by states as a compelling interest in redistricting, they said that it did not require Louisiana to add the creation of a second, majority Black district, siding with a lower court that had also blocked the state's use of the map.
JUDGES SAY THEY'LL REDRAW LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL MAP THEMSELVES IF LAWMAKERS CAN'T
The high court's ruling in that case could trigger a new wave of legal challenges over congressional boundaries and make it harder for plaintiffs to challenge the maps in question, as it requires them to prove a racially discriminatory motive.
Fox News Digital's Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Jeanie Buss, Sofia Richie's husband among business titans reportedly backing Spencer Pratt's LA mayoral race
Spencer Pratt is hauling in donations from business titans like Jeanie Buss and Sofia Richie's husband ahead of the Los Angeles mayoral primary elections.
Per the New York Times, heavy-hitter donors have been pouring into Pratt's campaign since May 1. Buss and Elliot Grainge are reportedly among the donors.
In recent weeks, Pratt's run has picked up steam following his widely praised performance in a mayoral debate with incumbent Karen Bass and L.A. City Council Member Nithya Raman as well as a series of viral campaign ads. The former "Hills" star has raised over $500K and polls second behind Bass ahead of the June 2 primary.
Below is a complete look at the business titans backing Pratt's campaign.
Buss has added an unexpected twist to the Los Angeles mayoral race by donating the maximum allowed $1,800 to Pratt’s campaign.
The Lakers executive’s contribution signals growing Hollywood interest in Pratt’s outsider candidacy, which has gained momentum following his outspoken criticism of city leadership after the 2025 Palisades fires.
While Buss has not publicly endorsed Pratt, her donation places her among a growing list of entertainment industry figures backing the former reality star as he challenges Bass.
Elliot Grainge, the CEO of Atlantic Records and Sofia Richie's husband, has also emerged as part of the growing entertainment industry support behind Pratt’s mayoral campaign, adding another high-profile music executive name to the Los Angeles race.
He is the 10K Projects founder and son of Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge. Lucian is also reportedly among Pratt's donors.
Dan Loeb, the billionaire financier and Los Angeles-area native, has joined the growing list of prominent figures backing Pratt’s mayoral campaign, signaling broader support from influential business leaders frustrated with the city’s direction, according to the New York Times.
Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard, has also been linked to the growing network of business and entertainment heavyweights supporting Pratt’s mayoral campaign.
The longtime gaming executive, who helped build Activision Blizzard into one of the world’s largest video game companies before stepping down in 2023 following Microsoft’s acquisition of the company, represents another high-profile name backing Pratt’s outsider push in Los Angeles politics.
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, the cryptocurrency entrepreneurs best known for founding the Gemini crypto exchange, are among the high-profile business figures tied to Pratt’s mayoral campaign.
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The billionaire twins, who rose to prominence after their legal battle with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and later became major players in the digital currency industry, add a Silicon Valley and crypto-world presence to Pratt’s increasingly eclectic coalition of supporters from entertainment, finance, and tech circles.
Haim Saban, the entertainment mogul behind "Power Rangers," and his wife, philanthropist Cheryl Saban, are among the prominent Los Angeles power players tied to Pratt’s mayoral campaign.
Long influential in both Hollywood and Democratic political fundraising circles, the Sabans’ support highlights the unusually broad coalition Pratt has attracted as his outsider campaign gains traction among wealthy donors frustrated with the city’s leadership and response to ongoing crises.
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Jeffrey Sprecher is the CEO of Intercontinental Exchange and chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. According to the New York Times, he is a donor to Pratt's campaign.
Jamie Siminoff is the founder of Ring, Amazon’s home-security division. He is a donor in Pratt's mayoral campaign, according to the New York Times.
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Best known for turning Ring into one of the most recognizable smart home brands before its multibillion-dollar acquisition by Amazon, Siminoff adds another influential startup voice to Pratt’s growing coalition of donors frustrated with public safety and quality-of-life issues in Los Angeles.
Mark Pincus, the founder of the mobile-game company Zynga, has backed Pratt's mayoral run. He is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who helped pioneer social gaming with hits like FarmVille.
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Sean Rad, the founder of the dating app Tinder, is one of Pratt's many donors. He helped pioneer the online dating world by creating Tinder.
Val Blavatnik, a director of Warner Music Group and the son of billionaire investor Len Blavatnik, has also emerged among the high-profile names connected to Spencer Pratt’s mayoral campaign.
With deep ties to both the entertainment and business worlds, Blavatnik’s involvement further reflects the wide-ranging support Pratt has attracted.
Nicole Avant, the producer, Democratic fund-raiser, and wife of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, is also planning to support Spencer Pratt’s mayoral campaign, per the New York Times.
Fox News Digital has reached out to all the reported donors for comment.
Trump’s China thaw leaves Taiwan decision looming as ex-NBA star warns island holds key to US AI race
President Donald Trump returned from Beijing touting warmer trade ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but the summit left unresolved one of the most consequential flashpoints in U.S.-China relations: Taiwan.
"Taiwan is the center of the global technology race," former NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom told Fox News Digital in a Zoom interview. "If you want to understand the future of AI dominance, economic power and national security, you have to understand Taiwan."
Former Boston Celtics player and outspoken human-rights activist known for his criticism of the Chinese Communist Party, Freedom, said the lack of progress showed Taiwan remains a major unresolved issue at the center of America’s economic and national security competition with China. Freedom noted in his remarks that, "Trump has always understood that communist China is America's biggest long-term geopolitical challenge."
"I think President Trump has constantly emphasized that peace is preserved through strength. I believe maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait requires strong American leadership, strategic clarity, and a credible deterrent that leaves no room for miscalculation for authoritarian regimes," said Freedom.
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The pending decision comes as Taiwan continues seeking U.S. weapons meant to harden the island against a potential Chinese attack.
Trump has not publicly committed to whether to move forward with a new Taiwan arms package while the talks produced no publicly announced breakthrough on Taiwan or other key strategic disputes, making the pending arms decision a closely watched signal for both Beijing and Taipei.
A senior White House administration official told Fox News Digital that Trump will make a determination in a fairly short time regarding a new Taiwan arms package and also noted he approved $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan in December 2025, which is "consistent with U.S. policy since the 1950s."
"In his first term, President Trump approved more arms sales to Taiwan than any other President in history," the official added. In his second term, President Trump approved more in his first year than all four years under President Biden."
Trump was joined in China by top American tech CEOs, including leading AI executives during the summit, underscoring how the U.S.-China rivalry over artificial intelligence has become both an economic and geopolitical arms race.
TRUMP LEAVES CHINA WITH BREAKTHROUGHS — AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS ON XI’S BIGGEST FIGHTS
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said in a Facebook post Sunday that arms purchases from the U.S. are "the most vital deterrent" of regional conflict.
"Long-standing security cooperation and arms sales between Taiwan and the U.S. are grounded in the Taiwan Relations Act," said Lai. "This serves not only as a testament to the United States' security commitment to Taiwan but also as the most vital deterrent force against actions that undermine regional peace and stability—a role it has fulfilled for decades."
"Taiwan is deeply connected to America's economy, military readiness, and AI futures. So this is not just about Asia, this is about who controls the technologies that will define the next century. For that reason, I think America needs Taiwan, and Taiwan needs America," said Freedom.
Chips produced in Taiwan are used across a wide range of technologies, including consumer electronics, communications systems, and advanced defense applications.
CHINA’S GLOBAL AGGRESSION CHECK: TAIWAN TENSIONS, MILITARY POSTURING, AND US RESPONSE IN 2025
Major chip designers including Apple, Nvidia, AMD and Qualcomm rely heavily on Taiwan-based contract manufacturing. The U.S. International Trade Administration describes Taiwan as being "dominated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co" and central to global semiconductor manufacturing.
"The rapid rise of Korea and Taiwan has been due to the long-term megatrend of semiconductors as ‘the new oil’ — the key input to economic activity — combined with the latest price-insensitive boom in AI investment," said Ian Samson, a portfolio manager at Fidelity International to Bloomberg. He added it demonstrates "the oligopolistic nature of leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing."
China has recently increased military pressure around Taiwan through large-scale air and naval activity.
A Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson posted on X Thursday, that "'Taiwan independence' and cross-Strait peace are as irreconcilable as fire and water. Safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is the biggest common denominator between China and the U.S."
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Freedom will be visiting the island, where basketball is very popular, this October to help organize basketball camps for the next generation of athletes.
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"I think my biggest goal during this trip is to document everything and also share with the world. I want people to see what Taiwan truly represents… a free country, vibrant, democratic society that refuses to bow down to intimidation," said Freedom.
Freedom said he wants to do whatever he can to bring attention to what he described as China’s genocide against Uyghurs, as well as the struggles faced by Hong Kongers, Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners, and, more recently, what he called the harassment of the Taiwanese people.
Caitlin Clark shares blunt self-assessment of performance in efficient Fever win over Storm
Caitlin Clark had an efficient Sunday night as the Indiana Fever picked up a victory over the Seattle Storm.
Clark scored 21 points on 5-of-10 shooting, making all nine of her free-throw attempts and nailing two 3-pointers. It was the first time since Sept. 19, 2024, in which she had 10 or fewer field-goal attempts – doing so against the Washington Mystics in 19 minutes of game action where she was 2-of-5 from the field.
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The WNBA star was asked about her performance against the Storm and seemingly came to the realization that she didn’t need to shoot a lot in order for the team to win. She had 10 assists for the first time since July 13, 2025, against the Dallas Wings – one game before she went down with an injury that cost her most of the 2025 season.
"No reason to press. Get my teammates involved," she said, via The Athletic. "Take what the defense gives me. I thought I did a good job of getting to the line, so there’s no need to probably shoot a bunch of shots. I mean, I only played 23 minutes but I also got to the line nine times. … I think that’s what I can do a better job of – really trying to get to the line and free points."
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Indiana won the game, 89-78.
Clark led the team in scoring but Kelsey Mitchell had 17 points in 28 minutes and Sophie Cunningham came off the bench and contributed 17 points and three rebounds. The team also played without Aliyah Boston, who was sidelined with a lower-leg injury.
Indiana will be back in action on Tuesday night against the Portland Fire at home.
Luigi Mangione update: Suspected murder weapon admissible at trial in state case, other evidence suppressed
A New York judge has ruled that some key evidence seized from Luigi Mangione's backpack during his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald's is inadmissible at trial, while some of it can still be shown to jurors, including the suspected murder weapon.
Judge Gregory Carro's written ruling was posted online ahead of a hearing Monday morning. He agreed with the defense argument that a search of Mangione's backpack at McDonald's was unconstitutional because it had been moved away from arm's reach, however, he found that a subsequent search of the bag at the police station was lawful. During that search, an officer found the handgun allegedly used in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50.
He also found that most of Mangione's statements to police in Pennsylvania would be admissible, except for some made about his alleged fake ID after police read him his Miranda warning.
A different judge, overseeing his separate federal case, has already rejected the defense team's argument that the search was improper, and the evidence will be part of his federal trial.
It includes the alleged murder weapon, a 3D-printed silencer, the fake ID used to check into a Manhattan hostel and journals purported to rail against the health insurance industry. Mangione, 28, is accused of shooting Thompson from behind outside a Manhattan Hilton hotel on Dec. 4, 2024, as the victim was walking to a business conference.
He allegedly fled the scene on a bicycle and then went to Altoona, Pennsylvania, where customers and employees recognized him from a wanted poster and called 911 five days later.
Authorities searched the bag multiple times after Mangione's arrest in the eight hours before obtaining a search warrant, defense lawyers wrote in a letter to the court. They argued the search was improper because once Mangione was arrested, he wasn't in control of the bag, so police should have obtained a warrant ifrst.
Read the judge's ruling:
The defense has characterized the search of his bag as a violation of his constitutional rights. They also asked for statements he made between his arrest on Dec. 9 and extradition to New York 10 days later to be thrown out.
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Prosecutors asked New York Judge Gregory Carro to deny the motion, arguing Altoona police acted reasonably when they searched Mangione's bag after arresting him.
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The court already held several days of hearings on the matter and heard testimony from 17 witnesses.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all state and federal charges.
In New York, the top charge is second-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He faces six more weapons related charges and one for allegedly possessing a fake ID.
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The judge previously dismissed terrorism-related charges that could have put Mangione in prison for life without parole if convicted.
The state trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 8.
In Mangione's federal case, which is a separate legal proceeding, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett ruled that the backpack evidence could stand in his federal trial in a Jan. 30 order, while also dealing a blow to the prosecution and taking the death penalty off the table.
Thompson, a father of two from Minnesota, had come to New York City to meet with Wall Street investors. Surveillance video shows the last moments of his life — when a gunman approached him from behind on the sidewalk and opened fire.
This is a breaking news story. Stick with Fox News Digital for updates.
Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke's fiancée shares heartbreaking tribute to player after his death
The fiancée of late Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke shared a heartbreaking post about the 29-year-old over the weekend after his death.
The Grizzlies and the NBA announced Clarke’s death last week Clarke was found dead inside his home near Los Angeles on Monday with drug paraphernalia at the residence, The Associated Press reported. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
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Amber Lorraine was mourning Clarke’s death over the weekend and shared a post on her Instagram account with pictures of the two together.
"There are no words to describe this feeling," she wrote on her now-private account, via the New York Post. "I never thought I’d have to live life without you."
She called Clarke "the most special person, with the biggest heart" and revealed the two were supposed to be married soon. She said the day he proposed to her was the "happiest day" of her life.
"This world isn’t the same without you," she continued.
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The Grizzlies released a statement on Clarke’s death last week. He spent the last seven seasons with the team.
"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke," the team said. "Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.
"We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also released a statement on Clarke’s tragic passing.
"We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke. As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization."
Clarke got into some trouble with the law in April, as he was arrested in Arkansas on charges that included speeding and possession of a controlled substance.
He was booked into Cross County Jail on charges of improper passing, possession of a controlled substance, fleeing and exceeding the speed limit, and trafficking a controlled substance.
He was due in court last week.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
11 National Park Service workers evacuated by helicopter amid California fire
A Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter evacuated 11 National Park Service employees from Santa Rosa Island on Sunday as a human-caused wildfire spread across more than 10,000 acres and threatened to cut off employee housing.
"Helicopter Rescue - Helicopter 964 successfully evacuated 11 National Park Service employees from Santa Rosa Island today amid the ongoing vegetation fire," SBC Fire wrote Sunday night on X. "The crew safely transported all personnel from employee housing — threatened with being cut off by the fire — to Oxnard Airport, with no injuries reported.
"This swift operation ensured the safety of our dedicated park staff."
The rescue came as crews battled the wind-driven blaze on the remote Channel Islands National Park island, where officials said the fire had destroyed two structures and remained 0% contained as of Sunday evening, the Los Angeles Times reported.
HIKERS RESCUED BY HELICOPTER FROM REMOTE BEACH AFTER RISING TIDES CUT OFF THEIR ONLY WAY OUT
The fire, burning on the south side of Santa Rosa Island between Ford Point and South Point, had been mapped at 10,025 acres by Sunday afternoon, according to Cal Fire. The National Park Service, which has jurisdiction over the incident, has described the fire as human-caused and under investigation.
The smoke from the island fire blew east to the California coast and will be impacting air quality early this week, the National Weather Service in San Diego reported.
"If you've smelled smoke today, you're not imagining things," NWS San Diego wrote Sunday on X. "Smoke from the Santa Rosa Islands Fire has been drifting towards our region. The HRRR model shows near-surface smoke through at least Tuesday, assuming the fire continues."
CALIFORNIA APPROVES CONTROVERSIAL SHARPSHOOTER PLAN TO ERADICATE INVASIVE DEER ON CATALINA ISLAND
The agency advised the public to monitor air quality at http://airnow.gov.
The blaze also poses an ecological threat on Santa Rosa Island, the second-largest of the Channel Islands and home to rare plants and animals. Park officials said the fire is threatening six plant species native to the island that are found nowhere else in the world, while the island also supports wildlife including island foxes, spotted skunks and elephant seals.
About 70 firefighters and park rangers were battling the fire Sunday night, according to the Times.
The island, located about 26 miles off Santa Barbara, has been closed to visitors at least through this week as crews continue suppression efforts.