The Daily Populous

Monday December 16th, 2024 morning edition

image for Defense fund established by supporters of suspected CEO killer Luigi Mangione tops $100K

As New York City prosecutors work to bring murder charges against Luigi Mangione in the brazen killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, supporters of the suspect are donating tens of thousands of dollars for a defense fund established for him, leaving law enforcement officials worried Mangione is being turned into a martyr.

Several online defense funds have been created for Mangione by anonymous people, including one on the crowdfunding website GiveSendGo that as of Sunday morning had raised over $100,000.

The GiveSendGo fund for Mangione appeared to be briefly taken down before it was restored on Thursday.

In a statement to ABC News, a spokesperson for GiveSendGo said the company "operates with a principle of not preemptively determining guilt or innocence.".

Importantly, we do allow campaigns for legal defense funds, as we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to access due process," the GiveSendGo spokesperson said.

"GoFundMe's Terms of Service prohibit fundraisers for the legal defense of violent crimes," the crowdfunding website said in a statement.

In a later interview on CNN, Dickey said he is leaning toward not accepting any money from his client's supporters for his defense. »

Bernie Sanders Warns U.S. Is Becoming an Oligarchy

Authored by rollingstone.com

Sen. Bernie Sanders is ringing the alarm that the United States is “rapidly” becoming an oligarchy run by billionaires out to enrich themselves.

Bernie Sanders: "We are moving rapidly into an oligarchic form of society … we can't go around the world saying, 'in Russia Putin has an oligarchy.'

We can’t go around the world saying, ‘Oh, well, you know, in Russia Putin has an oligarchy.’ Well, we got our oligarchy here too.”. »

Mount Vernon, New York, police force strip searched nearly everyone it arrested, DOJ says

Authored by amp.cnn.com
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The Mount Vernon, New York, Police Department routinely violated residents’ civil rights, according to a new US Department of Justice report.

A suburban New York police department routinely violated residents’ civil rights, including making illegal arrests and using unnecessary strip and cavity searches, according to a new US Department of Justice report.

The statement noted that three police officers and two civilian employees had been fired following an investigation in 2021. »

Israel plans to double its settlers in the occupied Golan Heights after fall of Syrian regime

Authored by abc.net.au
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Israel seized control of the Golan Heights during the Six Day War in 1967, and unilaterally annexed it in 1981.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Golan Heights to be illegal — a position Israel rejects.

More than 20,000 Israeli settlers already live in the Golan Heights, along with Druze communities — many of whom identify as Syrian. »