NEWS OF THE DAY
From Across the Nation
1 Trump brother: President Trump is considering a White House funeral service later this week for his younger brother, Robert, who died over the weekend in a New York City hospital. “We’re looking at Friday. And we may do just a small service right here at the White House,” Trump said. “I think he’d be greatly honored.” The president said such a service would be a “great honor” for his sibling. Robert Trump, a businessman, died Saturday at age 71. Trump had visited his brother in the hospital on Friday; White House officials had described him as seriously ill. The cause of death has not been released.
2 Officers shot: A hostage situation ended peacefully Monday when a man and his mother exited a home near Austin, Texas, where a day earlier three police officers had been shot and wounded when they were dispatched to the house. Police had been in negotiations with Joseph Taylor, 26, for more than 16 hours since the officers were wounded Sunday at the home in Cedar Park, interim police chief Mike Harmon said. Taylor’s mother had called police after he kicked in the door of the home. Two of the wounded officers were treated and released from a hospital and the third was stable after surgery, Harmon said.
3 Derecho damage: President Trump said Monday he signed an emergency declaration for Iowa to help the state recover from an unusual wind storm that struck last week. Gov. Kim Reynolds filed an expedited presidential major disaster declaration on Sunday seeking $3.99 billion. A storm known as a derecho with hurricaneforce wind gusts exceeding 100 mph destroyed or extensively damaged 8,200 homes and 13 million acres of corn, she said. More than a half million people were without electricity in the immediate aftermath of the storm. The storm left at least three people dead in the state.
4 Smollett case: A special prosecutor in Chicago said Monday that Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and her office abused their discretion in the case against actor Jussie Smollett but did nothing criminal. Special prosecutor Dan Webb sharply criticized the handling of the Smollett case by Foxx and her assistant prosecutors, citing disarray and misleading statements. Last year, Foxx’s office angered many by dropping charges that accused the former “Empire” actor of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself. Smollett is still adamant that the attack was real. Webb said his investigation “did not develop evidence that would support any criminal charges” against Foxx. Charges against Smollet were later restored.
5 Prison violence: Six correctional officers were taken to hospitals to be treated for injuries sustained in an inmate attack at a prison near San Diego, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. Stab wounds, lacerations and possible broken bones were among the injuries to the officers Sunday at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, spokesperson Terri Hardy said. About 20 inmates were in a recreation yard when some began the attack. An unspecified number of inmates were injured. The incident remains under investigation.
Chronicle News Services