Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning everybody, and welcome to the reading of the
Lexington Herald Leader. Today is Wednesday, November nineteenth. Then your
reader is Rod Brotherton. As you know, Radio I is
a reading service intended for people who are blind to
have other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material. Well,
(00:21):
it's a foggy day this morning. They told us it
was going to be this way, so let's see what's
going to happen in the next seven days.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Today a thick.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Cloud cover with a high of fifty eight, and tonight
cloudy in a low forty eight. Thursday is still mostly cloudy,
high fifty seven, low fifty three. Friday, oh rain and
drizzle wow, high sixty one, low fifty three. Saturday again
mostly cloudy, high sixty one, low forty four. Sunday though
(00:53):
plenty of sunshine with a high of fifty six and
low forty three. Heading into Thanksgiving week, Monday partly sunny,
high fifty eight, low forty four, and Tuesday once again
cloudy with a high of fifty seven and a.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Low of forty four.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Looking at the almanac, Yesterday's high and low fifty four
and twenty six.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Normal is fifty five and thirty six. Last year it
was sixty seven and forty. The record high was eighty
degrees in nineteen fifty eight, and the record low was
twelve in nineteen fifty nine. Precipitation on Monday nothing month
to date two thirds of an inch normal one point
eight y're to date fifty five point oh nine. Normal
(01:39):
is only forty four point oh seven, and last year
we'd had nearly that at forty four point thirty nine,
And the record for yesterday's date was one point two
inches in nineteen eighty. For the sun and the moon,
the sun rose this morning at seven twenty four. It
will set tonight at five twenty four. The moon came
(02:01):
up at six point fifty seven this morning. It will
set at four forty three this afternoon. And for our
weather trivia today, what causes Lake effect snow? Well, they
know about that up in Lake Erie and in Rochester,
in Buffalo, and the answer is cold air moving over
(02:23):
warm water.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
All right, let's.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Look at the news for today. The lead story murder
trial delayed as crime lab DNA testing continues. The trials
scheduled to begin next month for the man charged in
the twenty twenty three murder of a Prestonsburg woman, has
(02:47):
been delayed to allow for additional blood evidence testing at
the state crime lab. Pine County Circuit Court Judge Eddie
Coleman granted the prosecutor's request for a continuance November seventh
in the case against Michael M. K. McKinney, twenty third,
who is twenty five, whose charge was stabbing Amber Spradland,
(03:08):
thirty eight to death at the home of his father,
a prominent Prestonsburg dentist.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Coleman said pausing.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
The trial, set to begin December first, is in the
best interest of both parties. His outstanding evidence could aid
prosecutors or prove exculpatory in McKinney's defense. The court finds
that the absence of available DNA evidence would be the
equivalent to a missing witness in this ace, Coleman wrote.
(03:41):
Spradland was found stabbed eleven times in June of twenty
twenty three at the McKinney home on Arkansas Creek Road
in Floyd County. A restaurant hostess, Spradland was raised by
her grandparents after her own mother was murdered when she
was young. Spradland's murder shocked the community and has continued
(04:04):
to attract attention as the investigation drags on. The t
shirts and pants Spradland was wearing the night she died,
plus some undergarments, a pair of shorts, and a towel
investigators recovered from the scene contained traces of human blood,
according to a forensic lab report state prosecutors filed on
(04:27):
November fifth, DNA testing has not yet been conducted on them.
Also awaiting DNA analysis are swabs from furniture doors, sheets, flooring,
a trash bag, and garbage can taken from inside the
McKinney home. A grand jury indicted McKinney from murder and
(04:50):
eight counts of tampering with evidence last year. Prosecutors say
he and his father, Michael K. McKinney the second, whose
f fifty seven, plus a third co defendant, Josh Mullens,
who's twenty five, cleaned up the bloody scene and disposed
of MK McKinney's clothes and the murder weapon. The elder
(05:12):
McKinney and Mullens both face eight counts of tampering with evidence,
but have not been charged directly with Spradland's death. Proceedings
against both men were also paused to allow time for
the crime lab to finish DNA testing. The case has
captured state and national attention, both because of the prominence
(05:37):
of the defendants charged and because Spradland's family claim in
action on the part of local officials played a role
in her death. Her family has filed a civil suit
against the city, its police department, and the Floyd County
Fiscal Court of negligence after a nine to one to
one call placed before the stabbing allegedly went unanswered. MK
(06:01):
McKinney is alleged to have placed that call when his
father intervened. A subsequent call to the local dentist made
to the then city police chief was unreported. Only after
a second nine to one pint one call was placed
did first responders come to the scene.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
The suit claims.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Oral arguments in the civil case are scheduled to begin
early next year. M K McKinney's attorneys have objected to
delays in his murder trial, reasserting his right to a
speedy trial and insisting deficiencies in the investigative process cannot
be held against him. Underfunding and understaffing at the State
(06:43):
Police Lab and Frankfurt have created an enormous backlog that
can leave evidence untested for months or even years. Defense
attorneys also claim the state is changing its story by
asking the judge for war or time to await DNA evidence.
(07:04):
Early prosecutor filings in the case asserted the strength of
existing DNA evidence, one would assume that if the evidence
is as strong as the prosecution is claimed, they would
be more than willing to let a jury hear it.
Randy O'Neill, a partner at the O'Neal Law office in Richmond,
wrote in an email statement to The Herald Leader O'Neill
(07:28):
and Stephen ros Means, a Louisville based criminal defense lawyer
of the Romans, Weiss and Young Law firm, represent him
K McKinney in the Spratlum case. O'Neill said the defense
team was prepared for the trial to begin in December
and is long past time to litigate this case in
a courtroom rather than on social media. The case was
(07:51):
moved from Floyd County to neighboring Pike County in April
due to a significant amount of public attention it has received.
Romans filed a renewed motion on October twenty eighth to
reduce bond after the state sought its delay, offering a
proposed order that would place MK McKinney under house arrest.
(08:14):
He is currently jailed in Floyd County with a bail
set at five million dollars. The Kentucky Court of Appeals
denied MK McKinney's request for a bond reduction in February,
deferring to a lower court's discretion. Although the bond appears
to be high, those arguments turned on evidence now available,
(08:35):
not evidence that might become available at an unspecified future date,
Romans wrote in his latest bond filing. Commonwealth Attorney Brent
Turner has repeatedly urged caution due to the status of
outstanding evidence since at least late March. According to court filings,
(08:55):
Turner argued against sitting the December one trial date because
he said he feared the remaining untested evidence would not
be finished. The crime lab reportedly intended to finish forensic
laboratory testing in the case by mid November, but there
still remain at least the thirty three items to be
analyzed for DNA. Turner said the evidence is not new,
(09:20):
but had to first be tested to confirm the presence
of blood before it could move forward DNA testing, he
told the hair Leader. On Thursday, Mark Wolander, an attorney
representing Spradland's family, said his clients agree with the state's position.
The family is very comfortable with the judge continuing the
case so the final evidence can be submitted to the
(09:43):
lab appropriately. Next, a new entertainment venue is coming to
Lexington development. A new live and entertainment venue is coming
to Lexington. The Rail will be a two thousand seat
indoor concert space, and the Commons a new development off
Lee'stown Road and Turner Commons Way. According to a news release,
(10:08):
developer Darren Turner and his partners, including Railbird founders David Helmers,
hope to open the space in October of twenty twenty six.
This entertainment venue will be the heart of the entire development.
Working with David Helmers and our team to bring this
concept to a reality has been an exciting undertaking. We've
(10:30):
selected an operator in John Peters, who has dreamed about
bringing a purpose built, large format club to life and
understands the vision. Turner said in a statement. This will
be a locally owned, independently operated venue, created by and
for the people who live in central Kentucky. It will
(10:52):
anchor the forty two acre development that is already home
to University of Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops, RDS, One
Spirits Distillery, and Battle Axes, among other tenants.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
According to promoter.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
John Peters, founder and CEO of Mass Concerts, which will
be the operator, the venue will have the flexibility to
scale from twelve hundred seated attendees to two thousand general
admission attendees and is designated and designed to host a
wide range of touring acts and community events. This project
(11:27):
demonstrates Lexington's evolving cultural ambitions. Lexington Mayor Lynda Gordon said
in a news release, the rail will attract new visitors,
talent and investment while offering residents a daily designation and
destination rooted in creativity and community. The rail also will
(11:49):
offer premium seating and VIP areas and amenities. According to
the promoter, the venue hopes to host all genres of
touring acts, country, rock, hip hop, metal, as well as
comedy club nights and special events and private functions. According
to the news release, partners in the venture include Peters, Turner, Helmer's,
(12:11):
Joe Kraft CEO Alliance Resource Partners, Graham Brown, GBC Projects
previously TVG Hospitality, and Emily Cox, creative director of Pinnacle,
Nashville Railbird Festival, oryon Amphitheater and.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Bonarou and more.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
The scale of the rail fields a significant gap in
the market, Helmer said in the release. The facility will
reflect our commitment to and love for the region we
call home. I believe the rail will be a transformative
addition to the entertainment scene in Lexington and a cultural
game changer. The next story, could Trump destroy the Epstein
(12:56):
files in political exile at his mansion in Florida? Under
investigation for possessing highly classified documents, Donald Trump summoned his
lawyer in twenty twenty two for a fateful conversation.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
A folder had.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Been compiled with thirty eight documents that should have been
returned to the federal government, but Trump had other ideas.
Making a plucking motion, Trump suggested his attorney, Evan Cochran,
removed the most incriminating material. Why don't you take them
with you to your hotel room if there's anything really
(13:35):
bad in there, like, you know, pluck it out. Corcoran
memorialized in a series of notes that surfaced during the
criminal proceedings. Trump's purported willingness to conceal evidence from law
enforcement as a private citizen is now fueling concerns on
Capitol Hill that his efforts to thwart the release of
(13:56):
Justice Department files and the Jeffrey Epstein investigation could lead
to similar obstructive efforts, this time wielding the powers of
the presidency. Since resuming office in January, Trump has opposed
releasing the files from the federal probe into the conduct
of his former friend and convicted sex offender, an alleged
(14:19):
sex trafficker who is believed to have abused more than
two hundred women and girls. But bipartisan fervor has only
grown over the case, with House lawmakers across party lines
expected to unite behind a bill on Tuesday that would
compel the release of the documents. Last week, facing intensifying
(14:40):
public pressures, the House Oversight Committee released over twenty thousand
files from Epstein's estate that referenced Trump more than a
thousand times. Those files, which included emails from Epstein himself,
showed the notorious financier believed that Trump had intimate knowledge
of his criminal he knew about the girls, Epstein wrote,
(15:03):
referring to Trump as the dog that hasn't barked. Representative
Dave Men, Democrat of Irvine, a member of the Oversight Committee,
noted Trump could order the release of the Justice Department
files without any action from Congress. The fact that he
has not done so, coupled with his long and well
(15:25):
documented history of lying and obstructing justice, raises serious concerns
that he is still trying to stop this investigation. Men
said in an interview, either by trying to persuade Senate
Republicans to vote against the release or through other mechanisms.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
A spokesperson for.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Senator Adam Schiff, the Democrat of California, said that altering
or destroying portions of the Epstein files would violate a
wide range of federal laws. The Senator is certainly concerned
that Donald Trump, who was investigated for obstruction, will persist
in trying to stonewall and otherwise prevent the full release
(16:05):
of all the documents and information in the US government's possession,
the spokesperson said. Even if the law has passed with
overwhelming bipartisan support, after the House votes on the bill,
titled the Epstein Files Transparency Act, bipartisan support in the
Senate would be required to pass the measure. Trump would
(16:28):
then have to sign it into law. Trump encouraged Republican
House members to support it over the weekend, after enough
GOP lawmakers broke ranks last week to compel a vote,
overriding opposition from the Speaker.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Of the House.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Still, it is unclear whether the president will support the
measure as it proceeds to his desk. On Monday, Trump
said he would sign the bill if ultimately passes let
the Senate look at it detailed, reporters. The bill prohibits
the Attorney General PAM from withholding, delaying, or redacting the
publication of any record, document, communication, or investigative material on
(17:09):
the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including
too including any government official, public fixture, or foreign dignitary.
But caveats in the bill could provide Trump and Bindy
with loopholes to keep records related to the president concealed.
Because DOJ possesses and controls those files, it is far
(17:33):
from certain that a vote to disclose the Epstein files
will include documents pretending to Donald Trump, said Barbara McQuaid,
who served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of Michigan from twenty ten to twenty seventeen. When
Trump requested a slew of resignations from US attorneys Already
(17:54):
this past spring, FBI Director Kash Patel directed a freedom
of information team to work with hundreds of agents to
comb through the entire trove of files from the investigation
and direct them to redact references to Trump, citing his
status as a private citizen with privacy protections. When the
(18:14):
first launch probe was in twenty sixteen, Bloomberg reported at
the time it would be improper for Trump to order
the documents destroyed, but Bondy could redact or remove some
of the name of grand jury, secrecy or privacy laws.
M Quad added, as long as there is a pending
criminal investigation, I think she can either block disclosure of
(18:38):
the entire file or block disclosure of individuals who are
not being charged, including Trump. Destroying the documents would be
a taller task and would need a loyal secretary or equivalent,
said Rody Jeffreys Jones, a professional emeritus and professor and
FBI historian at the University of Edinburgh. Jeffrey Jones recalled
(19:01):
j Edgar Hoover's assistant Helen Gandhi spending weeks at his
home destroying the famed FBI director's personal file on the
dirty secrets of America's rich and powerful. It would also
be illegal, scholars say, pointing to the Federal Records Act
that prohibits anyone, including presidents, from destroying government documents. After
(19:24):
President Nixon attempted to assert executive authority over a collection
of incriminating tapes that would ultimately end his presidency, Congress
passed the Presidential Recordings and Material Preservation Act, asserting that
government documents and presidential records are federal property. Courts have
repeatedly upheld the law. While presidents are immune from prosecution
(19:48):
over their official conduct, ordering the destruction of documents from
a criminal investigation would not fall under presidential duties, legal
scholar sid exposing Trump to charges of obstructing justice if
he were to do so. Multiple federal laws bar any one,
including the President or those around him, from destroying or
(20:11):
altering material contained in the Epstein files, including various federal
record keeping laws and criminal statutes. But that doesn't mean
that Trump or his cronies won't consider trying, said Norm Eisen,
who served as chief of ethics, lawyer for President Obama
and counsel for the House Judiciary Committee during Trump's first
(20:34):
impeachment trial. The Democracy Defender's Fund, a nonprofit organization co
founded by Eisen, has sued the Trump administration for all
records in the Epstein investigation related to Trump, warning that
court supervision is needed to ensure Trump doesn't attempt to
(20:54):
subvert a law directive to release them. Perhaps the greatest
day is not altering documents, but wrongly withholding them or
producing and redacting them. As an added, those are both
issues that we can get at in our litigation and
where court supervision can be valuable. Jeffreys Jones also said
(21:19):
that Trump may attempt to order reactions based on claims
of national security, but this might be unconvincing for two reasons.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
He said.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Trump was not yet president at the time, he said,
and it would raise ancillary questions if reactions did not operate.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
In the case of President Clinton.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Last week, Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate Epstein's
files ties to Democratic figures, including Clinton, former Treasury Secretary
Larry Summers, and reed Hoffmann. Linked In's co founder and
a major Democratic donor. He made no request for the
department to do similarly investigate Republicans, and finally on the
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front page New Lawsarts allege Weddell targeted critics. Two new
lawsuits against embattled London Mayor Randall Weddell accused him of
doxing a former Laurel County School administrator, pardon of a
child porn conviction, and firing a police officer who had
publicly signaled no confidence in the city's police chief. Weddell,
(22:27):
who was impeached by the city Council for official misconduct
and later reinstated by a Laurel County special judge in October,
has been embroiled in controversy since he took office in
early twenty twenty three, and locked an ongoing public spat
with many of his administration's fiercest critics, whom he has
(22:47):
labeled a pedo clan. Both lawsuits, filed by former Laurel
County Public Schools Director of pupil Personnel Charles Douglas Doug
Phelps and former London Police sergeant Jacob Borman, paint Weddell
as a vindictive mayoral candidate would later use the power
(23:08):
he secured in the twenty twenty two general election to
go after his political foes. The suit adds to the
growing legal scrutiny the mayor faces. The lawsuits also depicts
city Attorney Larry Bryson as working behind the scenes leading
up to and after the election to steer the levers
(23:30):
of government in Weddle's favor, allegedly ordering city officials to
meet with the then candidate for mayor and using outside
legal clients to secure damaging information about his critics. Bryson
was terminated shortly after Weddell's impeachment and promptly rehired after
the mayor was reinstated. Whether you believe he does a
(23:51):
good job or you believe city Council is in the wrong,
I think we all agree that no one should be
overstepping or abusing authority to haunt armed people. Brandon Volker,
attorney for both plaintiffs, told The Herald Leader the lawsuits
are the latest chapter in a long history of litigation
directed by and against Weddell, as well as other controversies.
(24:15):
Last year, he filed a lawsuit against residents over their
negative comments about him on Facebook. That suit was dismissed
Weddell was the subject of a lawsuit filed by another
London police officer in August alleging dafamation. A logistics entrepreneur
by trade, The London mayor has also been the subject
(24:35):
of an investigation into his role as a key donor
aiding Democratic Governor Brasher, and has bid for reelection. In
twenty twenty three, more than two hundred thousand dollars in
contributions to Basher's campaign and the Democratic Governor's Association were
returned to Weddele because they were made on a credit
card belonging to Weddell and his wife but in other
(24:57):
people's names.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
He reported the issue.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
According to the Basher campaign, Republican lawmakers with deep involvement
in state transportation funding questioned while one point one million
dollar state road project benefiting Weddell's business was moved up
to be constructed ahead of schedule. The Basher administration official
said the move was a prudent cost saving measure and
(25:23):
stated that the allegations of the conflict were baseless. Phelps
first dispute with Weddell came when he filed a complaint
to the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance centering around the
conduct during Weddell's successful twenty twenty two mayoral campaign. Three
months before his victory, Weddell sponsored a free gasoline giveaway
(25:46):
for area residents. Weddell's office has not returned to request
for comment on the recent lawsuits. According to a civil
suit filed November tenth, and Laurel Circuit Court, Vittal and
other city officials disseminated anonymous mailers in December of twenty
twenty two to thousands of Laurel County residents that contained
(26:08):
personally identifying information belonging to Phelps and others who were
allegedly critical of Wettell's campaign. Phelps pleaded guilty to child
porn and witnessed tampering charges in twenty thirteen, but was
later pardoned by Matt Bevin following a brief clemency petition
that highlighted his family's staunch support for the former Republican governor.
(26:33):
In his lawsuit, Phelps claimed Weddell included his and other
social security numbers and dates of birth and mailers that
were purportedly from saveachild dot org and featured the Save
Kentucky Children's logo. Phelps also accused Bryson of abusing his
power while acting as both the city attorney and attorney
(26:54):
for the Laurel County Board of Education.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
An email exchange.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Between Bryson and the district's former superintendent, Douglas Bennett, features
the subject line Doug Phelps Info. According to an exhibit
accompanying Phelps complaint, only the school district and City of
London we're in possession of the sensitive information before the
mailers were sent. The suit claims the Phelps family has
(27:19):
also been at the center of a feud with the
mayor over the way his administration handled the twenty twenty
four police shooting of a man whose house they misidentified
during the service of a search warrant. At a press
conference in February, Weddell claimed Doug Phelps and his twin
brother John and James Phelps, who are both retired Kentucky
(27:39):
State troopers, plus another local man, Elijah Jarvis, are part
of a corrupt system he claims is controlled by a
pedo clan. Weddell was then a guest on a since
deleted episode of the podcast True Crime Cast, where he
accused the Phelps brothers and Jarvis of crimes including sex, trafficking,
(28:03):
drug dealing and murder. According to the defamation lawsuit file
February fourteenth by the brothers John and James Phillips have
never been charged with any of those crimes. Court record
show Jarvis, who has filed a similar to civil lawsuit,
has also not been charged with any of those crimes.
(28:24):
And now, after a short pause, I hope you'll rejoin
us for a continuation of the reading of the Lexington
Herald Leader for today. Thank you for listening, and now
please stay tuned for more news right here on RADIOI.
And now welcome back to the reading of the Lexington
Herald Leader for this Wednesday, November nineteenth. Your reader is
(28:47):
Rod Brotherton, and as always we start with the obituaries
and read only the name, age and location if given.
If you would like further information on any of the obituaries,
please see the way site or you can call us
on the weekdays at eight five, nine, four, two two
sixty three ninety and we'll be glad to read the
(29:07):
entire obituary for you, and I'll repeat the number at
the end.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Of the listings.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Today's obituary in dex starts with Gregory Dennis Buckley eighty
six of Lexington, Sharon R. Buyers seventy nine of Lexington,
and Martha Mooney eighty five of Lexington. And if you
would like any further information about any of the listings today,
please visit the website Legacy dot com, slash Obituary, slash Kentucky,
(29:37):
or you can call us as I said at Radio
I at eight five nine four two two sixty three
ninety and we will try to read them to you
over the phone.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Now let's return to the news.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
Our next story is UN Security Council adopts the US
peace plan for Gaza. The United Nations Security Council on
Monday approved President Trump's peace plan for the Gaza Strip,
a breakthrough that provides a legal UN mandate for the
administration's vision of how to move past the ceasefire and
(30:11):
rebuild war ravaged Gaza after two years of war. The
Council's vote was also a major diplomatic victory for the
Trump administration. For the past two years, as the conflict
between Israel and Amas has raged, the United States has
been isolated at the United Nations over its staunch support
(30:32):
for Israel. The US resolution calls for an international stabilization
force to enter demilitarize and govern Gaza. The proposal, which
contained Trump's twenty point ceasefire plan, also envisions a Board
of Peace to oversee the peace plan, though it does
(30:53):
not clarify the composition of the board. The resolution passed
with thirteen votes in zero votes against Russia and China,
either of which could have vetoted, apparently abstained and swayed
by the support of a resolution from a number of
Arab and Muslim nations Egypt, Jordan, Cutter Saudi Arabia, and
(31:18):
the United Arab Emirates, as well as Indonesia, Turkey, and Pakistan,
which is a member of the Council. Mike Waltz, the
US Ambassador to the United Nations, who addressed the Council
before the vote, called Gaza hell on Earth and held
up a copy of the resolution, describing it as a lifeline.
(31:42):
After the vote, Waltz thanks the Council for joining us
and charting a new course for Israelis, Palestinians and all
the people in the region alike. Security Council resolutions are
considered legally binding international law, and although the Council does
not have a mechanism for enforcing such resolutions, it can
(32:03):
take measures to punish violators with penalties.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Such as sanctions.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
In a post on truth Social Trump wrote, congratulations to
the world on the incredible vote of the United Nations
Security Council just moments ago acknowledging and endorsing the Board
of Peace, which will be chaired by me and include
the most powerful and respected leaders throughout the world. He
(32:32):
thanked various countries, including Russia and China, and said the
vote will lead to further peace all over the world. Still,
the path forward is plagued by many uncertainties, with Israeli
strikes continuing in Gaza and outbreaks of violence erupting on
the West Bank. Among the next steps would be naming
(32:54):
members of the Board of Peace, the body in charge
of overseeing the transition in Gaza, and clarifying under those
under authority ends the stabilization forces and how they would operate.
The resolution says that if the Palestinian Authority, which partially
governs the West Bank, undergoes reforms and the redevelopment of
(33:16):
the shattered Gaza Strip advances, the conditions may finally be
in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self determination
and statehood. Algeria's Ambassador to the United Nations Amar Bindajama,
the only Arab member of the Council and who was
negotiating on behalf of the United Nations Arab Group, thanked
(33:40):
Trump for his personal engagement in bringing conflict in Gaza
to an end, but he said the aspirations of Palestinians
for a state should not be overlooked. Genuine peace in
the Middle East cannot be achieved without justice, justice for
the Palestinian people who have waited death ades for the
(34:00):
creation of their independent state, he said. Many Council members,
including France, Guyana, Pakistan, Slovenia and Somalia, had issues with
the fact that the resolution did not include clear language
on Palestinian statehood, but they said they had endorsed the
(34:21):
proposal to support the political momentum, prevent the resurgence of violence,
and allow much needed humanitarian aid to flow into the enclave.
They reiterated that the territorial integrity of Gaza must remain
intact and that lasting peace must be rooted in a
two state solution. The language and the resolution about Palestinian
(34:45):
statehood had drawn objections from Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu saying Sunday that our opposition to a Palestinian state
in any territory has not changed. Among the chal the
International Stabilization Force will have is how to confront hamasa's fighters.
(35:07):
We're still armed and present in Gaza. The resolution states
that the force would be responsible for destroying military infrastructure
in Gaza and decommissioning the militants group's weapons. And next, locally,
the large Kentucky craft brewer to close the flagship tap room,
(35:28):
a Louisville brewer that has been an anchor of the
city's whiskey row, is closing its flagship tap room, Against
the Grain, posted on its social media Wednesday, the pub
and restaurant operates in Sluggerfield at four oh one East
Main Street in Louisville, will be closing in December after
(35:48):
fourteen years. Our release has come to an end at
Sluggerfield and we've made a difficult decision not to renew it.
Co founders Sam Cruz and Jeffrey Nay wrote in a
post on Facebook the last day of restaurant operations and
Against the Grain public House will be December twenty third.
(36:10):
They said, the brewery's production in Louisville's Portland Neighborhood will
continue and Against the Grain beers we'll be distributed in restaurants, bars,
and liquor stores. Founded in twenty eleven, Against the Grain
is now one of Kentucky's larger craft breweries. In twenty fourteen,
the company received economic incentives from the state to expand
(36:31):
in quadruple production. Will pop up here and there to
remind you we're still around, and maybe even open up
our production facility in the Portland neighborhood for a party
or two. The post reads, we love it if stop
into the restaurant one last time before the end of
the year to share a beer and a memory. We
(36:54):
know it has meant a lot to a lot of people,
including us, So come on down and make the most
of our final days. The brewery did not immediately respond
to a request for comment. Beer and craft beer have
been going through economic difficulties similar to the downturn in
the bourbon industry is experiencing. Overall consumption is down, competition
(37:19):
is up, and craft brewers across the country have closed
due to rising costs, including some related to President Trump's
aluminum tariffs. And next, a Kentucky developer buys part of
a block near UK campus. Part of a block that
includes the former Two Keys Tavern building near the University
(37:41):
of Kentucky's campus recently sold to a Louisville company, according
to Fayette County property records. Diversified Properties LLLC of Louisville
purchased the buildings between three nineteen and three thirty three
South Limestone on October thirtieth for five five million dollars,
according to the Fayette County Property Valuation Administration records. Aaron
(38:07):
Hill of Diversified Properties LLC said the buildings will not
be torn down. There are no plans to change anything
with the buildings.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
Or the tenants. Hill said.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
The buildings at three twenty nine and three point thirty
three South Limestone includes the Hill, a bar that for
sixty six years was the home of Two Keys Tavern.
The other buildings include three twenty seven South Limestone, which
houses Signature Wine and Liquor, and three nineteen South Limestone
(38:41):
The Paddock, another bar. Two Keys Tavern moved to three
eighty five South Limestone but later closed. Many properties near
UK's campus have been sold in recent years to make
way for private, multi story student apartments on Eastmack Xwell Street.
Multiple properties have been purchased and either or in the
(39:04):
process of being torn down or slated for demolition. In January,
stavrof Land and Development received final approval for a two
hundred and thirty eight unit, six story building on East
Maxwell Street between Stone Street and Lexington Avenue.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
That building, geared to UK.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
Students, is under construction subtext. A Saint Louis company received
final approval to build an eight story apartment building on
East Maxwell and Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard in September.
A zoning change for a third student apartment complex in
the same area on East Maxwell Street will be heard
(39:46):
by the Lexington Fayed Urban County County at five pm Wednesday,
the Urban County Planning Commission voted eight to two to
approve the switch from residential to a business zone in
September for the rub an eight story two hundred or
three hundred and twenty five unit apartment complex and the
(40:07):
next story. Federal prosecutors support the release of a detective
convicted in the Briona Taylor case. The US Department of
Justice is asking that Brett Hackison, one of the Louisville
Police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Briona Taylor
be released from federal prison while he appeals his conviction.
(40:30):
The DOJ filed a twenty eight page brief Thursday supporting
Hanckison's bid for bail before the Sixth Circuit of the
US Court of Appeals. Hackerson, a former detective for the
Louisville Metro Police Department, was found guilty in November twenty
twenty four for violating Taylor's civil rights and using unjustified
(40:51):
and unreasonable force against her in twenty twenty when he
fired into her window, which was covered with blinds and
curtains through which he could see could not see on the.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
Night she died. Shots he fired did not.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Hit any one. It was the third time Hankison was
tried in connection with the shooting. In twenty twenty two,
he was acquitted in a state trial on wanton endangerment
charges in connection to the shots he fired that entered
a neighboring apartment. Then, in November of twenty twenty three,
(41:26):
a mistrial was declared when a jury could not reach
a verdict in the federal case. After the twenty twenty
four retrial and conviction, the government argued before Hankinson's sentencing
in July that he should receive a one day sentence
and beyond supervise release for three years. However, US District
(41:48):
Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings said the DOJ's recommendation was not appropriate,
and she sentenced Hankison to thirty three months in prison
as well as three years of supervised release. On August
twenty eighth, Hankison's attorneys filed a motion for bail while
his case is pending appeal, but the motion was denied
(42:08):
on October sixth. Hankison surrendered himself on October ninth to
the US Bureau of Prisons to begin serving a sentence,
but his attorneys are appealing the judge's decision to imprison
him while he appeals his conviction. The DOJA said in
its brief Thursday that Hankison should be granted bail during
(42:29):
his appeal for three reasons. First, as the District Court
is found defendant is not a flight risk or a
danger to the community if released. Second, Defendant's appeal is
not for the purpose of delay and raises some substantive
issues of law or fact that are close questions, i e.
(42:51):
Novel questions that could go either way and would, if successful,
likely result in reversal, a new trial, or a substantially
reduced a sentence. Finally, defendant has clearly shown that there
are exceptional reasons why defendant's detention pending appeal would not
be appropriate. Hankinson's attorneys made similar arguments in the brief
(43:16):
they filed with the appeals court on November seventh. Though
prosecutors have supported Hankinson's request for bail, they said in
the brief that in taking this position, the government stresses
again that it is not hereby conceding that any of
the defendant's contemplated claims of error on appeals will ultimately
(43:37):
prove meritorious. The government reserves the right to oppose any
and all claims of error based on an available grounds
after full consideration of the record and all available case authorities. Hankison,
who previously worked for the Lexington Police Department, served seventeen
years with the Louisville Police before being fired in June
(43:59):
of TI twenty twenty for violating procedure when he fired
blindly into Taylor's apartment. The death of Taylor, a twenty
six year old emergency room technician, became a galvanizing issue
in the Black Lives Matter movement in twenty twenty, leading
to calls for search warrant reform across the nation and
(44:19):
months of knightly protests in Louisville and next former Kentucky
deputy judge executive is indicted for felony, theft an official misconduct.
A former deputy judge executive in Kentucky was indicted Friday
on charges of felony, theft and official misconduct. According to
(44:41):
Attorney General Russell Coleman, Joseph Ender forty is the former
deputy Judge executive of Oldham County. Ender was hired by
the Oldham County Fiscal Court in March of twenty twenty four,
but fired this summer after he shared a record coarding
of a closed door meeting with another official. The move
(45:04):
was a breach of trust with his supervisor, Oldham County
Judge Executive David Vogeley into his charge with theft of
services of more than ten thousand dollars and first degree
official misconduct. According to Coleman's office, the former public official
allegedly diverted Oldham County Road Department equipment and employees to
(45:25):
complete work on his private property. According to Coleman's office,
the Attorney General's Department of Criminal Investigations looked into the allegations.
The theft of services charge is a Class safelony when
more than ten thousand dollars is involved in the alleged theft.
Terms of imprisonment for a Class C felony conviction in
(45:47):
Kentucky run from five to ten years. The official misconduct
charge is a misdemeanor. According to Coleman's office, Into is
scheduled to be arraigned in Oldham County Circuit Court on Thursday,
January eight. According to court records, inter filed a Whistleblower
Act lawsuit against the Fiscal Court in September, claiming Voguely
(46:08):
unlawfully retaliated against him by firing him over a breach
of trust. The lawsuit claims Ender suffered humiliation, embarrassment, anxiety,
and increased stress from the termination. He's seeking unspecified compensation
for the damages and a jury trial. The former Deputy
(46:29):
Judge Executive was fire July first, a little more than
a month after he participated in a closed door meeting
with Voguely, Fiscal Court magistrates, and Western Hospitality Partners. A
real estate development company that builds large scale data centers.
The company previously applied to build a two hundred and
forty eight per hyper scale data center in the county,
(46:52):
but it couldn't build on the property proposed because of
its agricultural zoning designation. According to the lawsuit, the meeting
took place May twenty second, and the attendees collaborated to
find a new direction for the data center. The lawsuit
alleges Western Hospitality agreed to withdraw its application and launch
(47:12):
a positive marketing campaign in exchange for promises like favorable
legislation to ensure the.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
Project could move forward. Inder believed some.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
Of the promises between Western Hospitality and the Fiscal Court
were illegal, and he shared a recording of the meeting
with State Senator Lindsay Tickner, who represents Oldham County. Ender
eventually sent his complaint and the meeting's recordings to the
Attorney General's office on June eighteenth. According to the lawsuit,
six days later, Vogela asked Ender to sign an affidate
(47:47):
of non recording regarding the meeting. The lawsuit says Ender
told Vogeli he wouldn't sign because he shared a copy
of the recording, with Titchner and the Attorney General's Office
having sup infected bribery, collusion or official misconduct. Voguely described
Inter's actions as a complete betrayal of my trust, and
(48:09):
he said he had no choice but to let you
go down with the ship, the lawsuit reads. Two days later,
Inder was placed on involuntary leave with pay before being
fired July first. In a statement posted to Facebook, the
Fiscal Court denied all of enders allegations. After the meeting
(48:30):
with Western Hospitality, clips began to circulate on social media,
Court documents say officials began investigating the leak, suspecting there
was an illegal bug planted in the Fiscal Court building.
Ender did not cooperate with the investigation, which caused concern
regarding his trustworthiness. Court documents say he also did not
(48:53):
tell the Fiscal Court he shared the recording of the
meeting prior to his termination, and didn't disclose his actions
until after he was fired. It was enders failure to
cooperate with a legitimate investigation into a possible bug that
led to his termination, not any protected activity. Court documents say.
(49:16):
The Fiscal Court has requested the case be partially dismissed.
According to court documents, a judge has not made a
ruling on the request, and there is no scheduled court
date for the lawsuit. Next is the Donro Doctrine, which
is Trump's bid to control the Western Hemisphere. President Trump
(49:39):
opened this year with pledges to seize the Panama Canal,
take control of Greenland, and rename the Gulf of Mexico
the Gulf of America.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
He is ending it.
Speaker 1 (49:49):
By bombing boats from South America, stationing the world's largest
aircraft carrier in the Caribbean, and exploring military options against
Villa Vezezuela's Autocrat leader. In sharp shifts decades of US
foreign policy, the Western Hemisphere has become the United States
central theater abroad. In addition to military threats and actions,
(50:14):
the White House this year has carried out punishing tariffs,
severe sanctions, pressure campaigns, and economic bailouts across the Americas.
Trump has said he is seeking to stop drugs and
migrants from entering the United States, but in other moments,
top administration officials have been explicit that their overarching goal
(50:38):
is to assert US dominance over its half of the planet.
He believes this is the neighborhood we live in, said
Mauriceo Claver Corone, Trump's special envoy to the Latin America
until June, who continues to advise the White House. And
you can't be the pre eminent global power if you're
(50:59):
not the pre eminent regional power. The United States has
long tried to tip the scales around Latin America, where
it has supported military coups, conducted covert operations, and invaded Panama.
That US foreign policy was often tied to ideology. During
(51:20):
the Cold War, there was the effort to champion capitalism,
even if it meant backing dictators. In recent decades, as
attention drifted to wars and competition in the other hemisphere,
the focus was on democracy and free trade. In Latin America,
Trump's proach appears purely pragmatic. What's in it for the
(51:44):
United States? Stronger control of the hemisphere and particularly Latin
America promises major benefits. Ample natural resources, strategic security positions,
and lucrative markets are all in play. Backed by a
team of Hawks with a long history in Latin America,
(52:06):
most prominently Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump is overhauling
US policy in the region to try to extract those prizes.
The effect has been a reordering of politics up and
down the Americas.
Speaker 2 (52:21):
Many leaders have.
Speaker 1 (52:23):
Twisted themselves to align with Trump, often winning major benefits
in return, or bet their governments on defying him. Many
observers have been calling the new US approach the Donro doctrine,
a term that appeared on a January cover of the
New York Post, a trumpetan twist on a nineteenth century idea.
(52:46):
In eighteen twenty three, President James Monroe aspired to stop
European powers from meddling in the Hemisphere. In twenty twenty five,
the competing power is China, which has built up enormous
political and economic power in Latin America over the past
(53:06):
several decades. Some foreign policy analysts believe Trump like to
divide the world, with China and Russia in spheres of influence.
In recent months, top US officials have explained their strategy
in those terms. The Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood, and
(53:28):
we will protect it. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegsith wrote Thursday.
In the latest example, the White House has killed many
of the aid programs devised to foster influence and goodwill
across Latin America. Instead, Trump appears focusing on assembling a
(53:48):
roster of allies in the region, or at least acquiescent governments.
Speaker 2 (53:54):
To do so.
Speaker 1 (53:55):
He has rewarded leaders who have fallen in line with
his demands and those who have not. President Javier Millie
of Argentina, for instance, campaign to make Argentina great again
and questioned Trump's twenty twenty election loss when his government
was wabbling on the edge of economic crisis. Last month,
(54:18):
the Trump administration arrived with twenty billion dollars as a bailout,
and in midterm election days later, milliaise Party one big.
The next day, Trump took credit. We're getting a real
strong handle on South.
Speaker 2 (54:34):
America, he told reporters.
Speaker 1 (54:36):
On Thursday, Trump and Malay announced that the framework of
a trade deal that should give the United States access
to more of Argentina's critical minerals.
Speaker 2 (54:47):
Next.
Speaker 1 (54:48):
Two men are charged with pointing laser, firing gun at
Kentucky State Police helicopter. Two Kentucky men had been charged
with endangement after allegedly pointing a laiser and firing a
gun at a police helicopter searching for a missing child.
According to Kentucky State Police, The incident happened around nine
(55:09):
thirty pm November three in Maislick, an unincorporated area of
Mason County. A State Police helicopter was searching for a
missing eleven year old child when the crew reported multiple
laser strikes coming from a house in the forty one
hundred block of US sixty two. At the time of
the incident, State Police were using a helicopter in the
(55:29):
search for Adeline Thornsbury, eleven, according to State Police spokesperson
Sherry Bray, and Thornsbury.
Speaker 2 (55:37):
Was found the next day.
Speaker 1 (55:40):
According to KSP, the tactical flight officer's eyes were possibly
injured in the laser strikes. Jason McKee, forty nine, of
Meislick's and Donald Boone, fifty five, of Aberdeen, Ohio, were
arrested at the home in the area that night and
charge with first degree wanton endangement of a police officer.
McKee was also charged with first degree wanting endangerment, the
(56:00):
discharge of firearm and laser or vision interference light directed
at aircraft with disruptive travel, State Police said. Bray said
the helicopter temporarily diverted from the search until McKee and
Boone were apprehended. Court documents say McKee admitted to firing
a handgun and pointing a laser at the helicopter because
(56:21):
he believed it was a drone. Investigators determined Boone fired
an airsoft rifle toward the helicopter. The key and Boone
were booked into the Mason County Detention Center. While being
processed at the jailed staff found a meth pipe and
a blowtorch in Boone's pocket, according to court documents. Boone
is additionally charged with buying or possession drug paraphernalia. According
(56:44):
to court records, McKee's bond has said at one one
hundred thousand dollars, while boons is at fifty thousand. Their
cases had been sent to the Mason County Grand Jury
after probable cause was found November tenth.
Speaker 2 (56:55):
According to court records.
Speaker 1 (56:56):
State police say the FBI has been notified about the
case for possible further charges stemming from the incident. And
this concludes the reading of the Lexington Herald Leader for today, Wednesday,
November nineteenth. Your reader has been Rod Brotherton. As always,
thank you for listening, and now please stay tuned for
(57:16):
sports news right here on Radio I
Good morning everybody, and welcome to the reading of the
Lexington Herald Leader. Today is Wednesday, November nineteenth. Then your
reader is Rod Brotherton. As you know, Radio I is
a reading service intended for people who are blind to
have other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material. Well,
(00:21):
it's a foggy day this morning. They told us it
was going to be this way, so let's see what's
going to happen in the next seven days.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Today a thick.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Cloud cover with a high of fifty eight, and tonight
cloudy in a low forty eight. Thursday is still mostly cloudy,
high fifty seven, low fifty three. Friday, oh rain and
drizzle wow, high sixty one, low fifty three. Saturday again
mostly cloudy, high sixty one, low forty four. Sunday though
(00:53):
plenty of sunshine with a high of fifty six and
low forty three. Heading into Thanksgiving week, Monday partly sunny,
high fifty eight, low forty four, and Tuesday once again
cloudy with a high of fifty seven and a.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Low of forty four.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Looking at the almanac, Yesterday's high and low fifty four
and twenty six.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Normal is fifty five and thirty six. Last year it
was sixty seven and forty. The record high was eighty
degrees in nineteen fifty eight, and the record low was
twelve in nineteen fifty nine. Precipitation on Monday nothing month
to date two thirds of an inch normal one point
eight y're to date fifty five point oh nine. Normal
(01:39):
is only forty four point oh seven, and last year
we'd had nearly that at forty four point thirty nine,
And the record for yesterday's date was one point two
inches in nineteen eighty. For the sun and the moon,
the sun rose this morning at seven twenty four. It
will set tonight at five twenty four. The moon came
(02:01):
up at six point fifty seven this morning. It will
set at four forty three this afternoon. And for our
weather trivia today, what causes Lake effect snow? Well, they
know about that up in Lake Erie and in Rochester,
in Buffalo, and the answer is cold air moving over
(02:23):
warm water.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
All right, let's.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Look at the news for today. The lead story murder
trial delayed as crime lab DNA testing continues. The trials
scheduled to begin next month for the man charged in
the twenty twenty three murder of a Prestonsburg woman, has
(02:47):
been delayed to allow for additional blood evidence testing at
the state crime lab. Pine County Circuit Court Judge Eddie
Coleman granted the prosecutor's request for a continuance November seventh
in the case against Michael M. K. McKinney, twenty third,
who is twenty five, whose charge was stabbing Amber Spradland,
(03:08):
thirty eight to death at the home of his father,
a prominent Prestonsburg dentist.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Coleman said pausing.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
The trial, set to begin December first, is in the
best interest of both parties. His outstanding evidence could aid
prosecutors or prove exculpatory in McKinney's defense. The court finds
that the absence of available DNA evidence would be the
equivalent to a missing witness in this ace, Coleman wrote.
(03:41):
Spradland was found stabbed eleven times in June of twenty
twenty three at the McKinney home on Arkansas Creek Road
in Floyd County. A restaurant hostess, Spradland was raised by
her grandparents after her own mother was murdered when she
was young. Spradland's murder shocked the community and has continued
(04:04):
to attract attention as the investigation drags on. The t
shirts and pants Spradland was wearing the night she died,
plus some undergarments, a pair of shorts, and a towel
investigators recovered from the scene contained traces of human blood,
according to a forensic lab report state prosecutors filed on
(04:27):
November fifth, DNA testing has not yet been conducted on them.
Also awaiting DNA analysis are swabs from furniture doors, sheets, flooring,
a trash bag, and garbage can taken from inside the
McKinney home. A grand jury indicted McKinney from murder and
(04:50):
eight counts of tampering with evidence last year. Prosecutors say
he and his father, Michael K. McKinney the second, whose
f fifty seven, plus a third co defendant, Josh Mullens,
who's twenty five, cleaned up the bloody scene and disposed
of MK McKinney's clothes and the murder weapon. The elder
(05:12):
McKinney and Mullens both face eight counts of tampering with evidence,
but have not been charged directly with Spradland's death. Proceedings
against both men were also paused to allow time for
the crime lab to finish DNA testing. The case has
captured state and national attention, both because of the prominence
(05:37):
of the defendants charged and because Spradland's family claim in
action on the part of local officials played a role
in her death. Her family has filed a civil suit
against the city, its police department, and the Floyd County
Fiscal Court of negligence after a nine to one to
one call placed before the stabbing allegedly went unanswered. MK
(06:01):
McKinney is alleged to have placed that call when his
father intervened. A subsequent call to the local dentist made
to the then city police chief was unreported. Only after
a second nine to one pint one call was placed
did first responders come to the scene.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
The suit claims.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Oral arguments in the civil case are scheduled to begin
early next year. M K McKinney's attorneys have objected to
delays in his murder trial, reasserting his right to a
speedy trial and insisting deficiencies in the investigative process cannot
be held against him. Underfunding and understaffing at the State
(06:43):
Police Lab and Frankfurt have created an enormous backlog that
can leave evidence untested for months or even years. Defense
attorneys also claim the state is changing its story by
asking the judge for war or time to await DNA evidence.
(07:04):
Early prosecutor filings in the case asserted the strength of
existing DNA evidence, one would assume that if the evidence
is as strong as the prosecution is claimed, they would
be more than willing to let a jury hear it.
Randy O'Neill, a partner at the O'Neal Law office in Richmond,
wrote in an email statement to The Herald Leader O'Neill
(07:28):
and Stephen ros Means, a Louisville based criminal defense lawyer
of the Romans, Weiss and Young Law firm, represent him
K McKinney in the Spratlum case. O'Neill said the defense
team was prepared for the trial to begin in December
and is long past time to litigate this case in
a courtroom rather than on social media. The case was
(07:51):
moved from Floyd County to neighboring Pike County in April
due to a significant amount of public attention it has received.
Romans filed a renewed motion on October twenty eighth to
reduce bond after the state sought its delay, offering a
proposed order that would place MK McKinney under house arrest.
(08:14):
He is currently jailed in Floyd County with a bail
set at five million dollars. The Kentucky Court of Appeals
denied MK McKinney's request for a bond reduction in February,
deferring to a lower court's discretion. Although the bond appears
to be high, those arguments turned on evidence now available,
(08:35):
not evidence that might become available at an unspecified future date,
Romans wrote in his latest bond filing. Commonwealth Attorney Brent
Turner has repeatedly urged caution due to the status of
outstanding evidence since at least late March. According to court filings,
(08:55):
Turner argued against sitting the December one trial date because
he said he feared the remaining untested evidence would not
be finished. The crime lab reportedly intended to finish forensic
laboratory testing in the case by mid November, but there
still remain at least the thirty three items to be
analyzed for DNA. Turner said the evidence is not new,
(09:20):
but had to first be tested to confirm the presence
of blood before it could move forward DNA testing, he
told the hair Leader. On Thursday, Mark Wolander, an attorney
representing Spradland's family, said his clients agree with the state's position.
The family is very comfortable with the judge continuing the
case so the final evidence can be submitted to the
(09:43):
lab appropriately. Next, a new entertainment venue is coming to
Lexington development. A new live and entertainment venue is coming
to Lexington. The Rail will be a two thousand seat
indoor concert space, and the Commons a new development off
Lee'stown Road and Turner Commons Way. According to a news release,
(10:08):
developer Darren Turner and his partners, including Railbird founders David Helmers,
hope to open the space in October of twenty twenty six.
This entertainment venue will be the heart of the entire development.
Working with David Helmers and our team to bring this
concept to a reality has been an exciting undertaking. We've
(10:30):
selected an operator in John Peters, who has dreamed about
bringing a purpose built, large format club to life and
understands the vision. Turner said in a statement. This will
be a locally owned, independently operated venue, created by and
for the people who live in central Kentucky. It will
(10:52):
anchor the forty two acre development that is already home
to University of Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops, RDS, One
Spirits Distillery, and Battle Axes, among other tenants.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
According to promoter.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
John Peters, founder and CEO of Mass Concerts, which will
be the operator, the venue will have the flexibility to
scale from twelve hundred seated attendees to two thousand general
admission attendees and is designated and designed to host a
wide range of touring acts and community events. This project
(11:27):
demonstrates Lexington's evolving cultural ambitions. Lexington Mayor Lynda Gordon said
in a news release, the rail will attract new visitors,
talent and investment while offering residents a daily designation and
destination rooted in creativity and community. The rail also will
(11:49):
offer premium seating and VIP areas and amenities. According to
the promoter, the venue hopes to host all genres of
touring acts, country, rock, hip hop, metal, as well as
comedy club nights and special events and private functions. According
to the news release, partners in the venture include Peters, Turner, Helmer's,
(12:11):
Joe Kraft CEO Alliance Resource Partners, Graham Brown, GBC Projects
previously TVG Hospitality, and Emily Cox, creative director of Pinnacle,
Nashville Railbird Festival, oryon Amphitheater and.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Bonarou and more.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
The scale of the rail fields a significant gap in
the market, Helmer said in the release. The facility will
reflect our commitment to and love for the region we
call home. I believe the rail will be a transformative
addition to the entertainment scene in Lexington and a cultural
game changer. The next story, could Trump destroy the Epstein
(12:56):
files in political exile at his mansion in Florida? Under
investigation for possessing highly classified documents, Donald Trump summoned his
lawyer in twenty twenty two for a fateful conversation.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
A folder had.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Been compiled with thirty eight documents that should have been
returned to the federal government, but Trump had other ideas.
Making a plucking motion, Trump suggested his attorney, Evan Cochran,
removed the most incriminating material. Why don't you take them
with you to your hotel room if there's anything really
(13:35):
bad in there, like, you know, pluck it out. Corcoran
memorialized in a series of notes that surfaced during the
criminal proceedings. Trump's purported willingness to conceal evidence from law
enforcement as a private citizen is now fueling concerns on
Capitol Hill that his efforts to thwart the release of
(13:56):
Justice Department files and the Jeffrey Epstein investigation could lead
to similar obstructive efforts, this time wielding the powers of
the presidency. Since resuming office in January, Trump has opposed
releasing the files from the federal probe into the conduct
of his former friend and convicted sex offender, an alleged
(14:19):
sex trafficker who is believed to have abused more than
two hundred women and girls. But bipartisan fervor has only
grown over the case, with House lawmakers across party lines
expected to unite behind a bill on Tuesday that would
compel the release of the documents. Last week, facing intensifying
(14:40):
public pressures, the House Oversight Committee released over twenty thousand
files from Epstein's estate that referenced Trump more than a
thousand times. Those files, which included emails from Epstein himself,
showed the notorious financier believed that Trump had intimate knowledge
of his criminal he knew about the girls, Epstein wrote,
(15:03):
referring to Trump as the dog that hasn't barked. Representative
Dave Men, Democrat of Irvine, a member of the Oversight Committee,
noted Trump could order the release of the Justice Department
files without any action from Congress. The fact that he
has not done so, coupled with his long and well
(15:25):
documented history of lying and obstructing justice, raises serious concerns
that he is still trying to stop this investigation. Men
said in an interview, either by trying to persuade Senate
Republicans to vote against the release or through other mechanisms.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
A spokesperson for.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Senator Adam Schiff, the Democrat of California, said that altering
or destroying portions of the Epstein files would violate a
wide range of federal laws. The Senator is certainly concerned
that Donald Trump, who was investigated for obstruction, will persist
in trying to stonewall and otherwise prevent the full release
(16:05):
of all the documents and information in the US government's possession,
the spokesperson said. Even if the law has passed with
overwhelming bipartisan support, after the House votes on the bill,
titled the Epstein Files Transparency Act, bipartisan support in the
Senate would be required to pass the measure. Trump would
(16:28):
then have to sign it into law. Trump encouraged Republican
House members to support it over the weekend, after enough
GOP lawmakers broke ranks last week to compel a vote,
overriding opposition from the Speaker.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Of the House.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Still, it is unclear whether the president will support the
measure as it proceeds to his desk. On Monday, Trump
said he would sign the bill if ultimately passes let
the Senate look at it detailed, reporters. The bill prohibits
the Attorney General PAM from withholding, delaying, or redacting the
publication of any record, document, communication, or investigative material on
(17:09):
the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including
too including any government official, public fixture, or foreign dignitary.
But caveats in the bill could provide Trump and Bindy
with loopholes to keep records related to the president concealed.
Because DOJ possesses and controls those files, it is far
(17:33):
from certain that a vote to disclose the Epstein files
will include documents pretending to Donald Trump, said Barbara McQuaid,
who served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of Michigan from twenty ten to twenty seventeen. When
Trump requested a slew of resignations from US attorneys Already
(17:54):
this past spring, FBI Director Kash Patel directed a freedom
of information team to work with hundreds of agents to
comb through the entire trove of files from the investigation
and direct them to redact references to Trump, citing his
status as a private citizen with privacy protections. When the
(18:14):
first launch probe was in twenty sixteen, Bloomberg reported at
the time it would be improper for Trump to order
the documents destroyed, but Bondy could redact or remove some
of the name of grand jury, secrecy or privacy laws.
M Quad added, as long as there is a pending
criminal investigation, I think she can either block disclosure of
(18:38):
the entire file or block disclosure of individuals who are
not being charged, including Trump. Destroying the documents would be
a taller task and would need a loyal secretary or equivalent,
said Rody Jeffreys Jones, a professional emeritus and professor and
FBI historian at the University of Edinburgh. Jeffrey Jones recalled
(19:01):
j Edgar Hoover's assistant Helen Gandhi spending weeks at his
home destroying the famed FBI director's personal file on the
dirty secrets of America's rich and powerful. It would also
be illegal, scholars say, pointing to the Federal Records Act
that prohibits anyone, including presidents, from destroying government documents. After
(19:24):
President Nixon attempted to assert executive authority over a collection
of incriminating tapes that would ultimately end his presidency, Congress
passed the Presidential Recordings and Material Preservation Act, asserting that
government documents and presidential records are federal property. Courts have
repeatedly upheld the law. While presidents are immune from prosecution
(19:48):
over their official conduct, ordering the destruction of documents from
a criminal investigation would not fall under presidential duties, legal
scholar sid exposing Trump to charges of obstructing justice if
he were to do so. Multiple federal laws bar any one,
including the President or those around him, from destroying or
(20:11):
altering material contained in the Epstein files, including various federal
record keeping laws and criminal statutes. But that doesn't mean
that Trump or his cronies won't consider trying, said Norm Eisen,
who served as chief of ethics, lawyer for President Obama
and counsel for the House Judiciary Committee during Trump's first
(20:34):
impeachment trial. The Democracy Defender's Fund, a nonprofit organization co
founded by Eisen, has sued the Trump administration for all
records in the Epstein investigation related to Trump, warning that
court supervision is needed to ensure Trump doesn't attempt to
(20:54):
subvert a law directive to release them. Perhaps the greatest
day is not altering documents, but wrongly withholding them or
producing and redacting them. As an added, those are both
issues that we can get at in our litigation and
where court supervision can be valuable. Jeffreys Jones also said
(21:19):
that Trump may attempt to order reactions based on claims
of national security, but this might be unconvincing for two reasons.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
He said.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Trump was not yet president at the time, he said,
and it would raise ancillary questions if reactions did not operate.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
In the case of President Clinton.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Last week, Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate Epstein's
files ties to Democratic figures, including Clinton, former Treasury Secretary
Larry Summers, and reed Hoffmann. Linked In's co founder and
a major Democratic donor. He made no request for the
department to do similarly investigate Republicans, and finally on the
(22:04):
front page New Lawsarts allege Weddell targeted critics. Two new
lawsuits against embattled London Mayor Randall Weddell accused him of
doxing a former Laurel County School administrator, pardon of a
child porn conviction, and firing a police officer who had
publicly signaled no confidence in the city's police chief. Weddell,
(22:27):
who was impeached by the city Council for official misconduct
and later reinstated by a Laurel County special judge in October,
has been embroiled in controversy since he took office in
early twenty twenty three, and locked an ongoing public spat
with many of his administration's fiercest critics, whom he has
(22:47):
labeled a pedo clan. Both lawsuits, filed by former Laurel
County Public Schools Director of pupil Personnel Charles Douglas Doug
Phelps and former London Police sergeant Jacob Borman, paint Weddell
as a vindictive mayoral candidate would later use the power
(23:08):
he secured in the twenty twenty two general election to
go after his political foes. The suit adds to the
growing legal scrutiny the mayor faces. The lawsuits also depicts
city Attorney Larry Bryson as working behind the scenes leading
up to and after the election to steer the levers
(23:30):
of government in Weddle's favor, allegedly ordering city officials to
meet with the then candidate for mayor and using outside
legal clients to secure damaging information about his critics. Bryson
was terminated shortly after Weddell's impeachment and promptly rehired after
the mayor was reinstated. Whether you believe he does a
(23:51):
good job or you believe city Council is in the wrong,
I think we all agree that no one should be
overstepping or abusing authority to haunt armed people. Brandon Volker,
attorney for both plaintiffs, told The Herald Leader the lawsuits
are the latest chapter in a long history of litigation
directed by and against Weddell, as well as other controversies.
(24:15):
Last year, he filed a lawsuit against residents over their
negative comments about him on Facebook. That suit was dismissed
Weddell was the subject of a lawsuit filed by another
London police officer in August alleging dafamation. A logistics entrepreneur
by trade, The London mayor has also been the subject
(24:35):
of an investigation into his role as a key donor
aiding Democratic Governor Brasher, and has bid for reelection. In
twenty twenty three, more than two hundred thousand dollars in
contributions to Basher's campaign and the Democratic Governor's Association were
returned to Weddele because they were made on a credit
card belonging to Weddell and his wife but in other
(24:57):
people's names.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
He reported the issue.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
According to the Basher campaign, Republican lawmakers with deep involvement
in state transportation funding questioned while one point one million
dollar state road project benefiting Weddell's business was moved up
to be constructed ahead of schedule. The Basher administration official
said the move was a prudent cost saving measure and
(25:23):
stated that the allegations of the conflict were baseless. Phelps
first dispute with Weddell came when he filed a complaint
to the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance centering around the
conduct during Weddell's successful twenty twenty two mayoral campaign. Three
months before his victory, Weddell sponsored a free gasoline giveaway
(25:46):
for area residents. Weddell's office has not returned to request
for comment on the recent lawsuits. According to a civil
suit filed November tenth, and Laurel Circuit Court, Vittal and
other city officials disseminated anonymous mailers in December of twenty
twenty two to thousands of Laurel County residents that contained
(26:08):
personally identifying information belonging to Phelps and others who were
allegedly critical of Wettell's campaign. Phelps pleaded guilty to child
porn and witnessed tampering charges in twenty thirteen, but was
later pardoned by Matt Bevin following a brief clemency petition
that highlighted his family's staunch support for the former Republican governor.
(26:33):
In his lawsuit, Phelps claimed Weddell included his and other
social security numbers and dates of birth and mailers that
were purportedly from saveachild dot org and featured the Save
Kentucky Children's logo. Phelps also accused Bryson of abusing his
power while acting as both the city attorney and attorney
(26:54):
for the Laurel County Board of Education.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
An email exchange.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
Between Bryson and the district's former superintendent, Douglas Bennett, features
the subject line Doug Phelps Info. According to an exhibit
accompanying Phelps complaint, only the school district and City of
London we're in possession of the sensitive information before the
mailers were sent. The suit claims the Phelps family has
(27:19):
also been at the center of a feud with the
mayor over the way his administration handled the twenty twenty
four police shooting of a man whose house they misidentified
during the service of a search warrant. At a press
conference in February, Weddell claimed Doug Phelps and his twin
brother John and James Phelps, who are both retired Kentucky
(27:39):
State troopers, plus another local man, Elijah Jarvis, are part
of a corrupt system he claims is controlled by a
pedo clan. Weddell was then a guest on a since
deleted episode of the podcast True Crime Cast, where he
accused the Phelps brothers and Jarvis of crimes including sex, trafficking,
(28:03):
drug dealing and murder. According to the defamation lawsuit file
February fourteenth by the brothers John and James Phillips have
never been charged with any of those crimes. Court record
show Jarvis, who has filed a similar to civil lawsuit,
has also not been charged with any of those crimes.
(28:24):
And now, after a short pause, I hope you'll rejoin
us for a continuation of the reading of the Lexington
Herald Leader for today. Thank you for listening, and now
please stay tuned for more news right here on RADIOI.
And now welcome back to the reading of the Lexington
Herald Leader for this Wednesday, November nineteenth. Your reader is
(28:47):
Rod Brotherton, and as always we start with the obituaries
and read only the name, age and location if given.
If you would like further information on any of the obituaries,
please see the way site or you can call us
on the weekdays at eight five, nine, four, two two
sixty three ninety and we'll be glad to read the
(29:07):
entire obituary for you, and I'll repeat the number at
the end.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
Of the listings.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
Today's obituary in dex starts with Gregory Dennis Buckley eighty
six of Lexington, Sharon R. Buyers seventy nine of Lexington,
and Martha Mooney eighty five of Lexington. And if you
would like any further information about any of the listings today,
please visit the website Legacy dot com, slash Obituary, slash Kentucky,
(29:37):
or you can call us as I said at Radio
I at eight five nine four two two sixty three
ninety and we will try to read them to you
over the phone.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Now let's return to the news.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
Our next story is UN Security Council adopts the US
peace plan for Gaza. The United Nations Security Council on
Monday approved President Trump's peace plan for the Gaza Strip,
a breakthrough that provides a legal UN mandate for the
administration's vision of how to move past the ceasefire and
(30:11):
rebuild war ravaged Gaza after two years of war. The
Council's vote was also a major diplomatic victory for the
Trump administration. For the past two years, as the conflict
between Israel and Amas has raged, the United States has
been isolated at the United Nations over its staunch support
(30:32):
for Israel. The US resolution calls for an international stabilization
force to enter demilitarize and govern Gaza. The proposal, which
contained Trump's twenty point ceasefire plan, also envisions a Board
of Peace to oversee the peace plan, though it does
(30:53):
not clarify the composition of the board. The resolution passed
with thirteen votes in zero votes against Russia and China,
either of which could have vetoted, apparently abstained and swayed
by the support of a resolution from a number of
Arab and Muslim nations Egypt, Jordan, Cutter Saudi Arabia, and
(31:18):
the United Arab Emirates, as well as Indonesia, Turkey, and Pakistan,
which is a member of the Council. Mike Waltz, the
US Ambassador to the United Nations, who addressed the Council
before the vote, called Gaza hell on Earth and held
up a copy of the resolution, describing it as a lifeline.
(31:42):
After the vote, Waltz thanks the Council for joining us
and charting a new course for Israelis, Palestinians and all
the people in the region alike. Security Council resolutions are
considered legally binding international law, and although the Council does
not have a mechanism for enforcing such resolutions, it can
(32:03):
take measures to punish violators with penalties.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Such as sanctions.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
In a post on truth Social Trump wrote, congratulations to
the world on the incredible vote of the United Nations
Security Council just moments ago acknowledging and endorsing the Board
of Peace, which will be chaired by me and include
the most powerful and respected leaders throughout the world. He
(32:32):
thanked various countries, including Russia and China, and said the
vote will lead to further peace all over the world. Still,
the path forward is plagued by many uncertainties, with Israeli
strikes continuing in Gaza and outbreaks of violence erupting on
the West Bank. Among the next steps would be naming
(32:54):
members of the Board of Peace, the body in charge
of overseeing the transition in Gaza, and clarifying under those
under authority ends the stabilization forces and how they would operate.
The resolution says that if the Palestinian Authority, which partially
governs the West Bank, undergoes reforms and the redevelopment of
(33:16):
the shattered Gaza Strip advances, the conditions may finally be
in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self determination
and statehood. Algeria's Ambassador to the United Nations Amar Bindajama,
the only Arab member of the Council and who was
negotiating on behalf of the United Nations Arab Group, thanked
(33:40):
Trump for his personal engagement in bringing conflict in Gaza
to an end, but he said the aspirations of Palestinians
for a state should not be overlooked. Genuine peace in
the Middle East cannot be achieved without justice, justice for
the Palestinian people who have waited death ades for the
(34:00):
creation of their independent state, he said. Many Council members,
including France, Guyana, Pakistan, Slovenia and Somalia, had issues with
the fact that the resolution did not include clear language
on Palestinian statehood, but they said they had endorsed the
(34:21):
proposal to support the political momentum, prevent the resurgence of violence,
and allow much needed humanitarian aid to flow into the enclave.
They reiterated that the territorial integrity of Gaza must remain
intact and that lasting peace must be rooted in a
two state solution. The language and the resolution about Palestinian
(34:45):
statehood had drawn objections from Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu saying Sunday that our opposition to a Palestinian state
in any territory has not changed. Among the chal the
International Stabilization Force will have is how to confront hamasa's fighters.
(35:07):
We're still armed and present in Gaza. The resolution states
that the force would be responsible for destroying military infrastructure
in Gaza and decommissioning the militants group's weapons. And next, locally,
the large Kentucky craft brewer to close the flagship tap room,
(35:28):
a Louisville brewer that has been an anchor of the
city's whiskey row, is closing its flagship tap room, Against
the Grain, posted on its social media Wednesday, the pub
and restaurant operates in Sluggerfield at four oh one East
Main Street in Louisville, will be closing in December after
(35:48):
fourteen years. Our release has come to an end at
Sluggerfield and we've made a difficult decision not to renew it.
Co founders Sam Cruz and Jeffrey Nay wrote in a
post on Facebook the last day of restaurant operations and
Against the Grain public House will be December twenty third.
(36:10):
They said, the brewery's production in Louisville's Portland Neighborhood will
continue and Against the Grain beers we'll be distributed in restaurants, bars,
and liquor stores. Founded in twenty eleven, Against the Grain
is now one of Kentucky's larger craft breweries. In twenty fourteen,
the company received economic incentives from the state to expand
(36:31):
in quadruple production. Will pop up here and there to
remind you we're still around, and maybe even open up
our production facility in the Portland neighborhood for a party
or two. The post reads, we love it if stop
into the restaurant one last time before the end of
the year to share a beer and a memory. We
(36:54):
know it has meant a lot to a lot of people,
including us, So come on down and make the most
of our final days. The brewery did not immediately respond
to a request for comment. Beer and craft beer have
been going through economic difficulties similar to the downturn in
the bourbon industry is experiencing. Overall consumption is down, competition
(37:19):
is up, and craft brewers across the country have closed
due to rising costs, including some related to President Trump's
aluminum tariffs. And next, a Kentucky developer buys part of
a block near UK campus. Part of a block that
includes the former Two Keys Tavern building near the University
(37:41):
of Kentucky's campus recently sold to a Louisville company, according
to Fayette County property records. Diversified Properties LLLC of Louisville
purchased the buildings between three nineteen and three thirty three
South Limestone on October thirtieth for five five million dollars,
according to the Fayette County Property Valuation Administration records. Aaron
(38:07):
Hill of Diversified Properties LLC said the buildings will not
be torn down. There are no plans to change anything
with the buildings.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
Or the tenants. Hill said.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
The buildings at three twenty nine and three point thirty
three South Limestone includes the Hill, a bar that for
sixty six years was the home of Two Keys Tavern.
The other buildings include three twenty seven South Limestone, which
houses Signature Wine and Liquor, and three nineteen South Limestone
(38:41):
The Paddock, another bar. Two Keys Tavern moved to three
eighty five South Limestone but later closed. Many properties near
UK's campus have been sold in recent years to make
way for private, multi story student apartments on Eastmack Xwell Street.
Multiple properties have been purchased and either or in the
(39:04):
process of being torn down or slated for demolition. In January,
stavrof Land and Development received final approval for a two
hundred and thirty eight unit, six story building on East
Maxwell Street between Stone Street and Lexington Avenue.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
That building, geared to UK.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
Students, is under construction subtext. A Saint Louis company received
final approval to build an eight story apartment building on
East Maxwell and Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard in September.
A zoning change for a third student apartment complex in
the same area on East Maxwell Street will be heard
(39:46):
by the Lexington Fayed Urban County County at five pm Wednesday,
the Urban County Planning Commission voted eight to two to
approve the switch from residential to a business zone in
September for the rub an eight story two hundred or
three hundred and twenty five unit apartment complex and the
(40:07):
next story. Federal prosecutors support the release of a detective
convicted in the Briona Taylor case. The US Department of
Justice is asking that Brett Hackison, one of the Louisville
Police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Briona Taylor
be released from federal prison while he appeals his conviction.
(40:30):
The DOJ filed a twenty eight page brief Thursday supporting
Hanckison's bid for bail before the Sixth Circuit of the
US Court of Appeals. Hackerson, a former detective for the
Louisville Metro Police Department, was found guilty in November twenty
twenty four for violating Taylor's civil rights and using unjustified
(40:51):
and unreasonable force against her in twenty twenty when he
fired into her window, which was covered with blinds and
curtains through which he could see could not see on the.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
Night she died. Shots he fired did not.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Hit any one. It was the third time Hankison was
tried in connection with the shooting. In twenty twenty two,
he was acquitted in a state trial on wanton endangerment
charges in connection to the shots he fired that entered
a neighboring apartment. Then, in November of twenty twenty three,
(41:26):
a mistrial was declared when a jury could not reach
a verdict in the federal case. After the twenty twenty
four retrial and conviction, the government argued before Hankinson's sentencing
in July that he should receive a one day sentence
and beyond supervise release for three years. However, US District
(41:48):
Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings said the DOJ's recommendation was not appropriate,
and she sentenced Hankison to thirty three months in prison
as well as three years of supervised release. On August
twenty eighth, Hankison's attorneys filed a motion for bail while
his case is pending appeal, but the motion was denied
(42:08):
on October sixth. Hankison surrendered himself on October ninth to
the US Bureau of Prisons to begin serving a sentence,
but his attorneys are appealing the judge's decision to imprison
him while he appeals his conviction. The DOJA said in
its brief Thursday that Hankison should be granted bail during
(42:29):
his appeal for three reasons. First, as the District Court
is found defendant is not a flight risk or a
danger to the community if released. Second, Defendant's appeal is
not for the purpose of delay and raises some substantive
issues of law or fact that are close questions, i e.
(42:51):
Novel questions that could go either way and would, if successful,
likely result in reversal, a new trial, or a substantially
reduced a sentence. Finally, defendant has clearly shown that there
are exceptional reasons why defendant's detention pending appeal would not
be appropriate. Hankinson's attorneys made similar arguments in the brief
(43:16):
they filed with the appeals court on November seventh. Though
prosecutors have supported Hankinson's request for bail, they said in
the brief that in taking this position, the government stresses
again that it is not hereby conceding that any of
the defendant's contemplated claims of error on appeals will ultimately
(43:37):
prove meritorious. The government reserves the right to oppose any
and all claims of error based on an available grounds
after full consideration of the record and all available case authorities. Hankison,
who previously worked for the Lexington Police Department, served seventeen
years with the Louisville Police before being fired in June
(43:59):
of TI twenty twenty for violating procedure when he fired
blindly into Taylor's apartment. The death of Taylor, a twenty
six year old emergency room technician, became a galvanizing issue
in the Black Lives Matter movement in twenty twenty, leading
to calls for search warrant reform across the nation and
(44:19):
months of knightly protests in Louisville and next former Kentucky
deputy judge executive is indicted for felony, theft an official misconduct.
A former deputy judge executive in Kentucky was indicted Friday
on charges of felony, theft and official misconduct. According to
(44:41):
Attorney General Russell Coleman, Joseph Ender forty is the former
deputy Judge executive of Oldham County. Ender was hired by
the Oldham County Fiscal Court in March of twenty twenty four,
but fired this summer after he shared a record coarding
of a closed door meeting with another official. The move
(45:04):
was a breach of trust with his supervisor, Oldham County
Judge Executive David Vogeley into his charge with theft of
services of more than ten thousand dollars and first degree
official misconduct. According to Coleman's office, the former public official
allegedly diverted Oldham County Road Department equipment and employees to
(45:25):
complete work on his private property. According to Coleman's office,
the Attorney General's Department of Criminal Investigations looked into the allegations.
The theft of services charge is a Class safelony when
more than ten thousand dollars is involved in the alleged theft.
Terms of imprisonment for a Class C felony conviction in
(45:47):
Kentucky run from five to ten years. The official misconduct
charge is a misdemeanor. According to Coleman's office, Into is
scheduled to be arraigned in Oldham County Circuit Court on Thursday,
January eight. According to court records, inter filed a Whistleblower
Act lawsuit against the Fiscal Court in September, claiming Voguely
(46:08):
unlawfully retaliated against him by firing him over a breach
of trust. The lawsuit claims Ender suffered humiliation, embarrassment, anxiety,
and increased stress from the termination. He's seeking unspecified compensation
for the damages and a jury trial. The former Deputy
(46:29):
Judge Executive was fire July first, a little more than
a month after he participated in a closed door meeting
with Voguely, Fiscal Court magistrates, and Western Hospitality Partners. A
real estate development company that builds large scale data centers.
The company previously applied to build a two hundred and
forty eight per hyper scale data center in the county,
(46:52):
but it couldn't build on the property proposed because of
its agricultural zoning designation. According to the lawsuit, the meeting
took place May twenty second, and the attendees collaborated to
find a new direction for the data center. The lawsuit
alleges Western Hospitality agreed to withdraw its application and launch
(47:12):
a positive marketing campaign in exchange for promises like favorable
legislation to ensure the.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
Project could move forward. Inder believed some.
Speaker 1 (47:23):
Of the promises between Western Hospitality and the Fiscal Court
were illegal, and he shared a recording of the meeting
with State Senator Lindsay Tickner, who represents Oldham County. Ender
eventually sent his complaint and the meeting's recordings to the
Attorney General's office on June eighteenth. According to the lawsuit,
six days later, Vogela asked Ender to sign an affidate
(47:47):
of non recording regarding the meeting. The lawsuit says Ender
told Vogeli he wouldn't sign because he shared a copy
of the recording, with Titchner and the Attorney General's Office
having sup infected bribery, collusion or official misconduct. Voguely described
Inter's actions as a complete betrayal of my trust, and
(48:09):
he said he had no choice but to let you
go down with the ship, the lawsuit reads. Two days later,
Inder was placed on involuntary leave with pay before being
fired July first. In a statement posted to Facebook, the
Fiscal Court denied all of enders allegations. After the meeting
(48:30):
with Western Hospitality, clips began to circulate on social media,
Court documents say officials began investigating the leak, suspecting there
was an illegal bug planted in the Fiscal Court building.
Ender did not cooperate with the investigation, which caused concern
regarding his trustworthiness. Court documents say he also did not
(48:53):
tell the Fiscal Court he shared the recording of the
meeting prior to his termination, and didn't disclose his actions
until after he was fired. It was enders failure to
cooperate with a legitimate investigation into a possible bug that
led to his termination, not any protected activity. Court documents say.
(49:16):
The Fiscal Court has requested the case be partially dismissed.
According to court documents, a judge has not made a
ruling on the request, and there is no scheduled court
date for the lawsuit. Next is the Donro Doctrine, which
is Trump's bid to control the Western Hemisphere. President Trump
(49:39):
opened this year with pledges to seize the Panama Canal,
take control of Greenland, and rename the Gulf of Mexico
the Gulf of America.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
He is ending it.
Speaker 1 (49:49):
By bombing boats from South America, stationing the world's largest
aircraft carrier in the Caribbean, and exploring military options against
Villa Vezezuela's Autocrat leader. In sharp shifts decades of US
foreign policy, the Western Hemisphere has become the United States
central theater abroad. In addition to military threats and actions,
(50:14):
the White House this year has carried out punishing tariffs,
severe sanctions, pressure campaigns, and economic bailouts across the Americas.
Trump has said he is seeking to stop drugs and
migrants from entering the United States, but in other moments,
top administration officials have been explicit that their overarching goal
(50:38):
is to assert US dominance over its half of the planet.
He believes this is the neighborhood we live in, said
Mauriceo Claver Corone, Trump's special envoy to the Latin America
until June, who continues to advise the White House. And
you can't be the pre eminent global power if you're
(50:59):
not the pre eminent regional power. The United States has
long tried to tip the scales around Latin America, where
it has supported military coups, conducted covert operations, and invaded Panama.
That US foreign policy was often tied to ideology. During
(51:20):
the Cold War, there was the effort to champion capitalism,
even if it meant backing dictators. In recent decades, as
attention drifted to wars and competition in the other hemisphere,
the focus was on democracy and free trade. In Latin America,
Trump's proach appears purely pragmatic. What's in it for the
(51:44):
United States? Stronger control of the hemisphere and particularly Latin
America promises major benefits. Ample natural resources, strategic security positions,
and lucrative markets are all in play. Backed by a
team of Hawks with a long history in Latin America,
(52:06):
most prominently Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump is overhauling
US policy in the region to try to extract those prizes.
The effect has been a reordering of politics up and
down the Americas.
Speaker 2 (52:21):
Many leaders have.
Speaker 1 (52:23):
Twisted themselves to align with Trump, often winning major benefits
in return, or bet their governments on defying him. Many
observers have been calling the new US approach the Donro doctrine,
a term that appeared on a January cover of the
New York Post, a trumpetan twist on a nineteenth century idea.
(52:46):
In eighteen twenty three, President James Monroe aspired to stop
European powers from meddling in the Hemisphere. In twenty twenty five,
the competing power is China, which has built up enormous
political and economic power in Latin America over the past
(53:06):
several decades. Some foreign policy analysts believe Trump like to
divide the world, with China and Russia in spheres of influence.
In recent months, top US officials have explained their strategy
in those terms. The Western Hemisphere is America's neighborhood, and
(53:28):
we will protect it. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegsith wrote Thursday.
In the latest example, the White House has killed many
of the aid programs devised to foster influence and goodwill
across Latin America. Instead, Trump appears focusing on assembling a
(53:48):
roster of allies in the region, or at least acquiescent governments.
Speaker 2 (53:54):
To do so.
Speaker 1 (53:55):
He has rewarded leaders who have fallen in line with
his demands and those who have not. President Javier Millie
of Argentina, for instance, campaign to make Argentina great again
and questioned Trump's twenty twenty election loss when his government
was wabbling on the edge of economic crisis. Last month,
(54:18):
the Trump administration arrived with twenty billion dollars as a bailout,
and in midterm election days later, milliaise Party one big.
The next day, Trump took credit. We're getting a real
strong handle on South.
Speaker 2 (54:34):
America, he told reporters.
Speaker 1 (54:36):
On Thursday, Trump and Malay announced that the framework of
a trade deal that should give the United States access
to more of Argentina's critical minerals.
Speaker 2 (54:47):
Next.
Speaker 1 (54:48):
Two men are charged with pointing laser, firing gun at
Kentucky State Police helicopter. Two Kentucky men had been charged
with endangement after allegedly pointing a laiser and firing a
gun at a police helicopter searching for a missing child.
According to Kentucky State Police, The incident happened around nine
(55:09):
thirty pm November three in Maislick, an unincorporated area of
Mason County. A State Police helicopter was searching for a
missing eleven year old child when the crew reported multiple
laser strikes coming from a house in the forty one
hundred block of US sixty two. At the time of
the incident, State Police were using a helicopter in the
(55:29):
search for Adeline Thornsbury, eleven, according to State Police spokesperson
Sherry Bray, and Thornsbury.
Speaker 2 (55:37):
Was found the next day.
Speaker 1 (55:40):
According to KSP, the tactical flight officer's eyes were possibly
injured in the laser strikes. Jason McKee, forty nine, of
Meislick's and Donald Boone, fifty five, of Aberdeen, Ohio, were
arrested at the home in the area that night and
charge with first degree wanton endangement of a police officer.
McKee was also charged with first degree wanting endangerment, the
(56:00):
discharge of firearm and laser or vision interference light directed
at aircraft with disruptive travel, State Police said. Bray said
the helicopter temporarily diverted from the search until McKee and
Boone were apprehended. Court documents say McKee admitted to firing
a handgun and pointing a laser at the helicopter because
(56:21):
he believed it was a drone. Investigators determined Boone fired
an airsoft rifle toward the helicopter. The key and Boone
were booked into the Mason County Detention Center. While being
processed at the jailed staff found a meth pipe and
a blowtorch in Boone's pocket, according to court documents. Boone
is additionally charged with buying or possession drug paraphernalia. According
(56:44):
to court records, McKee's bond has said at one one
hundred thousand dollars, while boons is at fifty thousand. Their
cases had been sent to the Mason County Grand Jury
after probable cause was found November tenth.
Speaker 2 (56:55):
According to court records.
Speaker 1 (56:56):
State police say the FBI has been notified about the
case for possible further charges stemming from the incident. And
this concludes the reading of the Lexington Herald Leader for today, Wednesday,
November nineteenth. Your reader has been Rod Brotherton. As always,
thank you for listening, and now please stay tuned for
(57:16):
sports news right here on Radio I
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