Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction was overturned Thursday in New York, making way for a new trial. The state Court of Appeals found that the judge in the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the former film mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren't part of the case. "We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes because that testimony served no material non-propensity purpose," the court's 4-3 decision said. "The court compounded that error when it ruled that defendant, who had no criminal history, could be cross examined about those allegations as well as numerous allegations of misconduct that portrayed defendant in a highly prejudicial light," it said.
Doctors successfully transplanted a pig kidney into a woman who was too sick for a "traditional" organ transplant on Wednesday. Patient Lisa Pisano, 54, suffered from heart and kidney failure before the transplant, making her ineligible for a human-donated kidney, according to the Associated Press. The doctors at NYU Langone Health instead implanted a heart pump to keep her heart pumping during the procedure and transplanted a pig kidney into her body. Pisano was able to use a walker after the procedure and took her first steps, later expressing gratitude for the procedure. "I was at the end of my rope," Pisano said. "I just took a chance. And you know, worst-case scenario, if it didn't work for me, it might have worked for someone else and it could have helped the next person."
President Joe Biden has found himself in the spotlight once again as he stumbled over his words during a speaking event, inadvertently shifting attention to his opponent, former President Donald Trump. Addressing supporters at a community college in Tampa, the 81-year-old president attempted to portray Trump as untrustworthy regarding the issue of abortion, particularly in light of Florida's impending ban on abortions past six weeks. The president called out Trump as the sole person responsible for the "cruelty and chaos" since the the overturn of Roe v. Wade. In a momentary gaffe, Biden inadvertently asked: "How many times does he have to prove we can't be trusted?" The slip prompted ABC News to swiftly attempt to rectify the statement by replacing "we" with "he" in their coverage, though the original remark was clearly audible.
Recent protests blocking roadways over the Israel-Hamas war has led to Democrats looking to team up with Republicans in California to increase the penalty for protestors. Monday, the Assembly Transportation Committee passed Assembly Bill 2742 on an 8-5 vote, with four Democrats siding with Republicans to push it through.
It's not every day the future arrives early. Robot cars and personal jetpacks might still some time off, but at least you can head over to the Kickstarter crowdfunding site right now and place an order for your very own invisibility shield. read more
Of course, there is always this from Bishop Robert Gruss on Biden, 'I'm not angry at him, he's just stupid'.