DeSantis signs one of the country’s most restrictive social media bans for minors

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida will have one of the country’s most restrictive social media bans for minors — if it withstands expected legal challenges. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Monday that will ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for 15- and 16-year-olds. It was slightly watered down from a proposal DeSantis vetoed earlier this month. The new law will take effect Jan. 1. The bill DeSantis vetoed would have banned minors under 16 from popular social media platforms regardless of parental consent.

Guns and sneakers were seized from a man accused of killing an Amish woman

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Police investigating the killing a pregnant Amish woman in rural Pennsylvania say they seized six guns, a variety of ammunition and a pair of sneakers that may match tread marks left at the crime scene during searches of the suspect’s home and vehicle. Search warrant documents released over the weekend say 23-year-old Rebekah Byler suffered “multiple sharp force wounds” to her neck and was shot in the head during last month’s attack. Truck driver Shawn Cranston of Corry is charged with two counts of homicide.

Trump’s New York hush money case is set for trial April 15

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge has scheduled former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial to begin April 15. Judge Juan M. Merchan made the ruling Monday. The judge earlier had scolded the ex-president’s lawyers as he weighed when to reschedule the trial after a last-minute document dump caused a postponement of the original date. Merchan bristled at what he suggested were baseless defense claims of “prosecutorial misconduct,” appearing unpersuaded by Trump team arguments that prosecutors had until recently concealed tens of thousands of pages of records from a previous federal investigation.

SC court official resigns as state probes allegations of tampering with jury

WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina court official under investigation amid allegations of tampering with the jury in the Alex Murdaugh trial has announced her resignation. Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill said Monday that her resignation would take effect immediately. Serving as clerk was an honor, she said, citing the office’s work and its management of the high-profile Murdaugh trial last year. Hill cited her grandchildren as the deciding factor for the decision to resign. Murdaugh’s lawyers had sought another trial in the killings of his wife and son, citing allegations that the court clerk improperly influenced the jury.

3 Maryland middle schoolers charged with hate crimes after displaying swastikas

HUNTINGTOWN, Md. (AP) — Prosecutors in southern Maryland say three 13-year-old middle schoolers have been charged with hate crimes after they displayed swastikas, performed Nazi salutes and made derogatory remarks about a classmate’s religion. Officials with the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office say the harassment began in December and the students refused to stop despite repeated requests. The victim ultimately reported the behavior to Maryland State Police, which investigated and filed charges against the teens.