Proud Boys leader balks at answering a prosecutor’s questions about Capitol attack

WASHINGTON (AP) — An imprisoned far-right extremist group leader who was the top target of the federal investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol has balked at answering a prosecutor’s questions about the attack. Former Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio was a defense witness on Thursday at the trial of a police officer accused of leaking him confidential information. A judge warned former Tarrio that he could face consequences, including an order holding him in contempt of court, if he continued to refuse to answer the prosecutor’s questions. Tarrio appeared to be heeding the judge’s warning before a lunch break interrupted his testimony.

US government is closing a women’s prison and other facilities

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press has learned that the federal Bureau of Prisons is permanently closing its “rape club” women’s prison in California and will idle six facilities in a sweeping realignment after years of abuse, decay and mismanagement. The agency informed employees and Congress on Thursday that it plans to shutter the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, and its deactivate minimum-security prison camps in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. Staff and inmates are being moved to other facilities. The closures come amid an AP investigation that has uncovered deep, previously unreported flaws within the Bureau of Prisons.

Memphis’ mayor pushes back against feds’ calls for major reforms of city’s police force

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis’ mayor is pushing back against the need for a Justice Department deal to enact reforms in light of the scathing findings of an investigation into the Memphis Police Department. Mayor Paul Young said at a news conference Thursday that Memphis has already made hundreds of positive changes since the January 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols. During a news conference minutes earlier, an assistant U.S. attorney warned that the Justice Department could sue to force reforms at the police department if the city doesn’t cooperate. The 17-month federal investigation launched after Nichols’ death found that Memphis officers routinely use unwarranted force and disproportionately target Black people.

US judge rejects Boeing’s plea deal in a conspiracy case

DALLAS (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a deal that would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, killing 346 people. The ruling on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas creates uncertainty around the criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant in connection with the development of its bestselling airline plane. O’Connor’s decision was almost certain to please many relatives of the passengers who died in the crashes, which took place off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apart.