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The decision by New York’s top court on Thursday to overturn the conviction of Harvey Weinstein on sex crime charges raised many thorny legal questions. Perhaps chief among them: Will it bolster his chances of a successful appeal in a similar case in California? Mr. Weinstein’s lawyer in California, Jennifer Bonjean, plans to file that appeal next month, and has said she believes the New York decision helps her chances of winning. In both cases, prosecutors offered witnesses who said they had been assaulted by Mr. Weinstein, the disgraced Hollywood producer, even though their accounts were not tied to criminal charges. The tactic was at the heart of the 4-to-3 decision on Thursday by New York’s Court of Appeals, which concluded that the judge who presided over Mr. Weinstein’s case in 2020 had deprived him of a fair trial by allowing those witnesses to testify.

Persons: Harvey Weinstein, Weinstein’s, Jennifer Bonjean, Weinstein Organizations: New, Hollywood, Appeals, Mr Locations: California, York

A Chinese business titan pleaded guilty on Monday to federal charges that he made more than $10,000 in straw donor contributions to political candidates — including, a person familiar with the case said, to a New York congressman and Mayor Eric Adams. Hui Qin, 56, of Old Westbury, N.Y., who was once listed on Forbes magazine’s list of billionaires, ran a now-defunct entertainment business called SMI Culture. Image Hui Qin Credit... ImaginechinaMr. Qin asked others to contribute to political campaigns of his choosing, and he agreed to reimburse them, in 2021 and 2022, according to prosecutors. The other figures who received donations were Representative Andrew Garbarino of Long Island and Allan Fung, a former mayor of Cranston, R.I., who ran for Congress, the person familiar with the case said. Both are Republicans, while Mr. Adams is a Democrat.

Persons: Eric Adams, Hui Qin, Imaginechina Mr, Qin, Andrew Garbarino, Allan Fung, Adams Organizations: Forbes, Congress Locations: New York, Old Westbury, N.Y, Manhattan, Qin, Long, Cranston, R.I

☆ Does Having a Gun Make a Person Suspicious? Courts Aren’t Sure Now.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The police said they had quickly arrested the man, Robert Homer, and found a loaded Glock pistol in his pocket. That made him ineligible for a gun license under federal law. The case is now in jeopardy after a federal judge in Brooklyn ruled on Feb. 5 that the police did not have probable cause to stop Mr. Homer. The case involving Mr. Homer is the latest test of gun laws in the state, where officials continue to grapple with how to square a legacy of strong gun control with the 2022 ruling. The judge in the state case, Abraham Clott, said he disagreed with the federal judge’s conclusion.

Persons: Robert Homer, Homer, Nicholas G, Garaufis, Garaufis’s, Abraham Clott Locations: Queens, Brooklyn, York, Manhattan

☆ 6 Charged With Smuggling Goose and Duck Intestines From China
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Some were in crates marked as “pet nail clippers.” Others were hidden under packaged rattlesnakes, a complaint filed in Federal District Court in Brooklyn said. The crates concealed exotic delicacies that were illegal contraband, the complaint said: raw goose and duck intestines, sent from China and destined for New York City shops and restaurants. Federal agents arrested six people on Tuesday and charged them with smuggling the organs through Los Angeles between August 2022 and May 2023, though the complaint also mentions illicit shipments as recently as January. The defendants also trafficked in “duck-blood products from unapproved establishments in China,” according to the complaint.

Organizations: Court Locations: Brooklyn, China, New York City, Los Angeles

☆ 2 Men Are Convicted in 2002 Killing of Run-DMC D.J. Jam Master Jay
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Two men were found guilty on Tuesday of killing of the D.J. Jason Mizell, known as Jam Master Jay, of Run-DMC, bringing a long-sought conclusion to a case that had confounded investigators and left rap fans grieving for over 20 years. Karl Jordan Jr., 40, Mr. Mizell’s godson, was charged with firing the fatal bullet into Mr. Mizell’s head in 2002. By 2002, Run-DMC’s fame had dimmed and Mr. Mizell had turned to the drug trade to support his family and retinue, prosecutors said. They argued that greed and revenge had driven Mr. Washington and Mr. Jordan to kill Mr. Mizell, and that the pair had enlisted a third man, Jay Bryant, who is to be tried separately in 2026.

Persons: Jason Mizell, Jay, Karl Jordan Jr, Mizell’s, Ronald Washington, Mr, Mizell, Jordan, Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, Jay Bryant Organizations: Queens, Adidas Locations: Hollis, Washington

So The New York Times asked more than 5,300 people in the U.S. with this heritage how they describe themselves …No Box to Check: When the Census Doesn’t Reflect YouEgyptian, Iranian, Lebanese, Amazigh, Arab, American. In the 2020 census, “Lebanese” and “Egyptian” were offered as examples for the “white” box on the race question. The other categories were “Black or African American,” “American Indian or Alaska Native,” “Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander” and a variety of Asian ancestries. After all, there’s no agreed-upon set of countries or ethnicities that would fall under a Middle Eastern and North African category. The chart shows these responses after the MENA category was added: 69% chose “MENA,” 15% chose “MENA, White,” 3% chose “Another Race,” 5% chose “White” and 8% chose other combinations.

Persons: Brown, New York Times callout, Biden, ”, —, “, ” Martin Zebari, ” Samera Hadi, ” Imene Said Kouidri, ’ ” Faisal Ali, ” Joseph Hallock, Maya Berry, there’s, Margo J, Anderson, “ You’re, Tiffany Kindratt, ” Khelil, ‘, Dusty Haddad, “ White, Jeffrey S, ” Nadine Naber, Naber, I’m, ” Ceylan Swenson, ” Blake Bachara, ” Amin Younes, We’re, ” Rita Obeid, Barack Obama, It’s, ” Thomas Simsarian Dolan, ” Gabrielle Barbara Guliana, Christina Boufarah, I’ve, ” Michele Magar, ” Soufiane, ” Azita, Moustafa, ” Nawar Organizations: U.S ., New York Times, Arab, Israel, American Community, Management, Federal, Arab American Institute, University of Wisconsin, Census Bureau, Survey, North, Cornell University, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, University of Texas, The Times, Times, Pew Research, University of Illinois, Bureau, West Virginian Locations: Eastern, Sudanese, Southwest, U.S, East, North Africa, United States, Michigan, Gaza, Europe, Lebanese, Alaska, American, MENA, Milwaukee, —, Arlington, America, White, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Lebanon, Iran, N.Y.C, Israel, Turkey, Southwest Asia, Afghanistan, Armenia, West, I’m

Citizens of Thailand, the Philippines and Russia, who were freed through separate talks, also numbered among the hostages Hamas released. The New York Times compared the Israeli data with lists of the Palestinians released each day by the Palestinian Authority’s Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs. The Israeli data shows that three-quarters of the released Palestinians had not been convicted of a crime. More than half of the cases were being prosecuted in Israeli military courts, which try Palestinians in the occupied West Bank but not Israeli settlers who live there. Nearly all Palestinians tried in Israeli military courts are convicted, and those accused of security offenses can be imprisoned indefinitely without charge or trial.

Persons: Israel Organizations: New York Times, Palestinian, Commission, Prisoners ’ Affairs, West Bank Locations: Thailand, Philippines, Russia, Gaza, Israel

A deal between Israel and Hamas for a temporary cease-fire is expected to go into effect on Friday. The deal also includes an increase in humanitarian aid for Gaza, but Qatar’s foreign ministry did not release details. It was unclear whether they, too, would be set free in stages, but the official said the first would be released before any Israeli hostages. Who are the Palestinian prisoners? Some, but perhaps not all, of them are expected to be among the hostages released in the coming days.

Persons: —, Israel, Majed al, Ansari Organizations: Hamas, International Committee, West Bank, White Locations: Israel, Qatar, Gaza, a.m

They knew it would be perilous, but Jinan Al Salya and her family decided to heed Israeli directions to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip and head south. They fled their car before a shell hit it, sending it and their luggage up in flames, Ms. Al Salya, 20, said in a telephone interview. “I’m in total shock.” Ms. Al Salya said she believed the shell that hit the car had been fired by an Israeli tank; the Israeli military declined to comment on the incident. Despite intensifying Israeli ground operations, continued air and artillery strikes, a mounting death toll and a critical lack of resources, hundreds of thousands of people remain in northern Gaza. David Satterfield, U.S. special envoy for Mideast humanitarian issues, estimated on Saturday that at least 350,000 to 400,000 people remained in northern Gaza.

Persons: Al Salya, ”, “, Ms, Ahmed Ferwana, Al Shati, Ferwana, Iyad, David Satterfield Organizations: Jinan Al, The New York Times Locations: Jinan, Jinan Al Salya, Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, Jabaliya, Gaza City, Swiss

Her 9-year-old and 7-year-old had been killed in their home, he said, along with several of her siblings and relatives. “We wish for death,” said Dr. Abu Safyia. With no anesthesia, doctors were operating on people with severe injuries using over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol to help ease the pain. They had a limited supply of antibiotics and were using vinegar and chlorine to disinfect wounds, the doctor added. “The children’s screams during surgeries can be heard from outside,” Dr. Abu Safyia said.

Persons: Abu Safyia, Jabaliya, “, ”, Dr Organizations: Hamas Locations: Jabaliya, Beit Lahia, Gaza

A day after an Israeli airstrike thundered across a densely populated Gaza Strip neighborhood, Palestinians trying to reach family members there to learn their fates were met largely with unnerving silence. “May God protect Gaza and its people.”“This is getting more insane every day,” Yousef Hammash, an employee of the Norwegian Refugee Council who was born in the Jabaliya neighborhood hit by the airstrike, said Wednesday. Mr. Hammash, who is now taking shelter in southern Gaza, said continuing communications outages were adding exponentially to the anguish of living amid deprivation and death. Sousan Hammad, 38, a writer and teacher in Brooklyn, said she had been frantically trying to reach family members in Jabaliya. Rescue workers and residents can be seen digging through the rubble and carrying what appear to be injured and dead people, including children.

Persons: “, ” Yousef Hammash, Hammash, Sousan Hammad, Hammad’s, Ahmed, ”, — Organizations: Norwegian Refugee Council, Ministry, The New York Times Locations: Gaza, Brooklyn, Jabaliya, United States, Israel, Falluja

An airstrike that Israel said was targeting Hamas militants caused widespread damage in a densely populated neighborhood of Gaza on Tuesday. Hamas and hospital officials said numerous people were killed and wounded, as humanitarian organizations warned that the territory’s civilian population was at a breaking point. Hamas, the armed group that controls Gaza, and local doctors said hundreds of people had been wounded or killed at the Jabaliya refugee camp. Independent verification of the claim was not possible, but Israel itself described the strike as a “wide-scale” attack. The military claimed that an “underground terror infrastructure” — Hamas has built and extensive network of tunnels under the territory — had collapsed.

Persons: Marwan Sultan, “, Dr, Sultan, Ibrahim Biari, Biari, ”, — Organizations: Reuters, Crescent, Indonesian Hospital Locations: Israel, Gaza

A Palestinian fighter of the Al-Quds brigade in a military tunnel in the northern Gaza Strip last year. Overnight on Saturday, Israeli fighter planes struck 150 underground targets in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said. The group’s leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, said in 2021 that there were 310 miles of tunnels in Gaza. Ben Milch, an Israeli American who cleared tunnels with the Israeli military during the 2014 Gaza War, said his unit came under fire repeatedly while working to destroy some 13 tunnels. After the Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it had destroyed the tunnel to the sea, it released a video of another incident.

Persons: “, Israel, ”, Joseph L, Sergey Ponomarev, Yocheved, Daniel Hagari, Votel, Joel Roskin, Roskin, Ali Ali, Daphne Richemond, Barak, Yahya Sinwar, Yousef Masoud, ” Ms, Richemond, Ms, Amir Olo, Olo, Ben Milch, Milch, Uriel Sinai, Jeffrey Gettleman, Gal Koplewitz Organizations: Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, U.S, United States Central Command, The New York Times, Islamic, Iraqi, ISIS, Bar, Ilan University, European Pressphoto Agency, Reichman University, telltale, RAND Corporation, West Bank, Officials Locations: Al, Quds, Gaza, Israel, Israeli, Iraqi, Mosul, Al Shifa, Israel’s, Egypt, Northern Sinai, Khan Younis, Col, Israeli American, Kissufim, The, Zikim Beach, Jerusalem

Speaking in Parliament to lawmakers from his Justice and Development Party, Mr. Erdogan accused Israel of deliberately attacking civilians in Gaza and killing large numbers of children, women and older people. Mr. Erdogan also criticized Western countries for their strong backing of Israel and for branding Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that controls Gaza, as a terrorist organization. But recently, Mr. Erdogan made steps at rapprochement with the Jewish state. On Wednesday, Mr. Erdogan said all plans to visit Israel had been scrapped. “We clearly mentioned that we never excuse any acts targeting civilians, including Israeli civilians, regardless of the perpetrator,” he said.

Persons: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Israel, ”, Mr, mujahedeen, Erdogan’s, Isaac Herzog, Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Ergodan’s, Lior, Russia’s, Vladimir V, Putin, ” Mr, Nadav Gavrielov Organizations: NATO, Development Party, Hamas, European Union, Ministry, Israel’s, Turkish, Turkish Presidency Press, Agence France, United Nations General Assembly, ISIS Locations: Turkey, Israel, United States, Gaza, Ankara, Israeli, New York, Turkish, Russia, Ukraine, “, Seoul

PinnedTrucks appeared to be moving through the Rafah border crossing into Gaza from Egypt, according to images shown on Egyptian state television. It was not immediately clear what the trucks were carrying, and there was no immediate comment from the United Nations, which has been pushing for movement. President Biden said on Wednesday that Israel had agreed to allow food, water and medicine into the blockaded Gaza Strip. Aid trucks have been stuck waiting at the crossing for days as the powers involved haggled over the details of getting the desperately needed supplies through. As the situation in Gaza worsens, Israel is readying a ground offensive in the territory.

Persons: Trucks, Biden, Israel, Judith Raanan, Natalie Raanan Organizations: Diplomats, United, United Nations, Military, Hezbollah Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Egypt, United Nations, Israel, United States, Qatar, Chicago, Lebanon, Iran, U.S

Prosecutors say that in past years Mr. Winkler exceeded the limit on fluke, a spotted flat fish also known as summer flounder, by at least 200,000 pounds, and caught more black sea bass than was allowed. He is accused of making hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit deals with of one of Montauk’s most venerable seafood institutions, Gosman’s. Gosman’s Dock boasts sprawling restaurants and retail stores in addition to its wholesale business. That could change soon: Gosman’s Dock is up for sale, priced at $45 million. His lawyers barred him from discussing the particulars of the case, or his motivations for fighting the government.

Persons: Winkler, Bryan, Asa Gosman Locations: Long, Montauk

Putting a price on celebrityIn buying a majority stake in the powerhouse Hollywood talent agency Creative Artists Agency, François-Henri Pinault showed that high-ticket M.&A. is a game that more than one French luxury billionaire can play. Acquiring CAA — which represents stars including Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie and Pinault’s wife, Salma Hayek Pinault — underscores Pinault’s ambitions, and reinforces the growing importance of celebrity in the luxury sector. Like his archrival, Bernard Arnault of LVMH, Pinault used a series of acquisitions to assemble the luxury empire now known as Kering, starting with Gucci and later adding Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen and more. The agency will be run separately from Kering; Bryan Lourd, the superagent who represents Scarlett Johansson and Brad Pitt, will become C.E.O.

Persons: Henri Pinault, Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Pinault’s, Salma Hayek Pinault, Bernard Arnault, Pinault, Saint, Bottega, Alexander McQueen, —, Bryan Lourd, Scarlett Johansson, Brad Pitt Organizations: Hollywood, Creative Artists Agency, CAA, Gucci, Puma Locations: Bottega Veneta, Kering

☆ Teenager Pleads Not Guilty in Hate Crime Killing of Gay Dancer
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Karen Zraick | More About Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The 17-year-old charged with murder as a hate crime in the fatal stabbing last month of a gay Black dancer at a Brooklyn gas station pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on Friday. The teenager, Dmitriy Popov, entered the plea in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, where he will be tried as an adult. The hate crime count could increase any minimum sentence to 20 years from 15. A witness told the authorities he saw Mr. Popov stab Mr. Sibley. Mr. Popov, who lives in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, was arrested several days later.

Persons: Dmitriy Popov, Popov, O’Shae Sibley, Sibley Organizations: Court Locations: Brooklyn, Sheepshead

☆ Judge Throws Out Trump’s Countersuit Against E. Jean Carroll
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Karen Zraick | More About Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ms. Carroll brought her lawsuit in 2022 over conduct that predated his term, using a New York law that allowed adults a one-year window in which to sue over past sexual abuse. The jury awarded her $2 million for his misconduct as well as nearly $3 million for defamation. Mr. Trump, who is seeking to regain the presidency, had countersued in June, arguing that Ms. Carroll should not have continued to say that he raped her after the jury’s decision, and that her comments to CNN after the verdict sullied his reputation. The truthfulness of an assertion is a key component in a defamation case against a public figure. That trial, delayed by Mr. Trump’s arguments that he was protected by his position, is scheduled to begin in January.

Persons: Carroll, Trump, Judge Lewis A, Kaplan, Ms Organizations: New, CNN Locations: New York

☆ Restaurateur Who Paid Off New York Politicians Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Karen Zraick | More About Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Long Island restaurateur who was a key witness in a public corruption investigation was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday, ending an episode that churned up allegations of endemic wrongdoing that stretched across New York City and one of its most populous suburban areas. He testified for 17 days in two trials against Mr. Mangano, who is now serving 12 years in prison. On Wednesday, Judge Joan M. Azrack of the Eastern District of New York called Mr. Singh “a master of pay to play.” But she credited his help to prosecutors, which revealed a dark nexus of politics and business. “The extent and nature of his cooperation is possibly unmatched by any defendant in a corruption investigation,” Judge Azrack said. She also noted Mr. Singh’s age and health problems, as well as the support of his family, commending him for raising three successful sons.

Persons: Harendra Singh, Edward P, Mangano, Joan M, Singh “, ” Judge Azrack, Ruby Organizations: of Locations: New York City, Nassau County, Eastern, of New York

☆ How Defense Lawyers Are Using Video to Aid Their Clients
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A man walking by inquired about the purpose of the shoot. “To get a person out of jail,” said Nicole Mull, a Legal Aid Society lawyer working with the filmmaker, David Simpson. Some are submitted as part of plea-bargain negotiations, in the hope of reducing a felony to a misdemeanor or to even get a case dismissed. Such videos tend to be employed by wealthier defendants in federal cases. The production quality and cost vary widely, but a high-end video can easily cost more than $10,000 — perhaps significantly more.

Persons: ”, Nicole Mull, David Simpson, Ms . Mull, Simpson Organizations: Aid Society Locations: Bronx, Caribbean

☆ 3 Are Convicted of Harassing Family on Behalf of China’s Government
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The elder Mr. Xu’s daughter had already been jailed because of his son’s refusal to return home, jurors were told. She had already received several threats related to Mr. Xu and knew that the Chinese government was trying to find him, she said. To thwart them, she arranged a meeting the next day at a nearby mall, rather than at Mr. Xu’s home. Mr. Zheng even drove back to try and take the note down, Mr. Goldberger said. But he was too late: Mr. Xu testified that he had already done so, following instructions from the F.B.I.

Persons: Xu’s, Xu, Zheng, Zheng’s, Paul Goldberger, ”, Goldberger Locations: New Jersey, China, Short Hills, N.J, Warren , N.J

☆ Jury Weighs Case of Men Accused of Stalking Americans for China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The people pursuing them at first targeted Ms. Liu’s sister in Short Hills, N.J., because they did not know Mr. Xu’s address. Mr. McMahon enlisted other investigators to help him with the job, while exchanging messages with people from the “company” that hired him. In 2017, Chinese officials forced Mr. Xu’s 82-year-old father to fly in from China in a bid to learn where Mr. Xu lived and to persuade him to return to the country, prosecutors said. The officials enlisted Mr. McMahon to do surveillance during that trip in an effort to learn where Mr. Xu was living. The following year, Mr. Zheng was one of two people who left a threatening note on the front door of Mr. Xu’s home.

Persons: Arfa, “, Fox Hunt, Xu, Liu’s, Zhu, McMahon, Mr, Xu’s, Zheng Organizations: Fox, Prosecutors Locations: United States, New Jersey, Short Hills, N.J, China

Ms. Hanif’s family history illustrates how Bangladeshi Kensington came to be. While the corner is often a male-dominated space, she and other Bangladeshi American women have carved out their own places there. Ms. Saeed wants to buy a house, but real estate in Kensington has become far too expensive. Ms. Saeed also faced opposition as she was growing up, from relatives on her mother’s side who frowned upon dance. With other public spaces so dominated by men, Ms. Ferdous sees it as vital that women gather to keep their traditions alive.

Persons: Shahana Hanif, Hanif’s, Hanif, Radhuni, Ms, Mir Hossain, Hossain, “, ”, Sala Miah, Rubel, Tarek Aziz, Uddin, Farojan Saeed, Syed Rehan, Saeed, Annie Ferdous, Ferdous, Eid, Mr, Mahmud Organizations: Young, City Council, Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts, Bangladeshi Institute of Performing Arts, McDonald Locations: Kensington, Bangladesh, Pakistan, “, United States, America, Bengal, Noakhali, Chittagong, Sandwip, Brooklyn, East, South America, Colombia, Panama, Dhaka, Bangladeshi, Manhattan, East New York, Jackson Heights, Ozone, New York, Motiul, Philadelphia, Jessore District, Jamaica, Queens

As the civil trial over the writer E. Jean Carroll’s allegation that former President Donald J. Trump raped her neared its end, one of her lawyers focused on the man who was missing from the courtroom. Mr. Trump did not testify on his own behalf or even show up. “He just decided not to be here,” the lawyer, Michael J. Ferrara, told the jury on Monday. The rape allegation, he said, was a complete invention. Mr. Tacopina took an uncompromising line during the two-week civil trial in Manhattan federal court, the first time that Mr. Trump, 76, who has faced years of allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct with women, has had to answer such a claim at trial.

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