American lawyer and politician, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California
The OUT Museum, created by Chen in San Francisco’s Chinatown, has opened with a small exhibit of Chinese queer art, as activists and artists push for broader recognition of LGBTQ+ voices in China and the diaspora. The project began in China via Kickstarter and now thrives in a city navigating policy changes around LGBTQ+ rights.
Jurors have been unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the Palisades Fire arson trial. The court has scheduled a retrial for October 19 as prosecutors vow to seek guilty verdicts in the renewed case. The trial has featured extensive digital records and testimony about what sparked the wildfire that killed 12 people in Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
Jurors have declared a mistrial in the Palisades Fire case after a 10-2 split on whether Jonathan Rinderknecht started the January 2025 blaze. Prosecutors will retry him. The judge detained him until the retrial on October 19.
Federal investigators have found that California’s two state prisons for women have systematically violated inmates’ rights and that reporting channels were non-confidential and easily accessible to accused staff, prompting a 49-day remediation deadline.
A Marine veteran, Jeanine John Taele, 38, is undergoing psychiatric evaluation and has been referred to a Hollywood mental health court. Police found a loaded pistol, a badge reading “security protection agent,” and 200 notebooks with surveillance notes after Taele was arrested at Trump National Golf Course Los Angeles while a Trump event occurred nearby. He is not yet deemed fit to stand trial.
Federal authorities estimate Los Angeles County accounts for about $3.5 billion in fraudulent hospice claims, with victims like Linda Henry misled into end-of-life care. California regulators have stepped up licensing actions, but critics argue fraud persists as lawmakers weigh privacy protections that could curb investigations.
A Forsyth County teen has been indicted on three counts of murder and conspiracy in connection with the May 18 attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Prosecutors say she recorded, distributed the livestream and published the attackers’ manifesto, while investigators caution the case hinges on aiding-and-abetting charges.
A federal jury has acquitted Lil Durk, Durk Banks, of conspiracy, murder-for-hire and stalking resulting in death after deliberations over three days. Co-defendants are convicted on stalking-related counts, while Durk remains jailed awaiting a separate racketeering trial.